ON: [[Sheboygan North High School, Earth, February, 2381]]
Aaron stuffed his street clothes into his bag and zipped it shut. It was the last meet of the season and the Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team had enjoyed a very good season. As always, the time and effort they had put in during practice really showed. Overall, they had some very strong swimmers this year at all levels, and Coach Johnson was telling anyone who would listen that this was the best teams he’d ever had.
As the only senior on the team and one of the team captains, Aaron had seen how the younger swimmers had grown over the season. How you started the season didn’t matter as much as how you finished it. Now it was down to the last meet of the season; time to see whether or they had grown, individually and as a team.
Aaron rose to his feet and slipped the strap of his bag over his shoulder. Slowly, he started for the door to the pool, checking each row of lockers for stragglers as he went past. “Hey Aaron, are you coming,” the voice of Mike echoed through the locker room. Aaron could hear the sound of people talking and swimmers warming up in the water already, knowing that Mike had the pool door open. Mike was one of the other team captains and a junior at Lincoln High School. He and Aaron had been on the team together since Mike had joined six years ago. It wasn’t really all that much of a surprise when they were both elected by their teammates to be team captains.
“Yeah, I’m coming,” Aaron replied.
“Took you long enough,” Mike said with a grin, holding the door open and standing to one side so that Aaron could come out of the locker room. There was quite a crowd at the pool, creating an almost din of noise in the pool area. As Mike and Aaron walked around the pool to where the rest of the team was keeping their stuff, Aaron saw his mother sitting in the stands. Thankfully, she knew better than to jump up and down, shouting his name like some of the other parents. He smiled and gave her a half wave to show that he had seen her before looking for a place to set down his stuff.
“Masterson,” Coach Johnson called, approaching them with a clipboard in hand. He was a firm man, but he knew just how much fun to let his swimmers have, which made him a great coach.
“Coach,” Aaron replied, fishing his goggles out of his bag and draping his towel across the bench.
“I’ve got you down for the usual,” he said, checking the list on his clipboard, “50 Free, 100 Free.”
“Sounds like a plan, coach,” Aaron said with a smile as he put his goggles on. Together, he and Mike headed for one of the lanes designated for the Manitowoc team to warm up in. “Come on guys, nice and easy…get used to the water,” Aaron called to his teammates in the water. Reaching the edge of the pool, Aaron stepped feet first into the water, dropping to the bottom only three feet below the surface. The water was refreshingly cool and Aaron started down the lane with a comfortable free-style stroke. Sometimes, the newer team members would complain about the water temperature, but Aaron knew that the colder water temperature was better for racing, to a point. Having grown up on the lake, he also knew that swimming in water that was too cold could be dangerous or even deadly.
“Alright folks, out of the water,” Coach Johnson called after what seemed like only a few moments. Aaron reached the wall and stood up so that his head was out of the water. He grasped the edge of the pool and lifted himself out so that he was sitting on the side. Getting to his feet, Aaron went over to where the coach was marshalling the team. Aaron grabbed his towel and dried himself off a little before slipping into his warm-up jacket.
“You all know the line-up,” the coach was saying, “We’ve had a really good season so far and I’d like to see us go out on a strong note…but…the only thing that matters is that you do your best. No one can ask any more of you than that. Captains?”
“You heard coach,” Aaron said, “doesn’t matter if we win. We’ve all had a great season and no matter what happens today, we’ll still have that.”
“It’s true, we’ve all had a great season,” Mike picked up, “and today’s our last meet…but it’s Aaron’s last meet with us ever. He thinks he can graduate and go off to Starfleet…” A few of the team members chuckled a little, but Mike kept going, “Aaron’s always been there for us, so let’s make this a meet to remember. We’re going to miss you buddy…” Mike sidled up to Aaron and gave him a side hug.
“I’m not gone yet,” Aaron said with a serious smile, “Let’s do this.”
As the first racers headed off to their starting positions, Aaron and Mike led the rest of the team to the opposite end of the pool, taking up their usual positions at the end of the lanes their team would be swimming on. No matter where they swam or what event it was, anyone not participating in that race or the one right after it would gather at the end of the lanes to cheer on their teammates. Aaron glanced over at Mike and smiled as the swimmers mounted the starting blocks. He could already feel the thrill of the meet and the anticipation of the starting signal.
The buzzer sounded and Aaron saw the swimmer in his lane enter the water. He joined in with his fellow teammates, cheering on their racer. “You can do it,” Aaron shouted, “Let’s go…almost there! Come on! You’re doing good! Keep it up!” Water splashed up around them as the swimmer performed a well-executed flip turn and started back for the other end of the pool. Cheers continued to sound from the crowd as both teams kept up their encouraging support of their competing teammates.
All too soon, it was time for Aaron to get ready for his first event, the fifty-yard freestyle. Shedding his warm-up jacket, Aaron grabbed his goggles and walked toward the starting blocks. As he passed in front of the crowd, he heard several of the Manitowoc parents cheer. He just smiled and kept walking, keeping his focus entirely on the race ahead of him.
“Swimmers, take your marks,” the referee called. Aaron climbed up onto the starting block and slid his goggles over his eyes. Bending over, he grasped the edge of the block. He could feel his muscles tense up in anticipation of the buzzer that would signal the start to the race. Aaron took a deep breath and let it out, then repeated the exercise. Calm, cool, and focused was how he needed to be. The race was simple…just down and back. All he needed to do was to swim his best and he would have the race in the bag.
The buzzer sounded and Aaron dove off the block into the water. There was no one else in his mind except for himself. He did not see the swimmers to his right or his left, nor did he hear the cheers and shouts that filled the room. All that he was focused on was his stroke and his breathing.
Stroke…Breathe…Stroke…Breathe…
Aaron reached the far end of the pool and flipped around. Using his feet and legs like a spring, he pushed off and darted back toward the other end of the pool, never breaking his rhythm. Aaron pushed himself forward, blocking out all other stimuli. Each stroke reached forward for that final touch that would signal the end of the race. His hand hit the receiving pad and he finally lifted his head out of the water. Taking a few deep breaths, Aaron leaned on the edge of the pool and lifted his goggles from his eyes. He glanced up at the screen that showed the race times, allowing his eyes to skim the results until he found those for his own lane. The glowing red numbers read 21.48 seconds, earning him first place in the event. Slowly, the cheers of the crowd and the shouts of his teammates reached his ears and he smiled.
Gripping the edge of the pool, Aaron pushed himself out and got to his feet. He shook hands with the opposing team members around him, congratulating them on a well-swum race. “That was awesome,” Mike said when Aaron rejoined the team.
“I just did my best,” Aaron replied, though he couldn’t help but share in the enthusiasm that his fellow teammates had. The races went on and Aaron continued to join his teammates in supporting and encouraging those who were still competing. His second event, the one hundred yard freestyle, went almost as well as his first race had. At the end of the race, he took first again.
When the final count was in, the Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team took the meet, beating out Sheboygan. As the teams were headed back to the locker rooms, Aaron made sure to congratulate each of the Sheboygan players. Then the Manitowoc boys hit the showers, very pleased with their victory.
OFF
Mike (NPC)
Junior, Swim Team Captain
Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team
Coach Johnson (NPC)
Head Coach
Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team
Played by
Lieutenant JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Malinche
Teamwork is the Name of the Game - Aaron Masterson
Moderators: Tournneau, Korath, Kersare
Teamwork is the Name of the Game - Aaron Masterson
Lt. JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer & 2XO
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Teamwork is the Name of the Game - Aaron Masterson
ON: [[Sheboygan North High School, Earth, February 2381]]
The atmosphere in the locker room was full of excitement as the boys of the Manitowoc Youth Aquatics team celebrated their final victory of the season. Despite the bittersweet feelings Aaron had about this being his final meet of his final season, he couldn’t help but share in the enthusiasm that his fellow teammates were enjoying.
“You coming,” Mike asked, sticking his head around the end of the row of lockers.
