497: Tending to the Flock: Three

by Rada Dengar and Commander Salvek
80901.0300
After Part Two

-=Sickbay, USS Alchemy=-



Salvek saved his most important stop for last. The Chief Engineer had been severely injured just before returning to the ship, and Salvek was anxious to check on his progress. With more tests on the Alchemy coming up, and the mining negotiations looming, Salvek would need to know if Rada would be able to man his post, or if he would need to rely on Lair Kellyn to hold down the fort, so to speak, until Rada was cleared to return to duty.

He entered Sickbay, where he saw Hubbard and T'Dara busying themselves about the curtained area, where Rada Dengar was surely being treated. In the waiting area, Kellyn, Arie, and the two unknown persons who had returned with Rada, were huddled together, apparently comforting each other.

Salvek left Rada to the medical staff for now, not wishing to interfere. Instead he chose to join the group in the waiting area.

"This is my father!" Arie said proudly, upon seeing Salvek.

"Salvek," Kellyn wiped the tears out of her eyes. "This is Wren, and Tam. They are Rada's…” She wasn’t quite sure whether the word family would be appropriate and after a moment of consideration settled upon, “They are here with Rada.”

The young boy showed no hesitation, reaching out and shaking the Vulcan's hand. He craned his neck up and studied Salvek with obvious curiosity. Salvek’s peaceful mind was very comforting to sense with such chaos around, and he felt himself instantly drawn to the man. He couldn’t help but consider that Salvek was exactly what he’d always expected of his father. Salvek was tall, dignified and with a natural air of authority.

Even the ears were right.

If it had been Salvek that he’d seen with his mother back on Earth or Betazed, then Tam would have sworn that he had to be his father. Rada, on the other hand, was nothing like he’d expected.

He released Salvek’s hand as the realisation hit him just how scary it was that his expectations could be this far wrong. His mother sensed this fear and put a comforting arm around him, pulling him back to her.

“Indeed?” Salvek asked. He could tell that his wife had taken the time to carefully choose her words and he recognised that this was a decidedly rare occurrence; he would have to ask her why when they next had a private moment together. “How is he?” he added, indicating Rada.

“He’s awake,” answered Kellyn, her voice showed that this had been very welcome news, which she wasn’t sure she could expect so soon. “He was hit with a phaser on a stun setting at close range, but the Doctor doesn’t seem to think it hit any vital organs.”

Salvek nodded an acknowledgement that this was good news. “It also looks like he took a pretty bad beating,” Kellyn shot a glance towards Wren to see if the woman was ready to reveal any more information about how this happened. She was not.

Before Salvek could question her, Wren asked a question of her own. Her voice was clear, although it had that distinct tone of someone who’d recently been crying. “Commander, would it be possible for me to speak with the Captain? I have a request to make.”

“The Captain is not presently on board,” Salvek answered not going into any further detail. “I will be in command in her absence. You may direct your request to me.”

“Okay…” said Wren, not looking straight at Salvek as she searched for the words. “I’m guessing from the constant security escorts, and how little detail Rada was willing to share, that this ship is for some reason pretty hush-hush.”

She looked up to see if she could get a read on what Salvek’s response would be before continuing, but she couldn’t. “And I understand why you wouldn’t want a full telepath onboard,”

Salvek’s face remained completely blank, giving no indication whether he knew where Wren was going with this, “but can we at least stay here until I’m sure that Rada will be okay?” She asked, but her eyes said that she was pleading.

Salvek glanced at Kellyn, whose eyes told him everything he needed to know.

"I will have to ask that you remain here in Sickbay, or in your quarters. Security will escort you in between. I'm sorry for the precautions, but we should arrive at the Serendipity soon enough, and you'll have more freedom to move around there."

"I have no objection to that Commander Salvek. I really don't have any desire to leave Sickbay at the moment anyway," Wren said. She was just glad that Salvek had said yes, as her past experience with Vulcans had shown her that they rarely responded to emotional pleas.

Salvek understood how she felt. When Kellyn had been injured, Salvek could only leave her side if the ship's well being absolutely depended on him being present elsewhere. Even then, it was only knowing Vedek Jariel was keeping vigil at her bedside that gave him the confidence that she would not be alone.

Salvek once again regarded Tam. He could tell the boy had Vulcan blood, and the curiosity emanating from him was obvious. He knelt down to the boy's height, to appear less imposing.

"You seem to look upon me as if you know me. Is there anything you would like to ask?" If the boy had questions about Vulcans, Salvek wanted to dissuade any fears he may have.

Tam looked at his mother, as if asking if it were all right.

"If the subject is not appropriate at the time, we can of course talk later." Salvek offered to Wren, unsure if the subject of Vulcans was a sore one with the family.

“Tam has always had an interest in his Vulcan heritage,” explained Wren, but the change in her tone indicated that Salvek was right about this being a sore spot. “But…” she wasn’t quite sure how to explain why she had always kept Tam away from his heritage.

An observation of Salvek’s movements and facial expression showed that he was clearly a student of Vulcan philosophy, and she would not want to offend him by blurting out that, as a woman who prided herself on her openness and emotional awareness, she would never want her son following in such a cold and emotionless lifestyle.

That was the justification she liked to tell herself, but the reality however was that she simply didn’t want Tam to grow up anything like his father. She couldn’t stand the idea of being reminded of that bastard every time she looked at her own son.

“You’re right, this isn’t an appropriate time,” she finished; her voice was suddenly much harsh than usual, although she hadn’t meant it to be. If ever there was a time when she shouldn’t have had to think about Tam’s biological father, it was now, and it bothered her that it sometimes seemed like she would never truly be away from him.

“Another time, perhaps,” Salvek offered. Tam bowed his head and was clearly disappointed by this revelation, even if he tried not to show it. He had been down this road before, and history had shown that it never lead anywhere except back to more promises. Sensing this disappointment, his mother’s grip on him tightened again.

“Yes,” replied Wren. “Another time,” though she was already thinking of ways to get out of that. She finally had a chance to put Tam on the right path, which certainly wasn’t on Vulcan; it was lying in a Biobed behind them.

Salvek did not know what events had led Wren to this point in her life, or her obvious distrust of Vulcan's. However, her clear affection for Rada, and desire that he be a father figure for Tam, led Salvek to believe that whatever had driven Wren apart from Tam's biological father had been a traumatic experience for her.

With time and care, Salvek hoped perhaps he could restore her faith in the Vulcan people, even if not the man who had wronged her somehow.

He had no doubt Rada could be a fine father figure for the boy, but Salvek at the same time feared Wren's obvious resentment towards Vulcans could lead Tam to self loathing, and being ashamed of his own heritage. The resulting emotional damage that could do to the boy concerned Salvek greatly, even now, just moments after meeting Tam.

"Another time then," Salvek said. "I am always available if you or Tam wish to talk," Salvek continued, addressing Wren. "And Tam is free to spend time with Arie if he wishes to play."

He left the group with Kellyn for now, but made a point in his mind to get to know this newly minted family better in the future.

He had no desire to impose on Rada's place as a father figure to Tam, if that was what he and Wren wished to pursue, he merely desired to make Tam and Wren both feel that being Vulcan was nothing to be ashamed of.

Lt. Rada Dengar
Chief Engineer
USS Serendipity/Alchemy

and

Commander Salvek
First Officer
USS Serendipity/Alchemy