Author's Note: Hello everyone! I have no excuse as to why I didn't update last week! Resident Evil 8 (Village) came out and I've been watching my dad play it because I'm a big baby and can't play scary games xD When I thought I could play it there was a section that really played on my phobia and then I was like...nah I don't think I can play it again lol I may get the courage one day haha.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek! All rights belong to JJ Abrams (movie references) and Gene Roddenberry (TOS references). If there's any grammatical errors or mistakes that you find that I failed to catch I hope you can forgive me! Happy reading everyone!
"Are you out of your goddamn mind? You just couldn't help yourself, could you!" Leonard grumbled as he attended to the guests around him. "What if Ally noticed you! Your voice isn't exactly common!"
"I've been trailing behind Allyson the second she and her sister separated from her brother, no one has told her honestly how lovely she looked this evening so I made it a point to do so." Khan stated as he placed his hand over his tie. "There's such a thing as disguising one's voice, McCoy. I didn't think that was a problem."
"It becomes a problem if she realizes that we're here!" Leonard continued to argue.
"So, I should've left our Mate standing alone dejected in the far corner of the room?" Khan asked as Leonard's growl came through the connection.
"You know that's not what I meant!" Leonard growled before Jim interrupted the two feuding Mates.
"Guys..." Jim let out an exasperated sigh as he smiled toward a few of the ladies, handing them a glass off his tray. "Can-can we not do this right now? We're currently working, and supporting our friend."
"I gotta be honest Jim, I am absolutely appalled by what I'm hearing coming from the mouths of these high ranking officers." Carol chided in.
"Right now they're not officers, they're family brandishing their fangs at each other." Sulu said as from across the room the man started to adjust his mask.
"These children are a nightmare! Condescending, snobby, little-" Scotty started to rant and complain as he let out a groan. "damn near ran over my damn foot and busted my knee!"
"This party puts on the face of control, but it's just utter chaos on the inside." Nyota said as they heard her offer a few of the guests some food. "I've got eyes on Ally, she's speaking to Commodore William, Commodore Abigail, and Captain Katherine."
"I see them." Leonard said. "But I have no audio on them."
"I'm the closest." Spock responded being the only one near the four compared to the others, staying just within earshot but never too close to be noticed.
From the moment the crew of the Enterprise entered the venue, they were constantly on the move. They were able to hear the chatter from individual conversations coming from each group of family members that were conversing with each other.
There wasn't much to eavesdrop on or rumors to hear, most of the chatter was adults and children boasting about their many accomplishments. But while they stayed hidden in plain sight, they kept a watchful eye on where Allyson went throughout the room.
An hour into their work and they had already foiled and cut off a few potential red flag scenarios, leading Allyson away from any confrontation from any of her relatives. It wasn't an easy task considering how much Allyson had moved around the room, but Celestyn seemed to have made the crew's job a little easier considering most of the time she was walking beside Allyson.
But Celestyn couldn't be around forever as Allyson had taken to standing in the back of the room to rest her feet for a bit, and Khan just had to go over and speak to her, very close to exposing their little operation.
"We have a problem, Captain!" Chekov whispered in a slight panic. "Allyson's grandmother is headed their way."
Just as Chekov broke the news, an elderly woman strode up to the four talking officers and the second they had laid eyes on the woman the four had straightened to attention.
"Spock, can you hear what they're saying?" Nyota asked.
"Negative." Spock said as in the crowd the only waiter with a bandana on his head slowly, but effectively, started walking in the direction of where Allyson and her grandmother was standing.
"Regardless, Celestyn said it's never a good thing to have those four together if Vice Admiral Genevieve joins in on their conversation." Jim said as he looked around. "We need to separate them."
"I had overheard that Fleet Admiral Barnabas wished to speak to his wife and his sons." Spock said as he moved closer to the target. "I'll lead her away from Allyson."
As the Retired Vice Admiral was speaking to her four grandchildren, a pleasant conversation judging off the look on the Vice Admiral's face, yet when her eyes landed on Allyson there was a sudden shift in the atmosphere. The Vice Admiral wasn't happy with what Allyson was saying, and the second that Spock had interrupted her it only got worse. Her whole demeanor had changed and shifted. From stoically speaking to her grandchildren to angered that Spock had interrupted whatever they were speaking about.
After a few seconds, Vice Admiral Genevieve had let out a huff and left Spock with Allyson and her cousins. Spock said not a word, simply bid the four grandchildren goodbye before blending back into the crowd.
"Spock, what happened?" Jim asked.