“Yeah,” Aaron replied, looking down at the folded racing suit in his hands, “Just a minute.”
“Alright, but if you miss the bus, it isn’t my fault,” Mike said as he headed off. Aaron smiled, but still did not take his eyes off the suit in his hands. This was the end…no more practices, no more races. After this, he would graduate and be off to Starfleet Academy. Aaron already knew that there would be an aquatics team there, but it was still hard to believe that he was actually leaving Manitowoc Aquatics. With a sigh, he stuffed the suit into his bag and zipped the bag shut. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Aaron headed out of the locker room to meet the bus.
[[Manitowoc Aquatics Bus, Earth, February 2381]]
“Alright, alright,” Coach Johnson shouted above the noise as Aaron climbed onto the team’s bus. Cheers from the team drowned the coach out as Aaron took his usual seat at the front next to Mike. Coach Johnson relented for a few moments to give the team their fun, and then finally bellowed, “Enough!”
Slowly, the team quieted down and took their seats, though every one of them had a beaming smile on their face. “Do we have everyone,” the coach asked, taking a quick head count. Once he was sure they weren’t missing anyone, he nodded to the driver and the bus began to move. Coach Johnson surveyed the team, and then continued, “Well done. You all did your best and that’s all I ask for. We won our last meet of the season, gentlemen. Congratulations. However, I have some more good news…Aaron broke the previous team record for the fifty freestyle today.” At this, a second round of cheers erupted from the team and leaving them on that note, the coach turned and took his seat.
“Way to go, man,” Mike said, slapping Aaron on the back, “What a way to go out…on the top.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Aaron mused.
“Say, a few of us are going to Lakeview Park to celebrate…might even do a polar bear swim,” Mike said, “You should come.”
“I don’t know,” Aaron said, “I’ve got to work on my entrance forms for the Academy and there’s next weekend’s Forensics meet.”
“Aww…come on,” Mike pushed, “You can do that later. It’s time to celebrate! Your last meet and breaking the record and all…you know?”
Aaron shifted slightly in the seat, thinking. “I suppose I could come for a little bit,” Aaron relented, “but I’m not going swimming.”
“Alright, fine,” Mike said, holding his hands in the air as if to show he wasn’t hiding anything. The two young men laughed, but Aaron still wasn’t so sure that it would be such a good idea.
[[Lakeview Park, Manitowoc, February 2381]]
The wind whipped across the open water and onto the beach, blowing snow and sand around. A group of ten boys were running around the beach, playing an impromptu game of tag. Aaron and Mike stood a short distance away, watching the other goof around and laughing. Both of them were wearing winter jackets, bundled up tight against the wind so that they’d stay warm.
“So…a few months and you’re headed off to Starfleet,” Mike asked as they watched the others play.
“Yeah, I guess I am,” Aaron replied, “It still doesn’t feel like the end of senior year.”
“Well, you’re never one to get senioritis, are you,” Mike asked, shoving Aaron playfully.
“You guys coming,” someone called out across the beach. Mike looked over and grinned. With a final playful shove, he ran off toward the source of the voice, Aaron not that far behind. The others were already getting ready for their polar plunge by the time Mike and Aaron got there. Mike started stripping off his winter clothing down to his swimsuit while Aaron just stood and watched.
They all knew that Aaron didn’t do polar plunges. Aaron had spent enough time in the lake to know that it wasn’t worth the trouble. Besides, he liked being warm. Still, that didn’t keep a few of them from teasing him playfully as they stood there shivering. The objective was to see who could stay in the water the longest and one could never really be all that certain who would win the competition.
“Wanna call it,” Paul asked Aaron.
“Sure,” Aaron said, knowing that would guarantee that he wouldn’t be getting in the water. The eleven swimmers stood their shivering but with grins on their faces, waiting for the command to start. “On your marks,” Aaron said, “Get set! GO!” At the word “go”, the group dashed toward the crashing waves. As soon as they hit the freezing water, Aaron heard a number of them shriek and laugh. Within a few moments, some of them had given up and turned back, but four of them pressed on, Mike being the furthest out. Moments later, two more fell back and retreated to the beach, to their towels, and to their warm clothes, leaving Paul and Mike as the two final competitors.
Eventually, Paul turned back and came running onto the beach. They could all see Mike waving from the water. “Alright Mike, bring it in,” Aaron called, “You win!” Mike did not start swimming back.
“Okay, we get it,” Paul shouted, “You can come in now!” Still, Mike did not turn back. In fact, he seemed to be drifting with the swells, not quite moving all that much. The smile on Aaron’s face slowly faded as he started to realize that something might be wrong. With a sudden sense of urgency, he tore off his jacket and kicked his shoes into the sand. Peeling off his shirt, he ran toward the water and plunged into the icy lake.
Immediately, he felt his muscles seize up. The lake water was far colder than any pool he had ever been in. Breaking the surface, he gasped for breath and began swimming toward Mike. Just like a race, he told himself, Focus! The sounds of those shouting on shore faded away and Aaron almost didn’t feel the cold as he swam toward Mike as fast as he could. Slipping his arm under Mike’s right arm and across his chest, Aaron turned back toward the shore and started kicking as hard he could, but the added weight of his friend made it more difficult to gain distance. It seemed like he had been swimming for hours, although it had only been a few minutes.
Finally, he felt his feet hit the bottom and he dragged Mike up onto the shore and out of the water. Looking down, he was shocked to see that Mike’s lips were already turning blue and that he wasn’t breathing. “Somebody call for help,” Aaron barked, kneeling down next to his friend and checking for a pulse. Although he was shivering from the cold, Aaron did the only thing he could think of…he started CPR.
“Breathe…” Aaron pleaded with his friend as he continued chest compressions, “Breathe, Mike!” He paused to give Mike two rescue breaths before resuming the chest compressions. Paul had already gone to find help, but the others stood around silently, watching. Within a few minutes, rescue personnel had arrived.
“Alright, we’ve got him,” one of the EMT’s said as he and his partner slipped in to take over. Aaron tried to get to his feet, but stumbled backward slightly. Paul managed to catch him and toss his jacket around him.
“We’re going to need to move him,” the other EMT announced as the two of them lifted Mike onto a backboard. Together, the EMT’s carried Mike back toward the ambulance. Aaron did not seem to feel the cold and what the people were saying didn’t seem to quite make sense. He did not resist when the third EMT guided him toward the ambulance and helped him inside. His teammates watched silently as the ambulance raced off toward the hospital, not knowing what would happen.
OFF
Mike (NPC)
Junior, Swim Team Captain
Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team
Coach Johnson (NPC)
Head Coach
Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team
Paul (NPC)
Junior
Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team
Played by
Lieutenant JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Malinche
The atmosphere in the locker room was full of excitement as the boys of the Manitowoc Youth Aquatics team celebrated their final victory of the season. Despite the bittersweet feelings Aaron had about this being his final meet of his final season, he couldn’t help but share in the enthusiasm that his fellow teammates were enjoying.
“You coming,” Mike asked, sticking his head around the end of the row of lockers.
“Yeah,” Aaron replied, looking down at the folded racing suit in his hands, “Just a minute.”
“Alright, but if you miss the bus, it isn’t my fault,” Mike said as he headed off. Aaron smiled, but still did not take his eyes off the suit in his hands. This was the end…no more practices, no more races. After this, he would graduate and be off to Starfleet Academy. Aaron already knew that there would be an aquatics team there, but it was still hard to believe that he was actually leaving Manitowoc Aquatics. With a sigh, he stuffed the suit into his bag and zipped the bag shut. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Aaron headed out of the locker room to meet the bus.
[[Manitowoc Aquatics Bus, Earth, February 2381]]
“Alright, alright,” Coach Johnson shouted above the noise as Aaron climbed onto the team’s bus. Cheers from the team drowned the coach out as Aaron took his usual seat at the front next to Mike. Coach Johnson relented for a few moments to give the team their fun, and then finally bellowed, “Enough!”
