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No real social change has ever been brought about without a revolution... revolution is but thought carried into action – Emma Goldman
It was slow going to get through the crowds and return to Elemus's home. Erika spotted Cama and the two groups merged as they walked, and then Arnis's family also joined. The other Daranaeans gave them a bit of a wide berth and continued to chant, but now it was more like a song than a protest, "Inta! Inta!"
Malcolm got a little impatient with the slow going and ended up picking up one of the smaller children. "And what is your name?" he asked the little girl, who was brindle-colored.
The little girl hid her face, shy but not scared.
"That is Minna," Cama said, "She is a daughter of Mistra's. The youngest before the pouchling, I believe."
"I have a son who is, I believe, a little bit older than you are," he said, "would you like for your Mummy to keep in touch, and maybe someday you and Declan could play together?"
Minna hid her face again, but there was a smile behind her furry hands. She then tentatively touched his face, giggling a little at how hairless it was.
"She is very shy," Cama said, "many of the littlest ones are. And I suppose we teach them to be shy, and to be meek and let everything happen to us. Maybe we should teach them to be stronger. I don't know."
"I think their generation has an excellent chance," he said, "of becoming the independent persons who I think you all, deep down, want them to be. Male and female, for I think your males are a bit restricted as well. They are taught to think a certain way, and to behave a certain way, and it seems to me that some of them, like, like Vidam, they see that it is wrong, but they can't quite articulate as to exactly why." He adjusted Minna in his arms. "I think our peoples have a very good chance of becoming good friends. And, and not just on our terms, but on yours as well."
"Do you think someone of my age could benefit from learning?" Cama asked.
"Yes," Malcolm said, "I think you could."
"Do you think I am capable of understanding learning?" Cama asked, "For I have never tried it before."
"I believe you are capable of a lot more than anyone has probably ever said that you could do."
"I now believe I am, too."
=/\=
They found the shuttles just where they had left them. "Will you be all right?" Jonathan asked Dratha.
"I believe so. I can ask Elemus to look in from time to time. But Vidam will be the head of the household now. He is young but I believe he is up to the task."
"You will help me, yes, Mother?"
"I shall provide quiet guidance," she replied, "but if you make all of your decisions the way you made them today, then you shall make good decisions."
"Good-bye, Doctor Nguyen," Libba said, "I hope you understand our ways better."
"I think I do," he said, "and I hope you understand ours, too."
=/\=
On the Excelsior, Erika dictated her report.
"April twentieth, 2165. We are leaving the Daranaean system and heading to Andoria. Repairs are complete and no one is in Sick Bay.
I think we judged these people based upon First Contact. At the time, that was the only information we had, but now we know a bit better. And I have to say, there is value there, value beyond strategic positions and scientific studies. This is a society in transition. I think we can have ringside seats to a transformation. I hope we stay close with this species, and help them to see it through. If they want our help, that is. But it's not often you get to see a society at the time of its first emergence from its Dark Ages."
=/\=
Hamilton Roget, in his quarters, received a call. "Hey!" he said, smiling when he saw the familiar face of his partner on the screen. "What brings this?"
"Well," said his partner, "I wanted you to know that history was made today. Your grandmother actually called me and asked me to lunch. And we went. We had a really nice time. I think she's coming around."
"I'm glad she's finally starting to accept you," Hamilton said, "today I saw history made, too."
=/\=
Doctor Nguyen also dictated.
"Medical log. I have had occasion to meet with a couple of former patients, the Daranaeans Libba and Cama. Both of them were both pregnant and pouch feeding when I saw them. This is five years after I last saw them. I expected them to appear older, and they both did. I suspect their fur turns grey in much the same way that our hair does, and they are both a bit grey now. They are also, unfortunately, a bit thinner. Clearly this is an issue during pregnancy. I advised them and their husband that they need to be consuming more, for the sake of not only the children's health but also their own. I also advised that the time between pregnancies should be lengthened next time. I believe they understood.
My hope is, after recent events on Daranaea, that they might have a chance to, in the future, refuse relations or use birth control. I suspect that neither woman's body can take too many more pregnancies."
=/\=
On the Enterprise, Doctor Phlox also dictated.
"We are leaving the Daranaean system and will probably not return for a while. I have been able to take several medical scans of various Daranaeans of both genders, all castes and in various stages of pregnancy, pouch feeding, both, neither, premenarche and menopause.
They are a fascinating species. One of their foremost physicians has been taken into custody, but he did manage to tell myself and Doctor An Nguyen about a disease thathis people are facing – thylacine paramyxovirus – it is reportedly a killer crossing all caste, gender and age lines.
One thing that impressed me was the doctor's desire for some exchange of ideas but he was adamant that the Daranaean people do not wish to have us doing their work for them. They are committed to finding the cure for themselves, and desire a more equal partnership than a lot of other species in their same circumstances have.
The virus appears to be genetically similar to Newcastle disease and some forms of influenza. Current treatments include bed rest, analgesics and emergent retroviral therapies. I am confident that they will have a cure soon, possibly within the next decade or two, and it will be exciting to see how their medical knowledge evolves.
