. . .And Shine
by TC Blane and Zanh Liis
71227.15
(. . .continued)
by TC Blane and Zanh Liis
71227.15
(. . .continued)
"Thomas," she refilled her coffee cup from the nearest carafe, and looked up at him from beneath her bangs, "If I may call you Thomas,"
Blane rumbled with laughter. His mind flashed back to the first time she had asked him that question. He had not reacted well.
How far they'd come.
"Affirmative."
"We're nowhere near anything to do with Starfleet now," she sipped the cup and sighed contentedly. "Matter of fact, after all we've been through, it seems only right that you start calling me Liis. I know you, you're all procedure and regulation. But at least when we're off the clock, hm?" She ate a couple bites of her Kava roll and then continued. "You did it once or twice already, you know. Back on the other ship. I noticed."
He sliced a bite from the round purple fruit that Zanh had suggested first, stuck his knife into it, and pulled it from the tip of the blade with his teeth. "As you wish." He chewed and swallowed it as she poured him a cup of coffee and slid it across the table. "Delicious." he nodded and took the cup. "Thank you. How are you feeling Cap-" he paused, "Liis?"
"Pretty well I think, for a woman who tried to shish kabob herself."
He glanced up from his plate. “Aye.” He shifted uncomfortably, the subject obviously bothering him.
"And you," she gestured toward him with her fork, "I thought you were supposed to keep to the code?"
"The code?"
"You're the history buff. During the seventeen hundreds, pirates on your planet used to have a code of behavior. I seem to remember one of those rules was "He who falls behind is left behind." She held a bite of food suspended as she finished her thought. "You weren't supposed to come after me."
"Do I look like a pirate to you?” He asked, frowning.
"Still, I can't imagine that Starfleet is happy with what you did. Taking 'vacation' and all. Jariel told me."
He shifted in his chair once again, knowing he was not allowed to talk to her about this now. "Please, don't give it another thought. You're alive, and everyone who was on that mission is happy considers it a complete success because of that. Whatever happens now, we'll deal with it one step at a time."
Liis realized that he already knew his fate- but she also knew he likely couldn't discuss it and let it go. "I thank you," Liis said honestly. "I really am grateful for all you've done."
"I know." He smiled, "I also know you'd have done no less for any of us. The best part is now you owe me one."
She smiled back and saluted him with two fingers. "Aye."
He wondered now if she'd heard anything about the fact that she was also due to leave for Earth before the day was out. "I've been ordered to report to the Atlas, at 2100 tonight. To head back to Earth."
"So have I," Liis replied. "The orders were waiting for me when I-"
They heard a noise and the doors to the enclosed porch opened. Jariel stood there, wearing only dark colored pajama bottoms, and in bare feet.
[[Liis? Who are you,]] He signed, then he looked over and saw TC and smiled. [[Good morning, Mr. Blane. It is good to see you.]]
"TC came by to see how we were doing, and I insisted he share some of this. Are you hungry? Or do you want to get some more sleep?"
[[No, I'm up. I'm going to shower and dress and pack up our things. You two go on, enjoy the food.]]
"I might show Thomas around a little bit after we're finished here. Keep your combadge with you, OK?"
Jariel lowered his eyes and pressed his hands together, tilting them toward TC. [[Keep an eye on her. She's trouble, this one.]]
TC didn't fully understand the signs Jariel was using, though as time had gone on he'd started to pick up a good basic understanding of the language. He got enough out of the Vedek's last comment to laugh at it. "Understood."
What he didn't understand was why the man was using that language of signs again now. Last time he'd seen him, Jariel had been speaking vocally as normally as anyone.
After the doors had closed, TC stared at Liis, his utensils hanging motionless; knife in one hand, fork in the other.
"What happened?" TC stopped, seeing the obvious pain in Zanh's eyes.
"They happened." She pushed her plate away and stared into her coffee. She sat in quiet contemplation for a few moments while TC finished his meal.
When he also pushed his plate forward to indicate he was through with it, he looked over at her. "Feel up to a walk? I need to work off some of that bakery."
"Yes, definitely. Let's go."
Blane rumbled with laughter. His mind flashed back to the first time she had asked him that question. He had not reacted well.
How far they'd come.
"Affirmative."
"We're nowhere near anything to do with Starfleet now," she sipped the cup and sighed contentedly. "Matter of fact, after all we've been through, it seems only right that you start calling me Liis. I know you, you're all procedure and regulation. But at least when we're off the clock, hm?" She ate a couple bites of her Kava roll and then continued. "You did it once or twice already, you know. Back on the other ship. I noticed."
