Dare to Dream discussion
Miscellaneous
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End of the world
*Sophia and I sit and chatter about a movie that she liked to watch. She giggles and looks up to see you coming back into the room. She smiles at you then gasps when she sees the puppy and hops off my lap. I smile as the child runs over to you and gently scratches the puppy behind the ear*
*Mike leans to Lacy and whispers* kids and puppies.
*I smile at you and shake my head as she sits on the ground, clapping her hands and playing with the puppy.* Yea and you were like that I'm sure when you were younger. No wait! You're still like that. I see how you play with the puppies.
Of course...puppies, kittens I'm a sucker for them, and kids.* Mike seems to pull himself away from something pleasant and return to...reality.*
So, you ladies have no connections here. What are your backgrounds, what do you...do? And what would you like to do now, do you have any idea?
*Not being one for small talk with strangers, I joined Sophia in playing with the puppy. The women put down their plates, Lily admitting that she was the captain's wife and she had no idea what had happened to her husband. She told you that they just want to start over somewhere new*
* Mike spends some time with them and in the end they agree to wait for us to get information on several colonies of humans. The (possibly late) captains wife expresses a desire to go somewhere space travel is already going on. The other is a doctor and says she'd like to go where she's needed.Mike come back to Lacy and leads her just outside the door as Sophia continues to pay with the puppy.*
Lacy...Sophia has no family we know of and the women are probably going separate ways. Do you think Sophia would like to, live here?
* I look at you surprised* You mean like we adopt her? I don't know, Mike....we have somewhat of an exciting life with danger..she might need a family...a settled down family. I would love to but...what if we have to fight agin or something?
Well...who says we can't put her needs first, why are we the only ones to save the universe???? maybe someone else can take a turn. Yeah she needs a family. Her whole family is gone. If either of the women with her think of themselves as her family that's one thing...but her whole universe is gone. I don't know...maybe you're right. Sometimes the fight comes to us. Still it would be nice. Well, she needs someone who'll love her.
*I smile and gently take your hand* I would love to adopt her, Mike. But...why the sudden interest in her well-being, lover?
She's just so innocent and I want to protect her. She's been through so much already and her parents aren't coming home. Now she has to move again, find a new world, find new parents. I can't see turning her over to some planetary authority, a bunch of bureaucrats who won't care for anything except getting her off their hands. Here she could have her puppies, two parents, and a life where she can learn about living with nature. All she wouldn't have are other kids...so maybe this isn't the place, but I'm not simply turning her over to some colony council to be palmed off and end up cheap labor to someone.
*I look at you* Well maybe one day she'll have a kid to play with. Or two... But I do know that she will lose out in a childhood if she does go to some foster thing on another planet. It's bad enough on our Earth.
That's what I mean. She'll already be hurt, deeply. If she goes anywhere, we have to know the people. The two women are adults and can choose what they want. Sophia has been slapped by life. I don't want to see her lose any more.
Well the let's talk to her and see what she says. Away from the other two. I don't like them....*I glance back into the room at the two women who had joined Sophia* They looked at you the wrong way. And I get funky vibes from them.
..."funky vibes?" Is that a technical term?I think she's a little young and we need to be careful when we bring up her folks.
*I glance back at you and stick my tongue out at you for making fun of me* Well fine but..I still don't like them. What if they try to turn her against us or something? I don't trust them...well I don't really trust many but not the point...
You know how I handle stuff. If they try to turn her against us I'll shoot them...Out of Sophia's sight of course, don't want to traumatize her.
*I chuckle at you and shake my head, gently pulling on your hand* All right lets get this over with,
Okay, I'm with you.[off to bed soon tonight. I'm typing one handed with Xander laying on me....]
*I peek in to see that the puppy was ignoring the women and only playing with Sophia. I nod to you to show you what I saw quietly muttering to you* Even the pup doesn't like the women either.
I'll trust you on this, but more reason not to let either of them take Sophia with them.
*I nod and walk back into the room, smiling at Sophia who was now eating her ice cream, the pup trying to get its tongue into the bowl. I laugh* Sophia, watch out, those dogs have longer tongues and they are good at stealing idea cream. *Sophia giggles again, turning her body so that the dog can't eat the ice cream*
Well, so I'll be looking for the colonies. Meanwhile you two can use one of the crew quarter rooms. We'll set up a play room for Sophia.
*The women thank us for the help. Sophia gets excited about the playroom and nearly loose her ice cream to the puppy* We will also look into any colonies of people that you prefer regarding location wise. But we would like to talk to you two about a certain matter. *The women raise their eyebrows as they look at us*
* Mike turns to lacyYou need me or should I give you and they some privacy as I check out the colonies?