"I got scolded by the Vice Admiral." Spock responded in a matter of fact tone. "The Vice Admiral seemed extremely upset that I had interrupted her conversation with Allyson."
"Great job you guys!" Celestyn's sudden voice startled the crew of the Enterprise. "That would've been bad if she stayed talking to my sister and our cousins. I've noticed all your interventions and I don't think anyone has noticed your strange behavior. Though I suspect there are a few who are incredibly peeved at the hired help rudely cutting in on their conversation."
"That's good...I suppose?" Scotty said as through the crowd he seemed to slightly trip around in his attempt to steady himself.
"I see that you're having problems with the children." Celestyn laughed. "Put up with it just for a few more hours. Everything is going smoothly, Allyson will be back on your ship before you know it." Celestyn went silent for a few seconds. "Allyson is headed to the restroom with Abigail. I don't know what they're doing, but Allyson will be okay for a few minutes. Abigail is a total sweetheart, a little soft for a DeLuca, but she won't be a problem. I have more people to meet so relax, I shall leave you to your own devices and conversations. But don't let your guard down just yet."
Leonard sighed as he hooked his finger into the collar of his uniform and pulled it away from his neck. "I'm sweating more than a hooker in church."
"If that's how you feel..." Khan went over to stand beside Leonard, finding the man easily amongst the crowd. "imagine how Allyson's feeling."
"Like walking on broken glass...Ally's overly cautious of what she's saying and how she acts." Leonard sighed. "It's taking a lot out of me not to go up to Ally to offer her some form of comfort."
"Allyson's a strong woman." Khan assured as Leonard turned to look at Khan.
"You don't have to tell me twice." Leonard said. "But as her Mate, I can't help but worry for her…especially since we can feel her anxiety rising by the second." Leonard shook his head. "What I don't understand is why she didn't tell us about this. Ally knows she can always come to us when something's bothering her."
"I was worried about my future as well as the future of my people, you were a drunken mess when she came across you in our quarters." Khan said causing Leonard to tilt his head to the side in confusion. "I don't remember..." "I overheard Allyson consoling you."
There was a sudden sense of worry as well as comfort that enveloped the two men, a warm wave of what they could only describe as a motherly emotion that hugged them from the inside out. A curious reaction that had both of them wondering what was going on with Allyson inside the restroom with Abigail.
"McCoy...the reality is, is that we were more concerned about ourselves during the three out of the five years in space that Allyson had took it upon herself to keep our emotional stress at bay...and we failed to notice her own." Khan said as his eyes soon caught sight of Allyson with Abigail trailing not far behind their Mate. "With our mental state unstable, she didn't want to add more to our pile. Allyson wanted to make sure that we were okay even if she wasn't...she puts the crew and importantly us before her own needs. It's how she's always been."
"I suppose we all were having problems that we all failed to notice." Leonard sighed. "Some Mates we are..."
"We're here now, McCoy." Khan said as he kept a close eye on Allyson, watching as Commodore Aloysius pulled Allyson aside to speak with their Mate. "We're here to support and make sure she comes out of this party as our Mate. After? We make sure she never feels like she has to compete with others or feel inadequate again. We will make sure she never has to fight her problems alone."
There was a slight jolt that went through Khan and Leonard, a feeling of absolute shock as well as a sense of gratitude as the two Mates turned to look at where Allyson was speaking to Commodore Aloysius.
"Wonder what brought that on." Leonard asked as he subconsciously rubbed the center of his chest. "At least she's calmed down a bit."
"The bond's getting stronger with every passing day." Khan nodded his head. "Hopefully Allyson can feel our support, even if she remains oblivious to the reason why."
"I will make sure all the dirty laundry I find is aired out once this is all over. All of it, ours included."
Khan started to look around when he suddenly heard Allyson's voice being played throughout the room causing all the chatter from the relatives to cease. "What was that?"
"Where is that audio coming from?" Leonard grit his teeth as he felt a surge of panic coming from Allyson.
"We know better than to act this way."
"Not good guys!" Celestyn harshly spoke up as she started making her way to Allyson's side. "This isn't supposed to happen! It's a set up!"
"We know better, she doesn't."
"We've studied the layout of this room and this floor, we know where everything is." Jim called as he started to move about the floor. "I want to know where that's coming from and I want it shut down!"
"On it, Kirk." Khan responded as he turned to Leonard. "McCoy, with me."
"We're never going to see eye to eye, but I do know how our family acts as well as what they're capable of." My voice repeated back to me over the speakers in the room, the audio coming from who knows where.
"It doesn't take a genius to figure out who's behind this." Celestyn, while I was staring at my brother, had made her way back to my side.
