Space Oddity

🦸🏻🦸🏿‍♀️Saving The Lost

Saru, Kehau and Hugh meet a holo of a black skinned Vulcan who seemed surprised that Kehau had not been changed and just like the Holo-Officer from before he and his fellow programs were fluctuating "they may have overworked themselves keeping him alive add that to the radiation they have suffered.... it's no wonder they're malfunctioning!.... uh no offense!"  Kehau says softly Saru smiles at her "they want to know if we are here to rescue or harm if we are to harm they will protect him"  she tells him he nods then tells the programs "we have come to rescue the child"  and they clap "why did they change you though?! you would think he'd be happy to meet another of his own kind much like you are!"  she asks Saru looks at her "then again it has been a very long time since he's seen one so perhaps they worried what your appearance would do to his psyche maybe they feared it would make him worse not better"  she adds she once again takes her husbands hand and leads him through the crowd following what she senses in the ship to find the lost and lonely soul they came to rescue.... "what a lonely life he must have lived!"  Kehau whispers softly Saru takes her hand in his and squeezes it gently as they walk into a room that has a hologram of a elder and Saru becomes excited at the sight "it's just a holo Saru!"  Kehau says softly "I know but there is so much we don't know about what happened to our home!"  he replies and he feels her become sad which confuses him "when I was a boy, the village elders gather around the fire with us at-at night and tell stories it was how we preserved our history but they never survived to this age"  Saru tells Hugh "so this is the oldest Kelpien you've ever seen?"  Hugh asks "well I'm not fully Kelpien anymore so....!"  Kehau jokes Hugh chuckles with a smile "if you want to talk to him for a bit go ahead Michael's with the survivor attempting to teach him social skills"  Kehau tells her husband Hugh chuckles "I am curious about something though.... do you think we'd be able to take a part of the programing with us?! it would be nice if Saru could find out more about what happened to his homeworld after we left our time"  Kehau asks "I don't know"  Hugh replies "should I ask Paul or Adira?!"  she asks he laughs softly then says "with how long it has suffered through the radiation I would guess that it would not be a good idea"  she nods sadly then looks over at the wall were a painting of a family is placed on a shelf she nudges her husband gently and when he looks over at her she nods over at the painting and he walks over to it then looks at it then reaches his fingers towards it and has them float over what looked like a name "Su'Kal that's his name"  he says softly as he reads it "does it have any significance?"  Hugh asks "well it does not directly translate, but it means something like "beloved gift".."  Saru replies "as all children are!"  Kehau says softly looking down at her children who were walking by her and Saru's side Saru smiles at her then says "it is a tradition in Kelpien families that after you have suffered a great tragedy, the next child born in your family is named Su'Kal"  he places his hands along his children's backs as he continues "the child symbolizes the end of suffering"  his children hug his legs and he looks down at them and smiles then kisses the top of their heads before walking over to the holo of the elder and says to the holo of the grandpa-ish Kelpien "honored elder excuse me"  the elder Kelpien looks up at him and much to Saru's surprise he seemed to be able to see ALL the members of his family for the holo seemed to smile at his children and he asks "hello would you like a story?"  Kehau says kindly with a soft tone "some other time elder right now we.... want to save the child you have looked after for so long and hopefully bring him home"  the elder nods at her respectfully "I would definitely like to take this one!.... I don't know any of their stories and Saru is always busy so he can't tell his!"  Kehau whispers to Hugh who looks at her sadly "oh don't you pity me doctor!"  she teases "besides just imagine how many more stories he would have than Saru does! I'm sure even HE would stay and listen if he ever got a chance!"  she says Hugh chuckles softly "I am programmed to teach Kelpien and Ba'ul history and traditions and to provide social and emotional support for the growing child"  the elder tells them "can you tell us who created you?"  Hugh asks "why, his mother, of course we are all from her"  the elder replies "I'm sure much like it is for these two these programs were the only friends Su'Kal had"  Kehau says looking down at her children then back up at the elder as she continues "but unlike theses two he's had nothing that's real.... I wouldn't be surprised if he's sick and tired of seeing the same things and people over and over again for unlike these two his "friends" were programmed to be who they are and stay the same no matter what they may even only have so much they can teach him you all change every day with every experience you are put through so Lani and Sarek live a much different and yet same life he does for unlike him who has been stuck here for far too long they explore different places and worlds just about everyday.... when the Admiral allows the ship they live on to leave Headquarters anyway!"  