"Computer, locate Ensign Boimler."
A chirp. "Ensign Bradward Boimler is located in supply closet thirteen on deck eight."
"Ha! I bet he's playing Captain again!" Mariner laughed.
The girl got on a turbolift to deck eight, eventually coming across the supply closet after a
few minutes' walk.
She pushed a button and the door swung open.
Sure enough, there was Boimler. But he wasn't narrating into his padd like she thought he'd
be.
He was instead, sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, nursing what appeared to
be one of Mariner's bottles of Romulan whiskey. The ensign's padd was beside him.
She squealed with delight. "Boims! You finally tried Romulan whiskey? I'm so proud of you,
you rule-breaker! What did it huh? Third-wheeling with Tendi and Rutherford? A girl reject
you? Put too much sugar in Ransom's coffee and got yelled at?"
Mariner let out a squeak as the usually docile Boimler flung the bottle of whiskey into the
wall, it shattered on impact.
She noticed Jennifer Sh'reyan peek around the corner, concern and curiosity dominating her
features. The two shared a look before the Andorian turned back the way she came.
Mariner turned her attention back to whatever situation she had just walked into.
"Boim- Brad… what's going on?"
"You didn't hear, did you?" Mariner looked confused.
"William's dead, Mariner."
The human girl's eyes widened slightly.
"You– Your transporter clone?" Boimler nodded.
Mariner moved further into the supply closet. Making sure the door swished closed behind
her, she took a seat next to her friend on the floor.
"Sorry about the bottle."
Mariner shook her head dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Like I said before, Riker's flush
with that kind of stuff."
She noticed Boimler visibly tense at the mention of his old Captain and put a hand on his
shoulder. "Tell me what happened?"
Boiler took a shaky breath.
"The Titan was ambushed. Pirates, bounty hunters and Pakleds working together, about ten
ships.
Even for a ship like the Titan, it was too much. By the time backup arrived… 80% of the
crew was gone. It was a miracle she could even keep power to the warp core and life support
systems."
"Riker didn't send me anything…" Mariner said, slightly hurt that she hadn't heard from her
friend after such an awful experience.
"I don't think he could even if he wanted to. He and the rest of the crew have been ordered to
attend counseling sessions at some survivors' guilt therapy camp thingy while their injuries
are treated. Minimal technology access. He's probably using what little access he does have
on speaking with family."
Mariner nodded.
"Okay but Brad I thought you didn't really talk to William–"
"Oh my God, that's not the point Beckett! Don't you get it?!" Mariner winced at the way her
name sounded coming from an upset Boimler.
"That was going to be me! That was supposed to be me! I was supposed to die! If I hadn't
gotten cloned, I would be lying on the bridge of the Titan with a metal rod in my stomach!"
Mariner sat in stunned silence.
It was quiet for a while, before Boimler finally spoke again.
"He– he sent a message to my padd." He shuffled and showed her the screen. "I want to
listen to it but…"
"You don't want to do it alone?" Boimler nodded.
"Okay," Mariner said gently. "How about we listen to it together?" "I'd like that."
Mariner delicately took the padd from him. After looking at her friend for confirmation, she
hit play.
"Hey Brad, William here." The muffled sound of phaser fire hitting metal and shouting could
be heard in the background. "I don't have a lot of time so I'll make it quick. I was going to
apologize for getting you sent off the Titan but in hindsight, I'm not going to. I know where
this is heading and… better the transporter clone than the real one."
Mariner glanced at Boimler. He had his head against the wall, eyes closed but clearly
listening. Probably imagining…
- 6 Days Earlier, USS TITAN -
William Boimler couldn't help but chuckle at his situation. Here he was on the bridge of the
Titan with the rest of the bridge crew, praying the door wasn't blown open until help could
arrive. All the while, narrating a message into his padd.
It was a lot darker than it sounded. Shields were down and virtually all weapons were taken
out. They had run out of torpedoes; even the tractor beam was inoperable. And to top it all
off, they were being boarded.
Knowing there wasn't much else they could do, the captain had them send messages to loved
ones if they desired. So that is what they did. Riker didn't want to discourage his crew but he
was not going to bullshit them either.
"The universe is a big place, Brad. Find your purpose in it! Keep going, Cerritos strong!
And… tell Mariner how you feel. It could all be gone in an instant so make the most of your
time together. Say goodbye to everyone for me, William out."
The intruders had given up on the door and had instead beamed directly onto the bridge.
Riker managed to shoot two before he was brought down by a phaser to his torso. William
Boimler fell to the floor beside his captain, bringing the padd down with him, as he was
stabbed in the stomach with a piece of debris.
But the universe was cruel though. Oh so cruel.
Just as the group of pirates finished gathering all the data they could, one spoke up.
"Sir, at least three Federation and two Vulcan ships have responded to the distress call. At
maximum warp they'll be here any minute."
If only they had held out a little longer…
The leader nodded. "Let's get out of here."
The bridge was cleared out, leaving only a room of dead or dying Starfleet officers.
William took one last glance around the bridge before his heart dropped. His message!
He had stopped it but didn't get a chance to send it.
He reached and reached but it was too far.
Then, a hand hit the send button for him. William could cry.
"Thank you, Captain."
Riker groaned. Fortunately for him, the phaser hit him in the side instead of dead on, he'd
live.
"I need you awake, Lieutenant. You heard those pirates, help is coming."
William looked down at the rod protruding out his torso. With the adrenaline wearing off, his
eyelids were already impossibly heavy.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir."
Riker took a look at his subordinate, swearing at the sight of blood pooling around him.
He was right.
"I am sorry, Mr. Boimler."
"You made it up to me by sending my message, sir. Don't worry, I signed up knowing this
could happen. Still the best job in the galaxy…"
"Mr. Boimler…"
"Mr. Boimler…!"
"William…!"
William Boimler closed his eyes for the last time as his captain's voice faded away.
- Present Day, USS CERRITOS -
Mariner didn't realize she was crying until she felt a few drops hit her leg.
Bradward Boimler was still in the same position. Back and head against the wall, eyes closed.
Except the tears rolling down his cheeks were obvious.
Mariner put the padd down, wrapping her arms around her best friend and pulling him close.
He reciprocated the embrace.
"I do have feelings for you by the way."
"If you're just saying that to make me feel better…" Boimler croaked out.
"I'm not. I've had feelings for you ever since you left for the Titan. I didn't realize how much
you meant to me until you were…" she gulped. "Gone."
"But we can talk about all that tomorrow, alright?"
Boimler nodded.
They stayed in the supply closet (and embrace) until they fell asleep, not caring that a search
party would inevitably find them when they didn't show up for their shifts.
They were mourning.
First Star Trek Fanfic. Let me know what you think and thanks for reading!