Lerak trPexil

Holding Tight This was nuts. Ask Lerak a year ago and it would have been Laehval and himself riding off into the sunrise. One thing a punch to the face showed him: she probably would na show. As much as he wanted her to go, this was na going to happen. Through a strange series of events Lerak wound up with the Daise’Dheno t'Aehjae. It was the bottle of berry wine. She really enjoyed it from all of the praise. That was the hook. Sadly she and Lerak spoke infrequently on this latest assignment. Her fondness for "Lerak's Liquor" could have changed this and her company could have made this mission more bearable. Engineering and Security rarely crossed paths however. Perhaps this was to change. "Are au alright back there? Should have warned au about this trip," Lerak asked through the headpiece. t’Aehjae spoke back into the speaker on her helmet. "I have to admit it’s a bit breezy but I think I'm ok. How much longer until our destination? "About one hour. I could have us beamed there if au are eager to rest," he replied. He was taking long turns this way and that with the cycle. "I'm surprised au came along." "Why are au surprised? And I do na mind the ride. It's quite pleasant." t’Aehjae held on tightly to tr’Pexil's waist. Lerak laughed, "I am na well respected onboard. t'Rexan nearly had a fit when I was the ranking officer on the oria, t'Jhiin nearly spat at me when offered a room for science to work from and... Laehval punched me to the point I needed stitched up." His laughter turned to a drawn-out sigh. First time Lerak heard his disappointments out loud. The cycle sped up and cut into the water more. t’Aehjae felt him sigh, "Are au upset au asked me to come with au? I felt au sigh." "No, no," he squeezed her arm which was still holding tight, "it seemed as though I was getting away from everyone on the Talon when I really did na want that. Au seemed to have a rough time as of late." Off in the distance he could see the start of the morning sun; the rise would appear over the water in minutes. "Were au really going to remain onboard?" "Ie, I have na family, my parents died when I was young. Au are na the only oi whom has had a hard time on the ship. I have felt my share of bad thoughts from those here. N’Dak and I have never gotten along. He and I have fought tooth and nail: first for the Daise' post and now he as XO and I as Daise’Dheno. t’Jhiin and I also have some tiffs. So au are na along there." t’Aehjae looked over his shoulder and saw the beginnings of the sunrise. "It looks as if it’s going to be a wonderful day." "Sure does, weather is going to be cool, but otherwise fine… wait hold on." He brought the cycle to a stop after a few hundred meters. "I drive this thing all of the time, au drive." tAehjae's eyes popped with shock. "Na I am na a pilot I am a Dheno. Au continue with driving yus hoverbike." t’Aehjae had no interest at all in driving the hoverbike. This was his toy, he was afraid she may break something. "Aww, alright," Lerak said, disappointingly. He got them up to speed again. "Thought training may have included vehicular. Regardless of my skill here au could probably lay me out before I knew what hit me." A chirp greeted both of them on their headsets. "Lerak, are au there? Oh, who are au?" a female voice asked over the comm. t’Aehjae jumped slightly at the chirp and the sound of anaher's voice. Things like that didn't normally startle her but this time it was unexpected. "Who's calling for au?" "It's Lithara, my sister and...” Lerak abruptly stopped. "She's a cute one brother, na like the one au talk about." He could hear her yawn. He muttered, "Oh no." "Hello there. I’ve na met au yet," "Do I need to get out anaher bed or na?" Lerak was flushed at that question. He knew what she meant and hoped t'Aehjae did na catch it. "tr’Pexil is she talking to me? What’s this about anaher bed? I didn't plan on an overnight stay." t’Aehjae had a shocked look on her face at the questions being asked. "It's my sister. She was expecting someone else," he said away from the comm, then paused, na wanting to make things worse. "Lithara is a bit more outspoken than most. She means well... I think." t’Pixel spoke into the comm, "No, no bed. Just some quiet please." "Aw, alright then, au are na fun. I will see au in a few minutes," said tr’Pexil's sister, seeming genuinely bummed. He closed the comm line. tr’Pexil spoke to t'Aehjae, "I should have warned au. She's harmless. I did na mean to appear to bring au here under false pretenses." tr'Tr’Pexil was quite embarrassed, but t'Aehjae could na see. "What was she talking about anaher bed? Was that her way teasing Au?" Since they had stopped moving she had released her grip on his waist at least until they started up again. tr’Pixel looked down then spoke, "Can au na tell anyone something?" The look on tAehjae’s face changed to a look of curiosity. "Tell anyoi what tr’Pexil? Is it something au are ashamed of? Have au done something against the Talon? It ca’na be that bad can it?" “t'Temarr and I were getting close, or so I thought until I messed things up. That's why I was punched in the face. After her and I's... close encounter, we had planned to spend time together back on ch'Rihan. I was too eager to na pester her off and on while on duty and she turned against me. I am lucky my belly was na met with the blade. This was ten years of me wanting her down the recycling shoot." tr’Pexil took some time to breath and started the cycle back up. "There au have it. We are only a few minutes from shore." tr’Pexil was shaking, then engaged the engines to a cruising speed. "Do na worry tr’Pexil I will na repeat this. But why are au shaking?" t’Aehjae tightened her grip around his waist once again as they started moving. The feeling of embarrassment, his anger, then t'Aehjae's grasp threw tr’Pexil’s thoughts all around. "I am furious with her and I would have fought back, but in the end I still care. I can't reconcile the anger and... love." The hover craft kick up over the ever taller waves and they closed in on the shore. In the morning light a lit tower could be seen. He