Surprising Reunion

Posted on Sun Jul 2, 2017 @ 6:27pm by Lieutenant JG Jacob Hartley & Ensign Holly Meadows

Mission: Shore Leave
Location: Hartley Home, Earth
Timeline: MD 17 || 1215 Hours

Sitting back in his chair, Jacob looked at his garden through the window in the lounge, a chessboard in front of him, as well as a notebook showing a number of moves made. He liked to replay old games by chess grandmasters, to see if he could see different moves, to understand about making alternative moves, and seeing different ways of thinking. He took a sip of his orange juice, and made another move, making a note of it. The game he was replaying wasn't, however, by a former grandmaster. It was a game he and William had played, and he had lost in ten moves. It had always bothered him, so he had dissected the game carefully to understand the moves he could have made, and the way he could have moved. So far, he hadn't been able to win.

This was Holly's first trip back to Lower Quinton since the night Jacob Hartley had rescued her from the pouring rain and offered refuge in his house.

They had kept in touch in the years since then, not frequently but now and then, Christmas and Federation Day when cards had been exchanged.

Now she stood on the pavement outside his house, looking up at the building to the window of the room in which she had stayed.
With a smile to herself she opened the gate, walked up the path and pressed the button near the door, hearing from inside the jangle of a bell.

Jacob frowned, not expecting anyone, so he quickly used his computer to check who was at the door. He smiled when he saw who it was, and closed his computer, before standing up and going to the door. Opening it, he looked at Holly, and smiled at her. "Holly. This is a pleasant surprise." He said.

"Hello!." she beamed back at him as though she had news and was bursting to tell it. "I remembered you said you might be home at this time so took a chance. "This is for you." she added and produced a bottle which she held out to him.

Jacob accepted the bottle, and looked at it. It was a thoughtful gift, and he accepted it gratefully. "Come on in." He said, stepping inside, allowing her entrance into his home. "You were right, I've only been back a couple of days. Shore leave from my current assignment." He explained.

She stepped inside the tiles hall she remembered and turned as he closed the door.

"Actually, I should warn you about that." she said pointing to the bottle "If i don't I wont sleep at night wondering if you tried it." She grinned at him.

"Its Elderberry." she said with assumed innocence.

Jacob smiled. "I like Elderberry, it's a very misunderstood fruit." He said. "Much like Beets." He added, as he sat down. "Shall we crack this bottle open?"

"Ummm...." she looked vaguely uncomfortable at the suggestion. "If you want to. I made it." she said as though owning up to a dreadful deed.

"Then I'm sure it'll taste great." He said. He went to the kitchen and removed the lid. Getting two glasses, he poured a small amount into a glass, and drank it, leaving it in his mouth to taste it. He smiled; it tasted rather nice. Pouring two glasses, he also added two cubes of ice to each glass, before placing the bottle in the fridge and taking the drinks into the front room. "An excellent drink. I tried a sip; you made it perfectly." He said, handing her a glass before sitting down. "So, if I were to guess, I would say you had good news. Am I right?"

"You were always good at reading people." she replied with a smile.

"I've got a ship." she said. "I heard yesterday...was wondering about it because I applied for a ship posting ages ago and there was no reply after the acknowledgement but now...I have a ship!"

"Congratulations." Jacob said, taking a sip of his drink. "I know you wanted a ship posting. I'm glad you got one. Am I going to have to guess, or are you going to tell me?" He asked, taking another sip of his drink.

Holly watched him sipping the juice but at that moment just wanted to talk about her news.

"Shes called the Triumphant." Holly said. "and I have to report for duty soon."

Jacob coughed a little as he heard which ship she was on. He straightened himself up a little, and looked at her. "And people are always telling me space is so big." Jacob said. "I'm already assigned to her, as the Assistant Chief of Intelligence."

Holly frowned as he coughed thinking that she should have been clearer and warned him but that thought disappeared when she heard what he said.

"You?...are on Triumphant?" She sounded amazed.

"Oddly enough, yes. I was assigned before the previous mission. It was...certainly interesting, that's for sure." He replied. "Like I said, small universe. I'm on shore leave for now whilst the ship is being repaired. Took some damage, and some casualties in our mission."

"Right. " she replied losing most of her excitement at the mention of damage and casualties.

"Well...I don't expect a holiday excursion." she said losing another slice of her previous happiness and remembered talking to him on their first meeting when he had spoken of space being dark and dangerous.

"You told me once..that I shouldn't ever lose my enthusiasm. I won't. Its what I want to do, even if it is dangerous."

Jacob nodded. "I meant it then, and I mean it now. Yes, it's dangerous out there. I've seen more than I'd like to, but at the same time, it's important. What we do out there. There is nothing more important. And I'll keep an eye on you on the ship." He promised.

As he'd spoken Holly had become serious but now she gave a small smile again. "Thank you." was her simple reply. Her gaze dropped to his glass.

" I wouldn't drink too much of that if I were you." she said. "My Dad says its lethal but he was joking."

"You're welcome." He replied. "It's not too bad, actually." He said, although he did think it was a little strong. "I'll keep to one glass then. So tell me, what do you know of the Triumphant?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Not a lot. Its an Odyssey Class. NCC 99245. The Commanding Officer is Commodore Aravan. I am assigned to Sickbay."
Her enthusiasm was returning.

"Commodore? I hadn't heard. Must have just been promoted." Jacob said. "It's a good ship, big and basically a roving Starbase. It's an impressive vessel, and can do a lot. I've not been there long, but the crew seem decent enough." Jacob said. "I think you'll like it."

"I'm sure I will." she replied but tempered that a little. "It will be strange being so far from home but at least I know someone now so that's a good thing."

"I heard a saying once; home is wherever you happen to be." Jacob said. "But then, I don't exactly have roots, or a family, so for me, home is...well, nowhere. I have somewhere I live, and work. For me, that's all I need. I know, it's a little gloomy, but it's the nature of my life."

Holly was a romantic at heart. She felt sad for him knowing that he had no-one to call his own, no-one who worried about or cared for him. She hoped he would meet someone, fall in love and have a brightness in his life that seemed lacking now.

She didn't say so but gave him a small smile and picking up her glass, chinked it against his.

"To 'our' home." she said " May it be gloom free." and she raised the glass to her lips, took a sip and immediately wished she hadn't.