<USS Avalon> Welcomed with Love

 
Welcomed with Love 
by Li Vilya, Li Nalas, Ming Kabuki & the Medical staff (as  played by Anna 
Jameson)
 
Father and father-to-be both scrambled to their feet.  Ming was caught  
between sheer panic and absolute delight.  He kissed Vilya on her cheek and  
said, 
"Let's go, beautiful.  I know a certain doctor who's been just  waiting for 
this to happen." Anna had the program still.  He knew  that.  He fixed bright 
blue eyes on Nalas.  "You, too, sir.   Grandparents count."
 
Vilya wanted to cry.  It wouldn't be the traditional birth she'd  imagined as 
a girl but at least her husband would be there and her father.   She leaned 
rather happily into their supporting arms.  A son, she thought,  a little 
boy...her happy thoughts were cut short by a loud blaring noise from  overhead.
 
"What the hell is that?" Ming asked, his eyes widening.
 
"Red alert," Vilya replied, her hand automatically moving as if to comfort  
the baby.
 
"Let's get her out of here, son," Nalas said sharply.  Red alerts were  never 
any good.  His son-in-law was a good man but he had no idea how badly  things 
could turn out for his wife and child.
 
To Vilya's surprise, Ming simply scooped her up into his arms.   "Sorry, 
love, but this is faster," he said.  He nodded at Nalas, trusting  him to lead. 
 
"Get us there."

Sythia had gone to pieces the second  the Red Alert had sounded.  "Nobody 
said anything about being boarded!" she  shrieked.

Anna fixed her with a very hard stare.  "Oh well," she  said sarcastically, 
"I'll make sure that the next time someone intends to invade  the ship, you're 
on their memo list.  Now pull yourself together because I  don't have the time 
or the patience to be dealing with panic attacks."   Especially when I'm 
trying to smother one of my own.

Sythia burst  into tears, her feet rooted to the spot.  Rolling her eyes, 
Lilin tried to  comfort the silly girl before Anna exploded.  Too late...

"GET OUT!"  Anna yelled.  At the incredulous looks from the rest of her 
staff, she took  a very deep breath and continued in a calmer voice, "Either go 
and 
get a coffee  or go home because, in the state that you're in, you're no help 
to  anyone."  With that, she ignored the sniveling nurse.
 
They ran for there nearest turbolift.  "Deck five," Vilya said simply  as 
they stepped inside.  
 
"Loog-Ga-Ree," Ming muttered under his breath.  He kissed Vilya's  cheek 
again then wondered, "How long does it take to go up five decks?"
 
"Too long," Nalas said tensely.  He hated war. All he wanted was to  live in 
peace but he knew what it was to defend home and family.  He would  rather 
make it to Sick Bay safe and sound but he also wished he was armed.   He 
softened 
his glance for Vilya, though.  "You alright, little  Mama?"
 
"I'm fine, Daddy."  No, I'm not.  I don't like being  helpless.  This is 
ridiculous.
 
Nalas motioned to Ming.  "Flatten yourselves a much as possible  against the 
lift walls near the door.  We don't want surprises greeting  us."
 
"They don't want my sort of surprise," Ming replied  darkly.

Anna glanced up as the turbolift doors opened and for the tenth  time since 
the Red Alert had been called wished she was still in Special  Ops.  At least 
then she'd have been armed.  With quick hand movements,  she ushered the other 
medical staff away from the door and then she dropped  behind a biobed so 
there were little or no targets to shoot at.
 
The look that Nalas gave Ming said he would tolerate no argument.   He would 
be the one to step out.  "It's Li Nalas," he called  out.  "I'm coming out 
with my hands up and I'm unarmed."

Anna jumped  up and rolled her eyes at the older Bajoran.  "You're name was 
quite  enough, what's wrong?  You don't look hurt to me and if you're not hurt, 
 you don't need to be here.  Unless," she gauged him, "you have medical  
training, in which case, grab a kit and get ready to help."
 
