<USS Avalon> Shaken Faith by Li Vilya, Ming Kabuki, & Li Nalas

Vilya had her husband by the hand and she led him across the room.   She 
hoped he wasn't going to pass out,  She hadn't been joking when  she said that 
to 
him.  He really was several shades paler than his usual  light tan.  Smiling 
up at her father, she said, "Daddy, this is my husband,  Patrick Ming Kabuki."
 
Nalas looked the young man in the eyes.  They were unusually bright  blue, 
the same bright blue as that young man who'd been sitting on the  fence.  'I 
look like my dad, don't you think so?'  He smiled,  wishing he could tell the 
young man that he did, indeed, look like his  father.  Some day, you will do 
just 
that, though, won't you?  He held  out his hand, remembering the Human custom.
 
"Shall we try this again?" he asked, his mouth a wry smile.  "I'm  pleased to 
meet, you, Patrick."
 
Ming shook his hand, noting the very strong grip, and he wondered if the  
grip had always been so.  "I feel like I know you already, sir.  I've  heard so 
much about you but...I'm sorry but I also heard you were dead."   He barely 
repressed a shiver.  He would seriously have to consider the  whole situation.  
No one came back like that.  "Sorry about the  neck..."
 
"You were doing the same thing any other man would have done if he heard  his 
very pregnant wife scream," Nalas said, ruefully rubbing his neck where he  
knew there would be bruises forming already.  
 
Vilya smiled at both men and placed a hand on both their elbows.  "Can  we 
sit down now?  I don't think my back and feet are going to be on  speaking 
terms 
with me if I don't."
 
"I'm sorry, Vilya," Ming said immediately.  He led her to the dining  area.  
"I'm a thoughtless idiot."   He offered her father a  somewhat bemused look 
and said, "We were just about to have dinner.  I  don't know if dead people get 
hungry but please join us."
 
"Son, I'm quite alive and...well, I don't know when the last time I ate  was. 
 I apologize for frightening you--both of you--but the choice of how I  came 
back was not mine.  Thank you for inviting me," Nalas said  simply.
 
"You're family," Ming told him.  "You're always welcome.  Just  make yourself 
to home..."
 
Nalas watched the younger man move about the kitchen.  The man seemed  
unreasonably upset if he thought about comparing him to other Humans he  
remembered. 
 His daughter, thought, was still beaming happily.
 
"I think your young man is afraid of me," he said softly.
 
"No, I don't think so," Vilya said thoughtfully as he watched Ming.   "I 
think just your being here is what's wrong.  He's a priest in his sect  and 
you've 
shaken his faith, a faith that is as much a part of him as ours is of  me."
 
Nalas regarded the young man from where he sat, taking in the sweatshirt  and 
loose pants he was wearing.  His back was turned but there had been a  glint 
of silver around his neck, the same sort of pendant the young man sitting  on 
the wall had been wearing.  There was also a similar object hanging on  the 
wall, right next to the traditional Bajoran mandala.  He rubbed his jaw  in 
deep 
thought.  
 
"I'm sorry, child, that's one thing I wouldn't ever to do anyone on  purpose. 
 We'll talk later about it--just him and I.  I don't want the  man who's made 
my baby so happy to be afraid of me or of his faith,"  Nalas  said as he 
patted her hand.  He touched the earring Vilya wore, which used  to be his 
earring.  "I want you to keep that.  I can get  another."
 
Vilya felt her cheeks flush with the pride she heard in his voice.   She 
would have cheerfully given it to him.  "You know, we're going to have  to talk 
to 
Mother but we need to tell Captain Ketchum about you."
 
"I can't imagine why," Ming said dryly as he came back to the table with a  
dish.  "Nothing like having formerly not living legends back among the  living."

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