SIM:TDakora: If I Only Had The Time

(( Dakora Family Home, Medara, Betazed – 2374 ))

By the temporal machinations of what was apparently a member of the Q Continuum, Talos had come to find himself sitting in the basement of his family home with two of his Excal crewmates and his mother. Somewhere between their slog through the fouled drainage pipes and arriving at Leera Dakora's door, they'd managed to hit a tourist-focused souvenir shop. This was why he'd come to find himself in cargo shorts and a Hawaiian print shirt, instead of the 2370's era Starfleet uniform that would've drawn unwanted attention.

T.Dakora: ::Swallowing.:: Holy strokes these are good. Thank you.

The beachwear only added to the oddity of the situation when his mother had brought them a tray of shrimp-like oscoid and crab cakes. If it wasn't for the whole stuck-in-the-wrong-time-in-the-middle-of-a-warzone thing, the experience might've been a bit more pleasant.

Niac: Thank you, ma'am. It's delicious. Have you heard any news in the last few hours? Seen anyone else on the streets?

The last stand of the BSDF and the volunteers would be ending soon, if it hadn't already and the Dominion forces would start to pour into the city proper in the coming hours. He knew, because he remembered it. A few meters above them, the 8 year old version of him was peeking out the second story window waiting to see what happened.

MacKenzie: I can’t imagine the resistance is fairing particularly well…

Talos winced a little, risking a glance towards his mother. It was easy to be blasé about it from a historical context, but Leera's entire world was turning upside down. War had come to her doorstep and tomorrow wasn't guaranteed.

Leera's expression hardened, almost imperceptibly, but Talos could feel the tangle of emotions within her.

L.Dakora: We don't have a standing army. ::Her words grew an edge.:: We depend on Starfleet to protect us, which in hindsight, may have been a mistake. ::She sighed.:: But you're correct, the public nets were reporting Dominion Forces breaking through the defensive lines just before they went down.

In Talos' memories, she had always seemed so formidable, always with a plan; the warm unrelenting shelter from all that raged against them in the outside world. Here and now, he wondered how the petite woman who had never, to his knowledge, raised her fist in anger had gone on to play a significant role in the coming insurgency. She seemed to become aware that he was studying her and he quickly tried to shift the attention away from it.

T. Dakora: We appreciate your hospitality. ::He bowed his head a little.:: We were just discussing our next move. We don't want our presence to put you or your family at risk.

It was an oddly self-serving statement, but he meant it.

Niac: Thank you, ma'am. Is there any chance you have access to a watercraft? Yacht? Hydroplane? Hell, I'd take a canoe and a bent oar at this point.

They didn't. Not that Talos knew, but he turned to his mother for a response anyway.

L.Dakora: I'm afraid I don't, bu- ::She paused, seemingly remembering something.:: Actually, I have something that may help...

Niac: We hate to impose on you further but there's a small chance some of our friends are...on the other side of the bay. If we can get to them we might be able to figure out a way...back to our ship. Hopefully.

She crossed the room to a box of miscellaneous items that he was pretty sure was the last of his father's possessions that he'd yet to retrieve following their separation. She pulled out a small access chit on a lanyard and handed it to Talos.

L.Dakora: My ex-husband used to pay for a membership to the yacht club for the "diplomatic connections". He never had a boat, but perhaps it will grant you access?

Talos placed the lanyard around his neck, examining the the chit bearing the names "Vostro Dakora" and "Medara Yacht Club" emblazoned on it.

T.Dakora Thank you. ::He smiled warmly.:: I'm sure this will help.

MacKenzie: ::bowing slightly:: We are in your debt. Let’s go.

As MacKenzie and Niac made their way up the stairs, Talos held back for just a moment.

T.Dakora: Give me a sec, I'll be right behind you.

There was every chance that he'd never see his mother again and even if she only knew him as a random Starfleet Officer, he wanted to say some kind of goodbye. Niac and MacKenzie made there way up the stairs and he turned to face Leera Dakora one last time.

T.Dakora: Again, Thank you for opening your home to us. We truly had nowhere else to go.

Her smile returned, the slightest hint of sadness tinting it, just a little.

L.Dakora: It was the right thing to do. ::She stood a little straighter.:: Clearly the universe needs people who are willing to do the right thing, even if it's hard.

Talos felt warmth spreading around his eyes as he struggled to maintain his composure while simultaneously doing what he could to mask his emotions. He caught the hint of motion out of the corner of his eye and turned to see himself, but smaller peeking down the stairs at him.

T.Dakora(33yo): Holy Strokes! You got the drop on me, little man.

The younger version of himself scrunched up his face in confusion and slowly stepped out from around the corner.

T.Dakora(8yo): Holy... Strokes? What does that mean?

He glanced at his mother, then to the curious kid before him.

T.Dakora(33yo): Oh, I don't know, It's just something I heard from some soldier when I was... ::Beat.:: A kid...

He tried not to think about the implications of that particular revelation, lest he cause his brain to unravel in some kind of hitherto unknown recursive predestination paradox. Talos glanced at Leera apologetically, wanting very much to embrace her one last time, but not seeing any avenue that wouldn't make things very weird.

T.Dakora(8yo): Cool. I can't wait to tell Hanny!

He then dashed back up the stairs, presumably to do just that. Not wanting to keep his crewmates waiting any longer, he faced his mother one final time. He was unsure what to say, he didn't have time to explain the situation and even if he did, the ramifications of doing so were unknown. Talos let his eyes linger on her face one last time, trying to store it in some part of his memory that would never fade, trying to keep a snapshot of the way her mind felt to stow away in his heart. There just wasn't time.

When he spoke, the sadness found it's way into his voice, whether he wanted it to or not.

T.Dakora(33yo): Take care, Leera.

Her eyes found his and for the briefest of moments, he thought he saw a spark of recognition.

L.Dakora: You take care as well, Yogan.

One foot in front of the other, he forced himself to turn and make his way up the stairs, his vision blurring on the edges as the tears came.

L.Dakora: ~Or may I still call you Little Bear?~

He nearly jumped as her words played across his mind and he spun to face her just as a white flash enveloped his field of view completely.

TBC

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LtJG. Talos Dakora

Acting Chief Intelligence Officer

USS Excalibur-A

O238811CD0

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