Family Tests
Consy glanced nervously from the homestead to Chase. They stood amidst the high corn stalks, walking towards the two- story home. They had landed the shuttle a short distance away to not damage the growing crops and were carrying their stuff towards the home.
Consy knew that Kathryn and Gretchen wouldn't mind the unexpected visit. Especially since everyone had their own room. Because of that, the house was almost always busy with family. Aunt Phoebe lived there, as did Kathryn. Caleb who was now living on Starfleet grounds during the week often came home on weekends. Only Consy was permanently away now.
The homestead was everyone's escape from the technologically world. In her childhood, the house had had no technology other than a computer console in her room. With time, however, Kathryn had been able to convince Grandma of the necessity of upgrading the home with technology. It had been conditional for them (Kathryn and Consy) moving in, It now had an office linked to Starfleet, a replicator and a small transporter padd. The first were primarily used by Kathryn and Consy. The transporter however was used by everyone.
"Anything I should know about?" Chase asked, sensing Consy's nervousness.
"Only Kathryn knows about us..." Consy said stopping as she noticed the window blind on the second floor open. She groaned, she had personally hoped that Caleb would be stuck in training somewhere in South America or Africa... He was sure to have a prank or two up his sleeve. He smiled down at them.
"Worried about what they'll think? " Chase asked. Consy took the front and continued moving towards the house. "I'm not." Chase said.
Consy was about to say something to that when green eyed, fully muscled Caleb walked out the front door towards them.
"Kiddo!" He greeted Consy smiling, his curly blonde hair bouncing around his head. He picked up her in his arms, lifting her high off the ground as he hugged her to his chest.
"Nice to see you too..." Consy said, "You've certainly grown since last time..." He put her back on solid ground, collecting the bag she had dropped as he had picked her up.
He straightened his shoulders proudly. He ruffled up Consy's hair as they stopped out of the corn and onto the porch "Who's your sexy friend Green?" He whispered, seeing Chase, who had now caught up to them.
Consy half smiled, "Caleb meet Chasity..." Chasity smiled warmly at Caleb and stretched out a hand towards him.
"Chase this is my annoying cousin Caleb..."
He flashed a smile at Consy and then smiled innocently and broadly at Chase. He took Chase's outstretched hand. "A pleasure to meet you... Please don't believe a word she says, I'm not as annoying as she claims..." He winked at her.
Chasity looked at Consy "What's so annoying about him?"
Consy's reply was a simple "You'll soon see." as she stepped onto the veranda. Caleb's eyes flashing sweetly at her and then flashing towards Chase.
"Forget it Caleb, you haven't got a chance with her." She whispered but Chase overheard anyway.
"How can you be so sure? My tactics are better now... " He answered.
Consy was tempted to let him try and fail miserably just for the sake of getting revenge for all the times he had tormented her but felt that letting her 17 year old cousin do something which was certain to fail would be mean. She hesitated for an instant. How would he react? She stopped in her tracks and looked at him, "I know because she's *my* girlfriend."
Caleb had continued walking but stopped, misunderstanding. "Sometimes we don't know our friends as well as we think we do."
"Caleb, you're not listening..."
Chase had been playing the innocent bystander, but decided to make things clear for the young man. She moved in towards Consy and kissed her slowly.
Dawning, he blushed. He know understood the emphasis of Consy's my.
As they pulled apart, Consy winked at Caleb. "I am glad that you approve of my tastes..."
He flushed all over, even his ears turned red.
The couple entered. Regardless of whether he approved or not, he was too embarrassed to say anything else and disappeared outdoors for a while. Consy showed Chase the different rooms of the house.
"All the bedrooms are upstairs." Consy said after they finished the main floor. "Ours is the first on the right. Next is Caleb's. The last is the guest bedroom. Opposite is Kathryn's, then Phoebe's and Grandma's. "
"Looks like no one else is home yet." Chase said as they entered the first bedroom. She shut the door gently behind her.
"Indeed not. I'm going to take a shower before everyone arrives and there's no more hot water. Feel free to unpack, look around..."
Chase nodded.
Consy entered the bathroom and soon disappeared in a steam of mist.
