The Song of T'Sara

Posted on Tue Mar 17th, 2020 @ 2:14am by Grand Admiral T'Sara McKnight & Lieutenant JG John Kemal & Department Master Chief Petty Officer Stephen "Orthos" McKnight

Mission: Mission 98: Building Our New Home
Location: Main Settlement - Utgarde Four
Timeline: 0100Hrs - June 4th, 2393

Fleet Admiral T'Sara McKnight's eyes opened as she instantly came awake, the dying echoes of her loud scream rebounded off the walls of the room she was in as she sat up, she was wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts as she did not sleep in the usual sleepwear or in the nude as she knew some did. Her husband was much like she herself was in her preferences for sleepwear, she had served many years in the field so she chose clothing that was comfortable and practical.

T'Sara slid herself out of bed as she began donning her clothing, she blinked away the last traces of sleep from her eyes and body when suddenly there was a knock at the door. "Enter." McKnight bade her visitor enter, she knew exactly what they wanted.

The door opened and in walked Orthos, he regarded her with a concerned look in his eyes. "Mom, are you well?"

"I am satisfactory," McKnight answered quietly, however, there was some hesitation in her tone of voice.

Orthos simply looked at her, he knew full well of just how stubborn his mother could be when she dug in and stood her ground. "I am concerned mom," he responded. "We heard you scream. I told Daisy I'd come to look in on you," he added.

T'Sara knew that her son meant well as she pulled on her shirt over her chest and breasts. "I apologize for waking you both."

"No apology is needed. You are my mother." Orthos responded. "I often go to bed early so I can wake up and look in on the children as they slept. To make sure all is well. The new kitten is settling in well with T'Sara." he added. "Edward is restless so I got him a soft toy to sleep with. It is helping," he explained.

McKnight rose to her feet before she pulled the pair of pants on over her shorts that she had been wearing, she had no nudity taboo and Orthos knew this. "I need to go for a walk. I need to.." McKnight paused.

"I understand mom," Orthos answered quietly. "I will leave the front door unlocked for you," he added in a soft tone of voice.

McKnight pocketed the items she knew she'd need. "I do not know how to properly articulate what I feel," she admitted. "I am sorry my son."

"Dad was a part of us all, he shaped us and guided us. He was the guiding light we all followed." Orthos responded. "I know how you feel mom, I have been there myself."

"I know, I apologize, I did not mean to belittle your own losses." the Vulcan female answered as she regarded her eldest son.

"No offense was taken, mother," Orthos answered with a nod.

McKnight moved out of the room she was staying in, as she passed her son at the door, she touched his hand with her own and then the moment was over as she moved down the two flights of steps and moved into the main hallway before the front door. She gently tugged on her boots which she often wore when she was not on duty or expecting to be on duty before she gently grasped the door, she opened it and out she went.

The sky was clear and it was cold, at least according to her as she sometimes missed the burning firey heat of her original homeworld but she did not give voice to that statement, her children were only part Vulcan and she knew they would never be welcome on Vulcan as they were a people who tended to be very hidebound in their thinking which bothered her. Granted the people of Vulcan had become more moderate in their thinking over the last century or so, it was nowhere near enough for McKnight to ever consider living there.

McKnight smiled as she suddenly recalled one of her husbands favored stories. "It’s a dangerous business, T'Sara, going out of your door,” James once said to her. "You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to."

McKnight smiled as she stepped onto the start of her journey as she knew not where she would go, down the street she moved and onto the main road which ground vehicles still used even on these new colony worlds.

"Roads go ever on and on and on, under a cloud and under the star, yet feet that feet wandering have gone far." McKnight moved down the main road, towards the small downtown that was about four thousand meters away as the birds flew. McKnight sighed as she knew she needed to figure out what to do but she had no idea of how to deal with it.

The Vulcan female moved in silence before she spotted a tavern that looked like it was open as McKnight decided she needed a drink so she moved over to the door before she could grasp the handle, however, the door opened and two men came out with the first man stumbled. "Enough David, you've had enough to drink.."

McKnight regarded the two men as the first man turned to walk away, very nearly walking into her as McKnight simply took one step to the left to evade the drunk as she regarded the bouncer. "Is this locale still open for business?" McKnight inquired.

