Toni

Congratulations and welcome to the Fleet! I hope that you'll enjoy it as much as I do!

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Congatulations to you all and welcome to the Fleet! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Congratulations, and welcome to the fleet!

((Embassy, Ship Yard, USS Akaper)) :: Someone had paid him a favor. An Ambassador had pulled a few strings and arranged for his departure from prison, and the release of his ship from impound.:: :: Why? Was it someone he knew? Someone he owed a favor too? Someone he’d cheated, robbed, or pummeled?:: :: The nine foot tall brute of an alien finished securing the flight station on the bridge, and reached down with his large three-fingered hands to gather his suitcase. Somehow, despite that naturally-occurring lack of appendages within the Shrakian species, he managed to manipulate the fine leather-bound handles between the three huge stumps that were attached to his hands, and then lift the bag with feather-like ease.:: :: As the delicate fabric of the bag bulged more under the weight of the contents, the beautiful flowers sewn into the silken material seemed to stretch out of shape.:: :: Ducking under the low overhang in the doorways, the mammoth creature turned and sealed the bridge one last time. He didn’t know what he was doing on Til’ahn, but he figured it wouldn’t involve transporting cargo, unless it did, and then he’d be happy.:: :: That was usually the extent of his deep thoughts. He was mostly made of muscle, and hide so thick a phaser tickled.:: :: A cold metal hatch of the bridge hissed as it set in place, followed by a “thunk” sound as the heavy lock slipped into its groove.:: :: With a heavy sigh, the pale blue skinned Shrakkian and his giant, flat elephant feet stomped their way through the grates of the deck and toward the exit hatch of the ship.:: :: He may have been sprung from prison, but the work release program was no ticket to freedom, especially with the ankle bracelet strapped to his finger. Why the finger? It was the only limb small enough the device would fit on the ogre beast. He had considered cutting off the finger, but it was difficult enough at times to operate the finer things in life with only three fingers on each hand – two would just make him a klutz.:: :: Speaking of finer things, he lifted his feminine embroidered bag and sniffed the flowers that were hand-stitched into the weave.:: Ceedel: Ahhh… tweely blossoms... :: His voice was baritone and gravely.:: :: And considering that he only took a bath once every two months said a lot about how sensitive his sense of smell *wasn’t*. On a good day the Shrakkian… *all* Shrakkians smelled like foot fungus. Pungent, and ripe with sweat it was natures repellent musk – a natural deterrent to insects, (and most humanoids with a nose).:: :: Those sweet tweely blossoms actually stunk like something rotting on the roadside. He liked it.:: :: Reaching the exit hatch, he rolled it back manually with the strength of one arm, which was astounding considering how much metal screeched in resistance from the weight. The hydraulics to the door had broken a while ago, and the Shrakkian had found that the impossible heft of the outer door was a cheap security system.:: :: Outside of his ship a green skinned beauty was waiting for him. She was armed, Orion, and Ceedel was instantly in love. Or course, he frequently fell in love with every female he laid eyes on.:: :: He smoothed a hand over his big, mostly bald, head, feeling the thick course sprigs of hair prickle under his rough palm, and then he ran a finger along one of the two sharp tusks protruding from his jaw as if that would win the woman’s heart over.:: :: Big, pointy tusks where the pride of all Shrakkians.:: Ceedel: Hello there green goddess. Are you here for me? :: He hoped.:: :: He smiled and his mouthful of latinum capped molars gleamed in the lights. Sadly, she did not seem to be suitably awestruck. Instead, she just looked him over before pointing to the ground a couple of meters in front of her.:: Corsetto: Out. :: As he stepped down from the ship, his sheer mass made the solid ground vibrated a little. One could only imagine what it felt, and sounded like when he ran.:: Ceedel: Happy to do whatever you want. One question… who’s the Ambassador and why am I here? :: It was two questions. He was dumb like that sometimes. He reached back and with a tug from his thick muscled arm, he hulked the hatch closed with a loud clap of metal.:: :: As she watched, Delvia considered whether or not the Ambassador had taken leave of her senses. She could understand the reasons for what the Trill had set in motion, but that didn't mean she thought it was a good idea... and she was even less certain now that she had a good eyefull - and smell - of the result of the Ambassador's machinations.:: Corsetto: She's the reason you're not in lockup. She's sent me here to make sure you don't get... lost. And Ceedel? Ceedel: The Ambassador is a she? She as in female? Mmmm… :: That was the kind of “Mmmm…” that usually accompanied a tasty dish of food that he would soon devour, and dribble down his chin.:: Corsetto: If you try "flirting" with her like you just did with me, she will skin you alive. ::smiling evilly:: And then T'Lea will get to play with what is left. :: The reaction to that name was just plain funny. It was blatantly obvious that of all the things the Shrakkian might have expected, *that* had not been anywhere on the list. And it was a nice little handle for her to play with...:: :: At