Run Along

Posted on Wed Aug 19th, 2026 @ 5:27pm by Subcommander Kaiae t'Lien & Jerant van Rijn

3,371 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Intermission: Safe Haven
Location: Haven Colony

The colony wasn't all that big but Jerant had a blast exploring the little area from the rooftops of the buildings. He'd received some odd looks here and there but no-one had really told him off on doing it. Sweaty, but visibly happy, the Betazoid jumped from a lower building and rolled with his landing, stopping short literally at a woman's feet. "Oh...apologies," he smiled in near perfect Rihanssu. "I wasn't paying proper attention.”

Given the abruptness at which this all happened, the fact that the man ended his roll off in fairly easy reach of her, and that she didn’t recall seeing him before, Kaiae reacted on reflex without much conscious thought as her first moves: Two appreciably large steps backpedaling from said potential reach, coupled with one hand going simultaneously under her tunic and pulling her blade…just in case. The more conscious response a beat later was one puzzled eyebrow going up: At this entire situation; at where the man had been; and at the much better accent than she was used to hearing from anyone lacking points on their ears.

“Hello.” Again by reflex, an ever-so-slight dip of the head in greeting. “Who are you; and what were you doing on the roof….?” Kaiae asked, puzzled.

Getting smoothly to his feet, Jerant diaries himself off with a sheepish smile. "Jerant van Rijn ma'am," he answered, "and I was running. It's a kind of sport, scaling buildings and jump and climb between them."

So this was Jerant van Rijn. Aside from the described pastime, which was something she’d have thought more the sort of thing an adolescent would do (and the man definitely looked older than that; a real adult), that was actually rather convenient for him to have crossed her path here, which was honestly another surprise in a sense: Other than the rather impossibly huge win of having pulled off the rescue of their families, Kaiae wasn’t used to things really going her way the last few years, let alone lately.

“Ah. I’ve actually been hoping to meet you, in fact.” The hand holding the blade sheathed it hidden back under her tunic as smoothly and unconsciously as it had been drawn. “Though I don’t intend to scale any roofs. I’m Kaiae t’Lien, the senior Romulan officer on the colony.”

"You were?" The young man's eyes widened in surprise. "And scaling buildings is but but it's not for everyone I suppose. I can't get Savin to do it with me, but he's got his own hobbies. He likes to dance with a sword, each to their own right?"

“Now that I might be more likely to do, yes. Though I might’ve done the roof as a kid.” Kaiae smiled. “Not that I’d have the time for that either, lately. And yes; I’ve met Savin and NVeid, so you were next on the list of new arrivals to meet. Your accent is excellent; if you had the correct vocal cords for it you might even sound like a native speaker.”

"I'm sure he'd love someone to spar with." He smiled widened at her compliment. "Well, perhaps with a bit more practice? I grew up with Vulcan so getting better at Rihanssu shouldn't be too much of a challenge as the root language is related. I've known Savin since we were about ten years old, when my parents sent me to live with his family. They needed someone to help their deaf son learn how to better communicate, including speech and my parents needed someone to help me control my telepathy. So...win-win right?" He sobered a little as he watched her reaction. "Don't worry, I don't read minds without permission to do so, and I've been suggested a few times not to read feelings but I'm afraid that even with effort strong feelings can't be helped. I'm attuned to Savin though so I'm not always aware anyway since my focus is near constant on him, or NVeid as he's needed my help too since he lost his voice a second time."

“You will get plenty of practice; unless you rely on the translator, the number of people here who speak Federation Standard is limited.” Kaiae had made that statement, and the words that followed, in Federation Standard, and her expression turned a touch rueful. “I am one of them, though my accent in it is nowhere near as good as yours in the reverse; I was trained more to be able to understand what I heard or read than to be able to respond.”

