Family
Lt. Commander Lair Kellyn
80106.1930
Following The Third Degree
--=Guest Quarters, Starfleet Command; San Francisco, California=--
Lt. Commander Lair Kellyn
80106.1930
Following The Third Degree
--=Guest Quarters, Starfleet Command; San Francisco, California=--
"Boarding school?" Lair Arie clutched her ancient, decrepit stuffed giraffe pensively.
The well-loved, but sad looking little toy had been a gift to her from Dabin Reece when she was only an infant.
She squeezed it so tightly, it was easy to see how the neck had become so droopy. Over the years, she had literally hugged the stuffing out of it.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No, Arie, you have not done anything wrong." Salvek gently placed his hand on the top of his small daughter's head.
The child sat on Kellyn's lap, all three of them squeezing onto the small couch in their temporary quarters at Starfleet Command.
"On the contrary, your behavior, especially while on the away mission, was exemplary and we are very proud of you."
"Then why do you want to send me away?" The little girl tried to use the training that her father had given her to control her emotions, but she felt tears stinging her eyes just the same.
"We don't want to send you away," Kellyn responded immediately, holding her child close to her protectively. "It's just that where we're going, it's not going to be like the other ship. It's much smaller, and there will be very few children. It's going to be dangerous, and we're going to be working very hard."
"I'm used to you being busy, it doesn't bother me." Arie insisted. Both of her parents knew that it did, though, and they struggled once again with the greatest challenge of every Starfleet family. Work versus personal life; how do you get the balance right?
"The Admiral feels that it would be safer for you, and that you would have more fun," Kellyn added, "living at a school where there are many other children and you're on a planet, not out in space cooped up on a small ship. That you would like it more, staying at a place where you can make a lot of friends your own age."
Arie looked down at the fuzzy slippers on her feet. She wanted to be brave and show her parents that they had taught her well. She understood what duty meant. That their work was important. But like any normal eight year old, she just wanted her family to stay together.
She squeezed it so tightly, it was easy to see how the neck had become so droopy. Over the years, she had literally hugged the stuffing out of it.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No, Arie, you have not done anything wrong." Salvek gently placed his hand on the top of his small daughter's head.
The child sat on Kellyn's lap, all three of them squeezing onto the small couch in their temporary quarters at Starfleet Command.
"On the contrary, your behavior, especially while on the away mission, was exemplary and we are very proud of you."
"Then why do you want to send me away?" The little girl tried to use the training that her father had given her to control her emotions, but she felt tears stinging her eyes just the same.
"We don't want to send you away," Kellyn responded immediately, holding her child close to her protectively. "It's just that where we're going, it's not going to be like the other ship. It's much smaller, and there will be very few children. It's going to be dangerous, and we're going to be working very hard."
"I'm used to you being busy, it doesn't bother me." Arie insisted. Both of her parents knew that it did, though, and they struggled once again with the greatest challenge of every Starfleet family. Work versus personal life; how do you get the balance right?
"The Admiral feels that it would be safer for you, and that you would have more fun," Kellyn added, "living at a school where there are many other children and you're on a planet, not out in space cooped up on a small ship. That you would like it more, staying at a place where you can make a lot of friends your own age."
Arie looked down at the fuzzy slippers on her feet. She wanted to be brave and show her parents that they had taught her well. She understood what duty meant. That their work was important. But like any normal eight year old, she just wanted her family to stay together.
"If I promised to be really good, would you let me come on the ship?" She asked hopefully. "Because I would be so good you wouldn't even know I was there. I promise."
"It is not a matter being good." Kellyn assured her, kissing her forehead. "You're always good, Arie. It is a matter of what will make you happiest."
"Happiness is an emotion," Arie thought that perhaps, if she could show off her logical side, they would be more likely to listen. "I am Vulcan. I do not have need of emotions."
"You are also Bajoran," Salvek reminded her gently, "There is no shame in having emotions. Remember that."
"I know it's been hard for you, being shuffled around, being away from your father for so long while you and I were still on the station." Kellyn smoothed Arie's hair down gently. "We want you to be safe, Arie, but we also want you to be happy."
Arie evaded her eyes, and so Kellyn asked the child once more. "What will make you happy?
"It is not a matter being good." Kellyn assured her, kissing her forehead. "You're always good, Arie. It is a matter of what will make you happiest."
"Happiness is an emotion," Arie thought that perhaps, if she could show off her logical side, they would be more likely to listen. "I am Vulcan. I do not have need of emotions."
