Posted by Major General Charles Tenkiller (Vice Commandant, Colonial Customs and Defense Agency) in ???? Means Family

Posted by Major General Charles Tenkiller (Vice Commandant, Colonial Customs and Defense Agency) in ???? Means Family
“Sir, we have a problem.” The CCDA agent in the surveillance room on the Orbital Platform squinted at his screen. “Seems like some new arrivals are causing some disruption in the customs queue.”

The Supervising Agent stood up and walked over from his desk. Looking down he studied the scene for a moment. There were four humans, three women of varying ages and one older male, who appeared to be in some kind of argument with the customs agent they were talking to. It was apparently loud enough, judging from the number of people looking at the scene, that is was most certainly ly an issue. The Supervisong Agent set a finger on the comms icon on the desk display and said =/\= Security Team to Customs Intake Twelve asap. =/\= =/\= Copy.=/\= came the immediate response. The SA looked at the agent watching the screen. “Let Command know. We don’t need an incident right now. Tensions are high enough.”

Ten minutes later, a figure in a uniform with lots of rank insignia on his shoulders cut a path through the now-gathered crowd. As they approached, a voice could be heard over the mumbles. “I don’t know what a comm ID is! For the nine hundredth time! Can’t you just tap on that thing in front of you and get what you need? Isn’t that what it’s for?!” “Sir. I am asking you a simple question. I need your comm ID to verify your identity. The facial recognition scan is coming up with someone else besides who you claim to be; and you- unlike literally every other being on this station- has no biometric ID in our system. In fact, sir, I honestly don’t know how in the Nine Hells you even got here because no one can board a passenger ship anywhere in the Federation without* an ID in place!”

Before the man could reply, an authoritative voice cut through the din. “Because, Agent, he boarded a private vessel that picked him and his family up directly from their home; not a terminal. And they haven’t disembarked that vessel since. Scan them and enter them in the system, Agent. Use the name they gave you.” The Agent looked at CCDA Vice-Commander Major General Charles Tenkiller and stammered “Y-y-yessir.” Tenkiller turned and looked at the man and smiled.

“Well hey there, Dad.”

Tenkiller, VC CCDA

Sharah was standing in front of the scrub sink outside the OR. It hadn’t been a terribly complicated operation, just very delicate and a large amount of bone and tissue to treat. The ICU nurses had taken him to recovery and Ilena was cleaning and sterilizing the room. Sharah yanked the red protective gloves off her hands and then pulled the red hooded cap off her head. There was a sudden wash of delighted surprise and joy from many miles above her head. Charles. There was far too many minds between them for her to easily hear the thoughts over the strength of the emotions coming from him. She smiled as she changed out of the surgical scrubs. Whatever it was he would tell them tonight.

The older man- who looked almost identical to the Major General, just with more lines and weathering on his face- turned and looked at Tenkiller and smiled a broad smile as his eyes rimmed with tears. “My son… oh my son my son my son…” he said softly as he took the younger man in a full embrace and held him close. Charles returned the embrace and smiled as he looked past his father. His mother’s dark eyes shed tears and she moved in and joined the hug, as did the two other women. Charles smiled and maneuvered everyone so the hug didn’t crush anyone… especially him. “Dad. Mom. Abby. Mary. Gods above it so good to see you.” They were silent a moment and then the Agent cleared his throat. “General, they are in the system and ready. Sorry about that. I just had never-” and Tenkiller waved him off. “Don’t worry about it, Agent. You did what you were supposed to do. Good job.” He looked back at his family and said “Well… follow me. I’ll give you the tour. Don’t worry about your bags. My team will take them to the house for you.” The two sisters looked at one another and then shrugged and dropped the bags to the deck. Three agents moved and picked them up. Charles smiled and said “Come on in.” and waved them forward.

After a two hour tour of the Orbital Platform, Tenkiller took them to the CCDA Command shuttle bay. He loaded them inside one of the runabouts and took the pilot’s chair for himself. His father sat next to him. “I’ll get us down to the planet surface and then we can head to the house.” His mother leaned forward and said “And then you can introduce us to these two women you told us about, right?” Charles turned to say something, but his sisters started in immediately. “Do they know you have a sweetheart back home? Oh, they are GONNA know.” “If they aren’t Osage, we forbid you from marrying them.” “Two women, Skip? Two??! C’mon… over compensating for anything?” and on and on. Charles just laughed and looked at his dad; who shook his head and crossed his arms on his chest. “You shoulda heard ‘em on the trip out. Like this… but for weeks.” and Charles laughed. “Okay, you two. Shut up and let me fly this thing, alright?” He powered up the craft and lifted them off the deck, slipping out of the bay and into space.

He flew them around the planet for a about an hour, showing them the city and the burgeoning terraforming efforts. Finally he landed at the CCDA Complex and powered down the runabout. A slider was waiting for them, and Charles led them to it. “Inside everybody. Let’s get to the house.” he said. As the last of his family piled into the slider, he took a breath and simply thought Hey… I’m on my way to the house with some folks I want you and V to meet. and he stepped inside as the door closed and the slider moved towards the house.

Tenkiller

It had been a long last 2 hours to an even longer day. Sharah was happily watching the plants in her room glow in the dark. It was calm and peaceful. Yavia was was enjoying a bubble bath and every so often Sharah would laugh at the silly delight she felt. She heard him clearly. It made her feel warm and anchored. He would feel a sensation like a warm brief hug.

“Yavia, Luv?” Sharah walked into her room and peeked in the bathroom. “Charles is on his way and is bringing company he wants us to meet.” Sharah managed to say it with more confidence than she felt.

A few minutes later Charles actually heard her voice in his head. Save me. Yavia is acting like I pumped her full of espressoninfusion units and has insisted she fix my hair.

Sharah