"Ceremony of the Arrow"

[Kansas_Jones 0]

1.27.07

USS Agincourt NCC-81762

“Ceremony of the Arrow”

 

It was a beautiful afternoon, but MVess “Left Ear” JoNs paid no attention to the weather. After making a three day trip on a freighter from her current assignment, stopping at SF headquarters to find out something more, anything more, regarding the Agincourt, she started traveling the short distance to the neighborhood where her relatives had lived for well over thirty years. The restored earth home came into view, and the Caitian picked up her pace. The warm brown accents of the home and the meticulously tended garden were inviting, but she was unable to enjoy the sight. Dark thoughts kept corrupting her mind. As she reached the open door to the historic home, a black blur came whooshing out to meet her, meowing. Despite the heaviness that permeated her chest, Left Ear smiled and offered the domesticated feline a pet. Purring enthusiastically, Molly led the Caitian into the home.

 

Upon entering, she spotted two of her brothers immediately - Srrett and Ravirr - talking quietly in the little sitting alcove off of the main entrance. The three siblings all clasped forearms and hugged in greeting to one another. Like her, they were both in uniform.

 

“Is everyone here?”

 

Ravirr nodded at his younger sister. “Those of us that were able to come, yes. Aunt and Uncle are in the Family Room. Grand Elder is with them.”

 

A family’s grand elder was the equivalent to a human grandparent. If MVirran was here, then that could be a really bad thing or a really good thing. The elder matron did not get out as much as she once had, and Left Ear hoped that her grand elder making the journey from Cait to Earth was not the foresight into a funeral for the family’s future.

 

Left Ear nodded and took leave of her two brothers, heading through the house toward the family room. She made quick contacts with her parents and the remainder of her family along the way. Her middle brother, Vrrowl, his wife, and their four children were in attendance. She went over to the little family to say hello. The children, aged eight to twelve, were admiring a picture of Mrrett in her dress uniform, taken just prior to her shipping out on the Agincourt. Vrrowl began to quietly tell his children the story of how their older cousin had been present at the VDC bombing and helped to save lives. MVess sighed. Part of her wanted the children to follow them into Starfleet, and yet, another part of her did not. Vrrowl himself had retired from the service four years ago, taking over a civilian medical practice.

 

Left Ear continued on her way, the pet cat Molly was still walking with her. The domesticated feline was acting almost in the capacity of a Vanguard Escort, the role that would have fallen to the now eldest brother, Ravarr, had he been able to make this gathering. Very odd.

 

The middle aged officer entered the family room, hovering in the doorway out of respect. The cat just up and pounced into the room, making a beeline for her Caitian owners. Srrch and Mrree were speaking quietly with MVirran, all three of the Caitians sitting on the plush chairs surrounding a well used cherry wood coffee table; steaming mugs of T’la’pow were set on the table. They turned and rose at Left Ears entrance.

 

She went to her uncle, her father’s brother, and clasped forearms with him. She hugged Mrree.

 

“Any news MVess?” Mrree spoke quietly, and it was evident by her haggard appearance that the mothers worry ran deep. Her paw gripped Left Ears upper arm with a feverish strength born of inner pain.

 

“Not beyond what we already know. The Agincourt is still missing and the fragmental debris salvaged all point to the fact the Gideon was destroyed. There is still no information on whoever caused the skirmish, only that they escaped, and the Agincourt was in pursuit of them.”

 

Srrch and Mrree grasped paws again; Left Ear was reminded of her own parents doing the same action twenty years prior, as they waited on word regarding their eldest son MRirr…he had been killed in action while serving on the Odyssey. Please, not again. She is young, full of life, with a promising career ahead of her. She forcibly pushed away the dark thoughts as they again threatened to overwhelm her.

 

Grand elder MVirran slowly made her way to Left Ear, her body frail but her eyes bright with intelligence. She gently took the middle aged Caitian’s paws in her own. “Starfleet seems to have lost your guardian child, MVess.”

