JL | Adm Hark, Com Ivanova - "What Once Was Lost Now Found"

Posted on Tue Jun 7th, 2016 @ 2:12am by Admiral Alexander Hark & Admiral Rochelle Ivanova

2,874 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Resurgere

Landon had been reluctant to go anywhere, even with Tristan so adamant that they take time to celebrate. Eventually the younger of the two Trill had managed to pry the new father from his roost, giving Rochelle a moment or two to test the waters of motherhood without the crutch of her far more educated other half. At first panic had set in, concern that she'd do something horribly wrong and accidentally hurt the tiny life they'd created. Babies, however, were far more resilient than she gave them credit for. Javaan was all too happy to snooze in the cradle of his mother's protective arms as she wandered their living space, rocking and jiggling him as she went. PADDs remained discarded across her sofa, all but forgotten when the little boy had whimpered from his bouncer - and that was how the cookie crumbled. They'd both survived her handling him, though she still second guessed her every move with the barely day old baby.

Blyx had been the first to stop by, taking only a few moments to coo over the child, stroking his soft auburn baby fluff and complimenting everything from his button nose on down to his little toes. Babies had always been a chink in the savage little woman's armor and Rochelle was slowly but surely starting to understand why. Had she been more astute she'd likely have seen the glitter in the Shrike's eye, seen the gears turning inside her head, caught on to the fact something was cooking. It may have been exhaustion beginning to set in, or the anxiety that came along for the ride in new mothers... Either way, Rochelle remained blissfully unaware that her father's visit was impending or that the Klingon Chancellor himself had decided to play the part of wiseman. Things would have been different if she had. A loose robe and messy ponytail wouldn't have been her choice of ensemble, PADDs would have been put away, dinner at least started. In short, she'd have done her damnedest to appear that she was in some form of control over the situation when in all reality she most definitely was not. The chaos, however, was beautiful and oddly serene - how it was meant to be in those fledgling hours of parenthood when a mother and child began to pick up the pieces of a relationship forged months ago and thrust into the spotlight of codependency. It wasn't something the normally wild-hearted Commodore would have changed for all the Universe's delights combined. Even if the sounding of the door's chime startled her from yet another session of studying the lines of her son's face. "Enter"

The trip to the station had been relatively, peaceful, or as peaceful as it could be when you were being escorted by a thousand Klingon Warriors on the jewel of their fleet, the colossal battleship had slid amongst the Starfleet ships and settled into her berth, the call with Blyx had been one of amusement at the arrivals and the station itself was now alive with laughter, shouting and brawls between warriors. Stepping through the doors when Rochelle had answered caused the sounds to be drowned out, Xander found himself focused and a smile crossing his face, the door closed behind him and his companion, the greying Klingon shared a smile, a toothy grin complimented the array of weapons that he carried with him.

Before Xander could speak a word, Ch'Krang stepped forward and gave a bow to the young Human woman and her child, "Rochelle Ivanova, Daughter of Alexander of the House of Ch'Krang, It is a great honour to bear witness to the continuation of your father's line!" he stated as he rose from the bow and flashed the smile again.

Xander stepped forward with a light chuckle and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, stepping past him and moving to the side of the bed his daughter occupied, "I'm sorry about the Chancellor, he insisted on coming the moment I mentioned having a grandchild."

The sight of her father had instantly brought a smile to Rochelle's tired features, lighting her from within and warming the very cockles of her heart. It tempered slightly, but only just, when the big Klingon bustled past to greet her in their usual brash and boasting manner. Ch'Krang seemed softer than usual, though, perhaps soothed by the presence of the newborn in her arms. She looked from him to her father and back, dipping her head in kind. "Chancellor Ch'Krang, it is you and your love of my father that brings honor to us." Rochelle greeted him, smiling back and motioning to the rocking chair Tristan had insisted they'd need, "Make yourself at home."

It was her father that drew her attention next as he set to light beside her, "You don't have to apologize for him," Rochelle chuckled softly, adjusting her hold on Javaan to be able to touch the back of her father's hand, "He, like you, is always welcome. I'm sure Blyx is laughing it up with his men much to the chagrin of her yeoman and security detail."

Fading into the background slightly, Ch'Krang took the offered seat and made himself comfortable, his heavy robes being discarded to a heap on the floor next to the chair, on top were placed his weapons and sash. "Blyx is certainly enjoying playing the host to a thousand celebrating Klingons." Xander replied softly as he lifted his hand and took Rochelle's in his, "If I do not apologize for Ch'Krang, then I must apologize for being late, I should have been here sooner."