Jerant's face was the picture of disgust as she mentioned the translator. "I don't use the universal translator, it gets so many things wrong." He smiled at her use of standard and nodded in approval though he continued in Rihanssu. "Well if you need help on improving I'm happy to help. And anyone else who needs help...all I ask is a return of the favour as I want to get better too...in all dialects."

“I should like to improve, yes.” As a former communications officer, Kaiae could barely suppress laughter at the fact that she was now speaking Federation Standard in this conversation and Jerant was speaking Rihannsu in it. “You are not a medical professional, I take it?” The files (and Freya’s statements on him for that matter) she’d skimmed would seem to indicate he was not; not to mention the fact that he was running around climbing peoples roofs not working in the hospital.

"Noooo I'm not medical personnel, thank goodness no. I'm just a linguist and an interpreter to my best friend who's as good as a brother to me. Savin that is, though NVeid is a friend. And I guess now a teacher to anyone who wants to improve their language skills, in a variety of languages of course, not just Standard."

“I am neither a linguist nor, strictly, an interpreter…I was, however, a communications officer on a variety of warbirds, as well as for our personnel at joint alliance headquarters on DS9 during the war against the Dominion.” If it was a decent amount of information to give away; sometimes one had to give some to get some, and none of it was anything that wasn’t verifiable or discoverable through a records search on her. The ‘was’ in the statement was sometimes still like being unexpectedly slapped across the face, to Kaiae; how much and how rapidly her life has changed in only a few years. If she had to guess; she’d suspect Jerant probably would beat her out in a contest of linguistic analysis or translation; and she’d likely beat him in troubleshooting transmission issues or handling encryption and the like. “We are still figuring out the school issue; so can’t really speak to what work would or would not formally be available as to instruction yet.”

"Oh I wasn't referring to the youngsters," Jerant smiled, "I actually meant the adults. And I'm not Starfleet, I'm a civilian, I don't have a rank whatsoever. Never have, never will. I just go where Savin needs me to be and if he doesn't need me I'm at the disposal of those who have linguist puzzles to be solved."

“There may be adults who would wish to learn Standard, yes, being closer to the border now. I may ask you to train a few of the older adolescents at some point however; their generation may need to skill most in the future as we hopefully establish trade relationships to sustain the colony. I assume then that lack of medical credentials notwithstanding, you will likely spend a good amount of time at the medical center interpreting for Savin?”

"If he needs me yes, but there seems to be plenty here who know sign and as long he's got line of sight he'll be fine. And I'm happy to help any that want the help. Language should be free to learn, so...send whoever wants to my way.” He smiled at her. "You're getting better the longer you talk..."

“I’ve used it before here and there. Just not often. As to line of sight…if it is possible, you may wish to find a way to help Savin improve his Rihannsu actually, even if he never quite gets the pronunciation correct, and ideally learn to lip-read it; it would definitely help in the future.” Exactly what it would help Kaiae left unspoken; but alongside improving communication with others, it would undoubtedly, if he stayed with them longer term, help with eventual integration into the rest of the colony’s population. “If he’s capable of lip-reading Vulcan, I’d suspect he’ll be able to pick it up eventually; but you’d know better there than I would…”

Jerant nodded. "I'll get on that but help from your people is greatly appreciated. I've been teaching him before, since his discovery of his origins which unsettled him greatly for a while. You best ask him about it but I know he's been working to embrace his true heritage. He no longer identifies as Vulcan, which caused quite a rift with his family. He's trying ma'am and he needs all the help he can get."

One of Kaiae’s eyebrows rose at some of this. “I will speak with him on it, then….though, if it is permissible…I am somewhat confused as to why his parents chose to adopt Vulcan ways and raise their children as such after fleeing the Empire; though the departure itself makes sense given the circumstances. Do you know why?” While speaking, Kaiae had gradually maneuvered them while walking to an area with less bystanders to overhear the question and any answer.

