Blast from the past

Posted on 29 Apr 2013 @ 10:10pm by Marine Captain Ray Fernandez (Ret.) & Lieutenant Aria Rice

2,796 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galieo Deck 2 - Fernandez's Suite
Timeline: MD 02 - 2100 HRS

Ray was tired of sitting around his stuffy quarters, with his stuffy things in his stuffy work clothes. He had never liked feeling babied by anyone on board any ship, it was the reason why he didn't do a lot of dignitary work, though Starfleet always seemed to come back to him for another marine VIP mission.

He sighed, finally having enough. He knelt over by a small black case that he had requested to be brought on. Unbuckling the brass clasps he opened the top of the case to find a brilliant gold and black alto saxaphone. He wasted little time setting it up. He pressed a button to open the door.

"Maybe I'll find something to do" He chuckled as the first jazzy notes rang from the instrument.

Aria stopped as she heard the music. Jazz. She recognised it easily enough. She smiled warmly as she traced it, glancing in to see the man playing. He was older...scarred too. But the music had so much in it that she just...leant against the door and watched, smiling to herself.

Ray kept playing, but knew that he was being watched. He could feel the eyes of someone off near the door way. He finished his song with a small flourish and took the mouth piece away from his mouth. He looked over to his left and smiled. " If you're going to listen you might as well pop in for a minute or two, I always play better for an audience anyways." He pushed himself up from his chair and set the saxophone on the floor, leaning against the same chair before walking slowly over to the young woman. As he approached a sudden pang of familiarity washed over him. No...it can't be...Well, isn't this interesting. He thought to himself. He decide it would be best to keep quiet for the moment. "Lieutenant, must be finishing up rounds or something." Was all he added to his last thought.

She smiled gently, shaking her head. "Something like that," she said softly. She walked in without any fear, her blue eyes watching him as she took a seat. "I heard the music and couldn't resist...Sir."

He noted the hesitation, but pretended to ignore it. "Well, then keep an old man company then." He studied her carefully, under the face of a warm smile and a jovial laugh. She seemed to carry herself well, but there was hesitation, like she wasn't sure of herself. Again, Ray made a mental note and continued talking. "So you're another of Cyrus's working buddies, eh?" He asked offhandedly as he walked over to the replicator.

She chuckled softly, nodding as she watched him. "Yes, I suppose you can call me that. I certainly see him as a man I respect and admire. And like to call friend."

Ray waited as the water replicated and he kicked a chair opposite to his own. "Don't worry about getting in trouble Lieutenant, if your Lieutenant has a problem with me socializing with his team then he has to beat me up, and trust me, that's not easy...ask the Dominion, they tried for years." He replied chuckling. "Yeah, Kiwosk's too old for his youth, almost blowing yourself up does that, if all goes well he'll be back to the stupid meat head he was when I was commanding him." Fernandez sipped his water, letting out a refreshing ahhh . " So how's it been here on Galileo...I've heard you all had a messy run in with some Klingon folk. " He shook his head. "Rough time, fought some Klingons once, something about inturrpting their poetry...I don't know, he threw a chair at me." He winked. "Lousy throw to, hit the guy next to me. Poor Laan was out for a week."

She smiled gently, watching him for a long moment. "Like all things in life...sometimes, you have a bad time and bad luck, other times your luck turns. I doubt that you would approve of me speaking ill of my superior officer, Sir..." she winked back, holding his eye for a long moment. "Besides, first rule...never let Klingons throw everything at you. And if they do, better get cover. Or as my Dad said, if they throw something, make sure they throw it at the enemy in their rage and not at you."

Ray nodded chuckling. I've heard that before "I don't give two damns how you talk about your superior officer, I invited you here to talk, not to play diplomat. You want to rant and rave, you go right ahead. " He chuckled. "I'm just drinking my water...maybe I forgot my hearing aid today." He shrugged. " Your father sounds like a wise man." He commented. " Following the family tradition then?" He asked.

"No...no, he was a Marine, not Starfleet," she said and smiled gently, holding his eyes. "I'm being awfully rude. I'm Aria Rice," she offered her hand to him, giving a warm smile.

