Monsters Under The Bed

Posted on Tue Jul 21st, 2020 @ 12:00am by Commodore Jane Saulitis

Mission: Cruel Meridian
Location: Temporary Family Quarters
Timeline: MD 07
980 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

Min tried really hard to sleep once she was back in her room but it seemed impossible. Though she was generally a very brave girl she was now afraid of . . . she didn't know what. Seeing herself again? Seeing an apparition of someone else like her godfather? She knew they couldn't physically hurt her but it still seemed scary all the same. Min wandered out into the living area and wondered if Papa Murphy might still be awake.

Murph wasn't, but as it was Patrick couldn't sleep either and had been quietly rummaging away in the kitchen for a few minutes now. "Couldn't sleep either sweety?" he asked as their guest walked into the living area. "Want some hot chocolate?" He was already halfway through the process of making some, an extra mug wouldn't be too much trouble.

Min's eyes widened to their largest possible point. "Yes please." She considered hot chocolate to be nectar of the gods. It was far better than anything they had on Bairl. "It's so yummy," she sighed as she climbed into a chair at the table. "Why can't you sleep Mr. Paddy?"

Patrick poured the hot brew into two mugs then walked over to the table, setting one of them down in front of Min. "Careful, it's very hot," he warned as he sat himself down. "I'm not sure why I can't sleep. I guess I'm worried... about what's going on with the ship and the crew. I'm worried about Murph and of course about you."

"Yeah," she sighed, her feathers puffed and then deflated. "I miss my momma. I hope she's not worried about me." But, that was not the reason she couldn't sleep. She wasn't sure she wanted to reveal that she had been scared. Weren't Starfleet officers supposed to be brave?

"I would think all parents worry about their children," Patrick mused as he sipped his hot drink, "I mean, Murph and I worry about you and you're not our child. Well you are now, for now I suppose...but we're not your parents. Still, we worry. And I can understand you missing your mother, I would too if I were your age and far away from her." He smiled encouragingly. "Have you been writing her?"

Min shook her head. "We were supposed to meet up on the Comms but since we're stuck in here I can't contact her." She sipped at the liquid which she was sure was made by the gods.

"Oh right..." He cast her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry min, I completely forgot about being stuck. Have you done any more drawing?"

"Not really," Everyone had been a bit too busy to post for portraits while all this was going on. "But I've already decided that art is just a hobby. I don't want to be an artist any longer."

"You don't? But you make such beautiful drawings." He pointed to the one she'd made for him and Murph, which he'd given a prominent space on one of the walls. "What do you want to be then?" A chef?" He gave her a hopeful look as he said it, even if he knew the answer to be no.

"I like to cook but that's going to be a hobby. I want to join Starfleet and be an engineer," Min responded promptly as if that were the most important job in the universe and to her, Papa Murphy's job seemed pretty glamorous and important. "Do you think they'd let me in if I tried hard?"

"I think you can do whatever you want to do sweetie, as long as you set yourself to it." Patrick smiled at her. "I see absolutely no reason why they wouldn't admit you to Starfleet Academy, if you show the credentials you need. If anything, you have to do the entrance exam, but you're a very intelligent child and I have no doubt you'll get there. Especially with Murph to sponsor you."

"You need a sponsor?" Min asked her eyes raised. "I wonder what the academy is like . . . . Did you go to school for being a chef? And what was that like if you did." Min was always full of questions but she was trying not to bombard him with all of them at once.

"You might as your species aren't part of the Federation," Patrick explained, clearly amused and not at all bothered by her questions. "Yes I did go to school to learn to be a chef. It was very hard work. Even professional cooking takes a lot of hard work and study. But I thought it was all worth it. Look where it has brought me. And I'm happy because my food makes others happy." He smiled. "My food brought me Murph," he added with a smile.

"I heard someone say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Is that true?" Min prattled on. "Well now that I know what I want to do, in a few years I'll be able to apply and I'll work really hard at it too. I'll be the best engineer this fleet has ever seen! And I'll also know how to make chocolate chip cookies."

"You still have some time to decide sweetie," Patrick smiled, "who knows...in a few years you might decide different. I bet Murph didn't always want to be an engineer, you should question him about it in the morning." He stiffled a yawn as he drained his mug. "I'm going back to bed, will you be alright?"

"Hmm, yeah." Min nodded. She wasn't sure she would sleep anytime soon but she could at least be quiet while they slept. Maybe she would stay where she was. Creoli could sleep sitting up. "Night Mr. Paddy."

"Just Paddy," Patrick smiled as he walked around to give her a quick hug and a peck on her cheek. "Goodnight Min."

End