Kitty stormed the main quarters with Tara and Troy watching her carefully, ready to call Kassia at a moment's notice as she held the communique in her hand. She was furious, upset and afraid. So many memories were coming to the forefront of her mind.
"How is this possible?!" she cried out. "The man steals my children! Makes me believe they're dead for over two years - when he was going to SELL THEM OFF to the Naussicans! He doesn't deserve to even have any contact with them at all!"
Troy tried to grab her shoulders gently. "I know . . ." he tried to sooth as she looked into her green-brown eyes. "And at least to the kids, they weren't gone from you for two years. It was barely a day for them. At least you can be thankful for that . . ." He dark eyes took in her countenance with concern.
"What if he tries something again? I don't care that it's supervised! He doesn't deserve to be in the same room with them!" Kitty said, tears misting her eyes. "They don't even want to see him . . . I know because I've felt it from them."
Troy gently caressed her cheek and she shut her eyes and took a deep breath. As she laid her head against his chest, he embraced her. She calmed a little as she listened to the rhythm of his heart beats. "Listen to me, Kitty . . . Everything will be fine. Nothing is going to happen to Zac or Arianna this time. I promise you . . . You and I will go out and have a wonderful afternoon and when we come back the children will be here and be fine."
"But -"
Tara then approached. "Kitty, I'm your friend and your Chief of Security. I'll be here, I promise you. If he tries anything, I'll skryll him with Chiron," the Brit smirked. "I will keep him in line, Ambassador or no."
Kitty took a deep breath. "I don't have much of a choice either way," she said as she pulled away from Troy and looked at the order in her hand once more. For a split second she wishes she would phaser the person who had okayed the visitation. But it was done . . . Now she had to hide her feelings behind a wall for her children and wear a fake smile. She managed just as Kassia walked through the door with them. Arianna ran to her mother with Pikachu behind. Kitty picked her up.
"I no want to see Daddy," Arianna said, her eyes big like saucers. "Troy Daddy now!" She said, reaching out her arms to him. Troy gladly took her.
"I know honey, but you do have a father too, and you have to see him," Kitty replied. "But don't worry, Tara will be here the whole time. She's not going to leave you for a moment!"
"I no want to see him!" Arianna cried more urgently as tears came to her eyes.
"We were trying to work through some of this," Kassia replied, "But as you can see, I wasn't able to make much progress. They're father did a lot of damage, I'm afraid."
Kitty nodded. Without anyone having known it, Zac had slipped into his room and then had reappeared.
"Daddy bad man!" Arianna said. "He took us away! He hurt people! Took us from you! Threw us with people to sell us!"
Troy hugged her close and quietly shushed her as best as he could. "Well, he can't do it again," Troy said. "We won't let him."
"Promise?" Arianna said as she looked at Troy, gazing into his dark eyes.
"Promise," he replied, tenderly kissing her forehead.
"Yeah, he's not going to hurt us again EVER!" Zac chimed in. "But, Mom, do we REALLY have to see him? I don't want to!"
"You have to see him," she said.
His whole body wilted as he let out an exacerbated gasp. "But that's not fair! He shouldn't be allowed to after what he did!"
Kitty nodded. "I know . . ." she replied as she went to him and hugged him. "But that's how it goes. Tara will be here though. She'll watch him carefully." Suddenly, Kitty got an impression from her son's mind. Instantly, she put out her hand. "Give me the weapon. Now." She said firmly.
"But, Mom!"
"NO! You are not going to visit with your father having that dagger hidden in your clothes!" she said.
"But what if he-"
"Now!"
He groaned, but handed over the Klingon dagger. She took the weapon over to Tara and handed it to her. "He can have it back after Jonas leaves."
"Understood," Tara smiled. She liked the fact Zac was so brave, but it was rather wreckless.
"Do you want me to stay?" Kassia asked.
Zac looked at her and then shook his head. "Nah, that's okay. If he tries anything, I bet I can handle him now. I'm stronger than I was when he first tried to take us."
"Keep in mind, he might not try anything, Zac," Kassia said.
"What's that Earth saying I just learned? A leopard can't change his spots?" Zac said.
Kitty didn't comment, but she knew that Zac was right where Jonas was concerned.
"We'll have to talk about that sometime," Kassia smiled.
"Okay," he replied, bobbing his head a bit.
"And how about you, Kitty? How are you holding up?" Kassia asked.
Kitty laughed with a hint of sarcasm in it. "Oh, I'm just great!" she replied and then sighed. "I hate this, but what can I do?"
"I'm taking her out to distract her," Troy added.
"You two might want to get going," Tara replied, noticing the time. "He's due here any time now."
Kitty nodded. "Yeah, I would rather not see him."