the name drop, the flat of his feet came to a stuttering stop for a moment, before double-timing it to catch up to the green goddess.:: Ceedel: The Butcheress is here? At the Embassy? Ooo, this may not be so bad after all. Who is this Ambassador female? Will the Butcheress be there? Is this a “job” job? It must be if T’Lea is involved. Is- Corsetto: Perhaps you should stop talking. Answers will come your way faster if you follow me and keep your mouth shut. Ceedel: Heh-heh. I like you, green goddess. And I like watching you from behind. :: He kept his big black eyes on her lovely rear-end, ogling her the entire way.:: :: With a curt gesture, she motioned him to take the lead. She also made no pretence of the fact one hand was resting on her sidearm. Just, you know, casually.:: ((Ambassador's Office)) Corsetto: Your delivery has arrived. :: Behind the desk, the Trill looked up from her console screen and studied Ceedel in silence. He was just as subtle a sight as expected, but she'd known that before he arrived. Sitting back in her seat, she waved him toward the chairs. Not that she expected him to fit into any of them, but the invitation might help him get a little more comfortable.:: :: That was a feeling he was going to need by the time she was done with him.:: :: He wasn’t used to clean rooms unless he was standing in some warden’s office, so it took him a moment to get used to the fancy furniture and decorations. Once his eyes landed on the gorgeous woman with spots it didn’t matter where he was standing, all he could think about was *her*. And then he quickly shook his big horned face free of any naughty thoughts when he remembered the Butcheress was nearby.:: :: He glanced around as if T’Lea would suddenly appear and pull out his tusks for even thinking a single dirty thought about the Ambassador.:: :: After he saw that he was out of danger, he relaxed his big shoulders, and let his frilly bag hang from his fingertips.:: :: Voice all gravel and gruff he spoke.:: Ceedel: Where’s the Butcheress? What do you want from me? Why did you bring me here? Vetri: That's simple enough to answer. You owe T'Lea. :: The Kol-Ma-Ra. It was a promise to T’Lea. It was also his religion to protect and die for the person that had saved his life. And that is exactly what T’Lea had done, knowing full-well what she would get in return. Of course, she didn’t let him know that.:: Ceedel: Yeah… I do. What does that have to do with you? :: He was being aggressive, trying to see if he could rattle the Trill any.:: Vetri: Consider that debt being called in. ::Smiling tightly:: And you may even want to consider what you owe *me* for getting you out of jail. Ceedel: Then where is she? I should be speaking to her, not you, Sprinkles. :: He was referring to her delicious little spots.:: :: Trying to intimidate the Ambassador, he stomped toward her desk, and leaned one of his large fists on the top of the table to lean down toward her. His breathing sounded like a rhino about to charge.:: :: With a shake of her head, she found herself intrigued by the way he was reacting. Owing her, he would cheerfully ignore. Owing T'Lea...?:: Vetri: She's busy. She also doesn't know you are here yet. *I* made the arrangements, and *I* did it for a reason. T'Lea's family needed someone to watch over it, and you... ::smiling slightly again:: You are a criminal, a thug, and a not particularly successful smuggler. You are, however, useful to my fiancée, and I am giving you a chance to earn a little more freedom than you actually have right now. :: Most of what Sprinkles had said didn’t register. After doing so much Peresian crystal dust in his youth, sometimes it took a while for things to get processed in his brain… what was left of it.:: Ceedel: GOFF! You insult me and mine? I could stomp you into the ground and walk out of here with only a stain on my big toe. I am free, tiny little Trill thing. You freed me. That is your mistake. I owe you nothing. Vetri: No, you are out of *jail*. Your ass belongs to me right now, Ceedel. I can have you tossed right back in again if I don't like your attitude. ::her smile turned a lot sharper:: I also hold the rights to that ship of yours, and it's going nowhere at all unless I say so. Just in case you felt the urge to do a little wandering around. Any questions? Ceedel: Wait. What did you say…? :: He had a brainfart – literally if he thought too hard or fast, it caused him to pass gas, which sounded like a dog’s squeaky toy. Something Della could happily live without... and longer, by the smell of it.:: :: This was really not striking her as being as great a plan as she'd thought.:: :: Ceedel dragged his knuckles off the Ambassador’s desk, but the squeaky sound came from elsewhere.:: Ceedel: You and the Butcheress…? You’re doing it? That’s hot! I mean, that’s great. ::he slanted his head:: You are her hoopa then? :: Hoopa was not a flattering term in the Shrakkian language. It meant something along the lines of, “server of pleasure”... Something that Della was aware of thanks to some of the memories she'd carried around on T'Lea's behalf. She might not totally agree with his description... but if it got the idea across to him, without straining that little brain of his too much, then she was willing to go along with it.:: :: For now.:: Vetri: You might say that. Ceedel: Why didn’t you say so! Ha-ha-ha. That changes everything, Sprinkles! We are practically family! :: He walked around the desk to give her a hug and only just stopped short when she pushed her chair back enough to free up