[USS Tempest] "Little Sun and the Swiftwinds"
- From: "Miranda Craig" <mirandacraig@xxxxxxx>
- To: <usstempest@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 12:51:16 -0400
"Little Sun and the Swiftwinds"
Miranda Criag, Nightwalker, and Mark Swiftwind
According to Tempest's computer, Miranda had just missed Rosie. When she
checked further she found out Nat was off ship too. Sighing she dumped her gym
back in her locker in security and headed for the station too, after making
sure they were allowed to leave the ship. No reason to make Lindsey any more
irritated at her. Making her way onto the station she started wandering around.
His grandson had sent him here to buy tea, Nightwalker mused as he wandered
around the stalls in the promenade. They had tea on Dorvan. "Silly old man," he
chuckled. "Just wants to get the old coot out from under his feet. It's a
wonder I don't cramp his style."
With hands on her jean clad hips Miranda stood in front of the brute standing
in front of Quark's. "Oh come on! I'm an ensign for pete's sake!"
The man huffed. "Sure you are kid. You don't look like no Crusher boy to me."
Miranda blinked blazing light brown eyes. "I will have you know I'm an adult
not a kid!"
"Whatever you say kid." He made shooing motions with his hands. "Come back in
six years and we'll talk."
"Six..." She blinked again. "Six!? Do I look fourteen to you!"
Nightwalker chuckled more as he heard the pure outrage of the young woman
waiting to enter Quark's. "No worries," he called out as he sauntered up.
"She's with me. Let her in."
Miranda turned to look at the man who'd spoken and nearly blinked again. He
made her grandfather look like a young man.
The bouncer looked the old man up and down before finally nodding. "Alright,
but she ain't getting severed."
"Not a problem, though I take it my credits are still good?" he asked idly, the
threat not even needing to be pressed but very clear. He was, after all, a long
known and respected patron of that drinking house.
"Of course, sir." The house of a man replied.
"Good," Nightwalker smiled, sauntering in. "Coming, Ese'hoxhaahketa?" he called
to Miranda
Miranda was about to tell off the brute but stopped mid-deep-breath. She
blinked once and then looked at the old man as she followed him inside.
"Esewhosawhatsit?"
"That is your name, Little Sun," he explained as he took a chair at the bar and
waved idly at the barman. "Quark not here today, Eric?"
The young Inuit man shook his head and laughed. "Out securing us some more
delicacies and performing whatever Ambassadorial duties he thinks will get him
the best deal. What can I get ya, old friend?"
"Two of the usual," he grinned. "Young Eric here makes the greatest pina colada
surprise known to mankind."
Miranda scratched her head and blinked again. "Actually my name's Miranda."
"Really?" Nightwalker mused, raising his eyebrows as Eric started to giggle.
"And who called you that first?"
"My sister." Miranda answered as she looked between the two men. What had she
missed? "My parents let her name me, and she's got this weird thing for
Shakespeare's Tempest, so I ended up Miranda Ariel."
There was a lie there, he could smell it but he knew it wasn't hers.
Nightwalker turned slightly, leaning his elbow on the bar and looking her over
as if appraising her. "You know what it means?"
She couldn't explain it, but she like him. So would Linds, I think. "Miranda
Ariel? My sister's weirdness? Or what you called me?"
"Actually," Eric said as he whizzed the coconut milk and bananas together,
"it's latin for wonderful."
Well now... How many sisters call their younger siblings that? Nightwalker
mused. "Ese'hoxhaahketa means Little Sun. Your sister may have named you
Miranda but the Ancients know you as Little Sun. That is your true name."
Miranda smiled brightly. She liked both of those meanings. I wonder if Linds
knew that? "I don't think she thinks that much now." She chuckled. "I don't
think I'm grown up enough for her yet." Turning to look at the old man she
asked, "My true name?"
"Mine's Nightwalker," he explained. "It's my actual name too, or what people
call me. Y'know, I don't think I even remember what my given name is."
Wow, he was old if he couldn't remember his own name. Titling her head to the
side she looked at him a little more closely. She had the oddest feeling as she
looked into his eyes, almost as if she were actually looking at history.
