The Big Day

Posted on Wed 12th Aug, 2020 @ 7:50am by Renato Solis & Elizabeth Anderson M.D.
Edited on on Sun 6th Sep, 2020 @ 5:37am

1,691 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Resolution
Location: Refugee Center Midnight (Renato PI office)
Timeline: MD14, 1800

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Three shops sat in a cutaway alcove from the main street along 2246-B, the tangent offshoot of the main corridor comprising the lower class of the lowest class in Brown Sector. The lights flickered here, since EPS was affected from nearby magnetic locks on containment systems. Insulation would fix this, but that would mean everybody leaving, stripping and rewiring, and that would mean the end of everything. So the flickering lights were an exchange for being left alone, and the inhabitants got to keep a neat nickname, Midnight.

In the middle of two other dingy store fronts, this place once had empty rooms and plenty of utility. Squatters, junkies, and criminals had taken it over, and the shopkeepers to the left and right had suffered. Kya and her adopted Orion sisters had seen the potential, and given it purpose.

Now, this place offered hope, and discount wares or repair services. Tomorrow would unveil the community center for all to see, and Renato stared at the building with trepidation. There were already two families inside, Kya and her children, and two sisters freed from an Orion camp. They had cleaned it, painted it, made it a home. Now, he imagined what tomorrow would bring.

He had avoided the counselors so far, fearing his efforts would be undermined by the presence of accredited professionals. He realized this was a fearfully limiting notion, and had sent an invitation to Dr. Elizabeth Anderson so she could see what this was about before everyone else. He hoped they would find a common ground, he hoped she would understand why it had taken so long to trust her.

Elizabeth had locked her clinic in the relatively safe part of Deck 2245 and taken a lift down to the next deck. She'd received an interesting invitation from someone calling himself Renato Solis, someone who might want to coordinate services with her as she was already becoming established and finding trust among the Bajoran people, at least. There was a lot more to Brown Sector, but she'd started small and was happy for any progress. She hadn't heard of Solis, but he didn't really operate in the same sphere as her office.

Directions had been included in the invitation and she eventually found her way to an area that might or might not be completely safe. She was dressed in typical Brown Sector street clothing, and had a shawl over her head. No one bothered her as she walked confidently down the street, behaving as if she belonged and knew where she was going, toward the corner where lights were flickering. Had she been completely human, she might have felt some trepidation, but fear was mostly an unknown to Elizabeth.

She approached the small inlet of shops and saw a man standing in front of the center section, looking toward her. "Mr. Solis?" she asked, stopping in front of him.

"Yes, you must be Dr. Anderson? Pleased to meet you." He didn't offer a hand to her, the human custom was a mystery to him still. Some liked it, others didn't, he learned by now it was best to wait.

The counselor offered her hand to the tall man standing across from her, sensing something distant about him. She'd accessed his file, of course, but that in itself didn't tell her much. When he took her hand, it was cool, and she felt the slow beat of his heart, also sensing a withdrawal in him. Yet, he asked for this meeting, she thought. A slight dichotomy of intention?

He felt the scrutiny of her gaze, aware his face betrayed him. He didn't trust himself, or her, or anyone past Dr. Graves. His whole life had known service to others, and today was no different, but he had never learned how to keep himself out of the muck. Take on too many burdens and a man sinks.

With hand proffered, Renato took her peaceful intent at face value. She saved lives, just like Paul had saved him. Change was due, the cost was paid, but it took people to move the effort forward. The warmth in her grip, perfect skin complexion, smile lines, broken strands of long hair gave him a picture of what was in sunny lights a different person. Here in Midnight, she was an armored shell, like him.

He did what took all his bravery to accomplish. He took the first step with her, of what would last his lifetime, little did he know.

"I've invited you here at the behest of Dr. Graves, who suggests we work together. Your clinic does amazing work, and I want to show you my dream, what I've worked with Paul for a year to bring to life. If you are willing, can we see what we are able to imagine for this place together?"

