Daddy's All Right
Posted on 12 Jan 2018 @ 7:18am by Petty Officer 3rd Class Constantin Vansen & Commander Scarlet Blake
2,473 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Earth: Starfleet Academy
Timeline: MD 40: 11:30
ON:
Cadet Zoie Herianto stood by the gates, taking a deeper breath. She wore the cadet uniform but had taken the time to make sure that her hair was controlled more than usual. Some would have looked at her and seen her looking nervous. But truth was, she wasn't nervous. She was excited. She smiled as she saw the man walk up the street. Not in a shuttle, not transport. Walking. Her Dad always walked when he could. She took a moment to take him in as an outsider. He was average height, light brown hair that had both greyed and thinned. In fact, he looked unassuming. Slender, a bit bland looking and with the Martian tan and an ancestry that showed mostly caucasian but with a hint of something else, perhaps Thai or Indonesian. How a man so ordinary looking had caught the heart of her fiery and passionate mother was beyond her some days. But they complimented each other. "Dad!" she called out, waving her hand eagerly before she started running to him.
"Zoie, my girl..." Marcus Herianto said softly, hugging her the moment she was close enough, stroking the back of her neck fondly. He pulled back and watched her, taking her in before he nodded. "Still alive."
"Still alive," she echoed and smiled as she linked her arm with his, leading him with her. "I know you can't stay long...but I wanted you to see the Academy."
"Hm," he raised an eyebrow at the words, the smile careful and small. "Indeed, seeing as you have decided to be a regular fleeter..."
"Zoie, I can't get this blasted search programme to work properly..." Acer was looking intently at the PADD he carried as he approached, slapping it hard with the palm of his hand. The cardassian stopped abruptly when he realised she wasn't alone, straightening up.
Zoie smiled quickly, looking at her father. "Dad, this is Cadet Acer Vito..."
Marcus let go of his daughter's arm and stepped forward, meeting the cardassian's eyes without any hesitation. He smiled and offered his hand to him. "Marcus Herianto," he introduced himself. "I have heard a lot about you, Cadet."
Acer couldn't help but be surprised at the offered hand...considering his generation. He realised he was hesitating with his reaction and quickly reached to shake the hand. "Pleased to meet you, Sir...I've heard a lot more about you, I'm sure."
"Oh dear," Marcus grimaced before he smiled, his eyes warm with it. "Don't believe half of what she says, she always had an active imagination as a girl..."
"Dad!" Zoie's eyes widened and she covered her face. "I am not ten anymore."
"To me, you will always be ten," Marcus glanced at her before he winked.
Acer chuckled softly at that, a slight smirk coming to him at seeing Zoie's reaction. "Ah, so that explains the teddybear...."
"She still has that thing?" Marcus tutted before he nodded, clearly thinking. "Let us go to whatever passes as a canteen. And you can show us what you can't run on your PADD?"
"Oh, just my life and work," Acer muttered with a frown, shaking his head as he motioned towards the canteen. "I should give you two sometime together though."
"Nonsense," Marcus said quickly, smiling gently to him. "Please. I'd like to get to know my daughter's friend better." And with that he walked towards the canteen, clearly expecting them to follow.
Zoie gave an apologetic smile and moved to Acer. "Sorry...he sent me a message that he was on his way."
"Why are you saying sorry? I get to learn all the dirt on you now," he whispered back with a soft laugh, grinning as he nudged her.
"You're going to pump him for information?" she whispered with mock shock before she smiled, shaking her head.
Marcus stood by the replicator, getting himself a black coffee before he took a seat. "Now, let us see," he said to Acer, holding his hand out for the PADD. "What is the issue?"
"I designed an algorithm for advanced information searching and sorting," Acer frowned as he sat with them, shaking his head. "Only...it is not performing properly."
Marcus frowned as he looked at him, nodding before he reached out and took the PADD. He started looking over the codes, taking a breath. "I don't think it is that you are missing anything. Your search perimeter is too complicated, too broad."