Nalas snorted slightly in amusement.  "I've been dead once and I  prefer 
staying alive, Doctor, so, in this case, I err on the far side of  caution," he 
said wryly.  He turned to look over his shoulder at the still  open lift and 
called, "Come on, out it's safe."
 
Nalas' assurances or not, Ming's step was very cautious.  He'd kill  anybody 
without blinking if they sought  to harm his family.  He  smiled wanly at 
Anna.  "I brought you a patient."
 
"Two patients I think," Vilya added.

Inside, Anna swore up a storm  but externally she smiled warmly.  "Okay, 
let's get you on a biobed.   Could you not have chosen a little better time for 
the little one to come than  this?  You know we're in the middle of being 
invaded, don't you?"  She  winked as she glanced at Lilin, the Bajoran nurse.  
"Let's see if we can  get Vilya comfortable."

Lilin grinned as she took Vilya's hand very  quickly.  "We'll do a very quick 
scan and then move you into one of the  surgical suites for more privacy."

Anna shook her head.  "We might  need those, move her to my quarters, they're 
only around the corner and it's a  much more defendable position."
 
Ming was unwilling to leave his wife alone but he had to ask Anna  something. 
 "I'll be right there, Vilya."  He waited until she was out  of ear shot to 
ask his question.  "That holo program Josh made has got to  be out of the 
question.  Even I know it's too risky with bad guys running  about.  Is this 
going 
to work out okay?"

Anna eyes danced as she  took Ming's hands.  "Yes, Reaper, this is going to 
be fine," she  grinned.  "We can replicate incense and Lilin will be with her 
at all times  even if I have to leave for some reason.  But I'll try to be with 
her  too."  Squeezing his hands, she led him through to her quarters and then 
 into her bedroom where Vilya was already lying down.  Lilin was dashing  
about, preparing the room.  "It'll be fine."
 
Her father was humming a soft, wordless tune and holding Vilya's hand when  
Ming entered the room.  "The same as I did for your mother when you were  born, 
baby girl," he was saying.  
 
Ming took a spot on her other side and brushed some stray strands of auburn  
hair from her face.  "This is going to be fine, Vilya.  I  promise."
 
She had to smile up at him.  She knew she ought to be more  worried--that 
there were others to be concerned about, especially Josh--but she  felt fine.  
The endorphins her body was producing let her feel no  pain.  The nurse was 
Bajoran and Anna would be around and family...her Ming  and her daddy were 
there.  
Child, you will be blessed.

Anna tapped  some commands into the panel by the bed and suddenly the deep 
beating of  traditional Bajoran birthing music filled the room.  Lilin had 
already lit  the incense and was beginning to lead Vilya through the breathing  
exercises.
 
The young man stood looking up at the older dark skinned man, the one who  
was the same race as his father.  The older man had kind eyes and a warm  smile.
 
"Time for you to go, young man.  You'll return to us one day but not  for a 
very long time I hope," the older man said.
 
It felt as though he were standing on the edge of an ocean, the waves  
pulling him away.  Now he wasn't so big and the dark skinned man held him  in 
his 
arms.  "I know your mama, son.  You be good to her."  But  he couldn't speak 
any 
more.  He was too tiny, too young.  He told  himself that he would do that, 
though.  He would take care of her.  As  soon as those waves quit pulling at 
him.

Lilin let out a squeal of glee  as the child was born.  She pulled it free 
and grinned.  "Awake  child," she said, "we await you with love and welcome you 
into the world."   Then she passed the little boy to his father.  "A son."
 
Ming half cried and half laughed as he accepted the squirming child. "Oh,  
you beautiful, beautiful child.  Bless you, little man."
 
"I was right, Patrick," Vilya giggled.
 
"So you were, love.  So you were.  What name did you choose?"  Ming asked as 
the nurse took the child to clean up.
 
She smiled at her father then up at Ming.  "Li Nalas Zachary  Kabuki."

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