turned the cycle toward the tower. "Have au told her how au feel deep inside? I mean if au have na told her then how is she t know. Na everyone can read minds. Au need to express aus feelings to the oi au care for. I learned that long ago. I..." she stopped in mid statement na knowing if she should continue or just listen. "Have au traveled down that road before?" tr’Pexil asked. More lights appeared along the horizon. "Ie, I have." Her voice dropped a bit. "Hmm, tell au what, perhaps over a home cooked meal if au like. To answer aur question, she considered me a source of her weakness. She'd only see my feelings as more weakness." He throttled down the engines as the coast rapidly approached. "I will park this in a location along the shore. We can walk from there." "What distance are we speaking of?" As the engines slowed she released her grip slightly. "About half a kilometer. I'm sure as Daise'Dheno au have hiked more than that,” tr’Pexil smiled. “They live on the third floor of a complex on a hillside. The apartment location allows my father to keep taps on everyone around." "Ie that was na why I asked the distance. I am na worried about na being able to make the trip. I have other reasons for asking. I was wondering if there would be enough time for explanations." t’Aehjae looked over tr’Pexil's shoulder, watching the shoreline approach. tr’Pexil nodded, "We can walk really slowly if au care to, or grab a c'offee. I have plenty of time." Now he was very curious. She'd been a mystery for so many years and managed to stay on the larger side of the brig. "Na we can proceed with aus plan and do aus visit as au planned." Lerak laughed, "It's na really a plan, just a thought. We'll walk up to my parents...” he stopped in mid-sentence. They arrived on the beach, throwing up a bit of the sand as he jumped the cycle over a barrier. He pointed, "Over there is where I'll leave the cycle." He lowered it to the ground and got out, then extended his hand to help her down. t'Aehjae took his hand allowing him to help her from her place on the bike. "Aur au sure na oi will steal it? I would na like to have to contact the Talon and request a pickup." She stepped up on the sand and took in a deep breath. It had been a long time since she had set foot off the Talon onto their home world. She could na remember how long it had been. "A genetic lock, unless its tractor-beamed, then I'm screwed." tr’Pexil waved someone in a civilian uniform. They understood without a word. After getting out his pack and hers the cycle moved on its own accord. He handed t'Aehjae her pack. "This way," tr’Pexil motioned to her that he was taking the ramp out of the sand toward the towering apartment in the distance.

Ten Years Ago RES Talon ch'Rihan Shipyards This had to the single most disappointing bit of news Lerak tr’Pexil heard since arriving on the Talon: a new, very skilled engineer would soon arrive to replace him. Daise’Engineer tr’Nimrod had only just informed him that this new engineer was an AQS specialist and would be taking over his duties in that area. “What is left for me to do?” Lerak thought to himself as he clutched his duty ISD, “Clean?” Just then, he received a message on the device — a special assignment from the Daise about the new scout ship conversions that were being implemented fleet-wide. Out loud the Arrain exclaimed with frustration, “Great, shoved out of my job and the engineering deck.” “Au are going to just step aside and let some inexperienced Erein come in and take over?” a passing Ne’Arrain asked, hearing his rant. “I have little choice in the matter. Her credentials are quite impressive,” Lerak answered. “Credentials are na everything,” he pointed out before moving on. Lerak held still while contemplating the Ne’Arrain’s words. He was inclined to agree, but he wouldn’t know for certain until he met this “Laehval.” Unfortunately for him, he did not have long to wait. Shortly before the start of the next shift, the new female Erein arrived aboard the Talon, materializing on the transporter pad a few decks, already dressed in engineering attire. The stoic woman stepped down and held up a hand to stop the operator’s inquiry, speaking firmly, “I know the layout, hann’yyo.” Laehval kept on walking and the door closed behind her more quickly than the hapless operator could react. She knew the layout of the ship more intimately than anyone could imagine; she had been assistant team leader in the shipyards when the Talon had received its last overhaul. There were rumors that the AQS efficiency under a certain engineer’s watch was not up to new shipyard standards. She was determined to set that right and increase the efficiency on all systems, far beyond what the regulations required. The shortest distance to fixing this travesty was a straight line to the rokhinu Lerak tr’Pexil. Before she even visited her quarters, she strode into Engineering, determined to make a good impression on her new Daise. Personnel were packed into every display and console on the engineering deck, but she was only focused on the AQS station and the lone figure that stood there. Laehval recognized him immediately from the holo in his Galae data file. Her icy glare could cut through the thickest of alloys, but in this case a simple skull will do. She ignored the others in the department, walking through to stand behind him, peering over his shoulder to see what sort of work he was doing. “Well?” she asked, making her displeasure clear to tr’Pexil and all those around. He turned and stared, not recognizing her. “Well, what?” “These numbers… ninety-three percent efficiency rating. Where did you learn how to tune this AQS, a kll’inghann garbage vessel?” “I… uh…,” he stammered, continuing to stare. His brow furrowed slowly as he noted her rank. “I do na like your tone, Erein. Who are au?” “Your replacement here, and na a moment too soon from what I can see. Elements, what are au doing to that cross-connect?” she asked as she studied his console. She shouldered him aside, hovering in front of the console in such a way that he’d either have to step back or plaster himself