Hidden Secrets, Unknown Truths

Posted on Mon Jul 9th, 2012 @ 4:58pm by Lieutenant Commander Leto & Tora Sulan & Lieutenant Commander Kit'rin'e

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: Kit'rin'e's Quarters

Kit'rin'e has attempted to see Nenita as his Mate had indicated, however at the time Nenita was unavailable. He returned to his quarters somewhat deflated. Once again just as things appeared to be looking up something came along that seemed to ruin it. He was looking forward to spending time with his Mate since she mentioned about taking time off, now she was in the Intelligence Department, not the Nexus where he's always found her. He restarted his cooking and Sha'la'ne attended.

"You seem troubled, what is it?" She asked slowly taking a seat in one of the comfy sofas available. The scent still lingered in the air from before when she was spending so much time away from him, little had changed.

"Nothing Elder, just preparing a meal." A lie, he knew it and so did she, something did bother him.

"Are you not enjoying your work?" Sha'la'ne said sitting, watching him. Being Caitian herself she was able to read more into him than others. How his whiskers were, how his ears moved, his tail swayed, how he held himself all indicators she could read.

"I am, it is a challenge, I get to meet new people, learn new things while teaching them about others. The students are engaging, interested in learning, considerate and kind." Kit'rin'e spoke.

"That's not all though is it?"

"No." He answered. "Another Caitian is on board the station, I tried to help him....it was hard to see what happened to him." Caitians were a close knit species, seeing another hurting would on Cait cause friends and families to help and support them, yet he was just one and just a Commander.

"I heard about the Admiral arriving, with so few of us off the Homeworld, hearing about one of us walking around and being seen often causes chatter amongst others." Sha'la'ne answered, paused, then continued. "But I am here for you, not the Admiral, so tell me, what is the matter?"

"Things between my Mate and I are difficult again." He knew that would not please Sha'la'ne one bit, especially since she was grooming Sulan to become the Elder. "I tried to get to her but she is in the Intelligence area, I tried to see the female she mentioned to see but was unavailable."

"I see." This made Sha'la'ne make a note to meet Sulan again, only this time it would not be so.....polite.

"I knew the risks." Kit'rin'e spoke, knowing already what she was thinking. He too could read her just as she did him.

"Are you really prepared to suffer because of her?" She spoke, her voices raised.

"She is my Mate, the female is free to do as she pleases, when and where. You know this Elder, she is not Caitian and you can't expect her to meet the same standards right away. What we have is a major change for her, change takes time to get accustomed to." Kit'rin'e attempted to explain. "I can only guess what is happening now has something to do with her past work."

"Past work?" Sha'la'ne said standing up, starting to pace. Already a sign that things were turning bad.

"I am uncertain, prior to Nexus I am unsure of what she did before, though with her condition and her presence in Intelligence considering she's a civilian worker at Nexus, it has to be something like that." Kit'rin'e replied resuming his work on the meal.

"I am growing weary of your Mate's lack of consideration towards you and our ways."

"She is trying, you have seen that, you saw how she was during your sessions with her, her first reaction to you, our first conversation together. She has tried hard to accept my ways and I have barely touched on hers." Kit'rin'e attempted to explain.

"But in doing so you won't kill her if you don't follow her ways, what she is doing to you will." Sha'la'ne yelled, perhaps the first time he'd heard her do that since he was an infant. "If she does not change her ways you will return to the Homeworld with me, I am sure, giving your white fur and markings you will find a Mate there."

"But I have a Mate already, here on 900." Kit'rin'e countered, reality sinking in.

"Do you?" She answered. "Once she nearly killed you, had I not come would you still be here?" Another pause before she resumed her assault. "The bonding is still in its early stages, it is still not too late." Sha'la'ne was on a warpath, Tora Sulan was her target.

Before Kit'rin'e could think of how to answer, Sha'la'ne had beelined to the door, stopped, marked it with her claws and left. Kit'rin'e knew what it meant.

This, just got a whole world more difficult. Kit'rin'e had to beat the Elder to his Mate, knowing he'd be able to better reach her while the Elder being a civilian would be held up at the check points. With little time to spare Kit'rin'e left his quarters.

Deck 35

Nenita stood at the lift waiting, leaning casually against the wall by the lift doors. She had managed to reach Lt. Commander Kit'rin'e once he was finished with his current class and sent him a temporary code to use to get the lift to Deck 35 where the safe rooms were located. Her mind wandered to Nick and she smiled. He was another she needed to speak to, as orders had come in from Li to get ready for a few days planetside, along with some very specific instructions. Moments later, the lift chimed as the doors opened to reveal the tall Caitian.

