Backsim: JP: Lt. Drex & Cmdr. Alora DeVeau - "Extended Family" (Part II)
Amanda Nordstrom
((Alora’s Quarters, Denali Station))
Chuckling softly, Alora imagined the entire scene in her mind, Drex as a young boy accompanied by his siblings, the boat secretly acquired, the darkening storm rushing in halfway to their destination. Oh yes, she was certain they had been afraid, but she was glad he could smile about it now.
DeVeau: I’m sure your parents were furious and you were a perfect child after that.
Drex: I was always a perfect child! :: In a mock-offended tone :: My only mistake is that I always answer “yes, why not?“ to whatever Ral proposes to me.
The man smiled.
Drex: But I was not as audacious as him. I guess a single child may be easier?
Drex looked at the baby sleeping.
DeVeau: No? I’m sure I’ll have my hands full with this one.
The child still slumbered, oblivious to the tales recounted by the two officers. With her mouth slightly parted, Shyla looked every bit an innocent angel, but that would all change soon enough.
Drex: She's a girl. She will learn fast how to be a perfect child :: He chuckled :: Just like her mother, right ?
DeVeau: I was a perfect child of course.
She affected an innocent air, one hand pressing upon her bosom as if to weigh in the truth of her statement. Even so, she didn’t keep up the pretence for long, and her smile quickly returned.
DeVeau: I think the biggest thing was all the animals I kept bringing home. I also had a tendency to multiply the various flora that we kept. My mother wasn’t so upset about that, but when she found a rabbit I had snuck inside and put in my drawer, well…
Drex: In your drawer ?! :: His eyes widened in disbelief :: How long did you keep it in there?
Alora couldn’t help but giggle at the Denobulan’s response and nodded in affirmation. Yes, she had tried to rescue numerous animals over the years.
DeVeau: I think about two weeks before she discovered him. By that time, his paw had healed and he was ready to get released back into the wild anyway.
Drex: As I already said, it had to be fun to stick out with you :: He laughed :: Would you let her :: He moved his hand in a question manner pointing Shyla first and Alora and then the child again :: bring home a rabbit or a crystal crab? Tell me the truth.
Her eyes slid over to the child, quiet and serene, but already so full of potential. Although Shyla definitely had a personality already, there was still more to come, a blossoming of the person into the fullness of herself. Alora couldn’t wait to find out who she would be.
DeVeau: I would, actually. Speaking of which…
But Drex knew exactly what she was going to ask.
Drex: I'm not here to talk about work, Commander :: Evading the question :: But I know they are working on it. :: He paused ::
The afternoon passed pleasantly. The commander had proven affable and ironic. Drex was glad he had the afternoon off and used it to pay a visit to Alora. She was a strong woman, of that he was already sure, now he was discovering other sides of her.
Drex: There is anything I can do for you, Alora? I mean, if you wanna get some rest… I may, I don't know, fix dinner or something like that… yeah maybe it's a little bit too early for dinner. :: He smiled :: Well, or anything else.
DeVeau: You know, that would be lovely. And it would be lovely to have a dinner companion to go with it.
Alora had liked him from the moment they had met, but Drex’s sweetness only endeared him more to her. Grateful for the chance to chat outside of work, the friendly connection was refreshing, and she hoped it would blossom and grow. So many of her friends were scattered across the galaxy - she could use more who were local.
Drex hid the surprise from Alora's words behind a wide smile and nodded. When he offered to prepare dinner, he honestly did not expect her to accept. It was the kind of help he had learned Denobulan mother's preferred, someone to take care of daily tasks around family and the house, while they can concentrate on the new baby. Being a mother must be similar in different cultures.
Drex: And, what would you prefer to eat ?
DeVeau: Honestly, I have really eclectic tastes. I haven’t tried a whole lot of Denobulan, so would love to experience something from your culture.
Drex: From Kalus :: nodding thoughtfully. He took a few seconds to continue :: I think I can prepare something. I know where to find all I need.
Pushing with his hands on the armchairs, Drex stood up.
Drex: I'll be right back. :: He smiled again ::
DeVeau: Of course.
The Denobulan gained the door and exited. He lengthened his stride down the corridor and reached the nearest lift. In Down Town he had found a couple of merchants who could supply him the needed ingredients.
oO Keep it simple… Oo
Drex: I ain't going to experiment… :: Murmuring he pushed the button and made the lift move ::
((Time skip))
After Drex left, Shyla woke, eager for some food and Alora nursed her. The baby had just finished and Alora had settled her down for some tummy time among a couple of toys when the Denobulan returned and Alora greeted him again with a smile. That time, he came with his hands full of what she assumed were ingredients for making some sort of Denobulan dish. Motioning to the kitchen, Alora couldn’t help but wonder what he had in store for her.
DeVeau: Please make yourself at home.
