Stargazing

Posted on Wed Jul 26th, 2023 @ 5:44pm by Lieutenant Sava
Edited on on Sat Jul 29th, 2023 @ 11:57am

1,699 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Ten-Forward
Timeline: MD6, 2200 hours

Kas sat in Ten-Forward looking out at the stars sipping on some awful synthale deep in his own thoughts. Keena was in bed and he was savoring what little down he had. Having custody of his daughter had caused him to think about his own upbringing, it had been far from easy. He wondered how this upcoming mission would go.

The doors to the lounge hissed open. Through them stepped a lean, muscular Kelpien woman in sporting attire and a towel around her neck; clearly she'd just come off the gym or at least some kind of training program. She wandered up to the bar counter and ordered some kind of neon greenish liquid in a glass, which she sipped from as she settled down three seats away from him, gazing at the stars. Perhaps she missed home. After all, Kaminar was light years upon light years away.

Kas looked toward the newcomer and smiled, "Which star does your home orbit?"

Kas pushed one of his rope braids back over his should as he spoke, it was important to get to know the crew of his new vessel.

Bajoran and Klingon. That was what Sava guessed of this highly unusual man's heritage. She would've never imagined seeing someone with so many ridges in her life, but here they were. She had to say, she'd never quite been a big fan of the way Klingon noses looked. Bajoran ridges improved upon the look somewhat in her opinion. "Peolotas Prime. Kaminar is my home." She then cocked her head, seeming a little bit puzzled. "People usually ask me which planet I'm from, rather than which star my home orbits, however. Is there a reason why you're asking about that, exactly?"

"I'm Quath’Mar, my people live in space. We believe life comes from the stars." Kas explained. "So we think in those terms."

Sava looked quizzically at the newcomer. He'd just mentioned a term she had never heard until today. That in itself was fascinating to hear. Picking up her drink she shifted herself to the seat across from the stranger's; he seemed friendly enough anyway and she had no desire to shout across her table to talk to this suddenly far more fascinating stranger.

"Quath'mar. I'm afraid I've never heard the term." She said. "Please, do elaborate! I would like to hear more."

"The Quath’Mar are a group of spacefaring nomads, we are not defined by species or planet. We make our living in space, we've been voyaging our centuries." Kas explained, "I was born on one of those vessels. Space is my home."

"In essence, you came from Starfleet, before Starfleet was conceptualized in the mind of Captain Jonathan Archer." The Kelpien said with a grin. "Fascinating! I would like to meet the rest of your fellows someday - is the name itself Klingon? It sounds Klingon to me,"

"We share our star maps with the Federation," Kas smiled. "I wouldn't be surprised if we run into my people at some point, they've been voyaging further in the years since the war. As for our name sounding Klingon; the Klingons certainly think so, but our exact origins are unknown."

"Perhaps one day we shall find out - well, we as in either us, or your people. Or perhaps both. The possibilities are endless." The Kelpien suggested, a gleam in her large blue eyes. It was nice to think that one day the Columbia might one day run into a group of nomads as diverse as them on their own quest through the stars; she could only imagine the stories that both sides could exchange. What a day it'd be,

"Well, tell me about you, friend. Starting with your name. My name is Sava."

"I am Razka Kas, of the clan of Yo'uhee and the vessel Yangteeze" Kas said with pride. "Razka is my surname, Kas is my given. Off duty I am Kas"

Kas rarely used his proper Quath'Mar name when interacting with Starfleet people, however, the woman seemed to be interested in his heritage.

"Well, Kas. Now that we're properly acquainted, why don't you share with me a little more about yourself? What you like to do for fun, your family, anything you feel comfortable with saying for a first introduction." Sava grinned and rested her head on her hands as she leaned across the table towards him. Slightly, of course. "I'll do the same. It's only fair."

Kas paused for a moment before speaking, "I spent most of my year's leave with my mother and my people, my mother is the Chieftain of the Yo'uhee clan now. I met my daughter for the first time, I brought her with me. Some say the Federation got the idea to bring families on their ships from my people. I like to think that's true."

