Ayzaria

Posted on Fri May 8th, 2020 @ 6:09pm by Skye & Commander Hades,MD & Lieutenant JG Ilan Rol

3,136 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 106 – Stalemate
Location: Sickbay USS Mercy
Timeline: MD03 1800 hours

{ON}

Almost to the end of the chapter, one hand absently massaging the back of her neck, Doctor Corrigan glanced up as the monitors picked up the slight improvement which signalled the young woman on the bio bed was beginning to wake. Climbing to her feet, she sent a brief message to Hades as she ran a more detailed scan of her own.

No sign of infection. No sign of the wound which had endangered her life just a few hours ago. Another example of First Federation technology. Another secret.

As she watched a pair of bright blue eyes fluttered open. They had barely had time to take in the new surroundings before the girl was trying to get up.

“It’s alright, you are safe,” Carolyn assured her, placing a hand against her shoulder to encourage her to stay still. “My name is Dr Corrigan. Or just Carolyn is fine. You’re in Sickbay, aboard the USS Mercy. You were badly hurt but you are going to be just fine.”

For a moment there was a long silence. Taking a look around, seeing no security guards anywhere in sight she frowned, “how’d I get here?”

Grateful she was at least staying at peace, Carolyn offered her a small smile, “you were hurt, but I don’t know how. Your wound was infected - badly. You were found wondering Starbase 23, bleeding and a little delirious. Dr Hades brought you here and that brings us up to now.”

Throughout it Skye nodded without really listening. She could see a workstation in the room which had potential although she was in hideous patient scrubs. Her eyes widened, “where are my clothes?!”

“Your clothes have been cleaned, and one of the nurses is stitching up your jacket, she seems to think it can be mended,” Carolyn assured her. “But you need some more rest before you go anywhere. Do you have anyone you need me to contact for you?”

“Korel, I guess. And H’rall. Aboard the Roane. They might be looking for me, I don’t know.”

As the door behind them opened, Carolyn glanced over her shoulder over a small smile as Hades entered. “I’ll let them know. And your name is...?”

“Skye,” she answered after a moment. “Tell them to look after my things.”

“Nice to meet you Skye,” Carolyn smiled, “I’ll call them now. This is Dr Hades -“

Skye studied the newcomer, now they were alone he had her undivided attention. “Can you let me leave?” She asked him, sure he’d say no. But the sudden silence made her uncomfortable, mostly because there was something oddly familiar about him.

He sighed. "No, not yet. I need you to rest another few days." He studied her feeling oddly uncomfortable. He'd thought about this day, about seeing his daughter so long and now...he was a loss, a rare occurrence for him. "There was a lot of damage." He said. He'd called in every favour he had and things were in motion. Cassia would be found, taken to the First Federation and then tried and found guilty of a whole host of things that would see her banished to a Dassik prison almost as cruel as Rura Penthe.

"What happened to cause the injuries?" That was something else he wanted to know along with whom was responsible.

“Days?!” She repeated, eyes wide. “Appreciate the care and all but ... days? On a Starfleet ship?”

He let that one drop for the moment.

“I was trying to help a friend,” she finally admitted, although it was barely audible. Trying was the operative word, since he hadn’t made it back. Why?! Why was she even telling him? “I got hurt and now here I am.”

He sighed. "Alright, start at the beginning. Why afraid of Starfleet?"

“I’m not afraid of Starfleet,” she muttered, correcting him. “I just don’t much want to be in your brig for something I probably didn’t do. Not that I’m not, you know, grateful...”

He smiled slightly. "I see. And what didn't you do that you might be accidently thrown in the brig for?"

At his question she shrugged, shifting position on the bed which hurt more than she expected it to. With what she considered great personal restraint she bit back the urge to swear. “Just stuff,” she said finally, sounding every inch the teenager.

She had no intention of listing the many laws she had broken, never mind the ‘grey areas’. Sure, the doctors would probably be all very nice and next thing she’d be off to a penal colony. Never gonna happen. “Can’t I just leave and promise to rest for a few days?” She suggested.

He smiled. "It does not work that way." Absently he reached over tucking her in. "Rest. There is someone here to see you." Hades headed out just as Rol entered. Smiling he walked up to the girl. "Hello there. I'm Rol, I'm one of the counselors here on the Mercy."

Skye eyed the latest newcomer with suspicion. “I don’t need a counsellor,” she told them. “I’m not some crazy psychotic person.”

Rol chuckled, "Of course not.." Although her knowing who her father was.... He shook his head. "Actually I come baring news. Your doctors thought I should be the one to chat with you about this because it could be a little stressful." Again knowing who her father was...

“Whatever it is, I didn’t do it,” she stated firmly. She was always very careful... “and please, I can deal with stress just fine. Though I warn you, I tend to punch it in the face. So you might want to stay well back.”

