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The Beginning
Topic Started: Mar 27 2018, 10:18 AM (2,274 Views)
Nick Ryder
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"Mr. President"

It was a long day of sitting through endless board meetings, design sessions and other meetings, when President Emeritas Ryder got back to his private office in his residence. Sitting behind the desk he had shipped from his old office at the ASDB on Mars, he found an old isolinear chip wedged in the back of a drawer. It had to have been there for probably the past twenty years, although maybe not that long but it was used to fill a gap in the drawer and for some reason, he never really checked to see what was on it. Was it just an old blank he never used? Was it a fragged out old chip? Was it something that may have been important at one point or another? Yanking it out he placed it on a chip reader from his old tool kit and shrugged his shoulders as he inserted it into his 20 year old desk console, also from his old office. Alice and Natalia always teased him about it, but the damn thing worked just fine and he had all his access codes saved on it.

As the old console flashed to life and he opened the files on the chip, he had to laugh. It was indeed very old...

-- 20 Years Ago...

Angel was in her bedroom, the sounds of the crashing waves mixed with the sounds of old rock music blaring over a set of speakers on her desk meant her father had to yell for her to hear him.

"ANGEL! DO YOU WANT A SANDWICH?" Nick practically shouted through her closed door.

"I'm busy!" Angel said through a mouthful of dress making pins as she attempted to pin the last few folds on a skirt she was alterting on a dress form.

"You SURE?" Nick opened the door and waved the grilled cheese sandwich.

"Fine... come in..." Angel replied with a sigh and pulled the pins out and stuck them in the little plushie she used for her dress making pins. ]

"Computer, lower volume and close window..." Nick said as he walked in. "How can you work with all that noise?"

Angel just shrugged her shoulders. "I had a bad day... helps to block it out." she sat on her bed and sighed heavily. "Is that why you came with grilled cheese?"

"Pretty much." Nick winked his eye and handed her one of the wedges. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really but you're going to pull it out of me anyway right?" She sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest as she nibbled on the sandwich and looked at her father. "I hate the other girls in my class. I'm smarter than they are and they act like they're such hot stuff because half of them are dating football players. Who the hell cares?"

"I thought you were one of the popular girls too?" Nick raised an eyebrow.

"I thought I was too... I still have a ton of friends, but this little cadre of harpies... " Angel growled. "I know I don't have to be liked by everyone or like everyone but... they're so... shallow and stupid and yet... it feels like they're the ones that are going to be picked for things. One of them told me 'who cares if you don't get in that project... your daddy will just get you on something else. Like I'm nothing."

Nick winced and put his hand on her knee. "I'm sorry sweetie... but like I keep telling you... kids like that... they're peaking right now. Those are the ones that will be in dead end jobs or pretty much living off their high school 'rep'."

"I know... it just... it hurts." Angel closed her eyes. "And then they started me calling me names and it was... it was just not a good day. I really regret asking to go to that high school. I miss being homeschooled with you." she looked at her father. "You always 'got' me and I felt like I actually learned something. Half my day is just navigating these social bitches... "

"Isn't that why you wanted to go to a regular school once we moved here?" Nick reminded her. "I mean I can still pull you out, Marcus got expelled again and Jack is already taking college courses, Olivia... I haven't seen Olivia in a week..." he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah one of mom's training things. That's another thing... they keep teasing me about her. How she doesn't look like me anymore, keep saying she's my 'half sister' or 'mom's affair with the replicator repair man'." Angel chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Although technically you ARE the replicator repair man!"

"That I am." Nick laughed and put his arms around her. "Listen, kids are mean and kids are dumb. I was an overweight, nerdy non jock when I was your age. You and I are so much alike it's scary. Although I do not have half your skill when it comes to clothes. Course, that you probably still get from me, your grandmother Tess used to make a lot of clothes too. My first dress uniform she made for me. Still have it and it still fits after all these years. Admiral Ross has had ten of them. Quality not quantity." he looked at her and hummed. "You know you're almost old enough to intern with me."

"I don't know... I feel like if I do that I'll never get out of your shadow." Angel said and nibbled on her sandwich and looked at the pictures on her wall. "But then again... I really had a lot of fun when you took me with you during spring break. No one had any idea I was just this 16 year old girl, everyone called me 'Ensign' or 'Yeoman' as long as I followed behind you with a padd.