Slowly, the team quieted down and took their seats, though every one of them had a beaming smile on their face. “Do we have everyone,” the coach asked, taking a quick head count. Once he was sure they weren’t missing anyone, he nodded to the driver and the bus began to move. Coach Johnson surveyed the team, and then continued, “Well done. You all did your best and that’s all I ask for. We won our last meet of the season, gentlemen. Congratulations. However, I have some more good news…Aaron broke the previous team record for the fifty freestyle today.” At this, a second round of cheers erupted from the team and leaving them on that note, the coach turned and took his seat.
“Way to go, man,” Mike said, slapping Aaron on the back, “What a way to go out…on the top.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Aaron mused.
“Say, a few of us are going to Lakeview Park to celebrate…might even do a polar bear swim,” Mike said, “You should come.”
“I don’t know,” Aaron said, “I’ve got to work on my entrance forms for the Academy and there’s next weekend’s Forensics meet.”
“Aww…come on,” Mike pushed, “You can do that later. It’s time to celebrate! Your last meet and breaking the record and all…you know?”
Aaron shifted slightly in the seat, thinking. “I suppose I could come for a little bit,” Aaron relented, “but I’m not going swimming.”
“Alright, fine,” Mike said, holding his hands in the air as if to show he wasn’t hiding anything. The two young men laughed, but Aaron still wasn’t so sure that it would be such a good idea.
[[Lakeview Park, Manitowoc, February 2381]]
The wind whipped across the open water and onto the beach, blowing snow and sand around. A group of ten boys were running around the beach, playing an impromptu game of tag. Aaron and Mike stood a short distance away, watching the other goof around and laughing. Both of them were wearing winter jackets, bundled up tight against the wind so that they’d stay warm.
“So…a few months and you’re headed off to Starfleet,” Mike asked as they watched the others play.
“Yeah, I guess I am,” Aaron replied, “It still doesn’t feel like the end of senior year.”
“Well, you’re never one to get senioritis, are you,” Mike asked, shoving Aaron playfully.
“You guys coming,” someone called out across the beach. Mike looked over and grinned. With a final playful shove, he ran off toward the source of the voice, Aaron not that far behind. The others were already getting ready for their polar plunge by the time Mike and Aaron got there. Mike started stripping off his winter clothing down to his swimsuit while Aaron just stood and watched.
They all knew that Aaron didn’t do polar plunges. Aaron had spent enough time in the lake to know that it wasn’t worth the trouble. Besides, he liked being warm. Still, that didn’t keep a few of them from teasing him playfully as they stood there shivering. The objective was to see who could stay in the water the longest and one could never really be all that certain who would win the competition.
“Wanna call it,” Paul asked Aaron.
“Sure,” Aaron said, knowing that would guarantee that he wouldn’t be getting in the water. The eleven swimmers stood their shivering but with grins on their faces, waiting for the command to start. “On your marks,” Aaron said, “Get set! GO!” At the word “go”, the group dashed toward the crashing waves. As soon as they hit the freezing water, Aaron heard a number of them shriek and laugh. Within a few moments, some of them had given up and turned back, but four of them pressed on, Mike being the furthest out. Moments later, two more fell back and retreated to the beach, to their towels, and to their warm clothes, leaving Paul and Mike as the two final competitors.
Eventually, Paul turned back and came running onto the beach. They could all see Mike waving from the water. “Alright Mike, bring it in,” Aaron called, “You win!” Mike did not start swimming back.
“Okay, we get it,” Paul shouted, “You can come in now!” Still, Mike did not turn back. In fact, he seemed to be drifting with the swells, not quite moving all that much. The smile on Aaron’s face slowly faded as he started to realize that something might be wrong. With a sudden sense of urgency, he tore off his jacket and kicked his shoes into the sand. Peeling off his shirt, he ran toward the water and plunged into the icy lake.
Immediately, he felt his muscles seize up. The lake water was far colder than any pool he had ever been in. Breaking the surface, he gasped for breath and began swimming toward Mike. Just like a race, he told himself, Focus! The sounds of those shouting on shore faded away and Aaron almost didn’t feel the cold as he swam toward Mike as fast as he could. Slipping his arm under Mike’s right arm and across his chest, Aaron turned back toward the shore and started kicking as hard he could, but the added weight of his friend made it more difficult to gain distance. It seemed like he had been swimming for hours, although it had only been a few minutes.
Finally, he felt his feet hit the bottom and he dragged Mike up onto the shore and out of the water. Looking down, he was shocked to see that Mike’s lips were already turning blue and that he wasn’t breathing. “Somebody call for help,” Aaron barked, kneeling down next to his friend and checking for a pulse. Although he was shivering from the cold, Aaron did the only thing he could think of…he started CPR.
“Breathe…” Aaron pleaded with his friend as he continued chest compressions, “Breathe, Mike!” He paused to give Mike two rescue breaths before resuming the chest compressions. Paul had already gone to find help, but the others stood around silently, watching. Within a few minutes, rescue personnel had arrived.
“Alright, we’ve got him,” one of the EMT’s said as he and his partner slipped in to take over. Aaron tried to get to his feet, but stumbled backward slightly. Paul managed to catch him and toss his jacket around him.
“We’re going to need to move him,” the other EMT announced as the two of them lifted Mike onto a backboard. Together, the EMT’s carried Mike back toward the ambulance. Aaron did not seem to feel the cold and what the people were saying didn’t seem to quite make sense. He did not resist when the third EMT guided him toward the ambulance and helped him inside. His teammates watched silently as the ambulance raced off toward the hospital, not knowing what would happen.
OFF
Mike (NPC)
Junior, Swim Team Captain
Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team
Coach Johnson (NPC)
Head Coach
Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team
Paul (NPC)
Junior
Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team
Played by
Lieutenant JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Malinche
Lt. JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer & 2XO
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Teamwork is the Name of the Game - Aaron Masterson
ON: [[Holy Family Memorial Medical Center, Manitowoc, February 2381]]
Aaron stared at the carpeting on the floor of the waiting room. As soon as they had gotten to the hospital, Mike had been whisked off somewhere. It had only taken the nurse a few moments to make sure that Aaron wasn’t suffering from exposure before he was discharged to the waiting room. Even though it had only been a few minutes since he had gotten out there, he still hadn’t heard anything about Mike’s condition.
“Aaron,” the voice of Virginia Masterson cried with relief. She sat down next to her son and put an arm around his shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll hear something soon,” she assured him, “You did the right thing and I am very proud of you.”
The minutes ticked by in slow, agonizing silence. Mike’s parents had arrived with Aaron’s and they now stood in the far corner of the waiting room, glancing nervously between the clock and the doors to the rest of the hospital, hoping that Mike would come walking out. Aaron kept thinking about the beach and what might have happened if he hadn’t been there. He had almost not gone to the park. Who would have saved Mike then? Did it even matter now?
No one spoke and few people moved as time continued to drag on for what seemed like an eternity. With each passing moment, the tension in the room continued to build. Aaron remained in his seat, staring at the floor, and willed Mike to pull through. They’d been friends since Aaron had been in fifth grade and there was no way he was going to let his best friend go down without a fight.
Finally, after nearly an hour, the doctor emerged and spoke briefly to the nurse at the desk. Aaron looked up when the doctor cleared his throat and saw that he had turned to address the people in the waiting room. “Mike is a very lucky young man,” the doctor said, looking toward Aaron, “lucky to have a friend like you. If it hadn’t been for you, we might have lost him. Mike is going to be just fine, but I’d like to keep him overnight for observation.”
“May we see him,” Mike’s mother asked hesitantly, as if she needed to see with her own eyes that her son would be alright.
“I don’t see why not,” the doctor replied.
Aaron really wanted to see how Mike was doing, but he wasn’t sure if it would be okay for him to visit before Mike’s parents. Instead, he waited in his seat, silently. Barely ten minutes had passed when the Keplers returned to the waiting room with relieved smiles on their faces. Turning to Aaron, Mrs. Kepler said, “He wants to see you.”
