Taking It Well - Part 2

Posted on Mon Apr 18th, 2016 @ 2:06am by Lieutenant Commander Daniel Divaro & Lieutenant Commander Velah
Edited on on Mon Apr 18th, 2016 @ 2:15am

1,804 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Pathways
Location: Velah & Sassi's Quarters - Starbase 171
Timeline: Current - Immediately after Taking It Well (Part 1)

ON:

OLD:
"Silverware for a cheeseburger and fries? Really mom...?" Sassi shook her head. Sometimes her mom could be so formal. "This is finger food."

"I like the fork for my fries." Velah raised an eyebrow. "So do not look at me in that tone of voice." She smiled and winked.

NEW:
"Yes, mom..." Sassi said as she began to set their table. As she did, she thought about her dad. She had gotten messages and subspace calls from him but she actually had not seen him in nearly two years and she was really looking forward to the Hyperion getting here. Who knew--living on a starship that actually went places rather than a starbase that just sat in space might be fun.

"So what's it like to live on a starship, mom...?" she asked. "I know we did when I was little and dad was still with us, but I don't remember much about it."

"Not much different from the station, until there is a problem, then the whole point changes." Velah said as she brought the replicated food.

"What do you mean? How does it change?" Sassi asked. "Does it get more dangerous or more exciting?"

"It goes both ways." Velah tried to keep it lighthearted. "It is dangerous to a degree which is exciting until the aftermath of it hits you and the novelty of it vanishes it and all you are left with the knowing you are in danger." She stopped. "And usually by that time it is over and you go back to the normal routine." She laughed. "Lets say it can get boring but not very often." She went back to replicate the shakes. "Most of the time you will have a routine and it will allow you to get to know people better because there are way fewer and they do not tend to come and go as much."

"Then I think I will like it," Sassi said. "And maybe I'll get to make some new friends." At the thought of friends, Sassi suddenly turned a bit reflective. "Will I be able to keep in touch with my old friends here on the station?"

"When in the range you can talk your friend's ears off." Velah laughed.

"How can I keep in touch when we're not in range?" Sassi asked as she took a bite of her cheeseburger.

"Recorded messages that will be relayed via subspace." Velah smiled. "In your history you read about people in old times mailing letters and such that took sometimes weeks to get there, well, there you go that is what it will be like. "You can record a message and it will go out with the routine Data Relay through the Subspace realay network and eventually to your friends. They then reply and you get one message coming back to the ship. I believe the old term was 'Snail Mail' as it took so much longer than just communications when in range." She explained.

"You mean I might not get an answer for a DAY or two?" Sassi asked, hardly able to comprehend what she was hearing. "How ancient..." she shook her head at the thought.

"Even more so if we are exploring try weeks for a reply." Velah put down the shakes and took her seat. "Once we get past the last subspace relay you are really going to be alone outside those friends you make on the ship." She had too much fun with this. "Your father and I did that for several tours and lived to tell the tale." She glanced to her daughter. "Though your grand parent and great grandparents did not like it."

"WEEKS???" Sassi said, clearly not pleased with this revelation. "No, no...that...that just won't work for me..." she managed to say, although she knew in the long run that there wouldn't really be anything she could do about it.

"I have not gotten plugged into the Hyperion yet, I have no idea where and what the ship is planning to do." Velah said calmly, trying to contain a smile. "But if we are in subspace relay range it would be at most, a day to get a reply." She explained. "SO don't worry your friends will be able to hear of your exploits and all I am sure with minimal lag time." Velah put her hands together to thank Fate and destiny for not making it harder on her. "Now eat, you still have homework before Holo movies and such."

"Yes mom..." she said, then suddenly thinking of something, she asked "Do they have a school on the Hyperion?"

"You can bet your allowance they do." Velah had covered this earlier in the conversation. "Just smaller classes and you will not be able to get away with as much as you do now and because of the size they will tell me and your dad what is going on if you do not turn in work or let your grades slide."

"Oh yeah, I forgot--you told me that earlier," Sassi said. "And don't worry. I won't let my grades drop. I might decide I want to be a doctor when I'm older," she said. Then after a moment, she added "Or maybe an engineer..."