"Thank you, I'm hoping to help many people who've been overlooked for a long time," Elizabeth said, sensing both pleasure and fear in his demeanor. "I'd like that to see what you hope to accomplish, too. I have no clue what you're doing, though I do know Paul, and if he vetted your plans, I'm sure I'll be able to commit to them, too. Show me around, but give me the story, too, please. I work best with a good background understanding."

"That's very gracious of you, please follow me then, just over to the storefront in the middle that's our place."

The intersecting corridors had a cutaway with three rooms for each of the walls in the open cube. A circular path on the floor was for the antigrav carts, as this was intended for surplus cargo and inventory. The grout was filthy and caked over, no sled had run this path for years. The corners had fruit trees obscuring them, but wood, soil, rock decorated the walls for gardens and, in the middle space, a series of tables were set up in preparation for the Barbecue in just twelve hours. Throughout the whole deck, Bajoran-themed decorations hugged the walls and covered the ceiling, turning this simple square space into a cutaway paradise. Most of it was decoration for the party, but a person could forget they weren't planet side in such a place. The low lights and flicker added to the mystique, casting shadows and ominous specters.

Mr. Midnight himself, Renato Solis stood at his door front, showing the temporary signage. Refugee Center- Midnight

"This place was repurposed fifteen years ago, initially for refugees to come and have a place to sleep and figure out their next step. It operated for a long time, but fell apart over the last few years. Its purpose was a cargo closet, a repair lab, and a work station. Now we have a retail appliance store, repair shop, and Refugee turned Community Center. I've spent my time and therapy with Dr. Graves in restoring this place for the same purpose. We have data links, private rooms, free food and family assistance, we host community events and connect people to resources...we would like to offer your services through this community center. We have doctors helping us in emergencies, but you are the only counselor down here."

Renato opened the door, the commotion of children audible inside. "If you'd like to meet Kya, Lexy and Haksin, they can give you their take on what we do. If you're hungry there is food on?"

"Thank you," Anderson said, stepping inside. "I find that eating with people helps them relax and bond, so I would like to meet them, talk with them, and eat with them, if there is enough to spare." She followed him through the entrance room toward the back, quickly processing his request, but uncertain how to respond to it. More information might give her an idea of what she could do for this place. She certainly wasn't against helping in any way she could.

Walking and leading as he spoke, the savory smells of corn-breads and vegetable stew greeted him. "We have to figure out proteins, so far its powder supplements and ration packs, but the vegentable stew is very good. And we are in luck, I smell honeybread, there is a local apiary in Botany, we have a guy who gets us fresh honey. Make yourself at home, the main room is just past this door."

They had walked through a charming slice of nostalgia for anyone fortunate enough to grow up in a family home. Art, portraits on each door showing the dozens of people living there. There were finger smudges on the wall, toys under the furniture, a smell of powder from babies. The workstation alcoves each had a door but they did not quite go to the ceiling. Each space glowed with a light and cast shadows into the space. There were no electronically generated light sources beyond simple incandescence.

The space was well lived, full of life. A small round window looked out over the outer courtyard, but was really more to shed light than offer a view.

The patter of too many children in a single space assaulted grateful ears, for noisy children need not be watched so closely. Lexy was the quiet one, who snuck things in her pockets. Solis opened the door to the communal room, half the space dedicated to a kitchen and recreation area. It was Spartan, efficient, and only a home by virtue of those living there. Two Orion sisters sat by themselves, Kya's family tore up the artificial grass playing some game with hoops involved. It didn't seem to have rules, but two Human children and a Alterran were there as well.

The parents were not around, and given the scene, Renato explained, gesturing to them by way of introduction. "Sorin, Aber, and Chiicha. Those children had no parents here, separated or lost during the aftermath of the Dominion war, and Lexy..." He pointed at Lexy, a brazen young Bajoran girl fiercely holding her own in a contest for the only bouncing ball..."brought them here for food one night. They all stole the pantry blind."

To be continued ....

 

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