[ussbansheec] No Explanations Needed
- From: Korem Jaska <Haku_Mele@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: ussbansheec@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:17:18 -0500
_No Explanations Needed
_by Lwaxana Troi & Pas Kaartaren
/"Never explain -- your friends do not need it and your enemies will not
believe you anyway."--Elbert Hubbard
/
It was Pas' considered opinion that some people were unique in their
vibes. There was no mistaking them for anyone else, no matter the
situation. He knew it was her long before Adonis called him to say she
was on planet. There was no mistaking the mind for anyone else's, that
was for sure. With that in mind, he went to see her before she could
track him down. The last thing one needed amidst the special unit
Ailill belonged to was a force as loud as Lwaxana Troi. Instead, he
went to San Francisco and kept apologies in his head if the woman wasn't
exactly where he felt she ought to be. If that was the case (and half
of him hoped it was), then he'd apologize to Kestra and buy the girl lunch.
"Don't worry so much, Little One," Lwaxana said to the screen on her
granddaughter's desk. "Kestra's fine."
"She did look very tired," Deanna Troi-Riker sighed on her end of the
channel. "I was worried about her becoming overwhelmed empathiclly with
such a high level assignment."
Lwaxana nodded. "A bit but we're working on that."
"Mother, I appreciate..."
The elder Troi didn't allow her daughter to finish. "No need for that
Little One. She's my granddaughter." A slight smile tugged at the older
woman's lips when she felt the familiar presence in her mind. "I have to
go darling, I'm about to have a visitor. I'll make sure Kestra calls
you." After ending the call with her daughter Lwaxana got up from the
desk area and swept towards the main living area. "Mr. Xomn, prepare
some refreshments if you would, something from home would be
delightful," she called as she fussed with her hair and dress in a
mirror. "Oh, and be a dear and answer the door."
The tall pale man raised an eye brow in question until the door buzzer
sounded several seconds later. He went to the door and opened it, his
tall, broad frame filling the doorway as he looked down at the other man.
Pas looked up at the being in the doorway, wondering for the umpteenth
time, why Lwaxana always had such tall servants. "I know the lady knows
I'm here, sir," he said with a barely covered smirk. "May I come in?"
Xomn looked the man up and down before finally stepping aside to allow
him access to the apartment. Once the man was inside he closed the door
and headed off towards the kitchen.
Lwaxana smiled brightly as she titled her head a little. She opened her
arms wide before bringing her hands together in front of her as she
called out brightly. "Pas, it's so good to see you, dear boy."
He bit back a snort at the last bit. They were just about of an age yet
she persisted in calling him 'dear boy' or versions thereof. He
approached with a smile any way then leaned to kiss her cheek. "Lovely
as ever, Lwaxana," he said truthfully. "It's good to see you."
Wrapping her arm around his Lwaxana lead Pas towards the couch with a
bright welcoming smile. "I was hoping to see you while I was here. In
fact I spoke with your darling son and we've agreed that we all must
have dinner together. I'm still trying to reach my dear Jean-Luc, you'd
love his lovely little vineyard."
"Adonis agreed to that, did he?" Pas asked dryly. "Funny thing, though,
is I knew you were on planet before he called to warn me," he added with
a chuckle. "I came before you hunted me down."
"I haven't had the time to "hunt you down" yet," she huffed with a bit
of a chuckle. She got a thrill out of the predator image she'd gained
over the years. She found it amusing. "My first priority while I'm here
is my darling Kestra."
"As well it should be," he agreed. "I have yet to pester my children
about grandchildren but it would be nice..."
"It is the most wonderful thing," Lwaxana replied happily. "Not that
having children wasn't wonderful, but having grandchildren is different.
Made all the more special because for awhile we weren't even sure Deanna
could have children."
Pas quirked an eyebrow. "I'm not prying into personal medical business
but the biologies are compatible..."
Lwaxana nodded, "Oh it had nothing to do with her compatibility with
William, there was damage from a previous incident which took place
during her second year aboard Jean-Luc's ship. The doctor aboard at the
time said it wouldn't have lasting effects, she'd been wrong. My poor
little one went through a lot before the doctor on William's ship found
the problem, but he couldn't do a thing about it. Thankfully Beverly was
able to repair the damage."
