Disclaimer: What's owned by either Paramount or WEP isn't mine. The rest is.
Sorry this is taking so long. I just started student teaching, and things are really fouled up. I'll try to update as often as possible.
And thanks to everyone who reviewed.
Star Tron: Louder Than Words Chapter 4: Midnight Meeting
The Princess' dinner plans were spoiled that night. Coran informed her and the others at dinner that Driscoll was busy aboard the Berlin and would not be able to join them. However, Allura would get another chance to act on her scheme later that night.
Allura awoke with a start. She'd been having the same nightmare for years. She dreamt that she was a little girl again, during the Doom invasion. As her father marched out to face Zarkon at the Valley of Zohar, Coran was taking her down to the bomb shelter beneath the castle.
Suddenly, the stairs beneath her feet disappeared, and she fell into a pit filled with skeletons. The horror of it always woke her. She looked at her clock, the red numerals telling her that it was just after 1 AM.
She ran a hand through her sweat-dampened hair, then swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She rose, put on her robe and slippers, then headed for the kitchen. Whenever she had a bad dream as a child, her mother always took her to the kitchen, and talked with her over some cookies and milk. Ever since, she could never get back to sleep without a glass of milk and a few cookies. It was her ultimate comfort snack.
She stole through the dimly lit corridors, easily avoiding the few patrols that were on duty. Within a few minutes of leaving her room, she was at the kitchen. She touched the door control, and it slid open.
"Hey, Allura. Whassup?"
The voice caught her by surprise. Glancing over at the counter, she saw Captain Driscoll sitting there, with a plate of leftover food from dinner.
Recovering from her surprise, she repeated teasingly, "What? No 'Your Highness'?" Adam usually addressed her by her title.
"Oh, sorry." The captain set his fork down and rose. Bowing deeply, he said, "Your Highness honors me with her presence. Pray, what canst I do for thee?"
Allura pushed him back up. "Okay, enough. I was kidding. It's okay to use my name. I'd rather all you guys did. I get so sick of titles. Especially between my friends and I."
"Yeah, I figured. But I wanted to err on the side of caution, there. Wouldn't want to start an interdimensional incident."
Allura went around the kitchen, gathering the cookies, milk, a plate, and a glass, then sat down next to Adam. "You look like you could use someone to talk to."
Allura saw the concern in his eyes and smiled shyly. "No, it's okay. I'm fine."
"Bullshit." The bluntness of his statement startled the Princess. "Something's eating you. Come on. I'm your wingman, and I'm your friend. We trust each other with our lives in battle. Who better to confide in?"
Allura nibbled on a cookie. "You'd think it's stupid."
"Try me."
"All right, you asked for it." She told him about the dream, and when she finished, he regarded her sympathetically.
"Jeez, that is nasty."
"It's just…it scares me so much, but I don't' know why. I've faced death dozens of times, but that dream…"
"Well, there's a lot of powerful memories in there, too, Allura. I mean, it happens during Zarkon's attack, when your dad was heading out, and he never came back. Then the castle was attacked… Now, I'm no shrink…"
"What?" Allura asked, frowning at the unfamiliar word. She was often confused when the boys used Earth-slang.
"A psychiatrist," Driscoll explained. "But anyway, it sounds to me like an expression of helplessness. And I think that's why it scares you so much. You are an incredibly strong girl, Allura, and you are absolutely fearless, but the one thing you're afraid of is being helpless. Especially when others need help. And that's what scares you. The utter helplessness."
Allura looked at him thoughtfully as she ate another cookie. "I think you're right," she said finally. "That is the one thing I really hate, is being helpless."
"I know. It shows in the way you fly. That and I've picked up a lot from Keith and them."
"You know, Adam, you know an awful lot about me, but I hardly know anything about you. Why is that?"
"You never asked?"
Allura didn't believe it. Was it that simple? He was waiting for someone to ask?
"I don't talk about myself much," Adam explained. "I just don't think I'm all that great a topic. And it's not like we've seen a whole lot of each other off-duty, with me on the big 'B' and you guys down here."
