Long Goodbye

Posted on Tue Mar 3rd, 2020 @ 11:49pm by Division Admiral Thomas Lasky

Mission: Mission 52: The Astral Winds
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 1000Hrs - December 5th, 2391

"You've done a good job here," Bree told her daughter proudly as they sat around the dinning table. "Both of you. I'm just sorry I could not do more for either of you."

Lasky regarded the older woman. "We will survive... Don't worry about us.... you just deal with the fiasco they sent you on." he explained. "How long is Dithon going to be around for?" he inquired.

"I told him he could stay as long as he wanted, but the both of you had to be OK with it," Bree explained simply. "He rarely gets to see Zara, but I know he's a bit too inquisitive at times for many adults to stomach him."

Zara looked to Lasky. Dithen was in his mom's quarters, doing homework. A good kid, but the hero worship annoyed Zara a little more than it probably should.

"What's your thoughts on it, Dear?" Zara asked coolly.

Lasky knew that somehow he had to inform Bree about his child sooner or later and now was a good a time as any. "Bree... Sit down... Its time I shared something with you. Since you have a right to know..."

"I am sitting," Bree smiled to break the tension.

Lasky regarded Zara then he shifted his gaze to Bree. "What I want to know is.... Is Dithen .... any good around children.. as in new infants?" he inquired. "The situation is actually quite complicated... and Zara here is fully aware of the situation at hand... But suffice to say I'm about to become a father of a child... who's mother can't look after him, it was an accident... " he sighed. "So I will raise my son in this household... because Torilla gave me full custody and when she couldn't carry her child to term, she asked... another to help her..."

"Dithen has been around babies before," Bree assured the both of them. "I do not foresee an issue in that department... Though I am surprised you have given motherhood a shot, Zara."

"Tom has been a good influence on me," Zara spoke lovingly as she squeezed Lasky's hand.

"So you're parenting a child together, but it is not Zara's, biologically.... Who's is it?" Bree asked once she finally took in all the details.

"Well her name is Elizabeth... My relationship with her has been complicated and complex as a result... However she is almost due to give birth soon... So Zara and I will have our first here quite soon... Now... my concern with Dithen here.... is will this be a problem for him?"

"He's never been a problem child, so I can only assume he will not have an issue with this eventual change," Bree guessed with a shrug. "He wants to get to know his new family members."

"Alright." Lasky responded. "Then so long as he remembers who Zara is and what her job entails... then I won't deny him." Lasky explained. "Zara?"

"I don't see a problem," Zara sighed nervously. "I just don't care for his hero worship... I'm an ass, not a hero."

"That can change in time." Lasky responded with a smile. "Give yourself some credit."

"All the more reason for him to stay for a few months. Get to know you, and not what war stories he knows about you," Bree suggested.

"All right..." Zara breathed heavily, then took a sip of her water. "I would ask you visit more often."

"Our session ends in three months. I'll make sure to visit then," Bree assured the both of them.

"Alright... Kurt will be around by then and you'll get the chance to meet him too." Lasky explained.

"There is no excuse for the pain I cause you, Zara." Bree's eyes watered remorsefully as she looked upon her daughter. "I could claim I was young and selfish, but that would only devalue the atrocities you went through."

"You've told me this before, Mother." Zara's eyes watered as well, only she dare not look upon her mother. "Why bring it up again?"

"Because I don't deserve the kindness you've extended to me... There is nothing I can do to erase that past, but I am committed to be the mother you want me to be," Bree spoke as she gently reached for Zara's hand.

"Fair enough,'" Zara sighed as she forced the words out. She did not know what to say after that. Memories from her childhood reopened scars that caused nightmares she rarely stomached.

"If there's anything you need, let me know. I have friends on the military committee that can get things the fleet denies you," Bree promised to both of them.

Lasky paused. "I will keep your words in mind, thank you Miss Blon." he responded with a smile.

"Let's have some pie," Zara declared. "Benice made some jumja pie for Tom. It's more that delicious."

"Benice should have been a chef." Lasky responded evenly. "I know Franklin Armstrong would happily give her a job if security doesn't work for her."

Bree waited for Zara to serve the desert before she took a bite. Sweetness overwhelmed her buds. The older Trill was also reminded of the woman who made the pie.

Lasky took a bite, he closed his eyes as he relished the taste of the pie. "Gyce makes a fine Chef.... assuming she ever recovers.."

"What can I do for Commander Benice and her.... significant?" Bree was not sure what to call Iteela, so she used a more universal word.

