The twin affairs
Posted on Sun Aug 4th, 2019 @ 10:02am by Major Cornelius Tremble & Staff Warrant Officer Jennifer Masters - Calhoun
Edited on on Sun Aug 4th, 2019 @ 7:48pm
2,646 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Episode 7 - Home Again
Location: Empok Nor-Deck 6- Lower promenade
Timeline: MD006 1200
Jennifer and Linda we're out on Empok Nor. Jennifer had made her sister wait for this moment, as she was having a mission for the captain and his first officer. They were wearing casual clothing and found a nice eating place on the promenade and had sat down. Linda had put Emily in child's seat, and the girl was now hitting a baby rattler on the table.
The twin sister almost looked identical. The only difference was that Jennifer had her hair braided, and Linda wore it loose in a pony tail. But from a distance you wouldn't have kept them apart.
Jen got up and said, "I will get us some drinks and food. Do you still like mango juice?"
Linda too the rattler from Emily and then said, "Yes, and I would like some chicken salad. Could you get some warm milk from Emily and apple sauce."
Jen nodded and walked away to get the food. While Linda remained at the table with Emily.
Strolling along the promenade, his mind on the meeting he'd just had with General Sobel, Neil caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye and had to do a double take. What looked like the Pioneer's Intel Chief was sitting at a cafe. But her hair was different.
And there was a kid.
Stopping, Neil was bumped into abruptly by a Cardassian who had been walking behind him and the Cardassian scowled at him. Neil scowled back and moved to the side to avoid any more collisions, though how the Cardassian had run into someone wearing the scarlet tunic and blue trousers with gold piping at the seams, Neil had no idea. He took another look at the cafe, then decided to investigate.
It sure looked like Jenn.
Scanning the surrounding area, Neil hoped his mind wasn't going on him again and he walked slowly toward Masters. "Hey Jenn," he called as he stopped near the table, "Aren't you recruiting new personnel kinda young?" he grinned.
Linda looked up at the sound of someone calling for Jen. She looked to Neil. "I am sorry, who are you?" She asked. She figured he probably knew Jennifer, but she decided to play a bit with him till Jenn got back.
Neil looked at Jenn, then looked around briefly wondering if she was on the job. It was possible, but who ever heard of using an actual kid as a prop. Though it's possible that it was a really good holograph. "Well, it's your old buddy Neil of course," he said finally," don't tell me there's been another temporal hiccup. If so, well. Congratulations?"
Jenn returned with the food and drinks. She looked at Neil and Linda talking. Somehow she could tell Neil had no idea that wasn't Jenn. She waited a moment to see how that would work out and would debate if she would put him out his misery.
Linda looked to Emily. "Why, thank you, Lieutenant." She said. "Her name is Emily." She noticed Jenn was back, but ignored her. "So how long do I know you?" She continued on.
Neil considered that question and hesitantly slid into a chair and said. "Well, that would be the questions I suppose. A couple of years, though part of that was..you know. When the Pioneer was out of loop. There was a time you told me you only had eyes for me," he finished, watching suspect Jenn closely.
Linda leaned over to Neil. "Intriguing, I could see that happening." She leaned her head on her hand and looked him up and down. "Tall and handsome. Exactly my type."
Tag
Jenn finally walked to the table and put the food and drinks on it. "Hey Neil, I see you met my twin sister, Linda. I thought I told you about her." She sat down next to Neil.
Neil turned abruptly, catching site of Jenn. Then looked at her sister and finally gestured toward the child. "And this is a clone, then?" Eyeing Jenn as she sat, he continued "And no, I don't think you did. " He smiles ruefully then, "But then, my mind hasn't been what it was lately."
Jenn nodded. "Yea, you have been a bit out of it." She pushed Linda aside, stop drooling, Linda. Weren't you married? To the father of your child?"
Linda raised an eyebrow. "From what universe did you come? We divorced 3 months ago."
Jenn felt a shock go through her when she said that. The last message she got from Linda was of course, the message before they dropped out and lost a whole year in where ever they all were. She remembered the the child jumping up and down her chest. But the children were gone. She looked to Emily.
Then she looked to Linda again. "So you divorced, what happened?"
