CHAPTER TWO
In the year 2290, the multigenerational ship, Yonada, arrived at its destination and the Fabrin people started their new lives. It wasn’t an easy start. Though there were two planets capable of supporting Fabrin life, both were in need of minor terra-forming. It was another ten years before the first settlements were made on New Fabrina. The multigenerational ship was then moved to the second world to be colonized, and ten years later, the world Oran was settled, leaving the now empty Yonada spaceship in orbit as a monument to their legacy. From the surface of Oran, Yonada could be seen racing across the sky, a bright speck the size of a thumbnail held at arms length away. Through a telescope, if one was good at tracking such a fast orbiting object, one could detail the surface features of its asteroid appearance. Some of the craters were crafted by the ship’s designers, while others were actual collisions from debris that occurred over their ten thousand year trek to their new home. Yonada made an appearance in the sky over head approximately every fourteen hours.
The story of their trek held universal appeal. It was simply another version of the Ark story that is so numerous and told by so many different cultures from so many different planets that it belies its universal appeal of overcoming natural disasters as perhaps one of the most common archetypes shared amongst all sentient beings. No doubt, had the dinosaurs on Earth been clever enough to build a ship like Yonada and had traveled to another planet to escape the apocalypse that they experienced, there would be one more Ark story to tell. The Fabrin’s planet was dying and they had the foresight and wisdom to put together an interstellar ship that would carry enough of their population, enough of the biosphere with samples of the organisms that had evolved on their planet, to start life afresh somewhere new. Their trek would be long and arduous, and so the travelers were selected for their patience and virtue of perseverance. Only a group capable of strict discipline and unwavering faith, that could pass these gifts on to their children, and their children’s children, could be expected to survive a trip that would take tens of thousands of years. The only thing they hadn’t planned for was meeting extraterrestrials, aliens that came to them in the deep night of space, in the forms of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. These three people managed to change the course of their history, in more ways than one, both literally and figuratively.
One example of change was that McCoy married the High Priestess, Natira.
Captain James T Kirk had made the promise to McCoy, back in 2268 when they had first encountered Yonada, that they would meet the Fabrini people at its scheduled rendezvous with their new solar system. And so they had, bringing with them from the Federation a friendship treaty that was quickly ratified. They offered assistance in their colonization project, including technical advice and in return the Federation requested access to the Fabrini Book of the people, and their vast stored knowledge, with special interest in their medical technology. But at the time, Doctor McCoy was less interested in politics and science and more interested in the reunion with his wife.
In 2353, less than a hundred years later, New Fabrini and Oran boasted a population of approximately eleven million people, combined. An Affiliation treaty had just been signed between Fabrin and the Federation, opening the door for more trade and exchange of cultures. Some exceptions to trade in technology were made in favor of the Fabrini, giving them access to replicator technology, again for trade of their biological and engineering technologies. They hadn’t begun building ships of warp speed, not because they weren’t interested in further interstellar travel, but more because it was a waste of time and energies. They were content with the coming and going of Starfleet vessels, while their own energies were focused on trade between their own two planets and establishing an elaborate intra-solar communication system. There was even talk of terra-forming projects for the other three planets that had previously been deemed unsuitable, but still, those projects were years away. First thing was to continue development and exploration of their relatively new homes.
A private shuttle plunged into the atmosphere of Oran and traveled over an ocean towards the largest continent. As the land features grew, the ship slowed, loosing altitude. About twenty kilometers from a small inland village, the ship flew over a home that appeared to float on the ocean. The spheroid structure was partially above the water, with a deck running around it. A dock ran from the home back to the beach, where the shuttle eventually came to a rest. Someone kneeling on the dock stood and waved as the shuttle went over head, and went inside, perhaps not realizing they were about to have company.
A few moments after the sand settled, a door opened, a ramp descended, and Admiral McCoy and Tammas Parkin Arblaster, previously known as Jude, descended to the beach. Tammas fell to his knees to examine something in the sand. McCoy leaned down to investigate what Tammas had found.
“It’s just a rock,” McCoy commented. “Come on. I would like you to meet my family, Tammas.”
