by -=/\=- Zanh Liis
80630.0300
Following Unfinished
-=Earth: Near the hidden headquarters of Temporal Investigations=-
80630.0300
Following Unfinished
-=Earth: Near the hidden headquarters of Temporal Investigations=-
As usual, for security purposes they materialized a safe distance from their actual destination.
The building was nothing special when viewed from the outside. It was lost, in fact, amid the towering artificial peaks of the roofs that comprised the sillouette of the city skyline.
As they walked, neither Zanh nor O'Sullivan seemed in the mood to talk, and that suited the other just fine.
Liis was trying to conserve her strength, and Keiran was simply trying to maintain his determination that he would get through this day, no matter what it brought.
He'd made it this far.
Approaching the rear entrance of the building, Keiran keyed a clearance code into the access panel and the door slid open.
Next, they took the tedious trip through the lift system; Liis staring up at the ceiling most of the time, Keiran staring down at his boots. She felt like she was ready to jump out of her skin, just from the sheer amount of energy radiating from the man toward her.
At last they stepped through the final doorway, and back into the dark world they both knew so well, memory resequencing notwithstanding.
Keiran strode ahead of her as Liis paused in the grand lobby. No matter how many times she came here, the view always had the same effect on her.
"The Admiral is waiting for you," An escort approached, ready to take them to Vox, it seemed. "I'm Ensign Landry Steele, it's a pleasure to meet you both," Vox' assistant offered sincerely. "I've heard so much about you."
Even as she smiled at O'Sullivan, Landry's eyes narrowed a bit as she surveyed Captain Zanh Liis. *So, this is the nightmare,* Landry thought. *She doesn't look so tough...*
She decided to take the friendly approach.
"Is there anything I can get for you, Captain? Commander? Coffee? Or another beverage perhaps,"
"We are not here for the f**king mid-morning tea service, Ensign." Zanh snapped, her nerves fraying more by the second. "Vox. Now."
*Okay, so maybe she is that tough.* Landry reconsidered. "Yes, Sir. Right this way. He wants to see you together, then one at a time."
"How much time does he think I have?" Zanh snarled back.
"Is that some sort of joke, Sir?"
"Absolutely not."
"Sorry, Sir." They reached the lobby outside Vox' office and Landry paused. "I'll be right back."
Keiran looked up at the ceiling and whistled softly, shaking his head. "We have logged a lot of time in this hallway waiting to go into that room. Sure brings back memories."
Liis stared at him blankly, blinking rapidly. "Does it?"
"Aye. Does at that." Keiran wished he hadn't said anything and changed tack. "For myself, anyway. Don't worry, Captain Zanh. This will all be over soon." Keiran offered the reassurance more to soothe his own nerves than for any other reason. *Yes. It'll all be over soon.*
Ensign Steele reappeared, gesturing for them to follow. "If you please,"
"Thank ya, Landry." Keiran said softly, with sincerity.
*At least HE has manners...* Landry thought even as she smiled up at O'Sullivan. *Unlike that stone cold biotch...*
"Anytime, Sir." She answered O'Sullivan before she turned to Vox. "Captain Zanh and Commander O'Sullivan, Admiral,"
Landry was happy to part company with at least half of the visiting duo at this point and she begged Vox' permission to leave without uttering another word.
"Thank you, Landry. You may go."
*Thank GOD...*
"Thank you, Sir." The doors closed behind her, and Liis and Keiran turned their full attention to the man behind the desk.
"So." Vox said, sitting down again in his chair and clasping his hands atop the surface. "How is everyone doing this fine Monday morning?"
"Wonderful!" Liis replied, rolling her eyes. "Never better! How the hell do you think we are, Jonas? We just got through serving as lab rats for some self-important culture of meddling telepaths. I wouldn't recommend it."
"You'll forgive the Captain, Sir? She's is still quite exhausted. She's here AMA, after all," O'Sullivan began.
"I know that. I'm the one who demanded it." Vox cut him off short. "Have a seat, Keiran."
