Telling stories requires trust

Posted on Sat Sep 13th, 2025 @ 4:33am by Sergeant Benjamin "Ben" Hall & Staff Sergeant Decker

990 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: A New Dawn
Location: Deep Space Nine

During the last year of the war, Decker had become disillusioned with Starfleet. This was after his entire unit was wiped out due to faulty intelligence, and Decker spent the remaining few months recovering from his wounds. And, during that time, there were no apologies for the op going bad, or how it killed almost an entire special forces unit.

During his rehab, he had met a man named Vedrum. At the time, Decker was familiar with the name but knew very little about him beyond his involvement in some of the most significant events of the war. After several months of talking and the dust settling, Decker was medically discharged and was left to figure out the rest of his life.

Again this is where Vedrum came into the picture, he had invited Decker to spend some time at his house on one of the DMZ colonies, and like they did during his rehab they talked, and that finally led to Decker joining the Maquis, but not the Maquis during and before the war, but a different one, the one that was trying to form right now.

....

Sipping on a cup of Bajoran sweet tea at one of the many cafés on the promenade, his eyes searching the crowd, not looking for anyone in particular, just scanning, something that he would never be able to turn off.

A moment later, a Xenexian man with taut gray eyes and an air of quiet intensity approached him. Not many who saw him recognized him for what he was, as he mainly appeared human; few Xenexians leave their world. "Mind some company?" he asked Decker.

Decker looked up as he heard the voice and smiled, "Not for your skinny ass," he said with a chuckle as he stood and held his hand out for the man.

There was a time when Ben, as a Xenexian fresh off the Xenex homeworld, would have taken it literally. Now, years later, with a calm, measured pause, he grabbed the back of the offered chair and sat down. One hand nearly pressed on a leg, his head tilted slightly. "My skinny ass? Don’t worry, Decker. I'll try not to outshine your massive ego...just this once."

The former MACO chuckled, looking around. It was weird to be back on the station, a station that he had called home for a little bit. "How have you been? It has been a while." Decker was one of the few Maquis who bounced between cells, helping with ops that needed surgical precision.

Ben finally cracked a small smile and nodded as Decker finished talking, still keeping his eyes on him. "I'm alright," he said casually, "when not feeling on edge. Now that the war's over. You?"

As an operator, or in reality a former operator times of peace was not great, as their training, and then every waking minute after that training was spent in a heightened state of alertness, and combat readiness. "I am good, feeling a bit loss without any ops that need to be done, but," he started but left it hanging.

Ben's brows furrowed slightly as he sadly nodded. "Word is, you're joining us on the Ada Lovelace.

Decker took another sip of his drink, "sounds like it, is Aleshanee still piloting her," he asked remembering her fondly, and her skills as a pilot.

That caused Ben to smile widely, probably for the first time in a while, as he chuckled inwardly with the knowledge that the other man didn't know... "Yeaahh...", he drew out, building suspense, "and no."

Decker was now the one that was confused before a worried look came over his face, "....she isn't wounded, is she?" Decker asked, knowing that it was possible, hell the missions they used to run it was a surprise that there was as many as there was that survived the war.

Ben shook his head, "No," feeling like an asshole, which he knew he could be. Hell, as a Xenexian, it was part of who he was; so he believed. "She's the Captain now; one who still likes to pilot." He tilted his head downwards, locking Decker's gaze with his eyes, "Okay? I didn't mean to scare you?"

Decker took a second, "....yeah I am good, there is only a few people that....yeah, I am glad nothing bad happened, and that she is commanding. always knew she had it in her," Decker said nodding to the waitress for another round, "and she still is piloting, have you heard any of her stories when she was a pilot," he asked with a grin on his face.

Ben nodded slowly, his voice even. "She has a calm about her—driven, but steady. Focus comes and goes, but she’s always in control when it counts." His expression softened as he looked at Decker, a small smile there. "I have been serving on her ship for a while now. Not much, I would say publicly, but I know she still flies herself, still leads."

He paused briefly, leaning back, then added, "I have heard a few stories of hers—had the feeling she wouldn't just tell anyone." His smile grew, pleased with that fact.

"No, definitely not, but if you have gotten a few stories, you are truly a part of her crew," Decker said with a smile, as he also gave the waitress a nod after their new drinks were delivered.

Suddenly, Ben looked thoughtful. "It’s going to be good working with you again, Decker," he said after a moment, "smartass comments and all."

Decker just chuckled and nodded, "Same here, brother, same here," he added, holding up his drink for a toast.

"Just don’t get yourself into too much trouble," Ben responded with a smirk, raising his drink as well, and they carefully clinked their cups together, feeling the weight of old camaraderie and whatever the future held.

 

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