JP: Lieutenant Is'Kah Xiron, Lieutenant (JG) Ghee'looth Xiron, and PNPC Is'Lath - Meeting with the In-Laws Part 2

[Kaitlyn Kalor]

(( Xiron Quarters, Deck 9, USS Chin’toka ))

Is’Kah: Small fact that is relevant. During our time at the academy, we danced around each other, but I refused to see anyone until after I was commissioned. Ghee’looth received her assignment a few months before I did, at Denali station. She should explain what happened before my arrival while I was on my way to the USS Ronin. 

Did she or did she not ask them to skip over the irrelevant details? Is’Lath adjusted her patience level to let the two chaotic, almost human-like creatures find their way. She took a sip of tea and waited.

Xiron: I believe it is you who are mistaken. Is’Kah may not be biologically Andorian but by right of custom and statute zha is as much a child of the Empire as I am.

Is’Kah: I visited Ghee’looth shortly after those events. We drank three bottles of Vulcan Brandy to celebrate our commissions and being real Starfleet Officers. At some point, we began discussing Vulcan telepathy. I suggested a mind meld, and once we were joined, we explored each other’s feelings, learning the depth of what we had for each other. We fell asleep mid-meld, and that is what I believe caused the significant katra swap.

oO She doesn’t need to know it was the first time I brushed Ghee’looth’s antennae with my mind; it was instinct. She doesn’t need to know how right it felt, nor does she need to know that we woke up clutching each other. Oo

Xiron: It was a complete surprise to both of us. I still have a hard time accepting that any of it was possible.

Is’Lath: Obviously, it was a surprise. You were drunk. Rarely do things go as planned when two people treat ancient customs with such disregard. 

Is’Kah: I am glad it happened, because just before Frontier Day, I had a mission go bad, and without Ghee’looth, I would have died. 

This was going to be a horrible night. Is’Lath had expected seeing her child and child-in-law to be tense. Is’Kah never made things easy, but she had not expected to be given vivid details of carelessness and yet another reminder that her difficult child had chosen a profession that was going to eventually kill her.

Xiron: We briefly shared a dream of zhen PTSD over a distance of light years. It was proof beyond doubt that this connection is real despite our difference in biomes of origin. I still have a hard time parsing out zha’s dreams from my own.

Is’Kah: As do I. We are bonded for life because of this. 

Is’Lath: You are still connected so deeply? 

oO This is a bigger mess than she could have imagined. Oo

Xiron: We have consulted with some experts, and I had a full psychological profile performed. Katra, or soul or psychic energy, or whatever is there and is stable. There just happens to be a dedicated field of psychology for interspecies mind melds, though it is more focused on humans. Apparently, I am one of thirty-eight cases in the last two hundred years of an Andorian experiencing a full mind-meld with ‘katra’ exchange. 

Is’Kah: It happens to others, not just your daughter,  mother. However, as a result of this exchange, I’ve taken a lot more Andorian traits, while Ghee’looth has shifted more into the stoic Vulcan. 

Is’Lath: It is good to hear that you are psychologically certified. 

Xiron: I have been told that I have been more passive-aggressive this past year.

The Vulcan looked at Ghee’looth in disgust. 

Is’Lath: You have been given a gift; however, you consider it passive-aggressive. It is a shame that you do not appreciate the honor that was carelessly bestowed upon you.

Is’Kah: The gift goes both ways, and we both appreciate the honors that we have been given. 

Xiron: It has been a gift. It has bound me to Is’Kah in a way I never dreamed possible. The power of it is not something special to behold.

Is’Lath: oO Will the burden of motherhood ever leave me in peace? Oo

Is’Lath: I assume that you both think this is a wonderful and romantic situation you find yourselves in. It is, however, dangerous. I will make arrangements to have the priestesses disentangle the knot you have made of your katra connection.  

Is’Kah: One slight, almost very small, it’s virtually insignificant problem with that. 

