Ninteen Years and Ten Minutes

Posted on Thu Aug 31st, 2023 @ 9:17am by Commodore Edward Antilles & Brigadier General Sorlora, Daughter of Edraks

Mission: Mission 127: Old Friends and New Enemies
Timeline: 18 Jan 2394

Sorlora materialized onto Roanoke-A's Transporter pad, and instantly saw Ed waiting for her. She then stepped off the pad and went over to Ed and hugged him, "Well I know your Ed. But at the same time, you do look almost exactly as your father did when I last saw him. I guess it really has been 19 years, huh."

Edward hugged his mother back. "Nineteen years. Three months and five days, if you want to be more specific," he commented. "A lot's happened since you were teleported here," he added in a dry tone of voice. "Let's go back to my temp quarters and I can explain myself."

"Alright, yeah," Sorlora replied. She then followed Edward to his quarters as both of them walked quietly, taking a few moments to process what was going on. When they got to the quarters, Sorlora quickly spotted the toys and other things scattered about. "I take it I'm a grandma now, Ed."

Ed grinned at his mother. "Yep." He commented. "I think the little one should-" was as far as he got before the bedroom door opened and out walked a second Klingon woman. This one was wearing a simple tank top and a pair of shorts. "Hello." she greeted Sorlora. "Ed, the little one is in daycare. I just got back from dropping her off." as she smiled.

Ed smiled back. "So, no concerns then?"

"No." K'Taal answered. She turned to Sorlora. "I am K'Taal. I greet you," she commented.

Edward nodded. "Mom, this is K'Taal. My mate. K'Tall, this is Sorlora. My mother."

"Ahh. I wondered if you were alive. It would seem that the tales I heard of your demise in battle were false. Good." K'Taal answered. "I have wanted to meet you for a while now," she commented.

Sorlora nodded and extended a hand, "Hi K'Taal, I'm Edwards's mother, even though he is now technically six years older than I am. That's going to take some getting used to."

K'Taal gently took the other woman's hand in her own. "Don't worry about it." she smiled. "You will fit right in, we'll make sure of it."

Sorlora smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, I know." She then turned to Ed. "So, what have I missed in all these years, I'm assuming we beat the Dominion."

Edward noidded to K'Taal. She went over to the replicator, quickly replicating drinks for everyone. Ed sat down at the table. "You should sit down. A lots happened... But yes, we beat the Dominion... About two months after you disappeared. The Federation and its various allies invaded the Cardassian system and put an end to the war. Once and for all." he explained. "Odo. The head of security for DS9 was able to make the founder surrender. So there was no massive space battle around Cardassia itself. No that was at Getha... Then there was the Dominion's attempted genocide of the Cardassians... Over a Billion died on the homeworld alone... By the time all was said, we never got a full count as the Cardassians had been hoveled, hard." he accepted his drink. K'Taal meanwhile, sat down next to Sorlora who was sitting across from Edward. He sighed at his mother. "But that... All that was just the start..."

Sorlora nodded, taking a sip of her drink, "I see, so what happened to Gowron. Because if he is still alive, I would like to gut him with a rusty daktag."

"Oh he's dead. About two days after you disappeared. He died due to a challenge from Captain Worf. Gowron didn't really get much of a chance to evade it, so he didn't. Worf killed him. Dad was ten minutes out and he was going to challenge Gowron. Worf beat him to it." Ed slowly smiled.

Sorlora smiled a little, "Well, if anyone deserved to take that bastard out it was Worf, considering how much Gowron screwed him over. So anyway, whats happened since the war."

"Well.. Its good that your sitting down. First, the good news." Edward commented. "First. K'taal, who you've met... Dad was able to figure things out and move on too. But that was a mix of good and bad. Most of dad's other kids have all grown up and left home. Most of them have families of their own with children. All of them followed dad and me into Starfleet." he then breathed out. "Your family are all safe. Grandpa. Grandma and everyone else is alive and well." he paused momentarily. "Now for the bad news." he paused. "The Klingon Empire has fallen. A series of chancellors made a series of unwise moves. provoking and then starting major wars. The Emperor was assassinated by a killer who would not show his face." he winced. "This was not two days after Martok and his entire battlegroup disappeared. What was worse was that the Enterprise-E went missing at the same time too." he paused. "Then came a ruinous civil war known as the war of the four chancellors. That one got fucking stupid, they invented a whole new slew of punishments. Drowning in crude oil. Boiling in hot water and burning at the stake... That last was reserved only for traitors. All four would-be chancellors were off;ed one at a time until J'mpok made his move. He was killed later by someone else. Then a deranged nutcase named Bum'khass took over." he then sighed. "His guy was a fucking screwball.. but nobody could take him on in armed combat, he literally dismantled his rival for the leadership... Then he picked a fight with the Gorn, The Federation, the Cardassians and a fourth party whose name I can't remember." he then sighed for the third time in ten minutes.

