Posted by Captain Alexander Cochrane (Commanding Officer) in Event Horizon - An Unexpected Visitor

Posted by Lieutenant Kiama Naim (Chief Science Officer) in Event Horizon - An Unexpected Visitor

Posted by Captain Alexander Cochrane (Commanding Officer) in Event Horizon - An Unexpected Visitor
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Cochrane shook her hand once and then let go. “It is indeed, Matron. I would suggest going forward that some advance notice be given. It makes it easier to have you come aboard without waiting. And if you wish to surprise your daughter, you may simply contact me. I will be happy to make the necessary arrangements so that is possible.” He looked at Naim and then back to Jeanoya and said “You should be very proud of your daughter, Matron. Not only is she an amazing scientist, but she is a good leader for her department. We are quite lucky to have her on board.”

Cochrane, CO

“That may be,” Jeanoya replied, seemingly ignoring the first part of Cochrane’s reply. “But she is not just anyone. She is a daughter of the 7th house of Betazed and there by has a lot of responsibilities to her family and her people. None of which she can fulfil while working in a lab for Starfleet. Especially one on a a starship in the Delta Quadrant. Sometimes one has to put personal interests aside for the greater good, for what is best for the many. Something my daughter should know by now.” At that she looked from Alex to Kiama before turning back towards Alex.

“I do, mother, but-” Kiama started, but another glance from Jeanoya silenced her.

~Kiama & Jeanoya Naim

The anger and insulted feeling within Cochrane went on like a switch. His face went cold and hard as iron. The animosity he now felt for the Matron was not only evident to empaths and telepaths… but to anyone who could see his face.

“The gre-… Matron, are you serious? You are going to stand here… on my ship… and lecture me and one of the finest officers I have ever had the honor to serve with on the ‘sacrifices that have to be made for the greater good’? You, who are so concerned with the needs of the 7th house of Betazed, that you can’t see with all your empathy that the woman you are speaking down to and about sacrifices every single day to do what is best for the many? No, you can’t. Because ‘the many’ for you stops at your atmosphere’s edge. Matron… your daughter who you deride for ‘not knowing how to put personal interest aside for the good of the many’ was part of a team that not only saved this ship and all it’s crew and passengers from utter destruction not four days ago; and was ALSO instrumental in reunifying a species that had been forcefully split into seperate beings for the past three millennia! And while I am quite certain that the needs of the 7th House of Betazed are of paramount importance to the hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of individuals that rely on such an institution; I am much more impressed that your daughter put the needs of the millions of individuals whom she didn’t even know first before her very life and saved them from mass extinction!” As he spoke his voice grew louder and louder, till at the end he shouted the last five words. Then, his voice grew very quiet and very firm and he stepped very close to Jeanoya. “So I will not allow you or anyone to belittle, bemoan, or degrade what Lieutenant Naim does on this ship or any other vessel lucky enough to find her as a member of it’s crew. She is an asset to the entire Federation, not just your House. And it is the utmost display of conceit and arrogance that anyone in a position such as yours would fail to see that of their own flesh and blood.” and he took a step back and put his hands behind his back, his jaw still clenched.

While Jeanoya stood there without showing very little outwards reaction to his proximity, his voice or the volume of his voice, Kiama had flinched and slightly ducked her head as she took a few steps backwards. Of course she knew that it didn’t make sense for her to react that way. Alex wasn’t shouting at her after all, but defending her. And yet she found herself unable to react any other way.

“Now I will give you one opportunity, Matron. You can give me your word that you will conduct yourself with a higher degree of respect and dignity with regards to the Lieutenant… or you can get the hell. Off. My. Ship. You pick. And yes, I am more than aware you will be filing a formal complaint with Star Fleet Command at your earliest opportunity. You don’t need to read minds to see that coming. Just remember that when you do… I get to tell them what you said. And that is then public record.” He locked her with a gaze that didn’t flinch from the black eyes of the Matron. “Wonder how the other Houses will react to such degrading statements made by one of their own about a Betazoid serving the Federation with such distinction?” he added flatly.

Cochrane, Really Ticked Off CO

“Are you done yelling at me now?” Jeanoya asked coldly, her head held high and her jaw jutted slightly forward. “I am well aware of the sacrifices any Starfleet officer has to make and what danger they constantly put themselves in. That is exactly why I don’t think it is a good idea for her to be out here. She is the only heir left to our family. Like every house ours has a role to play for the good of all of Betazed and thus the Federation. I generally think that serving Starfleet is commendable, but I don’t think it is the right place for my only child. Being born into one of the houses of Betazed means that you can’t do whatever you please. No matter how noble it might be. If something happened to her, Starfleet would simply assign a new officer to your ship or you’d promote one of the other scientist to fill her position. At the end of the day she is replaceable. But in our family there is no one to take her place. She is my daughter and my heiress.”

At that Kiama looked up and blinked a few times. That had been the closest her mother had come in years to say ‘I love you’. It didn’t make the whole situation better or her more comfortable, but it was nice to get a glimps at what was beneath her mother’s behaviour towards her. Though she also really disliked that she and Alex were talking about her as if she wasn’t in the room. And yet she found herself unable to say anything for herself. So she just stood ther in silence; watching and listening.

