New Hope

Posted on Thu Jun 1st, 2023 @ 9:32am by Senior Chief Petty Officer Emily Charles {Kelea-Salik} & Commander Sthilg

Mission: Season 6: Episode 2: Survival
Location: Medical tent
Timeline: MD4 1700 hrs
866 words - 1.7 OF Standard Post Measure

{ON}

Walking into Sickbay, Emily smiled as she passed by recovering patients on her way to look in on the Orphaned children. She’d been looking over the records and one little girl in particular had taken her interest, a 3 year old Betazoid called Leana Vai

Emily had always wanted a child, she still wanted a baby of her own but that wasn’t happening anytime soon. This way Leana would have a new home, somewhere happy to grow up.

Sthilg sat at his makeshift desk slowly chopping away at a ration packet. Starfleet could never get the reptilian one to taste right. Looking up he gave Emily a polite smile. " Hello there my dear what can I do for you?" He asked in his grandfatherly tone.

Emily offered a warm smile. “I’ve been giving some consideration to offering one of the orphaned children a home. I’d like to help Leana Vai.”

A smile spread over the gorns face. " I'm glad my dear, but I need to ask you have thought this through. Ssshe will need a lot of love, compassssion and therapy."

Emily nodded. “I know Doctor, I’ve been there. I understand how difficult this will be for her, I had George, Leana has no one. We’re both Betazoid, and I have a big family that she can become part of. If she’ll accept me that is.”

" In that cassse let me find where I put the padd's with the formsss on them." Sthilg said standing up and began sorting through the small pile on his desk.

Emily nodded again. “Can I see Leana before I fill in the forms? I just want to be sure she’ll like me, instead of just arriving to take her home.”

The gorn nodded as he stood up and lead the way towards the arboretum where the children were staying. It didn't take him long till he found Liarrana. " Hello, my dear. What are you doing?" He asked in his grandfatherly tone.

Leana held up a picture, her own interpretation of the trees and in amongst them her stick figure was standing unhappily alone.

“That’s a pretty picture” Emily offered a warm smile as she stepped up alongside Sthilg before crouching down at Leana’s height. “I’m Emily, I’m a nurse. I work with Sthilg.” She looked up at Sthilg, then back at the small girl. “I’m sorry about your family, I lost my parents when I was little too. I was...” She paused. “Would you like to live with me? I have other family amongst the crew with children, I think you’d like them.”

Leana looked at Sthilg, then at Emily before putting down her picture and giving Emily a big hug, so big it seemed she’d never let go. Looking up at Sthilg, Emily nodded. This was one little girl who would have a new family, and a happy life ahead of her.

Sthilg smiled. It looked like everything would be okay with this situation. " I'll get the form for you my dear. I sssee no reason thisss can't go ahead." He said to Emily.

Emily nodded as she sat down on the floor, picking up a crayon she started drawing a picture for Leana. “See this...” she pointed to a stick figure interpretation of herself that Leana would understand. “This is me, and this...” She drew a smaller stick figure. “This is you. This is us together, forever.” She smiled the biggest smile yet.

" Look after her Emily I'll be back in a second," Sthilg said with a grin as he headed back to his office.

“I will Doctor” Emily nodded and returned to getting to know Leana better. “I am sorry for what happened to your mummy and daddy” she offered a gentle smile. “I promise you I won’t ever let anything happen to you.”

Sthilg quickly returned with the padd which he handed to Emily.

Emily smiled as she stood up and looked over the PADD, reading it through thoroughly she filled in what she needed to fill in, checking it over again before returning the PADD to Sthilg. “There, I think that’s everything I need to do. So what happens now? It’s not like Starfleet will be receiving that form anytime soon.”

" You will need to find someone to assign off on it as well. I can passsss it on to child ssservicesss when we get back." Sthilg explained.

Emily nodded. “Well I’m sure Commodore Lalor is busy enough looking after all the crew here, as well as her own family. I’ll speak to Captain Taylor see if he’ll sign off on it for me. Thank you for all your help Sthilg, I’ll organise an extra bed in my tent and get it ready for Leana.”

" Well then. I'll leave the two of you to become better acquainted. Come find me when you have the form assigned." The old doctor said with a warm smile on his face.

“I will, thank you Sthilg” Emily smiled excitedly before turning her attention back to Leana. She was very much looking forward to being a mother.

{OFF}