Tragedy from a Different Point of View

[Kairi 0]

Rikku Kassem was peacefully in the courtyard of her home. She was tending to her small flower garden, pruning and watering the exotic plants.

 

"Rikku, Rikku..." a urgent, yet familiar voice from the house had been calling for her. Rikku got up from her flowers and quickly stepped inside.

 

Sun-Li an older woman, in her late sixtys quickly approached Rikku. She was quite frantic as she began to speak. "Rikku have you seen the news?"

 

Rikku gently grabbed Sun-Li by the shoulders. "I've been in the garden all day." She smiled a bit, hoping it would soothe the older woman. "Calm down and tells me what's wrong."

 

But Sun-Li couldn't calm down. She couldn't understand why Rikku wouldn't understand. "It's about Kairi."

 

"What?"

 

Sun-Li took Rikku into the living room and turned on the viewscreen. It showed the horrors of a large building on fire, parts of it collapsed on itself.

 

Rikku was a little shocked at the scene, but then it hit her like a ton of bricks as she quickly covered her mouth. "Oh my God. Kairi was in that building."

 

She slowly sat down in a chair, her body seemed to have weakened somehow. Sun-Li moved to her to try and comfort Rikku, but the shock was still too great. She needed to know what was happening, and more importantly if her daughter was ok.

 

 

Rikku changed the image of the viewscreen and opened a channel. A young officer sat at the other end. "How can I help you ma'am?" answered the young man.

 

Rikku seemed to pause for a moment, trying to put together what she was going to say. "I...I need to know if my daughter Ensign Kairi Kassem is alright. She is crewmember of the Agincourt and was supposed to be in the ceremony."

 

The young man seemed a little surprised to get this call. He figeted for a moment and then responded. "Um...I'm sorry ma'am we aren't allowed to give out any information at this time."

 

Rikku seemed puzzled. "What? What do you mean you can't give the information. I need to know if she is alright," her tone changed to frustration.

 

"Ma'am calm down. I'm sorry but I can't say anything."

 

Rikku's tone changed to pure anger. Tears began streaming from her face. "How dare you tell me to calm down! We're talking about my daughter!"

 

The young man seemed a bit taken back from the sudden outburst. "Ma'am please I...." The transmission had been cut from Rikku's end. She was tired of listening to his excuses.

 

Rikku slumped back into her seat, not knowing what to do now. Sadness and confusion most of all sat on her mind. She was a woman who always knew what to do, but for some reason she seemed helpless now.

 

 

Sitting back up, she opened another comm channel, but this one seemed to take a little longer to connect. Finally the image of an older, stern but handsome man took up the screen. "Hey sweetheart. I wasn't expecting a call from you. We're almost to Rigel III."

 

Rikku was visibly upset, something that Charles Kassem wasn't used to seeing from his wife. He knew something was wrong. "Honey? What's wrong?"

 

Rikku was in tears now. Her voice wavering as she began to speak. "I need you. Something has happened to Kairi, and no one will help me."

 

"What?" confusion taking Charles by surprise. "What happened? I thought she was supposed to be on Earth for shore leave."

 

"There...there was an explosion in France, at the building she was in," Rikku barely managed to get it out.

 

Charles sat back in his seat, thinking of what he needed to do. "Alright, I'm coming home. This shipment can wait. I'll wake Richard up and let him know what's going on," pausing for a moment, to try and figure out how to tell Richard about his sister. "It may take us a while to get home. In the mean time you try to relax. I'll see you soon." The image on the screen went blank as the comm was closed.

 

Rikku felt a bit comforted at the thought of her family coming home.

 

She only hoped that Kairi would be able to do the same...