Conversation Between Maenak and Kheinsa

[m_k_tksa 0]

"Morgana, I think thou doth protest too much. Au are na 'fine'. And if au can na discuss what is bothering au, then we should end this conversation now before we waste any more time."

 

"Fine, perhaps we will speak another time."

 

"Ie, perhaps." The Rihan male on the other side of the viewscreen paused, na providing any further encouragement but an opening for Morgana t'Ksa to continue to talk to fill the uncomfortable silence. It was a Kheinsa's trick and Morgana fell for it every time she talked with Maec tr'Aieme. Perhaps it was her nervousness in speaking with a Kheinsa (Counselor) from Galae Medical. Or perhaps it was because Maec had managed to leap frog from collegiate rival to something that couldn't be defined more than 'more than a friend' during a dizzying thi days shoreleave just a few short weeks ago.

 

"Au make it sound as if we will na speak again," she glared at him.

 

"I did na say that. What makes au think that was implied?" Maec arched his brows.

 

"Au's tone of voice." Morgana hissed at him.

 

"What do au mean?"

 

She rolled her eyes at him. "Au made it sound as if au won't speak to me unless I initiate the conversation. Like au are bored with me. Au do na exactly thrill me with au's psycho-babble lecture reports. Au could put an insomniac to sleep."

 

"Is it the lack of fresh oxygen or the thin artificial atmosphere that turns Rihans into raving babbling lunatics while engaged in space travel?" Maec asked with a smirk firmly rooted on his face.

 

"Is it that they believe their own bloated rhetoric or are they over compensating for their own neurosis that causes Kheinsas to believe every Rihan has a mental defect?" Morgana shot back in annoyance.

 

Maec's face flushed green in anger for a moment. Then he sighed and rubbed his face. His voice softened as he lowered his hands. "Au know Morgana, things would be so much simpler and would na cause so much heartache if au would stop trying to pick a fight with me and tell me what is bothering au. Friend to friend, let's call a truce. What's wrong?"

 

"Headache, rekkhai. Na heartache," Morgana snapped then sensed the seriousness in his tone. She sighed softly, relenting, "I am disturbed..."

 

"I could have told au that." Maec interrupted.

 

"Maec, if au want me to talk, then au need to stop making fun of me," she scolded him.

 

"My apology, please continue."

 

"I am..." she searched for another word that would na cause another snide comment. "...upset by recent events here. These creatures we have found. Some io was intent on using them as weapon. And when something went wrong, they sent us as bait to see if the creatures survived their planetary exile."

 

"Bait?" Maec seemed to be listening intently.

 

"Ie, they wanted to know if the creatures survived the crash. They decided to use our training mission as a decoy to research those creatures survival. Like dangling a piece of meat in front of a p'Anther. And although I have na been able to pin down exactly who t'Rex has offended to garnish this punishment...and the elements know there are numerous possible candidates, the woman has managed to stomp on some rather large toes...what right has any Rihan to experiment with another Rihan's life like this? It is senseless and cruel."

 

Maec smiled, "The maenak has a heart after all. How wonderful."

 

"Well of course I have a heart." Morgana snapped at him.

 

"Au should show it more often. It suits au."

 

"What are au implying?"

 

Maec sighed again. "It was a compliment, Morgana. Just take it graciously and move on with au's story."

 

She gave Maec a sour look, then continued speaking. "Now knowing what they have done and what nuisance they've become, t'Rex had the gall to ask me if we could somehow manipulate them to benefit our own soldiers. Seriously now, when will this end? Why can we na learn from our past mistakes, instead trying to compound them further? What good would it serve us to experiment with these creatures any further? Besides insuring our immediate deaths. How many Rihans have to die before some io understands, shows some compassion and puts an end to all of this madness?"

 

"I do na know, lhhei." Maec shrugged. He started at her for a moment while she played with something on her desk. He leaned closer to the screen and spoke quietly. "What is it, Morgana?"

 

"It is a very dangerous thought, Maec." She shook her head.

 

"Morgana...?"

 

She could sense the concern in his voice. But to trust him with her thoughts at the moment was a dangerous thing indeed. Na for the content of the thought, for she could carefully word her thoughts so that she would na get into too much trouble. But to trust any io, let along Maec...now that was a far more dangerous thought, considering her history. She lifted her eyes to stare at him.

 

"What is it?" Maec seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say and concerned for her wellbeing. Perhaps it was another Kheinsa trick, but Morgana could na help blurt out what was running through her mind, carefully worded of course.

 

"Since when has the Rihan Star Empire felt so insecure in its own power and might that it has to go and create unnatural abominations to further torment our enemies only to know that in the end these unnecessary experimentations will backfire in our collective faces. We are better than that."

 

Maec shrugged a little. "Au know it is only a few who do so. A very minute minority."

 

"To the determent of the rest of us. When is it enough, Maec?" Although angry in her tone of voice, her anger was na directed at Maec. She instantly regretted snapping at him.

 

"I do na know, lhhei." He offered soothingly, appearing to have ignored her outburst. He tilted his head as he asked the next question. "Au say this now because au were the victim this time, ie?"

 

"Ie, I suppose. I do na play 'damsel in distress' very well, rekkhai." Morgana shrugged this time.

 

"Na, I don't suppose au would. Au are as physically strong as au are strong willed."

 

"So what do we do now?"

 

"Do our jobs competently, show compassion to those who are victimized by such behavior and try to move forward the best we can."

 

"Business as usual then." She answered skeptically.

 

"Ie, I suppose."

 

"What about righting Rihan wrongs? Saving the Empire? Superhero powers and the like?"

 

"Is that part of a maenak's job description?"

 

"Na, but I have na intention of becoming a victim again."

 

"I didn't expect au would."

 

Morgana leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. "To be perfectly honest. This conversation did nothing to help me feel better. But I want to thank au just the same."

 

"It made me feel better...I am na so worried about au's sanity." Maec shrugged and smiled reassuringly.

 

"Maec, be thankful that au are not within striking distance right now. Because if au were, I swear I would flatten au." Morgana rolled her eyes.

 

"There's the Ksa. I know. The one who repays concern for another's wellbeing with a threat of physical violence. So much for a truce tonight." He smirked at her.

 

"Is this your demented form courtship or something?"

 

"Perhaps...although au are doing your own fair share of bickering. Perhaps this is another prelude to another late night visit to my home..." He flashed a lopsided grin that gave Morgana a shiver. "As I remember when au were here last we started out much the same way, then..."

 

"And on that note, I believe it is time to end this conversation." Morgana interrupted him quickly, afraid of just exactly where his train of thought was going.

 

"Aw, come on Morgana..." Maec started to laugh. "Am I getting under au's skin yet?"

 

"Ie, like a rash that won't go away. Good night, Maec." Morgana answered in a sugary sweet voice as she cut the communication channel before he could provide further commentary. She stared silent at the viewscreen with the revolving t'Liss for a few moments before muttering to herself, "And that my dear might big a problem bigger than the blobs could ever create."