"You are also Bajoran," Salvek reminded her gently, "There is no shame in having emotions. Remember that."
"I know it's been hard for you, being shuffled around, being away from your father for so long while you and I were still on the station." Kellyn smoothed Arie's hair down gently. "We want you to be safe, Arie, but we also want you to be happy."
Arie evaded her eyes, and so Kellyn asked the child once more. "What will make you happy?
"I want to be with you. With both of you." Arie answered quickly, squeezing the poor giraffe even tighter. "I will be safer with you than I would be any place else. I know that."
Salvek and Kellyn exchanged a glance.
"Will anybody else we know be on the ship?"
"Yes," Kellyn thought a moment and began reciting the list from memory.
Salvek and Kellyn exchanged a glance.
"Will anybody else we know be on the ship?"
"Yes," Kellyn thought a moment and began reciting the list from memory.
"Dabin and Bru. Micah and,"
"Captain Zanh?" Arie asked curiously. "The Esteemed Vedek?"
Salvek nodded once.
"They are our family." Arie decided. "I want to stay with my family."
"You are certain? You will not have a school room full of children to play with this time. You will have a governess assigned to you. That governess will also be your teacher, and keep watch over you while we are working,"
"I am certain, Osa-mekh."
"Then," Salvek gently took her hand, "the matter is settled."
Arie threw her arms around her father's neck, sobbing with relief. As soon as she heard him say that she didn't have to leave them, she lost the battle against her separation anxiety and her parents held her between them, comforting her until she cried herself to sleep.
Salvek picked Arie up and carried her to her bed, and as Kellyn placed 'Raffe beside her and covered the girl and the toy both with the blanket, they stared at her, astonished how much she had grown.
Short, chubby arms and legs of toddler-hood had at some unknown point been replaced by the long, gangling limbs of a girl destined to be tall, like her parents were.
As she observed every one of the child's features individually in turn, Kellyn could so clearly see both herself and Salvek, and she wondered if others did too.
Their secret was still safe; that Arie was actually their biological child- and not simply their child by adoption as the official record indicated- but Kellyn believed that secret could not be kept for long. The older she got, the more obvious the similarities between her and her parents became.
"I only hope and pray we're doing the right thing, Salvek," Kellyn worried softly, as they watched Arie's chest rise and fall peacefully. "At least on Earth she would be safe."
"I do not believe, my wife, that she would truly be any safer out of our keeping," Salvek replied evenly, "That is the only reason that I am allowing her to come with us."
Kellyn nodded, knowing deep down that he was right. If Arie was going to be safe anywhere, it would be where she had the most people who cared for her looking out for her.
That place would be aboard the USS Serendipity.
"Captain Zanh?" Arie asked curiously. "The Esteemed Vedek?"
Salvek nodded once.
"They are our family." Arie decided. "I want to stay with my family."
"You are certain? You will not have a school room full of children to play with this time. You will have a governess assigned to you. That governess will also be your teacher, and keep watch over you while we are working,"
"I am certain, Osa-mekh."
"Then," Salvek gently took her hand, "the matter is settled."
Arie threw her arms around her father's neck, sobbing with relief. As soon as she heard him say that she didn't have to leave them, she lost the battle against her separation anxiety and her parents held her between them, comforting her until she cried herself to sleep.
Salvek picked Arie up and carried her to her bed, and as Kellyn placed 'Raffe beside her and covered the girl and the toy both with the blanket, they stared at her, astonished how much she had grown.
Short, chubby arms and legs of toddler-hood had at some unknown point been replaced by the long, gangling limbs of a girl destined to be tall, like her parents were.
As she observed every one of the child's features individually in turn, Kellyn could so clearly see both herself and Salvek, and she wondered if others did too.
Their secret was still safe; that Arie was actually their biological child- and not simply their child by adoption as the official record indicated- but Kellyn believed that secret could not be kept for long. The older she got, the more obvious the similarities between her and her parents became.
"I only hope and pray we're doing the right thing, Salvek," Kellyn worried softly, as they watched Arie's chest rise and fall peacefully. "At least on Earth she would be safe."
"I do not believe, my wife, that she would truly be any safer out of our keeping," Salvek replied evenly, "That is the only reason that I am allowing her to come with us."
Kellyn nodded, knowing deep down that he was right. If Arie was going to be safe anywhere, it would be where she had the most people who cared for her looking out for her.
That place would be aboard the USS Serendipity.
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Lt. Commander Lair Kellyn
Chief Engineer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Lt. Commander Lair Kellyn
Chief Engineer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012