Zha lifted zhen hand, and held zhen thumb and forefinger a few centimeters apart.

Xiron’s antennae perked up. It was not that she wanted to be rid of her bond with Is’Kah, far from it; she needed it, but she wished to have some more control over it, more focus.

Xiron: We are bonded so deeply, how could it be reversed? We were told it was not advised.

Is’Kah’s hand gripped Ghee’s for a moment, feeling the pain that lanced through zhen partner. The hybrid hoped that Ghee understood that they would come back to that. 

Is’Lath: Am I supposed to guess what the insignificant problem is, or are you going to share it at some point tonight?

The hybrid felt zhen cheeks flush while zha started tapping zhen forefingers together.

Is’Kah: I, um, mighthavebroughtbackanotherkatrafrom2264. 

The teacup was placed on the table so hard that it almost made a sound.

Is’Lath: You have two, poorly conducted katra melds in you?

The hybrid looked at zhen mother, Is’Kah’s face once more under Vulcan control, speaking in a monotone. 

Is’Kah: We shifted to another universe, and that version of Is’Kah came back with me. Would you like to speak with her? I think you’d like her; she was married to a human and never gave up her Vulcan side. 

She nodded her head with Is’Kah and brushed her fingers across zha’s.

Xiron: The temporal shift was very jarring to our bond. But it did prove useful in helping us find our real selves. It was our beacon home.

Is’Kah’s hand squeezed Ghee’looth’s, trying to show a moment’s gratitude for that beacon while offering support and love to zhen partner and trying to say how grateful zha was that zha wasn’t alone to deal with this whole conversation. 

The Vulcan abruptly stood and walked to the other side of the room. She was going to kill her child. She took a breath and hissed at her through gritted teeth. Is’Kah took a half-step back, knowing how angry zhen mother was over this whole thing, feeling zhen heart pounding in zhen side.

Is’Lath: You have a katra in you that is so strong, you can parade it out like a trick?

Is’Kah: It’s a copy of her full katra. We do not know how it happened, but we suspect the Orgainians had something to do with it. 

Xiron: Metaphysics on top of metaphysics, but it is very real.

The Vulcan snapped her head to the other person in the room.

Is’Lath: What comprehension could you possibly have about the seriousness of katras? Everything you know is from Is’Kah, and she clearly paid no attention in her studies if she allowed any of this to happen or to continue.

The desire to snap at Is’Lath grew, yet Is’Kah knew that it wouldn’t result in anything productive. Defending zhen partner was more important than anything else. The hybrid’s monotone somehow held a hint of anger.

Is’Kah: Mother, I understand that you do not particularly like my partner, but you will treat her with the respect due as my wife in my own home. ::Beat:: Now, continuing the conversation, I was going to visit Vulcan this shore leave to take care of Is’Kah Doucet’s katra. 

Is’Lath: oO Humph. Oo

Xiron: Is’Kah and I are connected with or without the meld. She has already become an honored member of my family.

Is’Lath: You will take care of both katras. I understand you only have disdain for our culture, but if you have been listening, you would know this is dangerous. I am not simply being overprotective, as you have called me. I am sure the priestesses will leave you connected, but they will need to evaluate the situation. Or do you now think you know more than the high priestesses who have studied this her entire life?

Is’Kah: As my partner told you, we ensured the health of our bond and that there would be limited issues with it. 

Xiron:I had concerns about it. Andorians are not in the least telepathic so it is a very novel situation.

Is’Lath: And this person, whoever they are, was given all the information? 

Is’Kah: Yes, Mother. She examined us both after Frontier Day, on Earth, in San Francisco. It was part of my mandatory mental health treatment.

Xiron: The shared dream caused us some… concern. Of course, we got ourselves checked out.

