[BACKLOG] JL | Adm Hark & Com Ivanova - "Changing Tides"

Posted on Fri May 29th, 2015 @ 2:12am by Admiral Alexander Hark & Admiral Rochelle Ivanova

2,937 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Agua Mala

=/\= Library, USS VINDICATOR =/\=

With time, things had been progressing, the Illustrious was preparing for it's trip back to Earth, a few rotations on the staff and supplies had given Xander time to seek out the new joy in his life, his daughter, who reminded him so much of the woman he had loved so fiercely, who had never betrayed him despite what he had thought for all these years.

His stride took him into the center of the room and his gaze sought out the flame red locks that indicated her presence, he was determined to seek her out before he left.

Theta seemed to draw power from Admiral Red in ways that Rochelle never dreamed a station could. People walked in enjoyment and freedom rather than in fear and the lawlessness that had once plagued this corner of the universe. It had brought the Commodore a sense of wonder and hope for the future, if something as grim as the nearly forgotten station could be brought back to life then so could the rest of the Federation as it woke from war's miserable aftermath.

Looking up from where she sat, Rochelle couldn't help but notice her father's presence seemingly consuming the library. "Something I can help you with?" She asked, uncurling from the relaxed depths of her seat and setting down the PADD she'd been working on.


"I just wanted to spend some time with you before the Illustrious set out back to Earth, it might be a long time before I get the chance again." Xander replied as he took a few more steps towards her and selected a seat, taking it carefully he leant forward with his elbows on his knees.

In return she offered him a quiet smile, "I can appreciate that."

Rochelle studied him for a short while, admiring the lines of his time and stress worn face and the way his emotions fluttered through his eyes as he tested and weighed them for merit. In the light of the ship's grand library she wasn't able to find the savage that so many people spoke of, she only found the man so many had never and would never be able to appreciate for the soul deep creature of warmth that he truly was. Or maybe, she figured, that was a side reserved only for his family. Her. "I'm sorry that this is so strange for both of us," She started, leaning her weight into plush surface of the chair arm closest to him, "But I want you to know that I'm proud to be able to call you dad."

"Neither of us had a reason to know or to suspect that what we believed beforehand was anything other than the truth, your mother was... adept at keeping everything close to her chest and Blyx, the stubborn woman that she is, only decided to share the knowledge when she felt you'd need my help." Xander replied as he leant over and placed one of his hands on top of hers, "I've always been proud of you, Rochelle, I've always tried to guide you, from a distance, on the path that your mother would have approved of."

Her small smile grew in response, "If you want to get right down to it, you've always been a terrific father. You did more for me than Marcus ever did and you did it in spite of being hurt and in spite of me being a difficult charge to work with." The redhead chuckled lightly, her teeth capturing her lower lip in chagrin of the wild stupidity that had come with her youth. Her idea of rebellion, while relatively harmless when compared to others, had made for trying and interesting times for anyone and everyone involved.

"There were a few times when you needed to get... creative," the Admiral replied with a grin as he locked eyes with his daughter and chuckled, "There were also times when we needed to get a bit more creative with guiding you but it seemed to work, you always seemed to find the right path eventually."

"Creative is a good word for it." She agreed with a nod that quickly dissolved into a sheepish shake of her head, "Sometimes I wonder how the Hell it was that I managed to survive. Even early on with Starfleet, I managed charge headlong into things without thinking. Without Commodore Levine, I highly doubt that I'd be here today. She taught me temperance and patience and you must have been beating your head against the table with some of the reports that came through." Hiding her face, Rochelle groaned before peeking back out, "I always admired you, for what it's worth. Knowing that it was between you and Malone after the war... I'd hoped it would be you."

"It was always going to be me, especially after how things ended," Xander replied with a slight smile as he regarded the sheepish look on her face and wished he had been around more to see it in person when she was younger, "Malone couldn't deal with the bureaucrats in the Council anymore, he refused to work under a system where the head of Stafleet had to answer to the Civilian Body instead of directly to the President." he added as he released her hand and leant back in the chair, "For what it's worth, given my new found reputation after the Klingon Civil War, I was worried that they might not see me as a worthy candidate, the brute, the savage, more Klingon than Human," it all rolled off his tongue as he spoke, laughter no more than a second after it, "I have to admit that I have picked up a few things, but I like to think that the Chancellor was already on his way to being one of us than me becoming one of them."

