Kylah saw no one in or outside of Wilson's suite.
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Kylah saw no one in or outside of Wilson's suite.
Graham nods in sincere appreciation of T'Var's comments, and looks up at the sky as they set out. "Nice night," he says. Then he shakes his head as they walk and blows out a long breath. "Heh...maybe I should've bought old Lt. Palver something in the gift shop, though..."
Kylah gets a stitch in her side and pauses, bending down with her hand pressing down just beneath her ribs. She mulls over the accomplishment of gaining access to the suite so easily, and then thinks... why did she gain access so easily?
Trying to catch her breath, she lifts her communicator again. "Ky--Kylah to Graham," she says, wheezing a bit. She must be tired--such a brief jog should not tire her out so. "I was just in Wilson's suite--it has no guards around it. Should all entrances to the suite not be watched by our security, considering the safe and all of Wilson's possessions...?" After a pause for a deep breath, she straightens again. "I think we should protect all possible evidence. I know there is a lock but we have seen the criminal get around security measures before."
By the end of the sentence she feels she has gotten her wind back, and starts walking again. "Just a recommendation, sir." She looks in the not-too-far distance, wondering if she can see any of the others on their way to the research lab. And by "any" she means, of course, Velir. Preferably without Dobson by his side.
Disappointed by the lack of extra information his scans, Rangin turns to Dobson. "Right that's it for today, time to head for the research station."
Rangin quietly heads back out of the hotel and towards the station admiring the oncoming sunset.
Dobson matches Rangin's stride. They meet up with Graham and T'Var on the small hill between the resort and the Starfleet research station. Kylah is not far behind.
Rangin acknowledges the pair of them with a nod. "Ma'am. Mr Graham." as he falls in along side them. Any sign of Ens. Kylah and Lt. Delaney?"
He waits for an answer from the pair while absently pondering if he will be getting any results from the lab at the research station on all the data he sent back.
Noting that the group seems to have stopped short of the research station, Kylah frowns slightly in curiosity--why have they not continued to the entrance? Now that her stitch seems to have released its grip on her muscle, she again increases her pace to join the others. Meanwhile, she puts away her communicator, which has been silent since she made her recommendation. If Graham wants to reply to her idea, he can just talk to her.
She is struck by the fact that Delaney is not there. How is it possible that she beat him to the rendezvous point? Maybe he is already at the station. Kylah greets everyone with a silent nod, her gaze lingering on Velir only a second longer than the others before snapping back to face Graham.
Graham smiles slightly. Pointing with his thumb toward Kylah, he replies to Rangin. "Ah, she's right here." He shrugs. "But where's Delaney--is he already back at the station eating?"
He shakes his head. "Fine suggestion, Mr. Kylah, obviously somebody at this facility has been able to circumvent security systems at will." Graham contacts Mahmoud to ask for a guard to be posted watching Wilson's quarters. Then he asks Lt. Delaney for his location: "We're near the station, Lieutenant. Should we wait for you or have you beaten us there?"
Rangin smiles as Graham points out Kylah and gives her a nod and a warm smile as she turns up.
"I hope he's at the station," Rangin whispers quietly under his breath, "we could all do with getting back for as soon as possible."
Delaney comes over the hill at a fast walk and catches up with you. "Sorry," he says, a little out of breath. "Got kind of... distracted."
Kylah remembers that Lt. Palver, commanding officer of the research station, had programmed its main door earlier today to admit the members of the Yorktown's landing party. She presses her thumb to the keypad and the door whispers open. The small lobby is just as you remember it.
Kylah looks around to see if any of the lab staff members are nearby. As she does, she asks, "Mr. Graham, since our configuration has changed somewhat with Lt. Collins's unfortunate departure, perhaps you wish to reallocate our quarters? I do not recall how the men have been divided, but I would imagine the single room should go to either you, as our mission commander, or one of the ranking officers, such as Dr. T'Var." She looks at Dobson. "Crewman Dobson could share my room if Dr. T'Var receives the single."
The thought of Collins makes Kylah turn to T'Var. "If you plan on contacting the Yorktown to check on the Lieutenant, Doctor, I hope you will let her know that we are all wishing her the best."
Graham cocks an eyebrow at Delaney. "You didn't go get Fastolfe to sign your tricorder or anything like that now, Lieutenant?" he says jokingly.
"I'm currently sharing with Graham," states Rangin wondering if that situation would change. He was unsure whether Graham would decide to pull rank and claim a room for himself. At worst, Graham would not think as usual and just move himself into Collins' room leaving Rangin to share with Dobson. Rangin hoped Graham would, at least, listen to Kylah.
As Kylah mentions Collins name to Dr T'Var, Rangin murmurs quietly, "Agreed," while he waits for Graham to give his orders for the evening, Rangin was too tired at this point to start ignoring him now.
"I'm fine bunking wherever," Dobson says.
"Likewise," says Dr. T'Var.
A young woman in Science blue enters the lobby and introduces herself as Ens. Beth Robinson. "Lt. Palver asked me to check and see if you need anything from the station staff," she says pleasantly.
"Your call Mr Graham," Rangin chimes in before turning to the station Ensign. "Excuse me, I sent some readings back for analysis. They were being checked by Dr. Lucy Anderson. Would you happen to know if she has finished or where she might be..."
