[ussbansheec] Helping Hand
- From: Andy Maluhia <CaptainAndy@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: ussbansheec@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:58:04 -0400
_Helping Hand
_by Korem Antos & Jaska; Li Nalas, Pel Resnys, Arwem Kabuki, and
Ikelaeli Kaleohano
Antos had to laugh as he watched his son walk away. Jaska was clearly
infatuated with Zachan's sister. The boy had yet to stop smiling and,
though they kept it to themselves, Antos and Araya were pleased, too.
Zachan's parents were good people and their son marrying Dinnia would be
rather satisfying. That Jaska hadn't stopped talking about Arwen was
even better. He was usually so reserved outside the family...until
now. "I pray that this is just the beginning for you, child," Antos
murmured.
~~~~~~~~~~
When Jaska came within sight of the Navarch's home, he slowed the spring
in his step but only slightly. He didn't see Arwen's parents but the
Navarch himself was there. kneeling in front of his wife's garden.
Jaska had been seriously intimidated by the old man when he first met
him but that had worn off as he got to know him. He rather liked Li
Nalas, especially since he had no grandparents of his own.
"Ah, hello, Jaska," Nalas said as he rose haltingly. He nodded
gratefully as the boy helped him up the rest of the way. This, he told
himself, is a good sturdy boy. "Arwen said you were coming."
"How are you, sir?" Jaska asked, having taught him the signs when they
first met.
"Creaky, child, but otherwise well. Thanks for the assistance but go.
My granddaughter's been chattering about you all morning," he teased,
smiling fondly when Jaska both blushed and grinned widely at the same time.
Jaska knew enough to go around back to the kitchen entrance. There, he
found Arwen, whose face lit up prettily when she saw him, helpingher
grandmother prepare lunch. "Hello, Mrs. Li," he signed.
Resnys greeted him just as her husband had then made shooing motions,
telling Arwen, "Tell him to join us for lunch when you're done."
"Thanks, Grandma," Arwen chimed as she kissed her cheek. Then, she
fairly bounced over to Jaska. "I thought about it all night and I know
just who to call so you can ask questions," she told him.
"Who?"
"This really neat lady who's one of my Uncle Daniel's parishioners. She
knows a lot about the local history and she loves to talk," she explained.
"She won't mind?" he signed.
Arwen shook her head. "And I'll stay right next to you in case you
don't get what she says."
Jaska grinned at that, still not believing that his luck was going so
well. He made no protest whatsoever when Arwen took his hand to lead
him to the home's comm. She sat him down then pulled another chair up
next to him. "What's with the smile?" she asked.
"You're pretty and you smell nice," he signed simply.
She couldn't help but giggle but then she kissed his cheek again.
"You're sweet," she told him as she carefuly began typing in a cide from
her hand comm.
Jaska watched as the screen went from the usual Bajoran comm net signal
to the Federation blue seal then, finally, to the smiling face of a
young Human man. He observed the man curiously. Humans came inthe same
range of complexions as Bajorans did and this one was slightly more
tanned than Arwen's father, with dark shining eyes and an intensely
bright smile.
"Hey, if it in't the lil Rev K's princess," Iz said brightly. "How's
it, Arwen an' whoever your friend there is."
"Hi, Iz. This is my friend Korem Jaska. He's deaf so you need to look
right at him when you're going to talk to him," Arwen began.
Iz laughed. "An' maybe make sure t'speak clearly and in Standard, eh?
No problem. How's it going, my young blond friend? The name's Ikelaeli
Kaleohano but even my mother calls me Iz."
The name didn't make much sense to Jaska but then he also knew that
Earth didn't have a single language as Bajor did. Even so, he signed a
question then used the comm to type it. "Why 'Iz'?" he asked. "It
doesn't match the syllables."
The brow Iz raised looked oddly Vulcan to Jaska but the smile of
approval certainly wasn't. "Oh, now that's sharp there, blondie. My
name's Hawaiian for Israel, which just happened t'be my grandpa's name.
It had t'be Iz so we didn;t have two of the same in the house, y'know."
"Hey, we were looking for your mom, Iz. Jaska's got a school assignment
where he's supposed to find a foreign culture and compare and contrast
itto Bajor," Arwen told him.
"And since we can have the same as anyone else, most of the easy ones
are taken because, as my dad says, I'm a bit lazy," Jaska added.
"She in't home, chickie. She went off t'see one of the aunts but I got
a question. You think I lived in tis family my whole life and didn't
let nothing sink in?" Iz asked. He was trying for offense but the
attempt was marred by the smile he had trouble controlling.
"Quit being a tease, Iz," Arwen demanded when she saw the look on
Jaska's face. "He doesn't know how you are and yo unkw why I asked
about Auntie Awa."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm just playing, blondie," he told Jaska. "Talk t'me, lil
brother. I hated school myself but I know a lot 'bout Kauai and the
other islands."
The premise, Jaska explained, was simple. The student had to choose a
culture, explain how it was like or unlike Bajor's, and also report on a
major figure in that culture's history. When he was done, he wasn't
quite sure what to make of the expression on Iz's face. The young man;s
arms were crossed over his chest and his dark eyes seemed very far away.
"Let me tell you 'bout the man who's my namesake--not my grandpa but the
man he was named for. His name was Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and, even
though he died something on four hundred years ago, we still call him
Bruddah Iz. If there was ever any one person who embodied the spirit of
Hawaiian sovereignty, it was him," Iz finally began, his voice showing
not just respect but clear affection for its subject.
Jaska sat without interrupting, enraptured by Iz's story. It appeared
to him that there were a great many similarities between the Hawaiians
and Bajorans, at least over the last century on Bajor in any case. He
said as much when Iz was finally finished.
"Well, from what Arwen's mom an' grandpa have said, I have t'say, yeah,
they're pretty similar. Except our foreigners almost made our culture
disappear. We fought long an' hard t'keep it alive and thriving like it
is now," Iz explained. His face scrunched in thought. "Bruddah Iz made
some beautiful music, he was our heart. Still is. I was gonna say I'd
send you some of his music an' a vid of our last family luau but..."
Jaska shook his head then signed, "Send it. I can't hear but there are
ways I can experience music any way." He typed that as well then
noticed Iz's slightly chagrined expression. He offered him a
sympathetic smile. "Relax, you didn't offend me," he wrote. "Most
people don't know that a deaf person can enjoy music and, anyway, if you
don't mind, I'll add it onto the report. It might make my teacher think
I'm not such a total idiot after all."
"Oh now that'd be cool. I bet Bruddah Iz'd be tickled as hell t'know
his voice'll be reaching way out there," Iz said brightly. "An', if
they give you a hard time, tell them t'call me. I'll talk their ears
off." Mischief lit his eyes then as he observed, not just how Jaska
kept looking at Awren but also Arwen's body language. He grinned and
asked, "Hey, blondie, you got an eye for the wahine nani there?"
"Iz, shut up!" Arwen protested, her face flaming in embarassment while,
at the same time, Jaska nodded. That made Iz crow in outright delight.
"Good man! She's a nice girl an' I ain't shutting up, lil princess.
That guy's got good taste. Bring him by one day."
--
`Onipa`a (Stand firm.)--Motto of Queen Lili`uokalani.
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