Drex nodded and replied with a smile. He stopped by the living room to look at the baby playing on the floor. She was no different from his niblings, she tried to lift her head, still too heavy to discover the world around her. Drex wondered if little Shyla had more patience and determination than the little Denobulans or if she would soon start complaining of tiredness and frustration to finally be picked up. He watched her for a few seconds, then he headed towards the kitchen and put the grocery on the counter.
Drex: I have to be honest, I don’t know many dishes and I started to cook only since I came to Denali. :: He began while dividing the many containers and little bags in front of him :: But I’m going for some simple dishes. If you have some business to take care of, I will call you when it's ready, or I don't mind if you want to stay.
DeVeau: I’m happy to assist as well.
Alora wasn’t as good a cook as her brother, but she was decent at it. Whenever she wanted to make something special for someone, she always consulted Aimé to try something new and different, but also to ensure it was tasty.
Drex: Good… :: He nodded :: First I’m going to cut the vegetables and, uhm, I need a casserole to cook them.
DeVeau: So what are you making?
Drex: My grandmother is teaching me some of her recipes, so I will prepare Kalusan ratatouille and fish filet… :: He paused :: I haven’t found any Denobulan species today, but this reminds me of your swordfish and of Denobulan deep sea amberjack. It can be cooked in the oven with the ratatouille.
Drex opened a bag showing her two large slices of firm, white pulp.
Drex: You eat fish, don’t you? I forgot to ask.
DeVeau: I do.
Alora nodded as she curiously peered into the bag.
Drex: All right, but if you prefer I also took some cheese. It’s not Denobulan, but trust me, it is good.
DeVeau: How about both? I’m looking forward to this. It’s been a while since someone cooked for me.
While the commander chopped the veggies that looked like tomatoes, courgettes and aubergines, Drex took care of the garlic and the onions. He poured the oil on the casserole and layed garlic and oil on it. In the middle he put the fish, and as the vegetables were sliced he covered everything with them. At first, Alora wondered if she should offer to help, but realised that by doing so, she might actually insult him. Instead, she picked up Shyla, sat down, and cuddled with her baby.
Drex: It will take about an hour to cook. But if you’re hungry :: He turned and took a brown bag :: You can try this. I got them during my last visit home, we call them Gutai, they are like crispy chips, and this is a bitter soft drink.
Drex placed a clear bottle of pink liquid in front of them, then found a bowl and poured the small, orange crispy flakes into it.
Drex: Where do I find the glasses?
DeVeau: Second cupboard on the left.
Although more and more people were getting replicators installed, Alora found that keeping a couple of items that were often used around to be more convenient. That, and making food, though time consuming, was therapeutic, sometimes.
Drex found two glasses and filled them both. He kept one for himself and offered the other to Alora.
Alora accepted a glass as she supported the baby with her other arm and sipped at the drink before setting it down to try one of the flakes.
DeVeau: Do you cook often? I suppose here at Denali, a lot of people had to get used to doing that.
Drex was munching some flakes. He took a sip and swallowed before answering
Drex: Maybe three times a week, when we are here. Fortunately, Downtown there are several places where I can find something good to eat. But sometimes I stop working at strange hours and then I cook myself.
DeVeau: These are good!
She commented before taking another one and savouring the flavour. With wide eyes, the baby cooed at the Denobulan, a smile flickering over her face.
Drex: I'm glad you like them :: He smiled as he noticed Shyla :: Hello there. Have you seen something you like?
The Denobulan did not wait for an answer.
Drex: Let me put our dinner in the oven and then we play. I'm curious about you teaching me your favorite games.
DeVeau: It’s pretty simple right now. Grab a thing and chew.
That was how babies explored their world, and Shyla was no different. At some point, she’d crawl and get into things, and Alora had already prepared for that. Forcefields had been erected around everything, which would prevent the child from breaking anything, or possibly eating something she really shouldn’t. As if to agree with her mother thebaby cooed again.
Drex chuckled and nodded as he put the casserole in the oven and set the temperature and timer. He washed his hands and finally turned to the little kid.
Drex: So, young lady. What about giving your mum a break and showing me all your wonderful toys? :: He looked at Alora :: Do you trust me to take her?
DeVeau: Of course!
Why wouldn’t she? In a place where her relationships were slowly building into friendship, Drex was the one she was closest to. Hopefully as more time passed, she could add others to that list. Maybe Aria and Tomas and Kettick, but others as well.
Drex approached the mother and daughter and stretched out his arms. With a smile he invited the little girl to let him take her in his arms.
Drex: There you are. :: He bent his left arm and placed the baby in the crook of the elbow. :: Let's go and find something to play with now.
DeVeau: There’s a bin where I keep her toys.
Alora pointed next to a digital piano against one wall,above which were shelves covered in yet more plants. The woman had several walls full of them, but there was also room for more, and if she was able to move into one of the houses, then she could expand even further.
