Safe?

Posted on Sat Nov 19th, 2011 @ 8:03am by Lieutenant Commander Kh'ali & Commander Patrick Leroy

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: The Speaker's Quarters

* * * The Speaker's Quarters * * *

Kh'ali sat unmoving as Oz and Thumb vanished from sight. She finally found her voice and managed to speak.

"I know you can hear me Oz, kick his ass!" She then turned back to the Speaker, reverting back to his customs. "My apologies for the grossly informal form of address. Are you hurt?"

A moan came from the heap in the corner. Slowly the Speaker regained his feet. Blood rippled from a heavy cut on his face produced by the assassin's blow.

"I... I think I'm fine. Well... Considering I should be dead by now." He responded hesitantly "And for the informalities you surely have the Speaker's pardon, if that's so important. And more: you have my eternal gratitude. If only I could keep the room from moving..." He ended rubbing a temple with one hand and extending the other arm in an implicit request for help.

She took his arm, draped it over his shoulder and slid her other arm around him to help hold him up. Slowly, they made thier way to his sofa, where Kh'ali lowered him and insisted he lie down. Once he was situated, she hurried off to his bathroom, returning with a towel. Kneeling down by him, she pressed it gently to the cut on his forehead.

"We'll need to get this looked at as soon as you feel up to it." A smile appeared on her face. "And I need to check your guard."

"Go to him, please." he replied putting his hand on the towel close to hers "I will be fine."


With a pat to his hand, she stood, moving back to the bathroom. Moments later, she returned with the emergency med kit and moved over, kneeling beside the guard. It didn't take a medical degree to see that there was no saving him - he was already dead. Kh'ali tapped her comm badge.

"Kh'ali to Medical and Engineering. We have a casualty in the Speaker's quarters. I know you all are swamped, no rush on that. And Engineering, I need the Speaker's entire area covered with anyon beams. Keep it at a constant level unless you hear from me. Kh'ali out." Returning to the sofa, she sat on the floor beside it, looking at Zee'Hrai. "He's gone. And with some luck, the enemy will be exposed soon."

"Another one." He murmured more to himself than to Kh'ali, then he looked up to the chief diplomat again. "I've heard you incite Commander Zeferino, Are they still here? Around us?"

"That's what I'm hoping. He has no idea who he's tangling with." Kh'ali smiled as she opend the med kit. "May I?" she asked, indicating the wound on his head.

"Of course. I think I've not been the best example of warrior for any culture." He smiled bitterly.

"Wasn't it you who told me that you were born to be what you are? And chosen for talents that led you to a far different, but just a simportant, place than a warrior's?"

"Ow... That hurts," he winced as she pressed the medicament on the wound. "You see? I've not born to be a fighter. Maybe the 'wisest' were true in their judgment when they singled me out to be a Speaker for Divitia."

"You say that like it's an insult." She removed the bloody gauze and pulling out a small regenerator, leaned over him and set to work. "If not for you, your planet would be dead soon."

"There come times where you get tired to depend on others' loyalty to do what you cannot... And to have your life bought with another's," he replied quietly nodding to the body of the young divitian guard. "Had he dreams of his own? Ambitions? Sadness of sort? Doesn't matter, it's all gone now. And for what? For the reports I've read so far my planet is just as gone too. I would have been unable to protect me or you and it seems I've failed my planet too." He spoke, avoiding eye contact with Kh'ali as she healed his wound.

"I don't believe that." She fell silent as she finished off the last of the wound. "Have you had ant reports from your planet? Any news? I suspect I have a few of my own to read but I broke out of sickbay to get here to you."

"I was reading the last one just before that criminal appeared here... And it wasn't too comforting. Have to read the last part though, the one detailing the decision of the Council and the outcome for your people."

"I can tell you that Commander qeraQ' is a very determined individual. He is of my people, it goes with the territory." She packed up the small med kit before she continued. "Feeling better? I do good work, you won't even have a scar."

"You make me think you could have been a good doctor too other than a skilled diplomat. And for the scar... That I will bear is not of the visible kind."

He kept silent for an instant then as if realizing again the situation asked: "What about your comrade, will she be well? My men will be here soon as your security too. Can we do anything to help her?"

The plead evident in his words. One dead for my person is more than enough today."

"The anyon beams I ordered will bring them back across. It's how they finally found me. Any moment now, they should show up. Then we'll finish this thing." Kh'ali rested her hand over his. "No more worries for you."

Zee'Hrai nodded in silence.


***************

Lt. Commander Kh'ali
Chief Diplomatic Officer


&

Zee'Hrai
Speaker For Divitia