#26 I can’t do this anymore

Posted on Fri May 31st, 2024 @ 10:57am by Piper Sanderson & Rear Admiral Paul Sanderson & Commodore Cyndi Song
Edited on on Fri May 31st, 2024 @ 11:01am

Mission: Aftermath
Location: Sanderson Home

The Sanderson Home

Piper walked down the stairs, her family was all waiting for her to come down. She looked at her parents and knew she could not go to dinner without talking to them about what happened.

“I need to talk to you both.” Piper said to her parents. “Something happened today and I can’t go back to the palace for my training.” She pulled her sleeve up and showed them her arm, there was a handprint bruise that was a purplish blue. “When he was calling me names and making me stand forever without moving I could handle it. I didn’t want to embarrass you. When I had to try to curtsy to the queen so many times my body hurt, I put up with it, but I am afraid of him.” A tear ran down her face. “I’m sorry, I know you are disappointed.”

Cyndi looked at her daughter’s arm and the bruise “Who did this to you and who said you had to go to the Palace for any training?” Cyndi fumed “I’m not disappointed in you one bit. No one here curtseys anymore.” She pulled her daughter into a hug.

Paul is also upset. The audacity of one of the guards to touch a member of the royal family. He thought he remembered hearing that that could be punishable by death. He was trying to keep his composure for the moment. Even though it could be punctual by death he was a Starfleet officer and he didn't believe in capital punishment. But he believed that whoever did this should be punished.

“It was Reginald.” Piper said to her parents. “He was mad because I went to eat lunch while he had some emergency.” She looked at them. “I know I’m destined to be the queen one day but I’m not ready for any of this. I just want to be me and enjoy our vacation. Can you just tell grandmother I am not going anymore.” She looked from her mother to her father. “Please!”

“I’ll take care of him. He is an old man and those lessons have been gotten rid of since I was your age. I told mum they were common sense and no one needs to know how to curtsy. Yes I know how but I’ve not done it since I was seventeen. Mum and dad think it not necessary,” Cyndi said “I wish I’d have known about this. But he’ll be dealt with, trust me. You won’t have to rule for at least fifty years and I won’t for at least twenty. I’ll have changes made by then.

Paul knew that Cyndi was upset, he was upset. But he knew this was his wife's fight. You're just going to smile as he waited for her to handle the situation. She had more influence than he did on this planet.”If you need anything for me you know I'll be there to back you up.”

Piper was worried. She didn’t want to cause any trouble. “I just want to let it go! I don’t have to go anymore and I don’t want to cause trouble!”

“And that's the problem, if you allow people to get away with this. They're going to continue to do it again and again and again. I want to make sure no one else ever gets hurt again.” Paul suggested to Piper

“Okay.” Piper said after a few moments. “I just want to enjoy our time here from now on and not have to do anything but spend time with the family.”

“Your dad’s right and I don’t know if your dad remembers or not but on the day we were married he became a Prince that day. I’ll take care of Reginald, He won’t hurt you or anyone again. I’m glad you told us,” Cyndi said.

“That's an honorary title, Prince. I am retired Admiral Paul Sanderson. That is my official title.” Fall suggested to his children, but to them he was just Dad.

“You always be just dad to me.” Brent said with the big smirk on his face, he couldn't imagine trying to call his Dad, an Admiral.

“I’m not calling you Admiral either.” Piper said.
“That is weird.” She looked at her mother. “What do you call grandmother?”

“I call your grandmother, mum as that’s what she is. I don’t call her anything else,” Cyndi replied I’m not about to call her by any titles that’s for sure.”

“Well I'm going to call her grandmother, what about you sis?” Brent said, thinking to him so he's not calling her mum.

Paul just smiled, thinking well that makes sense. He was curious to see what Piper was going to say.

“Grandmother.” Piper said without thinking. “It’s what we always call her.” She looked to her parents. “We’re supposed to be spending time together tonight, can you just wait until tomorrow to find him? Brent and I want to go out.”

“I don't think you're being granted the title of princess just yet, but my understanding is that you're probably going to be made a Duchess in some province before we leave.” Paul suggested, trying to break it to her, that before she got to leave Klavor, her grandma had entrusted her with some territory. Paul also had territory and so did Cyndi. “Speaking of which, tomorrow I need to go visit that territory, and pay my people a visit.” Paul wondered how the regent was handling the affairs of his territory.

“I’m going to pass on that.” Piper said. “I’m going to get a tan while you visit your people.” She smiled at her father. “I am just a kid, I don’t want people.”

