: Posted by Lt. Cmdr. Alexxander Ryley (Chief Medical Officer) in Mahikoa Quarter's
: The chime to the door rang three times in quick succession as the holonanny tsked and glanced at her charge. Such an inconvienent time to intterupt when the child had only just sttled down for a nap. She got to the door and blinked as all goo holograms do when she was confronted with the sight on the other side.
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: "Can i help you?" she asked but never finished as the cutting remark back stated blankly " Computer...end Holonanny programme, medical override code AJR4795-d"
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: She vanished into a swirl of air. Somewhere across the ship Kaliona Mahikoa would recieve an alert to let her know thatcsomething had gone wrong and her holonanny programme had experienced some sort of difficulty and shut off.

Over in the Stellar Cartography lab, the computer chirpped with a warning. =^=Holographic Malfunction in Mahikoa Quarters, deck 10. Child may be left unattended. Warning, Holographic Malfunction in Mahikoa Quarters, deck 10. Child may be left unattended=^=

The words were said in a roboting and unemotional computer voice but they had spread panic in the new mother. "Kai!" was all she said before she darted out of the lab and sprinted towards the turbolift.

: Into the quarters the man limped, he wore dark blue jeans and a crumped cream dress shirt over a sky blue t-shirt that had probably never seen an iron since the day it was replicated. Over the top of it all he wore a grey suit jacket flecked with cream and red sneakers. A cane balanced in his left hand as he approached the playpen where the unmistakeable noise of baby was comming from.
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: Ryley peered down at the child, his child. He was still long haired and bearded but slightly more groomed looking with it than hoboesque. He frowned slightly as was his way and peered at the icy blue eyes, mirror of his own that looked back at him.

Her heart was beating like a wild drum with no patten or rhythym to it's beats. Wild thoughts crossed her mind, had there been an electrical problem? Did the program overheat? Was their a bug or virus in the holonanny program? Had someone broken in? Kaliona had only been back one month, and there were several new faces she didn't know since her depature 7 months before.

: Slowly he lowered himself into a chair and watched the child. After a few moments he reached down into the playpen and lifted it up, holding it at arms length he did a quick tricorder like scan and initial assessment then brought the child closer and supported him better.
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: "Hey kid." he finally stated, " Weird day hu?" He looked around him once at the carnage of small child that the nanny had not the chance to clean up before Ryley had deactivated her. " Your mommy is going to be sooooo pissed when she sees the mess you've made in here...but dont worry i've got you covered. We'll blame the nany and say it went rouge."
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: Ryley
: MD

OOC: I just want to say, Cale, that I recently started a new job. I dislike it. Lots. But it's only until the end of August or 28 more shifts, which ever comes first. Anyways, I came home today tired and a bit weary. I decided to check STF for posts, as I do daily and when I saw this, a smile instantly filled my face. I have missed you for so long, my friend, and I am glad to see Ryley back. It literally made my day and gives me something to look forward to :)

IC:

The last few steps to her quarters felt like the longest. It seemed as if quicksand was weighing down her progress but finally she had made it to the doors to her quarters and muttered an override for entrance. Panic filled her face when she saw the room in such a mess and she instantly confirmed her fear an intruder broke in. Her eyes finally rested on the lone male figure standing there, holding her only child. Unlike most officers who would have hit their comm badges and called Security, a fire within the polynesian woman as she grabbed a vase off the nearest book shelf and held it above her head. "Let go of my child or else."

It finally dawned as her that this was no stranger, this wasn't some transient who broke into her quarters to snatch her son. No, it was her soulmate, the only man she ever truly and deeply loved. And when she finally comprehended that, tears filled her dark brown cherry eyes as she threw the vase down and quickly crossed the room to him. She was careful of the baby as she gave Ryley a tight hug and broke into sobs.

She started to laugh at herself for being so emotional. She had been strong for so many months that it seemed irrational to her to suddenly break down in his presence. Afterall, she was now so full of joy, it was as if her tears of sadness deceived even her. "Alexx...oh Alexx, how I have longed to hold you my 'uhane hoa (soul mate), like this, forever if I can."

Kaliona closed her eyes and smiled as she felt his crumpled shirt against her skin. She finally pulled away as she stepped back to look at Alexx holding Kai. "Isn't he amazing? Have you ever seen something so beautiful? Oh Alexx, you need a haircut...and possibly a shower."

Lt. Mahikoa