Tammas responded to his new name as if it had always been. McCoy was pleased enough by the boy’s ability to follow directions that he felt certain that his inability to speak was merely a shyness issue and he would speak in time. The two of them walked side by side until they hit the dock. Tammas liked the way the wood planks gave under his feet, bounced a couple times, and decided to run the length of the dock. He could see the water rising and falling between the slats, lines of sunlight turning the water aqua green, while leaving shadowed rectangles of dark blue. He heard McCoy yelling for him to stop and looked up to discover he was quickly approaching the end of the dock. Too quickly, in fact, given the remaining distance, to stop his forward momentum. He flew over the side and disappeared into the water with an undignified splash.
Admiral McCoy had a sudden burst of adrenalin that got him to the end of the dock faster than he imagined he was capable. Tammas was still under water. Without hesitation, McCoy dropped Tammas’s bag and dived in. The salt water stung his eyes as he opened them to search for the boy. Tammas was drifting not a meter below him. A shadow passed over them, and suddenly McCoy found himself surrounded by dolphins. At first, he wasn’t sure they were dolphins, but just large sea animals. McCoy pushed himself towards Tammas, but a dolphin grabbed Tammas by his jacket and took him towards the surface. McCoy pushed upwards, broke the surface, and gasped for air. There was the chatter of dolphins all around and someone calling from the dock: “Quick, bring him too me.”
There were two people on the dock and, together, they were pulling Tammas out of the water. McCoy started swimming towards the dock when a dolphin came along side to offer some assistance. It was rolling, offering its fin, nodding, and making a noise. The girl on the dock was watching the floundering Doctor McCoy, while a man was performing CPR on Tammas.
“Grab on and she’ll help you in,” the girl on the dock yelled to McCoy.
“I don’t need any help,” McCoy snapped back.
The girl did a double take. “Uncle Bones?” she asked.
McCoy pulled himself out onto the dock, just as Tammas began coughing and vomiting seawater. McCoy patted Tammas on the back, and coached him gently back.
“That’s it, boy. Try to breathe deep,” McCoy said. McCoy put a hand on Tammas’s head as Tammas clung to him tightly. McCoy looked up and gave a halfhearted smile. “Hello, Natalia. You’re looking well.”
“Honey, this is Uncle Bones,” Natalia said. “Uncle, this is my husband Juan Garcia.”
“Pleasure to finally meet you,” McCoy said, disengaging from Tammas and starting to stand.
“Admiral…” Juan said, offering him a hand. “I can’t tell you how much of an honor it is to meet you…”
McCoy waved it off and stood. The dolphins were still chattering away, and trying to peer up over the side of the deck, rising and falling in the water like horses on a merry-go-round. Natalia turned to address them.
“Yes, the boy is fine, thank you for your help,” Natalia said. “Yes, I’m sorry. Uncle, Star gives her warmest greetings. She’s has a doctorate in marine biology and oceanography. We’re collaborating on a project.”
“It’s an honor to meet you,” McCoy said.
“We should get you both inside, and some fresh wears,” Natalia said, “wears” in the local dialect meant clothes.
After McCoy had a shower and changed, he met the others in the living area. It was below the water line, and there were dolphins looking in. Tammas was pressed up against the window staring back at them. A speaker from the ceiling translated the dolphin sounds into human speech.
“Admiral McCoy,” Star said. “I am sorry if I offended you by interrupting your rescue, and then again by offering to carry you to the dock. We know of your greatness, and I sing stories of you to the young.”
“Think nothing of it, and call me Bones, or Uncle,” McCoy said.
Natalia entered and gave McCoy a big hug. “I’m so glad to see you. Why didn’t you tell me you were going to drop by?”
“I didn’t want you to make a big fuss, and besides, no one knows I am here, and I would like to keep it that way,” McCoy said.
“But Uncle, there are many people here who would love to see you. Your name is on the memorial at First Settlement, and you are one of our most cherished citizens, and an honorary member of the High Counsel to the High Priestess.”
“All the more reason this trip needs to be a secret: just you, me, Tammas, and I guess Star and companions. I have something of great importance to ask of you,” McCoy said.