"Malone..." Rochelle sighed, shaking her head after uttering the name, "He's a lot of things. Made for the seat you're sitting in isn't one of them. I've had my run ins with him." She shrugged, moving her hand to be able to grip his as silence fell over them for a short while. "You're not a savage." The little firebird finally said, squeezing his fingers, "You're just smart enough and strong enough to be considered a threat even to the Klingons. People envy you for that and those that envy will do what they can to paint you black... But this isn't about the election or politics. Today is about us and new beginnings." Her thumb stoked along his skin, "There's so much I want to show you and share, just don't know where to start."

A look of careful thought fell over Xander as he considered the situation, he ran a few different things through his head before settling on one, "Well, I know your professional life pretty well, given that I'm your boss, but what I don't know as much about is your personal life, your life before your mother disappeared, stuff like that."

"Life before mom disappeared was relatively unremarkable. She did what she could to make sure I had what I needed and spent as much time on Earth as possible. Nothing really stands out as exceptional or upsetting... It was... Cozy. Tough not having an active father figure, but cozy." Memories were usually designed to fade, cast away into the ether or stolen time, but Rochelle remembered the last time she saw her mother with perfect clarity. "The day she left... She'd promised it was just going to be a quick deployment, a small shake down of her ship's new systems and no family was allowed aboard. In hindsight, I guess I understand why... They probably knew there was a chance that they weren't coming back." Her smile was tainted by sadness as she spoke. "Past that... You know most of it, and I'm sure you've heard more than your fair share of rumors concerning my personal life." She huffed wryly, rolling her eyes as she did. If rumors were to be believed, she'd slept with a good percentage of Starfleet's big wigs up to and including the man sitting beside her. It was absurd.

"I've also learnt that rumours are just that," Xander replied with a light chuckle as he cupped her hand in his and returned the stroking motion with his thumb on the back of her hand, "I'm sure wherever she is, she's proud of what you've done and who you've become," he added with a soft smile.

"Most are." Rochelle agreed, studying the size difference between their hands. "I've made my fair share of mistakes." Her lips pursed for a moment as she drew her thumb in a small circle, "Done things I shouldn't have and haven't done things I should have." She shrugged briefly, finally looking up to her father's face. "And I should probably be the one to tell you that I'm getting married."

"Getting married?" Xander asked as he cocked an eyebrow at the news that she had just laid before him, "I'd heard rumours of a relationship, but I'm surprised the Cardassian had it in him to propose, unless it was you who put it forward?"

"Oh..." The little redhead practically choked and shook her head, "No... Commander Dahe'el and I aren't..." She allowed her words to trail off as she quickly thought of a way to explain herself as best as she possibly could. "Captain Neyes has proposed... I've accepted."

"You mean the Trill who the symbiosis commission has listed as a wanted man?" the Admiral questioned as he withdrew his hand from her and looked her over very carefully, "I'm going to have a very hard time accepting this and an even harder time trying to explain things to the Trill."

Without her father's hand covering hers, the chill instantly overtook her skin and left her isolated and alone to defend her choices. Somehow she'd known he wasn't simply going to accept Landon without convincing, the entire Universe had been turned upside down over his return and the cloned symbiont his brother carried. "My sources tell me that he's no longer on their radar for some reason..." Was the route she chose to take, honestly replying to him as best she could and testing the waters further.

"And what of your rumoured relationship with the Cardassian? Given his reaction when it was revealed your bonding mark had moved and you were hiding it, I had assumed that meant there was something between the two of you, something to hurt, apparently he's only been barely more than a ghost since." Xander replied, his head cocked slightly as he drilled over the outcomes of what would happen should everything transpire.

"Rumors are just that, dad..." Rochelle replied with an expression most somber, "We spoke. Realized there'd been poor communication and perception of what the other wanted and was expecting..." She shrugged, her lips becoming a thin line as she more of less seemed to fall into the safe role of nonchalance. "Almar is a good man, and the finest Engineer anyone could ever ask for. But... When you put two people who are completely horrible at being social into a situation like that it's bound to end up pear shaped... And it did. After we thought Landon was dead I was a lost soul for awhile. The fact I loved and mourned for him wasn't exactly a secret, especially not when it came to Almar knowing about it."

"Well, I'm sure you know your own mind, as long as you're going to be happy, I'm happy." Xander replied as he softened again and regarded the look on her face, "Has anything been planned yet?"

"Nothing yet." Relaxing, the redhead replied. "I know I want you there and the role I want you to fill."

"The traditional role of the father?" the Admiral asked as he leant back into the chair and let the image fill his mind.

