A Request

Posted on Thu Aug 25, 2016 @ 12:38am by Lieutenant Martha Cusack & Master Chief Petty Officer Thomas Barnes

Mission: An Orion to Die For
Location: Deck 30; Corridor
Timeline: MD 0 || 1100 hours

Martha was walking through the corridors looking for the Chief of Operations. She decided to ask the computer for some assistance seeing as Martha had not had much luck in finding him by asking people in the corridors if they'd seen Chief Barnes. She stopped walking before she asked for Thomas Barnes' location.

"Computer - locate Chief Barnes" Martha requested.

Much to her embarrassment it turned out the Chief wasn't too far away at all - in fact he was at the other end of the very same corridor that Martha was on right now.

Quickly catching up to the Chief she introduced herself and extended her hand to Thomas. She was glad that she'd finally managed to find him - especially as Martha was hoping she could spend the evening with her wife and daughter in their new family quarters rather than the guest quarters they were currently using.

"Chief...it's good to meet you. I'm Lieutenant Cusack...Chief Tactical Officer. I was wondering if you had a few minutes?" Martha asked.

Thomas looked up from the PADD he was reading as he traversed the corridor to see the petite blond with lieutenant pips approach. "Chief Barnes," he greeted with a smile, stopping to extend a hand. "Of course, Lieutenant," he replied. He'd performed plenty of Operational duties over the years to know that there was both no such thing as a random request and that every request was important. "What can I do for you?"

Martha smiled and shook the Chief's hand. A few years ago she served in his position - albeit for no more than two days - so she understood exactly what his work entailed. Nevertheless it was now her turn to make a request.

"I won't take more than a few moments of your time Chief...but I was hoping you could arrange some family quarters for me. My wife, daughter and I - as well as our pet - are currently in guest quarters. It's a little...crowded" Martha replied.

"How'd you wind up in guest quarters?" Tom asked, changing the screen on his PADD to the quarters assignments. He hadn't been the one to assign the cabin, nor would he have done something like that. "How old is your daughter?" he asked, sorting the list to available rooms.

Martha didn't know exactly why they'd ended up in guest quarters but she suspected it was so the Cusacks could put their bags down somewhere until something permanent was arranged.

"I'm not sure to be honest Chief. I guess it was just one of those seeing as I didn't know I was coming here until around 36 hours ago. Our daughter is 16" Martha replied with a smile.

Tom blinked, looking again at Martha. He couldn't see how she'd have a sixteen year old daughter, but then again, he couldn't tell that the Intelligence Chief was a Ullian until he read Tom's mind. "And what kind of pet?" Tom asked. It really didn't make too much a difference, but knowing the intricacies of the ventilation system, location would matter.

"He's a canary. His cage isn't massive but it's large enough for him to fly around comfortably. As for my daughter...well she's not my biological daughter but that's a story for another time. It's difficult to talk about sometimes - but we're stronger now than we were then. That's why we're all here now" Martha said.

He didn't immediately reply as he examined the available quarters. "Deck Five," he said at last, "Section Twelve," he told her, flipping the PADD over to show her the room number. "I'll make sure the quartermaster has it ready within the hour, and we can have your personal effects beamed over if you need it."

Martha was pleased with the promptness of allocating her and her family some quarters. It meant that night they would be able to enjoy their first full night together on the Triumphant in their own quarters with a bit more space. Martha preferred to have a bit more space rather than having everybody bunched up into one room.

"Thank you Chief. I appreciate the promptness" Martha replied.

"My pleasure, Lieutenant," Tom replied with his well-practiced smile and attitude thanks to twenty-plus years of his operational experience. It wasn't the first favor he'd performed for an officer, nor did he expect it to be his last. "I hope you'll find it to your liking. I personally haven't seen the rooms, but I hear they're spacious."

Martha smiled. She hadn't had to deal with any personal requests herself in the two days she was a Chief Operations Officer but she had overseen them being carried out at the request of her then superior officer.

"I'm sure we'll love it Chief. I just can't wait for us to settle into our new home - we've been thinking of changing for a while but it's been making sure it feels like the right change for us. I guess with all the time in the Gamma Quadrant it's nice to be a bit closer to home again" Martha responded.

"Gamma Quadrant?" Tom asked with an intrigued expression. "I've always wanted to go there, but I haven't made it any further than the frontier of the Alpha Quadrant. How long were you out there?"

Martha had never seen herself going out there and she was out there for years. She liked it but sometimes it was always more comforting to be closer to home rather than on the other side of the Galaxy.

"About four years. It was a different experience...I saw some sights and sounds out there - and there were some tough times - but ultimately that's what being a part of Starfleet is all about. Some things I've experienced I'd like to change - but others I wouldn't change for the world. Such as meeting my wife and adopting our daughter" Martha responded.

"I think we all have a list of things we'd like to do over," Tom assured her. "I've heard it said that we are the sum of our experiences. I sometimes wonder what I would have been like had I been spared some trauma. Who knows, I could have been an officer. But, there's no telling that I would be happy. Sometimes we just gotta go through all of that bad to really appreciate the good in our lives."

Martha nodded in agreement. It was very true that life would always have its ups and downs and no matter what she wanted out of it she would always have to tackle the bad patches. Martha and Lucia's marriage had been great but there were tough times that they had to overcome.

"Very much so. I loved the Nogura and working with Captain Azulas but sometimes you just have to let go of things. Sometimes I wish for things but I often think about it and like yourself wonder if having that would be a good or a bad thing. What I have is just fine" Martha replied with a warm smile.

Tom nodded. "Well," he told her, "I would like to stay and chat, but, uh, I've a few areas to check on. I'd like to link up with you in the future, meet your wife and daughter, if that's okay. Is there anything else I can do for you, Lieutenant?"

"Of course Chief. I'll come and check in with you in a couple of days once we're settled in and maybe you can come and visit for dinner? My daughter's a great cook...and I like to think I can cook as well...but I think food tastes better when somebody else cooks it. Anyway...thanks again - I'll catch you again soon" Martha replied with a smile.

"Have a good day," Tom replied to the Chief Tactical Officer with a nod. With that, he resumed his trek down the corridor, bound for his next destination.

Martha smiled and turned the other way to head for a turbolift to prepare her family's belongings for transfer from their guest quarters up to their new quarters that Thomas had arranged for them. She was looking forward to catching up with him again - but for now there were other things for Martha to deal with.