"No, it doesn't." I said as I looked toward Tobias who had an infuriating smirk on his face, the only one who wasn't taken by surprise at the sudden audio clip that had interrupted the party. "While everyone is concentrating on where or who is playing the audio, he's the only one staring at Aurelius with a smile on his face."
"I need to know who and what subjects to avoid so we can steer the conversation differently and in our favor." My brother's voice responded.
"I'm surprised he didn't make a move sooner." I said, listening very closely to the audio being played and realizing that something didn't seem right, as Celestyn scoffed.
"Really making us look bad." Celestyn said. "We can't even turn it off since we don't know where it's coming from. Tobias accomplished what he wanted to do."
"Blackmail. I'm asking you to help me dig up dirt on our father's siblings' family."
"These audio clips have been tampered with." I whispered to Celestyn. "I never said that as a statement. Someone has been following and listening in on every conversation we've had since the moment we landed in Yorktown."
"Every time we were together." Celestyn agreed. "From the moment we met up with you when you stepped off the Enterprise."
"I can do that for you. Do you agree to these terms?" Aurelius's voice said.
"Little Ally grew up." Celestyn scoffed.
"It bothers me that Aurelius isn't saying a damn thing." I growled. "He's just staying quiet in his spot."
"I'm sure he's just as appalled at what he's hearing." Celestyn, to my surprise, assured me. "Just like us, he's not sure what to do or how to handle this."
"We have a lot of work to do, things that need to be done before tomorrow night." Our brother's voice echoed as we heard the audio instantly stutter before shutting off mid sentence as the next clip was beginning to play.
After a few minutes of silence from myself as well as my siblings, the murmurs going throughout the crowd just got louder as more of them started to gossip all around us. It wasn't until my father spoke up that everyone had instantly gone quiet.
"What is the meaning of this!" My father yelled over the crowd as he stepped away from our grandfather. "Aurelius. Celestyn. Allyson. I want answers...now!"
"If you listen carefully, Father, that audio has been edited." Aurelius simply stated, being the first to respond to our father's request. "I can tell you for certain that-"
"Are those your voices?" Our mother asked and when Aurelius didn't answer, our mother became impatient. "Well?"
"Those are our voices." Aurelius answered.
"Allyson." My father turned his eyes to stare right at me. "What do you have to say to me?"
"I can assure you father," I looked at Aurelius, and my brother had the nerve to not look back at me considering it was him that had instigated all those responses that I had that had been played back to us. "that you don't know the whole story."
"Then please, enlighten me, tell me the whole story." My father demanded, and when I had failed to answer he turned back to address the crowd. "Who is responsible for those audio clips!"
"Apologies, Uncle." Tobias had raised his hand, still with a smile on his face as he stepped forward from beside Aurelius. All attention was on him as he shook his head. "I take full responsibility for such a stunt, though there was more that was meant to be played. I don't understand why it had suddenly cut off like that..."
"Explain yourself, Tobias." Alistair, Tobias's father, commanded as he came up to stand beside my father, his brother.
"I just thought it would be beneficial for our family to see the true colors of the children Grandfather thinks so highly of." Tobias shrugged his shoulder. "Everyone speaks so highly of your children Uncle, you included, that everyone as well as you needed to see that they aren't as amazing as they portray themselves to be." Tobias had the eyes of every single person in this room, reveling at being the center of attention and keeping everyone's gaze trained on him as he turned to look at Aurelius before settling on me. "You see, when there's a stain in the family, it can spread and infect everyone else. Instead of elevating people, they bring everyone down with them to their level."
"Are you insinuating that I'm the stain?" I spoke up, glaring at Tobias who simply shrugged.
"If the shoe fits, dear cousin." Tobias smirked. "You've failed as a true DeLuca Starfleet Officer, you've converted your older siblings to side with you to dig up…whatever dirt you thought you found, and I overheard something a little interesting through the grapevine." Tobias turned to look at our family. "Aurelius and Celestyn would never be caught speaking to their younger sister, yet they're suddenly meeting behind closed doors. Abigail, dear, how's your little break down going? Naomi was concerned when she heard you crying in the restroom." Beside me Abigail tensed up as Tobias briefly made her his target of interest. "And Uncle Aloysius!" Tobias then looked toward Aloysius who I felt slightly bristle at being addressed so nonchalantly. "How are your children doing in the academy? I heard they have a really great role model."
"What is that idiot doing…" Aloysius scoffed as he stood up straight and tilted his head in boredom. "Alistair, your son is picking a lot of fights tonight. This is our Grandfather's birthday celebration and your son is causing a scene. Reign him in and put him in his place."
