HUG ALERT!

Posted on Fri Apr 18th, 2025 @ 2:40am by Lieutenant Bela Swain & Lieutenant JG Vincent Shaw

1,858 words; about a 9 minute read

Bela got an alert on her screen that there was a new Chief Operations Officer on board the ship. She looked at his dossier quickly and decided there was no time better than the present to meet Mr. Shaw. She hit her combadge and in her sweetest voice said, =^= Lieutenant Shaw, this is Counselor Bela Swain. Are you available? =^=

Vincent had just tossed his duffel bag upon his bed when the call came from the Chief Counselor. He glared at the ceiling. This counselor didn't waste time, did she? Tapping on his comm badge, he replied, =^=I will be there shortly, Shaw out. =^=

He ran a comb through his rumpled hair, to smooth it out then made his way to the counselor's office, pressing on the door chime to announce he had arrived. The door opened and he stepped inside.

Bela had recently redecorated her office. Low ambient light gave the office a welcoming glow. Inside, a plush, curved seating area dominates one side of the room, featuring a crescent-shaped couch and a few oversized, form-fitting chairs designed for maximum comfort. A low, glassy black table sits in the center, adorned with a small bowl of exotic Risian fruit and a decorative sand garden with smooth, sea-worn stones. A soft, textured area rug lies beneath, adding a further touch of homeliness.

Scattered throughout the room were subtle nods to her homeworld: a delicate Risian tapestry hanging along one wall, a small sculpted statue of the famed Galartha, and a faintly glowing orb that emits a soft chime when touched—a traditional Risian meditation aid. A potted flowering plant from Risa rests on a shelf, its vibrant purple petals shifting subtly in the light.

The moment that the Vincent stepped inside, a petite woman with her long black hair slung back in a ponytail, and sparkling blue eyes walked right up to him and engulfed him in a hug. "So wondeful to meet you, Lieutenant Shaw. I'm Bela Swain, Chief Counselor of the Calypso. All that is ours is yours."

Vincent had barely registered how the office was decorated when out of the blue he was embraced by the Counselor? He stiffened with surprise, "Uh er, uh thank you." Vincent's words came out rather gruffly. "Uh can you please let go. I don't know you well enough to be er- embraced." he gently squirmed himself out of her embrace. "That made me feel a bit uncomfortable Counselor."

"Oh, dear!" Bela exclaimed. "I am so sorry. I did not mean to make things awkward." By way of explanation, she said, "I'm Risian. So, as I said earlier, all that is ours, is yours." She backed off slightly, giving him some room. "Come on in. I did not mean for such an awkward introduction. How can I make amends?"

"I do not know what you can do for the moment. I will get over this surprise, though." He went to take a seat. "You called to meet me; what can I do for you?" Vincent rubbed the palms of his hands along his pant legs. "I've not really visited Risa. It's not been on my bucket list."

"It hasn't?" Bela asked surprised. "Why not? Any of your desires could be fulfilled there." She took a seat near Vincent.

"I am afraid that wouldn't be true for the big desire of mine, and it isn't anything of the flesh. It is more on, being reunited with my daughter whom I've not seen since she was a baby. It's been 8 years since I have seen her. Risa doesn't have that sort of connection for me, nor will it help solve my finding my daughter." Vincent looking apologetic. "Sorry Counselor."

"There's no reason to apologize! Riza is not for everyone. Even so, I'm more concerned about you and your daughter! Why have you not seen her in so long, especially if you want to?"

"After two years of blissful marriage, well, I thought it was blissful and after my wife had the baby, she revealed that she wasn't who she was; and I couldn't separate my daughter from her mother." His voice started to crack with emotion. "I couldn't do that. I have an image of me with her at her birth, and I-I gained a photo of her just recently." Vincent pulled out a wallet and inside were the two photos the spoke of.

"That is the image when I got to hold her for the first and last time. And this I gained from when someone was hunting for me. And had tried to thrash my uncle, for information. They had left a packet that had that image of my daughter and there was an image of me."

"You know that this just makes me want to hug you more, right?" Bela told Vincent, her eyes becoming more puppy-dog like. "Vincent, you know that children need their father, too, right? Leaving your children like that, could be problematic. Is there anything that you can do, or are willing to do?"