"He couldn't make it work," Linda said dry. "Me in starfleet, and he a marine. I think he just wasn't the kind of man that likes to settle down. He has a girl at every port. I can't compete with that." She sighed.
Jenn shrugged.
Linda waved it away. "I am not here to talk about me. "Tell me about you, and be honest, did you hook this handsome marine, is that why you are so defensive over him."
"Heh," Jenn raised an eyebrow. "He is barely back on good therms with me." She said. She tapped Neil's shoulder with a grin on his face. "No, I am I met someone a bit older than me."
"Older?" Linda looked her with a raised eyebrow. "How much older?" She looked to Neil. "How much older?"
Jenn thought a moment as she didn't know what to say. And than she decided that she didn't cared what Linda thought about that. "Why don't you come over for dinner and meet him?" She said. "You're welcome too, Neil."
"Sure," Said Linda, "I would like to meet this older gentleman that thinks he can tame my twin sister."
"You can be re-assured that it's not a marine," Neil told Linda. "We're the worst but she has been getting these sort of dreamy, wistful smiles on her face at odd moments when she doesn't think anyone's watching."
Grinning then at Jenn, he said "Sure. I'd really enjoy a meal that didn't find me trusting to random Marine supplements. The last one I got was spiced gah with Ivinar sauce. Part of the expeditionary forces menu plan..."
"Oh boy," Linda said, "You need a new chef for your marines." She elbowed Jen. "Why don't you use all that intell to find them one."
Jen raised her eyebrow. "Linda, that's not what the intell department does. And I tried, there is this cute chef, Neil, she is willing to do it, but the marines will have to do their own dishes and help with the wash up. Which I know they can."
Linda laughed. "Are you not afraid Commander O'Flannagain is going to steal the chef for the command private cooking?"
Jen shrugged, "Possibly."
"The corp doesn't trust us to eat healthy enough, so we get regular physicians and pre-defined meals to eliminate wasting time trying to figure out what to eat. That's five days a week, give or take," Neil grinned. "If I was offered regular, non-replicated meals I'd probably get fat and have to transfer into the Fleet."
Jen turned to Linda. "See what I have to deal with?"
Linda giggled. "The corp sounds boring. Right up your ally sis, I think I said that once."
"Yea I am glad we're not bunk mates anymore," Jen said. "And I am happy you don't stay in my quarters on the Pioneer." She leaned over to Neil and whispered, "This is the sloppy roommate I told you about."
Whispering back, Neil asked "Are you sure she didn't do it just to irritate you?" Then he turned back to Linda and asked, "So. What was Little Jennifer like as a child? Trouble maker or innocent?"
Linda took a sip from her drink and then replied, "Well, I may have been the slop of the family, but she was the troublemaker. And not to mention the street cat. She always came home with cuts and bruises and all she could say was, 'you should see the other guy.' I don't know how our aunt put up with her."
Jen sighed. "I can't deny it. It's true." She somehow was now sorry she was here. But there was nothing she could do about it now."
Neil heard the sigh, glanced at Jenn out of the corner of his eye and said, "Well I'm extraordinarily happy that she's a scrapper. She's saved my life more than a couple of times."
Grinning at Jenn then, he said. "And you invited me to dinner. Does that make me a stray?"
Jenn looked estranged at him. "No, I think you got housebroke 16 years ago. Probably around the time your sergeant released you to the public." She giggled.
"Well, I promise not to pee on the floor," Neil said. "Though, there have been times, when under the influence of a great deal of alcohol, it's been a near thing. Now that I'm officially an officer and a gentleman by the order of the Federation, well. I am considered genteel company."
Jenn grinned, "I am sure you'll be fine, we will keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum then."
"Not too near the minimum," Neil said, his smile becoming strained, "It's been a week. And I have training to begin which will consume the bulk of shore leave, starting in a day or two."
Jenn nodded. "But when you're out, I will have security escort you home." She chuckled.
Sighing dramatically, Neil thought for a moment, then grinned. "Who's?"
Linda looked confused to Jen. "Doesn't he have quarters like all marine commanding officer's?"
Jenn shrugged. "I don't know, it's not like he has invited me to his place before."
"Oh I do," Neil chuckled. "But, sometimes people have alternative plans and I'm fairly easy to get along with."