"I do need one... I really regret taking this promotion, I am getting swamped and the assistants they keep giving me are useless. They can't keep up. Or they're flirting with me or they're just too... slow. We're augments, we think faster, we can do three things at once... " Nick shook his head. "What I'm saying is, I need someone like me to help. I want to be able to spend time with you kids before you all grow up and move out and start careers."

"Or get knocked up." Angel said with a laugh. "I totally think Marcus and Kirby are... not just doing homework together."

"I'm pretty sure of that. Kirby's like another daughter to me, Gavan jokes that she's a half step from being a Ryder, the time she spends with either Marcus or Olivia." Nick said with a shake of his head and a bite of his sandwich. "I don't mind... I was his age when your mother and I... well, we waited but your know what your mother is like."

"I know... " Angel nodded her head in agreement. "So... daddy... are you offering me a job?"

"I am... if you want. You're almost done with this school year, your senior year... you can always do virtually like we did your last few elementary years. If you want to. Now it would mean formally enrolling in Starfleet's early entrance program and we'd have to log hours and an SFA teacher would have to basically sign off on you but... you're a legacy so you're pretty much 'in' at the Academy. You'd eventually need to attend but we can do a lot remotely." Nick explained. "Thing is... are you ready to take on an adult role? Or do you want to be a kid a little longer?"

"Give me a couple days..." Angel said softly. "I mean... this is a real job not just like when you had to watch me and we just pretended I was doing real work, besides keeping you on time for your appointments and returning calls?"

"It'll be real, you do know Yeoman is a command track position, promotion boards, especially those who have some former Yeoman on the board look very favorably on that experience. Or have you changed your dream of being 'Captain Angel Ryder' someday?"

"Why can't I do it all? Captain a ship? Play in a band and make art?" Angel said with a smile. "Or are you afraid of the competition?" she teased and poked his ribs.

"God you are so my kid." Nick said and gave her a big hug. "Tell you what... get some real pants on and let's go out. Just the two of us."

"These are pants." Angel pointed to her tights.

"Those are tights. Not pants. At least throw a skirt on or something." Nick said as he stood up and took the empty plate.

"Fine..." Angel huffed and walked over to her closet and pulled on a black pleated skirt and slid into a pair of low heeled pumps. "Hey by the way... if I do take this yeoman job... does this mean I need to take the Oath?"

"Well you would be officially Starfleet so... pretty much. Yeah." Nick nodded his head.

"So... I would actually be in the service, not just a hangeron?"

"Actually in the service." he said with a grin.

"You know what... I'm in. Let's do this. None of those clique'y twits are even close to that, too busy giving BJ's in the bathroom." Angel said and made an eep sound.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah..." Angel blushed.

"Oh yeah I'm pulling you out." Nick chuckled. "Just ah..."

"Dad, I have no boyfriends, boy friends... but no one I would do that with. Don't worry, my virtue is intact." Angel said as she put her hand over her heart.

"I won't even ask about your sister." Nick winced.

"Don't." Angel said with a wave of her hands.

"So your mother's daughter." Nick rolled his eyes as he took his daughter's hand. "But yeah you're totally my kid. Which is fine by me. You were always closer to me and we bonded right away."

"I remember everything dad... I always slept better with you around. Just... have you noticed some weird stuff with mom lately? She's been sneakier than usual and it's just... weird." Angel said as she touched up her lipstick and fixed her hair. "Like I asked if she could pick me up from school and she was like 'I have no idea where I'll be, ask your father.' I asked and she was just... grumpy."
Nicholas "Nick" Ryder
President Emeritas- Terra Alpha
Alpha Quadrant Alliance Founder and 1st President
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Rebecca Talon
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The doorbell chimed, and Rebecca Sandoval stood there at the door in a crisp Admiral's uniform. Every detail was in exacting specification down to the placement of the combadge and polished boots. Every fiery hair was in order and pulled back into a regulation bun. She held a wicker basket filled with pastries, and wore and excited grin.
"Nothing of consequence happened today. " -- Diary of King George III, July 4, 1776
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Nick Ryder
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"Mr. President"

