Going out

Posted on Thu Jul 28th, 2022 @ 3:53pm by Connor Horn

1,364 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 5 - Objects In Motion
Location: Horn quarters

ON:

Charlie glared at the doorwall. She was wondering what discreet thing she could get away with to punish her mother.

"Our parents conspired against us," she informed the eldest Horn brother as the door opened. "I am to escort you to something fun."

"Did they now?" Horn stepped aside to let her in. "And what kind of...fun... would that be?"

"I'm not coming in. You're coming out. To be around people. People close to your age and yes there will be fun and music and maybe if we are lucky some illegally brewed booze. Although I imagine you're allergic or will stoically and vulcanny refuse it and only drink water," Charlie stated.

"Your father feels you need to open up. I said I would try talk to you but hey we are not that close ..... but my mother insists I bring you out. So for both of us a quiet life, lets go out. We can figure out how to get your dad off your back while we are there. Or not. You can do it as an island if your more comfortable .....

And," she pointed at him, "That's exactly what we will do. You're not to go to your dad squealing I said that he wants you to open up."

"You talk too much," Connor quipped as he stepped outside, "we are too young for alcoholic beverages and it is entirely possible that I may be allergic. However..." He held up his hand to stall another lecture. "I will never know for certain unless I try, right?" He might try, but he certainly would be careful. "And why would I inform my father of what you said? That is not any of his business, what I do or do not do, is it?"

"You apparently don't talk enough. And I know we are too young for alcoholic beverages but you know what it might just be enough to loosen you up. Cause geez wizz Connor you are one of the stuffiest boys I've met," she headed off down the corridor and into to his possible surprise what the Cardassians deemed a Jefferies tube.

"Stuffiest?" He queried as he followed her, "and why are we crawling when we could just use a lift?"

"Because we are not going up. We are going in. There's places on this station you can not get bothered. Luckily Ive a pal in Engineering who knows all the secret spots," Charlie stated leading him round a few bends and a cross section before exciting into a large oval area.

"Char your late .... oh no ..... really ...." Minka said looking over the vulcaniod.

"Mum made me bring him. He needs to let loose and talk," she said smiling past her friend at one of the older men.

He walked over. "Minka we cannot keep bringing underage civvies into where we let off steam. One of them will squeal and then its no more fun time."

"Oh this ones not going to squeal ..." Charlie looked at Connor forcefully already plotting to make his life hell if he did.

Connor bristled at being called underaged civvie, even though he really was not yet considered an adult. "I do not squeal," he stated haughtily, completely misunderstanding the reference., "what are we meant to do here?"

Charlie rolled her eyes as Minka asked her, "Is he the one you told me about?"

She nodded, took a deep breathe and turned to look at him. "You have a drink, you socialise. We put some music on. We chilll out and enjoy ourselves."

"I see..." He sized the other woman up. "And you are?" he queried before looking sideways at Charlie. "I take it your mother does not know you...chill...with people beyond your age?"

“Minka and her mothers not stupid. She suspects but she’s also been a teenager multiple times so likely has more of a perspective on things than your parents,” the human with multi dyed hair informed him.

“Really?” Charlie rolled her eyes.

“I’m telling you, she trusts you more than you know,” she answered. “Now what’s your story mister.”

"My father has known her mother for a very long time," Connor answered, "and I do not know what story you are referring to. I do not have a story... I live here with my parents and my brother and I am generally stuck watching him or running after him when he gets into mischief. My sisters are on Earth."

"Ahh middle child syndrome then," Minka stated. "But that's not what has your dad worried is it?"

"I don't know what worries dad ..he doesn't exactly talk to me. Ilyas is getting all the attention, being the attention seeking brat that he is." Yet his expression belied his haughty attitude, and the horrors of his arrival on the station were slowly catching up to his denial of anything being wrong.

"I think," Charlie stated. "That your dads having difficulty communicating with you if he and my mum decided it was necessary to cook this up. So what went down? I mean we all have a story getting to this station. I had to stun 3 officers. Thought my step uncle was going to loose it. Then a dead colleague turns up."

For a long time, Connor just stared at the drink in his hands, saying nothing, though his expression turned haunted. "I was with the captain," he finally said, "and...I saw things... saw things he saw...he was going nuts, and he was so weak in the end but still trying to carry on..." He finally looked up. "My dad's the chief counselor now....and here I can't talk to dad about what I saw. Because I know he's gone through things too, and I can't burden him with what I saw. Except I don't even know what I saw, or who I saw. I don't know any of them, but the captain did."

"Why don't you go talk to that other guy then. Hes counselor trained. I know they haven't found an assistant counselor yet but the one whos heading up the colony. Im sure he could help you. Lee ... nope Liam ..." Minka tried to remember.

"Reynolds," Charlie finished.

"The hot one," Minka commented.

"Hot married one," Charlie told her.

"All the hot ones are," she groused. "Then," she looked at Connor again, "You can say to your dad. Look I know your worried. I don't feel comfortable to load it all on you but I am going to speak to someone. Im sure he would back off your case then."

"I suppose that's an idea," Connor answered. "Reynolds, I don't think I've heard that name before. You seem to know him, what's he like?"

"Silly question," one of the male ensigns stated. "They will just gush about how dreamy the man is. Look he's a fully trained counselor. And now he's here going to head up the colony. Newly married as they already touched on. Decent guy. I've had a couple of chats with him. He runs. Seem him round the promenade. You want me to introduce you kiddo?"

"My name is Connor, not kiddo...and yes please I'd like an introduction." Anyone to talk to, but his dad.

"Well Im calling you kiddo as your a kid compared to us," he chuckled. "But I can sort you out an introduction. Now lets get a refill and we will see if your any good at some of the video games we have back here."

Now, he knew what a holodeck was but... "video games?" the teenager queried curiously, not even bothering to question what the refill might be. "What are video games? Is that like a holodeck?"

"They predate the holodeck. We are talking vintage here people," he said excitedly. "Come come I have been working on restoring and getting this compatible with things for a while. Let me introduce you too "Mario kart". Come on come on pick a paddle and a character."

Curious, Connor did as suggested and selected what appeared to be a mushroom. "And now?" he asked as he studied the buttons on the paddle.

"Now my little Vulcan dude .. we race,"

 

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