The dread pirate Roberts and Mrs. McClane

Posted on Tuesday November 17th, 2020 @ 7:08am by Ensign T'val

Mission: The Forgotten Outpost
Location: Engineering

T'val was sitting in a chair that seemed entirely too big for her. Not literally. Figuratively. While Lyra hadn't left a good impression on some people, she had most definitely left her mark on the department, and T'val felt inadequate in her shoes.

She looked at the paperwork on her desk, and closed her eyes, taking a moment to think back to the time she had spent here.

She opened her eyes when she thought she heard a faint sound of someone walking into the office.

She brightened almost immediately.

"Well, well, well." T'val said, with raised eyebrows. "I know you. You must be the intrepid, dastardly, and dashing dishonorably discharged Daniel Daniels, pirate captain extra-ordinaire."

"The dread pirate Roberts." Daniel offered an elegant bow, tipping an imaginary hat. "You must be T'val. I was expecting someone else."

"Lyra was injured." T'val said, with the slightest perception of a wince. "I am her assistant Chief."

"I guess she wasn't wearing her mittens." Daniels chuckled. "That checks out."

T'val's face contorted just slightly into a displeased expression. She gave the man a pointed stare. "I do not see the humor in her hospitalization."

"Ahhh. Sorry." Daniels shook his head. "I'm sorry. I was looking for Lyra. I haven't seen her since she went to Starfleet Medical. She wrote letters."

T'val inclined her head. "I am aware. I was there." She took a breath.

Daniels took a brief double take for just a moment. "Hold on. You... made an Earth film reference."

"Indeed. Lyra used to watch them when we were at Starfleet Medical. She said they reminded her of her family." T'val relaxed a bit.

"They would." Daniels chuckled. "Especially after I got her husband addicted to romance films. Kathleen, too. Not T'yuna, though."

T'val looked away at Kathleen's name.

"I was hoping to see Kathleen. Her ship was supposed to be docked here." Daniels added, missing the gesture.

"She is gone." T'val shook her head. "She went home."

"Home?" Daniels asked. He grew somber quickly. "T'Yuna."

"Lyra almost joined her, trying to save us." T'val added. "You are just as she remembers you."

"How would you know?" Daniels pondered.

"How much do you know about Vulcan mind melding?" T'val countered.

"Enough to know no sane Vulcan would let Lyra Walsh into their heads." Daniels laughed. "I've met a few Vulcans. Never had the opportunity."

"Her mind was a great comfort, actually. As was mine, to hers. She provided an insight into how to live with having a brilliant mind that was shattered. I provided her ways of structuring her mind that she otherwise didn't understand." T'val paused. "And through each other, we developed an understanding of both ourselves and the outside world that neither possessed before."

"That would sound oddly romantic if it weren't coming from a Vulcan, and including the name Lyra." Daniels gave a suspicious look.

"I suppose romanticism is not far off a description." T'val gave him a slight nod. "Though I am not certain it would be appropriate descriptor for either of us as a person."

Daniels looked away, and took a moment to re-evaluate the entire conversation. "I am so sorry. The first thing I did was make a joke about Lyra being hospitalized, and..."

T'val held up her hand. "It is alright. I more or less expected it. Or... more accurately, Lyra did."

Daniels paused, and laughed a bit. "You mean you remember me through her memories." He shook his head. "That's got to be a difficult to sort out of your head."

"For a fully cognitive Vulcan, absolutely." T'val agreed. "I am not. The division lines between T'val of Vulcan and Lyra Bogdonovich are blurred on a daily basis."

"I imagine that would be very disconcerting for anyone who encounters the both of you." Daniels laughed.

"Lieutenant Junior Grade S'vai hasn't quite deduced the reason why a Vulcan would attribute unknown problems to Gremlins, nor why Lyra can shift from her chaotic self to an incredibly rigid and inhumanly efficient self, with proper medication." T'val paused, and gave a raised eyebrow. "You don't seem... bothered."

"No." Daniels shook his head. "You remind me of-"

"Skylar and T'yuna?" T'val interrupted.

"Indeed." Daniels gave a raised eyebrow in return. "And... Kathleen. Sometimes. She and T'yuna had the occasional personality trait swap."

"She helped me bring my own disorder to ordered chaos and in turn, I brought her chaos into disordered, if bewildering, sanity." T'val gave a pause. "She has to get better."

Daniels nodded. "You need her."

"She does not understand this." T'val agreed. "You have to understand, she has a hard time understanding affection. She told me that I had family to prove wrong, and thought she had none left to live for."

Daniels took a moment. "She risked her life to save yours."

"She insisted upon going instead of me." T'val paused. "She risked her life to save mine, and I had to pretend I understood why."

"Because you couldn't tell her the simple unspoken truth?" Daniels asked.

"When it comes to Lyra Bogdonovich, there is nothing simple about anything unspoken." T'val shook her head. "She will be pleased that you came by."

"It wasn't as a pleasure cruise." Daniels looked back to T'val. "Calysto Trading Conglomerates is setting up shop on the base. The Codfather is going to be operating from here. I'm not just passing through. I'm sticking around."

T'val's almost smile grew a bit at that. "She will be absolutely delighted." T'val looked past him. "I am required. She left some very big shoes to fill. I will alert you when she is ready for visitors."

Daniels gave a smile. "She's going to be alright."

"Of course she is." T'val agreed. "She is Lyra."

"Death would be have a heck of a time beating her at any game she challenged him to." Daniels grinned.

"Because she'd cheat like a Ferengi." T'val looked bemused.

"Worse." Daniels nodded. "Go. I've got paperwork to figure out at the station security kiosk. Import licenses, and such."

T'val nodded, and waited for Daniels to leave before going about her work.

---

Ensign T'val
Acting Assistant Chief Engineer

Civilian Captain Daniel Daniels
The Codfather, registered under Calysto Trading Conglomerates