“Oh sweetie if it only works that way. The good news is you don't have to be here on a daily basis, and you will get your assigned regent to look over your territory.” Paul said he looked over at Piper.

Piper sighed. “Where does what I want come into all of this?” She shook her head. “Forget it, I know it doesn’t.”

“There's no reason to stress over it, in a few days we will be back on a starfleet vessel.” Paul said that he tried to reassure his daughter. He knows give you more than a couple days but he wanted to give her hope.

“Piper you're only sixteen, you won’t have to worry about that kind of thing until you're eighteen to twenty one so as your dad said don’t stress over it,” Cyndi said “If it even comes to that and if so you let me and your dad worry about it.”

Piper thought this wasn’t helping. She had a future to plan for. Maybe it didn’t matter to them but it did to her. She silently decided she was going to live her life her own way once she was out of school.

“I will support any decision Piper makes.” Paul said. Even if it meant telling Cyndi's mom to leave Piper alone.

“As will I she has the right to decide what she wants to do with her life,” Cyndi replied “If my mother indeed has been saying something to our daughter I’ll put a stop to it and I will handle Reginald too.”

“He's mean mom, I don't like him.” Brent said to his mother. He wanted his mom to understand how bad this evil man was. He feared he wasn't being vocal enough to explain how horrible he was and how badly he treated him and his sister.

Cyndi looked at her children “He’ll not hurt anyone again that I promise all of you. Kids I had a long talk with your grandmother and she’s assured me she’s not said one word to anyone about Piper’s
future. I have a feeling this is all from Reginald and trust me when I say this, I will get answers, he seems to forget who he’s dealing with. By the time I get done with him he’ll be lucky if your grandparents keep him on as dog catcher,” Cyndi fumed “I’m bringing charges for both of you. Piper, Brent, you never have to see him again.”

Piper nodded. “Thank you, mom.” She sat for a moment. “Am I only one who is starving?”

“I'm hungry too.” Brent said in agreement with his sister.

“Perhaps we can get something to eat?” Paul said is he looked over to Cyndi.

“There is a restaurant about an hour from here that serves the best seafood, Burgers and earth style food you'll ever have. I've not been there in several years. Titles there doesn't matter. Everyone is treated equal. I think you'll like it. It has outside dining or inside eating. Anyone want to give it a try?” Cyndi asked “No one there knows who we are.”

“Can we go please!” Piper asked her dad. “I want to go, I’m hungry!”

“Alright, do you know if the area's been vetted?” Paul asked as he looked over to Cyndi.

Cyndi nodded. “It has been, and its completely safe. I have a vehicle I use when I don't take the horses. We can ride the horses there, use the vehicle I mentioned or we can beam there. All ways are safe.” The transportation I spoke of is a car I was given years ago. It's a convertible. Paul if you'd like to drive it, I'll get the keys. There are some cars on the planet.”

“That sounds like it's a boring idea, have to be in a car sit there and talk to my parents, I prefer to beam over.” Brent said to his parents.

“I think a nice ride would be good for the family.” Paul suggested to his son and his daughter, while trying to back up his wife.

“I want to ride in the car.” Piper said with a smile. “Can we have the top down.”

“That’s up to your dad,” Cyndi replied. “Let me get the keys,” She walked into the office, opened a desk drawer, removed a set of car keys, walked back into the room and handed the keys to Paul. “Car is in the garage. It runs wonderfully.”

“Don’t put this on me.” Paul said with a warm smile. This was her homeworld, and the final call was hers. He smiled as he looked to Cyndi. She would have to make the final call. Do they give in to Brent, or go on the car ride?

“We’ll put it up for a vote, car ride with the top down seeing the countryside that I know you two have not seen, or we beam directly to the restaurant. With the car we can take in a few sights, beaming in you lose the sights of the countryside. So who wants to beam in or a nice car ride with the top down taking in the sights. Don’t ask me as last time I was there I rode my horse over,” Cyndi said.

“I vote for the car with the top down.” Piper spoke up. “We can beam anytime.”

Brent was still annoyed, no one ever wanted to do what he wanted to do.

“Very well, sounds like we have a plan then.” Paul said, as the scene starts to fade away.

Piper looked over at Brent and felt bad. She could see he was upset. She would try to find a way to make it up to him. “Next time you choose, okay?”

Cyndi wanted to be fair to both kids “Brent the car ride will be good, you’ll get to see sights. We’ll drive to the restaurant and the next outing we can all beam over.”

“Can we just go please!” Piper exclaimed. “I’m starving!” She grinned as her dad started the car and they headed on their way. She was looking forward to the buffet. Her grandfather said they had the best cheesecake he ever ate.