ET Phone Home?

Posted on Wed Aug 7th, 2024 @ 9:13am by Cadet Senior Grade Meghan Stefani & Cadet Senior Grade Daniel Weaver

1,811 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: The Cadet Cruise
Location: Meghan's Quarters

ON

Renae was out with her friends and Meghan had the space to herself. Since she had no idea if she'd have time alone again, She sat at her computer and looked up Daniel's mother. She needed to talk to the woman and hoped she wouldn't brush her off since she was only a cadet. But because she was worried about Daniel and what his father was doing to him, she had to try.

She found the contact information, took a deep breath, and called.

The emblem on the monitor changed from Starfleet to Bajoran as a woman picked up. She looked a bit like Daniel in the eyes and shared his nose ridges in a way. She had on a Bajoran spring dress and her hair was down to her shoulders. The earing on her ear matched the same material and design as Daniels. She seemed to be taken back by the sight of a Starfleet Cadet being on the other end. With a raised brow and curiosity getting the best of her, she kindly asked. "What can I do for you, Cadet?"

She took a deep breath and reminded herself this was for Daniel. "My name is Meghan Stefani. I'm a cadet on the Cavalier with your son, Daniel. Do you have a few minutes?"

"Oh my..." The woman replied, her confused look shifting from complete worry in a second, as she ran a hand through her hair. "What happened? Is he alright?"

"He's fine. Mostly." She ran a hand through her hair. "It's what his father is doing to him that concerns me." She then explained what the commodore had done since they arrived on the cadet cruise. "I personally think Daniel has the ability to be a fine officer, even a commanding officer, if he chooses, but his father is either trying to break Daniel or force him to become a replica of himself, and that would destroy the man Daniel has become."

The woman let out a deep sigh, crossing her arms slightly, before looking away for a moment. She seemed unsurprised at what Meghan told her. Slowly, she placed her hand on her forehead as she closed her eyes, rubbing it gently before opening them again. She looked to Meghan, giving her a soft smile, before speaking again. "I'm sorry. Daniel's father hasn't always been this way. Unfortunately, something happened to him while on duty and he hasn't been the same, so he' taken it upon himself to push Daniel into being the type of officer he thinks he needs him to be in order to keep the same thing from happening to him. My son wanted to carve his own path in Starfleet, so much so he joined using my family name, to keep his fathers name from opening any doors for him." The woman shook her head again before asking. "What did Peter do this time?"

Meghan began with the Commodore insisting Daniel take a command path and ended with his manipulation of the training program. "He's gone beyond just wanting Daniel to be like him to sabotaging his career. At least that's how it's looking. I get that he wants Daniel to act the way the Commodore wants, but Daniel is miserable." Meghan sighed. "Although I admit that standing up to his father this last time has been a good thing. But I don't think the Commodore is happy with it."

The Bajoran woman sat there silently, shaking her head as she let out a deep sigh, taking in everything that she was told by the Cadet. "I knew about the Cadet Cruise, but I thought he was going there to go through Security? I didn't know, his father, would go to great lengths as to highjack the cruise and pushing Daniel into Command. Of course, it doesn't surprise me. His father has some demons that he is intent on saving his son from. Peter is just going to pull them further apart." She placed her hand on a cup beside her before adding. "I am sorry you all have been pulled into all this. I'll make a formal complaint with the Academy and Starfleet Command. Maybe they can send someone out or order the cruise back to Earth."

Meghan shook her head. "No. I think Daniel needs this. He needs to stand up to his father and he needs to see that he can be a good officer, in spite of the interference. But he does need to choose his own path, not follow his father's. I don't think a formal complaint will help the situation. It's more likely to make the admiral go to greater lengths to get what he thinks he wants." She paused, not sure how to put her thoughts into words. "I think he needs support. He has it here, but I don't know if the cadets on the ship are enough. " She sighed. "To be honest, I'm not sure exactly what I want, I just feel that you need to know what's going on. He respects you and he cares about you. I don't think he has either for his father. Is there anything you can suggest?"

