A Mother's Love

Posted on Sat Jun 19th, 2021 @ 8:17pm by Master Sergeant Kieran Fredericks

Mission: Season 5: Episode 2: Operation Save Humanity
Location: Marine NCO Family Quarters
Timeline: Current
1223 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Kieran and Jack walked into their quarters after he picked the boy up from school.

"Dad? " asked Jack as he put his school bag down.

Kieran had sat down at his desk after putting the normal PADD containing his daily ration of paperwork. "Yes? " he asked.

"Can I ask you something? " asked Jack.

"Sure. " Kieran said.

"What was Mom really like? " asked Jack. Kieran leaned back. He had expected this for some time. Jack had been very young when Elana had died.

"I've been expecting this. Your mom was probably the best person I ever knew. She was kind, soft spoken, but she never put up with any guff from me and always called me out when I tried to pull a fast one. Not that I did that a lot, but when I did, she was NOT afraid to put me on the carpet for it. When you were born it was the greatest day in both of our lives. " said Kieran.

"I have trouble remembering her. Sometimes I have to pull up our family pictures to remember what she looks like. " said Jack. Kieran nodded.

"Well, you were still really young when she died. " he said.

"I don't remember her voice. I can't remember what she smelled like, or what it sounded like when she talked to me. " said Jack. Kieran grabbed his PADD and checked on whether any holodecks were available. Several of them were, so he requested thirty minutes on Holodeck Four. Then he opened the right drawer on his desk and pulled out a data chip, and turned to Jack.

"She wanted me to show you this when you asked about her. Your mother was always planning ahead. She made this when you were two, in case anything ever happened to her. Want to take a look at it? " asked Kieran. Jack nodded. Kieran turned to the dog. "Duke, stay. " he ordered. The animal went to his corner and laid down on his bed. Kieran turned to Jack. "C'mon, Bud. Let's go. " he said.

HOLODECK FOUR

The two stood in Holodeck Four a few moments later. There was no holographic environment. Elana had made this holographic letter for her son to have some way to interact with her. In the center of the holodeck stood the holographic representation of a young Bajoran woman. She was about five foot ten inches tall, with brown hair, dark brown eyes, and the nose ridges that identified her race.

"You ready? " asked Kieran. Jack nodded.

"Computer, activate program. " Kieran said.

In the center of the room, the woman smiled.

"Hello, Jakesh. I know we call you Jack most of the time, but I feel as if I should call you by your given name. I am your mother. While I'm making you this, your father is on assignment and you are in your room sleeping. I just wanted to make sure you know a little about me if I am not able to watch you grow up myself. I will tell you a little about my life, of which you and your father are the best part of so far. " she began.

"I was born on Bajor during the Cardassian occupation. That was before the Dominion War. My childhood was not much of one. We were hungry much of the time. When I was a teenager, after the Occupation ended, I visited a space station called Deep Space Nine. Starfleet was running the station alongside the Bajoran Militia. I remember that the Starfleet personnel there were always kind and helpful, and that is when I decided to join them. So when I was old enough I enlisted. Bajor is a beautiful world, even after the Cardassians stripped it of resources and made it a hard place to live. Since I enlisted I haven't been back, though I'd like to go home someday. Maybe someday we can go there and I'll show you where I grew up. My parents are gone now, so unfortunately there isn't any family to visit. But that place is your home, part of your heritage, and I really want you to see it one day. Kieran, if you are watching this, take notes. I know how you forget things sometimes when you're working. " she said, laughing. Jack laughed with her. Kieran just smiled.

"You always knew me so well. " he said in a low voice.

"Anyway, Jakesh, you are named after my father. He was a great man. He was a farmer and grew hasperat. My mother was a lot like me. Strong, quiet, and kind. She died at the hands of a Cardassian who wanted to take her from her husband and daughter and make her a comfort woman. She refused and he killed her. My father tried to stop him, and he killed him too. So I was an orphan. " said Elana.

"Now you see why I don't much like Cardassians. " said Kieran. Jack nodded.

"Now I don't want you going through life hating all Cardassians, Jakesh. Not all of them are murderous thugs. There were many during the Occupation who did what they could to mitigate our suffering, though I did not learn this until after I joined Starfleet. I've put my hate for them away. I want you to do the same. I could say the same thing to your father, but it will be harder for him. He fought against them during the Dominion War so it is different for him. Be patient with him. Your father is a good man who had a lot of bad things happen to him. That is how we met. He was a patient in the medical facility where I worked as a yeoman. So you see, some good can come from bad things. Both of us suffered greatly at the hands of the Cardassians and you are the result of our meeting. He and I both agree that you are the best thing we ever did together. Your birth was the greatest moment in our lives. " she said. Kieran looked at his son, who had tears streaming down his cheeks. He put a hand on Jack's shoulder.

"I have a lot more to tell you. On this chip are more letters, and I'm going to tell your father to make sure you can watch them any time you want to. Jakesh, there is so much I want to say to you, but as I make this recording you are far too young to understand this. So I will close by telling you that I love you more than anything else in this world. You are my greatest achievement. You have your father's drive to succeed and my intelligence. Your father would say you also have my looks and that's a good thing. " she said, laughing. "But the greatest thing I have ever done in my life is become your mother. I love you, my son. " she said. The recording ended.

Jack looked at Kieran. "There's more? " he asked. Kieran nodded.

"Can we watch them? " Jack asked.

"Not tonight. It's getting late. Tell you what. I'll check and see if a holdeck is available once a week and we can watch the next one then. Okay? " asked Kieran. Jack nodded. The two walked out of the holodeck.

End Post

Fredericks, Kieran
First Sergeant, Marine Detachment,
USS Elysium