Rangin considers for a moment, "..though that may be after a bite to eat and possibly a shower, if possible. It's been a long day."
Graham blinks. Overall, he's appreciated Kylah's attention to detail, but at the moment his immediate reaction is who the hell give a shit where we sleep?
He briefly considers explaining the old Earth phrase "eyes on the prize" but thinks better of it, first because everyone is tired and secondly and more discouragingly because he worries he hasn't earned the credibility to do so... It also pops into his mind that in his younger days and in better circumstances he'd have jumped at the opening to plop himself and an attractive Vulcan woman in the same room...
Graham rubs his head. "Look, it's been a long day for everybody. Do what you need to do to be fresh at 0730 tomorrow morning--that means hitting the sack now if you need it, or having something to eat, or dancing a jig with whoever of the station staff wants to join you..." He pauses. "I know we need a spot for Dobson--thank you, Mr, Kylah. Doc, take Collins' room. And I'd appreciate it, actually, if you'd inquire after how she is and tell I--we're all--thinking of her. Dobson you're with Kylah. I'm going to..."
He stops and holds up his hands. "You're time is your own, with the objective being rested and ready to go tomorrow morning."
"Thank you, sir," Kylah says, a bit hesitantly, feeling a wave of annoyance from Graham. She pauses before saying anything else--she is afraid of inciting Graham's rancor--and instead turns to murmur to Rangin. "I will be glad to be off-duty, but do you think... do you think we should ask him about a briefing with the Yorktown? Will they not be expecting some final report for the day?"
Ens. Robinson smiles at Rangin. "Yes, Dr. Anderson asked me to give you this," she says, handing him a data tablet. The Coridan xenobiologist sees that Dr. Anderson's report indicates that the OC3 spore readings he gathered were consistent with earlier scans; there were no significant variances.
Delaney yawns. "I'm just gonna grab a quick sandwich and then hit the sack. I'm exhausted."
"Sounds like a plan," Dobson says. "I'll have some personal gear beamed down from the ship."
Dr. T'Var says, "A cup of tea and some meditation for me, I should think."
Graham sighs and thinks to himself if I were some sort of omnipotent being who controlled what happened in this universe, I'd give us a couple days off...
"Thank you very much", he says to Ens. Robinson before looking at the readings. Rangin scans over them and disappointedly nods his head at what he reads. "Oh well, another possibility gone."
"Shower, food and sleep then. I'll be in the mess hall in twenty, if anyone wants to join me." His eyes look up at Kylah waiting to see her reaction before looking across the rest of the group.
Since Velir is busy scanning the research findings and does not reply to her question, Kylah assumes he has not heard her. She is reluctant to repeat it; she doesn't want to be the person who spoils everyone's much-deserved rest period by talk of reporting back to Vargas. Let Vargas contact Graham himself and ask why there was no briefing, she thinks, a bit spitefully. Perhaps Singh will think twice before putting a security officer in charge of a mission again. They do not seem equipped for planning.
Velir's voice interrupts her sullen ruminations. She glances up at him and meets his gaze. "A meal after a shower... Yes, I think I will join you, Mr. Rangin. I--I mean--in the meal," she rushes to clarify, once her mind belatedly picks up the double entendre.
She gives him a fleeting smile before heading back to her room, preoccupied. If the evening is their own, as Graham says, Kylah knows she and Velir might finally have some peaceful, extended time together. Their brief picnic today was pleasant, but ended poorly upon her spying Jan. Tonight that will not be an issue--although she originally planned to talk about what happened with Jan, Kylah is not sure if that should be on the agenda after all. The truth might stop things before they start. Or am I just being a coward? she admits after holing up in the bathroom and taking a quick shower. It might not be fair to begin anything, if I must hide something to prevent its ending.
After drying herself, she dresses in a fresh uniform and looks at her reflection in the mirror, not pleased. She wishes she had more off-duty wear, but her blue dress is still in the locker back at WR&R, and the only other non-regulation outfit she has left is her nightgown--after destroying the black dress last night, that is, but then she would not wear it again even if it were possible. Kylah decides to leave her hair down instead of clipping some of it back, and applies a light dusting of powder to hide some of the darkness beneath her tired eyes.
The difference between her natural, faded look tonight and her would-be glamorous appearance for last night's dinner could not be starker. She wishes she could do more primping for Velir. And yet... He kissed my hand when I was in a dirty uniform, covered in with dried blood and bruises, and crying my eyes out, Kylah remembers. It may not matter that I look like a living ghost.
Rangin stops, and then hides the slow smile crossing his face with a hand as he scratches the side of his face. "I'll see in you in the mess hall shortly then," he replies before heading back to the room he is sharing with Graham arriving ahead of him. Rangin grabs the shower before Graham has a chance to pull rank on it, and quickly scrubs away the grime from the day. Feeling more refreshed, he wanders back in and looks in the direction at the linen suit still neatly packed away.
Much as he would like to wear it, Rangin shudders slightly, remembering the mistakes he made last night, the fool he made of himself by trying to interfere in something that was not his to do so. He throws on a spare uniform, straightens it out and heads for the mess hall.
