Keeping a Promise

Posted on Sat Oct 24th, 2020 @ 8:51am by Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Lieutenant Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen [Taylor]

Mission: SEASON 4: Episode 1: Know Thy Self!
Location: USS Elysium Corridors
Timeline: Current
1210 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Jessica was pretty much doing the walk of shame with a box and a large stuffed bear. She noticed one crewmember walk by with a snigger. Stopping him with her arm, she spoke. "Yeah I'm carrying a large teddy bear around the ship... and you don't want to go around telling stories about it. Isn't that right Ensign?" He removed the smile. "No ma'am."

"Sides, it is none of your business what anyone carries through the corridors, and here's some free advice for going far in Starfleet. Keep your head forward and your mouth shut, and you'll be an Admiral by forty. Jess noted.

"Thank you ma'am. I'll remember that advise ma'am." The crewman noted. "As you were."

Jess shook her head as he walked away. "Goddesses have mercy, they only get younger and younger." She began walking down the corridor again, and after nearing a door. She pushed the door chime.

Hearing the door chime, Savar got up to answer it. Opening the door, he was surprised to see Jess standing there with a large stuffed bear and a box. "Commander Vaii. This is unexpected. May I take one or both of those from you?"

Jess handed Savar the bear with a grin. Wondering how far his eyebrow would raise with something so illogical. Jess walked inside. "Alicia!!"

Alicia had been lying down on the bed having a rest, she’d been feeling off colour thanks to morning sickness which, it turned out, was any time of the day sickness although worse in the mornings. She heard the door chime and decided to get up and see who it was who’d arrived. Stopping to brush her hair she made sure she looked presentable before making her way through to the living area. “Oh my!” She grinned as she appeared in the bedroom doorway, “That teddy is huge!”

Jess smiled. "And that is not the end of my gifts." She placed the box on the table and opened it. It was a coat for Conor, in the style of a flight jacket. But this one was special. It had the 45th Fighting Tiger's patch on the back, no different from Jessica's jacket. "I'm going to give him one of these as he grows up. And one day I'm going to teach him how to fly real good." Jess smiled and approached Connor's crib. "How is he, Alicia? I'm glad he is not going through what I had to deal with."

“He’s absolutely fine” Alicia grinned as she looked towards Savar as he cuddled the huge teddy, before looking back at Jess. “He adores teddies so he’ll most likely love that one! Feel free to pick him up if you’d like.”

"When I saw him, I saw me Alicia." Jess picked him up. "I saw the kind of man his father would have been. And I knew he'd hurt him Alicia. Hurt him until he became as vile as everyone else on that ship's crew. If I could keep one monster from being made, I'd do it." She held Connor. "Those Terrans, reminded me of mother, so obsessed over power, she'd betray Betazed to the Dominion." Jess spoke. "There, there. I’ll never let anyone hurt you."

Alicia smiled warmly. “None of us will Jess, I didn’t get to meet my mirror self but I’m guessing she only did what she had to do to survive. Life was hell on that station, we all saw what happened to slaves. I can only imagine the lives lost and the slavery that women were sold into.” She looked at Connor. “She gave up her son to save his life, with his father being the man he was Connor was a target for everyone that hated Captain Taylor. He’s safe now.”

"Honestly, Alicia. I was ready to fight to the death. I was never going to be a slave. Then I had someone to save. Made me reconsider dying back there. I fought back harder. So hard it took everything our of me. I had Connor left after the battle was over. So I looked for you frantically. Every warrior needs something to fight for." Jess rocked him.

“We all needed something to fight for Jess. When I was caught I thought I’d end up a slave like everyone else but the news about my pregnancy and Savar saving me, it all kept me going. Connor’s arrival gave me even more of a boost.”

"Promise me, no matter what happens, we'll love him like a family." Jessica noted. "And when the time comes. We'll tell him the truth. I feel if he doesn't hear the truth from us... He'll hear the truth from someone from the other side. And that will be a betrayal." Jess noted. "Not matter what happens, we'll never tell him comforting lies that will break his trust in us. You two are counselors, so I bet we're on the same page."

"Your thought process is remarkably logical." Savar replied. "Yes you are correct, Connor must be told the truth We will love him like family for he is family and that will be his greatest strength in that he will have a strong foundation of people who genuinely love and care for him." Savar answered.

"I agree" Alicia nodded. "I don't want any secrets between us" She looked at Connor. "Once he's old enough to fully understand I want him to know the truth."

"Good, We're on the same page." Jess noted. "You guys will have a room for you and a baby room at my residence in Dover. He'll love Rural England." She said with a smile.

“Sounds like fun!” Alicia nodded and smiled. “I’ve never visited Dover before so it would be a nice change. What do you think Imzadi?”

"I believe Connor is going is going to enjoy himself immensely with his Aunt Jessica." Savar replied sagely.

"He needs someplace to go to during the summer, that way you two can get a break and head off to Risa." Jess chuckled. "Me... I'll have him turned into a pilot just like his dad."

"At least I know Connor would be safe with his Auntie Jess!" Alicia grinned. "He'll also be spending time with Gary, getting to know him."

Jessica held Connor up to face her. "This is one strange life you're going to have, kid. You're going to have a mom that's not your mom, a dad that's not your dad, and aunt that's not your aunt, and a stepfather that's not your stepfather." Jess chuckled. "I think the most important thing I'm going to teach you is not to take life too seriously. It will make your head hurt trying to figure it out." Jess chuckled. "And if you decide to be a pilot or a counselor, know you've still saved me kid."

"That little guy saved us both Jess" Ariana smiled. "Plus he'll have another family member in around eight or nine months, a brother or a sister." She looked happily at Savar. "I'm doubly blessed."

"We are all blessed." Savar added "And let us never forget what we have and how precious it is."

Alicia nodded in agreement, they were well and truly blessed.