BACKPOST: Place of safety
Posted on Tue Aug 18th, 2026 @ 10:05pm by Lieutenant Commander Talia Johnson & Lieutenant Colonel Ashok 'Ash', Son of Norath & Cirilla
3,146 words; about a 16 minute read
Mission:
Kintsugi
Location: Crew lounge
Timeline: Before: On The Assault - Part 9 - batlh bIHeghjaj
Talia was sitting in the lounge with her newborn son, given that the lounge itself was an emergency shelter when needed she felt safer being here than in quarters. It was an odd feeling not being on the bridge, but she was on maternity leave and right now protecting her son was what was important.
Ashok walked down the corridor, a little girls backpack hanging from his shoulder and a pet carrier in his right hand, while his other hand was holding onto his daughters hand as they walked. He was eager to get to the shuttle bay to get his Ciri on board and off the ship. They were going into battle and there was no certainty their ship would be safe from being boarded.
As he reached the lounge, nodding his way through the security posted there, he entered and paused at the gathering of people inside. Ashok didn't understand why they would stay and risk their lives during a battle like the one they were about to begin. Against an enemy who has shown they wouldn't spare anyone from this conflict in order to win.
"Daddy? Aren't we going to the shuttle?" Cirilla asked softly, looking around at everyone there. So many different people in one place. While her father was carting her off somewhere else, there were so many people here. Staying behind. She could even spot some children. Some her own age.
"I'm just seeing if we can get you something other than rations, Cirilla. Come on." Ashok replied as he made his way to the counter to speak to someone about any food they could part with for Cirilla's trip off the ship.
Talia watched as people arrived. Some staying, some just coming and going. Getting up she walked across to the counter to ask for a drink and something to eat, whilst cradling her sleeping son. She offered a nearby little girl a warm smile as she did so.
Cirilla looked up at the woman, offering a smile in return, before her eyes shifted to that of the baby in arms which only made her eyes widen. As she looked up, the hair covering her ears shifted slightly, revealing their points. "Hello." She said in a soft and innocent tone. "My name is Cirilla. What's your name?"
“Hello Cirilla” Talia smiled warmly as she crouched down to Cirilla’s height. “I’m Talia and this is my son Wyatt. Are you new here? I don’t remember seeing you before.”
Cirilla's eyes jumped from Talia to the baby Wyatt. She raised her hand to touch the child, before quickly pulling away. Unsure if that was the right thing to do without permission. She looked back to Talia and asked softly. "May I?"
Talia smiled and nodded noting the consideration paid in asking first. “Of course you can.”
"Hi, Wyatt."" She whispered softly with a smile as he placed her finger on the newborns small chest. "I'm Cirilla." The little girl smiled as the newborn reached for her finger, squeezing it as tight as a newborn could. "I came with my Daddy and his soldiers. He's their leader." Cirilla replied, as best she could, looking back to Talia. "We just came on board and now, my Daddy, says I need to go because its going to be dangerous."
Talia nodded. “That’s a shame, but if your daddy is doing what he thinks is best for you. Hopefully we won’t be away for too long and you’ll be able to come right back onboard.” She smiled warmly.
Ashok was softly debating with the man at the counter, overhearing the conversation between his daughter and the mother with the newborn child. He seemed to just let it pass, soon she would be on the shuttle and far from here, but when Talia mentioned her hoping to see Cirilla's return, he turned his head towards them.
"I hope so." Cirilla replied softly, her eyes bouncing from baby Wyatt, to Talia, and back again. "Daddy says the aliens we are fighting wont be nice to anyone not fighting." After saying that, the thought seemed to occur to her that there were still people on board, which only made her even more curious. As she did, when struck by curiosity, she felt she had to ask a question. She looked back to Talia, as the smile faded from her face to a serious one, as she asked softly. "Why aren't you and Wyatt leaving?"
“To be honest I feel it’s better for my son to be here with me. At the moment it’s important for him to bond with his daddy and myself, plus I would rather he be here with us than somewhere where he could be put in danger if anyone decided to make a surprise attack.” Talia gave her son a tender kiss on his forehead. “I don’t think I could sleep at night not knowing if I’d made the right decision in sending him away. At least here I know he’s safe with us, if it was really too dangerous families would most likely be evacuated off ship to the nearest safe place.”