"Older than I look," he told her with a wink.
"Old man hit the centenary mark a while back," Eric explained as he set two
drinks down with a flourish and a grin. "Two Pina Colanda Surprises. On me, old
man. It's been too long."
Miranda's eyes went wide. "I know human life spans have tripled, but I've never
actually met anyone that old. The things you must've seen." Pulling the drink
towards her without looking away she sipped it and smiled. "Oh that's nice."
"Nice?" Eric laughed brightly, shaking his head as he moved off. "Nice she
says."
"I think you insulted him," Nightwalker chuckled. "He's one of the best
cocktail makers I know. Not bad for a man who doesn't drink, eh?"
Miranda blushed. "Didn't mean too. Never had a cocktail before. Wine with
dinner if Linds is in a good mood, and beer when she's not watching me like a
chicken hawk and I'm the chicken."
"Ah, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't mind you drinking this." The old man took a
deep sip of his drink and grinned. "Perfection. Maybe I should mention I don't
drink either." Winking at her, he turned his back to the bar and leaned against
it to watch the comings and goings.
A cheerful laughed bubbled up as Miranda looked at her glass. "So basically
it's a smoothie. That's cool." Turning to look at the people as well she asked,
"How'd you know what to call me?"
"You don't think I'm ancient enough to know what the Ancients know?"
She opened her mouth to answer and then close it again. That sounded like one
of the questions in her ethics class at the Academy that would give her a
headache. "I wouldn't say ancient."
Nightwalker peered around at her then winked again. "Good answer. Maybe you
could look up the term nightwalker on your Starfleet database one day. That
might give you a clue to answer your question."
"Or not." Miranda replied. "If it's spiritual, or cultural, the data base will
most likely be kinda vague."
"Not so perfect then?" he observed with a rueful smile. "You don't sound as if
you're as indoctrinated as most."
Miranda snorted. "Hardly. I came out of the academy naive, but not enchanted.
It would have been imposable to be so fully indoctrinated with my sister
around. She's one of the few around who's had the balls to stand up and tell
the truth. The Federation is not Shangri-La."
Nightwalker raised fluffy white eyebrows at her, almost inviting her to
continue.
"I don't know the details." Miranda warned. "Linds never talked about work when
she was home. All I know is she spoke out about a lot of things that a lot of
people would have rather not had said aloud." Reaching up, Miranda pulled her
necklace from her under her shirt and fingered the dragonfly carefully.
"Personally, I know whatever she said has to be true. It fits, I mean how could
anyone think of utopia after seeing the people we just brought home."
"Which people?" Nightwalker asked softly, sensing something deeper. Wiley old
man, he thought as he rethought his grandson's reasons for sending him there.
Her hand gently wrapped around her tiny pendent. "POWs from a Dominion war
camp."
Nightwalker felt himself age another decade as he nodded. "I don't... Do you
know the names?"
"Not off hand, only one by memory, but we have a list of everyone on Tempest."
She answered.
"Could you find out if there are any Swiftwinds?" he asked softly, his eyes
facing forward as he tried to centre himself despite a small spark of hope.
Miranda nodded. "That would be easy because one of our marines is a Swiftwind.
Handsome man, just got married to one of our nurses. I can check the manifest."
"Mark," he said. "Mark Swiftwind. Were there any women?"
"No, no women only men." Miranda replied as she looked at the barman. "Mister
Eric, may I use your interface a moment, please?"
"Go right ahead," Eric nodded toward a grubby looking terminal. "Careful
though, the boss don't see the point in keeping it working since it's a free
one."
"Trust me, I've no intensions of ever doing anything that will in any way shape
or form land be in the vicinity of a doctor or sickbay." Miranda shuddered as
she slid of her stool and walked behind the bar. She started tapping in
connection codes and access passwords, and before long was scanning a list of
names.
Nightwalker stared off into nothing, opening his thoughts to the Ancients.