"Bela, I do not know where she is at. There is nothing I can do at this time except, send out feelers and track her down somehow. Maybe even hire someone to find her." Vincent rubbed the back of his head in frustration. "Or allow those who are looking for me to find me. That is all that I can think of at this time in order to accomplish this. I don't even know who my ex-wife truly is. Except for maybe someone who might be royalty of some sort I just don't know."

"Royalty?" Bela asked, somewhat surprised. "Now that is quite the story. Why do you believe that? People in this universe should not be that difficult to track, so why do you think that she's royalty of some sort." He's too sincere to be having delusions, isn't he?

"She seemed to have those earmarkers of being someone of significance. And she had ended up being married to someone who had that bearing as well. I don't know much except from the packet my uncle had found. And there had been a sort of wanted poster for me." Vincent giving a shrug.

"What race was she? Why do you say that she had 'earmarkers' of being someone of significance. A wanted poster for you? Who would put out a wanted poster for you? Have you committed a crime?" There was a lot to unpack here and Bela was not certain that she understood half of it. What she did know was that she had to help!

"As far as I know, she was human, but from where I do not know. She had a made up history then after our daughter was born, she asked for a divorce, and revealed that she wasn't who she was. I know it a bit much to wade through, and it is a mess, I've been trying to make some sense of it all." Vincent drawing in a breath.

"Well, there has to be some sort of trace of her. Between her DNA and your daughter's birth.... She was born in a hospital, right?"

"She was born on a station where I had met her mother. And there is record of her birth. Just that finding out just where the origin of where my ex-wife was born, still have no idea where she is from." Vincent replied.

"And you're certain that both of you were human?"

"As far as the medical record showed, both of us are human. Anything else it didn't show up, unless records were doctored." Vincent giving a shrug, "That was ten years ago, as we were married for two years until we had Esme."

"So, she's 8?" Bela asked. "And when was the last time you saw her? Just after birth?"

"Yes, just after her birth. That image I handed to you-" He gave a nod towards the photo in her hand, "That is her as a baby."

'There has to be a way to find her," Bela replied determinedly. "You have a picture. Computers have her DNA. You have your DNA. They have your wife/ex-wife's? DNA. The universe is not THAT big of a place for humans."

"It will take some doing to do that sort of hunting. I will find her. I know I will. I just have to be patient and look into all different avenues." Vincent offering that. "This is why I am on this ship now. Both to be back in StarFleet and also to see if I can find other ways to find her."

"But here, you're a bit constrained. Where the ship goes, you go," Bela pointed out sadly.

"This is true, but the ship can go places that I have been unable to go, so there is a consolation there." He drew in a breath, Vincent giving a slight open armed shrug.

"But wouldn't hiring a private ship or running your own be more flexible?" Bela asked concerned. "I just want to do everything I can to help you...."

Vincent could see that Bela had a good heart, and she truly cared. She was making good suggestions and those were avenues that he had tried before. "Bela, I do understand, and truly I do appreciate what you are doing. I was on my uncle's ship; I hired someone to go look for her. It's going to be a long journey there. For now, though, I wanted to come back to StarFleet. Now though, there is something that you can do for me. Is the offer for an embrace still open? I can sure use one, and maybe you could use one as well?" He opened his arm out for a possible embrace.

Bela gave Vincent a large grin. She was glad that she could help him as much as she could and who was she to refuse a hug? She moved towards him and snuggled in for a warm, heartfelt hug.

Vincent gave a light laugh, it did feel good to have an embrace and it had been a long while since he had one. After a few moments he released Bela from his hug. "I've got to get going and get my quarters set up. I hadn't bothered doing such as of yet. Thank you." Vincent giving a warm genuine smile.

Reluctantly, Bela let go. She knew that Vincent needed more hugs, but he had already made progress. "Then, what are you doing here?" she asked teasingly. "Get yourself unpacked. Make yourself at home and then, when you're done, if you should need anything at all, please do not hesitate to contact me. I'll be there."

"I will let you know most definitely. You have a good day Bela." Vincent turned to head out of the office. He stopped for a moment and looked back at her. "If you need anything let me know, okay?"

"Of course," she said, smiling genuinely, knowing that she would never require anything. Her life was to serve and serve she would. She waved at him, exuding happiness.

LTJG Vincent Shaw
Chief of Operations
USS Calypso

and

Lieutenant Bela Swain
Chief Counselor
USS Calypso

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