[USS Tempest] Of Rings and Interesting Things by Christain DeAngelo & Pas Kaartaren

 
 
He supposed there were people who might have considered it an anachronistic  
throw back and completely unnecessary but Pas wanted to buy Calista a  ring.  
Even if she couldn't wear it on duty, he wanted her to have  it.  Both his 
parents were still wearing theirs when the were killed during  the attack on 
Betazed.  The ring, he told himself, is an  outward symbol of what's inside.  
She 
is imzadi.  With that idea  in mind, he headed down to the station with Mika 
in tow.  He wanted to let  her help him choose the surprise, as a way to make 
sure she didn't feel left  out.  Besides, he told himself with a mental 
chuckle, she's  got a much better idea of what a woman would pick in jewelry 
than I  
do.
 
They stepped into the first shop on the Promenade, one run by a Bajoran  
woman. She saw father and daughter enter, Mika's hand firmly held in Pas',  and 
smiled.  "Can I help you today?"
 
"My dad and Calista are getting married and he wants to buy her a ring,"  
Mika stated.  "I'm here to help."
A slight and slender, somewhat stern looking, young man  with dark auburn 
curls turned his green eyes and knelt down to look at the small  child. "Are 
you 
really? And what sort of ring do you think she'd like, little  one?" he asked 
in a voice surprisingly deep. "Perhaps one with opals or  aquamarine. If it's 
the same Calista I think it may be, those were always her  favorites." 
Pas hadn't noticed the younger man but he turned around when he spoke to  
Mika.  It wasn't merely what he said, it was how he looked.  He knew  that face 
even if he'd never seen the man before.  He put a hand on Mika's  shoulder and 
offered the familiar stranger a careful smile.   
"I think maybe both of those would be nice if I can find one," he said  
simply.  He tilted his head slightly, like a curious cat, and asked,  "You're 
Christian, aren't you?" 
"I am, sir," he responded,  offering his hand in the time honored and 
accepted manner. "And you, I believe,  are the reason she still breathes. I 
thank 
you. Might I, however, recommend her  name be used less in the open. There are 
those aboard the station who would be  less grateful than I for your actions."
 
Pas' eyes darkened.  Mindful of his daughter's presence, he didn't say  what 
he was thinking out loud.  If her brother was anything like Calista,  he would 
hear him.  ~~That son of a bitch even looks at her cross eyed  and I'll kill 
him~~   He shook the other man's hand and aloud all he  said was, "Pleased to 
meet you, Christian.  Dr. Pas Kaartaren, senior  Ship's Counselor for the 
Georgetown.  I don't think she knows you're on  station."
 
~You'll have to beat me to him,~ Christian answered silently. Aloud he  
responded. "The pleasure is mine, Doctor, and I'm sure you're right. Perhaps  
we'll 
just surprise her, won't we?"
 
Mika looked up at the two adults.  She knew something was going on and  
whatever it was was making her father very angry.  She also knew better  than 
to 
ask.  She'd ask Calista later.  Suddenly, her eyes locked on  one ring in the 
Bajoran's case.
 
"Daddy!  Look how pretty!" she exclaimed as she pointed to the nearby  
display.
 
Grateful for her distraction, Pas looked to where the girl was  pointing.  It 
certainly looked like an aquamarine to him.  "Ma'am,  could we see that one, 
please?"
 
"How completely perfect," Christian smiled down at the child. "Quite the  eye 
you have."
 
Mika grinned up at him.  "That's why my dad took me along.  He  doesn't know 
anything about jewelry and he didn't think Gressa did  either."
 
"Christian, this is my daughter, Mika.  Mika, this is Christian  DeAngelo," 
he said simply but he sent a cautioning mental note to her.   Even if her psi 
abilities weren't quite developed enough to answer him, he knew  she'd hear 
him.  ~~Yes, it's the same name but let's not talk about that  here.~~
 
He held the ring up to the light and smiled.  There was indeed an opal  on 
there, too.  It reminded him of the brilliant white light in his  thoughts that 
depicted Calista.  Smiling at the Bajoran, he said, "I'll  take it.  Whatever 
it costs, I'll take it."
 
"An absolute pleasure, Mika," Christian smiled, in that instant looking  even 
more like his sister than he had before.
 
Pas handed over the strips of latinum the Bajoran asked for then slipped  the 
ring into his jacket pocket.  He offered Christian a slight shrug and  said, 
"I know.  I'm a perfect mark for a Ferengi but it's perfect and I  really want 
to get out of here.  Come take a walk with us if you're of a  mind to."
 
"I'd love to," Christian answered honestly. "I know the perfect place for  
ice cream if a certain lovely young lady would care for some."
 
Mika grinned up at her father hopefully and all Pas could do was say,  "Don't 
look at me like that, Mika.  You know I was going to say yes.   Lead the way, 
Christian.  I'm sure we'll have all sorts of interesting  things to talk 
about."

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