Chapter 9

It took the shuttle crew two days to reach the coordinates that the Cardassian captain gave them. Once there, the crew could only stare in wonder.

It was, indeed, a large moon. It filled up the view screen and was almost intimidating in its bulk. Once they stepped off the shuttle, however, they were greeted with an even more wondrous sight.

The moon was very busy, people of all ages and abilities scurrying around busily. Some were severely deformed and confined to wheelchairs; others looked like they had nothing wrong with them at all.

"Wow." escaped from Heather's mouth as she stared at the busy surface. Her friends looked equally amazed.

"It's the community that we always thought of." added Maureen. "We'd think about an all disabled community and tried to think whether it would be good or bad. I don't think we ever decided..." Tucker wrapped it all up in two words.

"It's beautiful."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Bridget playfully, always the energetic one. "Let's explore!"

And so they did. Heather met up with several old friends, some who she hadn't seen in years. One of these friends was Nathaniel Wane, better known as Nate. He had mild CP, like Heather, and walked with a somewhat lurching gait.

"Heather?" he asked in amazement when he saw her. Heather grinned and nodded.

"Yup, that's me. What, have you forgotten what I look like over the past few years?" Nate returned the grin and shook his head.

"We've been friends since third grade. I think I know what you look like now!" He laughed.

"So, what brings you here?" Nate continued casually.

"Bridget, Moe, Tucker and I were all on a shuttle craft together when this Cardassian captain hailed us. He said we might be interested in this moon, since he saw we were all disabled. So, here we are!" Heather left out the part about Kathleen's death. It was too painful and fresh to talk about at the moment. Just then, a soft whirring sound distracted her, and a young girl sitting in a power wheelchair came up to them.

She looked about five or six years old. She was skinny for her age, her big blue eyes prominent in the thin face. Her wavy blond hair fell to about the girl's shoulders. It looked like she had moderate to severe CP. Her legs were stuck out a few inches in front of her, and her spastic hands were curled into fists. But there was something about her, something Heather couldn't place. The girl looked fake, somehow, like a plastic mannequin in a clothing store. When she spoke, the girl's voice had the usual CP stutter to it, but there was still something false about her. Heather shook the thoughts out of her head and told herself it was just her imagination.

"Hiya, Nate!" the girl said joyfully. Nate's face lit up.

"Hey, it's Brianna!" he said playfully. Brianna squealed as Nate lifted her from her wheelchair and gently tossed her into the air, catching her again.

"Brianna's lived practically her whole life on Alasius Prime." Nate said in an undertone to Heather. "Her mother was a disabled space explorer, and she didn't have the time for a baby. So, when Brianna was just a few months old, her mother left her here, promising to return for her when she was finished exploring and ready to raise a child. Bri doesn't remember her mother, but she's heard many stories about her mother from some of the people who live her and knew her mother."

"Hey, Brianna!" he said when he was finished. "This is my old friend, Heather."

"Hi, Heather!" Then Brianna's eyes grew as round as saucers as she studied Heather.

"Hey..." Brianna said slowly. "You're one of the girls that knows my mommy." Heather raised an eyebrow, but responded casually.

"Oh really? What's your last name?"

"Mararri. Brianna Mararri." Brianna's response shocked Heather so much she had to fight not to drop her jaw open.

"Was your mother named Kathleen?" Heather asked in a would-be-casual voice. Brianna nodded proudly.

"Yup! My mommy's coming back for me any day now!" Heather felt a horrible dry taste in her mouth. How in the world could she tell Brianna that her mother was dead?

A/N: This is gonna be a long story! Chapter 9 is finished and I'm only getting started. Did I surprise you? Probably not since I don't think anybody's reading this story anymore! Nobody's reviewed, and I've posted two chapters! Come on people, if your reading this, review. Even if it's just one word. Please. I'm begging you now, review!