| Date & Time: | Day 01, 1300 |
| Location: | Lt. Commander Preston’s Office |
| Written By: | Lt. Commander Freya Preston Lieutenant Rhys Bennett Lieutenant Choyi Zaimu Ph.D. |
| Post Date: | 03/01/2026 |
| Episode: | Ep. 2 – On Shaky Ground |
Rhys Bennett was still at a loss for words as he approached the office belonging to the station’s Executive Officer. He’d looked over his shoulder a couple times before finally hitting the small button on the door panel to let her know he was standing there. Only when he heard her voice from the other side did he enter the office to find the Exec alone, “I need to talk to you… And Counselor Choyi,” He added the last part after a brief pause.
Freya was checking her daughter’s science homework when she heard the chime and authorized the person on the other side to enter. She looked up to see the Science Chief standing there, and then heard what he’d said. She tilted her head slightly before nodding, “All right Lieutenant,” She said with a warm smile.
Freya was genuinely curious, but she reached over and hit the communicator on her desk. “Commander Preston to Counselor Choyi, can you come to my office please?” She was gesturing to the Lieutenant at the same time that he could take a seat.
=/\=Zaimu had been in her office when she was requested, “I’ll be there shortly Commander,” She said and put down the datapad she was reading.=/\=
Rhys sat down and waited until he’d heard the door behind him open, he turned to see the Counselor standing there. The science officer sighed and lowered his shoulders as the seeing part was still far outpacing the believing part. “So, ten years ago I was dating a girl named Isabelle Duncan and she up and left. I tried to find her, but after less than a month I gave up and assumed she just left and didn’t want to say why.
“Earlier I was sitting in the promenade when her parents showed up on the station with two children. They insist that these two children are ten years old and the children of myself and Isabelle Duncan, but they don’t know what happened to Isabelle.” Rhys told the two of them after recounting a piece of the story.
Freya blinked rapidly, it was the twenty-fourth century and this sort of thing still happened in the Federation. She didn’t know whether or not she believed what her science chief had just sat there telling her or not. “You’re certain these are Isabelle Duncan’s parents?”
Rhys nodded, “I’ve met them previously, though it took me a short bit to recognize them and they are who they say they are. On my way up here I stopped by security and was able to confirm that all four of them were on this morning’s transport as registered passengers.” He answered the Exec with a soft voice.
Zaimu had her arms crossed, “This sort of thing was pretty commonplace during the occupation,” She pointed out. “Though circumstances were a bit different,” She looked at the Lieutenant, “Do you believe what they’re telling you?”
Rhys shrugged, “I’m working on that part Counselor,” He answered her. “The timeline matches up, they told me that about six years ago both children were left on their doorstep and they were able to confirm that both children belonged to their daughter Isabelle. But, it took them another six years to figure out who the father was.”
“That’s a long time,” Zaimu said, “Part of that time may have also been spent trying to raise the children themselves. Are they an older couple?”
“Yeah,” Rhys answered the Counselor. “They stated pointedly, they’d spent the last six years trying to figure out who was the father then trying to locate me once they’d figured it out.” He sighed, “Commander it’s not that I don’t believe this. It makes sense because of the kind of person Isabelle was, she may have left and found out she was pregnant. Then she was too afraid to say anything to me, and tried to raise them on her own.
“It could have been too much or something far more sinister and rather than trying to figure out where I was, she took them to her parents.” Rhys explained more to himself than the two in the office with him, “Their grandparents knew they couldn’t take care of the children forever so they spent time trying to search for me.”
Freya looked at the officer and could tell he was nervous, but that he genuinely wanted to step up and be a father. She smiled warmly knowing that Rhys seemed to be a good man, “How do the children seem?” She asked.
Zaimu was just about to ask that question then heard the Exec asking, she secretly noted that perhaps they should switch jobs. The Bajoran managed to hide a smirk on her face by looking away and covering her mouth as if she were yawning. Then she returned her gaze back onto the two of them, “Yes, I was just about to ask that.”
“Nervous,” Rhys said, “Afraid,” He shrugged. “They seem like they’re afraid of being rejected and they probably felt that way when their mother dropped them off. Commander, even if it comes out that this is all one big lie I’m not going to just abandon them.” He’d already made that decision for himself and for them.
Freya continued to hold the warm smile, “Well Isabelle Duncan’s DNA should be in the Federation database as is yours. Counselor if you would be so kind as to escort both children to the infirmary so we can confirm everything is in order.”
Zaimu nodded, “I can do that, it’ll give me a chance to analyze them without being too forceful.” She stood up, “Lieutenant I’m here for you if you need anything at all,” She told him. Zaimu realized that her hands were going to be quite full with everything going on.
“They’re in the guest quarters assigned to them,” Rhys told the Counselor.
Zaimu nodded again, “All right. I’ll let you know how this goes,” She told both Freya and Rhys before she left the office and the two of them sitting there.
Rhys watched as she left then he turned his attention back onto the Commander, “I’ll need bigger quarters. They both need their own room, they are opposite genders.” He told her, “Riley and Todd.” The words fell from his mouth as he still struggled to believe what was going on.
Freya leaned all the way forward, “There are some larger family quarters that haven’t been assigned yet. I’ll submit the move as soon as we’re done here Lieutenant,” She told him while also working on what she was telling him. “But first I want to know how you’re feeling right now. This is a pretty big deal. Have you sorted Isabelle’s movements?”
Rhys shook his head, “I don’t know how I’m feeling Commander.” He admitted rather sheepishly, “I haven’t really thought about Isabelle in ten years, and now I don’t know where to even begin. I’m sure Riley and Todd want answers to what happened to their mother. I want answers, hell her parents want answers.” He sighed as he looked at the wall nearby. This entire situation was just so bizarre that he didn’t know what to say or do.
Freya finished getting everything ready to go, “I’ll have some operations personnel come gather your belongings so that your quarters can be moved. I’m sure this is a lot to take in, but you have all of us here to help you. And, the Captain is a single dad he can help you too.” She told him.
Rhys tried to smile, but as he sat there listening to what the Exec had to say he couldn’t think about anything else. He needed to know what happened to Isabelle, he needed to know why she’d done this. All the nefarious things going through his mind as he sat there listening and waiting for news, “I’m going to talk to Lieutenant ch’Vyrhor and she if he can find anything out.”
“That’s an excellent idea,” Freya told him. “Your quarters move request is through,” She said to him. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
“I will,” Rhys said as he stood up. He left the office, his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, feelings, and emotions that he couldn’t quite sort. It was enough to make his brain itch as he struggled to think about anything else.