Is’Lath: Frontier Day. I understood your convoluted tale to mean you gained Is’Kah Doucet after Frontier Day. 

oO At least she sees the logic in seeking the services of a mental health professional. Oo

Is’Kah: I gained her six months ago. We were simply too far away to address it adequately. The station we would have used blew up right after we arrived in the expanse. Then our Kolinahr expert on board transferred right after the visit to 2264. The Chin’toka is the only ship in the sector. Thus, Earth and Vulcan were our closest options for extracting the extra katra. 

Xiron: We had a consultation via subspace with a meld expert at Starfleet Medical. We were both cleared for duty.

Is’Lath: Then I was correct. Your Earth expert was not given all the relevant information because all of the pertinent information did not exist when you spoke to the Earth expert. I am certain you are aware that having a full copy of a katra could change things.

Is’Kah: My father’s genetics assist with that, Mother. I am half-trill, meaning my mind accepted the katras as if they were a symbiont.

Ghee’looth had tried to read the pertinent literature on interspecies mind melds and even some journals on interspecies hosting of Trill symbionts, but it did not take long for the biological and psychological depth to get beyond her. The best she could ever figure out as a medical layperson was that she and Is’Kah had lucked out that all their mismatched backgrounds had proved stable and viable.

Xiron: The Trill heritage has seemed to make all the difference. Zha can compartmentalize the different psyches. I seem to have issues when I am picking up telepathy from zha. It is never obvious ‘whom’ I am sensing.

Is’Lath:  As I stated, I will make the arrangements on Vulcan with the highest experts in the Federation.  We will arrive whenever you deem it convenient to assure the safety of your and your wife's katra. Until that time, there is no need for us to discuss it any further.  

She sat back down and picked up her cold tea. 

Is’Lath: When will I be provided with grandchildren?

The hybrid resisted the urge to roll zhen eyes. It was such a mother thing to say: berate before a sudden topic shift. Perhaps that was where Is’Kah learned her topic whiplash from. 

Is’Kah: You will be pleased to know that I am already working with Medical regarding the required bioengineering to blend copper and cobalt blood. I was going to see her during this shore leave about completing the IVF process, but if you wish to delay your grandbabies to take care of both katra issues, then I will comply. 

Ghee’looth’s antennae involuntarily cringed at Is’Kah’s pronouncement to her mother-in-law.

Xiron: We have been talking about the children for a while. It is not as simple as a Vulcan/Trill hybridization, but the consultants have said it was indeed possible. Timing has always been an issue. Starfleet can be flexible on such matters, but worlds do need to align, as it were.

 

Is’Lath: I do not wish to wait for grandchildren, but you have made it necessary. Kindly get to Vulcan soon. I do not wish to have all three or four of you inside my grandchild.

The hybrid's jaw flexed, anger flashing through zhen. After taking a slow breath, Is’Kah felt that zha could speak without snarling. 

Is’Kah: Yes, Mother. ::Beat:: Are you staying on the Clan’s ship or are you going to stay on board?

Is’Lath: It appears you need more looking after. I will stay.

Is’Kah: As in staying on the ship or in our quarters?

oO Please, please, please say no. Oo

Zha nodded in Ghee’looth’s direction. 

The Vulcan mother looked around her child’s home. Her gaze landed on the two women. She could almost see the tangled mess they had made for themselves.

Is’Lath: It is already crowded here.

Xiron: We only have one bedroom, and there are plenty of open rooms on the ship that are only a turbolift away.: :She tried to hold her antennae steady::

Is’Kah: Very well, I will speak with Commander T’Ama regarding guest quarters for you and T’Pa. 

Lieutenant Is’Kah Xiron

Chief of Security and Tactical

USS Chin’toka

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Pronouns:

She/Her (Player and Character)

Zha/Zhen (Character)

 

And

Lieutenant JG Ghee’looth Xiron

Acting Chief Engineer

USS Chin’toka

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And 

PNPC Is’Lath as written by:

Lieutenant Commander Divya Tam

Chief of Operations

USS Thor

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She/Her (character and player)