Blue genes

Posted on Sat Jan 25th, 2025 @ 9:19pm by Ensign Mercy Mourne & Lieutenant Darru

Mission: Remnant
Location: Secondary science lab
Timeline: Mid-fuel crisis
1950 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

It was once again quiet in the science labs. Now the ship was refuelled, the frantic energy had disappeared and people were going back to the work that had been set aside in favour of finding the deuterium. Mercy had returned to her pet project of categorising the data for archiving and was working through the personal and departmental project folders when she came across Darru’s genetics project. At first she skipped over it, feeling almost like it was like reading someone’s personal logs to go through their working out. It felt… strangely intimate. But in the end curiosity and the need to be thorough had driven her to taking a peak. What she found made her frown.

It was thorough, she had expected nothing less. The logic of each pairing logical. And she also appreciated there seem to be some consideration for individual attraction and preference too. A small indication of the care Darru felt about the crew and their happiness mixed in amoung the necessity of survival. However it was her own analysis which upset her.

“Darru?” She called out to him, then flushed and shot an apologetic look. “Sorry I mean Lieutenant may I have a word?” She then pointed at her screen, and the blank space beside where most other people had a list of suggested genetically compatible pairings. “What’s this?”

Darru had been going over the fuel purity readings as well as letting his mind wander on the potential of his troubles. He blinked at someone calling his name and glanced around realising that it was Mercy talking to him and they were alone. Had she called him more than once? He blinked again in a very un Vulcan way before rising to look at what she was asking from him. "That I believe Ensign in the genetic pairing I started when we first got lost in space." He stated already thinking she knew that as it was well known that he had started it.

“No I know that.” She huffed a reluctant laugh. Ask a Vulcan a vague question and they would usually answer literally. She pointed to her screen, to the empty section next to her own name.

“I meant this sorry. Shouldn’t there be my listed pairings here? I thought I agreed you could do an analysis… did I not have any viable matches?” She frowns looking down at her own data. There was something exposing seeing his analysis of her DNA written out. There, in plain, pure logic, was everything she was. Had he concluded she wasn’t good enough? Was there something wrong with the fit of her genes?

“I do not believe I got to you before people ran out.” Darru commented. He was not at all sure there were many people left when he decided that the matches were causing him discourse with the people he was going to be with for many years.

“Oh.” Mercy wrinkled her nose and then looked down at her data. She had a small wrinkly between her eyebrows which appeared whenever she was thinking really hard. “So it’s not that there is something wrong with me? Just that… there’s no one left.” For the first time since being lost Mercy saw her life stretch before her in a way that produced a feeling of fracture. She suddenly understood Madi’s unhappiness between the life she had thought she would have and the one she was likely to experience. Mercy had never really thought about marriage or children, but suddenly she felt the sharp realisation that might not be a possibility.

“You know I always thought science could solve any problem, but sometimes it only gives you more questions. Or reveals a truth you wish you didn’t know.” She forced back her own feelings and gave Darru a smile. “Sorry I didn’t mean to question your work. Would you like ready access to this project and its data in future or should I mark it for archival storage?”

"If there had been something wrong with you Mercy I would have come and discussed it." He assured her quietly trying to work out what he had done wrong a year ago. There was something about her demeanour that spoke of something bubbly under the surface. "You are a scientist and can question what you feel but it can be archived. It does not serve much purpose now."

“Of course, I meant more as in I would be a good genetic match rather than in medical terms. But I know you would have put all participants well-being before anything else.” Mercy meant that, Darru had demonstrated often through his actions that the well-being of the crew was always a priority for him. He might not coddle people the same way she did, but it didn’t mean he didn’t care. Quite the opposite in fact.

“Do you have any children Lieutenant? Sorry if that’s too personal a question, but I just realised I had never asked, and I am aware you were married before so…” Mercy trailed off and cleared her throat trying to keep herself from blushing.

"I do not. My wife passed away on our wedding night." Heart defects and Koon-ut-kal-if-fee went hand in hand sometimes and V'lin had known her risk but had wanted to continue. He looked away already able to imagine what Mercy's face would be like. She would be unable to hold back her sympathies and he had no idea why he had revealed it but it was logical to explain why he had no children, later on it would explain much to hr.