"My, they weren't kidding, you are a big fellow. Welcome to Intel, Commander."

"Thank you." He said with a bow of the head. "I am wishing to speak to my Mate, urgently." There was a marked degree of urgency in the last word, particularly just over 400lbs of it that would be making its way to Intel shortly. He had no idea what the Elder would do or say, but he had to warn his Mate but also get answers of his own.

“Right this way then, she’s been anxious to see you.” Nenita turned and led the way along the corridor, finally stopping at an unmarked door. She rang the chime to let Sulan know they were entering, then opened the doors. She didn’t enter, merely stood aside. “Here you go, Commander, take all the time you need.”

“My Mate.” Kit’rin’e said, walking in a short distance, stopping then bowed as always. “I must speak quickly. The Elder is coming to see you and she is unhappy.” He was worried what she might say or do. Would she really take him back to the Homeworld?

Sulan jumped to her feet and rushed at Kit’rin’e, throwing her arms around him. “I’m so glad you are here! I’m sorry for disappearing, they insisted it was for my own safety....because of my past.” She paused to take a breath. Why is she upset?”

“Your past?” None of it made sense, perhaps he should have looked into it when she suggested. “Safety?” He added, was she in danger, if so then from who or what? Still that would wait for a brief moment. “She is upset with you, with how things have been with us and she thinks you are not taking my condition seriously.” Kit’rin’e replied. “She.....she has forbidden us to marry until things are to her satisfaction.” He was saving the worst for last. “She had threatened to take me to the Homeworld, to find a worthy mate for me.”

Confusion clouded Sulan’s face. “Why? I thought things were agreeable? That is what she said.” Her voice shook as she continued. “It’s Harding. Do you recall what I told you about my age? He’s back and they think that he will try to take me back, turn me into his lab rat again.”

Kit’rin’e didn’t let her go, took in every word. This Harding however was going to be a problem though. “She came round earlier, you were not there with me during this time and she saw that differently.” He explained. “I tried to explain to her but she left, leaving the mark on the door.” Then he focused on what she was saying.

“If he touches you, I will kill him.” If there was ever a time where doubt was not apart of the equation, this was it.

“Then we will explain to her. It was not by choice, otherwise I would not be here in this safe room on a floor that no one can access without clearance.” She hugged him tighter. “Nenita said that you can stay here with me if you wish.”

“Just be prepared, she was very angry when she left, she would not take this action lightly.” Kit’rin’e replied as he held his Mate close and mildly tight. “I will stay.” At least them together would be of comfort to them both.

“Surely she can understand? It was a matter of personal danger, but I cannot tell her what happened then. What should I do?” The fact that he would be staying was a huge relief and she relaxed in his arms. First the Elder, now Harding. It was almost more than Sulan could deal with, and yet here, with Kit’rin’e, she felt safe.

“I don’t know what to expect from her, but we can deal with it together.” He answered, his hold on her remained firm, protective and guarding. “I will stay close while Harding is on the station.” He didn’t know if this Harding knew of him, but if he didn’t he was in for a shock and if he did then he better bring a phaser.

“I’m glad. Natalia...Dr. Bren...you can talk to her. She knows the situation and maybe can help.”

He stayed silent, perhaps a talk with the Dr might help later on, but now he had a new objective, protection. If Starfleet had deemed it a must for his Mate to be here for her protection, this Harding was more than just some old rival with a grudge. There was more to it then that.

“I’ll let Nenita know you’ll be here when not in class. Do you want to run home and get anything?”

“Not yet.” Mostly because of the marks Sha’la’ne left there on the door. Harsh and painful as it was for him. “You never did tell me about your past, what is it all about?” Kit’rin’e asked, that for which he didn’t check on, he’d hear from her own lips as to why all of this was happening.

“Years ago, Jackson and I were stationed in the Briar Patch. There is an installation there, studying the effects of the radiation on the Ba’ku planet - it’s what keeps them unaging. Harding, Natalia, a few more were on the team. We discovered that they were trying to synthesize aversion of it. Being on the planet was beginning to slow our aging rate and we were checked now and again so they could study us. One day, there was an accident in the lab. The sample they were synthesizing ran hot and blew. Jackson and I were the only ones in there at the time, waiting on Harding to come in. We were completely exposed.”