some space, one wrist twisting to drop what lay up her sleeve into her hand... and made it abundantly obvious to Ceedel that he now had a small but powerful holdout phaser levelled at his manhood. And above all, she did it with a polite smile.:: Ceedel: Right. No touching the Butcheress’s merchandise. ::he backed off a little frightened:: *Ever*. :: Getting more comfortable with the situation now, he sat his delicately embroidered, stinky, bag on Della’s desk with a loud thump as it’s heavy contents settled inside, and then he sat on the corner of the furniture making it groan under his weight.:: :: Della considered pointing out that she was liable to boot that backside right off of her desk, not to mention the bag that she judged too girly for even T'Sara to want to be anywhere near, but it was obvious that her guest was thinking. This was probably going to take a while.:: Ceedel: Now we can get down to business. What’s the job? Corruption, bribery, blackmail, smuggling, stealing, politics, Oooo… I’m very good at forceful mind-changing applications? :: He balled his fist into the palm of his other hand and cracked is lug-nut knuckles.:: Vetri: Follow me. :: With that, she rose smoothly out of her seat, slipping her holdout back into it's hidden holster, and headed for the office door. Just as smoothly, Corsetto moved to flank her and Ceedel - though she had to wait until the Shrakkian caught up with what was happening.:: :: Off the desk he shot, and grabbed his flowery bag, hugging it to his chest. Clomping his large feet behind Vetri, he ducked under the doorway, and stayed crouched down until he reached the large living area.:: :: Over by the couch was a little girl with blonde hair, pointy-ears and spots. She looked up at all 9-feet of him, and he looked down at all two feet of her. They stared at each other like it was a contest, and then Ceedel blinked and T’Sara laughed.:: Ceedel: Ahh… I get it. Kidnapping. So what’s her ransom? :: Shaking her head, Della shared a look with T'Sara that wondered just how long it was going to take for Ceedel to work out what was actually going on. Images flickered back and forth between them, and she had to fight back a smile at what she was getting from her daughter. Amongst other things, it turned out she was right about the girl's opinion of the bag.:: Vetri: No, Ceedel. Not kidnapping. :: Something squeaked from behind Ceedel again as another fast moving thought finally processed in his brain.:: Ceedel: That’s outrageous!! ::he stomped and faced off with Vetri:: That’s *my* ship! I own it, not you. How do you expect me to provide for my twenty six children without my ship? :: Yeah, it was just now hitting him that Della was the proprietor of his smelly space craft.:: Vetri: *Do* try and keep up, would you? I'm offering you a chance to do just that, Ceedel, without needing to run around the galaxy dodging the law. Are you willing to listen, or do I simply ship you right back where I found you? T’Sara: She go slow, so you follow. :: Della sent T'Sara a quick little frown, appreciating the sentiment but not necessarily the timing. What she got back was a flicker of a tongue being stuck out at her, but nothing more.:: :: There was an audible growl deep in the Shrakkian’s chest, one that was frustrated and confused.:: Ceedel: I don’t understand. If you don’t need me to break any laws or jaws then what else is there? Despite my fine taste in tapestries ::he hugged his flowery bag:: I have a limited skill set, Sprinkles. Vetri: The job is protection. Not running a racket, but actual safeguarding. You will be paid for your time, with bonuses commensurate to events if things don't stay quiet. Interested? Ceedel: Comensu-- ? :: He wagged his head like the word hurt his brain, and then he paused in thought. This time no squeaky noises were heard. Instead it looked like he had simply stopped working. Like the idea of doing something honest had broken him.:: :: His bare chest rose and fell. His black eyes stared into nothingness. His large arms hugged his floral bag like a soft binky. Finally, his lower jaw moved and so did the tusks that were attached to them.:: Ceedel: Hmm… Hrm… mm-yeah, I don’t know what a comensirate is, but bonuses sound good. Who would be my detail? You? I can *do* you, Sprinkles. :: The laugh that came after the innuendo was suddenly cut short.:: :: Della just nodded toward T'Sara, who looked up at him with a considering expression. It was clear she had no real problem with the Shrakkian, even with the smell, and she *certainly* didn't feel threatened in any way by the giant.:: T'Sara: T'Lea my mommy. She want me looked after. Ceedel: ::flat:: Oh. ::three, two, one:: No. :: Now he was getting it. Now it was sinking in. He was to be a babysitter.:: Vetri: And I think you can do the job. T'Lea should be down soon, and should you wish to turn down my offer, then you are welcome to explain that to her. ::smiling tightly:: I'm sure she'll understand. Ceedel: ::flatter:: Oh. ::three, two, one:: No. :: Suddenly he was a man of few words, and even fewer thoughts.:: :: Della just gave a careless little shrug, then glanced toward the stairs just before the sound of footsteps began working it's way down. Raising her voice enough to be clear to the descending woman, Della let some of her amusement colour her tone.:: Vetri: I've got to head out, meet Toni and see what's going on. T'Lea: What are you doing down there? It smells like a diaper! :: She called down from the staircase.:: Vetri: I've just been interviewing a new babysitter. T’Lea: