New Friends

Posted on Mon Jun 10th, 2024 @ 2:57am by Lieutenant Commander Razka Kas & Civilian Meressa Keena & Lieutenant Chrysanthe Capulet

1,307 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Menagerie: side stories & mischief making
Location: Arboretum
Timeline: MD9, 1100 Hrs

The simulated afternoon sun warmed the Arboretum a child entered and looked around to see if anyone was watching. Then she ran to a large tree and began to climb. The class was on a field trip to the shuttle bay, but that was boring. She'd been there with her Papa many times so she snuck out. As she looked down she saw a woman sitting on a blanket reading something.

Chrys had come to the Arboretum to read a book she had brought from Earth. It was an old fashioned leather bound book and she enjoyed reading 'real' books.

The child hooked her legs on the large branch she'd climbed out onto and hung upside down in front of Chrysanthe. The little girl's rope braids were dangling into the wind and her green eyes had a twinkle of delight. She had a high forehead with cranial ridges and ridges on her nose.

“Hi my name is Keena what's yours?” She inquired. She spoke federation standard with a unique sounding accent.

Chrys had heard the movement but when the girl dropped down in front of her, she smiled and gave a soft laugh. "Hello Keena, I am Chrys." she said to the girl. "Nice to meet you. Do you live in the tree?"

"No, I wish my Papa would build us a tree house. We live in family quarters." Keena explained.

"A treehouse? With a swing? And rope ladder?" Chrys asked interested. "Now that sounds like a wonderful idea."

“My friend Anna said she had a treehouse on earth at her grampa’s house,” Keena said as she reached up and grabbed the tree branch she unhooked her legs so that she was dangling by one arm. “The other kids in my class think it's weird that I've never lived on a planet, I’ve visited Earth with my Papa. I don’t have a grandpapa like Anna.”

Chrys nodded "I grew up on starships as well. It can be a bit confining." She considered it. "I do not see why we cannot have a treehouse here in the arboretum. Better than a holographic one in the Holodeck."

"The holodeck trees don't smell right," Keena said as she let go of the branch dropped to the ground, and rolled to break the fall. She brushed herself off. "Maybe the Captain will let us build a treehouse."

Chrys nodded, though she knew she could do it without the CO's approval. "Tell me about the perfect Treehouse Keena?" She suggested patting the ground beside her.

Keena smiled at her new friend as she sat down, “the treehouse should have a rope ladder for Ann and a climbing rope for me. Ann can't climb very well and the grown ups won't let me take up on my back like Papa does when we climb Mount Janitza on the holodeck.”

“Papa says…” The girl paused, before switching from Fed Standard to Bajoran, “The strong carry those in need.”

Chrys nodded. "A wise saying" She replied in the same language. "I do like your idea. I think a climbing wall as well, maybe a tyre swing or two..." She mused. "Leave it with me, I will see what i can do."

The child blinked in surprise upon hearing the human lady speak Bajoran, "You speak my mother tongue well. I didn't know how to say the in standard."

"Language is like exercising, The more you use the language, the better you get." Chrys said with a smile. "You will get better. You are still young."

Kas made his way down the path with a school attendant looking for his daughter. He saw her sitting as the Science Officer as he came around the bend. The Hybrid’s face was neutral as he locked eyes with his daughter. He couldn’t get over how much she looked like her mother right now. The girl stood up and smiled at her Papa.

“Hi Papa! This is my new friend Chrys.” Keena in Bajoran said with enthusiasm. “We’re planning to build a treehouse.”

Kas kept his face neutral and folded his arms as she spoke, “What time is it Keena?

”1100 hours” Keena said

”And were are you meant to be child.? Kas inquired.

”Class,” She bit her lip. ”Am I grounded?”

”We’ll talk about that later.” Kas spoke gently.”Return to class with Miss Deb.”

Keena turn to Chrys, "Goodbye and thank you.”

The little girl wrapped her arms around Chrys in a hug.

Chrys had hidden her smile as the father and daughter spoke. She gave a hug back, she was unused to such things and then as Keena moved to head back to class, she stood. "Commander" She said politely.

"Thank you for tending to my daughter Lieutenant," Kas nodded. Where did you learn to speak Bajoran?

"I travelled a lot as a child." Chrysanthe replied. "I spent my life on starships."

"We are Quath’Mar, 'Children of the Stars.' Kas said. "Keena and I were both born on the Yangteeze. Keena has spent her entire life in space."

Chrys nodded "she told me. She was lamenting the lack of tree house" Chrys smiled. She had recognised the words he used but she had, had limited interaction with his people. "I think I can fix it though."

"That’s is kind of you," Kas smiled. "This is the first ship we've been on with such a large arboretum."

"Which is a good reason to take advantage of it. Tell her to come back in a week and we should have it set up." Chrys said. "Make it contingent on her remaining in school."

"Yes, I would prefer to use positive motivation." Kas laughed, "Punishment was never very effective with me when I was a child. It just made me better at hiding things."

Smiling Chrys tilted her head. "Now I am sure those stories would be fascinating. "

"My stepfather punished my stepbrother and I when he found our stash of Toth Neckor in our family shuttle. So we started hiding it in Keena's mother's shuttle." Kas smiled. "I should probably add that her mother is a Vedek, she never has liked me."

"Hmm wonder why?" Chrys laughed. "You were leading her child down a path the poor Vedek would have freaked over."

"Most of the time Raul was the mastermind of our mischief," Kas shook his head. "Keena seems to take after her mother."

"She is a very intelligent child." Chrys said. "She may be bored at school"

"Your very perspective, do you have any children?" Kas asked.

"Oh no. But I have seen people like her. They just need different pathways to help them grow," Chrys replied.

"I understand," Kas smiled. "I was a child like that."

"So maybe you can look into that. Sometimes sitting in the classroom does more harm than good." Chrys said. She turned to the Tree and pulled out her tricorder. She ran a few scans. "A week, Commander. She should have the treehouse built for her by then."

"Thank you, Lt. Capulet," Kas said. "Let me know how I can return this flavor."

"No Charge at all" She replied with a smile.

Kas smiled politely, in his culture reciprocity was still one of their most common currency. He was taught to be careful who he owed favors to, his instinct even now was to refuse, but...He wasn't with his people.

"Well at the next port when I trade with the locals, then the best bottle of liqueur I acquire will have your name on it." Kas grinned and walked away before she could protest.

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