Perhaps... The boy had never appeared to him, never come when called. He wasn't
in the otherworld and he didn't walk the night. Perhaps... He blinked and
almost jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't get your hopes up," Eric said softly and sadly. "He was a good guy. I
miss him too. Just... don't want to see the grief again."
"I'm okay," he said gruffly.
Miranda had to skim the list the long way since the old interface didn't even
have the upgrade that allowed searches. She scrolled down to the Ss, the SWs,
then back up to the SWIs. Finally she read out, "Swiftwind, M."
His breath caught and for a moment Nightwalker couldn't move but then he bolted
over, moving faster than someone of his age should be able to. "Is there a
profile? Any way to be sure?"
"There's a serial number." Miranda pointed to the list. "Might be easy to find
out for sure if you want to come back to Tempest with me."
"Can I?" he asked softly.
Slipping her comm badge out of her jean pocket Miranda tapped it. "Craig to
Cabot."
"Go ahead, Rookie."
"I'm bringing a guest aboard, Livvie. Nightwalker Swiftwind." She emphasized
the last name even though she wasn't even sure he was related to the marine
captain.
There was a pause over the comm before the New York accented voice came back.
"Your guest is clear to board, Rookie."
Miranda smiled. "Thanks, Livvie." Turning to the old man she asked, "Ready to
go see my sister's pride and joy?"
"Can I have a tour?" he chuckled. "Don't think I've ever been on a big ship
before. Only my lil runabout."
Miranda smiled as she headed for the door, throwing a wave to Eric. "Sure,
thought we're hardly the biggest. Georgetown, that's my soon to be
brother-in-law's ship, is a lot bigger. But we're barely a year out of space
dock so we're top of the line."
Another lie, each one spoken by an innocent was like a slap in Nightwalker's
face. But he didn't let it show, he simply nodded and kept following her. "All
fancy and clean, eh?"
"Now that Rosie's worked out all of the kinks." Miranda chuckled. "To say our
shakedown mission was a little bumpy would be an understatement." Her whole
face lit up then. "But my sister pulled her crew together and now's she's
returned a hero."
"You're proud of her," he observed. "Ever tell her that?"
Miranda shrugged. "I did when she first got Tempest. She's been to busy to talk
to since then. Captain and Starfleet, first you know."
All he did was grunt. "Maybe you need to tell her," he said softly. "But then
maybe there's a lie in your words too. You believe she's so totally
concentrated on her career that she's forgotten you, eh?"
"Not forgotten so much. Kinda hard to do as she's tripping over my stuff in her
cabin, but I defiantly come in second or third. Always have." Stopping by a
large window near the air lock Miranda pointed out at the ship. "There she is,
Tempest. We'll have to use the air lock cause all transporters are being used
to move the POWs."
"He's been moved?" Nightwalker asked quickly. "Already?"
Miranda shook her head as she keys in her security code. "He was listed as
still being in the MASH unit. Medical emergencies are being moved to the
stations infirmary. Our sick bay wasn't built to house large numbers."
Nightwalker let out a long breath and joined her. "I'd like to tell you
something, Little Sun."
"Sure, as long as it isn't about looking fourteen." Miranda laughed. "I get
that a lot and it's annoying. I look sixteen at least."
"You look as old as you act," Nightwalker observed ruefully. "But no, it wasn't
that. It's that possibly you should rethink how your sister sees you. Maybe,
you never know, she puts you at a higher priority than you think."
She smirked at first. "Great, in that case I'm nine and half." Then she
shrugged as she lead him through the ship. "Don't get me wrong, Mister
Swiftwind. I know my sister loves me, it's just if she had a choice she'd pick
duty first, and she'd expect me to grow up and realize that that's the way it
has to be."
"Then perhaps you don't know her as well as you think," the old man said
softly. He watched everyone as he moved through after her, nodding to those who
greeted him and even to those who stared. "Call me Nightwalker. I'm no mister."
She smiled at him warmly before sighing. "Hard to get to know someone when you
live with them and still see them less then you did before you lived with
them." Stepping up to a lift she pressed the call button and then stepped
inside.
"Now that is a universal truth," Nightwalker nodded. "Can I be a child and ask
if we're there yet?"