"I didn't know until he told me about his discovery," Jerant admitted, "and I could see how much it disturbed him that his parents were never truthful about it. But as a Hybrid Betazoid, born with telepathic ability, I can see their perspective too. Especially how I've seen the reactions here regarding us. His parents are touch telepaths too, so can imagine adopting the Vulcan way, albeit the emotional ones, is a way to fit in and adapt."

“I can see potentially wanting to blend in; avoid questions and notice. Removes all the fun from life, though, suppressing your emotions. Manage them, sure; but the rest just turns life into one long paperwork exercise.” Kaiae indicated a small group of children in the distance, chasing one another giggling in some game that only made sense to little kids, as if in demonstration of the value of allowing such feelings and their expression. “I can’t imagine being on Vulcan was that easy for a Betazoid or a human, either…only ever met a few Betazoids but you seem to be, well, a reasonably emotional people, as humans are.” That the intensity of emotions - whether expressed or suppressed - in anyone with certain points on their ears actually tended to surpass either of those other two species she left unsaid; if Jerant had spent significant time on Vulcan, he probably had already figured that part out regardless of how carefully it was hidden there.

"Depends on the clan you get yourself involved in. For as long as I remember, Savin has shown emotions to help with expressing himself. His parents I don't recall emoting as much as he did though. His brother was the worst, he was... emotionless. But then Sodon was born on Vulcan and only about three years old at the time. But no, as expressive and uncontrolled as I was...it wasn't easy. Vulcans claim to be emotionless and logical as a whole but they're extremely judgemental."

Kaiae laughed softly in genuine amusement and that last comment, though the grin a moment later was somewhat edged. “Everything they mean to suppress has to come out somehow, after all. Though pretending to be emotionless while indulging in some and claiming it’s simply an exercise in rationality is one hell of self-delusion. And personally, I think learning to control yourself in absence of some sort of complete shutdown attempt takes a lot more skill, in fact.” Not the sort of statement she’d usually have made to a new acquaintance or an outsider; but it was hardly a taboo sentiment, either; and one most of the colony probably would have agreed with her on. And if Jerant and Savin tended to communicate with one another telepathically, the former would likely learn anything anyone taught the latter culturally before long, anyways. “And is certainly a lot more enjoyable.”

"Isn't pon farr that particular cropped up outlet caused by a hormonal imbalance?" Jerant queried, "you'd not believe how incredibly uptight Vulcans are about it, it's such a taboo in Vulcan culture it's barely discussed outside a medical setting. I was there during a medical discussion as I interviewed for Savin but you'd have to ask him for the details. Not mine to discuss. Savin can apply complete control if he really has to, I've seen him do it, but in general he chooses not to as it really hinders his ability to communicate. If it's any consolation, I'm happy he chose to explore his heritage rather than cling to someone he's really not. I'm just sad for him that his choice cost him his relationship with his brother. He's tried to find him, but Sodon refused all contact. Not even their parents could change his mind."

Jerant’s earlier comments would seem to indicate the brother was younger than Savin himself, and Kaiae’s read of Savin’s basic records had put him in her own general age range as a fellow young adult. “They are young, still. It is possible time may change his mind, and further experience with life.”

"I suppose twenty-nine is young for a Romulan or a Vulcan," Jerant agreed, "practically juvenile right? Sodon is practically a teenager still in human years right?.. funnily they differ seven years in age. Yet, I don't think Sodon will change his mind, he's not been returning any messages."

“29? You could think of him as both a young adult and an older adolescent simultaneously, yes; somewhat like a human at, say, 19 Earth years. And as such, while it’s possible he might never change his mind on that later, it’s also entirely possible he would, as well - that age is exceedingly prone to holding a petty grudge for awhile as deeply as one should only hold a more worthy one, until they learn enough to be able to sort out what is petty and what is more serious.”

"Exactly. And Sodon has gone the whole logical Vulcan route. The whole Romulans are the enemy... except their parents of course, who still love on Vulcan and don't seem to approve of Savin's choice. So...I guess I'm is all he's got for family. Sad, isn't it."

