*** USS Chimera ***
By the time Scott had packed his bags and arranged with a
yoeman to clear the rest of his belongings from his AMO
quarters, the new position as Chimeras CMO had been put in
place. He found no problem in boarding the ship for security
expected him. He was on their list and he the routine checks
went without pause.
He trudged along to the CMOs quarters feeling as though he
was stepping back in time for how often had he boarded
Chimera in the past and walked this very same corridor. He
arrived at the designated quarters to find a crewman
changing the name plate on the door.
" Lieutenant Fisher? " he asked and when Scott said yes
that was he, the crewman handed him a padd. " Your security
codes sir," he said "...to get inside..."
He stood to one side and Scott tapped in the unfamiliar
code and stepped inside his new home. He glanced around the
place so recently occupied by Rice and dumping his bags near
the door, crossed straight to the terminal on the opposite
wall and put through a message to Merecedes Carpenter,
hoping that she would be available to answer in person.
Mercedes had just returned from the lab having finished her
report on the study of the captive alien in the secure
medical facility. It was officially the last thing she had
to do for her assignment to Unity, and until she got further
word of what to do from her superiors, she was on holiday
until further notice.
She was looking forward to the dinner with Scott and it had
been milling through her mind all day. There was kind of
excitement in the air that she just couldn't keep down, and
she wondered what the evening might hold in store. She was
just about to undress and take a shower when she heard the
beeping from the comm terminal.
Sitting down at the desk, she flipped it open and was
surprised to see it was a call from Scott.
"Scott," she greeted him with a friendly smile. "I didn't
expect to hear from you until later.
He smiled back though not perhaps as warmly as she could
have expected. " I..I'm sorry. " he said, coming straight to
the point "..theres a change of plan. I cant make it to
dinner."
Mercedes frowned and wondered whether something serious had
forced the change of plan... or if perhaps he'd had a change
of heart. "Did something come up?" she asked. "We can
reschedule, if you want?"
" I can't reschedule. " he said . " I've been reasigned as
of a couple of hours ago...I'm no longer on the base."
"Reassigned? May I ask to where?"
He sighed. " Chimera. " he said. " I'm back on chimera but
as CMO."
"Congratulations," she said with a mixture of surprise and
praise. "I didn't know you had applied."
" I hadn't." he replied simply and looked for a moment as
though he was thoroughly regretting the new position.He
glanced down at his wrist chrono, gauging how much time
there was before Chimera would set out on her mission.
" Look.." he said turning back to Mercedes. "...I know there
isnt much time...and it wont be like having dinner or
anything..but we could still meet up if you want. There's a
small place in the departure lounge...we could meet there."
he looked at her hopefully.
Mercedes nodded. "Of course, I can meet you there in 5
minutes."
" Done." he said and grinned at Mercedes excited expression.
The screen reverted to the usual logo but scott was already
half way to the door, grabbing his jacket and almost falling
over the crewman outside the door who had only just
completed his work. Scott retraced his steps, walking fast
and sometimes breaking into a jog. The security guard
cleared his departure off ship but looked a bit surprised
that he was leaving so soon though Scott took no notice and
arrived in the departure lounge, scanning the crowd for sign
of her.
A few minutes later Mercedes arrived at the small cafe in
the departure lounge to find Scott inside. He didn't look
very pleased but seem to brighten a little when he saw her
approached. "Hi," she greeted him and took a seat. "Is
everything all right? You don't seem very pleased about the
new assignment..."
" I...it's...ah never mind." He shook his head and smiled. "
It's fine." He looked across the small table and into her
eyes which seemed to him more lovely then before. " I'm
sorry. " he said. " I'm sorry about dinner and
about...everything."
"Sorry about what?" she asked, not sure what he was talking
about. But when he said 'everything', she thought back to
her conversation with Sally and the depressing picture of
Scott she'd painted after Mercedes had left.
"If anyone should apologise for 'everything', it should be
me. I'm the one who left. And now... you have a chance at
being Chimera's CMO. You've wanted it for so long, and
you'll be much better at it then I ever was."
" I was going to tell you about that." he said. " I've got
another job...its on hold and has been since starfleet crews
were recalled. Its the medical officer of the civilian
hospital on Aeran 3. I wanted a change you see." He broke
off and looked at her in silence as the sounds and sights of
activity swept around them. " When you came to my office
yesterday...I'd hoped that we could get our friendship back
on track. Seems its not going to work like that."
Mercedes sighed, not knowing what to say. She looked down at
her hands and then back at Scott. "I have to admit, I'd
hoped the same. But this is the reality of what we do. It's
hard to... keep people in the same place."
He nodded, knowing it was true and that there were two of
many who faced the same sort of situation. "Well...we can
arrange a dinner for when i get back." he said "...assuming
you'll still be here..and I hope you will be."
"That would be lovely," she smiled. "I have a lot of
waiting to do now... it's up to my superiors to decide if
they want me to stay on after they've reviewed my research,
which would take at least a month."
"Well if we come back in that time we could take a trip to
the planet? We could spend a...."
A steady high pitched bleeping soujnded shrilly and Scott,
frowning, looked down at his wrist where his chrono alarm
was sojnding. He switched it off.
" I'm sorry...I have to get back. " He stood up and when she
did too he reached for her hand and gently raised it to his
lips.
Mercedes smiled sweetly at the old fashioned gesture. Scott
was ever the gentleman. She squeezed his hand tightly. "I'll
see you when you get back. I hope you have a safe mission."
" Thankyou...and we'll have dinner then at least ok?" He
smiled to her and gently let go of her hand then turned and
walked away cursing the ill timing of the whole situation.
"All right," she said and watched him as he left. As he
walked away, she didn't want him to leave and almost had to
resist the urge to walk after him. There was a chance she
could make up for what happened between them, but now it
seemed farther and farther away. Unless she took her fate in
her own hands for a change.
*** End Log ***
Lieutenant Mercedes Carpenter
Senior Field Agent
Medical Research Intelligence
&
Scott Fisher
CMO
USS Chimera
