The Complexities of Family Relations

Posted on Tue May 14th, 2024 @ 3:30pm by Lieutenant Calliope Ito & Lieutenant Commander Kelly Kerrigan

1,028 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Lacertae Mortis
Location: Captain's Ready Room / Bridge of USS Arcadia
Timeline: Current

ON:

It had been just like any other shift so far. She would have killed for some excitement. The Alpha shift had at least had a call from admiralty but for her... static and shipmates talking about personal things and even bowel movements of relatives on Earth. She shuddered. It was going to be a long, long, long shift; or so she thought.

Just when her boredom was reaching epic proportions the coms chimed. This was no call from Earth, this was a call from Vulcan.

She raised an eyebrow and tapped her coms. "Bridge to Commander Kerrigan." The voice of the beta shift coms officer called.

Kelly stood from his seat at the Captain's desk and made his way out onto the bridge. To the communications station he looked. "You have something?" he asked, not wasting time answering the officer over the intercom. He was a proactive First Officer.

"A call coming in for...you sir. From Vulcan. The Defense Academy."

Strange thought the Acting Captain of the Arcadia. It was not common for the Vulcans to reach out for anything. "The defense academy?" echoed Kelly, another strange aspect to it. "Put it through here? I'll take it on the bridge" he said cautiously.

He tried to think of who he may know at the defense academy or on Vulcan for that matter. It was not a long list, and he couldn't really think of a name. "Who's it from?" he added looking for clarification.

The com's officer's hands flew over the consoles. "Um.... an instructor with the Academy. Someone named Amarin Ito."

Calliope thought Kelly shaking his head. She had barely settled in and there was already family reaching out, but not directly to her?. Kelly composed himself for a proper answer. "This is Lieutenant Commander Kelly Kerrigan for the starship Arcadia. What can I do for you?"

The screen fizzed into a familiar face with more masculine features. The man was clearly not Vulcan but his manner very much was. "Hello Commander. I am Amarin Ito I am looking for my sister. I have reached out several times but no response. Seeing is that the last we heard was that she had been.... injured I was wondering if that was the case again. Having contacted the Sakura i was told she was here."

"She's fine," Kelly replied simply. He was not going to disclose anything to anyone, family or otherwise. This was especially the case when it was not his information to share. "She has not responded because she is not here, not currently. Lieutenant Ito is presently handling a mission assignment."

He raised an eyebrow. "I see." There was an awkward pause. "That would explain the lack of response. When is she expected back?"

"When her mission is completed," Kelly took a defensive position. "This is a time sensitive mission. She will back within the next day or two, potentially sooner. I do not have the ability to share more than that."

"Well then perhaps you have the ability to ensure that she contacts me when she has returned."

Lieutenant Commander Kerrigan nodded. "Yes, that I can definitely do. I will make sure that she contacts you once she returns from her current mission. Is your sister prone to injuries?"

"I do not know. I have not seen her since she left for the Academy. She was when she was a child I doubt that has changed."

"Estranged then?" Kelly Kerrigan inquired. Haven't spoken to her since she left for the academy. Why now? Kelly was formulating more questions.

"A... complicated family dynamic. My sister has a flair for the dramatic and no knowledge of family dynamics and what is required. I never quite understood why she left. Vulcan was the best place for her. She thought differently." She shrugged. "I had heard she was injured on her last mission more then a year ago I believe and was calling to enquire if she was ready to come back to Vulcan and take her place here."

"That's unlikely," replied Kelly. "She's the Chief Engineer of this starship and will be Acting First Officer when she returns from her mission. I do not believe you should expect her back on Vulcan any time soon."

"I see. Acting First Officer...is that wise?"

Kerrigan crossed his arms. He was not about to get into the matter regarding the Captain's disappearance. "I don't know, its a complicated dynamic but given I'm in command of this starship and that you haven't seen your sister in several years when she went off to the academy, clearly you aren't in a position to comment on her readiness for this assignment."

"I am still her brother. I know the true her. I believe you have a saying on Earth, our mother used it with respect to Calliope several times." Ito tilted his head. "Once a screw up, always a screw up."

Lieutenant Commander Kerrigan took a deep breath. This was going nowhere productive. "Thank you for your insight. I will inform your sister that you have attempted to contact her when she returns. Arcadia out" said Kelly who then turned to signal for the channel to be severed. He had no intention on listening to family squabbling or criticism of the Chief Engineer any further. He had listened to enough of her brother's thoughts and opinions.

The coms officer shook her head. "Well that was...disturbing. Kind of feel bad for Lieutenant Ito. No wonder she's been declining his calls."

"Likewise," replied Kerrigan. "If he calls again, I'm unavailable. That was unnecessary."

The coms officer grinned. "Got it. I'll just send out some static and pretend the coms is down."

She watched him walk away and shook her head. Well this would be an interesting posting, that she knew for sure. She sighed. "Well I guess it's back to the spare parts and bowel movements...although that conversation qualifies as the one of those two topics if she ever heard one. She grinned as her hands flew over the console at lightening speed connecting their little world to the outside greater one.

OFF:

 

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