Pas nodded slowly. Such were the hazards of life in Starfleet
but..."I'm glad it turned out as it did then. Kestra and Adonis are
good friends, though it seems Humans still don't get that male and
female can be friends without anything further going on. Now if only
the boy would get married already..."
Mr. Xomn came in with a large tray with a tea service and snacks. He
placed it on a near by table and then began pouring. He knew how Lwaxana
took her tea but looked at Pas in silent question as to how he liked his.
"What is it with young men these days?" Lwaxana asked with a huff as she
took her tea from Mr. Xomn. "My Kestra and her young man have been
dating for awhile now and there still be no talk of where they're going."
"Leave it, friend," Pas said as he looked up at the huge man. "I'm
readjusting my tastes lately." He offered Lwaxana a wry smile. "My
elder boy is forty-two and finally got around to it. Don't know where
it comes from because I married Mika's mother when I was thirty."
Lwaxana's expression was one of a woman thinking back, the smile said
they were pleasant memories. "I was rather young the first time I was
married, the second time as well come to think of it. I was a little
older when I married my beloved Ian, just around Kestra's age in fact."
"Ah, well, my younger girl's not talking to me so any hope of any
children anytime soon is with Adonis," he said wistfully.
The smile on Lwaxana's slightly aged face changed as she sipped her tea.
"Oh? What of the younger boy? Surely he could offer you and your young
marine woman some hope for the bliss that is being a grandparent?"
Pas shrugged. "Iefan's content, it seems, to let things happen when
they happen. He's much too laid back to worry about much. Ailill frets
over that."
"I don't blame her," Lwaxana replied. "It took Deanna and William over
twenty years to marry, and now Kestra and Dominic are taking their time.
They need to wake up before life passes them by. It's shorter then they
think."
At that, Pas, Pas snorted outright. He sat up to pour himself a cup of
tea then shook his head, thinking. He wondered if she was torturing him
or if Lwaxana had finally learned a modicum of patience. "Ah...yes,
well...length's a bit relative for some people, don't you think?"
"I could go several ways with that lead in, Pas," Lwaxana said, her tone
of voice turning a bit husky. She handed Mr. Xomn her cup for a refill
and helped herself to a grape before adding. "I won't of course, your
marine might not like that." The elegant woman smirked then. "I kind of
figured you had another woman. Your wife was a dreadful..." She paused
and then continued a rather colorful commentary on Pas' late wife
mentally. She wouldn't want to offend Mr. Xomn's sensibilities after all.
The unintended double entendre struck him as funny as hell after the
fact and Pas laughed. Lwaxana's commentaries, whether verbal or mental,
were usually cuttingly true. "I'm surprised you never saw us the few
times we were on Betazed. You can't possibly miss her." His face
softened with a smile. "Ailill's beautiful."
"She's also El-Aurian. That's a very unique mind to feel on Betazed,"
she replied as she took her cup back as well as a slice of a sweet, dark
blue fruit that was native to their homeworld. "I had many long and very
enjoyable conversations with Guinan during my visits to the Enterprise."
She smiled at him then. "And who says I never saw you? Of course I saw
you. I also happen to know you're a rather private man, and sensing your
need for secrecy when it came to her, I waited for you to come to me."
Her smile grew. "Which you have. This of course means you both will join
me for a private dinner at the Embassy since my darling Kestra lives in
a... what do Human's call it? A shoe box?"
"You know Guinan, do you?" he asked. "Lovely lady, isn't she? She's my
stepson's grandmother and she is pretty much Iefan's too." Oh but it
felt good to simply stop hiding, to love who and when he wanted to. "I
appreciate that privacy, Lwaxana. There were times I well and truly
feared for their safety."
Lwaxana nodded in understanding. "The few times I had the displeasure of
crossing that family I sensed something deeply wrong with them.
Something dark at the very core." She shivered a little but then
brighten again just as quickly. "Ailill makes you happy and I sensed
only good with her. Enjoy your freedom, Pas."
"I have been and you have no idea how good it feels," he said with some
satisfaction. "And I wouldn't mind accepting your invitation as soon as
Ailil's duties settle down. Since her CO has been off planet, the poor
woman's been rather busier than usual."
