<USS Avalon> "Hello and Good-Bye" (( Takes place before "Good-Bye For Now" ))

(( Takes place before "Good-bye For Now"  ))
 
"Hello and Good-bye"
Georgia Lewis and Bobby Woodward along with  Geisha

Georgia looked at the clock on the wall and realized that it would  be
sometime before she would be able to see Melanie. She took one last  look
at the baby and quietly slipped out of sickbay. She wanted to  say good-bye 
yet at the same time she didn't know if she would be able to.  It was going to 
be hard enough to say good-bye to Skyler.

Walking  through the station Georgia thought  about all the changes  that
had occurred during her lifetime. She hadn't thought she would make  it 
through when Henry died, then when Celeste died leaving Skyler in  her care she 
wasn't sure how she was going to handle that. But, she had  made it and now she 
was going to make another change in her life. This one  she was choosing to do 
for herself. She had put off going back to  Starfleet
Medical, but now seemed like a good a time as any.
 
As she was walking she found a quiet piano bar, where the lights were  dim 
and the jazz was smooth. She walked in and found a table not to far  from
the piano. She hadn't heard live jazz in such a long time. She  hoped it 
would help to ease her thoughts of leaving the Avalon and of  leaving Skyler 
and 
Melanie.

It wasn't soon after she sat down that a bartender appeared to take  her 
order. She placed her order of ice tea, along with some cheese  and crackers. 
She 
then sat back and let the music overflow  her.

Bobby Woodward had been making the rounds of the bars, lounges,  taverns,
and pubs that could be found near the Izar shipyards.  As  could be expected, 
there were quite a few.  This one, though, had so  far been one of his 
favorites.  He only wished he could get a  piano player this good for the 
Avalon.

As he took a seat a little  closer to the piano, he heard a soft, discreet 
chirp in his left ear.   He turned his head slightly to regard the Exocomp 
perched on his shoulder,  then following the direction she had just given him, 
looked around and  spotted a dark-skinned woman of close to his own age sitting 
 
nearby.

"You're right, Geisha," he said softly.  "That is one of the  folks from the
Avalon.  Maybe we should go over and say  hello."

He waited until the piano player announced a short break, then  got up and 
took the few steps across to her table.  "Ms. Lewis?   May I join you?"

Georgia had been deep in thought and didn't hear anyone  talking to her. She 
was afraid that she wouldn't be able to say good-bye to  Skyler. She knew that 
Skyler was taking it hard, which was to be expected  under the circumstances. 
They had been a part of each others lives for so  long.

She finally realized that the music had stopped and looked up to  see a man 
with a strange looking machine on his shoulder standing in front  of her.

"Excuse me, but are yous talkin to me? Hows do you know my  name?" Damnit, I 
have to try harder to keep my accent under control. Don't  want everyone to 
think I am some stupid idiot or  something.

"Yes, ma'am," he said.  "I'm going to be serving  aboard the Avalon, and I've 
been trying to make note of the crew  manifest.  My name's Woodward, Bobby 
Woodward."  He grinned and  extended a hand.  At a chirp from his shoulder, he 
added quickly, "And  this is my friend Geisha.  She's an Exocomp."

Looking like something  out of a very bizarre dream, Georgia looked at the 
Exocomp. She had never  in her life seen anything such as this....creature or 
was it a  machine?

"Just exactly is an Exocomp? I hate to tell you but I won't be  serving 
aboard the Avalon for a while. I will be leaving from here back to  earth in a 
few 
hours. Sorry to disappoint you."

A few hours. That  was all she had left before she had to catch her ride back 
to earth  and Starfleet Medical. She had no idea when she would see the 
Avalon or Skyler  again.

"Only disappointed in that I won't be able to get to know you  better," Bobby 
said, dropping into the chair on the opposite side of  the small table. 
Geisha unfolded her long, triple-jointed legs and slowly  climbed down onto the 
table, turning a single photoreceptor toward Georgia  and offering a series of 
friendly chirps.