"Sure is, you plan on behavin'?" the man inquired of her.

"I intend no trouble," McKnight answered evenly.

"Okay then." the man turned and opened the door, he then beckoned for her to enter ahead of him, which McKnight did so a moment later, she slipped off her cloak which she placed onto the large coatrack next to the door before the Vulcan female went over to the long table where the bartender tended to his wares, McKnight recognized the aesthetic that the locale was going for, an old style tavern seen on Earth several centuries earlier with no advanced technology in evidence but the Vulcan knew better. This place was likely festooned with advanced technology of all kinds, from the barrels of ale, looking after the drink contained within to replicators hidden behind false doors, from security systems designed to monitor everything to advanced medical technology in case someone was hurt or got poisoned thanks to the amount of drink they had consumed.

The locale was also nearly empty with only herself, the barkeeper and the two bouncers for company, as it was late as such the place was preparing to close up shop for the night.

McKnight nodded to the bartender. "What can I get ya?" he inquired of the Vulcan female before him.

"A Large glass of ale please," McKnight answered with a smile.

The bartender blinked, he didn't know Vulcan's could smile. "You new around here?" he inquired.

"I am passing through. I will not be staying in town long." McKnight answered.

"Ahh, another Starfleeter, well so long as you don't cause trouble, well that's fine by me. Your money is as good as anybody's." the man answered with a smile as he proceeded to make her the drink she had requested, before placing it in a large tankard glass, then he placed it before her, the drink landing with a clunk onto the table. McKnight lifted it and drained half of it in one full. "Mmm. Thank you." she then nodded to the barkeeper who nodded back. "You seem like someone with a story to tell." the barkeep mentioned to her.

"There isn't much to tell," McKnight commented evenly. "My husband has recently died and.. I am not sure of how to deal with his passing." and suddenly the story poured forth from her like a shadow crossing the skies and covering the face of the sun, darkening the landscape.

The Barkeeper listened to her tale, nodding once in a while as she talked, about twenty minutes went by as McKnight explained her tale before McKnight suddenly lifted the tankard to her lips before she drained her tankard in one pull. "That ale is good. Could I get another please?"

"Of course. So what happened with Orthos.?" the Barkeeper added.

"He found his way in time, except he had his siblings and children to help him. I only have my children."

"You're also respected by many for your career. One doesn't make it to your rank lightly and especially not by being stupid." the barkeep added. "Besides, I worked with you before I retired from Starfleet."

"Ahh. I didn't know." McKnight answered with a smile. "Starbase Fifty-Four?"

"Yep. I was one of the bases many tactical officers. I thought getting to the rank of Commander was good enough and I was burning out so rather than fight it, I decided to submit my papers and call it a career." he explained.

"You had a fine career, Mackie," McKnight answered as she raised her glass to her lips. "You did well doing what you were assigned in a rough time for the Federation and the base."

"Yeah, well I decided that enough was enough." the barkeep answered. "You did well for yourself though, you have a great deal to hold onto. your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren." as the Vulcan polished off her second ale of the evening before she paid for her two drinks. "I should be going. Thank you, Mackie, for the drinks and your time."

"No worries T'Sara, take care of yourself, you hear?"

"I do and I will." before she rose to her feet and went to reclaim her cloak, she then stepped out into the night and was gone a moment later. She looked left and then right before she began her journey home towards her son's residence.

McKnight wondered what the point of tonight had been but then she suddenly realized that she had wished to lose herself in someone else's bed with herself being seduced by some random stranger. McKnight frowned as she realized suddenly that it would not cure her pain but instead only worsen it as the person was not or would ever be her husband. McKnight moved down the street as she allowed herself to consider the ramifications to herself if she had allowed some man or some woman to 'pick her up' as the humans often said, she had heard Orthos use the statement a few times as he tended to be more liberal with his language then either Daniel or Jennifer. Jessica, Heather, and Iason were all civilians with Jessica and Heather, both being in their thirties.

McKnight had called those two children her last as they were both unplanned but she and James had never called either of her children a mistake and while she had issues keeping up with her many relatives, she was proud to be related to them. McKnight approached her son's residence a few minutes after turning down the side street and she reached his front door without issue.

McKnight opened the door and walked into the house before she closed the door behind her before locking it.