“Okay, but first come to the table and get something to eat,” Natalia insisted.
“I’ll have to leave soon, to keep from drawing attention,” McCoy said.
“Uncle, you have to at least stay until Jovet gets home from school. She’ll never forgive you to have come all this way and not given her a hug,” Natalia said.
Doctor McCoy stopped by a shrine with candles and still photos. There were two holograms floating above tiny pedestals, one of which was the High Priestess Natira, his wife, and the other was of him. They were images of him and Natira when they were first married. Natalia observed him with sadness.
“We can make a trip to her grave, if you want,” Natalia said. “I’m sure there will be no one there this time a day.”
“The problem with living forever is you tend to outlive everyone else,” McCoy said, gravely.
“Well, I expect you to out live me, you hear?” Natalia demanded, hugging him.
“I expect to have another good thirty years or so, but I have no doubt that you will out live me and I won’t accept anything less,” McCoy said, sitting down at the table. It was difficult to miss the dolphins gathered in the window staring in at the humans. He felt as if he were on display at a museum for sea mammals. “Star, how long have you been here?”
“Sir, Doctor Admiral McCoy, my family and co-workers relocated from Earth four years ago. The waters here are exciting and new and very clean.”
“And do you require food supplements?” McCoy asked.
“Yes, the salt and mineral contents are not quite Earth, and our skins get irritated without supplements. Also, it tastes a bit different,” Star answered. “But other than that, we have acclimated well. Season, my youngest sister, will give birth soon, and we believe in three generations with adaptive genetic modeling our descendants will find these oceans very palatable.”
“I wish you long life and prosperity,” McCoy said. “And, I hope you will forgive me, but I must request some privacy with Natalia.”
“I understand,” Star said. She believed the ‘secrecy’ of land creatures was an evolved, survival instinct that must have helped them to stash and store food, so she could hardly fault them for not being as social as dolphins. “You are free to deactivate the comm. system.”
“Thank you, Star. I will chat with you later,” Natalia said.
Juan entered carrying a tray of various sample food items, a mixture of Fabrini and Mexican food. It looked more interesting than it tasted, but McCoy found it eatable. He called Tammas over to eat something. Tammas frowned, but followed McCoy’s suggestion as if it had been an order. He picked at the food, but his attention stayed on the outside world. There were fish, coral, bits of unidentifiable stuff floating, and strands of seaweeds that stretched to the surface. Looking up through the ocean, the water’s surface had a glimmering, quick silver like appearance. Everything moved with the motion of the water as waves rolled above them to crash on the shore.
“So, Juan,” McCoy said. “You are the manager general of the Mass Replicator systems here on Oran?”
“Yes, Admiral. If it weren’t for this project, I would never have met Natalia, nor settled down, I suppose,” he said, rubbing Natalia’s back affectionately.
“So, you are settled?” McCoy asked.
“Well, as you know, we structural engineers tend to move quite frequently, but I have decided this will be my home and I retired my Starfleet commission after getting married. I wasn’t exactly fortunate to become manager general, but I was the most qualified and experienced when it comes to manufacturing and distributing materials in bulk, and working with the counsel as to prioritizing projects comes like second nature. Fortunately, that last bit hasn’t been too much of a headache. The Fabrini like to take their time and do things right. I reckon when it takes ten thousand years to travel between worlds, you learn a little patience,” Juan said.
“Indeed,” McCoy agreed. “You’re originally from Texas if I remember right.”
“New Texas,” Juan said. “Though, we can trace my lineage back to Texas.”
“Have you been checking up on my husband?” Natalia interrupted.
McCoy nodded, took a sip of his sun tea, and observed Tammas as he continued to stare out at the dolphins.
Juan smiled. “I imagine he’s just making sure I’m good enough for his favorite niece.”
“Well, there’s more to it than just that,” McCoy said. “You are still on the que for being foster parents, in favor of adopting, and registered with Starfleet orphanage and child protective services.”
“Yes, but I’m afraid the New Fabrin system is still too remote to be considered for child placement. We had one offer, but the child went to a family on Daran V, if you believe that,” Natalia said, and then added more humorously. “That little system keeps getting in the way.”
