[USS Juno] Living Together, Day 1

Posted on Fri Aug 3rd, 2018 @ 1:59am by Captain Harrold Anderson

1,688 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: [USS Shanghai] S1E2: Encounter in the Abyss
Location: Captain's Quarters, Deck 3
Timeline: MD+3, 1700 Hours

Harry opened the door, while they were at dinner, he demanded politely to clear out his office in his quarters and throw a bed and a chair in the room for the room. He wanted Kerja to have her own room, and not see an office. Even though he told her, it use to be his personal office, he wanted to show her, that he was trying. It had been a rocky start for him, and he felt bad for that. He debated on treating her like one of his crew, he had no idea how to interact with a teenager, a kid, let alone his own daughter.

He walked into the quarters first. "Home sweet home," he said. He walked in opened his hands wide, and then put him by his side. "This is the living room, We have the basics, counch, table, replicator, little shelves, a holographic communication device, and room for some paintings. He pointed to the two doors. "The door on the right is your room, the door on the left is mine.

He walked into her room. "Not much to see, in here, but I was able to get you a bed and a chair, decorate it however you like. Oh, I should warn you, we have a common bathroom, but it does have a perk," he said, leading her to the bath room. "A hot tub, bath tub, and sonic shower, only three rooms on the ship have running water," he suggested. Hoping a running shower, would make her feel more relaxed. But the way it came out was a little creepy he thought.

He felt a little strange, so he walked through his room. "My room," he said as he continued back into the living room. Not very big, but big enough," he suggested, waiting to see how she was going to react. Also this would be a good time for them to sit on the couch and try to get to know, one another.

"Okay," Kerja said, not sure what else there was to say about the quarters. "So . . . how long did you know my mom?" She resisted saying the rest of the sentence, 'before you got her pregnant.' Kerja sat down, took off her shoes, placed them off to the side of the couch and curled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself.

Feeling a little uncomfortable, he stood up and paced for a moment. 'Oh boy', he thought. A tough question. Harry grabbed a chair from the table and dragged it half way between the chair and the sofa, he sat in it back words, resting his chest on the backing, and his feet on either side of it. It was a very typical human male thing to do. He smiled, "We dated her senior year, a great year." He said, then getting all quiet. To good of a year, looking at Kerja and realizing the consequences of that great year.

"Dated hmm," Karja said, watching him.

"Did your Mom, ever talk about me?" He asked, not sure it would be polite to ask her, why in the hell did your mom not tell me about you, to a girl he just met.

"No, all she used to tell me was that you were off flying in the stars somewhere. She said you were in Starlfeet but not your name or any details that I could use to look you up. So I take it you didn't know about me either, from your behavior today."

"No your Mom and I had a fall out, when she graduated. She wanted a nice quiet assignment, I wanted to be on the fast track, flying the latest ships, being on the wild frontier, working my way up to Captain." He said, not sure if he should anything negative about her mom. so he decided not too. He wanted to keep things positive. Mostly what he said was the truth, he left the part of her getting pissed off that he did not want to start a family, and settle down. Now her reaction was more clear. She was testing him. She knew she was pregnant when she left. He had no idea the reason for the request, was because he got her pregnant.

If he would have known, would he have gone on the path he did? This was the question, that haunted him at this moment. But at the moment, they were taking turns asking questions. It was his turn. "How long have you lived on Bajor?" She asked, the assignment logs for Tera, showed they were assigned to Deep Space Nine, but they had a house on Bajor. He knew Tera wanted to stay close to her homeworld.

"About a year." Kerja replied. "Enough time for me to get in trouble with the Vedeks and decide I really don't understand the Prophets at all. I guess maybe that might be because I'm half human?" Something she hadn't really known before. She looked Bajoran.

"I see, we have a Bajorans on aboard that can probably help you, with your religious requirements, is their anything you need from your home residence on Bajor? I can have one of my crew, fly you down and gather your belongings. I would take you, but I do not want to upset your mother, when we find her, she may get angry if I stepped place in her residence." He suggested, hoping she was okay with him asking her to go with another stranger to the planet.

Kerja bit her lip a little bit on this. She wouldn't mind having time to gather up a few things but she didn't know about going back down to the planet with someone she didn't know. "Why would she mind? It's not like you're there to steal anything. I think she'd be more comfortable knowing you were with me rather an some officer I don't know."

"If you want me to take you, I will." He said, feeling a little weird, going to Tera's place, after all of these years. It was already hard enough, looking at her and being reminded daily, but taking the woman that looked and reminded him so much on the one lady that got away was a bit much, but he knew he needed to be strong for her. "The Juno, leaves in the morning, and I know Commander Bers, my first officer would be happy to take you, I am reasonably confident he wants to get some flight time in, he was a pilot before he took on his new role. Could be a win win for both of you?" suggested Harry with a big grin. If she said no, he would take her, if she said yes, he could take some time to adsorb everything in, get a little breather.

Kerja didn't want to make him do anything he didn't want to do but she hadn't ever met this first officer of his. "Can I meet him first before I decide? And where are we going, after Bajor I mean?" She dropped both of her legs at the same time, eagerly looking at Harry. "What do I call you?"

"I'll call the first officer in a minute, I suppose you have a few options. Your mom called me Harrold, my friends call me Harry if you want, or you have the choice of Captain or Mr Anderson." He suggested, not sure he liked the idea of her calling him Dad, just yet. The just met.

Kerja nodded, thinking it over. He still hadn't answered her question about where they were going though. "So someone will take me down to the planet in the morning? What's he like, your first officer? Did you get to pick him yourself?"

"Dedicated officer, formerly a second officer of the USS Defensia, he is pretty nice to me, he is a joined trill,and he is one hell of a pilot, he use to fly the Defensia, so I am pretty sure he will jump on the chance to fly a shuttle down. Last three days, I can tell, he wanted to be at the helmsman station, but overall I think he is nice guy, the crew seems to like him." Suggested Harry.

"Well of course he's nice to you," Kerja giggled, "You're the Captain, he has to be. A Trill huh? Don't think I've ever met one." She wondered if the species on the whole was nice, what their planet looked like and what it felt like to be joined. "I guess its okay, if he wants to fly me down there."

"I'll call the Commander in a bit, I assume you want to get your room situated and get familiarized, with its layout and such." Harry stated, being a little grateful, she did not want to live on the lower decks with the junior enlisted quarters for female citizens. The Quads were designed for comfort, not space, so they were cramp but had a lot of little perks in them. But still most enlisted would love a room of their own or a living quarters with two bedrooms and running water.

Kerja nodded, "Thanks." She said looking up at him. Suddenly without warning she got up from the couch and approached him, wrapping her arms around his middle and putting her head down on his chest. Just as quickly she let him go and headed into her room to see what she could do to make it feel more like home.

Harry was startled and did not know how to react, the hug was fast and sudden, in a small way he was happy to see, she was content with the arrangements. In other ways it felt strange still. Yes she was his daughter. But he barely knew her, and she came up and hug him. He knew he needed to get use to it. After she left the living room area and went into her room, he softly said. "Your welcome," with a big smile on his face.

 

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