Smiling brightly, Rochelle linked her fingers with those of her father's, squeezing his hand gently. "That's the privilege of being a grand parent, you miss the hard work and get all the fun and games." She chuckled with a wink, lifting the man's hand to kiss the back of it, "You got here when you could, that's all I could ever ask for and then you brought the bonus of Klingon merriment to the station. It's the gift that keeps on giving."

"I never thought that he would come personally when I asked for help getting here," Xander replied with a smile as he returned the squeeze of the hand, "I'm glad he did though, he made the trip so much more enjoyable than being sat in the ambassadorial quarters on a Federation ship or being cramped into a shuttle, I've come to enjoy spending time on Klingon ships and the hard bunks seem to do wonders for my back."

"Well..." Rochelle grinned and cast a smile towards Ch'Krang, "I'm extremely thankful that you decided to be the one to play chaperon to my father. Tells me that even though he's retired on paper, he's hardly gone from this edge of things." She chuckled lightly, shaking her head. She'd never been fond of Klingons, always having found their loud and boisterous ways to be grating at best. Ch'Krang, however, had been of service to the Federation... To Vindicator, and now to her father in more ways that she could even begin to count. The Chancellor was family by proxy and family transcended race and species, even time. Javaan sighed softly, stirring in her arms and drawing her attention to his delicately spotted face - a casual reminder of the validity of her thoughts. "Dad... You want to hold your grandson?" She asked Xander, looking back at the aging Admiral with quiet eyes. It was the ultimate moment of her acceptance of him as more than just a face and name, more than just half of the DNA sequence that was uniquely hers.

A tear formed in the corner of Xander's eye and a lump in the base of his throat as he watched the baby stirring in his daughter's arms, "I'd love to." he croaked in reply, his voice cracking with emotion.

Rochelle couldn't help but smile and carefully maneuvered the boy to where he could be easily picked up by his grandfather.

It was a moment that no one could have prepared him for, Xander had missed everything to do with the early years of his daughters life, he had gone through the last couple of decades believing that he would never be a father until Blyx had thrown his emotions into a blender and revealed the true identity of Rochelle's heritage. Leaning down to take Javaan from Rochelle, the greying former Admiral cradled him in his arms delicately and moved to sit in another chair that was beside the bed, "He's beautiful." was all he could muster to say in this moment.

"Strong too." His daughter hummed softly, proud and warm as anything as she observed her father handling the baby. It was hard to believe that a man capable of earning Klingon accolades could ever be so tender and warm, cradling the newborn as if he were terrified the little boy would shatter into a million pieces if he so much as breathed on him wrong, "Landon and I are convinced he'll be Captain of his own ship in no time flat. He's so interested in absolutely everything going on around him when he's awake, never misses a thing."

"If he turns out anything like you, I can certainly see that happening." Xander replied as he lifted his free hand and placed a finger in the palm of his grandson, Javaan grasped the finger with all his strength and it forced a tear to roll down the face of the greying man.

"He'll be a mighty warrior, when the time comes." Ch'Krang stated as he stood from the chair he had been offered and pulled the leather clad package from his robe on the floor, "I presented these to your father on our trip here, they have been a part of our family for a long time and carry with them the honour of the house of Ch'Krang, I want your son to wield them when he is old enough." he added as he bought the gift to Rochelle.

The little redhead had drawn breath to reply to her father, deeply touched by the intensity of his emotional display, when Ch'Krang's movement and the sound of his voice stymied that response. "Chancellor..." She started, her head canting to one side as she studied the Klingon and the package he presented her with. The leather was old, worn to the point of being butter soft, and molded around the twin Mek'Leth blades tucked and bound beneath. She knew at once what they were, what they represented, and knew that while holding the Javaan would be forever tied to the Klingons, to the house of Ch'Krang, to Jaktor, to so many legends. He was protected. Loved. Tr'Bak would never escape alive if he tried to harm a single hair on the spotted boy's head, "The fact that you honor my son with such a gift deeply touches me. He will wield them when the time comes. I'm sure my father can teach him how to handle them correctly." The woman beamed, resting the package in her lap and reached to take the Chancellor's hands in hers, her slender fingers standing out boldly against the dark, rough skin of the Klingon's as she gripped them, "Thank you. For everything you've done for my father and for the Vindicator."

