Meet the Parent Part 2: Past and Future

Posted on Fri Nov 10th, 2023 @ 11:17pm by Captain Ryhl th'Zeles & Thrita sh'Qirhess

1,263 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Ten Forward

"What about you, Sir? I'm sure being a Captain you don't have a lot of free time. How did junior officers spend their time back when you were first getting started?" Shan asked. He tried not to blush, as soon as he asked it, he felt it was an awkward question. He tool a breath, and focused on preparing his bagel.

"Nowadays? I haven't been getting out much. I've stopped by a nice event or two. A few dinners. Played a little music." His expression warmed as he looked off in thought. "There used to be a lounge on the Cairo called 'Eight and Away'.. There were a lot of us Andorians on the ship back then. It became sort of a cultural home for us. We'd get together and meet new people. Share news from home. Lots of funny people back then." He looked back to Shanir and Thrita. "It was so long ago.. At least it feels that way."

Thrita nudged Shanir. "He loves talking about the past." She slid the unopened yogurt towards him, worried that he had taken so little food. "Here.. Try this."

"We met your Zhavey there", Ryhl said mentioning the term for an Andorian's mother of the Zhen gender. "She was not originally a member of our assigned bondgroup."

"You never told me that", Thrita said in surprise after chewing a bite of the griddle cake. Its texture was light and fluffier than an Earth pancake.

"You kind of weren't old enough to know." Ryhl had finished cutting his griddle cakes and lifted his fork prepared for the first bite. "I'm glad you found Shanir. I hope you two can meet the others... But its a large world out there. You should know that you two are also not forced to abide by the bond. You can take the time to know each other." Ryhl had spent decades waiting for the day when he had this conversation with his daughter.

Shan looked at Thrita and shrugged a little before speaking. "Thrita and I talked for probably two hours before we knew who each other was, actually. And ironically one of the things we talked about was uncertainty about our bond groups, how we've been avoiding contacting the others because...." Shan paused as he tried to think of the right word. "Well, we didn't know how we would even feel about them. Worried about disappointing our parents if we didn't like who they had chosen for us."

Shanir looked at the Captain. "I guess I never really asked my own parents this, but if we're not expected to abide by the bond, why did you guys and the other parents too. Why did decide to continue the prearrangement practice?" Shan was genuinely curious, especially given what the Captain had just said.

Ryhl finished chewing before speaking, lifting his hand for a moment as if to signal a pending response. "Tradition. Culture. It's a way of ensuring every Andorian has a partner." He looked proudly to Thrita as she ate. "Not everyone is lucky enough to find love on their own."

"But shouldn't it be up to each person to decide who they want to marry for themselves?" Thrita carried an impish smirk, Thalassan antennae moving in a less animated manner than her thavan Ryhl.

"Our people are also a species at risk. A year after our bondgroup split, the population crisis hit Andoria." Ryhl continued to cut the airy cakes as he spoke. "The truth is that we should have gotten back together and..." Thrita quickly shot him a look. "I don't mean to bring up the past. It's just that... If we don't ensure our next generation links up, our entire civilization could be lost."

"It is pretty scary that one incident threatened our entire race so easily," Thrita said as she placed the spoon on top of the yogurt and looked to Shanir. Her anxiety rose as she worried about him not eating enough.

Shan listened to the Captain thoughtfully. The population crisis was talked about a lot in school and at home when he was growing up. It was the reason he had been so hesitant about potentially letting his promised bondgroup members down.

He looked down at the yogurt that Thrita was presenting to him for a second time now. He lifted his eyebrows slightly and smiled at her. "Are you offering me your yogurt?" he finally asked.

"Yes," she said as she matched his smile. "You took so little food." She had asked him to try it, but he must have been distracted by the Captain. Ryhl took the opportunity to take another bite.

Shan tilted his head to left and just a bit forward as he gave her an amused smile. "I'm quite alright, there is more food over there," he said playfully. But he acquiesced and took a bite of the yogurt. Her thoughtfulness touched him. "Thank you. It's quite good."

"I'm glad you like it," she blushed as their eyes met. "I just care. I don't want you to be hungry all day."

"For now, all that matters is that you too are happy", Ryhl said as his laps smacked off his last bite. The tasty food had dissolved his resolve to not chew and speak. He reached for the napkin that had once been wrapped around the silverware and patted his lips. "I can speak with the other parents and see what the others are up to. It might be good for you all to communicate. Anyway, Mister Shanir, What are your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in ten or twenty years?"

Shan froze at the sudden question. He felt a bit of panic at having to answer it, in front of Thrita and the her dad, who happened to be his Captain. He had goals, but he was just an ensign, so many officers had similar goals as his and would never make it through the ranks. He didn't want to seem arrogant or unrealistic.

"Well, Sir," he began, "Career wise I always hoped to make Starfleet a lifelong thing. I do want to move up the ranks, maybe work in some specialized divisions. Chief Operations Officer for Starfleet intelligence has a nice ring to it." He felt heat rising to his face from the admission.

"Intelligence, hmm?" Ryhl's eyes connected deeply with Shanir's. He wondered if Shan had done research on his family. The look that he saw showed the ensign's interest was genuine. "You know. Service with Starfleet Intelligence is a big part of our family's tradition. My thi Thov has connections there." Ryhl's brother Thov th'Zeles was a Commodore who progressed through his early officer career as an intelligence officer. Now he served as the Task Group Executive Officer working along the border formerly known as the Neutral Zone.

"I didn't know that," Shan swallowed the urge to say 'Sir' or 'Captain'. "I'd love to hear more about it. What you can share anyway."

Thrita scooted closer to Shanir, sending an intriguing glance in his direction. "And what about your family?" There was a playful quality to her voice. "How do you see life with a bondgroup playing out?"

Ryhl's eyes went wide. He was grateful that he didn't have to answer a question like that at the moment. He took the chance to take a bite of the pastry, chewing as an escape from any of Thrita's potential follow-up questions.

Captain Ryhl th'Zeles
Commanding Officer
USS Columbia

Ensign Shanir "Shan" Th'kaasnik
Systems Operations
USS Columbia

Thrita sh'Qirhess
USS Columbia

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