A little surprised, Aaron glanced back at his mother, who nodded reassuringly. He rose slowly to his feet and started for the double doors leading to the hallway. The doors hissed open to admit him and he continued down the corridor, not quite sure of where he was going, but letting his feet guide him. Aaron soon found himself outside the door to a double room, although there was only one occupant.
“Aaron,” Mike said with a smile, “Don’t just stand there, man, you comin’ in?” Hesitantly, Aaron entered the room and crossed over to the chair next to Mike’s biobed. If Aaron hadn’t known any better, he would have thought nothing had happened that afternoon, given how good Mike looked.
“They said they want to keep you overnight,” Aaron commented, “Doctor wants to observe you.”
“What can I say, people like watching the best,” Mike laughed, causing a small smile to tug at the corners of Aaron’s mouth. “Come on, man,” Mike continued, “You saved my life back there. You were awesome today!”
“What a day,” Aaron remarked.
“It certainly will be a day to remember,” Mike said with a wink, “I bet you won’t forget it either.”
“Yeah, well…when you get out of here, no more polar plunges,” Aaron chided.
Mike gave Aaron a sad, puppy face. “Please,” he begged.
“No,” Aaron remained firm, “Besides, you beat everyone by a long shot so I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” In the process, Mike had nearly died and that was something that Aaron was going to have a hard time forgetting, no matter how much Mike wanted to joke about it.
“Fine,” Mike grumbled, “but when I get out of here…” The two of them laughed. At least the incident hadn’t dampened Mike’s spirit. Aaron rubbed his hands across his knees nervously before getting to his feet.
“Well, I’ll see you at school Monday,” he said, starting for the door.
“Hey Aaron,” Mike called after him, causing Aaron to pause in the doorway, “Do you think you could smuggle me in some pizza or something? This hospital stuff is going to drive me nuts.”
“I’ll see what I can do, Mike,” Aaron replied, heading back out into the corridor. It had certainly been a day to remember, but not for the reasons everyone had hoped.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
OFF
Mike Kepler (NPC)
Junior
Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team
Played by
Lieutenant JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Malinche
Aaron stared at the carpeting on the floor of the waiting room. As soon as they had gotten to the hospital, Mike had been whisked off somewhere. It had only taken the nurse a few moments to make sure that Aaron wasn’t suffering from exposure before he was discharged to the waiting room. Even though it had only been a few minutes since he had gotten out there, he still hadn’t heard anything about Mike’s condition.
“Aaron,” the voice of Virginia Masterson cried with relief. She sat down next to her son and put an arm around his shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll hear something soon,” she assured him, “You did the right thing and I am very proud of you.”
The minutes ticked by in slow, agonizing silence. Mike’s parents had arrived with Aaron’s and they now stood in the far corner of the waiting room, glancing nervously between the clock and the doors to the rest of the hospital, hoping that Mike would come walking out. Aaron kept thinking about the beach and what might have happened if he hadn’t been there. He had almost not gone to the park. Who would have saved Mike then? Did it even matter now?
No one spoke and few people moved as time continued to drag on for what seemed like an eternity. With each passing moment, the tension in the room continued to build. Aaron remained in his seat, staring at the floor, and willed Mike to pull through. They’d been friends since Aaron had been in fifth grade and there was no way he was going to let his best friend go down without a fight.
Finally, after nearly an hour, the doctor emerged and spoke briefly to the nurse at the desk. Aaron looked up when the doctor cleared his throat and saw that he had turned to address the people in the waiting room. “Mike is a very lucky young man,” the doctor said, looking toward Aaron, “lucky to have a friend like you. If it hadn’t been for you, we might have lost him. Mike is going to be just fine, but I’d like to keep him overnight for observation.”
“May we see him,” Mike’s mother asked hesitantly, as if she needed to see with her own eyes that her son would be alright.
“I don’t see why not,” the doctor replied.
Aaron really wanted to see how Mike was doing, but he wasn’t sure if it would be okay for him to visit before Mike’s parents. Instead, he waited in his seat, silently. Barely ten minutes had passed when the Keplers returned to the waiting room with relieved smiles on their faces. Turning to Aaron, Mrs. Kepler said, “He wants to see you.”
A little surprised, Aaron glanced back at his mother, who nodded reassuringly. He rose slowly to his feet and started for the double doors leading to the hallway. The doors hissed open to admit him and he continued down the corridor, not quite sure of where he was going, but letting his feet guide him. Aaron soon found himself outside the door to a double room, although there was only one occupant.
“Aaron,” Mike said with a smile, “Don’t just stand there, man, you comin’ in?” Hesitantly, Aaron entered the room and crossed over to the chair next to Mike’s biobed. If Aaron hadn’t known any better, he would have thought nothing had happened that afternoon, given how good Mike looked.
“They said they want to keep you overnight,” Aaron commented, “Doctor wants to observe you.”
“What can I say, people like watching the best,” Mike laughed, causing a small smile to tug at the corners of Aaron’s mouth. “Come on, man,” Mike continued, “You saved my life back there. You were awesome today!”
“What a day,” Aaron remarked.
“It certainly will be a day to remember,” Mike said with a wink, “I bet you won’t forget it either.”
“Yeah, well…when you get out of here, no more polar plunges,” Aaron chided.
Mike gave Aaron a sad, puppy face. “Please,” he begged.
“No,” Aaron remained firm, “Besides, you beat everyone by a long shot so I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” In the process, Mike had nearly died and that was something that Aaron was going to have a hard time forgetting, no matter how much Mike wanted to joke about it.
“Fine,” Mike grumbled, “but when I get out of here…” The two of them laughed. At least the incident hadn’t dampened Mike’s spirit. Aaron rubbed his hands across his knees nervously before getting to his feet.
“Well, I’ll see you at school Monday,” he said, starting for the door.
“Hey Aaron,” Mike called after him, causing Aaron to pause in the doorway, “Do you think you could smuggle me in some pizza or something? This hospital stuff is going to drive me nuts.”
“I’ll see what I can do, Mike,” Aaron replied, heading back out into the corridor. It had certainly been a day to remember, but not for the reasons everyone had hoped.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
OFF
Mike Kepler (NPC)
Junior
Manitowoc Youth Aquatics Team
Played by
Lieutenant JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Malinche
Lt. JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer & 2XO
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Teamwork is the Name of the Game - Aaron Masterson
ON: [[Masterson Residence, Manitowoc, Earth, June 2381]]
The cool breeze off of Lake Michigan drifted in through the open patio door, ruffling the curtains slightly as it passed. Outside, the sky was a brilliant blue and filled with rays of warm sunshine that filtered into the room. A short distance away, the sounds of crashing waves could be heard from the beach.
Aaron turned from his dresser and lightly tossed a folded tunic onto the corner of his bed. Nearby, an open travel bag sat half filled with personal belongings. Other items were scattered around the room, soon to be transferred to the waiting duffel or packed away. His mother had been quite clear that the room needed to be clean before he left. Aaron had a sneaking suspicion that she intended to make use of the space while he was away, probably as a guest room, given the view that it had of the beach.
The drawer slid shut with a slight tap and Aaron started to turn toward the bed when something caught his eye. Pausing, Aaron reached out and gently lifted a photograph from the corner of his desk. He briefly considered setting it back on the desk, but decided against it. Instead, he carried the image over toward the bed and let it fall lightly into the folds of the bedspread.
As he started to place the clothes he had laid out into the duffle, he heard the sound of rustling branches outside. A small smile crossed his face and, without looking up, he said, “I can hear you.”
“You can hear everything,” a familiar voice shot back. There was more rustling as Mike (NPC) lowered himself out of a nearby tree and onto the patio. He was grinning from ear to ear, but there was something in his eyes that didn’t quite match the goofy smile he wore on his face.