He sliced a bite from the round purple fruit that Zanh had suggested first, stuck his knife into it, and pulled it from the tip of the blade with his teeth. "As you wish." He chewed and swallowed it as she poured him a cup of coffee and slid it across the table. "Delicious." he nodded and took the cup. "Thank you. How are you feeling Cap-" he paused, "Liis?"
"Pretty well I think, for a woman who tried to shish kabob herself."
He glanced up from his plate. “Aye.” He shifted uncomfortably, the subject obviously bothering him.
"And you," she gestured toward him with her fork, "I thought you were supposed to keep to the code?"
"The code?"
"You're the history buff. During the seventeen hundreds, pirates on your planet used to have a code of behavior. I seem to remember one of those rules was "He who falls behind is left behind." She held a bite of food suspended as she finished her thought. "You weren't supposed to come after me."
"Do I look like a pirate to you?” He asked, frowning.
"Still, I can't imagine that Starfleet is happy with what you did. Taking 'vacation' and all. Jariel told me."
He shifted in his chair once again, knowing he was not allowed to talk to her about this now. "Please, don't give it another thought. You're alive, and everyone who was on that mission is happy considers it a complete success because of that. Whatever happens now, we'll deal with it one step at a time."
Liis realized that he already knew his fate- but she also knew he likely couldn't discuss it and let it go. "I thank you," Liis said honestly. "I really am grateful for all you've done."
"I know." He smiled, "I also know you'd have done no less for any of us. The best part is now you owe me one."
She smiled back and saluted him with two fingers. "Aye."
He wondered now if she'd heard anything about the fact that she was also due to leave for Earth before the day was out. "I've been ordered to report to the Atlas, at 2100 tonight. To head back to Earth."
"So have I," Liis replied. "The orders were waiting for me when I-"
They heard a noise and the doors to the enclosed porch opened. Jariel stood there, wearing only dark colored pajama bottoms, and in bare feet.
[[Liis? Who are you,]] He signed, then he looked over and saw TC and smiled. [[Good morning, Mr. Blane. It is good to see you.]]
"TC came by to see how we were doing, and I insisted he share some of this. Are you hungry? Or do you want to get some more sleep?"
[[No, I'm up. I'm going to shower and dress and pack up our things. You two go on, enjoy the food.]]
"I might show Thomas around a little bit after we're finished here. Keep your combadge with you, OK?"
Jariel lowered his eyes and pressed his hands together, tilting them toward TC. [[Keep an eye on her. She's trouble, this one.]]
TC didn't fully understand the signs Jariel was using, though as time had gone on he'd started to pick up a good basic understanding of the language. He got enough out of the Vedek's last comment to laugh at it. "Understood."
What he didn't understand was why the man was using that language of signs again now. Last time he'd seen him, Jariel had been speaking vocally as normally as anyone.
After the doors had closed, TC stared at Liis, his utensils hanging motionless; knife in one hand, fork in the other.
"What happened?" TC stopped, seeing the obvious pain in Zanh's eyes.
"They happened." She pushed her plate away and stared into her coffee. She sat in quiet contemplation for a few moments while TC finished his meal.
When he also pushed his plate forward to indicate he was through with it, he looked over at her. "Feel up to a walk? I need to work off some of that bakery."
"Yes, definitely. Let's go."
--=On the grounds of the Sanctuary=--
TC observed the many kinds of plants and trees here, all sleeping quietly tucked into their beds for the winter. He imagined that this place must be magnificent in the spring.
"Normally all of this would be covered in snow," Liis explained. "But we've had unseasonably warm weather this winter. In the central provinces, especially."
"Is this anything like where you grew up?"
"This place? Oh, no." Liis shrugged. "This is the showpiece of the Bajoran government now. Massive restoration has taken place here since the end of the war. Tons of money has been funneled into restoring the. . .opulence of this sight. It's a bit much, if you ask me, especially considering the fact that so many other places and people on this planet need those funds so desperately."
"That's politics."
"Yeah." Liis replied as they came up to the Temple. "Politics. The Federation wants to shine Bajor all up on the surface like a bright, brand new strip of latinum. But they forget the people from the Plains who still need to rebuild, and the children in the child protection system."
"But you haven't."
"I was one of them," Liis explained, "I can't forget." She put her hand up and grabbed a hold of one of the metallic posts on the fence that surrounded the Temple. "I will always be one of them."
TC stared through the fence at the Temple itself for a long moment.
"Would you like to go in?" Liis asked. "You're welcome to. It's not against the rules or anything."
TC looked into the temple and shook his head. “Nah. I am not one for architecture.” He folded his hands behind his back as he gazed up to the top of the temple. “Or self reflection. I am what I am and I determine what I shall be, nothing more or less can I be.”
"That's the most sensible personal outlook I have heard in a very long time."
"Is it far from here?" TC asked, after a moment had passed in silence.
