Hart to Hart
Posted on Mon Mar 25th, 2024 @ 8:21pm by
808 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission:
Opening Moves
Location: Connor Hart's Home, Earth
Timeline: MD021-0820
Charlie woke to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and a stiffness in her neck. She could feel her still-slumbering niece snuggled beside her and realized that they must have fallen asleep on the couch while watching cartoons last night after Connor and Jono had gone to bed. Charlie sighed and shifted her weight on the couch, not quite ready to get up yet as this was the most content she had been in ages. She rarely got to spend time with her family, and she was going to savor every second.
Ten minutes later she shuffled into the kitchen where her brother was preparing breakfast. She settled onto a stool at the counter and he placed a steaming mug of black java in front of her. “Bless you,” she managed, cradling the cup and absorbing the warmth into her chilled fingers. “Good morning.”
“Good morning to you,” Connor replied, adding some salt and pepper to the simmering skillet and giving it a good stir. “Breakfast is almost ready. You sleep okay?”
Massaging her sore neck, she grinned. “Yeah. Though I can’t believe you let me and Nellie stay out there all night.”
“When Jono got up to check on her, he said you two looked so peaceful he couldn’t bear to wake you up.” A timer beeped and Conner removed a pan from the oven. “Besides, how often does she get to have a sleep-over with her Aunt Charlie?”
“Fair point,” Charlie smiled, sipping her coffee. “Where is Jono?”
“He had to run down to the restaurant,” Connor explained as he began to plate up their meal. “We had a fresh produce delivery arrive early, and one of us had to verify the invoice and sign for it. He’s gonna do his best to make it back before you must catch your shuttle to Utopia Planetia, but just in case he doesn’t make it back he told me to tell you to ‘kick ass’.”
Charlie cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t I always?” She leaned back as he sat down her plate alongside his and the place next to her. Grandma’s tomato gravy and biscuits, with a side of fried apples. For a moment she was eight years old again, around the kitchen table with her grandma, dad, and brothers. She tried to hold the memory, but her stomach churned and brought her back to the present. She took her first bite: simple yet satisfying, nobody could cook like Connor. Before she’d died, Grandma had agreed that the student had surpassed the teacher.
Connor hopped on the stool next to her and tucked in. “You get to talk to dad?”
“Not since he arrived on Tellar Prime last week,” she answered between mouthfuls. “I’m sure he’s been preparing night and day for the trial. Of course, if anyone can win an argument with a Tellarite…”
“… it’s dad,” they finished in unison.
They continued to chat while they ate, both aware there was still one topic they needed to discuss before their visit came to an end, but neither wanting to bring it up. Sopping up the last of her gravy, Charlie decided to bite the bullet. “I still haven’t heard anything. About Clay. Have you?”
Connor dropped a forkful of apples back onto his plate and stared at them. “No.” His shoulders slumped and she could see tears begin to well in his eyes. In a flash, Charlie was up and holding him tightly. Secure in his sister’s arms he started to cry. “I know,” Charlie soothed, letting him cry for them both. “I know.” She wasn’t sure how long she stood there, but eventually there weren’t any tears left. Connor sighed, rubbed his eyes, and she patted his shoulder before returning to her coffee.
“Thanks,” he mumbled. “I’m sorry, I just…”
“I get it. I’m worried, too.”
“But how can they…” Connor turned to her, his eyes pleading. “Starfleet has to know something. Why aren’t they saying anything?”
Charlie shook her head. “Clay’s mission was classified, and way above my clearance. We know he’s missing. And that’s what I’m holding onto – if they knew he was dead, they’d tell us. Missing isn’t great, but… but there’s hope. There’s hope.”
Connor didn’t look like he shared that hope, but he nodded anyway. He stood and collected their dishes. “Do you mind waking up Nellie while I fix her a plate? We’ve let her sleep in long enough.”
“Sure!” Charlie said, standing up and stretching her arms, then her back. She started into the living room, then turned to regard her brother. “Hey Connor.” He looked up.
“I love you.”
“Love you too, sis.”
Lieutenant Charlie Hart
Chief Medical Officer
USS Thunderbird
RSS Feed