“Yes, well,” McCoy said. He sat up straight and leaned forward. “Tammas here is in need of a foster home and it would mean a great deal to me if you personally were involved with his development. Except for his inability to speak, and some concerns that he may have some developmental issues as he gets older, the degree of which is unknown at this time, he’s perfectly healthy. I know you are not in need of financial support, but I will see to it that you have access to unlimited funding due to his special potential medical needs, and also provide you with names of specialist that you may want to contact.”
“What kind of medical needs, exactly?” Juan asked.
“I’m not sure. What I can tell you is that there was an unusual experiment done on him and we don’t understand how it might play out,” McCoy said. “And, to the untrained eye, someone might think he was genetically altered, but in reality, he is the product of selective genetic sampling. In other words, the best pairings of genetic information were brought together in the form of egg and sperm, and the best results were allowed to develop, while the others were terminated. Because it’s against Federation Law to genetically alter a subject simply to perfect the organism, mistaking his perfect genome structure as anything other than specific sampling could lead to unwarranted investigations into his back ground. I’d like to avoid that.”
Natalia and Juan were suddenly both excited and apprehensive at the same time. Natalia choked back some emotion and said, “I am incredibly honored that you would have brought something of this magnitude to me. I wonder if I am worthy of such a challenge…”
“Nonsense,” McCoy said. “I need someone I can trust…”
“How long will he be in our care?” Juan asked, ever practical.
“If you agree, I already have the legal adoption process ready to finish, and he will be officially your son after a couple of months of you fostering him,” McCoy said. “However, there are some parameters you need to be aware of. First one is: there can be no direct link to me. Anyone doing a background check on him will trace him back to an orphanage from the Deneb system. It will show his parents were colonist on their way to the Orion cluster, having a bit of a vacation before settling. There was an accident that left Tammas Parkin Arblaster without any family. The real Tammas died with his family.”
“Is this one of those witness relocation programs situation?” Juan asked.
“You can think of it that way, yes,” McCoy said. “Only I and one other person will know his true genealogy, which will be released to him on his eighteenth birthday. His true medical history can only be shared with the people on the list of specialist I will make available to you, and they will be even more discreet than I myself am being.”
“Wow, what’s his story?” Natalia asked.
“It’s better that you don’t know,” McCoy said.
“Wait a minute,” Juan said. “Is his being here a danger to my family?”
McCoy reclined back. “My initial response is no, but then, there is always inherent danger and risk with any choice we make. Tammas is believed to be dead, and it is best that it remain that way. If it is discovered that he is indeed alive and well, there are political factions that might seek his death. It is possible, though highly unlikely, that if someone decided to assassinate him that you could become targets simply by virtue of being too close to him.”
“This is horrible news, Uncle,” Natalia said. “Who would want to harm a child?”
McCoy only stared at her.
“Maybe we should discuss this in private, Natalia,” Juan said.
“No,” Natalia said.
“I will leave you two alone for a moment…” McCoy said, pushing his chair back from the table.
“There’s nothing to discuss,” Natalia said. “This child is in need, and we’re available, and you have come to us especially to ask for our help. And I assume that if secrecy is paramount, and we say no, then you must go elsewhere, which will only increase the number of people who will know something and draw more attention.”
“Honey,” Juan said. “As much as I appreciate your dedication to the Admiral, you have to consider Jovet’s well being as well.”
“I have and I believe we will be okay,” Natalia said. “Nothing bad happens to legends, and Jovet and I are descendants of greatness…”
“You can get that thought out of your head right now,” McCoy snapped. “Luck plays as big a role in or lives as skill and education. You’re fortunate to have your heritage and there is a great number of good people all around you, but that does not make you invincible.”
“Of course, Uncle,” Natalia said, humbly. “Juan, we can do this. We have to do this.”
“We don’t have to,” Juan grumbled, looking out into the sea. “I only hope nothing bad comes of this.”
Natalia clapped her hands. “Uncle, we accept.”
McCoy looked to Juan. Juan slowly nodded approval.