to her. Taken aback by her attitude, he moved away, staring. She was chewing on her lower lip as she flitted through the control panels and seemed to have forgotten his presence entirely. “You are Laehval t’Temarr,” he said, stating the obvious. “Ie,” she said irritably, “and I know full well who au are.” “Oh really? Then au have me at a disadvantage. What do au know of me,” his irritability rising in kind. “Lerak Kvan tr’Pexil, son of Kuval and Aluna, brother to Lithara, rank: Arrain,” she rattled off without looking up. “Posted to the RES Talon two years ago, specialization undecided, service record mediocre, efficiency rating questionable.” He mildly protested, “I will agree on the family structure, but na on the service or efficiency. It matters na as the Galae seems to agree in sending au.” “Ie, they did,” she said, looking up to study him properly for the first time. “They feel there is need and decided I was best to fill it. I am sure au will be useful in other areas.” If there was a precedent for rihannsu known for punching foes in the gut, Lerak just bared witness. But the female didn’t seem to care how badly she trod on his feelings; the steady gaze fixed on him was cold and merciless. A hand was laid on each of their shoulders suddenly, startling them both, “There au are, Erein t’Temarr. I see au two are getting acquainted.” tr’Nimrod smiled. “Is tr’Pexil getting au caught up on our systems and procedures?” Laehval opened her mouth, but Lerak quickly interjected, “Ie, and what we do na finish here we are going to catch up over a welcome dinner,” he turned his head to smile wickedly at her, “just the two of us.” Laehval stared at him, eyes slightly narrowed. Unwilling to verbally attack him in front of the Daise, she muttered, “Ie, I am sure we have much to discuss.” tr’Nimrod was all too happy to clear up their schedules for this dinner. Some time later, the pair found themselves seated in stony silence across from one another at the table in Lerak’s quarters. “Is aur dish satisfactory?” Lerak asked to break the quiet. “Na. It is tasteless. Or perhaps it is the company that I do na like,” she said irritably. “What is the purpose of this façade?” “Company? Au do na even know me, have never met me before today. Have au always been this difficult to work with?” Pexil struck out. “Na,” she countered, “na with competent officers. I can na tolerate laziness. Are au always this frustrating?” Laughs. “Not until today. First truly high-strung unobtainable perfectionist I have ran across in my time here. More drink?” She stared at him for a another heartbeat, then pushed her glass toward him. “Ie. I have a feeling I am going to need it.” Pouring, he asked, “How do au know this is not poisoned? Are au sleepy?” “If I am destined to serve aboard this ship with someone who will accept a ninety-three efficiency rating, then I will thank au for the honor of putting me out of my misery.” “I would not kill au so easily. The work here may see to that. But make no mistake, I, along with others, will be watching. Many here are resistant to change, having hardened in their positions here.” “And it is that change that will bring about your downfall,” her jaw hardened. “I did na work as hard as I did to serve aboard a ship that only did things halfway. If au can na accept that, then perhaps au should ask for a transfer.” Pexil frowned, “Au have already gotten your wish. I will still be here, still engineering, but in the flight bay overhauling all craft there.” Her eyes brightened quite suddenly as though she’d forgotten their previous arguments. “If I was na obsessed with power systems, I would have requested that. Au have na seen the upgrades Galae has approved, have au?” “I have not been briefed on the changes. And it is not like au are Daise or anything.” Pexil smiles. “Someone as ‘workaholic’ as au seem to be could na possibly get people to work under au for long.” “I have na interest in command,” she said haughtily. “I do na care of I am an Erein for the duration. All I have ever wanted was to serve on a D’Deridex class and to be left alone.” “Left alone on a ship close to one thousand on board? Really?” Pexil leaned back in his chair. “I could build a series of walls around the AQS so au two can get more efficient.” “Au have na idea what I mean,” she said coldly, rising from her seat to leave. “Do na blame me for aur deficiencies. I came here to do my duty and am determined to make this ship the best in the fleet.” He rose in kind, “Is it always about the deficiencies of others? Au will need help in maintaining a more efficient rating on the AQS. Consider working with those here and not in any cocoon au create for yourself.” “Why? There is na a single person on this ship that understands what it means to be truly efficient, else it would have been seen to long ago! I have been given special permission to refit this ship as I think necessary and I do na intend to neglect my duty, help or na.” Lerak looked into her eyes for a moment, seeing her disdain for him and any work he did here. Working with this woman… gah, the thought of it. “Now, if au had nothing further, I am reporting back to Engineering, where I will remain for the duration.” She glared at him, almost daring him to challenge her further. “Au do that. Careful not to treat those around au like slaves,” he spat. “At first this meeting was merely to agitate, then I thought, na I should reach out to this woman, no matter how cold her icy exterior. Seems my first thought was the true io.” Pexil was shaken, raising his voice unnaturally. “It is fortunate that we will na be working the same shift,” she shot back, her voice also rising in anger as she strode out of his quarters, “and I will be most pleased to never have dealings with au on this ship, ever again!” Her last words were accompanied by the door closing behind her. The lone engineer got out a tiny sealed vial from his pocket that contained a colorless liquid of deadly proportions. Lerak got up and shoved it deep in a drawer. He’d chosen na to use it… yet. He could na help but wonder if he had made the right decision.

