Some Things Better Said [Jiseth/Zero]

[Jiseth]

The pitter patter of tiny feet followed by Ghost's swift departure jolted the Romulan from her dream. Her head rolled to the side and her rather blurred vision caught the doors closing to Zero's room after the canine had gone through. Rolling her head in the opposite direction, she could somewhat make out what time it was. AM, very AM. Her neck seemed to be made of wet noodles and her chin went down to her chest as she briefly considered going back to sleep.

No, wake up, stupid! WAKE UP! The little one probably had a nightmare. Go be a mom!

There was a groan from Jiseth she took a deep breath and lowered the foot rest before tossing her blankets to the far side of the couch. After rubbing her face with both hands, she began blinking fairly rapidly until the itching to keep them shut went away, or at least was enough to tolerate as she squinted. Standing slowly, she took a step after awkward step around the furniture and to the Augment's room.

As the door hissed open again, she called for the computer to turn on the lights, but not too bright. In the dimness she could still clearly see mother and daughter together. A bemused Ghost stood near them and if she was quite honest with herself, she felt much of the same way at the moment as she wondered if this was a normal thing for them.

Moving to the bed, she sat on the mattress closer to the far end. She still felt uncomfortable getting on the floor with her legs the way they were and the last thing she wanted was to have Callion, let alone Zero, see her struggle with just basic mobility. Jiseth leaned forward with both forearms on her knees and observed the two through half open eyes.

"What's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?"

[Zero Alpha]

Zero looked distinctly uncomfortable about the proximity, contact and tears coming from her daughter.  The hugging had been a behaviour instilled by Commander T'Koris, something that she encouraged in her own daughters, and she had certainly encouraged this... emotional behaviour.  It left the Augment rather clueless in how to deal with it.

As Jiseth entered the room not long after Callion and Ghost, Zero's expression turned to one of almost pleading for help in how to handle the situation.  Surely Jiseth would know better how one went about comforting a terrified child.

"I believe that to be the case, but I have yet to ascertain the scenario comprised in the dream that could have provoked such a reaction."

[Jiseth]

Jiseth's hesitance regarding her mobility seemed more a hindrance than her legs actually were. Her right hand slid off the mattress and extended down as the rest of her went over soon after, slowly lowering herself with her left hand until the other made contact with the floor. She felt like a shuttle descending onto a barren moon the way the floor and the walls were colored.

Her legs were essentially dead weight now and quite in the way. She imagined this is what a mermaid would feel like if they were to find themselves on land and while it was not one of her hobbies to lure sailors to their deaths, mainly because she never learned to sign, there were a couple of that particular gender she would not mind seeing drown. A couple admirals came to mind.

Scooting closer to Zero, Jiseth lifted one leg with both hands so it was in front of her instead of off to the side and then moved the other. The whole process took longer than she would have liked, but hopefully her daughter would have enough time to calm down just a touch. Both of her parents were home together finally, at least for the Romulan, the greatest fear was to lose that. Even Ghost she missed terribly. Slowly reaching over, she gently trailed her finger nails up and down her daughter's back.

"Callion, what specter of the night dares haunt my precious child, hmm? Your mother and I make a pretty formidable team so there's little I can think of we couldn't accomplish together. For you we'll do anything, you just need to ask."

[Zero Alpha]

As Jiseth got herself situated on the floor alongside Zero and their daughter, Callion's sniffles had quietened slightly.  The Augment shifted, letting the girl latch on to her Romulan mother rather than the pale one.  Callion wrapped her arms around Jiseth's neck, pressing her face into her shoulder, either ignoring or refusing to answer the question.

"Callion has shown an inkling of empathic ability," Zero murmured, resting one hand on Ghost's fur to comfort herself.  The canine had been a constant source of comfort and stability even in a life that could offer her very little of either.  "In addition, she has had two experiences with... with..."

It didn't take someone of Zero's intellect to fill in the name that she had trouble saying.  There was only one member of Starfleet that could cause such fear in the Augment, and with good reason.

[Jiseth]

The Romulan wrapped her arms around her daughter and squeezed firmly. Leaning her head to the side, she kissed the top of Callion's though her eyes were still on Zero. Though her breathing was slow and controlled, her heart beat like an ancient war drum.

In war there were limits, rules one was to never break. Killing of civilian populations for instance. Torture. Rape. Yet all these things seemed well within the comfort of some brass. In her previous encounters, Jiseth vowed to kill the man, but with a daughter now it was much less likely to be the solution she needed. After all, the dark-haired mother was a role model just as the snow-capped one was.

"...Callion, what happened?"

[Zero Alpha]

Remaining silent, Callion pressed her face into Jiseth's shoulder, snuggling close.  Her Romulan mother was warm, both in body temperature and in gesture.  Her Augment mother tried, but it was clear that there was still a lot of work to be done before Zero became anything resembling a maternal figure.

Zero shifted a little awkwardly next to the mother and daughter, folding her hands in her lap and looking distinctly uncomfortable.  It had been her fault.  She had been lax in her defense of the child and Corinth had managed to get his hands on her.  As she spoke, it was in a soft voice almost lost in the constant, background humming of the ship's systems.

"During her first encounter, Callion was subjected to a surgery similar to my own, in which a tracking device was implanted in her myocardium.  During the second, he wished to determine whether she may develop an inkling of telepathic ability, by means of a mind meld with one of his Vulcanoid doctors."

[Jiseth]

The Vulcans...

Of all the species she detested, the one closest to her own genetics she hated the most. Logic as sharp as theirs bent into a sickle and carved through lives with contemptuous ease. All in the name of a greater good. It's how so many Starfleet admirals went bad. A bigger picture being lit up by throwing people into the fire.

Jiseth's head went back against the mattress as she cradled Callion in her arms. She took several long deep breaths with here eyes closed and eventually a tear ran down her right cheek. They were far from out of the woods. It was bad enough Zero had an implant, but now their daughter too. At this rate, she may as well have one too. If she were going to help in any meaningful way then perhaps the extreme measures that Gavin had always loathed in the Romulan might have some positive outcome.

"I want you both to know, I love you very much... With all my heart."

For now, there was little else she could give. That and time.