Posted by Civilian Stellaris (Resident) in PRSIM- Echoes from the Stars

(snip)

There was a knock on the door and cracked slightly. “Stellaris, it’s Ok’jiv. May I come in?” the Klingon midwife asked before opening the door any further.

Ok’jiv, midwife

Privacy was something unfamiliar to Stellaris. With the Echo, they did everything together, and the rare times she was completely alone were when she was in solitary contemplation, or being punished. She turned her head and gave Ok’jiv a small smile. “You can come in.”

Moving back to her bed and mindful of her infusion line, she slipped on up and gazed at the midwife. She had slept hard but mostly out of sheer exhaustion. Sleep was not normally her friend as of late. “Hi,” she said, not sure what else to say.

~Stellaris, Wayward Soul

Ok’jiv came in with all the authority of a woman who knew exactly how to handle business. Any business. “You look some rested. How are you feeling?” She asked as her tricorder came out and she began standard scans to check on her health and that of the baby.

Ok’jiv, midwife

“Better than yesterday,” ‘Sarah’ said. “Less like I’m just going to fall over and sleep, but it’s like I’ve been running on high alert so long that now that I’ve stopped I’m just so tired.” She mused that maybe it wasn’t all just emotional.

The scan showed that her blood sugar was more stable, and because her hydration had improved, so too had her amniotic fluid, which was much closer to what they might expect for the current size of her baby. The nutrient supplement was helping too, though it would take consistent nutrition and supplementation in order to improve her levels to expected healthy prenatal levels for a Human. Other than that, her body was still weak from the decreased muscle mass and fat levels, which could be improved over time but was unlikely to be up to ideal levels before the baby was born.

Speaking of the baby, Stellaris’ daughter was having more normal fetal movements and seemed less sluggish. The heart beat was strong.

~Stellaris, Wayward Soul

Ok’jiv smiled and turned the doppler on so Stellaris could hear the baby’s heartbeat. “Nice and healthy and active this morning. That is good. Your vitals are stronger too. We will have to continue the nutritional suppliments for awhile and more fluids today.”

Stellaris was so fixated on the sound of her daughter’s heartbeat that she took an extra moment to parse Ok’jiv’s words. “I’ve definitely been able to feel her more this morning. I never knew she could move around so much!” Sadness crept in for a moment as she realized that perhaps the conditions she had been living in were the reason. She was 28 weeks and in many ways her pregnancy was speeding along. She felt like she had missed somethings here and there but only knew that once she realized what was normal at this stage on her pregnancy.

“There is someone here to see you. Do you remember Inspector Stone and me telling you that we could help keep you safe? This person is here to help with that. You do not have to see her though. It is your choice.”

Ok’jiv, midwife

Fear tingled down her spine, but she mentally suppressed the reaction. Her heart rate crept higher before it settled again. More people knowing about her was frightening, yes, but she had to trust people here to take care of her. Stellaris nodded. “I’ll see her. Will she know me as Stellaris or Sarah Jones? Either is fine, I just don’t want to be surprised and give something away I’m not supposed to.”

~Stellaris, Wayward Soul

“Neither,” Ok’jiv said. “She was only told there was a young expectant mother that was in need of her particular help. That way if you choose not to see her, she knows nothing else. It is up to you to decide what you want her to know.”

Ok’jiv, midwife

Stellaris tugged her lower lip with her teeth and took another deep breath. She nodded again. “Okay, yes, I’ll speak with her.” How much she would say depended on several things but for the moment the lure of safety was more than appealing.

~Stellaris, Wayward Soul

Ok’jiv smiled. “I’ll go get her.” She gave Stellaris a reassuring pat on the shoulder and left the room.

A minute later the door opened and a human woman with rich brown hair and milky blue eyes entered, holding on to Ok’jiv’s arm. “Just this way,” Ok’jiv said. She led the woman over, “There is chair a foot directly in front of you. The back is just above waist height.” The woman reached out with her hand and felt for the back and then slid her hand along it before letting go of Ok’jiv’s arm and then gracefully sitting down.

Stellaris watched the pair enter and the newcomer sit near her in the chair.

Ok’jiv looked at Stellaris. “Just ring if you need anything. I’ll be right outside.” Then she quietly left the room and closed the door.

“My name is Caitlyn Dillon,” the woman said. Up closer, Stellaris could see long healed scars around her eyes and temple. “I am with an organization called The House. We provide a safe a secure location to people who need protection.” Her gaze wasn’t quite right as if she knew the general direction that Stellaris should be but wasn’t looking directly at her.

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary

Stellaris intuited that the woman had vision issues but she couldn’t be sure how much she could or couldn’t see. “Hi,” she said softly. She went to go say something and then all but choked on a laugh that she was trying to keep down. “Safety. Everyone keeps talking about keeping me safe, and I want to believe that more than anything, but the people who are after me aren’t going to just suddenly stop looking for me. I know too much and my baby is important to them.”

~Stellaris, Wayward Soul

Caitlyn nodded, her head turning just slightly toward the sound of her voice. “I understand that. That’s how I felt when I went to The House years ago. No where felt safe and it felt like empty promises. Good intentions, but incapable. It took me a long time to believe it, to trust it, but I’m glad I did. The House has been around for centuries in one form or another. I will not say that the dangers go away or that they won’t still be a threat. But we’ve had lots of practice and we have excellent people helping us.”

“What we do is provide a secure unknown location for you live. You will disappear in broad daylight clean and unfollowed. You will be taken on a very round about way to The House and you will live there for as long as you want. We provide physical and electronic security. We have doctors and therapists on staff. We exist completely off grid. It will be rough living, but that is hard to track. Escorts and security are provided if you have to go out. For court, doctors, police requests, to see family. I make it sound simple, but it isn’t. We are very good though.”

Dillon, Director, The House Sanctuary