What Where You Thinking? Part 2

[Cdr Rian Kwai 0]

What Were You Thinking?

Part 2

Joint Log by Commanders Kania Kawalas Ace and Rian Kwai

 

      Kania's voice rose if only to get Rian's attention and bring her back to the line of questioning. "Then what were you thinking!"

 

      "What was I thinking? What was I thinking?!? I don't know maybe...oh...that I was thinking that anonymity would be nice. To be unnoticed instead of stuffy ol' Commander Kwai, I could be the fun Kiwi I remembered from my youth. Maybe I was thinking I could catch the latest gossip on the trade. Or thinking I could sweet talk my way onto a freighter so I could go out and see my lep're if they didn't know I was a 'Fleeter. Or maybe I was thinking I could talk to one of my closest friends without a reminder pinned to my chest that I was part of the bureaucracy that made his business life a living hell with red tape. Or maybe I was thinking I was on vacation!"

      Kania bore the brunt of the caustic, sarcastic tirade with a tired smile of her own. If was only when she refused to add fuel to Rian's rant, treating her with a strategic silence and a look of patience, did the Trill tiredly mutter, "...or maybe I wasn't thinking at all."

      "Can you think of any motive they might say you had?"

      "I was hoping you could tell me that. Because I can't think of a one."

      "Nothing?" Kania scribbled more notes.

      "No. Nothing." Rian sighed. "Look...the closest thing I have to holding a grudge is when my friends do stupid stunts. Like getting me into bar fights with Narsicans. Or borrowing my favorite music chip and then spilling nacho cheese on it. My best friend growing up was a human. Not to mention the human friends I've met here...this crew is mostly human. So I don't have anything against humans at all." She thought of Evie, Chioban, Sian and Devon in turn. "And I don't have anything against any other races either or I wouldn't be serving under a Caitian or a Bajorian. Nor would I have worked with a half of a dozen races my father's ship employed."

      Rian continued after a brief pause. "In fact, I thought you all had it out for me. Do you realize, that since I joined long ago, I'd be the sixth OPS officer who would have been sitting in that chair...had it not blown up? Joined gods, have I really been here that long?"

      Kania allowed herself a faint chuckle. "Yes, a very long time indeed."

      "Then why, if I've been here so long and you all supposedly know me, would you think I'm capable of doing this? I've never put so much as one toe out of line. Not since..." She scratched her arms absentmindedly. Now doubting herself, Rian looked down at her feet in confusion. What if this was some sort of latent programing J'rom put into her somehow. Maybe she did do it. No...that can't be possible.

      And then Kania said the words that Rian had be longing for someone, anyone, to say that day. "Look, Rian, I believe you. We just..."

      "You do?" Rian interrupted, almost popping off the sofa.

      "Yes," Kania looked at her surprised.

      Rian seemed to melt back into the sofa. The anxious lines in her face faded for a moment, and she looked far more exhausted at that moment then Kania had ever seen her. "Thank you."

      "For what?"

      "Just...thank you." Rian answered. "I was thinking no one believed me at all. I was starting to doubt myself." She let out a heavy sigh. "Check the station security tapes. I'll give you the routes I took. They should record me...shouldn't they? And Ryliek. He'll talk to you...and he'll be honest too. His symbiont is stubborn that way. What ever else you need...my background, my family, what the frell I was thinking. Just ask...I'll tell you. No holds barred." She winced at the prospect of the skeletons coming crashing out of her closet with more questioning, but was sincere in the promise. She would not shade the truth, too many lives were at stake...not only those on Republics, but if more attacks were made. They needed to know she wasn't the one, and quickly, so they could catch the right culprit.

      Kania stood up, closing off the PADD. "I'm going to look over what I have so far, and then I'll be back with more questions. And I may ask some questions that you're not going to like to hear, but you've got to answer them. This isn't going to be easy, Rian."

      "I know. If I wanted the easy way out, I would have married a merchant and lived happily on Trill." She smirked as she teased. "Instead I joined the 'Fleet and accepted the position on Republic. Nothing is ever easy on Republic. Now you tell me...what was I thinking?"

      "I'll get back to you on that one the next time we talk." Kania smiled briefly. "You look tired. Get some rest. I'll be back in a little while later and we'll talk some more."