Impulse Drive The intensity of their first intimate encounter together was surprising to both, considering he was normally as mild-mannered as she was cold-hearted. A series of impediments which held each back for so long was equally surprising: Lerak’s subordinate rank within the same department, Laehval’s icy exterior cloaking her feelings, the rumors of him being a Federation spy and references to her as the spy’s consort — the latter angering him greatly. Their burst of passion washed away all of those obstacles like high tide and their respective facades crumbled with his first impulsive kiss. Neither could cease the flood of emotion that had been walled away for so many years. For him, it was his dream made real; for her, a need she had so long denied. All propriety was discarded as easily as the hindering pieces of their uniforms and neither cared about the impracticality of their environment. Her office was not designed to contain such intense passion. Chairs were overturned, storage devices and neatly filed data rods were swept impulsively to the floor. Many bruises were incurred. Eventually they found comfort and their rhythm, amazed at the simple pleasures that could come from the barest of touches or the lightest of kisses. Their outlooks adjusted, their minds expanded to encompass a new relationship even before their bodies even merged. The union was brief, but na less pleasurable, and all too soon they found themselves driven back to their own bodies, staring into the other’s eyes as they panted for breath. “Elements,” Laehval breathed as she loosened her embrace. “Lerak… I never knew au… I did na know au could be so…” She trailed off, unable to find the words to describe what had just happened between them. “Driven?” he asked. His body trembled at her touch, partly from the experience and partly from what he had held back for so long. He bit down on his lower lip, cupping her face in his shaking hands as he continued. “For so long I have… was afraid to… make this leap. Au have been so close for many years. As much as I wanted more, I was fearful of losing what I had.” “I guessed at your feelings many times,” she said quietly, “but believed them to be fleeting. I had na time for relationships and so I chose to ignore the signs.” After gazing at him for a moment, she asked hesitantly, “Lerak, will au hold me as au did before?” Wordlessly, he embraced her, inhaling deeply as he buried his face in her hair. He looked past her at the far wall as he searched for words. Quietly Lerak found them, “Laehval, if I knew this was how it would be, I would have done this long ago. Fortunately I was able to remain on the Talon after offered a homeworld post.” Something in her demeanor changed at his words. Her muscles seized and she drew back, looking stricken. “Au sacrificed your future to stay on the Talon? Because of me?” Seeing her look, he was quick to explain. “Na, it wasn’t just au. I reached a compromise allowing me to stay onboard, so do na worry yourself over my career choice.” “And if I had na been aboard the Talon, would au still have remained?” She seemed poised for something as she waited for him to break the silence. “Na,” he finally admitted. “I wanted to be here because au were.” Laehval slowly began to shake her head. “Na,” she said quietly. “Na, I can na have that. Au deserve better than what I can possibly give au. I do na… I do na want this. Au should na be making decisions based on… daydreams.” She pushed away from him and frantically began to dress, grabbing up discarded clothing. Lerak got up nearly as quickly and spoke, “Au believe my feelings for au to be daydreams?! Well they’re na. And to say au did na want this? Au… we… clearly did! Maybe Laehval of the house Temarr is afraid. Afraid of being close, afraid of being out of her comfort zone.” Upon hearing that she raised her hand, incensed he accuse her of being afraid of anything. Lerak didn’t move, eyes so wide and close she could see her reflection within them. She struck him hard on the cheek. He was prepared for the blow and did not flinch, but caught her wrist and held it tight as she attempted another. Seconds later she pulled her hand back as he threw it away. “I know au hold yourself away from others, maybe because of the personal loss au have experienced — losing a brother and sister. I really do na know, but..” he said in an outburst and immediately regretted it. “Au delved into my past?!” She interrupted, shaking with anger as she stared at him. “Au had na right! Those are private memories! Au… au… I can na believe this. What have I done? This… will na work,” she ranted. “Na io can ever know! It would jeopardize everything. This can na happen again. There will be na embraces, na invitations, and na secret looks that may be interpreted by passing crewmen. Do au understand?!” “Au know, I do na understand! Someone reached out to au, got an inkling of your past, and now au want to throw them away!” He grabbed for her hands to still them as she began putting the office back to rights. “After learning of these events, my hope was that au had been putting up a defense to keep those around au from harming au further. I do know pain and I know betrayal and have the scars to prove it.” He pointed to his right lower back to the ten centimeter healed gash. “I have held others at arm’s length as well. I could na trust anyone. Until au.” Holding her hands firmly, he gave them another squeeze. She stared into his eyes for what seemed an eternity, unable or unwilling to accept his words. But deep within her heart, she knew he spoke the truth. Her cold composure had been the only way she’d been able to keep the rest of the world at bay. With that barricade gone, she was vulnerable. She felt everything. And it scared her more than anything had ever scared her. She tried to move away again, but he would not let her, holding her firmly, forcing her to face the truth. When she struggled, he only tightened his grip and pulled her closer. “Au do na need to be afraid any longer, Laehval,” he said softly. “Lerak,” she pleaded, “please just let me be.” Her gaze lowered as she felt the tears burning her eyes, her voice a mere whisper. “I do na think I can…” “I believe au can. We can. There can be na gains without risks. The universe is a cruel and lonely place, Laehval. I would think au don’t want to go this alone forever.” Lerak watched her shoulders droop in resignation and knew that she was slowly coming to terms with the feelings she had so long denied. She was shaken and vulnerable. He drew her against him and held her tightly until she stopped trembling. How many more times would he need to reassure her that love was not her enemy?

