Kassia took a look through the new three-bedroom quarters she had acquired for her new role as mother. After all, Tiyanna would need a room, she reasoned. Together, her and Troy had made arrangements and moved everything from their old place to this one. Then Kassia had gone out and purchased several new items for what would be Tiyanna's room. She wanted the little girl to have everything she could possibly give her in the way of nice items, toys, books... Whatever she though she might like to want. As Kassia looked at the room, she took it in. The bed was in a position where Tiyanna could look out a porthole at the stars. The bedspread was pink, with a big, fluffy pillow and a stuffed, white dog. For some reason, when she had looked at it in the catalog at Loomis' Get-It-All Mart, she just knew that was what she had to get for her new daughter. In fact, most of the items she had gotten for the room, she had procured through him. That place had become quite handy. Of course, there were several crystals she hung from the overhead from her own shop, and she had a couple of crystals she put on some shelves around the room, but that was for an air of peace. It was something Clarize had taught and one this was pretty sure of was that this girl, like herself, needed a sense of calm and peace, and she was bound determined to provide as much of that as she could. She just hoped that she could do that and she hoped that Tiyanna would like her new room... Of course, she also had to wonder what Tarik was going to think about this move... There was something nagging at the back of her mind, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She was considering doing a spread, but hadn't yet. She had been too wrapped up with the new quarters to do one before... But maybe... She wasn't sure. She just continued to stare into Tiyanna's room deep in thought.
"How's it going, Kassia?" Troy asked. He'd just finished his shift at Soma. Between the extra traffic at the bar with peacetime conditions having been restored, and the time he'd been spending with Commander Mallory (more than he'd expected, actually) he hadn't been around much since the move to the new quarters. "Anything I can help you with?"
A bit surprised, she smiled and turned to him. "Well, what do you think? Do you think a six year old little girl will like this room?" she asked.
Troy looked around the room. "Hmmmm... not having been a little girl, I couldn't tell you for sure. But I think she'll like it. Certainly it's going to be better than what she had before! I've seen the news out of Az'reel... that was horrible!" He looked intensely at Kassia. "Are you sure about this? I mean, a child is a huge responsibility! Are you positive you're up to taking care of a little one?" The unspoken message was Are you sure you can handle a child while you're still trying to get a grip on your own emotions?
She gently took his hand and squeezed it. "I'm sure, Troy. She's just like me and... we were meant to be together I think... She needs me and I need her too." Kassia smiled to ease his concerned. "Besides, because of her, I've managed to start using the turbolift on my own again... It still scares me, but I can do it alone now. I'll be okay..."
Maybe it will do her some good, at that, Troy thought. "Okay, just as long as you're sure," he said, putting his arm around her shoulder.
"But if you need anything, just don't hesitate to ask"
She sighed as she leaned into him. "What do you think Tarik is going to think about all of this though?" she asked.
Troy could tell something else was going on behind those green eyes. "What do you think he's going to think?" he asked playfully. "You're the psychic, after all! And wasn't he the one who put you in touch with Tiyanna to begin with? If that's the right way to put it..."
She smirked with a gentle laugh as she thought about what he'd said. Then she became serious again. "Well, I'm not sure... I mean, I know he's behind me adopting Tiyanna, but I have a strange feeling about the quarters now... I can't explain it. Or maybe a strange feeling about he and I..." She sighed, not sure what that meant.
"Well, why don't you talk with him about it when he gets here?" Troy asked. "The Sutherland is due back to the station in another hour. I would imagine after everything that's happened he might want to talk to you, too. Let's just say that he and I have had a few discussions outside your earshot." Troy looked around the quarters again. "Still, though, you've done wonders with the place! Listen, though, I've got to check on something for the club -- there was an order of brivari that came in spoiled and I need to get credit for it from the shipper somehow." Troy's departure had nothing to do with brivari or the club, however -- he wanted to see Kitty if at all possible.
Kassia smiled. "Sure, Troy, you go check on getting that credit," she giggled. "Go and enjoy yourself while you're at it."
Troy laughed. "And here I thought I could slip that one past you! Listen, if you don't mind, why don't you do one of your readings for this thing? Maybe you can do one for you, too. It might do you some good to get back in routine." He looked around anxiously. "And I'd better get going. Can't let that shipment sit around too long," he said with a wink as he left the room.
