Necessary Risk

[Charlotte Matsumura 0]

Necessary Risk

LTJG Charlotte Matsumura

Malcolm Alexander (NPC)

 

 

Bajor, Charlotte Matsumura decided, had its merits. Unlike many of her crewmates, she was not completely sold on Human superiority. As a result, it was fairly easy for her to find bright spots among the various pit stops the Excalibur was required to make. She especially liked returning to Bajor when she could. The local population still maintained a strong spirit, which she admired; they had not been bowed and broken like so many other colonies in the Terran Empire.

 

Another bright spot was the cuisine. The arresting aromas of sizzling fowl wafted through the marketplace, mingling with the scent of native spices. Small farms in the higher elevations were also becoming known for their wine production. Charlotte made a note to pick up a bottle of the contraband before the Excal broke orbit.

 

Rounding a corner, she felt pressure as fingers reached from nearby shadows and closed on her right forearm. She then found herself slammed against the wall of a dark alcove behind a vendor cart. Reflexively, her hands came up in a defensive attack – a knife hand jab, aimed at the sensitive gap just above the collarbone of her attacker, meant to cause pain and create some distance. He was equally as fast, however, blocking her movements with a sweep of his hand and capturing her wrist; his other hand tangled in the dark hair at the nape of her neck. Closing the distance, he towered over her, and brought his warm lips against hers with bruising intensity.

 

Recognition settled on Charlotte and she stopped struggling. "Mal," she whispered at length.

 

"Charlotte," he replied with a nod. His fingers loosened their grip on the back of her neck, coming forward to brush a stray lock of the dark strands away from her eyes. "God, but you're impossible to find!"

 

The young officer smirked, her hand coming to rest against his chest. A tall man, Malcolm Alexander had spent as many hours training in the dojo as Charlotte's father, Ronin Matsumura. The result was a wiry physique, and deceptive strength – two items which had been enormously important during his tenure with Starfleet Intelligence. His time with the Maquis had apparently been equally as demanding. She felt evidence of that beneath his shirt, his heart beating under layers of toned muscle. The quick staccato of his heartbeat echoed her own. "If I made it too simple, someone would get suspicious."

 

"You really do take too many risks, love. If your CO found out" – he paused, correcting himself – "if your mother found out, we'd all be in an ice mine on Io."

 

Her lips thinned. "I'll take whatever risks are necessary, Mal. We've already discussed this."

 

"That doesn't make it any easier." He kissed her again, this time slowly and reverently. "Please tell me this will be over soon."

 

Giving a rueful smile, Charlotte reached up and brushed at the closely cropped patch of silver hair just over his ears. "My sources are telling me it's just a matter of time... but they have to get far enough away that Terran resources are stretched thin."

 

Concern creased his brow and glittered in his green eyes. "And after the Excalibur is 'liberated', what then? There will be warrants for your arrest; your life – everything before – will be forfeit." Pausing a beat, he continued, "It's not too late, Charlotte."

 

She shook her head. "There's no going back, Mal. Only forward. Mother will get the embarrassment she so richly deserves; the Empire will lose one of her crown jewels; and I will finally be able to drop this...facade of the perfect child. " A wry smile curved her lips. "I'm actually looking forward to being on the run with you."

 

"Believe you me, I've thought of little else."

 

Glancing over his shoulder, she watched as some of her fellow crew wandered past. She was hidden from view but took it as a sign and grimaced. "I should go." Reaching up, she pulled his head toward hers and kissed him fully on the mouth.

 

Mal sighed, shaking his head. "Bloody girl. You'll be the death of me yet."

 

"I certainly hope not." With one last, chaste kiss on the cheek, she moved to step around him. "Wish me the best of British!"

 

The former intelligence officer stood with his hands in his pockets, watching her go. "You'll need it!"

***