The Newcomer
Posted on Fri May 8th, 2015 @ 2:13pm by Commander Patrick Leroy & Lieutenant Commander Kh'ali
Mission:
Breaking New Ground
Location: SB900 - Transporter room 47
Timeline: Present
Tags: Leroy, Kh'ali, Baby
As soon as Lt. Beckman had informed him of the Hammond docking, Patrick had flung himself out of the doors making a beeline to transporter room forty-seven where some of the officers disembarking from the starship were bound to arrive. 900 could probably get on without a CO for an hour or two.
On his way there he’d been able to startle a couple on the turbolift by jumping inside last second, stopped to help an ensign to collect a number of packages that he himself had caused to fall to the ground and at last retrieved the little bouquet of flowers he’d ordered in a shop of the Promenade.
****** Transporter Room 47 *****
“Commander Kh’ali is going to be transported here, right?” Patrick asked of the ensign operator.
“Yes Sir, I have her on the list… Well, them is more correct. She will arrive with a child.” She responded checking on her screen.
“Yes. Exactly so.”
The ensign went on with her procedure for a while until she felt compelled to look up from the console.
“Sir?”
“Oh… Well… I was wondering,” Patrick said realizing he’d been staring, perhaps too intensely. “Routine maintenance run for this transporter has been done lately?”
The ensign looked at him in puzzlement for an instant. “Er… Yes Sir. All the maintenance is carried out at regular programmed intervals.”
“Of course.” Patrick nodded as the ensign resumed her activity, casting sidelong glances at him.
Minutes passed until the ensign looked up again. “Sir? Is there something wrong?”
“Huh? Ah… No. Well, I was thinking… It is not really a child coming down with Commander Kh’ali. It’s a baby.”
“Yes, I know Sir.” The ensign responded giving him her most reassuring smile. “I can assure you their trip will be perfectly safe.”
“Yes, certainly.” Patrick nodded again, slightly furrowing his brow. “Could not be otherwise.”
“Oh.” The ensign exclaimed looking at the screen “I see they’re ready to board. Energizing.”
Moments later two swirls of blue appeared on the transporter pad. They morphed into the now-smaller figure of Kh’ali and a baby, which she immediately scooped up. Then turning, she smiled.
“We’re home. We...I’m still not quite used to saying that.” She stepped down from the transporter carefully and crossed to stand before Patrick. In her arms was a tiny figure with dusky skin and just the faintest hint of cranial ridges. At the moment, he slept soundly, unaware that his atoms had just been scrambled and reassembled.
Patrick regarded him for a long moment, transfixed. His eyes lingering on the little bundle of life getting every detail emotions mixing inside him. Joy, pride a hint of fear… Through a chink in his mind other emotions converged conflicting, memories of the recent times, threatening to overwhelm him.
With a heart too full for words he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a long passionate kiss.
In a brief astonished glance, just before abandoning herself, Kh’ali got a flushing ensign pretending to be very busy at the console. Finally she smiled against Patrick’s lips.
“I think we’re embarrassing her.”
Reluctantly he let go of his hold and harrumphed trying to regain some composure “Er… Yes, is time to go I think. But first…” He flourished the small bouquet he’d been holding out behind his back “I brought these for you.” He looked again at the baby she held in her arms “Perhaps is better I keep it until we’re home.”
“I have a better idea.You carry him.” Kh’ali shifted the baby to Patrick’s free arm, then took the flowers, holding them to her nose. “They are beautiful.” Her dark eyes held his for a long moment. “And once we are home, you can tell me what’s going on here, Mr. Station CO.”
“Yes, of course I’ll do…” He responded even as she made the necessary adjustments to his clumsy grip. “Things have turned out for the worse on 900 and the Admiral’s got suspended for the moment but that’s a long story.”
He frowned slightly as they passed the doors walking out into the corridor “A closer threat are my parents. They knew of your arrival and they will want to have a look at the new household member sooner rather than later… I fear.”
“How soon?” she asked as they moved towards the turbolift. “Please tell me not today? They mean well but I’m exhausted. It’s been a long, drawn-out trip. Besides, you deserve a little time with the little one without…..you know.” Hovering grandparents is what she meant but didn’t say it aloud.
“It will not be today I promise. But I don’t know how much we’ll be able to keep them at bay.” he smiled.
“After today, it will be fine. That will give us time to do one big, important thing.” She led the way into the turbolift and turned to face Patrick once they were in motion. “Name him.”
**********************
Patrick Leroy
Starting A New Chapter
Kh’ali
So Happy To Be Home
And Presenting….
The Newest 900 Inhabitant
From the Houses of Leroy & Martok
