New Friends [Backpost]

Posted on 18 Nov 2016 @ 3:50am by Lieutenant JG Catherine Cooper & Lieutenant Jarith Roshe

1,568 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Click Three Times
Location: Tactical Office
Timeline: MD 7

Cooper stood in her new office, having taken a few minutes of her down time earlier to hurriedly pack up her previous office to make room for Lt. Corwin. Since power was still out and everyone was still busy her items still sat in boxes in a corner of her old security office. And since then she'd been on the move so there was no need for an office. Things were finally proceeding well with the repairs on weapons and since she'd been down here it was just as easy to work from her new office as it was anywhere else.

She stood looking at the remains of a life. Pictures of a somber looking family were on the desk, a vulcan lute was in one corner. Other bits and pieces, ghosts of the life of the previous Tactical Assistant Chief, Lieutenant Junior Grade T'Vok. She walked in and sat in the chair of the pristine office, placing the PADD on the desk. With all that had been going on no one had time for little things like packing up offices. Cooper remembered T'Vok, the woman had a sense of subtle humor so dry deserts had nothing on it. "Frackin Consortium..." She muttered annoyed and angry. She pulled the PADD toward her and focused her considerable energy on work, tuning out her surroundings. Gently pushing memory aside to focus intently.

Lieutenant Jarith Roshe was scouring the corridors of the Black Hawk with some hot instant coffee and chocolate bars on a tray to help cheer up the crew a little. He was headed for the Assistant Chief Tactical Officer's office when he sensed something he wasn't expecting from a Vulcan...emotions. This was a human female and not a Vulcan one. The door was ajar and the chime didn't work, so he stood framed inside the doorway and cleared his throat.

Cooper looked up and was surprised by the sight of a smiling man holding a tray of coffee and chocolate bars. Still surprised and focused on the reports on the PADD her brain autopiloted a joke, "Well if I knew wishes were coming true I'd of tried harder to come up with something even better...."

Jarith smiled at the young woman. "I am Lieutenant Roshe, a member of the Counseling Staff as well as the Diplomatic Core. I have instant hot coffee, some powdered cream, sugar and bars of chocolate. I know the chocolate is not as nutritious as the meal ration bars, but sometimes you need something like chocolate to soothe the soul. There is one bar of dark chocolate from my private stash if you want it." He then offered her the tray resplendent with the items he described for her to select what she wanted.

He could sense she was tired although he did not need to be Betazoid to notice that. It was there in her eyes as well as written all over face. They were all tired.

It took Cooper a moment, her famous mental database taking a bit longer to place name with face than normal. Then it clicked and she stood with a kind smile, taking one of the chocolate bars, "You are a saint among men you are, no coffee though I've reached my quota. I drink too much and it puts me to sleep..." She said leaning against the desk, "Lt. jg Cooper, Assistant Chief of the Big Boom. Pleasure..." she said with her ever ready smile that covered much.

Jarith smiled. He could sense that the previous day or so weighed heavily on her mind, but he would not comment on it for now. "I see you took the milk chocolate," said he. "Are you sure about the coffee?" He took a cup of it for himself and, after putting some of the powdered cream in it, took a sip.

"All chocolate is my friend, but yeah I'm sure. My body chemistry is just weird enough so I can't have too much caffeine...strictly speaking I know chocolate has it but its less so I figure I can eat more of it..." She smiled slightly and shifted her head, catching sight of one of the previous occupants family photos and couldn't stop a brief frown from occurring even as she tried to direct her attention to her visitor.

Jarith sensed her discomfort. The Counselor in him stepped in. "Are you all right? Perhaps, you need someone to talk to. Remember, I am a certified Counselor and before you say no, I lost someone very close to me recently. It was Jarveth Adan." He couldn't help but allow a tear stream down his right cheek. He swiped it away as quickly as possible.

Cooper had already opened her mouth for the canned answer of not needing a counselor when he continued about Jarveth. She snapped her mouth shut and took a moment, "You knew him well?" She managed finally and pulled out a bandana from a pocket and offering it to him, making as though to take the tray.

Jarith sighed and accepted the proffered bandana. He wiped away the tears. Said he, "He was...Imzadi. I only got to know him in the six short days I had been aboard the Black Hawk. You were his friend and very special to him. He spoke of you often."

Cooper looked surprised, "You're 'J'? he mentioned you but with everything that was going on we never got to go in depth. He said he was seeing someone, just called you J." She immediately saw the kind of grief he had, it was the one wherein ones mate grieved for the one lost. A unique one all its own and Cooper was moved to hug him briefly, after carefully putting the try on her new desk. "You seemed to make him happy as well, not that it was easy to tell since he was usually happy but I think it was there.." She finally said as they stood near each other.


"Thanks," spoke Jarith softly. "I am J. He called me that instead of Jarith. He was quite an individual."

Catherine smiled and leaned on her desk, "He was interesting. He could say the most outrageous things and have it seem logical for him. You remember the story of the Orion, Klingon and that human civilian security guard?" She laughed, "Well that's certainly a creative way to get out of the drunk tank, I did not know you could do that with melon..." She looked both concerned and impressed.

In spite of himself, Jarith laughed. "According to Jarveth, you could do that and more with a melon. Ha ha ha! To hear him speak Klingon...Boy that was hot. No wonder he made friends all across the galaxy. Maybe we could make fast friends as well. I rather like you as one."

Cat laughed, "You move like him with out brakes..." Then she paused as though something just occured to her, "I wonder if I sound that way to others..." She made a mental note to consider further as she smiled, "That sounds fine..." She said offering her hand, "But only if you know this reference, 'This is the start of a beautiful friendship...'" She said jokingly.

Jarith accepted the proffered hand and shook it vigorously. Said he, "I'm afraid the reference escapes me at the moment although I do recognize it as Human. Jarveth really liked Human things like murder mysteries and coffee. In fact, I inherited his holo novels. Ever hear of either Agatha Christie or Martha Grimes? Jarveth and I did Inspector Jury and Melrose Plant in Grimes's A Man With a Load of Mischief. I was Melrose, of course."

"So do I, love them as a matter of fact, we used to go the holodeck...." She laughed despite herself, "One time he even insisted he'd be the main detective even though we were doing a Ms. Marple episode...I must say he looked good in a flowered dress." She fondness and laughter in her voice, something that had been missing way too long.

"I can just imagine Miss Marple with Trill spots." He laughed so heartily that tears of joy streamed down his cheeks. "That felt good. After all this time, I needed that. Thanks!"

"He was a good friend and deserves to be remembered. Perhaps from time to time we could hang out and I can finally show you Casablanca one of the best classic earth movies of all time." She smiled, it had felt a long time since she had done so.

Jarith repeated, "Casablanca? Isn't that Spanish for white house? I have never seen it and am curious to see what you think is the best Humans have to offer."

"What I think, no no no my new friend, it's what the universe thinks and if things ever settle we will watch it in Jarveth's honor." She said and for the first time it didn't ache quite so much.

Jarith smiled. "Thanks. I think I would like that."

He picked up the tray with coffee, cups, hot water and chocolate off the desk. "I better get back to the troops. They're need for a little relaxation is para mount."

Cooper nodded with a knowing sigh, "And it's back to work I go, see you around Jay..." She smiled then after he left she turned back to her work with a renewed determination.

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