She sat there for a moment, leaning back in her chair, before letting out a slight sigh. The Bajoran woman paused for a moment before finally speaking up in a calm tone. "Daniel doesn't have a problem standing up to his father. His father just doesn't seem to listen. He keeps to himself, which is something he shouldn't do to his son. Part of him feels he is saving Daniel from having to go through what he went through, when just talking about it would be easier." She seemed uncomfortable for a moment, as she continued. "I would love to tell you, but I would prefer that his father tell him. It's his story to tell and Daniel should be told by him, because it would help them both."

Meghan nodded. "Knowing that does help. Maybe I can suggest that Daniel try to talk to him. Although," she admitted with a frown, "the commodore doesn't seem inclined to want to accept anything from Daniel except total compliance. I'm also concerned that Daniel may give in to protect the rest of us. I've tried to tell him we're fine, but he thinks he has to protect us."

She took a moment to smile before replying. "Daniel has always been very protective of others. Sometimes even taking the blame for something he didn't do. I don't blame him for wanting to do that. It's probably because he's embarrassed that this thing between him and his father made it all the way to a Cadet Cruise. Imagine, thinking he was about to go on this cruise with his classmates like a normal cadet, only to find out his father has highjacked it and decided to use it as a means to teach his son why he needs to be more like him."

Meghan sighed. "Exactly. He's doing really well. His biggest problem is that he doesn't believe in himself." Then she smiled. "Most of the cadets support him. I'm hoping that, by the end of this cruise, he'll see that--and see that it's because he's a good leader."

The Bajoran woman nodded her head and sat there in silence before replying softly. "Daniel knows he would make a great team leader, but not in Command of a whole ship. He's always wanted to make that way at his own speed, but now, his father his thrown him into that road and forcing him to run while everyone else is walking their own path. Of course he'd be hesitant, because he's being pushed to do something he wasn't prepared for."

"I know. We're doing our best to support him in spite of his father. I just wish the commodore wouldn't feel like he had to rewrite the programs specifically to mess with his son. He's not even giving Daniel a fair chance. It's like he wants him to fail." Meghan sighed. "I know there's nothing you can do, but I'm worried about him."

She sat there for a moment and nodded her head. She knew what she would do, but she didn't know if Meghan would know to do it. The Bajoran woman took a hold of her cup and picked it up, taking a sip from it, before placing it back down again. "If it were me, and I know it's not, I'd remind Daniel that he would have to clear his head of all his worries and ask the Prophets for guidance. When my on was young, and he would have too much on his mind that worried him, he would go to a Bajoran Temple and sit there in silence. Maybe he was collecting his thoughts or asking the Prophets for guidance. Either way, he would come back like he had less weight on his shoulders."

"I'm not Bajoran, so it's not something I would think of," Meghan admitted. "But I think it's a great idea. I'll mention it to Daniel when I see him next. Thank you." She looked at the woman for a moment. "Is there anything else I can pass on to him?"

She smiled a bit, looking at the Cadet as her eyes widened slightly, before answering. "Remind him to stop and enjoy the moment every once and a while. He sometimes forgets to take in what's going on before moving to the next thing. He won't be a Cadet for long so he might as well enjoy it while he can before it becomes all work and duty." The Bajoran woman leaned back in her chair and laughed a bit. "Remind him that the Prophets are always there to listen, even if he doesn't think they will and that Tuwaly Pie does not classify as a lunch or dinner food. He'll know what that means."

"I will." She chuckled. "Although I may have to try that Tuwaly Pie myself." She paused, growing more serious. "He does tend to take too much of the blame. We'll help him with that and I will try to help him enjoy what moments he can here. Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate your taking time to talk to me."

"A part of me regrets the day I taught Daniel how to call for it on the replicator." She chuckled slightly before smiling, letting out a pleased sigh. "Anytime, Cadet. And you can call me, Casha. Officially its Colonel Weaver Casha, but unofficially its just Casha. Alright, Cadet?"

"Alright, ma'am...Casha. And please, call me Meghan. Thank you again. I really appreciate it. Goodbye, ma'am." Meghan ended the call. She hoped she'd learned enough to help Daniel deal with his father for the rest of their tour.

Colonel Weaver Casha
Bajoran Military

Cadet Senior Grade Meghan Stefani
Science Cadet

 

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