~Kiama & Jeanoya Naim

Alex was angry before, but now he was mad. “Replaceable? Replaceable? You arrogant, conceited, selfish bag of bones! You think she is replaceable to us?” and he put a hand on Naim’s shoulder protectively. “Who the hell do you think you are?! Like just anyone in a blue uniform could do what she does? And as well? And as fast? And as accurately? And with as much compassion and dignity? So what? All Science officers are just the same? She’s nothing special?” Alex took his hand off of Kiama and pointed at Jeanoya. “Lady… you go straight to hell. And on your way… get off my damn ship.” and looked at Kiama. “Lieutenant.” and he walked out the door.

Cochrane, CO

For several long moments that felt like an eternity to her, Kiama just stood there in her quarters staring at door through which the Captain had just left. She could feel her mother’s anger, but for once she was silent as well. Eventually Kiama managed to collect herself enough to move again and ignoring Jeanoya who tried to hold her back, she hurried out of her quarters and after the Captain. Even though he was already out of side, it wasn’t hard for her to follow him. Falling into a fast jog, she hurried after him and once he was in sight again, called out, “Captain? Please wait.”

~Kiama Naim

Cochrane was steps away from the lift when Kiama’s voice caught up to him. He stopped and took a deep breath and turned around. “Lieutenant. I am so sorry for my outburst. I simply could not… when she said… I just…” and his face screwed up in anger again and he had to consciously try to calm himself. He took a few deep breaths and looked down at Kiama. “I do apologize.”

Cochrane, CO

Shaking her head, Kiama replied, “You don’t have to apologise. For someone as intelligent as she is, she doesn’t always think things through or consider how her words sound to others. What she said sounded much worse than what she actually meant.” Bowing her head a little, she took a deep breath before she continued talking. “But I didn’t run after you to defend her. I wanted to thank you. It’s not often that people stand up to her and even rarer that they stand up for me against her. Thank you Captain,” she said and then took a step forward and gave him a hug. This time not out of an impulse, but very deliberately.

~Kiama Naim

Alex was a bit surprised, but when she hugged him he smiled. Putting his hands on her shoulders he pushed her back and then bent lower to look her right in the eye.

“Lieutenant… I meant every single word. You are one of the finest officers I have ever had the privilege of serving with. And you deserve the acknowledgement that what you do matters. It matters every single day. We may not ever see it… but what we do makes a difference. Not just on this ship, not just in a House… but to thousands upon thousands of worlds. Do not ever forget that, Lieutenant. Because I will not forget what you do, and what you have done.” and he stood up straight. “If your mother wants to stay… actually, if you want your mother to stay, she can. But only out of respect for you, Lieutenant. But if you don’t want her here, my order stands. Understood?”

Cochrane, CO

Kiama nodded, a small and slightly embarrassed smile creeping onto her face while she felt blood rush to her cheeks. “Thank you Sir. Everything you said … it means a lot to me. And I think I want her to stay. At least for a little while. Maybe she listened to what you said and maybe I actually manage to say something when she is around so that we can really talk. Or maybe I’m being too optimistic. We’ll see.”

~Kiama Naim

Cochrane nodded once and said “So be it. Good luck, Lieutenant. Be strong. You are. You need to show that to her.” and he nodded once more and then stepped onto the lift and was gone.

Cochrane, CO

For several moments Kiama just stood there and stared at the now closed door to the turbolift. She was tempted to board the lift as well and go somewhere, anywhere on the ship that wasn’t her quarters. Not that she could actually run away from her mother or the conversation they needed to have. But it was a tempting thought anyway. With a soft sigh she finally turned around and made her way back towards her quarters, mulling over what to say.

The moment Kiama entered her quarters again, her mother looked sternly at her and said, ‘I hope you have told Captain Cochrane that he can’t talk to me like that.’

‘Actually, I haven’t mother. I thanked him. For standing up for me and saying what I have never been able to say,’ Kiama replied, trying to be strong and brave and stay her ground.

Jeanoya looked as if Kiama had slapped her in the face and was silent for a few moments. Eventually, she said, ‘I only want the best for you, Kiama.’

‘I know, mother. And I know that you always did what you thought was right. But-‘ she paused and took a step forward, placing one hand lightly on Jeanoya’s shoulder. ‘I never felt like that. It felt like all you ever wanted for me what is good for our family, for you, for Betazed. You hurt me. I don’t need you to feel proud of what I have accomplished so far. You don’t even have to like it that I’m in Starfleet. All I need from you is that you respect the choices I made and try to stop making me feel like nothing I do will ever be good enough. That I will never be good enough. When my time comes I will take my place in council and as the head of our house. Till then I want to live my life the way it feels right for me. I want to be happy, mother. And I do feel happy here. This ship and her crew, they feel like a second home, a second family. Can you understand that?’ As she told Jeanoya all of that in her thoughts, tears began to roll down her dark cheeks.

‘I think I can,’ Jeanoya replied after several moments of silence, ‘but I think I need to think about what you have said.’

Kiama simply nodded and dropped her hand.

‘I won’t stay on the ship, but I will stay on the station,’ she continued. ‘Maybe we can meet for lunch tomorrow or the day after and talk. I never meant to hurt you, little one.’

“I know mother,” Kiama said aloud for the first time. Her voice trembling slightly. “Let me bring you back to the docking port.”

And with that all three women left Naim’s quarters and made their way towards the docking port. Once there, Kiama said, “I’ll see you tomorrow at at noon. There is a small bistro on the station called ‘The Black Swan’ that has excellent food.”

Jeanoya simply nodded and then she and Meriyo left.

Once they had turned a corner and were out of sight, Kiama gave NE Samson a small nod and then turned around and left as well. There was a lot to process and think about before the next day.

~Lt. Naim, Jeanoya Naim, Meriyo Ristri and NE Samson