Star Trek: Dawn of Dreams [PG-13]

[Cathexis]

Bonjour! Here's my latest and greatest ST piece, Star Trek: Dawn of Dreams, featuring altered characters from Star Trek: Eye of the Needle. I'm heading in a slightly new direction with the storyline, so please have some patience (especially if you are familiar with ST: EoN)!

Enjoy!


Star Trek:

Dawn of Dreams

By:
K. R. King


C�est ridicule, I thought to myself, I�m making a complete ass out of myself for no reason! Everyone gazed intently at me as I gingerly stepped up to the podium to announce the graduating class of 2460. I couldn�t help but behave like an up start Academy recruit, knowing that my daughter, Kiyraesyn DeSoto, would be accepting her commendation from me personally. Somehow, despite my extraordinary level of excitement and anticipation, I managed to maintain a cool surface demeanor as I began to read aloud the names of the graduates in alphabetical order.
As soon as I verbally edged into the Ds, I felt my heart begin to ascend into my throat as I choked on the name of a young woman who came to accept her pips and be congratulated by everyone on the platform. Coincidentally, the girl was a close friend of Kiraesyn�s was just ahead of her on the list of names. Finally, the moment came when I read my daughter�s name proudly and beamed as she approached me to receive her rank pips and plaque of commendation. Time seemed to simply melt into this moment. Kiyra accepted her pips, smiling her brightest smile and offering words of humble gratitude. She hadn�t just graduated magna cume laude; she had surpassed even her own mother in her studies at Starfleet Academy! For this, I was extremely proud to be the one to place those much-deserved pips upon her tunic.
�Ladies and Gentlemen, Kiyraesyn DeSoto�� Joyous applause rang out across the crowd as friends cheered her to her last step off the platform.
Eventually, the event came to its triumphant conclusion with a performance from the Academy�s most prestigious flight team, the Nova Squadron. The Nova Flyers dazzled the audience with several daring moves and ended with an even more spectacular Omega Starburst for their finale. When at last the formal ceremony came to its close, the celebration began was scheduled to begin at 1730hrs precisely. This gave the newly graduated officers and their families time to change and get ready for the festivities.
Of course, I found this to be the opportune moment to find Kiyra and congratulate her a thousand more times before I actually headed to my Guest Quarters to haggle with myself over what to wear to the banquet. I caught sight of her talking to her charming beau, a quite intelligent young officer, Lieutenant Marc Chevalier. They had been together for a little over three years now, and it was quite obvious that they were in love. Marc treated her with the respect and adoration I would expect from any true gentleman. The bonus, for me especially, was that he was from the city I was born and raised in (Nice), in the south of France. He also had a reasonably clever, witty sense of humor I happen to love.
I made my way toward the pair, politely greeting a few Admirals along the way. Marc must have seen me coming because as soon as I sashayed up to plant a few bises on each of his cheeks, he was already footing his way to meet me.
�Genevi�ve, how good to see you again, looking more beautiful than ever!� He complimented good naturedly, brushing his lips over my cheeks. I beamed right back, proud to know such a man. We exchanged some anecdotal jokes until Kiyra managed to tear herself from Fleet Admiral Terrence Pollard�s side to join us.
�Sorry about that, Mother�you know how Admiral Pollard gets at these sorts of get-togethers�man can he talk or what!� We all laughed heartily for a moment or two before Kiyra pulled herself together enough to add that the good Admiral had actually bored someone to tears with his story about a wild Orilian muskrat that once tried to spray him to death. Again, jubilant laughter rang out between the three of us. I waited until Kiyra was finished to pull her away from the celebration so she could spend some time with me and, being my gracious daughter, she obliged quite happily.
We left the dinner hall to take a stroll out into the Academy gardens. As we walked, I took notice of her sudden estranged solemnity. I cut her off, bringing us both to a halt on the path. Concerned, I asked, �What�s troubling you, Fleurette?�
�Maman, c�est rien�n�importe quoi�.� Came the typically indifferent reply. She obviously wasn�t going to just tell me what the problem was, so I found myself having to coax it from her. I stared directly into her eyes, searching for the source of her anxieties. She fought me, turning her head and picking a rose. She ran the flower below her nose, inhaling its scent in silent reverie.
�Ma petite, regarde-moi �a,� I ordered, physically turning her head to face me with a gentle hand. She did as I asked, looking back at me without a sign of expression to be derived. I continued, �Je te connais mieux que �a�qu�est-ce qu�il y a?�
Kiyra dropped the hand holding the rose down to her side and eyed me strangely.
�Dis-moi, s�il te plait�je voudrais t�aider si je peux�si tu seras me laisse,� I added, hoping my plea for her to tell me would loosen her tongue.
Finally, her lips parted. �Maman, tu sais que j�aime Marc�je l�aime��
I nodded. �Et?�
�Alors, il veut me �pouser.� Her eyes fled back to the rose bushes.
�Vraiment?� I asked excitedly. Finally, Marc wanted to marry my daughter! Took him long enough, I thought to myself. I smiled brightly at Kiyra, seeing that she had begun to cry. �Fleurette, si tu l�aimes�alors�quel est le probl�me? Pourquoi est-ce que tu pleures? C�est une joyeuse occasion, qu�est-ce que tu as?� In my harshness, I hoped to rattle her into explaining why she was so miserable when the man she was desperately in love with her had finally taken the next step in their relationship, with my blessing!
Kiyraesyn looked at me as though I had just shot her in the heart. �You really have no idea, do you?�
I stared into her azure eyes, still searching for some type of clarity, but they greeted me only with shock and dismay. I averted my gaze momentarily, trying to think about this. At last, out of frustration, I sighed deeply and glanced back toward my daughter. �You�re right��
She gave a small snort of depressed laughter. �His parents don�t approve of me.�
Taken completely aback by this piece of news, my eyes grew as wide as the Seine. �What do you mean they don�t approve of you? Lily and I are good friends, she thinks you and Marc would make an appealing couple!�
�Oui, je sais�mais elle n�est pas le probl�me, c�est le p�re.�
�Julien? You mean to tell me that Marc�s father doesn�t want you to marry him?!�
�Exactement,� Kiyra replied, tears beginning to swell.
I threw my head back angrily, outraged by this information. I took a few minutes to regain my composure before I wrapped my hand over Kiyra�s and marched her back toward the dinner hall. To my surprise, she didn�t utter a single word of protest against my confronting Marc�s father. In fact, the whole idea seemed to cheer her up quite a bit. We entered the hall, ignoring the polite nods and greetings we were met with as we made our way toward Julien Chevalier�s table. I was absolutely determined, come hell or high water, to settle the matter that night.