Posted by Lieutenant Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in Not the New Beginning I Expected

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Noah Astor (CMO/CNS) in Not the New Beginning I Expected

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in Not the New Beginning I Expected
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
It was a bittersweet moment for Shedda. She’d loved working with Alex and the memories and friends she’d made on the Manhattan. There was one in particular she was really going to miss. She didn’t want to leave, but orders were orders and she had to go. She’d keep in touch, but she knew unless she came back to the Delta, she’d never see Harv again.

It was a short trip through the wormhole to Event Horizon’s counterpart near in the badlands. Then it was a day’s travel to DS9. That was an interesting place. It felt more like a smugglers den than a Federation Starbase. It had been fun and fascinating and appealed to the anthropologist in her. And more so, it was the first place she had been where people didn’t do a double take at her because she was Orion. She had only been there a day before she caught her flight to Black Rock. Now, a week later, she was at the station and had been summoned to the airlock. She had no idea why.

Shedda moved down the corridor toward the airlock. She could hear a deep soft rumble, like logs shifting in a fire. She knew that voice. The Orion word for father was ‘tahedri’, but it denoted a respect as the patriarch of a family. A loyalty and duty and servitude that her father refused to have her use. He loved her for herself and not what price she could bring him. So he’d always had her use the human term, which expressed love and affection. “Papa!” she jogged the rest of the way to the airlock. The two security officers were grinning and amused by her eagerness. They already knew who he was. It had all been arranged behind Shedda’s back for him to arrive.

When the adoption for Maava having fallen through, her father hadn’t come to visit her in the Delta. And it had been so long since she’d seen him. She just needed one of his massive hugs.

Her father wasn’t the tallest Orion, but he was broad and stout, and still after all these years, he was ripped. His age showed the wrinkles of his face and the spots on his bald head. His skin gleamed and healthy, lush green from all his time in the sun. “I didn’t know you were visi…”

Shedda’s voice trailed off as her eyes slipped past him to the person with him. The tiny person with him. Her legs stopped their headlong rush to her father and she blinked. “Wha…”

“Etha!” The little girl squealed and looked up at Shedda’s father, a question written all over her features. Melul’s rumbling chuckle shook the little girl’s small body. “Yes, Maava, that’s your mama.” Shedda rushed forward, her arms outstretched, reaching for the child, and pulling her into her arms, and tucking her in close. She pressed her nose into the baby’s hair and breathed her in. Her heart hammered wildly and settled at the same time. She was here, she was safe. She raised her eyes to her father, “How? I thought…the judge?”

Melul wrapped his thick arms around them both and kissed the top of his daughter’s head. “It’s a bit of a story. Maybe you would give us permission to come on board, Commander, and I can tell you.”

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Shedda laughed and cuddled Maava closer. She looked at the two officers at the hatch, “Can you make sure their things are brought over?” One of the officers nodded with a grin. “Sure thing Cmdr. We’ll take care of it.”

Shedda linked her free arm with her father’s and led him down the corridor and back towards her quarters. He’d never seen a Federation Starbase, and so she gave him a minor tour as they walked. When they got to her quarters, she keyed the door, and they went in and sat down. “I can’t believe you’re both here. How?”

Melul lowered his broad, old body onto the couch. The chairs were too small for him. “Well, as you know, Maava’s father showed up, and the judge had no choice.” He reached over and ran a gentle finger down Maava’s cheek, where she was cuddled against his daughter. “Cho’otok, well, you know how he is. Suspicious of everyone.” Cho’otok was an old Klingon warrior who had settled on Delotha before Shedda and her father arrived. He was fiercely protective of the orphans there and the whole village, really. “Well, he had some tests run. The results were forged. He brought it to the judge and took that old bird of prey of his out and got her back.”

“Aaand you went with him,” Shedda said without having to ask. Melul snorted, “Of course I did. She’s my granddaughter, I wasn’t letting her get taken into the Syndicate.” He held up a hand, “Don’t worry, by the time we found them, the judge had already made calls and there was a Star Fleet Vessel already detaining them.”

Maava lifted her head, “Etha,” she giggled and then yawned hugely before putting her head down and snuggling in. “I’m here pretty girl,” she kissed the top of her head. Tears stung Shedda’s eyes. “I didn’t think I’d see her again.” Her arms tightened around her daughter. “Why didn’t the judge call?” Melul chuckled, “I asked her not to tell you; I wanted to surprise you, and she agreed. She said after everything, you both deserved the happy surprise.” So many things raced through Shedda’s mind. “I don’t have anything for her. I gave it all away to families on the Manhattan.”

“Oh Shedda, my sweet me’nay. All she needs is love, the rest will come.” There was a knock. Shedda got up to answer. It was her father’s things, and there was… a lot. “And I brought enough,” he laughed.

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Noah was wandering the corridors of Black Rock Station. It had been a bit of a whirlwind trip to get here all the way from the Delta Quadrant after he had received his new orders to transfer to the Wolverine. Those had come as a bit of a shock since he had just started to feel settled in on the Manhattan, but he supposed there must have been some sort of reasoning behind it.

The excitement of the new posting along with the long trip had made it hard for him to relax in his temporary quarters so wandering had seemed the next best thing. Black Rock was a strange melting pot of all sorts of people from around the Federation and a great place for people watching. It was also easy to disappear into the crowd and not get drawn into too many conversations.

Coming around a corner he came upon a sight that he definitely wasn’t expecting, Commander Mal’athar and several people that seemed to bear a family resemblance. He knew that the commander had also been called away from the Manhattan but had not heard where she would be posted. Sometimes it really was a small galaxy. He held back a little bit so as not to interfere.

Dr. Astor - CMO/CNS

Shedda thought she had caught a familiar face and looked up. “Dr. Astor!” she smiled greeting juggling the bundle in her arms. She waved him over, “I’d like you to meet my father, Melul, and,” she looked down at the little bundle and kissed the top of her head, “my daughter, Maava.”

Melul was a broad, healthy, muscular man. He had a warm smile though as he offered his large hand. “A pleasure to meet one of my daughter’s colleagues.”

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Noah blushed slightly at being recognized but gathered himself and walked over to the group.

“Commander Mal’athar, what a surprise to see you here,” he said with a shy smile. “A pleasant surprise I will say, it’s nice to know someone here on the station.”

He then turned to Melul and accepted the hand he had offered. “It’s nice to meet you as well, sir. Your daughter is a great leader, it was wonderful to work under her for my first department head position on the Manhattan. She introduced me to some great people there. Do you all live here on Black Rock?”

Dr. Astor - CMO/CNS