JL | Lt Cmdr Rinehart, Dr Rogers - "The Time Is Now"

Posted on 241503.01 @ 10:37pm by Commander Tierney Rinehart

Mission: Holy Cow

There, she had heard it in the lounge. Someone knew someone. After a mild beating, the woman had found her connection and now was going to exploit her knowledge, to regain an old friend. The woman stood in her quarters looking at the screen. She didn't know what she was going to say, but knew that it was well over due. With a black eye and slightly bloodied hair, the woman began the call. All doors were locked, but she knew the call wouldn't be able to last long.

A PADD chirped somewhere off to the left, muffled by the sound of a down comforter hung over her head. Even then Tierney's finely tuned sense of hearing beckoned her from sleep with the twitch of an ear. She groaned, reaching a slender arm from beneath the deep blue blanket, and slapped at her nightstand until her fingers felt the offensive item, closed around it, and drug it back under and into the darkness with no small amount of ferocity. Next she was forced to open her eyes to try and figure out why the stupid thing simply wouldn't shut up or turn back off. The light burned her eyes and forced her to squint as she rolled onto her back and studied the screen. It was a call, encrypted, and priority one. A touch of her palm connected it and she scowled until the picture came into clean focus. "SCARLET!" She gasped at the shocking sight of her old friend and was suddenly so very awake.

Scarlet smiled in relief, "I can't be talk long. I needed to make sure you were ok. I've only just found a way to contact you."

"I'm ok... I'm ok." The Starling replied with an emphatic nod, "but you? What the Hell happened to you?!"

"I got the information I needed to get a call out to you," she replied with a slight sigh, "Things have changed. The people I am surrounded by have caused both of us to be a bit more aggressive. I want out but I can't without leaving this ship in incapable hands in the medical bay."

"Vokar?" Tierney asked with a tilt of her head. "Kerenal is here... He said you guys were in good hands..."

"We are in good hands," Scarlet defended, "Just a hands with a rougher crew. I think I need order back, and something a little less dangerous. I love the fact that I have so many 'customers' in my medical bay, but I want out. I think Thelin is getting that way too, but I don't know. Wait, Kerenal is with you?"

The little lavender maned woman nodded in time as she listened to and processed what Scarlet was saying. "But out where? Back to Starfleet? You've been burnt..." She all but pouted as she spoke in response. "He's here..." She almost gloated, but refrained, "We picked him up on the edge of this bizarre little system after he got in a bit of a scuff. He's alright. He's..." She shrugged, "Staying. Mark's dead... Karim has the Enterprise, Security has shifted hands. Things have changed."

The ginger haired woman paused to process. Too much had changed. Too much to process, "There's a place back on Earth I could go that would have me. I'd take a fellowship or something. I didn't have a choice in going, you know. I didn't want to either. But I am here, where I am needed."

"Then try for Earth. It's safe now." Tierney smiled softly, "They would probably overlook a lot seeing as they need so much help with the effort to rebuild."

She nodded, "I'm going to try, but I need to talk to Thelin. I can't leave him." The woman heard something in her quarters and immediately looked round, "Just tell Kerenal to stay safe. No matter what. I think I need to go. I miss you. Maybe if I get to Earth and you visit on shore leave."

"No, you need to stay with Thelin and he needs to stay with you." Hummed Tierney in response. "Go. Stay safe and I'll keep Kerenal wrapped in cotton wool. If you make it to Earth, I'll see you there. I miss you too." She said quickly and blew two kisses to her friend on the other side of the screen.

Scarlet smiled, almost wanted to cry and waves shortly before shutting off the comm.

Tierney sat quietly for a moment and looked at the blank screen, blinking. It was painful to think of Scarlet as anything but happy, and the fact she was having to scrap for information and time meant things had taken a dramatic turn with the Vanguard. Kerenal was lucky to have gotten out. She couldn't even begin to imagine the gentle El-Aurian having to live in such conditions.

She'd keep him safe.

---

Lt Commander Tierney Rinehart
Chief Officer
USS ENTERPRISE, NCC 1701-E

Dr Scarlet Rogers
Chief Medical Officer
Unknown