Star Trek: Erin

Part 60: Just a Visit

     Later the same day we returned to the Enterprise, Nowak found me again. "Erin, we have a slight issue with an easy solution."

     I raised an eyebrow. "Weird wording but go on."

     "There are a few officers on leave on Glock V, and something with the planet is currently interfering with communicators. Engineering is looking into the issue, but for the moment we are unable to inform them of the Enterprise's arrival for rendezvous." He paused. "I recommended you to collect them and meet at rendezvous."

     I opened my mouth.

     "Of course, there are far simpler ways to retrieve them, but I thought you might appreciate a chance to visit your parents. You have an extra leave day planet-side."

     I grinned. "You're so nice. Wanna come?"

     "One day, I will. This time, there are rather urgent duties I must attend to. Enjoy yourself."

     "Absolutely. Thanks, buddy."

     Visiting my parents was nice. It was the usual. I asked about them, they asked about me, I asked about Marth.

     I entered the starport bar with the intention of finding the officers and passing the couple hours until rendezvous when I noticed a couple Starfleet uniforms in a booth, red and yellow. They waved me over, the redshirt being none other than O'Sullivan. The other was introduced to me as Junior Lieutenant Dragan, who seemed to know O'Sullivan. "Didn't know you two were from here," I said, eyeing them. "Which Academy?"

     "My uncle thought Sol was a better fit." Dragan made a scrunched face. "Shows what he knows."

     O'Sullivan shrugged. "And I wanted distance from Glock V. Altair campus."

     "Cool." I got a drink that I thought was something new but turned out to be Romulan ale. "By the way, the Enterprise is here to collect us. Beaming up in a couple hours."

     "We heard an hour ago. Comms were down, right?"

     "Yeah." Fine. Although, the extra day was still nice. I settled back and listened in as their conversation returned to what—or rather, who—was being discussed before my arrival.

     "He's in graduate studies here on Glock V, microbiology." O'Sullivan played with the calluses on their palm, ears turning pink. "Planning on joining Starfleet when he earns his doctorate."

    I propped my head in my hands. "What's his name?"

     "Lees." O'Sullivan studied me for a moment. "We met a few months back on my last leave here."

     "Awww."

     "That's fine and all, but you didn't answer before. When are you and Lees taking it to the next level?" Dragan asked, jabbing O'Sullivan in the ribs. "You don't have a lot of time left if you're pulling a Kirk and never seeing him again."

     They moved away and shrugged. "I'm just not interested in it."

     Dragan laughed in the way that heralded trouble. "Oh, you'll think differently when—"

     "I swear, if you finish that fucking sentence, I'll dropkick you into a black hole," I said softly, but my voice shook with barely restrained rage.

     She snorted and opened her mouth to continue.

     My hand flashed across the table and I grabbed her by the collar. I leaned closer. "Maybe I didn't make myself clear. I will not sit here and let you try to convince people that that is the pinnacle of a relationship."