No, I mean it really stinks. Like something crawled out of the sewer—son of a… :: She saw him.:: Ceedel: Butcheress! :: Ceedel opened his arms wide to encapsulate the woman in a hug as she marched toward him, but he was met with a glare that instantly shrunk him backward a step or two, then three, six, twelve before T’Lea caught his retreat by the back of his pants.:: :: He dropped his flowery bag in pain as T’Lea jerked the waist of his trousers up so high they nearly split him in two. The yowl that emerged from his throat was pathetic, like an animal caught in a bear trap howling in agony.:: :: Out the front door he went with T’Lea man-handling him onto the patio deck where she let go of him by the edge of the pool. She didn’t give him any time to turn around before lifting her foot to kick him into the water.:: :: The splash that occurred was tsunami sized, and even though T’Lea did end up catching some of the spray, she still maintained a glare that could peel the blue-gray skin right off his hide.:: T’Lea: What did I say about thinking too hard in my house, Ceedel? :: He flailed in the water until he found the shallow end, and then he stood there soaking wet like a very bad doggy.:: T’Lea: If you want to *think*, go outside. Not in my house, understand? Ceedel: ::nodding shamefully:: Sorry. :: T’Lea glanced to her side as T’Sara and Vetri emerged. T’Sara was looking at T’Lea rather awe-struck and proud.:: T’Lea: Good. ::at Della:: I think this will work out nicely. Thanks. Was it too much trouble? Vetri: Less than you might think, actually. ::studying Ceedel for a moment:: Good call. I was wonderign how to handle that part of the deal... Okay, I need to head off. Call me if anything comes up? And I'll see you both later. :: As Della headed off, after a quik hug for both of her girls, T’Lea pulled T’Sara over by her leg, and rested a very protective hand on her shoulder. T’Sara was mimicking her mother’s very terrifying demeanor.:: T’Lea: Ground rules. You’re going to take a bath every day, and use deodorant, cologne, something to cover up that smell. Ceedel: But it’s my signature scent. It’s what makes me stand out in a crowd. :: He started to climb out of the pool, but the finger she pointed at him said otherwise. And T’Sara pointed one of her own.:: T’Lea: Stay. Wash it off. Ceedel: Fine. I’ll take a… b-bath. See, I’m washing. :: He lifted his armpit and splashed water into it.:: :: Glancing up at her mother, T’Sara made an uncertain face.:: T’Sara: I don’t thinks I wanna swim in there no mores. T’Lea: The Kol-Ma-Ra you owe me. You don’t any more. :: Bubbles emerged from behind Ceedel in the water. He was thinking hard again, and not following what the Butcheress was saying.:: T’Sara: Yup. Not playing in there no more. :: T’Lea placed a hand on T’Sara’s head.:: T’Lea: The life you are bound to protect has passed on – into her. She’s my offspring, and it’s written in your Holy Shrakar Scrolls that a debt of life can be given to the direct descendant owed. You guard her now, and you do whatever your religion dictates to fulfill that debt. :: Ceedel’s shoulders slumped like a heavy weight had been placed on them.:: T’Lea: What? What’s the problem? :: He waded over to the edge of the pool, and looked from T’Sara to T’Lea. The wave that followed him rose over the edge and onto the patio deck.:: Ceedel: I don’t know how. T’Sara: I teach you. T’Lea: Don’t know how to what? Get out of the pool? :: Apparently T’Sara was one step ahead of her mother on this one.:: Ceedel: I don’t know how to protect a child. I’ve never been around one that I wasn’t kidnapping. T’Lea: What are you talking about, you have twenty-four. T’Sara: Twenny-six. Ceedel: Actually, I don’t have any. I made it up so you’d go easy on me. T’Lea: You stupid son of – :: She moved to kick him in the face for lying to her, but the yank on her arm that T’Sara gave her stopped the assault. The little girl actually kinda felt bad for the big ogre, and since she owned Ceedel now, she didn’t want him to get beat up yet.:: T’Sara: I said I teach him. He watches me, and I watch him. It simple logicals. :: T’Lea looked between Ceedel and T’Sara, worried that this was going to be a huge mistake, given the Shrakkian’s lack of parenting experience. Then again, he didn’t have to a paternal stand-in, he just needed to keep T’Sara safe. *That* she knew he could do.:: T’Lea: All right. We will give it a trial run for a week. ::reaching down she grabbed his chin tusk and pulled him closer:: So help me if you frak this up, I promise I’ll kill you more than once. :: She knew how to do that now. Restart a heart, kill it, restart it, and kill it again and again. All that medical training was good for something other than "good" things.:: :: The wet Shrakkian nodded and glanced at T’Sara.:: Ceedel: I think I’m better off with you anyway. T’Sara: Yup. T’Lea: ::relaxing somewhat:: Get dried off. There’s an apartment for you within walking distance of here. Corsetto can take you there. You start in an hour. And Ceedel… :: As he exited the pool his hulking figure amassed a small pond under his feet.:: T’Lea: Don’t flirt with my bondmate again. :: She hadn't heard him do it, but she didn't need to. He flirted with every adult female.:: :: With a firm nod he fetched his bag and lumbered away to find his new home.:: T’Sara: ::smiling:: He’s funny. I like him. TBC --------------- PNPC Freighter Captain CeedelImport/ExportsUSS Akapersimmed by T’Lea & Ambassador Della Vetri Diplomatic Officer Embassy of Duronis II http://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Vetri,_Della & Lieutenant Commander T’Lea Chief Science Officer Embassy Duronis II - USS Thunder NCC - 70605-A

