Imperial Existences Vs Meagre Existences

Posted on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 9:39pm by Ledeya Ehestri (Mirror) & Executive Officer Jake Ford (Mirror)

Mission: Mirror Mirror
Location: Imperial Outpost 42
Timeline: 2396
2451 words - 4.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Ledeya knew that the man was back in her club the moment before the door swished open. It was hard to miss him in the crowd that was out on the promenade, he was ice cold compared to most of the civilians. The club was still not open so it was just them in the darkened space other than the few people doing sound checks or cleaning still from last night. She turned around and looked at him.

“Right on time.” She mused looking him over. “Good shift?” The dress she wore covered her shoulders halfway and flowed down, in a graceful manner the black highlighting her pale skin. It was a comfortable fit which made the dress both enjoyable to wear and to look at.

"It was a shift in the Imperial navy," Jake replied, glancing around the place. The statement seemed to be all he would say on the matter as he approached the bar area and gave her a wave of the arm as if expecting a drink.

"Bad day then." Ledeya nodded turning to look at the bar behind her and quickly pulled together a combination of a drink that would be strong enough to take the edge off of it all.

"Depends on your definition of 'bad'." He accepted the drink and knocked it back, slamming the glass back down on the counter. "So. You're still here. Decided you were just curious enough to keep up this little game?"

"Well, you did warn me that I should not be busy with anyone else because you did not want to have to kill on shoreleave." She reminded him with a small smirk as she poured another drink into the empty glass. "So?"

"So you're not busy with anyone else. Which means you're interested in what's in front of you. My question is how interested?" He leaned with his back against the bar and watched her steadily.

"Interested enough to be here right now when I have had other offers." She told him with a grin. She knew that teasing him would bring him to anger but it was fun living on the edge with men and women like him. They always came back even if they were foolish.

"That's fair." He leered for a moment at her before motioning towards the back rooms. "So you want to stay out here and play, or go back to your place?"

"Whatever you want to do Lieutenant." She commented back pleasantly. She was going to be interested by this to say the least.

"Your place, then." He motioned towards the back rooms, letting her lead the way back to the room they'd occupied the previous night. As she led him through the entrance he took a longer moment to examine the decor and furnishings. Last night he'd been drinking and had failed to appreciate it all. This time he ran his fingers across several items, appreciating the tactile nature of them. His eyes traced the relics from her world. Up-close, some of them were familiar. He picked one of them up and turned it over in his hands. "You miss your home," he remarked. Not exactly a question, but an opening nonetheless.

Ledeya allowed him to look and wonder but said nothing. He was deep in thought and it gave her time to look him over and appreciate him in the light instead of the dark. The brunette looked at him as and smiled a little at his remark. It was obviously and pathetic just how much she did miss her homeworld but it was more than missing the planet it was the connectivity to her people that she missed more. "That obvious huh, Lieutenant." She answered with a shrug.

"I miss it too," he said quietly. A rare moment of reflection. He looked at her. "A pity your people had to rebel like they did; the world was strategically useful as well as temperate."

"We did not rebel," Ledeya said hotly with a frown. "The Cardassian's invaded and occupied us as a show of strength to Imperial Starfleet and the butcher decided to destroy them and us at the same time. He took out the majority of their fleet in the process sure but billions of lives as well."

"So your propaganda might say. I was there when it burned." He spoke the words bitterly. "Cardassians would never have taken over had your people accepted Terran rule more readily."

"Potayto, potahto." The woman said with a small smirk before frowning at his bitter words. They saw the world so differently but they had a common goal. "Can you think of one planet that accepts Terran rule so readily?" She wondered with a small grin as she took the figure out of his hand and put it back down before he broke it.

"No." He smirked, turning to face her and sliding a hand around her waist. "But the night is still young."

The woman looked at him and stepped closer. "It is young but no one accepts Terran rule so easily." She countered without a moment's hesitation or allowing him to get the upper hand. She would not be submitting herself unless she wanted to and would enjoy it.

"I never wanted it to be easy," he replied, running the back of his fingers over her hairline. "Part of the fun is the chase, remember. I like a good hunt, it helps me savour the kill."

"I can allow you some more chasing if that is what you want." She wondered having heard someone else describe the thrill of the hunt like that once upon a time. It took her back to another time and another place with a Terran Officer just like the one stood there now.

"You'll 'allow' it?" His eyebrow raised a little. After a moment he glanced down at the figurine. "Tell me, what are your memories of your homeworld like?"

"Yes allow.You are not the only one who likes a little power trip." She whispered stepping closer before looking down at the figurine of one of the goddesses. "They are nice memories despite the rebellion. Betazed was a beautiful planet."

"It was. There was a place just in the mountains not far from the capital. An excellent view." His mind drifted for a moment, recalling the grove filled with living trees. "You're surprised I know it so well?"

"No. I gathered from my pry in your mind what was going on there." She admitted closing her eyes for a moment joining him in to see the view. It was beautiful, she had had never lived in the Capital but she had seen it in many peoples mind. It was beautiful despite the oppression, it had been the jewel of empire.

"You can pry again," he noted, seeing the look in her eye and growing curious. "A glimpse. I know what home means to a person, even non-Terrans."

The woman said nothing about already prying just savoured the moment through his eyes. He might be Terran and not see what the universe really was but there must be something about him to have loved one of her species. "What about your home?" She finally asked trying to work out who was in control this time. Last night it have been firmly her but this time she was not so sure.