"Tobias," Alistair's cold tone reached his son as I saw Tobias briefly stiffen at his father's icy voice. "explain, and it better be a good reason why you're embarrassing me, your sisters, as well as making an absolute fool of yourself."
"Father, I'm not making a fool out of anyone in our family. If I hadn't overheard anything I wouldn't have resorted to such tactics, but I did. Now, I simply want you to get just as angry as I am from hearing such news!" Tobias glared at his father. "Is Allyson really the best for our family! Will she lead my children on the right path that our ancestors had paved? Uphold the traditions that have been put in place for years!"
"What the hell are you preaching about?" Celestyn growled.
"You just suddenly had those clips queued up to play? Don't lie, you would've used it against us no matter what!" I glared at Tobias. "You just needed a reasonable reason to play it."
"So what if I did?" Tobias harshly bit back. "I am...enraged! It infuriates me that even when I have proven myself time and time again as a son, a Captain, and a legacy, our Great-Grandfather!" Tobias glared right at me, fury and hatred blazing behind his dull honey colored eyes. "Had spoken and declared that Allyson is what's best for our family! Having the audacity to say that she is a leader we all need! That is an insult to all of us as well as a slap to our faces! And I think everyone deserves to know and be just as upset as I am!"
"What do you mean by a leader we all need?" I asked, a bit stumped at the implication which caused a couple of my uncles as well as my father to step up to Tobias.
"Boy," Ignatius stepped up to grab for Tobias. "you have a knack for always sticking your nose into business that doesn't concern you!"
"Business that doesn't concern me?" Tobias mockingly laughed. "It concerns all of us! We should all be angry!" Tobias pointed his finger right at me as he started yelling at the top of his lungs. "Allyson isn't even a high ranking Commander, she's content working under a captain instead of stepping up and being a leader! She's not even a person who would produce an heir to carry on the family name! No SoulMate in her future plans either! Future plans she doesn't even follow! Instead of lifting our people, she brings them down to her own level." Tobias looked toward Aloysius. "Isn't that right when it comes to your children, Uncle Aloysius?"
"Be careful what you say son," Aloysius threatened as he pushed his way through the crowd that instantly parted to make way for him. Aloysius stepped up and towered about a foot taller then Tobias. "coming after my children is the worst possible thing you can do. Rumor among family is that I'm kind, but I'm still a proud DeLuca, and very soon you will see what happens to someone who threatens my children."
"Aloysius." Alistair lightly pushed his younger brother away from Tobias. "Step away Brother."
"I warned you to reign in your son, Alistair. He's stuck his nose into places where it shouldn't be. Overheard things that were none of his concern." Aloysius growled. "He's stepping over the line by bringing my children into his idiotic ploy to undermine Caius's children."
"Aloysius is right Alistair. You need to take control of the situation." Ignatius turned his body to face his older brother, chest to chest as he leaned close to whisper into Alistair's ear. "He's making a scene, and it's only getting worse the more he opens his mouth."
Alistair looked toward both his younger siblings before the muscles in his jaw clenched. "Tobias-"
"No, I need everyone to hear this!" Tobias dodged his fathers grip as he looked back to all of us that was simply staring back at him as well as some having glanced back at me. "This is a great example of Allyson being the worst candidate to take over our family, to teach our future children the ways of a DeLuca! We already have cousins who aren't sticking to their intended plan that Grandfather Barnabas and their parents laid out for them!"
"What are you talking about Tobias." Our grandmother asked. "You are acting like a spoiled child right now. You know better."
"Father," Tobias, ignoring our grandmother, looked toward his father expectantly. "tell them! Tell them what you found out about!"
"Son," Our grandmother looked toward her second eldest. "I'm getting tired of this, I don't even know if we can salvage the evening. So, I want answers, and if you want to redeem yourself, you keep it simple and to the point. Any more beating around the bush and I will reprimand the both of you. What does Tobias mean by some who aren't sticking to their intended plan?"
Alistair looked toward Aloysius who was fuming, gritting his teeth in desperation, before looking back to my grandmother...his mother.
"Two of Aloysius's children aren't planning to be Captains." Alistair responded, instantly complying to his mother's request. "I had overheard it from his children's mouth. A Chief Medical Officer as well as a Chief Engineer."
"Their motivation stems from Allyson." Tobias glared at me. "I overheard Uncle Aloysius thanking Allyson for being someone his children can look up to."
"Aloysius…" My grandmother turned to her youngest son who immediately cut her off.