"That's intriguing," Linda said, "So have you ever stayed at the guest quarters of Empok Nor before?" She asked as was no somehow no longer aware of her daughter and her sister sitting at the same table. She handed the fruit mush to Jen and the spoon.
Jen looked blinking at Linda as she was handed the baby food. "Ehmm....Linda?"
"Yea yea, shush," Linda said without looking at her sister and waving at her, "Grown ups talking now, you can take care of her right?" She kept looking at Neil. "If you have some time I could show you the inside of one of those quarters."
Neil chuckled. "A very tempting offer which would tempt almost any man. I however must decline. Supper I think I can do. Tourism, however, is beyond what the corp will allow."
Glancing at Jenn, he said "I do believe my shore leave is now limited, if not canceled outright."
Jenn shook her head as she put the baby food down, then changing starting to feed her niece. "You know, if you want to have fun, just enjoy yourself, when will you have shore leave. And since Linda is leaving in two days anyways, I don't she will remember whens he jumps in bed with the next marine she finds along the way."
Linda jerked her head with two red cheeks to her sister. Her glaring eyes were saying, How dare you? . Jennifer just shrugged, "Well, I never know you any differently, neat career, messy quarters, so staying with your 'future' husband." Jen made the quotation sign with her fingers. "Or at least that's what you told me when I was left in your mess again back in the academy." She put another spoonful in her nieces mouth. "I am not surprised your marine husband left you."
Linda didn't know what to say, she just stared at Jenn, and she couldn't figure out what had gotten in to her. Jenn just went on, "I think it was because of all the mess you left behind. I seriously don't want to see Neil's reaction to what he would find in your room if he actually accepted the invitation. Or you just gonna shove some stuff aside on your bed." At this point Linda got up and just walked away from the table and disappeared in an elevator.
Jenn shrugged as she just continued feeding her niece. "Some people just can't handle the truth it seems."
Neil watched the family drama work it's way through and finally caught Jenn's eye as Linda retreated. "I'm not going to make this about me. All I'll say is I'm sorry if I caused that to spark off, Jenn."
"What?" Jen said. "She had that coming for years now, little brat. She has always been the favorite in the family. It's time someone told her the truth." She put the empty bowl aside. Somehow her little niece wasn't disturbed by her mom leaving abruptly. It might have been because her aunt look so much like her mom.
"Look, Neil, if anything, I blame my time on the Pioneer for becoming so forth coming right now," She continued. "Also I know my sister, in a few hours she will have forgotten. And when she gets to supper tonight she is going to lecture me on Billy, cause as the oldest sister she thinks she need to. And then I can do it again." She grinned. "Love it!"
Neil chuckled and rubbed at his temple with one hand, "So, you've called in the Marines for Peacekeeping? And here it was merely having sympathy for a tired old marine who lives on replicated rations."
"Tired old marine?" Jennifer looked at him. "I have seen tired and old, you're not old." She sad defensive.
"I don't know, Jenn." Neil said candidly. "I feel like somethings about to fall on top of my head and usually I can get an idea of what that is, but this time it could be almost anything. I just had a meeting with the Brigade General who tells me they're expanding the Cure's mission abilities by adding armored suits."
"Prior to that, I had a show down with the Pioneer's new Counselor. She took me out of hack, but I think she might be looking to remove my spleen with something sharp. And then there's the girl I met during out last shore leave, who popped up at the Captain's party the other night and said hello."
He shook his head then. "Maybe I should have taken that posting on the USS Io."
Jenn giggled. "Ehm no...cause if you did, you never would have met me." She wiped the mouth of her niece. "And I kind of like having you around." She took Emily on her lap. "Look, Neil, Whatever it is, I am sure it is nothing worse than having to poke your sister's eyes out."
Neil chuckled. "Lets hope not..." then he paused.
Sniffed.
"And I do believe your miniature human there may have soiled themselves, which is definitely not something I'm trained for." Neil stood, put a brief hand on Jenn's shoulder and said, "Send me a sit-rep of when and where. I'm really looking forward to that meal."
"Of course, lieutenant," Jen smiled as she got up with Emily. "I will have to take my niece to my sister. That, or I have to change her diapers myself." Being in the other universe she learned how to do that.
A joint post by
Staff Warrant Officer Jennifer Masters
Chief Intelligence Officer, USS Pioneer
First Lieutenant Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer
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