By Commander Lair Kellyn
and Lt. Junior Grade Rada Dengar
80306.18
After One Pip Short
-=Personal Quarters of Salvek and Lair: USS Serendipity=-
and Lt. Junior Grade Rada Dengar
80306.18
After One Pip Short
-=Personal Quarters of Salvek and Lair: USS Serendipity=-
Not quite ready to venture past the doors of her quarters yet, Lair Kellyn pondered her now lukewarm cup of hot chocolate. The beverage was long past worth consuming in her opinion, ever since the marshmallows had melted.
She set it aside, sighed softly and resumed her previous activity from before she'd gotten up an hour ago to get something to drink; staring out the view port.
She had been preoccupied since she had awoken, trying to reconcile the images her mind had chosen to present to her by way of near-death experience.
She reached up absently and ran her fingertips along her smooth, flawless forehead. She'd had the scar there so long, she was somehow still expecting it to remain. She shook her head in amazement, it really was gone.
Having no knowledge of Kellyn's past stubborn refusal to have it removed, Dr. Terasha did what any medical officer would have done- taken the opportunity to repair the damage since Lair was forced to undergo such intensive dermal regeneration therapy on her burns, anyway.
What had astonished Kellyn, though, was that when she'd discovered the scar was gone, suddenly, so was the pain that had caused her to hang on to it like a trophy of sorts. Or worse. . . some kind of dark, twisted souvenir.
That the last visible, remaining proof of former pains' existence no longer held any significance for her was a most surprising discovery.
Her hand wandered to her bare left earlobe, where she still expected to find her earring.
She had forgotten again, for a moment, that it had melted from the heat of the energy discharge that had almost made her a footnote to the history of the Serendipity's crew roster.
She was mystified that the one personal possession she had made such a point of saying she needed to hold onto during her 'journey' was, in reality, lost to her. But she had realized immediately upon opening her eyes that it didn't matter.
It was only a material thing, and those could be replaced.
She had asked for a visit this morning from a friend and colleague and as she heard the door chime, she asked her daughter to answer it
"That would be Rada," Kellyn called to Arie, who was holding February Grace's squirming cat in her arms. "Why don't you run along now and take Sparrow home? I know that Bru must be anxious to see him."
"As you wish, Oko-mekh." Arie replied obediently. "Come in, Rada! It is most agreeable to see you." She sounded like a miniature version of Salvek, which was disconcerting considering the smile she gave Dengar as she gestured with her head for him to step through the doors.
Arie had great affection for the engineering staff in general, considering them her second family. But she especially liked Rada because her mother spoke so highly of him, and because she had known him for quite awhile now. "I have to take the cat home. Good day."
"Good day, Lair Arie," Rada waved at her and smiled. He had always liked children; they were honest enough that you never had to wonder about what they were thinking and naïve enough that they rarely wondered what you were.
He approached Kellyn nervously, unsure of what to say or to do next. He was so glad that Kellyn was okay and yet at the same time it had just hit him that she wasn’t going to be his Chief Engineer anymore. A truly ambivalent moment.
Before he could say anything, Lair Kellyn rose from the couch, approached him, and threw her arms around him.
"Thank you, Rada." She whispered, and then she gently kissed him on the cheek, leaving the poor Angosian totally in shock.
He had no idea, exactly, what she was thanking him for. Breaux was the one that had jumped in and saved her life, what did she think he had done to deserve such a greeting?
Rada did at least know that it was conventional when someone threw their arms around you and thanked you to reply “My pleasure”, so he did so, and he smiled.
"I do like that new pip on your collar, Lieutenant. Very distinguished. You've done well, I'm proud of you."
Rada was not yet used to hearing himself called by his new rank. He really still couldn’t believe it. He just kept smiling and said “Thank you.”
"You know there is going to be a party to celebrate your promotion, and Avery's too." Lair declared, moving slowly to a closet across the room, and withdrawing something.
She ambled back toward him, holding a box in her arms.
"But I know how you dislike fanfare. So I wanted to give you this quietly, without a bunch of people around. It's something to not only convey my thanks for all you did on the Alchemy when I was out of commission, but also to mark the momentous milestone that you have just passed." She held the box out toward him.
Rada hesitated, regarding it with trepidation.
"This wasn't n…” Rada started.
"Yes, it is entirely necessary,” Kellyn cut him off “Take a look."
He sighed, this definitely wasn’t necessary, and he set the box down on the coffee table. Pulling the free end of the ribbon holding it shut, he freed the lid and discarded it.
"Oh. . ." He was at a loss for words. He saw that inside the box was a brand new, shining tool case. In the corner of the case, was a small silver plate that was inscribed.
"Lieutenant Rada Dengar," He read aloud softly. "Assistant Chief Engineer, USS Serendipity."
"Take it out. Have a look." Lair invited, her eyebrow curling upward expectantly. When he did so, he found the tool kit to be surprisingly light weight. "Open it." Lair requested.
When Rada opened the kit, he was perplexed.
It was empty.
The two exchanged a glance, and she smiled warmly.
"You see, Rada," Kellyn explained, stepping up to him and putting a hand on his shoulder, "You already have all the tools you need to succeed at your new job. Even if you don't realize it yet. You've got the stuff. Now you've also got something a little more stylish to carry it around in." She grinned now.
She believed in him, and she was proud of how much he'd grown since his first anxious days aboard the flagship.
Now Rada was truly at a loss for words, but luckily he knew what to do. He stepped forward and put his arms around Kellyn.
He realised that he was closer to Kellyn than almost anyone else in his life. Strange, considering Kellyn’s personality was in many ways a complement to Rada’s; she wasn’t at all reserved, was very open with her sense of humour and she had much more confidence in herself.
She also, it seemed, had confidence in him. Perhaps this was why he admired her so much. All that he lacked, she possessed.
Rada smiled warmly as the correct words returned to him, he simply said again, “Thank you.”
Commander Lair Kellyn
Research and Development
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Lt. (jg) Rada Dengar
Assistant Chief Engineer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Research and Development
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Lt. (jg) Rada Dengar
Assistant Chief Engineer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012