Post 429: Duckling No More

Stardate:70802.2100
Title: Duckling No More
Author: February Grace
Scene: Seven
Time: After "Lady in Red"
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Every time February managed to get Dabin Reece alone for a moment, they were interrupted. Friends wanting to 'cut in' on their dances (Bru thought that of the two dances she'd observed, that Lair had let Reece off the hook a lot more easily than T'Ana had). Others joining them at their table. She just couldn't keep Dabin to herself, it seemed.

But really, she didn't mind. She felt incredibly lucky that they both had such good friends supporting them, each in their own way.

Especially friends as close and dear to her as Lily.

She was so glad that Lily had liked her gift, and Bru smiled as she watched her friend and Angus dancing now.

It was so rare that Starfleet personnel had the opportunity to have a party like this aboard ship, with people really being able to relax and enjoy themselves, and February thought that the Captain had been right in thinking that they all needed this night more than they knew.

She had looked all over the ship for the last person she had a gift to deliver to. So she was surprised now when she looked up and saw him standing in the doorway, with a backpack over his shoulder.

He moved to the bar, slumped down onto a stool and, like a sad little spotted hobo carrying his bindle, looked like he didn't think he had a friend in the universe.

"Rigin!" February said, hugging his shoulders from behind. "I've been looking all over for you, dear! Where have you been hiding?"

"I've been doing some research," he said sadly, as Bru slid onto, and almost off of the bar stool next to him due to the unaccustomed silkiness of her attire. With quick reflexes, Rigin grabbed her arm and stopped the motion of her body before she fell to the floor.

"Whew. Thanks. I guess I'm still me underneath all of this, after all." February said, alluding to her inner-klutz. "The ugly duckling didn't quite make it to swan. But she did make it to adult duck and I guess that's pretty cool."

"February," Rigin said, pursing his lips disapprovingly. "You were never ugly."

"So you said you were doing some research," February said changing the subject back, even as she caught Reece's eye across the room where he stood talking with Ashlyn Trind. Trind also seemed to be reading the poor man the riot act. He just shook his head a little, and winked at February. He was holding his own just fine.

"Yes. Unfortunately I'm finding that there isn't much of a call on other worlds for the skill set that I currently have." He ordered a drink, took a sip, made a face at the strength of the beverage and then turned back to her. "So I don't know where to begin, really. But I'll find my way."

February felt horrible, knowing that if not for her that Rigin would be back on Trill now, tending his beloved symbiont pools, without a care in the world. She lowered her eyes.

"I am so sorry about everything, Rigin. I wish that I could fix things for you, that you weren't going to suffer because of me."

"I did what I was trained to do, I saved the symbiont at all costs. This time I got to save the host too. I don't regret it, February. Please know that. I wouldn't go back and do anything differently."

"What would you do. . .if you didn't have any worries at all? If you were, I don't know, somehow taken care of."

"What do you mean, 'taken care of'?"

"I mean. . .if you were set for life. Monetarily."

"It's silly," he said, but she pressed.

"No, it's not. Tell me."

"I supposed I'd sight see. I've never been off world before, and barely out of the symbiont caves while I was on Trill." he said. "I'd start with Earth, and work my way through the quadrant. Then when I'd seen all I wanted to see, I'd figure out where I wanted to settle down and build my life."

"Would this help?" she said, and she took a small card out of her purse and handed it to him.

"What is it?"

"It's a credit pass. It gives you access to a numbered bank account on Feringinar. The balance last time I checked was something like," her eyes rolled toward the ceiling as she thought. "seven million bars of gold pressed latinum. But the interest rate just went up again, so you'd need to do the math."

"I don't understand." Rigin said, looking like he felt a little ill.

"Awhile back, someone contacted me and told me that Deveral had left a bunch of numbered bank accounts on Feringinar to avoid paying Trill taxes on the funds. Since he had no next of kin, the authorities on the planet decided that either I had to take them, or the liquidators would. I don't know what to do with that kind of money, I have no need of it. So I want you to be set, Rigin. For life."

"February, I can't. What if you need,"

"I have plenty left over to see to my old age, should I reach it. Hopefully someday Dabin and I will retire to a lovely beach front home somewhere and live out our golden years there. We will have more than we could ever need. This is something I must do for you, because of all you've done for me." she squeezed his hand gently. "I won't take no for an answer. I've already changed the beneficiary listing for the account to you. There's no going back."

"I'm a. . .millionaire?"

"Several times over."

Rigin passed out cold.

Hearing February's shriek, Dabin Reece, TC Blane and Dr. McKenna came running to her aid. They propped Rigin up against the bar as he lay on the floor.

"He got some unexpected good news and I guess it was just too much for him." Bru exclaimed.

"Want to give him a hypo to bring him around, Doc?" Blane asked McKenna.

"No, that's not necessary. Mr. London, a glass of water please?"

"Oh, no, wait, don't-" Reece tried to spare poor Rigin the same fate he'd already suffered the night before, but McKenna was too quick. He poured it over Rigin's head and the man came around sputtering and shouted.

"Reece!"

"It wasn't me this time, Slim, I swear."

"He'll be all right. Just keep an eye on him and if he feels any worse, we'll take him to Sickbay and check him over." McKenna said, as he prepared to return to his dinner.

"So I take it you told him about the money?" Dabin said, as he indicated it was okay for TC to return to the party too and he and Bru each grabbed Rigin by an arm. They took the small, slight man over to a booth to continue his recovery.

"Yup."

"So, Rigin, you just won the lottery! What are you going to do next?"

"I'm going to see the worlds! Starting with the one just below us!"

"Good choice!" Reece grinned. "Where to?"

"I think I'll start with the famous caves I heard about." Rigin decided.

"Carlsbad Caverns?" February roared. "You're kidding me!"

"No! I've read about them and always wanted to go there."

"He spends his whole life in the symbiont caves," Dabin Reece's shoulders shook as he and February collapsed into slap-happy giggles. "And HE wants to go to Carlsbad Caverns to sight see!"

Rigin had no idea why they would find this amusing in the least.

When their laughter finally abated, February had one small request to make of her friend and former Trill Guardian.

"Do one thing for me, please?"

"Anything," he replied, "You know that."

"Take a million or so bars of that latinum, and put them into another account, anonymously. An account for Jazen Deveral Reece, on Risa. I don't want anyone to know where it came from. Promise me."

Rigin nodded solemnly. "I promise, Bru."

Dabin looked at February and shook his head. That she would be so intent on helping out the son of their previous hosts without ever being found out blew his mind. "Incredible."

"We're getting to live out our dreams," February explained softly, taking hold of Dabin's hand. "Why shouldn't he?"

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Lt. February Grace
Helm/Flight Controller
USS Independence NCC-90791