Nicole walked onto the campus of the new Pavel Chekov Elementary School to pick up Brenna and Mac. She was stunned to see Dr. Orchid Coren-Lau kneeling down next to Brenna.
"What the hell are you doing here?", Nicole snapped.
"I needed to see her. She is my daughter.", Orchid responded.
"She is not your daughter, Dr. Lau. You may have Orchid's memories but you are not Orchid.", Nicole snapped.
"She also has Mommy Magenta's memories. She told me stories of our life together.", Brenna looked up innocently.
"She is not real. She is a composite. She is Dr. Lasiter Lau, a Trill who has hosted Dr. Martin Warren, Dr. Magenta Coren and now Dr. Orchid Coren as a merger between her Trill DNA and her current DNA. She is not who you think she is.", Nicole scolded.
"Please Nikki. You have to give me a chance.", Orchid looked at Nicole.
"Give you a chance. I saw the miracle of the Emissary. I saw you. It was not real. I saw you die again. I cannot have that. I cannot go through that again.", Nicole snapped.
"I saw those things too. I was ripped from you three times; once by my mother, Elizabeth Coren. Again by Captain Addison Laree and now here. I am suffering too Nicole. The Trill has given me a chance to live again.", Orchid practically begged.
"Look, I have been briefed on the scenario. I know that the Betazoids what to open the passageway to the Beta Quadrant. I know they want to reopen the wormhole and believe that the Emissary can open it again. They believe and are being briefed as such by General Nickel Nerah. Opening the wormhole is critical to interplanetary trade. I know that you were chosen because they believe a renewed relationship between you and I will lead to the wormhole opening. I do not subscribe to that theory. It must be scientific. There is no Bajoran mojo at work here.", Nicole complained.
"I don't care about all that. I care about you, about Brenna and about my family.", Orchid started to tear up. She was coming to grips with these feelings.
"It is your family that I worry about... The Corens.", Nicole frowned grabbing Brenna and Mackenzie Smythe by the hand and leading them from the campus.
Orchid was left there alone. Alone in her memories... Well not really her memories, she was a simple Trill hostess. The memories were those of Dr. Orchid Coren and she begged to understand...
Why doesn't Nicole love me anymore?
Posted by:
Nicole Branson
Adoptive Parent of Brenna Montgomery
and Primary Caregiver for Mackenzie Smythe Jr.
Ephyra Colony
King's Fleet
