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Blue Ball #13 - 14 "Closing chapters .. "<On> <Petrov Farm, Vengerovka, Earth> Ryylar, Kristiana and old man Petrov shared a nice dinner, then spent some time just talking. Mostly Kristiana and her father catching up on things, reminiscing, sharing old memories .. Then it was time to go. "We should go again, Ryylar .. If we're still gonna visit mom's grave, before we have to get back." There were still Plenty of hours left before Ryylar had to be back in his cell, though. "Uhm .. I .. need to talk to my father a moment .. in private. .. Could you wait at the shuttle, hon ?" she'd ask Ryylar. "All rrrrrrrright." He said with a nod, moving outside of the farm after giving Petrov a firm handshake and nod as he excused himself and made his way back out to get in the warmth of the shuttle. Kristiana remained inside to talk with her father for a good 15 to 20 minutes, before entering the shuttle as well. "Hey .. sorry about that." She smiled softly, moving to wrap her arms around Ryylar, to pull him close and kiss him deeply. "It'sssss all rrrrrright I underrrrr - mmmph." He said, being pulled into the beautiful Russian's arms as he held her close and kissed her lips in return, his strong arms wrapped around her torso. "I told my father about your medal .. And .. well, your exile .. And I told him about the brawl, and why you did what you did. I think he approves of you, now." She'd snicker a bit "Though don't expect him to come out and say that to your face and call you 'son' .. " He smiled a bit. "Well, that'sssss ssssssomething we'll have to worrrrrrrk on now issssssn't it?" He said with a chuckle. "Yeah, well .." She'd sit back down in the shuttle's pilot seat. "Don't hold your breath." Starting the shuttle up. Old Petrov came out of the farm to watch the shuttle take off .. He waved to the old man through the viewports as Kristiana revved up the engines and the shuttle began to lift. Petrov waved back, with a sad smile, as Kris lifted the shuttle off and set a course, passing over the small town of Vengerovka .. In the distance a forest could be seen, with a trail leading into it. Kris parked the shuttle right outside the trail, shut the engines down and stepped out again. He followed her out of the shuttle, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket as they made their way out once more into the cold snowy Russian frontier. A sadness came over her as they walked down the trail, then off of the beaten path, into the forest. Somehow she knew exactly where she was going, as if she'd gone that way many times before. But never with the goal that she had, this time. After a few more minutes they came upon a small clearing, with several gravestones set in the ground. Most of the headstones held the name of Petrov or Petrova, either a direct member of the family, or married into the family. Some graves were old, some more recent. Yet, the focus of Kristiana's journey lay to the very rear. The most recent grave, that of Alexandra Petrova, beloved wife, beloved mother. Died, Februari 14th, 2379. He followed her along silently and watched her, his hands stuffed into his jacket as he warded off the cold. He walked among the markers and looked at the names in silence. It was an odd thought to him that these humans would bury their dead, forever encasing their spirit in the earth. Caitians were always cremated with some of their closest belongings. It was thought that if one was burned with several earthly personal effects, one would have no reason to return and haunt the world of the living. Kristiana remained silent, as she kneeled near her mother's headstone, gently reaching over to brush some of the snow off of the grave, and rearrange the withered flowers that had been placed upon it. She'd sigh softly and reach up to wipe a single tear out of her face, and even though Ryylar didn't understand what Kristiana was telling her mother, he'd be able to hear that there was a measure of guilt in her voice. Holding back a bit, he moved up to place a paw upon Kris' shoulders and just watched her, offering her some measure of support. He didn't know what transpired, but he knew the woman he loved needed him there. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and hummed a Caitian memorial tune. One sung at funerary services back on Cait. He hummed it lightly so as not to truly disrupt Kristiana's 'conversation'. After a few more moments, Kristiana switched to federation standard language. "Mother, I'd like you to meet Ryylar. Ryylar's a Caitian .. A humanoid cat, but smart and honorable and strong. He .. he's the hero that you always wanted for me, mother .. Proud, and true, like a knight, and a prince, as in those stories you used to read me .. " He blushed heavily and lowered his head. "Yourrrrrr daughterrrrrr isssss an honorrrrrable woman ma'am, and I'm verrrrrry prrrrrroud to be asssssssocccciated with herrrrrrr." He said softly, picking up the conversation. Kris sighed softly, reaching a hand up to rest on Ryylar's hand that was resting on her shoulder. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here for the funeral, mother .. I really am, I just - .. " She sobbed a bit, lost for words. "Father never forgave me .. And I don't think he ever will. He said that 'there's only one person who can forgive you, princess' and then 'but that person is in that grave.' .." She started sobbing softly, quietly crying. He sang softly as he knelt by her side, holding her close. "Yourrrrrrr motherrrrrrr forrrrrrgivesssss you I'm sssssssurrrrrrre Krrrrrrrissssstiana..." Ryylar said quietly as he wrapped his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder. Kristiana turned to cling to Ryylar, like a child seeking comfort, to quietly cry, shoulders shaking a bit, tears in her eyes. She'd mutter quietly in russian as she cried, just holding on tight. "You have to forrrrrrgive yourrrrrsssssself Krrrrrrissss my dearrrrrr." He said, softly stroking her hair as he held her in his arms. She didn't really reply to Ryylar, just letting out all of her pent up grief, all her pent up guilt. After a while she'd slowly calm down, and eventually reach up to wipe her eyes a bit .. Nuzzling into Ryylar's fur softly, then turning back to the headstone. ".. I never once forgot about you, mother .. Please don't think that. I just .. " She sniffled softly. "I .. just .. made a choice, mother .. and I'm standing by that choice, no matter what. Just like you always taught me. Make a choice, and stick to it, through better and worse. I chose Starfleet over farming .. And I'm happy with that choice. And I'm sticking with it." She sighed softly, rising to her feet again, a bit wobbly .. ".. No matter what." Ryylar stood with her and held her close to him, wrapping his arms around her gently as he held her supportively. She leaned against him, looking at her mother's grave, for a little while longer, before nuzzling him softly and giving him a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Let's go .. " she said, quietly, as she took his hand. "We still have about twelve hours left before you have to be back .. Is there any place you want to go ? Anything you want to see ?" She'd ask him. "I don't rrrrrrreally much mind dearrrrrrr. Ssssspending time with my angel issssss all I carrrrrre forrrrrr. I'll be rrrrrright there at the sssssshuttle. You go ahead and get it warrrrrrmed up." He said, giving her a squeeze. "Alright .." as she started towards the shuttle again. "I just wanna go to the nearby city .. Walk around a bit, look at shops .. I always did that when I was a child. Maybe we can have something to eat as well, there." He nodded and moved back to the grave, kneeling down reverently nearby. "Sssssshe'ssss a good woman. I'm honorrrrrred to be in herrrrrr hearrrrrrt. Perrrrrrrhapsssss if you arrrrrre lissssstening. You can give herrrrrrr ssssssome sssssign that thingssssss will be all rrrrrrrright." He said quietly and brushed a little bit of snow from the grave that had fallen since they arrived, trotting back down the path towards the shuttle. As they stepped in, he smiled and squeezed her shoulder. As Kristiana started the shuttle up, the clouds would seem to part and a sunbeam broke through, shining right on the shuttle, giving it almost a halo of light, for a few moments. Kristiana paused a moment as it happened, and looked out through the viewport, up at the sun .. She smiled softly. When the sun had vanished again, she finished shuttle start-up sequence and gently took off, heading towards a nearby city. She blinked as he called out her name, then glanced over .. Another blink, then she'd smile, and even laugh softly in happy glee as she saw the birds .. Her eyes beamed. "That's .. beautiful." she spoke, looking and sounding almost like a giddy schoolgirl instead of a troubled woman nearing 40. "They ccccerrrrrtainly arrrrrre..." He said with a smile, reaching over to softly hold Kris' hand. <To be continued ..> Lt Cmdr Kristiana Petrova Executive Officer USS Pegasus "Forgiveness is divine" & Warrant Officer Ryylar Morale Officer Free Man for 12 more hours USS Pegasus "You can give ssssome ssssign that everrrrrything will be alrrrrright" |
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