I think that I'll be all right on my own. We might as well get the colonies found and situated for the women. That way they can relax for a few days then sent on their way to a new home since I am sure that they are ready to restart their lives away from this system. *The women nodded their heads in agreement,*
* Mike nods and leaves Lacy with them. You here him in the control room as he sets up a search. Then as you talk you see him walking back and forth outside the door carrying odds and ends. After about fifteen minutes Mike comes in, picks up Sophia (who carries the puppy with her) and heads out of the room.*
*I hide my smile as I talk to the ladies then once you took Sophia I lean closer and tell them our plans and how we want her to stay with us. The women look at me in surprise, not saying anything at first but then the captain's wife speaks up asking if we were really sure about taking in a child who had lost everything*
* Mike...not knowing what's going on in the other room....introduces Sophia to her room where he's placed several fabricated toys including a large doll house, with complete furnishings. Spoiling children seems to be Mike's specialty. *
*I smiled gently* Yes, we are ready...more than ready to angle a child who has lost everything because in a way Mike and I too have lost everything. We know how she feels nod we are willing to do anything in our power in order to allow her to grieve and to move on. *The women quietly talk to one another then nod. They agree to allow us to take Sophia. I let out a sigh of relief*
* When Lacy finds Mike he's sitting on a chair reading to Sophia who's curled up in a bed with the puppy and several stuffed animals.
*I stand in the doorway watching you and her, smiling and resting my head against the door, not wanting to disturb you as you read*
* Mike finishes the story before he looks up. Sophia has fallen asleep hugging the pup. Mike covers her and kisses her forehead, the joins you and put his arm about you. I love kids. I wish they could be protected and kept safe from the harshness of reality.
* I lean into your arms and smile* So do I but sadly they can only be protected for so long. *I look up at you* The ladies are okay with us keeping her here with us.
Good...I would have hated to have to shoot them.* Mike removes a small device from his pocked and thumbs on the screen.*
This is a list of the most likely colonies and also some of the needs they have and training they'd like new colonists to have. It should help them decide.
Mike hands the small device to you...then seems to pause thoughtfully.*
I'm turning the internal sensors back on, just in case. I won't monitor the inside of their rooms, but if they leave the rooms during the night we'll be alerted and be able to watch where they go...just in case.
*I nod and try best to stifle a yawn behind the back of my hand* I think it's time for us to get some sleep too. I'm beat! Too much excitement.
I'll be there as soon as I set the security system to alert our room.
*I kiss you gently before I head back to our room. I slip into the bedroom, out of my clothes and into your favorite baby blue lingerie*
* Mike returns in a few minutes.....*
*I sigh sleepily and once you get ready for bed and get in, I snuggle up close to you* Alarms set?
Yep... Don't know why I'm so...hinky about things. Maybe your distrust of them is rubbing off on me. Hope we can have tonight together without more trouble.
Yea I'm probably rubbing off onto you, Mike. You hang out with me too much. *I wink playfully at you and turn off the lights, snuggling under the covers and closer to you more*
* Music comes up scene fades** later they fall asleep in each other's arms*
*The night moves on quietly without the alarms going off until early in the morning, telling us that the women were up and getting breakfast*
* Mike sits up and rubs his face.*Got to get up and get breakfast for Sophia...maybe set up some entertainment programs that include some reading and basic math. You know, learn as you play stuff.
You want the shower first?
*I nod* Shower first them we can get breakfast ready for Sophia and see how she is adjusting. And then we can have the ladies pick a place so that we can start making the preparations for them to be sent to whatever colony they wanted.
Good idea.* Showers after Lacy (right after) dresses and then goes to the galley. Once he's sure everything is alright there he heads to Sophia's room where he finds Lacy watching the little girl as she sits on the floor building "something" with the locking blocks Mike had left for her. The puppy scurries around nosing into everything Sophia does. The two have obviously bonded.*
*I sit down beside Sophia and laugh as the puppy runs up, noses me, then gives me a miss before heading back to Sophia. I lean forward and nudge Sophia who grins at me and nudges me back. She then moves her project very carefully towards me along with the loose blocks and we begin to build together, talking about names for the puppy, ridiculous names, and laughing*
*We look up at you and smile. Sophia jumps up and runs to you, jumping into your arms. I laugh and stand* I take that as a yes plus a good morning.
Dare to Dream
Books mentioned in this topic
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (other topics)Phoenix Rising (other topics)
The Janus Affair (other topics)
* Mike places Sophia on Lacy's lap and goes out to to the main part of the ship. He's gone several minutes and returns with a bowl if ice cream, a stuffed toy and followed by one of the pups that has been recently weaned. *