Aaron let out a dismissive sigh as he reached for another tunic and placed it into his duffle. “Not everything,” he replied, “but you weren’t exactly being all that stealthy.” The smile that he had suppressed was tugging at the corners of his mouth again, but he tried to rein it in to maintain the appearance that he wasn’t interested in Mike’s antics.
“Already packing, I see,” Mike remarked as he entered the room. He pulled out the desk chair and spun it around so that he could sit with his legs straddling the back of the chair. As he sat down, his eyes drifted to the photograph that was still laying face up atop the covers on the bed.
“Transport leaves at fourteen hundred hours,” Aaron replied simply as he picked up two sock balls and stuffed them into his duffle to fill an empty hole. He’d been expecting Mike to come see him off. In fact, he would have been surprised if Mike hadn’t come. Things had really changed between them since the day Aaron had pulled Mike from the frigid waters of Lake Michigan. He stole a glance in Mike’s direction as he reached for the PADD containing his acceptance records, wondering what things were going to be like for them once he left for the Academy.
Whether Mike noticed Aaron’s glance or not, he didn’t seem to react to it at all. Instead, he seemed to be overly interested in something on Aaron’s bookshelf. He knew that Aaron had been looking forward to heading off to the Academy for a long time. They’d talked about it over and over again. The closer this day had gotten, the less they seemed to talk about it but the more it seemed to weigh on their minds.
“It’s only a year,” Mark said, turning his attention back toward where Aaron had just started to reach for the photograph on the bed, “Two thousand some miles…”
As Mike’s voice trailed off, Aaron looked down at the photograph he held in his hand. It had been from his graduation party only a week prior. There had been a lot of people from school there including the Forensics team and members of the aquatics team. Despite how many people had been there, the only part of the evening that Aaron really remembered with any clarity was the picture he held in his hands. The image was of him and Mike sitting near the bonfire, both of them laughing and having a good time.
“Only a year,” Aaron repeated, placing the photograph in the duffle. The moment he let go of the picture, it was as if he had woken up from a trance and the world had begun to move again. He looked over at Mike and smiled. “Then I expect to see you getting off that transport next year,” he said.
“You can count on that,” Mike replied quietly, making eye contact with Aaron. For a moment, neither of them moved or said a word.
The silence was broken when Aaron finally turned his attention back to packing. He surveyed the room one more time to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. Certain that he had remembered everything he had planned on taking with him, he started to zip the duffle closed.
“Hang on a moment,” Mike exclaimed, leaping out of the chair and crossing over to the bookshelf. He ran his finger across the spines of several books before coming to the one he was looking for. Quickly, he slid the book out of its position and carried over to where Aaron was watching him. “You don’t want to be forgetting this,” he said, holding the book out for Aaron to take.
Once again, Aaron couldn’t help but smile. He carefully took the book and slipped it into the duffle bag before finally zipping it shut. Now he had everything he needed to take with him and it was a good thing too. According to the chronometer on his desk, he only had about an hour before the transport was scheduled to depart, which meant that he would need to be leaving for the station soon.
“Promise me you’ll stay out of trouble,” Aaron said, turning to face Mike. They both knew that Mike had a tendency to be reckless sometimes and Aaron didn’t want to hear about anything happening while he was gone.
Mike scoffed, trying to look innocent. “What about…” he began.
“Promise,” Aaron insisted, looking Mike directly in the eyes to show that he was serious.
“I promise,” Mike agreed reluctantly. He knew that Aaron meant well, even if he did seem a little naggy at times.
Aaron reached out and embraced Mike, pulling him close. It didn’t matter that he’d been looking forward to the Academy or planning for this day ever since he passed his entrance exams. He was going to miss having Mike around all the time, though he knew that they’d only be a short call away. Somehow, a face on a display wasn’t half as good as actually being with the person.
“You’re going to be late,” Mike said quietly as the two of them pulled apart, “don’t want to miss your transport.”
“No, I guess not,” Aaron replied solemnly. He lifted the duffel from his bed and slung the strap over his shoulder. With one last look around the room, he turned and headed out the door. Together, the two of them started one last walk together.
OFF
Ensign Mike Kepler (NPC)
Security Officer
USS Malinche
Played by
The cool breeze off of Lake Michigan drifted in through the open patio door, ruffling the curtains slightly as it passed. Outside, the sky was a brilliant blue and filled with rays of warm sunshine that filtered into the room. A short distance away, the sounds of crashing waves could be heard from the beach.
Aaron turned from his dresser and lightly tossed a folded tunic onto the corner of his bed. Nearby, an open travel bag sat half filled with personal belongings. Other items were scattered around the room, soon to be transferred to the waiting duffel or packed away. His mother had been quite clear that the room needed to be clean before he left. Aaron had a sneaking suspicion that she intended to make use of the space while he was away, probably as a guest room, given the view that it had of the beach.
The drawer slid shut with a slight tap and Aaron started to turn toward the bed when something caught his eye. Pausing, Aaron reached out and gently lifted a photograph from the corner of his desk. He briefly considered setting it back on the desk, but decided against it. Instead, he carried the image over toward the bed and let it fall lightly into the folds of the bedspread.
As he started to place the clothes he had laid out into the duffle, he heard the sound of rustling branches outside. A small smile crossed his face and, without looking up, he said, “I can hear you.”
“You can hear everything,” a familiar voice shot back. There was more rustling as Mike (NPC) lowered himself out of a nearby tree and onto the patio. He was grinning from ear to ear, but there was something in his eyes that didn’t quite match the goofy smile he wore on his face.
Aaron let out a dismissive sigh as he reached for another tunic and placed it into his duffle. “Not everything,” he replied, “but you weren’t exactly being all that stealthy.” The smile that he had suppressed was tugging at the corners of his mouth again, but he tried to rein it in to maintain the appearance that he wasn’t interested in Mike’s antics.
“Already packing, I see,” Mike remarked as he entered the room. He pulled out the desk chair and spun it around so that he could sit with his legs straddling the back of the chair. As he sat down, his eyes drifted to the photograph that was still laying face up atop the covers on the bed.
“Transport leaves at fourteen hundred hours,” Aaron replied simply as he picked up two sock balls and stuffed them into his duffle to fill an empty hole. He’d been expecting Mike to come see him off. In fact, he would have been surprised if Mike hadn’t come. Things had really changed between them since the day Aaron had pulled Mike from the frigid waters of Lake Michigan. He stole a glance in Mike’s direction as he reached for the PADD containing his acceptance records, wondering what things were going to be like for them once he left for the Academy.
Whether Mike noticed Aaron’s glance or not, he didn’t seem to react to it at all. Instead, he seemed to be overly interested in something on Aaron’s bookshelf. He knew that Aaron had been looking forward to heading off to the Academy for a long time. They’d talked about it over and over again. The closer this day had gotten, the less they seemed to talk about it but the more it seemed to weigh on their minds.
“It’s only a year,” Mark said, turning his attention back toward where Aaron had just started to reach for the photograph on the bed, “Two thousand some miles…”
As Mike’s voice trailed off, Aaron looked down at the photograph he held in his hand. It had been from his graduation party only a week prior. There had been a lot of people from school there including the Forensics team and members of the aquatics team. Despite how many people had been there, the only part of the evening that Aaron really remembered with any clarity was the picture he held in his hands. The image was of him and Mike sitting near the bonfire, both of them laughing and having a good time.
“Only a year,” Aaron repeated, placing the photograph in the duffle. The moment he let go of the picture, it was as if he had woken up from a trance and the world had begun to move again. He looked over at Mike and smiled. “Then I expect to see you getting off that transport next year,” he said.
“You can count on that,” Mike replied quietly, making eye contact with Aaron. For a moment, neither of them moved or said a word.
The silence was broken when Aaron finally turned his attention back to packing. He surveyed the room one more time to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. Certain that he had remembered everything he had planned on taking with him, he started to zip the duffle closed.
“Hang on a moment,” Mike exclaimed, leaping out of the chair and crossing over to the bookshelf. He ran his finger across the spines of several books before coming to the one he was looking for. Quickly, he slid the book out of its position and carried over to where Aaron was watching him. “You don’t want to be forgetting this,” he said, holding the book out for Aaron to take.