"The honour is mine, Rochelle." Ch'Krang replied as he held her hands and smiled a toothy grin at her and Javaan in his grandfathers arms, "Your father proved his worth when he fought beside me in our Civil War and then again when we fought together against enemies of the Federation, I took him into his house for the strength and integrity that he showed and that I know flows through your veins too." he added as he released her hands and gathered up his robes, "For now, I will leave you to your rest and to spend time with your father, I will ask that my men leave you in peace, however they will wish to congratulate Xander the Grandfather, it is not often that a warrior lives to see such a thing."

"I promise not to keep him long. We'll join the celebrations just as soon as I'm sure I won't be more of a hindrance. I owe your crew that at the very least, Chancellor," Rochelle's smile only seemed broaden. For as much as she seemed indifferent towards the unruliness of Klingon culture, she respected they're zeal and tenacity. Warriors, bent on the protection and honor of their people; it could be seen as admirable even if they're ideas of merriment widely included drunken attempts at braining one another whereas the stalwart little Commodore preferred to celebrate in the quiet warmth of private civilized engagements, "The Vindicator will always be available to aid in your endeavors. You have my word as her Captain and as my father's daughter."

"And the Empire will always answer any call for aid you require," Ch'Krang responded, his robes flowing as he swung them around and onto his shoulders, he fixed them into place with his badges and reattached his weapons that had been handed to him by one of his guards, "Until we meet again," he added with a respectful bow of the head before launching himself out of the door.

With a tilt of her head and a pleasant smile, Rochelle watched the big Klingon disappear back into the bowels of Cold Station Theta. The bar keeps would have their work cut out for them for as long as the Klingons remained - and knowing her aunt, they'd be there for awhile. "She talks about you a lot, you know..." Rochelle finally killed the silence, "Blyx, that is. Just thought you should know." Her eyes casually made their way back to the man cuddling her son, her fingers idly toying with the leather in her lap.

With his grandson in his arms, Xander felt like he was floating on air, it was an alien feeling similar to something that he had not felt in a very long time, it was eerily familiar despite never having been in this situation before, "Blyx... spends a lot of time occupying my mind too, as do you." the greying man replied, unable to keep the smile from infecting every muscle in his face, "There comes a time in every mans life when he is forced to look again at the people he has in his life and reevaluate what they mean to him, that moment for me came when it was made clear that my services were no longer required, despite leading Starfleet to victory in our latest battle."

"They made a mistake letting you go." Rochelle sniffed in response, "but enough about that. You deserve to be happy. Spend your time here well and maybe consider using Theta as your home base for whatever it is you're going to be doing now. Second leases on life and situations don't come often, trust me. I know, and that's all I'm going to say on the matter."

"I still have no idea what my next move is going to be." Xander replied with a slight sigh as he allowed his grandson to play with his hand, tugging on the fingers with his tiny grip, "I never spent much time thinking about a career outside of Starfleet, I always thought that I'd leave Starfleet in a body bag or by way of the senility of old age."

"Play liaison to the Klingons for a bit. They love and embrace you and this part of space could use that stability as everyone and their mother pushes to expand." His daughter shrugged, gesturing vaguely to encompass the vast black void Admiral Red held in her palms and the Vindicator had only just begun to touch. "The Stenellis shouldn't be taken lightly. The Klingons would do well to either make friends or give them a wide berth. You're in a position to broker that without being tied to Starfleet."

"Ch'Krang mentioned a race they encountered recently too, peaceful enough, seem to be non-biological but sentient." Xander replied with a smile as he shifted his grandson to the other arm carefully, cradling him in the crook of his elbow, "Contact with them may prove to be quite interesting, the Chancellor has asked for my help in brokering peace with them."

"See? You have a place and a task. Use Theta as your base, let Blyx take care the details," Rochelle paused ever so briefly, "and of you." She added most demurely.

"I think I might have to take your advice on that," Xander replied with a light chuckle, he was careful to limit the movement in his chest so he wouldn't disturb Javaan.

"Good. It'll be good for you, both of you." She nodded squarely, watching her son press in closer to the security and warmth afforded to him by his grandfather, "you'll thank me for the suggestion later, I'm sure."

----

Former Admiral Alexander 'Xander' Hark
Former Commander in Chief, Starfleet
NPC apb Mike

Ch'Krang
Chancellor of the Klingon Empire
Head of the House of Ch'Krang
NPC apb Mike

Commodore Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR, NX 78213-F

 

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