"Who my children look up to is their decision, Mother. I will not stop them." Aloysius proclaimed. "My children are free to do as they please."
"Aloysius." My father stepped forward to speak to his youngest brother. "Allyson is not someone I'd consider a considerable role model for my nephews and niece."
"On the contrary Brother, I think she is the perfect role model for my children." Aloysius disputed, standing up for me as he motioned for me to come a little closer. I was being pulled in two different directions, my father's gaze told me to step down while Aloysius was attempting to get me to come forward. "The only reason she's not a proper role model to you is simply because she never followed the plan you had intended for her."
"What did Tobias mean," Scarlett, Vladimir's daughter and only child, asked. Interrupting the possible fight that was about to develop between the three older brother's with their youngest brother. "by Allyson being a leader we all need?"
"Grandfather Cassius wants to retire for good." Vladimir answered his daughter with a sigh. "This party was to see who the next potential leader would be to guide the future DeLuca's. We weren't considered as part of the plan."
"Plans that we've always learned to follow." Vincent, the second youngest as well as Vladimir's twin, said as he glared at Tobias.
"Screw this plan!" Tobias growled. "Does any of this make any logical sense? How is all this fair?!"
"It's not fair," Scarlett shrugged. "but our entire life is centered around sticking to a plan. This is one of those that we're supposed to follow through with without question. Honestly, Allyson would simply need to step up and grow into the shoes of a leader. One best to lead us into the future."
"You're making a fool of yourself Tobias." William said, all mirth and merriment gone as he shook his head in disappointment. "And quite frankly, you're the one ruining this party. Not Allyson or Aurelius that you so desperately want to publicly shame in front of all of us."
"I'm ruining this party?!" Tobias growled as he stepped up to William, getting right into his face, but William was not one to back down. Just as strong headed as their fathers.
"Yes, you are." William defended as he placed both his hands on Tobias's shoulder and gently pushed him away. "Back off, Tobias. Don't step up to me."
At this point Tobias had lost his damn mind, the man had shoved William back at the slight touch causing a small brawl to erupt between the two strong, hot headed, officers.
William was a laid back, decent and kind man...but when poked and threatened I knew he wouldn't take it sitting back. The fight between our two cousins caused their fathers to get involved as they attempted to separate their sons.
"This is insane..." Celestyn said as we attempted to step back and out of the way, but when I saw Abigail step up to her husband William I had to cut in and get involved before she got caught up in the crossfire and gravely hurt. Because after her breakdown in the bathroom along with more people accumulating and crowding around by the second in an attempt to split them up, that large group wasn't good for Abigail.
As I got closer I could hear Abigail trying to talk William down.
"W-William!" Abigail reached out to grab his attention. "Y-you need to stop. Please!"
"Y-yes, W-William." Tobias mocked as his father wound his arm around his neck in an attempt to pull him away. "Y-your making a fool of yourself. Honestly, what kind of Commodore stutters!"
"Step away, Tobias!" I defended as I stepped between Tobias and Abigail, being back to back with the woman as she continued to talk to William. "As Abigail is basically your commanding officer you show them the respect we were taught."
"I respect people who can do their job." Tobias glared dangerously down at me. "She's not part of that group and neither are you."
"You keep pointing fingers at everyone in this room, putting everyone down." Katherine came to defend her brother and sister-in-law. "If our Great-Grandfather was indeed choosing a new patriarch to take his place he most certainly wouldn't choose you either!"
"Why wouldn't he chose me!" Tobias balked. "I've done everything that was asked of me!"
"Try concentrating on what you're doing to your Mate!" William growled. "Mates are everything to us. You're too focused on trying to outdo Aurelius that you don't even realize what you're doing to her! At least I try to keep mine safe! Which is what a Mate should do!" William growled, still caught up in trying to fight against Tobias, as he gently pushed past Abigail. "Like Father, like son."
"William…" Enya, William's mother, came to her son's aid. Speaking to him quietly in a slight warning. "don't…"
"What do you mean?" Tobias grit his teeth.
"You're going to push your Mate to her death if you keep trying to compare and compete with Aurelius." William growled as he turned to me. "Ask Allyson if you doubt me, if she's done her research she can confirm this rumor."
Tobias briefly turned his eyes to me and I knew what William was implying, but I didn't want to get involved in this. I didn't agree to use the information I found in this way. I heard Tobias growl before he turned to his father for answers.
"What is he talking about Father..." Tobias asked as his struggle ceased when the new information started to sink in.
Alistair couldn't look his son in the eyes, his whole body seemed to deflate as he realized that the secret he kept to himself for so long was exposed at the slightest implication.
