Generational Perspective

Posted on Tue Sep 23rd, 2025 @ 2:47pm by Lieutenant JG Kally Kellerman & Senior Chief Petty Officer Jadizon Enor

Mission: Lower Decks
Location: Jadizon's Quarters
Timeline: Concurrent with "Privet, Mat'. Hallo, Vater."

Jadizon stepped out of the sonic shower, steam-like hum still fading from his skin. He tugged on his uniform pants and undershirt, duty jacket tossed across the back of a chair, and balanced a PADD in one hand while shoving a ration bar into his mouth with the other. The taste was half-cardboard, half-chocolate, but it kept him upright.

The familiar chirp of the comm filled the quiet of his quarters.

“Senior Chief Enor,” the computer intoned, “you have an incoming subspace communication.”

Jadizon froze mid-bite, eyes narrowing at the ceiling. He chewed slowly, swallowed, and let out a grunt.

“Figures,” he muttered, setting the PADD down with a dull clack. He brushed crumbs from his shirt and straightened his posture, though the jacket stayed where it was.

“Pipe it through,” he said, voice gravelly but steady. “Let’s see if this is the one that adds another pile of work to my desk… or the one that finally gives me a damn break.”

The screen activated showing a cozy, wood-paneled study. A fireplace was crackling off to the side, and, sitting in an armchair, was a tall, brown-haired man wearing a flannel shirt and denim jeans. He had laugh lines around his eyes and was smiling a familiar smirk. In his hand was a frosted mug of beer and he was sitting back, legs crossed, casually positioned. "Guten tag, Herr Enor," he said. "My name is Friedrich Kellerman. I believe you know my daughters."

Jadizon froze mid-chew, the chunk of replicated bread going dry in his mouth. He swallowed hard, set the PADD down on his desk, and leaned closer to the screen like getting a better angle would somehow make sense of what he was seeing.

“…Hold up,” he rasped, brow knitting. “You’re… their father?”

The casual beer, the flannel, the fireplace it all clashed so violently with everything he knew about the twins that it threw him completely off balance. His head shook once, as though trying to clear static.

“I… I don’t understand,” he admitted, voice lower now, edged with a raw honesty he rarely showed. “I’ve fought pirates, I’ve stared down death, hell I’ve died… but I wasn’t ready for this.”

He sank slowly into the chair, eyes locked on Friedrich, still caught between shock, confusion, and a creeping realization that this conversation might turn his whole world upside down.

Friedrich smiled and sipped his beer. "Did you assume they simply sprang from the forehead of Zeus?" he said, chuckling.

Jadizon blinked once, muttering under his breath, “Would’ve explained a hell of a lot…”

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the desk, his expression tightening into something more formal. “No, sir. I just… never pictured this moment. Not with everything that’s happened between us.” He drew in a slow breath, then gave a slight nod. “Proper introductions then—Senior Chief Petty Officer Jadizon Enor, Chief of the Boat,USS Chimera. And what do I owe the pleasure of this call, Mr. Kellerman?”

"It has come to my attention that you are dating my daughters," Friedrich said, putting ever-so-slight emphasis on the plural. "And from what I gather, you have professed your love to them both, but Kalliope is unsure about reciprocating. Is that a fair assessment?"

Jadizon blinked, stunned, then tilted his head.

“You mean… Kally’s real name is Kalliope?” he repeated, the word rolling awkwardly off his tongue. A laugh burst out of him before he could stop it, deep and rough. “By the stars… I’ll never let her live that down.”

He cleared his throat, forcing the grin off his face as he shifted back into something resembling serious. “Katie.....Katie wears her heart plain. There’s no mistakin’ how she feels, and I’ve… well, I’ve made sure she knows the same from me.”

He tried to keep it steady, but the moment “Kalliope” came to mind again, he snorted and broke into another laugh, shaking his head. “Kalliope. Saints preserve me.”

