Parental Trials

Posted on Wed Jun 28, 2017 @ 9:00pm by Lieutenant Colonel S'er'in'e & Major Kasia S'er'in'e

Mission: Shore Leave
Location: Cait - Temporary Home
Timeline: MD 14 ll 1100 Hours

The shuttle trip was indeed brief as he'd expected, it was done in silence as he felt that he'd said too much to Kasia when he gave her his answer. He did not want to burden or pressure her, that was not the reason he brought her to the Homeworld but wondered if that was indeed how she saw it, albeit silently.

When the shuttle landed and the door opened straight away the sweet aromas of flowers and gardens wafted into the shuttle. The pilot indicated they were cleared to disembark and waited for them to do so.

There was however a surprise. Through initially blinding light as he stepped out from a darker interior to a bright outside it took his eyes but a moment to adjust but when they did he saw his parents standing there.

M'roaa, his mother, stood a shorter but respectable Caitian height of 5'11. Golden fur with a hinting whisp of dullness due to age. She wore the decorative headband that S'er'in'e had told Kasia about, a prime opportunity to see how traditional attire appears first hand. Her outfit was decorated and almost formal looking. The skirt of the outfit was in multiple panels affording freedom of movement should it be needed, a diamond shape section on the abdomen left bare where if pregnant it would show. The diamond crossed over the bust and over the shoulders affording comfort, support and arms bare.

S'ir'tha, his Father, stood to a similar height to S'er'in'e. A cream colour in fur showing what S'er'in'e got his fur colour from however age had marred the once elegant white to a light cream in shade. The ear shealths just like S'er'in'e on his ears and so too the headpiece down the length of the nose. He wore a uniform too but different in colour to S'er'in'e's, though a warrior he was now more of a consultant.

He could see his Mother was bubbling over with joy at seeing him, his Father maintained his poised, straight face. S'er'in'e turned to Kasia. "May I introduce my Mother, M'roaa." S'er'in'e with hand out forward. "My Father and superior, S'ir'tha."

Kasia smiled politely toward the two elder Caitians that also happened to be S'er'in'e's parents. As per the Caitian customs, she bowed in greeting. "It is a pleasure to meet you both," she said in her Russian accented voice. "You have raised a wonderful son, and I am very grateful that I have had the honor of having him in my life." She knew she was going to be bombarded with questions, mostly... she suspected... from his mother. And no matter what she asked, or how personal, she would answer them honestly. "Your Homeworld is quite beautiful, and I consider myself quite lucky to have been invited to visit."

"This is Major Kasia Petrova." S'er'in'e introduced. His Mother smiled, his Father bowed in greeting as males would all females.

His Mother walked to him and hugged him lovingly like any Mother would a Son they have not seen in decades. For a shorter woman her grip was considerable, more so than S'er'in'e expected but the intent was felt.

"It is good to see you again Son." His Father spoke with a smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you Major." Showing off his military past by using her rank. "I hope my Son has remembered his training and our ways to treat you properly?"

"He had, but call me Kasia, please," she said with another smile.

His Mother gave Kasia a head to toe look once she released her Son. "Welcome to our world Kasia." Some slight trouble with the pronunciation of her name but passable. "You must be tired, would you like to go inside for some refreshments?"

"That would be lovely, thank you. Would you mind leading the way?" the human woman asked as she hadn't learned her way around just yet.

The party of four returned to the home that had been assigned to Kasia, being the female only she could hold property thus even if temporary it was hers. S'er'in'e fell in step next to his Father who between them began talking, catching up but for the most part questioning if S'er'in'e had not gone soft, wondering why he brought a Human to the world and what she meant to him.

His Mother however took a different approach. "You will have to forgive the two of them, his Father was a major driving force behind his training, his standards are high and he feared joining Starfleet would soften S'er'in'e of our ways and culture."