(( I'Vortau Bar, Lokesh City )) ::Propping the bar up, the hybrid knocked back a dram of Skagaran whiskey and sucked it from his teeth. It was hard stuff. He remembered last having it on Chertan Prime, a relatively unknown planet where drinking was as traditional as having breakfast. A mining colony lived on liquor and it had been a good money maker for the Ferengi conducting the smugglers run. The bartender slinked over, pouring another into the Marine’s glass and leaving the bottle beside it.:: ::Half of the hybrid couldn’t believe the Kerelian was now back on the planet, let alone still breathing at all. There was a whole host of other problems that this was going to drag up, not least of which the very real memory Dade had of blasting said Major’s body out into the ether of space. It would take a lot of red taped bureaucracy to convince him that Toni’s ex-husband was a living, breathing, blood-flowing member of the meat bag club again.:: ::Knocking back the next dram, he remembered the last time they’d met one another alive.:: (( Flashback – Chertan Prime, Beta Quadrant )) ::He balled his fist, pointing at the Kerelian mess in front of him. He fumed. No, that wasn’t the right word. He was on fire. After everything, all the second chances, saved by the skin of his teeth countless times, dragged back from the edge of the abyss here he was, messing it up again.:: Adarnis: You don’t get to be the White Knight, riding in on your fracking horse to save the day again. You gave up that right the last time you left. West: Don’t be so quick to be sanctimonious, Dade. ::he spoke slowly:: Calm down before you do something you regret. ::The point was made. He was seething. His muscles flared with adrenaline. The green jacket attached to the Kerelian was wrapped around his hand in a second. His fist clenched and he couldn’t stop it from slamming into Heath’s face. Blood spurted as his lip split. Dade didn’t care. Heath wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He didn’t retaliate.:: Adarnis: How many more excuses are you gonna give before you give it up, huh? ::His fist landed in his friend’s face again, causing his knuckles to crack as it found bone.:: Adarnis: She was your goddamn wife, you stupid… ::he drew out the word:: …stupid son of a bitch! ::He grabbed Heath by the front of the Marine uniform and drove his forehead home into the Kerelian’s nose. Claret and crimson gushed. Heath staggered back, dazed, while Dade steadied himself. Anger was boiling in his stomach, acid rising. Inside his chest his heart was pounding, his hands were trembling, everything was collapsing.:: Adarnis: You abandoned her, when she needed you the most! When all she wanted was you, you thoughtless bastard… She trusted you! She gave you EVERYTHING… She… She can’t… ::He stopped, stammering out the last few words. In the depths of his heart, he knew it was all aimed at him; the King of his own catastrophe. Every last bitter word of it was another nail in the thumping coffin inside his ribcage. He stumbled on his feet, comprehension striking home, his jaw tightening until stabs of hot tears started at the corners of his eyes, but he refused to let them spill over. This wasn’t right.:: ::Heath stood, panting, blood and bruised, watching the pain on his friend’s face with the understanding and the sympathy only a close companion could have. The suffering he’d kept bottled up for so long bubbled to the surface. Walls of that ivory tower were being torn down as the hybrid’s core melted into disarray and he finally accepted what had been feasting on him from the inside out.:: West: You let these… ::he searched for the word:: …Admiral cowards control your life. Do you think they care who they send out there? ::he spat a wad of red on the ground:: They push and threaten and chip away at you until there’s nothing left, then they’ll pick the next one out of the Academy, promise him the world and take it all away. ::The Kerelian touched the short hair of the hybrid’s head, then his shoulder. Words would not come easy between them in that moment and there was no reason to force them. Frayed and sore, Heath slid himself onto the ground beside his friend, an unspoken bond of everlasting brotherhood between them, relaying the words neither of them could say.:: ::Heath looked to the ground, wincing as he touched his throbbing nose, smelling only copper. It hurt, though there was no trace of hatred or malice on his face; only understanding. After a few moments of silence had passed between them, he spoke.:: West: Sometimes I wonder if we’ll ever walk away. ::he sniffed hard:: You know, settle down, get a proper life away from all this. ::Toni and his children flashed through his mind. They were always there; the reason behind every action he made. He could see his princess, looking up at him with sad eyes, knowing that his promises were hollow. He wondered how smart she was getting. He’d messed it up, burned it all to the ground and one day Garth would despise him as much as he did his own father.:: ::And Toni… His heart constricted. How can one life contain so many mistakes? So many regrets? Would Toni ever know how much he loved her? He dreamt in her voice, anchored himself to the memory of her heart beating. No one had ever looked at him the way she had; as though she stripped back every layer he’d ever erected.:: ::Dade squinted up at the sun, resting his wrists on his raised knees.:: Adarnis: