An Evening Walk, Part 2
Posted on Mon 5th Sep, 2022 @ 5:58am by Lieutenant Damion Ildaran & Elizabeth Anderson M.D.
1,728 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
The Hunted
Location: Tivoli Gardens
Timeline: MD-5, 1915 hours
Previously, on Starbase 109...
They ambled along silently for a few minutes, and then Elizabeth added, "Human or other, no one can handle all things at one time. You're dealing with a lot that needs dealing with at this time. You and I are fine and there's no need to deal with other issues, in my opinion. When it comes to those things later, Graves can't help us. We'll be on our own to work things out ... or decide there's nothing to work out. Either way, for today, we're fine."
"Is there anyplace in particular you'd like to go?" Damion asked. "I'd like to feed the ducks in a little bit, but for now, it's just nice walking with you. The flowers are pretty; so's the river. Maybe later, we can visit the observation deck."
"That all sounds perfect. What about walking in the temple gardens where we attended the wedding a while back? It seemed such a pleasant and safe place ... calm." If there was one thing about bio-life that Anderson had come to appreciate, it was peace. Damion could undoubtedly use that, too, after his confrontation with his past life. At least, judging by the activities he'd suggested.
"Where the big, red gate is?" Damion asked. "Yes, I'd like that. It reminds me of that time we visited the Japanese garden in the holodeck and had tea there."
As they changed course at the next branching path, Elizabeth smiled in memory. "Oh, yes, I loved that place. We haven't visited any holo-programs in forever. We should go there again. Revisit some good past, while you're exploring some more troublesome times. That bridge over the water was really lovely, and we had some amazing discussions standing there!"
"We certainly did!" Damion smiled. "Do you still believe in a creator?"
"More than ever," Anderson affirmed. "My own creation is a fact in the database, and somewhere, I expect there's a much more advanced recording of the entire universe's creation ... maybe multiple universes. I know you are recorded in there, and there's a purpose for your creation, just like there was for mine." She ambled along beside him, thinking about how her purpose seemed to have changed ... but had it?
"It feels like my purposes have changed, expanded far beyond the original intention of my human creators. If we are made in the image of God, as scripture says, then yours could also have expanded beyond the original master creator's plans." She smiled over at him, "I've observed that all lifeforms tend to do that."
Damion laughed aloud, a happy sound. "For me--I wouldn't know; I have no idea. But you?" He glanced around for a moment, to ensure they had privacy. "I agree; I think you've grown far beyond what your human creators ever envisioned. But as for God? I don't know much about it, but God's supposed to be infinitely wise, right? You might be exactly fulfilling God's purpose for you--which I think is to be more than your creators intended. And I am perfectly content with that."
Elizabeth smiled as they walked through the garden gate, faint chimes sounding in the small generated breezes. "It's always a good thing to be perfectly content. When it's time to grow, something always pushes us in a new direction, and that often includes discontent, but we swing back to a balance eventually. I know there is a greater power than any I've actually met in my short years, and that brings me peace."
They walked along in comfortable silence for a bit, fingers intertwined loosely. After a while, Elizabeth said, "You remember the few strange messages from the person calling herself La Llorona? "
Damion blinked at the change of subject. Now there was a name he'd never thought to hear again. "I remember," he said. "She's one like you. Have you heard from her again? Does she need help?"
"I haven't. My last contact was getting that musician in touch with her, and afterward ... nothing. Not surprising, really. If I suspect Starfleet is watching me, I'm sure she probably knows. In fact, not hearing from her is part of my belief that they are, in fact, keeping an eye on me. I've had no cause to champion something that will give the Powers That Be any heartburn, and am content to let things lie for now. But I have been thinking about her, wondering about her, hoping she's doing well ... thinking about what she represents and offers."
Musing in silence as they strolled the pathway through trees that no longer bloomed with spring's abandon, Anderson eventually added, "It's sort of strange that you are pursuing an understanding of your past, while I spend more time thinking about the multiple possibilities of the future." Another few steps and she stopped, looking up at him. "Or maybe not so strange. Your past is much longer than mine, and far more interesting."