"A kiss and a hug!" Arianna said, still in Troy's arms. First she hugged Troy and kissed him and then she leaned over to her mother and did the same. After that, Troy put her down and she went with Pikachu over to the toy chest.
"Take care of by babies, Tara," Kitty said as Troy guided her to the door.
"You know I will," Tara replied, her green eyes shining. "With my life."
With that, the couple disappeared out the door.
Jonas and Mazar headed together to Kitty's quarters. "This is most irregular, Mr. Mallory," Mazar protested. "Your posting to our embassy was contingent upon your not mixing your personal affairs with the business of state, and you knew this."
"This is the first chance I've had to see my children since I arrived here--at least, without the interference of their mother and most of the senior staff. But the bitch insists upon supervision, and so now I have to deal with Ms. Carmichael. If she's going to have supervision, I want supervision for her supervision!"
Mazar thought--not for the first time--that perhaps the Federation courts had been far too lenient on Jonas Mallory. The only thing more insane than the fact that the Glorious Leader picked this idiot as ambassador is that the Federation accepted his credentials! he thought to himself. He is utterly unfit as both a representative of Mullura and a sentient individual! "Rest assured, the professionalism of Starfleet's Chief Security Officer will be maintained during this meeting," Mazar said flatly. As if she needed any more help than you do in that area.
The pair arrived at the quarters to be greeted by Tara and the children. "Mr. Mallory, and Mr. Mazar! What a surprise to see you both here!" she said, putting on her professional face while she cringed inwardly. "You do realize that this is not an official function."
"The representative of Greater Mullura requires extra security in these troubled times," Mazar said, using his own professional face. "He goes nowhere unaccompanied."
"I see."
The children looked up quietly at their father, Arianna with a look of fear on her face. "Come to daddy, honey!" Jonas said as he held out his arms.
Arianna shook her head and ran behind Tara. "I don't think she's too happy right now," Tara said.
"You're supposed to be an observer, nothing more," Jonas snapped. "She's just playing shy. All kids do this at that age." Jonas did not see the small yellow ball of fur that had taken up a tactical flank next to the grouping. He reached over to pick up Arianna once again, this time grabbing her more forcefully. The girl began to cry.
"Don't struggle against me, young lady! I'm your father---AAAAAAAAGGGGGGH!" he suddenly screamed, dropping Arianna as a bright flash enveloped the room. A strong ozone smell filled the air.
Mazar had his disruptor drawn and was scanning the room as Tara grabbed the falling child. Arianna was now crying from the noise, the fall, and the shock she'd received from her father.
A small yellow ball of fur squeaking 'Pika! Pika!' retreated rapidly toward the back rooms. Mazar leveled his disruptor--
--and was stopped by Tara pointing her skryll directly at his head. "What is the meaning of this? That creature assaulted the ambassador!"
"That creature is Arianna's pet, and happens to be at least partially sentient. It merely responded to her crying. Lower your weapon now, sir," Tara said evenly.
Mazar lowered his weapon. Pikachu had moved out of his sight anyway.
At that moment, Zac ran toward Jonas and began kicking his father while the man lay on the ground. "I hate you! I hate you!" he began yelling over and over.
Both Tara and Mazar acted to restrain the boy. "That'll be quite enough from you, young man!" Tara said firmly. "Never kick a man when he is down. Even one who doesn't have the courtesy to acknowledge when he's no longer welcome," she said, addressing the last to Jonas.
"This meeting is at an end, gentlemen. The children are obviously too upset at this point to be in anyone's company. You will leave immediately."
"I concur with Ms. Carmichael," Mazar said. "No further good can come of us remaining. I trust this...'pet' of the young lady's is non-lethal?"
"It's only a mild electrical shock," Tara told him, using her tricorder. "It could have been much worse. That species has been known to incinerate its opponents."
"I see. Do Earth children always keep deadly animals for pets?" Mazar asked.
"Not always. Only those whose parents can afford it. And never anything more lethal than, say, a le'matya or a Siberian tiger," Tara said. "I had a tank of pirahnas when I was Arianna's age." Though she was joking, there was no indication in her voice.
"I...see...we had best be going now," Mazar replied as he helped Jonas to his feet.
Mazar and Mallory left the quarters. As the door shut, Mazar began to berate Jonas. "You fool!!!!! The best opportunity we've had to plant a surveillance probe--in the Captain's personal quarters, no less--and you have to ruin it with your selfishness! I should have helped young Zachary kick you to a pulp for this!" Surveillance or no, you deserve to be kicked to a pulp anyway given how you treat those children. With three wives and thirteen children of his own, Mazar considered himself a good gauge of parenthood. He knew he wasn't perfect, but at least his children weren't terrified of him.
But Jonas wasn't listening. He had his own thoughts...