Liis on Earth, Good Will Toward Camen
By Fleur Le Marc and Vedek Jariel
71225.21
During and After Total Recall
------------------------
By Fleur Le Marc and Vedek Jariel
71225.21
During and After Total Recall
------------------------
The Alchemy's crew was told to disembark upon landing. Salvek knew that Starfleet was waiting to take the ship back to Earth, and he didn't want anyone getting in the way of their work to that end. Least of all the civilian who had stowed away on the mission, uninvited. As they prepared to be beamed up to the Executor, the security detail performed a head count and compared the results with the crew manifest that Anderson held in his hands.
"Who is this woman?" Anderson demanded. "She is not on any of my lists."
"Lieutenant, if I may," Lair Kellyn spoke up, not giving Salvek the chance to speak first. "This civilian was looking after our daughter during the mission. She was on the crew of the flagship along with us."
Salvek and Lair exchanged a glance, and he nodded to her slowly. He'd had time to think over what Lair had said to him privately about Fleur's reasons for stowing away- which were as plain to the Bajoran as the ridges on the nose on her face.
--=Flashback: Right after Fleur was discovered on the Alchemy=--
"Bring her up here," Salvek said upon hearing what Fleur had done. "I will put her in the brig."
"A word with you please Commander?" Lair Kellyn asked. Salvek nodded, and the two stepped over to a quiet corner of the bridge.
"I know I have no right to ask you this, but as a personal favor to me, would you not put Fleur in the brig? She's hardly a security risk."
"She has committed a crime," Salvek replied. "She must pay the penalty for that poor decision."
"Crime? Salvek, she has risked her life in coming on this mission. Don't you think she had a good reason?"
Salvek tilted his head and raised his left eyebrow. That Fleur may have come aboard for a specific reason had not actually occurred to him yet.
"Explain."
"Salvek. . .Fleur has. . .feelings. . .for Jariel." Kellyn whispered. "She's loved him ever since we were all on the station."
"She told you this?"
"She didn't have to tell me," Kellyn said, her eyes reflecting a knowing wisdom. "I just know. And I can understand. She may not have disobeyed a direct order and beamed over to a Borg infested starship to go after the man she loves, but she did risk her career and her life by boarding the Alchemy. Seeing that she is not Starfleet and this is her first offense, couldn't you go easy on her. Please?" She gave him the imploring look that she knew wheedled its way through his logic and always got a response.
"For the sake of Arie as well? You know how she adores Fleur. If we put her in the brig, the trip will be a lot harder on our daughter. Fleur might be able to keep an eye on her for us, we've been so busy Arie has been pretty much fending for herself, and that's not a good thing."
"That much I can agree on." Salvek said. "Very well. I will not put her in the brig."
"If we were alone," Kellyn added, a grateful smile on her lips as she walked away, "I'd kiss you. Thank you."
Salvek had called Fleur to the ready room, where he stared at her with disapproval that made her feel as if she was once again four years old and had been caught with her hand in her mother's cookie jar.
"Ms. Le Marc, you are in a great deal of trouble."
"Yes, Commander Salvek."
"You had no business sneaking aboard this ship. Your being here could cause a distraction that could be detrimental to the success of our mission."
"I am sorry, Commander Salvek."
"I should put you into the brig. Before I make my decision, do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Fleur shuffled her feet and looked at the floor. "No, Monsieur Salvek."
"No?"
"No. I have broken the rules. I deserve for you to throw the book at me. I will accept whatever punishment you see fit to give me."
"I would like to know why."
Fleur shrugged her shoulders. "I cannot say why."
"You would rather I put you in the brig with no knowledge of your reasons for making this ill advised decision, than hear your justification and perhaps lighten your sentence?"
"It is. . .personal, Commander Salvek. I promise you that it has nothing to do with Starfleet, or with security of the mission or, even with," she paused, "the mission itself. I am here, because I felt that someone needed me to be here. That is all that I can say to you."
Salvek nodded, considering.
"You are not a Starfleet officer and so have not violated any direct orders. You have used poor judgment however and I need for you to give me your word that if I am lenient you will not take advantage of my generosity."
"I assure you, I will not, Commander Salvek."
"You will give me your word that you will never do anything like this again?"
"I will."