In other news, Ensign Lucy Stone has made an appointment with me and asked me to give her a pregnancy test."
=/\=
Lucy was in her quarters, with Andrew. "Are you about ready for your first appointment with Phlox?"
"I am," she said, "but first, this." She selected the Communications option from the desktop's screen. "Hoshi?"
"Yes?"
"I'd like to talk to Ben Collins and Gina Stone, on Europa."
"Hang on," there was a pause, "okay, go ahead."
"Mom!" Gina exclaimed.
"Sweetheart," Lucy said, smiling, "you remember Andy? We, uh, we have some good news to tell you."
=/\=
Malcolm was also on a call. "Is he bigger than when I last saw him?" he asked, referring to Declan, who was sitting on his mother's lap.
"That was yesterday. So, uh, I don't think so. I see," she gestured on her clavicle, mirroring where his insignia were on his uniform, "you didn't resign or lose your commission." She touched an old-fashioned skeleton key charm on a chain around her neck. The chain and the charm were both made of the same dull grey metal as Malcolm's cuff. The key was a gift from him, and she never took it off. She touched it, sometimes, as she thought of him far away, across the light years.
"I did not," Malcolm said, "we all went to the surface, and we all said our, our piece. I think the Daranaean people understood. I just feel that the people we intimately deal with should be as committed to freedom as we are."
"I'm glad Captain Archer agreed with you on that," she said, "and I certainly do. Your desire to stand up for what's right is one of the many, many reasons why I love you."
She held up a bit of finger painted artwork. "I think this is a bunny. Is this a bunny?" she asked their son.
"Doggie," he replied.
"That actually looks a bit like the people I met," Malcolm said, "Daranaeans look a little like that but their ears aren't as long." He paused a moment and then looked at them both fondly. "If I had lost my position, I would have come straight home, you know," he said, "and chased you 'round the garden."
"Hopefully not while I was getting ready to go to work!"
"It would be after you come home from work, then."
"I'd be tired then," she said.
"On the weekends, then," he said.
"We'd get a sitter sometimes," she looked at him a little mischievously.
"I'll get leave soon. I cannot wait to see you, love."
"I will be counting the days," she said, "and Declan here will count with me, won't ya, Dec? Remember how we practiced? One, two."
"T'ree!" Declan exclaimed, laughing and throwing both hands up in the air.
=/\=
Jonathan was on a call of his own, to Starfleet Command. "And that's what happened," he said, "I want you to know that it was all my idea. If there's any blame to attach to this, any reprimand, let it just be on my shoulders. If you need for me to resign, I can do so. Malcolm Reed could take command."
Admiral Gardner looked at him. "I can't say we loved that you just went ahead and did this. But we do understand your motivation. By all accounts, the Daranaean society is an odd hybrid of modern and backward thinking and behavior. Maybe now they'll throw off more of their backward ways."
Admiral Black added, "We have found that the Federation is currently of two minds when it comes to new members. Some current member species want to take in pretty much anyone, so long as they promise to protect and defend the current member species. I can understand that desire. The Federation is small and, as we all know, all too painfully, space can be a dangerous place."
"But there are others," Admiral Gardner interjected, "who agree with you about the idea of minimal standards. It would be very hard to take, if we were, well, the way we are, with our government system, and making nice with a bunch of brutal dictators."
"For us," Black said, "it's somewhat analogous to the old Earth United Nations."
"I remember that from history," Jonathan said, "it became a lot of member nations. And it was not all democracies. There were definitely dictatorships and democracies in name only, in the mix."
"Right," Black said, "but there was also the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. The member states made it known that there were certain ideals that they admired, and hoped future member states would also admire, and try to uphold and live up to."
"We don't want to tell the Daranaeans how to live, or how to govern themselves," Gardner said, "it's a bit of a delicate balancing act. But it's also, you're right, if we don't speak out against obvious injustice, how are any of us supposed to sleep at night?"
"When we left, it looked like Elemus would be put in charge on a provisional basis until they could have a special election," Jonathan explained, "he's got more experience with humans than any other Daranaean official, so that bodes well. But," he shook his head, "I doubt that women will be voting in that special election. Who knows how long it will take for them to wrap their heads around that idea?"
"Baby steps," Gardner said, "remember it was hundreds of years between the Magna Charta and the American Declaration of Independence."
"Oh, and another thing," Admiral Black said, "This is confidential, but Malcolm Reed's going to get the DC-1505 once it's built. But that may be a while. The budget isn't what it used to be. Amazing what peace will do to budgets!," he smiled wryly, "Plus there are more innovations in design, I understand. It could even take as long as a decade to get it built and the way it really should be. So don't resign just yet or we'll need someone else to command that ship. And I don't relish breaking in another captain over time."
"I'll keep quiet, no matter how long it takes. Don't want to spoil the surprise. I know he and his family will be thrilled," Jonathan said, smiling, "Archer out."
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