"Well someone looks like she got some good news. Or you got laid." Nick teased as he gave her a one armed hug. "I have no idea how a southwestern girl can keep your hair that controlled in Honolulu." he said and glanced over his shoulder at Angel. "Guess who's Starfleet's newest Yeoman trainee?"
Nicholas "Nick" Ryder
President Emeritas- Terra Alpha
Alpha Quadrant Alliance Founder and 1st President
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Rebecca Talon
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"The Irish in me wants it to kink up something fierce, but with a little effort I can coax it into doing what I want it to do. So, the Erebus is in for it's ten year refit. Admiral T'ver has asked me to teach a class at the Academy."
"Nothing of consequence happened today. " -- Diary of King George III, July 4, 1776
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Nick Ryder
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"Mr. President"

"Ten years already?" Nick looked up and did the mental math. "And how many years did I tell you that if we pushed hard enough it would actually get built?" he nudged her arm. "We should celebrate or something. Wait... T'Ver has you teaching at the Academy? The old lady's going to trust you with you impressionable young minds? Fleet's more desperate than I thought." he teased and pecked her cheek. "Proud of you Becca. I'm sure they won't stand a chance when you give them... the look."
Nicholas "Nick" Ryder
President Emeritas- Terra Alpha
Alpha Quadrant Alliance Founder and 1st President
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Rebecca Talon
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"I will have you know, that my crews love me. Just ask Master Chief K'meck. I am the only commander that he worked with."

Seeing Angel, Rebecca smiled. "Oh my you have grown. I would ask if you were ready to join the Academy, but something tells me you are moving to New York to be a fashion designer. "
"Nothing of consequence happened today. " -- Diary of King George III, July 4, 1776
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Angel Ryder
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TAS Seraphim CO

"I want to redesign your uniforms." Angel said with a smile. "I've got like fifteen of them on my drawing board, even prototypes I made. But the thought of working with dad and you... that's way more interesting. Besides, no one said I couldn't indulge my creative side and serve the Federation right?" she walked up to Becca. "You're kind of one of my heroes."
Vice Admiral Angelica "Angel" Ryder
CO TAS Seraphim - 414th Engineering & Planetary Defense Fleet
"Yes, I am chronically perky. Deal with it."
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Rebecca Talon
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Rebecca blushed, "I'm no hero. I just did my duty. The real heroes were the ones who served under me, and never came home. And, yes. The Federation would benefit from you in any capacity. "
"Nothing of consequence happened today. " -- Diary of King George III, July 4, 1776
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Angel Ryder
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TAS Seraphim CO

"I'm serious, there are plenty of female Admirals, but you're a creative and there aren't many of those in positions like your's." Angel said as she crossed her arms. "You and dad fought in the Dominion War and so many other things. You're both my heroes. I still remember the day Earth was attacked, grandpa Leo kept us kids in the basement of the clinic in Poland after that just in case they started hitting more major cities. I was just a toddler but I remembered having nightmares of the Jem'Hadar invading and then... you and dad rescuing us." she laughed and shook her head. "Did he really play Oingo Boingo's 'Dead Man's Party' during the mission to retake DS9?"

"Yeah..." Nick rubbed his neck. "Down in the engine room at least."

"Someday I want to have a Command of my own and I hope I have a crew like you two have had." Angel said and looked at the basket that Becca brought. "So what's the basket of carbs for Aunt Becca?"
Vice Admiral Angelica "Angel" Ryder
CO TAS Seraphim - 414th Engineering & Planetary Defense Fleet
"Yes, I am chronically perky. Deal with it."
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Rebecca Talon
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"Your father wasn't even assigned to the Denver when he did it," Rebecca laughed. "I wish I had been there to help your father after that attack. I owed him, but the Denver was assigned to the Romulus to help them with Jem'hadar incursions."

Rebecca handed Angel the "basket of carbs", "Just remember Angel, the crew is only as good as you. Many will step up to the challenge, others will crumble. The key is to know which ones will bend or break and use their abilities to the best of their ability. The phrase of 'herding cats' is an apt description." Rebecca smiled and patted Angel on the shoulder, "I was just stopping by, and etiquette dictates that you should never arrive empty handed."
"Nothing of consequence happened today. " -- Diary of King George III, July 4, 1776
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Angel Ryder
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TAS Seraphim CO

Angel looked at the basket and smirked as she looked back at her. "And a bunch of mine and dad's favorites and none of mom's. I don't think I've ever seen her or Olivia eat muffins or pastries. Thank you."