"Interesting?" Damion chuckled. "That's one word for it." His expression sobered. "I have a lot to...work through, as Graves puts it. I've carried a lot of guilty feelings for a long time. They're probably what drove me away from home in the first place. Graves says they're not doing me any good, and if wallowing in them could get me killed and bollocks up the mission, they have to go. Accept that the past was the past. I made the mistakes, and I can't fix them. It's time I moved forward, so that's what I'm doing."
Damion glanced at her. "Your future, now, that has all sorts of possibilities to it. I can't imagine that you'd want to spend the entirety of your existence being a counselor on 109. What sorts of things would you like to do, if you didn't have to worry about making a living?" He paused. "Have you been investing?"
She smiled at the question. "Of course, though not in things that don't make a difference. I'm investing in people, and that's all I'll say about it. My own needs are few ... rent on the office and apartment account for most of my spending. I have excellent financial programming ... that I don't always obey."
What would she do if she weren't a counselor? "I don't know of anything I would like more than counseling for a life's work. I do know I'd like to travel and see more of the galaxy; yet, I can't see living on a planet or some other starbase. I have mixed feelings about a working on a ship. It seems somewhat ephemeral, unstable, after living on this starbase that offers so much to us. I've been on four Starfleet ships, but I don't really want to go back to that. Maybe." She laughed. "Is this what it's like for a biological child when someone asks what she wants to do when she grows up?"
Damion chuckled. "Quite likely! And you're what, sixteen now?"
Age wasn't something the counselor thought much about. As a hologram, she had unlimited future, as long as her programming held, and there was no reason it wouldn't. She smiled at Damion. "About that. I see we've known each other a little over three years, though it's rather difficult to think of a time I didn't know you. I mean, I can pinpoint the exact date you came to my office on the ship for the first time, and date all our meetings in between. I simply don't think that way unless I choose to do so. You're a permanent part of my life ... forever, it feels like."
Logically, Elizabeth knew that forever didn't exist for them. Damion was a biological and she wasn't. Someday, there would come an end to things, but she didn't let that affect the present. It wasn't programmed into her nature, and she hadn't developed the need to worry about what she couldn't change. She chose not to think about it.
"Is our relationship illegal on Turkana IV?" she asked. She could have looked in the database, but she'd learned that asking questions got more information that was relevant than checking facts constantly. It was also more human.
Damion blinked and considered the question. "I can't say for sure, because most of what passes for our laws is only haphazardly written down, since most of my people are barely literate. Our laws are based on what the cadre leaders think or want at any given moment. I would say our relationship would not be illegal--but only because it isn't in my people's day-to-day experience. No one will have conceived of it. It would be like someone wanting to marry our EMH. No one would do that; they'd take you at face value and presume you were human unless a tricorder scan revealed you weren't." Damion shook his head. "There is no way I would take you or anyone I cared about to Turkana IV."
Elizabeth laughed a little. "This is why I ask questions instead of always checking facts. I find out many things I wouldn't find out from the database. In this case, I was actually asking about whether my technical age would be illegal in a relationship with you. I guess I've become so used to us interacting on whatever level we wish that I had lost track of the fact that even here, some people would object to my being non-biological and you being biological ... though which half any given person would object to would be an interesting poll to give!"
"Sixteen is old enough to marry because soldiers in the cadres tend not to live long," Damion said. "You look maybe twice that age, so I wouldn't anticipate any complaints from the folks back home."
"Then I guess we have nothing to worry about for now, and can enjoy our evening walk. Maybe you'd like to stop at Riverside Ice Cream, too. I could go for a Pralines and Cream. What sounds good to you?" Elizabeth wanted to switch to less stressful conversation, so they could both benefit from the walk. She felt Damion had dealt with enough heavy subjects for one day and night.
"For ice cream? Chocolate chip mint," Damion said, "unless they have avocado. I can almost never find avocado...." They turned down the path toward the ice cream shop, ready for an excellent dessert adventure.
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