Forwarded by the ASC-VSO Posted: 30 Jan 2004 21:55:41 -0800 In: alt.startrek.creative From: thesnowleopard@hotmail.com This is a new story from Valerie. It's a companion to "Echoes of Truth", which is a companion story to Meghan's "Pain of Truth". Paula Title: Memories of Truth Author: Valerie Shearer (nightbird47@hotmail.com) Series: DS9 Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Andes/3071/arch1.html Part: NEW 1/3 Rating: [PG] Codes: B&Parents Summary: On his fourteenth birthday, Jules (Julian) Bashir discovers Disclaimer: Trek belongs to Paramount, but I'm just borrowing it. MEMORIES OF TRUTH Richard glared at Amsha, still standing by the window watching the accursed English rain. After the brat had run off on his birthday she'd made no dinner.  Not in the mood to argue, he'd gotten his own. But he'd settled some things for himself.  For once, she'd been right. His head was still pounding from Jules' tantrum, and he wanted *her* to get his breakfast. She'd made fresh scones for their ungrateful son.  Now she wouldn't even look at her husband. Jules liked the rain.  He'd stare at it for hours.  Maybe he'd be cured of that when he dragged himself home. Richard wanted to *make* Amsha fix him scones.  But she knew she wouldn't . . . Not this morning. Frustrated, he shoved the chair against the table.  All the small things quivered, and an empty glass landed on the floor. Amsha looked back briefly, but that was all. He wanted her to look at him.  He'd been shouting all morning and she had ignored everything. The chair was at an angle, and he yanked it out and shoved it against the wall.  It collided with a resounding crash, then fell on its side and smashed into the floor with another thud. This time Amsha turned towards him. "Maybe you should make some scones," he sneered.  "With that nose of his he might run home to mum." Amsha turned her back on him again.  He wanted to drag her to the kitchen or at least slap her until she said something to him. But she wouldn't.  She'd just glare.  That nose was his own doing, the tall, brilliant son he'd thought he'd wanted. Now, he wasn't so sure.  But she worried he'd *tell*.  Richard didn't. Jules was too smart for that. "Your ungrateful brat will come home if you watch or not," he spat out at her.  Then, kicking the chair he stomped to his room and slammed the door. *** Jules had turned fourteen the day before. Richard woke up early, and Amsha was already up.  He'd hoped to leave before the argument could start. The first thing he noticed were the fresh scones and the hot tea laid out for the son he'd made. The boy was starting his new school today.  He'd be all excited.  He usually didn't make much of birthdays, and hadn't ever made many friends. It was the one thing he shared with his father. But nothing else.  When Jules was small and everyone had been impressed with how smart the boy was, Richard had been proud. Then they'd had to move over and over to escape the awkward questions. And as Jules got older and taller and turned brilliant he'd become unbearably *arrogant*. Richard was repullsed by his son.  They had sacrificed and risked everything so the boy wouldn't grow up an idiot, and now he'd become all the smug, patronizing bosses Richard had ever known. He quit a lot of jobs, but couldn't run away from Jules. And today, Amsha was busy making plans again. "Jules should have a party," she said.  "Next year we must make sure he does.  Just a few friends would be plenty." Richard knew the *conversation* would come some time that day, but he wasn't ready yet. He turned glum.  The new job had already gone bad.  He hated the rain. He wanted to leave the miserable, soggy place before Jules made fifteen. It was a new school.  Jules would soon be at the head of his class.  Then,  someone would recommend him for a special school or program.  Records might be reviewed.  Someone might discover the false ones. Before that, they'd have to move anyway.  Richard didn't mind leaving England.  But he wished they could stay until they really wanted to go. "He doesn't have any friends here.  Maybe he'll make some the next place," grumbled Richard. She said, very quietly, so softly he was sure she didn't mean him to hear, "We have to stop running." Richard hated it when she called it that.  He knew he should ignore the remark, and they could argue about it later when Jules was gone. But he couldn't stand the words.  Anger rising, he spit out, "I suppose you'd rather *stay* in this soggy place." She looked up, resigned.  "Jules would."  Then she gave him one of her *looks*.  "It's time, Richard." Richard glared at her.  "So *he* can stay here?" She almost surrendered.  "He's so brilliant they'll start to ask questions," she said softly.  She didn't have to finish the sentence--*unless he gives them no cause to ask.* The subject only came up in arguments.  Richard yelled.  Amsha gave in.  It was always on Jules' birthday and Richard wished they could ignore them. The people at the new school wouldn't know yet.  She was right this time.  But he still couldn't let her win. "Smart ones are lucky. Nobody will suspect." He wished it was true.  But the father was such a miserable failure, how could he have made such a brilliant son? "He's fourteen years old, Richard.  Don't you think it's time we told him?" "No, Amsha.  He can't know.  Not yet."  If Jules knew he might be more careful.  But then, he was only fourteen, and reckless. Maybe he might try to see just how smart he was and how much he could do.  He'd be locked up if they ever knew, but would that be a real enough threat at his age? Later, when he had something tangible to lose like Medicine, they could tell him. But what if he didn't believe that they'd saved him?  Jules was too strong to risk becoming his target if he lost his temper. Then, with the sound of approaching footsteps, the silence between them turned fearful. Jules pushed open the door, wearing his best clothes.  He'd dressed up for his birthday, but something had distracted him.  He should have gone straight for the tea and scones. But he stopped, a tall, awkward teenager with something on his mind. Richard had said, now and then, that he had a good nose for food.  But both of them had forgotten about the ears. Jules turned and stared at them, a curious, almost suspicious look in his eyes. "Tell me what?" he demanded. Richard had no idea what to say.  But even if Jules bought a lie, it was only gaining time before he asked again. Then Amsha smiled, mother and son locked in a game of words, and Richard was ignored for a time. She was a mother soothing soothing a crying child, her voice soft and calm.  "I wanted to tell you about what we got you for your birthday, but your father wants to wait until after school." Jules was annoyed and angry about more than being treated like a child.  He'd heard more than the last few words.  Richard knew he should agree with her, but then Jules might turn on him instead of Amsha. "But," said Jules, still demanding answers. Then Amsha interrupted him briskly, and for a flash he was her little boy again.  The anger mellowed to curiosity.  "Now, Jules, it's getting late.  You better hurry up or you won't have time for breakfast and I made your favorite." The ploy worked, at least for the moment.  The brat probably knew it was a lie, but could wait.  He sat at the table, and devoured the scones. Richard retreated to the sanctuary of his study. But he'd seen the look in Amsha's eyes.  It was only a flash, but Jules had noticed. Richard wished he could hide his own fears as well, especially the certainty that the lie was already over. *** -- Stephen Ratliff ASC Stories Only Forwarding In the Pattern Buffer at: http//trekiverse.crosswinds.net/feed/ Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCL/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:ASCL-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. From ???@??? Sun Feb 01 00:53:09 2004 Status: U Return-Path: Received: from n26.grp.scd.yahoo.com ([66.218.66.82]) by eagle (EarthLink SMTP Server) with SMTP id 1aNaxn7dC3NZFji0 for ; Sat, 31 Jan 2004 21:52:52 -0800 (PST) X-eGroups-Return: sentto-1977044-13066-1075614765-stephenbratliff=earthlink.net@returns.groups.yahoo.