Unsafe Talking Part 1

Posted on Sun Mar 10th, 2019 @ 9:53am by Commander Alexis Agrax (*)

Mission: Mission 8 - Shattered
Location: ISS Gaman
Timeline: MD01 22:00
1391 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

"I'm not a drinker," Alexis said, unsure if it was common for one to feel light-headed so soon after ingesting the Nectar that she had been given from Jenkins. It had been an interesting day, one after another interrogation to check for loyalties which meant that dinner had been missed. Her bodyguard Jenkins had suggested a drink and the woman couldn’t help but agree that it was a better option than the mess where people stared. "Too many bad things..." She waved her finger, cautioning his mind against traversing down the road of her past. "I should leave, dangerous is the way when spirits have lowered one's shields I think, I might be a little susceptible to..." She stopped, no longer wanting to continue aloud as she noticed the ship Executive Officer stood in the doorway of the interrogation room. “Good Evening Captain,” Alexis said as her bodyguard shot to his feet.

"Well, well," Harrington gestured to the open room, "so much fun." He may have said the words, but he hated events like this. This would be no hiding his hatred for social functions. "And drink," he took note of the beverage, "perhaps things won't be so bad."

"Drink?" Alexis asked automatically moving to pour him a drink of the sweet liquid.

"Good Night Alexis," Jenkins said without a second thought of leaving the woman in the room with the Executive Officer. He might be her bodyguard but he knew better than to stay there then.

"Thanks," he took the offered glass, "Settling in, I assume," he asked not really giving care and she would be able to tell that? He downed the beverage. He honestly had no idea where this little game of cat and mouse was taking them, but he did enjoy their banter. "I must admit I've heard some good things so far," he muttered.

"You assume correctly." The woman said simply as she sat as far away from him as possible looking him over. She didn't dare read his mind at the moment, she didn't want to know what was going through it. "Well I am doing work for the Admiral and I don't want to mess up after all I have no protection." Alexis wasn't like the other Betazoid's onboard they stuck to senior Officers, worked agendas for them.

"Oh you've got protection Dear," he smirked giving a rather provocative smile. "It's just a price you're not willing to pay.. yet." He gestured for another drink, "Now....what projects does the Admiral have your working on?"

Alexis took in the smile that used to charm her but shook her head. "I've think I've paid for it when I was your bodyguard before the Butcher made Betazed another asteroid field," Alexis said leaning out twisted his arm just to prove she might be a civilian now but she still remembered what it was like to be Security, what it was like to kill without her mind being involved. She squeezed his arm for just a moment before letting him go ignoring his request for a drink.

Harrington looked over his shoulder, "foreplay was always your strong suit," he whispered knowing that the very mention of that word would make her skin crawl. "Now," he picked up his drink and downed it, "are we going to continue this, or shall we get to work?"

"Yeah, it seemed to be your weakness," Alexis said with a shake of her head. "You would love to continue this so you could make yourself feel less lonely about your existence and why you came looking for me in the first place." She told him goading him just a little to get him back, to make him feel as bad as she felt.

"Watch it Betazed," he hissed. She'd clearly hit a nerve. "You're right I don't have much, so killing you isn't out of the question. I'd get to be with my family once more." He picked up his drink and downed the contents, then slammed his glass down demanding another. "And I came looking for you, for an entirely different reason. But if you'd like I can have your ass beamed back to a breeding colony somewhere. You can spend the rest of your existence on your back popping out little telepaths for the Empire." He picked up his glass.

"Long live the Empire," he nodded with a glare. His face spoke miles to perhaps his real feelings for the Empire; maybe the Officer had lost some faith along the way. He slammed his glass down.

Alexis poured the last of the bottle into his glass and watched him down it without complaint. "Long live the Empire." She said back without even a second thought and glowered at him a little. "What do you want Cornelius?" She finally demanded trying to cut through the tension to the reason.

Neil sighed, he really didn't know what he needed. Perhaps she was right, he really didn't have much to live for anymore. His entire life was wrapped up in this fake persona that he had been giving off for years, and he was growing tired of it. "What I want, and what I will get are probably two very different things," he sighed again, as he finished his glass.

He rattled the empty glass between his fingers, "what do you want," he asked gesturing around him, "out of all of this... what would be your end game," he knew the answer but he truly wanted to hear it from her?

"End game." The Betazoid laughed as she sat down next to him. This man had once been someone who had depended on her to keep him protected and alive but now she needed him. "You think I have an end game? Cornelius I am just trying to survive and do whatever the Empire needs from me to keep me alive." Alexis had no end game, she barely had a game plan now.

"Surely there was something there, once," he added, "a long time ago."

"Once upon a time I would have loved to just bring up a family away from this endless war but that is impossible now, Betazed is gone and all that is left is this or camps." She lied knowing that she had heard rumours of something else but she wasn't going to tell him that.

"Family," he sighed, "we come from different sides but I think you will find that there isn't much difference. We both want the same things, just went about it quite differently." He knew the words would not settle well, Alexis would probably protest the idea. But it wasn't that far off. "And now," he asked hoping to press a little further?

"And now what? Neil..." She said his name softly like she used to before Betazed had been blown up when she hadn't felt so much anger towards him and Imperial Starfleet. "What do you want? Why did you come here?" She ventured again trying to get him to talk.

He sighed, "I don't know why I came here," he leaned back in his chair, knowing that the topic in question could get him arrested in the right circles. "What I want, I can never get back," he added, "and what was I want back, I can never have." He sipped his drink, "I am tired..."

"How about we get you to bed then?" Alexis offered her hand to him.

Neil laughed, as he took her hand, "I don't think you understand," he muttered. "I am tired of fighting, I am tired of all of this," he sighed. "I can't have my old life back, and I am afraid there is no life for me in this new future." He downed his drink. He glanced around the room. Talk like this wasn't safe, and he knew it. He stood up, "maybe I do need some sleep."

"I know what you mean Neil. I am in your head." She reminded him pointedly as she tugged on his head leading him out of the office. It had been a safe space but this man needed to get out of here, he needed some sleep before he collapsed from the mental strain.

OFF::

Captain Cornelius Harrington III
Executive Officer
ISS Gaman
(PNPC Mellicent Borden)

Alexis Agrax
Inquisitor
ISS Gaman
(PNPC Gregnol)