Kylah is about to leave for the mess hall when her gaze falls on the computer terminal. Although the screen is blank, it reminds her of last night, when she read the message from Jan--and never answered it. For the past several hours she has been struggling with the possibility that Jan's investments in colonial bonds might be relevant to OCIII and WR&R; as unlikely as it may be, Kylah cannot ignore a possible lead. Especially since he was out last night--Velir had mentioned their horrible discussion at the nightclub.
Her face red, Kylah reluctantly forces herself to turn and sit down at the terminal. She quickly taps some keys before identifying herself to access her shipboard comm account. A few commands later, she is once again looking at Jan's message from last night.
My dear Kylah: I enjoyed our time together and was glad to get to know you a little better, but obviously you were upset when you left. I must have moved too fast for you - for us - and I apologize. Please let me know if you're all right now, and tell me if there's anything I can do to make it up to you. As I said earlier, I would hate to part on bad terms. Indeed, I think I would hate to part at all. I hope very much to hear back from you. With best wishes, JAN."Our time together." "I would hate to part at all." Kylah feels sickened again, despite Jan's courtly words and polite inquiry about her feelings. She swallows painfully and lets her trembling fingers hover over the keys before typing a response.
Jan: I am sorry I could not reply earlier. As you have no doubt heard by now, our mission changed significantly due to the tragic circumstances of the administrator's death. I have been continuously occupied with the investigation since only a few hours after IKylah feels another wave of nausea. "After she" what? After she acted like a drunken fool? Was too weak to free herself? Had sex with a complete stranger? Made a mistake that might haunt her forever?
She erases the last word and tries again.
I have been continuously occupied with the investigation since only a few hours after we parted. I am grateful for your concern and thank you for being so solicitous and kind. I was not expecting what happened and did not now how to react.Kylah shuts her eyes for a moment. Such understatement and politeness make her stomach roil yet again. She forces herself to continue.
If you are still willing to meet again, and have some time available, might we see each other tomorrow? I do wish to talk to you. Tonight my colleagues and I are getting much-needed sleep, and so I cannot be in contact. Perhaps you can get in touch with me in the morning or afternoon. My schedule is very haphazard but we do have breaks. I believe the concierge might be able to connect your call to my communicator.Kylah reads the message over quickly. It seems cordial enough. The note betrays none of her true motives to learn more about his investments, and most important, it is unlikely that he will see this as a romantic invitation of any kind. At least, I pray he will not misread my intentions...
Thank you -- Kylah.
Biting her lip, she sends the message without letting herself think further, then shuts down the terminal and practically flies from the room to the elevator and the mess hall.
In the mess hall, Rangin looks round at the view people there, but not seeing any of the team. He wanders up and picks up some warm food, something comforting, a bulwark against the day and something that will help him sleep later on.
Sitting at the table he waits for a little while, the food slowly steaming in front of him as he savours the smell, taking a little while to just unwind further. After a few moments, he is about to start eating when he sees Kylah enter the mess. As she looks round, he notices the uniform and the hair left curling to her shoulders and thinks that she looks better for it than having it clipped back. Although the fact they are both off-duty and both wearing a uniform leaves Rangin with a wry smile on his face.
Rangin puts the cutlery to one side, nods at her when she notices him, and waits for her to come across.
Having ordered some hearty meat and vegetable stew, along with two buttered rolls, Kylah turns and spots Rangin almost immediately. Her face brightens in response to his nod and, after looking around a bit self-consciously, she joins him at the table. She chose the dishes with care, since she cannot make any table manner gaffes; stew is eaten the same way on Elas as it is elsewhere, and rolls need no cutlery at all. The one difficulty will be tearing the bread into smaller pieces than she would prefer. She is ravenous.
She greets him with a smile, and eyes both of their trays. "Have you noticed that our best times together involve food?" she says, placing the napkin on her lap and adding casually, "My childhood nurse would approve. When it was announced that Cousin Elaan had been engaged to a man she had not met, Reena warned me that one must never marry a man with whom one has not dined at least three times. She would say, 'Sharing a table is as revealing as sharing a bed.' Of course I did not understand--" Kylah freezes in the act of lifting a bite of bread to her mouth. She is not sure which is a worse conversation topic with a man--sex or marriage. "That is to say--I have no wish to marry, I did not mean to imply..."
With a quick shake of her head, she starts over and looks intently at the butter melting on the soft bread. "I just... it is a pleasure to be alone with you again, Velir. You seem refreshed."
As Kylah sits down and starts, Rangin nods to her comment about the best times and starts on his food. He tucks into the meal in front of him while listening although the mouthfuls get slower and slower until she comments about sharing a bed at which point the raised fork is left in mid-air as he looks across, mouth half open at her comment. Rangin is unsure what to say next and the silence is broken when there is a small splash on his plate as the food finally slides off the fork and lands with a squelch.
He smiles and carefully impales the food back onto his fork before looking across again and shaking his head. "I don't feel refreshed, maybe after relaxing some more, maybe after a good night's sleep I will. However, being alone with you certainly helps. Would you mind if I said you look better with your hair down like that."
Kylah blinks in surprise at the compliment. "Of course I would not mind. Thank you. On Elas, our hairstyles are so elaborate... it is almost unthinkable to leave one's hair down, not even a braid or a jeweled clip..." Her shoulders lift in a tiny shrug. "It is a mark of how tired I am that I did not do anything to it. But if it pleases you..."