“We will raise him as our son, no looking back and no regrets,” Juan said.
“Then it’s settled and I should leave before Jovet gets home. If I know your child, Natalia, she can’t keep a secret any better than I can,” McCoy said, standing. “It will appear as if someone from child placement services arrived today, should any one check the logs.”
“Uncle, has your whole life been an adventure?” Natalia asked.
“Non stop,” McCoy said, and hugged her. He walked over and touched Tammas on the head. “You be good.” He shook hands with Juan and then opened the comm. link to give farewells to the dolphins. While McCoy said his goodbyes, Natalia prepared him some food to take on his journey.
Natalia, Juan, and Tammas accompanied McCoy back to the shuttle. She kept wishing he could stay longer but said nothing. She simply enjoyed this moment, walking with him, their arms linked, his hand on hers, noting the warmth of the sun on her skin, and the smell of the sea in the air. She marveled at how well McCoy still got around considering his age, and hoped she would do half as well. The afternoon sun was brilliant overhead, and Yonada moved across the lower horizon like a high moving aircraft, its size and distance misleading. Dolphins swam along side the dock, always excited to watch humans come and go. Tammas tagged along behind, ignoring the dolphins, watching McCoy intently.
“When will we see you again?” she asked.
“I’ll be back for the next High Counsel Session,” McCoy assured her, and then touched his pocket, pulled out a disk. “Oh, nearly forgot. Account information and contact lists for any specialists you might require.”
“He’ll be fine. I promise we’ll take good care of him,” Natalia said.
“I know you will,” he said, and hugged her once more. He nodded to Juan and Tammas. The ramp began to close even as he was going up it.
Natalia took Tammas’s hand and guided him back towards the dock, where the three of them stopped to watch the shuttle’s departure. She tried to imagine how difficult it was for Tammas, in a strange place, with strange people, no doubt sad that McCoy was leaving, but he remained just as quiet as ever. Had he been an adult, she would have thought Tammas was simply resigned to his fate.
“Let’s go personalize your bed room,” she said, trying to be extra charming in hopes of distracting Tammas from wherever his thoughts were.
“Yes,” Juan agreed. “That sounds like fun.”
They led him back to the water dome and entered. The first floor was merely a walkway that circled the top portion of the dome, looking down into the living area. From the door they walked down into the house, and going behind the stair case took another stair down to the next level. At the end of the corridor was a bathroom, and to either side of it were bed rooms.
“This is the lavatory, toilet, and bath,” Natalia explained, looking for any signs he comprehended what she was telling him. “Our bedroom is there, Jovet’s at the other end of the hall, and this room is yours.”
The exterior wall was as transparent as the living room’s wall was. His view didn’t provide him with a direct look out to sea, but rather a side view that looked along the shoreline. The water line was above his head, so he couldn’t see the beach, but he could see the tree tops and the blue of sky. He could see the line of water rising and falling, and he could hear the gentle lapping of sea over house. In his room was a bed, a single, put on a pedestal that would force him to climb up into it. There was also a desk, and an ergonomic chair.
“This bed is called a captain’s bed,” Juan explained, pulling one of the drawers in the pedestal open. “It’s the sort of bed you would have found on a sailing vessel of old Earth. Lots of storage space. See if you can jump up here, Tam. May I call you Tam?”
“I like Tam,” Natalia said.
Tammas got close to the bed. He leaped and pulled himself up. It was awkward, but not unpleasant. From his new height, he could see across the top of the water.
“The water is nice, isn’t it,” Natalia said. “I don’t think I could live anywhere else in the world and be as happy. At high tide, you’re room is completely submerged. At low tide, you should be able to see the beach without needing a stool.”
On either side of the bed were shelves, flushed with the wall, and of varying depth and length. On one of the shelves near the head of the bed were some books. Juan saw Tammas looking towards them and nodded approvingly.
