Post 479: Mothers and Daughters Part Two

Stardate: 71008.1500
Title: Mothers and Daughters Part Two
Author: Lt. Commander Lair Kellyn
Scene: Camps beneath the surface of Yensul V
Time: Following Part One
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"But your people were successful? You got your home back?"

"We did. We are still recovering and millions did not live to see the liberation of Bajor. But the Cardassians failed. They didn't exterminate us, or break our spirit," she whispered defiantly. "We just kept on going no matter what."

"Your people must be very strong." Maffe replied with astonishment. "That is what I have tried to do, just keep going."

She felt unable to eat another bite, and handed the rest of her food to an old woman who sat a few feet away, staring blankly into the fire. "Elder matron, please. Eat." She turned back to Kellyn. "There must be many widows and orphans on your planet."

"Many. In fact," Kellyn shook her head. "The current Captain of the Independence, Zanh Liis, is one such war orphan. Our ship's spiritual advisor, Vedek Jariel, also."

"And your family?"

Kellyn's expression turned bitter. "My parents are still alive, but I do not see them. The violence cost us dearly. We never found a way to repair the damage it did to our family." She thought of her younger sister Andra, dead at the age of seven in a resistance bombing gone wrong. "Our personal losses were great."

Maffe nodded. Kellyn continued. "One of the most amazing women I have ever known is a widow. Her name is Therna. She has been a widow longer than I have been alive," Kellyn shifted position closer to the fire. "She had two young children to raise after her husband died suddenly, but she never wanted pity from anyone. She just went to work. She supported them, raised them to be successful people, and she never gave up. She made a new life herself standing on her own two feet."

Kellyn's voice reflected her fondness for this woman. "She contributed so much to the world around her and the lives of all who knew her. I always admired her courage." She noticed that several of the older women around the fire were also listening to her now as she spoke.

"Therna proved to me that women are strong on their own and don't need a man to survive. There have been many times in my life when I have drawn on her words to me as well as her wordless actions. Gathered strength from them. I still do."

"My mother was only ten and two when she was married, and I was born that same season. Three seasons later my father fell ill with fever and died. She was his first wife, so when she and I were sent here, there were no others with us." Maffe recalled. "She was determined not to give up. To somehow get us out of here so we could have a better life. She was named Andara by the elder matron who had led the camps previously. She led us herself until two seasons ago when she took ill, and that was when she asked me to carry on in her place as leader."

Kellyn choked back the revulsion she felt realizing that Maffe's mother had still been a child herself when she'd been married off by the Yensuli. She reserved comment on that issue and spoke instead of Maffe's mother's later decision. "I'd say she chose wisely."

Again, Maffe shrugged modestly. "I deserve no praise for doing what is right. I just want to get us off of this condemned planet, but there has been no way. Until now."

Her eyes locked on Kellyn's and burned with new determination. "Now that you are here, I am forced to ask the question outright, Lair Kellyn. Will you help me get these women and children to safety?"

"If it is within our power, Tybelle," Kellyn promised, "We will do all that we can to help you. First we have to contact our ship, let them know where we are. One step at at time."

"I am sorry if I am overly anxious. Of course, one step at a time." Maffe relented and let the matter go for now. "When we were still on your ship, you said that you were a mother yourself. Do you have many children?"

"Only one," Kellyn bit her lip. "A daughter. She is nearly eight."

Tybelle considered this information, factoring in that Salvek and Kellyn, even though they were married, were obviously from different worlds. "But Salvek is not Bajoran,"

"Oh, no, he most certainly is not." Kellyn laughed for the first time since they had come out of trans warp and crash landed here. "Salvek's people are called Vulcan. They prize logical thinking above all and they work to suppress their emotions to attain higher logic."

"Ah! So that is why he is always," She stopped speaking and put on her most Salvek-like blank stare.

"Exactly so. But they are also a very wise and peace loving people. I would not change Salvek even if I could."

Kellyn noticed that Maffe's eyes had wandered away from the fire, toward Ensign Biggs. He was distributing articles of clothing to the children and subtly scanning them with a medical tricorder as he did so. Maffe moved to rise, concerned about the device, but Kellyn put a hand on her arm to stop her.

"He's just checking their medical status, do not be alarmed. He doesn't want to frighten them, so he's being sneaky about it."

"Biggs is a doctor?"

"Field medic," Kellyn explained. "He will be able to tell if any need specific medicines or treatments, and if anything serious is going on our doctor can treat them aboard the Alchemy tomorrow."

"I cannot begin to thank you for your kindness to us," Maffe's eyes filled with tears once again. She blinked them back. "I will never be able to repay your generosity."

"How could we do any less? We are all in this together now." Kellyn assured her.

"I will do all I can to help you return home to your daughter," Maffe promised. She waited to see if Kellyn would volunteer the child's name, but she did not. Not wanting to press the woman any further, she rose. "Again, I thank you."

Kellyn watched as Maffe headed off to go talk to Biggs, and she called to her before she was out of earshot. "Arie," she moved her hands closer to the fire, suddenly feeling cold all the way through, all over again. "My daughter's name is Arie."

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Lt. Commander Lair Kellyn
Acting Chief Engineer
USS Independence/USS Alchemy