Chapter Forty-Nine
The ex-prisoner was tiny and dirty. Setask was taken back by how tiny she was.
"Hello. My name is Setask, and I am the captain of this ship. I wanted to thank you for your help today." Setask murmured as gently as she could.
The little girl only nodded. "What is your name?" Fresh tears streamed down the soot stained face, cleaning her cheeks only marginally. Setask closed her eyes, fighting the oncoming blush as she slowly unzipped her jacket and set it on the floor slowly. She held her hands up slightly, and moved slowly. The girl didn't cringe away when she sat on the end of the bed. Setask held out her hand like she had for Kalyn. "Can you tell me your name?"
The girl hesitated, then looked up into her eyes. Setask was struck by how old she seemed.
"T'Mira." The girl whispered.
"Beauty. Such a fitting name." Setask leaned her head slightly sideways.
"It only means that in low-vulcan." The girl murmured, lowering her head.
"That was the language I grew up with. Besides, text-padd Vulcan is less personal. It's a little too proper for me."
The girl sniffled. "If I got a wet cloth, could I wipe the soot from your face?" Setask asked, retracting her hand to her lap.
"Can it be cold?" T'Mira whimpered.
"Of course."
"Am I allowed to have some water?" The girl asked, looking up hopefully.
"Of course you can." Setask pursed her lips, but forced it into a smile when the girl looked worried. "Don't be afraid to ask for anything you need."
Setask walked over to the replicator and tapped some buttons. A glass of water and a bowl and cloth were quickly assembled before her. The girl seemed amazed when she was handed the glass. "Klingons make you drink of bowls like their targs." She whispered. "Am I really allowed to drink out of this?"
"Yes. You can drink out of anything you want. You can drink as much as you want." Setask lowered her voice when she noticed T'Mira flinch. Then the little girl put the glass to her lips and drank all the water in the glass, shivering as she took large gulps. Setask couldn't help but smile.
"Careful, or you might get the hiccups."
"If I could drink this much water every day, I would take hiccups for the rest of my life."
"What if I told you you could drink more than that, at any pace you wanted, every day, no hiccups needed." The girls eyes widened as her shoulders jumped with a hiccup. Setask felt a genuine smile spread on her face for the first time in a long time.
"Can I clean your face now?" Setask asked gently, and T'Mira nodded eagerly, sitting cross-legged on the bed so Setask could sit down. Setask leaned in, smiling and gently began to wipe the little girls face.
"What's your favorite food?" Setask asked, trying to keep the child occupied while her hair was being brushed.
"What's yours?" The girl asked after a moment of consideration.
"I don't have a favorite food." Setask replied honestly.
"That's what all adults say! I don't have a favorite food because I haven't eaten any Vulcan food for a long time. You eat Vulcan food all the time, probably. What's your favorite food?"
Setask thought for a moment. "When I was a little kid, I loved Niyachani rolls. Everybody thought I was so weird. I've never met another kid who liked them!"
"Not even your kid?"
"I don't have any kids." Setask took a deep breath. She was just a little girl.
"Really? How come you are so nice then?"
"People don't have to be parents to be nice."
"I know. Those Klingon's weren't very nice. You just seem like the kind of person who would like kids. Do you want kids?"
"Yeah." Setask couldn't help it. She sighed, and played with a pant leg. T'Mira scowled.
"It's not fair. Everyone who wants kids should be able to have kids. I'm really sorry you can't." T'Mira placed a small hand under her chin and lifted it. "Maybe you can have a surrogate, or adopt, or if you like girls, she can carry. Just because you aren't the one carrying the baby doesn't make you less of a mother. You would be a wonderful mother. Also, don't let it make you question your identity. Not every woman can have children. My mother couldn't, but she's still my mother. I love her just as much as if she had carried me."
The message chime sounded. "Sorry to interrupt you captain, but my um… once monthly call happens in 25 minutes, and I know I don't deserve to ask this of you, but can you just come assign me some scut or something. I really miss my mother."
"On my way." Wordlessly, Setask stood, plucked up her jacket, motioned to Avery the coast was clear, and walked to the turbo lift, feeling numb.