"Then I confine you to quarters, or the fourth deck galley, if you would like to prepare meals for our weary crew. I leave that decision up to you. I will be placing a formal reprimand and warning about," he paused, "unofficial access to restricted areas, into your permanent file with Civilian Services. You are dismissed and we will speak of this again at a later date."
"I understand. Thank you, Commander Salvek," Fleur said, obviously penitent. She was also clearly grateful that he was not ending her career, and therefore any future access she might have to Jariel, instantly. "I promise you, I will make it all up to you."
"We shall see." Salvek said doubtfully, after the doors to the room had closed.
--=End Flashback=--
Now that Starfleet was asking questions about Fleur having been on the ship, Salvek was not happy about the idea of her getting away with what she'd done entirely. But seeing how she was obviously, at least in his estimation, suffering at the sight of Liis and Jariel being reunited even though Zanh was in such terrible shape, he didn't think she could suffer any more from any form of punishment he could personally impose at this point. Perhaps this would be the best place to leave the matter.
"Should we take her back to Earth with us or should we put her on a transport back to the flagship?" Anderson asked his second, and Salvek saw panic appear on Fleur's face at the thought.
"If I might offer my opinion," Salvek spoke up, "she was present during all phases of the mission, even though she was either in her quarters or in the galley. She was in contact with all members of the crew and may have had conversations with them that contain sensitive information. She should be debriefed along with the rest of us."
"Very well, Commander. Thank you." Anderson replied. "Miss,"
"Fleur," she offered weakly, turning and mouthing the word "merci" to Salvek. He nodded to her, barely perceptibly. "Fleur Le Marc."
Once upon the Executor but while still in orbit of Bajor, Fleur had decided that perhaps Christmas Eve was the night to try to rekindle her own relationship with her Maker. It had been so many years since she had prayed, but perhaps there was nothing to lose in trying.
Nothing else had helped.
She knelt before the bed in her guest quarters and folded her hands.
"Dieu dans le ciel, svp m'entendent ce soir. J'aime cet homme, et je ne sais pas s'arrêter. Je ne sais pas l'aider. Montrez-moi la manière." She sighed heavily. "S'il Vous Plaît. . ."
Someone, it seemed, heard her message.
It was not whom she was expecting.
Fleur was blinded by a flash of light. She heard nothing but the sound of her own heartbeat, and then, her name.
"You are the one called Fleur," Someone stood before her who seemed familiar, but something about them just wasn't. . .quite. . .right.
"Lair Kellyn?" Fleur gasped, shielding her eyes from the glare with her hand. "I don't understand."
"We have taken the form of those known to you so that you might understand what we say," The Prophet 'Kellyn' informed her.
"You are linear," 'Salvek' stepped forward from the bright light, and addressed her now. "Corporeal. So is he." 'Salvek's' hand made a sweeping gesture, revealing the image of Jariel standing beside him. You have," he seemed to struggle to find the appropriate words, "formed an attachment to him."
"You might say that." She finally realized who she was speaking with, and she became angry. "If you have an attachment to him, why do you torment him so? He loves you, and you do not accept him."
"She is the reason." 'Kellyn' replied. Suddenly, Fleur saw a heartbreaking image of Jariel holding the hand of Zanh Liis, and gazing at her lovingly. She winced, visibly, and 'Kellyn' responded quickly.
"He cares for her too greatly." The Prophet concluded. "It is a danger to him."
"I knew it! I knew she was undermining him. I want to help, how can I help him? If you tell me, I'll do it. I swear."
The Prophets exchanged a glance. They withheld the information that they knew that no woman could hold a candle to Zanh when it came to holding Jariel's attention. They did not need him to love her, they only needed her to damage what Zanh and Jariel had.
"Distract him." Salvek answered. "Attend to your task well, and you shall be rewarded. We will help you, be mindful for our guidance, but do not move too fast. Zanh Liis is more cunning then we had foreseen. She will be watching for our presence."
The scene flashed to an apartment in France. Fleur was laying in an ornate metal frame bed in a pile of pillows. Her attire was... fetching to say the least. She looked out through the old wooded shutters over the City of Lights and the Eiffel Tower. She jumped in surprise as an arm wrapped around her waist from behind. The jingle of his earring was all Fleur needed to hear to know the bare skin that pressed against hers belonged to Jariel Camen. His lips brushed against her neck, then over her ear.