She hesitates and smiles, happy to gaze at him--at last, not a hidden, stolen glance, but an open stare of admiration. "You always look wonderful to me," she says frankly. "Ever since Starbase 27, whenever I walk into a room and find you there--even if you are focusing elsewhere and do not notice me--I feel..." Her brow furrows in thought, seeking the correct way to describe her emotions. "Like a boat that, after near wreckage by a storm, has finally found a safe harbor. There is peace in your eyes, Velir," she says softly. "A peace such as I have never seen in another."
After her words she is embarrassed--and fears she might have embarrassed him, as well. She eats some stew and then adds, as if addressing her spoon: "There is no one else from our crew here yet. Perhaps when we finish, we can walk somewhere they might not see? I do not wish to hide our...our friendship... I just wish to be with you, to talk. Would that be all right?"
"It shouldn't matter whether it pleases me, but you make all styles look good." Rangin looks back across at Kylah across from him, food half forgotten as he looks over her.
As she continues, he meets her gaze enjoying sound of her voice. He freezes slightly at the mention of peace and calm, then smiles again. "Does this include the time I was being attacked on that space station?"
At her suggestion, Rangin responds, "I agree, a walk together outside sounds like an excellent idea. Perhaps around the area of the station, I don't really feel like going near the resort." Rangin attacks the remainder of his meal, having something more special to look forward to.
As he finishes his meal, Rangin looks across at Kylah. "Shall I get some warm drinks to take with us? Hot chocolate?"
Kylah hardly knows what to do with Velir's flattery; it seems unlike him but she cannot help but enjoy it. She just shakes her head at his reference to their attack on the Sakathian research station--it is not something she can joke about much, not yet.
"I will always say yes to chocolate," she says after she not-very-delicately sops up the remaining stew with the last morsel of bread, then pops it in her mouth. While he goes she quickly does a thorough wiping of crumbs from her dress and uses her napkin to ensure no butter remains on her hands or face.
Once they head out of the mess hall with their drinks and take the lift down to the first floor, they continue to have good fortune in not seeing any of their colleagues. Kylah assumes they have used replicators for their meals. Or, clichéd as it might be, perhaps she only had eyes for Velir. And for the stew, she admits while walking by Velir's side into the cooler dusky evening. The meal really was surprisingly good for mess hall fare. Since she has been on a food deficit as well as a sleep deficit since skipping dinner yesterday, possibly anything would have tasted like ambrosia.
The silence--other than the station's various electric generators--surrounds them for some moments before Kylah speaks. "Velir, you mentioned the Sakathian station. I have been thinking how glad I am that I did not yet know you well. I cannot imagine how I would have survived for worrying. First when you were attacked by that slime devil--then the altered Sakathians in that room surrounding you, making you suffer..." She can still hear his scream as he was bitten. Shuddering, unconsciously she moves closer to him so their arms touch. After a moment her fear of being too close to a man subsides, and it feels natural to slip her hand through his elbow and clutch it protectively. "And the uncertainty of your illness. I could not have borne it. I do not like thinking of that mission, it still gives me nightmares. And yet..."
She looks up at him, his face a pale blue in the evening light. "That was the first time I saw the man you were. Are. You were the only one to stand up with me against the idea of cuffing Porr to his late wife. To argue with T'Var when she seemed unwilling to do anything for Fujishiro in the return shuttle."
Kylah lazily allows her head to fall briefly against his arm, enjoying its warm strength, before she straightens, realizing she is being too forward. "And do you know," she adds more lightly, "you were the only person I voluntarily told about my knives. I had to tell T'Var during my medical exam, and yesterday I--I was somewhat forced to show Graham how I could defend myself. But you... only with you did I feel comfortable enough to reveal their existence without fear. And you have never told anyone, have you." It is not a question, because she knows the answer already. She smiles and absently rubs his arm, stroking it for comfort and feeling the gentle support of his muscles. "Even though we had barely met, I felt how trustworthy you are."
Rangin cannot help but enjoy the walk with Kylah in the cool fresh evening air. Just two people out walking, taking time to enjoy each other's company. As Kylah slips her arm around his elbow, he feels grateful for her touch as she holds onto him and he slows just slightly to fall in step with her. He listens carefully while walking alongside and as she strokes his arm he reaches across and holds it for a moment.
"Trustworthy," Rangin repeats. "No, I haven't told anyone else, but I am possibly the last person you might want to call trustworthy. Or if I am, that sounds so very strange. I've spent so long not being trusted, being that one from Coridan, it can get wearing. Maybe times, or maybe I have changed more than I thought. But thank you for trusting me, I will endeavour not to break it." A slight tinge of sadness can be heard in Rangin's voice of past memories.
Rangin looks up at the stars, "Strange how life could have been so different if perhaps I had done something different here or there, but for now I'm walking on this beautiful planet alongside a beautiful woman who is happy to be here. I'll take it."
Graham was eager to at least wash his face and perhaps change clothes, but Rangin makes a beeline into the shower in their shared room.
What the hell, has he got a date? Graham thinks, shaking his head. He's not at all looking to get into an argument, and in any event he can't fully relax yet: he's waiting to hear from the Yorktown about the search warrants, and failing a response soon he ought to check in with Vargas and apprise him of the team's status.
