<USS Avalon> "Changing Faces"

Changing Facesby Petty Officer Vevay Davis with Warrant Officer Alexander 
Gibson and Ensign Ffej Harak 


"Mama," she called from the doorway. The small house echoed with her voice and 
she flinched. It was a sunday afternoon, so she knew her father was in some 
dingy bar somewhere, but she was still wary about making too much noise. 
"Mama," she called again, a little quieter this time.

There was nothing sentimental about this building. She held no special memories 
of her time here and the only reason she'd come back was to say goodbye to her 
mother and brother. Wandering from room to drab room, Vevay tried not to dwell 
on the reasons for her leaving in the first place but on the sole reason for 
her return. I'm joining Starfleet, she thought with vigor.

"Vevvy?" her mother's voice sounded from the kitchen. "Vevvy, love, is that 
you?"

"Mama!" She bounced over and pulled the frail woman into a hug. "Oh Mama, I've 
missed you."

Pulling back from the embrace, Gwen inpsected her only daughter. "And I've 
missed you, little girl. Things just haven't been the same without you here. 
Newlyn's been moping around like a bear with a sore head, I swear to God the 
boy is driving me mad." Glancing at the bag slung across Vevay's shoulder, she 
said, "You staying for a spell?"

Sighing, Vevay shook her head. "I'm sorry, I can't. I enlist today."

"Enlist? my baby's really going to join Starfleet?"

"You know I always wanted to and now I'm old enough, I'm going to do it. I just 
wanted to say goodbye first."

"Oh Vevvy, I'm so proud of you, really I am." A tear slid down her mother's 
cheek and Vevay wiped it away tenderly. "And my baby girl's 16 today! Happy 
birthday, sweetheart." She shuffled away and began rummaging through a 
cupboard. "I got a present for you around here somewhere..."

A crash behind them made Vevay turn. Her heart hit her stomach when she saw the 
huge frame of her father in the doorway. He was a tall man and built like a 
brick shit-house with a mop of black hair above fiery green eyes. Staggering 
into the kitchen, he ignored his daughter to bellow at his wife that he was 
hungry.

Pulling herself up to her full height, Vevay said, "Then make yourself some 
food."

"Well, well, well, the prodigal daughter returns. What do you expect? That 
we'll welcome you back with open arms?" His soft welsh accent sang over his 
harsh words. It was something she'd never cultivated for herself, preferring 
her mother's soft american.

"No, I expect nothing but the freedom to say goodbye to my mother and brother 
in peace." A knot of fear twisted her insides.

"Goodbye? But I thought you'd already left." He turned to face her fully, his 
hands in fists at his sides. As he breathed out, she was engulfed in a fog of 
alcohol: beer with a hint of gin, byt the smell of it.

"I'm joining Starfleet. I enlist today and I won't be home for a long time." If 
ever.

A bark of a laugh had her staggering back and flinching with the volume of it. 
"And what makes you think they'd take a soft-minded piece of shit like you?"

"I've passed the entry exams already, all I have to do now is sign the forms 
and I'm in." Her own defensiveness surprised her. Why was she even trying to 
explain anything to this man?

"Starfleet that desperate, are they?"

"Go to hell," she said as she turned back to her mother. "Don't owrry about it, 
okay? Mail it to me or something."

"Mail what?" He twisted to glare back at his wife, his face growing red. In a 
low growl, he said, "Mail what?"

"It's our daughter's birthday. I made her a present, that's all." Her mother's 
spineless apology made Vevay sick.

"Keep it, throw it away, I don't want it!" Her voice rang with her own disgust.

"Ungrateful bitch," he said as he pivoted and used his momentum to back-hand 
her.

Vevay was flung off her feet by the impact. Lying on the floor, she wiped blood 
away from her lip. In clipped tones, she said, "As a courtesy to my mother, I 
will not report this incident to the authorities." She pulled herself to her 
feet and gathered up her bag.

"You are my daighter, what I do to discipline one of my children in my own home 
is my business."

"Actually, no it's not. I'm an adult now so when you hit me, you are no longer 
striking a minor. I can bring charges against you of my own volition and the 
authorities will listen to me. But I won't." Glancing one last time at her 
mother, she nodded and turned away. "Goodbye."

---------------------------------

"Goodbye," she whispered as she kissed Ffej's forehead. Slipping out of his 
bed, she padded out of the door and into the main room. She was still wearing 
most of her clothes so all she had to retrieve were her shoes and her jacket. 
Turning to look ar his sleeping form barely visible through the doorway, she 
let a single tear fall for the inevitable loss of this wonderful man.

According to her chronometer, she had an hour before work so she rushed to her 
quarters for a quick shower and some breakfast. She was fairly confident that 
Alexander would already be in the office, so it was a complete shock to find 
him sat at their table when she walked in. He had his legs crossed and he was 
twiddling a newly opening spear of an iris in his long, thin fingers. Looking 
up as she approached, he pointed it at her.

"Do you know what this is?" he said.

"It's a flower." She almost laughed but held it back when he raised his 
eyebrows at her.

"Read this." Her threw her a small note, which she dutifully read.

"Keith sent me another flower?" She was truly amazed at teh intensity of the 
Captain.

"Keith? Oh, so it's Keith now, is it? Since when have you been on first name 
terms with the man we're investigating?" Alexander raised himself from his seat 
and strode over to her, still carrying the flower. "And no, he didn't send you 
one flower. He sent you dozens."

Dozens? Of irises? I wonder how he knew they were my favourites?

"The office is flooded with them. Irises, daffodils, daisies. You name it. he 
sent it. Damnit Vevay, we are not a flourist's shop."

"Well I can't help who the Captain sends flowers to, now can I?"

Dropping his voice to a reasonable tone, he said, "True. What you can help is 
how intimate you are becoming with the people in this crew. It wouldn't be so 
bad if you'd chosen someone unrelated to this investigation, but your poor 
judgement is putting this case in jeopardy."

"I... I'm sorry. I... I didn't think. I..."

"No, you didn't. And stop stuttering. Since we came aboard, you've been 
distracted. You've lost your edge. It was downright embarrassing in the Jameson 
interview when I had to save you. Where is the ruthless, single-minded 
investigator I took on nine months ago? What's happened to my strong-willed 
student?" He continued before she could answer. "You've become weak, spineless. 
I recommend that you grow a backbone before the Harak interview this morning 
because if you mess it up, I won't be able to save you." With that, he tossed 
her the flower and strode out.

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