He took the hand and shook gently. "Ray Fernandez. " Rice....Well Antonio...you didn't tell me about her, you damned fool. "A pleasure to meet you Miss Rice. " He paused. "Well, that's two should be marines that are security, that I now know. " He grunted. "You all getting sick or something? Whatever it is I don't want it." He chuckled. " So, you like jazz do you? "

She laughed as she nodded, watching him. "I like most music," she confessed, watching him. "And I didn't pass the physical tests, Sir. Apparently I am a bit too...slight." Skinny runt more like it. She was okay with it now. Sorta. Most days. Okay, maybe not. "Doesn't mean I am wasted here though. Like to think I do a decent job."

"Physical limitations are only as present as you allow them to be." He replied. "I was once planted flat on my face by a woman your size and a foot shorter. She kicked me the balls." He chuckled.

"As for your job, I have no doubt you do a good one. It's not just anyone that can willingly put their life on the line for the betterment of Mankind. "

She smiled weakly as she shook her head. "Hardly any line anymore, Sir...appreciate the sentiment though," she said softly, her eyes drifting to the sax. "Been playing long, Sir?"

He looked over to his instrument. "She's been with me, since I started serving on Starships. It's been a long time and everywhere I've been so has she. Music got me through the tough times. After mission I'd take her out and play for hours."

"Sounds wonderful," she said and smiled warmly, nodding. "I used to know a former Starfleet Commodore who played the guitar. Blues. Always with the blues. He's say 'take those Cardies out of my sky' and then play the guitar over the comm system. He told me so anyway. Of course, stories change as you get older I've been told. And when you are young, all stories have rose tinted glasses."

"Too true." Ray couldn't help but laugh. The woman was a sweetheart if she wasn't angry. "And too many people put rose tinted glasses on darker times." He finished taking another sip of water. " So Aria Rice, daughter of Lt. Colonel Antonio Rice. How did you get posted onto a Nova? Was it by choice? One would have thought with someone like you father's reputation could have gotten you any posting you wanted. "

She looked at him, paling at the words...her eyes sharp and wide as she watched him. "How do you know of my father?" she asked, her voice quiet...breathless almost.

Ray didn't respond right away to her question, instead he took another sip of water before setting the now empty glass on the table in front of him. "Now that's an interesting question. I could give you the straight forward answer, which would be 'I'm an SFMC war veteran and server in the same war your father did...but I don't think that would satisfy both of us." He stood up, more to stretch his legs than for anything, but he walked over to the window in his quarters. "I was just promoted to Captain when I first met your father." He paused, looking out the window at the passing stars with disinterest as he focused on long forgotten memories. "His ship and mine did a number of joint missions and took part in many of the major battles during the war." He sighed. "I got to know him reasonably well, I'd like to say better than most, but I was still only a subordinate taking orders." He looked over to the Lieutenant junior and smiled. "A strong man, your father. A fair man too. A man taken before his time. He saved many lives during that war, myself included. Though I only wish I had been able to return the favor." He walked back over and sat back into his chair. "The loss left quite an impact in everyone who knew him, he seemed almost invincible. I'd dare say he's still giving the Dominion bastard that killed him an earful up there in the great beyond, if you believe that." He chuckled softly. "He shaped how I ended up training my team of marines later on after the war. "

She looked down, frowning as she pulled her legs close...hugging them almost childlike. "I remember him...tall. Pale blue eyes, dark hair. He tied it back. Might be an officer, he didn't want to cut it. Dark hair..." she touched her own, letting out a breath. "He was strong. I remember how he'd pick me up. And all he taught me. Loyalty. To the man beside you, to the friend..." she swallowed, wiping her eyes quickly, before she could let the tears drop. "Sorry. I...I am glad to have met someone who knew him. As a man."

Ray simply nodded, understanding the young woman's feelings. "Well, I can honestly say it's a privilege to know that you are continuing where he left off. He was an easy man to like, an easier man to follow. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't remember the other half of him, the half that we never got to see but yourself. " He rubbed his knees and chuckled. "So tell me miss Rice, you never did answer my original question...why a Nova class? You could have been stationed on just about any ship you wanted."

"I couldn't. I mean, I really couldn't. I'm not that great," she said and smiled gently. "But I am small and this is a small ship, so...made sense, right?"

