NPC Mary Daniel — Making friends with Mary Daniel

[+ Vitor S. Silveira]

Wonderful work by @Yalu

A nice closure to a great character... Or Is it?

 

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(( OOC:  I have had so much fun writing the bizarre journey of Tina Kuppasoop/Mary Daniel.  What started as a throwaway one-liner in the Discord months ago turned into a surprisingly complex, interesting, and fun little multi-mission character arc.  Thanks to everyone who indulged all these weirdo twists and turns and played along. ))

(( Saints Emberly and Ashley Hospital for the Misguided and Gross, Shmuopolis ))

Mary was disappointed that no one seemed to express any sympathy when she trotted out the old pinching line.  Curious, as it always seemed to work so well back at home.  Since the only way out of Emberly and Ashley was through the front door or the trash chute, Mary presumed they’d be fighting their way to one destination or the other and was offended when each of them balked at her request for a phaser.

Etan: We can’t give you a phaser on account of your, uh, condition. ::he whispered:: We still do not know the effects the phased energy discharge might have on your, uh, child. Besides, ::he tried to move on quickly.:: We don’t need to fight our way out of here. ::he looked round at Niac.:: The tags?

Daniel:  ::scoffs::  oO I’m pregnant, not dead. Oo

Niac took a quick glance out the door and into the hallway.  The nursing staff’s rounds at night were erratic, and no one ever knew when the hospital enforcers would next make an appearance.

Niac:  We're clear, but I don't know for how long.  This may be our only window.

Vitor took a step closer to Mary.

Silveira: You won’t be needing a phaser Mary.

MacKenzie: Let’s move. Now.

Mary had never been happier.  Not only was she the star of this glorious little drama, but she literally had everyone’s undivided attention!  Hooray!  She took a page out of the monologue she delivered on Gallows Hill back in 1692 in front of half the village, while the other half were trapped in a barn with a mean cow.

Daniel: Ladies and gentlemen, at a moment like this, I think it would be appropriate to pause and reflect––

Mary never did know how to hold a room.  Before she could get to the part about her carefree childhood, running carelessly with her friends through fields of wheat, everyone seemed to have moved on from her, and Iljor cut her off.

Etan: We need to get you to the Excalibur, Ti- sorry, Mary. Doctor Adea needs to examine your child for any signs of illness. ::beat:: I don’t know how much you know about the 24th century but humans cannot ordinarily procreate with other species without, uh,  medical intervention. The longer you go without the proper care the more danger your life is in- and your child as well.

Mary was conflicted.  Part of her–the part that had unexpectedly been given a real, flesh-and-blood existence–wanted to be rescued, to continue living her life, to discover what untapped potential she had.  The other part of her–the part that was a two-dimensional character in a second-rate work of holofiction–wanted only to prolong the drama for as long as possible.

Daniel:  I just–– ::beat, places the back of her hand on her forehead::  I just don’t know.

Niac:  Clock's ticking.  Mary, you're going to have to trust us.  Think about it this way...::Karrod gestured to the dingy cell around them::...you know what the alternative is.  

Mary heard the sound of the double doors in the outer corridor slamming open.  The enforcers were on their way.  Mary had so far avoided the dreaded brain dump, but the odds that she’d escape from Saints Emberly and Ashley with her clever mind intact were getting longer by the second.

Niac:  Vitor, get on this door with me, we're about to have some serious company.  

Silveira: Well Doctor, you should have talked nicely to the Nurse.

MacKenzie: The decision is yours, Mary.

If Mary had kept a diary she would have written in elegant cursive: “I’ve never felt more alive.”

Daniel: I choose–– ::beat::  I choose––  ::beat, wimpers::  Oh, decisions are hard!

Iljor held up a small piece of technology that Mary didn’t recognize.  All she knew was that it definitely was not a butter churn.

Etan: This will help us get out of here quicker. It’s not going to hurt you, I promise you that. ::beat:: Tina knew me and she would tell you that I’m not lying to you.

Back in Jupe, Mary had run Tina’s mind through a juice press, and since then hadn’t had access to her memories.  She had no way of confirming his assertion, but as the orderlies’ footsteps grew nearer and their shouting grew louder, Mary’s thoughts were on matters other than playing Friends of Soup.

Niac:  Time's up...it's either us or them, Mary!

Mary wasn’t prepared to let this end without a fight.

Daniel:  Give me another five minutes!  Maybe we could talk about it some more?

Silveira: No time for discussions we have to leave. ::He smashed the stretcher against the door as if in a tug of war game.:: Someone better explain to me how this discretion thing works.

MacKenzie: ::annoyed:: Rest assured this is not it, Lieutenant…

Mary raised an eyebrow.  She could probably teach a lecture in discretion.  After all, she lived inside the mind of Tina Cup of Soup for weeks and no one had a clue.  Were it not for a whirlwind romance and the opportunity to run away with Burnt Ohst, she might have maintained her cover indefinitely

Etan: I know you’re scared- I would be in your situation- but this is all for your benefit- and your child as well. Help us help you both.