"An Exocomp is an electro-mechanical life form," Bobby explained.  "The 
uppercrust of the Federation is still arguing over whether they should  be 
classified as sentients or not, but I have no doubts, myself.  Geisha  and her 
companions have been first employees, now friends and  companions, of mine for 
quite 
a few years now.  She says,
'pleased to  make your acquaintance,' by the way."

Georgia's face lit up just a  little. "You understood what she....was saying 
with all those beeps and  chirps? That's amazing. You said employees, just 
what is your assignment going  to be on the Avalon?"

"I'm in charge of the main lounge," he said.   "Technically I'm a civilian, 
working through the Federation USO.  Got  to know Geisha and her friends back 
when I was still a captain in the  Merchant Marine. It's been a few years, but 
yeah, I know their  language.  Makes things a
bit easier, though they can attach a com  screen if they need to."

It never failed just as she was leaving  something different and exciting 
would appear. She hoped that these  creatures would still be on the Avalon when 
she returned. Degree in  hand.

"Sorry you won't be going on this trip out," he added.  "Got a  new 
assignment?"

Georgia sighed before she answered Bobby's  question. "No, it's not really a 
new assignment as much as it  is finally doing something I should have done a 
long time ago. I am  going back to Starfleet Medical to work on my Medical 
degree. It's  something that is long overdue. Hopefully, it will also help me  
work on clearin up dis accent so folks can better understand  me."

With a frown Georgia looked at the PADD in front of her. She needed  to write 
to both Melanie and Skyler and let them know what was going on but  she 
couldn't think of the words to express what she really felt about them  both.

Looking up at the little machine and it's companion she whispered,  "How do 
you write a letter that will let someone special know just how  special they 
are and that they are going to be missed  terribly?"

"Good-byes are always a bear," Bobby said after a moment's  thought. "I've 
always found the best way is just to say what's in your  heart and on your 
mind, 
straight out.  If that person cares about you  anywhere near as much as you 
do about them, they'll  understand."

Looking down at the PADD, Georgia realized that Bobby was  right. She had 
already written several versions but had erased all but the last  one.

"Thank you for the advice Bobby. Could I ask a favor of you since  you will 
be on the Avalon? Could you keep an eye out for a dear friend of  mine. Her 
name is Cmdr. Skyler and she is the XO of the Avalon. She doesn't  usually 
drink 
but when she gets upset about something she does have a  tendency to do stupid 
things that end up hurting herself. Sometimes  she will go to the extremes in 
the holodeck or sometimes it might be too  much to drink. I don't
want nuthin' to happen to her or to her sister  Melanie. You think you and 
your friends here could do that for  me?"

Georgia hoped she wasn't asking too much of this stranger, but he  seemed 
nice enough and like someone that could be trusted.

Bobby  chuckled.  "As luck would have it, I met Commander Skyler not too long 
 ago.  I think I might have even tempted her to try visiting the lounge  I'll 
be running, at least every now and then.  So yes, I'd be glad to  keep an eye 
on her and make sure she's okay."

Georgia felt a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you so much Mr. Woodward. I  
really appreciate your willingness to watch over Skyler."

Looking at the  little machine, Georgia smiled, "Yes, Geisha I appreciate 
your help as  well. I am sure she is in good hands."

Taking one last look around she  stood up. "Well, I thinks that I had better 
start making my way to the ship.  Don't want to lose my spot or my nerve. It 
was very nice to meet you both.  I am sure the Avalon will be glad to have you 
a board. Best of luck to  you."

Having said that, Georgia turned and walked out of the bar and made  her way 
to the waiting ship that would take her back to earth and to a new  chapter in 
her life. She didn't dare look back for she knew if she did she  wouldn't get 
on the ship. It was time to look forward and not back, even if it  was the 
hardest thing she ever had to do.

"How do you measure a year  in the life of a woman or a man?" ~~Seasons Of  
Love....Rent"

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