"I-I pushed my Mate, your Mother, past her limit in my vain attempt to compete with my eldest Brother, Caius." Alistair, to our surprise, stuttered before looking away in shame. "When we lost your youngest Brother, I lost your Mother a few days after...lost her by her own hands."
"Is...Is that why you never speak of her anymore?" One of Tobias's sisters asked causing their father to slowly nod in confirmation.
"You'll lose your Mate just as your Father lost your Mother." William taunted, causing another struggle to ensure between both parties.
"That's enough!" I yelled out as I felt Abigail grip my arm, her shaking slowly starting up once again and that only fueled my anger even more. "We all need to step back and take a breather. This is not how we were taught to act."
"I don't need a lecture from you." Tobias spat at me. "Especially you."
"Tough! Someone needs to cool your head, and if it's me then so be it." I growled. "You walk and talk as if you're above us, then start acting like it because this? This is not showing it."
Tobias scoffed, but surprisingly, both William and himself stopped struggling against our cousins and their fathers. And for a second I had thought that all this was over, that we could at least face our punishment from our grandfather for acting rudely and uncharacteristically of a DeLuca at this party. Or even from our great-grandfather who had yet to say anything, but that was all just wishful thinking on my part.
"You know, it's an absolute joke that you are the one our Great-Grandfather chose to replace him in the future. Not our Grandfather, not our Fathers, not even us…his Great-Grandchildren that lived to make our family proud. No," Tobias shook his head. "it's someone like you who does whatever the hell she pleases! While the rest of us actually follow orders!" Tobias thrust his finger into my face, pointing at me as he ground his teeth together. "You're no Captain, you're no leader, you can't even follow your family plan. And what's worse!"
Tobias looked up as he pointed something toward one of the clear white walls, and what showed up shook me to my very core. It was an image of the day I first appeared in Yorktown...my wrists completely exposed.
"Explain that, Allyson!" Tobias had lost it, whatever he had heard with me being the next member to take over, had messed with his mind. To me that was just a rumor, and he couldn't even accept that it's simply that, an impossible rumor. Resorting to digging into me when I hadn't even done anything to him! "Explain that to everyone here! Because as far as we all knew? Your Mate wasn't worthy which is why meeting them wasn't part of your future, when in reality, you have two! Is that the leader we want! Someone who can't even devote themselves to one person?"
"Allyson..." Abigail called out to me and when I looked behind I saw the wide stares coming from my cousins, all in shock and staring at me as if I was some sort of freak. Something I always feared all those years ago, those judgmental eyes staring back at me when my Marks were exposed.
"What is the meaning of this Caius." My grandfather spoke, looking to my father for answers as he looked to be reaching his boiling point. "You've kept this information from us for thirty years!"
"She hasn't met them, we've told her to always keep it hidden. All she has to do is earn her ranking, that's all." My mother pleaded in desperation in hopes to get back in my grandfather's good graces who simply held his hand up for our mother to keep silent.
"Caius DeLuca," My grandfather glared. "answer me." "Father-" "We just had a discussion with your Grandfather about Allyson stepping up and doing her job! To be the great leader we thought she could be!" "And she can be a great leader-" "This is a serious matter, Caius! What if she were to meet them? Two Mates, Caius! Two men with one woman! What will people think of our family when this gets out!"
"Father, I assure you." My father looked toward my grandfather. "She hasn't met them, she will never meet them. She will be a great leader for our family, the leader you believe her to be. She's intelligent, and can do her duty just as well as anyone here."
"She is a Commander, Caius!" My grandfather raised his voice. "For years she has been a Commander, what exactly has changed!"
My father, as he was being scolded in front of his own siblings as well as their family, turned his eyes onto me. A murderous intent in his eyes as his face seemed to redden at the public humiliation.
"Allyson, step forward." My grandfather ordered, and I couldn't help but listen to his command. "Allyson, what you've done up until now? Ends right here. You're going to start taking this seriously. You'll rise as a Captain, even a Fleet Admiral if I have any say in it, and you will be mentored by me. Your Father has failed you, so I will take over your training. Is that understood? I'll have you transferred over to my ship by the end of today."
I started to panic at the mention of having to leave my friends and my whole life behind. "Grandfather-"
"No, Allyson!" My grandfather argued. "You've been able to do whatever you wanted whenever you pleased without consequence. That ends, now!" My grandfather shook his head. "Don't cause any more of a scene then you already have."
"But I didn't even start this!" I argued before my father glared at me, coming over to whisper harshly into my ear. "That's enough Allyson."