He leave the room and wanders outside, looking for a quiet spot to perform some aikido katas.
The intensity levels of his routine increase as Rangin bogarting the shower for some reason brings back memories.
The guest-quarters hallway of the Starfleet research station is empty, and Graham is able to work on his katas there. Rangin is not long in the shower, and then Graham can make use of it. When the Security officer emerges and dresses, he checks his comm account and sees a message from Cmdr. Vargas asking for a summary of the investigation so far that day - written or verbal, his call.
Delaney is not long in the mess hall, grabbing a quick bite and then heading to bed. Dobson takes a little longer before turning in. T'Var goes to her quarters and will not be seen again until the morning.
The night passes without incident.
Kylah's lips part slightly and her eyes widen in astonishment when Velir speaks of himself so deprecatingly. She can hardly hear his lovely compliments through the immediate flood of protestations in her mind. As soon as he finishes she tightens her grip on his arm.
"Velir Rangin! Whether you are from Coridan or Vulcan or Earth, it does not matter--the person you are is remarkable! How can you not see that? Especially when compared to the others--the men and women around you, myself included? There is too much that is good about you to describe. You are forthright. Honorable. Compassionate. Sincere. You expect much of yourself, and of others--but you are forgiving, too. I hope," she adds softly, her gaze shifting away for a moment before returning to him.
"The truth is, you make me wish I were a better person. Someone who deserves you. Since I value your honesty I must match it with my own... and prove to you that I do find you trustworthy. I told you at lunch that I wished to tell you something, and that is true. But I realize that now, on this mission, is the wrong time and place for complete honesty." And also I am a coward, and do not want this night to end with you fearing me. Kylah swallows. "But I must tell you one thing. About last night."
They have stopped at the crest of the hill that lies between the resort and the station, and Kylah sets her untouched drink down and takes hold of Velir's hands. She glances toward the hotel, haunted. "I cannot explain everything yet. I just want you to know that... when I went to dinner with him, even when I went to his room, what happened--" Her voice breaks, hoarse with trepidation and shame. "That was not what I expected to happen. It is not what I wanted to happen. And...and it has never happened before--nor will it again, not that way, not with him. He meant nothing to me. Even as he--even while we were--" Tears sting her eyes and she shakes her head, reluctant to continue. "My heart was breaking because I could not prevent it, I could not stop myself from betraying you. Not that we had any understanding between us, but my actions still broke faith with my feelings for you. That is why it was so wrong, apart from how mortified I was..." Kylah takes a deep breath. "I do not know if you can understand. You would never have lost control as I did, would not have let yourself do something so abhorrent. The only reason I did..."
She cuts off and stares down at their entwined hands. "No. When we are back on the ship, I will explain more. I just wanted you to know that I have not wavered in my esteem of you, no matter how much my behavior makes it seem otherwise. I only ever wanted to be with you." Abruptly a thought occurs to her, an awful thought, and she blinks up at him. "But perhaps I presume too much. I just realized I have never asked you... Are--are you attached to anyone? It seems impossible that I should be able to find a man like you, unconnected to someone smart and lucky enough to see how special you are. The universe is not that generous."
Even as she says it, the truth of her words slams her heart against her ribs. Why has she assumed he would be alone?
Her sudden need for reassurance, her near-greed to know more about who Velir Rangin is, makes Kylah gaze beseechingly at him. "Please tell me about yourself, Velir. Anything. Tell me how you survived Coridan. Tell me how someone endured the bigotry against your people--bigotry that the Federation likes to believe does not exist, but you and I know better--how did you go through all that without becoming bitter, with your integrity still unspoiled? Tell me what you were like as a child, what you dream of now. But most of all, please tell me... is there someone else? Am I too late for us to be... together?"
Rangin smiles at Kylah’s kind words. “Enough,” he says quietly,” I have not always been like this. I have made my fair share of mistakes, impetuous, stupid and otherwise. I’m no role model to put on a plinth , not by a long shot.”
He sighs and disentangles his hands from hers. “The only thing I have ever tried to do is the right thing. But what on Coridan might be considered right, might not be considered the same elsewhere.” He pauses and steps back giving himself a little room.
“When I was younger, I was more a more active person in doing right, sometimes taking the law into my own hands. I thought I was doing right, but what started as just trying to do something against the corruption nearly turned into acting outside the rules of society. I…I was lucky, I only spent a few weeks in hospital because of it. A couple of my colleagues were never seen again, probably will never be found. Strangely enough, it was then I realised that more often than not, those who don’t play by the rules usually fear it being brought to everyone’s attention, when people have to act and do something, can’t hide the faces and minds from what is around them." Rangin looks across nervously,"Ah, never mind, its mostly ancient history." His eyes fall to the ground and then looks back up guiltily. "My colleagues and I used to go out to find the illegal Orion Mining operations on our planet. Very stupid, very naive and very dangerous. We just wanted to make Coridan a better place. We just didn't realise how far we were becoming like them in doing so."
He pauses remembering lost friends before continuing. "It’s also why, when I had the chance, I signed up to join Starfleet. A chance to make Coridan safer and better. I’m no less idealistic than I used to be, just in a different direction.”
