Ice

Posted on Sat Jun 29th, 2019 @ 7:57pm by Tasha Belikov & Chief Helmsman Eden Bowers

Mission: Mission 9 - Daucina
Location: Mess Hall
Timeline: MD 04 20:00 Hours
1843 words - 3.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Eden had returned to a routine religiously since she'd woken up on the Ishimura, which wasn't called that anymore. It helped her cope with what had happened to Sebastian. But she was still having a hard time with things. She kept to herself, not reaching out to anyone as she once may have worked up the courage to do. She was on her way back to her quarters after her workout when she spotted a woman she didn't think she'd seen before. Standing directly in the middle of the corridor she stopped and said, "Hello." It seemed like the thing to do.

Tasha should go in, she knew that. He wasn't going to be there. He wasn't on this ship, hell she wasn't even in the same time line. She was about to tap the control when she heard the voice of a women approaching her. She turned, her face frozen in surprise. She stood there for a moment before finally replying. "Uh...hi." She said.

"Are you all right?" Eden asked, having no idea why she was asking but it felt like she'd walked into a brick wall when she saw the woman. Maybe she recognized it because she'd also been a brick wall lately. "I'm Eden," she said, extending a hand.

Tasha took a deep breath. It was just another women, one who appeared very close in age to herself. "It is ok, Tash." She said under her breath. Turning towards the outstretched hand she took it as was custom and introduced herself. "I am Tasha Belikov." She withdrew her hand and cleared her throat. "Demons." She stated as she motioned towards the door. It was a perfectly reasonable explanation in her mind.

"Yeah," Eden said, not even asking. "Plenty of those around here. Are these the kind of demons you want to talk about or the ones you want to lock away in a dark closet and never let out?" Still standing in the middle of the corridor she waited for the response. "Cause we could go somewhere if you wanted, the mess hall for a drink?"

"I, uh." Tasha started. She looked between the women and and door. She paused for a moment as she thought it over. "Drink could be nice." She finally replied with a smile as the relief washed over her. Chicken She thought as she turned to face the women.

"It could be, depends on who you know. I used to know someone that kept a stash on this ship course that was over a hundred and fifty years ago so I'm sure it's long gone by now." Eden turned to the woman smiling even though she didn't feel it.

Tasha looked at her puzzled for a moment before she remembered something about a crew lost in time. She hadn't cared to look up any of them but assumed the women must be one of them. "Great, because I don't want to go in there." she grinned, noticeably forced, as she motioned towards her quarters. "Uh, where too?"

Eden liked being alone so she wasn't sure why the other woman didn't want to go into quarters. "Mess Hall, I think I still remember where that is," she joked. "Used to have some pretty good tables to drown sorrows over." She gestured for Tasha to follow her.

Tasha nodded as she fell into step with the other women. "Thank you, by the way." She started before stopping, unsure what else to say. "I am not as weird as I come off, I promise."

Eden snorted. "The first time I met the original Captain of this vessel, well the first time off the bridge. I had spread a bunch of murder mystery papers all over two tables in the mess hall. The second time I had climbed shelves in the cargo hold because I was bored out of my mind. If anyone is weird around here it's me."

"Good to know." Tasha replied with a smile. "I, uh, have a tendency to talk to myself but never when I know someone else is there. I at least I try not too."

"Nah, see that's a healthy sign or so I've heard. Something about connections being made in the brain and areas being used for reason and learning. I didn't pay that much attention. How long have you been on board?"

"Not long enough." Tasha said. "Not long, I boarded only recently, but a few days has seemed like years sometimes."

"And years can feel like a few days." Eden replied, then shrugged as she realized she was being weird again. Once they arrived at the mess hall she gestured with her hands. "It's probably about the most depressing mess hall you've ever seen on a ship, am I right? Still, it provides food, drinks and a temporary escape from our troubles."

Tasha smiled at the comment. She didn't care where she wasn't as long as she wasn't back home. "I think it is wonderful." She said with less enthusiasm than she actually felt. She was falling in love with the ship. She had a boss that didn't push her and let her muck around in the cargo bay and she was safe. At least she was getting there.

