Prompt: Andy - "You know what sucks about not having anyone you care about? You don't have anyone you care about." - 'About A Boy'
"May I sit down?"
Kenneth Dalby glared up at the person who had asked the question. Apparently, the man hadn't taken him seriously when he had told him he didn't want to get to know him. What Dalby really wanted to do was tell the Vulcan to get lost.
However, he wasn't on a Maquis ship any more and Chakotay had made it clear that they were to try to fit in. Dalby had no use for Starfleet or its rules, his former captain had earned his respect if not his friendship.
"Go ahead," Dalby replied. "Sir." The last word was added as an afterthought.
As Tuvok sat down across from Dalby, the former Maquis went back to his meal.
"I have a request to make of you, Crewman Dalby."
"A request? As in, it's my choice if I want to do it or not?" Dalby asked, looking up at the Vulcan.
"That is correct. The request concerns crewman Gerron."
"I thought I told you to back off of Gerron," Dalby replied, immediately going on the defensive. He didn't much care what happened to himself. Life had already beaten him down enough that he could handle it but Gerron was still young. Too young to feel as if life was against him, and yet that was the impression that Dalby got off the young man. "He almost died yesterday during this training of yours. Hasn't he given enough already?"
"Serving on a starship, Starfleet or Maquis, is full of danger. I did not purposely put Mr. Gerron in harms way and he did his duty quite admirably."
"Then what do you want with him?" Dalby asked, not letting down his guard. He wasn't about to let anyone give Gerron a hard time, even if it landed him in the brig. He had learned the hard way what it felt like to not have anyone to care about it life. It sucked, plain and simple. It was like not having anything to live for any more. Dalby had been there before and didn't want to return. Sheltering Gerron from more pain gave him someone to care about again.
"I would like to recognize Mr. Gerron's efforts at making the most of this training by making what humans refer to as 'a gesture'. I'm aware of the significance of the cultural significance the earring are to Bajorans and yet Crewman Gerron was willing to remove it to adhere to Starfleet protocols. Given the situation, however, I think an exception can be made. As he removed the earring in front of the group, I'd like to grant him the priviledge of wearing it in front of the group as well."
"You want me to steal his earring?"
"I wouldn't call it stealing but yes, I would like you to temporarily gain possession of it for me to make the presentation more meaningful."
"I'll see what I can do," Dalby said, agreeing to it because he knew what it would mean to Gerron.