“Even then, there have been several times that people have taken the wrong idea. For some reason, being from Coridan means people think I have access to everything illegal, whether I do or not. I was once even asked if I could get an Orion Slave girl once for a party, though it was more in the way of a joke than anything.” Rangin shakes his head. “Then there have been those who want something illicit and won’t take no for an answer. You know its strange, on the USS Lexington, I got on very well with Security when they realised that everyone who wanted that special something was coming to me first. And yet here, it’s totally different.”
He stops and looks up at the stars , something he used to do some many years ago with a woman he loved. “As for the question of is there someone else,” Rangin sighs deeply, as painful memories resurface, “There is no-one else at this time. There was once…a few years ago, someone…someone else, but it didn’t end well. We wanted different things from each other, things neither of us were prepared to give up. I think we have spent the last few years making sure we are in different sectors of the Alpha Quadrant. Probably for the best...”
He takes Kylah’s hand again and looks into her eyes hoping she will understand, “...and I don’t want to make the same mistakes again. I want to get it right this time and I want to get it right with you.”
Her hands feel so empty. That is the first thing Kylah thinks when Velir suddenly lets go of her. Next: I said too much. He is disgusted. I offended him. He is attached to someone after all...
But his soft voice continues, and tells her a tale of his background that sounds incomprehensible to her. Velir Rangin, outside the law? He seems to be implying he was almost a vigilante. Purposely seeking out illegal Orion mining operations...? She cannot believe his bravery. His madness! And injured, badly enough to be in a hospital for weeks. This is a man who swiftly recovered from a slime devil attack and vicious bites from mindless, poisonous creatures risen from the dead. Her anger flares at the injustice. Who hurt you?
Then he speaks of Starfleet officers, the so-called finest cream of the Federation, assuming he would deal in illicit activities without a flinch, merely because of his planet. When he specifically left to escape corruption. Again Kylah wonders indignantly: Who would hurt you?
Someone else... There was someone else. Kylah hears the timbre of his voice, the wistfulness. Understandable. After all, this is someone who is gone from his life, and it is 'probably for the best,' he says.
But only probably. What if this person were not on the opposite side of the Alpha Quadrant? What then?
Kylah has never been as tempted, sorely, desperately tempted, to search Velir's mind for what he is feeling. She is so distracted by the sudden need to exert every ounce of will power she possesses--especially when he takes her hand, for it would be all too easy now, the connection, the bond, a line directly from her soul to his--that she almost misses his words to her.
When they sink in, she inhales, still struggling to block herself from stealing his emotions. "Velir..." she whispers--barely more than her lips forming his name. "Truly?"
Velir's hand, holding hers, rises until he can kiss her fingers lightly. "Truly," is all he says. They stand there for some time--Kylah has no idea how long because she is lost in the depths of his gaze, eyes blue-gray in the moonlight rather than their usual hazel. Then he takes a tiny step closer to her, his chest now against hers. He must be able to feel her thrumming heartbeat, it seems like a dove trying to fly outside a cage. She does not move away. Velir's free left hand lifts up to brush her hair from her temple, grazing her cheek, then cupping her chin... so delicately. He holds her as if she is some rare piece of porcelain, something liable to shatter if one is not careful. And perhaps she is.
He moves even closer, his hand guides her face to his, and Velir Rangin is kissing her. Velir. Kissing her. Kylah's eyes remain open in shock, even though of course she was expecting it, but she has to make certain this is truly Velir. Of course it is. She is a fool. Who else would it be? Her mind re-engages, emerging from its strangely distant phase, and her mouth relaxes, kisses him back, very tentatively at first. But he is so warm and gentle and strong. Her own hand takes hold of his elbow as the single kiss turns slightly deeper. She sighs nearly inaudibly in pleasure.
Now he ends the kiss and rests his cheek against hers, embracing her. She can feel him smiling. Only now does she notice that he has been bending slightly to reach her. Not bending much, though. Their heights are not so different. Jan was taller; tall enough that Kylah had to tiptoe to wrap her arms around him, and when he kissed her he nearly lifted her from the ground, taking control. So different from now, yet the night was identical in many ways. Same indigo sky, same stars, same light breeze. Jan's mouth was much more insistent, however, as was hers. And still those kisses were not nearly as insistent or overwhelming as they would be in his room, on his bed--
Kylah jerks slightly backward, her body suddenly tense. Velir is still there, but he steps away almost immediately. "I... are you all right, Kylah? I didn't--"
"Yes, yes, I am fine. It was wonderful. You are wonderful," she reassures him. Her smile is tender and her eyes bright. She can hide and find shelter in the very real joy she felt only seconds ago. "We had better get back. Anyone could walk along this path. And there are cameras..."
"Cameras. Of course," Velir says with a slightly forced chuckle and wary eyes. "Er... yes, we should go."
They pick up their drinks, cold now, and walk slowly and in total silence back to the station. Only when they're at the elevator do they speak again--and it is simultaneous. They laugh a bit and Velir gestures at Kylah to go first. "I just wanted to thank you for a lovely night, Velir. For listening. For telling me all you did. For everything."
He smiles, so sweetly. This would be the perfect time for another kiss. But it is not the place, and Kylah is not yet ready. She is just... not ready. At some point they seem to have both realized it prudent to take separate elevators, and Velir lets Kylah ride up first. Kylah touches her lips and a flash of a thought occurs to her, a repeat of her earlier question, but this time she is not entirely certain whom she is addressing:
Who hurt you?
