Star Trek: Starbase 777 - k’koshi’s-house

Being here again, on Oni'DeS, arguably made Veldan more anxious than being at his family's house on Mol'Rihan. Because he knew all these streets, people he had got to know were passing by, giving him hugs and friendly hellos. It wasn't all unlike 777, in the way that people were greeting him left right and centre. He never actually thought he would be back here at all, given how he so unceremoniously left. He walked past the bar that had become so familiar to him - he went from sleeping outside it to working behind it in the span of two weeks - K'Koshi's work, which included Veldan himself. Without that Klingon Veldan would genuinely be dead, and not once did he ask for anything in return. As if fate had arranged it, this train of thought ended when he saw the afformentioned Klingon's house, still standing tall. He had last been here only a few months ago, but it had seemed like forever to the small boy who had to leave. Going up to the front door and clutching the pendant around his neck, Veldan banged the knocker four times, hoping K'Koshi, his unofficial foster father, was in.

K'Koshi's weary bones were grateful for the reprieve from a long day. He'd prepare something to eat soon, but for now, some time to himself would be fine; not that he had much else to do. He'd been content in his solitude before that boy had come along, but now he occasionally found himself looking out the window, wondering just what became of him since he left. ... Even now. He shook himself from his daze at the sound of the door, standing up straight to cross the room & answer it. Looking down, he found himself face to face with someone familiar— someone familiar, but maybe... a little stronger, a little healthier. "Child." He was alive. K'Koshi was relieved. The last he'd seen Veldan, he was already on his way on a shuttle to who-knows-where, and K'Koshi was wiping blood from his mouth. The elder Klingon opened the door a little wider, preparing to welcome the young Romulan inside. "You've returned. Is it of your own will? Are you safe?"

The child grinned. "Yes, and yes. I came of age - by law I am no longer under my father's custody." And all the better Veldan was for it. He was also working to get a restraining order on Solon, but that would take ages to get through the red tape of Romulan Government. "It's good to see you, K'Koshi - I've learnt some things while I've been gone, both about my family, my friends, and myself." Veldan explained as he walked through the door and got hit with the most nostalgic feeling of his life. Everything from the walls to the furniture to the slightly-ashen smell in the air from K'Koshi's job. Veldan felt home, a feeling that he had been flooded with ever since his birthday.

K'Koshi let out a non-committal "hmm" in response, eyeing cautiously out the door before closing it behind Veldan. No sign of anyone following him. Better to be safe than sorry. "Good. I would like to hear about all that you have learned on your travels. Are you hungry? I was going to make some soup. There will likely be enough for two regardless." His hand fell to Veldan's shoulder— a strong, but reassuring hold. "You are staying somewhere safe now? Somewhere steady?" He had no idea where he'd gone after taking off on the shuttle, but the last answer he was expecting was a Federation Starbase.

Ohohohohohohohohoho, he had a lot to tell K'Koshi - and Veldan was going to enjoy every moment of it. "After I left, I headed west - until my shuttle ran out of fuel on the edge of the Empire. I ended up selling it and using the money to book a transport that - I didn't know it at the time - the centre of the Federation, would you believe it." It really was the coincidence that saved his life. Veldan just happened to be there at the exact time that the transport was the next to leave - any earlier or later and he could be who knows where, definitely without having met Vovvi or Rilek, or any of his new family on 777.

"You did not answer my questions, child." K'Koshi raised a hand to pause. It was certain to be a fantastic story, full of adventures and mishap, however, he needed to know this first. "Are you safe in... Did you say Federation space?" Thick brows knit together in quiet puzzlement. He was probably well taken care of over there. The Khitomer Alliance was a few years old by now, but age old wariness still crept into his old bones. "Where did you end up?"