"This can be yours, Fleur." The Jariel Prophet breathed into her ear.
Fleur bit her lip, trying to calm herself. "You are not truly Camen." She said, her voice shaking.
"Complete your task, and this will be your destiny Fleur Le Marc. Accept this gift from the Prophets."
Fleur attempt to turn to face him, but before she could she found herself kneeling at her bedside, where she had been praying moments before.
No other information was offered before the vision ended, but Fleur felt that at least, somehow, a higher power had heard her, and she was renewed in her belief that if she just kept hoping, and stayed in his line of sight, then perhaps maybe, someday. . .he would find her to be at least a distraction.
"Perhaps, Lair Arie, Papa Noel is not so unbelievable. It looks like I will be receiving a gift this year." Fleur spoke into the empty room.
----The Last night of the journey to Earth aboard Executor===
She had spent the past days of the trip pouring over Bajoran religious texts, determined to understand the way that she believed Jariel's mind worked. Zanh Liis did not share his faith, perhaps that was that was a fact that she could exploit.
She had been reading and rereading a particularly complicated passage of text when the panel beside the bed began to beep.
"Yes?" She asked with a sigh, thinking that this was just another update on Zanh's 'miraculous' recovery.
"Miss Le Marc, this is Lt. Anderson." the voice said. "We have received a request from the Admiral- and we were wondering if you might help us out with it."
"If I am able, I am willing."
"Good. I will arrive at your door at 0400 to escort you to our galley. The Admiral has asked that we prepare a holiday meal for the Alchemy's crew, because they have been shut up in quarters and not seen each other in days."
"But I thought,"
"As long as they agree to keep the conversation clear of the mission or Captain Zanh," Anderson added, "Then a few hours together won't hurt, at least that's what the Admiral says."
"Very well. I will be ready to cook for a small army."
"You'll need to be. Anderson out."
As she went about her task now, preparing enough food to overstuff Alchemy's crew, Fleur Le Marc was a haunted woman.
Not just by le fantôme de Noël après, either.
As she stirred a steaming stockpot filled with turkey gravy, in the galley aboard the Executor, she stared into the distance, eyes glazing over. Soon, Liis would be on Earth, and Camen with her. Distract him, they said. But how?
"Who is this woman?" Anderson demanded. "She is not on any of my lists."
"Lieutenant, if I may," Lair Kellyn spoke up, not giving Salvek the chance to speak first. "This civilian was looking after our daughter during the mission. She was on the crew of the flagship along with us."
Salvek and Lair exchanged a glance, and he nodded to her slowly. He'd had time to think over what Lair had said to him privately about Fleur's reasons for stowing away- which were as plain to the Bajoran as the ridges on the nose on her face.
--=Flashback: Right after Fleur was discovered on the Alchemy=--
"Bring her up here," Salvek said upon hearing what Fleur had done. "I will put her in the brig."
"A word with you please Commander?" Lair Kellyn asked. Salvek nodded, and the two stepped over to a quiet corner of the bridge.
"I know I have no right to ask you this, but as a personal favor to me, would you not put Fleur in the brig? She's hardly a security risk."
"She has committed a crime," Salvek replied. "She must pay the penalty for that poor decision."
"Crime? Salvek, she has risked her life in coming on this mission. Don't you think she had a good reason?"
Salvek tilted his head and raised his left eyebrow. That Fleur may have come aboard for a specific reason had not actually occurred to him yet.
"Explain."
"Salvek. . .Fleur has. . .feelings. . .for Jariel." Kellyn whispered. "She's loved him ever since we were all on the station."
"She told you this?"
"She didn't have to tell me," Kellyn said, her eyes reflecting a knowing wisdom. "I just know. And I can understand. She may not have disobeyed a direct order and beamed over to a Borg infested starship to go after the man she loves, but she did risk her career and her life by boarding the Alchemy. Seeing that she is not Starfleet and this is her first offense, couldn't you go easy on her. Please?" She gave him the imploring look that she knew wheedled its way through his logic and always got a response.
