Family Comes First

Posted on 12 Jun 2012 @ 1:51am by Captain Jonathan Holliday

1,303 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 01 - Project Sienna
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2 - XO's Quarters
Timeline: MD08 - 0015 hours

[ON]

Holliday's shift on the Bridge had seemed to drag on for hours longer than it really should have lasted. With the majority of the transferring of people and resources from the starbase to the Galileo complete and the final preparations underway, there hadn't really been a great deal for the XO to do aside from monitor the work of his shipmates from a distance and keep an eye out for anything suspicious on the sensors.

As soon as the chronometer had switched onto the Gamma shift, John had to remind himself that jumping from the centre chair and bolting for the turbolift was not necessarily correct procedure for an XO, and had patiently worked his way through the handover process, however tedious it might have been before leaving for his quarters.

In the turbolift, John had mulled the same discussion over in his head that had occupied him for the past several hours - that short but useful meeting with Coleman in his quarters only a brief time ago. It seemed she really did know more about humanity than he had originally thought, and that small vial of liquid hidden in his quarters was testament to that change.

Reaching the doors to his quarters, John quickly unlocked the panel with his access code and headed inside, making sure to turn on his heels and lock the door again as soon as he was inside. What he was about to do went against all his ethics as a Starfleet officer, but if his time in service had taught him anything, it was that sometimes, the rules had to be manipulated just a little bit.

"Computer" he called out as he traversed the distance to his workspace area in the far corner of his quarters. Whilst far smaller than the desk in his office, it was more than sufficient for most needs.

"Is the spectroscopic analysis of compound Holliday Alpha complete?"

"Affirmative" The computer replied in its typically exact voice. Having set the system at the start of his shift to scan and analyse the compound on his desk with every conceivable scan and procedure in its arsenal, John was glad that it had not taken as long as he originally thought it would have done.

"Display compound analysis on my terminal" He replied, before grabbing his chair with one hand and simultaneously sitting down, glad to have finally gotten round to doing what he had originally intended. As he did so, the screen in front of him flashed into life, displaying a chemical formula just as complex and unusual as he had expected it to be.

The 3D molecule in front of him span through several orientations, with the computer adding several annotations to show formations of interest and some speculation at exactly what the mechanism of action was within a human body.

"Computer transfer this schematic to a replicator pattern format and save to an encrypted file - access restricted to Jonathan Holliday only." He sighed for a moment, waiting for the bleep that would confirm the computer had done as he instructed, which after only a few moments waiting, appeared as expected.

"Perfect...." John muttered under his breath. Grabbing a PADD from his desk and transferring the file to his active archives before setting it back down in front of him.

"Computer, open a secure channel to my father - encrypted frequency with a rotating modulation - alert me to any attempts at a trace"

The system once again sprang into life; the 3D molecule being replaced by a black screen adorned with the symbol of the Federation as the various subspace transmitters between here and Mars made the necessary connections. It took only a few moments before the image was replaced with that of his father - looking even weaker than he had only a few days before.

"What in blazes are you doing calling me at this hour boy?" His father began, shooting down his son's efforts only seconds after they had begun. John was used to this kind of treatment, and thankfully had managed to avoid his typical response of firing back with everything he had.

"Dad this isn't the time - I wouldn't be calling you if it weren't important....I have something for you ok, something to help"

John replied, picking up the PADD with which he had just been working and instructing it to transfer the information held on it to the subspace transmission.

"I'm sending over an encrypted data file...you'll know how to open it...you taught me the encryption pattern....you'll find a replicator pattern within it...have your replicator make it up....then take it in a drink, whatever you fancy....just....just take it ok?"

The junior Holliday realised that he was probably sounding like a rambling idiot right now. In fact he was certain of it; his father was a man of science, and being presented with something that contained no facts, no research, and very little other than general supposition was not something that he was used to having to put up with.

"Jonathan....what the hell are you on about? Your vaunted Starfleet doctors have already told me there's nothing that anyone can do for me past this point...and now you appear telling me that you've got some magic cure that will fix me up? Bullsh-"

"Dad just do it!"

Jonathan interjected, cutting his father's sentence off before it could reach it's rather unbecoming end. He knew that this was going to happen and had already thought ahead.

"Listen dad....just...do as I ask this once ok? I can't make you but...dammit you're still my father and I don't want to be coming back from my first mission as First Officer to attend your funeral!"

Throwing his emotions out on the table really was the mark of a desperate man - something that he never would have admitted to before, but this late in the game, there really wasn't anything left worth holding back. Either his father would heed his words and take a risk, or he would meet his end soon enough.

"And you're still my son...but that didn't stop you running off to Starfleet against my wishes....just like it doesn't stop me from ignoring this pile of targ manure without some explanation of where it came from...."

"From a friend dad ok? That's all that matters. Someone with a lot more experience with human medicine than any of the doctors treating you...but I can't go into it over subspace....just trust me...."

Trust...something that John and his father hadn't really had between the two of them for a very long time. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time that the words his father had spoken could ever have been associated with trust...deceit and anger yes, but trust...that was a long time ago.

"This all looks very...complicated....the formula could have any number of possible effects....I don't know about this....but....it's not like I've got anything to lose huh? I'm gonna die anyway....what's the worst that could happen? Ok son...you got a deal....but the minute you get back to Mars....I want you here...with an explanation...or so help me God I'll knock you flat on your smarmy Starfleet ass....understood?"

Hearing those words from his father gave Jonathan a little strength, knowing that Holliday Senior still had the power to put him in his place just as well as any Starfleet admiral ever could.

"Aye sir" He just managed to get in as his father closed the channel on him abruptly, leaving the XO with no choice but to sit and wait for news...one way or the other.

[OFF]

Lt Cmdr. Jonathan Holliday
Executive Officer
USS Galileo

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