She laughed again as she watched him leave. But she pondered his idea. Maybe she should do a reading. Of course, the ones she did for herself were always very unreliable, but at least it would give her mind something else to think about as she waited the last hour for the Sutherland to arrive. With deliberateness, she went to a cabinet in the main room and pulled out a special decorated box. She took it to coffee table and sat down on the couch. As she opened the container, she pulled out her tarot card. Gently she put the box to the side and began to shuffle her cards. She focused her mind on Tarik and what their future held. She wanted to know what was happening between them right at that moment. Finally, she felt the warmth spread through her body. As it hit her back, she knew it was time to lay down the cards. One by one, she put down five. First was the King of Swords followed by the three of cups, the ten of cups, the Empress and then the Ace of cups.
As Kassia looked at this spread, her green eyes grew wide. The King of Swords most obviously represented Tarik, and the Empress was herself... They were both clearly represented... All the cup cards... All of the cards could be made out to be relationship cards... and usually for serious relationships... Suddenly, she shook her head and snatched up the cards.
"No, he couldn't possibly be thinking marriage... Not with me..." she said and quickly put the cards back in the box, and onto the shelf once again.
Tarik and Tiyanna stood at the porthole watching the station as it hove into view. Tarik picked her up for a better view. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, both of them wore clean clothes -- Tarik a fresh uniform with his new colonel's rank pin attached; Tiyanna a simple blue jumpsuit with white shoes.
"Is that really going to be my new home?" she asked. "It's beautiful!"
"Yes, it does look beautiful, doesn't it?" Tarik said, for the first time truly appreciating the century-old space station despite its bumps and bruises. The ship shook gently as it engaged with the docking pylon. "Here we are!"
The two of them walked hand-in-hand to the airlock. Tarik had already consulted with the Starfleet Judge Advocate General. With a supporting statement from the Sutherland's chief surgeon (who had never seen another of Tiyanna's kind) and Subcommandant Mer'an (who corroborated the story that Tiyanna was a foundling), Tarik had gained permission from the JAG office to adopt Tiyanna. Too bad I couldn't do the same for the other orphans, he thought. The other orphans would wait aboard the station for 60 days while an attempt was made to locate their parents or homeworlds.
"Wow! It's so busy here!" she said, looking at all the people as they emerged from the docking bay into the station concourse.
"Stay with me, little one," Tarik said. "It's easy enough for a grown-up to get lost here!" He grabbed his kit bag from a maintenance crewman and oriented himself. There was an important stop he had to make before he proceeded with any of his other business -- the Medal of Valor nomination for the late Captain Anderson and letters home to the families of thirty of his Marines who didn't make it back. And paying for the bar fight damage, he thought ruefully. There's no chance that they'd forgive the debts of dead men, I don't suppose...
On the way to Kassia's quarters he ran into Troy. "Tarik! I'm glad you made it back all right!" he said. After days of ducking annoying reporters and even more annoying Starfleet Public Affairs types, Tarik was gratified to see someone he actually did want to speak to.
"More or less," Tarik said. "Tiyanna, meet your Uncle Troy!" he said. Tiyanna ran up to Troy and gave him a hug.
"So, this is the famous Tiyanna?" Troy asked her playfully. She nodded vigorously. "You'll like living here!"
"Yes, I know I will!" she said, very seriously.
Troy looked at her with surprise. "Very self-assured, isn't she?" he asked Tarik.
"As self-assured as any little girl who's been living in a labor camp can be," Tarik replied. "There are still a few things there, but the counselor aboard the Sutherland assures me that she should recover fully."
"I'm glad to hear it," Troy said. Troy took a closer look at Tarik. "Hey -- that's different!" he said, noticing the eagle insignia Tarik now wore on his collar.
"Yes, they promoted me to full colonel," Tarik said. "I'd better stop before some damn fool thinks about putting stars up there!"
"Congratulations," Troy said, shaking Tarik's hand. "You've earned it."
"Me and a lot of other people..."
Troy was quiet for a moment. "You'll want to go to Level 18; that's where Kassia's new quarters are. I hate to run like this, but I've got somewhere I need to go. Talk to you later tonight?"
"Absolutely. There's some sort of formal function going on at 1700, but I always try to get out of those as soon as possible," Tarik said. "See you then!"
"He's nice. I like him!" Tiyanna decided aloud, just before Troy was out of earshot.
"Yes, he's a very nice man. Now, let's go meet Kassia!"
Kassia was trying to relax. Everything she could do she had now done. All she could do was just sit back and wait. She was at the replicator ready to get herself something to drink when she thought that maybe some flowers for table might be nice. Quickly, she replicated a few sweet smelling Tarmelian Lilies. They were a beautiful shade of purple that melted into a magenta at its base. She placed them in a vase and put them on the table. Just as she was setting them door, she sensed the door open.