“That’s… I’m sorry.” The was a pregnant pause while Mercy scrambled for the right thing to do or say. She reached out automatically, wanting to offer physical comfort. However before her hand made contact she remembered the last time she had tried and her hand dropped to her side. “For what it is worth, I think had circumstances been different, you would make a good father. I’m sorry that this was not something you could share with V’lin.”

"Vulcans do not always achieve parenthood when we want it to happen but I understand the sentiments and thank you for it." He said calmly seeing her hand reach out and stop before he touched her hand. "You humans are a lot more suited for this type of circumstances than us which is why I stopped this program in the first place. Genetics should not be the only thing that people look for." He said quietly also aware that men out numbered women onboard so not everyone would get an opportunity to have children or anything, it was something he had come to an understanding around many month ago.

“Then there’s still hope for some of us singles on board.” She grinned and gave him a look of exaggeratedly amused relief. “I level if we might be less genetically favourable. W-what do you think is important? Uhm if you were looking for a partner o-or giving someone advice?” Mercy really couldn’t help but blush. She mentally cursed herself for how she stuttered over he words and ducked her head pretending she was simply categorising his data and assigning it to the correct storage protocol.

The man arched an eyebrow and wondered if the woman was asking for his dating advice of all things. “I believe there may be others more suited to offering you that advice.” He said quietly not entirely sure how to take it when he had feeling for her. “I have. Made many errors in trying to understand humans.”

"Yes, yes of course, I didn't mean to put you on the spot. I was curious about what you look for but... uh... I realise that's very personal and probably so different to uhm others so... I'll... I'll just be archiving these." Mercy made to stand up only to awkwardly hover when she realised she had called Darru over to her work station so she didn't really have anywhere to go. Not for the first time she wished there was a hull breach that could suck her into space. Only if it happened now Darru would also be sucked into the void, and the poor man didn't deserve that. Bad enough he had to deal with her saying weird things because of how much she admired him. Professionally speaking of course.

"You have not Mercy. These are conversations that you need to have and I am here to listen. I might not understand what it is you are saying and I might not have the anwsers but I will listen. That is what is the most important part of any relationship." He said hopeful that, that was what she needed to hear from him. "It was how I was with V'lin."

Mercy paused in her internal panic and came back to stand at her workstation. Her face was still quite red and her heart was racing in her chest. “I… thank you. For listening to me. And I am honoured to be considered alongside V’lin in such a way. Not that I think I could match her, or that you would even think that. I just… I know how much she meant to you.” It happened again then. The small instinctive twitch of her hand to reach out to him. She cleared her throat then smiled warmly, trying to dismiss her own embarrassment for being so moved by the moment.

“And you know if there is anything you don’t understand all you have to do is ask. I can explain our strange illogical ways to you anytime. Really I just always enjoy talking to you so it’s no bother at all. Here to help.” The last parts came out in a rush.

Darru paused as he turned to see the twitch and slowly reached out himself covering her pale hand with his much larger dark one. "You would never need to match V'lin. Even among vulcans we are all unique Mercy." He explained softly. It was hard to explain that Vulcan's despite their logic and emotionless view to the humans and other species they were as unique as them.

Mercy tensed for a moment as her hand was covered by his own. The touch warm and confusing. What did it mean? She looked up at him with wide eyes. Did this mean he cared about her like a colleague? Was he trying to comfort her by adapting to human needs to touch? Hope bloomed in her chest followed by a crushing sense of vulnerability. Her hand moved under his, but instead of pulling away she turned her hand over, so she could return the gentle moment, fingers wrapping around his larger hand gently, in a grip he could pull away from if he wanted to. Her body leaned toward him slightly as she studied him.

“Would-“ Mercy had been about to ask him something but suddenly there is a bubble of laughter from the corridor as two crew members pass the labs. The moment breaks and Mercy is flooded with the realisation they are on shift. Slowly, with great reluctance, she gave his hand one last squeeze then withdrew.

Darru raised an eyebrow at what she was saying but stepped back, the moment broken for him as well. Would? He had so many potentials for where that could have gone but it was almost a relief when the moment was broken after mentioning his deceased wife. It was a heavy conversation.

“I will leave you to your archiving and go check on crewman jones.” Darru explained.