Keeping Secrets

Posted on Mon Jun 22nd, 2020 @ 11:37pm by Lieutenant JG Vecon Fick
Edited on on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 5:15pm

Mission: Divided We Fall
Location: Crew Quarters
Timeline: Just after "An Old Man's Gratitude"

A Mission Post by Lieutenant JG Vecon Fick
Mission: Divided We Fall
Location: Crew Quarters
Timeline: Just after "An Old Man's Gratitude"
Wed Oct 3rd, 2018 @ 7:59pm

ON:

"Vae Echelon Four, Omega Two-Two-Six."

"Echelon Two, Omega One-One-Five, this is the Scoreboard."

The figure sat in the dark, a strange communication device in hand that distorted the figure's voice. "I need to speak with the Architect."

"Negative, Vae, the Architect is unavailable," came the digitized reply from the device.

"Dammit, you put the Architect on right now! I wasn't told the full requirements of this mission, I deserve some answers!" the darkened figure exclaimed in a measured tone.

"You were told what was necessary," Scoreboard replied.

"I had a right to know!" the figure known as 'Vae' bellowed into the device.

"The Architect will not offer any explanations at this time."

"Well then you need to deliver a message for me," the figure started to say, but before a message could be relayed the door chime sounded off. Quickly closing the device, the figure approached the door, pausing for a moment to pocket the device and take a calming breath. Opening the door, there stood Lieutenant Vecon Fick.

"Fick!" the figure, now with a very feminine voice, exclaimed with surprise. "It is so good to see you!" she said as she gave the Risian a hug.

Fick hugged her back. "It's good to see you too. Again. What are you doing?" He was looking around her quarters over her shoulder, at least what he could see of them in the lack of lighting. "Have you eaten anything?"

"Not really," 'Vae' replied with a shake of her head. She turned on the lights and tugged Fick inside. "I've really only had what they gave me at Sickbay before I snuck out. And now that I think of it, I am famished. Care to share a meal with me?"

"Well, that's what I was coming to ask you... so yeah." He smirked a little as he was pulled inside. "Recovering alright?"

'Vae' blew out a puff of air as she considered the question. "Not really? I guess physically I'm fine, but mentally... Some people have got a lot of questions to answer once I'm done here..." she said as she went to the replicator to get a light soup; she was famished, but she also knew eating too much too fast would only yield unpleasantness. "What would you like?" she asked Fick.

"Philly cheesesteak number five... and steak fries with cheese." He shook his head. "I just... have to let it all go. I can't go back, I can't fix it... it's over. Whatever was there is over."

"Oh, that sounds good..." 'Vae said distractedly as she looked at the tray already sitting in the replicator bin, miso soup with rice and pickled daikon; miso or cheesesteak, miso or cheesesteak.... Miso AND cheesesteak! She took her order from the bin and placed it on the table, then made two orders of cheesesteaks with steak fries. "I'm going to regret this later, but I don't care..." she said as she set everything out on the table. "I'm sorry about how everything worked out; I wanted to tell you, Fick, but I have rules I must follow, very hard rules, rules that if I break them earn me more than a mere slap on the wrist, because I can cause serious damage if I try to change things I'm not supposed to change. I just want you to know that if it had been possible to get all of you out without causing any damage, I would have," she said as she settled into a chair at the table.

Fick sat at the table as well, looking his cheesesteak sandwich over hard. "Mmm... I just discovered these. Apparently, they're a human thing. I didn't ask you to break any rules. You don't have to keep telling me." He smirked. "I'm happy to be back with K'Laus. I honestly missed him so much it hurt. Like physically hurt."

"I know, I just didn't like the idea of leaving everyone there, there were just too many variables at risk, I couldn't take the chance," 'Vae' replied sadly. She picked up her sandwich, all gooey and deliciousness, and took a bite, sighing in enjoyment. "Oh, god... meat, how I've missed you..." she said as she chewed. "I'm glad you're back with your boyfriend. And what of the marine you dabbled with in the Bubble? Is he doing okay?"

Fick had also picked up his sandwich. It had taken him several tries in the replicator to get it just the way he liked it, with the cheese to meat ratio almost equal. He was chewing when she asked and he paused a moment to swallow before answering. "He's apparently not okay. He escaped Medbay and ran all over the place." Fick sighed. "I feel really bad about all that," sounding like some sort of admission.

"I'm sorry about that," 'Vae' said, just one more thing she could have changed but couldn't. She set down her sandwich and reached over to place a comforting hand on his arm. "You are stronger and more resourceful than you give yourself credit for, Fick; if anyone can figure out how to make things right, it's you," she said with a smile.

