A Call From Home

Posted on Sun Feb 9th, 2020 @ 9:30am by Lieutenant Dessame Sar

Mission: Character Development
Location: Security Offices, Deck 7
Timeline: Before Launch - Random Day, 1930 Hours
1176 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Dessame was usually always found in her office, she found comfort more in doing her duty than sitting at home on the couch. She had set up a small fitness area in her office so she could use it instead of the mainstream one on board as well as a green dummy used for her Cresana practice.

Her Cresana is was most would call a pole, or stick. To her is is one of the reasons she is as centred as she is and it has helped expel frustrations and dark energies throughout her therapy over the course of the last 12 years. It was suggested by her therapist that something to focus on would help the process of moving on, of accepting what had happened to her and being thankful she was still here.

The Cresana was a dark wood, approximately 5.5 ft in length and had carvings on it. These carvings were of Betazoid nature and she had chosen a peaceful floral pattern. Her attempt at tranquillity. Dessame was had been training with it since she was 16 and was very adept in its use.

The dummy had been taking a bit of punishment when someone called her to inform her of a call from Betazed. Sighing she accepted the call and asked for it to be put through to her office. Grabbing a towel to wipe some sweat from her forehead she pressed for the channel to open.

It revealed her grandmother, Peloni. She and her husband, Ruran, had taken both Dessame and her sister in when their parents were killed on Kolacia. They were her mothers parents and they had a rather naturalist approach to life but at the moment were retired and lived on the savings they had made throughout their lives.

"Child, do you ever rest?" Peloni asked, not chastising her but it was a tone that depicted the sight she saw was all too common.

"Baba, this is me resting." Dessame admitted as she caught her breath back as she sat down.

"Resting is relaxing love. Not beating something to a pulp to make yourself feel better." She said as Dessame opened her mouth but she continued. "Your mother would not like to see you like this."

Dessame's mouth spoke before her mind stopped her, "Well she is dead so it doesn't matter, does it?" she asked rhetorically.

Peloni shifted in her seat, you could see the annoyance in her. "Don't you speak like that about your mother! We do not speak of the dead with such disrespect, child!"

"Baba..." Dessame began noticing she had upset her grandmother, she had lost her daughter after all. "I didn't mean to--"

She was cut off once more. "You know she would never had wanted you in Starfleet? Did you know that?" She asked rhetorically and as Dessame went to answer she was cut off once more. "She wanted you to have a better life, to make a difference in people lives... like your sister."

Dessame rolled her eyes. Always compared to the perfect sister.

Ubil had became a counsellor after the ordeal on Kolacia. She felt the best way to help her deal with her own trauma was to help others with theirs, and that worked for her. She had a fiance on Betazed, a nice house and was respected in the community. She even helped her grandparents out from time to time if they needed. She was the proverbial apple in their eyes and to them Dessame had abandoned them to chase after revenge.

"Why do you ALWAYS need to bring her up? We are not the same people!" Dessame said raising her voice. "Do you forget what happened? Do you really think that what was done could go unpunished?" She asked.

"Child, listen-" Peloni began with a softer tone this time.

"No, you listen." Dessame was still pretty cross. "I was happy you took us in, really. I love you and Grandfather with all my heart and after what happened we needed each other. I was a shadow, a shell of a person after what that Orion did to me... not the same girl that used to visit you during the summer but you hold me to Ubil. Why?" She asked before continuing. "She got out, I protected her and she ran like I told her too. To compare me with her is so unfair."

"But she has accepted what happened, moved on and is helping others. She is betrothed and when was the last time you even accepted a person at face value? You always suspect ulterior motive." Peloni sighed, this was not how she wanted the conversation to go.

"Did you call to upset me?" Dessame asked. "I like this life, I like Starfleet and it has given me a purpose, a reason to be around. I make a difference here, I protect people." She admitted.

"And that Orion? You are not hunting him? I heard you ran in with Orions recently." Peloni always had her hand in a few pots.

Her skin began to crawl. Dessame could feel the hairs on her arms stand up, a chill down her spine. "I- Well-"

"You need to let him go child. He could be dead for all you know and you are putting yourself through this for nothing. I only want you to be happy." Peloni admitted.

"What makes you think I am not happy?" Dessame asked, her blood less boily than before. She knew getting angry, upset at her grandmother would accomplish nothing except her making an appearance on the Athena... that was not something she was ready for, nor the crew.

"Do you forget I know you better than you know yourself?" She asked. "You need to make friends on this ship Dessame." Her grandmother pushed.

"I made friends on the Poseidon Baba..." Dessame said, she now felt like a child being not so much scolded but she had regressed to back when she was younger. "I had Lucy..."

Doctor Lucy Cipriani had been a civilian doctor that had been on the Poseidon. They had struck up a close personal relationship that did lead to a little romance. However, that is a story for another time.

"And yet you left." Peloni quipped back. In the background she could hear her grandfather shouting through from another room that he needed something.

"I left because of this opportunity, this promotion." She had left out the part where Lucy had decided to end their relationship.

Peloni shook her head, "Some things are more important than your career child." Dessame went to open her mouth but as was her grandmothers habit, she jumped in again. "I will need to call you back. Your grandfather has lost his PADD again. Think about what I said, start living again Dess. Stop protecting yourself from others and let someone in. We love you. Call your sister." She added before ending the call.

Dessame closed the computer down, sighed and closed her eyes.

Maybe Baba was right.

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Lieutenant Dessame Sar
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Athena