<USS Banshee> "The Second Wave"

From: "Brad Ruder" <GroundZero@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ussbanshee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 00:42:09 -0700

?The Second Wave?
by Lieutenant Joshua Asper

Reds, whites, and blues marked the room?s walls. Greens, yellows, and oranges identified the tables. Balloons of all shapes, sizes, and colors were spread across the room at random intervals. There was confetti and lights flashing everywhere. People were massed from the door to the front viewscreen and back again all with an incessant amount of chatter to off to any conversation.

Plainly, it was chaos.

While Josh enjoyed every minute of being able to sit down and relax and enjoy himself, there was a certain degree of professionalism that he liked to employ and a definite amount of restraint that he knew he was capable of. Something about hoards of drinks floating his way and a never-ending supply of food seemed to not quench his hunger and thirst, but increase it.

After the fighterbay had been quieted and the cheers quenched, Josh had instructed every last one of his crew to go and have a good hot meal and a warm shower and to proceed to the banquet. Most of the crew were already there, or in route, or hiding cowardly in their quarters. Josh had a report to file and that was enough that he no longer felt cowardly about avoiding such a large social gathering.

When the last fighter pilot had left he?d proceeded back to Shogun Fighter Operations. The room was dark and when he called for lights the computer only responded with a loathing beep and a refuse to light his way. He had shrugged, and cursed out loud, but the lights came on instantly at that embarrassing moment.

?Congratulations!? All stood up from behind desks and podiums, consoles and display to convey their deepest appreciation for him. He felt great at first, but then humbled and rather uncomfortable at such a reception from him when an esteemed ambassador was receiving same treatment just three decks up.

Lark walked up to him, ?Congratulations, Josh, you worked so hard on training and coming up with other ways of improving our show that we are all pleased to have you with us.?

?Jenny a no show??

He shook his head, visibly saddened, ?Nope, I rang the chime like three million times and got nothing back but silence and a shattered ego.?

?Sorry to hear that, Tom.?

The young ensign?s ego was apparently easily fixable. He waved a hand nonchalantly and moved away, beckoning out behind him, ?This is your evening, Lieutenant, enjoy it or I?ll be forced to beat you senseless.?

Josh smirked as flocks of people came up and told him of their hesitation at the maneuver being so bold and dangerous, but realized that in the end it was nothing but a well thought out plan and that he?d been in control the whole time.

Josh wished that he could believe what lies they were spewing.

In truth, Josh wasn?t sure at all the move was going to work. The death of the people at the academy had throttled him the night earlier and he sway he could pick out their spirits if given the chance. He?d had a dream that the move went disastrously wrong and all but he were killed.

Sara?s eyes had bore through him with a lamenting and anger that he?d seen rivaled nowhere else. Everyone gazed at him with a look of contempt ? pure hatred ? and many even refused to make eye contact with the man now known as simply ?killer?. How his soul had tormented him after that heart-stopping dream. Josh had awakened in a sweat-filled panic and he had to force himself to maintain what little composure he had left.

Finding his way to his desk he sat down staring at the throngs of people congratulating each other on a job well done and loved ones hugging each other in happiness that their precious loved ones weren?t lost to the icy coldness of space. For once, they?d avoid jumping into a void only to find that no handhold of recovery was present.

?Lieutenant Joshua Asper??

Swiveling his chair to the side his eyes met with a wonderful looking female. Not more than twenty-one years of age and with a body that was ? just wow. Trying to stop his eyes from gauging her up and down a couple of times, Josh moved his eyes straight to the emerald forest that had taken over her eyes. ?Yes, ma?am, how may I help you??

?Ensign Telsia Stanton.? A had jutted out not so smoothly and when he shook his hand it trembled something fierce.

?What can I do for you Ensign?? A smile tugged at his lips.

It looked like someone had unplugged her from a machine and the power began to drain. The face washed out of her face leaving nothing more than a hollow white shell of what once was a beautiful woman. ?You don?t remember, do you??

His head shot up in a look of confusion, ?I?m sorry??

?We went to the academy together.?

It hit him like a brick and he stumbled over his words, ?Uhmm, Tel ? Tel ? Telsia Moore. I ? I?m sorry I didn?t remember you with a new last name?? His eyes drifted suddenly to her left hand, the ring finger more specifically.

Damn.

?It?s no problem, I figured you?d take a beating to remember. That?s the way you are, Josh, stubborn and hardheaded.? Her words stopped and she choked on air as the color that was seeping into her face was again diminished and reduced to a pale color. ?I?m so sorry, sir.?

Josh waved a dismissing hand, ?No big deal, I?m off duty and if you are then you?re not where you?re supposed to be.?

She smiled and sighed a sigh of relief before pulling up a chair. ?So, how have you been??

?How have I been? How have you been? It looks as if you?ve met someone and started a new life ? a taken life.? Josh smiled and made a gesture to the rock on her ring finger.

She smiled as sweetly as she could, but Josh noticed a hint of sorrow in her face. ?It?s good, we?ve been married about two years now. Have a son, a beautiful son, and a life in Starfleet.? She fought a sigh, but a tiny one escaped, ?What more could we ask for??

?You have a son, on the Banshee??

?Yes, why??

?Kids aren?t normally allowed on a class of ship that is the Banshee.? Josh tilted his head intrigued. ?Not to mention that there aren?t any child-rearing facilities presently onboard Banshee.?

Telsia seemed to have heard this before as she shrugged and looked about the room ? the crowds were thinning and the time for partying and socializing was winding down. ?We work alternate shifts, Eric and I do. I see him in the evenings and Eric has him in the mornings.?

Josh frowned, ?So who is keeping an eye on the little tike??

?No one, unfortunately. He?s sleeping and if the baby monitor I?ve rigged picks up anything more than a soft cooing my combadge goes off. It?ll take me about two minutes to get there from anyone on the ship.? She smiled what seemed like a nervous grin, ?He?s incredibly smart and independent for a two year old ? much like his father.?

?He must sleep like a rock,? Josh dared adding.

She raised a finger and stood, ?Speaking of which, I need to return to my bundle of joy. It was great catching up, Josh, I?m sure we?ll see each other again.?

?What are you doing tomorrow?? Josh couldn?t believe he was hitting on a married woman ? with a child no less ? but felt inclined to do so either way. ?We could meet for coffee in the three forward lounge.?

?I don?t want to go there until it?s been disinfected from this damned party.? She laughed.

?OK, how about coffee in my quarters?? He hesitated, but compensated with nostalgia, ?I?d love to continue catching up.?

She nodded, ?I have an hour between when Eric gets home and the time I go on shift. Tomorrow at, say, thirteen hundred hours?? A smile stretched across her face.

Josh agreed, ?Sounds wonderful, have a good night.? He barely got out the words before she entered the crowd and vanished from view. A smile tugged at his lips again and he sat back in a chair but bolted upright.

He?d actually have to clean his quarters.

<USS Banshee> "The Second Wave"

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