Another throat-clear, more deliberate this time, and he leaned forward, sobering as his eyes fixed back on Friedrich. “But to your question… aye, that’s the truth of it. Katie’s all in. Kalliope’s” he emphasized the name with a faint smirk “still fightin’ her own storm. I’ve put my cards on the table. Where it goes from here? That’s for them to choose.” Jadizon let the smirk linger for a breath before shaking his head.

“No disrespect meant by the laughter, sir,” he said, his voice leveling out. “Truth be told, if she ever found out my whole name, she’d have a field day with it too. That’s one secret I’ll be takin’ to my grave.”

He gave a faint, knowing grin, shoulders relaxing as he leaned back. “So, you’ll have to forgive me if the name caught me sideways. Kalliope…” He gave the word one more roll, softer this time, with just a flicker of warmth. “It suits her, even if she’ll never hear me say it with a straight face.”

Friedrich had simply taken a long, slow drink from his mug, watching Jadizon carefully. "I will be curious to see if you find her sister's real name as amusing," he deadpanned. "Of course, call me old-fashioned, I believe in knowing a woman's first name before I declare an intent to marry her." He eyed Jadizon pointedly.

Jadizon exhaled slowly through his nose, nodding once, almost as if conceding a point in a sparring match.

“You’re right,” he said at last, voice quieter, steadier. “If I’m going to stand here and speak of them as more than lovers—if I’m going to even consider asking for their hand—then I damn well ought to know both their names, and you deserve to hear mine in return.”

He set the padd down, straightened his shoulders, and gave the kind of introduction he’d avoided for most of his life. “Jadizon Sigarda Enor....Firstborn of the Sixth House of Betazed, Blood of Enor, Son and Warden of the Lineage, Heir of the Celestial Mantle.”

The words felt heavy, formal, even archaic as they left his mouth, but his eyes stayed locked on Friedrich’s. Then his tone softened, a ghost of a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “But most of the galaxy just calls me Chief. Easier to spell, less likely to get me laughed out of the mess hall.”

He leaned back slightly, adding with a hint of his dry humor, “Still—if I’m going to honor your daughters properly, then you’ll have my name in full. No disrespect meant. Only honesty.”

Friedrich gave a smile and raised his glass. "Prost," he said, taking a sip.

Jadizon’s gaze stayed locked on Friedrich, his tone steady, stripped of all the usual bluster. “What I owe you is respect, Sir. Respect for raising two women who can challenge me, steady me, and at times drive me half-mad—in the best way possible. Respect enough to stand here, give you my name in full, and not shy away from what it means.”

Friedrich gave a chuckle. He knew half-mad was being kind. "At any rate," he said, "I wanted to discuss your choice in the matter. Kalliope attempted to paint this situation as her own zugzwang, but I'm curious what prompted it, and I believe I have an idea." He took another sip of his drink. "My daughters like to believe they are teuflisch geniuses who have somehow managed to fool their mother and I as to who they really are." His all-too-familiar amused smirk returned. "They are, however, not as original in their thoughts and deeds as they'd like to believe."

Jadizon drew in a slow breath, meeting Friedrich’s eyes. “You’re right they’re clever, but not the first to think they’ve reinvented the wheel. What prompted it was me telling the truth. I love them both. Katie grounds me, Kalliope drives me. It isn’t a game. It’s just… the most honest thing I’ve ever said.”

Friedrich didn't say anything for a moment. "Let me tell you a story," he said. "Once upon a time, a young farmer attending Auguste University met a young woman in a debate class named Sasha, who absolutely mopped the floor with him. Her sharp wit, her passion and her intensity captivated him. He asked her out, and an intense physical, but casual, relationship began. A few weeks later, in an elective class studying Greek Mythology, he met a sweet, warm, wonderful girl named Natalia and they bonded over their coursework. Their first date led to an emotional, deep relationship."

He sipped his drink. "Imagine the young man's shock to find out that the two girls he'd been seeing were, in fact, sisters. Twins, no less. And he faced a dilemma: he loved them both, each for their own reasons and in their own way. And while one sister was ready to settle down and raise a family, the other was too much of a free spirit to formalize a relationship with the three of them. So, this man had a choice. He could have a conventional, traditional relationship with one of them, or an unconventional, semi-open relationship with both of them. Not an easy choice to make." He looked pointedly at Jadizon. "Would you agree?"

