She's Not In Kansas Anymore

Posted on 05 Feb 2020 @ 9:46pm by Lieutenant Commander Camila Di Pasquale & Cadet Freshman Grade Eden Corwin

3,919 words; about a 20 minute read

Mission: Epilogue
Location: Deck 14/Security
Timeline: August 2389

After her physical was complete, Eden looked to the PADD she carried in her hand that still had the map on it. She hadn't been gone from earth very long, but couldn't help the homesick feeling she had. Who knew how long it would be before she'd get the chance to see her parents and brothers again, but at least, she wasn't without family on the ship. After all, that was the very reason she agreed to board the Black Hawk in the first place, along with the prospect of new experiences.

Perhaps, a trip to the Arboretum would help out with that a bit, which meant the next leg of her journey would take her down to deck fourteen.

Eden made her way into the nearest turbolift and requested the proper deck, humming to herself while she waited. Things didn't seem so bad, and in time, she'd know more people and would no longer have to rely on assistance to get around. That brought a smile to the young woman's face.

The lift doors open and deposited Eden on deck fourteen. She glanced in one direction, then in the other before she began to walk down the corridor. The Arboretum was up ahead, and the barely wet behind the ears young woman found she wouldn't wait to see what the ship's attempt at recreating a botanical garden looked like.

Caught in her thoughts, the young woman wasn't paying attention to where she was going and failed to notice the door she'd just walked through. It actually wasn't until she bumped into something that she snapped out of her musings. Her blue eyes turned upward and panic began to set in. This absolutely did not look like an Arboretum to her, but more of a place she wasn't supposed to be based on all the high tech equipment around her. Eden's worst fear from earlier had been realized. She'd found her way into sensor control.

"No, no, no," she chanted, spinning on her heel and running toward the door. Eden didn't even realize how far she'd made it inside until it came to escaping.

"Halt," a computerized voice called as a largish drone appeared in the air in front of her from around the corner of a doorframe. "Authenticate and identify."

Eden skid to a halt when she heard the voice and held her hands up, dropping her PADD to the floor beneath her where it shattered into pieces. "Authen...? No! You don't understand! I'm not supposed to be here! Let me get out and all will be well!"

"Response not recognized," the drone droned as it scanned her. "Human female. No file present. Intruder." A red light pulsed on it and a tiny chip came flying at her from it.

Horror showed on the young woman's face. "Wha... no! I'm not an intruder!" Eden cried, trying to avoid being hit by the tiny projectile that came her way, however, she wasn't fast enough and it hit her right on the shoulder. She wanted to bat whatever it was away, but not before the transporter chip had done its job, whisking her away straight to the ship's brig.

Eden looked around her new surroundings as a new level of fear began to set in. She backed against the far wall and stared at the forcefield before her. How in the world was she going to get out of here? Her only hope now was that someone would find her, but the feeling of dread she felt in the pit of her stomach told her otherwise.

The sound of footsteps approached the Brig, then an ombre haired woman with a serious expression on her face and the pips of a Lieutenant on her gold collared uniform entered. "Who are you and why were you attempting to enter Sensor Control?" she asked without an introduction.

"I... I didn't mean to go into Sensor Control. I was trying to get to the Arboretum, but I got dis... tracted looking at the map on the PADD I was carrying and found myself in there. I was trying to leave before that thing shot something at me and sent me here!" The young woman explained, though her voice was portraying just how terrified she was. Eden had never been in trouble a day in her life, but it seemed this was going to change all of that.

Camila raised a tricorder and scanned the woman, then looked at the readout. Other than being terrified with her elevated adrenaline levels, nothing indicated she was lying. "That explains why you were there, should I choose to believe you, but not who you are."

The young woman took a deep breath and began to unleash a barrage of answers. "My name's Eden Corwin. I'm twenty-one years old, have no idea what I'm doing with my life, and this is my first time ever stepping foot on a starship. I did have a PADD with a map on it, but when I encountered that thing on deck fourteen, it hit the ground and broke, so now I have no idea where I am, where I need to go, or what you plan to do with me."

"Wait...Corwin? Are you related to Joey Corwin, now Geisler?" Camila asked as she deactivated the force field at the entrance to the cell and stepped forward to look at the young woman a bit more closely. Her posture, however, indicated she was prepared to act if the other woman so much as twitched wrong.

Eden kept herself firmly planted against the bulkhead behind her. Her own posture indicated she wasn't going to be moving any time soon. "She's my cousin. I'm here to help out with Alison and Jameson while she and her husband are on duty. You're not going to tell him, are you?"

