PNPC Commander R’Val: Mixed News
Jim Davis
(( Promenade, DS26, Par’tha Expanse ))
:: R’Val was walking the Promenade trying to find something to do. That was the problem with this, and all, Federation stations. They had a lot of things to do, and none of them of interest to her. She had been a military officer in the Empire for many years. When she resettled on Earth, she lost that. During that time, she had devoted herself to raising her daughter, and while he was still alive, to being a good mate to her husband. After his death, she had only her daughter. She had never really developed any hobbies or pastimes. Now, here she was, a Warbird Commander again. A military officer, but now with the Republic. The political atmosphere was different. And so, while her ship was docked, there was little for her to do aside from reports and overseeing repairs, and she had a crew for the repairs and a Sub-Commander to oversee them. Consequently, she found herself on the promenade frequently, observing the behaviors of the people here, both civilians from numerous races and Starfleet personnel. She told herself that she was studying the enemy, learning their ways and preparing for the day when she might need to use that knowledge against them. But the truth is, they weren’t enemies anymore and she wasn’t likely to ever need that kind of knowledge. Still, one never really knew what the future holds. ::
:: As she was reflecting, she looked down and saw a sight that surprised her, pleased her, perplexed her, and troubled her all at once. There was her daughter walking arm in arm with a Vulcan male, seeming happier that R’Val had ever seen her. But as she looked at her daughter more closely, she could see a hint of sadness around the edges of her eyes. Something only she, as her mother, would have noticed. Anyone else would have missed it, not knowing what to look for. ::
oO What do we have here?! Serala with a male Vulcan? Well, I always did tell her that if she was going to pick a mate that there were only three acceptable choices: Romulan, Vulcan, and Human. In that order. Interesting, I always figured she would pick someone else, just to spite me. Always was willful, that child. And now I find her here...with a Vulcan. And, what about that alien… :: she deliberately chose the word because of its phonetic similarities to the actual name of his race: Al-Leyan :: ...Raga wasn’t it? My agent said she was quite smitten with him. What happened to change that? I guess there’s only one way to find out. Oo
R’Val: Well, well... :: loudly, so as to be heard from the overlook to the ground floor of the Promenade where Serala was walking :: ...If it isn’t my wayward Starfleet daughter. And who is this with her? A fine specimen of a Vulcan he is, Serala, if I may say so myself.
Serala: Mother! What a surprise! I didn’t see your ship, so I didn’t think you had made it back yet.
R’Val: Oh, we made it back days ago. Sub-Commander Tar’vel took the Illa'variea on a supply run and test maneuvers. They should be back in a few hours. Wait there, I will be right down.
:: She hurried down the stairs and to her daughter, taking note as she got closer that Serala had been promoted since the last time she had seen her. At that time, she was still an Ensign and up on charges of espionage against the Federation. R’Val had been instrumental in getting her cleared of those charges. ::
R’Val: So, Serala. You haven’t answered my question. Who is this fine Vulcan specimen hanging from your arm?
Serala: Mother, I would like you to meet my betrothed husband, Doctor Stevok of Vulcan. Stevok, this is my mother, Commander R’Val i-Fellarian e-Tuella ei-Nequencia t’Davis.
Stevok: A pleasure to meet you, Commander. :: Raises his hand in the Vulcan ta’al :: Live long and prosper.
:: Recognizing the gesture, for it was well known even in the Romulan Empire, and remembering that she was now the acting Emissary of the Republic, she responded with the Romulan equivalent. ::
R’Val: Jolan’tru, Doctor. What sort of doctor may I ask?
Stevok: Xenobiology, primarily, although I also hold a Ph.D in Psychiatry.
Serala: Stevok is three-quarters Romulan and one-quarter Betazoid, Mother.
:: And there it was. She knew that on some level, Serala would find a way to defy her. Sometimes, R’Val thought that she often wasn’t even consciously aware that she was doing it. R’Val had taught her the three choices for a very simple reason: Romulans were now an endangered species, since the Hobus Supernova. Billions had been lost. It was necessary to repopulate the race. So, she had wanted Serala to mate with a Romulan as her first choice, to keep the bloodline as pure as possible, since Serala was half-human. Failing that, and R’Val had to admit that it was a longshot since Romulans were rare now, and even rarer in the Federation, Vulcans would be good candidates since they were the progenitors of the Romulan race to begin with. A fresh infusion of DNA might be a good thing. And if it produced telepathic abilities in their offspring, so much the better. R’Val always did believe her people suffered for a lack of that ability. Her final choice for Serala had been a concession. Serala was half-human after all, so a human mate made as much sense as a Romulan one. Additionally, she herself had mated with a human, so to tell Serala she couldn’t would have been both ludicrous and hypocritical. And R’Val was not a hypocrite. ::
Serala: We’re on our way to Vulcan to get married.
oOb What?!! Oo
R’Val: What?!!
NO TAGS/TBC
USS Atlantis NCC-76482
A239412S10