Jadizon sat back, brows lifting as the story sank in. For a moment, he almost laughed at the familiarity of it all—but the weight in Friedrich’s tone kept him steady. Jadizon let the silence stretch a moment, then leaned forward, voice steady but carrying the grit of conviction. “I’d actually agree it’s no different than the one staring me in the face now. Two women, both remarkable in their own ways… one ready to give her whole heart, the other still chasing her freedom. And me? Stuck trying to figure if I can honor them both without breaking all three of us in the process.”

He drew a slow breath, his jaw tightening. “But know this no matter what happens, whether I end up with one of them or both of them, As long as we are all here on the Chimera together I’ll take care of them. Always. Their happiness, their safety, their future. That much I promise you.”

"That's good to hear, young man," he said, seriously. "Navigating both of them is a difficult road, believe me." He gave Jadizon a wry smile. "Would you be interested in an old farmer's perspective?

Jadizon gave a short chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck before nodding.

“Farmer’s perspective, huh? After the week I’ve had, I’ll take wisdom from anywhere it comes. Go ahead, sir. I’m listening.”

"If you trust Katarina, if you believe she loves you unconditionally, then continuing to incorporate Kalliope and her chaos into your love life will not hurt your relationship with Katarina. If you allow Kalliope to explore her heart, I believe you'll find she has more than enough room for you in it, regardless of who else she may care for. If you can find room for two people in your heart, it may be worth affording her that chance. It is...rewarding, to have both hearts open to you." His face warmed at the thought of his own loves. "My wife and I knew quickly we would marry, have children, continue down that domestic path. Her sister? We knew that if we attempted to control each other, it would not work. I went along with her adventures and explorations, as did Natalia. We let her find her way, and I have never felt unloved by either of them, and I'm content." He finished his drink and set the glass down on a nearby table. "Any crop can grow, if tended to correctly, and if you're willing to let it flourish. I say this, not to influence your decision, but simply to offer my own perspective and hopefully encourage your happiness and that of my girls, whom I love more than anything. Do with this information what you will."

Jadizon sat back, the weight of the words sinking in. He nodded slowly, his tone quieter, thoughtful. “Can’t say I expected farming wisdom to hit me harder than half the briefings I’ve had in uniform… but it does.” He let out a low breath, eyes steady. “You love your girls. That much is plain. And I’ll admit hearing you talk about balance, about letting them be themselves while still being yours… it gives me something to think on. Maybe more than I’ve let myself before.”

He leaned forward, voice firming. “I won’t promise I’ve got it all figured out. But I do promise this.....I’ll tend to them. I’ll protect them. And I’ll never stop trying to make room for the lives they want to live alongside mine. That much, you’ve got my word on, sir.”

Friedrich gave a hearty laugh. "Son," he said, "I am several years your senior, and I cannot promise I have it all figured out." He regarded the younger man for a moment. "One last thing," he said, at last. "I would appreciate your discretion in this matter. The girls are not aware of the dynamics between myself and their mother and aunt. While I believe they would understand, given your situation, it is still something we prefer to keep between ourselves. I trust you will understand."

Jadizon nodded firmly. “You don’t have to worry. What you’ve told me stays here. Some things aren’t meant for anyone else, and this’ll be one I take to my grave. You have my word on it.”

"Danke schön," Friedrich said, smiling. "Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Enor. I look forward to meeting you in person."
Jadizon gave a firm nod, voice steady.

“Goodbye, Mister Kellerman. I look forward to meeting you in person as well.” He held the man’s gaze a moment longer, respectful and unflinching, before letting the silence settle as the channel closed.

He hesitated for just a beat, before he spoke out loud to himself. "Meeting the father might end up being tougher than facing both daughters at once." he picked up his coffee cup that was probably now lukewarm and took a sip before sitting it down and letting his thoughts carry on for a moment.