(snip)
Riley returned the hug and they just stood there like that for a moment. Once they separated, Riley took a breath and gave Julien a wry smile.

“Where to first? La’kia or Marishka?” Riley paused. “Actually, let me make that decision. Let’s find La’kia. She has to be wondering how you’re taking the news of her pregnancy.”

Dekker, CNS

Julien just gave a rather vehement nod.

• Julien King

He wouldn’t show up without warning.

=^=Dekker to La’kia. I’m with Julien and was hoping you might be free?=^=

Dekker, CNS

There was a small beat of silence before a reply was forthcoming. =/\=I can be. Where did you want to meet?=/\= the Zaharan’s light voice sounded.

~La’kia, Ambassador

Julien touched his com badge =^= In your quarters if possible? Otherwise we can meet in Riley’s office. =^= Julien answered. He pointed around him and shook his head. It made no sense to do this in a barren holodeck.

• Julien

OOC: Well she’s not going to get that rest she and Sage talked about. :/

OOC: I’ll just assume this is a little bit after Sage leaves with A’naad and she’s at least had a nap, lol. We can move it to that thread after Sage and A’naad have left.
IC: =/\=My quarters would be best. The lighter gravity is particularly helpful right now and I’ve been resting, so please feel free to com here. Sage has taken A’naad for a few hours.=/\=

La’kia, Ambassador
OOC: Yes please :) Let’s just say Julien didn’t have that chat with Riley right away.

Julien nodded at Riley =^= Ok, we’re on our way. =^= he said and walked to the exit.

• Julien King

Riley nodded as the comm closed and walked with Julien out of the holodeck. The trip to La’kia’s quarters was short and quiet. Riley could sense the turmoil in Julien’s mind and knew the man was preparing himself. When they reached the door, the Counselor looked at his friend, his hand hovering over the chime.

“Are you ready?”

Dekker, CNS

Julien harrumped and gave Riley a rueful look. “As ready as I’ll ever be. But this is not about me, it’s about her. Whatever happens, she’s the one who is raising my children, simply because she must, psychologically and in her case biologically. Whatever she wants, she gets.” Julien shook his head, looking defeated, but also determined.
“In the grand scheme of things this is about two lives now, versus one. If I look at it as a Captain, that’s what it is. There are enough capable Captains in Starfleet, I’m only one of them. But A’naad and Fl… my daughter matter.”

with that he pressed the chime.

• Julien King

“Enter,” came her light voice from inside the suite, in which the gravity was notably lighter, which Julien would be used to, but Ryley most I Kelly not.

La’kia was lying on the sofa with a blanket draped over her while she held a data pad and was reading. Before her on the table was several more that probably looked suspiciously like work. Reaching over and setting the pad down, she pushed herself up into a sitting position and turned a bit to face them, still draped in the blanket. Her note about resting clearly had not been an exaggeration. “Come on in and have a seat,” she said softly, her golden eyes tracing their movements intently.

~La’kia, Ambassador

Riley’s first step into La’kia’s quarters was awkward as he felt himself bounce a bit higher than expected. The unexpected movement sent a combined jolt of excitement and uneasiness up his spine. Instinctively he put a hand out to catch Julien’s shoulder and steady himself. As Riley had steadied his Captain in the holodeck, now Julien steadied him.

Julien stepped into the lighter gravity as if it didn’t affect him at all and it didn’t. This was the first time that Riley would realise, as he held on to Julien’s android right shoulder, just how much heavier Julien’s right body half really was. No wonder his left body half had as many muscles as it had.
For Julien the lighter gravity instantly relaxed him and his human muscles, as it always had. It also of course reminded him of what it had enabled him to do… with La’kia. The thought paired with her golden eyes never failed to drive a knife through his heart. It hurt so damn much to be here and not just be with her as they used to. Now everything was different, whether he wanted it or not. That happy happy past would never come again.

“Thank you for letting us intrude, La’kia,” he said as he took a seat across the table from her. “Julien has asked me to be here while you two talk. My hope is that I can mediate with as little interjection as possible. I am not here to advocate for one person or viewpoint over another and am here at the sufferance of you both. If you ask me to leave, I will.”

Psychologists were encouraged to remove themselves from emotional entanglements with their patients, but that was impossible aboard a starship where officers became surrogate families. Riley cared deeply for both people in the room. Julien was as close a friend as he’d ever had and for those reasons he had to be hyper-conscious of his own words and actions. He couldn’t detach himself from the people in the room, but he could manage his actions and reactions.

Dekker, CNS

Julien went over to the sofa where she sat, slowly, allowing Riley to keep his hand on his shoulder. Then he sat in the chair opposite her, his eyes never leaving hers. God, why did they have to be so beautiful.

“La’kia..” he stared, but his voice sounded rough and edgy, so he cleared his throat and ran his hand through his black short curls, pulling at them lightly. Did he even know what to say? Would he ever?
His mismatched green eyes found hers again, and he marshalled his strength to keep them there. The pain he felt was obvious in his eye.

“We both know what the only course of action here is under the circumstances. You can’t go with us on a deep space mission with A’naad and our daughter and you can’t give birth on Zahara to a half human child. Luckily, I’ve recorded everything about A’naad’s birth and I’ve arranged that you get the best of treatments and special care on Earth. I will speak with my parents, they love you and they will be there for you in every way you need them to, they can also babysit A’naad while you give … birth.”

he swallowed. The mere thought of his daughter being born lightyears away, without him at her side, without him being able to protect her was tearing him up inside and he was just hoping that Riley didn’t feel his emotions as acutely as himself.

He thought La’kia was about to say something and raised his hand quickly “One moment, let me finish this please. Because there is another alternative.” he said and now his deep voice sounded rough. His left hand fisted, this took more of his strength than a life-death situation on the bridge.

“La’kia it’s no secret among us..” and he included Riley “…that I still love you. And yes, I love Marishka too, in a very different way. I just can not be alone, I need one thing in my life that has nothing to do with Captain Julien King. It has always been my weakness. However, you and A’naad and Fl… our daughter are more important than any of that. So the alternative is me laying down my comission and taking a job, maybe even one day in Starfleet, on or near Zahara. I mean, with you as Ambassador they will join the UFP eventually and then they are entitled to a Federation ambassador or at least administrator.”

he drew in a deeper breath and his left eye was shiny as he looked at Riley with an apologetic look on his face. “I admit, I didn’t fully mean it the first time I offered it, but I mean it now. There are many Starfleet Captains in the UFP. But our children only have one father.”

• Julien King