Once again, Aaron couldn’t help but smile. He carefully took the book and slipped it into the duffle bag before finally zipping it shut. Now he had everything he needed to take with him and it was a good thing too. According to the chronometer on his desk, he only had about an hour before the transport was scheduled to depart, which meant that he would need to be leaving for the station soon.
“Promise me you’ll stay out of trouble,” Aaron said, turning to face Mike. They both knew that Mike had a tendency to be reckless sometimes and Aaron didn’t want to hear about anything happening while he was gone.
Mike scoffed, trying to look innocent. “What about…” he began.
“Promise,” Aaron insisted, looking Mike directly in the eyes to show that he was serious.
“I promise,” Mike agreed reluctantly. He knew that Aaron meant well, even if he did seem a little naggy at times.
Aaron reached out and embraced Mike, pulling him close. It didn’t matter that he’d been looking forward to the Academy or planning for this day ever since he passed his entrance exams. He was going to miss having Mike around all the time, though he knew that they’d only be a short call away. Somehow, a face on a display wasn’t half as good as actually being with the person.
“You’re going to be late,” Mike said quietly as the two of them pulled apart, “don’t want to miss your transport.”
“No, I guess not,” Aaron replied solemnly. He lifted the duffel from his bed and slung the strap over his shoulder. With one last look around the room, he turned and headed out the door. Together, the two of them started one last walk together.
OFF
Ensign Mike Kepler (NPC)
Security Officer
USS Malinche
Played by
Lt. JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer & 2XO
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Teamwork is the Name of the Game - Aaron Masterson
ON: <<Robert April Hall, Starfleet Academy, 2381>>
The lecture hall was buzzing with the voices of a thousand first year cadets, all having just arrived through various methods at Starfleet Academy. Aaron looked around and tried to find an open seat, but like any school setting, most of the seats in the back were filled. Aaron didn’t mind; in fact, he always thought it was better to sit up front.
“Excuse me,” he said, making his way through the crowd and down toward the front until he found an open chair and took a seat. Now that he had a place to sit, he took the opportunity to look around the room. The number and diversity of species present amazed Aaron.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” a voice said as Aaron felt someone trip over his legs. Quickly pulling them back, he looked up to see a young man with red hair moving past to take the open chair next to him.
“Not a problem,” Aaron said with a smile as he sat down, “I’m Aaron, by the way.”
“Luke,” the young man replied, “Lucas Langston actually, but most people just call me Luke. Pretty exciting, huh?”
“Yeah,” Aaron answered, “I mean, this is it…we’re finally here. What are you going into?”
“My parents wanted me to go to college,” he replied with a grimace, “but I’ve always liked the idea of Starfleet. Besides, I like to tinker with things…might make me a good engineer.”
“It certainly is a big class this year,” Aaron said, looking around again.
At that moment, a chime sounded, signaling for everyone to find their seats. As the noise died down, an Admiral crossed the stage to the podium. “Ladies and gentlemen,” she began, “It is my pleasure to welcome you to Starfleet Academy. Each and every one of you has worked very hard to get here and I congratulate you on your success. During your time here at the Academy, you will learn what it takes to become a Starfleet Officer. Some of you may find that it isn’t what you wanted after all. Others will go on to become outstanding members of the Fleet. Either way, you are here now and I want to wish you the best of luck in the future.”
The admiral stepped away from the podium and everyone got up and started to move again. “That’s it,” Aaron asked no one in particular.
“Yep, that’s it,” Luke said, getting to his feet as well, “Come on. We need to get our room assignments.” Aaron got up as well and followed Luke through the throng of cadets until they reached one of the many tables set up outside the hall.
“Name,” a stoic Vulcan upperclassman asked without looking up.
“Aaron Masterson,” Aaron replied hesitantly, looking around to see where Luke had gone to.
“Masterson, Aaron,” the Vulcan replied, handing him a PADD, “Next!” Aaron moved past the table and was pushed along by the crowd until it began to disperse near the central plaza.
“Hey, Masterson,” a voice called out. Aaron looked over to see Luke standing on one of the benches so he could be seen above the crowd. He jumped down as Aaron made his way through the crowd to where Luke was waiting. “So, where are you staying,” Luke asked, indicating the PADDs each of them were carrying.
Aaron glanced over the PADD until he found his room number and said, “Archer 0254…you?”
Luke looked up from his own PADD, “Looks like we’re roommates. Come on, let’s go find our room.” The two of them started across the plaza toward the dorm buildings. As they entered the lobby, they blinked twice, trying to adjust to the change in lighting. Suddenly, Aaron bumped into someone and stumbled backward. He felt Luke grab his arm and steady him before he fell.
When he looked to see who he had run into, he saw an older gentleman looking down at him. “At ease cadets,” the man said, “You two look like you’re in a hurry. Off in search of your dormitories already?”
“Yes, sir,” Luke replied, seeing the look on Aaron’s face, “I’m Cadet Langston and this is Cadet Masterson, sir.”
“Professor Richardson,” the man said by way of introduction, “Either of you young gentlemen planning to go into the sciences?” The two of them exchanged a look and slowly shook their heads simultaneously, earning themselves a chuckle from the professor. “That’s alright,” he assured them, “Starfleet isn’t made up of entirely scientists. Perhaps we shall cross paths again sometime. As for locating your dormitory, you might want to try the directory over there.” Smiling again, he continued on his way out onto the plaza, leaving the two first years to find their new home.
OFF
A Post By:
Commander Arthur Richardson, PhD
Science Instructor
Starfleet Academy
And
Cadet Lucas Langston (NPC)
First-Year Cadet
Starfleet Academy
Played by
The lecture hall was buzzing with the voices of a thousand first year cadets, all having just arrived through various methods at Starfleet Academy. Aaron looked around and tried to find an open seat, but like any school setting, most of the seats in the back were filled. Aaron didn’t mind; in fact, he always thought it was better to sit up front.
“Excuse me,” he said, making his way through the crowd and down toward the front until he found an open chair and took a seat. Now that he had a place to sit, he took the opportunity to look around the room. The number and diversity of species present amazed Aaron.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” a voice said as Aaron felt someone trip over his legs. Quickly pulling them back, he looked up to see a young man with red hair moving past to take the open chair next to him.
“Not a problem,” Aaron said with a smile as he sat down, “I’m Aaron, by the way.”
“Luke,” the young man replied, “Lucas Langston actually, but most people just call me Luke. Pretty exciting, huh?”
“Yeah,” Aaron answered, “I mean, this is it…we’re finally here. What are you going into?”
“My parents wanted me to go to college,” he replied with a grimace, “but I’ve always liked the idea of Starfleet. Besides, I like to tinker with things…might make me a good engineer.”
“It certainly is a big class this year,” Aaron said, looking around again.
At that moment, a chime sounded, signaling for everyone to find their seats. As the noise died down, an Admiral crossed the stage to the podium. “Ladies and gentlemen,” she began, “It is my pleasure to welcome you to Starfleet Academy. Each and every one of you has worked very hard to get here and I congratulate you on your success. During your time here at the Academy, you will learn what it takes to become a Starfleet Officer. Some of you may find that it isn’t what you wanted after all. Others will go on to become outstanding members of the Fleet. Either way, you are here now and I want to wish you the best of luck in the future.”
The admiral stepped away from the podium and everyone got up and started to move again. “That’s it,” Aaron asked no one in particular.
“Yep, that’s it,” Luke said, getting to his feet as well, “Come on. We need to get our room assignments.” Aaron got up as well and followed Luke through the throng of cadets until they reached one of the many tables set up outside the hall.
“Name,” a stoic Vulcan upperclassman asked without looking up.
“Aaron Masterson,” Aaron replied hesitantly, looking around to see where Luke had gone to.