"They should be." Ashok interjected with a firm and deep tone. He clenched his fist as he looked down towards Talia. He tried to keep calm, knowing she had a child with her and Cirilla was here, but he couldn't keep it down. At most, he unclenched his fist, and added sternly. "Standard protocol for a battle like this is to evacuate all civilian personnel. More important, Starfleet Officer's are to ensure the the safety of their families. An enemy, like the ones we are facing, require all non-essential personnel to be evacuated to a safe location." He let out a soft growl, one formed of frustration, in an attempt to keep from flying into a rage. "They have shown no regard when it comes to those in uniform and those not in uniform. Everyone here, in this lounge, are in danger of losing more than a night's sleep. Don't you understand that?" He looked away for a moment before looking back to her as he whispered softly. "There is no way of ensuring this ship, and everyone on board it, will survive this battle. Why not get those you love off of it to make sure the next generation can carry on in your name and memory?"
Talia rose to her feet offering Cirilla a smile before turning her attention to her father. “I can sense your feelings as well as see them Colonel, with all due respect that decision rests with each and every parent onboard not just this ship but others as well. There is the option of leaving our children here, but what happens if that safe place comes under enemy attack while we’re all off saving the galaxy? Who is going to be there to save our children then? Perhaps this is a dangerous place for my son to be, but at least I know he’s here with me and that I can protect him.”
"You're arguing what if's when the fact remains that this ship is leading the battle." Ashok rose from his seat and stared firmly at the woman. However, while his tone and face showed anger, inside there was only fear. Fear for his daughter. Fear for everyone on board. It was difficult to protect people who walk into danger with little regard for those around them. "It's going to be front and center, while those who have left and are away, still have an opportunity to escape. We, this ship, could protect those people in that escape by keeping our enemy at bay and focused on us. The people on this ship need to be prepared to sacrifice themselves for the ones who are away from the battle to escape. That sacrifice is tainted when those we are willing to die for are not willing to distance themselves and escape should this mission fail. People need to survive to life on and tell everyone what happened here."
Cirilla looked between her father and Talia not sure what to do, but when she heard her father in that tone he uses when he's upset, she grew afraid. He was talking about people fighting and not coming back. The little girl took her fathers hand and squeezed it tightly. "Daddy?" She said in a soft tone.
"Do you think, because I am Klingon, that seeing people around me dying means nothing? That I'll see their death as a sacrifice and some kind of great honor and it would bring me some kind of ease because when I die I will see them again?" Ashok scoffed, looking away from the woman, before focusing back on her. "I don't want anyone to die, unless that death comes at the cost of protecting others. If you had asked me 4 years ago if I would have cared if people remained behind on a ship headed to battle, I would have brushed it off because it was their decision to place themselves in harms way. To laugh at death and challenge his mercy. Since my daughter has come into my life, I value all innocent life and want nothing more for them to live on and grow up to see the Universes beauties and everything it has to offer. However, this ship, has questioned whether serving her is even safe for my little girl to grow up since everyone on board is willing to go forward into battle with no regard for those innocent lives. Your Captain, Miss Talia, was prepared to go into battle with a child at full term in her stomach. What kind of person, what mother, would risk the life of their child for glory and victory. Even Klingon's won't allow that." He look at her oddly, his eyes watery from the thought of losing everyone on board, because he couldn't do anything to protect them. "There is no honor in putting an innocent life in danger. That kind of glory costs far too much."
“Do you seriously think that any of us are planning to sacrifice ourselves? Yes, we are heading into danger but the Captain wouldn’t sacrifice anyone. This crew and this ship have been through hell and back, we know how to survive against the odds Colonel.” She offered Cirilla a gentle, caring smile. “Do you think I’d be here with my son if I thought we weren’t coming out of this? I can sense your fear, and I don’t blame you for being afraid for Cirilla. Trust in my husband Colonel, he won’t lead us into anything we can’t win, if he thought we were going to lose this he’d send us off ship that I know for a fact.”
"No one plans on it, but should this enemy become too much for them to handle, there is no shame in laying down ones life to save others. If your husband is as good of an officer as you say, then I am sure he understands that. Not every battle can be won. Not every plan goes through perfectly. Sometimes things happen that force us to make adjustments. No one every want's to be put in that position, but should it come, you have to decide on whats better for those you are fighting for. I hope... I pray that your husband or I never have to make that decision, but like me, he seems to be someone who understands that preserving you and your sons life is more important and giving his own is a price he's willing to pay. I would never want to be in that position, but if I ever was, I know I would give up my life so she could stay alive." Ashok said as he placed his hand on Cirilla's head. "I do believe your husband would fight till his last breath for those here, but also know that my and my soldiers would do the same to keep him in your life. That's what we trained for. I am don't see it as a bad thing as long as its in the service of others."