"I have no home," he responded, his tone measured. "The Klingons burned it to the ground. My brother and I survived the attacks...as did my wife..." he added the last part reluctantly. For whatever reason he didn't hide that element of the story. "I adopted Betazed as my home for a while...all that remains of both is dirt and ash. I haven't made the mistake of becoming attached to the idea of 'home' again."

"So many lonely wanders amount the stars." Ledeya murmured turning him to look at her. If she had not known he was not telepathic she would have thought him reflecting her feelings back to her but he was not and it was scary knowing someone else had the same feelings. "I find my home is now where my heart is."

He smirked a little at that last line. "That's almost nauseatingly sweet. If home was where the heart is for me, well, it would be a blackened hole. Which, I suppose, is true."

"Well I did not say it for you." The woman said running a hand down his cheek. "If you say it is true I will not be arguing with you." She confirmed. She was not going to change his self loafing or anything there and then.

"Not even a little bit?" he smiled, kissing her. "You were doing so well, too."

"I cannot argue with self loathing." She commented on not responding to the kiss at all. It was tempting to allow him to have it all his way but she would not be that easy.

"As you wish." He decided to move away from the Betazoid relics. Too many memories. "So is this everything?" he asked, motioning to the room. "Your whole life, in this place now? No ambition? No desire to expand beyond this meagre existence?"

"Of course I have desires but your Emperor and butcher put a stop to that. This is my life now." Ledeya reminded with a smirk as she moved away from him putting some distance between them for a moment. "I would not say it is meagre, I get to interact with people and help where I can. Better than most people and I do not overly live in fear."

"Fear?" he smirked. "No, I suppose you wouldn't." He circled around the fringes of the room, prowling a little. "The offer I made before stands if you do feel like a challenge. Adventure. Ambition. All the rewards that come with the advancement in the Empire."

"What is the catch?" Ledeya wondered. There had to be a catch. It was not just as simple as that. Nothing ever was that simple she knew that from experience.

He laughed out loud. "Besides the constant threat to your life? Betrayal?" He touched her cheek with his hand. "I serve as Chief of Security on a starship commanded by the Butcher. Isn't that a catch itself?"

"From you or from your colleagues?" She wondered thinking that no one of that ship would be happy to see her with him at all. "It is enough to make me stop and think but I am not sure what I would do there." The ship sounded like it did not need her there and that it was more him who wanted her there.

"Keeping me company isn't enough?" he wondered. "I promise we'd at least have some fun. And you might get to kill a few people...maybe the Butcher himself." He sat down on her couch. "Playing games with the Inquisitor could be interesting."

“It might be if I knew your inquisitior friend would not slit my throat within days of joining you.” She turned to look at him as he let her go. It would be a good opportunity and the closest anyone would ever get. “Okay do when do you return here next time?” It would be the decider on her choice over all of it.

"Not up to me," he said with a shrug. "We go where the Emperor demands. And I wouldn't have a habit of divulging where that might be. Perhaps this can remain just a little bit of fun, then. While it lasts."

"Do I have to decide now?" The woman wondered if she had a few days to think about her options. It was a big decision and something she had not considered in a very long time. She had a routine and boundaries here, on that ship it would be her relying on him to keep her safe other than her own skills.

"You don't." He touched her bare arm gently with his hand, tracing the softness of her skin while looking somewhat possessively at her. "I understand the risk. Not everyone is ready to live under those conditions. Protected or not."

"What would be required of me other than keeping you company? I am not sure I would be enough at that." She wondered still trying to wrap her head around what would be needed. It could just not be as simple as he was making out. Ledeya wanted to know everything from him about his proposal aloud, she did not want to have to search for it.

"I get the feeling that you could be enough," he replied. It was true. At least until she'd served whatever purpose she could fulfil, or he found someone better. "As a Betazoid, you have an advantage over most. It would make it harder for anyone seeking to betray me, and there would be opportunities for you to operate as my own personal inquisitor. You'd be under my protection, as is permitted of high-ranking Imperial Officers." He listed them as temptations. In truth, she would be there for her body and for her telepathy, and very little else.

The woman frowned. "I will give you an answer in twenty-four hours." She said simply. It was tempting, it would be nice to get off the base and this job would always be there for her she was sure.

"Whatever," Jake grunted. "Plenty of other things we can do in 24 hours. Maybe just lock the door, order in room service." His mouth curled into a smarmy sort of grin.

The woman shrugged at his brushing off of it all. "If that is what you wish then so be it." She did not mind if that was what he wanted to do but she was sure not even his ego could cope with that.

He was annoyed at her lack of responsiveness. "What, too vanilla for you? Need something more...interesting?"

Ledeya just let out a giggle at him being so open and honest. The woman smirked a little at him and moved to him. "Maybe?" She whispered pressing against him.

He had a strong base desire to embrace her, but he was more than willing to savour the moment. The game was part of the fun, after all. Much like assassinating a deserving victim, sometimes the planning was more pleasurable than the execution. "Show me," he murmured.

"Make me Jake." She whispered pressing him back on the bed sitting on his lap wrapping an arm around him. She grinned at the thoughts that would going his mind.

Grabbing her firmly around the waist, he pulled her in for a kiss that ended up with them falling backwards onto the bed.