At Loose Ends - Part One

Posted on Fri Mar 13th, 2020 @ 7:09pm by Division Admiral Thomas Lasky & Post Captain Plataea "Phantom" Lasky

Mission: Mission 94: Shattered Shields and Crack'd Swords
Location: Various Locations - Starbase 12
Timeline: 1300Hrs - August 5th, 2392

Commander Tom Lasky sighed softly. He had his issues with recent events and while he appreciated the fact that Rachael wanted to remain behind and sacrifice the Roanoke in his stead, it wasn't her place to demand it of him and nor was it her place to disobey his orders as he did have a way of escape, he used it to get rid of her and now he was dealing with the after-effects of it.

Lasky knew he was extremely fortunate but considering he had very nearly died two months earlier when the USS Roanoke had fallen while defending the Gorn homeworld from a Klingon warhead attack, with him at the conn. He knew he had to consider himself rather fortunate that he was even still alive to consider the thought presently running through his mind. He without an assignment and between postings, he along with many of Roanoke's crew was at loose ends.

Lasky smiled as he had been reunited with his son who had been looked after by a family friend but the reunion wasn't what he had expected or hoped. Commander Plataea Unal heard him walk into the main area of the quarters he shared with her as she lifted her head from the PADD that she had been reading, it was a practical arrangement or so she had said when they moved in together. They were of equal rank and had no issues or complications between them.

"Afternoon Tom. You feeling okay?" Unal inquired with a gentle smile.

Lasky blinked as his mind was drawing a blank as he regarded her. "Huh...Oh. I was just waking up," he answered quietly. "I guess my brain is still asleep." he admitted.

Unal slowly smiled at him. "Well considering you are on vacation and are not needed to save planets and the like ... Besides you have been such an agreeable patient." Unal gave him a rather saucy grin.

Lasky chuckled softly as he went over to the replicator, he got himself something small to eat before he came back to the table where Plataea had been sitting. "You're doing it again," Unal said gently.

Lasky sighed. "I can't get anything past you... Can I?"

"No." Unal sighed. "But that's alright. I can understand why you don't want to talk about it."

"She was my first serious command after Teval had been wounded. She was falling apart at the end. Too much damage and nobody else was close enough. I wasn't left with any choice, the Courageous was in pieces and Spirit of Winter was immobilized." Lasky regarded her. "I was prepared to die to save that world.."

"I know," Unal responded. "I don't think I ever saw Elizabeth so angry.." she regarded him with a smile. "Rachael wanted to tear your heart out. You apparently denied her the chance to be a hero."

"Elizabeth had every right to be angry. I said she had a family and they needed her. but that would be the pot calling the kettle black." Lasky explained. "Rachael on the other hand... She does not."

"No.. Elizabeth didn't have the right to be angry as she wasn't there and she couldn't have understood your choice or why you did what you did to Rachael." Unal regarded him, sorrow in her dark eyes. "Torilla. I know, does understand... Somewhat.." she paused. "Rachael I am sure will calm down when she realizes what you did was the right thing to do."

"It's simple," Lasky answered. "I wasn't going to let anyone else do what I wouldn't do myself." he sighed before he turned his attention to the other comment. "Torilla..." Lasky sighed. "How was I supposed to tell Torilla that I let her baby die in the service of her country?." he shrugged. "Rachael was prepared to sacrifice herself to save me, despite the fact that I had a backup plan to escape."

"That one is easy Tom," Unal answered. "Torilla didn't expect her children to follow her into the service but they all did... Rachael knew the score when she put on the uniform, so did Gabe and Elizabeth too."

"Considering Torilla died and it was Akurian medical technology that brought her back from the dead. Last I heard, she should be getting her body back shortly." Lasky sighed softly.

"Yep and she'll look about half her age while I'm old and getting older all the time" Unal commented. "Mind if I ask you something?" the older female inquired, wanting to change the subject.

"Sure. Wait, why do you ask if you can ask?" Lasky inquired of her, momentarily confused.

"Because I have noticed that you have feelings for Torilla. It is hard to miss, you have those same feelings for Elizabeth." Unal inquired bluntly.

"Torilla and I have a complicated relationship." Lasky sighed. "You've been looking after the result of that." In truth, he knew this conversation was going to come up sooner or later anyway. Now was as good a time as any. Lasky sighed as he wasn't sure of how to explain this one.

"You had a baby with her. You had the same baby with Elizabeth too. It's nothing to be ashamed of, for either you or her.. Even if Torilla did overreact and didn't want to carry the baby to term," Unal responded. "Personally I think little Kurt is adorable, he has his father's eyes and his mother's face."

"That's a whole different matter," Lasky answered in a soft tone, referring to Torilla wanting to abort her child. "Your wondering.. why I don't show any interest in you considering who you look like." Lasky decided to come right out with it.

"That thought had occurred to me," Unal answered. "I was curious about it." she sighed softly. "Before you explain. Let me ask... Do I want to know?" Unal answered his question with her own question.