Fick snorted. "You're really full of crap... you know that? But thanks," he said around a mouthful of sandwich, with a smirk. "I'm pretty sure there are people more clever than I am on it right now. I'd rather just put it all behind me. Can't really make it go away... too many people shared the experience... but I do wish I could do something for Mauricio."

"Me too, just try not to sell yourself short," 'Vae' replied, wishing she could glance into the future to see how things worked out. "As to the whole 'put it behind you' thing, if you ever need to talk about it, you know where to find me."

"Yeah... but there's not really any point to talking about it. It is what it... was?" He chuckled and took a rather impressive bite of his sandwich, following it up with a lot of yummy noises. "I'm just glad to be back..." he mumbled around his food. "So what are you going to do now?"

Already, the cheesesteak, as good as it was, was sitting heavy on her stomach, so 'Vae' took a sip of her miso soup. "I still have a job to do, and once it's done then I move on," she answered simply. She hated the idea of leaving, she and Fick had become friends in the Bubble and it seemed they were still friends now, but rules were rules, she would have to leave regardless of what she wanted. "I know it all 'is what it is', but try not to keep it all bottled up. Okay?"

Fick was done with his sandwich and was now concentrating on the cheesy fries. "Actually, I feel a lot better since I woke up. It's almost like all of that had to be killed off. I mean, I know giving up isn't the solution, but it was in there. Sorry about that. It's a lot better now."

'Vae' nodded. "It's like we can finally breathe again," she remarked as she tilted her bowl of soup and watched what was left of the cloudy broth swirl around in the bowl. "Thank you for coming by to check on me. To be honest, I'm struggling with my task because I didn't expect to be in the Bubble with all of you." She had made very few friends before the Bubble, and even in the Bubble she had kept herself rather isolated, so at the moment Fick was the only one who seemed to give a toss with how she was doing, and now the Architect wouldn't talk to her and she was suddenly finding herself to be quite lonely. "But I'll manage, I always do..." she said with a sigh.

"Of course you will," Fick said, his words sounding like a platitude because they were. "Look, you've got me... okay. I'm still your friend. It's funny. Out of the bubble... I'm not sure that person I was before is ever going to come back. So it's waaay too late for us not to be friends, honey." Fick really wasn't the type to ever be flamboyant. So when it dropped the "honey" she could probably tell he was both serious and playing at the same time.

Which succeeded in lightening the mood, causing 'Vae' to laugh softly. "I was told you were an amazing person, and I was not misinformed," she said candidly. "It just sucks, I usually don't make friends because attachments make it harder to leave; this place was already home, sort of, and now it's even more so. I really wish I didn't have to leave once my job is done." But she wasn't bitter about it; if anything, she was warmed at the thought of the memories of friends and make-shift family she would have when she left, but she would miss them all. And Fick... he had been a true friend, never asking for answers he knew she could not give. Suddenly, 'Vae' broke out into a heavy yawn, one that grew even as she tried to fight it. "Oh goodness! After all that sleeping in Sickbay, you'd think I'd be able to go a little bit longer before I had to rest again," she said in jest.

"Seriously, did you just go into a food coma in front of me?" Fick asked over his empty plate.

"I don't know, but I know I'm going to regret eating as much as I did..." 'Vae' stared at what was left of her 'dinner', but what a dinner! "God I missed miso," she said, then downed the rest of her soup. "So good... And I think I should call it a night. After all, I did just escape from Sickbay..." And she wanted one last try to contact the Architect before she passed out for the night.

Fick nodded. "Yeah, I should get back to my quarters about the time K'Laus is gonna roll in from his shift. Gotta get him dinner too." He grinned and got up from the table. He took his plates and hers and set them in the tray to be recycled. "You're welcome and thank you for also being my friend... it's good to have those. Even if you are a weirdo..." he stuck his tongue out at her playfully.

"Speaking of K'laus, I bet he can find a much better use for that sharp-witted tongue of yours," 'Vae' replied. "And you do know it takes a weirdo to know one."

"Of course it does! I know he likes me better with my... I should probably leave that one alone." Fick grinned and laughed. "Sleep woman. Jeeze. I'm gonna go home." He headed for the door. "Night!"

"Good night, and have good sex!" she called out after Fick as he left. Once he was gone, out came the strange communicator device once again...

"Vae Echelon Four, Omega Two-Two-Six. Now, about that message..."

:END