Kasia tried not to listen to conversation S'er'in'e and his father were having, so she was thankful when M'roaa spoke. "I can understand that. Since I've known him, he hasn't faltered in your ways or culture once."

M'roaa opened the door. "Please, do right inside I will prepare us some refreshments. The belongings you brought with you are upstairs in the master room."

"Thank you," the Russian woman said with a bow of her head. "I think I will go upstairs and freshen up a bit."

"Of course." M'roaa spoke before heading to the Kitchen. Meanwhile S'er'in'e and his Father spoke at length about Kasia, his duties in Starfleet and his career to date rising to the rank of Lt.Colonel. S'er'in'e had to explain the ranking system to his Father but he could tell at least in some small measure that his Father was saddened that he'd left the Homeworld in the first place.

Kasia thought about asking S'er'in'e to join her, but thought better of it considering he was talking with his father. She didn't want to interrupt that. However, before she made her way upstairs, she caught his attention and gave him a look that let him know it was okay if he came up with her. After a smile, she climbed the stairs to find her room.

S'er'in'e saw the look but also noted his Mother was not with her. He worried that all of this was getting on top of her, that it was too much and he was to blame but a brave face put on for it. "Would you excuse me, I must tend to Kasia." S'er'in'e spoke to his Father but noticed she was out of view now. It made him wonder just what the Honoured Ones had said to her while he was away, had they welcomed her? Did they treat her kindly?

He darted up the stairs with a grace only felines could muster and he could tell what room she was in. He knocked on the doorframe. "Kasia, are you alright?" He asked softly, waiting for what ever answer, good or bad she may reveal.

Kasia looked over to him with a smile and nodded her head. "I'm just fine," she said reassuringly, then gestured for him to come inside. "I came upstairs to freshen up a bit. Your mother... she's been wonderful. Everyone has been so far."

Entering the room S'er'in'e looked at Kasia though still visibly worried. "She will no doubt have difficult questions for you. As you know females pick the Mate but the mothers will assess the females taking the Son away, she can not stop you, but she can make her feelings known." S'er'in'e paused a moment. "You have an easier task with my Father not just because you are female but because you are military as we both are."

"I'm prepared to handle any questions your mother might have for me, so you don't need to worry about that," she said, moving over to him to slip her hands into his. "I have a feeling I'm going to really enjoy my time here on Cait, and I genuinely thank you for inviting me here."

"You are most welcome." S'er'in'e replied with a smile, then his Mother called for him and after gently squeezing Kasia's hand he parted from her and went downstairs again. He was told his father wanted to talk to him but M'roaa wanted to speak to Kasia.

"Is everything alright dear?" She asked standing in the doorway, in her hands held a box. The wood appeared old, worn but it once held a regal appearance by the decoration it held. "Might I take a moment of time with you to talk?" Was this the dreaded talk that every potential partner would face?

Kasia has stared down many weapons in the span of her career... survived an explosion that claimed the lives of others. Having a talk with M'roaa would be a walk in the park in comparison... nothing she couldn't handle. "Everything is just fine," she said with a smile to reassure the Caitian woman. "And yes. You can have as much time as you would like to to talk."

"I'd like to know your feelings for my Son and what makes you, above one of his own kind feel worthy of him?" M'roaa spoke. "I can smell you upon him very strongly so I know you are close." She took a step or two into the room. still holding the box before placing it on the small drawer set.

The Marine Major had a feeling this was going to be the beginning of what she would refer to as 'the interrogation', but she was prepared for it. All parents had questions for those who were interested in taking their children away. Caitians were no different. "My feelings for your son are as genuine as they come. I know Caitians mate for life. I can't quite explain how I feel about him. When he's not there, I think about him all the time... worry about him... wonder if he's okay. But when we're together... it's unlike anything I can express. He makes me feel whole," she said, brushing a loch of hair out of her face.