"You're going to serve under me and my ship, no exceptions. You're done serving under that useless crew and that mediocre captain." My grandfather proclaimed. "You're going to rise up in ranks as you were told to do, and be the officer that we can be proud of to have as a leader to lead our future. That potential that my Father, your Great-Grandfather, has in you? Show it to us." My grandfather held his head high as he addressed everyone in the room. "The conversation I had with your Fathers was supposed to be a private conversation, discussed later behind closed doors with their children, but our hands were forced. We're acting now since it's all out in the open." My grandfather glared at Alistair and Tobias as I huffed in frustration, grinding my teeth together and getting more frustrated the more my grandfather spoke. "Allyson, you will forget about those Marks on your wrists. You will never meet those SoulMates of yours, your focus will solely be what's best for our family."
That was the last straw. I wasn't going to stand quietly by as they kept on planning my future! "...no."
"What did you say, Allyson?" My grandfather's voice was even, challenging me to repeat myself and my father was about to reprimand me again, but I had stepped away and walked up to my grandfather.
"I said...no! I've had enough of this!" I glared at my grandfather. "First, I didn't start this whole mess, Tobias did. I didn't accept the position to be the leader of this...messed up family and their messed up expectations! As shocking as this is to you, that should've been discussed with me in the first place."
"Allyson-" My mother tried to calm me down but I was done keeping my mouth shut.
"I've told myself I've grown, that I wasn't going to be bullied by our family any longer and I've kept my mouth shut to make this night go smoothly simply because I was excited to finally be free of everyone here as promised by Aurelius!" I stood up straight. "But this? I'm done keeping my mouth shut. I won't agree to this transfer, I'm happy with where I am, ranking wise as well as who I serve under. And I most definitely…will not allow you to touch my Marks!"
My grandfather was about to open his mouth but I was far from done, I wasn't going to give him any opportunity to talk until I was finished saying what needed to be said.
"For years I've sat by and let you talk and decide my future, now it's my turn." I growled. "You can keep telling me I'm a terrible officer, that I'm no leader, that's your opinion because I know all the good I've done. My crew leans on me for support as I do with them, they're all amazing people…amazing officers even if they're not up to your standards." I lifted my hands and intertwined them, my fingers grazing against the letters under the fabric of my dress. "It was a mistake attending this party, I didn't even want to be here. So, I'm taking my leave. Back to my Mates who are waiting for me back at home. Disown me, speak bad about me, fine. I could care less about being a DeLuca. I'm happy where I am with my Mates by my side."
"Are you confessing to me that you have met them, Allyson?" My grandfather glared at me, and I simply stared back at the eyes that I knew were looking down on me in disgust. My grandfather nodded behind me to where I had assumed my father stood. "Caius, reprimand your child. The way she speaks, the blatant disrespect, shows me that you have indeed failed to raise your youngest child. I don't want to hear anymore of this, and find these Mates of hers. Make it clear to them that Allyson is done with them as well as her crew from this point on."
I was about to argue before my father stepped around me to stand in front of me, blocking my view from my grandfather. His large and imposing figure towered above me as he glared back.
"That's enough, Allyson. Just...enough." My father shook his head in disappointment. "I am ashamed, and you can't even keep quiet. Just for once you couldn't be...normal."
"And have you and mother dictate my life?" I stood proudly against my father. "I wasn't going to back down any longer."
In a blink of an eye my father had raised his hand and I braced myself for the contact, instinctively closing my eyes to wait for the sting.
I heard the contact, but I didn't feel the sting that would come soon after. All I heard was a loud gasp as well as my mother's wobbly voice. "Aurelius!"
I slowly opened my eyes and saw the back of my brother who had shielded me from my father's wrathful punishment. "...Aurelius...?"
"Sorry, Father." My brother had caught my fathers wrist, shoving it away as he came to stand beside me, the both of us facing our father head on. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but if you intend to punish Allyson, then it's only right that you punish me as well." "What?" "I am the one who asked Allyson to search up the necessary information on our family."
"Why…Aurelius?" My mother's voice cracked.
"Because she needed freedom from our family, and I needed to do what you expected from me. Something that only Allyson could do." My brother answered in a matter of fact tone. "We both had something we wanted that only the other could provide. I won't have Allyson take the blame for this, especially when it was Tobias who attempted and failed to make it seem that way."
There was silence all around from the people in the room, until Tobias decided to speak up.
"You hold them with such high regard Grandfather." Tobias growled. "How proud are you now of your golden child!"
Everyone was now yelling in protest, as well as some defending us. Many were attempting to keep all of the children as well as the adults in check that the noise just became static, never able to decipher specifically what anyone was saying.