“Masterson, Aaron,” the Vulcan replied, handing him a PADD, “Next!” Aaron moved past the table and was pushed along by the crowd until it began to disperse near the central plaza.
“Hey, Masterson,” a voice called out. Aaron looked over to see Luke standing on one of the benches so he could be seen above the crowd. He jumped down as Aaron made his way through the crowd to where Luke was waiting. “So, where are you staying,” Luke asked, indicating the PADDs each of them were carrying.
Aaron glanced over the PADD until he found his room number and said, “Archer 0254…you?”
Luke looked up from his own PADD, “Looks like we’re roommates. Come on, let’s go find our room.” The two of them started across the plaza toward the dorm buildings. As they entered the lobby, they blinked twice, trying to adjust to the change in lighting. Suddenly, Aaron bumped into someone and stumbled backward. He felt Luke grab his arm and steady him before he fell.
When he looked to see who he had run into, he saw an older gentleman looking down at him. “At ease cadets,” the man said, “You two look like you’re in a hurry. Off in search of your dormitories already?”
“Yes, sir,” Luke replied, seeing the look on Aaron’s face, “I’m Cadet Langston and this is Cadet Masterson, sir.”
“Professor Richardson,” the man said by way of introduction, “Either of you young gentlemen planning to go into the sciences?” The two of them exchanged a look and slowly shook their heads simultaneously, earning themselves a chuckle from the professor. “That’s alright,” he assured them, “Starfleet isn’t made up of entirely scientists. Perhaps we shall cross paths again sometime. As for locating your dormitory, you might want to try the directory over there.” Smiling again, he continued on his way out onto the plaza, leaving the two first years to find their new home.
OFF
A Post By:
Commander Arthur Richardson, PhD
Science Instructor
Starfleet Academy
And
Cadet Lucas Langston (NPC)
First-Year Cadet
Starfleet Academy
Played by
Lt. JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer & 2XO
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Teamwork is the Name of the Game - Aaron Masterson
ON: [[Masterson Residence, Manitowoc, Earth, 21 December 2381]]
The rich tones signaling the hour echoed through the empty house as a light snow continued to fall outside. Everything as far as the eye could see was covered in a fresh layer of white. Down on the beach, the waves continued to crash onto the frozen sand, adding another layer to the mound of green-hued ice that ran along the water’s edge.
Aaron paused in his reading and glanced out the window for a moment. He had a week and a half of leave left before he needed to be back in San Francisco for the start of his second term at the Academy, but that hadn’t kept some of his instructors from handing out prerequisite assignments. Most of the friends he’d known from high school were still in class through the middle of the week. After that, everyone would be enjoying the Christmas holidays. It was tradition for his family to host Christmas at their house the day after, which was why he wanted to get these assignments done sooner rather than later.
Turning away from the window, he focused on the PADD setting in the middle of his desk. This particular assignment was for a course he was taking on the History of Modern Combat. Most of it referred to individuals, locations, and events that had played a significant role in the history of tactical strategy. If what he’d heard from some of the upper classmen was true, the course was going to take a lot of extra work, but it was going to be well worth it.
The sound of someone knocking on the windowpane caused Aaron to look up again. He glanced over to see a bundled up figure standing outside the patio door, waving at him. It didn’t take Aaron that long to recognize the figure as Mike Kepler (PNPC). “Is there something wrong with the front door,” he asked as he opened the door to let Mike in.
“Nah…I just figured it was easier to come in this way, instead of traipsing through the entire house,” Mike replied with a grin. He removed his gloves and began rubbing his hands together to warm them up. His face was red from the cold, but he didn’t seem to be all that phased by the temperature.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” he said as he checked the latch on the door.
“Why not,” Mike asked, plopping himself down on the edge of Aaron’s bed, “I figured we could hang out or something this afternoon.”
“Sorry, Mike,” Aaron replied apologetically, “but I’ve really got to get this reading done. If I can get through it now, then maybe…”
“At least we know that hasn’t changed,” Mike said with a laugh, “You were always the one worried about making sure everything was done and ready to turn in ahead of time.”
Aaron let out what sounded like an annoyed sigh, but he couldn’t really be all that frustrated with Mike. This was the first time they’d seen each other in person since he’d gone off to the Academy and, to be perfectly honest, he’d have liked nothing better than to just spend the rest of the afternoon hanging out with him. Yet he knew that if he didn’t get through all his assignments now, then he was going to be behind when term started up after the New Year. Still…
“Tell you what,” Mike said after a moment, “How much do you have left?”
“I don’t know,” Aaron answered slowly, trying to think, “a chapter…maybe two?”
“Well, there you go, then,” Mike said. He pushed himself off the edge of the bed and took a few steps closer to the desk, a mischievous look on his face. “We can hang out for a couple of hours, find something to do, and I promise I’ll have you back here in plenty of time to finish your assignment,” he continued, “what do you say to that?”
Aaron glanced down at the PADD that was still setting in the middle of his desk. Mike was right; he would have plenty of time to finish reading if they got back at a reasonable hour and it wasn’t like he was heading back to the Academy tomorrow. The whole reason he’d come home for the holidays had been to spend time with family and friends. What good was it if he spent his entire time working on coursework? If he was going to do that, he should have just stayed in San Francisco.
“Alright,” he conceded after a moment, “As long as we’re back at a decent hour…”
“Excellent,” Mike said with a smile.
“Just let me get my coat,” Aaron told him as he went over to the closet. His reading assignment would be waiting for him when he got back. Right now, he was going to enjoy a few hours doing something fun.
OFF
A JP by:
Ensign Mike Kepler (PNPC)
Security Officer
USS Malinche
Played by LtJG Masterson
And
The rich tones signaling the hour echoed through the empty house as a light snow continued to fall outside. Everything as far as the eye could see was covered in a fresh layer of white. Down on the beach, the waves continued to crash onto the frozen sand, adding another layer to the mound of green-hued ice that ran along the water’s edge.
Aaron paused in his reading and glanced out the window for a moment. He had a week and a half of leave left before he needed to be back in San Francisco for the start of his second term at the Academy, but that hadn’t kept some of his instructors from handing out prerequisite assignments. Most of the friends he’d known from high school were still in class through the middle of the week. After that, everyone would be enjoying the Christmas holidays. It was tradition for his family to host Christmas at their house the day after, which was why he wanted to get these assignments done sooner rather than later.
Turning away from the window, he focused on the PADD setting in the middle of his desk. This particular assignment was for a course he was taking on the History of Modern Combat. Most of it referred to individuals, locations, and events that had played a significant role in the history of tactical strategy. If what he’d heard from some of the upper classmen was true, the course was going to take a lot of extra work, but it was going to be well worth it.
The sound of someone knocking on the windowpane caused Aaron to look up again. He glanced over to see a bundled up figure standing outside the patio door, waving at him. It didn’t take Aaron that long to recognize the figure as Mike Kepler (PNPC). “Is there something wrong with the front door,” he asked as he opened the door to let Mike in.
“Nah…I just figured it was easier to come in this way, instead of traipsing through the entire house,” Mike replied with a grin. He removed his gloves and began rubbing his hands together to warm them up. His face was red from the cold, but he didn’t seem to be all that phased by the temperature.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” he said as he checked the latch on the door.
“Why not,” Mike asked, plopping himself down on the edge of Aaron’s bed, “I figured we could hang out or something this afternoon.”
“Sorry, Mike,” Aaron replied apologetically, “but I’ve really got to get this reading done. If I can get through it now, then maybe…”
“At least we know that hasn’t changed,” Mike said with a laugh, “You were always the one worried about making sure everything was done and ready to turn in ahead of time.”
Aaron let out what sounded like an annoyed sigh, but he couldn’t really be all that frustrated with Mike. This was the first time they’d seen each other in person since he’d gone off to the Academy and, to be perfectly honest, he’d have liked nothing better than to just spend the rest of the afternoon hanging out with him. Yet he knew that if he didn’t get through all his assignments now, then he was going to be behind when term started up after the New Year. Still…
“Tell you what,” Mike said after a moment, “How much do you have left?”
