The Pursuit of Happiness

Posted on Sun Sep 6th, 2020 @ 4:38am by Lieutenant Commander Angus Murphy

Mission: End of Line
Location: Starbase Adna
Timeline: MD01
1065 words - 2.1 OF Standard Post Measure

As the couple crossed the extended airlock gangway toward the station, Murphy reached out, took Patrick's hand and flashed him an excited smile. "I'm really looking forward to this and I hope there's a sauna at this spa, I just want to melt all the stress away," he said.

Squeezing the hand, Patrick gave him a mix of a sad and happy smile. "As long as there are no nude attendants," he chuckled, drawing the man closer. "Don't you miss Min?"

"Of course I do," Murph admitted. "She's a lot of fun to have around, she's curious and intelligent... but I'm also glad that she's back home where she belongs. Too many weird things out here for a child."

"I miss her," Patrick said softly, "I liked having a child around, someone to take care of." His hand tightened around the one he held just a little. "I'd like a child at some point.... not now but you know, some time? We could adopt?" He looked hopeful at he partner. "Perhaps an older child? Or, somehow, have one of our own?"

"I don't know," Murph said tensely. "Let's think about it, I suppose, for sometime way in the future."

///SYS-ACTIVATED!
passive-keyword-scan=true”
;sauna
;stress
/GENERATE:
;char-Splin=true
:activate

The Ferengi hologram burst into existence a few paces ahead of the young men, his toothy smile an attempt at warm, inviting and beckoning; “AH!” he exclaimed loudly, “a day in spa is it? A sauna? How....” he looked sideways and then back to the pair, lowering his voice, “..romantic? Ahehehehehehe” he finished with an over the top snigger at his own sexual innuendo. “The Starbase has facilities you seek....” his arm unfurled as if a directional arrow, gesturing down a corridor which branched to the left, “...for the right price.... ahehehehehe” he sniggered again.

Patrick almost jumped at the sudden appearance of the hologram. "Geez," he breathed, "don't creep up on people like that." He looked to his partner. "You did want a sauna... A romantic one?"

"Sure, why not." Murph gave Patrick a shrug and impish smile before bringing his gaze up to the Ferengi, "So, what is the price then?"

Splin slowly circled the couple, occasionally pinching at a garment to assess it’s quality and worth, all the while eyeing them and down. “No no no...” he muttered, “no nothing good here, nothing good...” he paused and took the hand of the bearded fellow. Examining a piece of jewellery on his hand Splin remarked “hmmm this will do. It’s not as good as something to support the station directly....” he turned the hand in front of his face, scanning the ring as he did do, “...but it will be good enough to trade for something else later.” Letting go of the hand, he summarised with a simple “the ring”.

Murphy looked momentarily stunned as the hologram looked over his platinum-inlay wedding band, the only thing he carried with him from a tragically-ended previous relationship. He pulled his hand back, turned the ring around the finger with his other hand somewhat protectively, and shook his head. "That's ridiculous... " A few heartbeats passed and he brought the ring up to look at it himself. It was, truly, a relic from another lifetime and it's sentimentality had faded a bit over time, but it still meant something to him. "Alright," he swallowed hard and gave a nod. "A spa day, for the both of us, all treatments. In exchange for the ring. I can do that." He worked the ring off his finger easily, a small impression in the skin remained where it had been.

Patrick cast him a horrified look. "Murph no," he objected, reaching to cover his hand before the Ferengi hologram could take it. "This means so much to you, I'd never ask you to give it up." Even though he wasn't wearing his own, he still kept it safely put away in a box. "I love what you're trying to do, but no.. not that."

"It's just a piece of metal," Murph assured Patrick. He smiled at the sentimentality of the moment, "and Marty will always be a part of me, but I'm ready to move on. I have other things to look forward to now and it's just... a barrier for that. He wouldn't want that."

"Are... Are you sure?" Patrick didn't want him to have any regrets if he did go through with it. "Yes he'll always be with you and I wouldn't want you to forget him either. But that.." he touched the ring carefully, "... that's part of your memory. Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" Private time with his partner did mean a great deal to the young chef, but not at this high a cost.

“Yes” Splin quickly intervened before the bearded one could change his mind. “Yes yes yes he’s completely sure...”

/sys-activate:
;transporter-targetting-scanners: confinement-beam=true!
;Grid%Z12:
;X214
;Y12
;Z320
///system-energise=begin.


Splin didn’t need to grab the ring, as the hologram’s optical sensors relayed targeting coordinates to the stations transporter array and it disappeared into storage, ready to be called upon to trade for something more valuable later on.. “Ahhehehehehehehehe” he giggled, shuffling off around the corner and beckoning them to follow - “come come come, down here, down here...” he repeated in a higher pitched voice than the other two men. “As you requested...” he gestured further down the corridor, some doors slid open further down and steam billowed out. “Ask any of the attendants if you need anything” he grinned.

Murphy grasped at the ring as it vanished from his fingertips and it took him a crestfallen moment to recover. Eventually he nodded, gave Paddy a look before motioning to the steam room down the corridor. "It's fine," he said with reassurance as they started walking. "I am looking forward to spending the whole day with you in complete relaxation. This is going to be fun."

Patrick hugged the man close, promising to himself that he'd make the thieving hologram pay for this. Somehow. "I'll go anywhere with you," he said with a promising smile, "and this better top that program you once made for me. I'm looking forward to this too." Releasing him, his hand slid down Murphs arm and in the end linked with his. "It'll be great," he added with a smile.