Freaky Friday (Writing Prompt)

Posted on Thu Oct 30th, 2025 @ 3:11am by Lieutenant Commander Keeli Reex Dr

778 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: What's Past is Present
Location: USS Sullivans, Science Lab Alpha

Lieutenant Commander Keeli Reex had the labs to herself for a bit; the rest of the team would file in in short order, but for now, she was enjoying the quiet. Her life was loud; Jobom was ten now and had discovered video games on the holoemitter. On top of that, he was being a bit difficult with her-picky with food, and not listening to instruction. The Counselor had warned that it would happen sometimes-the divorce had upended his world, and shook his safety net. Worse, having two parents were both Joined was a problem-there would be a point when both could no longer "know" him, and that did hurt. Sometimes she wondered if it had been a good idea to become a parent. On the other hand, he was so loved and wanted. She didn't know how to express it to him.

They'd figure it out, she knew. It would just take...time. Time they had now, she supposed. Obom, her ex husband, had returned to Trill for a second joining, and then moved on with his career-Starfleet Intelligence. It was "too dangerous" to involve a family-or so he said. The Banns and Reexs had been PEOPLE on Trill-higher class folks, and she and Odom had known each other most of their lives-a sort of unofficial prearranged thing. They were mostly compatible and had been friends. Keeli had realized now that there had never been anything deeper than mutual respect and like-but mostly, just expectation couched in tradition and the familiar. So, for the adults-divorce had been the next logical step in a relationship built on logical steps instead of the wild abandon of love.

She snapped back to the present as a noise caught her attention. Must be Elly. Elly Clarke was her most junior officer-an Ensign, fresh from the Academy, and full of the sort of ideals that one kind of lost as they raised up the ranks and saw the darker side of the seemingly-utopian lifestyle that Starfleet presented. Or at least, that's how it'd been for Keeli, and some other people she knew. She moved the microscope to the side, carefully, to avoid spilling the agar she was looking at-in her excitement, she hadn't let it cure COMPLETELY, but enough that she could begin initial visual assays.

She stood up, after hearing nothing. Which was strange because Elly Clarke was one of those people who talked a mile a minute from the time her feet hit the floor in the morning to the time her eyes closed at night. Keeli really didn't mind-save for a few moments that it was distracting-like when she was doing complicated calculations. The woman was a botanist, though, and VERY good at her job. Keeli's wheelhouse was chemistry, but Elly knew everything about flora and plants. They could run an entire arboretum from the main Science room, really, too.

She approached the anteroom, where a light was on. She didn't remember leaving the light on in the kitchenette, but no bother. Sometimes, the others forgot she was a mom and possibly a vampire and liked the darkness. She spoke.

"Good morning. Elly?" She asked. A face appeared.

Keeli took a step back, letting out a small shriek. It was...her?! What?? She looked down for a moment. No, this was INDEED the same body she'd woken up in. Something else, too. She shrieked again.

"I'm OLD," she said, before she fainted.

"I'm YOUNG," the apparition said, before disappearing.

Several moments later, Keeli came to, with Elly standing over her.

"Ma'am, are you ok? Let me call the Doctor..."

Keeli struggled to sit up, but was able to before speaking.

"I am ok. I think I am just...tired. Did you see anyone else?" She asked, looking around. "Elly, do I look different to you?" She asked, anxiously.

The younger woman shook her head but looked at the Trill like she had three heads. "No. ma'am, the same as always. I mean, you could really use a more blue toned lipstick, but otherwise, you look fine. Why?"

Keeli winced, but sighed. "I thought I heard someone in here...before." She rubbed her temples. "IT was me...but much older." The Captain's pips, the grey streaks at her temples, the fine lines that had settled in at the corners of her eyes. She shuddered. "Maybe I need more coffee."

"Or less..." Elly suggested, having stepped back. "I really think we should take you to medical. Thomas," she called out, to the Astrometrics specialist. "Help me get the Chief to medical. She has a head injury, I think," she said. At any rate, the normally calm, unflustered woman was acting strangely.

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