When the lift stopped and it's doors switched open, Miranda stepped out and
pointed down to a set of doors. "Yeap, we're here." She headed down the hall
and quickly spoke with the marines outside the door.
For a moment, Nightwalker felt a small twinge of trepidation but he left it in
the lift as he waited to be admitted.
Miranda turned and smiled softly. "Inside, third cot space, ninth row."
All Nightwalker could do was nod and smile as he strode past her. The moment he
entered the place he felt Mark. The presence sang against his senses like
nothing in the known universe. His eyes saught out the familiar face but they
found one gaunt and drawn. Two pairs of dark eyes met and the wraith of a man
smiled, waving over the old man. "Come,"Nightwalker said softly, "meet my
great-grandson."
Her heart broke and leapt all at once. "Great-Grandson?" She followed him over
to the man, but stayed well out of the way.
"My grandson is his father." Nightwalker's long legs ate at the distance and
soon he was kneeling beside Mark's cot. "Ho'nehenotaxe," he said softly,
touching one hand to Mark's cheek.
"Taa'eveameohtse," Mark beamed, already shocked the old man had found him so
quickly. "You don't look a day older. Is... Matthew?"
"Assigned to a ship with his new wife," Nightwalker told him. "He'd be here.
This is Little Sun, Mark. Miranda," he turned to smile at her, relief and joy
glowing in his old, round face, "meet my great-grandson, Soldierwolf."
This was a lot better then sitting there helpless while a man only barely older
then herself, died. "Hello Sir, and in case no one's said it yet, welcome home."
"Not a sir," Mark said cheerfully. "Petty Officer, like my brother." He let the
word home seep into his mind for a minute though. "Safe and sound," he
whispered, feeling the old man pat his hand again. "His new wife," he said
suddenly. "What about Susan? Did she leave him?"
"No, lad," Nightwalker sighed. "She's dead. She's passed over and is safe."
Miranda felt a little out of place so she busied herself with getting the man
some of the watery bland tea all of the POWs where being given.
"And the cute lil ensign?" Mark smiled, pushing past the shock and hurt of
knowing about his sister-in-law. "Getting married again, old man?"
Miranda blinked and blushed as she handed the man his tea. "I honestly don't
think I'd be able to keep up with him."
"You wouldn't? How d'you think I'm gonna feel?" the younger man laughed,
feeling a twinge in his side as he did. He wrapped thin, boney fingers around
the mug and sniffed. "I'd kill for a smoke," he groaned.
"Not in here without setting off the sprinklers, or the doctors for that
matter." Miranda told him softly. "But now that your grandfather's here, your
more likely to be released soon."
"But you still won't get any," Nightwalker observed. At the man's growl, he
shrugged. "Can you imagine your papa's reaction? Smoking's not good for a man
in your condition."
Miranda nodded but smiled. "Something to look forward to for when your
stronger. Aside from the smoke, is there anything else I can try to get for
you?"
"Kiss from a pretty lady?" Mark laughed.
"Always the charmer. It's a wonder Matthew ever managed to catch a woman's eye
at all," Nightwalker joined the boy laughing.
"Would you settle for one from a kinda cute kid?" Miranda laughed as she leaned
down and kissed his cheek.
Mark fluttered his eyelashes dramatically. "I'm in love," he teased. "Besides,
I don't see any cute kids in here. Only pretty ladies."
Miranda blushed and then turned to look at Nightwalker. "I'm going to jump at
the guess that he gets that from you."
Nightwalker spread his arms wide in an innocent shrug. "I have no idea what
you're talking about, lovely lady."
"Umhmm, sure." She laughed before stepped aside a bit. "I should let the marine
captain and my CO know that we've a reunited family so something can be worked
out as far as coming and going."
"Thank you for this, Little Sun," the old man said solemnly.
Miranda nodded her head respectfully. "You should thank whomever arranged for
us to meet, Nightwalker, but your welcome anyway."
"Elphaba, where I come from we believe all sorts if things that aren't true..
We call it.. History."
~The Wizard
~Wicked~
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