Vaxa Ral & Hayley Ukinix - Site Inspection

[Danny Lee]

((Site of former Ninth House Estate, Araraniax Village outskirts, Arandel, Betazed))

With her hand over her mouth, Hayley Ukinix surveyed the rubble of the three former mushroom shaped buildings that would have once been gigantic.

 

Hayley: That’s so sad.

Vaxa Ral, her sister-in-law, shuffled towards her using her walking stick, and placed her hand on her shoulder.

Vaxa: Thankyou, Hayley.  I can feel how genuine you are.

Hayley: ::Hand on hips:: This is Astrad’s house!  *Was* Astrad’s house.

Vaxa: ::Smiling:: It’s funny you call him that.  We used to tease him with that name.  How times have changed.

Hayley: I’m not sure how he would react if he was here to see this.

Vaxa Ral sighed, taking in the scene.  She eyed the twisted wreck of the Starfleet shuttlecraft in the distance.

Vaxa: I have only been here once since the Dominion invasion.  The plants and trees have grown much since then.  So much of the rubble is now hidden.  

 

Hayley nodded.  Up until she met Vaxa, she was still somewhat apathetic to the Betazoid Ukinix clan’s fight, and still not one-hundred percent sure she was doing the right thing by helping Vaxa.  But after having seen the rubble, she felt invested.  She never quite understood why her husband Astrad had shunned his Betazoid past so deeply, but was glad when he seemed to ever so slowly take more interest in the idea of Vaxa getting her title back.

 

Hayley: This is your home.  Astrad’s home.  Why would the other houses do this to you?  Not let you control the Ninth house?

 

Vaxa patted her hand on Hayley’s shoulder, before heading towards a nearby large rock to sit on.

Vaxa: Betazoid politics are complicated.  The Ukinix name ::sighing, sitting down:: had a reputation amongst the other houses. 

Hayley crossed her arms and turned, before taking a seat next to Vaxa on the rock.  She placed her hands in between her thighs, still taking in the scene.

Vaxa: I’m sure Astradem - ::smiling:: Astrad - has told you about my parents.  They were maniacal and power hungry.  They were not true parents.  We were not children, we were assets.  ::Raising eyebrows::  And my mother was raised like that by her mother.  In fact, for several generations, the Ukinix name was known for one thing amongst the other houses - ruthlessness.  Every generation became bolder towards them.

She nodded in resignation. 

Vaxa: ::Gesturing towards ruins:: And now, the Ninth house has finally paid for it.  None more so than me.  And young Keehani.

There were a few moments of silence, before Hayley looked at Vaxa and smiled.

Hayley: Your granddaughter is a strong minded woman.

 

Vaxa chuckled, before looking at Hayley.

Vaxa: Yes, she is.  ::Quietly, looking back at rubble:: Yes she is… if it wasn’t for her insisting we fight to save the Ninth house, you wouldn’t be on Betazed.

 

Hayley: Well, on Earth, we say that you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your relatives.

Vax turned her head to look at Hayley in slight shock, before she sensed her humour.  They both smiled at the same time.

Hayley: Besides, ::slapping thighs:: us matriarchs have to stick together.

 

Vaxa nodded.

 

Vaxa: You and your grandson have a similar sense of humour.

A smirking Hayley stood up before taking a few paces forward.

Hayley: ::Cheekily:: Oh, Wil definitely gets that from my side of the family.  He may be *named* “Ukinix”, but he’s a Cullen through and through.

Vaxa: Cullen?

Hayley: My maiden name.

 

Vaxa: Maiden?

 

Hayley: ::Turning back to look at Vaxa:: You know, the name I had before I got married.  An old fashioned Earth tradition.

Vaxa smiled, but said nothing.  She still found the fact that Earth was once a patriarchal society amusing.  But then again, she had kept the name of her former lover turned husband after she had been exiled from the Ninth house by her parents, so couldn’t really tease Hayley about it.

Hayley crossed her arms and surveyed the ruins once more, before turning back to look at Vaxa.

 

Hayley: How confident are you that you will win tomorrow?

 

Vaxa: Hayley, it is not about winning or losing, it’s about having the Mother at the Reconciliation Forum see our point of view.  By the Four, she will allow you represent me in the future.  ::Looking at rubble:: So that I - that Keehani - may rebuild this place.

Hayley: ::Waving her hand:: Yeah, yeah, that’s winning or losing in my book.

 

She looked down and blinked her eyes a few times.

 

Vaxa: What question is it you want to ask, Hayley?

 

Hayley looked at Vaxa, before rolling her eyes a little.

Hayley: Bloody empaths.  I married one, I should have known better.

 

She took a few steps forward and looked directly at Vaxa.

 

Hayley: What if you don’t win?  If I’m not allowed to represent you…

 

Vaxa stood up from the rock, using her walking stick.  Hayley leaned forward to help her to her feet.

Vaxa: Then… Keehani and I continue our lives as they are now.  No matter what, the neurological disease I have is incurable.  ::Smiling at Vaxa:: Maybe the only outcome is that I get to experience what it is like to have an extended family, before the end of my days.  Do you think Astrad will want that too?

 

Hayley shrugged, before offering a meek smile.

 

Hayley: Honestly… I don’t know.

 

Vaxa nodded.

 

Vaxa: He was always a stubborn one.

Vaxa eyes blinked a few times.  She stopped walking a stooped over a little, before standing up again with Hayley supporting her arm.

Hayley: You OK?

Vaxa: I grow tired.

Hayley took the mini PADD out of her pocket, and tapped it a few times.

Hayley: Let’s get you home.  You’ve got a big day tomorrow.

The two figures sparkled and dematerialised away from the ruins of the Ninth House Estate.

 

TBC...

 

 

 

 

 

Hayley Ukinix and Vaxa Ral

Simmed by Wil Ukinix

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