A Call From Home

Posted on Tue Jul 10th, 2012 @ 7:36pm by Lieutenant Amanda Owens

Mission: Episode 1.0 - "Enduring Legacy"
Location: Lieutenant Owens' Quarters, USS Yorktown
Timeline: MD04, 0930

ON: [[Lieutenant Owens’ Quarters, USS Yorktown, Mission Day 04, 0930 Hours]]

Amy (NPC) didn’t like being embarrassed, especially in front of her superiors, and her mood hadn’t improved by the time she got back to her quarters. She debated staying in her room for the rest of the day, but knew that wouldn’t be helpful or productive. With some reluctance, she headed to take a shower…but came to an abrupt halt when she saw an indicator on her computer. Frowning, she crossed to the computer and sat down. Who would be calling her now? Adam was supposed to be out of touch for a few weeks yet, and though she had various friends that might contact her they weren’t the type to leave requests for a face-to-face communiqué. She keyed open the request, and immediately her heart sank at the name: Mary Owens.

“What do you want, mother?” Amy asked without preamble once the link had been established. She had briefly entertained the idea of ignoring her mother’s request, but despite the enmity between them they were still family.

“Well, that’s not a very nice way to greet your mother,” Mary said disapprovingly. “Can’t I just call to congratulate my daughter on her new assignment?”

“Oh, is it that time again?” Amy asked sarcastically. The two women rarely spoke (or communicated in any way, really), and when they did their conversation invariably turned to the topics that most divided them. In fact, Amy had always had a suspicion that her mother only contacted her to nag about those very subjects.

“Now, now, dear,” Mary said, her disapproval as clear and strong as ever. “Is that any way to treat your mother?”

Look who’s talking, Amy thought sourly, but then she sighed. She shouldn’t be taking out her frustrations on her mother, regardless of why she had called. “I’m sorry,” Amy apologized. “I’ve had a bit of a rough morning.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, dear,” Mary said, and Amy was surprised to hear a note of genuine sincerity in Mary’s voice. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“It’s nothing, really,” Amy said, shaking her head. “Just a Security drill that…didn’t go as expected.”

“Security drill?” Mary repeated. The disapproving tone was back, and Amy belatedly remembered the danger zone this topic was in. “I thought you were in Tactical, as if that were not bad enough. Why are you doing something as dangerous as Security?”

“Mom, I’m the Assistant Chief of Security and Tactical,” Amy explained. “I have to be able to oversee both. I won’t usually be leading them; Lieutenant Commander Thompson will be handling that.”

“Yes, Thompson…” Mary said musingly. “Joe, is it? I’ve heard he’s quite the fine officer.”

“You read his files?” Amy asked, her eyes widening in horror. This can’t be going anywhere good, she thought.

“Relax, Amy,” Mary said dismissively. “It’s all public record. Anyway, have you had a chance to meet him?”

“Of course,” Amy said, her brow creasing slightly. “I just told you, we had a training session.”

Mary sighed dramatically. “You know that’s not what I mean,” she said pointedly. “You should ask him –”

“Mother, he’s married!” Amy said exasperatedly, choosing not to address the real reason since she knew where her mother stood on that issue.

“Oh, fine,” Mary said resignedly. “I just worry about you, Amy.”

“You mean you worry there will be another Caitlyn,” Amy said bitterly, the high school memories still fresh in her mind after all these years. At the mention of Amy’s old girlfriend, though, Mary’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m looking out for your best interest, Amanda,” Mary said coldly. “Since you don’t seem to be able to.” Normally, Mary’s harsh judgment of her daughter’s lifestyle would leave Amy feeling angry and argumentative, but after the strenuous training session Amy just didn’t have it in herself to get into a heated argument with her mother.

“Look, Mom, we’ve already had this discussion,” Amy said tiredly. “Just give it a rest, will you? I’m an adult and I can make my own decisions.”

“Well, your decisions are going to lead you to a bad end!” Mary said haughtily. “I don’t know why I bother calling you when you act like this every time I do. Enjoy your new assignment!” And just like that – just like always, in fact – Mary had signed off and left Amy facing a blank screen.

A few choice comments chased their way around Amy’s mind, but it was too late to use them so she slid away from her computer and stood with a sigh. An embarrassing training session, a fight with her mother…and it wasn’t even ten o’clock. Amy rubbed her temples. It looked like she was in for a long day.

OFF

A Post By:

Lieutenant Amanda Owens (NPC)
Assistant Chief Sec/Tac Officer

Played By

Lieutenant Commander Joseph Thompson
Chief Sec/Tac Officer