"But it needs to be complex to work through the importance of the intel," Acer frowned as he peered to look. He sighed, shaking his head. "It was a foolish undertaking. I will just have to do it the old fashioned way without shortcuts."
"No, you can make it work. You just need to think...differently," Marcus got up and moved to sit beside him. He scrolled through and added a section in. A very simple if this, then yes, If not, then blank. He glanced at him and smiled gently. "It's the basis of all programmes. A simple question. Now what this will do is narrow the scope. You just need to repeat this for any key words. The programme then works its way through it, line by line. When it hits a match, it will then run your algorithm. Your algorithm would work perfectly on a Starship computer. But you are working on a simpler system here."
Acer looked it over with a slight frown, letting out a long, tight breath. "I see where Zoie gets it..."
Zoie looked down with a small smile, chuckling. "Maybe a bit. I wouldn't have considered that we were using that though."
Marcus gave an almost shy smile before he looked at Acer. "Recognising what technology you are working with comes with experience."
"Especially via an old PADD, hm?" Acer shook his head with a chuckle, pursing his lips for a long moment. It would still serve his right for trying to find a shortcut. "Zoie doesn't need the shortcuts."
Marcus glanced at him at the words and let out a soft breath. "Sometimes, you need to take shortcuts though," he said before he looked at his daughter. "One day she'll see it isn't a weakness. Sometimes, it is the best way."
"Hey, I just like doing things properly," Zoie said and shrugged, her hand now wrapped around the coffee mug her father had replicated.
Acer chucked softly at that, watching her fondly for a long moment. She was highly competent and fiercely proud of doing things right. "It works."
Marcus shook his head weakly before he looked over at Acer. He studied him closely, taking in his features. "For now it works," he said lightly. "Zoie." He focused on her again and she could tell by his look what was coming. "Your mother asked if you could return the antique book you took last time. She told me to tell you that she wants it back."
"Oh come on...it's mine as much as hers," Zoie said but stood, frowning. "I'll be a few minutes..." she held her hand out, watching him. "Don't you dare be talking about me." She then turned sharply to point at Acer. "And don't tell him anything you wouldn't tell your parents." With that she headed out.
Marcus chuckled as he watched her go, a soft breath escaping him. "She is so much like her mother in some ways."
Acer chuckled at hearing that, watching her leave. He could imagine that was true. "I don't know...there must be fire in a man who becomes a soldier."
"Hm. Not fire...not really," he said with gentle eyes, looking at him for a long moment. He watched the cardassian's eyes, holding them. "But a cool head is needed among soldiers. Those that do not have it get it trained in. Those whose training fail die in battle."
"She has that too," Acer admitted freely, shaking his head with a frown. "I mean, when it really matters. Far more than me."
Marcus took a moment, considering it silently. "Do not be too modest. You would not be here unless you were good."
"I suppose..." he shook his head with a frown as he thought on it, the direction of his thoughts. "I am saying you are proud for good reason."
"I know," Marcus said softly before he nodded, sitting back. "She talks a lot about you. She really likes you."
Acer chuckled, shaking his head with a soft tut. "She likes not being what people assume she should be."
"She takes after me in that," Marcus said with a sudden grin, his green eyes warm. "I look...boring. So people expect me to be boring."
"You don't look boring," Acer said quickly with a frown, shaking his head firmly. "I'm...not sure how boring looks."
"Hm. I suppose it is difficult to know that, for other species," he said softly as he nodded, reaching for the coffee to drink. "You look like your father. I...looked up your record. And someone owed me a favour so I got your parents' records too. Have you ever read them?"
Acer watched him with shock at the words, holding his breath tightly in his chest as he considered them. He shook his head with a frown, watching him before casting his eyes down.
Marcus reached out to touch his hand, squeezing it gently. "I am more than happy to show you the file," he said quietly.
Acer searched his eyes, unsure as he weighed it up. "We are cardassian. They were your enemy," he said quietly, with confusion.