Glad you and others liked it. Got my brain going for sure. And to get slapped twice in short order. As Laehval said to me once if I were to slap her I would be beaten with my own leg. So in some quantum reality I have only one leg now. ;)

I figured it was a power problem. They were messing with you having it come up just after sim time.

"Good to hear. Docking in the bay in five minutes," tr'Pexil said as he promised himself he would not annoy t'Temarr any longer. He began to gather up items left here and there over those long hours in the RAC. The couch looked an inviting place to sit while packing a container of supplies. "Etrehh, open personal log," he paused. "What did I just do? Wait... I don't believe it was recording, so au would not know." Sighs. "I just embraced my engineering daise." Pexil finds himself looking down the container full of various items. "Then she just stared at me for what seemed like ages. And then asked for a longer embrace. Maybe it would have made more since if she threw me into the bulkhead of the ship. I need to have that dinner I asked her about those months ago." The box now was nearly full and ready to be placed in the storage section. Pexil grabbed another container and began to fill that one. He got lost in the fact of the empire's love of greens in nearly everything. Or tans. Then again orange too. He started speaking again. "My sister wants to meet her so bad and is a bigger 'affectionist' than I am. Wait, is that a word?" Thinks for a moment before continuing, "Nothing in Federation standard either. Anyhow her family showing little affection has got me intrigued. I'll have to have a her parents/my parents shore leave. Well, unless she has plans, or a date I don't know about. Or hang-gliding. Father if you read this someday please stop using au intelligence circles to keep tabs on people." Pexil wagged his finger as the camera recorded his logs. Pexil felt a visual record gave a bit of context to his personal, highly-encrypted logs. "If by chance you are reading this Laehval I apologize on behalf of my father." Switching subjects, Pexil could see the Talon getting closer and closer. "Au know, I need to get myself together and just ask her how she feels about me. More than a "trusted officer" by chance? I have no idea if the powers that be would allow this relationship. My luck they would say sure, but move me to a different ship... or clean a distant plasma manifold. If I ask my sister I know what she would say. "Why did au not kiss her long ago, are au getting any younger?" and "You had the beach right there!!" The engineer looked up. "Time is up. Close log."

Lerak looks at the camera with a long expression before making a log entry. "Supplemental entry on-board the Engineering test RAC observing the station. Pexil at the helm, Temarr at..", Pexil looks behind him to see she has slipped out a bit, "at the other stations." Pexil closes in on the camera. "We have not found anything on sensors we did not find earlier. The station has been difficult to penetrate with our passive sensors, though further analysis may prove fruitful. I may go back and see if the sensor system needs additional adjustment before completely giving up. I will update when we have more information." Pexil stopped talking for a while and listened to the background hum, not hearing Temarr or anything else for that matter. "Personal Log," Pexil began with a hushed tone. "In what might seem like a prime opportunity to say something greater that what I have said to her in the past, I think I've bombed out. She asked me basically how am I still talking to her after she stabbed t'Rex. Why wouldn't I? I lo... I don't need to go into that. I don't wish t'Rex any harm, and I surely don't wish her dead." Pexil looked down, the log still recording. "I'm not sure what I would do if they saw fit to... punish Laehval. I've put some things in place just in case, but you know how things like these go. And of all of the times and all of the places to tell her... this... this should be it. I should say something soon. My sister has been bugging me forever to ask for a long time. She's wanted to meet her for a while now. That's two people willing to talk to her." Pexil smiled. "Laehval is a hard egg to crack, especially lately, and I fear her time may be running out. And I..." Pexil stopped as he heard footsteps behind him. "Who are you speaking to Lerak?" t'Temarr asked as she made her way back to she seat she had been occupying for hours. Pexil answered simply, "Just a log entry."

Supplemental Log El'Riov Lerak Pexil Repair Facility Observation Lerak again finds himself in front of the log camera. There is more than one onboard, but this one seems best suited for these chats. "It has been nearly a thousand siurens since Laehval and I departed the Talon to remotely observe the repairs. And in that time we have not been able to peer into the inner structure or workings of the station. This mystery is what disturbs us, Laehval the most." Lerak looks behind him to a point off-camera. He continues, "Laehval has succumbed to exhaustion or boredom, I don't know which, falling asleep a few siurens ago. I raised the temperature in the cabin and covered her in a blanket. Perhaps she'll sleep through all of this. I pray she does not mind. She looks peaceful." He pauses a bit to sip some more of the reheated tea. Often his large cup would be reheated over and over throughout a shift. "I've wondered if there was something I could do to make her life more peaceful, but damn elements Laehval! Au go and attack t'Rexan and frak up everything. I get close only to lose au!" Lerak closes his eyes and holds his forehead. "Maybe I did not have au in the first place. Maybe if I had the courage to ask you while on shore leave those many siurens ago. What if you had said no.. or elements if you had said yes? It may very well have been my hand on that knife and my life on the line and not hers!" His hand pounding on the console release the auto-navigation control. Lerak opened his eyes quickly and re-enabled the control. He also took this time to glance at the sensor readings. Still nothing. He looked at the camera once more and stared into it for a while longer. "Now I'm afraid what I might do to ensure Laehval lives. I've placed some calls and technologies in place just in case. My family does know some people in the community... even someone in the Tal Shiar. I don't think my father would go that far however. Laehval if you read this for some reason and I am not alive please note I did not do this lightly. The Talon can be a dangerous place. Tell my half-brother 'Jolan'tru' for me if you were ever to get in touch with him. I imagine he would contact au. He could have his own ship by now, or at least second in command. He would be willing to help you. I'm not sure how you would like that, au seem like a homeworld child." He stopped chatting to catch his breath. "I care for au more than I would admit, even if there is no future for us. I-jol au." Thinks. "Etr'hh, do not save that to my engineers log, personal log please."