Chase looked around, the room was very simple. A bookshelf filled with original books covered one wall with a door in the center led the adjoining bathroom, next to that the fluffy bed. Then underneath the window stood a desk, it was strewn with data padds, a computer console and various parts. The entire room was clean and tidy except for the desk. Chase moved towards the walk-in closest to hang up her dresses. She unpacked her bag, and was hanging up a dress when she noticed the back of the closet: pail lines had been traced. She leaned down to look at the lines. Age 10. Age 11. Age 12 and so it went until age 16. The differences in height were subtle barely notable and there was no change between the lines from age 14 on. Chase looked over her shoulder, towards the shower. She suddenly felt like she was peering into Consy's past. They had discussed about it a little, how Consy had been adopted but nothing else really. Her thumb traced the faded lines. Obviously Consy's height had meant a lot. She could only hazard at how hard it was for Consy to watch her younger cousin outgrow her. She was brought out of her reverie when she heard Consy scream.
She could hear Caleb's laughter in the hall as she slid into the bathroom.
She noticed the ice cubes that rested in the bottom of the shower and laughed. "He must have overheard you didn't want a cold shower..." Chase said.
"That's why he's annoying..." Consy said through gritted teeth as she turned up the hot the water. Once she was warmed again, she turned the water off. She stepped out, looking for the towel she had taken out earlier. Noticing it gone, she looked to the shelf, it was now empty. "He even left with all the towels...."
"I'll have to thank him for that one..." Chase said, eyeing Consy's body.
*** Some time later ***
"Tell me Caleb, how did you steal into the bathroom without her noticing?" Chase asked as she sat at the piano. She drummed her fingers across its keys. She loved music. Consy was still in the bedroom, catching her breath, and unpacking. The others hadn't arrived yet.
"You promise not to tell?" He asked. Chase smiled sweetly at him, urging him on as her fingers played familiar tunes.
"The lock on my side of the door is a fake... So all I had to do was enter and creep very, very slowly. "
"Ahhh..." She paused and, "Oh and thanks for removing the towels."
He blushed.
Chasity smiled and started to sing. Before she could get to the end of the song Phoebe, Chakotay and Kathryn teleported into the home. They were surprised to hear the piano being played, Phoebe was the only person that usually played it. They listened, the keys were right on tune as was the voice they heard. They moved towards the sound and were surprised it see Caleb sitting there listening to a stranger.
"You have a beautiful voice." Caleb said as she finished.
Phoebe started to clap as did Kathryn and Chakotay, they were standing in the doorway, watching.
Kathryn had a strange feeling that she had heard the voice before but couldn't quiet place it. Caleb and Chase turned at the clapping. "Ah... Mom, Chakotay and Kathryn this is Chasity." Caleb said. He wasn't sure how he should present her.
They entered. Caleb had never brought a girlfriend home before, he had joked about it many times however. Phoebe was intrigued and was about to ask. Kathryn had a strange sensation of déjà-vu and reality dawned on her when she saw Consy coming down the stairs. This had to be Chase... Kathryn prevented Phoebe from embarrassing herself by elbowing her silent. "You must be Chase, Consy's friend." Kathryn said moving towards the blonde haired woman sitting at the piano. Kathryn wasn't sure how much Consy was going to reveal to the family. "Welcome to the family homestead."
Chasity nodded, and smiled. "Thank you Kathryn."
"I see some introductions have been made..." Consy said and she entered, seeing them in the living room. She moved to sit next to Chase.
Kathryn could tell that Consy's feet and heart were light. It was a nice change from the last time she'd been home. Consy's heart had been heavy and filled with chagrin. "She's more than my friend." Consy started, she had to tell them. If they didn't accept her as she was, there was little she could do. Consy took Chase's hand in hers, in need of her strength. "We're a couple." Consy finally said as everyone's eyes turned on them. Phoebe's hand went to her mouth, as she gasped in surprise, having never expected that. Caleb and Chakotay simply smiled. Grandma Gretchen who had arrived only to hear the last part was in the kitchen and she too didn't say a word. Kathryn sensing that the atmosphere was slightly awkward decided to change the subject. "Managed to get the week off?"
"Not quiet. I have multiple meetings with Starfleet headquarters and engineers this week. " Consy said. " But it seemed like a great opportunity for us to visit." Consy said.
"Visit? " Gretchen said, exiting the kitchen with a tray of coffee and warm biscuits. "This is your home you come and go as you please." She proffered a coffee to Consy first, then to Chase. When Chase politely refused, Caleb had to make a joke. "Consy are you sure you've picked the right person? I mean everyone knows about your relationship with coffee..."
Consy wanted to smack him, couldn't he be serious for just one minute. She simply death glared him. Everyone laughed.