Marcus frowned and turned to face him properly. "We were at war," he agreed, holding his eyes. "But that war ended. It is not your war, or my daughter’s. Everyone has to move forward. I was a soldier. I killed soldiers. What people look like, what planet they are from...once a war ends, it does not matter anymore. You wear that uniform, lad. Means you are protecting me and my wife. If there is a war while you serve, your work will kill people...and save people. Best advice is that once such a war ends, you move forward. No hatred. Life is too short for hatred. And shame."
Acer held his eyes as he took in the words, and the sincere tone he spoke them with. It amazed him. With all the man must have seen. Yet, he heard the truth in them. "Would I want to read their record?"
"I think so," Marcus said with a small smile, giving him a nod of encouragement. "Understanding where you came from...it is good."
"I suppose, I mean...." he frowned, considering how best to put it. "Is there anything in them that I really wouldn't want to know?"
Marcus smiled weakly, watching him for a long moment before sipping his coffee. "Why would it change who you are as a person? But...no. I don't think so."
"It wouldn't," Acer agreed with a slight frown as he thought on it, letting out a heavy breath. "I am surprised you bothered to look them up..." he met the man's eyes before giving a small, sly smile. "Or were you looking out for Zoie?"
"I was curious. I have a curious streak," he admitted before he met his eyes. "I was curious where you came from before you were adopted."
"You've raised a very polite daughter...it took her ages to ask me," Acer chuckled at that, shaking his head with a wry smile.
"I have never heard anyone describe her as polite...her mother will be proud," he said with a similarly wry smile back, his eyes on him.
"But not you?" Acer replied with interest at the words the man chose. It fitted with what he'd picked up from him. He was more likely to hold other attributes in high regard.
"I am proud of her for who she is," Marcus said as he held his eyes. "And that she is doing what is right for her."
Acer nodded slowly...that was interesting; very different from how Zoie saw her mother's outlook. The opposite in fact. "She is happy here. And excellent at what she does."
Marcus looked away but the look of pride showed regardless as he sipped his coffee. "I hope she will be an asset to the Federation."
"I think you know that she will be," Acer chuckled, his eyes shining knowingly as he watched him.
"I hope so," he said as he finally met his eyes. "You will take care of her, right?"
Acer searched his eyes with surprise, holding his breath. It showed a lot of faith, to be bestowed such a task. "Of course...although, I'm not sure she needs anyone to look after her."
"Everyone needs somebody," he said quietly before he gave him a weak smile. "She is...idealistic."
"That's why she fits in so well here," Acer replied with a cynical but also a good natured smile.
Marcus nodded at the words, shaking his head. "They'll burn it out of her eventually," he said with calm resignation.
"I think life does that," Acer shook his head with a half smile. "At least she'll have you and her fleet family when it happens."
"And you," Marcus said before he met his eyes, raising an eyebrow with a look that made it clear that he expected him to be there for her.
"I counted myself in the latter," he assured firmly, nodding and offering his hand to him, as if striking a deal.
He smiled and took his hand, smiling at the words. "Good," he said softly.
"Should I be worried?" Zoie asked, holding the leather bound book close to her chest as she watched them.
"Completely. I just bought you," Acer said with a convincingly serious voice, meeting her eyes steadily.
Zoie watched him as her eyes narrowed. "Thing is, it wouldn't surprise me," she said in a deadpan voice. "I must finally make sure that you will sleep the eternal sleep. The next pasta I make will be with that in mind."
"Now you're speaking my language," Acer teased back with a sly smile. He stood quickly, motioning for her to have his seat. "I'll leave you two to catch up."
Zoie moved to his side, nodding before touching his arm. "I'll see you later," she said softly.
"Acer," Marcus watched him, a small smile coming to him. "It is good to finally meet you."
"And you, Sir," Acer nodded, shaking his hand firmly as he straightened up, catching hold of his PADD. "I know who to threaten to tell when she is misbehaving now..."
"Her mother," Marcus said and the smile became a grin, matching his daughter's.
OFF:
Cadet Zoie Herianto
Intelligence Cadet
[NPC Vansen]
Cadet Acer Vito
Intelligence Cadet
[NPC Blake]