Calls from Home
Posted on Sun Sep 7th, 2014 @ 4:38pm by Lieutenant JG Allison Price
Mission:
Vagrants, Vagabonds, and Thieves
Location: Personal Quarters, Starbase 332
"I told you Mom, I was on a mission. I wasn't able to call you." A tired Allie Price tried to explain to her mother on the other end of the comm. It hadn't been long since she got home from giving Halloway his tour of the Jackal, and was in the middle of changing clothes when she got the message from home.
"You still could have told me you were leaving, Allie Kat." The woman on the other side of the personal comm terminal looked like an older version of the engineer, though her once reddish brown hair was turning grey. "You know it's hard enough just knowing that you're out there. You know I don't like you leaving the station without telling someone."
Ensign Price sighed. "We've been through this, Mom. I can't always jump on the comm and tell you before I leave the station. And it's not like nobody knew where I was. Captain Von sent me on the mission." Though in actuality no one knew that she was a hundred years in the past on board a 23rd century Constitution-class starship, but Allie didn't think her mother needed to know that. "It's the nature of the job. You know that."
Her mother gave her a motherly smile. "I know that, sweetie, but a mother is still going to worry. Engineering can be just as dangerous as security."
Allison certainly wasn't going to argue with that. While she was less likely to be fired at on an away mission, she was still always in danger of something exploding in battle, or an accident due to malfunctioning equipment. There were plenty of risks out there. But she couldn't imagine herself doing anything else. She tried changing the subject. "So how's dad?"
"Oh, he's doing well. He misses you and worries about you too. Right now he's out working on the garden. He wanted me to send his love." With the time differences between Starfleet standard time and her parent's time back on Earth, finding a good time for them to chat didn't always work out. Their evenings were the middle of the night for her. And her dad really loved working on the garden when he wasn't at work.
"Well tell him I love him too. How's the garden doing?"
"It's doing pretty well. The tomatoes are really coming in, but your father has been fighting with the rabbits trying to save the lettuce. He's tried everything so far. Ultrasonics, forcefields, live traps."
Allie gave her mother a confused look. "Has he tried a fence?"
"That's what I told him. But he's your father. You know he can't make anything simple. There has to be a complicated solution to everything."
"Yeah, that sounds like Daddy alright."
"So what have you had going on? What was this big mission you went on?"
"It was just a survey mission. Someone found reports of a possible wrecked ship. We were sent to investigate." She neglected to mention the time travel part. "It turned out not to be anything useful."
"I suppose not every mission can be exciting, right?"
"That's right." Allie smiled, but she stifled the laugh. "I'm getting a new intern too. I'm pretty excited about that."
"Oh, that's great. Anyone I know?"
The ensign laughed. "No, mom, I don't think it's anyone you know. It's a big fleet." She rolled her eyes.
"I saw that," her mother quickly admonished.
"I know you did, Mom. He's going to be working with me on the Jackal. I just met him tonight. He seems like a good kid. I hope he has a good experience."
"I'm sure he will with you as a teacher." Mrs. Price was quiet for a moment. "So tell me, have you met anyone special out there?"
"Mom!" Allie replied, more than a hint of annoyance in her voice. "I haven't had time to look for dates. I have an engine room to run."
"I know sweetie. I'm just saying. I'm not getting any younger."
"Yes, yes, I know. You want grandkids. You do realize that even if I had kids right now, they'd be living with me on the station."
"I know, but we could still come out and visit. I've heard that Archa IV would make a great place to retire."
"You hate going off world!" Allie was in disbelief, but partly because she didn't know what she would do if her parents lived just on the surface below.
"I know, but we would get to see you more often."
Allie rolled her eyes again and sighed. "Well, we have a long time before we get to that point. I'm not looking to get married any time soon." She followed that statement up with a yawn. "What I am looking to do soon though is get some sleep."
Her mother looked disappointed, but she understood. "I understand. It's probably getting pretty late for you. You just take care, sweetie. I love you."
"I love you too, Mom. Dad too." Allie kissed her fingers and pressed her finger tips to the glass on the terminal. Her mother did the same from the other side. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, sweetie. And take care." With that, the channel closed.
Ensign Allison Price
Chief Engineer
USS Jackal
