Infinity's Arrow - Part Seven

Posted on Thu Apr 15th, 2021 @ 4:32am by Fleet Captain Heather Walking Bear & Commodore T'Shaamet 'Runt' Antilles & Colonel James "Gryphon" McTaggert

Mission: Mission 108: Grains of Sand
Location: Various Locations - USS Infinity
Timeline: 1130Hrs - October 21st, 2393

Lt Commander Heather Walking Bear as she was known, still went with her maiden name while on duty rather than her husband's name as it tended to cut down on the confusion. She turned her head as she regarded the two large packs at the door. "James!" she called her son's name before she added her daughter's name to the mix. "Marie!" she added.

The door to the bedroom opened as a sixteen-year-old young man emerged from his room, with a large pack in each hand and a straw hat on his head he had run out of space for the last of his items. "I'm ready to go, mom..." he explained himself as the fifteen-year-old younger version of her mother came around the corner. She too carried a large pack and had a second one on her back. "We did get our gear packed and stowed as you demanded," Marie growled at her mother.

"Don't give me attitude young lady..." Walking Bear growled at her child. "We got ten minutes to get ready for departure..."

The door to the master bedroom opened and out came James McTaggert, he regarded his wife and his children. "Okay, guys. Are we ready?" he asked of the three people before him, knowing that Heather was about to get into it with Marie, their personalities were as different as night and day which was unusual considering Heather was good with all of their children, however, Marie was not cut out for the military or the Starfleet life and she truly hated the moving around, this would only be more of the same for her. James Junior, however, seemed to be handling things better than his sibling but he had his fair share of issues regarding the matter at hand. "You guys goo to go?"

"Sure dad..." Marie answered, in a sullen tone, she wasn't happy and everyone present knew why. "So, where are we living this time... on a small Starbase?" the teenager inquired in what she hoped was anything other than the usual angry sullen tone she had been taking with her parents recently. James Junior was more tired than anything else as he was always getting in the middle of his sister's private war with their parents. "Marie, give it a rest, will ya... Sometimes we have to deal with what we've got in front of us."

Marie's response was to give her brother a rather evil, scathing glare. James sighed softly as he once again reminded himself of why he disliked being around his sister so much.

"Actually... No, we'll be living on Utgarde Four, itself. So you'll get to live on a planet surface." Walking Bear regarded her daughter. "Since your father and I will be taking over assignments on the ground, we decided it made sense. Now, we'll be moving in next door to the McKnights... Major Daisy Rohr-McKnight and Fleet Command Master Chief Petty Officer Orthos McKnight so behave when you are around them alright... Utgarde IV is also heading into its winter season in the hemisphere we'll be living in. So make sure you replicate heavy winter jackets and snow gear."

Marie blinked, a planet-based assignment was something new. "Oh... really?" she inquired, as the astonishment was written all over her face.

"Marie, we get it. We've been getting it for the last few years now..." McTaggert said to his daughter. "Could you mind exactly where this intolerable hatred for our jobs comes from?" he inquired of his daughter. "You've been in this constant state of pissed off for months and it is getting tiresome now Marie, you've been treating everyone around here like shit... So what is the problem?"

"We're always moving around, we can never stay in one place for an extended period. Whenever we go anywhere, we stay long enough to put down roots and then we get uprooted again." Marie answered. "One set of quarters looks like another set of quarters... How long will we be planet-based? six months at best?" she rolled her eyes as she waved her hand. "Please, this is a delusion at best and an outright flight down memory lane at worst. We won't be here that long. As you'll want your own ship at some point mom and Dad. you'll want command of your own infantry unit on said ship."

James Junior piped up. "What if we are here for an extended period Marie...?" he inquired. "Because I'm tired of dealing with this... I swear you enjoy it." James regarded his sister. "That's because you don't get out a lot so you compensate with having a go at mom and dad because their jobs are keeping you from getting out and meeting new people."

"You're lying." Marie snapped at her brother who continued unabated. "Sure I am Marie... Then why are you getting defensive on the subject... I don't wish to leave but I make the best of it, my friends do too. We understand that sometimes sacrifices must be made and I will remain in touch with my friends, the same as I have from the previous two assignments... You don't... Because the memories are nothing more than poison." James explained. "You can't stand to think of them do you consider them as dead and move on, letting your own hatred and bitterness consume you."

Marie stood in silence. She didn't know what to say or what to think about the matter.

Heather sighed softly. 'Okay guys, let's break this up... We still have to go and move planetside." she commented quietly.

Marie regarded her mother. "I'm ready to go. I will wait outside." and with that, she walked past her father and her mother who both stood there in stunned silence with James' Junior's tirade as she walked out the door. Heather knew that she would need to discuss matters with her husband about these revelations as she turned her attention to her son. "You ready James?"

"Yeah, mom. I'm good to go." James sighed softly. "Alright then," she commented as McTaggert regarded his spouse. "I finished the last of the cleaning in the bathrooms and once Lieutenant Furlong gets here, we can turn these quarters over to him," he explained.

"Good, let's not drag this out any more then it needs to be dragged out, we've spent enough time flogging this dead animal already," Heather commented as James Junior hefted his two packs. "I'm going to go and try to sort things out with Marie."

"I wish you luck," McTaggert answered his son. "You landed on her really hard," he added.

There was a beep at the door. Heather answered it. "Lieutenant, we were just discussing you, please come in." as she looked at Lieutenant Furlong, with anything but a smile on her lips.

"Ummm sure." Lieutenant Furlong answered with a short pause. "Colonel." he addressed McTaggert who approached him with a PADD in his hand. "I'm officially surrendering these quarters to you at this time Lieutenant. Thank you for the usage of them," he explained formally.

"Of course sir," Furlong answered as he accepted the PADD. "I accept these quarters at this time," he answered formally. "I wish you and your family good luck and fair seas Colonel," he turned. "Commander." he addressed Walking Bear a moment later.

"Thank you. Lieutenant. God speed you on your way." he commented before he hefted his two large packs. "Take care El-Tee." and with that, he departed his now empty quarters and departed. Heather nodded her head before she followed in silence.