Putting The Cart Before The Horse
Posted on Tue Nov 20th, 2018 @ 4:44pm by Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant Commander Sonak
Edited on on Wed Apr 29th, 2020 @ 1:06pm
Mission:
Escaped Pantheons
Location: USS Hera, Deck 8, Commander Paris & Mr. Sonak's Quarters
Timeline: 2395, en route to the Galactic Core
Tags: Paris Kids
The evening had been wonderful and fulfilling, and the human astronaut of another age had slept peacefully and well. While often Rita Paris found comfort in being held by her mate as they slumbered, given that Sonak often slept on his back (thankfully free of snoring), she would often curl up possessively across his athletic frame. Her arm would drape across his chest even as her leg hitched up about his waist, her ankle hooked about his thigh. Some nights she would even hold him, as she also enjoyed feeling his broad, tautly muscled back against the softness of her bosom, her hand cupping his elbow as her legs tucked in beside his.
After said restful and contented night, morning found the Starfleet siren sitting up in bed, working with a PaDD in her hand, as per usual. While their time together at night was strictly reserved for just the two of them, be it entertaining others or just spending time alone together, in the mornings she often awoke early to get some work done in addition to taking a run and making them both breakfast. In this case though, she was contemplating something far in the future, plans for which had no real relevance yet, just having confirmed the planned decision with Sonak the night before. But it was on her mind, and thus she worked at it, to free it from her mental queue. Besides, while they might not be enacting the plan any time soon, it was nice, she found, to contemplate and solidify her plans for the future ever so slightly.
It had come to her attention through the course of recent events that having her plans set in motion tended to have a definite and direct effect on how the cosmos reacted to her plans.
Of course, Sonak was aware of her- he was always aware, even when seemingly asleep, as he had mastery of his consciousness. Although at the moment the much noisier mind he was sharing through their bond was up first thing in the morning, and choosing baby names. As such, she was debating stirring him, although she could already hear him rising to consciousness in response to her unvoiced desire for his input.
"I sense an emotional stirring in you."
While he hadn't moved nor even opened his eyes, but his voice betrayed that he had been awake for quite some time. Which surprised Rita not in the least. She knew he meditated early in the morning and he had explained to her that taking any specific posture to do so was only necessary for beginners; so that they could better feel the relation between their thoughts and sensations, between mind and body and learn to master both. But he was past that for decades now. He could go in and out of a trance at will in any position and at any moment. He thus routinely used the technique to ponder scientific problems with a speed and deepness that could challenge the average computer.
But the problem that was now before him could not be resolved by his internal musing. Of course he could reach to her mentally, but he always chose to let her express her thoughts and feelings freely and as she chose, instead of just foraging inside her head, like a Klingon targ in search of grubs. It was more respectful of her, and more challenging for him.
Judging by her frown and concentration, it did seem at the moment that there was a challenge set before them.
"Mmmmwell yeah, I guess it is stirring me up a bit," Rita agreed, stroking his arm beside her. "See, we've established that this universe runs on predestination. Events in the past affect events in the future, and the more groundwork we lay in the past, the more likely it seems to become for that reality to come to pass. So, with that said, with the decision to procreate in the future agreed upon, I feel the need to name them before one of our time traveling descendants pops up on our doorstep and tells us what we end up naming our children."
"I would prefer the decision be ours, not predestination that ambushes us. I'll admit my logic is a little shaky in that first bit, but time traveling descendants does sound like an actual viable issue given our lives. So- is my logic sound?" While she was seeking his approval, this was also a way to engage him- by vocalizing her thoughts she ordered them, and it relayed them to him from her perspective so that he could process it and offer insight.
Rita had a suspicion most marriages did not work this way, and she felt for those poor people.
The solemn scientist sat up beside her and frowned a bit.
"If there is one thing we both have learned, it is that we can never predict the future; but we can nevertheless prepare for it. There is no harm in planning our children's identity; and the more time we take, indeed the more time we have to make corrections if needed, and have our minds freed for more pressing concerns. Yes; your approach is sound."
There was a pause for contemplation before continuing.
"On Vulcan, naming has been formalized after the Awakening to reflect our new way of life. Starting with Surak, which all Vulcans call the Father of all that is Vulcan, all succeeding generations have adopted an alternating naming system based on his name's phonetics. Thus, all male names start with an S, followed by either a vowel or a consonant in alternate between father and son. Thus, I am Sonak, son of Skon, son of Sanek, son of Stenn... and so on up to Surak himself, adopted as the spiritual father of all."
