Flutterby Escapes

Posted on 24 Mar 2017 @ 8:23pm by Lieutenant JG Stephanie Fraiser (KIA) & Senior Chief Petty Officer Martin Caine (KIA) & Yasmin Khoroushi
Edited on on 25 Mar 2017 @ 4:49pm

1,500 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 14 - Statecraft
Location: Kreanus Colony - Deck 18, Cargo Bay
Timeline: MD 01, 0012 hrs

[ON]

JJ had been playing at mumma and dadda's feet but she was getting bored and restless with all the shouting and talk going on. She saw a pretty insect flutter by and cooed trying to catch it but it escaped her hands so she looked at her parents who were watching the ones at the front before getting on her knees and crawling after it with little giggles that were hidden by the loud talking.

Yasmin had avoided the meeting; she was technically a guest on the ship - not an officer - and therefore had no viable input to share with the whole. Not that her words would have all that merit. All the same, she hung out around the exit of the cargo-bay ... listening in, but not really paying that much attention. Therefore, she was surprised to see a small form wriggling free of the mass and approaching her on hands and knees. A smile tilted Yasmin's lips as she observed the child - she'd seen her before, she was sure - rising to her feet and approaching the little escapee. "Hey, pumpkin. Where are you off to?"

JJ looked up at the voice and giggled as she held her arms up in the universal 'pick me up please' signal. "Big people's talking... me go b'udderfwy."

Not one to turn down a good cuddle, Yasmin scooped the child up and settled her on her hip. "Butterfly, hm? You found a butterfly in all of this craziness? That's awesome - where did it go?" She supposed she shouldn't leave the exact area, and didn't plan on it, but a little exploration of the direct region wouldn't hurt.

Biting her lip and frowning in thought JJ caught a flutter and pointed "Thewe! Theys lots!" JJ could see a small cloud of pretties and she giggled reaching one hand to them and laughing as the butterflies came closer.

"Butterflies flutter by," Yasmin chanted, shifting the little girl as she reached out a hand for one of the creatures to land on her finger-tip. It was a little different than what she saw on Earth, but close enough to pass as a cosmic cousin of sorts. "Very pretty," she offered, giggling as one tiny winged creature landed on the child's head.

"Pweddy!" JJ giggled holding still but trying to see the one on her head "T'an 'ou fow playing wif me." She was saying it to both Yasmin and the butterflies.

They stood for a moment, simply enjoying the fluttering show, before Yasmin turned to the little girl. "My name's Yasmin," she told her. "Though my brother and sisters always called me Yaya - what's your name?"

"Me JJ Yaya... Mumma does weseawch... dadda boss peoples." JJ snuggled into Yasmins neck happily.

Leaning back against the wall behind her, Yasmin slid down to sit cross-legged, cradling the little one against her. Surely her parents were in the meeting room and would have to come past here when they left. As long as she stayed in this vicinity, they would be able to retrieve their child. "How old are you, JJ? You are a very good talker."

"I's one and half. Mumma got hurts when I born. Spend lots time talking wif me." Being full Betazoid helped with the learning to talk.

"Wow," Yasmin blinked. "You're really smart, sweetie! My nieces and nephews didn't talk as well as you when they were your age."

"Fank you," her curiosity piqued JJ asked "Dey big people's now?"

"Mmmm ... not incredibly big; the oldest is no more than ten and the youngest only a couple years older than you. And one of my sisters is going to have another sometime next year." She curled a lock of dark hair around her finger. "I had hair like this when I was little - all curly and soft."

"You have pwetty hair too." JJ said with a giggle as the hair being played with normally meant being tickled. "Dey still wittle den!"

Yasmin giggled with her as chubby little hands reached for a lock of her own mostly-straight hair. "Yeah, they're still pretty little."

"Me meet one day?" She played with the bits of hair putting it into a tentative plait that was more knot-like than plait like.