What was supposed to be a celebration for our great-grandfather was now an absolute chaos of yelling and potential physical fights. The only ones who were silent were my great-grandfather, father, my brother and myself. My father simply stared back at my brother and myself in complete shock…frozen and unable to act upon such a rebellion.
"ENOUGH!"
A new voice entered the fray catching all of us by surprise, the command behind the simple word instantly shutting everyone up, silence echoed around the room that you could literally hear a pin drop.
We all followed where the new voice came from and saw our great-grandfather had slowly risen to his feet and stared at all of us present in disapproval.
"I've seen and heard enough from everyone in this room." Our great-grandfather said as he stepped around his table. "Now, everyone will remain silent unless you are addressed, if I hear a single peep I will throw them out. I don't care who you are or how close you are to me." Our great-grandfather sighed. "This was supposed to be my birthday party, and instead I get a soap opera mixed with senseless yelling and violence! If I wanted all of that I would've stayed in my home back on Earth." Our great-grandfather's wise, exhausted, dulled eyes turned to look out at me as he leaned his weight on his cane. "Allyson, step forward."
I didn't speak, just did as my great-grandfather had asked, walking past my father and grandfather to stand before the man of the evening. He rarely spoke, rarely showed his true self around any of us, and now we all felt like little children getting scolded for the first time in our lives.
"Allyson, show me your wrists." My great-grandfather ordered when I was just in arms reach and shockingly my mother had opened her mouth and stepped forward. "Grandfather please-" "I said I wanted silence, Denali. You included."
My mother conceded, stepping back to where she stood and watched me with worry as well as silently ordering me to go against my great-grandfather's request.
"Allyson, I won't repeat again." My great-grandfather sighed. "Show. Me. Your. Wrists."
Hesitantly, I reached for the rings on my finger to release the fabric of my sleeves, and pushed them up to show my great-grandfather the underside of my wrists.
My great-grandfather took my wrists one by one into his hands to inspect my Marks. "And you have met these two, am I right Allyson?"
"I have, sir." I responded.
"How long have you known them for?" My great-grandfather asked.
"About five years, sir." I nervously responded after seeing my great-grandfather continuously look over my Marks.
"You love them." It wasn't a question, it was a statement that he simply wanted to hear my own answer.
"...with all my heart, sir..." I smiled as I thought of Khan and Leonard. "I...I can't imagine my life without them."
"You would defy your family simply for these men." My great-grandfather let my wrist go as he took a small step back.
"I would defy them...and you, sir." I stated as I held my great-grandfather's gaze.
My great-grandfather sighed, a calculated stare aimed right at me, and to the surprise of everyone in this room who was watching our interaction on bated breath…my great-grandfather had smiled.
"I have something to show everyone present today." My great-grandfather proclaimed as he reached into the side of his coat, producing a compact disc from one of his pockets. He had fiddled with the contraption for a bit, having slight difficulty due to one of his hands constantly on the cane to give him support before he pressed down on a button causing a holographic image to appear just in front of me.
There was a woman standing next to a man, the woman and the man were smiling back at the large crowd and when our great-grandfather gave no explanation to the significance of these two I grew confused. "...who...?"
"That, my Great-Granddaughter, is Cordelia DeLuca." From the tone of my great-grandfather's voice I could hear how proud he was of the people in the holographic image. "Your Great-Grandmother."
"Mother..." My grandfather whispered, his voice wavering as he came to stand beside me, staring intently at the holographic image of the woman before his eyes trailed over to the man beside her. "but…who is that man, Father?"
"That's...not what you looked like when you were younger." I stated as my great-grandfather shook his head.
"No, that is not me. That man is a very dear friend of mine." My great-grandfather stated. "Two of the most important people in my life that had left all too soon." My great-grandfather hobbled over to my side, his cane clacking against the floor, before his hand rested on my shoulder to bring my attention back to him. "That is Charles Atherton, my First Officer as well as my dear Cordelia's...SoulMate."
Sorry if this chapter was a bit cliche, I just figured that with such a high stress inducing environment, at a party like this nerves are at an all time high. I think this was everyone's breaking point. A domino effect that just kept on going. I'm sure we've all had those moments at family gatherings where things just seemed tense because one word could trigger something bad (or good). I hope I did a good job ^^
If you are enjoying yourself and my story: review, follow, and favorite! But it's not mandatory =) just knowing that you gave my story a chance, and decided to read my creation makes me incredibly happy! I hope everyone is continuing to stay safe out there wherever you may be in the world!
-SO