D'Nal stood outside the Captain's waiting room, data-padd in hand. He knew that the bridge crew was watching him in open curiosity but he ignored it and rang the chime to alert the Captain to his presence. When the doors swished open, he entered and headed directly to where Sanders was seated behind his desk.
"Ah, Ambassador, what can I do for you?" Captain Sanders looked up from the data-padds that covered every square inch of his desk; he was a little behind in his reports to Starfleet.
"Captain." Ambassador D'Nal greeted. "My government has just sent me the results of the DNA scan." He paused for a moment then continued. "As you speculated, Captain. Ki...Doctor Cross is, in fact, half Romulan. And she was not a product of a one-night stand, there are several inquires on record that her father made as to her whereabouts. It seems that she was apart of what Starfleet has labeled Freeman. She was...removed... from her father's care on that day and he has not seen or heard from her since."
Sanders sat back in his chair and sighed. "So the records were falsified." He spun his chair around to stare at the stars. ""Are you sure her...father...can be trusted? That this isn't a ruse of some sorts to get to Starfleet through one of our officers?"
"I am quite certain, Captain. There was something else. I also sent a sample of the virus she is fighting and our doctors were able to identify it." He looked down at the data-padd once again. "They also sent the treatment." He stretched out his hand with the data-padd in it towards the Captain.
The Captain spun back around to face the Romulan Ambassador. "Doctor Horomotshu allowed you access to her record?" He already knew the answer and quickly dismissed his question with a wave of his hand. He took the data-padd and read through the information. "Romulan Measles?" He read a little further and stopped, looking up abruptly. "According to this, the DNA was matched to one D'Nal Jarok. That's you, isn't it Ambassador?"
"Yes." The Ambassador answered, honestly. "I have not seen Rhian since she was a child."
"Rhian?" Captain Sanders inquired as he sat the data-padd down with the others on his desk.
"Her name is Rhian Jarok, Captain. Not Kira Cross. Cross was my wife's married name when we were joined, I can only assume that she went back to her first husband once she was rescued from Romulus and that he adopted Rhian."
"Wait. You were married to Kira's mother? Did anyone know this?" Sanders asked, sitting up straighter in his chair.
"It was a matter of public record, Captain Sanders. Our joining was legal and lawful." Ambassador Jarok sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk. "I met Luna while she was a prisoner. I fell in love with her and she with me. We were married a short time later. But our marriage began to fail even before Rhian was born. Luna stayed with me because she had no choice. I got the charges against her dropped but if she were to leave me...she would have been on her own. Being an alien on my world...and having no husband to protect her...it would have been very difficult for her to survive. So when Starfleet began inquiring about the prisoners, she didn't hesitate to make her unhappiness known to everyone around. Don't misunderstand me, Captain, she did not care for our child and Rhian knew it. The day that Starfleet came...my wife took Rhian to hurt me not because she wanted the her. I can only imagine how afraid she must have been. I bet she thought that I had abandoned her." He stared, passed the Captain, at a picture of the Golden Gate bridge that hung on the wall.
Captain Sanders frowned and cleared his throat. "Has the treatment been administered?" He didn't know how to handle the words that the Ambassador had said so he decided to change the subject for now.
"I came directly from sickbay where Rhian is now improving." D'Nal answered, not questioning the obvious change in subject and refusing to call his daughter by the name not given by him. "The Doctor had assured me that she is going to be fine. You seem close to her...tell me of her life?"
The Captain sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers on the desk. "I have known Kira since she started at the Academy. She was young and enthusiastic but held back her true potential. I know for a fact that she wanted to be a Captain but entered into Starfleet Medical instead of pursuing a command of her own. She could have been the next James T. Kirk but something was keeping her from pursuing her dream. We lost contact when she chose to be a Doctor, instead of taking on a command, but I have always considered her my friend and always will. I'm just sorry I couldn't attend her wedding, it would have been nice to see her happy and smile."
"Wedding? Rhian is married?" The Ambassador said in surprise. There was so much he missed.
"She was married. Benjamin, her husband, was killed during a Borg attack on one of our Starbases. Most of his crew didn't survive." Sanders explained.
"Crew? He was stationed on the Starbase?" D'Nal was eager to learn whatever he could about his estranged daughter before he told her about their shared DNA.
"No. He was Captain of the U.S.S. Louisiana, twenty-year veteran of Starfleet. His ship was docked for repairs when the Borg attacked. He engaged them with three other ships. Only one ship made it out of that battle but with heavy casualties. And the survivors of the Louisiana were the ones that were onboard the Starbase when the attack began. I reestablished my friendship with Kira at the funeral. She needed a shoulder to cry on and I knew her mother and brother were not going to be very sympathetic."
D'Nal sat back. "So he was older than her?"
"Yes. They met at the Academy when he came to do a lecture in one of our Officers Training courses. I think it was love at first sight for both of them. Her mother opposed the marriage but she went ahead with it anyways. She was not one to ever listen to her mother or brother." The Captain explained.
The Ambassador raised an eyebrow. "So she is estranged from her mother?"
The Captain smirked. "Ya, she was. But they are on speaking terms now since her mother is the only one that can watch Addison while Kira settles into her assignments. Once she is sure her position is stable, she'll send for Addy."
"Who is this Addison?" D'Nal questioned.
"Addison is her three year old daughter. She was supposed to transport to the ship three weeks ago but then this diplomatic mission came up and Kira got sick. So Addy has been stuck with her grandmother for an extra three weeks." Sanders said. "I would have authorized her transport except that there is no one here to take care of the toddler while Kira is recovering."
Silence greeted the Captains words. "Daughter? Rhian has a child?" D'Nal really didn't know what to say to that. He was trying to keep his anger in check. Anger directed towards his wife, well, ex-wife. She took away something that he can never get back. She took away his right to watch his child grow up. His hands clenched into fists. "I demand to speak to Rhian's mother. She must answer for her crimes against our child!" He slammed a fist down onto the desk, knocking several of the data-padds onto the floor. He was on his feet and striding out of the room before Captain Sanders could respond to his demand.
"Well now..." Captain Sanders stared at the door for a few seconds before picking up the data-padd that the Ambassador had given him, once again. He sighed as he scrolled through all the data. "Kira could have died from a childs sickness." He whispered to himself. "A sickness she should have been vaccinated against when she was little. They could have killed her!" He tossed the padd back onto his desk. He would comply with the Ambassadors demand. Not just in the spirit of diplomacy but also because he wanted answers and he knew that Kira's mother was the only one that could give them." He turned towards his monitor. "Computer, access secure channel Sanders Beta Alpha three-three-seven." He waited for the beep to signal that the channel was open before speaking. "This is Captain Sanders of the Starship Dakota. I request the presence of Captain Luna Cross of the freighter Freedom in matters dealing with her daughter, my Chief Medical Officer, Kira Cross. I also request that the child, Addison Cross-Ashmore, accompany the Captain. I will await your response." He pressed the end button and sat back. All he could do, now, was wait for Luna's response.
