AC/DC *Meritorious Achievement Award*

[T'Prise 0]

Meritorious Achievement Award

 

Alternating Current

or

Breakfast at the End of the World

 

She awoke suddenly, blinking in the darkness, attempting to orient her thoughts. Shifting slightly, she glanced at the chronometer on the bedside table, which indicated it was late into the ship’s night cycle, nearing the early hours of morning. Rolling to her side, she rose carefully so as to not awaken the man beside her and moved quietly to the next room, towards the sounds that had disturbed her sleep.

 

“I am here,” she intoned calmly, lifting her son from his cradle, settling him into her shoulder and gently rubbing his back to soothe him. After several moments, the infant ceased to fret and she placed him on a soft padded table to change his soiled pants and also to retrieve his customary dietary supplement from the replicator. Settling into a chair, she held him in her arms, wrapping his blanket gently around him, tucking it behind his head and brushing her fingers softly over the points of his ears as he greedily consumed his meal.

 

At ninety-two days old, Christopher was healthy and growing rapidly. As a Human/Vulcan hybrid his development appeared to be progressing within normal parameters. His motor skills and cognitive abilities were slightly advanced on a human scale, yet slightly delayed on a Vulcan scale; however, Dr. Chalice had assured them that this was very typical for children of mixed race. While he generally preferred his mother, whenever he displayed playful emotions he tended to fuss until his father appeared.

 

Continuing to rock her son, T’Prise closed her eyes and leaned her head against the side of the chair, meditating on their future. The Manticore was en-route to Maturin Station, presumably to receive new orders and ship out. While they had thus far kept the child with them, it was past time to start contemplating a more stable environment in which to raise their son. Deep in thought, she startled slightly as a strong pair of hands gripped her shoulder bracingly. Blinking, she looked up and around to see her husband standing behind her, reaching out for the infant. Tucking the blanket more closely around him, she handed Christopher into his father’s waiting arms.

 

Holding the boy close to his chest, Malcolm Escher bounced gently and grinned when as the baby smiled up at him. Gently steadying his son, Escher took a seat across from T’Prise, inhaling deeply to calm his voice before he addressed his wife.

 

“T’Prise, I know we are already planning leave Chris with your parents once we reach Maturin, but I think it is time to discuss our future. You and I both know that a black ops ship is no place to raise our child. We need to talk about one - or both of us - taking a more stable assignment after we complete this mission. We have someone else’s future to worry about now.”

 

“I have already anticipated this eventuality,” T’Prise said evenly, watching as Christopher became fascinated with the collar of his father’s shirt, reaching out his short stubby fingers to grasp the open neck and pull. “Prior to our son’s birth, I applied for and received an appointment as an instructor at the Vulcan Science Academy.”

 

Escher nodded and gently extricated his shirt from Chris’ mouth, replacing it with a pacifier before speaking. “Of course. And I want you to take it.” He sighed and looked up and around, as if taking in the entire vessel instead of the quarters in which he sat. “I love the Manticore - more than I ever thought I could love something like a flying piece of metal. But I love Chris - and you - more. I don’t know how such things work, but do you think I could accompany you to your post at the Science Academy?”

 

“I anticipated your desire to remain together and have already communicated with the Vulcan Science Council. There are several positions available that could benefit from someone of your expertise. If you wish to review them, they are in your message queue.” She rose and began to straighten up the room, folding blankets and organizing the changing table. “This will of course require us to either resign from Starfleet or request extended leave.”

 

Escher paused for a moment, feeling Chris start to drift off in his arms. “I say we ask for extended leave. We’ve served our time; I think that they’ll let us do that, at least to start off. I don’t want to resign unless I absolutely have to. Starfleet...is my home, in more ways than one. I don’t want to give it up lightly.”

 

Pausing as she set the cradle aright, T’Prise nodded. “I would agree that a leave of absence would be the most rational course of action. When Christopher is old enough, we may wish to have a shipboard assignment once more, perhaps on an exploration vessel with accommodations for families.”

 

“Imagine,” Escher said, his eyes growing distant and his face drifting into rapture, “you, me, and Chris, on the frontier of known space. You and I could work in the science department of the vessel and teach Chris all we know. We would marvel at the stars, at the galaxy, at life, and we would do it together. That would be...something else.” His attention snapped back to the room. “It really would be the final frontier, just like the Starfleet recruitment posters said, hmm?”

 

Finished setting the room aright, T’Prise gave her husband a patient but tolerant look. “There is still much knowledge to be learned within the vast reaches of our universe and into those realms yet unexplored. A future in Starfleet would indeed hold fascinating wonders.”

 

Still cradling their son, Escher smiled and stood, kissing his wife lightly on the cheek. “I love you.”

 

“I have affection for you as well, Malcolm,” she replied placidly, although her tone was infused with as much warmth a the limitations of her Vulcan demeanor allowed.

 

His answering grin was stifled by a yawn. “Let’s get breakfast. I’m famished.”

 

Escher placed Chris, finally lulled into a sound asleep, back into his cradle, and covered the slumbering infant with his blanket. Moving to the open doorway, he watched as T’Prise placed dishes for their morning meal on the table in the sitting room of their joint quarters. While their relationship and the melding of two such diverse cultures had been trying at times, the birth of their son had brought them closer together in ways neither had ever imagined. Happy, he sat down to breakfast, ready to discuss their bright future, and ready to enjoy these small moments, these little wonders life afforded them.

 

A few light years away, an Arcturan mine detected the Manticore’s approach and armed itself.

