Romulan Inquisition

Posted on 04 Mar 2015 @ 2:38am by Ensign Arandon Khnailmnae Ph.D.
Edited on on 06 Mar 2015 @ 12:51am

2,160 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: USS Galileo: Corridors, Deck 4
Timeline: MD43: 1730 Hours

[ON]

Delon was bored. Revan was always shoved with his nose in some book or the other, be it a physical book, or on a PADD, and Laura was too little to be of any kind of fun. Plus, the girl always hung around Revan anyway and with dad working beta shift...

The Romulan child shrugged and tossed his own PADD back onto his bed. "I'm going out," he announced, not even waiting for his Betazoid brother's response. He pulled on his shoes, then left the family's quarters, off to roam the ship.

Arandon was rounding the corner back to his quarters when he spotted what was almost a curious, wild and rare specimen to his mind. It was a child, though it was more than that. He hadn't been aware that there were children aboard, much less one of his own people. Walking cautiously up to the child, Arandon crouched down a little, reducing his imposing frame to the young boy. "Y'hhau," he said with a warmth of tone not previously observed by anyone on the crew.

The child blinked in surprise as someone blocked his path. "Hi," he said, sizing the man up. "I wasn't aware there are other Rihannsu on board," he stated bluntly.

"Ie," Arandon said with a nod and a smile. He was a bit surprised by the child's perfect accent, but if they were aboard a Federation starship, at such a young age, perhaps they were simply mimicking the dominant tone of voice around them. "Veisa vihroi?" He asked, looking over the boy's features, trying to tell if he was a hybrid, like himself, which would explain a great many things.

"Delon Mercy," the boy replied, "my dad's one of the doctors in sickbay. And you?" He had been three years old when he was adopted, he had no other Rihannsu name to give him, other than his adopted name.

"I... see," Arandon said with a little apprehension in his voice and switching to Standard. He once again looked the child over once again and saw that he was not so much a Rihannsu, so much as he was a Human in a Rihannsu skin. Arandon wasn't the type to begrudge such a circumstance, he was a half-breed born of a 'Risian Slut'. "Arandon i-Suraya tr'Khnailmnae." He said, using the full and more proper Rihannsu version of his name.

Delon blinked. "That is a very long name," he commented innocently, while slowly repeating the name. "And what do you do, here on Galileo?"

"I tend to, and study plants. Genetics, evolution, that sort of thing." Arandon said, trying to keep it simple to spare the boy a headache.

"Plants?" Delon shook his head. "Why would you want to study plants? They don't do anything, and amount to nothing. Isn't it a waste of time?"

"Do you wish to keep breathing?" Arandon tried to say it like a joke but judging from the child's expression, he hadn't delivered it successfully. "Well there are lots of things that come from plants. Chemical compounds to make medicines, foods, the very air we breathe, the list goes on."

"Keep breathing? I don't understand, are you trying to threaten me?" Confusion crossed the boy's face as he stared up at the man. "It still seems boring to me, digging in the dirt all day."

Arandon did his best not to make a sullen face. "Well that's... not all it is. We also get to splice and breed plants, study new forms of life." He did his best to try and level with the boy, though he didn't know if that was possible for a boy of Delon's age. Still, he thought he had a certain duty to help spur the minds of the next generation of scientists.

"Splice?" The boy tilted his head. "How do you mean that? And breed, just like you breed dogs? My dad's afraid of dogs you know..."

Arandon kept calm. "Well plants are different than dogs," he said, nodding aimlessly. "Splicing is genetic engineering, though we understandably don't like to call it that." He said, wondering if the child would even grasp the reference to the illegality of genetic engineering on sentient life.

"Why not?" The boy seemed to ponder the statement. "it is what it is, why call it something else?"

"Because it's indelicate." Arandon said, oblivious to the boy's vocabulary. "Well..." Seeing the vacant look on the boy's face. "... sometimes adults speak in code because... well I guess you'll understand when you're older but the situation simply demands it."

"It's stupid, speaking in code," Delon shot back, his temper flaring. "Why not say things as they are and avoid confusion. Isn't that what half of the wars that are going on start from?"

"You don't understand social protocol but you understand the intricacies of slights..." Arandon half muttered. "That's a simplistic statement that's not overall accurate but in some cases, yes." he said, regaining his composure.

"I'm a child....I'm supposed to not understand some things," Delon smirked in a smartass kind of way. "Weren't you ever curious about things as a child?"

"Yes extremely so. In plants as a matter of fact." Arandon was still trying to treat the child like a mature individual. A futile effort perhaps but as a child he had always liked it when others treated him as the intelligent and precocious individual he was back then. Apparently Delon was something like that as well.

"How odd," Delon commented with a shrug. "I want to know about ship's defenses, and how we are going to defend ourselves against an enemy. I want to be able to protect my dad, and my brother and sister. And our new mom I suppose because dad got bonded again. Dad won't touch phasers you see..."

"Well then he's a wise man. Humans call it Ahimsa, but Risians have a philsophy of non-violence too, there are other ways to protect and serve your family other than martial prowess Delon." Arandon said with a calm, level voice.

"Dad teaches me the basics of the Vulcan martial arts Suus Mahna...but
he only knows the basics, and I don't know what other ways there are."

"See, phasers might be flashy but there are several ways to ward off potential dangers." It was an odd thing, Arandon talking to a child, but he was rather enjoying the experience, or the novelty of it rather.