He wanted to observe Liis' behavior in O'Sullivan's company, without Keiran speaking up to defend her every second, as was his habit for more years than Vox could count.
O'Sullivan glared at him, knowing full well that 'have a seat' was Vox-speak for 'shut up.' Slowly, he sat down.
"Captain Zanh, now is when you tell me exactly what you remember about your encounter with the..." Vox read from the information Salvek had transmitted previously. "Sylph."
"I remember that I thought my brain was going to explode." Liis replied, staring him straight in the eyes. "I remember that when I woke up, they were telling me that I have officers serving aboard my ship that I had no memory of."
"Officers such as,"
"Such as him." Zanh said, jerking a thumb in O'Sullivan's direction. Keiran felt a knife twisting in his stomach as she talked of him as though he was, and always had been, a complete stranger.
"Lt. Commander O'Sullivan." Vox prompted.
"Yes. Lt. Commander O'Sullivan." Liis nodded to Keiran. "Sorry. I may seem a little off my game but I don't like it when I am told by everyone I know and trust that there are things I should know and can't remember. Are you sure you have had nothing to do with this, Vox?"
"You mean with your most recent memory loss? Of course not, Zanh Liis. TI has not attempted to resequence you in years. You know that it never really worked on you to begin with." Vox was telling less than a half truth now, and he knew it. But he was, after all, doing it for her own good.
"You don't remember Lt. Commander O'Sullivan coming aboard the Sera just before she left space dock the first time?" he pressed.
"Why is this so important to you people!" Liis threw her hands into the air in frustration.
"I already told Salvek. I already told the LMH. I've already told anyone who has asked me. I don't know! I wish I could tell you that I remembered the man. I wish I could tell you that I remembered working with him for TI, and the time he has apparently served my crew very well. I wish I could," She stopped.
"But you can't." Vox finished. Liis neither moved nor spoke.
"Excuse me," Keiran interrupted, bolting from his chair and into the lavatory, unable to fight the nausea he'd been battling a moment longer.
"Maybe he's the one who left Sickbay too soon." Liis shook her head and folded her arms again.
*Deja vu all over again,* Vox thought, rolling his eyes to the ceiling guiltily as Keiran slammed the door.
As was par for the man, that guilt only lasted a moment before fading into nothingness.
He decided to take this opportunity of a moment alone to finish up his urgent business with Liis. It was obvious she was stressed beyond reason, and he knew it was only wise to push her so far.
"Salvek has informed me about Avery Breaux, and the full details of the Sylph encounter. I want you to know we are all very lucky that Dabin Reece was on the bridge when he was, or the outcome of things would have been vastly different."
"My little yappy Reece? Come on," Liis laughed incredulously. "I mean, you know I love him, though I don't like admitting it in public. But-" She stared at him. "Spotted? Hyper? That Dabin Reece?"
"Yes, Zanh Liis, that Dabin Reece. We all owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Sometime when you're feeling better, I'll tell you all about the day he saved the world as we know it and both of your ships while screwing around with his toy paddleball."
"No way."
"Stranger things have happened,"
"Have they?"
"Oh they have, believe me. There was the time-"
Liis was in no mood for his reminiscences, especially given the current state of her memory.
"Isn't there some sort of bylaw in the code of conduct that says it's considered rude to play 'remember when' with someone who can't join in the fun?"
Vox blinked at her slowly, stopping cold.
They heard the noise of running water beyond the door on the opposite wall. A moment later O'Sullivan finally reappeared, still looking peaked. "Sorry."
Zanh waved his apology off. "No need. Feeling better?"
"As better as I think I'll feel today, Captain."
"Oh, well...good then." Liis nodded. "So, Admiral. While I might not be aware of everything that Mr. O'Sullivan has done in the service of my ship and crew, it seems that everyone aboard thinks the world of him. Is there a way that I can dissuede you from reassigning him?"
=/\=-Zanh Liis
Commanding Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Commanding Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012