Touching Base (part 2) [BACKPOST]

Posted on Thu Feb 28th, 2013 @ 9:37am by Commodore Samantha York & Colonel Damon Raine

1,358 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: A Pirate's Life
Location: Athena Shipyards
Timeline: Before "A Pirate's Life"

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

Damon picked up the card and read it. "Someday I'd like to know what her role in all this has been." He set it back in place and took a seat near the others.

[NEW]

Sam nodded. She had to have known. Maybe, one day, she would ask the Admiral for answers. She picked up a tart green apple and curled up next to Damon. "How are you doing?" she asked both Curzon and Sam.

Looking over, Bennett shrugged, 'fine I guess. Glad for a short break.' He looked at Sam. His Sam. 'New ship suits us just dandy too.'

"An Ambassador Class is appropriate. You seem to get the diplomatic assignments." Sam looked at Damon. "The Galaxy Class suits us. We do a lot of exploring but manage to ... keep busy." She almost said get in trouble, but refrained. It was true that the Calypso missions suited she and Damon well.

Sam watched Damon and the other Sam. Her counterpart seemed ... harder. More self-contained than the last time they met. She reached out telepathically and reached a mental wall. That, too, was interesting.

Sam felt the attempt at contact and turned to face the other woman. Why?

To find out why you've changed.

I spent two months as a prisoner in an Orion mining camp. That tends to make you more careful.

Samantha looked from Damon to Sam in concern. Her almost-twin had lost so much. Her family, her universe and now she'd been a prisoner. How could she herself have so much and this Sam have such a sad existence?

She addressed Damon. "Have you been taking care of her?"

Damon frowned at the strangeness of the question. He never thought of Samantha as someone who needed taking care of. Over the time they had spent together he had discovered how strong, capable and self reliant she had become. A natural leader. When she put her mind to something it was as if heaven and earth bent their will to hers.

He shook his head. "If anything she's been taking care of me. I'm just happy to be by her side whenever I can be." His smile betrayed more than a hint of how proud he was of her.

"We take care of each other," Sam corrected fondly.

Bennett glanced from one Sam to the other, and then to Damon. Sam's telepathy had become a routine feature of his life, something he did not have to think about. The absence of interaction in this conversation brought home the wonder of it. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

Sam smiled gratefully and squeezed his hand back.

"I take it you two are doing well?" Sam asked Bennett and Sam.

'We are,' replied Bennett after looking at his Sam, and throwing her a smile. He squeezed her hand again for good measure then looked over at the Sam opposite. 'She's a great person to be around.'

Sam still found it surprising to see herself with Curzon. Not that she didn't care for him, she did, but just as a friend. Still, she was glad the two were happy together. She looked at Damon, her expression softening. "I feel the same way." She turned back to Curzon. "How is the Jefferson doing?"

'Well. She gets us from place to place in plenty of time.' Bennett smiled. 'And you, how's the Calypso been doing?'

"She's home." She glanced at Damon and smiled. "She has everything I need. I can't complain." She took Damon's hand. "I'm glad you're doing well. I've heard good things about the Jefferson."

Sam slipped her arm through Curzon's and leaned closer to him, not sure why she felt the need. "It's hard to believe how different you are."

"You don't seem to have changed much at all." She looked from her other self to Curzon. "Except you two are closer."

"So are you two..." Her eyes widened. "Married?"

"Yes. Damon and I got married last year. We've managed to keep it quiet for the most part." Even though she and Damon had been together since they met, it was amazing how much getting married had unified them. At least to Sam's way of thinking. "I'm glad you and Curzon are still together. You're good for each other."

Sam wasn't sure she could say the same about Damon and Sam. Yes, they seemed to truly be a team but she wondered if Damon was part of the reason Sam was harder, more like a tree standing tall against the storm.

Bennett responded to Sam by squeezing his hand just a little tighter. It wasn't unusual for her to do what she did, but he was wondering why she'd done it now. Being outside the telepathic loop was a little frustrating. He wondered what they were talking about.

He looked at Damon. Mostly he'd been quiet as well during the time they'd spent here. It was clear that they had both come to support the women they loved. Still, he seemed a hard man. And completely different to the type of man he would have expected a Sam York to go after.

Sam caught his glance. It was true that Damon was harder and more self-contained than Curzon, but over the years Sam had seen much of the Marine's softer side. He'd become her rock and her source of comfort when the burden of running a starship got too much for her. She let her gaze drift back to Damon and smiled.

Damon smiled back at his wife. He knew there was far more to the conversation than he was a part of but it didn't bother him. All he knew was that his Sam looked content with the way the conversation had gone whereas the other Sam looked somewhat distressed. If she was content, so was he.

Sam caught the glance the other Sam gave Damon. So, you're not as hard as you appear.

I am just what I appear, Sam informed her mirror. Being a Starfleet Captain requires a certain amount of it to survive. Damon grounds me. I like to think I keep him balanced as well. We fit well together.

The two women switched to talking to include the two men, but it was different than the last time. It wasn't the discovery and introspection the other visit was. The first visit showed them how similar they were. This one highlighted their differences. In the end, however, it, too, was a sort of revelation. Both women were happy with the paths they had taken and the people with whom they chose to walk that path.

Sam touched Curzon's arm and stood. "I think we'll be going now. You know, meeting with you again has made me realize how lucky I really am."

The other Sam, as she had begun to refer to herself, stood as well and smiled. "I fell the same way. I wish you luck." She turned to Curzon. "You, too. Take care of each other."

Bennett inclined his head respectfully, and smiled. He still found it uncomfortable to have a mirror of his partner gallivanting about. 'We will.' Extending his hand, he found his Sam's. 'Shall we?'

"Yes." She was a little relieved to leave with Curzon. Damon made her uncomfortable.

When they were gone, Sam turned to Damon. "As we're technically on shore leave and you don't have to report to General Khan until tomorrow, why don't we take advantage of Admiral Burke's hospitality and stay here tonight?"

Damon nodded "I think that's a fantastic idea." He smiled broadly.

Sam wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, then grinned impishly. "Come on, let's see if Admiral Burke left us any other surprises."


OFF

Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer
USS Calypso

Commodore Curzon Bennett
Commanding Officer
USS Jefferson

Captain Damon Raine
Mission Advisor
USS Calypso

Commander Samantha York
Executive Officer
USS Jefferson

 

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