A talk with the Priestess

Posted on Thu Nov 17th, 2022 @ 11:14am by Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & High Priestess An'Dalus

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Colorado Estate; Earth
Timeline: 27/07/2397 - Early Evening
1697 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Anne watched as the pink-maned girl dragged S'hib excitedly away, smiling with intrigue from behind a champagne glass she believed her hand would break if she so much as adjusted her grip.

"May I join you, dear?" She asked from behind a smile as she approached Naxea; still sitting at her table.

Turning to face the Priestess upon hearing her voice, Naxea gave a nod. "Of course." She wondered what the Sequus Priestess wanted. She was still a bit unnerved at how the woman seemingly caused her to become pregnant with S'hib's child.

"Thank you." She bowed in return before seating, leaving T'han standing as sentry nearby though his distance didn't make it immediately obvious.

"I wanted to ask how you and the child are doing?"

"So far, the baby is healthy...and very active," Naxea informed her. "Are you enjoying the party?"

"They usually are... especially towards the end," Anne remarked, her eyes on others at the party. "As for myself, yes thank you... it's been a rather enjoyable experience." She added before pausing briefly, her eyes finding herself back on S'hib.

"He's going to be a good father, that Stal of yours... though he won't have a clue what he's doing, I don't think it will matter."

"From what I understand, being a first-time parent is a learning experience. We'll get through it together," she replied, more in an attempt to reassure herself than An'Dalus

"A first-time parent indeed, especially for your stal... it's quite frankly unheard of for Sequus men to have any meaningful role in the upbringing of their sometimes hundreds of children." She said softly, mulling over her own words carefully as she sloshed the last dregs of her drink around the spindly glass.

"That's a shame," Naxea commented before a short pause. "I lost my father at a very young age. There have been many times I had wished he hadn't been killed so I could have learned from him and taken advice from him."

“I'm sorry to hear that, in our society we have what we call second or sometimes even third mothers… every mare takes on the responsibility of every child, though some more directly, thus we become a second mother to them… the stals are out of the equation.”

Her tone was matter-of-fact, not immediately recognising the problem. “Though the child is not entirely of Sequella, I imagine you will want to do things differently.” She nodded as though giving her approval.

"Yes," Naxea confirmed. "S'hib is excited and seems to want to help take care of the child."

"He is as much a child of two worlds your stal, just like the little one," Anne remarked, tilting her head back to Naxea. "Does she have a name yet?"

"No, S'hib and I are still deciding," Naxea gave a slight nod. "However, we want her name to have meaning with both species, so, her Surname will be after mine--Azhul, while her given name will be Sequus."

"I'm sure she will wear your manes with pride..." Anne remarked, raising the glass to her lips but stopping short of tasting its bitter contents. "I almost forget to mention," She started, the glass dropping back to her lap, champagne sloshing dangerously close to the rim.

"On top of her already unique circumstance, she will be the first Sequus born in space... that is of course if you stay aboard."

"Yes, my duty is aboard the Elysium. Plus Doctor Sthilg is one of the best doctors in Starfleet and is a good friend of both myself and S'hib. Will her being born in space be an issue among the Sequus?"

"No, no... just noteworthy, so I thought you should know since she's going to be a bit of a little celebrity what with making history and all that."

"To be honest, I don't want her to be a celebrity. I want her to live a normal childhood," Naxea spoke truthfully. Sure, her child was the first Sequus hybrid but to her, the baby deserved as normal of a childhood as possible--one far better than she had had.

"Whilst I'd hate to wish for her life to be uneventful compared to the exploits of her parents, for which yes... I have been privy to a great deal of information on... she should probably enjoy a quiet childhood..."

"I'm glad we agree on that...though I don't think the Sequus will treat her as such...especially if they learn of your part in her conceiving should we visit Sequella or the colony on Earth," Naxea spoke, knowing how religious the Sequus were.

"My dear, have you not stopped to wonder why they sent me here in the first place," Anne remarked. her gaze on others, smiling politely despite the topic at hand. "Because you don't strike me as being that naive..."

"Who sent you exactly and why would you care so much about S'hib and I being able to conceive a child?" Naxea questioned, now very curious about the woman.

