Posted by Civilian Micah Pikelsimer (Federation Security Agent) in From the Shadows Comes Hope

Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in From the Shadows Comes Hope

Posted by Civilian Micah Pikelsimer (Federation Security Agent) in From the Shadows Comes Hope
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

She snorted. “Golden years. You’re such a funny man.” And yet she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. It was a strangely lovely idea and one she felt like she might even be able to contemplate. Maybe not today, but later? They had a future again and so it seemed anything was possible.

“Well, we had been talking about building another cabin or two. What’s your solution?”

~Shara Calloway, CIO

“You mean what was my solution.” he said with a mischievous smile. “It’s already done. Has been for a couple’a months. You remember the Morgans, right ? Billy Jack, Cloris, and Maybel? Well, I called ‘em a fwhile back and told ‘em the family was gonna be comin’ at some point and that there was a bunch’a lumber and electronics and such comin’ inta’ the depot there in town. They grabbed it all up, took it out to the cabin, and then set to work. Took ‘em four or five months, but now there are two identical, three bedroom, two bathroom, and kitchenette cabins set a little over a hundred meters away from the main cabin on either side. The kids can have their pick, and whatever they choose will be theirs.”

Micah

She smirked. “I shouldn’t be surprised you had it all figured out. And nice of them to help us out.” It was one less worry for sure, even if sometimes she wondered when they’d start deciding things as a couple. But maybe that wasn’t them. Theirs was a different sort of relationship and Shara had always known that. She sometimes really needed that as they generally knew what they could expect from each other and given they had been through much in their own lives, they weren’t out to try and change each other.

Shara gazed out at the streaking stars. The farther they got from the Rabid Pel- Asimov the more she could feel something in her shift. Still, she was trying to figure out what to say to the kids. “I sometimes think it was silly to promise the girls I’d never disappear again. But I wanted it to be true so badly, Pickle. I thought I was done with causing that kind of pain.”

~Shara Calloway, CIO

Micah stared out at the same streaks of light as his wife in silence for a long time. “Shar… we can’t guarantee jack-all in this life. And the kids know that. Five gets ya ten that Faye and Nadine knew that you meant you’d try. And ya did. This time it wasn’t on you, your choices. It was me. I did that to us… to them. And I hated every godd@m^ minute of it. So don’t go on thinking you broke any promise to them, okay? You tried. And in our lives, that means something. But I will tell ya this… when it comes time for us to be done with this life, this work… we are gonna plant ourselves and never leave except for family stuff.” He turned his head and looked at her. “‘Cause I wanna be home with you. Home, Shar… with you. And if the string-pullers have a problem with that, they can come into our woods and tell us.” and he grinned and looked back at the stars.

“And good luck them ever gettin’ outta those woods if they are dumb enough ta try.”

Micah

“Woe be to any trespassers,” she said with a smirk.

Dropping her feet to the floor, she got up and moved to the replicator, grabbing a tumbler of coffee. Moving over to Micah, she stood behind him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “My inclination is to keep everything to myself, but I can’t do that this time. I’ve worked to hard to stay out of the shadows. So I want to tell them stuff. How much do you think we can get away with?” She knew that the kids weren’t the type to go telling anyone, but this was more about how much she and Micah were willing to talk about the stuff they had had to do while renegades.

~Shara Calloway, CIO

“Tell all you want. I’m the Agent in charge, remember?” he said with a chuckle. “Perks ‘a the job. hun… perks ‘a the job.” He patted her hand. “And I trust them all. Besides, anything we did that was… necessary… is in the file on the mission. Anyone that really wanted to know could pull it.” He looked up at her. “Or are ya worried about what Nadine will think? Faye and Daggum both know and probably have done things similar… hell, Daggum’s childhood was worse than anything we did.” he said with a shake of his head and look that said he felt for their son-in-law and harbored a deep and abiding anger on his behalf for the ones that did it.

Micah

Shara drew in a deep breath and moved to the side of Micah, sliding into his lap. She looped her arms around his neck and nodded slowly. “She’s an elementary teacher. Remember how weirded she was just telling her that being associated with us was dangerous? She’s not naive, but she’s led a very different life. I waited a very long time to allow her to be more than just a secret in my heart and I don’t want to lose her. Not after everything. But I would understand if it was too much for her, wouldn’t you?”

~Shara Calloway, CIO

Micah nodded after a moment and then said “Tell ya what. How ‘bout we do like we did last time, and I’ll lay the groundwork. Prime the ‘ol pump a bit and get her chugging along; then you can add fuel and see if she starts to run too hot and we can dial back on the intense crap a bit till she’s more co.fortable. How’s that sound.”

Shara nodded slowly. It was a plan that would do.

He tapped a few commands and then said “But I also think yiu aren’t givin’ Nadine enough credit. She’s got some steel in her, that’s fer certain.”

Micah

Turning her head, Shara flashed a grin. “Well, she is my daughter. The women in this family have always been made of sterner stuff than most, Nadine included.”

She sighed and then chuckled. “Maybe we should be more worried about Faye. “She’s understand, but oof, that anger.” Shara shot her hand up. “Not it!” Childish, yes, but it made her grin more deeply.

~Shara Calloway, CIO

“I’ll talk to ‘em both.” he said with a shake of his head and a grin. “And you can talk to the Green Bean with legs about it and make sure he’s on the same page as far as Faye goes.” The comms chirped and Micah leaned forward and looked. “Entering Sol system. We’ll be set on automated flight path in about twenty minutes.” He looked at Sharah. “Still got some time…” and he wiggled his eyebrows and jerked his head towards the sleeping quarters.

Micah Pikelsimer

“And avoid thinking about how my son-in-law is going to tell me off for upsetting his wife? You bet!” Shara said, swivelling in her seat and striding towards the bedroom, pulling her shirt over her head rather nonchalantly with a slight exaggerated movement of her hips. It was always fun to give a little show and she certainly had no qualms showing off her body.

~Shara Calloway, CIO