"It does have it's charm," Eden agreed. "Course I remember what it was like before, all shiny and new." She swallowed. "It's still home. Come on, I'll get you a drink. No idea what they have around here but at least we can sit down and share stories."

"I would like that." She smiled, genuinely for the first time since the dear in the headlights meeting in the hallway. "I am not picky, anything wet works for me." She ginned as she moved with the other women. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She was ok, she was safe. She was fine.

"Do I look old for someone who is one hundred and eighty something?" Eden teased. "I'll tell you my story if you tell me yours. I started this trip in 2243." She began as she headed to get something to drink for both of them, preferably something strong.

Tasha looked at her for a moment a bit confused. She had heard the mumblings had even told the women that, but to be honest the Eden looked younger that her. Or at the very least she looked younger than Tasha felt. "Oh, you are joking?" She half said half asked. "I mean, I think you look younger than I feel." She tried to smile before shaking her head. "But I can agree to that, I warn you...it isn't a happy one."

"No, not joking. Mine's a long story but we appear to have plenty of time and you look like you need someone to talk to. Do you want me to go first? I was born in 2216. I joined Starfleet when I was old enough, my parents were astrobiologists and we traveled a lot. I was basically raised on different planets in a shuttle while they studied things. Anyway, I came on board in 2243 where I met the Captain, Sebastian. He was really the first man to ever really notice me, the real me. We fell in love. Then in 2246 most of the crew were killed on a mission, and he sacrificed himself to save the remaining people, including me."

Tasha's lips curled in a concerned grin for her friend. She wasn't sure when she had decided that the women sitting across from her was her friend, but she would deal with that later. "I am sorry." She started as she took a dip of her drink. Her face puckered in response to the warm liquid. It had been so long since she had actually had a drink. "I, uh," she didn't know how to start. "I married the wrong man." She took another sip her reaction less intense. "I didn't know that at the time. He was mean and cruel and I suffered." The words just poured out of her. "I got pregnant, not of my own choice, and when he found out he beat me." She paused, she had never told anyone this story and expected a look of horror on Eden's face. "I lost the baby and he left me for dead."

Eden wanted to say how awful that was, how she was sorry but she didn't think that was what the woman needed to hear. She reached out and put a hand over Tasha's. "You're safe here with us. Granted, I've been away for a long time, but most of the men I've met here wouldn't hurt a fly. Hal took the trip in time with me, he's probably the most laid back fellow I've ever met. And Johnathan, well I think he and Cassie are getting married, but he's really nice too." She tried to think of who else in the moment would be absolutely no threat to her.

Tasha looked at the hand that was resting on hers. This was why she had come here. It was why she actually had moments where she could breathe. She was safe and even though the words had never been said, she knew they wouldn't let him hurt her again. "Thanks," she replied softly, barely above a whisper. She cleared her throat trying to press past the tightness. "For the record, I am only afraid of one man." she smiled, easily.

"Okay," Eden said with a nod. "It's all been about starting new lives lately, for a lot of us. So you should fit right in. Even if you aren't a hundred and eighty something."

"Well, you don't look a day over eighty." Tasha found herself saying with a smile. "Thank you, by the way." She added taking a drink. "So, do you have any one special on this ship?" She asked before a realization hit her. "I, uh, i am sorry is that might be a sore subject."

Eden smiled. "I have friends, but no, no one since waking up much older than when I lost consciousness. It was surreal, we were fighting for our lives and then poof, into nothingness which could have been either seconds or an eternity as far as we were concerned."

"I can't imagine." Tasha said softly as she looked over the women sitting across from her. She knew what it was like to close your eyes one place and waking up somewhere else. Her loss of time had been weeks not decades and she could only imagine what it was like. "Friends are good." She added meekly.

"Yeah," Eden sighed a little bit. "Anyway . . ." She held up her glass. "To moving on."

"Moving on." Tasha grinned as she touched her glass to Eden's. Taking a sip she could help but let out a sigh. She was safe and that was the best she could ask for.


Eden Bowers
Chief Helmsmen
SS Mary Rose

Tasha Belikov
Logistic Officer
SS Mary Rose