He laughed at that. "I know where that comes from." He wiped tears from his eyes. It was such a Hades thing to say. Settling down he started, "Well when you came in the doctors didn't know who you were so they ran some DNA tests to see if a match came up in the database. There was no match but they did find a familial match."

“I’m a girl of mystery,” she shrugged. “A familial match... So someone I’m related to, right?”

He smiled, "Yes. To be précised... your father."

“Oh...” she said slowly. She stared at her hands for a moment, thinking. What was she supposed to say. “Well, you did something I was never brave enough to do.”

He smiled, "What was that?"

Her eyes narrowed, “save the counselling.”

Rol sighed. He briefly wondered if she was related to Carolyn too. "He's been looking for you for years. He'd really like to meet you." Rol pulled a PaDD out. "Before you decide, he wanted me to give you this. He wants to meet you but he understands if you don't want to see him. This explains a lot of what happened." He handed her the PaDD. "I know that this is a personal time but if you'd like I'll stay with you while you read it."

“Do I look like I’m five?” She said, rolling her eyes as she took the PADD. “I can read...”

He sighed, "Alright." He gave her a communicator. "If you need me...call me." He turned and left.

My dearest little star. I have been looking for you for years. There is so much I want to say so much that I want you to know but now faced with what I've wanted all these years I am at a loss. There is not excuse for all that you have been through and if I could I would take it all away but it was out of both our hands. I loved your mother, Cassia, very much. The day that she left and took you from me...i was shattered. I woke and you were gone only a note that she'd found someone she loved more. I hunted and searched for you, I called in every favour, every bounty hunter, but you were always out of reach. The day you were born was one of the happiest days of my life and i remember holding you seeing a future so bright. I remember how blessed and humbled I felt the first time you said called me daddy. I remember our walks by the waterfall on the colony. You loved butterflies and chasing them and you loved to look at the stars.

There was so much more but how did you say it in a letter.

Skye paused, taking in a deep breath, trying to stay calm as she read every word and then read it again. Despite her protests she felt tears stinging her eyes as what those words meant sank in. A home, a family. A life. All the things she never had. Had once dreamt of before just surviving became her sole goal in life.

Her hands shaking she wiped at her eyes as she read on.

I came close to finding you once but the people whom your mother gave you to were quicker then I. I have always been disgusted with myself. I wish I had been stronger. I can only imagine what you went through. I wish I could have spared you the pain, given you the life you deserved.

Never doubt that I have loved you all this time and still do. You were my little star and I hope that you will give me a chance to know the wonderful woman you have become. You have brothers and sisters I want you know, a sister in law and you will even be an aunt soon. There is so much I want to say to you and I hope that you will give me the chance.

With love,
Your father.

Three times she read it. A forth time. Although by then the words were simply a blur. She let the PADD drop onto her lap as she lay back, staring up at the ceiling.

And a family!

No! She pushed the PADD away with more force than she meant, for it went hurtling to the floor where it bounced once before settling in its new spot. She was her family. She wasn’t some child.

And yet...

Calmer she looked at the PADD. Wanting to read it again. Peeling back the bed sheet, she gasped in pain as she swung her legs over the side and lowered her feet to the floor. The world spun for a dizzying instant before settling enough for her to take a few steps and kneel down on the floor to pick it up. She sighed at the slight crack on the screen.

When the door opened behind her she realised the monitor must have warned them of her escape from the bed. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw it wasn’t Rol who entered.

Hades had been in his office. He was monitoring her vitals as he finished reports, signed off on things. When the warning alarm sounded he hadn't even looked at the monitors. He'd sprinted down the hall pretty sure he'd knocked Mendez on his behind. He rushed into the room to see Skye kneeling on the floor. He swore and then scooped her up as if she was a child. He placed her back on the bed and grabbed a tricorder beginning to scan. "You could have hurt yourself!" He tried to keep his voice from shaking as much as his hands. He didn't want to loose her now that he'd just found her. He tried to keep his temper under control as his scans showed that she hadn't hurt herself. "You need to stay in bed." He gently pulled the blanket over her tucking it in. "You can't leave, not yet. Anything you need you press the call button." Unconsciously he moved the hair that had fallen across her face.

As he moved to touch her head her instinct kicked in and she hit his hand away, putting as much distance between them as the bed would allow. “I’m sorry! I ... please don’t touch me...”

His heart bled for her. "It's alright," he held his palms up. "I won't harm you. I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you little star."

Her eyes widened, “you...”

The name had slipped out unconsciously. He sighed and sat back. He then stood noticing, for the first time, the PaDD on the floor. He picked it up and placed it on her lap. He stood back. He wanted to much to hug her but understood she needed time. "I've wanted to find you for so long."