“Yes, those are for you,” Juan said, pulling several of the books out of sequence to show him the hard back covers with glistening letters and enticing print. “I replicated my favorite childhood books. The Chronicles of Narnia, by CS Lewis. And here, Lord of the Rings, Tolken. Oh, and no library is complete without the Hornblower series by Foster. I remember reading the chapter about the frogs and the lobsters, and about halfway through that chapter I started to realize that it wasn’t real frogs and lobsters, but rather, I discovered that the English called their sailors frogs and their armies lobsters, because of the color of the coats they wore. I’ll never forget that, because it was the first time I really started to notice how language and context is important to comprehension.”
“Honey,” Natalia said. “He’s only five.”
“So?” Juan said. “You don’t increase language skills and comprehension without exposure to new words and complex abstract ideas.”
“We don’t even know if he can read yet,” Natalia said.
“Tam, can you read?” Juan asked.
Tammas stared at him. He blinked a couple of times, but he gave no indication that he was capable of responding. A cat wandered into the room and immediately leaped up on the bed to approach Tammas. Before Natalia could get to it, it began scent marking Tam’s arm.
“This is a cat,” Natalia said. “It belongs to Jovet, my daughter. Its name is Darsam. Do you like cats? They’re from Earth.”
Tammas simply looked at the cat without bothering to pet it. With the cat actively pushing itself up against him, he really didn’t see the need to exert any effort to pet the cat.
“See, you can pet it,” Juan said. “It won’t hurt you.”
Tammas ran his hand along the cats back, noticing the harder he pet the higher it arched its back.
“Not so rough,” Natalia said. “It’s not a dog. Gentle, like this.”
“He wasn’t hurting it,” Juan pointed out.
“I don’t want him wrestling the cat like you do,” Natalia said. “It’s not a dog.”
“Tam, come over to your desk for a moment, and I’ll show you how to operate your computer,” Juan said, changing the subject.
Tammas hopped off the bed and went to the chair Juan indicated. Darsam followed, joining him in the chair. There was room for both of them side by side. Natalia laughed.
“Darsam really likes you,” she observed. “That’s a good sign. Anyway, here’s how you turn on the computer without voice. You can make all inputs manually by touching your desk top. The computer recognizes the difference between deliberate and accidental key responses, so don’t worry about setting a book or something on your table. This calls up the alpha-numeric interface…”
“Natalia, try English. I doubt he’s been exposed to the Fabrini language,” Juan said.
Natalia changed the language and fonts. “Do you understand this?” she asked. “If you don’t, the computer can guide you through lessons in order to help you learn its function, and can even teach you to read and write in any language.”
“Try the iconic display,” Juan suggested.
Natalia minimized the alpha numeric display and called up the iconic interface. “These pictures are pretty standard, representing the most frequently used features. Of course, nothing is fully universal when it comes to symbolic language, so some of them you will just have to learn. See how touching one gives you a menu for another grouping of icons, narrowing the focus? Try something. Touch one.”
Tammas reached out to touch the desk top.
“Not that one!” Juan said suddenly and dramatically. “You’ll blow up the house.”
Tammas drew his hand back quickly, his eyes growing wide. Natalia’s eyes narrowed in anger.
“Juan Phillip Garcia!” Natalia scolded.
“I’m sorry,” Juan said, still chuckling. “I couldn’t resist.”
“You do that again and I’ll smack you,” Natalia said.
“It’s not so bad. I established that he clearly understands what we’re saying,” Juan said.
“You haven’t established anything,” Natalia said. “He may have been reacting to your loudness, or your facial expressions. Don’t do that again.”
“Alright,” Juan said. “I’m sorry, Tammas. That was uncalled for.”
Natalia pulled an item out of a slot. “This is a Personal Access Display Device, or PADD, for short. It does everything your desktop can do, only it’s portable. That way, you can read in bed if you like.”
Tammas looked at her. He blinked. Natalia put the PADD back in its designated space. She then looked to her husband for ideas.
“You know what this room needs? What you need, Tammas? A model. No child’s room is complete without a model of a Starship,” Juan said.
“Oh, please,” Natalia said, rolling her eyes.
“I built ships in bottles,” Juan said, using the iconic interface to pull up the category he wanted. “And I built model airplanes and starships when I was a kid. Here we go. These are scale replicas of ships. This one. Constellation Class. I helped in the construction of the last one to l