Change of Plans
Posted on Sat Aug 19th, 2023 @ 6:43pm by Daniel Martinez & Fleet Captain Maxwell Culver
2,900 words; about a 15 minute read
Mission:
A Drastic Change
Location: Triton Seabase to Golden Towers
Timeline: MD30: 1400 hours
Max barely caught the civilian ship as it disembarked from Triton Seabase for any more of its shifts while Max was CO. He’d been pushed to the aft entrance as if he was a burden. Finding the last seat in the last row in the very back of the boat didn’t matter. Neither did the fact that he was still wearing his uniform.
If Dani had noticed, he made no display of it.
The ride would be at least two hours. The Romulans ran a nice boat from harbor to harbor, but time took time. It was one of those laws you shouldn’t break. At least according to temporal mechanics. That said, Max wondered where the work would be if Kirk hadn’t done it a half dozen times, or Picard, even Janeway. And those were just some of the studied logs from the Academy and after.
Admiral Janeway’s memoir flew off shelves and out of downloads in minutes, a severe under-anticipation of how well the book would sell. The end result being her own disappearance into the future and the Delta Quadrant again! The woman was ridiculous, chasing after her former First Officer. Many suspected it was out of love. Max rolled his eyes at that idea. The sea wasn’t bursting full of fish in the Delta Quadrant the first time…
Max looked out at the hyper speed the bot moved compared to the seabase. Even some of the indigenous sealift kept up, much like dolphins racing the boat. He shrugged and pulled down his sunglasses, closing his eyes for a moment.
Max woke up to the old woman sitting beside him kicking his shin.
“Move…he shouldn’t even be here!” She shouted angrily and wagged her finger at him. “You shouldn’t even be here, dha'rudh.”
Max looked askew of the woman. “Rude!” he commented before dashing out the door. His eyes swung ahead, then left, then right. He spotted his ex - of three days - ahead quite a bit already. Making a rude dash through the crowd, he decidedly didn’t care about his reputation among the Romulans, Max nearly pushed more than one of them off the dock and leapt over a child before sliding his hand firmly into Dani’s and locking their fingers together.
“Quite the show…captain,” Dani said with a wry smirk, noting Max’s firm grip and his inability to catch his breath. “Forgot how hot it was here in Golden Towers?”
Max nodded silently as his body superheated in the traditional Starfleet, black on everything uniform, sweat didn’t just bead on his forehead but sheeted down his face, which, if it got any more red looked like he might pass out.
Dani extricated his hand from Max’s but the commanding officer had no recourse. He couldn’t stop a civilian if he wanted to and he was not in any condition to give chase.
Fortunately, Dani reappeared with a cool pack for behind his neck and a bottle of water for each of them. Max opened his, took a sip and laid down before the urge to vomit over took him. Dani could tell that Max was in no condition to remain in the heat much longer.
Adjusting Max’s wrist, Dani set coordinates for the commanding officer’s house. A light Spanish tempo was playing and the temperature was decidedly cooler. Max would have been content to lay on the couch with his cool pack, catch his breath and let his stomach settle.
“Oh no!” Dani said now, his anger boiling at the top now. “You will undress yourself to your pants and t-shirt. No jacket, no shoes or socks. You get me, capitàn?”
“Sí, sí, Generalissimo Martinez.” Max managed a slight joke despite still feeling sick to his stomach. After which, he slogged off the humid damp jacket, his boots and almost wet socks. Cooling down now, Max took off his pants too.
“Ay, ay, ay. I just had that couch cleaned and you’re sweating all over it.” Dani grumbled at him, throwing a water bottle at Max and throwing his hands in the air.
Dani moved like an angry bee, buzzing off again and returning from the bathroom with a towel. “At least be a…” Dani stopped and sighed. “I was going to say ‘At least be a human being’, but that doesn’t pertain to you. So…at least be an El-Aurian, huh?”
Max nodded. Technically, the house was still his even if he was in the process of gifting it to Dani in his absence. To Max’s - a probably to Dani’s - chagrin, the Spaniard was already booking vacationers to the extra rooms. Probably why he’d had the couch cleaned. It didn’t matter now, or at least Max hoped it wouldn’t matter soon.
Max wiped his head, chest and back with the towel before standing. Seeing the damp spot of sweat he’d left there, Max used his power to wipe it clean. Suddenly, he was feeling chilled and so he moved to the replicator. “Computer, white t-shirt.” The device lit and deposited the shirt, which he quickly pulled on. “There’s a problem with what you have planned, mi amor.”