"Daughter? Oh, that's wonderful. How is your wife?" His daughter had to be a hybrid, somehow. Sava could only imagine what she might look like.

"My daughter's mother returned to the stars a few years ago," Kas explained in a neutral tone. "I wasn't aware I had a daughter until the Yangteeze returned from the Gamma Quadrant."

Kas looked out at the stars, he didn't know why he was telling this stranger so much. Maybe his daughter's 'silent treatment' was having more of an effect on him than he thought.

'Returned to the stars' told Sava quite enough about what'd happened to this poor man's wife. What she'd died from and when, she dared not ask, at least, not right now. The Kelpien offered Kas a sympathetic smile and a squeeze of his shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear that. And your daughter? How is she?" Good, she hoped. After all this while surely she must've wanted to reconnect with her father... right? Right??

Kas smiled revealing his pearly white teeth, he likes to do this remarkable woman's beautiful blue eyes.

"Things went well first," Kas sighed. "Until I told Keena we were coming here, she made her disapproval known with silence. She's spoken to others but not to me. That little girl has her father's pride and her mother's stubborn streak."

He nodded to the window and looked at the stars, "There's a beautiful Bajoran chieftain out there somewhere, laughing at my feeble attempts to raise our daughter. I will learn and I'm sure Keena will speak to me eventually. "

"Perhaps she simply prefers the comforts of home. Mobile home, that is. That, combined with a little bit of bitterness at how her father hasn't been with her for most of her life, I think. Perhaps an apology and a promise to do better and start anew might be in order to get things off on the right foot." Sava suggested. "Though I'm not a parent, not yet at least. I don't really know the first thing about raising children." She shrugged her slender, toned shoulders.

"My father left when I was five," Kas said. "I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm trying, which is more than I can say for him."

He smiled, "Enough about me Sava what brought you to this assignment?"

Sava had had a complete, loving family growing up that doted on her and cared for every aspect of her life. It was for that reason that she felt a pang of sadness upon hearing that Kas' father had abandoned him so young. No child should ever have had to experience that, no matter how young.

"It's an Odyssey class ship! Who wouldn't want to be on one? Biggest ship in the fleet, with the most number of amenities and space than quite literally everywhere! I can stretch my legs now at least! Where I last was, I had to sleep in a broom closet, almost." Sava snorted. "Simply outrageous! What about you, what brings you here, Kas?"

"I am an explorer at heart," Kas said. "We're heading for the edge of known space. The Columbia has wonderful civilization amenities, I can work and my daughter can grow up in a safe environment."

"I can definitely agree on that! I could raise an entire family on board!" Sava agreed with a big smile. "Though it'll probably be a while before I actually do decide to have my own family. I'd like to start small - though I'm sure my views might change along the way. First, find someone suitable..."

"You have plenty of options," Kas said with a smile.

"Well, I've dated many people, of many different species and genders. I have to say it's quite interesting, getting to know someone and the intricacies that make them up." The Kelpien said with a warm smile. "And I have to say I'm raring to know more about you. Where've you been? Who've you met along the way? What've you found? So many questions we can't possibly fit into just one talk, don't you agree?"

"I do," Kas smiled and he paused. He wasn't sure what to say; he found this woman attractive. He knew little of the species or culture, however, she seemed to be flirting with him. He raised an eyebrow.

"I look forward to getting to know my new crewmates, to me crew and family are one in the same. I'm not in the market for a mate at the moment." Kas smiled. "It's nice to meet a person with such an adventurous palate, I find that a rare quilty away from my people."

"Well, I do consider myself quite adventurous." The Kelpien quipped cheerfully. "Which is why I'm here. Life only becomes fun when you explore what it has to offer does it not?"

"I look forward to sharing some adventures with you," Kas said with a smile.

"As do I." Sava said with a smile. Her drink was finished by now; she returned the glass and stood to leave, stretching her toned, slender limbs. "I think I'll head out for the night. See you again, Kas? Reach me on my PADD if you ever want my company, hm?"

"I will," Kas said simply. "I good to meet the kindred spirit."

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