Hugh chuckles softly at her last words Saru on the other hand looks at her sadly for he could see the truth in ALL of her words in a small way his children are "stuck" just like Su'Kal is but they are also in a way free for their "wings" can fly further than Su'Kal's can "this Doctor Issa was very brave though, she knew they were all dying and did what she could so that the last remaining one of them could live"  she adds Saru looks down at his wife and sees sadness shine in her eyes "she's asking him about his family he's....! we need to get him home Saru!"  she tells him whispering her last words in a soft low voice as she looks up at her husband "we will!"  he promises taking her hand in his "I wonder how he sees us.... this elder.... he doesn't look at us strangely so perhaps he sees us all as Kelpien's I'm sure that if he were real he would be glad to know that there are still children to be taught all the histories of your people"  she says looking at the elder "we didn't teleport down with you so they couldn't program our change.... not that they could anyway but even though he isn't real I believe my abilities still listen to his "heart" as though he is perhaps to give him hope that the child he has nurtured for so long will not be alone once he is rescued that there are Kelpien's who survived the Burn they don't know devastated the entire universe"  she adds Saru takes her hand in his and squeezes it gently she leans up against him as though she was hugging his side without wrapping her arm around him "we have to find him she.... made a mistake he's once again frightened!"  Kehau whispers softly with a worried tone "Elder, uh, we understand the nature of your programming, but in order to provide social and emotional support for the growing child we must locate him"  Saru says to the elder as he walks over and kneels before him "when he is afraid, he goes to his fortress"  the elder replies looking at Saru then at the open book on his lap Saru looks down at the book and sees a picture of a fortress on the page as the elder says "the child hides away from all of us"  Kehau looks down at her children and says "stay here with daddy Uncle Hugh and I are going to see if we can find the lost one and Aunt Michael"  Lani and Sarek nod she kisses the top of their heads then walks away and Hugh follows her.... "I still don't understand this "monster" I don't believe his mother would place something that frightens him so in the program so what is it!?! a manifestation of his psyche!?! or a manifestation of the radiation!?! or....!?!"  Kehau whispers to Hugh as they walk he takes her hand in his and gives it a squeeze "that's it I'm telling Paul you're being affectionate!"  she teases he chuckles with a smile he turns and sees her smile and looks at her oddly "the elder is singing them a lullaby.... I'm afraid we may be doing most of the work once he finds us for the mans voice is rather soothing and it may just put Lani and Sarek to sleep!"  she tells him he chuckles.... a little while later Saru finds Hugh and Kehau and just like she predicted he walked over to them with his sleeping children in his arms.... thanks to Kehau and her children the radiation was not affecting Hugh, Saru and Michael but Hugh and Saru still worried about the three that are protecting them so Hugh tries to speak to the people on the Discovery letting them know they were needed and he hoped that they could hear him as he, Saru and Kehau continue on their way to the fortress.... on the Discovery Kehau leaves Saru's station once Osyraa hails them and her children follow her as she walks towards the Ready Room "I would love to have a little fun with her but Admiral Vance might threaten to spank me so I'll refrain from it.... for now!"  Kehau teases the crew chuckles then watch as she and her children walk into the Ready Room and Tilly answers Osyraa's hail.... "Osyraa's mocking Tilly"  Saru hears Kehau whisper he looks down at her with a worried expression on his face "she's hailed them she hasn't done much else.... yet!"  she informs him he nods "besides Tills is stronger than she believes she can handle this and the rest of the crew will help her"  she adds "that they will!"  Hugh replies with a smile Saru nods in agreement "oh and we've taken over your Ready Room I was going to take over the Captain's Chair and test my memory of the "ancient" languages I know but I thought better of it!"  she teases Hugh chuckles and Saru looks at her with a raised eyebrow "what!?! it isn't like I haven't sat in it before! and I figured if I mocked her in return she might do something even I can't fix for I have no idea what her ship is capable of and even though our ship has been "futurized" I don't know if it is strong enough to withstand whatever she tosses at it!"  she tells her husband "oh and I may have teased that I feared the all mighty Admiral might spank me if I tried I just wonder how big a paddle he would bring with him and what substance it would be made of!"  she adds Hugh laughs Saru smiles shaking his head at his wife he misses this side of her a side that hasn't been directed at him in quite a long time but he knew she was just trying to ease their worries and make them smile again which he was grateful for and he truly needed for seeing the elder hit him in a way that brought almost as much pain to him as her pushing herself away from him because of something he did and/or said or in some cases didn't do at all....