Unsafe Talking Part 2

Posted on Wed Mar 27th, 2019 @ 2:07pm by Commander Alexis Agrax (*)

Mission: Mission 8 - Shattered
Location: ISS Gaman
Timeline: MD01 22:00
1662 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

It was a silent walk and didn't take long at all. You need to stop talking aloud like that. She reminded him as they stepped inside his quarters. "You never removed my permissions." She snorted softly.

"I suppose, I didn't," he commented. He followed her into the main living area of his quarters, as he was forceful sat in a nearby sofa. "It's a never-ending process," he commented, "we dance around and around this topic, don't you ever get tired of it. He looked around his quarters, they were bare. Devoid of life, expression, or personal effects; expect the few empty bottles of booze, a phaser, and some scattering of clothes it almost appeared as if no one lived there.

“Dance and dance around what subject Neil?” She wondered softly as she moved around the living area and picked the scatter clothing chucking them in a pile on the couch. “Weapons and booze everywhere?” She asked as she sat opposite.

He watched her eyes as they looked at the phaser, he didn’t know what had changed. Hell, he couldn’t even tell you when things had changed, but they had. “You have no idea,’ he held his hand to his chin as if he was holding that phaser, “how many times that thing set right here. I’ve told myself so many times, that just one button, just one push and I could be back with them. Wherever they are, it has to be better than living in this place.” He reached for the bottle beside his sofa.

“I’m sorry I brought you here,” he muttered as he tried to down the entire bottle.

Alexis reached out and took the bottle from him before he got far in drinking the bottle she set it on the table in front of him. “You brought me here because you didn’t want to be alone.” She said with a small smile. “No shame in that.” She reminded him.

He reached up, touching the side of her face with his hand. “The truth is I don’t know why I brought her here. The ship already as it’s own Inquisitors, we truly didn’t need more.” He sighed, “maybe…” He patted the sofa next to him, “alone..” he muttered.

“Is that why you have arranged for me to be transferred?” She wondered as she moved from the table to sitting next to him watching him carefully. It was refreshing to see the man under all his masks for the first time in years.

“I know first hand what it is like when you oppose the Empire,” he stated, “and I know what would happen should anymore outside this room hear what I have said. But..” his voice cracked, “I can’t keep going like this, it needs to end.” It was clear by the tone of his voice he wasn’t talking the Empire, but the pain that he felt every time he came home to an empty room.

“You would be shot on the bridge in front of everyone,” Alexis said simply as she leaned forward and pressed her nose against his in a soft gesture looking deep into his eyes. “Pain does fade.” She whispered softly thinking she should have checked if his quarters were bugged or anything.

“And how long does that take,” he asked, “it’s been two years, besides I’m in too deep now, what would I do? Where would I go?” He rambled on for a moment before he realized that Alexis was looking around his room.

“There isn’t a set time for grief Neil.” She murmured softly as she stood up and went to where a sword was hanging on his wall. She ran her hand along it before holding up a device that had been recording. “It is recording but not broadcasting.” She said smirking at the security in her coming out. “You can go wherever you want to go. People do retire.” She reminded him softly.

“Retirement,” he scoffed, “one doesn’t retire, not really.” He stood up taking the device from her as he inspected it, “Gregnol’s work no doubt.” He tossed the device on the ground as he crushed it under his foot. “But it’s a good thought, none the less.” He took the sword setting it back on the wall display. “How does one turn their back on everything they’d sworn to protect, all the things I’ve done in their name,” he added, “no one would ever take me seriously; anywhere.” He looked back at the phaser, “if I really wanted to turn my back then that thing,” he pointed, “is probably my only way out.”

Alexis looked at him and shook her head. It wasn’t his only route and men who really wanted to take that route rarely showed it to someone who would care enough to still be there. “Do you suddenly have a nickname that I have failed to notice?” She wondered. Men like the Butcher of Betazed never got to go home and why they were still on the bridge of a ship despite everything that they had done.

He looked at her confused, “do I what,” he failed to realize her question? “What you think, I can just slip off this ship, unnoticed. And then what? Find a nice planet, set up a shop and call it home,” he laughed as he realized the name she was referring to. “I don’t suppose that is an option is it, so then what?”

“The Executive Officer of Fenrir did.” She let slip with a smirk. “He has sailed off into the make-believe sunset so to speak.” Alexis took his hand and set him back on the couch and sat opposite him on the coffee table looking at him. “You have options just because you’ve become Kita’s right-hand man you don’t have to continue to be that.”

Neil hadn’t realized that. Alexis was sitting there giving him an out, and now he had two options. End it all, or take her word for it and find another way. Both had their drawbacks, but one was permanent. He stood up, taking the phaser as he removed the power cell. Tossing it to Alexis, he stated, “Lucia wouldn’t want to meet like that.” Truthfully he didn’t feel much better, but perhaps there was a small glimmer of hope somewhere in what she was saying. “So where do I go from here,” he asked? “I am supposed to be meeting Gregnol soon, not sure I really want to?”

Alexis smiled and put the power cell down next to her. She leant forward and touched his knees. “I will deal with Gregnol.” She assured softly as she stood and went to console. She pressed a few buttons and was connected to the other ship.

“Hello, Agrax… Long time no see.” The Russian spoke clearly surprised to see the woman for the first time see he had blown up her homeworld. “What can I do for you Li… Alexis?”

“Harrington isn’t coming to your meeting… Sir.” She said simply as she stared at the man who had sat on the bridge of the ship and gave the order to bomb her planet with her still on it. She was lucky that the transport operator at the time had been a lover of her that she had been emergency transported, sometimes when she closed her eyes she was there stood in the assembly hall as it happened.

“I see,” Gregnol said lowly. It was no loss at all but it was interesting that the woman was the one calling. “I will contact him tomorrow. Gregnol out.” Alexis turned and looked at Harrington.

“Easier said than done,’ he nodded, “unless you plan on calling in sick for me every day, I need an out. One that is a bit more permanent.” He looked at her, “got any ideas?”

“You need to sleep first,” Alexis told him softly looking at the clock. It was late and he had been drinking, they could talk more tomorrow when he had all his senses about him.

She was right, in his current state he was no good to anything; especially himself. He nodded, as he turned and looked in the room. This was a dangerous time, and he was in a dangerous place. He only hoped that he could truly trust Alexis with his secret. He’d spilled more then he had planned on. Things on this ship had a way of coming back to haunt you. “We talk tomorrow then,” he added.

“I’m putting you to bed and then I’m going to my bed,” Alexis told him firmly offering her hand to him. She had to work out whether this was a one-off or whether he really did want to get out of there. Did they have enough feelings between them that weren’t anger for her to want to take him with her?

Neil followed Alexis to his bed, but something wasn't right. His eyes felt heavy, almost weight. He was tired but, not like this. He stepped forward, his foot failing to make contact with the floor as he body slumped to the deck below him. He reached up feeling a burning sensation from his neck as he saw Alexis drop a hypo. “What did yooouu... do.. “ he asked as the drug took hold of him.

“You are just going to sleep Neil. I promise. When you wake up you won’t remember this.” She soothed gently as she smiled and caressed his cheek. He wouldn’t remember this part of the evening at all but it would allow her to know if he could be trusted to take with her when she left.

OFF::

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

Alexis Agrax
Inquisitor
ISS Gaman
(PNPC Gregnol)