She was quiet at first, looking down at her lap with a subtle smile forming. "Very few Stals ever get to meet my Queen... though she does like the company from time to time, she is very selective... only the finest quality will do. And naturally, none of them can resist... except him." She frowned, her gaze on S'hib as he continued to dance with Miraj.

"You see... while he was on Sequella, he blatantly refused to be a Sequus... he wore that ruddy uniform to the ends of the red sea and back, something I found amusing..." Anne said with a slight chuckle before realising she was rambling slightly.

"Though when he met with his Queen... he also defied her in every sense of the word... I thought she was going to have him executed at first but instead, she ordered everyone to leave her court, myself included along with other Priestesses as well as her Sovereigns."

"The next I saw of your Stal he was gliding off into the hazy horizon of the red sea, my Queen, however, disappeared into the Archives deep beneath the royal palace adamant to find answers." She finished with a deep sigh.

"And it would seem you're carrying one." Anne smiled, though Naxea couldn't quite put her finger on its meaning, though somewhere between jealousy and adoration.

"An answer to what, exactly?" Naxea asked sternly. She wasn't going to allow her child to become a pawn or clutch to anyone.

"That I'm afraid I do not know... all I know was that he needed to sire a child." She said with a tilt of her glass in S'hib direction.

"He needed to sire a child? What is he? Sequus royalty?" Naxea asked in disbelief.

"The Queen believes him to be the reincarnation of S'habib, the first Sequus to ever die on Sequella... though he clearly doesn't remember." She stated almost sounding annoyed at the fact.

'Ah great, religious mumbo jumbo,' Naxea thought annoyed, though she kept a neutral face. She had never been a fan of religion ever since the Prophets allowed her people to suffer. "If he is reincarnated...why would he remember so?"

“I imagine it's because it's not the same body… there was nothing left of S’habib after the gateway closed, as such his resurrection is rather peculiar compared to the normal process…”

"Gateway? What sort of gateway?" Naxea asked as the only gateway she was familiar with were the old Iconian Gateways that she learned about in Starfleet Galactic History back at the Academy.

"We don't know... all we do know is it connected somewhere outside of this galaxy... and as such we aren't native to your Milkyway," Anne remarked, shifting in her seat to direct her full attention to Naxea.

"But that was... a long time ago." She continued, a tired and wiry sigh leaving her lips. "None of us can really remember that far back anymore, bits and pieces mostly... but nothing," Anne paused, this time a frustrated sigh accompanying her next words. "Nothing useful."

There was a moment of pause as Naxea digested what the Priestess had told her. "I've learned that while it is important to know where you come from, do not let it dictate the present. Allow S'hib to be his own person as I plan to do with my daughter when she becomes older."

"I have been doing exactly that since I came aboard my dear... The queen wanted him to sire offspring, she never said it had to be with you... I made that choice because S'habib gave everything for Sequella." Anne remarked, turning her gaze back to S'hib, her eyes flicking around for him until she found him at the bar with Miraj.

"Seemed only fair to give something back..."

"I don't know who else he would have an offspring with as he has accepted our mutual agreement on being with only one partner." Naxea was mildly offended that the Priestess would suggest that S'hib would sire a child with anyone other than herself.

The Priestess leaned forward and placed her champagne down, she was about to reiterate her point and clarify what she meant when S'hib came marching over, suddenly taking her aback for a moment out of fear he had overheard the disagreement with Naxea.

But he just stood there, ears flat against the back of his head as he breathed in deep and looked at Naxea.

"If I should think of love..." He began, posturing his arms out before deciding better of it.

"I'd think of you," He continued awkwardly, already wrestling with the idea of running back over to throttle Miraj. "Your arms uplifted, Tying... tying your mane in plaits...The..." He said before stopping, leaning briefly to snatch the Champagne off the table and down it in one disgusted swallow; why was it so bitter he thought before handing the Priestess back her now empty glass.

"Excuse me." He sighed before turning to leave without saying another word, his eyes flicking back to the bar only to see Miraj barely holding the counter as she dissolved into a fit of laughter.