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Lt. Kayla Drex: Some Bad News


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OOC: This brutalized my feels. 

IC: 

((Kayla's Quarters, time signature: immediately after the mission concludes))
 
::Kayla walked around her quarters, reflecting on how completely different her life had been than she expected since joining Starfleet. She wasn't complaining really - The Eagle was incredible, as was the crew. She was glad that this latest mission was over. She'd found the whole situation exceedingly unsettling.
 
::As she picked up the delicate teacup with steaming oolong from the replicator, her console beeped, alerting her of an incoming transmission. Kayla walked to the small desk, sat down and tapped to complete the connection. To her surprise, it was the face of Michael, one of her brothers, that filled the screen. His customary rakish grin was not in place however. Its absence told Kayla immediately that something was wrong. Very wrong.::
 
Michael: Hey, K.
 
Drex: Hi, Mikey. What's wrong?
 
Michael: Can you come home? It's Mom. She's ... she's not doing well, K.
 
::It was like a punch to her gut. Kayla felt the breath leave her lungs, and wasn't sure she had the strength to refill them. Forcing herself, the breath came in a shudder as her vision blurred with immediate tears. Michael was not one for exaggeration or drama.::
 
Drex: ::choked with emotion:: Michael, what do you mean? I just saw Mom last Christmas. She was fine.
 
Michael: I know, K. She's not sick. There was ... an accident. The doctors stabilized her, but they ::he paused for a steadying breath:: ... they say she doesn't have long.
 
Drex: What? Michael, no! Please tell me this is a VERY bad joke.
 
Michael: I wish I could, sis. I so wish I could. ::now openly crying:: Can you come home? Now?
 
Drex: ::also crying:: of course. I'll leave as soon as I can arrange a shuttle. Oh God, Mike.... Momma.
 
Michael: I know ... send me a message when you know when you'll be arriving. I'll make arrangements for you on this end.
 
Drex: mkay. Thanks for telling me, Michael. Love you.
 
Michael: Love you too, sis.
 
::The connection was cut. Kayla felt as though the inertial dampeners had just failed catastrophically. The whole room spun. She clutched the edge of the desk for support. Her left hand caught the saucer of her teacup. piping hot oolong tea poured out onto her hand. Swearing loudly, she picked up the delicate china cup and hurled it across the room. As it shattered against the far wall of her quarters, the sound seemed to give voice to her heart breaking into seemingly too many pieces to ever be repaired.
 
::Kayla collapsed onto the floor by her desk and sobbed for what felt like an eternity. Eventually though, she was able to compose herself enough to tap her badge. She knew her voice would sound raw and muddy, but that didn't matter now. The only thing that mattered was getting to Earth ... before it was too late.::
 
Drex: =/\= Drex to Commander Oddas =/\=
 
Oddas: =/\= Oddas here =/\=
 
Drex: =/\= Sir, I've just received news from home. My ... my mother is dying. I need to get to Earth as quickly as possible. =/\=
 
Oddas: =/\= My Condolences, Lieutenant. :: pause :: Take the time you need and keep me apprised. =/\=
 
Drex: =/\= Thank you, Commander. =/\=
 
((timeskip: on the transport ship back to Earth))
 
::She sat with her head against the wall of the long distance shuttle, drifting in and out of sleep. She hadn't slept properly in days. Not since the communication with Michael. Any time she closed her eyes, she saw her Momma's face. She was so pretty. Far too young to die.
 
::Kayla didn't even notice the tears sliding silently down her cheek now. It had become the new normal to be crying. As sleep took her briefly, she continued crying. The tears continued into her sleep - into her dream.
 
((dream))
 
::Kayla was about 6 or 7 years old. It was dark - nearly 10 o'clock at night, and little Kayla sat at the end of the family dock, crying by herself. Leanna, her Momma, walked to the end of the pier, and without saying a word, sat down next to the sad child.::
 
Leanna: What's wrong, Sparks?
 
Drex: Phillip and David were teasing me because I'm puny.
 
::The look on Leanna's face was like a lioness, turning on another animal that messed with her cub.::
 
Leanna: Do you know why they tease you, Kayla?
 