Rock.. Purple.. Sand.. A shoreleave log by El'Riov Lerak tr'Pexil With El'Riov Laehval t'Temarr ** Note – this takes place two days prior to the Talon's departure from ch'Rihan. I inhaled the salty air like it was my last breath. Several times already I felt as though it were. Every time I looked at her I had trouble breathing. It was a gorgeous day and she seemed to be enjoying it far more than I expected. The thin wrap she wore over her dress fluttered behind her in the cool breeze. Her sandals swayed in her hand as she walked barefoot on the wet sand. I felt overdressed, but at least I was comfortable. Though the ocean vista was remarkable and openness refreshing, I had difficulty concentrating on the beautiful scenery. Instead, I wondered if today would be the day that I confessed all. "The last time I visited this place, I was only a small child," she said absently. I watched her watching the rolling waves. "It has been a long time for me as well," I offered, though I could not remember if I had ever visited this particular beach. It didn't seem to matter. "How has your shore leave gone?" "Not as expected," she replied with a glance in my direction, "but enjoyable nonetheless. And yours? Did you find what you sought?" "I literally found a rock," I heard myself saying and tried not to cringe. It was hard to make rocks sound interesting. "I will show you back on the ship. I did get to think a lot, read a little, and think some more while traveling. And I actually did get some overdue work started." "So…," I continued, "what about your leave was not as expected?" I was curious to know what she had been doing. When I first contacted her, she said she had been at a friend's house. Had it been a social visit? "Yes, not as expected. The most surprising part was when I happened upon Destorie in the marketplace and he invited me to dinner with a group of his friends. Very out of character for him... at least where I am concerned." Scooping a shell from the beach, she rolled it in her hands. "Sounds like you had a good time… kept your schedule open," I said slowly, trying not to sound jealous. The colorful shell in her hands flashed brightly in the sun as she toyed with it. Back and forth it went between her palms. I was so distracted by the movement that failed to notice the driftwood in my path. Crash! All you can eat sand. I went down face first and came up sputtering. "Lerak!" she called as she hurried to my side. She was laughing as she helped me to my feet and began to brush the sand from my shirt. "Have you been drinking too much ale or are you trying to ruin your last few days of leave by being admitted to the infirmary?" Normally I would have enjoyed the attention, but I was too embarrassed to do more than to stand there and let her swipe away sand. My pride was still lying headfirst on the beach. I hoped that she would attribute my flushed face to the sun rather than to my embarrassment. "Thanng," I coughed out, still spitting sand. "Peew! Thanks." "You might consider a bath after that," she said, giving me a good-natured shove toward the water. "I think you will be tasting sand for a week." "Yes, and the Tal Shiar will see to it I am banned from all beaches in the Empire," I attempted once we had resumed our walk. Thankfully, the brief amusement at my expense faded and I watched as her smile disappeared. "You seem to be someone with something on her mind," I pointed out. I wanted her to know that she could tell me anything, but did not want to seem like I was prying. "Anything happen on this trip?" She continued to look out over the ocean and I sensed her hesitation. Finally, she offered. "I suppose… it could do no harm now. Will you keep a secret, Lerak?" "I would not tell anyone. Not even for the top engineering position," I said jokingly, wishing she would smile again. "Everyone has their limits," she retorted. "If you were offered the Daise'Engineer position, you would have a difficult time deciding, I think." She turned her attention to me again and I shrugged teasingly. She hesitated once more and when she finally spoke, I almost wished I had never asked. "While on leave, I met someone…" I felt a small but strong black hole whizz by, sucking something out of my heart as it passed. Before the blood could drain completely from my face, her next words gave me a small measure of hope. "But not in the romantic sense," she continued. "At least, not completely. That is not what it turned out to be." She sighed and tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear. "He was in hiding and I discovered his true identity. I do not believe I put him in danger. I hope I did not put him in danger…" "Hiding? Tal Shiar?" My rock story would definitely sound lame after what she had experienced. I cursed my awkwardness. I didn't know if it was my time to talk…. or ahh listen or help. "Is this someone from your past that you once adored?" "No. I had never met him until a few days ago. He was quite surprised when I told him that I knew his secret, and he was not at all pleased. But that is resolved now and I doubt I will ever see him again." It was wicked of me to find hope in her last statement, but I did. Careful to watch for any dips or debris in the sand that might trip me again and ruin the moment, I attempted to offer comfort. "Sounds like you became quite attached and then quite disappointed. I'm sorry for what it is worth." I wanted to hold her hand to show her how much I cared, but I never had the right timing for those types of things. "Not attached, exactly, but I was disappointed to find that he had gone. I suppose it hurt that he felt he could not trust me. But I could fault him for it. I find it difficult to trust others as well. Except you. You are one of the few that I do trust." "I am not sure anyone has said anything as nice as that to me," I was honored by the high praise but tried to maintain my composure. "So where would you like to go from here? I mean in a 'your life' sense and not where this beach takes us..." I almost shoe-horned a 'we' into the question, but caught myself in time. I wondered if she would have noticed. Glancing behind us, I realized that I