***
That evening as everyone helped to set up the table for the evening supper, the awkward ambience of earlier was completely gone. Chase had an odd way of making people warm up to her. She made friends immediately regardless of where she was. Her charisma was high, and she projected of happiness. The entire family felt at ease, very warm and comfortable.
"Hey Green kiddo, how was your cold shower?" He asked as he sat down, purposefully informing everyone that he had once more hit. He loved to tease Consy, she was his sole victim in the family.
"Icy." Consy said. She really hated when he called her kiddo, and he knew it. She silenced him with a swift but carefully placed kick under the table.
"Now, now, children, behave!" Gretchen said as she lowered the main course onto the table.
Caleb stuck his tongue out at her. The other adults took their places. Evening meal at the Janeway home was always somewhat of an extravagant. The table was covered with various side dishes of all kinds, peas, corn, salads, sauces... More than they could possibly eat. "What did you do with all the towels anyway?" Chase asked him as everyone started to serve themselves.
"That's a good question indeed..." Consy asked helping herself to some of the fresh vegetables. Eating real homemade and home cooked food was a rare luxury, especially when aboard a ship.
He blinked cutely, feigning ignorance. "You know that look only worked when you were a kid." Consy said.
He stopped. "I can still try Green..." The others around the table were discussing with Chase.
Consy frowned, why was he still so bent on calling her Green, she hated the nickname. She would have to smother him some day, maybe while he was sleeping.
"I've heard you call her that many times now... what's the story behind Green?" Chase finally asked intrigued.
Consy had known the question would eventually come. Every year the story came back... Every year she had to rehear it. It was just one of those stories that became part of family tradition. She closed her eyes, and sighed. Who would tell it this time? What embellishment would they add? Funny how over the years, the true story had become lost because of the additions. Everyone had stopped talking and was now listening to Caleb re-tell the story.
"I was almost five year olds and experimenting. Consy had started a bath with bubble bath. She was letting it fill up when I walked into the bathroom. I was watching the white foam turn into bubbles when I got this brilliant idea. I thought the foam would be cool if it changed colour. I remembered how Grandma used food coloring to get her icing to change colour. And I thought it would do the same thing to the bubbles. So I went to get a bottle of coloring- the green one. " He emphasised the word green, looking at Consy. "At first I put only a few drops in... and when it didn't turn the bubbles green I emptied the entire bottle but still nothing. When Consy arrived, she kicked me out and I forget all about the green coloring until she came out a full two hours later hollering and screaming. She was green from head to foot. "Half the table was laughing now, remembering the scene. "Imagine her white skin all covered in green and her flaming red hair... It covered everything, even her toenails...
"It took forever to get the green off..." Consy said and half groaned, here came the embellished part.
"It explains the spot...." Chase added, making Caleb snicker and the others laugh. Consy's mouth dropped in surprise, she knew Chase liked jokes, but she hadn't expected Chase to play along. The others around the table all looked from to Chase and Consy, waiting.
"See ... didn't I tell you your skin kept a green tint even now?" He exclaimed as if to prove a point
Caleb was laughing too. "While the green wouldn't come off her, it actually spread on everything she touched. Remember your toast? The towels? Oh and your sheets? Oh but the best remains the icing... now that was something."
Consy looked to the others around the table for saving and seeing that it wasn't coming, she shook her head in slight frustration.
Kathryn reading Consy: "So how did the two of you meet?" She asked, changing the subject completely.
"In unforeseeable circumstances. We were on a mission on the same planet." Chase started. "My work there was translating. I had a particular assignment that I could not completely because there was some a security code on it. I had been trying to decipher it for but encryption is really not my speciality. I was about ready to give up when I was informed that a specialist had just arrived that might be able to assist me. I was directed to her office. I went in and there she was. There was something magical."
Consy nodded, " A sensation, as if an electrical current ran through us when we touched and hacked at the code."
"I was impressed. She was very efficient. Even explained exactly what she was doing. She was smart, generous, kind and so sweet... I found myself making up excuses to go see her..." Chase said. "I would encrypt documents just to be able to watch her crack them. After a while, I ran out of excuses, I started to ask her out."
Caleb was intrigued. "Started? Meaning you had to insist?" Chase nodded.
