Rumpelstiltskin

Posted on Sat May 1st, 2021 @ 8:05am by Lieutenant JG Aurelia Garrett

Mission: Side Posts
Location: Aurelia Garretts Quarters
Timeline: Following 'Warmest of Greetings Dearest Brother'

Aurelia had spent the previous day and this morning of the current showing her brother around Deep Space 12. Though he seemed to enjoy the masses of females swooning after him, he was distracted. Present in form but not here mentally. Garrett tried not to allow it to affect her mood or their time together but it was frustrating. She had arranged a dinner for them at the newest restaurant to pop up on the station, being all the rave since its grand opening, but Alijah had requested a quiet dinner for just the two of them. His preference for a 'private' dinner was all the indication she needed. The real reason Alijah had traveled all the way to DS12 to visit his sister would be revealed during this shared meal between the two. Aurelia swore to herself it would, she was done dancing around the subject.

Alijah's keen sense of fashion was one of the few traits he shared with his sister. Therefore, an unspoken challenge to out dress one another went on, and always would. The older Garrett had decided to wear a steal gray suit to dinner, dark cobalt shoes and a too white button down shirt he left unfurled at the collar giving his appearance a more causal look. He arrived at his sisters quarters ahead of the agreed upon time, but to his dismay Aurelia was expecting his early arrival and met him at the door the moment he tapped the chime.

The door opened to give way to Aurelia, dressed in a pantsuit far too conventional for a simple dinner. This unspoken game of who could out dress the other was childish, but entertaining for the siblings.

"Looking quite dapper for a Starfleet officer Lia." Alijah said by way of greeting.

"Yeah you look nice to. Ass." She tilted her head and gave her brother a toothy grin.

Aurelia had put together quite the spread of food for just the two of them, filling the entire table. She felt she was going over the top but the feeling hadn't helped her narrow down what dishes to replicate and which not to. Aurelia led her brother to the table, picking up the recently opened bottle of wine, given to her courtesy of the stations most talked about chef, Antonio Purosangue. When she had mentioned her brother visiting the chef was more then happy to meet any of her inquiries. Aurelia poured two glasses and handed one to her brother. He immediately brought the glass to his nose to sniff, inhaling deeply. Aurelia stood and waited for her brothers disapproval, or story of how earth wine was superior. To her surprise it never came. Alijah sipped the wine and gave a simple nod of approval.

Once seated Aurelia blurted, "Are you ready to tell me the real reason for this visit?"

Alijah, contrary to his sisters trepidation didn't even attempt to appear shocked or offended by the question. "You waited longer then I expected to question my intentions little sister."

Not pleased with her brother avoiding the question she remained stone faced across the table. Sighing Alijah spoke, "I have come to ask a favor of you."

Aurelia's brows scrunched together, "Oh?"

"Yes, and I would hope that you consider what is it I'm about to ask of you and keep in mind that I have never asked you for a single thing in our life's."

"Continue." Aurelia kept her mind blank of any assumptions she could draw and waited while her brother gathered his courage to elaborate.

"The subject of an heir has been weighing heavily on me, and our parents."

"So then procreate Alijah. Its not like you don't have plenty of opinions on partners."

"The issue is not that simple Lia."

"And why is that? Too picky?"

Alijah was quickly losing his patience with his sister. And Aurelia knew it but persisted.

"So you came all the way out here to vent about not having children? How am I supposed to help with that?" The moment the words left her mouth the conclusion clicked into place.

"You are fully aware how important it is to our parents that the estate and orchard is inherited by someone of our blood. That it stays within the Garrett family."

"Yes I know and I've never known anything more archaic."

Alijah sighed, looking at his sister from across the table. "I can not have children Lia. I have tried. I have seen doctors, the best earth has to offer. Its simply not an option for me."

"So then look OUTSIDE of what Earth doctors have to offer you." The pain in her brothers eyes was not an emotion she had ever seen there. Suddenly she was ashamed of her attitude in this moment, "I'm sorry. I- I don't see how I can help you Alijah."

"Aurelia, you are of ideal age to conceive a child. The results have already shown--"

"Results? What results?"

"Father contacted Starfleet and had your resent physical information sent to him to study."

Aurelia's mouth gapped open, her face a picture of pure disbelief, "You're lying, this is a joke. A sick joke Alijah." Her voice went up in octave towards the end of her sentence.

"Lia I have never lied to you."

"So what is your proposition? I conceive and child and HAND it over? I'm not in a stage in my life that I have time for a child, not to mention I'm not even in a relationship."

"Mother and Father have already found donors that would---"

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING JOKING."

"No, like I said already, I am not joking Lia. You wouldn't need to raise the child, after its born you can return to your career, to Starfleet."

Clearly out raged now and taken aback by this conversation Aurelia said, "I AM NOT SOME CATTLE ONLY GOOD FOR REPRODUCING. NOR AM I WILLING TO ALLOW YOU OR OUR PARENTS TO DECIDE WHOM I HAVE A CHILD WITH AND NOT TO MENTION I REFUSE TO HAND OVER ANY CHILD OF MINE. YOU HAVE ALL LOST YOUR DAMN MINDS." Aurelia shot up from her seat and glared at her brother with fury shed never felt before.

In a quiet, but deadly voice Aurelia continued, "I am beyond ashamed to be apart of a family whom not only refuses to support my career but has the audacity to ask such a thing of me. You don't care about me, you..." The words got caught in her throat as silver started to line her bright emerald colored eyes.

"Lia, I would ask that you at least consider what this sacrifice would mean to our family, to all future Garretts...to me. I understand that what I am asking for is a lot, colossal really. But as your brother I felt that had I been the one to ask, you would at see it in your heart to contemplate it.

They sat in silence for what could have been minutes, or hours.

"Get out."

"Lia."

"Get out, and get the fuck off this station."

"Stop acting like a child, you done nothing in your life to earn the last name you don. You weren't sent around the world to different schools to receive the best education, never taking a break for 15 years. You have sacrificed NOTHING for this family, and now when I come here to ask you for one simple thing--"

"SIMPLE? Carrying and birthing a child to just hand it over to be corrupted by the ideals of a family living in the past is SIMPLE? To carry a child and then be parted from it? TO GIVE IT UP IS SIMPLE?"

"If the roles were reversed I would do this for you."

"Well they aren't and I refuse. Now get the fuck out."

Alijah rose slowly from his seat at the untouched table. He hovered for a moment, opening his mouth as if to speak but thought against it and headed for the door. Pausing again in the threshold he turned and bore his identical emerald eyes into his sisters. Then quicker then he arrived, he left.

The door to Aurelia's quarters closed the same time a single tear plummeted down her cheek. Without thinking Aurelia picked up her glass of wine and shot it at the door. Shattering the glass and covering the door with dark red wine that cascaded down the door.