Fair Winds and Following Seas, We Have the Watch

Posted on 16 Dec 2019 @ 3:45pm by Commander Terry Walsh & Commodore Harvey Geisler

1,670 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Epilogue
Location: Santa Monica, Earth; Allen house
Timeline: April 15, 2389

It was nearly lunch time on this fine Saturday morning in Santa Monica. And Dominic Miller was in the kitchen preparing some chicken parmesan for him and his wife. He paused a moment from dicing the chicken and looked out one of the windows. Their house sat at the top of a small hill, above another community, and afforded a terrific view of the beach and Pacific Ocean. Some people had derided them for such a house in such a location…overlooking others. But Dominic was proud of it and the hard work he’d put forth to get there.

Dominic Miller was the assistant to the Chief Surgeon at one of the top ten hospitals in Santa Monica. He’d worked hard to get there and even sacrificed family time over the years; something he wasn’t proud of. He and his wife, Carlotta, had enjoyed every aspect of their lives, including their only son, Allen. That long discussion they had in the living room that night had resulted in a decision that surprised them. Allen chose Starfleet over getting a job. They hadn’t heard from Allen in quite a while, but he didn’t really keep in regular contact. So they didn’t worry.

“Dominic, are you sure that you don’t need any help with that?” Carlotta called out, taking a sip of her Darjeeling.

“I’m doing just fine,” answered Dominic. “I swear I won’t burn it this time.” He laughed and moved to the pasta pot. “Al dente, right?”

“Of course,” she replied. “There’s no other way.”

* * *

Commander Horatio Scholz piloted the hovercar with ease. This was the third stop he and Counselor Maria Sanchez had performed today, and ten more would follow. Between the two of them, there was twenty-five years of Starfleet service. Six of those years had involved sharing the worst of news with families. One never got used to this, no matter how much he or she tried. One their list of thirteen visits were eight personnel from the USS Black Hawk. Details were never given to either of them, but were available on a padd whose contents were sealed, only to be opened by the designated recipient. Horatio often wished assignments like this could be given to those without emotions, but it was customary for information to be delivered by members of the same species whenever possible.

"Tell me the name again," Horatio asked Maria.

"Petty Officer Allen Miller, first class," Maria said, looking down at their docket. "Master-at-arms, USS Black Hawk. Killed in action."

"A P-O-One?" Horatio shook his head. Most of their notices today were ensigns and crewmen. This individual must have had a great service record, only for it to come to an abrupt end. "His parents were probably starting to think he was invincible."

Maria looked up from her docket, having checked the address and was now scanning the street for the house. "There it is," she remarked, pointing to a house on the right.

"Got it," Horatio said with a nod, pulling the vehicle up to the house and parking it.

* * *

Dominic turned the sauce to warm and stirred the chicken. The pasta would be the perfect al dente in a few seconds and then he could put their lunch together. Satisfied, he picked up the fluted glass on the counter and took a sip of champagne. He walked to the window to take in their beautiful vista once again and paused. A hovercar was parking in front.

"Honey," he called to Carlotta, "are we expecting company?"

"No, not that I'm aware of," she answered. "Why? Do we have some?"

"I think so, yes," replied Dominic.

"Well I hope you made some extra parmesan," she said with a laugh.

There was a knock at the front glass door, which made no effort to hide the two Starfleet officers in dress whites on the other side.

Carlotta looked up from her seat on the couch. "Oh! It's Starfleet..." She stopped as she realized that they were in their dress whites. The cup of Darjeeling which she'd been holding fell to the floor and broke. She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand and hoping it wasn't what she suspected.

Dominic came running in at the sound of the breaking glass and saw who was at the door. He looked to his seated wife and then back to the door. Dom's countenance changed, but he determined to remain as strong as he could for his wife. He walked over to the door and tapped it open, stepping to the side.

"Commander," he said simply.

"Dominic Miller?" Horatio asked, greeting the man at the door. He had seen the woman's reaction through the glass, as well as the sudden change in the man who appeared, but Horatio had no choice but to keep his composure under check.

