Topic: Some Legends Never Die: A Kieran Forester vignette

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Some of you may remember this as the first part of my contribution to Smithy's story of the Second Andromedan Invasion at the turn of the 25th century. Looking over it, I think it's self contained enough to make a good, albeit slightly long, vignette, at least for those familiar with the character and the setting. For more background, see any of mine or Smithy's stories that actually made it over to this board.

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Central courtyard
Khelthane family compound, Dantar IV
Dantar system, Kharakid Star Cluster
29 April 2398 1340 hours

If James Smith had not seen Dantar IV from orbit, he could have sworn from the scene in front of him that it was a verdant forest world. The open center of the courtyard was choked with plants of every size, shape, and color, broken only by two paths that cut the garden into equal fourths. Vines snaked up the massive pillars that supported the stone awnings on the courtyard's outer borders. He walked out from under the stone roof and immediately flinched under the piercing glare of Dantar's yellow sun.

As he stepped towards the middle of the courtyard, hand up to shade his eyes, a light desert breeze picked up, ruffling his sleeves.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to find me."

Smithy whirled at the sound of the voice. Leaning against a pillar, partially obscured in shadow, was a tall figure. "For a while, I thought perhaps you would just wander about my home all day, chatting up the maids and appraising the architecture."

The shadowy silhouette stepped out into the light. Smithy gaped. "Kieran?"

Fleet Admiral Kieran Forester, retired, nodded somberly, with the hint of a bitter smile on his lips. "Last I checked, anyway." He moved forward to take Smithy's hand, and they shook briefly.

"Kieran, you look..." Smithy trailed off, looking Kieran up and down with an appraising eye.

"Old?" Kieran finished. Smithy shrugged, trying to look noncommittal. Kieran laughed, a short and bitter sound that held none of the youthful luster it had the last time Smithy heard it. "Don't worry, Smithy, you can say the word old. I'm not usually offended by the truth."

Smithy had to admit, Kieran was right. His skin was pale, almost sallow, and his face contained several wrinkles and frown lines. His hair, once a resplendent mane of dirty blond (with the occasional grey), was now stark white and, albeit, still as thick as Smithy remembered, showed signs of thinning. He had lost weight as well, and his once well-toned form was now gaunt and almost unhealthily thin. Kieran evidently noticed Smithy's expression of dismay. "Don't worry about me, Smithy. I knew this would happen. All this time away from the Briar Patch... that metaphasic radiation has finally been flushed out of my system."

"Speaking of which, why'd you leave? Hyperion Farm, I thought, was the perfect place to spend your retirement. You've got lots of friends on the Ba'ku world. In fact, I stopped there before I came here, since I thought that was still where you were. I had some people ask about you. The kids miss your 'outworld' stories."

Kieran smiled sadly. "I'm a desert man at heart. I've been away too long, I've forgotten what it was like."

Smithy scowled. "Don't patronize me, Kieran. That's not what it's about."

"Smithy, I just wanted to come home. I haven't been here in years, can you fault me?"

Smithy saw something in Kieran's expression, something suggesting that there was still more to it that, but he simply frowned and let it pass. "Listen, Kieran, I didn't come here just to talk about old times, unfortunately. We need your help. There's a new crisis--"

"No."

"What?"

"I said no, Smithy. I told you after the Gatrellian war ended I was retiring, for good this time. I've begun to feel like Starfleet's crutch, something you need to lean on every time you run into a new obstacle."

"Kieran, that's not true and you know it."

"Don't patronize me, Smithy. You remember the Second War of Pacification? Starfleet was in a panic after the first few battles. They picked my brain for whatever I could tell them about how to fight the ISC before they even let me set foot on the bridge of the Hyperion."

"Dammit, Kieran, we need you. Starfleet needs --"

"I've worried for the better part of a century about what Starfleet wants, about what Starfleet needs. I've retired three times, and I intend for this one to be the last. Is it too much to ask Starfleet to worry about what I want for once? I'm not asking much. I simply want to be left alone." He threw his arms out to his sides and took a breath.

"Look at me, Smithy. I've been alive longer than most people have a right to, especially people that have seen active front line duty in six large-scale wars. I'm a product of the 23rd century, not the 24th. I'm out of place. I'm obsolete. I'm a relic. Hell, I've been playing the last thirty years by ear, because when I was in the Academy, no one could have imagined the galaxy would ever become what it is today." He sighed, almost guiltily.

"You were right. I didn't come back because I missed the sand. I want to live out the rest of my life in something that resembles tranquility, and so help me, boredom. I want to grow old and die. No metaphasic radiation prolonging my life. No more pitched battles in the depths of space. I've done my bid for king and country, and now I want to fade away. Is that so much to ask, Smithy? To just let me die when my time is done?"

