Long Overdue

Posted on Tue 28th Jan, 2025 @ 10:08am by Commander Heriah Rex & Captain Gordon Francis

2,605 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: The Phoenix Gamble
Location: Skybox 1
Timeline: Current

ON

Heriah was in her quarters, fixing herself up, fluffing her hair then patting it down, putting it into a ponytail then two, then down again. She did her makeup, removed some of it; put on these pants, this dress; tried this shirt and then that.

'If you are not careful you are going to wear yourself out before the meet. Hell, you might even drive us both to an early grave. In fact...work harder.'

"Just trying to look nice for my captain is all."

'Look nice or charm your way into his bed?'

Heriah looked at herself in the mirror, at the shirt she was wearing; tight and showing her navel. She stripped it off immediately and went to her closet for something else. "I just want to make a good first impression. Is that so much to ask?"

'No. Just don't let your first impression be of him thinking you an escort. Besides, he has a first impression.'

"Of you Rex. Not me. Time can change a person. What's it been? 30 years? And I am going to come clean with all your dirty little deeds. We will have a fresh start."

'Something is going to be fresh with all that perfume you are bathing yourself in.'

Heriah was back in the lavatory, at the mirror, further undoing some of her makeup, perfume and other beautifications. This was going to be a casual meet between the two, but she did not want to be too casual nor appear too official. The man was far older than Heriah, but far younger than Rex. And since Rex had a previous history with Gordon, she was unsure how casual to dress and be.

As it were, Captain Francis had been waiting outside the door for a few minutes, wondering when and/or if Heriah was going to respond to the chime he'd rang twice already. The event was going to start soon, and Francis didn't want to miss the first match.

The event itself was one that Francis had been trying to get for several months now. It was the Intergalactic Rumble, a pro-wrestling event put on by the UWF, Unified Wrestling Federation. Francis had been a fan of boxing, wrestling, and martial-arts events since he was old enough to attend one in Kansas City with his father when he was six years old. UWF had been around for nearly three centuries, and was considered the premiere professional wrestling organization in the whole Alpha Quadrant.

The main event of the night was the yearly Intergalactic Rumble, where one hundred competitors fought in the giant Thunder Ring, throwing each other over the top ropes until one competitor remained, who would face the champion three months later at the biggest intergalactic wrestling event of the year, Wrestle-Madness. Francis had worked very hard to get the latter event, but the bastards at Deep Space 7 were able to land a better deal. Still, the Rumble was a time-honored tradition and Francis couldn't have been more excited.

He rang the chime again and yelled, "Rex we're gonna miss the opening bout!"

Francis felt like a kid again. The UWF had an old tradition of putting on a free show during the holidays at Kirk Assembly Hall at the Academy, and Cadets Francis and Rex, who was Garantula "Spider" Rex back then, had scored front-row seats together during their senior year at the Academy. It was a fond memory for Francis, and he hoped Rex's new host shared the same excitement. It wasn't just a throwback with an old friend. It was the first time Francis was using the Captain's Skybox at the arena, and he'd gotten catering from Orchids and Jazz, including a keg of Qaraq's Korfmager beer, the chief sponsor of the event!

Captain Francis went to tap the chime again.

"Damn," she said softly, "he's here."

'Actually, that is the third chime.'

Heriah grumbled and decided enough was enough. "Ok, I'm done."

'Done?'

"Done. This will do." Stepping away from the lavatory, Heriah snatched up her monocorder and placed it on her finger. She went to the center of her living area and stood there. "Enter," she said.

Francis stepped in and was taken aback. She was a sight in a strapless, shining red dress that gripped her figure like a feline's bite. Her exposed, spotted shoulders went down a neckline that was just low enough to intrigue a person into the secrets protruding confidently below. Unlike the top of the dress, the skirt seemed to relax a little, exposing plenty of her slender, lovely legs with a stream of spots flowing downward to her very fine red high heels. She wore her dark blonde hair in a ponytail, making her face the main feature as the most naked part of her body. Her cheeks and forehead had been thoroughly (though not recklessly) powdered with a dash of rouge. Her eyes were fierce, circled by sharply thin black eyeliner and combed eyelashes. Above them her eyebrows had been properly plucked and sharply shaped. Then, happening below a powdered nose, adorned with radiantly red lipstick were soft and inviting lips that looked as ready for attention as the rest of her. She was the embodiment, if not the definition, of every schoolboy's wildest dream... with spots.

