Debrief

Posted on Thu Nov 12th, 2020 @ 9:07pm by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Chief Petty Officer Remal Kajun

Mission: Diplomatic Masquerade
Location: Captain's Quarters

Captain Kaylen Rhenora drug her feet back to her quarters, bone weary physically and emotionally wrecked after a particularly rough day. She thumbed open the doors and made her way to the couch, flopping down like a sack of potatoes and resting her head against the back, eyes closed in both exhaustion and an effort to calm her mind. Her boots were kicked off shortly after. After a moment there was a sigh and a casual glance around to see if Remal was in.

A moment later Remal walked in from the corridor, a bottle of springwine in one hand and a set of wine goblets in the other. The look of disappointment was evident on his face as he was hoping to beat her back to their quarters. He shook it off, popped the wood cork, took a sniff, smiled and proceeded to pour a healthy amount into both glasses. Then without a word spoken he offered her a glass and sat down cater-corner from her and downed a large sip.

She pondered idly the glass of spring wine that appeared, considering the fragrance, colour and refractions of light against the glass and liquid before raising it to her lips.

"You broke out the good vintage?" She queried, recognising the taste of their favourite.

"2334 I believe. Worth it for those who've had a crap day. Which from what I hear yours went well." The sarcasm was thick but the fact she was sitting here with him instead of on a biobed was a blessing.

" Crap day. Crap day all round" she sighed, not knowing really where to start. How much did he know after she beamed down to the planet?

"It went well in that we all came home, mostly intact, having succeeded in our mission objective." Rhenora sighed, sipping the wine and allowing the alcohol to lower her inhibition just a tad. "Maccet is dead though, I have no idea what ramifications will come from the Cardassian government from that." She mused over the possible outcomes and decided that she had no idea what would happen. "You know the kicker though? I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. I mean Savar killed him with his bare hands"

He sipped, intent on hearing the entire tale. "That's ruff. Tell me everything you're allowed to."

Rhenora sat up as Remal spoke, placing the glass on the side table and setting her face in her hands - massaging her skull as though it would relieve the mental pressure building up within. She felt so conflicted - as though she should have seen Maccet’s plan from the outset and done something to prevent it, as though something she could have done would have prevented his death and turned him into a martyr for any that followed him. Her name was rubbish and despised amongst Cardassian circles as it was - what was more death to add to the tally? They would never know the actual details - the deceptive ploy that the Gul used to draw them there, the hidden agendas and revenge tactics. All they would hear is that Kaylen Rhenora had yet more blood on her hands.

She regarded her husband sagely, taking in the still healing marks on his face and reaching out to caress it, stopping just a few centimetres short for fear of making it worse, or worse still causing another reaction.

“ I’m sorry you got drawn in this - again. I feel responsible for all of this” She said quietly, hanging her head in shame and drawing a deep shaky breath. Behind all the bravado, the confidence and calm she displayed outwardly there was a woman who doubted, who questioned her decisions made over her lifetime and the effects others felt because of them. It was a dangerous road to travel - the road of ‘what if’.

He eyed her questioningly for a moment. "There you go again, apologizing for something that was beyond your control." He sipped his wine. "Don't you for one moment believe you dragged me anywhere. I made this choice to be here, to be with you. Through thick and through thin, remember.

“ I may not be able to control it - but I can’t help but feeling responsible. Your health and happiness is my primary concern.” She replied, lifting eyes to meet with his. Once again she melted into their depths - how did he do that?

"How are you responsible?" He swished his glass and sipped some more. He would need a refill soon at this rate.

“I’m the Captain of this tub - I’m responsible” She retorted, unable to resist a smile that tickled the corners of her lips. “ Just because you’re a civilian doesn’t let me off the hook. Besides, you’re my husband, it’s my job to look after you” She squeezed his hand and noted the level in his glass. “ More?”

He got swarmy, "Last I checked, I'm still here. And from Doctor Wilson tells me you were by my side looking after me the whole time. Look, there are 600 plus people on this 'tub' and the responsibility falls to you to keep them safe and alive, but you did that and that's what matters." He smiled, "And yes of course I do."

She grinned at his tone - it wasn't often she could lay the bait and he took it. She reached for the bottle and poured them both a refill, sitting back and letting him talk for a change.

"You chose your crew or much of your crew. That Dr. Wilson and her nurse, that Takagi fellow are here to save us because you put them here. It is because of your actions and some forethought that we all survived. Miracle really." He joked to ease her tension.

She laughed at his sarcasm, releasing some of the pent up emotion that had been threatened to come before as tears.

"Sometimes I think it's a miracle we survive out here at all" she added, raising the glass "to miracles"

He nodded his head in amused agreement and raised his glass. "To miracles." Then downed the rest of the second glass in one go. He was on his way to drowning a few memories of his own. "So, want to share any details of what happened on the surface or leave it at you kicked his ass and now he's dead?"

"I didn't actually kick his ass at all, he blackmailed me into going down there and then tried to beat the crap out of me. Savar then kicked his ass and now he's dead"she admitted, shrugging her shoulders a little. "Goodness knows what the Cardassian government is going to say. It's a wait n see on that one" she continued, pausing to look him in the eyes. "I was scared Remal, I thought this time I wouldn't be some miracle get out of there alive."

He mulled over that particular nugget for a moment as he tried to come up with something clever to respond with. "Thing is. I get scared whenever you leave this ship. Hell I've even been scared while you were here. We cannot define our lives by fear even where Cardassians are concerned. In our lives and I mean the whole of Bajorans have killed many Cardassians in the name of freedom. Some deserved it. Others maybe not. Maccet seemed determined to end his own life by attempting to end ours."

He sipped his glass of wine some more. "You'd think after the Dominion they would have learned their lesson."

"I can't help but think I'm getting too old for this, maybe we should have settled down by the beach on Bajor. Or am I just feeling tired, sore and vulnerable? You're the counsellor" she regarded him with a raised eyebrow but snuggled closer, relaxing into his warmth as though it would chase away the doubts and the demons.

TBC