Abominable Childhoods

Posted on Wed Mar 6th, 2024 @ 10:50pm by Captain Mira Rodale & Commander Kevin Lance
Edited on on Thu Mar 7th, 2024 @ 1:17am

Mission: Thunderdome
Location: Starbase 364
Timeline: Current

on:
{Command Level, Starbase 364}

Kevin waited until they were in the turbolift, then he turned and asked Mira, "What was going on between you and Admiral Proll? What did he mean 'M'Niras was hard on you'?"

Mira normally would have just shugged off the question. She had her whole life, but Kevin was different.

"My parents were killed, and M'Niras had been the intended target, so he decided to do me the favor of raising me because he felt responsible."

She dropped her head for a moment and looked back up. I wasn't raised on Betazed. I raised on one of their colony worlds. The kids thought I was a Betazoid with spots, and they were far too happy to try and see if I would taste like one. It was a huge joke for them, but as a seven year old, I didn't think it was funny. M'Niras, my guardian, just laughed and sometimes even agreed with the joke. He would drop me off in different areas. He would tell me my ride would be here, and he would point to the map. Then he would leave. When he went on missions, I would go along. For my 15th birthday, I got dropped off on Trill. He did his duty, and I was all grown up."

"My own childhood wasn't all rainbows and unicorns either," Kevin admitted, "An absentee father, a mother who was working and drinking herself to death, and an older sister who was too busy growing up to give any attention to a 'pesky little brother'. I was pretty much left to fend for myself since I was able to walk." It was more than he had ever revealed to any other being since before he had entered the Academy. "A guardian, even an abusive one, might have been preferable."

Mira shugged, "I would have preferred one small encouragement from him. I was never good enough, fast enough or strong enough. He always measured me up to the Caitians children, but I am not Caitian so I never had a chance. Caitian's are considered grown-up at 15 then so was I. One thing I did excel in languages. I did very well in my education once he started tudors. School just wasn't......safe." She shrugged.

As the doors opened Mira changed the subject not wanting anyone to over hearing their personal lives.

"We will need to pick our team carefuly, we will need an engineer. If the equipment is at fault for them not reporting in. Security. Medical. Anyone good at hand to hand combat and hand weapons. I have 3 days to learn their language and customs, plus be turned orange."

She laughed, "Somehow, I never thought of myself as being orange. Vaytoc will not be happy with me. He didn't like the change in my scent when I took a symbiont. This " she pointed to the photo of a orange skinned woman "will have him angry. "

“This is a covert operation so we should keep the team as small as possible,” Kevin offered, “Lieutenant Walker would be a good choice for engineer and he is an experienced anthropologist. I don’t think that you could keep Kronnelti off this mission even if you drugged him and tied him up. Lieutenant K’ner would cover medical and security. You’ve got languages covered. We will likely need a couple of security guards. Aside from that, I’m not sure what I would bring to the mission.” A flight control officer wasn’t much use on a mission of this type but he hoped that Mira might overlook that fact. He didn’t want to be left off of the mission.

Mira smiled, "You bring alot to a mission you have to look like your leading it. there is also that whole men rule thing. I am not one." She laughed.

"In that case," he continued, "I am going to have to insist that we leave Zimia behind. I don't think that she has the proper mindset for a mission of this nature. Vaytoc, however, would really be useful. Think he would accept gene therapy?"

"Oh I agree about Zimia I am not sure on what mission she would be good on. Vaytoc on the other had might accept if it means coming on a mission. He use to go all the time. " She laughed

"Then I will delegate to you the responsibility of selecting a local species to transform him into," Kevin said as they entered the Starbase's medical facility.

"Commander Rodale and Lieutenant Commander Lance here for gene therapy," he announced to the orderly.

:off

Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Chuck Norris

and

Commander Mira Rodale
XO
USS Chuck Norris