Drex: No. They say it's because I'm a runt, and that I -
 
Leanna: ::cutting Kayla's words in mid-sentence:: Stop. They tease you because you're bigger than they are.
 
Drex: ::looking at her Momma through confused, tear-puffy eyes:: That's silly. I'm not bigger than them.
 
Leanna: Not physically maybe, but look at me, Sparks.
 
::She lifted the little girl's chin gently so the child's watery eyes met her own, which to Kayla's surprise also had tears in them.
 
Leanna: You are the biggest person I've ever known. You have a universe inside you - a universe of excitement, curiosity, possibility, hope, love, compassion, and beauty. That's what they see when they see you. Whether they know it or not, they see what you can become, and they can't figure out how all that can fit inside such a little person.
 
Drex: Really? ::sniffing::
 
Leanna: Really. And it's what I see too, but I know better. I know you're going to do incredible things. Everywhere you go, every person you meet, everything you touch will be touched by your universe, and you know what? This universe will be better for it, baby girl.
 
::Kayla broke into new tears, but this time it was tears of love for her Momma. The one who showed her her universe.::
 
((shuttle))
 
::Kayla awoke to the gentle touch of the Betazoid co-pilot's hand on her shoulder. He had been very kind to her this trip, being able to feel her pain.::
 
Nolan: We're nearly to Earth. I thought you would want to collect your things so you can be off more quickly.
 
Drex: ::wiping her tear-stained face:: Yes. Yes of course. Thank you, Mr. Nolan. You've been very sweet.
 
::Nolan inclined his head slightly, indicating the compassion he'd shown was the least he could do for her, and walked back to his chair at the front of the shuttle.::
 
::Kayla took a deep breath and looked around the cabin. She hadn't even opened her bag during the flight. She walked to the small head in the back of the cabin and closed the door behind her. She let cool water run over her hands into the sink basin. That was life, she supposed. You can try to hold onto it, but the harder you cling, the more slips through your fingers. Maybe it was best to just try to enjoy every moment as best you could. There was never a way to know when it would stop flowing.
 
::She splashed her face clean with the refreshing water, patted her skin dry, and went back to her seat.::
 
((Leanna Marsh-Drex's bedside (timeskip: 239604.29)))
 
Drex: Momma?
 
Dr. Antares: She's sleeping now. I'd like to wait to wake her until the rest of your family is here.
 
Drex: Of course, Doctor.
 
Michael: ::putting a comforting arm around his sister:: You alright, K?
 
Drex: No, Mikey. I'm not.
 
Michael: Yeah ... Me either.
 
::They sat in silence, hardly looking away from the peaceful face they'd known all their lives. Within the hour, The rest of the family had congregated around the bed. Gulliver sat by the head of the bed. He hadn't been able to speak more than a few words of welcome to his children. They all shared his pain.::
 
Dr. Antares: If you're all ready, I can wake her now.
 
::Dr. Gulliver Drex - the brilliant scientist - merely nodded and scooted slightly closer to the bed containing the object of his love for so many years.::
 
Leanna: ::her eyes slowly fluttered open and looked at each of their faces:: Well, darn. I guess this is it, huh?
 
Drex: Momma ... I love you
 
Leanna: Oh baby, I will always love you. I'm so proud of the woman you've become. Don't ever forget that. You are going to do so many great things. I just know it.
 
::One by one, Leanna said her final goodbye to her family. The tears flowed freely from all of them. Gulliver looked at his children, silently asking for a moment alone. They quietly got up and left the room. In the hall, the five children held each other, holding each other up.
 
::When they re-entered the room, Leanna had passed. Gulliver was sobbing, his face buried in her hair. Kayla and her brothers moved as one to his side, embracing him, and crying with him.::
 
 
 
 
NT
 
__________________________________

 

Lieutenant Kayla Drex
Chief Science Officer
USS Eagle, NCC-74659

Image Collective
Writer ID: E239510KD0

Science is life, art is soul, love is home
Wiki: Kayla Drex
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Aww, thanks Shayne. I'd say, "Glad you enjoyed it," but that doesn't seem to fit ... 🤔

Writing a character based on one's self allows for beautiful catharsis though. Don't worry, happy times are coming again. :)

 

❤️ K

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