Repatriation

Posted on Sat Jan 27th, 2024 @ 5:54pm by Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance

Mission: Deep Space Nine
Location: Gamma Quadrant
Timeline: Before Where Did He Go?

on:
{Shuttle KL-237}

Mika applied dermal plaster to the laceration on Kevin’s scalp. She had done a good job of closing the wound. There would be a small scar but it was so close to his hairline that it would barely be noticeable. The bruise on his face was much worse than it looked as it was starting to transition from red to purple and black. There wasn’t any damage to the brow or cheekbones and no indication of sub-cranial swelling. Time would heal the wound, literally, but for now it gave his plain features a hideous veil.

The injury to his leg was a different matter. The road burn suffered when he had nearly fall off of the slaver’s truck had damaged the gastrocnemius muscle wherever that was. Now that the adrenaline of the fight and escape had worn off, the pain in his calf was excruciating. Mika had cleaned and dressed the wound but could do little else with the simple medical kit that was available on the shuttle. Even the oral medication could do little, turning down the pain only slightly. Mika offer a more effective pain suppressant from her hypospray but considering how she how previously used it on him, Kevin most forcibly declined.

His injuries treated in the best manner available, Kevin showered in the shuttle’s small head. It was an old fashioned water device rather than the more efficient and effective sonic method, but the feel of warm water coursing down his body was imminently more satisfying. He had to balance and move carefully to keep the bandages on his head and leg from getting wet but was able to effectively clean the blood and gore from his body. After drying off with a large towel and dressing in clean civilian clothes, he felt much better, as least physically. He expected that he would have nightmares when he slept.

He rejoined Sehket in the main cabin and replaced the Cardassian at the shuttle’s flight controls. They were four hours away from Talbort III and Sehket reported no evidence of being followed from the planet.

Mika entered from the quarters that she had treated Kevin in. Sehket looked up expectantly. “Are you alright?” he asked.

Kevin, his attention on the flight controls, answered, “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

“Not you,” Sehket replied.

“Were both fine,” Mika responded hoping to prevent a confrontation. There had been more than enough of that today.

Both? Kevin’s eyebrow shot up at the implication. He had already been considering how to most easily repatriate the teens. A pregnancy would complicate matters for their parents.

He turned to face Sehket and Mika. “Here is what we are going to do.”

{Deep Space Nine}

Their return to Deep Space Nine went pretty much as planned. The station’s operations crew, being unaware of any variation from Kevin’s original flight plan allowed the shuttle to dock without much interest. Kevin had been able to confirm that both Mika’s and Sehket’s parents were on the station, looking for them, and with the assistance station’s chief of security had arranged a meeting of all three parties.

With Kevin as arbitrator, the three sides had met. It was a fiery affair with accusations made by both sets of parents. Mika had been correct in her assessment that the wounds of the occupation were still keenly felt by both sides but their objections were borne more of the fears for their children than any long standing animosity. The reveal of the pregnancy was a shock that threaten to end the meeting in open bloodshed had it not been for Kevin’s domineering presence and unsightly visage.

Eventually the maternal instincts of the Bajoran and Cardassian mothers kicked in and they bonded over the potential grandchild against the obstinate behavior of their husbands. As tempers cool, Kevin was able to help the parties negotiate a truce and a compromise that left all sides equally unhappy. His self-imposed obligation fulfill, he stood to leave the room and the teens to their life.

As he was about to depart, Mika intercepted him.

“Thank you for everything you did,” she told him, “After the way we treated you, you had every right to leave us to our fate.”

“No one deserves to be deprived of their freedom to self-determine their life,” Kevin replied, “But I almost did leave you behind. I am not a good man.”

“No you are not a good man,” Mika replied with a smile, “You are the best of men.” With that she stood as tall on her tippy toes as she could and kissed Kevin on his uninjured cheek before skipping back to Sehket. The Cardassian boy gave Kevin a conflicted look before nodding in recognition. Without further comment, Kevin turned and left.

In the corridor, Colonel Nerys addressed him, “That was well done.”

Kevin shrugged, “They love their children. They just needed to let go of their prejudices long enough to allow that love through.”

“Still, I know plenty of trained diplomats that wouldn’t have been able to reconcile the sides. What are your plans now?”

“To find a bar,” Kevin replied, “I plan to spend my last day of shore leave drunk off my ass.”

:off

Lieutenant Kevin Lance
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Chuck Norris