You son of a---

Posted on Thu Dec 18th, 2025 @ 6:38pm by Captain Elijah Rutherford & Captain Johnathon Hayter

2,035 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Mini Mission-Adjustments [USS Orcrist]
Location: Earth

They were back at Earth, and the Gladiator was being taken apart in some aspect. And Tia was quite frankly, pissed. After all that the ship had gone through and now them having been dragged back to Earth for something that happened at a station? Finding Hayter there having been undercover?! He was brought up on charges for something. Heck she wasn't allowed to talk with him and find out what happened, not when he was on the ship.

Well... she'll find a way to talk to him now. Tia called in a favor or two that had been sitting there collecting dust. She had his location, but had to wait until he wasn't surrounded by Captains and Commanders and other Starfleet officers. Okay she could be either considered a stalker or just a rather determined individual. Come Hell or High Water, Tia and Hayter were going to talk.

The pounding in his skull was a reminder of the bottle he’d shared with Raiden the night before, but Hayter had been through worse mornings. Temporary quarters on Earth weren’t much, bare walls, a clean bed, and the faint hum of a building that wasn’t a starship but it beat a holding cell.

He’d just poured himself a glass of water when the door chime sounded.

Hayter opened it, already knowing who it was before he saw her. Tia stood there, sharp-eyed and clearly on a mission.

A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Took you long enough.”

He stepped aside, leaving the doorway open. “You going to come in, or are we doing this out in the hallway for the neighbors’ entertainment?”

A quick glance around then Tia stepped inside, "Took me long enough, eh?" a lopsided grin came to view, as she moved deeper into his quarters.

Once the door closed behind them, her back to Hayter, her posture stiffening, as her smile faded away.

"You know, you coulda called, you coulda wrote, you could have told me you were still alive." Tia growled out.

Her hands balled up into fists. Her head lowering down to her chest. At the moment she was bouncing between wanting to punch him or just give him an embrace. The jury was out for the most part. She slowly turned to face him.

Hayter leaned back against the door after it slid shut, arms loosely crossed, watching her like a man waiting for a storm to break.

“Yeah, I coulda called,” he said evenly. “Could’ve sent a nice little postcard ‘Greetings from deep cover, wish you were here.’” His smirk was faint but there was no real humor behind it.

“You think I liked keeping you in the dark?” He let out a slow breath, eyes locking with hers. “Wasn’t exactly in a position to drop by and explain without putting more people at risk… you included.”

"I-its just that. Okay you have a point, I was devastated though when I heard that you, your lady and well the baby she was carrying had died."

She drew in a shaky breath, the third thing that she didn't want to happen, was happening. She was starting to crumble in front of Hayter and she didn't want to do that.

"I-It broke me damn you! After all that we'd gone through to get them back then hearing that all three of you-you d-died. After we got away.."

Her voice faded off, as Tia gritted her teeth to keep from just bawling, her chest heaving as she fought to gain control. Stupid tears would they please just stop?

Hayter’s eyes narrowed, the usual sarcasm tightening into something sharper, almost cutting. He let the silence stretch just long enough to feel heavy before answering, his voice low and rough.

“So that’s it, huh? You hear a rumor, a report, whatever the hell it was and instead of confirming, instead of fighting through like we always did you just let it bury you?” He shook his head slowly, almost in disbelief. “Newsflash, Tia: I don’t die that easy. My family sure as hell doesn’t either.”

There was a short pause before he started for the kitchen. "Doesn't matter now anyway. Turns out the kid ain't even mine. Not that I wouldn't sacrifice myself anyway. But still," he paused as he looked over at her. "Coffee?"

"Yes and for your information, I had the damndest time in getting anything out of anyone. While you were undercover, I was hauled into court, and my integrity was in question due to my connection with that ship I was previously on before I snuck on the Arcadia." she followed after Hayter.

"Captain Hawkins went to bat for me, still though, my connection with the Unholy Trinity spy, Owen-The fact that I had some nanites running around in my system. Oh yes, they had to clear me to get back to duty, once they proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, I was an unwitting accomplice."

It hadn't sunk into Tia's mind what John had just said about the Princess, yet. (Which was what she had called Tayla. )

"Yeah so I was snookered into believing that you were dead, I was isolated. Oh and they found out that I had feelings for you, and took advantage of that too. And you already knew that I was attracted to you. I told you that during that bar fight." her voice softening. "Guess it is really all for the best that I didn't know you were still alive, I-I would have blown things for you."

Tia crossed her arms over her chest, "Anyway, now that you know what happened to me, and I have found out what's happened to you, and I embarrassed myself in yelling at you." her words trailed off for a moment.

She stood there feeling awkward, Tia just wasn't good with this sort of thing.

Hayter kept his back to her while he flipped the eggs, the pan hissing like it had opinions of its own. He let her words fall into the quiet and sorted them quickly, court, nanites, cleared, feelings, fooled, then slid them into a mental file he didn’t open for anyone.