could no longer tell where we had started. It seemed a fitting parallel. "I never have a plan or think about what the future might bring… not really," she answered. "Life on the edge," I smiled, understanding the prior conversation slightly better. "What of you, Lerak? You share so little. I feel as though I am monopolizing the conversation." I thought for a moment. "Well, I would like to continue my work in the small-craft field. Overcome my fears. Travel a little – to out of the way places." Movement caught my attention and I peered out at the flock of birds in the distance. They seemed to fly with a sense of purpose and direction. "I had a lot of time to think on the flight in the middle of no-space." "You are in the wrong field, Lerak. You seem intent to randomly explore. That is not an avenue you will ever be allowed to travel down while still in the Galae," she observed. "Perhaps you were born on the wrong planet." "Perhaps," I laughed a little. She couldn't possibly know how often I thought that myself. "But I really did not think about exploration while on the shuttle. I was thinking of other things..." I trailed off, remembering. "What are you doing? You want to tell her now?" The tiny figure on my left shoulder piped up. I stared in surprise at the miniature Rihannsu. It looked like a tiny version of Laehval dressed in red, but she sported t'Rexan's trademark hook and laser eye. The little person continued, "Sure, go tell her everything you were thinking. Go ahead, I dare you! So you want to, what do the kids say, 'go out' with her? You know who she is? Your boss. And there's nothing she can't order you to do." The tiny hook pointed at my temple. "And you'd do it too," she said slightly softer. "Anything. Throw away your career, expose your half-romulan-vulcan brother, anything..." As t'Rexan-Laehval continued to lecture, another small figure appeared on my right shoulder. This one was a vision of Rihannsu beauty in white. I had never seen Laehval dress in such a manner before. She was stunning. And the glow that she emanated made her appear angelic. "Now see here," the ethereal version of Laehval spoke sternly. "It is about time he said these things to her! There are things that the Galae cannot provide and a time for this is one of them." "The Enarrain would certainly frown upon the two of you starting a relationship and probably separate you even further," the hooked Laehval barked. "You have no idea what t'Rexan would do! They have worked closely in the past without problems. Did you just hear what she said to him about trust?" The white-gowned Laehval crossed her arms and stared at the other. "And trust can easily be broken, especially with these people." The lovely Laehval addressed me directly. "You go ahead, dear, and tell her what you have been thinking for the past few days, months… even years. She is ready to hear it." "Do it now and you'll feel the pain of the Enarrain's hook!" The devilish Laehval cried. "You'll be squirming under t'Rexan's eye soon!" "Stop it now!" I yelled, unable to take any more of my own twisted imagination. Ethereal Laehval blew me a kiss and disappeared. The red, distempered Laehval blew me a 'kiss your butt goodbye' and also disappeared. I sighed, now even more confused about how to proceed. Still lost in thought, I suddenly realized that Laehval - the real Laehval - was still talking to me. "Thinking can be a dangerous pastime," she commented teasingly, unaware of my internal conflict. The battle between her miniature selves had only waged a few heartbeats. "It often leads to new ideas and speculation, and we cannot have that, can we?" "I guess there are thoughts we can speak aloud and others that we should not," I chimed in. I could still hear whispers of my doubts and I wondered if I was going slightly mad. Perhaps I had spent too much time alone in the small scout ship. The two of us walked in silence for a short while, enjoying the incoming tide that washed over our feet. I noticed that there were others enjoying the fine weather and cool, green water. The once deserted beach was slowly becoming more populated with sunbathers and vacationing families. A covered pathway had been erected at the edge of the beach where the sand gave way to the ground transport courses. Many vendors had mobile shops there and sold food, drink, jewelry, and other trinkets to their patrons. Laehval gestured to one of the food vendors that sold ices and other frozen treats and headed in that direction. I trailed after her. "A kuli berry ice sounds nice," she said to the vendor without hesitation. She glanced to me as the worker made her order. "What would you like?" "A frozen Kal'tesh bean frosty," I answered after a moment of reviewing the choices. "I think I'm developing a problem with these caffeinated beans, both hot and cold. They are addictive." Treats in hand, we headed back down the sandy path toward the water. I licked my spoon clean after taking a bite and glanced at her to see if she was enjoying hers as well. I couldn't help but smile as I saw her lips were beginning to turn purple from the berry juice. "You said that I do not talk much about myself. What question would you like to ask me?" She took another bite and looked at me thoughtfully. "I would probably ask what you wanted most out of life. What is it that you desire, Lerak? Truly..." The answer was already foremost in my mind, but she said 'what' and not 'who.' My stomach fluttered with nervousness and anticipation. I was going to tell her. "At one time I thought I desired something, but a few years ago it became some... er..." I never got to finish my sentence. At that moment, a large-framed male crashed between us and knocked us both to the ground. Catching a hover-ball in midair, he skidded to a halt in the sand and then trotted off back toward his friends. Laehval sat in shock, juice and ice dripping off of her hair, face, and chin. Her dress was ruined by the seeping purple stains. Angry, I pulled myself to my feet and helped up Laehval. I was mildly irritated that he hadn't even stopped to apologize but mostly livid that he had just ruined the best opportunity I had ever