Tarik walked in with Tiyanna in hand. Kassia saw Tarik and smiled, even though the look on his face told her that he was at once both more exhausted and more elated than he'd ever been in his life. "I've got a surprise for you," he said.
Her smile lit the room as her eyes fell on Tiyanna. Immediately she went to them. As her eyes met with Tarik, she caressed his cheek and kissed him gently. Then she bent down and looked at Tiyanna.
"Hello there, I'm Kassia," she smiled.
"Hi," Tiyanna said, with a big smile of her own.
"Looks like you and I really are the same," Kassia said, her eyes twinkling as she gently reached out and traced the girl's spots on her face.
"Yep, I have spots just like you!" Tiyanna did the same thing, tracing Kassia's spots and then laughed. "You're silly!"
"I'm glad you think so," she laughed. "Would you like to see your room, Tiyanna? I really hope you'll like it..."
Tiyanna looked up at Tarik. After all, she had been relying him for the last two weeks. Kassia was not surprised by this response.
"Go ahead, honey. I need to discuss some things with Kassia anyway -- big people stuff," he said with a wink. Tiyanna smiled broadly, then ran away, giggling.
Tarik took Kassia in his arms, holding her close. "I have missed you so much, and I have seen so much... it's made me rethink priorities a bit."
"I know you've seen a lot..." Kassia replied. She always saw bits and pieces of his battles and they were always very gruesome. "Just what priorities have you been rethink?" She said as she looked at him, with curious, concerned eyes.
"I've stayed alone my whole life because I was afraid of hurting someone else. It's not an easy life I lead, and the prospect of imminent death is always around whenever I go out. But I've been thinking about this even before this last battle. The past couple of weeks just really put it all together for me.
For once, Tarik was at a loss for words. "Kassia, I guess what I'm trying to say is that..." he paused to take a breath. "I don't want to lose you. For any reason, but certainly not for something I have control over. I've never felt this way about anyone before, and I don't want to let that go like so many people I know have done. Kassia -- will you marry me?" There! You've said it. Now go reconsider those orders for Ceres in case she says no!
Kassia was in shock. The tarot reading came back to her mind. The Three of Cups, The Ten of Cups, the Ace of Cups... They all pointed to a marriage proposal, but she didn't believe it and here she was... Tarik was asking her to marry him. She loved him. He loved her. This was always meant to be. She knew that in her heart! As she had said when they had first met, he was part of her destiny.
"Yes!" she said as she smiled, caressing his face.
"Good! Because I have absolutely no idea what I would have done had you said no!" Tarik said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Tiyanna, come in here!"
Tiyanna rushed into the room. "Tiyanna, guess what? Not only is Kassia going to be your new mommy, I'm going to be your new daddy!"
Tiyanna tried with her little arms to embrace both of them. Tarik and Kassia crouched down to her level and they engaged in a group hug. "I knew that," Tiyanna whispered into Tarik's ear. "I knew that as soon as I saw you!"
"So, Tiyanna, how do you like your room?" Kassia asked.
Suddenly the little girl's green eyes lit up as she grabbed a hand from each of them. "I love my room! It has neat stuff! Crystals! Toys! Come look! And on the bed is a fluffy white animal!"
They followed the excited girl down the hallway.
"It's called a dog. Well, that's a toy one anyway," Kassia smiled, as they reached the room, and they watched as Tiyanna raced for the bed to grabbed the fluffy white dog.
"A dog?" she asked again, holding it to her chest.
"It's an animal from a planet called Earth. You'll learn about that planet, if you haven't learned about it yet," Kassia smiled.
"I learned a little about some of the planets on the ride here," she said as she looked at Tarik and smiled.
"Yes, we learned about Earth, and Vulcan, and Romulus, and New Canada, and as many others as we could get to!" Tarik said, inwardly proud at his first effort at educating a child. "One of these days we'll get to go to some of them, too. I still owe you a trip to Vulcan -- now more than ever before!" Tarik continued, looking Kassia in the eye. She laughed.
"I just feel bad about Troy," he said. "This is going to be a serious adjustment for him! He has no idea that I've just asked you this. I've discussed the specifics with absolutely no one before coming here. And I don't know just how prepared he's going to be for this."
"I'm not sure, but I have this strange feeling he might have had an idea," Kassia laughed. "I don't think he'll be all that surprised to be honest." Her eyes were bright.