Trouble

Posted on Thu Feb 11th, 2021 @ 9:45pm by Commander Peter Horn & Commodore Keiben Haistro

1,851 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 2 - Echoes Of An Empire
Location: Deck 1 - Main Bridge
Timeline: Mission Day 9 - 0830 Hours

ON

The bridge! Ilyas' eyes lit up as the turbolift car deposited him on the one place his father had explicitly forbidden him to go -among a few other places but hey...this was an adventure wasn't it?

The ten year old boy slinked out of the car, hopefully unnoticed. Though mostly Human in his genetics, he still sported distinctive features that betrayed his Vulcanoid heritage: slightly pointed ears that were somewhat hidden under his scruffy haircut and upswept eyebrows. "Wow!" He breathed as he looked around the bridge.

"It doesn't have the same wow factor that the Sovereign Class of Galaxy Class bridges have but I still think its a wow moment whenever I come onto the bridge!"
Keiben was sat in his command chair, fully aware of every officer on the bridge because of his Betazoid senses. When the child entered he played it cool and quiet, thankfully he could pass for Human easily enough.

"Ilyas I believe?" he asked, reading the boy very easily. "Come take a seat next to me and you can explain why you are on my bridge?"

The boy wasn't very skilled telepathically, an empathy at most. He started as he heard the voice, inching forward to look at the man. At first glance, he looked Human so how had he known he was there, and what his name was? "Yes, I'm Ilyas," he said, as if that was supposed to mean anything. "Are you the captain?" The man did wear red....and he was sat in the center seat. Only captains sat there, right?

"Not only Captains. Occasionally my first officer will and the duty bridge officer as well... Want to try it on?"
Keiben stood, allowing the boy to catch a sight of his rank insignia and instantly recognising the young man as one of Commander Horn's children. Vulcanoid but not fully Vulcan. It was a curious feeling for him, Vulcans usually had a basic ability to block him reading them but both Commander Horn and his son seemed to lack or at least have a less developed ability in this regard. Possibly something that could come in handy in diplomatic talks.

The boy's eyes widened. "Really? I can sit in the captain's chair?" He stepped down to the command center, and circled around to properly face the captain. "Is that daddy's chair?" he then asked, pointing to the left hand seat. "Counselors sit on the bridge too right? My daddy is a counselor now, he wanted to be different and help people differently," he babbled on, "mommy hopes he'll get hurt less now too."

"Its not, but I am going to have Chief Stoun have a chair put up here for him... Come on, take a seat!"
Keiben moved to sit in the first officer seat, still amused by the exuberance he was feeling from the child. "SO, why have you snuck onto my bridge then?"

Ilyas hopped up in the captain's chair, looking up at the captain. "Uhmm... I wanted to see the ship," he answered after a little pause to ponder his answer, "there's so much to see on a new ship, things are different. I've always lived on ships or stations. I was born on a ship too...So were my brother and sisters." The child's face fell. "My sisters are on Earth, I haven't seen them in a while," he added. "Do you have brothers and sisters too?"

"I do have a brother, Osil Haistro. He's in Starfleet as well... I've not seen him in four or five years though. His assignment took him out towards Cardassia".
The thought of his brother was a prompt he had needed as well. Perhaps it was time to give him a call, he may not even know what had happened to Copernicus or that his big brother was now a Starship Captain. "How old are you kiddo?"

"I am ten!" the child said proudly, "and you?" He tilted his head a little, casting the man a curious look. "You don't look very old... Is your brother a captain too? My dad doesn't want to be captain, he says being in the field is more...satisfying? What is satisfying?"

"I'm thirty eight... Aren't you just full of questions. I like a curious mind!"
Keiben couldn't help but smile, finding the curious nature to be highly grounding and refreshing. The innocence of childhood. "He's not a Starship Captain. He went into the Engineering division and satisfying means that he finds it more fore filling... something he enjoys!"

"My grandma is an engineer," the boy replied proudly, "do you think daddy will be a good counselor? He says he still has a lot to learn." Ilyas leaned forward, his expression now pleading a little. "Can you help him, so that he..enjoys it? He didn't like being security anymore, and I want him to like it here. I don't want to move ships again."

"I can't promise I can help him enjoy his new role but I can promise that if it doesn't suit him then I would find another role for him so he didn't have to go. He's a valued member of the crew and hes becoming a friend of mine... as are you!"
The Betazoid ruffled the kids hair a little with a wolfish and playful smile.