The look that Velah managed to contain would have been interesting but letting her daughter get away with pushing buttons did nto set well with her, no there had to be a point where she backed it off and let her daughter get the jab in.

"Less schooling in being just an Engineer." Velah said. "You can even become a Security Chief if that will make you happy I will support you in whatever you choose." She added. "It is just a matter of setting your mind to it."

"I don't know what I want to do yet," Sassi said. "I might be a doctor like you or an engineer like dad," she said. "Or maybe I'll just find someone I like, get married and have a bunch of kids." She enjoyed teasing her mom like that.

"I'll be on a star ship, no Grandma baby sitting you have a small tribe you be Chief of it." Velah smiled. "I'll come by spoil them rile them up and give them back after I have my fun." She ate a fry with a fork . "Grandmas can do that."

"Mom!! Would you REALLY do that? Did my grandparents do that to you?" she asked. "That would be mean." Still, she couldn't help but chuckle just a little bit. "If you did that, then I'd just give 'em to my husband and tell him to watch them 'cause I'm going shopping."

Velah almost spit out her Fries when she thought of Daniel, that would have like zero chance of working. "My dear Sassi..." She said with a sweet tone dripping with irony. "If you can get a man to do that; handle riled up kids and let you escape then anything I do would be actually be of little affect upon you." She laughed. "You are too young to understand men yet, call it a good thing as I have learned too much about them and child rearing."

"Dad wasn't THAT bad, was he?" she asked, her tone turning a bit more serious. "I mean, he called me whenever he could and I don't think he ever missed my birthday without calling me or sending me something--or both." She looked at her mom, her expression now slightly confused.

"I did say 'men' and while you father is technically a man he is also a good father; but when you were riled up and screaming there were a lot of times I was handed you to calm you down." Velah smiled. "Men, as an average, do not handle screaming children well." She winked. "Your dad does better than most but even he has limits. Mothers are generally considered the care givers to children and generally the ones to show more affection and caring towards them. Men are protectors and the ones that like to play with the children."

Sassi nodded slowly as she digested what her mother was telling her. "I can remember dad playing with me in the arboretum and here in our quarters, so I guess he really loved me, didn't he?"

"He still loves you very dearly and wants to see you ." Velah said honestly. "That is why we are changing commands so that your father can see you. That is a way to know he loves you he has changed things to bring you to him."

"But if he really loved me, why did he leave?" Sassi asked, suddenly seeming to be on the verge of tears. "I missed him..."

"That is something he will have to tell you." Velah got up and went around to give her daughter a hug. "Sometimes being in Star Fleet means you have to go..." She was so giving him a support by not telling Sassi the events and leaving it to a "Command thing" and such. "I know he misses you also and will be very glad to see you. As a matter of fact the first three weeks you are on the ship is time you can spend with him, I will be getting the Medical Bays into order so he has decided to take the time to be with you. "That should make it a bit better I think."

"Since we're all going to be on the same ship, won't I get to see him any time I want to?" Sassi asked.

"Of course you can see him when you like." Velah explained. "That is why he asked for rights to see you whenever he can."

Suddenly Sassi was struck by a thought. "Mom, what if dad has a girlfriend? Or what if he's...re-married? I know I asked this before, but what if he is and she doesn't like me?"

"Girlfriend... wife or whatever." Velah gave a hug. "It will not affect your Father's love for you, he just has to have some company for when he cannot see you. I have had you for a while so I did not really get lonely so now he will see you more and he will never love anyone like he loves you. I saw his face when you were born; he will never love anyone like he loved you at that moment and he had not loved you any less since."

"I hope you're right, mom..."Sassi said. "So how long until dad's ship gets here?"

"Due here at the station in a little over twelve days if she hold schedule." Velah answered. "I would pack up quick." She nodded.

OFF:

Lieutenant Commander Velah
Chief Medical Officer
Starbase 171/USS Hyperion

Sassi Divaro (ONPC - Jim)
Child (13)
Starbase 171/USS Hyperion

 

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