Glad that the little girl's head was mostly under her chin, and not looking up, Yasmin worried her bottom lip a moment before offering what she hoped was a casual response. "Yeah, someday. I think they'd love to meet you."

"Me like that yaya." JJ gave her a hug she could feel she was sad. "Me take booboo 'way?"

Booboo? Yasmin blinked, but smiled all the same as she hugged the little girl back. "Oh, I'm okay. Just miss my family is all."

"Missing family good, me not know what me do wiv out my Mumma and Dadda me helpwes wiv out dem."

Kissing the small nose, Yasmin grinned at the child. "I dunno, you seem pretty smart to be totally helpless, but it's always good to have bigs around."

As the meeting broke up Martin realised JJ had left but he realised she wasn't far off, as he felt her he could feel the fact that she had found a friend, He didn't know the friend but knew it was female and that the were having fun. He was sending calming energy to Stephanie who was in a mild state of panic because JJ had wandered off. "Steph it is fine, she is fine and if we head down this corridor we will find the girls."

Steph gave him a greatful look "Do you know what our little impling went after?"

"I think it was something colourful, closest I can garuntee is like the butterflies that she saw on Earth. She isn't far down this corridor. I get that she is with a pretty civilian woman, and seems the woman was at the meeting so I guess she was on the Galileo.

"At least she hasn't snuck somewhere she shouldn't this time. She's your daughter all ninja like." Steph teased him

"Better than having her locked up all the time like the Klingons tried at the start." Martin said with a laugh. "Like our little escape artist was going to let that happen."

"God help us no lock keeps her in or out ... I have no idea how we will keep her from roaming when this is over. Holographic teacher and start teaching her early but in fun games?"

"That is the times that I enjoyed mist with my family." Martin said to Steph; before he pointed. "There it is." He spoke of JJ.

Steph smiled and knelt by the two girls as JJ said "Mumma, dadda dis yaya. She fwend."

"Looks like someone has been collecting toys again." Martin said. He knew all the Galileo crew by face he didn't know this woman. "Yaya so I guess Jasmine or Yasmin? He said, he felt sadness from Yaya. He knew she had told JJ family info to keep the child happy.

"Yasmin Khoroushi, Sir. My brother Noah is in Operations." Balancing a hand on the wall, she stood with JJ on her hip, secure in her free arm. "I take it you're Miss JJ's family?"

JJ pointed at Martin then Steph and said "Dadda and Mumma...."

"And honestly Miss Yasmin using JJ's order Senior Chief and Ma'am." Martin said before saying "It seems our daughter like you so I think...." Martin said and waited for Steph to acknowledge that she was okay with Yasmin using her personal name.

"Stephanie is fine by me or Steph."

"Martin and Stephanie is a good starting place." He said.

"Martin, Stephanie - it's a pleasure to meet you."

"So apart from drifting with your brother and baby sitting, which you also seem to do quite well, what brings you to Kreanus?"

"Science." The smile she offered was somewhat melancholy. "And ... other things. I mostly came to look out for Noah. He may be my big brother, but I can tell when he needs help - even if he won't admit it."

Stephanie grinned at the science "I work in science, head of research. Anything that interests you?"

"Oh, Microbiology. I actually applied to the Galileo as a Civilian intern when I found out Noah was shipping off again so soon after ... well, what happened. Gave me a chance to get away from Earth and keep an eye on him as well."

"Ah of course your Noah sister. Well that explains why I don't know you that well. I was concentrating on Fleet junior staff and the department heads that I would be working with. I guess you'll be leaving us soon then?" Martin asked.

[Truncated]

--

SCPO Martin Caine
Chief of the Boat (CoB)
IKS Daja'Q

Lt (jg) Stephanie Frasier
Chief Research Officer
IKS Daja'Q

Yasmin Khoroushi
Civilian Microbiologist
IKS Daja'Q
[PNPC Torgeir Naes]

Jamie Fraiser
Child / Civilian
IKS Daja'Q
[PNPC Fraiser]

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