Posted by Civilian Sair Songz (Counselor) in Officer’s Mess- Dinner with the Captain

Posted by Fleet Captain Alexander Cochrane (Commanding Officer) in Officer’s Mess- Dinner with the Captain

Posted by Civilian Sair Songz (Counselor) in Officer’s Mess- Dinner with the Captain

(snip)

A shift in emotions swept through Kel’s eyes, leaving behind a deep sadness. “I am not causing this. It just is,” she said with a sigh before she turned to Sair, reached out a hand and reseted it on her daughter’s cheek. “I think I’ll go pick up Koro and spend the evening with him. He likes it when I tell him bedtime stories and I’m feeling more tired than I expected anyway.”

It was not like yesterday’s picnic, where Kel just up and left abruptly. This time it was done with understanding. Sair watched her mother rise out of her chair and her eyes tracked her, even as she nodded. She understood and there was no confusion or anger on her face. None. “Kiss him goodnight for me. Tell him I’ll see him in the morning.”

Kel nodded to Sair with a warm smile and turned to Cochrane. “Captain, I came to this ship to reunite my daughter with her son, and to spend some much needed time with them. Believe it or not, I would do anything I could to spare Sair pain. But I am a mortal being, and even I with all my years as a nurse know I am powerless to prevent it this time. Thank you for this dinner.” She bowed her head to him. “I wish I could stay for more of it but I think Sair needs this evening more than I do.”

Turning back to her daughter, Kel held a deep look. “Tell him. There’s no reason not to other than maintaining pleasantries.” Sair nodded and her mother slipped out of the officer’s mess.

Sair sat there and turned her gaze out the window, staring into the deepness of space, all but hearing the discordant notes at play. “She’s not a terrible person, Captain. She’s just… she’s dying,” she said very matter-of-factly.

~Sair & Kel Songz

Cochrane was silent a moment and nodded. “Not to sound callous, Sair… but hearing that was not unexpected considering your people’s history. Although I was hoping that it was something less… final… that was the issue.” He looked out the window and watched the stars streak past for a long time in silence. ” How long does she have, if I may ask?”

Cochrane

Sair turned her head away from the depths before her and allowed her light brown eyes to find his gaze. “A few weeks, months maybe. It’s hard to predict but once a person begins the Decline, things can progress rapidly. Our dueridium treatments need to be calibrated to each individuals metabolism, but in this final life stage it drops so rapidly that it’s hard to keep up with. That and our cells become less receptive to the stabilization so… we decline. It’s a very uncomfortable thing to go through. Painful.”

She took a deep breath. “She knew… before I left for the Manhattan. But she knew that if she told me at that time then I would cancel my plans and stay. And I’d never leave Kobliad. I wouldn’t have the heart to. She’s not wrong,” she said with a bitter laugh. “We all know I had to go. I’ve spent my entire life caring for everyone else. I’ve watched so many people die, Alex, that if I had to watch it with my own mother…” She shook he head. “I would have stayed to care for my father in the aftermath, to hold him up, and maybe we’re all wrong and my rightful place is there, but you said you had an idea of my perspective. I think she made the right choice not telling me till now, but maybe we’re all delusional.”

~Sair Songz, CNS

Cochrane’s eyes returned to space after she spoke. “I do have an idea… but not in the way you think. The complete opposite, but… two sides of the same coin.” He looked at her and said “So why didn’t your father come? Honestly… it’s not some performance., is it?”

Cochrane, CO