Hey Mom? Can I Borrow Some Quantum Torpedoes?

Posted on Wednesday June 3rd, 2026 @ 8:26pm by Lieutenant D'ana Hunter

1,445 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: VFY S9, E1: We Have A Home
Location: Chief Engineer's Office

D'ana dropped into the chair behind her desk and let out a long sigh. The facilities weren't exactly held together with spit and a prayer, but she could tell this wasn't Starfleet's most intense rebuild. Starfleet had "repaired" things, but it was going to be some time before it was up to any kind of standards she had. She leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to figure out the order in which she wanted to tackle her list of impossible tasks.

"I know that look," a female voice said from the doorway. D'ana opened her eyes and saw a familiar face smiling at her. "Your Uncle Tommy and I had that look on our faces more than once over the years."

D'ana smiled wearily. "And yet, you always came through, Mother," she said.

Meesa Etara didn't have the soft brown eyes of her daughter, nor the deceptively kind smile, but she had an emerald stare and a stark beauty all her own. If D'ana didn't have a touch of human coloring to her, they could be confused for sisters. But looking at her, it was clear where D'ana got her green, and her physique. And her temper.

Meesa nodded and stepped inside D'ana's office, sitting down in an empty chair. "Sometimes by the skin of our teeth, but yes, we always came through it." She leveled a stare at her daughter. "And you will, as well." It was both a vote of confidence, and an expectation, practically a command. Meesa had spent years learning how to walk the fine line between strict and supportive, and while she still stumbled over it sometimes, she was relatively sure her daughter was able to rise to the challenge now.

D'ana sighed. "It's just the sheer volume of overhaul," she said. "And with the Klingons at our back fence..."

Meesa waved a hand. "There is always something at the gates waiting to kill us," she said. "If not the Klingons, then the Borg, the Breen, or who knows what else. Worrying about the enemy doesn't prepare for the enemy. So, what do you want to do?" Meesa said. "If you had your druthers, what would you do to protect this facility?"

"Arm us to the teeth," D'ana said. "Make sure any Klingon who attacks us regrets it. Phaser banks on multiple decks, multiple torpedo launchers on all station rib beams.

"That's my girl," Meesa said, her grin getting a distinct edge to it. "Your father expressed similar sentiments. So, I took the liberty of anticipating both your needs."

D'ana looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

Meesa pulled a small padd from her belt. "The last shipment I had delivered? It contained your wish list." She handed the padd over.

D'ana looked at the list of supplies and whistled. "This'll make the Klingons think twice," she said. "The power requirements are going to be an issue though."

"Well, good thing we upgraded the warp core to the latest model," Meesa said, grinning. "You're now the proud owners of a Type-7 reactor core."

D'ana looked up quickly from the padd. "You did? I am? That wasn't part of Starfleet's upgrades."

"Well, why have a mother in the S.C.E. if she can't adjust the work orders now and again?" Meesa said, smiling.

D'ana lit up and looked through the equipment list again. "This is great! I mean, it's going to take weeks to get this all done, but this'll definitely make us a formidable foe!"

"And a tempting target," Meesa warned. "But if you're going to be out here all alone, I'll be damned if I'm going to leave you unprotected."

"I'm hardly alone, Mother," D'ana said. "There's an entire crew here."

"Yes, and I trust approximately none of them," Meesa said. "They do not hold you as a priority. They did not promise to always keep you safe. They did not suffer to bring you into this world after--"

"--thirteen hours of labor," D'ana said as her mother said it, smiling and rolling her eyes a bit. "Yes, Mother, you've reminded me often."

Meesa let out a breath and softened her tone. "I've had your grandfather run checks on everyone. He'll have files compiled shortly. Until then, be professional but keep your own counsel."

"Yes, Mother," D'ana said, sighing. Her mother's mistrust of anyone who wasn't a personal family friend had been a sore point growing up. Playdates with other children were rare, and only after intense questioning by her mother of their parents, and as she got older, the potential friends themselves. The first time D'ana wanted to go to a sleepover, her mother had put a phaser and emergency transporter pip in her bag. She'd resented the helicopter parenting for a long time, but as she'd gotten older and understood her mother better, she understood why her mother was the way she was.

"On a lighter note," Meesa said, "This has been quite the elaborate family project. Your Aunt Camille and I made some upgrades to the sensor cap designs, and your Auntie Cass redesigned the station's arboretum. I think you'll be impressed with what we've done."

D'ana looked up the schematics, expecting to see her Aunt Cassandra's usual affinity for flowers and natural bodies of water. The station's arboretum was larger by far than what a starship would contain. It was practically a small continent. As she scrolled through the list of botanical samples, however, her eyes went wide. "You've transported half a forest," she said.

"Forested areas, orchards of fruit trees, nuts, edible plants, vegetables, and flower samples from half the quadrant," Meesa said, proudly. "All integrated, and automated to be practically self-sustainable, although you may want to hire a botanist to oversee it. And we got it all installed without one 'green thumb' joke," she said, smiling. "You now have an emergency oxygen factory and food supply, should things get dire. It can fully support the crew for at least a week if they had to use it as an emergency shelter, longer if you have rations brought with."

"Nice," D'ana said, looking over the schematics. There were natural paths, and artificial ones, freshwater streams feeding into a lake, and flowers and edible plants everywhere under an artificial sky. If she was reading the notes correctly, the lake and streams had even been stocked with some varieties of Terran fish and plant life. There was also a small set of hills to hike, and a waterfall. It was an impressive use of the three-dimensional space, and would give people a good break from the constant artificiality of life in space.

"This all looks wonderful," D'ana said. "The crew will appreciate it."

"I should think so," Meesa said with satisfaction.

"So, did Aunt Nicole overhaul the infirmary?" D'ana guessed. She had a large amount of honorary aunts and uncles and a grandfather, and Nicole was the main one left out.

"She sends her love," Meesa said. "But she wanted to give you a more practical gesture." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a slim, black bar slightly shorter than her forearm and handed it to D'ana.

"Her baton?" D'ana said.

"In case you need to hold back your admirers," Meesa said, dryly. She fished out a stretchy band and handed it to D'ana as well. "Wear this under your uniform and it'll stay at the ready on your person."

D'ana took it and nodded. Since they were in the privacy of her office, she quickly shucked her uniform trousers and slipped the band up her leg and around her thigh, setting it to a comfortable fit. She quickly got back in uniform and placed the rod on her thigh where it stayed put, ready to be used.

Meesa nodded in approval. "There's one more item on the agenda," she said.

"What's that?" D'ana said glancing over the padd again.

"What they adorably call 'R&D'," Meesa said. "Have you gotten a look?"

D'ana smiled. "Better than that. I've been asked to join."

Meesa's eyes lit up. "Excellent. Congratulations." She left it at that. "Well then, I suppose all that's left to do is insist you write home to your loving parents now and again."

"I'll make sure to keep in regular contact," D'ana said, smiling. "The Commodore will be inviting me to dinner soon, but tonight, how about just us?"

Messa's smiled turned much warmer. "I'd love to."

Both women stood up and came around the desk and hugged tightly. Meesa gave her daughter a kiss and held her tightly. "I'm very proud of you," she said, quietly.

"Thank you," D'ana said, hugging her mother tightly.

 

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