Kylah finds a message from Jan waiting in her comm account: Good to hear from you again! It'd be even better to see you again. Lunch or dinner? Coffee? Just say the word. I was worried about you, but I understand you've gotten quite a bit busier today. JAN.
The words on the screen look ugly and stark despite their cheerful message. Kylah wishes she had not checked her account. But of course that would not have been professional; if she hadn't looked, no doubt Thalen would have sent her something urgent she would regret not having seen. She sits and closes her eyes while typing.
I am sorry, Jan. I did not mean to worry you. May I contact you tomorrow once I see what my schedule is like? I would say lunch is most likely, but things have been so chaotic that I would hate to make a plan only to break it at the last minute. I will try to reach you when I am more certain. Thank you for understanding.
She sends the message and moves as quickly as she can to wash and get ready for bed. Shifting her mind from Velir to Jan is a wrench, and a black cloud has shrouded over an otherwise beautiful night--but she knows this cloud will remain above her until she is off this planet.
Hopefully it will not follow her on board the Yorktown.
Rangin dawdles a little while to give Kylah some space before heading up and quietly entering the room he shares with Graham.
Unsure if Graham is asleep or not, he quietly changes and climbs into bed. He lies there contemplating what just happened. A beautiful night, a beautiful planet, an Elasian princess...of such things dreams are made of. He smiles as tiredness overtakes him and Rangin slips into dreamless sleep.
Graham's grateful on returning to his room that it is empty. Before turning in, he files a status report with the Yorktown. He bullet points out the team's major activities of the day, and then makes his personal notes:
I made the decision to stop our work and give the team some time to regroup and refresh this evening, which I believe was warranted in light of the early start and the unexpected and traumatic loss of Lt. Collins mid-mission. Fastolfe remains a prima facie arguable suspect, but I increasingly feel this must have been an inside job. I have only a nagging feeling at this time about this, but am disturbed that Vice-Admiral Harding or Lt. Cmdr. Ebling may not have been 100% forthcoming about their interactions with Wilson or WR&R yet.
He's well on his way to falling asleep when he hears Rangin enter: the Coridanite says nothing and seems to be deliberately attempting to silently slip into bed himself, for which Graham is grateful. He's asleep before he hears his roommate finish changing.
The hours pass, and the exhausted Yorktown landing party members all get a good night's sleep.
Graham awakens in the morning, bright-eyed and refreshed, to find two messages in his comm account, both from First Officer Vargas: one acknowledging and thanking him for his investigation update, and the other informing him that overnight, a judge of the Federation District Court on Gyller IV approved, by subspace, the search warrant applications for the persons and possessions of Lord Fastolfe, his entourage and his guest house, but not his ship in orbit. The warrants are attached. Graham knows that, under Federation law, virtual but not hard copies must be provided to any person subject to a search warrant.
Kylah has a message awaiting her, as well: Understood, and thanks, my dear Kylah. I'll wait to hear from you. With very best wishes, JAN.
It is now 0728.
Determined to ignore this message and its far-too-intimate-for-her-liking tone, Kylah showers and dresses and, during all this, mulls over the plans for today involving Mr. Hsu.
Only when she's brushing her hair does she let her mind settle on what was--for all intents and purposes--her first real date with Velir. Or anyone else, for that matter; she chooses to consider the events with Jan as only a grotesque parody of a date. She smiles at memories of the kiss, trying to concentrate only on that first electric moment when Velir's lips touched hers, rather than the unfortunate intrusion of less pleasant romantic overtures from the previous night. But she does wish, oh, so very deeply, that Velir had been the first man to kiss her, the first man she kissed. She can pretend what happened with Jan was not real, as it was mainly due to the side-effects of the spores and her own empathic reflection of Jan's desire for her. But the history of her life is already permanently written, and unfortunately, the fact remains that her first sexual encounter, from tame kiss to much, much more, can never occur again.
It does not matter, she lies to herself, and again forces herself to remember only Velir Rangin. She looks in the mirror when she puts her brush down. considers not braiding or clipping the front of her hair away from her face, remembering Velir's compliment, but then decides: no; she will wear her hair down when they spend time together as more than colleagues. More than colleagues, she thinks with a secret warm smile. Yes, they are that, now. And slightly more than friends.
The brief snatches of his history on Coridan--and the unnamed person, presumably female, who meant so much to him--roll through her mind. With difficulty, she banishes speculation on his past love life and focuses on those dangerous, self-imposed missions to clean up at least some measure of the corruption on his home planet.
An entirely different and rather shocking side to Velir. What must he have suffered? He said little but what he'd related was more than enough. He is so private, controlled, that if he revealed even this much to her, Kylah is certain there are more painful events in his past still unexpressed. She scowls as she sits on her bed to tug on her boots. All Kylah knows is that if Booker Graham ever again implies Velir is some inexperienced, spineless, laboratory-bound naïf, she might very well use her remaining knife on the human.
Dobson is just stretching and yawning in the other bed. Kylah returns her mumbled "Good morning" and steps out into the hall, almost bumping into Dr. T'Var. After greeting her, Kylah says, "I did not get a chance to ask you, doctor. Without breaking any confidence... how is Lt. Collins?"