He made a small, humorless sound. “Yeah, that sounds… delightful. Lawyers, spy-implants, and public humiliation, real morale boosters.” He plated two eggs without looking up. “Glad Hawkins went to bat. Glad they cleared you. Means you’re still breathing and still annoying me in person instead of via secondhand gossip.”

He set a plate down in front of her and met her eyes for the first time, expression clipped but steady. “You were fooled. You believed it. You reacted. That doesn’t make you weak. It makes you just as flawed as all of us. Hell, I’d have done the same if the shoe was on the other foot.” A tiny, rueful smirk creased his mouth. “And the bar fight? Yeah, I remember. You were obvious then too.”

He tapped the fork against the rim. “Don’t beat yourself up. If you want to explain, fine. If not, that’s fine too. Either way, breakfast and you can ask whatever you'd like.”

Tia had gotten two cups of coffee and set them down on the table before she sat down.

"Thank you, this is unexpected." the tautness of her muscles drifting away.

Tia had noted the way John held himself, and listened to his voice. Even though it was modulated, to where it showed no, outward emotional level, there was something there. She wasn't going to bring it up. The only reason why she noticed something was her ear having been attuned to the fluctuations of a ship. Among other things.

"Yes breakfast, then a question or two. No explanations," Tia picking up her fork, then waited for him to take a seat across the table from her.

Hayter dropped into the chair opposite her, fork already in hand. He didn’t wait for ceremony, just speared a bite of eggs and shoveled it in, chewing like a man who hadn’t seen a proper breakfast in weeks.

"I did half way decent," he said between mouthfuls. “Yeah, don’t get used to it. Cooking isn’t exactly in my job description. Last time I did this, half the platoon complained their rations tasted better.” He stabbed another piece, waved the fork slightly in her direction. “Figured if I was gonna ruin someone’s morning, might as well do it with eggs instead of explosives.”

He washed it down with a long sip of coffee, sighing like it was the first decent thing he’d tasted all day. His gaze flicked up at her as he set the mug down. “Alright... ” He gave a little shrug, half amused, half resigned. “Ask away. Just don’t expect me to give you answers you actually like. Sarcasm’s free, honesty costs extra.”

"Just how much extra?" Tia smirked before she dug into her own food.

Hayter has always been direct and honest with her. Afrer taking a good drink of her coffee, she commented. "Good eggs, best I've had in a little bit."

Tia concentrated on her own eggs, finishing them up and sopping the yolk with the toast that was there. She had thought to ask Hayter questions, then decided not to. She drank the rest of her coffee, muffled a burp behind her hand.

"Hey, thanks for the food and thanks for seeing me." Tia spoke softly. "And maybe this is goodbye, unless by some chance our paths cross once more. Don't know, that is all up to the universe. " giving a shrug. "Take care, no regrets." the dark haired woman rose from the table.

As Tia had said she wasn't good at things like this, and not wanting to make things even more awkward than what they already were, it was time to leave.

Hayter looked up from his plate, chewing slowly as she stood. “You always make goodbyes sound like you’re heading off to war,” he said, a faint smirk tugging at one corner of his mouth. He set his fork down and leaned back in his chair. “But… yeah. Guess that’s fair. Universe has a way of throwing people back in your path whether you want it to or not.”

He reached for his coffee, gave it a swirl, and added with a small shrug, “Take care of yourself, Tia. Try not to start any more bar fights without me.”

Tia turned around to look at him, a hint of a smile. "I will try not to start any bar fights without you. and really, you know me, I seem to always be ready for a fight." she laughed. "Maybe I'll join the marines, or learn how to fly better. What do you think?"

Hayter gave a short, dry laugh, setting his mug down with a quiet clink. “Yeah, the Marines would love you. You’d last… what, a week? Maybe two before decking a superior officer for looking at you sideways.”

He leaned back, arms crossing loosely as his tone softened, still laced with sarcasm, but edged with something more genuine. “Stick to what you know, Tia. You’re good at it. Flying, fighting, causing headaches... whatever it is, it’s what you do best. Just… maybe aim for something that doesn’t burn out in six months.”

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Leave the jarhead nonsense to the professionals.”

Tia laughed, "Actually I don't fly as well as others, I am someone who fixes what goes wrong with ships, and maybe even stations. And maybe you're right I might deck someone who looks at me wrong. " Giving a wink, her eyes lighting up as if a weight has lifted from her. "And I am on the road to maybe fixing myself. I'll go find someone who is a mechanic for the mind and then proceed ferom there. Thanks Johnathan for being there for me."

Tia walked over and quickly gave him quick hug. "I'll see you around Bestie."

Grinning ear to ear.

END

Marine-Captain Johnathon Hayter
Chief Helms Officer
USS Orcrist

Ensign Tia Smithy
Engineer

 

RSS Feed