How Many Secrets?

Posted on Fri Oct 28th, 2011 @ 10:31am by Tora Sulan

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Tora Sulan's Quarters

Sulan entered her quarters and as soon as the doors closed, she leaned back against them. Dropping her shoes to the floor to free her hands, she hugged herself tight, eyes closed.

Su, what are you doing?

The question rose so suddenly in her mind that she yelped in surprise, despite the fact that the inner voice was her own. But that was a good question wasn't it?

The past few hours replayed in her thoughts, images of the promenade, the meal, the conversation during the tour of the station she'd given Kit'rin'e. The finale of that tour was the main highlight of her mental movie, however. The last hour to be exact - when he'd climbed up into the jumja tree, then invited her to climb up. She had done so and the had passed the time talking of this and that, how he'd been assigned to 900, a bit about his home planet, what life was like on Bajor....general things that people getting to know each other usually talked about. He'd asked her why she had come to 900 and her answer had been vague. There was so much she couldn't tell him and so, she'd settled for saying that Jackson was an old friend and had offered her a job out here. Nevermind that Janice had been the one to hire her and then inform Jackson. Her story was mostly true.

He seemed to enjoy her company, of that she was sure. And if Su was honest, it had been a very long time since she'd had a real friend of any sort. Ever since Jackson had taken off.

So what are you doing?

The thought rose once more and she still had no answer for it. Sliding down the door to sit in the floor, she leaned her head back with a sigh as the images continued. They shifted to last night, his quarters and the return of his belt, being invited in. The conversation had flowed so comfortably. She still couldn't believe she'd actually removed her shoes and stood before him. What he must think of that! Still, it hadn't seemed to bother him at all and that started a whole new line of thinking. She wasn't at all sure it was a direction she should go either, especially with her past. Maybe she was jumping ahead, or maybe she'd been alone so long that the idea of a close friend (or maybe more?) was becoming the proverbial forbidden fruit that would be hard to resist.

Kit'rin'e had seemed quietly surprised at her knowledge of Caitian customs. He hadn't said so, but the could see it in his eyes, along with more than a little curiosity, especially as she was an off-worlder to him. Yet another secret she held. His white-furred face was replaced by another Caitian, this one dark and brooding.

Again the picture changed to a dark street, a dangerous area, a late night when Su had been involved in an information exchange that had taken weeks to set up. There had been wind and rain that night and the weather had effectively masked the approaching footsteps. The chill of the night air crept in as she remembered, as real as it had been that night. The Romulan had spoken rapidly and low, with constant looks over his shoulder. Paranoia had been thick on the night air. Sulan had been listening closely, noting every word as any recording device would have been too risky.

A sudden clap of thunder and flash of lightning had revealed a third figure approaching, weapon drawn. His movements were disjointed as the lightning continued to flash, and judging his approaching speed and movements was difficult. She had assumed he was there for the Rommie and had shoved the man down the alley. Too late, she realized that whoever it was was there for her and another flash of blue light had revealed a massive creature springing from the shadows with a growl. The Rommie's hand had dragged her into the alley than, and the rest she'd only seen after the fact.

Once the noise died down, that Romulan had vanished and her saviour had appeared at the mouth of the alley. The faint light had revealed a dark-furred Caitian, the smell of blood hanging heavy on him. He'd spoke two words to her - 'Let's go!' - turned on his heel and departed, leaving Sulan to dash after him back into the darkness.

She'd ended up working with him for four years all along the Neutral Zone, assisting her and Jackson as needed. It was from him that she'd learned what she knew of Caitian customs. How to explain that without revealing the rest? She couldn't. Which left her in an interesting position. With her past, one secret inevitably led to the next, inviting questions she couldn't answer yet.

Yet.

That word in itself was telling. Be careful, Su. You don't want to be a danger to him, do you?

No. Absolutely not. But as long as she protected him from all that, he would be safe. Wouldn't he? She hoped so. Her scent was on him, his belt, his floor, his sofa. She knew without a doubt that he would be thinking of her and that she would see him again. And what then? She may be an off-worlder but his customs still applied to her, which left her in a precarious situation with some questions of her own she needed answering. A thrill tingled up along her spine and she let out a soft sigh. She very much hoped the answers she got were the right ones.

*********

Tora Sulan
In The Land Of Confusion
House Manager, The Nexus Club