Goodbye for now

Posted on 10 Dec 2017 @ 9:12pm by Commander Juan Zamora (Dec [CDO]-Jan 2389 - TRSNFR to Gorn Dip.)
Edited on on 27 Aug 2018 @ 12:35pm

Mission: He ho'omaka hou 'ana - A New Beginning
Location: Providence Fleet Yards
Timeline: 26 Dec 2388 (retcon originally 12/20/2388)

Juan stood together with his family in the receiving area outside a shuttlebay here on this unfamiliar station. It didn't seem fitting at all, he mused as his boots scuffed against the hard, well worn carpet. No, it wasn't fitting in the slightest that this would be where such an important chapter of his life would come to an end. Here, in this lonely corner of an over-the-hill space station. It was cleaned and maintained with typical starfleet efficiency but nonetheless this dully functional space was steeped in the energy of a thousand tearful goodbyes, of anxious departures, of missed connections, and absent arrivals. In this moment, Juan felt the weight of all that gloom pressing down on him as he prepared to say goodbye to the loves of his life.

"I Don't think we can hold off any longer." A familiar voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "No mi amor, I guess not." He replied, wrapping his wife Maria in his arms. "I promise I'll come back soon" he said, as much for his own benefit as for hers. Of all the reasons Juan had thought of over the years why he might possibly have to leave Maria, going off to war was not one of them. "If you don't, there'll be hell to pay" she half joked, returning his embrace. "Of course" he replied, giving her a quick kiss on the lips that was more than chaste, and less than scandalous, "I wouldn't have it any other way." After one last, blissful, moment in each other's arms, Juan let go and knelt down to speak to his daughter.

"Goodbye Reina" he said, folding his arms around her. For the last twelve years it had been his privilege to see her grow and blossom into a fine, cheerful young woman. How would she grow without his influence? He wondered. She was on the cusp of a time of tremendous change for any child, and having to adapt to a whole new environment only served to increase that. How much of a stranger might she be next time he could meet her. That was probably just paternal paranoia talking, he hoped the conflict would be resolved soon, and then they could all be together again. For now though, it felt almost as if he was saying goodbye forever, Juan knew very well that he would be leaving a part of himself behind on this station, even as he left to go into danger and the unknown.

"You be good for you mother" he said, "and study hard, show all these station kids what you're really capable of, and I'm sure you'll have plenty of new friends in no time" he encouraged. Naturally he and Maria were both concerned that being uprooted like this would leave Reina isolated in her new home, but, they hoped that she would have more chances to socialize here on a busy station than she would on ship with a crew of less than three hundred. "Dad" she said, "you're squeezing me." "Sorry" he said, releasing his little girl. "And, Before you go..." she added "I want you to have this." she stretched out her hand with a small box of silver colored paper on top of it. A little surprised Juan took it and lifted the lid, nestled inside he saw Reina's prized charm necklace, decorated with trinkets and baubles from the different planets they had visited on the Matsumoto. "I couldn't possibly take this!" He started. "It's yours." "No Dad, I want you to have it, but I'm only lending it to you, you have to return it when you come back." "Alright" Juan saw her intention "I'll take good care of it for you. Now, you take care of each other, and I'll have this mess on the frontier cleaned up before you know it." he said, getting up and turning toward the doors. "Never forget I love you both."