For fucks sake..I just locked up the Captain's wife's cousin the Security Chief thought. "I'm sure you've learned your lesson and we'll chalk it up to a learning experience," she said. "I'm Lieutenant Di Pasquale, the Chief of Security and Joey used to be my Assistant Chief before she moved to Intelligence. Come out of here and I'll get you some tea or something."

She didn't look so sure about the moving thing. A large part of her was afraid another drone would be waiting around the corner to transport her somewhere else, like waste management. Eden gave a full body shiver at the thought of that happened, then looked to Camila. "It's nice to meet you, Lieutenant," she said sincerely. "However, I'm afraid that one of those things is going to be waiting for me to send me to another part of the ship."

"They're Security drones and controlled by live people," Camila told her. "And they only beam intruders to the brig." The ombre haired woman stepped out of the cell and motioned the other woman to step out, too.

"But... I'm not an intruder. Though, I can see why others might think so. This is the first time I've been out and about exploring the ship, and I'm not even sure the computer knows who I am," she said, stepping out behind Camila. Maybe if she stuck close by Camila, without making either of them uncomfortable, she'd be safe.

"We have areas on the ship that certain personnel without proper authorization and access aren't allowed into," Camila told her as she led her through the Security Complex to her office. "Sensor Control is one of those areas."

"I wasn't trying to get to Sensor Control. I wanted to go to the Arboretum, but got distracted and somehow made my way into that dreaded place we won't mention anymore," Eden retorted. "It's funny, because I had to go to sickbay to have my physical done, and was absolutely terrified I'd make it into a location I wasn't allowed to be. Turns out, I got where I needed to be without incident, but then it happened roughly an hour later on another deck. Trust me... it's very unlikely I'm going to be roaming the ship ever again."

Camila replicated her a mug of tea since she didn't indicate a preference for what she wanted to drink. "Have a seat and sip this," she said. "You'll be fine once you get the layout of the ship and which areas to just keep walking by."

"Thank you," Eden said as she accepted the cup of tea and took a sip from it. "It would probably be better if I have someone show me around, but that's just not realistic."

"I can arrange that," the Security Chief said as she pulled up a roster. "Let me see who isn't on duty right now." She scrolled down the list, then nodded. "Petty Officer Ródiney Santiago should do the trick," she said. "I can call him in now if you'd like to meet him and discuss your needs."

"As far as needs go, I really need to know what areas of the ship are off limits to me. Once I know that, I can pretty much figure things out as I go."

Camila tapped her combadge after making sure that Santiago wasn't asleep in his quarters. =^=Di Pasquale to Santiago. Report to Security, please.=^=

The response was a moment in coming from a male voice that had a distinct accent to it. =^=On my way, Chief.=^=

The Security Chief tapped her combadge again, then looked back at the woman. "You'll like Santiago. He's memorized every inch of the ship."

"I'm sure I'll like him just fine if he can tell me which parts I need to stay away from," the young woman stated.

A tall, well built man entered Security carrying a fencing helmet, a sleeveless black shirt and black pants and shoes. He also had a very fine sheen of perspiration on him but didn't stink. "You wanted to see me, Chief?"

Eden planned to add more to that statement until the man who would be escorting her arrived. It felt like time stood still around her, but she quickly snapped out of it. "You must be Petty Officer Ródiney Santiago?"

"At your service," Ródiney said with a smile as he tucked the helmet under one arm and extended his free hand.

"Ródiney, if you could please show our guest the off limits areas, and around the ship, I'll take you off duty for tonight and put Logan in. He could use some more training," Camila said.

"Of course," he said as he looked at Eden. "Would you like a PADD with a map so you can mark the locations?" he asked pleasantly.

"Well," Eden began, unable to keep from blushing. "I had one. It's currently in pieces on the floor of Sensor Control after I dropped it. I'm sure someone will find that and wonder what happened."

Meanwhile, Camila had replicated a new PADD with a layout of the ship and the areas not allowed to civilians or personnel with high clearance were blocked off in red. She handed it to Eden. "Here you go, and a little extra help for next time. If it's red, you'll be back here in the Brig."

The new PADD was accepted with a smile. "I wish I would have had this about twenty minutes ago, but then, I'm not sure it would have mattered considering I wasn't paying attention," Eden said. "This... won't go on permanent record or anything, will it? I promise I wasn't purposely in there, but can promise I never will be again."

