Do you want to know a secret?

[Erich Jaenke 0]

Do you want to know a secret?

Erich had summoned her to another picnic dinner in the hidden bowels of the ship. Keb found his penchant for finding secret places amusing and adorable, and so she followed his clues to the site, where he waited with the food between two large conduit pillars. Keb gave him a kiss before sitting next to him.

“You like your surprises, don’t you? ...and your secrets, too.” Her face would have betrayed her slight frustration at the latter phrase, even if Erich could not feel every shift in the surface of her ever-changing ocean of moods. “Seriously. What was with the breach of protocol? McFly couldn’t just tell me the coordinates like a normal per--I mean, like...usual?”

Erich looked like he was getting a migraine, and he may still. He knew very well the Manticore operated under black operation protocols, but he could not break Keb's trust again. "You need to promise me you will keep this to yourself." He tapped a key on his PADD as he gazed into her eyes for that look. A gentle hiss filled the air. Any clinks or clanks echoing along the long access-ways could not be heard.

"There, so we can really be private," he snickered with a sly wink. "Telling secrets gives me a headache." He placed his hand lightly over hers. "One of the human associates of the Belosians slipped McFly a type of isolinear crystal. On it in very small script was the words 'tric me'. so I did. All I really did was place it on the tricorder and it came to life. Turned out it was a subspace dimensional folding transmitter. It pierces through the lower subspace bands with relatively low pow- but that's not important." He could see it in her eyes.

"It was the Admiral, don't know what connections he has, but he sent us a warning about the Belosians. We were urged to gather additional intelligence in a rather off the books manner. McFly went to Captain Taggart and I bypassed the comms. And that is all I know." The Betazoid brain contained in Erich's noggin sent out a tangible amount of serotonin from not holding back from Keb. This of course was transmitted to her brain with much the same effect. It took her by surprise. She could feel her body relaxing, even as understanding dawned.

“Wait...the Admiral? A9? But he’s...we’re over a month from the Sol system...how--?” There was a mix of excitement and confusion that the serotonin was dulling slightly. “And what’s with the cone of silence? I get coordinates in my head but this you tell me out loud? And...if this is classified...” She shook her head and kissed him, all her confused emotions piling into one action. Whatever agreement he had broken by telling her--his trust in her, and knowing that A9 was all right, pleased her more than she dared admit.

 

The emotions expressed in that particular kiss blew his mind. Such an acute single point feeling was somewhat rare. Most people had all manners of emotions running at one one and Keb was no exception. Sadly if there was to be any fallout from his decision he wouldn't know it for some time, if it all.