This is the only life I know. ::He’d been so angry at Heath for taking up his Marine regs again and furious when he let them take him back out to the front lines of the Delta Quadrant. The fights they’d had when Heath tried to go home… He shook his head, remembering punching him in the mouth a few times for Toni and the kids. He felt like his guts had been ripped out when Toni had got to him first on Tiberius IV. She wasn’t supposed to. He was supposed to lift him out before she found him.:: ::None of this was supposed to happen. Heath should be dead. Dade looked at his friend’s painful smile. It still looked broken. Heath chuckled, sniffing up copper and wet again, trying to clear his nostrils to breathe. It wasn’t the only thing he knew, but it was the only life he had.:: Adarnis: Disagree? ::he shrugged:: Feel free. You’ll find a bloody army in there who feel the same. ::Silence lay between them again. In all the bedlam they’d suffered through together, finding moments to realign themselves in the uncertain world they lived in was rare. Dade spoke first.:: Adarnis: I keep telling myself that it’s one more drop. One more. Then the next one, it’s one more. I don’t know how many I’ve got left in me. ::he exhaled deeply:: There’s a plasma grenade somewhere with my name on it. West: Always makes me nervous when you say that. ::It was true, though. Maybe that was why it hit home.:: ::The hybrid shrugged.:: Adarnis: Knowing my luck, it would probably miss anyway. ::A Kerelian eyebrow raised amused.:: West: What makes you so sure? Adarnis: ‘Cause I’m a cocky pri- ::Heath cut him short.:: West: That’s a nice façade you’ve got there. Cultivate it all by yourself? ::The sun was already setting on the horizon. Heath looked out over the bay, trying to remember when they had spent time together like this, without laying into each other. It was good to feel normal, even if it wouldn’t last. In another life, they were two friends, relaxing in the warm sun, after a barbecue on the beach with their family and friends, talking about the Kino-Net game.:: Adarnis: It’s not what it was before. I’ve fought hard to give this galaxy a bit of peace… And ground my boots in while Rome burned. ::He’d walked through the scene in his mind a million times. He would’ve stayed, told her everything, and took on the world, defying it to tear them apart. In those moments, he had trouble believing that he was the mess she had chosen to be so defenceless with, when a hurricane met an earthquake, had opened her heart to and watched him burn it all to ashes.:: ::Forgetting wasn’t possible. Every time her hands had touched him, lips had kissed him, pushed him, scratched him, baited him, loved him, screamed at him, created that addictive connective spark that had buried itself in his memory, reminding him why he fought so hard to keep her safe. If he could have turned back the years, the anguish and the heartache, the pain and the fear, he would’ve never let her go. The galaxy could’ve exploded all around them, but he wouldn’t give a toss.:: ::Looking at his friend, Heath wondered why they’d clung to one another in the storm. He looked lost, in his own world, behind locked doors that he didn’t let anyone see. The ivory tower had been rebuilt. There had been a change in him. Ever the self-assured jarhead, he was hurt, fragmented. The Kerelian spoke, rousing Dade from his reverie.:: West: I don’t think I’ve ever seen you give up before. ::Now, she was too far away, in every sense. He looked up to the sun, closed his eyes and smiled slightly.:: Adarnis: Would be nice though, wouldn’t it? Find somewhere away from all this dren. (( Present - I'Vortau Bar, Lokesh City )) ::He took hold of the bottle and poured another shot into the glass, knocking it back with delicate ease until it burned his gullet on the way down. He wanted to erase those memories; those fake memories, the visions of how his life was going to be, buried underneath piles of ash and bone, another forgotten Marine with a name plaque on the Memorial Wall back at Starfleet HQ.:: ::That couldn’t happen. It wouldn’t happen. He’d fought too hard and too long for his corner of the galaxy to be free and peaceful. No, in the morning he would run and fight and jump and crawl, and train the next line of defence against an ever modulating enemy that would not stop until it had enslaved every section of humanoid it could get its nanite hands on.:: ::A shoulder crashed into his from behind, a laugh and his whiskey spilled onto the bar, the bottle sent shattering onto the floor. The hybrid rounded, violet eyes flashing angrily.:: Adarnis: Can you not frelling see – ::He couldn’t finish the question as a fist connected with the side of his face with delicate precision that could only have come from a well-trained Starfleet Officer. It sent him backward into the bar, but without hesitation he pushed himself back off and landed a punch of his own in a very large nose. The bar erupted. The hybrid was almost laughing in the ensuing chaos.:: TBC Major Dade Adarnis Marine Officer USS Thunder-A Embassy, Duronis II

