Chapter 2: Facts, not rumours

A/N: Many thanks for your reviews, Jester and Fung Mao!
I made up the name Y'Pak tr'Kel."dinam-ri'nanai" means "uncle", "daeftan" means "girl".

Seven-year-old Liruna was a child who came across as serious. However, already at that early age, she possessed a keen sense of humour and together with faithful set'leth Lilou, she liked to play pranks, especially on her Uncle Letant. Kihika and Vereth, who kept the Sen-Jo'rek house shipshape, helped Liruna occasionally by pretending not to know what she was doing, such as on the occasion when she hid the keys to Letant's flitter in a flower pot. The keys were not actually keys, but a device with a chip in it. Small and easily hidden.

It was a fine summer Saturday, and Letant was about to leave the Jo'rek house. As he hunted frantically for his keys, he tried to put on an air of nonchalance.
"It would seem that my detection skills have become a little rusty on this planet," he commented finally. Asha helped him, both of them looking on top, underneath and behind the furniture, peeping under cushions, checking corners and even the plate of confections Kihika had placed on the mantelpiece.

Finally, Liruna quietly led her agitated dinam-ri'nanai to the flower pot, where Lilou was standing guard. Liruna was thoroughly scolded, Lilou shooed away and the keys restored to a relieved Letant - who, it turned out, badly needed the flitter to pick up a date. Except that Letant disliked the word "date" and referred to such meetings as "preludes to a potential courtship".
"Romulans are very serious about such matters," he pointed out.
"While that may be the case, you most certainly are not, otherwise we wouldn't be hearing all those rumours," Asha commented.
"Rumours are rumours, not facts," Letant said.
"In that case, we are hearing many facts about you. When you drove your flitter stuffed with intoxicated partygoers into your neighbour's garden, that most certainly was a fact," Asha retorted.
"I was the only one who was completely sober. Someone had to drive them home. See how considerate I am, taking care of our Romulan youth," Letant exclaimed, throwing out his arms in a dramatic gesture.
"It would be wise not to antagonise the people who live on this planet, Delon," Vekal said. He had come downstairs to see what the commotion was about. He reached for Asha's hand, and she pressed his fingers tenderly.
"Of course I know that, I'm no fool," Letant impatiently. "But if I'm going to live in exile, then at least I'll do so with some comic relief. Which my niece has provided in this case."
"Your niece," Vekal said grimly, "is going to a Romulan farm in two weeks from now to learn some discipline. She will not fritter her time away during the school holidays. She also has a tendency to daydream. And that, I can promise you, is not a rumour."
"We have discussed everything with Y'Pak," Asha agreed.
"Can Lilou come?" Liruna piped up.
"No, she may not," her father said sharply. Then, seeing her sad expression, he stooped and patted her cheek. "It's not meant as a punishment."
"I know. You said it was for di-sci-pline," Liruna stated, enunciating the last word clearly.
"Y'Pak? The head of the Romulan farming community? That grim sour-faced-" Letant stopped at the look on Asha and Vekal's faces. "Oh, yes, I see. Very wise choice. Most commendable." He cleared his throat. "I have no doubt you'll have a grand time over there, Lira," he addressed his niece. On his way out, however, he turned to Asha and Vekal.
"Let her dream big, no matter whether it's during the day or night. I hope you're not planning to stifle her dreams."
"Of course she may dream big, but she has to remain grounded," Vekal said.
"Well - who am I to speak? I know nothing of parenthood. I'm off," Letant said, waving at them cheerfully and stepping into his flitter.

The Romulans were a very proud people, and they were determined to make the best of their exile. Whereas many of them had looked down on just about everyone and everything non-Romulan, they now found themselves on the receiving end. Some Humans were understanding, some were not and expressed their resentment towards what they felt were Romulan intruders. The Romulans grit their teeth and worked themselves to the bone to build a life they could be proud of. It was the same of Y'Pak tr'Kel, a formerly wealthy farmer who had arrived with only the clothes on his back on Earth. His transport had been an old rickety Romulan vessel held together by force fields. His wealth back on Romulus was useless, and all he had was his knowledge, skills and a manner which made people listen to him.

He knew Asha and Vekal well, and he developed a grudging respect for the former as he slowly overcame several of his prejudices about Humans. His respect grew when the couple entrusted him with their daughter so she could learn how to be hands-on.

And so, Liruna packed her own bag, supervised by her parents. Letant and André accompanied her on the public transport and to the flitter where Y'Pak was waiting. It was an old flitter with dents, but it was spotless outside and inside. Greetings were exchanged, farewell hugs were given, and Liruna was left alone with Y'Pak, who looked at her unsmilingly. Liruna dipped her head respectfully, and he gave her a curt nod in return.

"I will tell you what you are not here for, daeftan t'Jo'rek," he said abruptly. "You are not here on holiday. You are not here to daydream. You are not here to waste anyone's time."
"I understand that I am here for di-sci-pline, Ihhai tr'Kel," Liruna said.
"Discipline, self-reliance and independence," Y'Pak stated. "Get into the flitter now, we have many tasks ahead of us. And please be silent. I don't want to be distracted by children's chatter."
Liruna got inside obediently and off they went to Y'Pak's farm.