The door began to splinter as the orderlies on the outside pounded it with their truncheons.  Mary watched as Karrod and Vitor held the gurney-cum-barricade in place with every ounce of strength they had.  God Almighty, this was exciting.

Niac:  Quick, look out that little hole in the wall and tell me if we're near the roof of this place....hurry!

Mary’s eyes followed Sil has he closed the distance to the hole in the wall in two paces.  An astonishing display of virility.

Silveira: There’s a roof right beneath us. ::He gave a thumbs up to Commander Niac, and then turned to Mary:: I don’t want to leave you behind Mary.

MacKenzie: ::to Silveira:: We’re not. Let’s go.

Tears welled up in Mary’s eyes.  They were going to all this trouble just for her?  Was this what true friendship was?  All her life, Mary had been mistaken.  She thought of friendship as the currency by which favors were done and repaid in kind.  “Do this for me or I’ll not be your friend anymore” was a common refrain in her early years.  But these people, so selfless and kind and willing to do unto others that which––

Niac:  Get down!

The next several seconds were a blur.  Vitor grabbed Mary’s head and pressed it into his chest, causing Mary to violently dry heave from a faceful of sewage-saturated shirt.  The telltale sound of phaser fire erupted somewhere behind her, followed immediately by the ruckus of stone and mortar clattering and tumbling.  Mary looked up and saw a two-meter wide hole in the side of the building.  Stunned out of her train of thought, she stared out into the ice-cold night of Shmuopolis as if staring into the gaping maw of her own future.

Shaking away the fog of shock, Mary was immediately perturbed at what had just happened.  She thought back to the underground caves outside Jupe and crossed her hands over her chest in annoyance.

Daniel:  Oh, I see.  So when he does it, it’s okay.

Niac:  Everybody out, now!  Runabout is on the way, eta two minutes.  Get to the roof and find whatever cover you can!

Mary felt someone take her hand and pull her toward the hole in the wall.

Silveira: COME ON, WE ARE LEAVING!

MacKenzie: ::over her shoulder:: I hope none of them are dead, Commander…

Etan:  response

Niac:  What?!  I didn't shoot any of them!  ::Karrod flinched as the door shattered and the angry mob of orderlies began piling into the destroyed treatment room.::  Go!  

Vitor looked at Mary, and tightened his grip on her hand, getting ready to jump.

Silevira: Trust me.

Daniel:  :shakes head::  Nay.  I won’t do it.  I shan’t!

MacKenzie: ::angrily, fed up with the nonsense:: Go, before I push you!

A rush of frosty air buffeted against Mary’s face.  It took her a full second to realize Vitor had yoinked her by the arm and forced her to jump.  Thankfully, her cat-like reflexes allowed her to position herself for the impact, and she tucked into a calisthenic roll just like when she and her friends would secretly play Catch-the-Cornucopia out in the churchyard after Sunday school.  She stood, relatively unharmed, unlike Karrod Niac, who seemed to have landed poorly.

Silveira: Frack. Go on, I will get him.

Mary was immediately irritated that she was no longer the center of attention and affected a limp in an attempt to win back the sympathy of the others.  For some unknown reason, they seemed not to be having it, so she trudged on ahead.  A short distance away, a small Federation craft appeared and hovered not-so-inconspicuously nearby.

Etan:  Response

Silveira: SOMEONE NEEDS TO START A DIET… Next time I am stunning everyone in our way in and out. Then you can throw me out of the airlock when we get back.

MacKenzie: ::muttering:: Not if I take you all out first.

Sil, now carrying Karrod over his shoulder, reached out and took Mary’s hand.  They were walking so close to each other that the rhythmic cadence of Sil’s steps caused the back of Karrod’s head to brush gently against Mary’s neck again and again.

Silveira: And I am not giving you a choice anymore, your coming home like it or not.

Daniel: ::coquettishly::  Ooh, a lady never tells!

Everyone quickened their pace and boarded the craft without much additional fanfare.  Once their shoes hit the ramp, Sil squeezed Mary’s hand and went on ahead to deposit Karrod on the floor of the cockpit.  Mary, intoxicated by comfort and warmth, slumped down into one of the seats and watched the rescue team take their positions for the return trip.

MacKenzie: After you, Lieutenant.

Etan: Response

Silveira: Let’s get back home.

The engines rumbled and the craft nosed upwards into the atmosphere.

Daniel:  So, what’s everyone doing later?

Anyone:  response (if desired)

[End scene for Mary Daniel]

NPC Mary Daniel
Reformed (or has she?) Murderess
Demes II
Justin D238804DS0

 

[Genkos Adea]

Oh man, I came here to post the exact same thing. Wonderful work by our wonderful Yalu.

[Theo Whittaker]

@Yalu has always been an exceptional writer but his work as Tina / Mary on the last couple of missions has been *chef's kiss*. What could have easily played for laughs has instead been a gripping character study with real menace and stakes behind it. Absolutely amazing read! ❤️

[Alleran Tan]

Coming into this with absolutely no context was a trip, but this was amazingly well written and I loved it. Bravo!