"I am," Dominic replied. "Come on in. Have a seat if you want."

"Thank you," Maria said kindly as they walked inside the house. She tried to make eye contact with Mrs. Miller across the room and offer a gentle smile, despite the bombshell that they were about to drop.

"Yes, thank you," Horatio added. "I am, uh, Commander Horatio Scholz, and this is my associate, Lieutenant Commander Maria Sanchez of Starfleet Command. We are sorry to disturb you on this wonderful day, but we come bearing news of your son, Allen."

"Excuse me," Carlotta said as she stood. She had returned Commander Sanchez's smile with an added nod. "I..have to get something to clean my mess up.

Dominic put a hand on her lower back. "It can wait, dear. I'm sure it's not the first time these fine people have had to step around some broken glass and liquid." He stepped closer to her as he gingerly directed her back to the couch and sat down with her. "Now, you said that you bring news of Allen. We haven't heard from him in quite a while, but the boy isn't really good at keeping contact."

Horatio understood. Ships like the Black Hawk and her missions made it difficult for anyone to contact home, especially when those ships were over seventy thousand light years away. "Mister and Misses Miller, I regret to inform you that Petty Officer First Class Allen Miller was struck down in the line of duty while defending the USS Black Hawk from invaders. According to Captain Geisler, he was valiant to the end."

Their worst fear, even nightmare, had come true. They had lost their son...their one and only child. "No," said Carlotta, no, it can't be." Her voice was barely a squeak as the disbelief and shock overcame her. The emotional roller coaster was beginning as tears streamed down her face. She rose from the couch and walked to the windows, repeating that it couldn't be true.

Dominic also responded with tears as the devastation of what happened hit him. "Allen..." Shock and sadness took over immediately followed by despair. "He...was our only child. The last we heard, he'd just started seeing someone. And now...now he's gone." Dom wiped the tears from his face and turned to look at Carlotta still standing by the window. Turning back to the Starfleet officers, "Defending the ship from invaders. Valiant to the end. That...Starfleet really did change Allen. What happened? Do you know? Has anything been released for us to know?"

"The mission," Maria spoke up, gently, "I'm afraid is classified. Not even we have heard the details. What do have," Maria produced a Starfleet padd and extended it towards Dominic. "What we do have is a collection of his logs, and some letters he'd written while out of contact."

"I suppose that's to be expected," he replied. "But I had to ask." He glanced back at Carlotta who'd pulled a small chair to the window and sat down, murmuring. "For her sake. Neither of us will process this...news...well, and I don't think we will for quite some time, but I believe my dear wife will have the worst of it." He then took the offered padd and activated it. "Thank you. I'm sure these will help in the long run." He paused a moment to wipe the last of the initial shock tears from his face.

Maria produced a small paper card with her contact information on it. "I am available to you, and your wife, for anything you might need."

"We truly are sorry for your loss," Horatio added.

Dominic accepted the paper card with a nod. "We may take you up on that eventually. The professionals at the hospital don't have too much experience with this sort of thing when Starfleet is involved." He turned his attention to the Commander. "I appreciate that, Sir. And so will my wife. Though she may not at this point. Thank you both."

"Of course, sir," Horatio replied, his smile thin and solemn. He nodded to Maria, who followed him out the door, both of them leaving the Millers to tend to their grief.

Dominic watched the two Starfleet Officers leave and then he put the padd down on an end-table. Allen's logs and letters would help with the needed healing. For now though, he went back into the kitchen and turned off the stove. Lunch was burnt disaster...not that either of them felt like eating anymore. He went back to his wife and put his hands on her shoulders. He'd learned a long time ago that he couldn't fix all the issues in their marriage and that sometimes all his wife wanted was a comforting hand to assure her that he was there. They both looked out on the sunny Santa Monica day but knew that there was nothing sunny about it. A dreary, gray cloud hung over the Allen that afternoon and would remain there for months.

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