"I see. Well, can I ask now?"
Driscoll shrugged noncommittally. "Sure."
"Okay. Well, where are you from?"
"I live in a town near Buffalo, New York."
"Over in the Starfleet dimension?"
"No. My home dimension is another one entirely. At home, it's 1997. December 14, to be exact."
"You have family there?"
"Oh,
yeah. Mom, step-dad, brother, sister,
grandparents, the whole enchilada."
"Must be nice, having such a large family," Allura said wistfully.
"It has its ups and downs." Adam saw the look of longing in Allura's eyes, and knew she was remembering happier times with her own parents.
After a few minutes, she looked at Adam again. "Sorry."
He shook his head. "Nah, it's okay."
"So if you're from 1997, that makes you … nearly four hundred years old!"
"Well, yes and no. Objectively, yes, but really, I'm only sixteen."
Allura and Adam sat in a comfortable silence for several minutes, eating. Finally, Allura said, "It must be wonderful. You're a pilot, the captain of a starship, the power to go anywhere and do anything. It must be incredible."
"It can be, but it wasn't easy getting here. I was constantly having to prove myself to one person or another. My age was always counted against me, and I had to prove that I could do the job. To Starfleet, to the Force, even to my own crew. Nobody took me seriously. It was hell, but in the end, it was worth it.
Allura couldn't believe her ears. This amazing young man who seemed to have the universe by the undershorts had to prove his competence. He hadn't just stepped into it. He had had to earn others' respect and confidence. Nobody believed in him, until he could prove them wrong.
Just like her.
The realization that he had faced the same challenges as her, and seeing that he had succeeded, stirred something in her. She was encouraged, and she felt a closer bond with Adam for it.
Allura smiled at her wingman, and he returned it in full measure. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, they felt something click, some connection with each other.
And then it was gone.
Adam smiled awkwardly, then rose from the table. "Well, I oughta get back up there. Got a lot to do tomorrow."
Allura nodded. "All right."
"Can I walk you back to your room?"
Allura looked at him a moment, as if not understanding his offer. Finally, she replied, "Yes, I'd like that." She got up from the counter and joined him, and the two headed back toward Allura's bedchamber. Neither one spoke, yet neither felt the need.
As they turned the corner into the hallway where the Princess' suite was, Allura asked, "Why are you here tonight, anyway?"
"Aw, damn, I forgot. I had to tell Coran, but I was going to tell you and the guys at practice. Nechayev called. That's why I missed dinner. Apparently, President Inyo is sending a delegation to Arus to check things out first hand. Nechayev herself is coming, with a couple a' more admirals, and two members of the Federation Council. They'll be here in four days."
"That's…" Allura began.
Just then, Nanny's voice filled the corridor. "Ach, Princess, what are you doing up so late? You need your rest." Then, she saw Adam with Allura, and her anger flared. "And you! What are you doing here? It is not appropriate for you to be alone with the Princess at this ungodly hour! Especially when she is in her nightclothes. What are you up to, you scoundrel?"
Driscoll regarded her coolly. "Ma'am, I'll have you know that I am no scoundrel. I am a starship captain, and a Lion Knight. Furthermore, I am an American fighter pilot." He paused, and a wide grin slowly spread across his face. "Which makes me the greatest hooligan you ever met!"
Allura had watched the exchange, shocked at first that anyone would stand up to Nanny like that. But her shock had turned to giggles as Adam turned the tables on the old governess.
For her part, Nanny was nonplussed, her face flushed in anger. Never had anyone had the gall to speak to her like that. "I… I… I… you! You ruffian! You vagabond!" she sputtered. "You… you… you hooligan! Get out!"
Driscoll bowed. "Thank you, Nanny," he said, still grinning. He turned to Allura, who was trying to hide her giggles behind her hand. "I better bail before she has a coronary. I'll see you at practice, Allura."
"Okay, see you later."
Driscoll nodded and headed off down the hall, leaving a very flustered Nanny and amused Allura behind.