Nice of You to Join Us

Posted on Wed Jun 4th, 2025 @ 12:08am by Sakura Meng & Lieutenant Noah Clarke
Edited on on Wed Jun 4th, 2025 @ 12:08am

1,064 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Resistance is Necessary
Location: Deck 7: Corridor

Sakura Meng was walking down the corridor It had been a few days since her conversation with Assistant Chief Engineer. For whatever reason, he had chosen to be petty, then to actually give her a chance to work her magic down in engineering. For people who was supposed to be the Federations military, they sure as hell was extremely emotional. Out of nowhere, she suddenly found herself spotting a familiar face. It was someone that she hadn't cross paths with in the past few years. "Noah Clarke," she called out.

Clarke's eyebrows raised in mild surprise as he walked down the corridor toward his newly assigned quarters. It was a woman's voice, one that he had known very well a few years back. Turning around, he instantly saw the face to match. The edges of his lips curled upward into a smile as he walked slowly toward her. "Sakura Meng... What a surprise. I had no idea you had left Utopia Planetia and gone back into fleet service." He tried stretching his uniform, the dull lower back ache again making itself known. If only Starfleet had chosen something more comfortable to wear...

"Never was I in Starfleet just worked on a starship and space station when married to my ex-husband," Sakura corrected. "I was still on Utopia with my daughters when the Borg attacked. We waited for the Jane Addams and came on board. The First Officer Jason Reeves is my ex."

“Well, I'm glad you all made it out safely.” The words hung in the air, the unspoken casualties filling the spaces in between words. Clarke hadn't had time to review the senior staff roster, having just come aboard himself. “Hopefully the XO will be able to help you and the girls find a refuge, although considering the foe we face, that might be a dream, at this point.” The new reality of the situation was one that started with shock and surprise but slowly was becoming a natural, if horrific, reality easily remembered.

"Grateful to be among the lucky ones. The last few days, I feel useless sitting around here with nothing to do. I'm engineer not being used on a ship in need of repair."

Clarke's tone indicated a determined resolve regarding their new nemesis. “I doubt your skills will be unused for long. We're going to need everyone possible to have any chance against the Borg. Maybe you'll be assigned to this ship, or another one. There's never too many engineers, ya know?”

"I offered my services to the Assistant Chief Engineer," she responded. "But not really sure he is too keen on having civilians working in his department."

The mention of a different engineering department suddenly reminded him of the fresh horror of losing almost everyone in his section aboard the Archimedes. Tragedy had a way of making one feel quite alone. Clarke knew that he was fortunate to be alive at all and had made a silent vow to the lost that he would do everything possible to avenge their deaths. Everything was changing rapidly. He didn't have time to process the loss before immediately thinking of his next assignment. “I'm sure we will all be asked to pitch in where we can, even if it's outside our comfort zone. This ship would be fortunate to have you, Sakura.”

Noticing the look on this face, she realized that her problems were so irrelevant for someone who just lost his entire crew. She lost her place of work and likely her own parents on Earth. But she and her children were safe for the time being. And oddly enough, it felt good being in the same place as Jason. "How are you handling everything? Have you heard anything from your own family?"

Noah's eyes drifted to the deck for a moment. He hadn't had time to consider his parents. They definitely weren't in the Sol system but he had been busy with work and hadn't had a conversation with them for a few months at this point. A small sigh escaped his lips. “My parents aren't near Earth but I don't know for sure where they are.” He considered the possibility that they were most likely alive and that brought a tiny light back to his blue eyes. “Maybe once we regroup with other Starfleet assets I'll make inquiries to see where they are.”

"That's a positive to a grim time," Meng replied. "So what were you all doing out here anyways?"

Noah folded his arms and leaned against the bulkhead, a long sigh escaping his mouth while he collected his thoughts. “We were cataloging gaseous anomalies in the sector, just minding our own business. Out of nowhere, the cube dropped out of warp. I was in main engineering but the entire encounter deteriorated rapidly. We were no match for their power.” The faces of the lost brushed through his mind. It was still surreal to tell himself that they were dead. Here, then gone.

Sakura thought about the information that was just given to her. "The Borg attacked you all before heading to Earth?"

"The Archimedes must have just been in their path," he said, musing. "Sensors didn't detect them until it was too late. Quite impressive, considering the ship size." His engineering mind drifted to contemplating the sheer mechanics involved in making a ship with that amount of mass move and do what it could do.

"That took out several satellites, so know one at this moment is aware of where they came. But what you just mentioned definitely gives Starfleet a direction."

Clarke let out a silent breath as he contemplated the possibility that the destruction of his ship might somehow aid Starfleet, even if it were just in the faintest way. His thoughts returned to the horror, the people he knew and respected, simply wiped out from existence. It all curled his lips into a frown as his eyes burned with a cold fury. “I should report to the first officer. Maybe I can be of some use in making them pay for all of this.”

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Jason would definitely welcome any details. Also, odds are that you will be running engineering. If you need my assistance, you know where to find me."

=================
Lieutenant Noah Clarke
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Jane Addams

Sakura Meng
Refugee
USS Jane Addams

 

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