Not My Views - Part I

Posted on Thursday March 31st, 2022 @ 12:30am by Lieutenant Commander Curzon Bennett & Lieutenant Steven Edgeware

Mission: EPISODE 1: SHAKEDOWN
Location: USS Oberon - Lounge
Timeline: MD04 0712

::ON::

[Corridor]

Steven walked along the corridor deep in thought. His mother's recent behaviour troubled him.

He had always known deep down she had not been pleased with his decision to join Starfleet. But to come out with all that anti alien sentiment like that?

What was the word people used to call that?

Racism.

In this day and age! She had never been like this before? As a kid he used to hang around with an Andorian boy called Taal. His mother never showed him any dislike. In fact she was always polite to him. But then again she was not upset when he returned to his homeworld.

As he walked along deep in thought. Someone called out his name.

'Doctor Edgeware!' Bennett called out as he was making his way back to his quarters from Holodeck Three where he had been exercising. He waved with the hand that held his towel, you're up and about early today, your duty shift doesn't begin for several hours.'

Steven looked around and nodded.

“Top of the morning, sir. Yes could not sleep. Silly just laying … laying there so decided to start early. Sir may I ask you a question?” Steven asked.

Bennett nodded as he caught up with the Chief Medical Officer. 'Of course Doctor - is it something you'd prefer to discuss privately? The Lounge ought to give us the needed space,' he quirked his eyebrows in concern. He certainly didn't want his Chief Medical Officer getting the butterflies this early on in their voyage. There was a long road ahead, and he had to be confident in the officers around him. I'm not to keen on everyone seeing my knees this early in the voyage either, he thought to himself wryly.

“Yes. It might be best. We don’t want the crew hearing my dirty laundry in public,” Steven said.

'Very well,' Bennett motioned back towards the turbolift. Leading them both, he had the turbolift deposit them on Deck Three, where the Oberon's crew lounge and adjacent Mess Hall were located. It was relatively quiet at this early hour, but there were still crew people dotted about. I doubt this place is ever truly empty, thought Bennett as he took a seat near the large viewports that dominated the curved wall of the ship. He judged they were far enough away from everyone else, and turned to the Doctor who had taken a seat opposite himself. 'So, Doctor. What ails you?'

Steven looked at Bennett before speaking.

“How did your parents act. When they heard you were going into Starfleet academy?” Steven asked.

'My parents?' A look of confusion crossed his face for a moment. 'Well,' he cast his mind back. 'It's a long time ago now - I've been in Starfleet since I was eighteen, and I'm in my fifties. Pride, mostly. My father worked for the Starfleet Diplomatic department on various starbases across the Federation, so we were used to a life where a member was in the service. My mother was a teacher. Neither of them voiced any objection to my becoming an officer, if that's what you're talking about.'

“ Sadly my father died was I was quite young. He drowned trying to save a swimmer who got into trouble. So I was raised by my mother and my aunt. Ballybrack is not as one would call the most modern seaside town in Ireland on Earth. So most of the visitors are human. I did have an Andorian boy as a childhood friend. My mother was always polite to him. I suppose it started when I decided after qualifying as a doctor to join Starfleet. You see she always assumed I would follow my father into becoming Ballybrack’s local doctor. Not zooming off in her words to heal some creatures on other planets. I thought once my mother got used to the idea. Her views would change. Maybe after the fate of Deep Space Three she thought I would stay. But when she heard I was returning to the service. She came out with all these vile racist comments. It shocked me sir.” Steven replied sadly.

'She's never expressed these sentiments before?' asked Bennett, narrowing his eyes slightly as he thought of possible explanations. 'Not even once?'

“ I suppose it’s always been at the back of her mind. Maybe behind my back she has voiced these thoughts. I know she blames Starfleet for my not following my late father's footsteps in becoming Ballybrack’s local doctor. If so why did she not say Starfleet instead of voicing such racist views?” Steven asked.

'Precisely. I don't think it has anything to do with Starfleet myself, but more to do with your mother's attitudes to other species. Xenophobia is still an issue in some quarters, even in this day and age,' Bennett replied.

Steven rolled his eyes.

“ You can say that again. My country of births history has plenty of issues with that stuff. Especially with the northern part of the country. That’s where her family originate from far back in the early 20th century. They had to flee to Southern Ireland and settled in Ballybrack. But now it seems they never lost those attitudes. It was all hidden until I opened the bottle.” Steven explained.

'You think it goes all the way back to that? That's a long unbroken chain of prejudice,' Bennett responded dubiously, politely waving away thr wait staff. 'How did your father die?' he asked gently.

Steven took a slow calming breath.

“ Ballybrack is a seaside town. It’s not as fancy as many of the other holiday spots in Ireland . It’s quiet and peaceful that’s why many people visit it. That plus the best sensible farmed kelp. Which of course means the most delicious eating.” Steven said taking a breather.

“People are always told not to eat, then go swimming. Without resting for a while to allow the stomach to settle. But there is always one person who does not listen. I was two years old when it happened. A man who had obviously not listened after consuming a hearty meal. Got into trouble in the sea. My father saw him in trouble and dived in to save him. But the Irish Sea can be a dangerous mistress. The rip tide can be lethal, my father was a good swimmer, but not that good. Never stood a chance ... they both drowned.” Edgeware said.

'I'm sorry to hear that,' Bennett replied sincerely, grimacing at the story. To lose your father at two years old. Unimaginable. He leaned forward once again, looking at the doctor intently, 'was the man who got into trouble non-human?'

Steven shook his head.

“ You know I never found out. We did not really talk much about it. My mother is like that. Anything that could generate too many questions, I was always told not to nag. Although she did pester me about Harmony Bay. Wanting to know what happened. That was the first time I told her not to nag, until my posting for Deep Space Three, she had a face like she had sucked a lemon,” Steven said.

'Harmony Bay?' asked Bennett, another frown crossing his face.


[To be Continued ...]

::OFF::

Lieutenant Commander Curzon Bennett
Commanding Officer
USS Oberon

Lieutenant Dr Steven Edgware
Chief Science Officer
USS Oberon