Family Reunion

Posted on 25 Sep 2022 @ 10:03am by Lieutenant Commander Temerant Bast
Edited on on 25 Sep 2022 @ 2:47pm

1,278 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Outbreak
Location: Deep Space Nine

Transport from Trill to Deep Space Nine had definitely been faster than what the Bast symbiont remembered. He had arrived on the station a full 52 hours before Starfleet's deadline.

He queued up to the Starfleet Operations office and waited his turn to report in. A Vulcan, a Bolian and a Tellarite were already in line, and were very politely ignoring each other. Shrugging, Temerant took his place at the end of the line, and absently took out a data PaDD and flipped through the day's news, while he looked at the people strolling the Promenade.

The line moved quickly enough, and within ten minutes he was standing at the desk of the operations officer, handing over his identification data chip.

"Temerant Lochees," said the Andorian lieutenant, reading the information on the screen. "I can't find your name anywhere in the transfer orders."

"It's Temerant Bast now. I've just been Joined."

The Andorian's antennae drooped in frustration. Temerant guessed that clerical inaccuracies were a recurring theme in the officer's daily routine, and it was wearing on her.

"Here it is," she said finally, after doing a bit of scrolling through the list. "You're assigned to the USS Cygnus as Chief Operations Officer. The Cygnus is scheduled to dock in three days."

"Three days?!" replied Temerant. "What am I supposed to do until then?"

The Andorian gave him a look that said she couldn't care less what he did with himself over the next seventy-eight hours, but to her credit, she took a breath and directed him to the station's civilian hospitality manager, where he could request temporary accommodations.

He thanked the officer, hoisted his bag over his shoulder, and turned to walk out of the office.

"Hold on," called out the Andorian. "I've got a note here in your file. You're summoned to a private meeting, as soon as you check in. Habitat ring, suite 4-1024. Ask the station's computer for directions."

Temerant lifted an eyebrow, perplexed. Who could summon him to a private meeting in civilian quarters?

He nodded thanks to the Andorian, and walked out, just as the next person in line took his place at the desk.

He headed for the nearest walkway to the habitat ring, his eyes getting accustomed to the dim level of the lights in the Cardassian-built space station. Willem Bast had spent quite a bit of time here back during the Dominion War, deep inside the science labs of the station, working on countermeasures for the Breen superweapon. He remembered the general layout of the station, but nevertheless he managed to get lost trying to find suite 4-1024. For the umpteenth time, he wondered why Starfleet had never bothered to upgrade the lighting in the station's corridors, not giving any credit to the theory that the current power grid couldn't support such an upgrade.

He finally came round a corner and found suite 1024 and stood at the door, waiting patiently for the door alarm to announce his presence. He counted thirty seconds before taking a glance at the plate beside the door, displaying the number 3-1024. He cursed inwardly - the suite he was looking for was one deck above. He headed for the turbo lift at the end of the corridor, and made it to the correct suite.

This time the door opened within ten seconds. The words caught in Temerant's throat as he found himself facing a tall, older man in regal dress, standing proudly and somewhat rather pompously. Bast trying to identify the man, Temerant recognizing him instantly.

"Father," he said. "What are you doing here?"

Brandeur Lochees Kilvin smiled and stepped aside, letting Temerant walk into the room. "Admiral Deschamps told me you were coming. I'm sorry I couldn't make it home for your Joining, but I'm sure you understand, we've been incredibly busy."

Temerant stepped into the room and dropped his duffel bag, still somewhat in shock at finding himself face to face with his father. "What are you doing here?" he repeated.

"Admiral Deschamps told me you were coming," repeated Kilvin. "It was only a short trip from New Bajor to here, really. Just a short jump through the Wormhole. No trouble at all."

"No, of course not," replied Temerant, finding his voice back. "I'm sure all it took was for you to contact the nearest Argonaut-class ship you could find and press the Captain for a lift." Temerant took a look around the suite, only now noticing that they weren't alone. The room was also occupied by a number of Ambassador Kilvin's staff, as three very junior staffers went about their business on consoles that had been set up in the suite's living area. "I see you still take an entourage with you wherever you go."

"I'm sure you understand," replied Kilvin, waving away Temerant's remarks. "I couldn't make a trip to the Alpha Quadrant empty-handed. I wanted to see you, but I also had to justify the trip to the Federation Diplomatic Council. There had to be a reason for the Federation's Ambassador to the Gamma Quadrant to leave his post, so we organized a small symposium here on the station."

"Of course," replied Temerant, sarcasm tainting his tone. "Gods forbid the Ambassador to the Gamma Quadrant should delegate to his staff while he tends to family matters once in a while."

Temerant sighed inwardly. This was a recurring theme with Kilvin. Even though he and Laurian had always presented a united front whenever they'd been together, he knew that separately, they had each had their own... hobbies. That was something that Temerant had never been able to face. Something that a son's blind devotion to his parents had made him unable to fathom, now the Bast symbiont gave him the necessary distance to fully recognize.

"How are you adjusting to the Joining?" asked Kilvin. "I know it can be a bit overwhelming at first."

"I'm fine. Bast is fine. We're both fine. Adjusting very well. No trouble."

"That's good. I remember when I was joined with Daenira, the transition was not as smooth," recalled Kilvin. "Took the better part of a year to adjust. But she turned out to be my longest Joining so far."

"I know, you've told me that many times."

"Did I?" mused Kilvin. "I'm sorry, I know I have a tendency to repeat myself."

"No you don't," countered Temerant. "When you're in Ambassador mode you never repeat yourself. It's only when you're talking about things you don't really give a frak about."

His eyes surveyed the room, taking in the assistants who were doing their very best to appear as though they were ignoring the scene that was unfolding.

"Yes, well," muttered Kilvin. "I've read up a bit about the Bast symbiont. I know this is only the second time you've transitioned, so you might want to listen to a bit of advice from your old man. Remember I've lived through it seven times."

"If I need your advice about anything, I'll let you know," snapped Temerant. "If for some reason the Symbiosis Commission isn't capable of helping."

Kilvin took a deep breath, and looked at his son for a full minute before speaking. "Very well. I understand you've been assigned to the Cygnus as Chief Operations Officer?" he said, changing the subject.

"Yes," said Temerant, relieved to be moving on. "She's scheduled to arrive in three days."

Kilvin nodded. "The Cygnus's next mission will be on behalf of the Federation Diplomatic Council. I thought you might want to know some of the details. I think this is an area where the Symbiosis Commission won't be of much help."

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Lieutenant Temerant Bast
Chief Operations Officer
USS Cygnus

 

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