Francis stood in the doorway with combed hair and a shaven, bespectacled face, wearing a white collard shirt and khaki pants, with comfortable black shoes.

Francis laughed and shook his head. "Well," he said, "the transporter must be fixed, cause you're absolutely beaming! You're dressed for the prom while I look ready for a barnyard hootenanny! I suppose the Intergalactic Rumble will have to do." Like the old-fashioned gentleman he was, Francis held out a hooked arm for her to take. "I know it might be awkward taking the shoulder of a former drinking buddy, but you're a lady now, Rex. Don't be surprised if I ask you to dance!"

'He called you by the correct name. Didn't like him before. Kinda like him now.'

"Oh, you," she said with a grin. Stepping up to him, "I remember how you used to be with the ladies. Never thought I would be on the receiving end though." She took his offered arm and they started out. "I still need to get my bearings of this place. So, let's walk to the stadium if that is ok."

Francis nodded. "Sure! The venue is not too far away and I need the exercise."

'Don't forget the invite to dance.'

"Oh, and I do hope you had a double meaning with your dance invite." Heriah was almost bouncing on her feet. "As Heriah, I grew up learning to dance." She slouched somewhat and balled her free hand into a fist. "As Rex though, well he is fluent in another kind of dance."

Francis laughed. "That would be fun. We can check out some of the dance floors in the clubs on the Promenade!"

Heriah was hoping some of them were actual dance floors while Rex was hoping some of there were sparring mats.

"You know, you were right about Garan. And I think you would have been...I don't know if 'proud' is the right word...'glad'...'satisfied' maybe...that he did something on his own; made some good choices; gave some good orders and advice."

"Really?" Francis said, sounding somewhat surprised. "Tell me about him."

Heriah laughed at the flood of thoughts. There was so much to tell.

'Tell him about the women; how he got caught shacking up with the XO.'

"Of course you knew Garan well enough to know that he would work himself to the bone to work as little as possible. I mean, he could not even be bothered to write his own speech, after all he did to copy your work during that last cycle. He would never have admitted to it, but...you know he did. Allow me to admit to it on his behalf. He was resourceful, just...Garan didn't have the discipline to make his own way. He had to copy others. On his first assignment, he read and listened to as many logs and sensor readings as he could so as to regurgitate orders and assignments. If he had just studied and put his own mind to it..." she paused.

Heriah continued along, walking with Frank, arm in arm, as they strode. She was sure to regard just about everyone they had passed with a smile, a look, batting of eyelashes or a quick 'hello.'

"There is one Away Mission, they logged it under codename 'Day of the Triffids', where Garan had to lead a team. They came upon these walking trees that could uproot themselves and move locomotively. Not very fast but virtually unstoppable. These 'triffids' proved to be hostile. Having never encountered these things before and having nothing to fall back on, Garan ordered his team to the coast and took to a small island. Phasers worked minimally and they had no charges. They used what they had to...get this...throw salt water on the triffids which drove them back. With that, they were able to wait for the ship to return and pick them up. They had no casualties. To be honest, Garan's decision to use salt water was his last ditch effort. It just happened to work. He got a commendation for it though."

She waved as they passed a Starfleet personnel in the corridor. Francis was ignoring the various looks and stares, but thought the waves and smiles coming from his XO to be very "Rex."

"Only Garan could get a commendation for throwing water at a tree," he said with a shake of the head. "I remember the last thing I said to him was accusing him of being the most arrogant follower I've ever met. I'm glad to hear he came up with something original after all. I do wonder, however, how life has been for you the last thirty-odd years? I've only ever known Garan Rex, and I'm sad to see that he's gone. For a long time I've wanted to tell him I forgive him. While I missed that chance, I want you to know I hold no grudge against you."