Rangin wakes feeling refreshed, more so than he has done for a while, perhaps even since the mission on the Sakathian station. From the bathroom he can hear that Ens. Graham has already got up and he takes the opportunity to relax for a few minutes, and enjoy the thoughts from last night. He sighs, there were still some unanswered questions, over what happened between Kylah and Jan. Rangin knows what had happened, but Kylah seems to be holding something else back. When she was ready, she might tell him but they were her secrets and she undoubtedly has her own reasons. It's not like he didn't have some of his own secrets either.
As Graham emerges, Rangin greets him with a jaunty, "Good Morning Mr. Graham, how are you?" before disappearing into the bathroom to wash. Once he finishes he dresses in his uniform and heads for the mess hall, looking forward to today being better than yesterday. At least today he can start with coffee and a proper cooked breakfast.
From then on, it was up to Graham to decide what he wanted the rest of them to do, although Rangin wants to have a chat to Dr Halsey and find out just what the results of the tests were...and then spend some more time with Kylah. Yes, wrapping this case up quickly would definitely be worth it.
Graham just mumbles as Rangin bounds by him. He smiles slightly and shakes his head as he leaves the room. Can't fault him for lack of enthusiasm, Graham thinks.
He decides to walk to the CP, stopping by the resort main desk on his way. While on his way, he sends a message to the team asking them to meet at the CP at 0800.*
He then checks in with first the Security officers guarding the Admiral and Ebling for a status report, and then the other Security officers on duty as well.
* or 30 minutes after he sends the message, his intent is to give folks time to shower, eat, meditate, etc
Dr. T'Var smiles slightly and says to Kylah, "I have just checked with Dr. Villa. Mr. Collins is doing better and should be released from Sickbay in the next day or two. I expect she will make a full recovery. Would you like to join me for breakfast?"
Ens. Mahmoud reports to Graham in the CP. "Things were quiet overnight. Vice Adm. Hardin went out for dinner with Lt. Cmdr. Ebling and then both turned in early, to their respective quarters. Lord Fastfolfe and several of his entourage also went out to dinner and spent a few hours in the nightclub, but returned to their house by 0100. They haven't gone back out yet this morning. The other Security officers report nothing out of the ordinary." He yawns. "With your permission, sir, I'll return to the ship with the others of my team who were up overnight, and arrange for replacements to beam down."
Graham tsks. "I remember back when you'd pull a double and eat a combat mission for dessert...you must be getting old, mister," Graham says. "But permission granted. A round on me for the whole shore-side team when we get some downtime. Uh, at a venue cheaper than this one."
"I am glad to hear of that, Doctor," Kylah says, although she suspects that T'Var is greatly underestimating human recovery times from such a loss. Lt. Collins may rebound quickly from her physical injuries, but not her emotional ones. Then again, Kylah knows so little about the other woman, and frankly it never seemed that Collins truly wanted a child--or indeed any close connection to another living being. But that was before the choice was taken from her, she thinks, sobered and guilty by the reminder.
She nods to T'Var's invitation to breakfast, since she was heading down there anyway. Kylah knows opportunities to be alone with Velir will be few and far between, and likely nonexistent as long as they keep the relationship...or whatever this is developing into... private. And it must be private. Kylah has no desire for anyone to speculate about her, or for Velir to be mocked for having fallen under the spell of 'one of those Elasian voodoo love curses,' as some of the cadets at the Academy used to say.
Nevertheless she looks forward to a quick breakfast--and considering the message she just received from Graham, it will have to be very quick, consisting of an energy bar at most. She wonders if there have been any developments during the night.
Mahmoud nods with a weary smile and leaves to collect the other overnight Yorktown personnel.
Kylah and the Vulcan doctor have a quick bite in the Starfleet research station's mess hall before walking over the hill, back to the resort and the murder investigation's command post.
Rangin only notices Kylah and Dr T'var having some breakfast as they leave the mess hall. Being engrossed in a datapad full of details of the spores, he chides himself for not spotting them sooner and downs the rest of his coffee noticing the time and realising that if he doesn't hurry up he will be late. It would not be a good start to the morning to give Graham any reasons to be...well...Graham-like.
As he leaves the station he sees the pair of them in front of him and Rangin quickens his pace to catch up and by the front entrance he is alongside them.
"Good Morning, Ma'am, Ensign Kylah. How are you both?" he greets them politely.
Out of deference to her superior officer, Kylah will wait until after T'Var responds. Then, though she tries not to smile, she lets her gaze turn warm and appreciative as it falls on Velir's face. "I am well, thank you, Mr. Rangin. My night was very pleasant and restful. I feel quite rejuvenated. And you?"
Small talk probably is not Graham's forte, and once she has heard from Rangin, she goes to sit down close to the middle of the table in front of the terminal she has used most often. "I hope you had a good night, sir," she says to him in a not-unfriendly tone, but not a warm one, either. "I also hope there have been no worrisome developments overnight."
Graham's surprised Kylah voluntarily speaks with him at this point. He clears his throat. "Search warrant for our buddy Fastolfe approved, although not his ship. Security on duty overnight had nothing significant to report." He pauses. "Ah, and, yes, I feel a little more rested, I hope you...had a good night as well." He shrugs and gestures. "Mr. Rangin certainly seems rejuvenated this morning."