"For the sake of Arie as well? You know how she adores Fleur. If we put her in the brig, the trip will be a lot harder on our daughter. Fleur might be able to keep an eye on her for us, we've been so busy Arie has been pretty much fending for herself, and that's not a good thing."
"That much I can agree on." Salvek said. "Very well. I will not put her in the brig."
"If we were alone," Kellyn added, a grateful smile on her lips as she walked away, "I'd kiss you. Thank you."
Salvek had called Fleur to the ready room, where he stared at her with disapproval that made her feel as if she was once again four years old and had been caught with her hand in her mother's cookie jar.
"Ms. Le Marc, you are in a great deal of trouble."
"Yes, Commander Salvek."
"You had no business sneaking aboard this ship. Your being here could cause a distraction that could be detrimental to the success of our mission."
"I am sorry, Commander Salvek."
"I should put you into the brig. Before I make my decision, do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Fleur shuffled her feet and looked at the floor. "No, Monsieur Salvek."
"No?"
"No. I have broken the rules. I deserve for you to throw the book at me. I will accept whatever punishment you see fit to give me."
"I would like to know why."
Fleur shrugged her shoulders. "I cannot say why."
"You would rather I put you in the brig with no knowledge of your reasons for making this ill advised decision, than hear your justification and perhaps lighten your sentence?"
"It is. . .personal, Commander Salvek. I promise you that it has nothing to do with Starfleet, or with security of the mission or, even with," she paused, "the mission itself. I am here, because I felt that someone needed me to be here. That is all that I can say to you."
Salvek nodded, considering.
"You are not a Starfleet officer and so have not violated any direct orders. You have used poor judgment however and I need for you to give me your word that if I am lenient you will not take advantage of my generosity."
"I assure you, I will not, Commander Salvek."
"You will give me your word that you will never do anything like this again?"
"I will."
"Then I confine you to quarters, or the fourth deck galley, if you would like to prepare meals for our weary crew. I leave that decision up to you. I will be placing a formal reprimand and warning about," he paused, "unofficial access to restricted areas, into your permanent file with Civilian Services. You are dismissed and we will speak of this again at a later date."
"I understand. Thank you, Commander Salvek," Fleur said, obviously penitent. She was also clearly grateful that he was not ending her career, and therefore any future access she might have to Jariel, instantly. "I promise you, I will make it all up to you."
"We shall see." Salvek said doubtfully, after the doors to the room had closed.
--=End Flashback=--
Now that Starfleet was asking questions about Fleur having been on the ship, Salvek was not happy about the idea of her getting away with what she'd done entirely. But seeing how she was obviously, at least in his estimation, suffering at the sight of Liis and Jariel being reunited even though Zanh was in such terrible shape, he didn't think she could suffer any more from any form of punishment he could personally impose at this point. Perhaps this would be the best place to leave the matter.
"Should we take her back to Earth with us or should we put her on a transport back to the flagship?" Anderson asked his second, and Salvek saw panic appear on Fleur's face at the thought.
"If I might offer my opinion," Salvek spoke up, "she was present during all phases of the mission, even though she was either in her quarters or in the galley. She was in contact with all members of the crew and may have had conversations with them that contain sensitive information. She should be debriefed along with the rest of us."
"Very well, Commander. Thank you." Anderson replied. "Miss,"
"Fleur," she offered weakly, turning and mouthing the word "merci" to Salvek. He nodded to her, barely perceptibly. "Fleur Le Marc."
Once upon the Executor but while still in orbit of Bajor, Fleur had decided that perhaps Christmas Eve was the night to try to rekindle her own relationship with her Maker. It had been so many years since she had prayed, but perhaps there was nothing to lose in trying.
Nothing else had helped.
She knelt before the bed in her guest quarters and folded her hands.
"Dieu dans le ciel, svp m'entendent ce soir. J'aime cet homme, et je ne sais pas s'arrêter. Je ne sais pas l'aider. Montrez-moi la manière." She sighed heavily. "S'il Vous Plaît. . ."
Someone, it seemed, heard her message.
It was not whom she was expecting.
Fleur was blinded by a flash of light. She heard nothing but the sound of her own heartbeat, and then, her name.
"You are the one called Fleur," Someone stood before her who seemed familiar, but something about them just wasn't. . .quite. . .right.
"Lair Kellyn?" Fleur gasped, shielding her eyes from the glare with her hand. "I don't understand."
