Late Insights
Posted on Sat Dec 26th, 2015 @ 2:56pm by Commander Patrick Leroy & Lieutenant Commander Kh'ali & Aros
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: Leroy Quarters
* Leroy Quarters *
Following Zikar’s departure, Kh’ali had attended to a few more things, then checked in with Lt. Dobry. He and Nyyar were doing fine, dinner had arrived, and the security detail had been replaced with a fresh team. He told her not to worry, that he’d call if needed. Since things were under control, she decided to call it a day. It had been a full and exhausting one, that was certain.
She was exceedingly glad to be home and shed her shoes as she walked in. She bent to pick them up, then checked the time. Aros and D’veidh were still out and that gave her time to get comfortable and unwind for a bit.
“Patrick?” she called out as she moved through the living room. All seemed quiet until she got the sound of a guitar coming from the bedroom. A melodious tune was being slowly played note by note until the distinct twang of a broken string, followed by a stifled curse, interrupted it all.
“Here you are.” She smiled peeking her head in.
“Welcome home.” Patrick said as he tried to fix the string on the guitar “Even when made by a replicator these things are no better than the originals.” His comment was light-hearted though without really expecting a response. He looked up to her then “Hey, weren’t you waging war single-handedly against all of the Cardassian Empire today?”
Kh’ali laughed as she shed her uniform jacket and dropped it on the bed. “It certainly felt like it. It’s quite a story but...how did you hear? I suppose all my comings and goings today got some attention.”
“Rank has its privileges.” Patrick responded somewhat mischievously. “And having a Cardassian ship docking to 900 quite stirs up the gossip... “
“Ugh,” was her succinct agreement. “I was right in the eye of that storm too.” She briefly related the story of Nyyar and her visit with Legate Zikar. “It’s a complicated mess, that’s for sure. What’s so strange is that I get the feeling his claim to love her and only want her home is true. Her description of their life together supports that.”
“I wouldn’t trust a cardassian for all the latinum in the universe. They’re deceptive and domineering if you let them. Perhaps he’s conditioned her into believing she was happy with that lot… We all know of their subtle and not-so-subtle methods.”
Kh’ali considered that and frowned. “You know what they say about Cardassians and their deep love of family.” She shrugged. “And had it not been for something unforeseen, she would still be there. Seeing someone she loved capable of such cruelty was a blow. She didn’t like to believe he could do something like that.”
“How can you say? Did you really spend time in one of their families?” Patrick responded quietly as his skeptical scientist side kicked in “For the second part I think so. Must have been the end of paradise to her… Probably in that moment she asked herself how many times that happened without her knowing and how many times it could happen again…”
“That’s exactly it.” Kh’ali frowned for a moment. “It made me think of you though, and Q’Vahn. That is a moment much the same, isn’t it?”
Patrick’s look became serious. He slowly put down the guitar and stood stepping closer to Kh’ali. Without a word he took her hands in his meeting her gaze “Yes it was.” he said in the end resolving himself to avoid easy loopholes to set aside the argument “I understand she would have never let us be. Nor D’veidh. I understand it all…” His voice trailed off as he searched for the right words. “I try not to think about it.”
“I like to think it was justified, as you say, and that I am not the same as this Occupation torturer,” she admitted. “I’m not but I know it’s difficult seeing the one you love do something like that, no matter the circumstances. It may sound defensive, but I think circumstances have everything to do with it. People look at what I did and see it as reasonable. They look at someone like Six and still revile her. In neither case was it the same as Zikar, who chose to do such terrible things.”
“I’ve never compared you to a Cardassian torturer or worse. Still a thing like that isn’t as easily shrugged off like waste disposal in the replicator. Despite my so-called success at various klingon rituals, and resulting acceptance on your family’s part, I simply will never be one. This making the difference between a reason for glory and a tragic defeat in a belief with whom one has to live.”
