An Unexpected, And Yet, Unwanted Visitor

Posted on Mon Dec 10th, 2018 @ 11:09am by Captain Benjamin Ingram Dr

Mission: S0E0: What Came Before
Location: Marseille, France - Earth

The presence was cruel and filled with anger and hate. Axon could feel it a mile away. And yet within that hatred was a sense of delicious giddiness that could only rise from malice and a sense of superiority. It was coming, growing larger, and more excited, as it approached the house.

There was no denying who it was. Axon knew this energy and he knew who it belonged to. And honestly, this was the last person he wanted to see right now.

Axon set down the PADD he was reading, brushing a few crumbs of his scone from his tank top as he walked, barefoot, to the front door. Throwing open the deadbolt, he opened the door

"Benjamin Ingram," he said, though the morning sun was in his eyes, so all he could see was a shadow. He crossed his arms, standing in the doorway. He wanted to be polite, but he also had a stance against allowing such people in his home.

"Axon Vendrest," the shadow said. Ingram was dressed in a light summer suit in the modern fashion. The modern fashion being straight lines, harsh angles, and a sense that if it could speak the suit would scream 'fuck style, I have power'. He smiled, nodding to his former commanding officer. "It's nice to see you've taken to civilian life with such grace. A sabbatical is it?"

"Don't act daft," Axon said, rolling his eyes. "What do you want?"

"An invitation inside would be a start, I'm not one to give a pretense to a home invasion," Benjie said, tapping the lapel of his suit. "But let's just say what I have to say you will want to hear, even I'm the one saying it."

Axon stood there for a moment, looking at the man, before he finally moved aside. "I don't have much time, but come on in," he said as he walked away, further into the house. Somewhere along the way, he snagged a tumbler of brandy liquid, taking a sip as he reached the large sitting room. "What can I do for you?"

Benjie walked in, his eyes scanning over the walls, the floor, picking out the deterioration and downward slide. It was like looking at a practical model for entropy decay.

"I heard about the court-martial. The mothballing of the Oddie. I'll be honest, I felt a certain amount of satisfaction at the first but the second...well. She was a good ship to us, regardless of our personal feelings towards the other. I'm sure whatever crew get her next, will not compare to the last to walk by her side." Benjamin reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a slim sheet of plastic. With a flick of his wrist, the sheet went rigid, lighting up with a standard LCAR's data display. He held it out to Axon.

"The terms of your reinstatement," he said simply giving the flexi a little shake. "I'd read it carefully before signing, but I can give you the cliff notes version if you like."

Axon looked at the device in the man's hand and gently pushed his arm away, "I don't want it," he said, taking a drink from his glass.

Benjie raised a Spockian eyebrow at that and gave the flexi a little shake to make it roll back up so he could store it back in his pocket. He then took a careful look around the apartment, noticing the little things out of place, the creeping sense of dishevelment.

"I mean...you hear about people sinking into a pitiful state, but this is quite something else," Benjie said quietly. "They took the Odyessy from you Axon. When I found out you'd beaten me to the center seat I was quite of a mind to push you down a turbolift shaft. Damn the physical evidence, you had taken something that was rightfully mine. They took her from you...and here you sit, melting years off your liver with cheap brandy. If I'd known it would have been this easy, and entertaining, I'd have planted something damning on you on day one of our meeting. Orion spice, or maybe K-white? Just to watch you turn fungal from the bleachers."

"Tell me what you really want," Axon said, turning to look at him. "You and I have never had similar priorities, so I find it hard to believe you want to help me."

"Oh trust me, I don't. Not really," Benjie said, gravitating to the wall and running a finger down its side, eyeing the fingertip for dust. "But it just so happens we have something of a...'working relationship' of sorts. That sort of shorthand can be a useful tool in the right situation."

He turned to look at Axon directly.

"I'm putting together a somewhat unorthodox expedition. Dangerous, certainly. Into the unknown, most definitely. And more importantly functionally totally removed from Starfleet Command's ability to meddle in matters that don't concern them," he said with a snide little sniff of derision. "But, whilst I can bring the scientific clarity needed to keep the mission on track, and the vision to see the potholes...I am not a man prone to rash action. I am in need of someone who has seen combat and knows the dance of it. I've seen your wartime record, both the commonly available record and the classified sections. I need that Axon. I don't need the shitaki in a tank top."

Axon took a deep breath. "That Axon is gone. And even if he wasn't, he wouldn't want to help you."

"Because I proved that Axon was such a paragon of virtue that he could do no wrong? I think you are doing a grand job of ensuring no one will ever think that for a century to come," Benjie smirked. "No, like it or not you'll join me. Because somewhere along the road to here, you were an idealist. You put on the uniform because you believed in it. Whereas I wear as a means to an end. So you can stay here, and you can die here for all I care. But the Starfleet personnel traveling with me will not have you to protect them."

"And you think I'm just going to don a uniform and answer to you?" Axon snarled. "Yes, Captain Benjie. No, Captain Benjie. Yes, sir, whatever you fucking say?" The former Captan shook his head, putting his hands on his hips. "I'm not without friends, Ingram. I'm not without connections. And despite what's happened, I already have a job lined up. So you can take your offer and shove it up your ass."

"But your friends will never give you back what you've already lost: your shot at command. You blew it with the Oddie, Axon. But...with me? You wouldn't be answering to me. We'd be working together, same rank, same authority. Colleagues, if you will," Benjie said it carefully. "And the reinstatement to the rank of Commander, which is a damn sight more than you'll get from any connections you'll have willing to stake their name to your flag."

"And maybe I don't want that. Maybe I just want a quiet life one a boring ship to spend the rest of my days without you." Axon shook his head. "Look, I start on my new ship in two weeks. And I'm not going to give up this opportunity to come work with you, of all people. So feel free to leave."

"So be it," Benjie said, and placed the rolled up flexi on the table. "I'm going to leave this here because you are going to say yes if only out of spite. Maybe you think you can get one up on me? Bring me low as you attempted? But I can assure you of one thing, the mission that I'm asking you to join me on? Is unlike any you have ever undertaken. That any of us have ever undertaken. New sky, new stars, a new start perhaps?"

He shrugged.

"Either way, I can see you have a busy afternoon of wallowing to get back to. If you change your mind I won't be on Earth, but the flexi has the contact information for the Long Jump Foundation offices in Geneva. They can process you through to me if I'm not out of comm's range," he turned to the door and stopped. "For what its worth, I am sorry about Eyrn. For all your faults, a broken heart is a heavy price to pay."

Axon watched as the man walked out, the large door closing firmly behind him. Once he was alone, the anger began to boil within him until he threw the glass in his hand towards the door, screaming in frustration as the glass shattered and fell to the floor. Glass wasn't the only thing that fell in that moment, but Axon was never comfortable showing tears in front of people.