round 15 WALTAS - Lost Time

[Blueheart]

((Brig, USS Discovery))

::His eyes had never left them once they were forced from the bridge. His boys had been infants when they left the ship, now they were teenagers. Tye looked like a darker-haired copy of his father, with blue eyes and a strong, athletic build. Sanuye was more slim, slight, almost scholarly in appearance. His green eyes reminded him of Eden, and his quiet demeanor spoke volumes of his personality.::

o O Twins, yet not alike in many ways.. So many questions. O o

::When the guards had searched and re-searched them, stripping them of their comm badges and weapons, they finally left them in silence with three standing near the forcefield and another four stationed outside. Tyr turned his questioning glance to Daisha, his eyes speaking the question before his mouth could.::

DAISHA::Sadly looking at her brothers:: I knew something was wrong a few weeks after you left. They would cry at night, and when I went to see to them I swore they had grown. Then it was all too evident. I...I took them to the Medical station and they said that it was their physiology reacting with the radiation on Ba'ku. There's never been a Ba'ku/Vulcan/Human hybrid before. The doctor said that something in their genetic makeup made the radiation on the homeworld work in reverse. They were aging in years, Dad. And their human phyisology was somehow...absorbed by the radiation. They are, genetically, Vulcan/Ba'ku hybrids. Their humanity is...gone. ::Shaking her head:: I don't pretend to understand all of it but..

::He was lost in thought and sadness. He had missed Daisha's childhood because he had not known of her until her stepfather had been killed. Now he had missed the childhood of his sons as well. There would be no playing with toys, no holiday mornings filled with presents. No first steps, first words or first skinned knees. He mourned once again the loss of his life experiences to his duty. And Daisha, shouldering a burden that wasn't hers but his. But the story was incomplete.::

WALTAS: What happened?

DAISHA::Swallowing hard, she knew the reaction to come:: They...they wanted to keep them on the homeworld. To study them.

WALTAS::Voice rising in anger:: They wanted WHAT?

DAISHA::Nodding:: They said with their physiology they could "afford" to study their aging. Said it would contribute to..

WALTAS::Flatly:: I want that Doctor's name.

DAISHA::Holding her hands up:: I already took care of it. His ribs will take awhile to heal.

WALTAS::A flicker of a smile crossed his face:: So you took them away. Escaped.

::He was proud...so proud at that moment. Daisha had always been tentative but her instinct had served her well. She had acted as he would, to protect her brothers first, consequences second.::

DAISHA: I tried to reason with them Dad but..they left me no choice. ::Her voice broke:: They would have died..or at the very least lost half their lives.. I'm sorry I didn't know what was going on I should have..

WALTAS::Gently, he moved toward her, cradling her in his arms:: Hey. Look at me. ::He gently raised her eyes to his:: You did the right thing. Don't EVER think you didn't. You acted to save your family and I am VERY proud of you, Daisha. ::Lowering his eyes:: If anything, it's my fault for leaving you there.

SANUYE::Interrupting:: Why DID you leave us there, father?

::He turned to his son, the fierce green eyes burning into him. It was a valid question-one that he wasn't ready to answer-never would be. The Ba'ku sat back down, taking in his sons with his gaze. When he spoke, his voice was rough with emotion, regret...Sadness.::

WALTAS: Sometimes we make choices that we regret, Sanuye. I was..selfish. I thought that you would have a better life among your kin, but in doing so I abandoned my duties as a father. I placed you in that situation. I'm sorry.

SANUYE::Furrowing his brow:: So you abandoned us..

TYE::Bursting out:: No! He wouldn't abandon us! You heard him, Sanuye! He made a mistake! He didn't mean to do this and he didn't know it would happen!

SANUYE::Cold, emotionless:: Yet, he still did.

TYE::Angrily:: How many mistakes did you make, brother?! How many times did I have to save you when you got in over your head?! When those boys were beating the snot out of you because you didn't know when to SHUT UP?!

SANUYE::Cowed:: I didn't mean...I mean...I..

TYE::Turning to his father, tears filling his eyes:: Can...can I...?

::Tyr frowned, not understanding until he saw his son's open arms.::

WALTAS::Tears threatening his own eyes:: Tye you NEVER have to ask..

::He embraced his son, who buried his face in his father's shoulder and wept. He smoothed his son's long hair and patted him soothingly, speaking with a confidence that he didn't necessarily have.::

WALTAS: We'll get through this, Tye, and once it's over I'll try to make up for all the lost time. I promise.

::Tye pulled back and looked to his brother, who remained in the corner, making no move to join the embrace. Tyr, slightly hurt, returned to his sitting position, cradling his broken hand.::

WALTAS: So how did you escape from Ba'ku? The last I heard they had stationed a starship..

DAISHA::Nodding, a mischevious look crossing her face:: Oh yes. Galaxy class. ::A note of pride crept into her voice:: No match for a Waltas at the controls of a runabout in the briar patch.

WALTAS::Grinning:: So that's why you ran to me. I suspect Starfleet won't be too pleased.

DAISHA::Snorting:: Let's see them try to justify using two boys as lab rats. Besides... ::Shyly toeing the ground:: there wasn't a LOT of damage..

WALTAS::Aghast:: You DAMAGED the ship?

DAISHA::Innocently:: No! Of course not. ::Quietly:: The Briar Patch did.

WALTAS::Rubbing his forehead and sighing:: We'll deal with that later. Right now we have to figure a way out of here.

DAISHA: Who ARE these people? What happened? How'd they get control of the ship?

::Tyr explained their encounter with the monks, the telepathic powers, and the confrontation on the bridge. He finished with brother Ishtahr.::

WALTAS: I'm surprised you didn't feel compelled to move with Tye and Sanuye. He seems to have the ability to plant suggestions in peoples' heads. He gained control of Ghyurn.

DAISHA::Frowning:: Tye and Sanuye seemed affected but I didn't feel any different. Why?

WALTAS::Mimicking his daughter's frown:: I don't know. You're part Talarian, maybe something about Talarians resist suggestion. Or it could be the more obvious..

DAISHA::Looking up:: which is?

WALTAS: You're female.

DAISHA::Shrugging:: He did seem to want to get rid of me awfully quickly. I wonder if that's it. How did you avoid getting ensnared?

WALTAS: You can thank my sensei for that. His first rule was calming the mind. I can't block telepathy but after a few years..

TYE::Grinning:: A few HUNDRED years..

DAISHA::Chuckling:: Yeah, he IS old..

WALTAS::Shooting daggers:: Yes, after a few HUNDRED years I've learned to block some things. But I doubt if I were subjected to the full chant I'd last long. ::Looking to his daughter:: We need to get out of here. Raj and the rest of the bridge crew are marooned on the surface looking for the monks' toys. And I don't know of anyone we can rely on here.

::It was then that the very people Tyr spoke of made their presence known.::

OOC: Cue the rescuers!

==============================
Captain Tyr Waltas
Commanding Officer
USS Discovery

-and-

Lieutenant JG Daisha Waltas
Security Officer
USS Discovery

-and-

Tye Waltas
Captain's Son

-and-

Sanuye Waltas
Captain's Son