“I hope it never comes to that” Talia added as she gave Cirilla a comforting smile. “I know the risks for my family, and I’d sacrifice myself to save them just as much as you would. If I sent my son away to a safe place, then something happened at that so called safe place then I’d never forgive myself for not being there. At least here I have that chance to protect my child.”
Ash felt they were talking in two difference languages. While he understood the need to keep Cirilla close, in order to protect her, he also knew he had a job to do. It was part of his job to protect her, but also defend this ship against a very dangerous threat who could bypass their shields and has show to be able to kill indiscriminately. He knew, a battle like this, he could die. However, that chance also increased for Ciri if she were to remain on board. Battles don't often stop when an opponent is weak enough. They continue and will often keep going until there is no one left to fight. They escalate and Ashok feared most of it escalating to the point where everyone would be in danger. This battle was meant to push or defeat the Iconian forces, but there was no promise it would. So, to him, safety was to put as much distance between this fight and Ciri. At the very least, if they were to get defeated, the Starbase would have enough to time to pull out as many people as possible should the Iconian Herald's advance on it. He was a Warrior. He knew this tactic very well. Why couldn't anyone else? Why is everyone here so quick to risk innocent lives? How could a Starfleet Officer ever have a mindset like that?
He placed his hand on Ciri's head and saw the look in her eyes. Ciri wouldn't want to go, even if he explained it to her. She was surrounded by new people and, at her age, she couldn't understand the amount of danger they were in. Ashok just let out a troubled sigh, knowing he was trapped between a rock and a hard place.
Talia paused understanding the viewpoint from the other side. “In the long run the decision is yours, as much as it is mine. My point of view maybe tainted with a new mother’s outlook, but I know you see it from the danger angle. You’re the parent, what you say goes.”
Ashok looked down at Ciri, placing his hand on her head before running it through her hair. His eyes went back to Talia. "I know there is a chance this will go badly, but there is no assurance it will. Either way, Commander, it's a gamble. One can never know what the outcome will be without pushing forward." He looked back down to his daughter, who offered him a smile, before he looked back up to the woman again. "Can you promise me you'll keep her safe? Protect her like a fierce mother would her own children?"
“I’ll do my upmost” Talia nodded. “I won’t allow harm to my own child, let alone anyone else’s. We’re a family and we look out for each other.”
Ashok nodded to Talia, offering a smile in return, hiding his reluctance. There was a battle raging on inside him about what was the best plan to keep her safe, but while there was nothing wrong with his own instinct and decision, the Counselor did make a good point. Neither option was the right or wrong one, but he had to consider those around him and relying on them to hold things together while he was gone. They too had people they were at risk of losing and looking out for one another was one of the ways they would see each other through it.
The Klingon got down on one knee and looked at Cirilla, giving her a big smile, as he whispered softly to her. "You're going to stay here, Ciri. Talia here is going to watch out for you. Listen to her and don't give her any trouble." As he placed his forehead ridges to hers, he closed his eyes and added softly. "Stay strong, my little one. Protect those smaller than you and help those bigger than you."
"Are you coming back, Daddy?" Cirilla asked in her soft tone.
"Always." Ashok whispered, giving her a big smile as he held back his sadness from having to be away from her. "But you know how it goes. Daddy has to go stop the bad from taking away some of the good." He ran a hand through her hair and added softly. "You know I love you, right kiddo?"
"I know." Ciri whispered back before wrapping her arms around her father. "I love you too, Daddy."
Ashok hugged her back, holding her as tight as he could, before letting her go. He gave her one more big smile before kissing her on her forehead ridges and standing up. He gave his daughter one more look, before shifting his forcus to Talia. He knew she could sense it. Despite the strong front he was showing, inside he was just barely holding it together. Trying to hold on long enough to get his head back to the mission at hand.
He gave Talia a nod and smile, before walking away from the two towards the door. Allowing his fingertips to slide slowly out of his daughters small grasp, as he turned to head to the door to head out to do his job. Every thought of coming back to Cirilla made him stronger and pushed him to fight even harder. She was always his motivation to return. Before, he would make sure she was tucked away somewhere out of danger, but this time he was keeping her close to it. Relying on others to keep her safe for him. It was a hard decision, but one he would need to get used to make. Just as he had to get used to being a father when he first found her.
Talia gave Cirilla a smile. “Don’t worry you’ll be safe here, that I promise you.”
Lieutenant Colonel Ashok 'Ash', Son of Norath
Marine Commanding Officer
U.S.S. Tokyo
&
Cirilla, Daughter of Ashok
Civilian/Child
U.S.S. Tokyo
&
Lieutenant Commander Talia Johnson
Chief Counsellor
U.S.S. Tokyo
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