My child!
Posted on Wednesday 6 April 2022 @ 21:06 by Captain Lukas Fredricks & Lieutenant JG Zirvell Khen
Mission:
First Contact
Location: USS Britannic
Timeline: 2375
1362 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure
Zirvell was starting to be a bit more like himself now, after several weeks of being in foster care with the Fredricks family. While still fairly quiet and shy, at least he was starting to relax a little. He carried his floppy bunny everywhere, despite his age, as it gave him a great deal of comfort. He sat cross-legged on the couch, his bunny wrapped in his arms as he was engrossed in something that was scrolling across the PADD which lay in his lap. He looked up at the sound of footsteps, and offered a small smile at the sight of his caretaker. "Can I go for a walk after lunch?" he asked, still feeling a little uncertain about walking off on his own. It seemed to scare him, though he did put on the brave face, and kept trying.
"Of course." Lukas replied with a smile. "Where would you like to go?"
"I actually don't know," the boy admitted, "just wander around and explore the ship, maybe the holodeck for a little bit?" He still wasn't sure where he could and couldn't do and having been grounded was still fresh in his mind. Still, somehow and in hindsight that did feel good... it told him that someone actually cared about what he should and shouldn't do.
"Just stay away from the shuttle bay." The Captain said with a serious look on his face. "I don't want any more accidents with you and shuttles." He added, referring to several weeks earlier when he went exploring on a shuttle craft and inadvertently almost left the ship.
"No, just walk around and then the holodeck. I saw there was a program that resembled uhm...home..." He looked away, his expression saddening. "My old home," he corrected himself. Despite the barrenness and scarcity of facilities, it had still been home. "Is that alright?"
"Of course, Zirvell. Would you like some company or ...?" Lukas asked, he didn't want to crowd the boy but at the same time he wanted him to know he was there for him if he needed.
"Maybe in a few minutes?" The boy looked up and smiled thinly. "I think, I'd like a few minutes on my own first, have a stroll around what used to be home. Is it strange that despite it all, I really do miss that place?" It had, after all, been home for most of his life. Still wearing the sad smile, the boy cast his caretaker a wave then walked off to the holodeck. He called up the program, somewhere in the back of his mind he was pretty sure that Pell must've created this to spend time in, while being a guest on the Britannic.
Zirvell shuddered at the memory of the man who had first taken him in, but later betrayed him so badly, it had almost gotten him killed. Holding his breath, he stepped inside and closed his eyes. Even the smell was similar to what he remembered, he marveled as he walked up to his old house. After a brief hesitation, he stepped inside and slowly strolled through all the rooms, remembering little bits of his old life, being just with his father, and even brief flashes of memory that included his mother and sisters. He stood frozen as he let the memories wash over him.
"Hello my son." Came a voice from behind Zirvell. "I see you're already missing home."
The boy whirled around, eyes widening. How was this possible, had someone programmed in a hologram of his father somehow? "Computer, delete character," he said, but when nothing happened, he frowned. If this was not a hologram.... "Why are you here?" he asked, as he took a slow step away from the man, "how did you come aboard. Does Captain Fredriks know that you are here?" The man abandoned him, why should he be keen to see him?
The Cardassian smiled, "I'm on a ship which is equiped with a Dominion Transport which can reach great distances. We've been watching Britannic since it left our home. I've been waiting for a time to get you and free you for a life of being a Federation slave. Come with me child." He said as he reached out with his hand.
"I'm not a slave," Zirvell bit back, as he took another step backwards. "I'm not coming with you dad. I want to stay here, they said I could if I wanted to. Why are you here anyway, you left me behind. You never cared about me. Why now?"
"Home was destroyed by the Dominion. Pell kept me up to date with your progress. I'm here for you now. You belong with me." The man said as he took a step closer. "We must leave before I'm detected."
"You were never there for me. Never. You only had eye for my sister's, who were soldiers," Zirvell spat, keeping the distance between them. "You never wanted me, because I'm not a soldier. Here, I can be who I want to be. I won't go with you." Despite the brave words, he felt anxious. What was keeping the captain? He was going to come, wasn't he?
"Don't be silly, boy." The Cardassian said grabbing Zirvell roughly by the arm. "You will be a soldier, its in your blood. Cardassia needs you more than ever. You can't...you won't turn your back on your people."
"No!" the teenager screeched, desperate to yank his arm free from the man he hated with a passion. "I won't come with you! I live here now, Captain Fredricks said I can even go to the academy and be anything I want to be. I don't want to be a solder. I will never be like you," he spat, pulling hard, hoping to break free. "I'm not coming with you. Captain Fredricks will be here soon, he'll stop you!"
"Not soon enough." The Cardassian smirked as his free hand reached for the comm device on his wrist to summon a transport out. Moments later they were surrounded by a slivery shimmering light before disappearing from Britannic's holodeck.
Feeling disoriented by the sudden transport, the boy staggered. "Take me back!" he screamed, flying at the man, pounding his fists on his chest like a tantrummy child. "I don't want to be here, I am not a soldier, I'll never be a soldier. You're not my father, take me back, now!" Tears were streaming down his face, desperation and fear clear in his eyes. "I want to go home, to the Britannic."
"Enough child!" Zirvells father said as he struck his face with the back of his hand. "Starfleet has poisoned you already! Take him to the medical bay, make sure he hasn't been fully brain washed."
The nearby guard nodded and grabbed the child's arm, dragging him along. Zirvell sobbed openly, his hand covering his now burning cheek. Despite all the psychological abuse he'd endured by pretty much being ignored most of his life, he couldn't remember his father ever having taken a hand to him before. "I'm not poisoned," he sobbed. "I just want to help people, I want to heal people. I don't want to be a soldier, I'm not suitable. I don't want to carry weapons, or use them." He struggled against the much stronger guard, who just hauled him along. He dug his heels in and turned, casting his father a look of pure hatred. "Where were you before. Where were you, when Pell tried to kill me? Where were you, when I was struggling to recover, physically and mentally? You left me behind! You never cared about or for me. I took care of myself. You left me to die, and I survived. Captain Fredriks will come for me, you'll see!"
Zirvell's father watched as his son was taken away. He was glad to have him back with him but wondered what conditioning he had gone through at the hands of Starfleet. He tapped his wrist communicator. "We got what we came for, get us out of here."
Zirvell When
15yo refugee
Pnpc seklar
Captain Lukas Fredricks
Commanding Officer
USS Britannic