Listening as his Mate explained it did explain a few things, her youthful looks for one, not that he was complaining as she was very attractive. It also explains the situation with Jackson earlier, while she said that they had been friends for a number of years this made the connection even clearer to see.

“As it turns out, it worked but was too unstable to reproduce the experiments at the time. Since then, they’ve kept tabs on us, checking every so often to see what’s happening. Jackson skipped out on them years ago and he thinks that with Harding turning up here, he’s intending to take us and start work on it again. He asked that I be brought here while he tries to find out what the man is up to. There was another on the team who seemed rather keen to find out if any children I might have would bear the same effects.”

The last bit angered him, enough so that the fur on his face visibly changed appearance. He was against the idea of his offspring being targets of lab experiments and tests. “Who was the other?” He doubted he could do anything about it, however it never hurt to know all the players involved.

“He was killed a year later, Kit’rin’e. Which is why I suspect Jackson is worried about Harding. Until we know more, there's just no telling what the man will do.”

“Perhaps if I spoke to Harding, made my position clear then he might be less inclined to come near you.” Kit’rin’e said looking down at her as she held onto him. He did not like what this Harding fellow was about, if he was here and his Mate in protection, it meant he was the enemy player.

“It will help once Jackson knows more. So you see, I’m not just here for a pleasant layover. Can you tell Sha’la’ne that? Without getting into the reasons? They are still classified.”

“I can try to.” Try, but unsure if she would listen, she was the Elder and what she was doing now was within her rights. As much as he wanted to help her understand he feared a confrontation between his Mate and Sha’la’ne was inevitable.

Sulan’s expression turned dark. “She will not take you home. End of story.” Her tone left no doubt she was digging in her heels. “Starfleet is a very different life than she is used to. That is unfortunate at times, but something we have to deal with.”

So it seemed his Mate was prepared to fight the Elder for him. In some way, small at least it was amusing. The concept of a small woman going toe to toe with someone that outweighs her by a few hundred pounds, slightly taller and like all Caitians, somewhat intimidating. There was a Human saying, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. His Mate was now scorned since Sha’la’ne was trying to take him away from her.

* * *

Sha'la'ne returned to her quarters, she knew what she had to do, she dressed in her finest, her best attire fitting of her station and stormed out of her quarters.

"Computer, I want to know where Tora Sulan, the Mate of Kit'rin'e is, where is she?" Sha'la'ne asked

"Unable to comply" Was the computer's response but Sha'la'ne was not so easily defeated.

She asked several questions, probing questions mostly till she narrowed down to a few locations Sulan was on or could be. She was however stopped from going far. "I'm sorry Ma'am, you can't go past this point without clearance."

"I am Sha'le'ne, Elder to Kit'rin'e. Tora Sulan is his Mate and as the Elder I demand to see her immediately. "

When security repeatedly told Sha'la'ne the situation it did little to stem her resolve to get to her. Sooner or later though the situation was reported and word would soon reach Sulan of Sha'la'ne's insistent demands to see her right away.

Word did indeed reach the right pair of ears - Nenita’s. The Security crewman’s report was rather unusual.

“Tell her to keep her pants on, I’ll get back to you in a few.” She stood and moved down the corridor to Sulan’s door and rang the chime. When the doors opened, she stepped in and looked to Kit’rin’e first. “We have a little problem.”

There was always problems, just the scale of them varied. “What sort of problem?” He hoped it was not the Caitian kind, hoping that maybe the Elder had a change of heart and decided to stay in her room to cool off.

“Someone named Sha’la’ne is downstairs causing a ruckus, demanding to see Sulan. She didn’t mention you, however. Ring any bells?”

Kit’rin’e would have thought that due to the lack of many Caitians in Starfleet, one was in here and soon after another followed it would have rung bells. “She is the Elder to my family.” Though causing a ruckus probably was putting it mildly. “We should probably see her, before it gets worse.”

Nenita frowned. “Can you calm her down? I cannot let her in here and from what I’m hearing, I’m not too enthused about sending Su down. I’ll leave it to Su, there’s a room on 30 that can be used and Security’s already there.”

“I’ll follow you, I am unfamiliar with this area of the station.” Kit’rin’e added, this was not what he was looking forward to but knew this was something they had to face or it ruin everything.

Sulan stood and nodded. “Let’s go. I have a few things to say.”

*********

Lt Commander Kit’rin’e
Starfleet Academy Instructor

Tora Sulan
Civilian

Lt.(jg) Nenita Quidley
Intelligence Officer