"We have taken the form of those known to you so that you might understand what we say," The Prophet 'Kellyn' informed her.
"You are linear," 'Salvek' stepped forward from the bright light, and addressed her now. "Corporeal. So is he." 'Salvek's' hand made a sweeping gesture, revealing the image of Jariel standing beside him. You have," he seemed to struggle to find the appropriate words, "formed an attachment to him."
"You might say that." She finally realized who she was speaking with, and she became angry. "If you have an attachment to him, why do you torment him so? He loves you, and you do not accept him."
"She is the reason." 'Kellyn' replied. Suddenly, Fleur saw a heartbreaking image of Jariel holding the hand of Zanh Liis, and gazing at her lovingly. She winced, visibly, and 'Kellyn' responded quickly.
"He cares for her too greatly." The Prophet concluded. "It is a danger to him."
"I knew it! I knew she was undermining him. I want to help, how can I help him? If you tell me, I'll do it. I swear."
The Prophets exchanged a glance. They withheld the information that they knew that no woman could hold a candle to Zanh when it came to holding Jariel's attention. They did not need him to love her, they only needed her to damage what Zanh and Jariel had.
"Distract him." Salvek answered. "Attend to your task well, and you shall be rewarded. We will help you, be mindful for our guidance, but do not move too fast. Zanh Liis is more cunning then we had foreseen. She will be watching for our presence."
The scene flashed to an apartment in France. Fleur was laying in an ornate metal frame bed in a pile of pillows. Her attire was... fetching to say the least. She looked out through the old wooded shutters over the City of Lights and the Eiffel Tower. She jumped in surprise as an arm wrapped around her waist from behind. The jingle of his earring was all Fleur needed to hear to know the bare skin that pressed against hers belonged to Jariel Camen. His lips brushed against her neck, then over her ear.
"This can be yours, Fleur." The Jariel Prophet breathed into her ear.
Fleur bit her lip, trying to calm herself. "You are not truly Camen." She said, her voice shaking.
"Complete your task, and this will be your destiny Fleur Le Marc. Accept this gift from the Prophets."
Fleur attempt to turn to face him, but before she could she found herself kneeling at her bedside, where she had been praying moments before.
No other information was offered before the vision ended, but Fleur felt that at least, somehow, a higher power had heard her, and she was renewed in her belief that if she just kept hoping, and stayed in his line of sight, then perhaps maybe, someday. . .he would find her to be at least a distraction.
"Perhaps, Lair Arie, Papa Noel is not so unbelievable. It looks like I will be receiving a gift this year." Fleur spoke into the empty room.
----The Last night of the journey to Earth aboard Executor===
She had spent the past days of the trip pouring over Bajoran religious texts, determined to understand the way that she believed Jariel's mind worked. Zanh Liis did not share his faith, perhaps that was that was a fact that she could exploit.
She had been reading and rereading a particularly complicated passage of text when the panel beside the bed began to beep.
"Yes?" She asked with a sigh, thinking that this was just another update on Zanh's 'miraculous' recovery.
"Miss Le Marc, this is Lt. Anderson." the voice said. "We have received a request from the Admiral- and we were wondering if you might help us out with it."
"If I am able, I am willing."
"Good. I will arrive at your door at 0400 to escort you to our galley. The Admiral has asked that we prepare a holiday meal for the Alchemy's crew, because they have been shut up in quarters and not seen each other in days."
"But I thought,"
"As long as they agree to keep the conversation clear of the mission or Captain Zanh," Anderson added, "Then a few hours together won't hurt, at least that's what the Admiral says."
"Very well. I will be ready to cook for a small army."
"You'll need to be. Anderson out."
As she went about her task now, preparing enough food to overstuff Alchemy's crew, Fleur Le Marc was a haunted woman.
Not just by le fantôme de Noël après, either.
As she stirred a steaming stockpot filled with turkey gravy, in the galley aboard the Executor, she stared into the distance, eyes glazing over. Soon, Liis would be on Earth, and Camen with her. Distract him, they said. But how?
Fleur Le Marc
Civilian
and
Vedek Jariel Camen
USS Alchemy NX-53099
Civilian
and
Vedek Jariel Camen
USS Alchemy NX-53099