Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Tennessee, Earth - Home Sweet Home

Posted by Civilian Micah Pikelsimer (Federation Security Agent) in Tennessee, Earth - Home Sweet Home

Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Tennessee, Earth - Home Sweet Home
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Micah looked at Shara and gave her a melancholy smile. Of course they both knew why they did what they did. But admitting it was always… difficult.

“So… so it’s like this. People like your mother here… me… we are not cut form the same cloth as most. That isn’t a brag, it’s just how it is. Whether by desire or design, we have a certain skill-set that doesn’t translate into doing a ‘normal’ job. And part of being able to have a set of skills like we do is your brain has to work in a certain way. We see things different than most. It’s how we are wired. So part of it is that we are geared towards it. Another part is we have a hard time not letting go of control. So we learn and are trained to set circumstances, places… people… up in such a way as we can try and control outcomes… bend circumstances so that probability favors us and what we need. We also have some trust issues. We don’t trust anyone else to do the jobs right, so we do it. And the last part… and I’ll only speak for me here… but I like it, it’s exciting. And I’m good at it. Your mom’s good at it, to. But we both, I think, are rapidly coming to the point where it isn’t exciting anymore. We’ve managed to do what so very very few in our trades ever managed.” and he picked up his coffee and took a sip.

The younger woman gazed at Micah curiously.

“We’ve stayed alive. Probably eight or ten times longer than the vast majority of individuals in our line of work… On any side.”

Micah

Nadine digested this information and was quite honestly not sure what to do with it. If she were honest, the whole thing sounded like a terrible deal, but she also knew what it was like to be devoted to something you believed in. But it just seemed rather different than her students; not less important but just vastly different. The stakes were so different. She dealt on a one-on-one basis, helping to shape the lives of people who would help shape society later. But Shara and Micah seemed to be doing something on a level she wasn’t even actively aware of. What was it like to defend your society from threats at every angle, to sacrifice yourself entirely? She would never know and she was grateful for that. But as she gazed at her birth mother’s medals and the man she had married perhaps in part because he understood that sacrifice, she was humbled and awed.

Shara reached out and rested her hand on Nadine’s arm, making the first physical contact they had had so far. “There are consequences for serving your calling. Some people find glory and success in a way that everyone else envies. Then there is us. We don’t make a fuss- we might complain but not unless needed. And Nadine, it costs something to do this work and we accepted that cost long before we could fathom what it could be. But I spoke truly to Micah three months back. I wouldn’t change a damn thing in my life because it brought me you, and Faye, and Edward, and Micah. And I would’t give up any of that for all the riches in the Galaxy.”

She just wasn’t sure what to say, so Nadine simple leaned towards Shara on the couch and let her head rest on the back of the couch near Shara, her gaze on Micah. “I’m so glad you came to Portland and I’m so glad I got to meet you both.”

Shara smiled. “Me too, baby girl, me too.”

~Shara & Nadine

Micah looked between the two and said “Hey… its been one hell of an eventful day. And tomorrow ain’t gonna be any less so. We should all probably get some sleep. Now, this has been a bachelor pad for… well… forever. Now I got me a wife and step-daughter to get to bed and only one bed. So Nadine, you get a choice. Bed down here on the couch, or out in Vanessa. You pick.” His gaze settled on Shara and he grinned. “You don’t have a choice.” and he winked.

Micah

Shara chuckled. “No camping out under the stars, huh?” she teased. “We should build a cabin for when Faye and Daggum eventually come out here too.”

Nadine just smiled. “If it’s okay with you, I don’t mind sleeping on your ship.” Something told her that Shara and Micah and a lot to talk about and given there was only a set of stairs between the floors, she didn’t want to intrude on their privacy. Besides, it had been a huge day for her too and she needed a bit of space herself.

~Shara & Nadine

“Not a problem. Just be careful. You’ll have access to the cabin and the refresher, everything else is locked down. And Vanessa is very particular about who touches what.” and he chuckled. “I’ll go make it up. You girls say goodnight and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

For a moment after Micah had left the two women just gazed at each other. Mirrors of each other and yet still very different. It was Shara who made the first move and reached for Nadine’s hand, giving it a firm squeeze.

Gazing back, Nadine blew out a breath. “What a day!” she said with a laugh.

“Indeed. But plenty more tomorrow,” Shara said, releasing her hand. She started to put things back in her trunk. “I’ll have my meeting tomorrow, so don’t feel you have to stick around if you want to explore.”

“What, worried I’ll overhear more colourful conversations?” Nadine teased.

Shara laughed. “Nah, anyone who knows me knows that that is what me angry looks like and if you don’t want to be subject to it, don’t make me angry.”

“Noted!” And yes, there was a gleam in Nadine’s eyes, but at the same time, knowing what little she really did of Shara, she was also serious.

Micah walked out to the ship and set up the security protocols. He then made up the cabin and made sure the replicator was unlocked and the comm terminal in the cabin was accessible to Nadine… recording everything, of course. As he was about to step outside, he paused. He stood still for a moment, then turned and went to the cockpit. He activated the comms, composed a message, and sent to to the Manhattan and to Faye.

=/\= Hey. We’re turning in for the night. Your sister is sleeping in my ship. I’ve keyed the comms so any call from you goes right to her bedside. I thought, if you want, that may be a good time to talk to her if you want. Just the two of ya. No third or fourth parties involved. Comms are open. Use ‘em if you want. =/\= and there was a pause.

=/\= You’ve taken a lot, these past few months. Lotta bad shit… Im glad you are getting some good shit to balance it out. I’ll watch out for Sha. Later, Faye. =/\= and he sent the message priority.

Micah walked back into the house slowly, and as he came through the door said “Ok, you are all set.”

Micah

“Yeah,” Nadine said as she grabbed her bag and turned back to gaze at her birth mother. “I never gave up, but there was a point where I stopped looking. I figured maybe the timing was wrong. I’m so glad I was right about that. I don’t know if now if better than any other time, but”-she looked between Micah and Shara-“I can tell you’re happy here together and well, I really like having this all happen at a good time. As for Faye and the rest of it, well, one day at a time, right?”

“Always the way,” Shara said.

“Day at a time, kiddo.” Micah said with a smile.

Nadine grinned at both of them and heading out the door to the ship.

~Shara & Nadine

Micah made sure she got inside and the hatch was shut before he looked back at Shara. “So… if this is just our second day married… imagine what’ll happen tomorrow!” and he laughed as he walked over to her and put his arms around her.

Micah