Serren Tan & Mikali sh'Shar - Andorian Blues: The Deal, Part IX

[David Adams]

(( Sto'Vo'Kor, USS Gorkon ))

Serren faced a difficult problem.

His oldest friend was asking him to stick his neck out for her, to sign on as her sponsor and to get her foot in the door for potentially, maybe, getting her commission back.

It was a risk. Mikali had displayed consistent, perpetual discipline and behavioural problems ever since he had known her, things that had slowly gotten better over the years but still remained.

Yet she was now trying to fix herself, fix up her life, and that was something he supported very much.

Could she do it?

It was a difficult decision, but he reached his conclusion quickly.

Tan: Okaywellyouknowwhatscrewitfine. What can go wrong? ::he laughed:: For you, Blue, anything. You get through that year, I'll review the report, talk to Quinn, and see what we can do. I can't promise she'll say yes, but I can promise that I'll do my best to get you to the point where I can ask.

Mikali looked up with a glimmer of hope in her wet eyes.

sh'Shar: Really?

Tan: Sure. But... okay, I need to know: why now, though? Why after all these years?

sh'Shar: It's...

Mikali faltered, flushing slightly, embarrassed.

sh'Shar: It's her...birthday. Benna's birthday. Or rather it will be soon. She's turning nine in a month, which means by the time this program is complete, she'll be about to turn ten. Ten years old, Alle-... sorry, I mean, Serren. Ten... ten years old is a special birthday, and I want to be there for her birthday party. I want to give her as much ice cream as she can eat. Balloons and happiness and cake and friends. All that stuff I never had. ::she fidgeted:: I know it's a stupid goal. But it's the goal.

Balloons and party cake and a kid's birthday seemed absolutely amazing, but... not for a baby. Not for a little literal infant who had only just been born.

Ten. Ten... how were they were discussing Benna turning ten?

No. That couldn't be right. It seemed like only yesterday that Benna was born. Serren could only picture her as an infant, a gurgling baby. But that couldn't be the truth anymore. She would be walking. Talking. Capable of complex conversations. It was difficult to process. 

Tan: She's... eight years old? Nearly nine?

She gave a crooked, awkward smile.

sh'Shar: Yep. Nearly nine. In a year she'll be ten. Can you believe it?

He almost couldn't, but a quick mental calculation made the dates line up.

Tan: Ten...

It would take some time to work out. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

Tan: All of this for a birthday party. Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?

sh'Shar: You won't. Probably.

How convincing.

He thought for a moment, and then finally, slowly, nodded his head.

Tan: Okay. For the sake of a ten-year-old's birthday party, I'll sign whatever it is you need signing, but I want you to know... ::his voice became as serious as he could make it:: Mikali, I'll be sticking my neck out here, both signing on with you at the beginning, and later, talking to Admiral Reynolds. If you do get a post here... it'll be because of my recommendation. So if this doesn't work, it'll come back to me in one way or another. This could have serious consequences for me. Please don't screw me on this.

sh'Shar: ::fiercely:: I won't.

Tan: Okay.

She clapped her hands excitedly. 

sh'Shar: Hey, you know I'm good for it. You know I'm a good person.

Tan squinted slightly.

Tan: Do I know that...?

sh'Shar: Yeah. And I know you are as well. ::beat:: Because you're hot. Hotness equals goodness.

Serren ran his hands down the side of his face.

Tan: Dear lord. Why am I helping you.

sh'Shar: You already promised! That's why.

Tan: Okay. ::he pinched the bridge of his nose:: So... recap. You go get your certificate. Then I will advocate for you on your behalf. All so Benna sh'Shar can have cake on this ship for her tenth birthday party. Fire gods help us all.

sh'Shar: That's right. This is happening! It's... it's... actually happening.

Mikali's smile quickly faded. As he watched, all the energy and life drained out of her, her antenna drooping over her head. She kept her eyes lowered, saying nothing.

Tan: You okay?

sh'Shar: I just... really, really thought you were going to say no. I didn't really prepare for actually... getting to this point. Oh bollocks, this might actually work. I... I might actually see Benna again.

Mikali's shoulders shook and she quietly cried into what was left of her meal, her voice soft and quivering.

sh'Shar: Thank you. I owe you a debt I can't ever repay.

Tan: Don't worry about it.

Mikali sniffled, her eyes blueing around the edges, her face puffing up.

sh'Shar: K-kinda feels like I should.

Serren tapped at his chin with a finger, scruffing through his thin beard.

Tan: How's this. I don't need anything from you at all. But since you insist, you can make us totally square... ::he snapped his fingers:: Wait. I know.

Her antenna perked up.

sh'Shar: What?

Tan: A party. The birthday girl cuts the cake, that's a tradition... but I want that piece. The first piece of cake, Mikali. The. First. Piece. I want it. It better be big and delicious, too, covered in frosting and sprinkles, because...

Mikali burst into sobbing again, hunched over her plate, and by now people were starting to stare. Serren waved a hand, kind of giving any onlookers a, "It's okay, don't worry!" type of gesture.

Tan: Cake. That's the deal. Take it or leave it. I want cake. It better be a big slice, I'm telling you that. A big one. I'm greedy. I'm a greedy hungry spotted gremlin and I want a big, greedy gremlin's piece of cake. That's the deal. I'll sign on as your sponsor in exchange for the first piece of cake at Benna sh'Shar's tenth birthday party.

Mikali blubbered into her hands.

sh'Shar: F-first piece, bib-big... bibb.. big piece. You-you got it, Spots.

He stood, made his way around to her chair, and just kind of hugged her in her chair. And they had a big ole' cry there in Sto-Vo-Kor, in front of everyone, and he didn't even care a little bit that it happened.

One of the perks of being over a hundred years old was that crying in public was no longer a huge deal. It was one of those things that a pseudo-extended lifespan gifted a Trill with; the notion that eventually, all embarrassment would eventually fade. The memory of him and her blubbering in Sto-Vo-Kor about cake would soon fade into oblivion, so why hide it? What was gained from squirrelling away his emotions like that?

So two fully grown adults in their 20's and 30's cried in public over birthday cake.

When it was all over, they used the spare napkins to clean themselves up, wiping down their faces and only occasionally giving little stupid, post-crying giggles.

sh'Shar: The first piece. And it's a big one. ::she sniffled and stuck out her hand:: Deal?

Tan: ::he shook on it:: Deal.

--

Ensign Serren Tan

Security/Tactical

USS Gorkon

O238704AT0