A Phone Call

Posted on 20 Jan 2025 @ 1:05am by Captain Bane Plase

1,226 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave and Reassignment
Location: Captain Bane's Quarters, Starbase 375
Timeline: Shortly after Legal Woes

ON:

Plase took off his uniform top and laid it over the chair. He had just gotten back to the quarters assigned to him on Starbase 375 from what amounted to an inquisition. He was wrung out, from the mission, from the near-death experience, from the funeral services, from coordinating things between 375 and those that survived on his ship, from countless meetings and from that infernal hearing. All of this had taken place over the last few days, but it felt like it was a constant barrage.

He sat down at his terminal and turned it on. "Computer, open communications with Bajor, Kendra Province, residence of Bane Tenshara."

The computer chirped, then responded. "Working. Connected."

The image on the screen changed from the Starfleet Delta to the traditional image of Bajor. A moment later, an older woman appeared on the screen. "Hello? Oh, Plase! It is wonderful to hear from you! It has been almost a month now," she said, smiling warmly and settling into the seat.

"Yes, it has. I am very sorry about that," he responded. He was about to continue when the woman spoke again.

"Those do not appear to be your quarters, Plase. Where are you?"

Plase smiled. Little got by her. "These are my quarters, or better, my temporary quarters. The Cygnus was almost destroyed a week ago. We barely made it back. These are the quarters assigned to me at Starbase 375" There was no better way to tell her than to just come out with it.

"Oh, Plase," she said, placing one hand over her mouth, the other over her chest. "Was it the Cardassians?"

Plase shook his head. "No, Mom, it wasn't the Cardassians." It was always the Cardassians, according to his mother. "No, it was an accident. We were towing a derelict freighter, and it self destructed. It was bad luck." She didn't need to know all the details.

"Well, bless the Prophets that it wasn't serious! Was anyone hurt," she asked.

Bane had the mental picture of several of those that died faces flash before his eyes, then the funeral on the Starbase, then the severed body of Lieutenant Danian on his bridge. "A few. We are recovering. I wasn't hurt, other than a few scrapes and bruises.

She exhaled visibly and relaxed almost to an exaggeration. "That is good news, Plase. Thank goodness you are their Captain. Otherwise people probably would have died, or worse, been hurt their whole lives!"

Plase mentally groaned. He loved his mother, but did she ever have her priorities mixed up. "Yeah. Hey, I wanted to let you know the Cygnus is no longer assigned to Deep Space Nine. After that incident, the ship will need to have some repairs and overhauls. As such, we've been reassigned to Starbase 375 around the planet Calisto. I do not think we will be coming back to Deep Space Nine.

His mothers shoulders dropped again, this time crestfallen. Her eyebrows went up over the ridges on her nose, her eyes sad. "That is terrible news. Does that mean you will not be able to come visit me as much? You know how much I love the visits."

Bane smiled. "I like visiting you too, Mom. It does mean I wont be able to get home as much, I am sorry."

The elder Bane responded, "Oh, it's ok. I have just gotten spoiled to you coming and seeing me on a regular basis these last few years. Where is Calisto? Is it far?"

Her son nodded. "Yeah, pretty far. About two weeks travel time from here to there."

"Well, poppycock. I don't like that at all. But I do like that you called and told me. Did I mention they are building a new shopping center close by? At first, I wasn't none to happy about it, what with the traffic and the riffraff I thought it would bring. But I found out they are putting in that restaraunt we like going to in the Dahkur Province. You know the one I'm talking about." Plase nodded. "Yeah, I thought you would. And they are also putting in a low-gravity gym and a new clothing store, which should be really exciting."

Plase smiled. "That is wonderful. Where at?"

His mother told him the area, Bane nodded knowing where the shops were being built. "So, you know I am your mother, right?"

Plase furrowed his brow and blinked several times. "Uh, yeah. I think I heard that somewhere before," he teased, not sure where this was going.

"Good," she responded, the humor and good-naturedness evaporating from her face in an instant. "And you know mothers can tell when their sons are troubled. Talk to me, Plase. What's bothering you?"

Plase blinked several more times. He was in command of a starship, had nearly a thousand people that looked to him for support, for strength, for leadership, for guidance. And here he was, running back to his mommy, like a little boy. He felt ashamed. "I...uh....well mom, things here are pretty tough," he said, his voice getting thick as the last word passed through his lips. "We almost didn't come home. We got lucky. And now I'm on trial again for nearly losing the ship."

A look of worry appeared on his mothers face, and she reached out to the screen to hold his face, or at least as best she could with the light-years separating them. "But you saved everyone and your ship. Why be on trial?"

Plase had to blink back the tears that were forming in his eyes. "Uh, more like my crew saved the ship, mom. They did great. Seriously. They were amazing and wonderful. If I could promote every single one of them and give every single one of them the highest honors of Starfleet, I would. I am blessed by the Prophets to have them."

"And they are lucky to have you, son. I believe that with all my heart."

A half smile appeared suddenly on Bane's face, but disappeared just as quickly. "I am on trial because of...." he paused, then adjusted course, "because of the damage that was done, and the loss of the ship we were towing back. It's just a formality. It will blow over." He hoped. He desperately wanted to tell her how sorry he was that so many people lost their lives. He desperately wanted to hear that it wasn't his fault, and there was nothing more that could be done. He desperately wanted a hug, and for his mother to hold him and coo him and tell him it would be fine. He knew all of this, of course, but he still wanted his mom to tell him.

Tenshara nodded, understandingly. The way only a mother could do so. "It will. You are the best Captain they have, and they need you."

Plase actually laughed out loud. "I am far from the best Captain they have."

"Well, I think you are, and that is good enough for me."

The subject changed, and they talked for another ten minutes before Plase signed off. He felt better now that he talked to his mom. Now that he talked to someone that wasn't in his chain of command, or in Starfleet.


OFF

Bane Plase, Captain
USS Cygnus, Commanding

 

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