She paused briefly before finally continuing. "As for why I think I'm I'm worthy of him... for one, he's given me no indication that I'm not. Like him... I'm a warrior. I want to protect him, just as I know he wants to protect me. I want to make him happy... give him the family I know he craves to have."

"I know a little about Human relationships, in the one paw they can be fleeting while in the other they can be as long as life may grant. As you have said we Caitian's mate for life, should you leave him once you claim him it will kill him. Are you prepared for that?" M'roaa spoke. "Are you prepared for the responsibility you will have to shoulder should you take the place by his side according to our customs and laws?"

"If I wanted to leave, don't you think I would have done it by now?" Kasia asked, giving the Caitian woman her complete attention. She knew what would happen to S'er'in'e thanks to doing some research. "I'm only human, and I'm faced with my mortality every single day of my life."

M'roaa listed, though wise and insightful as Kasia appeared she still had her doubts. "If you claim him, you will become the Elder of this family. You will surpass even myself in status and importance." She spoke before opening the box. Within lay the headpiece, incredibly decorated, stones and polished metal. It was clearly meant for a much larger Caitian brow but M'roaa indicated it could be adjusted.

Then she turned her attention to Kasia again and giving her visible looks all over her marine frame. "Have you taken a Mate before?" She asked. "Any Offspring?"

Kasia shook her head. "I've never been married before, if that's what you're asking. Yes, I have had a few boyfriends throughout the years. I also don't have any children," she said, looking toward the headpiece. For her, she didn't want to take his mother's place as the matriarch of the family. "What is this?"

"Should you choose him, claim him, then this is what you will wear. It denotes to others you have a Mate and that you embrace our ways as we do your own." M'roaa spoke as she lifted the headpiece and its resting fabric from the box and placed it on the end of the bed between them. "As you are Human he will make hand attire for you, with casts of his claws. Its a symbol of protection that even if you are not Caitian he will provide the means for defence. An honour for him to do."

M'roaa turned the piece around a few times so a better a full view could be afforded. "You will have noticed he wears a collar, this you must remove." M'roaa only wanted Kasia to know what she had to if she decided to claim him, she didn't have claws so M'roaa demonstrated by removing from under the panels of her dress an intricate lock. "This was my Mate's lock for his collar." It looked old, faded with age and four holes.

"Claws go in to these holes and it opens." She demonstrated. "As you have none you are allowed to take his hands in yours." M'roaa gently took Kasia's hands and placed them on top of her own. "He will know what to do." She unlocked it again.

Kasia was taking in everything she was hearing as M'roaa spoke. Some of it she knew, some of it she didn't. "I thank you for telling me this. Not everything is in a book or the computer's database."

"We are private in our ways, or try to be." M'roaa spoke. She placed the lock back into the panels of her dress from where she collected it. "I know Human couplings tend to have few offspring. We have large families, its not uncommon for families on the Homeworld to have 4, 5, 6 or more offspring." She looked at Kasia in wonder.

"You say you want to provide my son with the family he craves. Pregnancy takes a toll, a strain on the body even for us Caitians despite the litter size per pregnancy. Will you be able to manage a mixed species pregnancy, or even multiple times to give him what he seeks?"

"You're asking me a question a can't answer," the human woman said, trying to fight back a frown. Kasia was expecting a great deal of them to be thrown her way, but she really couldn't help but wonder if S'er'in'e's mother was trying to scare her off from being with her son. "I've never been pregnant, with a human baby or otherwise, so I don't know how my body will handle being with child. I do know that human women have been having multiple babies at once for ages, and they cope just fine. It means making adjustments, but that's what being a parent involves. Sacrifice."

She took a breath and spoke again. "I know S'er'in'e seeks to have a large family, and I am prepared to give that to him. Someday. Right now, I'm not ready to be a mother."

"We females never truly are ready dear." M'roaa smiled. "Shall we rejoin the males downstairs?" She offered, having taken enough of Kasia's time, for the time being at least.

"Yes," Kasia said with a smile. "I'll let you lead the way."