A Mini Meeting
Posted on Sun Jan 5th, 2020 @ 5:37am by Commodore Jane Saulitis
Edited on on Tue Mar 3rd, 2020 @ 6:25am
Mission:
Cruel Meridian
Location: Starbase Poseidon
Timeline: MD 1 09:30 Hours
1101 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure
Jane watched as Ambassador Haraain and her daughter Minvayr approached from across the crowded promenade of the station. She couldn't believe how much Min had grown in a year and a half since she'd last seen her. Well actually, Jane had never met Min. She had seen the egg, but Min was born after they'd left the planet Bairl and Jane had only seen an image of her after she'd hatched, a large beaked, blue eyed beauty with dark feathers who more resembled her mother than the golden ambassador that Jane had known. But as Jane could now see her feathers had somehow lightened a little bit, they were more a dark brown now with gold around the edges.
"Ambassador, well met." Jane bowed as she approached.
"Captain," the bird woman smiled, at least her beak turned upward at the edges in what Jane was assuming was a smile. "My daughter Min."
Min blinked at the woman, her eyes studying everything about Jane's features and the situation they found themselves in. "Hello."
"A pleasure to finally meet you Min. Oh, this is my new executive officer, Commander Hanover." Jane stepped aside ever so slightly.
"Ambassador," Hanover greeted the Creoli representative before turning his attention to her daughter. Connecting the name on a mission report to the actual being was always a worthwhile endeavor. "It's my privilege young lady," Jared smiled warmly. "That said, I think Murph is probably the one that's looking forward to seeing you the most. He said he wishes he could be here, but a prior scheduling issue arose at the last moment. You'll see him soon though, I promise."
"She's slightly anxious, after all she does not remember him. She only knows what I have told her. But this is an important milestone, the first time a Creoli child is away from home. I know you will all take very good care of her." Haraain turned toward her daughter. "You won't be more than a subspace call away."
"I know," Min said softly, looking shy about all the attention. "Papa Murphy will meet me on the ship," she said as if repeating something someone else had told her. Suddenly her shyness seemed to vanish and her eyes lit up. "Can I fly the ship?"
Jane looked to Jared. "Well, we might be able to arrange for you to press a few buttons once we are away from the station."
"Have mercy on me captain. The girl and Lieutenant Sullivan may not be a combination that we want to suffer as a ship and as a crew. Imagine the shenanigans they will get into," Hanover replied with a grin before turning to face Min. "You know, on second thought, I think it'd be a great idea. I'll be sure to make sure it happens."
Jane smiled at him. Totally a sucker for little girls. "I imagine Lieutenant Sullivan to be a horrible influence indeed." She turned back to the Ambassador. "Don't worry about a thing, she's in good hands."
The captain let them say their goodbyes before moving off with her XO and the little girl. She wasn't exactly sure how this was going to work given that Commander Murphy was afraid of birds . . . but there were plenty of other people on the ship who were going to get a lot of joy out of Min's visit, including herself.
"So Min," Jared leaned towards the bird-like girl, "I'm so happy we got to meet. You remind me of my daughters when they were younger - that same infectious curiosity. Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? Maybe Captain Jane can tell you what it takes to be a starship pilot."
Min seemed to think about this for a moment. One wing extended out just slightly bumping into him and then folded back up again. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I like to write stories," she said simply.
"A holonovelist in our midst perhaps." Jane added.
"But I like being outside, I don't think I want to live on a ship. I want to write stories in the top of trees and the edges of canyons. That way I can daydream about my stories as I write them."
"Smart girl," Hanover nodded in approval. "Writing is a skill that will be needed until the end of the universe. You see, when you're an engineer like me, you're bound by the laws of nature and the technological limits of the era. But you, Min," he ruffled a few of her feathers, "the only limit you have is your own mind. When we're done building the tallest buildings and the fastest starships, there will always be room for someone to write a story."
She shivered at the touch, it was unnerving but her mother had taught her about humans and touch and she did not think he meant her harm, it just . . . almost tickled. "Can I start now?" She asked. "Can I write while I'm on the ship?"
"Course you can," Jane having no idea why that would be a problem. "Do you prefer to write on a PADD or would you like some ink and paper?" It was a very traditionalist way of writing but she had no idea what Min was used to, nor what everyday life was like for the Creoli.
"Oooo, I can have paper? At home I use leaves and these little stones I find that rub off on the leaves."
"Of course you can dear, I'm sure we can come up with some a notebook for you. And maybe a few different colored pens so you can find your favorite. I also prefer writing on paper when I get a chance to," Hanover raised an eyebrow and exchanged a knowing look with Captain Saulitis as Min skipped ahead on the corridor in front of them. He made a note on his PADD to procure the necessary items for the child.
"Sweet girl. I'm glad she was allowed to come with us for a bit." Jane said smiling slightly as her thoughts drifted to her new sibling that wouldn't be born for many months yet.
"Indeed," Commander Hanover nodded. "I think it's good for a crew to have children about. Reminds us of what our present and future will be like, and why we're all out here doing what we're doing," he noted, pausing for a moment as if he had remembered something. "Captain, I'll catch up with you shortly, I'm going to go call my daughters and see how they're doing."
Captain Jane Saulitis
Commanding Officer
Commander Jared Hanover
Executive Officer
