Old Friends, Old Loves - Part Four

Posted on Wed Nov 30th, 2022 @ 6:13am by Fleet Captain Heather Walking Bear & Commander Patricia Walking Bear & Commander Jennifer Pravdin & Lieutenant Commander Korenna Walking Bear & Colonel James "Gryphon" McTaggert

Mission: Mission 118: The Christmas from Hell
Location: Various Locations - Utgarde IV
Timeline: 1525Hrs - December 18th, 2393

Commander Jennifer Pravdin sighed softly. "To make matters worse, it was an argument that led me to all of this mess now," she commented. "Ryan said I was being a fool with my stance on pirates and how I wanted to simply exterminate them without trying to capture or detain first."

Meanwhile, Marie Walking Bear smiled as she regarded the clock, mounted on the wall. She stood with a large sheet pan in her hands. She nodded to her cousin. "Get the door please," she commented as she placed the pizza into the oven. Rwaren pulled open the oven door and then she stepped aside while Marie slid the pizza into the oven, she then closed it and noted the time. "In forty minutes. We will be enjoying this." Marie grinned as she regarded Rwaren. The younger woman grinned back. "It looked great. I can't wait."

"I dunno what to do guys," Pravdin commented softly. "Ryan was killed because I screwed up," she commented.

"No. He didn't." McTaggert commented softly. Clearly, he had the experience where he spoke. "He knew the score, same as you did. You didn't ask for it to happen. Sometimes bad things do happen to good people."

"Could it be that you simply want to know that he forgave you for? For the fight in the first place." Marie Walking Bear commented from where she was standing in the kitchen. She paused as all the eyes in the room turned to look at her.

Marie was suddenly feeling rather mortified. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" James asked softly. He knew that his daughter had a few issues recently with settling in. "Speak your mind, finish what you were going to say." he regarded his daughter. While he was quietly hoping she wasn't going to say something dramatically stupid.

Marie looked around. "Well. It was something John said to me when we first arived. About how my memories of my friends on previous assignments had turned to poison because I had considered them unreachable." she paused. "He was right."

Heather regarded her eldest. "That explains why you were having the issues that you were," she commented softly.

Marie nodded her head. "I've had time to process what John was trying to tell me. I've also been able to come to terms with things... It took me a while to come to terms with it... As he wasn't wrong."

Rwaren turned her head. She resembled Marie only in the basic appearances but she had her differences. "Death is always a painful topic to discuss," she spoke softly. "It can be hard to handle and deal with." the younger teenager commented before James interrupted the two teens. He felt he needed to give his own perspective. "Be careful ladies," James commented. "Jen. I feel for you. I really do... But I need to say it now before it gets to be too late." he paused a moment. "Holding on too tightly to those who have passed this way before us can cause unwanted side effects. Your sons must have their mother clear-eyed and calm headed. Not lost in her own pain that she can't help them with their pain." McTaggert explained while he regarded Pravdin with a measured look in his eyes. It was clear that he knew exactly where he spoke. "I have been, where you are now. It was her." he indicated to Heather with his hand. "That saved me from my own destruction."

This caused a few people to look around at each other. This was a major revelation. Jen Pravdin had no idea of where he spoke. "What happened to you.?" Patricia inquired gently.

Korenna moved over to the fridge, she passed her daughter in silence as she smiled at Rwaren, she pulled open the door as she peered into the fridge. She could feel the pain coming from McTaggert as she knew that followed was going to be good. Korenna selected the drink she wanted. She closed the door before she came back over to the gathering.

Heather regarded her husband. It was clear that she knew full well where this was going. She gently placed her hand onto his shoulder. McTaggert knew what his wife was saying without saying it and he was grateful to her for it. "Jen. I know exactly where you speak of. In regards to not being able to let go just yet." He regarded his wife's younger sister. He knew exactly where he spoke. I was nineteen and it was about the time that Heather and I started dating. It was my father whose death was long and expected."

"What happened?" Pravdin inquired.

"My father was at Worf Three Five Nine. When the Borg showed up. His thought was simple. If they want to get to my friends, they need to go through me." McTaggert sighed. "Well, they did. The battle should have killed him. However, the fact that the Endeavour was able to rescue him only prolonged his agony rather than resolve it."

Pravdin paused as she sighed. She had no idea of what to say here.