Successful Landing

[LtCmdr Roget 0]

Margaux opened the shuttle hatch and looked around shuttle bay two, "Odd," she said looking over her shoulder, "no welcoming party."  She stepped out onto the deck and walked over to a set of crew lockers along the opposite wall.  Setting her bio-suit helmet on the bench, she unclasped her utility belt and started to strip off the confining suit.   The suits were a life saver, but there were also hot, and cumbersome.  Keeping her gloves on until last she deposited all the articles into the biohazard container and sat down on the bench.

 

   She watched the others come off the shuttle.  Comparing notes and data taken from the lab, starting the same ritual she had just finished.  Removing and stowing of the bio-suits.  They would have to wait for haz-mat team to arrive before they could leave the shuttle bay, but there was no sense is remaining in the suits.  She leaned back against the locker and began to loosen the braid in her hair.  The locks fell away from the braid into long wavy sections, that she separated with her fingers.  The ritual was a calming one.  If she closed her eyes she could remember her mother doing the exact same thing to her.  A small smile played across her lips as she continued the long treasured habit.

 

   Her smile faded as the Commodore exited the shuttle.  His face was whiter than she'd ever seen it and he moved as though he was made of lead.  She could see he was clutching something in his hands and knew immediately what it must be.  A wave of anger moved through her with such tenacity that had someone been beside her they surely would have felt it.  She had tried continually, since regaining her memories, to spare him this hurt but nothing she did seemed to work.  He had grieved for her ten years ago, and was reliving it all over again.  "I'm sorry!" she whispered fiercely, looking down at the deck plating.  "I'm sorry that you are having to go through this.  I'm sorry for what this is doing to you."  

 

   She looked up, her fingers still working at the ends of her hair, and her stomach knotted and her spine stiffened under his withering glare.  She stood and boldly met his gaze, pretending not to understand his look.  Taking strong deliberate strides she walked up to him. "Haz-mat will be here momentarily to collect the bio-suits and conduct the decontamination.  I recommend, Commodore, that you strip out of your suit."  She let her expression soften.  "I hope, whatever it was you were searching for down there, " she hesitated, torn by conflicting emotions.  "I ... I hope you found it.  I hope it gives you the answers you were searching for, or at least it gives you ability to let go of the past."  She gave him a small nod, as though dismissing herself from him and re-entered the shuttle to complete the post flight check.