Two become one

Posted on Thu Nov 12th, 2020 @ 8:01am by Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Lieutenant JG Heather De La Rosa {Kelea-Salik} & Commander Sthilg

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Sickbay/Quarters
Timeline: Current
1554 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

{ON}

Walking into Sickbay Alicia looked around for the large Gorn figure of Sthilg, knowing he had experience of helping with difficult cases of pregnancy she had a question for him.

The gorn looked up from the drugs he was sorting through when he heard Alicia's footsteps. Looking up he have her a polite smile. " Hello Aicia is everything okay."

“Hello Sthilg” Alicia smiled warmly. “Nothing wrong, I just wanted to ask you a question. If someone was unable to carry a baby to full term is it possible for a surrogate to take over in the mother’s place? The baby be transferred to another woman?”

"I'd need to look over the medical date to ease the process, but as long as the sssurrogate is compatible it ssshouldn't be a problem. I could also transssfer the child into an artificial womb if needed. Why do you asssk." he replied with the wisdom of someone who had been doing the subject for years.

“Long story short, should it be required in the future I’ve offered to be a surrogate for someone.” She offered a smile. “It obviously wouldn’t be until after my baby is born, maybe not for sometime afterwards but the offer is on the table if they decide to take me up on it.”

" I should be able to do that easssily. Who'sss the mother i'll be helping?" the gorn said as he was already running through the candidates in his head.

“I’m not sure if I should say right now, it could be considered a betrayal of confidence. She’s not a patient just a friend I want to help.” She offered a brief smile.

" I understand. Jussst have them drop by when there ready and i can ssstart a plan to make sure the both of you will be sssafe and happy." he said with a friendly smile.

“Last time we talked we spoke about you becoming part of my family. I haven’t really had chance to talk to you again since then.” Alicia looked at Sthilg curiously. “You’ve become a friend and a mentor to me Sthilg, a father figure even!”

" I'm glad you feel that way Alicia. I have found the ritual that my people ussse for adopting. It ssseemsss sssimple enough to do." the gorn responded as he reached into his coat for the book.

“So you’d be adopting me? or is it for me to adopt you?” She grinned at the thought of that.

The gorn produced a small book with tradition of the gorn translated by Bulod Nen written on the front. He flicked through the book till he came to the page with the folded bookmark. " I'd be adopting you. Ssseemsss very sssimple to do jussst need a witnessssss and a few itemsss."

“I can arrange a witness, what items do you need?” Alicia looked at Sthilg curiously.

" A few of my people's religious artifacts and some gravuna seeds. I have the artifacts in my room and I have a few of the plants growing in the hydroponics bay." He said running a finger down the page.

“Okay So when do we do this?” Alicia looked at Sthilg curiously. “I was thinking of asking Savar but I think he’d probably ask a million questions!” She grinned. “How’s about we ask Heather? She’s could be an impartial witness?”

" Sssounds good." The gorn replied. " Ssshall we meet in my quartersss? "

Alicia nodded. “Sure. Just tell me when and I’ll be there.”

" Will an hour or two be alright? I have to finish of a few thingsss here." He asked

“That’s fine by me” Alicia smiled warmly. “I’ll see you there.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two hours later.

The gorn smiled as he finished the simple alter that was needed for the ritual. A traditional gorn goblet with two candles and the gravuna fruit. What his people were smoking when they came up with this was a question for another time. Hearing the door alert he called. " enter."

Alicia and Heather arrived together, Alicia having explained what she could to Heather. “We’re both here Sthilg.” Alicia smiled warmly.

" Thank you for doing thisss Heather. I don't know what my people were sssmoking when we thought of thisss, but it does ssseem sssimple enough," he said as he showed them the set. " We need to light the candlesss, sssay some vowsss than drop the ssseedsss into the wine goblet and drink."

“My pleasure and it sounds simple enough” Heather smiled warmly as she looked around Sthilg’s Quarters, it seemed he was still midst reorganise after the mirror universe events. “This is the first adoption ceremony I’ve ever taken part in.”

Alicia smiled. “Well by the end of it I’ll have a father again.” She smiled at Sthilg. “I am right in that aren’t I? Your age in Gorn years compared to that of a Betazoid or Trill would make you old enough to be my father correct?”

" Well the sssix tesssticles of a male gorn become active around fourteen yearsss and i'm two hundred and seventeen sssoo i'm more than old enough." The gorn replied calmly

Alicia nodded. “Sorry that was a pretty personal question.” She offered a smile. “I lost my father just around the same time I lost Kal. The stress and upset caused the loss of my baby but at least now I have a whole new family and a full happy life ahead of me. I’ll be proud to have you as my father.”

" It's perfectly okay my dear. My people'sss biology isn't the most well-known fact in the galaxy. I'm proud to have you asss a daughter as well. Now ssshall we begin. We ssstart by lighting the two candlesss on the opposssite side of the goblet. Asss we do ssso we need to resite a few wordsss. " he explained.

Alicia nodded and looked at Heather who also nodded. She smiled as she looked at Sthilg “You lead and I’ll follow.”

" Okay i'll ssstart. " The gorn said as he lit a match as he held it over the first candle. " Asss the all mother sssaid we are all of the sssame blood sssame family. On thisss day i invite Alicia Kelea-Salik into my family. " he said as he lit the candle.

Alicia followed. Lighting her candle she looked at Sthilg. “As the all mother said we are all of the same blood same family. On this day I invite Sthilg into my family.” She hoped she said the right thing.

With a reassuring smile, the gorn lit his second candle before he reached for the fruit waving out the match as he did so. " As the two sssidesss of the fruit bare ssseed'sss let usss join as one. " he said as he dropped a few of the seeds into the waiting wine goblet.

Alicia copied Sthilg word for word and action for action so as to get the ritual correct. She didn’t want to get it wrong and make Sthilg have to start again.

Picking up the goblet the doctor took a small sip from the wine and said. " Asss two we were now we become one. I welcome you daughter." He said slowly handing over the goblet to her.

Taking the goblet Alicia took a small sip and said. " As two we were now we become one. I welcome you father." She handed the goblet back to Sthilg.

Carefully placing the goblet back on the table the lizard offed his arms in a hug. " Daughter," he said warmly.

Alicia smiled the biggest smile yet as she stepped forward accepting the hug and giving Sthilg one in return. “Father” She looked up at him. “I’m very much looking forward to learning all there is to learn about you, our people and most of all enjoying having a father again.”

Heather smiled warmly as she watched them both, she missed her parents very much. “Is there anything you need me to do or sign?” She looked at Sthilg.

" And i the same daughter." Sthilg said looking over at Heather. " Yesss i have a form to fill out then i need to passss it on to the federation. I'll need your sssignature. "

Heather nodded. “It’ll be my pleasure.” She looked at Alicia. “So what do you think your mother will make of you being adopted by a new father?”

Alicia shrugged her shoulders. “To be honest ... I’m not sure, but I think, at least I hope she’ll be happy that I’ve found someone to watch out for me!” She grinned. “She worries ... a lot!”

" I promise I'll be my least ssscary to hear the first time we meet." the gorn said with a slight chuckle.

Alicia grinned. “Just cross your fingers and hope she doesn’t break out all the old photographs! There are a LOT of them!! I’ll give her a call and see if we can arrange a meeting, if not in person then at least via subspace.”

" I look foward to it." The gorn doctor replied a warmth found in his old heart he'd never thought he'd feel again.

Alicia nodded. “Thank you Heather, I appreciate you doing this for us.”

“It was my pleasure” Heather smiled warmly.

{OFF}