 

Did she mention that her grand elder had a moderate dislike of Starfleet? Left Ear merely offered a knowing smile to her grandmother and remained quiet.

 

“But, enough of this talk, Guardian; we have other matters to attend to, for our Mrrett’s sake.”

 

Dislike of the Fleet yes, but a respect for those that served, as well as an extreme love for all her grandchildren.

 

“No. I will not perform the ceremony.” Mrree’s purred voice came out strong and there was no faltering or supposititiousness in the tone. The woman did not want any parts of what was to happen. MVess had known her aunt would be a hard sell on performing the ceremony.

 

Srrch looked at his wife and placed his free paw on her shoulder. “Mrree…”

 

“No! It’s…too final. I refuse to give up on her like this.”

 

MVirran calmly observed her daughter in law. “It is not meant to be final, only another pathway for her to take in her journey, wherever it leads her and wherever she may be.”

 

Left Ear, while not necessarily a regular practitioner of the Caitian faith, did have a certain amount of respect for it. She ventured to speak. “Aunt Mrree, if…” she was careful to place an emphasis on the if part,”…something has happened to Mrrett, this will guide her soul home. And if she is fine, then we will honor her as the Caitian warrior that she is.”

 

Mrree abruptly left the little group to wander over to the large picture window overlooking the backyard. Her stance was wire tight, her back to the three remaining adults. Everyone wisely remained quiet, giving the parent the space she needed. And the time to come to terms with her inner turmoil, if that was possible. Left Ear could not imagine the pain of not knowing if her child was alive or dead. It was an inconceivable onslaught to the emotions.

 

After a short time Mrree turned back toward them, looking from her niece to her mother in law to her husband, sighed, and then nodded her acceptance in a single, decisive nod. Her eyes showed pain and weariness.

 

MVirran slowly walked over to Mrree and gently took her daughter in laws paw in her own, an action that symbolically spoke of a shared pain. “Then, let us all begin the ceremony.”

 

With that statement, Molly shot off of the chair she had been lying on and ran out to where the remainder of the JoNs family was gathered. Her plaintive meows carried and could be heard well into the family room.

 

Left Ear just had to ask, and looked to her uncle in question. “Uncle, your pet seems to be acting as a Vanguard for the ceremony…how...”

 

Srrch put a paw up, gently interrupting his niece. “We decided it was best not to dwell on the subject, and let her go.” Despite the seriousness of the situation, he managed a quiet chuckle. “Domesticated earth cat, Caitian’s…this is all in the family as the humans say.”

 

The remainder of the family began to trickle into the family room after being “summoned” by the little ankle biter to prepare for the short ceremony. Left Ear’s nephew, Ravas, carried the picture he and his brother and sisters had been admiring earlier.

 

The eight year old handed the holographic enthusiastically to his great grandmother. “Grand elder! Mrrett is nick named for an old earth state thing. Isn’t that weird?”

 

Vrrowl merely rubbed a temple at his son’s remark. His older daughter rolled her golden eyes at her brother’s remark. Left Ear hid a smile behind a paw; at least her own moniker was “obvious”.

 

MVirran though, merely smiled and placed a paw on her grandchild’s head. “Yes, it is strange for a Cait to be called after an earth territory. But, Kansas,” the ‘s’ came out heavily accented from the older matron, “has been called that for a long time now, and it seems to suit her.”

 

“What’s suit mean?” Vrrowl gently guided his son back over to him, forestalling any further inquiries.

 

Everyone took their places, and the clan matriarch began lighting the candles that had been set up for the ceremony. The candles carried a calming scent through the room, at odds with the worry permeating the group.

 

The JoNs family, tribe Honorscar, representatives of clan Shadow Pride, proceeded with the Ceremony of the Arrow. The hope was that the ceremonial prayers spoken would guide their own lost traveler, as well as the Agincourt crew, home where they belonged, straight as an arrow.

Edited January 28, 2007 by Kansas_Jones