The News That Gave Him The Blues

Posted on Friday, 1 January 2021 - 2:38pm by Lieutenant Alex Kingsley & Commander Soral

Mission: Operation: Ouroboros
Location: USS Standing Bear | Bridge + Various
Timeline: 2393

ON:

Soral was just finishing his time on the bridge. He was going through readiness reports. Thus far only 65% of the staff had reported back. The rest were on their way. The departments were finishing some last minute upgrades and he was still waiting for both Tactical and Science to report on their status.

“Update from the science department,” Lieutenant Kingsley announced as she emerged from the turbolift. “May I speak to you in private?”

"Indeed Lieutenant." He motioned to the XO's office which, like the ready room, was just off the bridge. He preceded her into the office.

Taking a deep breath she followed him, waiting until the doors had closed to grant them privacy before she spoke. “You gave me your word, Soral. A promise. Yet you seem... off. What is going on?”

"I was going to speak with you tonight. I did not get a chance before we visited T'Lanna." He sat down. "I had my last medical follow up with the Vulcan doctors."

“Sounds ominous,” she said slowly. “What did they say? Was there complications? Are you okay?”

"I am healthy. All was healed from this incident but they did a more thorough work up...I...There was some damage from the experiments that the creatures that had us performed. The have caused damage that may be reversible but may be permanent."

“What... what kind of damage?” She prompted, leaning back against his desk. “Whatever it is, we can deal with it.”

"I may not be able ..." He cleared his throat. "I may not be able to give you children."

“Oh,” she hadn’t expected that. At all. “Oh...”

She was silent for a moment before she nodded, “that’s okay. I know you wanted to have more but you have two wonderful kids already and maybe it isn’t forever. Even if it is, lots of couples don’t have children.”

"I see." He paused. Did she not want to have kids with him? He'd never considered that. "Anyway it is illogical to dwell on it." It still stung.

“Soral,” Alex moved to sit on his lap, “it may be illogical but it is natural... and it’s perfectly okay to feel whatever it is you feel like feeling. But also, we should be grateful for what we do have. Life is precious and one day maybe we will be blessed and have a child. But equally, my parents were so happy together and they adopted me. I may not make sense but this doesn’t change how I feel about you, or us. And there is no reason we can’t keep trying... not right now obviously.”

He wrapped his arms around her. "You speak wisely, I know you do, yet....the news haunts me." He paused. "May I make a confession?"

“Always.”

"I had never thought I wanted kids. When I met you...I knew that I did because it would be a combination of us two. When I found out about Soval and Severine and saw how they warmed to you and how I could easily slip into the role I knew that you and I were meant to be parents."

"Time is a great healer, and nothing is certain in this life. It could still happen. And even if it doesn't, we still have each other and maybe we can do what my parents did for me, they took me in and raised me as if I was their own flesh and blood. Something I will forever be grateful for," she told him. "Nothing in life is certain, Soral. We just do what everyone else has to do. Take it a day at a time. And one day the universe will be ready for a a child with mixed heritage but the most wild ginger hair ever in the whole of time..."

"May I ask you a question that is perhaps a tad inappropriate?"

“Inappropriate?” She frowned, confused. “Okay...”

"Are you angry with me? Because I brought Soval and Severine into our lives. Do you think that you can truly see them as your children even though they were from a previous relationship I had?"

“Angry with you? Why would you think that? We’ve talked about this, of course I’m not angry with you. It’s a lot to get used to, yes, but I’m trying. I’m twenty-three, Soral. A child was something in our future, and then we were parents.”

He cupped her face and kissed her. "The children love you. I know it is a lot to take in but I am glad that you accept them. You are right, we are parents." He sighed. "Now I just have to figure things out around Solek and why he keeps following me. I figured out he's Romulan...but not much else."

“Have you spoken to him?”

"He claims he wants to help me, to protect me."

“I’m not sure of all the details or if what he even told me was true but I think he genuinely does want to protect you. He knows a lot about you, and your family. As in your grandfather.”

He raised an eyebrow. "He spoke with you? My grandfather?" He looked at her. "When did you speak with him?"

“He did, reluctantly...” she sighed, “he’s been avoiding me. I think. But I was on the station and he was super nervous and I got curious... so I kind of followed him?”

She waited a second to be sure he wouldn’t lecture her. “It was weird. He was meeting someone, before you ask I do not know and he wouldn’t tell me. He only implied it was safer not to know. But he was a Romulan, I’m sure. His whole attitude was very not Vulcan like. I couldn’t hear much, only that this guy was not happy you had gotten hurt. He said Solek had failed to protect you and that he had to keep watching over you. And me. And then my foot slipped and Solek found me.”

His eyes bugged out. "You could have been hurt! You followed him....I... Alexandra!" It was the first time he'd raised his voice. "What if Solek had not been friendly?"

“Soral, I am able to defend myself,” she reminded him, rolling her eyes.

"I...you could have been hurt. I shall strangle him, logically of course." He stood depositing her on the desk. "He put you at risk. I will send him to the airlock!" He started pacing.

“I followed him, remember?” she pointed out, reaching out on his next pass to catch his arm and stop his pacing. “There will be no using airlocks.”

"What exactly did he tell you?"

“That your mother was Romulan and from an important family. They always send one child to serve with the Quwat Milat but she broke her vow and had children,” she frowned, after everything that had happened lately parts of the conversation were far from clear. “It was your grandfather who made her send you away, to Vulcan. Something about a vision he had about you. Your future. Which is insane.”

She took hold of his hands, “he did say he kept your children a secret from whoever it was in the cargo bay. To protect them, I think. I’m not sure. But he said something else. That your mother had another child a few years after you were born. Your half brother. I have no reason to believe or doubt it. And I suspect that is why he is here, watching over you.”

Solek should be saying all of this but she doubted he ever would.

Soral listened quietly. "I..." He paused. "I do not understand." He stood. "Computer locate Petty Officer Solek."

The clipped voice came in reply, "Petty Officer Solek is in Tactical."

"Alex you have the bridge. I need to have a talk with this Romulan."

“Okay,” she nodded. “Just... be patient, listen and whatever is going on, we both have this. Together, right?”

He paused at the door and turned walking back to her. He kissed her soundly. "Together my wife." He hurried out.

OFF