Bad News, Bud - Part 2

Posted on Sat Apr 23rd, 2016 @ 1:39am by Lieutenant Commander Daniel Divaro & Captain John Theisman
Edited on on Sat Apr 23rd, 2016 @ 1:44am

1,097 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Pathways
Location: Divaro's Quarters
Timeline: Current - Immediately After Bad News, Bud (Part 1)

ON:

OLD:
"I'll certainly talk to Velah when she comes on board and make sure she understands that I won't tolerate anything hostile between you two," John said as he took a drink. "I understand the situation, but if we're going to all be assigned to this ship for seven years or more, then we'll have to find a way to get along. Without resorting to murder."

NEW:
"I haven't seen Velah face-to-face in two years so I don't know what her attitude will be but I don't think it will be anything THAT drastic," Daniel said.

"Let's hope not," John said as he finished off his whiskey. "I'd like to suggest that you both spend time with the counselor, though. She may be able to help."

"I think that's a good idea," Divaro agreed. "But I will warn you--Velah can be pretty head-strong. Once she gets something in her mind you couldn't blow it out with a photon torpedo. If she decides she does not want to do counseling, you might have to make it an order." Daniel finished the last of his drink and held his glass out for a refill. Something told him that, before this was over, he was gonna need it.

"If I have to, I will," John said as he poured Divaro another glassfull. "We'll cross that snakepit when we get to it. Just one thing. I was kind of confused that Velah doesn't have a last name."

Divaro shrugged. "What can I say? She's Orion--they only have one name. When we were married, she used my last name but when we divorced she went back to her Orion heritage and just used the one name." He took a sip of his drink, then continued. "Now Sassi has my last name--or at least I THINK she still has it. I haven't been notified if anything has been changed."

"Wait a minute," John said, blinking his eyes. "You were married to an Orion?"

"Yes I was...for eleven years." Divaro said slowly. "A wonderful woman--unless you make her mad, then you might feel as if you've opened the gates of hell itself." He grinned at Theisman for a moment. "You've heard the saying 'hell has no fury like a woman scorned'? I can tell you volumes about that."

"Old saying, but true about just about every single woman I've ever known," John said. "Well, that explains a few things. Oh, damn." Holding his hand up to his head, John shook his head. "I can see that this is going to be interesting as hell. I should have brought the Barcardi instead."

"Bacardi, hell--some Jack Daniels or straight moonshine might fit her disposition," Daniel said with a chuckle. "But seriously I don't really foresee and problems. At first I expect her to be mad as hell about leaving 171. And I guess I can understand that. After all, it's been her home for the past 8 years and to just uproot and leave on a fairly short notice has to be a real strain."

"I can understand that completely," John said with a nod. "But, she is the one who requested the transfer. Still, I have a bottle of absenthe I'll share if she gets to nagging on your nerves too much."

"Yeah, but from what I understand, it's probably because I petitioned for more time with Sassi and Velah's probably afraid to let her go out with us on a mission without her being here," Daniel said. "And I guess I can't fault her for that. She always was protective of our daughter. Not that I wasn't but...well, you know how mothers are."

"Well, she more than likely doesn't even know the full extent of our mission either, otherwise she might not even allow your daughter on board at all," John said. There were quite a few families on the Hyperion, but they at least knew where the ship was heading.

"If I know Velah as I think I do, she wouldn't let Sassi go for any length of time without being close by," Divaro answered. "And I guess that's the way it should be. If I understand correctly, we're going to be gone a long time--several years, in fact?"

"The standard deployment duration for Luna class ships is seven years," John answered. "Our treaty with the Romulans grants us access for at least that long."

"In that case, perhaps it's good that Velah is coming aboard. By the time we're done, Sassi will be almost grown--if she's not, in fact a legal adult--and I would not want to subject Velah to missing out on her growing up."

"I can see that side of it," John said nodding. "But, she's still going to have to bury that temper of hers. I understand there will be some tension, but she'll have to understand that there are limits. I have enough to worry about know as it is."

"I think she will realize that," Daniel said after a moment. "Oh, I'm sure in the beginning she will fuss and fume about the fact that she gave up a nice, cushy job on 171 to come back out into the unknown, but if I know Velah she will come to grips with it and she'll be fine."

"Good," John said as he stared off for a moment. Shaking his head, he shrugged. "There is always danger, no matter if it's on a nice cushy station or a spartan like star ship. To repeat the words of one of the greatest Starfleet officers: Space is dangerous and unfriendly and mankind has no business being there."

"I look forward to seeing my daughter again," Daniel said. "But I have to wonder if I may be taking her out of the frying pan and into the fire. I mean, we don't know what we're getting ourselves into." He looked at the CO for a moment, then asked "Do you think I'm doing the right thing by bringing her on board?"

"That's a hard question to answer," John said with a frown. "There are plenty of other officers on board who have their families with them, and the same is true on dozens of other ships throughout the fleet. There's always the chance for danger, no matter where you go. Even a planetside or station assignment has its risks. I can only promise you that I'll do everything I can to make sure your family is as safe as they can be."

To be continued...

OFF:

Captain John Theisman
Commanding Officer
USS Hyperion

LtCommander Daniel Divaro
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Hyperion

 

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