K'taal sipped her drink. "You mean the OISU."

"Oh right. Those guys." Edward sipped his drink. "Needless to say. The Empire got its face smashed in. The Federation then invaded and seized over three dozen sectors from the Empire. Sectors that the Federation has yet to return. Personally, I doubt they will." he regarded first his spouse and then his mother. "Thats when the Empire disintegrated into full civil war."

"There are hundreds of small nation-states. All ranging in size from one small continent on a planet. Up to a dozen star systems. None of them are overly large but they will fight with each other using any and all means."

Edward grinned. "There was a story of two freighters that had a dozen plasma cannons loaded down the sides for broadsides. These two idiots spent an hour battering each other like ships from the age of sail. It was insane and worse. Both ships withdrew due to battle damage with neither having won."

"I see," Sorlora replied, no longer smiling, "So, what happened to House Kanng, and Kaang himself."

Edward glanced over at K'taal. "I'll leave you two to chat." she commented softly. She rose to her feet, before she came around the table, she gently kissed her husband once before she departed.

Ed paused. Sorlora regarded her son as she knew this was not going to be a good tale. "Go on."

"House Kaang has fallen on hard times. I'll start with Kaang himself. He's dead... Poisoned." he paused a moment. "Poisoned with small doses of Veridium six. There is still no cure." he then smiled easily at his mother. "Kaang died a slow and debilitating death. Dad was in the Federation, handling starfleet concerns so he was never informed. Neither was I... Except grandpa found out about two days after Kaang finally died. His brother inherited the house... His last remaining granddaughter fled. Dad took them in and made sure they were safe. Mag'tor... He demanded that Dad return the granddaughter because she was a threat to his leadership of the house. Dad refused... So Mag'tor tried to kill dad. He also exiled dad from the house, forever. Him and anyone related to him, in any way, shape or form... The house was utterly decapitated in one move. We had no good Generals left, they were all dead. No effective leadership left. " he shook his head. "Thats when Kraan took over. He was unable to undo his father's decrees. He tried but he was unable to resolve the problems facing the house. Now its but a rather pale shadow of what it once was."

"I see," Sorlora replied softly, "Well at least Ashiv will be happy to know her younger daughter is still alive, even if she is no longer the younger one. Same with Greji."

"Yes. Both her wife and daughter are still alive. Dad knew that he would have issues with O'Krella. Since she's now an adult." Ed explained. "Ashiv will be happy to know that her spouse is alive and well." he added.

"Yeah, she will," Sorlora replied quietly. She then failed to say anything else as everything hit her all at once, and she couldn't stop herself from sobbing.

Edward slowly stood up before he gently gave his mother a hug. He knew this was a lot for her to process all at once. "I'm sorry to tell you all at once."

"Better now than later," Sorlora managed, "I was going to find out anyway."

"There is more... But I know you needed a moment to process all of what I'm telling you. K'Taal will see to it we're not interrupted." he indicated where his wife was sitting. "We're expecting the kids at some point," he explained.

"Well, that is good news at least," Sorlora remarked after she took a moment to compose herself, "I'm gonna be a grandma, at 36. Anything else."

Edward regarded her. "No." he then sighed softly. "But the only question now is-" they were interrupted as the main door to their quarters and a young Klingon child ran in. She went over to her mother before she launched herself into K'Taal's embrace. "Hello Kassin. Its time for you to meet your grandmother."

"Oh?" Kasssin inquired.

"Yes. Come, sweetie. I will introduce you."

Kassin followed her mother in silence to where her father was standing. Next to an older Klingon woman. "Hey dad." before she looked at Sorlora.

K'Taal took care of the introductions. "Sorlora. This is Kassin, our eldest." she commented. "Kassin, this is Sorlora. She's your grandmother."

Kassin grinned at the older woman. "Howdy."

"Hey," Sorlora waved at Kassin. She then failed to come up with anything else to say.

Kassin noticed something was wrong so she pulled her pack off of her back. "I think I should do my homework mom."

"An excellent idea, sweetie. Don't worry about your grandmother. She'd had a rough day," K'Taal smiled.

"Okay." Kassin went over to the kitchen table, and went to work.

Ed regarded his mother. "I assume you have no change of clothes?" he inquired of her. "Feel free, the master bedroom is over there. There is a replicator inside so you can make yourself some new clothing. I doubt anything of mine will look right and I know K'Taal's kit won't fit."

K'Taal smiled in amusement as she came over. "You can borrow the bed if you want to get some rest." she added. "We will see to it that you are not disturbed."

Sorlora shrugged, "Eh, the ship has replicators, I can replicate some new ones if I really have to." She then got up, saying," But right now, I can use a long nice warm bath"

Ed nodded. "There is a bathroom connecting to the master bedroom. Help yourself," he responded.

Sorlora then promptly went over to the bathroom and prepared the bath. Ten minutes later, she was asleep in the tub.