Baby Cuddles are healing hugs

Posted on Tue Sep 26th, 2023 @ 6:41am by Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani

Mission: Season 6: Episode 3: Far From Home
Location: Main Sickbay; USS Elysium
Timeline: MD04 1100
1410 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Naxea carried Sle'anna through the corridor towards Sickbay. She had heard that Ensign Derani had awoken and she decided to check on her. After all, she was now considered part of the family. Entering Sickbay, Naxea flagged down a nurse. "Excuse me. Where is Ensign Derani?"

"She's in Medical Room Alpha, Ma'am," the nurse replied.

"Thank you," Naxea replied as she headed for Miraj's room.

Miraj was bored. She desperately wanted to fly. she'd settle for a work bee at this point. She'd not flown anything in nearly forty eight hours and she was getting antsy. She couldn't even concentrate on rereading Bloodbeard's Booty. She needed a distraction so badly she almost cheered when she saw the door to her side room slide open and Colonel Azhul walk in, Sle'anna in her arms.

Miraj beamed and wiggled herself up the bed until she was sitting up properly. "Hello baby!" she looked up at the baby's mother. "Hello, Colonel. How are you?"

"Tired but I'm doing well, thank you. How are you feeling?" Naxea asked as she approached Miraj's bed. She was glad to see the young woman doing much better.

"Like I got keelhauled. I've been asleep for weeks and I feel like I could sleep for weeks more." She looked at the gurgling baby. "You probably feel even worse."

"She's been more active now that we're not on the frozen planet. You can hold her if you're feeling up to it," Naxea offered.

"If you're sure you're okay with it?" Miraj remembered the last visit with the baby. S'hib had put one of his large hoof feet right in it.

"I am," Naxea said truthfully. "I know you're a good person, Miraj," Naxea chose to use Miraj's first name. "S'hib caught me off guard last time. I don't have an issue with you being a surrogate mother to Sle'anna and that means you're practically family."

Miraj made a face. "Sister. I'm not old enough to be anyone's mum." She took a careful hold as Sle'anna was handed over. "Big brothers are stupid." She told the baby. "But you will never know that pain, lucky thing."

Naxea smiled as she watched Sl'anna stare up at Miraj with big curious black eyes as Sle'anna began to wiggle excitedly in her blankets. "She certainly seems to like you."

Miraj offered the baby her finger, which was promptly grabbed and then held onto as the baby tried to manoeuvre her finger into its mouth without much luck. "It's the hair. Aren't babies supposed to like bright colours?"

"They do but she becomes much happier with seeing you and she seems to know your scent. S'hib says Sequus infants are quick to associate scents with people," Naxea stated as she sat down in a nearby chair.

Miraj took a surreptitious sniff. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a bath. She hoped she'd been wheeled into a sonic shower recently. "Possibly not a good thing for me right now." But the baby didn't seem to mind. "How's S'hib? I haven't seen him yet?"

"He's been busy hunting down whoever attacked you. He has trouble seeing those close to him get hurt. I remember how he had been reluctant to see me after I lost my arm in battle against those unknown species we ran into about a year ago. He's been a handful ever since you were attacked," Naxea explained. S'hib had been emotional and restless the past several days.

"Thats not good. You've just had a baby. He should be looking after you."

Naxea chuckled, allowing a grin. "I'm fine. Besides, Sle'anna seems to like all the attention she gets down in Marine Country."

Miraj snorted. "Who knew the power to turn all those big strong marines into a puddle of giant softies was tiny fingers and a cute nose," she told the baby. "One day you'll have them all living right here." she gently wiggled Sle'anna's little finger.

Sle'anna squirmed excitedly as Miraj wiggled her finger. "I think she already does," Naxea said, smiling. She was glad to see that Sle'anna was turning into a happy baby--as long as she had a full stomach at least. "You're really good with her," she commented.

"Well, shes not crying, or needing a change. Then she's all yours." Miraj was lost in the big brown eyes blinking up at her. The baby seemed so content, snuffling as she pulled on Miraj's finger. So precious. She couldn't imagine anyone being able to give up their baby. "You don't regret it? Becoming a mum?"

Naxea shook her head. "Not at all. I'll admit I had reservations about becoming a mother at first because of my childhood experiences, but Sle'anna won't have those experiences. It's funny how quickly she's grown on me in the month that she's been here."

Miraj did some math, hiding her fingers in Sleanna's blanket. The colonel was probably old enough to have caught at least the tail end of the occupation. That... couldn't have been fun. "Like barnacles on a hull, only too adorable to scrape off. " She brushed the baby's cheek, marvelling at how soft her skin was, how warm and snuggly it felt to have her to cuddle. "I doubt it will be a smooth ride home, but she's going to see things no other baby will. Unique in all the universe."

Naxea nodded, continuing to grin. "That she is. Unfortunately, she's endured a lot in her first month of life. Being born during an emergency, living on a frozen world and now space travel."

"I was born on a pirate ship and then left in a basket on DS9, and I didn't set foot on a planet till I went to the academy. You'll be fine." Miraj assured Sle'anna. "I turned out fine. Though planets are weird. If you can feel them rumbling, then somethings wrong."

"Same can be said about starships," Naxea teased with a grin and a shrug. "I lived on DS9 for a few years after Starfleet took command of the station. Until tensions with the Dominion began anyhow."

"Sounds like you're just the latest in a family of adventurers," Miraj told the baby. The baby got a fist full of pink hair and heaved. Miraj winced as the powerful tug managed to pull a few hairs loose. Sle'anna giggled. And then Miraj was very conscious of the warm spot against her arm getting warmer, and the texture of the bundled baby being squishier. "Um..."

Naxea popped up, smiling from her chair. "Uh oh. Here, I'll take care of her for you. You know, up until a few months ago, I could never imagine changing and cleaning a baby."

Miraj made a face. "I can't, don't and won't imagine it at all. Too much gross for me. I think I can wait a few years for a stinky bum machine."

Naxea laughed out loud as she placed Sle'anna on a table and began to clean her with a mobile sonic cleaner. "You have plenty of time, Miraj."

"I know. and I'm going to need it. I can barely talk to boys as it is. Mal and S'hib don't count. Brothers aren't boys, they're like, alien tentacle monsters or something."

Naxea laughed at Miraj's comment, setting the mobile sonic cleaner down and grabbed a blanket from a nearby storage compartment, and began swaddling Sle'anna in the clean blanket. "I know it may seem hard, but don't put too much thought into it. Just act yourself. If they still want to be with you then they might be the one."

It was then a comm alert pinged, perking Sle'anna's ears up in interest as her father's voice came through. =/\= "Naxea, are you free? we need to talk... I uh..." =/\=

He paused, looking around the new temporary quarters they had been assigned, their unfamiliarity and blandness only adding to the sudden emptiness he felt.

=/\= "Where are you by the way, Have you got Slee with you?" =/\= He asked as he struggled to undo his uniform, nearly ripping the fabric as he walked further inside.

=/\=I'm visiting Miraj and yes, I have Sle'anna with me. Be there soon. Naxea, out.=/\=

"Better go and see what S'hib wants. Rest and get better, Miraj," Naxea said as she hefted Sle'anna and headed for the door.

"Thank you for coming to see me. And bringing the baby." Miraj shifted meaning to doze again until lunch. "Tell S'hib to come see me?"