'The old fart may want to hold something against you though.'

The waves and the regards and the smiles at people as they passed by all stopped. Heriah's tone turned a bit more serious. The grip she had on Gordon's arm tightened slightly. "It has been a rollercoaster," she said. "Garan met his end after some radiation exposure. Anyone could have been healed of it...anyone...except a Joined Trill. Though Garan felt better, his connection to Rex was degraded and it only got worse. In the end, he also held no grudges against you. He did not have any final words but I know his final thought. He was sorry for having disappointed you."

'But that was Garan thinking that. Not me.'

"That's quite a final thought," Francis said. "I don't believe I'm worthy of it. I did admire him, in my own way."

"After Garan," Heriah continued, "was Refkin, Trill Elite Special Forces unit. After many years, he was heading up a surgical strike team to board and disable a Borg Cube." She held up a hand to stop him from speaking. "I know. We Joined Trill are not supposed to be put in such situations as that. This operation happened anyway. And...as you might expect...it did not go as planned. Refkin was captured and assimilated but rescued shortly thereafter. His connection to Rex was also degraded from the experience." She paused in thought, but kept placing one foot in front of the other as they pressed onward.

Francis took Heriah's hand, and held it in a reassuring manner. "Heriah, I genuinely hope..." he paused, a bit distressed to hear the information of his old friend. "I'd like to..." he stammered again. "Oh, I wish I could tell you everything will be fine here. And I want to say that things are going to get better and you can take all this time to heal. But I'd be lying like an ornery kitten. This station's remote location is a big disadvantage. We see more action and have less help. Sometimes our 'help' comes from people with other, more questionable agendas. We do what we can to make it out here, but our presence is not as strong as it may seem." He stopped walking and turned to face her. "What I'm saying is: Rex, you've been through it. So much more than I can imagine. And I can't guarantee this place will bring you the healing comfort you deserve. But if you need a friend, you have one in me." He smiled. "I'll even let you call me Frank."

Heriah had not even finished listing off Rex's hosts as there were still two more in the past 10 years; something that was unheard of.

'Yeah. I've been through it.'

"Yeah," she started, "I've been through it." She started stepping slowly in the direction they were headed. She thought about her joining; that she was something akin to a form of rehabilitation to Rex. A calm host for a ravenous symbiont. But if there was one thing Heriah learned over the months since her joining with Rex, it was that, "I did not exactly happen to land here, Frank," she tried his name on for size. "In fact, I requested this posting, knowing the trials that may lie ahead. I need some excitement, something to push my limits. And," she wrapped her arm in his again and they pressed onward, "some of these people with questionable agendas that you mentioned? Some of them just might have dealt with a Rex in their time. As you say, I've been through it. And not all of Rex's hosts have been standup characters." Heriah smiled and laughed shortly at a sudden thought. "If I may borrow something you once said to Garan...'I can only imagine you think of me as dumb as a stray cow' if you think I did not come here with experience and some connections that could prove beneficial."

Francis couldn't help but laugh as they resumed their walk. "I appreciate the reference! And I'm glad you're prepared for this posting. Forgive me if I made you think I assumed otherwise."

'Oh, do make the old fart beg forgiveness.'

"Nothing to forgive...Frank."

'Wimp.'

"But apology accepted if you insist. Now..." she let go of his arm, stepped before him and walked backward while facing him as they pressed on. Rex balled her fists before him and gritted her teeth. "...this fight we are going to..." and left the thought open for him to expand upon.

Francis grinned. "It's this year's Rumble. They say King Kong Stark is returning to the ring! There are also two championship matches. It's gonna be a hot time, I promise!"

"King Kong Stark?! Didn't he get his start as Stunning Steve Stark?" Heriah nearly jumped with joy and returned to her position beside Frank, wrapping her arm around his again. "This is going to be a hot time. Do, lead on."

"It's been thirty years and several lives. Glad we get to do this again!" Francis said. He added, "It'll be better this time."

END

 

RSS Feed