The Security Chief laughed. How unlike Joey this one was. One was scared of having a mark on a non-existent record and one took over starships. "No, it won't go on record, Miss Corwin," she said. "You're not a Starfleet officer."

"Thank you again, and I hope the next time we cross paths, it won't be the same way," the young woman stated.

"I'll trust that it won't, Miss Corwin," Camila assured her. "Would you like me to alert your cousin that you're here?"

The young woman frowned. "Yes, I think we should, but she'll probably end up laughing at me, and I don't blame her for that. Once being mortified wears off, I might just laugh at the situation, too."

"She won't," Camila told her. "Then again, she will if I know her. Go meet your new cousins and I'll let it be a surprise to Joey that you're here."

"Er... she already knows I'm here. I came aboard with her, her husband and the twins," Eden stated.

"They didn't warn you off the areas....and you wandered off because..." It was like the Chief of Security's brain was replaying bits of conversation that they'd already had. "Yeah. We covered this. Ródiney, show her around," she finished.

"Will do, Chief," Ródiney said as he looked at Eden. "Ready to explore the mystery of the Century?"

"Yes, but first, I need to clear something up. I was warned about the areas I shouldn't go to. However, seeing them on a map and coming across them in person are two different things," Eden began. "And like I said, I ended up getting distracted by said map and end walked into Sensor Control. That's no one else's fault but my own. I plan to pay more attention to my surroundings in the future. This is definitely a lesson learned, and I thank you for being so understanding Lieutenant Di Pasquale. Had it been anyone else, I probably would still be in the brig. Now I see why Joey thinks so highly of you."

"She may think that I deserve high thought, but I'm just doing my job," Camila said. "If you ever hear abandon ship, all I can say is run for the nearest life boat."

Eden nodded her head. If she ever heard those words, she'd definitely get where she needed to. "Let's just hope that never has to happen, right?"

"Again," the Security Chief said. "Let's home it doesn't happen again."

"Again," the young woman agreed. "Now, to learn where not to go. I'll see you around, Lieutenant, and thanks again for being so understanding."

"You're welcome, and sorry about scaring you so bad," Camila told her.

Ródiney looked over at her. "Ready, Miss Corwin?"

"It's okay, Lieutenant. If you didn't know if the drones worked before, you do now, right?" She asked. Eden offered the man with the fencing helmet a smile. "Absolutely, Mister Santiago. I'll let you lead the way, though, since you know your way around the ship better than I do."

He laughed and smiled. "Since we're on deck twelve, we'll start here," he told her. "See this area highlighted in red on your PADD? That's Saucer Waste Reclamation and the Main Computer Core's upper level. The first place isn't technically off limits, but you don't want to go there. The second place, however, is very off limits and will get you back to the brig."

"Waste reclama... yeah, I definitely don't want to go there," she said, wrinkling her nose a bit. "I don't think anyone would want to go there voluntarily. As for the other, it just sounds way too important for me to even walk by. Maybe, it might be easier just to tell me which decks I should avoid entirely. I'm not so sure I have any business on this deck at all."

"There's a lot on every deck that certain people can't go into, Miss Corwin," Santiago said. "It's just a matter of not going into those places. I'll show you around." He started out of the Security complex and down the hall towards the turbolift.

"Call me Eden, please," she told him. "I swear not to go into any off limits places again. Being in one place and ending up in another was scary the first time for me to ever allow it to happen more than once."

"Then call me Roddy," the Security officer requested with a smile. "As for scary, I understand completely. Even I was scared when I first set foot on a starship. Do you favor going up or down first?"

"It doesn't really matter," she answered. "Whichever is easier. And as for being scary, I really meant landing in the brig. I had absolutely no idea what was going on. That thing called me an intruder, shot something at me, and now here I am."

"Our operators are still a little jumpy," Roddy said. "I'm sorry about that. You should have been warned and told to leave that area. We've had a lot go on here."

"It did ask me a couple questions, but I was so freaked out I don't even remember what those were," she told him, looking a bit sheepish.

"Then I think we need to start in the Arboretum,' The Security man offered as the turbolift arrived. "The most dangerous things there is the beauty."

Eden nodded. "That's where I was heading when I ended up in Sensor Control. I was feeling a little homesick, and thought that might help. I haven't even been away from home long and already miss it. That doesn't say much for me being on a starship, does it?"