Veldan looked up at K'Koshi, still dwarfed by the elder Klingon, a content look on his face. "Yes, I am safe - and steady. I met a family member who I never knew existed, my aunt. Not only that, but she ran away too; just like I did. She has two kids, of them adopted - the other I've not actually met yet." It was still crazy to Veldan that he had this entire side of his family that he might not have ever realised existed unless everything that happened to him did.

He sat down. Secret family, huh. Well, that didn't seem exactly out of character for the Rei'naks, from what little K'Koshi had been told... He sighed, a quiet sound that echoed his age in every movement. "I am glad you are safe." He paused. "You came to see me to tell me that. I am grateful for this as well. Proceed with your adventure," he said, waving an idle hand.

Oh good. He got to explain this to K'Koshi. He will regret this. "Okay, so after I left here I piloted the shuttle - thank you for training me by the way - to a nearby station where I stocked up on supplies and food in case I couldn't settle anywhere again. Turns out they followed me there and tried jumping me in the station's market. Unfortunately for them, I'm built different and managed to slip away before they could pin me down - some bystanders helped me out too..." Five minutes later... "...so then I realised I was getting low on fuel for the shuttle, so I used the most of the money that I saved working behind the bar here and bought a shuttle garage to store it in - it should actually still be there, I really need to go back for it some time - anyway, I used the rest to book the first transport heading away from the colony, cause I had reached the edge of the empire and if I had gone any further west I would've gone into uncharted space - which is bad, - so I got on the transport, which ended up taking me to the middle of Federation space - Andoria, very cold... I didn't stay there long - cause guess who was also there, Solon's agents at the starport, because of course they were... I had to stow away in the transport's cargo hold until it reached it's next destination, a Federation station that was uncomfortably close to Romulan space..." Just a little bit longer, trust. "...So after Rilek had unofficially adopted me into the Khellians, I found out I had a hidden family just straight up living on the same station as me, an aunt - her name is Vovvi and it's hard to believe that she and Solon are related, with how kind she is - so yeah when I turned 18 and came of age we went to Mol'Rihan and served Solon with official Khellian adoption papers, legal name changes, the works... anyway I think I caused an irreparable scandal." Veldan look visibly out of breath after that word vomit. "That all said, how have you been since I left?"

K'Koshi listened quietly as Veldan went on...and on....and on. He didn't have anything much to say. He was content to hear Veldan's story, the people he'd met, about the people that loved him and he seemed to love too. He looked at him— this boy he'd taken under his wing off the street. Veldan had grown, physically and mentally. He looked a little taller. A little stronger. Spoke a little more confidently. Healing was a journey; something that would have its ups and downs, but Veldan seemed to be powering through it. He leant forward. "You seem to have come a long way. I take it you're happy where you are, with what you've done?" He deserved to be proud of himself.

"Oh yeah, so happy. For the first time in my life I have total autonomy - free from the fear of abduction... I'm thinking I might go into the sciences, though I don't actually know which one - I've had a look and there are so many to choose from." Veldan leaned back in his chair. He'd been inspired by the science division on 777, when he got back he should probably ask them for suggestions. Pulling out the small pendant K'Koshi made him, Veldan * "You know, I've never taken this off... I don't think I've told anyone but Vovvi about you." *And Veldan kind of wanted to keep it that way, Oni'Des was a safe space for him in every meaning of the phrase, even with his sudden and abrupt departure.

K'Koshi faltered for only a moment. There was no visible emotion on his expression beyond a slight softening of his gaze. "I see. You have come a long way from then. You will always have a home here if you need it." Just in case. Just in case.

"I know, K'Koshi - thank you for everything you've done. You saved my life, and I mean that with total sincerity." Veldan stuffed the pendant back into his t-shirt and leaned forwards to continue eating. "So hey, I haven't asked how you've been? What's been happening here while I've been gone..." Unlike many people, Veldan didn't have a traditional home - for him home was people, not a place, and it didn't matter where he was - if he was with true family, he felt safer. Being here with K'Koshi for as long as he was made him realise that.