Title: Oh, My Poor Darling Daddy
Author: Terry L. Gardner
Rated: G
Disclaimer: Star Trek and its characters are owned by Paramount/Viacom. I earn no money for this story.
Summary: The daughter of the Romulan Commander (Balance of Terror) mourns his passing, knowing of his weariness of war and the Preator's greed for power.
ooOoo
Oh, my poor darling Daddy! How weary of war and the Preator's greed for power and domination you were. My first remembrance of your leaving for battle was when I was five. I cried, "Don't go Daddy! I want you to stay!"
You did your best to explain that you must go and asked me, "Will you be my brave little soldier and pray to the gods to help me succeed, keep me safe and bring me home?"
"Yes, Daddy," I said as tears streamed down my face.
With every successful campaign, the Preator rewarded you with an increase in rank, honor, pomp and circumstance until you became Commander of your own glorious Bird-of-Prey. At first, you proudly paticipated in the victory celebration parades in our capital city. But as the years went by, and I became old enough to understand and see the whole picture of what the Preator's greed was doing to our world and especially how it affected you, I more ferverently began to pray for your success and safe return to home. I silently cried when you had to leave to lead the newest campaign against some hapless world and I cried and held you tight and kissed your cheeks with kisses of joy when you returned home safe to us. How happy we were to be reunited again. Unfortunately, the happiness was always short lived.
Year after weary year the Preator's greed became so great that some of our greatest and wisest Senators became concerned about it. There was only so much they could try to do about it. The Preator had surrounded himself with a personal guard of loyal, young, impressionable soldiers that believed in him and his agenda.
More and more of our people have become dissatisfied with our way of life including my husband-to-be and his family. I thank the gods for the wise council of parents in choosing a mate for their children. Perdok and I are perfectly matched. We are thinking of starting an underground movement for those who, like us, are weary of war and greed and wish to embrace The Way of Surak. I think you would approve, Daddy. I wish you could be here to be a part of it. I prayed to the gods that you would return to us once more but it can never be. Oh! For just one more time I could hold you tight and kiss your handsome face my poor, darling Daddy!