SIM:Ghosts (Post)
Stardate: 248601.21
Author: Brenna Parker
Character: Brenna Parker
Title: Ghosts
((Deep Space 24, Promenade))
Brenna psychologically understood why the large Promenade on DS24 existed -- the wide open spaces allowed a chance for most people to forget they were trapped on a hunk of metal dangling in the vacuum of space. But that was something she never forgot for an instant, because to forget was to disregard basic safety.
Children ran amok on the station, crashing and giggling into bulkheads, never thinking that their actions could possibly decompress the entire station. Not that they would -- there were far too many safety protocols in effect for it to be a likely scenario, but Brenna had not yet put it past them. Children were devious at times, and she was certain that somehow, in some way, something would happen to make everyone aside from her recall their precarious position.
There was another thing that caused Brenna to have a hearty dislike for the Promenade, at least during daytime (or what was arbitrarily called 'day' onboard the station). The people. There were so many people bustling back and forth, talking and shouting...her sensitive hearing picked up it all, and it was giving her a headache. But she had to make her way through the crowd to the newly docked Challenger, and hope that the XO or CMO were still around. Which wasn't too likely, either, when she thought about it.
Voice: Parker!
Whipping her head around in the middle of the Promenade, Brenna looked around for whoever it was that had called her name. She was surprised, to say the least, because she didn't think there were many aboard the station who knew her, aside from Koloth and now T'Pen.
Voice: Parker, you old hound!
Hearing the voice again, Brenna located the speaker and realized that he was speaking to an older man he was now embracing. She kept her gaze on the old friends for a moment longer than she had to, confirming what she already knew -- neither of them was her father. It was a stupid thing to do, and internally she bereted herself for doing it, but she couldn't help doing it every time she heard the surname Parker. Her father was long dead, and finding others who shared the same name would not bring him back.
She began to turn back toward the direction she had been going when she was abruptly shoved sideways as someone crashed into her. Papers flew through the air as a heavy clomp sounded by Brenna's side; she looked over to find a large book and a brightly-haired humanoid on the floor with her. Her medical training told her Kotakian.
Parker: Hey, watch it!
Tak: ::attending to the person:: I'm sorry are you all right?
Seeing the obviously apologetic expression on the other's face, Brenna softened her own tone as she brushed herself off, standing.
Parker: ::checking herself over quickly, reflexively rubbing the shoulder where the original contact had been made:: Yeah. Yeah, fine.
Tak: I'm so sorry, I should watch where I walking more often next time...
Parker: That's all right. ::She started to head off toward the Challenger again, but her mother's voice, perhaps brought to the forefront because of her thoughts of her father, interceded.:: ::reluctantly:: Here, let me help you with that.
Tak: It's quite all right, you don't have to.
oO I know, but the ghost of my mother is making me, Oo she thought privately to herself, saying nothing aloud, knowing how it would sound.
Making her way though a forest of elbows and legs, Brenna helped him to collect some of the papers knocked loose from the book. She couldn't understand most of it, and assumed it was in the Kotakian's natural language.
Parker: Here you go.
Tak: Thank you so much, ermmm, sorry I didn't quite catch your name...
Parker: Brenna Parker. I'm on the Challenger.
Tak: Nice to meet you ::offering out his hand:: I am Dr. Tak Jooj-Sanngrak. ::beaming a smile::
Parker: ::accepting his hand:: ::politely:: Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Tak: So you are on the Challenger? what's your position may I ask?
Parker: ::looking off to the side:: I'm a medical officer.
Tak: ah... well for myself, I'm a science officer, I was serving on a saber class, the USS Marco Polo... before they decommed the ship. Ummm would you care for a drink? or is now not the time?
Brenna looked at him, startled beyond compare. She'd never been asked for a drink before, aside from those idiots who only wanted to get to know her on a physical level, and they were appallingly blunt about it, too. But this being...Tak...seemed only interested in being pleasant to her. Huh. Maybe there was something to this 'being nice' thing after all.
Parker: ::stammering as she pulled herself together:: Uh, no, I'm afraid I'm on my way to report to the Challenger's XO, now that they've arrived. ::She hoped that with her hesitation, he didn't think she was lying.:: Maybe some other time, though? ::she offered, surprising even herself with the suggestion:: My ship will be docked here for another week and a half.
Parker: Right. Well, I'd better be off. If you'll excuse me? ::She walked away toward the docking ring. She sounded so polite today. Perhaps something was rubbing off on her. It wasn't Koloth, that was for sure, but Brenna really hadn't spoken with anyone else (aside from Dr. Jooj-Sanngrak now) that would have this influence on her. Maybe it really was the long-dead soul of her mother she thought with a shiver, then turned to her typical Vulcan logic.
Parker: ::aloud to herself:: There's no such thing as ghosts.
End:
Ensign Brenna Parker
Medical Officer
USS Challenger NCC-12886
With contributions by:
Lieutenant (jg) Tak Jooj-Sanngrak, SO