“Oh, no no no. You do not get to come here and tell me that or call me that.” Dani looked at Max with clear anger. He’d promised the house, the surroundings and space to live while he helped Mister Hart. “You gave me permission to proceed with these plans. I’ve hired people to assist during the first week and then planned possible contracts for further employment. Dan has agreed to allow a few guests to the stalls daily to assist with brushing the horses and walking them in the pasture.
“Now you come here with ‘mi amor’ and ‘problems’. You’re as full of shit as ever!” Dani finished, finding himself shouting at Max.
Max looked shamed and felt stupid. “Dan’s son is being assigned as commanding officer of Triton Seabase. As a result, I’ve been reassigned to a starship. As of today, aside from an acting officer until Captain Hart’s arrival, I have no power.
“When he arrives, which will be in two days, he can and will override your ownership of this property regardless of whether it has been given to you - by me - or not.” Max touched his chronometer and the transfer of ownership to Dani showed on the largest screen near them.
“I pushed it through this morning. As of right now, the property belongs to you, but it is, technically, Starfleet’s property. Captain Hart is one of those people who wouldn’t be afraid to overturn your new ownership.”
Max looked down. “And I’ll always call you ‘my love’ in any language because I do love you.” Max could feel the tension between them more over that than the rest of their conversation.
“So you’re going away on a starship?” Dani asked rhetorically. He stopped buzzing around like an angry bee. “And Dan’s family is coming, which makes me obsolete. His son, daughter in law, and two grandchildren. His grandson is one year older than me. Then they need this house to be close to Dan because four of them aren’t going to fit in his house. It’s a fucking disaster!”
Max moved to where Dani was sat. “Maybe this planet isn’t where you’re meant to be,” Max said quietly.
Dani did exactly what he expected himself to do with Max standing in front of him. He wrapped his arms around Max’s waist, pulling him closer. “And what will I do on this starship of yours? Hmmm? I’m not Starfleet. I never thought about racing about the universe at all!”
Max was surprised, but he wrapped his arms around Dani’s shoulders, almost cradling his head. “You could study something new,” he suggested. “Or maybe there’s a place where you could teach? Or there could be a place on Kaitos that we could get and make it yours…”
“Kaitos? I have never heard of a place called Kaitos,” came Dani’s response.
Max sighed. “Computer initiate program delta nine, classify back ten minutes, authorization Culver 7292-Delta-11.
“Kaitos is essentially New El-Auria. It’s where we settled almost one hundred and fifty years ago, after we were attacked by the Borg. It’s a beautiful planet. It’s also highly classified, so it’s a big secret that I’d ask you not to repeat if you choose not to come.” Max could replicate some retcon-5 if Dani said ‘no’. He wouldn’t leave his planet’s secret behind, as much as he loved and trusted Dani.
“That seems like fortunate timing,” Dani said, looking up suspiciously.
“And you’re too young to be so jaded, Daniel Martinez,” Max scolded the younger man. “No, I think that my invasion of your mind and the requirement of a retired Admiral has caused a…ripple effect. By affecting you, I’ve affected myself and most of my crew.”
“So, it’s not enough that you’re affecting yourself, you’re reassigning your crew too?” Dani asked accusingly.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Max scolded again. “So very jaded for a twenty three year old. I’ve asked them. Taken time with each and every one of my crew, like I’m doing now with you, to explain why, where, when. Every one I’ve asked has agreed of their own accord. We’re Starfleet, Dani, it’s expected of us.”
“But not of me,” Dani answered defiantly as he rested his head back into Max’s arms. “Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t leave right now. I have guests coming, Dan needs looking after.”
“You should talk to Dan, probably best if you talked to him alone,” Max suggested.
Dani broke Max’s hold, as sweet and loving as he was being. Dani swatted him away like a fly. “I’ll talk to him in the bedroom. You’ll stay out of it.”
Dani opened the channel. On the other end, the elder Dan appeared, a cigarette in his mouth. “Well, looks like you’ve been smacked upside the head with a twobafour,” Dan answered affably.
“I don’t know what that means,” Dani answered, his head filled with questions.
“It’s a width and depth of wood…it don’t matter and based on your face, you heard my boy’s comin’ tomorrow. Him and his whole lot, comin’ to stay here. Ain’t that a hoot?”
“I don’t understand? You said he would never come. Now, he’ll be here tomorrow with his family and you don’t need me.”
“Hell, I never needed ya boy! You and that damned do-good Maxwell thought I could be your charity case. Take care of an old man until he dies. Even with my wife, I still took good care of myself, my ranch, my boys. I can take care of myself, boy. Even through to my death.”
“And your son?” Dani asked, growing angrier at the minute.
“Well, I expect he’ll be movin’ into that mansion you call home.”
“Just like that? He moves in and I’m out?” Dani kept his tone cool but still angry.
