And so the Cast-a-ways wonder what's next

Posted on Thu Jun 2nd, 2022 @ 6:47am by Skylah McBride [Lalor] & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor & Lieutenant Tate Sullivan Ph.D. & Legate Imik S'Niohun [Lia Taylor] & Staff Sergeant Leilani Charles {Kelea-Salik} & Hendor Charles [Reece]

Mission: Season 5: Interlude: Darkness Abounds
Location: Shuttle 1
Timeline: Present
2186 words - 4.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Lia watched her pilot guide the shuttle towards a small moon, the intention was to hide behind it along with the other shuttles. She turned and looked at Lieutenant Sullivan, "Tate, how do you read the mood in this shuttle?" She glanced out of a side window to see a fighter keeping close station, *Imik's keeping her word, that's good* she thought.

Not possessing any special abilities for reading emotions other than her training and human intuition, Sullivan was curious about the question, but she also appreciated being addressed. " I think we're all a little nervous, but feeling hopeful as much as we are apprehensive." She was speaking aloud, so she didn't want to give any of the children cause for concern or doubt, but her eyes met Lia's as if to question whether she needed to be concerned.

Nodding in agreement, Lia quietly answered. "Yeah I feel that to, just wanted to make sure it wasn't only me." Placing her hand on Tate's shoulder, Lia tried to reassure the councilor.

Sullivan placed her own hand on Lia's shoulder and offered a reassuring smile. "You're not alone there. Thanks for having all of our backs."

"Having your backs? Hey I'm one of you, if this madness goes south then I'm as much in the lurch as the rest of you. I only wish I did have your backs, then I could feel like I'm doing something useful." Lia smiled at Tate as she spoke, "That pilot out there is doing something, she's the one who has your back. I'm just window dressing right now."

"I don't think that's true at all," Tate replied in all seriousness. "It's been some time since I've piloted a shuttle, let alone done so in a way focused on keeping us safe. I'll admit, I too struggled with where I would be best utilized and I wondered if I should remain on the Elysium, but I am not a fighter in the ways that would be necessary for this mission. It isn't my strong suit and the last thing I want to do is become a liability for everyone else. What I am, who I am, is a healer and a nurturer. If I can use those skills to make all of this a little easier, who's to say what we contribute isn't valuable?"

Hendor was sitting in his bunk, talking to Sky softly, when he saw the starfighter outside one of the aft viewport. "That's one of Papa's friends!" He said happily. "She's a nice lady. Im...Imik is her name."

Skylah nodded "Sounds like she is cool"

Hearing someone talking, Lia turned to see who it was. She noticed a couple of kids talking quietly between themselves, "Your right, her name is Imik and she's very nice. She's out there keeping us all safe, so there's nothing to worry about ok?"

Leilani offered Lia a warm smile for helping to reassure Hendor and Skylah. “They’re not going to let anything happen to us, the ship will be back before we know it.”

"Sgt. Charles, that fighter pilot is one of our best. And she, like us wants back on to the Elysium." Lia spoke quietly to Leilani, so as not to disturb anyone else aboard.

Leilani nodded. “To be honest I wish George was out there too, who knows what’ll happen back aboard the Elysium.”

"Leilani, I'm sure both you and George will be together again soon. Hey I can't wait to get back to Gary, I'm worried about him as well." The Security chief turned to look in the direction of where the Elysium should be, "Stay safe my sky guy". That was a nick name Lia hadn't called Gary in a very long time, that's how much she was worried about him.

“Of course” Leilani nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you worry more.”

Turning back to face the Sgt., Lia simply smiled. "We're all human, and so we all worry. But you have a bit more to concern yourself with." She pointed to the children, "They'll be safe here, and Imik out there will make sure of that."

Skylah was looking around the shuttle as she sat beside Hendor. She kicked her legs back and forth. Part of her was wondering what her Aunt was up to back on the ship.

Leilani offered Lia a warm smile of thanks, then headed back to the children. “Are you both okay back here? Skylah don’t worry you’re aunt will be fine.”

"She.. " Skylah shrugged. "She promised."

“I know she did sweetheart” Leilani smiled warmly. “I’ve no doubt she’ll keep that promise.”

Skylah nodded. Samaire was her only family, even though her uncle had descendants, they would never take her in. she kept her mind on the fact that her Aunt was fine and safe.

Not wanting anyone to fall deeply into worry, and feeling especially protective and loving toward the children with her, Tate decided to make a suggestion. "Shall we play a game while we're waiting to return to the ship?"

Hearing the mention of a game, Hendor perked up even more. "I like to play games!" He looked at Skylah and smiled excitedly. "You wanna play too, Sky?"

"Sure" The girl replied. "What game?"

"How about we play a game called I Spy? Each person takes a turn spotting an object he or she would like the others to identify. The person who starts the game says something like, ' I spy with my little eye something that is…' The person that starts the game fills in the blanks with a description of the object and we all guess. Whoever gets it right gets to spot the next object. Sound OK?"

Hendor smiled softly. "We used to play something like this, back in the caves!"

"Would you like to go first, Hendor?" Tate asked, grateful that her idea was met with enthusiasm by at least someone. She wasn't sure what sorts of distractions would keep them fully occupied in such close quarters, but she did aim to try.

Hendor seemed excited by the prospect. Dancing a little, while he sat on the bunk, he looked around the cabin. "Okay, okay! I spy, with my little eye, something that is....red!"

Tate made a show of tapping her finger to her chin in thought, but otherwise remained silent, wanting others to make their guesses first.