"The same was applied to female names, but from Surak's own mate, Tylynn, then her daughter Tjia, her grandaughter Tolaan, her great granddaughter Tvao... and so on. Traditional Vulcan names thus designate males with an S and females with a T. The rest of the name is made up to express the uniqueness of the individual. My own name, for example, "onak" is inspired by an ancient Vulcan word meaning "rebirth of the mind," as my early powerful psionic abilities were deemed similar to those of ancient Vulcans of legend. "
Sonak looked at Rita with his luminous grey eyes.
"Vulcan tradition has the male child's name chosen by the father, and the female one by the mother. But; I am not a traditionalist, so I am not imposing our traditions on you. You are Human. You do not have to follow our traditions. I wish to have you have as much of say in this as I do."
"Good! Well, I do have some thoughts," Rita replied, shifting her hip to lie on her side to face he husband as they carried on this discussion. "They will be children of two worlds, and there will have to be some choice for them whether they will follow the logical path or the emotional course, unless they decide to be emotional Vulcans. If the half-human Vulcans I have seen in my research are any indication, my adaptable genetics just make it so that they are still Vulcans, just infused with whatever it is humanity adds to that mix."
"That said, my initial thought is that we would give them Human and Vulcan names, and they may choose to abandon one if they wish, or keep them both as it suits them. I mean, no one ever uses my middle name, not even you anymore, because it's just not a part of my name I care for. I don't use it so it never comes up. But we could give the kids three names. Although I understand you just have one name, which has to be confusing given how many Vulcans there are and the limits of the alphabet." Well-manicured fingers crept across the distance between them, her fingers running through his chest hair as she spoke. Always, always did she wish to touch him, reinforcing and reassuring her that he was there, that she was there.
"Vulcans have family names," Sonak said matter of factly. "But they are unpronouncable for Humans."
"All this time I did not know that. Huh. Sooooo, I was also thinking they could carry my surname, which is prouncable by lots of races. A Paris has served in Starfleet since before it was even called Starfleet, and if we are doing this, I would very much like to uphold that tradition. Again, the children could choose not to use it and I would respect that, and they will always know that as they grow up. But it would make me very happy were they to bear my family name."
"Which begs the question, if that is the human half of the naming convention, do we only give them Vulcan first names to go with it for balance?" Her eyes sought his, seeking his thoughts. Which she could hear, but she appreciated him letting her slow it down sometimes so they could take things at her mental pace, despite how energized her mind became from contact with his.
"This would seem logical. Giving them a Vulcan first name they could choose to go by alone as I do, and a Human middle name to go with your family name in case they decide to fully embrace their mother's heritage. We could legally add the Vulcan family name so that, in the advent of preferring their father's heritage, they could simply drop the whole middle as do you and go only by their Vulcan name, and thus fully claim it. Would they wish to have their full ancestry acknowledged, they would thus have it all as well."
"I... wow, that was easy. We are both of the same mind, willing to respect our children's choices as we present them with options. Okay, maybe we won't make the worst parents ever," Rita wisecracked. "I'm very pleased that we agree. So, I had some ideas." fishing around behind her, Rita sat up a bit and tugged the sheet around her modestly. Producing the PaDD she had been working on, she read from her notes.
"So, for our firstborn son, I was thinking S'kon Jack Paris. I didn't know about the naming convention, but I guess... maybe I did," Rita offered. "S'kon is a variant of your father's name, honoring the ancestor. Yeah, I guess I was researching in my sleep. But I like it, it's... noble. What does it mean?"
"From Kon' or one who knows emotions; most appropriate, as he will have to assume his human emotional side and decide to control it or live it. And indeed it would follow my father's lineage in a most honorable way."
"Good! So Jack I chose because it's is a hero's name, the name of an adventurer," Rita said wisftully. "I'd wish adventure for him in his life, after all, and best he be named as a hero. Jack Paris. Or S'kon Paris. Or just S'kon Jack, oooh. Or maybe Betsy, who knows?"
"It will be indeed a grand adventure, demanding much courage to assume his gifts of two worlds. A judicious choice."
