Goodbye Father-Part Two
Posted on Thu Mar 28th, 2024 @ 5:37am by Consul Andrinn Orin
Edited on on Sun Apr 21st, 2024 @ 6:50am
Mission:
MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Vulcan Transport Vessel/Trill Homeworld
Timeline: 2112
1034 words - 2.1 OF Standard Post Measure
[ON:]
Andrinn was sitting in one of the various guest quarters that the Vulcan Ship T'Pana had, writing some reports as the ship was heading back towards the Trill homeworld. Andrinn had gotten an urgent request to return home from his mother just a few days prior, but without a reason behind the request. Andrinn's father wasn't in the communique, so he knew that it must've been something with his father.
Andrinn's father was getting a bit elderly for a Trill and had a few medical issues that sprouted up over the last few years of his life. Nothing too major, but they had started to add up for the old man. The last time that Andrinn saw his father in person, he was a bit of a shell of his former self. Not the man that Andrinn could remember from his childhood, that was a pillar of not only his community, but for the whole planet.
Andrinn's parents were both diplomats, but for different sides. Heck, it's even how they met and eventually had Andrinn and his siblings. Andrinn's father was the Trill diplomat and while his mother was an El-Aurian, she was a diplomat that the Vulcans brought in after first contact with the Trill people in the 2050's. The Vulcans wanted an outsider, someone who could understand and comprehend emotions for the logical Vulcans.
So, the two diplomats met and quickly fell in love. They married within a year or two, from what Andrinn could remember from the stories that his parents told him. Then, Andrinn was the first child born out of their union.
Andrinn sat back in his chair as he remembered how hard it was for him growing up and knew that it must've been way harder for his parents. The Trill, even to this day, are a bit mistrusting of outsiders, even if it's not instantly worn on their sleeves. The Trill people didn't even let it slip that they could be joined with another species until the mid-24th century or so, even with being Federation members.
But, with all the heartache and pain that Andrinn and his family had been through over the years, they always came out stronger than ever before. Which is why this moment was so much harder for Andrinn. If his father was truly dying, Andrinn wasn't sure what he'd do. But, being the oldest male, Andrinn knew that he would definitely have to take over and help his family out.
Knocking him out of his own thoughts was the Captain of the ship coming over the comms to announce that the ship was coming out of warp near the Trill homeworld. The Captain announced over comms, "We're exiting warp now. We shall be in orbit of the Trill homeworld within 4.21 minutes and shall begin transporting passengers down within a few minutes after that. Any passengers wishing to be transported down should make their way to the transporter room immediately."
Andrinn finished listening to the message from the Captain and knew that it was time...to go home. He grabbed his stuff and made his way down to the closest shuttlebay, where there was a shuttle being prepped to transport any passengers down to the Trill surface.
Once he laid his stuff down with any of the other passenger's items, Andrinn walked over and made small talk with a few other people that were heading down to the planet. Some were Trill, while others were as alien as the Vulcans and Andrinn himself. It wasn't long before the shuttle was filled up and they were on their way to the capital of Trill.
The flight itself didn't take long, as the Vulcan ships had a little bit better propulsion abilities than most other species at the time. The shuttle landed within a few minutes and Andrinn gathered his stuff before heading over to one of the railway stations to catch one to his family's place on the outskirts of town. Another few minutes later and Andrinn was walking up to the front door of his parent's place.
The place was as he could remember it growing up. The various flowers that his mother had gathered from various worlds in the galaxy were as beautiful as ever and blooming on the sunny day.
Before Andrinn could get to the front door and knock on it, one of Andrinn's younger siblings came out the front door and ran to give him the biggest hug possible. They whispered into his ear, "It's dad. He's....he's..." Their voice trailed off before they could even finish the sentence.
Letting out of the hug, Andrinn just shook his head and carried his bag into the living room of the house, laying it near the door inside. There were a few of Andrinn's Trill family inside already, as well as some of his El-Aurian family. The trek that it must've taken for all of his El-Aurian family must've been extensive. But, Andrinn was glad to see them all there for his father.
Andrinn's mom came out of a back bedroom and gave him another hug, keeping him in her arms rather tightly for a few moments. They were both silent as they both understood what was going on basically by this point. Once they let out of their hug, Andrinn's mom, Emory, said, "Your father asked for you. He wanted to speak with you a little bit alone. All of your siblings and I have already talked to him, so he wanted to talk to you for a moment when you finally arrived home."
Andrinn remained silent as he shook his head. The only words that he was able to muster were when he pointed to one of the back bedrooms, where his mother came out of. He said, "Is he back there?" Emory replied, "Yeah, he's back there. But, don't be afraid when you go back there and see him. He's rather frail."
Andrinn shook his head once more before heading back and when he opened the door, he walked inside and closed the door behind him. He turned around to face his father and said, "Hello, father...."
[OFF:]
Consul Andrinn Orin
Chief Diplomatic Officer
USS Elysium
By Captain Samuel Woolheater on Thu Mar 28th, 2024 @ 4:27pm
I don't know why, in particular, but this recent post of yours got to me. I think it is because of the way one can tell that Andrinn is dreading this reunion. The way that he says very little. The long takes and the non-verbal indications that he does not want to be there. But came anyway. The way he enters the room, closes the door and then turns around. Delaying the visual as long as possible. I don't know much about the relationship between them. But I can sense the anxiety, the dread and the pain that is to come. And I rather think Andrinn wishes he were anywhere else. And at the same time, at the contrary, wouldn't be anywhere else but here. Parts 1 & 2 are emotionally moving.