Smithy raised his hand in an attempt at reassurance. "All right, Kieran. I get the message. Just let me show you one thing, and I'll leave. One tiny thing. That's all."

He scowled, but extended a gnarled hand. Smithy produced a PADD and handed it to the older man. Kieran took it and began to study its display.

Suddenly, the blood drained from his face, and his already pale skin blanched. His hands began to shake, as he muttered, "Oh, hell."

"Yeah."

"When was this recorded?"

"Several weeks ago. One of our long range probes took these images on the fringes of Federation space shortly after the attack on the Essex. The probe was destroyed, but it managed to transmit a good bit of its telemetry beforehand."

"Attack on the Essex?"

"You'll hear about it." Smithy looked skyward, squinting under the sun's glare. "Look, Kieran, I've got an Intrepid-class ship in orbit, and the captain's waiting for my signal. What should I tell them?" Kieran sighed and paused for several seconds.

Then, seemingly coming to a decision, he pulled a small weatherbeaten device from his pocket and pressed several of its controls. "Federation starship, this is Kieran Forester, on the planet surface. Lock onto my signal... and transport two."

Smithy could not help but grin in triumph as the transporter beam dissolved them into nothingness.

[Grim Reaper]

I remember this. What I do not remember is the reason kieran went to fight another war... What I liked and still like was the part before:

Smithy raised his hand in an attempt at reassurance. "All right, Kieran. I get the message. Just let me show you one thing, and I'll leave. One tiny thing. That's all."

Very believable imho. What I have difficulty with (and that's cause I can't remember the message) is the easy surrender in the end.

[Jaeih t`Radaik]

I don't remember this, but I do like it. I also agree with Grim that K-Fo gives in too easily at the end. Admittedly, it could be because he is a strong character and he can make up his mind quickly and decisively, and that complaining once he's made up his mind is unworthy of/beneath him.

However, I think that a man of action alone with his best friend would give vent to his true feelings there and get it over and done with rather than not let it out at all. Something as simple as squeezing the bridge of his nose, rubbing a hand wearily over his face (he is very old, after all) or some sign of anger, annoyance, frustration, "oh no, not again" syndrome, anything would have been better after all his previous exclaimations.

The previous exclaimations were well done, which is why I'm so vehement about the last line. You portray him very well as someone who has had enough and doesn't want to do any more. By all means, something is important enough to him he will come back, but it's human nature to complain about and resent it.

Those're my thoughts. Spare a couple of pennies for them? *smile* Take them for what they're worth.

[Commander La'ra]

What they said.

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Hey guys, thanks for the comments.

Although I didn't explain it in the story, and I probably should have put into this version, now that I think about it, the PADD contained the information about the Andromedan attack on a Federation starship. Like in the second ISC war, Kieran's the only one who's fought the Andromedans before(which I'm planning to happen in my universe about 2315 or so) and Starfleet wants his personal knowledge. They've got the records of what happened, of course, but they want someone who's actually fought them on board, which is why Smithy's trying to drag him out of retirement. While Kieran dearly wants to retire and be left alone, he knows what the Andros are like, and he's got enough of a sense of duty left in him to know that he should do his part.

As for the second part, Jaeih's got it right. As a former starship captain, he's used to making those quick and decisive decisions, and once he's made it, there's no going back, and no sense in bitching about what happens next.

Again, thanks for the comments, guys. I might try and do something like this again.

[James Smith]

Smithy can be a persuasive old soul. Thanks for reminding me about this K-Fo - I must remember when I end the Gatrellian fic to set the admiral's story arc up for this.

Since I'm setting up the Andromedan story in the current fic, I've now got to decide whether to do that one next or go back and do the rewrite of Vengeance that I've been putting off for so long. I've actually almost got the time to do the pair of them in tandem - God bless the joys of having a final year Uni project that I can do without the Uni interfering at all!

[Jaeih t`Radaik]

Although I didn't explain it in the story, and I probably should have put into this version, now that I think about it, the PADD contained the information about the Andromedan attack on a Federation starship.

Oh, I'd gathered that. I just think he'd have given some kind of negative reaction. He's Human, after all, not Vulcan.

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Yes, but a rather stoic, somewhat reserved human. And only half human at that.

[Commander La'ra]

And only half human at that.

Weren't his people the ones we saw launching cruise missiles at each other before assaulting their ancestral enemies in a screaming mob while the more heroic examples laughed in the face of death, firing gleefully at their attackers?

 

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Indeed.