A New Home, A Fresh Start

Posted on Sat Jan 7th, 2023 @ 5:20pm by Fleet Captain Maxwell Culver & Lieutenant Commander J'Loni Mo'Bri Daughter of House L'Keth Ret.

1,454 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Mission One: Goodwill Tour [Part One]
Location: Transporter to Triton Seabase
Timeline: MD5: 1400 hours

J'Loni, Jenna, and both wolves, Lone Wolf and Sheba, materialized on Triton and Jenna let out a squeal of delight!

"Oh mommy lookie there.....water, beaches.....I wanna go swimming now please," she asked. Jenna was almost jumping up and down in excitement.

"Jenna, shhhh....be a good girl. We can go swimming after it we go see the captain. Mommy has to report in and we go have to get our quarters assigned. Then both Lone Wolf and Sheba can go swimming with you, ok hun," J'Loni asked her daughter.

"Okay mommy, we will be good," Jenna replied placing her hands on the wolves backs.

Surprisingly, both Sheba and Lone Wolf were glued to Jenna almost as if they were protection mode. J'Loni could sense their heightened emotions and it made her smile. They would let no harm come to the heir to the House L'Keth.

It didn't take long to find the location of Captain Culver. Tapping on his door, she waited quietly for an answer.

Max opened the cabin door, a small room just off the bridge. He’d been expecting his Chief Engineer since they arrived at the Golden Towers and he recognized her from her file. “Commander J’Loni, welcome to Triton Seabase,” Max said. He couldn’t help but see the young girl and a pair of wolves flanking her. It was an odd picture on the bridge.

"Captain Culver, thank you. This is my seven year old daughter, Jenna, and this is Sheba and Lone Wolf. I am expecting soon the arrival of four horses for your stable. Those were a gift from my friend in Montana, Earth. I hope this does not present a problem for you?" J'Loni said, petting Lone Wolf on the head.

Max knelt down so he was on the level with Jenna. “Hello,” he said. Some captains had concerns when children were aboard their vessel, but not Max. He liked kids.

Looking at the wolves, he could sense they were on edge. They presented as a black and red to his senses. He adjusted his stance to be less imposing.

“There’s plenty of land still in the south of Triton Colony. The stables seemed to be in good shape, but they haven’t been used in fifteen years. They might need a bit of a cleaning,” he answered.

“It will be nice to have horses on the colony,” he decided. Turning back to the child, he added, “Won’t it be nice, Jenna?”

Jenna looked at the man standing in front of her, "Yes it will. I can play with the horses, ride them and Sheba and Lone Wolf can play with us," she said, her eyes beaming with warm life.

J'Loni made an inaudible command to the wolves who immediately sat by her. "Lone Wolf and Sheba, this is the captain of our new home. You are to always respect him and protect him as if he is were family," she said, motioning for Culver to introduce his scent by petting and letting them smell his hand in friendship. Both wolves got up and reached out with their heads to accept the hand.

The wolves seemed to change from their defensive color to a warm blue hue. Their body language relaxed and Max projected the same sense of color and relaxation. He held his hand out and let the wolves sniff him.

Once each canine had their chance to smell his scent, he gently ran his hands over their silky smooth fur. Returning his attention to Jenna, he told her, “I’ve been told there’s a candy shop aboard, but I’ll be darned if I can find it.” It wasn’t a joke, many of his crew told him they’d visited the store and shown him their candy.

He was about to tell her more when he was knocked over by the pair of wolves, licking him and prancing around and sometimes over him. He couldn’t help but laugh.

J'Loni let loose a true Klingon belly laugh as her captain was full of fur balls happily licking him. "I do believe you are now part of the family. I am always glad to see the wolves accept someone we care about," she said as Jenna interjected herself.

"Wait....cap.....did you say candy shop? Oh boy...
Mommy can I go and get some candy please...please?" Jenna pleaded.

Rolling her eyes, "Yes Jenna, you may only if you take the wolves with you. They will not get lost of you for that matter," J'Loni said smiling.

With another inaudible command to the wolves, they stopped playing and escorted Jenna to track down this candy shop.

Max recovered himself from the floor. He made his way just inside the bridge cabin, cleaning himself up as best he could. He’d have to change his shirt, but that could wait for a bit. “Well, Lieutenant, it seems as if we have three busy candy hunters. You’ll find the engine room just a deck above. So far, everything has been running smoothly.

“Of course, we are docked at Golden Towers and on leave, so maybe take some time and get yourself settled in. Explore this city or Triton Colony for a couple of days. As I said, the stables probably need a good cleaning.”

"That's not a problem. The horses and....oh! Now how did that slip my mind.....my husband's bird, Bear, will be arriving with them. He will be coming with the horses; he is an eagle but tame and my daughter's favorite pet aside from the wolves.

“Anyhow, the stables and area will be ready to receive the animals when they get here in a few days. I will look in on the engineering deck and get acquainted with my crew after we settle in.

“I understand that there is a house not too far from the stable area that has a great view of the beach. That is the one I will be taking. Swimming pool and large area of land that affords a safe and comfortable play zone for my daughter and wolves. I hope it is alright with you, captain, if I take it?" J'Loni inquired.

Max nodded. “I’ll have the cleaning crew head in now to clean up the house and make sure the furniture is in good shape.

“I think you’ll find your engineering crew small, but exceptional. Of course, you’ll find the engine room, but don’t forget that the solar panels and wind turbines will be your responsibility as well. Fortunately, the solar panels are self cleaning once the sensors detect the build up of salt water.

“The wind turbines are as passive as it gets. So long as they’re turning, they generate enough power. While we’re docked, they’re filling the batteries up for our next journey. Another seaside town. Then we’re off to their mountains and the city there. I’ve been told it’s absolutely the most beautiful city on the planet.”

Max explained their intended destinations, but he also talked to her about the mystery of how the planet had mountains. How many new islands had been created in fifteen years and where were the Ro’Nel, the planet’s indigenous people.

Another mystery to be solved. Preferably without Romulan interference.

"All my life, I could never figure out why Romulans are so damned headstrong. There are just cowards and warlords but since the Dominion War, I have found a few that are quite friendly and trusting," J'Loni said.

“The Romulans were not made aware of the Ro’Nel. I worry about the Romulans terraforming the planet. Too much change could have killed the indigenous people,” Max told her. “At least, that’s what I’m assuming because if they knew of the Ro’Nel and destroyed their ecosystem, that will be twice as bad.”

"I agree on that point. To damage a planet by terraforming, and not take into account the native peoples is a tragedy, but not having the knowledge of what it would do to the ecosystem is being irresponsible," J'Loni said, looking out the window, she spotted the wolves and Jenna on the beach.

"Captain, I don't mean to cut you off but, as you can see my daughter is no doubt gonna get into trouble soon," she said chuckling.

"On this planet of uptight Romulans, I have no doubt. Go on and get yourself, your daughter and the wolves settled. We’re back on the ocean in six days, Commander.”

"Understood captain, and thank you, sir," J'Loni said, and she headed out to rescue the beach from her daughter.

 

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