| Author | Message | ||
     Lt. JG Maiko D'rall |
Maiko couldn't say what had her absentmindedly tapping a finger on a blank PADD during the mid-shift lunch with some of the other duty officers. It had been rather quiet on Coronado so far, with most of the activity occuring down on the planet rebuilding and recovering. One of the enlisted crew nearby was eagerly dishing out gossip - apparently there was something going on between the Fleet Medicos and the Marines that reputedly had the Captain's dander up; Maiko didn't bother to confirm or deny the ensign's story, though she did note some of the details seemed to match things she inadvertently witnessed when she had visited that Marine pilot with her gift of thanks. Brief bets on the outcome of the disciplinary action sure to follow ensued, then quieted down enough for Maiko to hear the conversation at other tables. For Coronado, what she heard was pretty mundane - apparently McAllister was expecting. Rumors about a discovery in Xanadu - but those kinds of rumors circulated every day on Coronado with no end to the sheer insanity of some of the more audacious topics. Bets for the night's Paresis Squares game - Maiko grimaced at the thought of having to play against the surviving crew of a destroyed starship, wishing they could just call it off. By far though, she was hearing people talk about finally getting in touch with their families through the Catapult, due to open the rift to the Milky Way galaxy seemingly any second. The tapping on the PADD stopped as she came to a realization. It had been a scary homecoming for Maiko and other Reor'sans among the crew - unsure whether or not families and friends had survived the occupation, much less the bezerker rage that seemed to have done most of the damage... but at least she was essentially 'home' as were they. The Coronado's crew - the task force's for that matter, those who had survived in M64 - had a different dilema. Similarly, they knew not what to expect from home... but there was still no way back for any of them. As for Maiko - a third generation Reor'san - the only family she knew were her parents and grandparents. Grammy Drova had said little about her family on Alpha Centuari, and Grampa Charles was tight-lipped about his family back in the Milky Way. Writing back to "old home" seemed... almost wasteful. The closest familial connection would be a distant cousin at best after all, and why develop an attachment to people you would never see in your life? All the same, Maiko began putting together a brief letter, bits and pieces going onto the screen as she got her train of thought going. -- TO: Biological descendants/relatives of Charles Davion, Sarah Steiner, Drova D'rall, Scott Mazer FROM: Maiko D'rall, att USS Coronado, M64 Galaxy RE: Lost lambs alive and well I'm pretty sure you'll be confused when you get this message from Starfleet - hopefully they'll have the records on hand to determine to whom this message should be forwarded. Whether or not you are able to reply before the conduit this message has been sent through is closed or not, please don't worry - I'm sure we'll find some way to communicate sooner or later. My name is Maiko D'rall and I'm the Chief Flight Control officer onboard the starship Coronado - in the M64 Galaxy. I'm the daughter of Salem D'rall - who was born of Drova D'rall and Scott Mazer - and Melissa Davion - who was born of Charles Davion and Sarah Steiner. All four were members of the USS Churchill's crew when they were lost in the M64 Galaxy. Since I'm here writing this message, I should hope it's obvious that while they missed their families a great deal, they were able to carry on and build a new home for themselves here, much as the various other ships' crews who have ventured here. All four lived long and productive lives, giving birth to two children - Salem D'rall and Melissa Davion - who in turn married and gave birth to me. Admittedly, having been born and raised here in M64, I feel that this is my home; however, my grandparents all made sure I knew about what life was like in the Milky Way - I learned about Earth, about Alpha Centauri, heard stories about places they had seen - Grammy Steiner even made a music box fashioned after a lodge in the Alps region on Earth that I keep with me onboard. Well, I should keep this short and simple to let others have a little extra time. Your ancestors - and mine - did well here, and you should be proud of them. Without them, I wouldn't be here to tell you that they survived and prospered. If by chance anyone who gets this message has the opportunity to reply, I would welcome the correspondance - especially any information on the ancestry of my grandparents. Yours cordially from M64, Maiko D'rall CFO, USS Coronado -- She glanced over the PADD twice before finally comitting it to transmision, pressing the button to shunt the message to Savant to send when the rift opened. Maybe there would be a response. Maybe the family line had ended in the Milky Way when her grandparents came here and she was the only generation left. Or maybe there were survivors - brothers or sisters who might still be alive to hear the news. It was only hope, but it was all that mattered. |