"That's actually pretty mild," Roddy said as he gave the computer their destination and the lift started downwards. "My first tour on a starship, I got so spacesick that I thought i was going to flunk out."

"Spacesick? Is that really a thing?" she questioned, looking over to her escort.

"It is," he said as the turbolift came to a halt and the doors open. "Civilians before Fleeters," he said.

The young woman stepped out onto the deck... the very deck that landed her in Security in the first place. "You did say the Arboretum, right?"

"Yes, you said you were going here before you ended up in the brig," the young Security officer said.

"I did," she confirmed. "I just don't want to end back up in Sensor control. That thing that popped up on me is enough to give me nightmares for the next week or so. However, your Chief is very nice and quite understanding. I definitely appreciate that."

"She isn't always that way, but we're still testing out the drones," Roddy told her. "New pilots and all. Do you have any unmanned piloting experience?"

Eden looked over at him like he'd just sprouted a second head. "Um... no. I have zero experience in manned, or unmanned, piloting. Why do you ask?"

"I was thinking you could learn how to fly a drone," he said. "Not one of the Security drones, but a drone. You could send it around corners to see who's coming, if there's other drones, or to film areas you can't walk to, like the top of a tree."

"I don't really see much need for it, to be perfectly honest," she stated.

"Something to do in your spare time without having it try to send you to the brig," Roddy joked.

Eden couldn't help but laugh at that. "I suppose anything would be better than being sent to the brig, huh? Though, I don't know how much free time I'm going to have. My sole purpose for being on the ship is to help Joey and her husband out with the babies when they're unable to."

"I'm certain that a lot of crew volunteered for that duty as well," he said. "What made you the perfect candidate?"

"Being Joey's cousin probably helped my candidacy," she replied. "And, I'm sure there are a lot of crew who volunteered for the position, but they have other duties as well. That's not to say others will never get the chance to care for the twins."

"Have you ever cared for babies?" Roddy asked.

"Is this an interrogation?" Eden found herself asking. Because from her vantage point, it certainly seemed like it was. If Joey, and Harvey for that matter, trusted her enough to care for their children, why did it matter if she'd ever cared for babies? "As a matter of fact, I've been with Joey and the Captain since they left earth. Alison and Jameson are comfortable with me, just as I'm comfortable with them."

"Er, no?" He responded. "I'm sorry, Eden. I was just curious. I didn't mean to offend you."

The young woman walking next to him shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. You didn't offend me. Well... not really. I guess I thought you were questioning me because most people do. I'm young and haven't experienced much, and because of that, I can get a bit defensive."

"The best thing to do in situations like that is to let it go," Roddy said. "After you accidentally push someone down a turbolift shaft."

She blinked, looking back over to him. "Have you pushed many people down turbolift shafts?"

"No," he laughed. "But it sounded good. As long as you aren't pushing me down the shaft."

Eden shook her head. "No chance of that, Roddy. I don't have it in me to hurt anyone else like that."

"Good, because even though I don't have a faith, I know an angel when I see one," Roddy said smoothly.

"You do, huh? Where's this angel at that you've seen?" The young woman asked, looking behind them as they continued down the corridor. She knew he was talking about her, but what fun would it be not to mess with him about it a little bit?

"You see, that's the weird thing about angels," he began to philosophize. "They don't know they're angels. Only others do, but when they step in a room with you, they know you're the angel."

"Have you come across many of these angels?" Eden questioned, turning her attention back in front of her. It would be incredibly embarrassing to run into a bulkhead now.

"Just one," Roddy said as they approached the Arboretum and the doors parted for them to reveal a lovely garden scene, some benches, a few small trees, warm artificial sunlight and the illusion of a stream running through the middle of it.

"Just one? Who is the lucky angel in your life?"

"I don't have one," he admitted as he looked over at her. "I know who the two in your life will be, though."

"You do?" She questioned. "And who do you think the two in my life would be?"

"Your new cousins," Roddy said. "Who else?"

Eden smiled at the mention of Alison and Jameson. They were perfect in every way, and she got to be a part of their lives. Even if she didn't know how long it would be for. "You're right. They're the sweetest little people ever, and I look forward to having them during the day."

"I know you'll do a great job, too," he told her. "For now, let's continue the tour and get you acquainted with the ship and where not to go."

"That sounds like a good idea to me, and the Arboretum definitely looks much prettier than I expected it to, though, I'm not sure what I was really expecting," she said. As homesick as she was, Eden found that she was looking forward to seeing what this new chapter would bring to her life.

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