"I am pleased that you approve," Rita smiled, snuggling her shoulder into him to show him the PaDD. "Were she a daughter, I thought T'Ping Valentina Paris. Just name her for both our mothers and carry on both family names. I know of the memories of your mother you've shared, and she seems like quite the formidable personage. My mother was welding together starships in orbit over Mars when Daddy carried her out of the factory after OCS. She was tough and resourceful and better than he deserved, and he always knew it. So... your thoughts?" Rita refocused from her pad, instead taking in the kolinahr master and awaiting his perspective.
"Indeed, my mother was a remarkable individual; exceptionally sensitive and logical. It is from her genetic lineage that I inherited my distinctive abilities. Hence her name coming from the words pris or to braid
"Again, most appropriate. I agree with your choices, Rita my wife. Our mindmelds seem to have joined us in spirit, as these are names I would have chosen myself."
The smile that lit up her face was one of happiness and excitement. "I have more... since, well, Hera said three, so I thought we could plan for that many at least, as it does no harm to do so. After all, the number of children we will have, given the medical intervention required, will be something quite controllable. Which," she held up a finger, "I say knowing full well that despite the best laid plans, there are always... possibilities."
"So for a son, assuming we don't recycle the first choice because the first child was a girl, I was thinking... Spock?" Rita winced a bit, naming the legendary explorer of their day, the first officer of the USS Enterprise under James T. Kirk. But the Ambassador Spock who had come to their timeline was a very different man, and a great man to whom they owed quite a lot. "I know it might be in poor taste, but his actions created the universe in which we met. Here we both died in transporter accidents, and never even met. And without his help and design you would never have been able to traverse time and dimension in relative space as you did with the 'Jellyfish'. Without Spock, we would never have come to be, and it might not be in the best of taste but... that was my thought. And Stuart, to honor our old friend and captain. Spock Stuart Paris."
Sonak took a moment before responding.
"It is not customary for Vulcans to have a name reused; each Vulcan name is meant to reflect the uniqueness of each individual. Hence why the security chief of the USS Voyager, Tuvok, had what should have been a feminine name; it was just like Jean in the language of the Americas was a woman's name when in the French language it was exclusively male. That being said, adding the name of our former commanding officer and friend and your family name would individualize him enough. And I understand your logic. Using Spock as his only name would represent a problem... but then, he could instead use Stuart as it follows traditional Vulcan naming structure and will certainly be unique to him. As a name with roots to Earth, it would become a new name with its own new meaning; 'Vulcan from Earth'. His lineage would be all the more celebrated."
“Well, that was… again, unexpected, and actually, okay, apparently the naming conventions aren’t that hard to work with,” Rita giggled slightly, surprised at how well this was going. “If we have another girl, I was thinking we could name her T’Pau, after the great negotiator and stateswoman of Vulcan.”
“I know, I know, I'm being derivative in all of these but… I like traditions. I want our children to feel a connection to their heritage, that bond to their past to help them bring those legacies into the future. On that note, I thought for a middle name we might name her after this captain, with a slight adjustment- Nalia is the shortening of Captain Telvan’s first name, and I would like for our theoretical daughter to bear the name of the starship captain who insured we could be reunited. So T’Pau Nalia Paris?” Rita looked expectantly to the theoretical future father of her theoretical children and waited to hear his theory on this name.
"Nalia would be most appropriate. But we have here the same problem as with the use of Spock," he reminded her. "But this daughter would not have the opportunity to use her middle name as her Vulcan name. So if I follow your reasoning and want to relate her to the legendary T'Pau, we could choose T'Kau, meaning "unifier;" sounding much like the celebrated name and sharing the symbolism."
“T’Kau… oooh, I like it! And I absolutely love the meaning, so you’ve made a perfect compromise there, m’love,” Rita was happy about this- considering it represented five minutes worth of work on her part. “That’s as far as I’d gotten, so I suppose if we were to be completist, we would likely need a name for our third child, just in case we have all boys or all girls. So, as I made the initial proposals and you have been so supportive, what are your thoughts for some hypothetical names for our hypothetical third child? I desire to hear your thoughts, my husband.”
He thought for a moment.
"Since we follow a pattern of Vulcan first name, Human second name and your family name before mine would be on the registry, I would propose Slan for a boy and T'Lan for a girl, from the name of the mountain I did my kolinahr training. As for the middle name, and since Human naming is different from Vulcan tradition, I can think of no better ones than, for a boy, Michael; and for a girl, Rita."
