Chapter 3
Malcolm Reed entered his quarters; the first thing his eyes fell on was the crib that had been a gift of Trip just last week, the engineer having made it himself, it was plain but well made. He stared at it for a moment, his face twisting into a grimace as he lashed out with one foot, his boot connecting solidly with the wooden crib sending it crashing against the far wall of his quarters and landing on its side on the floor. He could feel the anger rising in from within himself. He hadn▓t asked Hoshi sooner about Melee because deep down he knew the answer already; he just didn▓t WANT to believe it. He sat down heavily on the end of his bed and instantly his eyes were drawn to the picture on the desk, he and Melee had been on a planet and Travis had been taking pictures of everyone there. He was standing behind Melee his arms wrapped around her waist, chin resting on the top of her head, both of them smiling at the camera. He remembered that day so well, only a few months before Melee had become pregnant, they had been so happy together. He was surprised to find himself crying for her and for the love they had shared for what seemed so short a time and now she was gone forever. He leaned forward on the bed; knees on elbows, his head in his hands as he just sobbed unable to stop himself. After a while he managed to get himself somewhat under control. He raised his head again and looked at the picture again. From what Hoshi had said he knew that Melee had probably known she was dying before she had even given birth to Melina, he also knew that if given the choice of her life over her babies she would have chosen the latter. That didn▓t make his pain any less, but he also knew what she would have hated to know that he in any way blamed Melina for what had happened.
⌠I promise I▓ll try my best,■ he promised Melee. He stood up going over to the crib, setting it upright again.
⌠Guess I won▓t be needing this anymore,■
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⌠Melina, wake up. We have to go get breakfast and then see Phlox this morning,■ Hoshi shook the girls shoulder through the blanket.
⌠Go ▒way!■ Melina swatted at Hoshi's hand.
⌠The captain wants us to see the doctor to make sure we▓re both alright,■ Hoshi tried again.
⌠I▓m sleepin▓!■ Melina mumbled.
⌠Fine, you get to find sickbay and the doctor on your own later,■ Hoshi finally gave up.
⌠Don▓t care,■ came the muttered response from under the blanket.
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⌠Sit down, Lieutenant, I▓ll be with you in a moment,■ Phlox smiled at her as Hoshi came into sickbay. He was changing the bandaging on Malcolm▓s arm.
⌠Where is Melina this morning?■ Phlox asked. Hoshi grinned, at the doctor then smiled at Malcolm.
⌠Where she is every morning before midday, in bed sleeping,■ she replied.
⌠Ah, being a typical teenager then,■ Phlox said. The sickbay doors opened and Melina walked in.
⌠Now this is something new, you decided to join us after all,■ Hoshi said. The girl made a grunting noise.
⌠And when she has to get up before her preferred time she▓s slightly on the grumpy side,■ Hoshi stated.
⌠Ok, Commander, I▓m all done with you. Shouldn▓t take to long to heal, the wound isn▓t that deep,■ Phlox said.
⌠Now for you two,■ he moved in Hoshi's direction first.
⌠You are welcome to stay, Commander,■ he told Malcolm. Melina sat down on a biobed near Hoshi and tucked her knees up under her chin.
⌠Do you have any food here?■ Melina asked.
⌠This is the sickbay, not the mess hall,■ Phlox said as he ran a tricorder over Hoshi.
⌠We can go get some lunch after the doctors finished here┘if you want to,■ Malcolm suggested. After a moment Melina nodded assent.
⌠Well you seem to be in perfect health, Lieutenant,■ Phlox said.
⌠Now for you young lady,■ he turned to Melina, who sat perfectly still, unsure of what she was supposed to do. Phlox did the same to her that he had done with Hoshi.
⌠Now I▓d like to take a look at your eyes. There▓s a seat right over this way,■ he waited for the girl to follow him, but she remained seated.
⌠There▓s nothing wrong with my eyes,■ she said.
⌠You▓re blind and I▓d like to check and see if anything can be done about that,■ Phlox said. Eventually she stood up and took a seat before a device in between her and the doctor. He reached out and manoeuvred her face onto the chin plate, her forehead pressed against a cold metal band. After a few simple tests the doctor glanced at Hoshi and then at Malcolm.
⌠It appears as if some damage was done years ago,■ he said.
⌠I think she▓s been blind since she was born, but I▓m not certain,■ Hoshi said.
⌠It should be fairly easy to correct however. The choice is yours, Commander,■ Phlox said.
⌠I don▓t want to see,■ Melina said.
⌠Let me think on that a while, Doctor,■ Malcolm said. Melina seemed to glare in his direction for a moment.
"Why does he get to decide what happens to me?" She asked.
"Melina!" Hoshi said, shocked at the young girl▓s behaviour.
"No! Why should someone I've just met get to make that decision?!" Melina snapped. She stood up abruptly and stalked out of sickbay.
"Ah the raging and often misdirected anger of adolescence," Phlox said, actually sounding happy.
"I'll go talk to her," Hoshi said. Malcolm grabbed her arm before she could leave.
"No, I'll go," he said.
Malcolm walked down the corridor, looking for his daughter. It didn't take him long; the pounding noises led him right to her.
"What did that access panel ever do to you?" He asked. She grunted at him, but stopped kicking the panel.
"Ok, bad attempt at a joke. What's wrong?" He crossed his arms across his chest and stared at the girl...his daughter waiting for an answer.
"Nothing," she muttered.
"Of course not, that's why you're kicking the wall," he said sarcastically and instantly regretted his words as she frowned in his direction.
"I want to know what's wrong, I want to help,"
"Really? You are not me, you don't know what I want. Let me make my own decisions," she snapped at him.
"You're right, I don't know what it is you want, unless you tell me," he said calmly.
"Have you ever been blind?"
"No, I can't say that I ever have been," he replied, unsure of why she was asking.
"How would you feel if tomorrow you woke up and you were?" She asked. He gave the question some serious thought before replying.
"A little afraid I suppose, I don't think I'd be able to do my job or even get dressed for that matter,"
"Now you know how I feel...at least about that. I've spent my whole life learning how to do things as someone who can't see. I'm blind; I'm used to it, just as you are familiar with being able to see. The thought of suddenly being able to see again and..." She stopped suddenly looking embarrassed.
"What?" He asked.
"Phlox didn't ask me what I wanted, he asked you what you wanted to do about my being blind," she paused again before continuing.
"I'm not trying to be offensive, but I don't even know you, why should you get to make a decision like that?"
"You're right, you don't know me and I don't know you. I hope that over the next few days we can rectify that. It should also be something that you decide, not me, it will affect you. What do you want to do about it?" He asked. She seemed surprised that he would ask what she wanted.
"I don't want to have to learn how to do things all over again as a 'seeing' person," she replied slowly as if expecting him to do the opposite of what she wanted.
"Than we'll tell Phlox that,"