had. "You veruul!" I shouted, stopping the man in his tracks. I stood slightly in front of Laehval to… protect her? I'm not sure what I was thinking. "What did you call me?" He asked in a dangerously low voice as he stalked back to us. "He called you a veruul!" Laehval shouted heartedly. Looking at the size of the man as he drew closer, I almost wished she hadn't. "You have the entire beach and you felt the need to run between us? You owe me another kuli berry!" "I don't owe anything to anyone," he barked. "You should watch where you are going." "Us? You need to watch where YOU are going," Laehval spat back. "Do you need to see a doctor about your poor eyesight? I know one that will be glad to put you into stasis until they find a cure for rudeness!" "You need to control your woman," he growled at me, clenching his fists. Before I could retort, one of Laehval's shoes hit him squarely in the nose. He yelled in fury and charged, swinging wildly at me. She was the one that hit him, but he swung at me! I am an Engineer and not at all used to physical altercations. While my heart was in the right place, my face was not. Or perhaps it was in the right place – to be hit. The large man had no trouble landing a solid punch to my eye and, for the third time that day, I found myself sprawled in the sand. I didn't even have time register the fall before his foot landed on my chest and held me down. "Now what did you call me? Verrul, was it? Are you going to stop me or are you just going to lie there?" I struggled to free myself, but was unable to move his foot. He ground his heel harder into my chest and I sank even further into the sand. My strength was nothing to his, but I had an idea. Laehval's other shoe hit the back of the man's head almost as though she could read my mind. I used the distraction to reach for my communicator and yell a preprogrammed command. The man disappeared, swallowed by the transporter beam. I took a deep breath, happy to be able to use my lungs. Laehval gaped in surprise. "Clever," Laehval finally said as she helped me to my feet – again. "Where did you transport him?" "He's in the scout's transporter buffer – at least for the next thirty minutes or so," I explained. "I would have transported you there if I'd thought about it. Then you could have transported my corpse back," I joked. "Thank you, but no. I would rather not be stuck in a transporter buffer. Lerak, when in the Elements would you ever need to transport something back to be stored in the buffer?" "One never knows what one might find when out exploring," I answered in between gasps for air. "And it seems to have come in handy today." "Indeed." "I'm sorry about this. Are you alright?" Wiping sand from my face, I finally got a good look at her. The entire front of her dress was covered in purple juice. Her face hadn't fared much better. Streaks of purple stained her olive skin despite the onceover she'd given it with her sleeve. I couldn't help but laugh. "It isn't your fau…" She trailed off and stared at me, tilting her head slightly in curiosity. "What are you laughing at?" "Nothing," I said, quickly regaining my composure. She didn't have any more shoes to throw, but I had no doubt that that would not have stopped her from smacking my head. I wisely diverted her. "Where should we transport him?" "Good question," she said, glancing out to the ocean. A slight smirk appeared. "Do you think he can swim?" "Probably. He looked formidable, but perhaps a lack of clothing would cause him discomfort," I said mischievously, returning her smile. I pulled out the ISD I had with me and tapped in a short code. "On your command, then." "We are not on the ship, Lerak, nor are we on duty. I am not your superior here. But… if you insist…" She grinned. "Make it so." "Done!" I showed her the screen that proved transport. In the distance, we heard a splash and frantic yelling. "Good, now you had better transport us away quickly," she said in a rush, looking over my shoulder down the beach. "Why?" I turned to follow her line of sight. "Because he has friends and all of them look to be just as large and brainless. They are headed this way and do not look happy. There are four of them and I only have two shoes," she added, gathering up her scattered sandals. "Good idea," I said quickly, but it was the thought of us being alone together on the shuttle that motivated me more than the threat of death. I did have my priorities in proper order, after all.

Galae Personnel File: Personal Data Name: Lerak Kvan tr'Pexil Gender: Male Age: 53 Height: 1.76 m Weight: 72.5 kg Hair: Black Eyes: Blue Body Type: Average Place of Birth: ch'Rihan, Retag Joined: No. Education History Speaks fluent Federation Standard from initial training in Rihannsu Intelligence. Later found out to have an aptitude for engineering, especially in small craft operations. Has Level 6 small craft flight training. Galae Information Rank: El'Riov (Fed: Lt Cmdr Sn Grade) Post: RES Talon Assignment: Scout Ship and H'teij Specialist Secondary Assignment: AQS and Utilities Network Ongoing Research: Field testing using a standard Romulan Shuttle with respect to efficiency, stress and general performance. Reports back to Galea Engineering on progress. Update: Testbed shuttle destroyed in a successful link with another shuttle used to ram a space station to free the Talon. Testbed shuttle was not able to warp away in time from the explosion. Medical Data Has avoided any limb or sensory organ replacement or reconstruction. A severe laceration occurred while training at Rihannsu Intelligence after an altercation with a female student over a perceived injustice. Otherwise, considered in good health for his age. Does suffer from occasional falls and clumsiness. Family Data Father: Kuval Mithas tr'Pexil (Official at the Intelligence Office in the capital) Mother: Aluna Chivos t'Pexil (Retired, subsitutes at various schools in the area) Sister: Lithara Jeniis t'Pexil (Artist: paint, draw) Summary <information pending> Service Data <Information Pending> Awards 6 Service Stripes 4 Bronze Good Conduct Medals 2 Merit Awards :D :lol: :ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r: