A glimpse into a future

Posted on Wed Jan 28th, 2026 @ 3:14pm by Senior Chief Petty Officer Mason Malone & Ensign George Paxton

Mission: Character Development
Location: Paxton Farm, Earth
Timeline: MD1,
1115 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Mason came out of the small house that had been built close to the large family house. After their marriage, they had built a small cottage on a bit of farm land on an outpost as far from the conflict as they could get. The initial idea was to provide their daughter with a safe space to grow up while the conflict died down, but that hadn't quite panned out as the conflict grew and became increasingly more difficult to ignore.

"George?" He called out, carrying a little girl in his arms. The girl had wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder. Her blonde hair was neatly braided into two plaits, one falling across each shoulder. Mason prided himself in that ability, having grown up with four older sisters. He glanced around, assuming his husband was outside on the field.

"Over here!" George yelled out from across the field, halfway between the porch and the barn. Sweat had already formed across his brow from attending to some chores around the property. George had always been an early riser and in the heat of Louisiana it was always best to get the harder chores done earlier rather than later.

Mason set the girl down and watched her run towards her other father. "It's too hot to be out already," he chided the man, "we should do this together tonight. It's supposed to rain somewhere tomorrow, but we'll see. I'm heading out to the academy in an hour or so. Need me to run by the store on the way home?" While George seemed to take care of things outside, and Mason took care of the chores inside, dinner was something George had claimed as his task.

"Hey there sweetheart," George swept their daughter into his arms and swung her around in a circle as she giggled. Then he looked at Mason. "It's not too hot yet. Better now than later, it's nothing I can't handle and I'm almost done," he smiled. "Give me ten minutes then I'll be back inside. I was actually thinking I'd head to the academy with you. This one," he pointed to their daughter, "is already growing out of some of her clothes so I figured we'd do a little shopping and maybe get dinner in town somewhere when you're done. What do you think?"

"I want a new dress," the girl insisted, "and boots to help daddy in the field."

Mason chuckled. "You'll make a fine farmer out of our Rory here yet, George," he grinned, making the girl's name sound as Irish as he could. "Just like her uncles. And I'd love it if you'd come along, I just have a class to teach this afternoon, and then we can make a family outing out of it." He winked at his husband. "I mean, no-one wants chocolate ice-cream right?"

The little girl audibly gasped. "I want chocolate ice cream!"

"Of course you do," George lightly rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Alright then, ten minutes plus a shower for me and then we'll all head out."

---------------

A few hours later, Mason followed his students out of the classroom. His expression brightened as he spotted his family waiting a few paces away from the door. "First years are so difficult," he insisted, "I prefer second or third years, their linguistic skills are more prominent and they're not such know-it-alls."

He leaned forward for a quick kiss then took Rory by the hand. "Did you and daddy pick a place yet?" He asked her, "I'm starving..."

"Daddy said I could pick, and I've been thinking really hard about it...NEBULA PIZZA!" Rory exclaimed.

George ran his hand down his face though he couldn't totally hide the smile peeking out. "Oh no. That pizza arcade place? With a million little kids and germs running around and those weird animatronics?"

"YES!" Rory replied.

George just gave Mason an apologetic look and a shrug. "What do you think Mason?"

Mason couldn't hide his amusement. "Well...if you said she could pick, then who are we to decide otherwise? But... There will be no screaming and you will come sit at the table to eat and no playing until your pizza is finished when it arrives."

Rory nodded, but excitedly clapped her hands. "This is going to be so much fun!" She exclaimed as she took a hand of both her fathers, swinging her arms back and forth in excitement as they walked.

Within minutes, they arrived and Mason asked for a table for three. "Go play," he told the girl, "but check in frequently." Rory scooted off as soon as she spotted a friend among the playing kids. He gazed after her, then looked at his husband as they took a seat. "There was an odd buzz at the academy today," he then said, "and I don't know what to make of it. A second Athena has been spotted? I don't really have contact with our old crew anymore so I can't be sure. Do you?"

George furrowed a brow, both confused and concerned. "Finn and I have kept in touch on occasion, but we don't correspond often. I haven't heard anything about it. What else have you heard?"

"She's pretty roughed up, extensive damage all across the ship. Remember, it's all gossip, I don't have anything factual to back it up. But it's making me curious enough to consider requesting leave from the academy and head out there to see if I can help in any way."

George hummed thoughtfully in reply. "Not a bad idea. I could go with you. I hate to leave Rory, but she'd be safe here with my family. I had hoped the conflict would be over by now, but didn't quite predict that it wouldn't be in our favor. I know we moved here to keep Rory safe, but we can't really keep her safe if these aliens win...no matter where we live."

"I'd hate to leave her too...you two are more important to me than anything else in the universe, but duty is something that's still part of me, and I need to try." He reached out to caress his husband's cheek. "I know she's safe with your family, it's the only reason I would consider this at all. And I need to do this, exactly for the reason you said. So that she and all other children may have a future."

George reached up, pulling Mason's hand into his own. "Then let's do it. I'll talk to my family tonight, we'll make whatever arrangements we need to for Rory. Then we pack and we go. Together."