(( I'Vortau Bar, Lokesh City )) ::Propping the bar up, the hybrid knocked back a dram of Skagaran whiskey and sucked it from his teeth. It was hard stuff. He remembered last having it on Chertan Prime, a relatively unknown planet where drinking was as traditional as having breakfast. A mining colony lived on liquor and it had been a good money maker for the Ferengi conducting the smugglers run. The bartender slinked over, pouring another into the Marine’s glass and leaving the bottle beside it.:: ::Half of the hybrid couldn’t believe the Kerelian was now back on the planet, let alone still breathing at all. There was a whole host of other problems that this was going to drag up, not least of which the very real memory Dade had of blasting said Major’s body out into the ether of space. It would take a lot of red taped bureaucracy to convince him that Toni’s ex-husband was a living, breathing, blood-flowing member of the meat bag club again.:: ::Knocking back the next dram, he remembered the last time they’d met one another alive.:: (( Flashback – Chertan Prime, Beta Quadrant )) ::He balled his fist, pointing at the Kerelian mess in front of him. He fumed. No, that wasn’t the right word. He was on fire. After everything, all the second chances, saved by the skin of his teeth countless times, dragged back from the edge of the abyss here he was, messing it up again.:: Adarnis: You don’t get to be the White Knight, riding in on your fracking horse to save the day again. You gave up that right the last time you left. West: Don’t be so quick to be sanctimonious, Dade. ::he spoke slowly:: Calm down before you do something you regret. ::The point was made. He was seething. His muscles flared with adrenaline. The green jacket attached to the Kerelian was wrapped around his hand in a second. His fist clenched and he couldn’t stop it from slamming into Heath’s face. Blood spurted as his lip split. Dade didn’t care. Heath wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He didn’t retaliate.:: Adarnis: How many more excuses are you gonna give before you give it up, huh? ::His fist landed in his friend’s face again, causing his knuckles to crack as it found bone.:: Adarnis: She was your goddamn wife, you stupid… ::he drew out the word:: …stupid son of a bitch! ::He grabbed Heath by the front of the Marine uniform and drove his forehead home into the Kerelian’s nose. Claret and crimson gushed. Heath staggered back, dazed, while Dade steadied himself. Anger was boiling in his stomach, acid rising. Inside his chest his heart was pounding, his hands were trembling, everything was collapsing.:: Adarnis: You abandoned her, when she needed you the most! When all she wanted was you, you thoughtless bastard… She trusted you! She gave you EVERYTHING… She… She can’t… ::He stopped, stammering out the last few words. In the depths of his heart, he knew it was all aimed at him; the King of his own catastrophe. Every last bitter word of it was another nail in the thumping coffin inside his ribcage. He stumbled on his feet, comprehension striking home, his jaw tightening until stabs of hot tears started at the corners of his eyes, but he refused to let them spill over. This wasn’t right.:: ::Heath stood, panting, blood and bruised, watching the pain on his friend’s face with the understanding and the sympathy only a close companion could have. The suffering he’d kept bottled up for so long bubbled to the surface. Walls of that ivory tower were being torn down as the hybrid’s core melted into disarray and he finally accepted what had been feasting on him from the inside out.:: West: You let these… ::he searched for the word:: …Admiral cowards control your life. Do you think they care who they send out there? ::he spat a wad of red on the ground:: They push and threaten and chip away at you until there’s nothing left, then they’ll pick the next one out of the Academy, promise him the world and take it all away. ::The Kerelian touched the short hair of the hybrid’s head, then his shoulder. Words would not come easy between them in that moment and there was no reason to force them. Frayed and sore, Heath slid himself onto the ground beside his friend, an unspoken bond of everlasting brotherhood between them, relaying the words neither of them could say.:: ::Heath looked to the ground, wincing as he touched his throbbing nose, smelling only copper. It hurt, though there was no trace of hatred or malice on his face; only understanding. After a few moments of silence had passed between them, he spoke.:: West: Sometimes I wonder if we’ll ever walk away. ::he sniffed hard:: You know, settle down, get a proper life away from all this. ::Toni and his children flashed through his mind. They were always there; the reason behind every action he made. He could see his princess, looking up at him with sad eyes, knowing that his promises were hollow. He wondered how smart she was getting. He’d messed it up, burned it all to the ground and one day Garth would despise him as much as he did his own father.:: ::And Toni… His heart constricted. How can one life contain so many mistakes? So many regrets? Would Toni ever know how much he loved her? He dreamt in her voice, anchored himself to the memory of her heart beating. No one had ever looked at him the way she had; as though she stripped back every layer he’d ever erected.:: ::Dade squinted up at the sun, resting his wrists on his raised knees.:: Adarnis: This is the only life I know. ::He’d been so angry at Heath for taking up his Marine regs again and furious when he let them take him back out to the front lines of the Delta Quadrant. The fights they’d had when Heath tried to go home… He shook his head, remembering punching him in the mouth a few times for Toni and the kids. He felt like his guts had been ripped out when Toni had got to him first on Tiberius IV. She wasn’t supposed to. He was supposed to lift him out before she found him.:: ::None of this was supposed to happen. Heath should be dead. Dade looked at his friend’s painful