 

 

*****

 

 

Direct Current

or

Dinner on the Edge of Forever

 

He awoke suddenly, blinking in the darkness, attempting to orient his thoughts. Shifting slightly, he glanced at the chronometer on the bedside table, which indicated it was midway into the ship’s night cycle. Tossing the covers aside, he sat up, knowing he would not be able to go back to sleep.

 

He stepped into the main living area of his quarters and stared warily at a spot on the ground. He could have sworn he had heard something echoing through his quarters that had awakened him - a cry, maybe - but nothing was there. His quarters seemed just as empty and stark as they had always been.

 

After nearly an hour of wearing out the carpet from pacing, turning their current situation and the problems they faced, as well as his earlier unexpected discovery, over in his mind, Escher finally came to the realization that as he was already awake, and he might as well try to get some work done. Throwing on a spare uniform and taking a short turbolift ride, he emerged into the cool, sterilized air of the main lab, stopping short at the scene before him.

 

Although the lighting was dim, given the lateness of the hour, a soft glow emanated from the three stations displaying complex mathematical calculations and the main console projecting design specifications. Flitting between those stations and the console was his Vulcan colleague, apparently taking advantage of the isolation this time of night offered to work on the problem of getting the Manticore home. Not even a month ago, Escher would have noticed nothing else of interest, but at this point he had become sufficiently attuned to T’Prise’s internal fluctuations that he could see a certain...tension about her actions. She was nervous, on edge, and while she would never admit it, Escher was worried about it - and worried about her.

 

Studying the screen in front of her, T’Prise was dimly aware of Escher’s presence as he strode into the lab. While not insurmountable, the problem set before her was difficult at best. The slipstream drive had not originally been designed for use as a portal between quantum realities. In order to return to their own universe, they would need to replicate the circumstances under which they had originally entered into this one, which included the presence of rapidly fluctuating quantum matter. Hence, they would need to return to the dust storm and use the conditions within it to create a quantum field through which to construct a tunnel back to their own reality. This would require precise mathematical calculations in order to manipulate space and time accurately and the slipstream deflector dish and engine would need very specific adjustments in order to function within both realities.

 

Finally satisfied with the test scenario before her, T’Prise turned to address her chief. “Did you require something, Commander?”

 

Escher ran his hand through his hair distractedly. “No, no, I didn’t. Just couldn’t sleep, and figured I would come down to the lab to get some work done. I see I’m not the only one who had that idea.”

 

“It is imperative we make precise calculations and run numerous test scenarios before attempting to return to our own reality. Otherwise, the results could be disastrous or even deadly. Commander Syndrx has provided invaluable aid in reconfiguring my engine design to implement on the Manticore. We will begin working on the ship’s engines and deflector dish at the start of alpha shift; however, I cannot lose time in determining the exact settings required for us to create the appropriate tunnel into our own universe.”

 

He nodded, taking in her barely perceptible but nonetheless harried looking appearance and contemplated how best to extract her from the stress of the situation, if even for only a few hours. An idea popped into his head and he gestured behind her at the reams of data being spat out on the main display. “It looks like the simulation is running its course for now. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving; you up for a late dinner?”

 

“I am not hungry at the present time. It is more important that I finish with these test scenarios,” she said, turning her attention back to the console, clearly dismissing him.

 

Escher could feel the old tensions beginning to flare. “T’Prise, you can’t work yourself to death. These scenarios are currently running through the computer. You can take twenty minutes off to eat, which you should, because otherwise you’ll collapse one day in the middle of an important assignment and that -” Escher stalled as he separated his true feelings from what he could say aloud, “- that would be detrimental to this ship. And I don’t want to lose one of my best officers. So. Eat.”

 

“I am fully capable of staying fully alert and performing my duties without collapsing,” she answered him somewhat stiffly. “There is no reason for me to leave at this critical juncture. Our future depends upon us returning to our own universe, that will not happen if these calculations are incorrect.”

 

“I know what you’re fully capable of, T’Prise, but right now you’re being dumb. You’re not actually needed here, you just feel...I don’t know. Quantum slipstream tech holds a lot of baggage for you, and I think it’s showing. I really think you need to take a break.”

 

Her head swung around sharply as she turned to peer at him, her eyes narrowing. “You are incorrect in your suppositions. I am doing my duty as a Starfleet officer to ensure the safety of this ship and her crew. Now unless you plan on relaying any orders, I ask that you allow me to continue my work, uninterrupted.”

 

Escher straightened up and did something he hated doing. “In fact, I do have an order. I’m ordering you to take a temporary break to let the simulations run and get something to eat.” He rebelled at himself - pulling rank was something he abhorred, something that ran completely against the concept of the scientific process - but he quieted his internal voices and maintained his resolve.

 

She opened her mouth, ready to protest, but the look in his eyes quailed her desire to oppose him. “If those are you orders, I will have to comply.” Tapping her fingers lightly against the console, issuing one last command, she turned on her heel and headed for the door, refusing to look in his direction.

 

Escher followed her to the mess, standing beside her, not speaking. A million things weighed on his mind, but the one that kept coming back to the surface was that computer screen with the calm, informative text that alerted him of a child - a particular, half-human, half-Vulcan child. It was true that Escher knew nothing more than that, but he could feel it in his bones: somewhere - somehow - he and T’Prise had been happy together. It bore into his psyche as few things ever had, and he was forced to stop himself from blurting something out to his Vulcan colleague as they got their food and sat down.

 

They ate in silence, unable to even make polite small talk, each absorbed within their own thoughts, as emotionally and physically removed from this reality as they were from the one in which they had originated.

 

A few light years away, a dust storm twisted and churned, awaiting the Manticore’s approach.