“I don’t know,” Aaron answered slowly, trying to think, “a chapter…maybe two?”
“Well, there you go, then,” Mike said. He pushed himself off the edge of the bed and took a few steps closer to the desk, a mischievous look on his face. “We can hang out for a couple of hours, find something to do, and I promise I’ll have you back here in plenty of time to finish your assignment,” he continued, “what do you say to that?”
Aaron glanced down at the PADD that was still setting in the middle of his desk. Mike was right; he would have plenty of time to finish reading if they got back at a reasonable hour and it wasn’t like he was heading back to the Academy tomorrow. The whole reason he’d come home for the holidays had been to spend time with family and friends. What good was it if he spent his entire time working on coursework? If he was going to do that, he should have just stayed in San Francisco.
“Alright,” he conceded after a moment, “As long as we’re back at a decent hour…”
“Excellent,” Mike said with a smile.
“Just let me get my coat,” Aaron told him as he went over to the closet. His reading assignment would be waiting for him when he got back. Right now, he was going to enjoy a few hours doing something fun.
OFF
A JP by:
Ensign Mike Kepler (PNPC)
Security Officer
USS Malinche
Played by LtJG Masterson
And
Lt. JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer & 2XO
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A
Re: Teamwork is the Name of the Game - Aaron Masterson
ON: [[Masterson Residence, Manitowoc, Earth, 21 December 2381]]
Aaron and Mike (PNPC) made their way along the snow-covered sidewalk, passing storefront windows decorated with ornaments and lights in preparation for the Christmas season. The sound of festive carolers was on the air as holiday shoppers bustled about in search of last-minute gifts. All around, a light snow continued to fall, giving an added sense that Christmas was just around the corner.
“Hey Aaron,” Mike said, falling back to look at one of the storefront displays, “Look at this.” He motioned for Aaron to come over and pointed at the miniature Christmas village that someone had painstakingly set up, complete with its own Christmas train.
“What did Mister Jackson add this year,” Aaron asked, stepping up to the window so that he could look over Mike’s shoulder. It was kind of a Christmas tradition to walk past Mister Jackson’s store to see what new item had been added to the display. Some years, it was something big that you could pick out right away. Other years, it would take several hours of searching to find the latest addition.
“Right there,” Mike said, pointing at the window, “between the churchyard and city hall. Do you see it?”
Aaron peered through the glass at the spot Mike was pointing out to him, but he couldn’t see what it was. He was just about to ask Mike to be a little more specific when he noticed something that he hadn’t seen before. A golden retriever was sitting between the churchyard and the city hall, a Christmas wreath hanging from its mouth. “I see it now,” he said with a chuckle, “Leave it to Mister Jackson to add another canine to his village.”
The two of them spent a few minutes looking over the rest of the miniature village before finally stepping away from the window and continuing down the sidewalk together. It wasn’t long before they were crossing one of the bridges that went over the Manitowoc River. Aaron paused and leaned against the railing. His gaze went out across the frozen river to where the old World War II-era submarine was tied up outside the maritime museum. Having grown up in Manitowoc, he’d been on more field trips and overnights aboard the submarine than he could even count, yet it always seemed to look amazing, even in the middle of the winter.
“My hands are freezing,” Mike complained after a few moments. He rubbed his hands together and blew into them in an attempt to warm them up, then repeated the exercise.
“Mike, it’s ten below out here,” Aaron exclaimed, realizing that Mike was not wearing any gloves, “What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking…that I may have left my gloves at your place,” Mike replied, blowing into his hands again.
“Oh give me those,” Aaron said, unable to watch any longer. He unzipped his jacket about halfway and slid Mike’s hands inside so that the heat from his body would help to warm them up. They stood facing one another in awkward silence for a moment. It must have looked pretty strange to anyone who might have been walking by, but the truth was that Aaron didn’t really care.
They were standing so close to one another that Aaron was looking Mike directly in the eye. He could feel the warm rhythm of Mike’s breathing in the cool evening air. All around them, snowflakes drifted lazily to the ground and everything seemed peaceful. It was almost as if the rest of the world was fading away. “Mike, I…” Aaron began.
“Shh,” Mike whispered, taking a step closer and sliding his arms further into Aaron’s jacket. He leaned in and their lips met in a brief kiss. Aaron seemed to tense up for a moment, but he slowly began to relax and, by the time they broke apart, there was the beginning of a small smile on his face. “Merry Christmas, Aaron,” Mike said in a low voice.
“Merry Christmas, Mike,” Aaron replied.
OFF
A JP by:
Ensign Mike Kepler (PNPC)
Security Officer
USS Malinche
Played by LtJG Masterson
And
Aaron and Mike (PNPC) made their way along the snow-covered sidewalk, passing storefront windows decorated with ornaments and lights in preparation for the Christmas season. The sound of festive carolers was on the air as holiday shoppers bustled about in search of last-minute gifts. All around, a light snow continued to fall, giving an added sense that Christmas was just around the corner.
“Hey Aaron,” Mike said, falling back to look at one of the storefront displays, “Look at this.” He motioned for Aaron to come over and pointed at the miniature Christmas village that someone had painstakingly set up, complete with its own Christmas train.
“What did Mister Jackson add this year,” Aaron asked, stepping up to the window so that he could look over Mike’s shoulder. It was kind of a Christmas tradition to walk past Mister Jackson’s store to see what new item had been added to the display. Some years, it was something big that you could pick out right away. Other years, it would take several hours of searching to find the latest addition.
“Right there,” Mike said, pointing at the window, “between the churchyard and city hall. Do you see it?”
Aaron peered through the glass at the spot Mike was pointing out to him, but he couldn’t see what it was. He was just about to ask Mike to be a little more specific when he noticed something that he hadn’t seen before. A golden retriever was sitting between the churchyard and the city hall, a Christmas wreath hanging from its mouth. “I see it now,” he said with a chuckle, “Leave it to Mister Jackson to add another canine to his village.”
The two of them spent a few minutes looking over the rest of the miniature village before finally stepping away from the window and continuing down the sidewalk together. It wasn’t long before they were crossing one of the bridges that went over the Manitowoc River. Aaron paused and leaned against the railing. His gaze went out across the frozen river to where the old World War II-era submarine was tied up outside the maritime museum. Having grown up in Manitowoc, he’d been on more field trips and overnights aboard the submarine than he could even count, yet it always seemed to look amazing, even in the middle of the winter.
“My hands are freezing,” Mike complained after a few moments. He rubbed his hands together and blew into them in an attempt to warm them up, then repeated the exercise.
“Mike, it’s ten below out here,” Aaron exclaimed, realizing that Mike was not wearing any gloves, “What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking…that I may have left my gloves at your place,” Mike replied, blowing into his hands again.
“Oh give me those,” Aaron said, unable to watch any longer. He unzipped his jacket about halfway and slid Mike’s hands inside so that the heat from his body would help to warm them up. They stood facing one another in awkward silence for a moment. It must have looked pretty strange to anyone who might have been walking by, but the truth was that Aaron didn’t really care.
They were standing so close to one another that Aaron was looking Mike directly in the eye. He could feel the warm rhythm of Mike’s breathing in the cool evening air. All around them, snowflakes drifted lazily to the ground and everything seemed peaceful. It was almost as if the rest of the world was fading away. “Mike, I…” Aaron began.
“Shh,” Mike whispered, taking a step closer and sliding his arms further into Aaron’s jacket. He leaned in and their lips met in a brief kiss. Aaron seemed to tense up for a moment, but he slowly began to relax and, by the time they broke apart, there was the beginning of a small smile on his face. “Merry Christmas, Aaron,” Mike said in a low voice.
“Merry Christmas, Mike,” Aaron replied.
OFF
A JP by:
Ensign Mike Kepler (PNPC)
Security Officer
USS Malinche
Played by LtJG Masterson
And
Lt. JG Aaron Masterson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer & 2XO
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A