Kh’ali nodded. “It was a case of have to. I never thought I’d be in such a position either but with your child in the picture and being the target, it changes things. I suppose my Klingon side isn’t as hidden as I liked to think.”
Patrick remained silent for some moments, considering, before addressing her again “Perhaps the wisest thing to do should be just trying to forget past things. It seems to me her shadow is lingering on us right in this moment as we’re still recalling the damage she’s done to herself and to all of us.”
“Maybe so,” Kh’ali agreed. “There are things that we have to do sometimes and we have no choice. The best we can do is move on, focus on the present and the future. We are lucky you and I.”
“Yes, we are.”
Kh’ali raised his hand to her lips, kissing it gently. “It will be interesting to see how this plays out. If she stays, she will need friends. Then there’s the question of what to do about Zikar and their official….” she stopped, realizing her brain had kicked over into work mode. “I’ll worry about that tomorrow.”
“Yes, let all of them wait until tomorrow.” He replied holding her close and pressing his lips to hers.
“I like the way you think,” she began but the sound of the front doors opening interrupted her. “I think the boys are home.” She laughed, for a moment as they heard D’veidh babbling and Aros answering as if he knew exactly what the baby was saying. It was actually likely that he did.
“Ah… Damn.” Patrick frowned “ Couldn’t you pay Aros a little more so that he perhaps takes longer routes when out with D’veidh?” he half-joked.
Kh’ali nudged Patrick, then gave him one more kiss. “He has a date tonight. Well, dinner with a friend he said.Go get the elf while I change. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Patrick entered the living room and greeted the baby-sitter “Good evening Aros, how was D’veidh today did he get unruly? If so it’s his mother ancestry’s fault.” he said jokingly retrieving the baby from the man’s arms.
Patrick’s joke got a laugh from Aros. “I’ll let you tell her you said that.” He set his backpack on the dining table and began to unpack it. “We had a great time at the Arboretum. He’s just about mastered sitting up by himself. Captain Hawke’s brother stopped to talk, then D’veidh insisted on…” he leaned in closer to Patrick, his voice soft. “Ice cream.”
“I’m relieved.” Patrick smiled regarding D’veidh. “I was afraid you were about to say gagh”
“Ugh.” Aros wrinkled up his nose. “Does she really eat that stuff?”
“Yes, and even all that other klingon stuff if need be.”
“The key phrase here is ‘need be’.” Aros laughed. “I -- Hello, Kh’ali,” he interrupted himself. He smiled as she entered the room and D’veidh began to babble. Seren’s almost-comment regarding her rose to mind and he pushed it away.
“How are you boys doing?” She leaned close to kiss the baby’s cheek.
“Good. I was just telling Commander Leroy that he’s getting used to sitting up by himself.” Aros carried a few things from the backpack into the kitchen, then returned.
“Excellent!” Kh’ali exclaimed. She checked the time and shooed Aros towards the door. “You’re going to be late for your dinner.”
“Oh! Thanks. I’m out and I’ll see you all in the morning.” He turned and hurried out.
“Alone at last.” Patrick grinned, then looked down at D’veidh in his arms “Well, almost.” He turned then to Kh’ali “Don’t you think you’ve been somewhat hasty with dismissing Aros? Not that I complain… But that could arouse some suspicion about our evening… By the way Isn’t he also a telepath?”
“He is, and a telepath with dinner plans,” she answered. “Besides, we have this little one. I think he is well-aware of how we spend our evenings.”
“Yes but is not the same thing… Isn’t it?” Patrick replied as he brought the baby back to his cradle then, perking an eyebrow, regarded him again “Hmm… Busy yourself with your trinkets and cubes now… Dad and mom have some talking to do.”
Patrick returned in the living room followed by the baby giggle and embraced Kh’ali “So, where were we?”
“Right about here.” Kh’ali smiled and leaned in for a kiss.
******************************
Lt. Commander Kh’ali
Cardassian-Free (For Now)
Commander Patrick Leroy
Free To Care
Aros
Free For The Evening
D’veidh
Care-Free