Drex: So :: Talking to the baby as he looked inside the bin :: what do you like the most? The chewings? The musical? The stop-shaking-that-thing-it's-driving-me-nuts?
Inside the bin were two small smaller ones with labels that described the types of toys inside. A bulk of the space, however, was dedicated to larger ones, all of which had some sort of musical ability.
DeVeau: I know you said you don’t have kids, but you seem to be quite comfortable holding a baby.
Drex grabbed a colorful animal (could be a Cocker Spaniel) of soft fabric with a rattle in it and softly shook it near Shyla. The baby moved her arms and little hands.
Drex: As long as they don't cry :: He chuckled :: I have some niblings I used to make practice with a view to babysitting my boss' kids.
The Denobulan smiled at his own joke.
Drex: Kids are fascinating. They know nothing yet they teach you a lot. Now she is still too little, but when she'll move around you will learn things you never thought were important.
Yes, like what really should be tied down and how to figure out ways to prevent her from getting into things Alora never suspected she could. Chuckling, Alora nodded and leaned back into the couch, relaxing further.
DeVeau: I have nieces and nephews younger than me and got a hint of what’s to come. Though I can’t help but wonder what sort of things you think I might discover.
Drex walked back to the kitchen area.
Drex: Like some of your plants over there are very tasty with milk and cookies. :: He mocked her, widening his smile ::
Another chuckle escaped and Alora rested her elbow upon the couch, then propped her head upon her hand.
DeVeau: Fortunately, I’ve already planned for that!
And besides the force fields, she’d also made sure to go ahead and put anything that was poisonous way out of reach.
DeVeau: Babies are ever curious.
Drex: She has a whole universe to explore, just on this Ring. I can tell you just by looking at her eyes. She is what we call a teppa. She is smart and curious, you'll have a lot of fun with her.
DeVeau: A teppa.
Shyla was bright, and engaged with the strange universe she’d been brought into. Her eyes trained upon the toy that Drex dangled and she kicked her feet in excitement, her wee hands rising and falling as she attempted to grasp it.
DeVeau: I’m sure we’ll have a lot of fun together. Perhaps Uncle Drex would be willing to join in on it, hm?
She smiled softly, knowing very well how much those with whom she worked were also a part of an enormous extended family.
Drex: Uncle Drex? :: He asked in disbelief and chuckled. Then turning to a more serious tone, he looked at the baby :: It will be a honor for me.
And it really was. Drex was flattered by the commander's words. The visit had taken a pleasantly unexpected turn. He showed up at Alora's door full of hesitation, to deliver a simple gift, but she took advantage of it to grow their friendship. When he decided to leave Kalus, his worst fear was to be alone. He still missed his twins every day, but day by day he had found new friends he could count on.
DeVeau: Any time you want to play with her, I’m happy to let you do so.
Drex nodded, smiling.
Drex: It will be my pleasure.
The Denobulan kept walking around with Shyla, showing the baby girl all the amazing mundane things there were in the room. He stopped by the window, continuing a serious conversation that was slowly turned into a fairy tale about all the unexplored worlds of the Ring.
Drex: And then there is Menlale, the twin town of Denali. The two cities were built by two brothers. One was strong and grumpy, the other kind and a lover of the arts. The two didn't get along very well and for this reason they decided to live separately. But since Menlale did not have any urban architect, the grumpy brother… What about we call him Grumpy from now on? Grumpy stole the project from his brother, Arty.
Alora’s eyes followed the Denobulan as he wandered around her quarters, the child in his arms who stared at the man with her large, black eyes. His gentle voice and the soft tone was almost as hypnotic for the mother as it was the child.
Drex: But since Grumpy was too grumpy, he did not want many people to live in his big city, which was very very very very… very big, and forced the scientist who worked for him to create hundreds of monstrous creatures to keep strangers away.
He nodded at Shyla's gurgles.
Drex: Indeed, he was. But you must admit he left a lot of interesting animals in his town. Denali doesn't have any so strange.
Perhaps all that had occurred got to her. Perhaps she’d simply had too many nights with a child who woke up from time to time, interrupting her mother’s sleep schedule. Whatever the reason, before Alora could really register what was happening, her eyes closed and her head dropped down to the arm of the couch as she fell into the land of slumber.
Drex let Shyla grab the puppet and moved to the kitchen to turn off the timer of the oven before time.
Drex: Don't worry, I know when to turn it off anyway.
The Denobulan knew how much rest a new mother needed. He just felt sorry she did not fall asleep in a more comfortable position. Smiling at the baby, he kept walking around, telling his fairy tale to a little girl whose bright little eyes showed no sign of wanting to sleep.
[End]
******
Lieutenant Drex
Science Officer
Denali Station
D240011D14
&
Commander Alora DeVeau
Chief Science Officer &
Second Officer
Denali Station
&
Matriarch of the 15th House
Betazed
M239008AD0