Lt. Kani Oloonu
Cheif Medical Officer
USS Scorpion
<Maui, Earth>
Kani stopped and peered over his shoulder. He laughed and hid behind the body of a tree as his ten year nephew came peeling through the trees toward him. Reaching out, he caught the little boy around the waist and hoised him high in the air and caught him. Shane laughed and gripped a hold of Kani's shoulders.
"Uncle Kaio are you leaving again?" Shane wanted to know as they made their way back toward the main house. "Ma said you would have to go if they called you."
"Ma is right," Kani replied. "I am an officer now. I go when they call."
"Its not the same here when you're gone."
Kani smiled. "I am sorry. But, sometimes grown up has to do things they don't particularly want to do sometimes. I love being an officer but leaving my family, leaving you is always hard. Do you understand?"
Shane went silent for a while before nodding, "I think so. You love your family and Starfleet so leaving one for the other is hard."
Kani smiled. "Exactly."
"Well I feel the same," Shane reported.
Kani lowered him to the ground before hunching down before him. "Ah li'ili ' ekahi," he whispered then hugged Shane. "Come on, we should get back before your mom sends out a search party."
Shane laughed. "Ae. She probably would too."
Back at the main house, Kani walked his nephew into the house. The moment his sister saw them, he watched Kelani's eyes changed. They grew big like saucers, her jaws dropped and words that he knew should be escaping her lips died at the back of her throat. He beamed at her proudly.
"Where did you find mud?" Kelani wanted to know. "You're covered! And you! Kaio! You're just a big kid!"
"Come little sister," Kani flipped some wet hair from his face. "Give me a hug, ae?"
Kelani squealed and took off running around the sofa. "Kani Oloonu don't you dare!"
But though he let her escape him, Shane wasn't so generous. He wrapped his muddy arms around his mother's legs holding on tight. She laughed harder, "you too Shane?"
Shane giggled and beamed with pride up at Kani who winked at him.
"Alright dirty bus," Kelani picked up Shane. "Now you shower."
Hours later, as night fell over Maui, and after Shane was tucked safely in bed, Kani sat alone on the porch in the swing. He rocked himself back and forth with one leg as the other was tucked beneath his bumb. A beer sat on the glass table beside him and he listened to the insects he missed so dearly when he was away. Taking a breath, he took a sip from the bottle and placed it back.
The moon rose over the tree tops as a cool breeze ruffled his hair. He'd missed that smell, that smell of the ocean being carried on the wind. He missed the way it caressed his skin, leaving traces of the ocean on his body.
"Can I join you?"
He looked up into Kelani's face. For the first time in a while, he wondered if he'd done right by her. He'd promise their parents he would care for her. Though she is fully grown with a child, he still felt an urge to take care of her.
"Sure."
He shuffled over so she could sit down. When she did, he took a breath and picked up his bottle.
"You have that look again," Kelani whispered, resting her head agains this shoulder.
Kani smiled. "What look?"
"The look that says you're worried about something."
"Not worried, Kel...Just wondering a few things." He replied. With a breath, he wrapped his arms around her pulling her into his chest. "I haven't told Shane I was leaving but he knows."
"I know."
"I tried explaining to him as best I could and from what I saw he understands. That's a smart child you have there."
Kelani laughed. "You know one day you should have one of your own."
Kani chuckled. "I don't know if that is necessarily a good idea," he laughed. "We both know I'm a big child and having a child would just--well turn me into an adult."
"Oh dare to dream!" Kelani teased.
OFF:
Translation:
li'ili'i 'ekahi - Little One
ae - yes
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