The boy glared at the man as he tried to flatten his unruly and ruffled hair. "I don't think he wants to be security anymore, he wants to be a counselor," he said, "whatever that is. He was badass as security, but mommy hopes he'll be hurt less this way. Mommy got sick of having to help make him better." He shrugged. "She works for a doctor, she's a nurse." He tilted his head, arching an eyebrow in very Vulcan fashion. "What did you do before being a captain?"

"I was a Science Officer. I was second officer on this ship actually... I specialise in Archaeology and the history of an ancient empire called T'Kon!"
Keiben couldn't hide his amusement at the kids displeasure at his ruffled hair.

"What's a teekon?" the child asked, "and don't you like being a science officer anymore? Do you like being captain? Have you always wanted to be one? Daddy said he could've been one if he had wanted, but he doesn't. I don't get why you wouldn't want to be captain. You're the boss of everyone, right?"

"I never look at it as being the boss. I'm responsible for the wellbeing of the people under my command but with a small ship like Copernicus I prefer to look at them as my colleagues". Keiben paused a moment to try and recall the torrent of questions tumbling from the boys mouth. "As for being a Science Officer, I'm still a Science Officer, I just command the ship as well. Because I specialise in T'Kon history is why I was offered this command. I have more knowledge about the history and knowledge we are seeking, and yes, I enjoy being the Captain!"

"But what is a teekon?" The child persisted, "can you eat or drink it?"

"T'Kon not teekon. Its the name of the race, like you are Vulcan and I'm Betazoid. No one knows what they looked like though... They are a mystery that we are here to try and unravel... Do you like to read?"
Keiben asked the young man, more than willing to let him borrow some of the texts he had about the T'Kon, see if he could fuel the young boys passions for knowledge.

"I'm mostly Human," the boy countered, "but I can sense emotons... I can't read thoughts like you do, or like daddy does." yet he nodded eagerly. "Yes I like to read.... but I don't have any real books, with pages. Dad has a few but we can't touch them. He says they're very old, and fragile?" He arched a slightly slanted eyebrow at the man.

"Well, I have several books about the T'Kon... Would you like to read one of them?"
Keiben asked, leaning towards the young man in an almost conspiring way, being playful and friendly even when he should have been yelling at the lad for being on his bridge. In truth Keiben didn't see a problem with it.

"Can I?" Ilyas' eyes lit up. "Won't they be too difficult for me? I can read them right? Understand it I mean?" He smiled happily. "I promise I'll be careful with them," he added.

"Some bits are not written for children but don't let that stop you. Use the computer, your father or any of the crew to help you understand. Feed curiosity with knowledge and who knows, maybe one day you'll end up in starfleet and maybe even in command of your own starship... How does the big chair feel?"

"Big," the boy grinned, "but I don't think I want to be a captain." He bit his lip, though his eyes held the mirth he'd shown in his grin. "I like snooping around too much. Maybe I want to be a spy... I could learn things... And I want to keep reading. Daddy says I shouldn't sneak off, said I should study hard and I can be anything I want."

"And he's exactly right... I'll make sure to give that book to your father for you to read. Take your time with it and get it back to me when you have finished... now", he stook, silently motioning to Ensign Adams that he had the bridge, as much as it was while the vessel was planetside but with a grin he turned to the boy once more. "I have some away missions to plan... Ensign Adams will be here but how do you feel about taking command of the bridge for a while?"

"What?" The boy bolted upright. "Can't I come with you?" He was pushing his luck and he knew it. "I'd rather go on a mission...can I come? Please?"

"Not this time. We need to make sure the surface is safe first. Once we have that done and your father agrees I'm sure we can bring people down to the surface!"
Keiben offered an apologetic look as the boy's disappointment was easily read from his features let alone broadcasting that same disappointment.

"Awwww!" the boy pleaded, "please? Why do grownups always get all the fun." He slunk back in the big chair, crossing his arms as he sulked.

"Because we have to make sure its safe for you first... Now come on, I have work to do and if you don't want to stay on the bridge with Ensign Adams then you should really be getting to school!"
Keiben moved away to the doors but had one thought. "Once we have made sure its safe then you can help with the bio survey!"

The boy looked disappointed, but settled back in the command chair anyway. Anything was better than attending boring school! He nodded eagerly at the final offer the captain made, before the turbolift doors closed behind him.

END

 

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