"I think she could use a new leg," Zara guessed. "She's been stubborn about prosthesis for the longest time. Most forget I have a prosthetic heart... Gyce has a significant? Since when? She only ever watches people very creepily on her monitors."

Lasky regarded Zara with a look. "Where have you been.... Do you live under a rock or something?"

"Apparently," Zara shrugged with a dry tone. Then poured iced tea for everyone. "I think carte blance for them on a romantic two-week getaway on your tab then... Just don't tell them the idea was mine."

"I can do that. Anything else?" Bree asked to Lasky.

Lasky nodded his head. "Gyce will need some very serious physical therapy." he explained. "Her knee was destroyed... Tienn... I'll be surprised if she ever wakes up.."

"I can make a call to the best physical therapists on Trill," Bree offered wholeheartedly. "When I ran track, I had exceptional ones that tended to me with my various knee injuries."

"Thank you." Lasky responded. "I am not sure where the Commander will be undergoing her physical therapy though.."

"Once you know, please let me know..." Bree took on a saddened expression. Those old eyes looking back into a recent memory. "...Those men were supposed to have my safety as their top priority, not their egos... So I feel I owe your people much because of those misdeeds."

"Consider it done." Lasky responded. "Its a shame we had to meet under this cloud.."

"Yes," Bree spoke happily. "I had tried many times to set her up with several Trill suitors back home... I guess I just never knew the type she liked. So I'm glad my attempts were wrong. You could not be more perfect."

"I am not perfect.... But I do well enough for my own needs and desires in life.." Lasky responded.

"So when are you two planning on joining families?"

This question caused Zara to choke on her pie quite severely with labored coughs.

"We're taking things slowly.." Lasky responded evenly.. "We've been through a lot recently in regards to our assignments... But... we're working on it.."

Once Zara washed down her pie with her tea and got her breath back, Zara mirrored her sentiment. "Yes. We're taking it slow... When we're ready for that step, you will be the first to know."

"Good... It was not easy getting your last marriage annulled to a man considered MIA," Bree spoke with a tone of disappointment. "Nor finding out through a drunken subspace hail, during a council session."

Zara blushed like a teenage boy caught masturbating by his mom. She grew quiet and embarrassed from that mistake.

Lasky raised an eyebrow. "Yes. I recall..... That won't happen.... If and when the time comes... you will be the first on the invite list.. That list will be short and the wedding will be... quiet.." he said it in no uncertain terms. "Small, quiet and simple is really the best way to go."

"Did you just propose?" Zara asked with a smile.

Lasky regarded her. "If... you want."

"All right then," Zara spoke with happy butterflies in her stomach. "We'll let you know the date. Could be next week, could be next year."

"It baffles me how in one sentence, you can be both serious and irreverent about various matters," Bree spoke, flabbergasted.

"Yep.... Pretty much." Lasky responded, clearly at easy with the subject. "You see what I live with.."

Shadow picked that moment to come out of hiding with a piece of fish between her jaws as she sped across the room, followed by Fives and Typhoon. The forth cat meanwhile was sitting on the table as she was helping herself to a chunk of fish. "Mrrwwaaaww..." she growled as she ate.

"I do," Bree laughed in kind. "I'm glad I did get to know you better, Tom... You don't mind if I call you that, right?"

"Nope... not at all... My mom gave me a name to be used... its not for decoration." Lasky responded in a dry tone. He turned as he regarded the cat sitting as she was mowing down on a piece of fish. "Kitty... what are you doing?" he inquired gently. The cat meanwhile ignored him completely.

"Cleo get along with the cats?" Bree asked to Zara.

"Usually. Sometimes they chase her. But Cleo generally comes and hides behind me when they do... Doesn't understand how the cats play," Zara laughed in kind.

Lasky gently picked up the cat. "Okay Kitty. Enough of that from you." he smiled as he gently set her down on the floor.

"I'm glad you two have this small family," Bree spoke with true pride.

"Its a work in progress." Lasky responded. "Someday. Zara and I will have a child.. or children of our own... however I'm in no rush.."

"Well when you do, I wish to spoil it," Bree spoke proudly. "Least I can do for being the absent mother."

Zara pursed her lips for a moment. The sentence struck a cord but she know that Bree meant nothing malicious. The thought of having no mother as a child, however, did make Zara feel a bit annoyed and sad.

"We'd welcome it. Means less things for us to buy," Zara half-teased.

Lasky simply smiled. "Indeed... I for one won't complain."

"Let's toast to a new chapter for all of us then," Zara announced, and held her cup to the middle of the table to meet the others.

Lasky raised his glass as the three of them clinked their glasses together. "Amen.."