A Matter of Honor

Posted on Mon Jan 14th, 2019 @ 1:26am by Commander Rita Paris & Baroness 2nd Class Schwein von Alcott

Mission: Section 31-B
Location: USS Hera, Deck 8, VIP quarters #11
Timeline: 2396

During the course of her long and varied Starfleet career, Commander Rita Paris had seen bravery, sacrifice and had reinforced to her the nobility of so many of her shipmates, many of whom had died in the line of duty for the sake of others, to insure success of the mission, to prevent a great cataclysm. So watching the Baroness von Alcott take a knife to the belly then be nearly disemboweled for her efforts was not that far outside her experience, and didn’t overly shock her.

But Paris was an officer and a lady, and raised and steeped as she was in old-school Starfleet values, she understood that duty and sacrifice, while part of the job, also had to be recognized. Thus she had come to the quarters of the piratical adjutant to Captain Telvan, a bodyguard of sorts who has sworn her fealty to Enalia Telven back when she was Enalia Artan, and she had rescued a genetically augmented super soldier from a breeding facility on a distant moon.

Traditionally a gift would be called for, but Rita owned very little on the Starship Hera, and what she could lay her hands on was all the Captain’s goods and property to which the Baroness had the same access. So a gift was off the table, but a visit to the convalescing hero of the Battle of Asmodeus was not only called for, it was mandated by the personal code of the withered branch of the Paris family.

Arriving at the VIP quarters in which the cheerful pirate resided, Rita tabbed the door chime and waited, imagining the silver-haired soldier grumbling on the other side.

Answering the door herself manually, Shwein grinned brightly at Rita. "Commander Paris! Please, come in." While normally dressed in finery, lately, the Baroness von Alcott had been wearing simpler clothing that was easy to get in and out of and today was no different. She was wearing a simple grey jumpsuit with a jacket draped over her shoulders for warmth. In one had was a glass of some sort of golden beverage. "You caught me at a good time. I was actually in my room rather than on my ship. What can I do for you?"

Greeting the surprisingly social pirate, Rita grinned back. “I came to check up on you. Given the nature and extent of your injuries, as mission commander I owe you at least a check-up and to extend the thanks of a grateful universe that will not live under the heel of a demon lord. Even if no one will ever know we were there, what we did or how your bravery saved the day. You keep a ship on board?”

"I do," Schwein headed back to a well worn comfy chair and motioned for Rita to join her for a drink of the bottle of sparkling apple juice that was sitting open on the coffee table. "Please, help yourself. I keep the Fluffernuttenfaust in thee... ah... Secret third shuttle bay. On deck 23. Do you not know about it?"

“Nope,” Rita admitted freely as she took the offered seat. “On a ship of secrets, I suspect the captain forgets what I know and what I don’t. So a lot of little details like a secret first, second or third shuttle bay tend to not come up until they’re relevant.” There was no acrimony nor accusation- Rita wasn’t the passive-aggressive type, and there were so many secrets on the Hera, she genuinely believed that the Captain just assumed Rita know what she knew and her first officer’s ignorance was not due to malice but simple oversight.

Being the type that asked a lot of questions paid off in her particular assignment.

“But more to the point, I came to check up on you. I read Doc Dael’s report on your injuries, and they were severe enough to be mortal if not for your hearty constitution, stubborn will to live and some very fancy medical work on the part of Sickbay. That was a hell of a thing you did, Baroness,” Paris added, watching the soldier for her reactions.

Looking down at the glass of apple juice she held, Schwein grew somber. "No, I was just doing what I thought best in the moment. I knew that I couldn't let it cut Sonak or Asa and between you and me, I had the only hope of surviving the midget stabbing me... So, I got in her way."

“What you did was damned heroic, and don’t downplay it. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, but greater love hath no one that they lay down their lives for another. You were willing to be killed and you took that risk. I’ve seen a lot of things in my lifetime, and that was selfless and brave, Baroness. On behalf of the galaxy, I thank you for your bravery, courage and intestinal fortitude.” Paris couldn’t help but smile a bit at the last sentence, as her father had always used the phrase instead of ‘guts’, but in this case it was very fitting. “Like it or not, you’re a hero.”

"I just did my duty for the princess." Downing the rest of her juice, she grabbed the bottle and refilled her glass, offering Rita a glass as well. "Doc says to keep my pipes clean. I don't think they've been cleaner. As for that little trip we took to the black market auction... Please don't tell the Doctor, but I aggravated my injuries on that trip. It's a good thing I'm a field medic..."

Sighing, Paris rose and regarded the courageous corsair. “You can deflect all you like, von Alcott, but I know a hero when I see one. I won’t rat you out to the doc, but… you were one of the first friends I made on this boat. You said ‘fleeters tend not to care for you, but I was born in Starfleet and I’ve been in it in some form or another all my life. They don’t come more old-school Starfleet than me.”

“I like you, I respect you, and you’re my shipmate. I’d wrestle a mugatu for you, lady. So when you refuse to acknowledge your own heroism, it pisses me off. Because I know far lesser officers who have done far less and taken far more credit for it. I hate to see someone who can’t accept the nobility of their own actions.” Turning to leave, Paris called over her shoulder, “You’re one of the good ones, Baroness… no matter how hard you might work to deny it.”

Schwein sighed heavily. "I just don't like all the attention, is all. The pirate culture is to blow it out of proportion and make mountains out of molehills. One of the reasons I came on this ship was to get away from all that. At the end of the day though... I'm just tired and hurting. You're one of the only friends I really have, you know? You, the Princess, Magnus, now Melanie... Maybe a couple of the other Baronesses... Thank you. Thank you for making sure me nearly dying wasn't in vain. Thank you for making sure I made it back. Thank you for being here for me." There was something else Schwein wasn't saying, but she wasn't sure she had the strength to ever say it.

The Starfleet siren paused before the door, then spoke, not turning around but speaking to the side. "You're welcome, Baroness. This ain't a room full of drunk pirates, just you and me."

Turning, the lost navigator addressed the starfaring scalawag. "I was there, I saw what you did, I recognized it for what it was and somebody had to thank you on behalf of the rest of the galaxy. It's the right thing to do... a matter of honor, I guess you could say. I'll bet you have more friends than you know, privateer."

Stepping back into the room Rita Paris approached the starship Hera's resident supersoldier, with a wistful smile on her face. "No matter how far I go and how far I travel, I'll never forget you, Baroness Schwein von Alcott. You have the gentlest of souls with the strongest of convictions. Someday I will tell my children bedtime stories of you- I sincerely hope they get to know you."

"It's good for kids to know legendary heroes..."



Once the anachronistic adventurer had delicately hugged her friend and reassured herself that the platinum-tressed pirate would be all right, Paris went on her way to tend to the mighty starship. Alone in her quarters once again, The Baroness von Alcott was not alone at all.

"You have good friends," said the short, pale woman dressed head to toe in black, perched on Schwein's couch.

Schwein chuckled softly. "Yeah, and she's one of the best."

Grinning widely, the embodiment of Death chuckled as well. "You should still get some counseling, you know. PTSD is serious."

Finishing her sparkling apple juice, Schwein rolled her eyes. "Since no one else can see you, I probably should. Probably leftover trauma or something." Standing with a pained grunt, she slowly headed off into the bedroom.

"You know I'm real," Death replied, following her charge.

With that, Schwein flopped on the bed as gently as she could and pulled a blanket over her. "Go bother some other half dead hero..."

"I would if I could..."