“Slan… Slan Michael Paris… I do like that. And T’lan… that’s beautiful, what does it mean?” It actually had never occurred to name a child after herself, but Rita did have to admit there was considerable appeal. While her middle name, her mother’s idea of a joke, had irritated her, the first name ‘Rita’ she had always loved and felt it suited her perfectly. The idea of potentially passing it on to another generation would never have occurred to her, yet she found it oddly flattering that her spouse would suggest it.
"L'langon was the mountain were I became a kolinahr master; so, either male or female, our child would bear the name of that mountain, a place of reflection, trial and achievement."
“Well, that would certainly suit a youngest child. Why Slan and not S’Lan? Just flows better, or is the apostrophe significant? Wait-“ As she often did, the lost navigator changed course in the middle of her own question. She began to ask if were the child a boy, why he could not be named directly after Sonak, but he had explained that, and the eldest already would bear that responsibility. Following the naming conventions as she understood them, there was no rearrangement of Sonak’s name that she liked at all other than S’kon, which for some reason she had a very distinct feeling was going to be exactly who they welcomed to the world, years from now. “No, I answered my own question, and it was stupid.”
Sonak shook his head.
"There is no such thing as a stupid question; but there can be stupid answers."
He looked at her, eyebrow slightly arched.
"Posing questions and discarding them is an answer in itself; that the question needs to be further thought about in order to truly lead to a valid answer. And that is the basis of wisdom; not to know all the answers, but to understand the questions."
It genuinely surprised her how oddly happy this discussion was making her, when she realized that it was very simple- they were making plans for the future. For the three years of their association, they had simply reacted to the universe, taking in stride what it offered and dealing with it threw at them.
They had never planned for the future, because they lived in the moment, never knowing what the next day might bring. This was very different for them- a long term plan implied that they would still be together, and able to enact those plans. It meant that they were not merely living in the moment, but building a future for themselves. It seemed the concept of continuing her Starfleet legacy filled her with a pride she had never known. While her father had always taken great pride in the Paris name and heritage in Starfleet, Rita had been the rebellious, headstrong daughter, fighting her father’s control at every step along the way.
But her father was nothing more than a historical footnote, and she and Sonak were free to carve whatever destiny for themselves and their descendants as they saw fit. They could encourage their children to pursue their dreams and aspiration, and give them the tools to be great, whatever they chose to do with their lives. She would not be a slave to the patterns of the past, and Sonak was easily the most adaptable being she had ever met- his discipline gave him self-control, which then enabled him to adapt to any challenge the universe could throw at him, and more.
It was too much to express aloud, so instead she simply held up her hand to him, palm toward him, in a silent request for contact. He could understand her instantly, and analyze her feelings and thoughts far easier this way, and this was too significant to risk diluting with words. What she felt in her heart at the prospect of an actual future with him and more in their family was so great, it could only truly be conveyed through the bond that he shared with her.
Sonak may not have any emotional need, but there was nevertheless a genuine satisfaction in the way his relationship with this most unique human female brought about endless wonderment. the disagreements were as constructive as the agreements they so easily came to. She was a most fascinating paradox as she was intensely emotional and yet capable or as powerful logic and reasoning as any Vulcan, full of uncertainties and yet showing admirable self-control and focus when it was ever needed.
She was an amazing and wonderful paradox he longed to explore as much as whatever all the universe could offer. He could see the whole universe, universes even, through her and within her.
His two fingers went to her with his eyes; and his katra. Her open hand folded to adapt to his overture, and Rita engaged Sonak as he silently requested, delighted by his indulgence as always.
A future, one they built together was filled with infinite possibilities. They both wished to teach at the Academy, to share what they had learned in their adventures in time and space, while teaching their own children and preparing them for adventures amongst the stars. Asa family they could explore the wonders of her homeworld, while taking vacations on Vulcan to see the sights and vistas once lost to them, now restored in a timeline undamaged as their native one. Children of two worlds, raised by parents proud of their heritages without being exclusionary, they would be raised to know both. Growing up they could choose to embrace either or both or neither, and they would be supported in their choices by their parents, who would nearly always be of like mind. Which still made her giggle as he raised an eyebrow slightly.
As their minds blended and she felt their souls intertwine, her mind raced and she realized S'pok is unique and would only get him a double take! You're a genius!
Hardly, he thought back to her. It was your idea. I merely bowed to your logic.