“Sad; but far from unprecedented here, now. Whomever you see here is all of what most of us have for family; and far less for each of us than we could have counted…before.” That she still asked herself near-daily exactly how they had pulled off saving even them, Kaiae left unspoken, and maneuvered the two of them even further from the main bustle of things, lowering her voice, but trying to do her best to keep any anxiety the topic in question gave her out of it. “I do have an additional question for you, as it were - obviously, you have worked very closely with Savin. How closely have you worked with Dr. tr’Rehu, and for how long?”

"Six years. I didn't work exactly close with him, but I do owe him my life. I've seen the effects his work had on others and I've heard of the hardships he's been through. Him and Savin have worked together far more. I didn't spend much time in sickbay but word does get around on a small ship. I know he saved many lives in the last six years, and when he saved mine, it could've cost him his if things had gone wrong." Jerant barely breathed as he spoke. "I know he had friends, a small number of them, and he'd go through hell and back for any of them. When the chief engineer, someone dear to him, went AWOL on a guilt trip, he was the only one to go after her."

The eyebrow was back up on Kaiae’s face for a moment at this last bit, mostly due to the reminder of how bizarre Federation practices could be - an officer of the Empire who went AWOL would have been, if found and apprehended, executed for the action; quite possibly by their commander at the time without even bothering to return them home for a trial. “You have been aboard starships before, then?” Kaiae recalled Freya’s comments in the meeting they’d had with Gable earlier on a potential role for Jerant in the future, as she asked.

"Yes ma'am. For as long as I've been Savin's interpreter, which is pretty much as long as both our careers. I just never joined Starfleet. I've always sorted of had a secondary duty though because Savin didn't always need me. I very very rarely had to sit in on a counseling session so I'm bound by the same ethics as he is, but other than that .. I've served as linguist mostly, helping to keep the UT up to date. Or other duties that were designed for operations."

“Ever run comms for a Starfleet vessel, for a shift? Or had any training on the technical side of things there?” Running warbird comms would require some training regardless, undoubtedly, but probably less so than otherwise if he had.

"I'm a linguist, of course I've ran comms on a starship, in case of emergency anyway, which wasn't often. As far as the technical side goes, I assume you mean working with the UT? As I said, I've helped update them, unless that's not what you mean." Now it was his turn to arch a questioning eyebrow at her.

“Well, that’s part of it, certainly; but I more meant the rest beyond that - properly encrypting and decrypting transmissions, working around or investigating and accounting for potential sources of interference or jamming, troubleshooting hardware and software issues in the equipment, accounting for impacts of stellar phenomena or signal lag due to distance, all those sorts of things.” Kaiae shrugged her eyebrows. “On a proper warbird, the role would also include serving as a communications censor; that part will be less necessary in our case, but ensuring proper comms silence and preventing electronic emissions under cloak and monitoring for such will still be important.”

"Ah..." The Betazoid shook his head. "No I'm not familiar with any of that, but learning would give me something useful to do." There was no way Savin was going to get all the exciting fun and leave him behind in the colony. "I'm happy to be assigned to watch and learn," he offered with a smile, "and I could update your ship's UT with the Federation languages I am familiar with in the process? Perhaps with some engineering assistance." He had no doubt that there was no way in hell they would let him do this unsupervised. Equally, he had no doubt he was still in the 'trust is earned ' phase.

“Actually, the person providing the training will be me, since it’s my former field of expertise.” Kaiae gave a slight smile. “We can discuss further once we have the ship back. In the meantime…” the smile widened for a moment to a sardonic grin “…try not to fall off any roofs.”

"I shall be looking forward to that ma'am," the Betazoid smiled happily, "and I'll try but I can't promise not to. And if I notice anything of interest while up there... I mean of interest out there beyond the colony borders, I'll report it to...whoever."

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