Consy picked up from there, "I needed time to figure out what I was feeling, I didn't understand. Once I understood, I gave in and nothing has ever felt so right and comfortable." As everyone finished eating and moved towards the family room, Chase took out a Phoebe's guitar that she had found earlier and started to play, singing while everyone was listening :
I've seen the storm clouds in your past
But rest assured 'cause you are safe
at home at last
I rescued you, you rescued me
And we're right where we should be
when we're together
I know the questions in your mind
But go ahead and ask me one more time
You'll find the answer's still the same
It won't change from day to day
for worse or better
I promise to be your best friend
And am I here until the end
You can be sure I have been waiting for you
And did I say my love is true
Baby I will, I am, I can, I have, I do
I know the time will disappear
But this love we're building on will always be here
No way that this is sinking sand
On this solid rock we'll stand forever
Baby I will, I am, I can, I have
Oh, I will, I am, I can, I have
Baby I will, I am, I can, I have, I do"
(I do by Paul Brandt)
Phoebe moved towards the piano and winged the notes, the two playing in tune. The music was beautiful, the words filled with love. The night continued with many other songs.
***
The next morning Chase slid out of the bedroom she did not want to keep Consy awake. She had been tossing for more than an hour now, and the sun was starting to rise on the horizon. Sleeping was never something she did much of. Sleep was never an issue; her body needed only 4 hours. She went down the stairs and was surprised to see that she was not the only one awake. Chase got herself some tea before going towards the office, the smell of fresh brewed coffee coming from there. Chase knocked on the door, not sure if she was interrupting anything.
"You can come in Chase." Kathryn called knowing it had to be her, as only Consy and she used this office and Consy never knocked.
Chase entered, "Just wanted to make sure I wasn't interrupting."
"Not at all." She lifted a steaming mug of coffee to her lips as she closed the computer console and turned her chair towards Chase. She invited Chasity to take a seat. "Anything I can do for you?"
"I do have a question..."
"Go on."
"Consy doesn't know you actually helped me find her does she?" She asked.
"No... Besides I only planted the clues so you could find her."
"Thank you for doing that."
Kathryn softened. She leaned forward, "Everyone deserves happiness, and I am glad to have helped you and Consy achieve it. When Consy returned from her mission with section 31, she was a different person. A much better one, but she was aching and hurting. I heard her cry many nights... I wanted to reach out to her but couldn't. It was very difficult. In her stubbornness she pushed me away and she pretended everything was alright, until she finally cracked. She uncorked in her lasts days stationed on Earth. She told me about her true identity and about you. I never saw her so frustrated and in so much pain. Consy's life has always been difficult. She's had to fight for survival most of it. I am certain that in the past, this pain would have finished her. Yet I could tell that she was holding on, hoping you'd find her. It made her stronger but I wasn't sure how long it would take for her heart to heal, or if it ever would. "
Chase nodded, finding out yet again more intimate details about Consy. "I don't know what to say..." Chase admitted and stood.
"You don't have to say anything." She turned her attention back to her work. "Oh and Chase! Please don't make me kill you...I like you, but I would do it if you hurt her in anyway." It was meant as a joke, but Chase new that there was some seriousness behind the threat.
Chase turned, "Captain Stryker said pretty much the same thing... my intentions are pure as are my feelings. I cannot deny that the section asked me to feed them information but I categorically refused. They have no control over me. Nor over my heart... I can tell you that they still want something from her. Someone is most likely still watching her very closely. They always have..."
Kathryn's eyes narrowed. "I suspected as much. Forgive me for testing you yet again, but I needed to make sure your heart was in the right place. Consy has suffered more than her share. I don't want to see her hurt. She deserves to be happy"
"Certainly..."Chase left.
Kathryn watched Chase leave. She had been reluctant at first to update Consy's file and to help reunite the couple. In the end, seeing Consy in such much pain had convinced her to do whatever she could to make it possible. Seeing Consy crying over a comlink and not be able to hold her and help her, feigning to be ok, had been more than she could handle. After her own contacts had been unable to find a trace of Chasity, she had figured the only way to do it was make sure Chase found Consy. While they had had nothing to go on to find Chasity, it would be easy for Chase had keywords. She had known of Consy's shuttle and code name. Janeway had simply pulled out Consy's service record and modified it. Adding in simply sentences and keywords :
July 2389 to June 2390 engineering of shuttle equipped with adaptive holographic technology. Shuttle was engineered by Consy alias code name Leliana, during here extended absence of leave from Starfleet.
Shuttle name : Chameleon CC
Current posting: USS Pretoria
Promotions: pending
Her name appeared at the bottom, identifying who had made the modification and that was how Chase had known she had played a role. The information was all true yet those simple lines were made public. So once Chase had pulled up the document, she had had everything she needed to actually locate Consy. Kathryn still wasn't sure how she felt about Chase but her daughter was happy.