Skylah considered the shuttle. "Ah... uniform?"

Hendor shook his head and grinned. "Nope!"

Lia listened as the game progressed, she was about to join in when a light on the console caught her eye. =^="Imik to shuttle Alpha, I am picking up transmissions from Elysium. It appears all is going to plan, nothing further to report."=^= Pressing the reply button Lia responded, =^="Shuttle Alpha to Imik, roger that please continue to monitor. Out".=^= She turned to the occupants of the shuttle, "It would seem as if this crazy plan is actually working, as you may have heard I asked Imik to monitor all transmissions. I didn't want to alarm anyone on board the shuttle by doing it within earshot of their families." She turned to look out at the fighter keeping station, *Thanks Imik, I needed that* she thought.

Tate turned to Lia and offered her a smile and a thumbs up, but otherwise kept her focus on the children, not wanting them to worry there was something more to worry about. The counselor then fixed her gaze on Lia and said, "might you have any guesses as to what the red item Hendor has spotted, Commander?"

"Well I was kind of thinking about the navigation light on Imik's fighter, but I'm probably wrong." Lia pointed towards the fighter just outside of the shuttle, "Its the only thing I can see that's red, from where I'm sitting."

Hendor giggled again. "Yes! That's it!" He replied excitedly. "Your turn to pick!"

"Oh, I see. Well I'm gonna have to think." Lia glanced about and then her eye's settled on something, "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with S." She turned to watch as the kids worked it out, she was never any good at this as a kid herself.

It felt good to see the kids enjoying themselves and Tate was grateful Lia was joining in. Her participation helped to show Hendor and Skylar everything was under control and there was nothing they had to do for the adults around them except be children.

Leilani was sitting lost in her own little world of thought, she was struggling being away from George. The news that the plan was working was something of a relief but she wouldn’t feel truly better until she was home again.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tate spotted Leilani looking distracted. As concerned for her as she was for the children, she offered, "Leilani, Lia has spotted something with her little eye that begins with 'S.' Any guesses?"

Leilani snapped out of her daydream, “Ohh I... sorry!” She smiled at Tate and the children. “S you said? I wonder what that might be?” She offered a warmer smile.

Skylah moved to look out the window and just pointed at the pinpricks of light.

Hendor moved over next to her and giggled, "Yeah! Stars start with an s!!" He looked back at Lia, to see if Skylah was correct.

"Oh nice try kids, but sorry to say you got it wrong. Want to have another guess?" Lia smiled as she spoke, but kept a weather eye on Imik and the comms channels.

Hendor thought about it for a few seconds, then, realization lit his small face. "Is it...Skylah?"

Lia's face now held a wide grin, "You got me Hendor, that's the right answer. So your up next." She looked over to Skylah, "Maybe next time Skylah."

Leilani smiled as she gave Hendor a hug. “Well done Sweetheart, so what are you going to choose for us next?”

Hendor smiled brightly at his mother's praise. But then, his smile fell some. Looking over at Skylah, then back at Lia and his mother, he asked, "Sky hasn't has a chance to puck something yet....is it okay if I give her my turn?"

Sensing the young boy's dilemma, Lia smiled and responded. "If you want to give Skylah your go, then I can't see a problem with that. Good for you Hendor, well one."

Leilani nodded in agreement. “It’s fine Sweetheart, Skylah can have your go if she wants to.”

Tate wasn't entirely reassured Leilani was okay, but at least she was pulled from her reverie and actively participating in the game. Sullivan didn't begrudge her worry, and as it wasn't good for any of them to dwell upon what they couldn't control, the counselor was going to do her part to keep everyone in the best spirits they could be under the circumstances.

Hendor's concern for Skylah's emotional needs wasn't lost on Tate. She was still exploring whether his attachment to her was partly connected to his own history of trauma and in turn, was something that needed to be worked through, but for now, she smiled at his simple good sportsmanship.

Turning to Skylah, Tate offered with the good-natured smile, "What you say, Skylah? Up for taking a turn?"

Skylah looked around and gnawed on her lower lip. "Eye Spy something beginning with C."

“C...” Leilani looked around. “Any ideas Tate?”


Tate had truly enjoyed listening to others make their guesses, and now that it was her turn, she felt well and truly stumped. "Hmmm..." Sullivan drawled out, in part for a fact, but in part to buy time.


Raising her eye's, Lia simply shook her head. "C, I haven't got a clue. Come on Lieutenant, the honour of Star Fleet is in your hands." She laughed as she spoke to Tate, hoping that it would ease any tension within the shuttle.

Tate chuckled. "Uh oh...the honor of Starfleet you say? Is it the comm system?"

Skyah nodded shyly. "Yes."

Just at that moment the comm system came to life, "Imik to shuttle Alpha, we have had permission to return to the Elysium. It would appear all has gone well, I shall fly ahead and check Elysium for your arrival." Lia presses the comms button, "Roger that Imik, I'll get this bird underway and await your report."

Tate had been smiling in the children's direction when they'd received the all clear, and now her smile widened, "See? So far so good, everyone." Of course, in the back of her mind, she wondered about the state of the crew in the aftermath of their success, but that was a worry for later. For now, she was just happy to have helped keep her charges sufficiently distracted.

Leilani immediately cheered up knowing she would soon be reunited with George again. “We’re going home Hendor, we’ll see papa soon.”

This made Hendor very happy indeed. "We're going home!! Wee!!"

Skylah climbed back onto her seat and strapped in. It was over.

 

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