A bird in the hand

Posted on Sat Feb 15th, 2020 @ 7:51pm by Lieutenant Commander Angus Murphy & Commodore Jane Saulitis

Mission: Promenade
Location: Airlock, USS Majestic
Timeline: TBD
1195 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Murph made his way to the airlock, a place where a slow but steady flow of foot traffic from off-duty crew seemed to persist while Majestic was docked with the station, even at this late hour. He nodded to the security guard stationed there and stepped out into the slightly more humid air of the station's docking area.

Once they'd reached Majestic Commander Hanover had split, leaving Jane alone with Min as they boarded the ship. The security personnel briefly looked at the girl but one glance from Jane let them know that there was no need. "Lieutenant, I didn't expect to see you here." Jane stopped as did Min who had been walking slightly behind Jane and peered around the woman's legs.

Jane didn't have to say anything. Min knew who it was and her blue eyes popped wide, her wings slightly unfurling themselves before she caught them and made them behave again. She was in terrible turmoil about how to greet him. Should she be like her mother and stand up straight and offer her hand or should she hug him which was what she really wanted to do?

"How could I not come up and see my favorite hatchling as she came aboard?" Murph replied, breaking out into a wide grin and knowing the correct enough answer to Min's internal debate. They had talked often enough by video that they were not exactly strangers. He held out his arms to her and she almost flew into them. If he harbored any of his reluctance or fear of birds still he was hiding it well. "I hope your mother isn't upset that I couldn't be there to pick you up," he told her as they embraced.

Blowing some of her black feathers away from her beak so she could speak clearly. "It takes a lot to upset Mama. Captain Jane was there. She was happy to see her. Am I staying with you or do I get my own room?" She asked looking back and forth between the two of them.

Jane raised her eyebrows slightly. "Well, I think perhaps the best thing is to move both of you into temporary diplomatic quarters with two bedrooms, that way he is close by if you need him but you also have your own space. Would that work? Of course Patrick is welcome to stay with you as well."

"Patrick is excited to meet you," Murph told the young Creoli, nodding at what Jane had suggested for accommodations. "Have you given some thought to what you'd like to do or see while you're here?"

"I want to fly the ship. Captain said I could." She looked back at Jane to make sure that was still in the plans. "And well . . . she said I could have some paper to draw or write with. I just want to see everything on the ship, everywhere I'm allowed to go. I've never been on a starship before."

"Well, if Captain Saulitis says to, then we make it so," Murph replied to Min, standing up straight and nodding professionally to Jane as he tugged the hem of his uniform jacket squarely.

"Within reason, as long as she's accompanied I don't see a problem. We'll have to go over some out of bounds places when she's alone though." Murph would know those areas and she was sure the girl wouldn't intentionally do anything, she seemed very responsible for her age.

Min skipped happily eager to cast her eyes on anything and everyone they came across on the way to quarters. "Where's your favorite spot on the ship Papa Murphy?"

There were certainly already defined spaces that people had to be cleared to enter without an escort and Murph nodded toward Jane on that. "Hm. Well, there's the arboretum and the aeroponics bay, the holodeck, the observation lounge, but my favorite? I know just the place. I think it will surprise you."

Min's feathers ruffled in excitement. "I can't wait. This is going to be soooo fun. I'm so glad mama let me come." She sucked in a breath, holding back the string of questions and comments she wanted to explode with.

As they approached quarters Jane stopped outside the doors. "I'll let you get settled in. Let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Captain," Murph met Jane's gaze with a nod and raised his hand to the door panel. "I think we should all do dinner tonight.... if you're available, that is... Patrick would love to host you and I would probably get in trouble if I didn't ask you to come," he smirked.

"I . . . would love to." She knew how Patrick would react if she refused. Murphy was not lying. "But I better get back to work. Min, take it easy on him," she winked and turned, going back the way she had come toward the turbolift.

Min looked for only a moment and then started talking again. "What are we doing first? What are we eating for dinner? Is Mr. Patrick going to be happy to see me?"

"Mr. Patrick is going to be very happy, I think. And.... as for dinner... I bet he'll cook you whatever you want. He's a very talented chef. What is your favorite food?" Murph asked as he opened the door to the quarters for her.

"Umm . . . well of Earth food, steak. But I also really like pears, I think you call them." Min skipped happily inside and looked around at how big the room was. "I could almost fly in here." She looked back at him. "I won't. Momma says I'm not allowed to do that without adult supervision and she'd prefer I not do it at all on Majestic."

"It would be safe to fly on the holodeck," Murphy noted as he followed her in, the door closed behind him. "Maybe we can find a program you'd like. Let you fly through the clouds or across the treetops."

"Do you want to see me fly? I wish you could fly. We could do it together, that would be fun." Min looked around enthusiastically. "Big quarters. Do I get to decorate my room?"

He nodded then paused. "Decorate?" Murph's eyebrows perked up curiously, even as he was considering how to answer her other rapidfire questions. "What kind of decorations? I'm sure we can replicate something."

"Okay," Min said thinking about what she really wanted. Something colorful, maybe some bedding so she could make herself a little nest like she had at home. Min yawned suddenly and flew at Murph again, hugging him. "I'm glad you let me come visit you."

He was momentarily stunned by the spontaneous hug. He couldn't keep the mental images of Min's father's death out of his mind, though. Those memories were awful and they'd revisited regularly since learning Min would be coming aboard. He couldn't let anything bad happen to her or he wouldn't be able to live with himself. "I'd glad too," he replied eventually, the words sort of catching in his throat a bit.

---

Captain Jane Saulitis
Commanding Officer

Min
Mini Ambassador /Murphy's Goddaughter

Lieutenant Commander Angus Murphy
Chief Engineer