“That ain’t my decision, boy. But the property does belong to Starfleet and was moved to be the Captain’s housing. I guess it just makes sense.”
“So now what am I supposed to do, Dan? I have guests expecting to stay here next week. They were told…” Dani paused and pointed and the ground, now trembling with anger. “I was told, by you, that they could come to the ranch and work with the horses, and now what?! Now what?!”
“You’re on the verge on gettin’ hysterical here, Dani. I’m sorry, that none of this is gonna work out like you hoped. I guess in the future, don’t hang all your hopes on Maxwell Culver. Hart out.”
The screen went black and Dani stared at it for a long time. ¡Que te jodan!”
Dani emerged from the bedroom, his hands clenched until they appeared almost white, his eyes red rimmed with tears. The yelling had died down quite a long time ago and Max waited quietly in the kitchen, a glass of orange juice sliding from one to the other like he was playing the ancient game Pong. He played well against himself with an even score until he was interrupted by the pathetic sight.
Max moved to Dani quickly, wrapping him in his arms as if to support his weight and Dani nearly collapsed against him. Max couldn’t tell if he was speaking Federation standard or Spanish, but it didn’t really matter either, he just had to be there for the moment. Moving to the couch, Max sat back down before helping settle down with Dani. This time, holding him from behind and cuddling him.
“It doesn’t even matter,” Dani said dejectedly, resting his head back against Max’s shoulder. “Like, what are we keeping nice for?”
“Dan told you exactly the same as I told you…all the way down to Captain Hart taking the house from you, huh?”
Dani nodded his head. “Every last word. He even said this is your fault.”
Max nodded and sighed while he played with Dani’s hair. “In a way, I guess it is. If I hadn’t been poisoned, had my brain matter rearranged and become some walking telekinetic, empathic nightmare, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten transferred. And maybe I still would have because Captain Hart wanted this position.
“So maybe we’re both lucky. I get to command a starship now, the epitome of cool in Starfleet. You get to tell this backwater shit hole goodbye. You can come with me on this once in a lifetime opportunity to see what’s happening beyond what we know! Doesn’t that excite you?”
Dani shook his head no. “I was excited at trying something all to myself. Not my father, no! Just me. I want to put my stamp on a place.”
“Yeah, but admittedly, is this the place? I mean sure it has potential for some gnarly surfing, bra!” Max laughed and ruffled Dani a bit.
“Did you just call me a bra, like for the boobies?” Dani asked confused.
Max couldn’t stop himself from laughing at Dani’s misunderstanding. “No, principito, it’s slang for brother.”
“How you surfer people come up with the slang is…loco,” Dani teased back before becoming serious again. “But seriously Maxwell, I still have people coming next week, and employees expecting a check.”
“Well, I was the CO of Triton Seabase and I still know plenty of people in Golden Towers with very nice accommodations. I’ll pull some strings. As for the employees, you’ll just have to write them and explain that Starfleet has resumed ownership of the property and wants it vacated immediately. You apologize for the short notice, but the trial employment and paychecks have been cancelled.”
“When you say it like that, it doesn’t sound so bad.” Dani scratched his head. “I’m already not getting responses from two of the seven.”
“Are you still mad?” Max asked quietly.
“No.”
“At me?” he asked with a sense of hope.
“No.”
“Do you want to have sex in every bed in this house tonight?” Max asked in a seductive voice.
Dani turned to face his one time boyfriend. His skeptical face turned mischievous. “Yes. In every bed. Maybe even a few other places.”
Max smiled and ran the back of his hand against Dani’s strong jawline, a very sensual motion. He move his face closer, craning his neck until their foreheads were touching. Dani turned slightly to make it more pressing his open mouth against Max’s.
“Do you want to come to Kaitos?” Max asked, even more hopefully. “We’ll be back this way in six months, if you don’t like the trip or the starship.”
Dani nodded. “I have nothing here. I think my heart would hurt if you left and I couldn’t see you. I’m estúpido for loving you so much, but I don’t think I was ever mad at you. Just that there was another purpose, to help Dan. Now, I don’t need to do that.”
“The old codger got himself a family,” Max said. “It’s what he needed to happen and I’m glad his son finally stepped up, even if it means he’s kicking me out of my former command.
“Maybe it’s a triple win because the Romulans got what they wanted too.”
“Maybe,” Dani answered. “But enough about that. We’ve got what we want, which is each other. I heard something about every room in the house?”
Max’s face went from serious, to amused, to mischievous. “Well,” he responded. His hand slipped under Dani’s shirt as he pulled it up over his head and once freed, Dani kissed him again. “This couch is quite comfortable and seems a good place to start.”
RSS Feed