Introducing Tristi

Posted on Sun Jun 5th, 2022 @ 7:26am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Miran Lalor [Lalor] HRH & Tristi Richardson & Captain Mattias Richardson [Reece]

Mission: Rejoinder
Location: Earth, Montana House
Timeline: MD3 07h00
2077 words - 4.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Miran stared at her sister. "What?!?"

"I know your hearing is fine Miran." Phoenix stated from where she sat at the kitchen bench shelling peas from the garden.

"Oh I heard you. You and Mattias are bringing home a stranger. "

"Tristi is not a stranger to us Miran, she needs a home and Matt and I have agreed to have her stay with us, Mattias is considering adoption."

Miran crossed her arms and pouted at her sister. "So you, while raising infants and running a starship you are going to raise a street kid?"

"You forgot to mention, I am also raising my sister. And i will remind you that i have been a single parent for the past few years where you are concerned. Mattias and I believe we can give Tristi a good home."

Miran glared. "Oh sure"

"Miran, you will be nice to her or by the six you will be in trouble." Miran stared. Phoenix had never disciplined her before. Not even when she had hacked the computer.

===Outside===

Mattias and Tristi were out in the east garden. Mattias, having set up a target, was showing Tristi how best to hurl both her own dagger and a few other blades. "So you see, you don't want to overpower your delivery. When your fingers are pointed just above your target, you release the blade, finishing your swing as you do so. Watch." He held her small blade in his fingers and snapped his wrist in a horizontal backhand, sending the blade spinning towards the target, striking dead center of the target a few meters away. He then rearmed his throwing arm with the small throwing dirks he was holding in his left hand, repeating the process a few more times, from different angles of attack. Each time, the blades hit in the center circle.

"See?" He asked when he was finished. He then moved to the target and retrieved the weapons. After carrying them back to the throwing line he handed Tristi her blade. "Now, you give it a go. And remember, don't overpower your throw. You will lose your aim and control that way."

Tristi took a breath and concentrated and threw her first knife. It missed. Hitting the outer edge of the target. She sighed. "I am not good at this."

Giving her a calm smile, Mattias spoke reassuringly. "It's okay, Tris. This is a skill that takes practice. Take a cleansing breath, empty your mind and see your blade hitting the target." He handed her another blade. "Go on, give it another try."

She sighed and rolled her shoulders and tried again, she missed again and cursed under her breath.

Smiling patiently, Mattias moved over to behind Tristi. After placing another blade in her throwing hand, he stood directly behind her, moving his left arm loosely around her waist and lightly pressing on her belly. He took his right hand and lightly grasped her right wrist.

"You are standing too rigidly," he spoke softly. "You need to be loose. Don't try to overpower the throw." Guiding her hand and moving her body with his, he pulled her arm back and guided her through the release. This time, the blade landed just inside the bullseye circle. "There, see? Just be loose and fluid in your movement." He released his hold on her and stepped away. "You can work on power later. For now, just focus on your aim and control."

Tristi held herself straight and did as he instructed. She hated being touched but she didn't want to get him angry.

Phoenix came out carrying a tray of snacks and drinks, Miran behind her.

"Go ahead," he coached softly. "Give it another go. Picture where you want the blade to land, then, just as your hand is breaking that line, release."

Tristi glanced to the side and then focused on the target. She threw the next knife and again it hit but still the outer circle.

Miran made a sound in her throat and got Phoenix's glare in response. Miran shrugged. "Thought you said she was a street kid."

Tristi turned and stepped from Mattias and focused on the other brunette. She looked her up and down. Perfectly put together, obviously never had to fight for food. "Yes I am a street kid. And you, you are obviously a person who never had to starve before."

Miran marched over picked up a knife and took aim and threw with one smooth motion, hitting centre target. "Maybe not but I know how to throw a knife," Miran snarked back.

Phoenix stepped between them. "Okay back to your corners."

Mattias moved to collect the remaining blades, hurling them with surprising speed and ability, as he barely looked at the target. Each one landed in a circle around Miran's. "Enough, playtime, ladies. Remember, we are all friends here."

Miran sniffed "No thanks"

"Miran Topaz Lalor!" Phoenix snapped.

Miran spun around. "You bring home a stray and I am supposed to be happy? Gods take you Phoenix!" Miran stalked off to the house.

Phoenix took a breath. "Tristi, I am sorry about that."

The girl shrugged. "At least she called me a stray and nothing worse."

Mattias looked over at Tristi. "That's not acceptable, Tristi. You are a smart, wonderful young woman. Don't ever let anyone disrespect you. No one has the right to degrade you in any way, shape or fashion." He moved over to gently place his hand on her shoulder. "You're important to me, and to Phoenix. Not to mention the rest of your Black Watch family."

Tristi gave another shrug.

Phoenix gave the girl a hug and then said "I will give Miran a chance to cool down then I will speak with her."

"What would you like to do, for the rest of the day?" Mattias asked Tristi, hoping to be able to help her find a good thing to remember today.

Tristi shrugged. "Dunno" she replied.

Phoenix smiled. "Shopping?" she suggested.