"You mentioned ways other than martial prowess," the boy pressed while
staring up at the man. "What other ways?"

"A quick wit, your mind, the power of persuasion, the possibilities are endless." Arandon said trying to engender some sense of wonder.

"How can I ward off something or someone dangerous with my mind? I'm not a telepath..." the boy challenged rebelliously.

Arandon was sure Delon was picking words out of his previous sentences just to challenge him. The boy surely understood metaphor and hyperbole. "That isn't what I meant, and I'm pretty sure you know that." Arandon said quickly.

"But you could've," the child persisted, staring squarely at the adult. "So what did you mean?" While he had understood, he wanted to hear the man say it. Plus, it could've meant exactly that, and how was he - a child - supposed to know the difference?

"That you can out think or out play an enemy, it need not come to violence," Arandon said, resuming his level headed tone.

"But what if you can't, isn't it useful to know at least another way to not let them get to you?" Delon shrugged. "Do you know any Rihannsu forms of martial arts?"

Part of Arandon wanted to snap back that it was a terribly racist assumption that he would know something like that just because he's Romulan, but it wouldn't work in his case, and would be entirely too meanspirited. "No, I do not." He felt like he should have said more but he couldn't decide if that would put one topic to rest or raise three more.

"How come?" the child pressed curiously, sizing the man up. "I want to know more about my heritage, but dad keeps saying I'm too young. I want to know how to protect my family, the Rihannsu way."

"That would involve a sword tempered in your own blood, submission to an incredibly complex philosophy and more than I could describe in a short conversation." Arandon said quickly and matter-of-fact.

"Could you teach me?" The child's voice changed to almost a pleading tone.

"No." Arandon stated with a slight smirk on his face. It was an intriguing notion, him teaching something as fundamental as one's heritage when he was still figuring it out himself. Indeed were it any other person Arandon would never have mentioned it, and become increasingly defensive at such probing into his past and how he identified. But Delon was different, but that still didn't give license for the blind to lead the blind.

"Can't, or won't?" the boy demanded, crossing his arms over his chest, leaning back against the wall.

"Shouldn't," Arandon countered. "I'm equipped or knowledgeable enough to teach a child that is not mine, from such a young age. In truth I am still learning myself." He added softly.

"Learn through teaching," Delon suggested wisely, "I want to learn, and there are no other Rihannsu that can teach me. My dad is half Vulcan, my grandmother is Vulcan but she can't teach me either....her and grandpa can't leave their practice on Earth."

"Your quest is a noble one Delon but it is not one I can currently help with, I am sorry." His tone was very quick and business like but had some small measure of compassion hidden in the tone.

"But why," the boy pleaded, pushing away form the wall, towards Arandon. "Why can't you help me? You're Rihannsu...the only other one that I've seen on this ship."

"I'm just not the one to teach you Delon, I'm sorry." Arandon said, rising up from his crouched position parallel to the floor. "It's been lovely talking with you though, you're a very unique young man." Arandon said as he started walking to the other side of Delon, towards his quarters, stopping to address him. "I'm sure in time you will find the means for what you seek." He said with a smile.

Delon grabbed his sleeve, trying to pull him back. "Please..." he begged, "you're the only other Rihannsu I've ever met! Please!" Desperation showed on the boy's face, a desperation to learn more, to learn about his heritage, to learn how to protect and learn the Rihannsu value of family, and honour.

So now the boy wished to learn of his heritage, from Arandon of all people. The half-breed who didn't like discussing his heritage with others and barely understood it himself. "History," Arandon finally stated, with a quick look upward that an ungenerous person might mistake for a roll of his eyes. "You have a grasp of the language, ie? I can't teach you philosophy but I can teach you history."

"Anything you can teach me," Delon said gratefully, "I promise to study hard."

Arandon nodded, masking the deep breath he took. "Fine, I'll... talk with your father about setting up times." Arandon was extremely uneasy about this entire proposition but confining it to history seemed like a good alternative. But with an inquisitive boy like Delon, Arandon wasn't sure if he could for very long.

Out of the blue, Delon wrapped his arms tightly around the man's waist. "Thank you," he breathed into the fabric of the man's shirt. "Thank you so much!"

Arandon simply nodded, a bit awkwardly at the boy's show of emotion. "Yes well..." He tried to separate himself from the boy without actively prying himself away. He did so dislike strong emotional outbursts. "As I said, I shall talk to your father, but I really... must be going you know." He tried to convey a sense of urgency, even though he had nowhere important to be, he just simply wanted out of this conversation.

Delon stepped back and nodded. "Yes please talk to my dad," he agreed, "but I'm sure he'll agree. He wants Revan to learn about his culture too so there's no reason he'd deny me learning about mine. Revan's my brother, he's Betazoid..."

"Unnecessary!" Arandon nearly yelled, putting a stop to Delon's ramblings. Goddess the child simply... oh perhaps that was unworthy of him. His thoughts were quick but they had a pleasing beat to them. Delon's was a young, pulsating mind and Arandon should be honored to help shape it. "I'll swing by in a few days, let you know what's come of it. Now if you excuse me I really must be going." Arandon said, trying to slip away from the child once and for all.

OFF:

Delon Mercy
Child
USS Galileo
[pnpc T'Vanna]

Ensign Arandon Khnailmnae
Botanist
USS Galileo

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