"Is what far from here?"
"The orphanage where you grew up."
"Not really. About an hour by shuttle at maximum impulse. Altaan has a transporter hub newly built, but it's an hour's walk away from the orphanage, so flying there would still be most expedient." She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Sometimes, the best way to lay ghosts to rest is to look them in the eye." TC offered. "How long has it been since you've been there?"
Liis' expression changed, her stare completely vacant of detectable emotion. "A long, long time."
"Maybe you should consider visiting before we head back to Earth," he advised. "Might help." He watched as her hand moved upward, her fingers twisting the chain on her earring nervously.
"Might."
"I'll go with you." he volunteered. "In fact, I have an idea. Something that I think that you and Jariel would both like, very much." She waited for him to continue, her expression expectant. She could hear the gears turning in his head.
"Do you think that you could use your station to secure the use of a shuttle for the day, and to gain access to several powerful replicators?" he asked.
She tilted her head to the side, intrigued. "I'm certain of it." She knew that if she ran into any trouble in either area, Jariel's connections here would certainly grant them access to anything they needed.
"Good. Let's go fetch the Vedek." TC led the way. "We've got work to do."
As they walked back toward Zanh's temporary quarters, he asked her one final question.
"How many children live at the orphanage at Altaan these days, Zanh Liis?"
"Last I heard, there were about thirty. There were a hundred and ninety two when I lived there," her voice trailed off, "and we were the lucky ones."
"I know that the Gratitude Festival is over," Blane concluded, "But I think that it's time to introduce those children to the spirit of a holiday from my world."
"What holiday is that?"
"Christmas."
"Normally all of this would be covered in snow," Liis explained. "But we've had unseasonably warm weather this winter. In the central provinces, especially."
"Is this anything like where you grew up?"
"This place? Oh, no." Liis shrugged. "This is the showpiece of the Bajoran government now. Massive restoration has taken place here since the end of the war. Tons of money has been funneled into restoring the. . .opulence of this sight. It's a bit much, if you ask me, especially considering the fact that so many other places and people on this planet need those funds so desperately."
"That's politics."
"Yeah." Liis replied as they came up to the Temple. "Politics. The Federation wants to shine Bajor all up on the surface like a bright, brand new strip of latinum. But they forget the people from the Plains who still need to rebuild, and the children in the child protection system."
"But you haven't."
"I was one of them," Liis explained, "I can't forget." She put her hand up and grabbed a hold of one of the metallic posts on the fence that surrounded the Temple. "I will always be one of them."
TC stared through the fence at the Temple itself for a long moment.
"Would you like to go in?" Liis asked. "You're welcome to. It's not against the rules or anything."
TC looked into the temple and shook his head. “Nah. I am not one for architecture.” He folded his hands behind his back as he gazed up to the top of the temple. “Or self reflection. I am what I am and I determine what I shall be, nothing more or less can I be.”
"That's the most sensible personal outlook I have heard in a very long time."
"Is it far from here?" TC asked, after a moment had passed in silence.
"Is what far from here?"
"The orphanage where you grew up."
"Not really. About an hour by shuttle at maximum impulse. Altaan has a transporter hub newly built, but it's an hour's walk away from the orphanage, so flying there would still be most expedient." She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Sometimes, the best way to lay ghosts to rest is to look them in the eye." TC offered. "How long has it been since you've been there?"
Liis' expression changed, her stare completely vacant of detectable emotion. "A long, long time."
"Maybe you should consider visiting before we head back to Earth," he advised. "Might help." He watched as her hand moved upward, her fingers twisting the chain on her earring nervously.
"Might."
"I'll go with you." he volunteered. "In fact, I have an idea. Something that I think that you and Jariel would both like, very much." She waited for him to continue, her expression expectant. She could hear the gears turning in his head.
"Do you think that you could use your station to secure the use of a shuttle for the day, and to gain access to several powerful replicators?" he asked.
She tilted her head to the side, intrigued. "I'm certain of it." She knew that if she ran into any trouble in either area, Jariel's connections here would certainly grant them access to anything they needed.
"Good. Let's go fetch the Vedek." TC led the way. "We've got work to do."
As they walked back toward Zanh's temporary quarters, he asked her one final question.
"How many children live at the orphanage at Altaan these days, Zanh Liis?"
"Last I heard, there were about thirty. There were a hundred and ninety two when I lived there," her voice trailed off, "and we were the lucky ones."
"I know that the Gratitude Festival is over," Blane concluded, "But I think that it's time to introduce those children to the spirit of a holiday from my world."
"What holiday is that?"
"Christmas."
Lt. Commander TC Blane
Chief of Operations
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
-=/\=- Captain Zanh Liis
Chief of Operations
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
-=/\=- Captain Zanh Liis