"We could head out, get out of the compound for the rest of the day, show you a few different places here on Earth," Mattias nodded in agreement. "And the two of you could do some shopping."

"Won't that make it worse with you sister?" Tristi asked Phoenix.

Phoenix sighed. "Maybe, but we will take the twins with us and I will see about getting her to hook up with her friends."

Mattias smiled. "See? Nothing to worry about. And besides, if Miran acts up, her big sister here can always revoke her credit limit." He winked playfully at Phoenix as he spoke.

"Never gave her a credit limit," muttered Phoenix as she turned for the house to collect the twins.

Mattias chuckled softly as he indicated for Tristi to come with them back to the house.

Tristi followed them slowly. She had been shown a room, which was even more opulent than the one that she had stayed in on Rigel with them, and had briefly been introduced to a regal older woman, Phoenix called Mother but other than that she had not seen much of the house.

Mattias held the door for her when they reached the house and entered through the kitchen.

And they walked into a shouting match between sisters.

Miran was yelling in Erisian at Phoenix and her sister was returning serve in the same language.

Their yelling was so fast that it was hard for Mattias to translate. They were standing almost toe to toe and Miran was glaring at Phoenix who was clenching her fists.

Mattias stayed firm, at Tristi's side, supporting her as he translated what he could to her in a whisper.

She began to back out of the room when Phoenix yelled something so loud that made two other people come running.

Miran was pale, she turned and bolted up the stairs to her room.

"Well done sister" Kyian drawled and followed Miran up the stairs.

"Oh go jump Brother, You have not been here for the past few years!" Phoenix replied coldly. She looked at the woman "Well mother?"

"You took it too far there." Kiana turned and left the room.

Mattias reached out and gently held Tristi's hand, to hold her in place. To Phoenix, he spoke in Erisian, "What happened, my Queen?"

"Jealousy, Something I did not consider" She replied in federation standard.

"Jealousy? Of who?" Mattias never considered he or Tristi could be the source.

"Miran is jealous of the fact that I have come back with new people. She has had only me for many years, even when i was with Ken, it was still me and her mainly" She turned and gave them both a brief smile. "I need to go deal with this."

Nodding, Mattias moved closer and embraced the woman he loved. "Do what you need to do, Sweetheart. We'll stay down here."

"Go for a swim or watch the holo" She smiled at them both then kissed Mattias and headed up to follow her sister and brother.

After she left, Mattias asked Tristi to join him in the entertainment room. As he fired up the holo, he asked, "What would you like to see?"

"No idea, I have not watched holos before"

"Never?" Mattias felt saddened by this. He considered his options briefly, then knew which film to put on. "Sit right here," he said as he moved to the computer terminal. He typed in a search command and hit enter. In three seconds, his selection started to play.

After the studio logos played, the title of the movie flashed onscreen. SPACEBALLS "This is one of my favorites!" Mattias said with a huge grin as the enemy vessel, Spaceball One, started to slowly cross the screen, endlessly.

Tristi frowned "Ah that's not very spaceworthy" she said when looking at the ship.

Mattias laughed. "That's what's so funny about it! This movie, it's what was once called, a spoof. It was made to deliberately poke fun at the genre it was in. This one, for its time, was considered science fiction, or sci-fi, for short." He paused the vid and turned to face Tristi more.

"You see, when this movie was made, humans had barely scratched the surface of space. Several deep space probes, a few lunar landings, and an orbital space station that would seem like a child's jungle gym nowadays. They hadn't even entered in to World War III or the Eugenics Wars yet. But, what they did have, was imagination. There were whole industries created just for the creation of this media." He tilted his head towards the frozen image.

"Oh.." she said softly. "I am sure it is funny it just looks weird."

Nodding his head, Mattias agreed. "Agreed. However, don't try to analyze the film," he said softly. "Instead, just allow the silliness of it to pull you into a happy state of suspended disbelief."

She considered it and sat silently as he pressed play and let it roll. She was not sure where this was going to go.

As the movie continued, Mattias would laugh at some parts, giggle at others, all the while, a happy grin stayed on his face. Every now and then, he'd discreetly glance over at Tristi, hoping that she was starting to enjoy herself. He knew that, after the hard life that she had had, it would take more than a single funny classic movie to start healing the old wounds. However, every journey had to start somewhere.

Tristi kept her emotions hidden as she watched it, keeping an ear out for any sounds of fighting upstairs. Though she had gotten on ok with the crew of the ship, this would be a totally different situation. Occasionally though her lips would quirk in a smile.

Mattias caught each quirk. Internally, he smiled softly. The first steps had been taken. He would do everything he could to foster more down the line.

***A while later***

The credits started rolling. Turning to look at Tristi fully, Mattias pleasantly asked, "So, what did you think. Be honest, please."

"Its... very old fashioned and ... strange but interesting." Tristi replied honestly.

He grinned softly. "Did you enjoy it? If you did, there are other classics that you could watch later?"

"Sounds interesting" She smiled at him.

He grinned again. "Well, young lady, you stick with me, and I'll teach ya a few things about ancient Earth that you just might learn to enjoy!"

 

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