"Marines," she huffed as she set her cup aside. "Always using duty to
get out of responsibility. Not yours of course, she's old enough to know
better."
"Exactly so. I don't know how I got lucky enough that she put up with
me all these years but I certainly intend to make up for any
shortcomings I've had all this time." He hmmphed softly. "I know I
have them."
Lwaxana laughed. "Of course you do, you're a man."
"Then explain my younger daughter," he retorted.
"Corruption, pure and simple," she replied easily. "Daughters, if not
strong enough, can easily be manipulated by a dominant mother. Yet
another reason for me to be so proud of my darling Deanna and her
precious Kestra."
"Well it didn't come from me," Pas grumbled. "My boys are both good men
and nobody can say anything bad about Mika. She's a good woman."
Lwaxana nodded. "She reminds me of her mother with a touch of that
Klingon of yours."
"You know, it's been...what? More than fifty years and I still miss
Shalara. We were never imzadi and I only married her to make my parents
happy. She knew it but we were friends, good friends," Pas mused, a far
away look in his eyes. "She'd've hated my second wife."
"Everyone hated your second wife, Pas," Lwaxana replied bluntly. "And I
understand how you feel. It's been far longer since I lost my Ian and
there are still some nights when I swear I can feel his arms around me,
or evenings in the garden when I think I can hear his voice, or smell
his scent. I find myself wondering what he would think of Deanna and her
life, her children. He'd have adored being a grandfather."
"Mika was only two when she died and Gressa's been more her mother
than..." Pas shook his head. "Wonder if she would have liked Shalara.
I know she'd like Ailill. For a pretty and delicate looking woman,
she's one mean Marine."
"Why haven't you introduced her to your children, Pas?" Lwaxana asked.
"They want to, Adonis is keeping away out of respect for you. It's time
to bring your family together, Pas. It's been a long time coming."
"I can now," he said with a sober nod. "Soon as Ailill's got three
minutes to sit down and I can get Iefan to budge from what he's doing."
Lwaxana nodded, "Make time, Pas. I'm sure she wants to met your kids as
much as they want to meet her."
"I'll have to do that. I'm sorry my younger girl's the way she is but
the other will get along alright. I'll have Adonis bring Maria, too.
Poor girl is so nice. I wonder what she makes of such upheaval," he mused.
"From what I've gleamed from Kestra's memories I'd say she was use to
the chaos," Lwaxana laughed.
"Leave the girl her privacy, Lwaxana," he scolded gently. "I know what
Adonis told me about her friends and family but her own nuclear family
is quite normal, very nice he said."
Lwaxana huffed, "I wouldn't know. Kestra has forbidden me from seeking
out Dominic's family."
"A word of advice, my friend," Pas began carefully. "As much as I would
love to know more, Maria and the other people who live at that school
are highly protective of even their thoughts. Chances are, if you wait
long enough, he may seek you out."
"Dominic is on Fenchurch." Lwaxana replied as she glanced over at a
framed picture of her granddaughter and a tall, broad shouldered young
man who's large arms were wrapped around Kestra as she smiled from
behind the frame's glass. "Other wise I would have already had a long
talk with him."
"And I know you mean well but you sometimes have to let people make
their own decisions and not prod them into it." he told her. "Don't
push too hard or you'll push away."
Lwaxana sighed softly, "I just want my granddaughter to be happy, Pas. I
can sense her worries without probing her mind. She's wondering just
where she and her young man stand on things. After living such long
lives ourselves it's hard not to keep the children from making the
mistakes we did."
"Yes but unless the boy is a complete wrong match, you'd be robbing
Kestra of a choice. By pushing, you're taking some ability to make a
choice away from her. That," Pas countered, "will push him and her away
and you don't want that.
The Troi matriarch shook her head and sighed. "It would kill me to lose
any of my precious ones, or to cause them harm in anyway, but you know
me, Pas. It isn't easy for me to sit on the sidelines, especially when
it comes to my girls."
"Would that more grandparents were as involved but be careful," he said
again. "Much as we might want them to be swaddled, if we swaddle them
too much, they won't learn."
"I know." She admitted. "It nearly killed me watching Deanna and
William, but in the end they ended up right where they belonged."
--
Whatever I now seem to be,
Yet more is to be found in me.
--James Dillet Freeman
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