[USS Vanguard] Family

Dr. Jaav E'Thexx
Location: Starbase Brigadoon

'Santos and Desdemona studied the ship as it cruised toward a docking
berth at Starbase Brigadoon.

It was the Vanguard. And her crew had once again arrived at its home
port.'

As the hull of the Vanguard delicately kissed Brigadoon's extended docking 
collar it was easy to forget that in actuality, tonnes of tritanium were 
colliding at relative speed, but just for now it looked beautiful, as though 
Brigadoon was a parent welcoming back a long-lost child. Desdemona and Santos 
watched, fixated for just a moment, as the umbilical/ODN supports attached 
themselves to the Vanguard's hull, anticipate the two way flow of vast amounts 
of freight and materials. 

"I say ten minutes," uttered Desdemona with a wink, "Furthest out has to make 
breakfast for the next week,"

Santos smiled, he got the distinct impression Des was being deliberately 
generous. It had never taken much over five minutes for a member of the 
Vanguard's crew to make it to the bar, and this particular instance was no 
exception. Before Santos could reply Lieutenant Shar and Chief Kavan were 
already to be seen in the door way, they'd picked up a couple of strays along 
the way, Santos recognised them as junior crew members of Brigadoon who were 
eager to exchange pleasantries and stories with any member of the crew of the 
illustrious Vanguard. Des let out a little giggle, noticing that Shar had 
slapped one of the 'strays' on the back with a wholesome thwack unintentionally 
winding him in the process, a trait of male-bonding that she'd observed in only 
a few humanoid races. 

Shar and Kavan caught the eye of their former commander, perched in his usual 
spot by Des, and made their way over to him. Santos stood, 

"Gentleman," he smiled and shook both their hands, it had been a long while, as 
much as Brigadoon had become his home over the months, he still felt as though 
the crew of the Vanguard were his 'family'. His days aboard the Vanguard were 
still so fresh in his mind, but they felt like ages past. 

They sat and exchanged stories, well lubricated with copious amounts of 'the 
good stuff', which Desdemona proudly kept reserved for such occasions. After an 
hour or two both Shar and Kavan had been persuaded by a Ferengi merchant to 
give the Jonbo table a try, the latest craze from the Ferengi homeworld 
(suspiciously similar to Dabo but with prettier girls), the reasons Des 
permitted it to be there were known only to her, Santos had a feeling it might 
have something to do with the Ferengi's winning smile. 

______________________________________

As Jaav entered the bar he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. Eight 
days of travel even in a Delta-Flyer class shuttle was enough to give a Klingon 
chronic back pain. Annoyingly he was now being tapped on the shoulder by the 
ensign that had 'piloted' the shuttle. 

"Sir, you forgot you forgot your case" The bright-eyed academy graduate stood 
holding out the standard issue transit pack, Jaav mustered enough self-control 
to stop the pain from making him wince as he took the bag. 

"Thank-you Ensign," Jaav hoped he didn't sound too abrupt, the ensign was a 
pleasant young officer, but once he'd found out Jaav previously served as the 
Vanguard's Counsellor the whole journey turned into an all-out counselling 
session. Jaav felt a twinge of guilt for not being a little more patient, he 
had been that young once, the young officer quickly became enchanted by the 
hustle and bustle by the games table and disappeared, and Jaav's guilt 
disappeared just as quickly. 

Before a moment or two had passed even the neck pain was forgotten, Jaav caught 
the eye of his former commander and made his way over to the bar. 

"They really are scraping the bottom of the barrel this time aren't they," 
Santos stood with a hearty grin on his face and his hand extended, Des looked 
up, surprised that the Commodore would be as critical of anyone but giggled 
when she saw Jaav. Instinctively she began pouring out a tumbler of his 
favourite green liquid and set it down in front of him as he perched himself on 
a bar stool as though not a week had passed since they had last been together. 

"That one's on the house," Des said with a wink "I hear you're an MD now?"

"Well you know how it is," Jaav picked up the tumbler and slung the liquid down 
his throat in one swift action "You gain a doctorate, you lose a wife". The 
comment was deliberately bittersweet and it prompted Des to begin refilling the 
tumbler, this time with an even darker green liquid. 

"When was the last tim you to spoke?" Santos asked simultaneously pressing the 
end of his cigar down on the ash-tray, subtley giving his full attention to his 
friend and former crewmember. 

"She approved my transfer back to the Vanguard about a fort-night ago,"

"I mean 'really' spoke," Santos had his eyes firmly fixed on Jaav's seeing in 
them for the first time a certain weight and sadness. 

"Let's just say things have been very... 'professional' between us the last few 
months," Jaav picked up his tumbler a second time, not noticing that it had 
refilled, but this time sipped at it. Des and Santos both stayed silent, Jaav 
knew they wanted him to offer up a little more, but for the time being he 
didn't want to say anymore, it felt awkward. 

"Know any good counsellors?" Jaav asked, forcing an echo of the cheeky grin 
they were both familiar with. 

END

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