Now it's your turn

Posted on Sat Mar 21st, 2026 @ 6:23pm by Ensign Kalina Solwick & Lieutenant JG Zaire Byrne-Solwick

1,369 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 1: Shadows of Diplomacy
Location: Earth Space Dock, Temporary Family Quarters

"is this the best at Starfleet really could do my sweet loving child." Krisna said with a displeasing look on her face as she licked around. This was no VIP suite.

"Grandma this is a standard family suite it may not be up to your standards but it is pretty spacious." Kalina insisted to her grandmother knowing that she didn't approve which in some way brought her a little Joy. Before her grandma could respond the door switched open and there he stood that beautiful man, the one that she married. And the one that would now have to deal with her grandmother, because she needed a break.

"But look who decided to finally join us, why weren't you at the transporter room, waiting to greet us?" Krisna call Dad a little disappointed. She believed in punctuality and she did not like the fact that he was late.

Grandmother I am reasonably confident my husband has a very good reason, he better have a very good reason." Kalina said in a big teasing grand, with a big smile on her face thinking to her cell phone now you're in for it buddy.

Zaire smiled in return. “My ride here was called away for something more important and I finagled rides, jumped ship several times. I tried hard not to be late but you know how Starfleet can be.”

Krisna was less than pleased with his answer the audacity of this little man to think that starfully was an excuse was no excuse in her mind. "You're a Solwick now, you need to start acting like it." Krisna started to say but then Kalina gave her a dirty look.

"Don't be so sensitive little one." Telepathically said Krisna. This wasn't the time for theatrics or drama and right now her granddaughter is giving her both.

Telepathically in response Kalina said. "Was that the mercy of Starfleet or so he claims, you can give him a break." Kalina said trying to back up her husband. But she had a feeling that grandma wasn't done with him yet.

"Why were you on the Federation transport?" Krisna asked him. Cuz she had requested for the three of them she didn't appreciate it when he just jumped shipping left to her that was rude and insulting.

“The ship had a priority mission.” Zaire explained. “I had to work hard to get here.” He paused. “Believe me I used every trick in the book to try to get preference but Inkept hitting brick walls. Coming on a transport was not my idea of fun but so wanted to be with my wife.”

"Gabrielakes expect me to believe all that rambling you just said. Cuz that's exactly what you was just rambling nonsense. You knew I had booked passage for you and you chose to go out of federation transport don't you dare blame Starfleet. And don't you dare be a coward, I am a betazoid woman and I demand respect I'm not asking for it I've earned it." Krisna said not really appreciating his lack of respect and his groveling and sniveling of nonsense that made really no sense to anybody.

"0 grandmother you're being too harsh on him. Maybe he just didn't want to be stuck on a ship with you. Is that hard to believe?" Kalina suggested to her, as a possible course of action. She too did understand why he was rambling nonsense.

"Stay out of this little one." Krisna said, and she took a small breath and then went on. "This is about respect and honesty right now he's not doing either. I don't know what's going to your little mind right now in this little rebellion phase but it needs to stop. Here now one of us you are a Solwick, and you need to act like it. Starfleet didn't put you in the situation you did. At least take ownership of what you've done." She demanded as she looked straight too Zaire.

“I realize you booked us together.” Zaire replied staying calm and respectful. “Starfleet had other plans. They gave me orders that made me late for our ride so I had to make other arrangements.” His eyes were on Krisna. “You can verify it if you wish.”

"So you're still not taking accountability for your own decisions huh, cuz I already made it clear to start flee who you're supposed to go with and it wasn't on the transport so nice try there bucko I believe that's what the human say." Krisna said, still calling him out on his bullshit.

“I wouldn’t know.” Zaire replied. “I am not lying.” He turned to his wife. “I had orders and I followed them and got here as soon as I could.”

Krisna snarled at him. "And who gave you these orders because I'm going to have a serious word with them. If you're going to go down this rabbit hole I'm going to make sure everybody who counts around my order burns with you."

"Grandma don't you think that's a little harsh." Kalina said trying to play mediator here. She didn't blame him for running away and pretending orders to get out of being stuck with her for a few days on a ship. This was one of those classic moves of avoid your in laws except for in this case avoid your grandmother-in-laws.

"No deery, somebody needs to pay for counteracting my orders. I know it wasn't Captain Kellen because he gave me his Blessing." Krisna insisted to him as she waited for a response.

Zaire sighed. “I’m the engineer it is my job to sign off on the ships readiness. Would you not
have me do my job.”

"We might have to get your marriage annulled, I'm sorry little one I can't tolerate this disrespect." Krisna insisted knowing that his family personally benefited from their political Alliance. But she couldn't have somebody who was just going to go around lying to her. Especially when she could easily prove that he was.

"Grandmother that's enough. He had his reasons for not going with us on the starship. I dont know why, but he had to have his reason." Kalina said, feeling bad for Zaire.

“I do.” Zaire replied. “I would rather not talk about them.” He said quietly. “If that is acceptable to the two of you.”

"Don't get too emotional, she supporting you you should be grateful." Krisna tomorrow that is him, with the disapproving look on her face but deep down she was proud of her granddaughter for standing up for her man.

"Grandmother." Kalina called out with a disappointing tone in her voice, she was annoyed that her grandmother just had to get one more snide remark in.

"All right little one, I'll be nice." She telepathically told Kalina. Deep down she was proud of her granddaughter, even though she wouldn't allow those emotions to be seen or scanned.

Zaire wondered how long they were going to be in the company of Kalina’s grandmother. He knew she had her best interests at heart but she just loved to push his buttons and today was a full mode day. “So what’s our plan for today?” He asked politely.

"Well I'm going to go get settled in and I think you have some explaining to you to your lovely wife here." Krisna suggested to him, as she got ready to leave.

"Grandma, play nice." Kalina insisted as you watch her grandma just wave her hand off and left the room leaving the two of them alone.

Zaire sighed in relief. “I wasn’t lying.” He said immediately.

"Little One this Zaire is defiant, its sad he could have been a good partner for you. I will have to cancel your marriage. He is a liability to the Solwick legacy." Krisna said, being the head of the household, her word was law. Without her blessing, the Bryne family would suffer because of defiance.

"Zaire, is your pride really worth all of this?" Kalina asked him, feeling a little defeated that he was being so defiant to her grandmother. She was a little dissapointed in his behavior, but there was not much she could do about it.

 

RSS Feed