Ray chuckled. "Cute...but I don't think people think that little of you." He joked. "Joke in bad taste I know, but you seem like you have a solid head on your shoulders, your posture before you sat down shows me that you know martial arts." He tapped near the side of his eye. "You look around the room, keep tabs on the nature of everything within it..." He turned his body toward the young woman and stretched his legs out for a brief second before tucking them underneath him. "But your shoulders slouch where they should be standing tall...which would make it seem it's..." He tapped his head followed by his chest. "That the head and the heart are telling you something a little different than what everyone else has been saying...

"How accurate does that sound?" Ray asked, his eyes smiling slightly.

She watched him with narrowed eyes. "Hm. You are reading my personal logs," she teased, before smiling gently. "I suppose I am still growing up, Sir."

"I'm old, there's a difference. I learned that people tend to hide what scares them most, I taught myself how to look at the little things. On a battle field...it's the little telltale signs that will keep you alive long enough to do your duty. I don't mean to intrude." He smiled warmly. "And it's good that you still are growing up. Life is full of learning, I'm still growing up to..." He patted his muscled torso, which had started to grow soft with the lack of battle preparedness that is required of a marine CO. "I'm growing more out than I used to, but you get the idea. "

"Aria, you're a good lass, with a strong sense of self, but you sell yourself short, sometimes too short..." He chuckled. "Get up for a second I want to show you something." He hopped to his feet and smiled. "Give me the strongest punch you got to my chest...I'm going to show you something that's going to blow your mind. "

She smiled gently as she watched him, her eyes warm. "I don't hit people!" she laughed and stood, watching him for a long moment. "I especially don't want to hit you, Sir..." she said that quite affectionately.

"Bull shit you don't. And I'm not an old marine right?" He chuckled and readied himself slightly. "One punch straight to the chest...and then I'm going to show you how to really lay them flat...wuldn't it be funny to watch Cyrus land on his ass after you hit him once ." He grinned. "The boy needs someone to temper him and I won't always be around to do it...Stone's too broken and the other one is too quiet."

Aria smiled gently as she held his eyes, taking a breath. "Afraid I am not meant for tempering anyone," she said before taking a breath. She remembered her training...but changed it. She hit out, but it was with her palm against his chest instead, so she didn't hurt.

Ray took the impact and grunted with a dull pain. The former marine smiled as he rubbed his chest. "Ahhh, but you just don't see it yet." He moved beside her and gestured to her hands.

"You can't meet force on force, someone like me could overpower you with sheer strength, but I'm slow...you aren't. You're little palm strike, had it been placed...here" He poked her softly in the forehead. "Would have stunned me long enough for you to move." He hopped to his left. After returning to where she was standing he smiled once more.

"But I said, 'hit me in the chest', did I not?" He grinned once more as he tapped her collar bone with the same finger. "two fingers..." He took his index and middle fingers and formed a hook. "You thrust forward you hook the soft spot and you pull down. " He motioned the action of to her left side. "it's in the middle of a person's block, most times they don't even realize you're going for it. If they try to stop you..." He gave a soft tap with his foot to side of her knee. "A little kick there and they are in a kneeling position...you have them like that...you've won." He held the two fingers in front of him in mock triumph. "Two fingers and Kiwosk goes down, and it doesn't matter if you're as big as me or as tiny as you."

"The stereotype of large beefy security and military needs to be changed. There are courses for all shapes and sizes, there are martial arts that suit certain people better than others. You can be just as lethal or as docile as the large man next to you, size doesn't mean anything." He emphasized.

Aria watched him before smiling gently, shaking her head. "Give me time," she said, her voice soft. "I have a lot of growing up to do."


"Maturity is overrated." He remarked offhandedly with a wave of his hand.

"And by the way, kid. " He continued. "Just because you don't think you're good at what you do, doesn't mean you aren't. Sometimes you need to look at who is praising you for what you've done instead of judging your actions without seeing the results. "

He tapped his head and smiled warmly. "You are only limited by how you limit yourself. That's the only difference between a good officer and a great one."

As he glanced at the chrono he chuckled. "Now that I've taken up a good part of your shift, I should probably order you back to your patrol." He chuckled. "Remember what I said. " He pointed at her with a single finger " That's an order."

"Yes Sir," she said and nodded, her eyes shining as she let out a soft breath.

OFF:

Marine Captain Ray Fernandez (Ret.)
Former Marine Commanding Officer of the USS Fitzgerald
TRT Instructor
Starfleet Academy, Earth


Lt. jg Aria Rice
Security Officer
USS Galileo

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