"Fresh coffee?" Nick offered as he gestured to the kitchen. "Just brewed a pot. Oh and you'll never guess who I heard from... McKenna. They still can't find that sector. Rigan's contacts in Starfleet Intel are stumped too."

"McKenna always sorta intimidated me, always thought he'd like... crush a beer can on his forehead or literally rip into someone if they gave him bad news. Course I was just a kid when I saw him last." Angel said as she followed behind the two Admirals. "That was such a wild place. Are those Octopai guys still on your ship?"
Vice Admiral Angelica "Angel" Ryder
CO TAS Seraphim - 414th Engineering & Planetary Defense Fleet
"Yes, I am chronically perky. Deal with it."
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Rebecca Talon
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"Aww Harry," Rebecca said with a smile. "He was the only one. I remember T'ver. She came to me, told me that I needed an engineer, and that she had one. Little did I know Harry the Octopus would scare the daylights out of everyone."

She chucked, and went to the cupboard just liked she lived there, pulled out a glass and filled it with water. "Nicholas as much as I would love a cup of coffee Dr. Johnston keeps telling me that I have to lay off the coffee. It's harder than you think."
"Nothing of consequence happened today. " -- Diary of King George III, July 4, 1776
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Nick Ryder
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"Mr. President"

"One of the benefits of being an augment... I can ignore doctor's orders a lot more safely. Although seriously... you've always had a quick heart rate, you'll be fine." Nick said with a wave of his hand. "How the hell do they think people like us get these stripes? By drinking water? They should be happy our drink of choice is a bean and not liquor."

"They claim it stunts growth." Angel gestured to her father. "Does that look stunted to you?"

"Says the shorty." Nick said with a playful poke.

"I know this really awesome natural fake coffee some lady makes around here." Angel said with a smile. "Tastes like it but it isn't it. Although dad always has a pot of the real stuff ready. One of my friends from school was shocked that when she asked for coffee he actually brews it not just orders it from a replicator."

"Angel brews a pretty good cup if I do say so myself. I'm actually looking forward to her joining me in the office." Nick said with a smile. "Told you Becca, one of my kids would work with me someday. Jack really wants to get into the hard sciences. Marcus... is probably going to give me my first grandchild. Olivia is her mother's daughter. Intel is going to get her I'm sure of that." he whispered to Becca. "And you know... she's... about Angelica's age, only a matter of time before she joins and you bump into her at the Academy."
Nicholas "Nick" Ryder
President Emeritas- Terra Alpha
Alpha Quadrant Alliance Founder and 1st President
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Rebecca Talon
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"When you are ready, I'll sponsor you Angel. It might look a little self-serving if your dad did it."

Rebecca set her glass down and looked at Nick, "Olivia huh? Is that a warning or something?" Rebecca laughed. "I am only attached to one semester. I hope the refit doesn't take much longer than that. There's trouble brewing." She glanced at Angel, and then back to Nick. I'll elaborate when we are alone. Hell, you probably already know about it."
"Nothing of consequence happened today. " -- Diary of King George III, July 4, 1776
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Nick Ryder
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"Mr. President"

"T'Ver tried to get me to teach some advanced Engineering classes but I've got a lot on my plate right now. This is my first... sorta day off in weeks." Nick said and nodded his head. "I have an idea what you're talking about." he glanced at Angel. "And y'know you're right, might work if she's sponsored by you. Not that either of us are entirely impartial but the kid's got good grades, she's already fluent in a few different languages and she has been exposed to enough classified material to make her a threat that needs to have a uniform to keep her mouth shut. Not having 31 recruit her out of high school. Or the FSS. Liv and Kirby have already run ops for Julie and Gavan."

"Mom did drop her into that old CIA facility near Virginia in her yoga gear and a pair of flip flops and told her 'to survive'." Angel made an eep'ing sound. "And I probably shouldn't have said that in front of you two..."

"I know Becca... I know exactly what you're going to say... " Nick rolled his eyes. "Mrs. Ryder and I need to have a chat... when she's actually home."
Nicholas "Nick" Ryder
President Emeritas- Terra Alpha
Alpha Quadrant Alliance Founder and 1st President
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