Can you see me daddy?

Posted on Tue Jan 18th, 2022 @ 3:51am by Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell

Mission: Gamma Quadrant
Location: USS Sunfire - Earth
Timeline: Current-ish

Sometime in the Past - 2367

The man stood tall, yet hunched over a cutting board as he diced veggies for a soup. The broth boiled upon the stove behind him. He was always doing that, even when he didn’t have to.

Across the room, a young girl of four, still in her pajamas and loose curls was taking apart the newest toy she had received for Christmas. It was a simple thing but she had this crazy idea it could be something else, something more, her mother’s influence.

And beside that mess of electronic equipment, a model of a Pteranodon and an ancient mask from the Paleocene era of Tyridian 9, his influence. She was always surrounded with influential things, for the lack of people.

They were at peace, for now. It was the calm before a mighty storm. One that had almost ripped them apart by their souls. Somewhere in the distance, a sound echoed throughout, an old familiar sting, he knew what it was. They had been preparing for a few years now, and now they had come.

The air raid siren blared indicating an incoming attack from a distant enemy. Something called the Borg was attacking them, trying to kill them. But all Bonnie knew was that her mother was out there defending the planet, defending her from the scary Borg. And she blamed her father for letting her Mother leave.

3 Days Ago. - 2378

“Goodnight Allison. I’m going to head out early. Maybe see the stars a bit before I head home.”

“You sure boss? You’ve been a bit off today. Want me to walk with you?”

“No no, no need to worry about an old man like me. I know the way. Besides a good walk will do me some good.” He gave a half-grin as he placed a long coat over his arm and a hat upon his head. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Sometimes, a man’s final words are mundane. That night, Hunter Durnell left the Smithsonian Museum at approximately 9:45 pm on a crisp December night. There was a light snow falling, a gift from the weather control council. But he only had a mile to walk, a short distance through a beautiful section of town. And the stars were out.

As he walked, he looked up at those stars. The place his daughter had decided to venture, following in her momma’s footsteps. An engineer on a starship. He was proud, though he wasn’t sure he had ever shown it. He had, however, expressed his worries, repeatedly.

Sometime in the past - 2367

Their supper done. The sirens had stopped and somewhere in the streets, he had heard a celebration growing. “Come my lil’ Bon Bon, off to bed with you now.”

“Awe… do I have to Daddy? It’s almost done.”

“Really? And what is this thing you’ve been working so hard on?” He knelt down next to her and her project so she could explain it.

“It’s um… it’s a… trains-porter.” She got out as she fumbled to pick up the pieces.

“I trains-porter huh, and so small. I’m impressed. And my little young one, just what are you planning to trains-port with your device?”

“Momma.” She replied simply.

That pierced his heart, but he didn’t show it. He reached out and hugged his daughter tight, then scooped her up and carried her off to bed.

That was the last night of normalcy in their household. That was the last night of happy memories. As he placed her into bed and walked back to his office to check his messages for the night. He began reading through the list of ships lost or destroyed in the battle until he came to her ship. Completely destroyed with no survivors.

3 Days Ago. - 2378

Each step for him became more and more difficult. Each star above was another light beckoning him on. He paused in the park to reflect, maybe Allison was right. Perhaps he had overdone it. He sat on a bench and looked up. Snow fell upon his face and melted into liquid right away. They hid the tears of an old man.

And as a meteor streaked across the sky, he felt it in his heart. “I’m coming home Molly. I’ll see you soon.”

Hunter Durnell was found sitting alone in the park the following morning, deceased by an apparent heart failure. His only surviving next of kin, on a ship in the Gamma Quadrant, received the news two days later.

She had never finished her personal trains-porter.