She held the PADD so tightly her knuckles were almost white. “Once I used to dream of some family coming in and rescuing me,” she admitted with a small smile. “A white knight like those fairy tales? And then I realised fairy tales were just that. Make believe.”

She didn’t add that the realisation came at the expense of all she'd been through. “You see your little star, a little girl but I am so far from that girl -“

She broke off, realising the tears were back. She swiped at them angrily. She did not cry.

He quickly sat down pulling her into his arms. His own tears fell freely. "I'm sorry Ayzaria, so very sorry I wasn't there." He held her tightly.

Ayzaria... flashes of memories burst forward and she closed her eyes, surprising herself when she held on to him. His voice, reading stories, his scent while she cling to his back while they played, splashing in a fountain where the water was every colour of the rainbow.

He swore to himself in that moment that he would keep her safe. He was never again going to loose her. "It's going to be alright. Nobody will ever hurt you again. I swear to you."

“Promises are made to be broken,” she whispered.

"I always keep my promises." As she sat back he took her hand and held it. "I've been looking for you for so many years. There is so much I want to say."

She didn’t want to tell him how staying in one place was not her ‘thing’. So instead she just nodded and said, “this is your chance I guess.”

There was a hiss of the door and in walked a beautiful Orion woman. She was smiling. "The nurse told me I'd find you here." She walked over to Hades and kissed his cheek. He smiled, "Skye this is your step mother Kalani."

Kalani smiled softly at the woman. "Hello Skye."

“Hello...” she managed after a long moment, looking uncomfortable and uncertain. Neither of which were her usual traits. And she felt bad for it. She absently massaged the back of her neck.

Kalani sighed. "Hades you cannot keep her here. She's better off resting in our quarters." She took the woman's hand. "It's much more comfortable. If you'd like to join us we'd love to have you. I love to cook so there is plenty to eat."

Hades looked at her. "I am the chief medical officer. She has to stay here at least another day."

Kalani gave his cheek a pat, "Yes dear. You're the chief medial officer." She turned to Skye, "Feel like coming home to a more comfortable bed?"

While the woman said ‘home’, Skye heard the word escape. She shot an uncertain look at Hades - clearly this was not his idea. At all. “I don’t want to cause trouble. I’ll be fine. And I have a room on the Roane.”

Hades sighed and took her hand. "It's no trouble. I just want to make sure you are well. And...I don't want to push you. Of course I would love you to stay...if you want." He didn't want to rush things.

Kalani smiled. "There. How about I get you a hover chair. There is someone else out there that wants to say hi." Kalani headed out just as Carolyn came in.

“I brought some presents,” Carolyn announced with a smile as she held up a weathered looking jacket in one hand while in the other she held the rest of the girl’s clothes and a bag.

“We had to cheat a little, your top was ruined so we had to replace it but the rest including your jacket is all fixed up and these,” she held up a backpack, “are your things from the Roane. I thought you’d rather have them with you...”

Neither looking for or expecting thanks she sat them down on top of a chair. “From the slightly overwhelmed look, I’d say you’ve had quite a lot to deal with. I could find you some chocolate if it might help, medicinal of course.”

Skye grinned, “maybe later.”

Relieved to see a smile, she flashed an encouraging smile at Hades. “I’ll hold you to that, I take chocolate very seriously,” Carolyn confided.

“You are all being so nice to me...” Skye breathed, seeming weary. “None of you even know me. I could be a serial killer.”

“Are you?”

“No, but I could be.”

“But you’re not...?”

“Of course not -“

“Then we aren’t worried,” Carolyn grinned. “And I should say it is really nice to meet you, Skye. If there is anything you need, just let me know. And don’t worry too much about Kalani. Her intentions are good she can just be very enthusiastic. Oh... excuse me a sec...”

Skye watched the woman rush out. She glanced at Hades, “she gonna throw up?”

"Morning sickness. Your niece is giving her a run for her money."

“Girl I knew, she threw up for her entire pregnancy,” Skye murmured before falling silent, sure she’d said too much. “Your wife seems really nice.”

He smiled. "Kalani is quite enthusiastic. I'm the grouch." He winked.

Kalani walked in with a chair. "Here we go!" She shooed Hades out. "Out you get. I'll help her change and then we'll go home and rest and you can finish your shift."

"Again I'm the CMO."

She patted his cheek again. "Of course you are." She shooed him out and then turned to Skye. "Men!" She smiled. "Okay let me help you change and we'll get ready to go. Carolyn can come with us and you two can talk while I cook. Any food you like best?"

The mention of food brightened up the girl's face. "I will eat just about anything," she blurted out and then realised she may have been rude. "I am so sorry. I'm sure your cooking is really good!"

Kalani laughed melodically. "Let's get you ready and settled at home."

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