Tilting her head to follow him with her eyes, Rochelle nodded, "That would be the one." She affirmed, allowing her lips to tug into a small, shy sort of smile.

"You're going to make my poor aides shine up my dress whites for such a special occasion?" the older man asked with a slight wink and a chuckle, "They're going to have to make sure everything is in top shape, I'm not turning up to my daughter's wedding in anything less than perfection."

Chuckling, the young Commodore nodded almost emphatically, "Poor them, but they're just going to have to deal with it." She grinned proudly, happy at least one thing was seemingly going in her favor.

Nodding slightly, the greying Admiral allowed himself to bask in the feeling of being a proud father. It was a new feeling and one that he hoped he'd have the chance to feel for many more years in his attempts to make up for the times he hadn't been around, "Dare I ask who the Maid of Honour is?"

"Amelia Waterhouse, no less." Rochelle replied with the wryest and most amused grins.

"I'll have security on hand to drag you out of whatever holding cell you end up in shall I?" Xander asked with a light chuckle, knowing the reputation the Waterhouse family had throughout the fleet.

Rochelle shifted uneasily in her chair and leaned in closer to her father, "I fully intend on escaping that hen night. Not my style." She nodded as if to reassure the amused Admiral.

"You know for a fact that you won't be able to, she and her brother will find a way to kidnap you out from under the noses of Starfleet's finest just for this once in a lifetime occasion." Xander replied with a cocked eyebrow.

"Once in a lifetime that isn't my style is still something that isn't my style." She defended her choice with a knowing nod of her head, "I don't get my giddies by drinking and acting a fool, bar brawling, and whatever else it is that's customary for a bachelorette party." Rochelle's scoff was only punctuated by a dismissive wave of her hand.

"I wouldn't know, only ever planned to marry one woman and... we both know how that ended," Xander replied as the smile faded for a few moments, "And since then I've had no time, had a career to build, friends to make and a fleet to run."

"I'm sorry..." Rochelle offered, realizing that he had nothing to be sorry for other than the actions of her mother. "You deserved better that what you got, but..." She sighed, sitting back in her seat, "Maybe she was right. Maybe you wouldn't be where you are now if she hadn't done what she did. Maybe neither one of you would have stayed with Starfleeet." She shrugged, "Everything we know could have been much different. Spooky thought."

"If things had gone differently then I doubt we'd be sitting here discussing your marriage," Xander replied with a light chuckle as he fell back into his mind for a moment, deep inside he wished he could find out how things would have gone, "Perhaps you might have chosen a different path within Starfleet."

"If I'd chosen Starfleet at all." She mused, shifting her weight in her seat. "There are entirely way too many what ifs to think about. While the situation was crappy at best, I like to think that the result makes it worthwhile and we shouldn't be looking a gift horse in the mouth, you know?"

"Things have worked out quite well, for everything that has happened," Hark replied with a slight smile.

All Rochelle could do was nod in agreement. "That it has." certainly things weren't ideal, little ever was. What made it all worthwhile is the fact that things seemed to be coming together and falling into some copacetic form of reality that was primed for allowing life to proceed with a splash of happiness and comfort added for flavor in an otherwise relatively uncertain pallet.

"Well, I think we should consider parting ways, I'm sure you have endless amounts of paperwork to submit about the latest mission, which I expect to see cross my desk eventually," Xander replied as he stood from his perch and smiled down at his daughter, "You have things to plan too."

"I do on both counts." She grinned, "Vindicator is set to depart here quite shortly. It's a shame you aren't coming along with us to meet with the Stenellian Ascendancy, but I suppose we can't give up all of our tricks at once." Rochelle stretched languidly as she got to her feet as if shedding the laziness that came along with spending any time at rest.

"I'm needed back on Earth to sign paperwork and shake hands, I've neglected my description for too long now," Xander replied with a slight chuckle.

Rochelle nodded in perfect understanding, "then I'll leave you to it and be sure to report in regarding the Ascendancy as soon as I have news."

"We'll have to find time together again the next time you're in the sector, I have a great little lodge that is great for getting away from people, although there will be security present." He replied quickly as he headed towards the door with a quickening pace.

"Will do!" She called off after her father, folding her fingers together in front of her. Goodbyes, she thought, were always awkward. Especially now that family were involved.

---

Commodore Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR, NCC 78213-E

&

Admiral Alexander 'Xander' Hark
Commander in Chief
Starfleet Command

 

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