smile. It still looked broken. Heath chuckled, sniffing up copper and wet again, trying to clear his nostrils to breathe. It wasn’t the only thing he knew, but it was the only life he had.:: Adarnis: Disagree? ::he shrugged:: Feel free. You’ll find a bloody army in there who feel the same. ::Silence lay between them again. In all the bedlam they’d suffered through together, finding moments to realign themselves in the uncertain world they lived in was rare. Dade spoke first.:: Adarnis: I keep telling myself that it’s one more drop. One more. Then the next one, it’s one more. I don’t know how many I’ve got left in me. ::he exhaled deeply:: There’s a plasma grenade somewhere with my name on it. West: Always makes me nervous when you say that. ::It was true, though. Maybe that was why it hit home.:: ::The hybrid shrugged.:: Adarnis: Knowing my luck, it would probably miss anyway. ::A Kerelian eyebrow raised amused.:: West: What makes you so sure? Adarnis: ‘Cause I’m a cocky pri- ::Heath cut him short.:: West: That’s a nice façade you’ve got there. Cultivate it all by yourself? ::The sun was already setting on the horizon. Heath looked out over the bay, trying to remember when they had spent time together like this, without laying into each other. It was good to feel normal, even if it wouldn’t last. In another life, they were two friends, relaxing in the warm sun, after a barbecue on the beach with their family and friends, talking about the Kino-Net game.:: Adarnis: It’s not what it was before. I’ve fought hard to give this galaxy a bit of peace… And ground my boots in while Rome burned. ::He’d walked through the scene in his mind a million times. He would’ve stayed, told her everything, and took on the world, defying it to tear them apart. In those moments, he had trouble believing that he was the mess she had chosen to be so defenceless with, when a hurricane met an earthquake, had opened her heart to and watched him burn it all to ashes.:: ::Forgetting wasn’t possible. Every time her hands had touched him, lips had kissed him, pushed him, scratched him, baited him, loved him, screamed at him, created that addictive connective spark that had buried itself in his memory, reminding him why he fought so hard to keep her safe. If he could have turned back the years, the anguish and the heartache, the pain and the fear, he would’ve never let her go. The galaxy could’ve exploded all around them, but he wouldn’t give a toss.:: ::Looking at his friend, Heath wondered why they’d clung to one another in the storm. He looked lost, in his own world, behind locked doors that he didn’t let anyone see. The ivory tower had been rebuilt. There had been a change in him. Ever the self-assured jarhead, he was hurt, fragmented. The Kerelian spoke, rousing Dade from his reverie.:: West: I don’t think I’ve ever seen you give up before. ::Now, she was too far away, in every sense. He looked up to the sun, closed his eyes and smiled slightly.:: Adarnis: Would be nice though, wouldn’t it? Find somewhere away from all this dren. (( Present - I'Vortau Bar, Lokesh City )) ::He took hold of the bottle and poured another shot into the glass, knocking it back with delicate ease until it burned his gullet on the way down. He wanted to erase those memories; those fake memories, the visions of how his life was going to be, buried underneath piles of ash and bone, another forgotten Marine with a name plaque on the Memorial Wall back at Starfleet HQ.:: ::That couldn’t happen. It wouldn’t happen. He’d fought too hard and too long for his corner of the galaxy to be free and peaceful. No, in the morning he would run and fight and jump and crawl, and train the next line of defence against an ever modulating enemy that would not stop until it had enslaved every section of humanoid it could get its nanite hands on.:: ::A shoulder crashed into his from behind, a laugh and his whiskey spilled onto the bar, the bottle sent shattering onto the floor. The hybrid rounded, violet eyes flashing angrily.:: Adarnis: Can you not frelling see – ::He couldn’t finish the question as a fist connected with the side of his face with delicate precision that could only have come from a well-trained Starfleet Officer. It sent him backward into the bar, but without hesitation he pushed himself back off and landed a punch of his own in a very large nose. The bar erupted. The hybrid was almost laughing in the ensuing chaos.:: TBC Major Dade Adarnis Marine Officer USS Thunder-A Embassy, Duronis II

(( Outside Mishai Resort Restaurant, Til'ahn )) :: The evening sun was pressing into the horizon as Heath stood outside the entrance to the resort, nervously waiting for Toni. He leaned against a low stone wall, slipping his hands into his pockets, his hand reaching up to the back of his neck to hold it. It was the most formal he had dressed in a long time. Being on the fringes of space, at the beck and call of Starfleet didn’t leave much time for society dinners and dress uniform celebrations. His white shirt was bought from the city earlier, his slate grey suit matching the flecks of grey that had started to speckle the short hair above his ears.:: :: His stomach tied itself in knots. He hadn’t worn a tie for fear of choking himself to death. He told himself he was fine, that it had been far too long for Toni to feel anything for him, and if she didn’t come then… Well, he hadn’t thought of that yet. Every ounce of him hoped she did. Even if it was just to jump him with an armed guard.:: :: With the typical flourish of the transporter, Toni’s form shimmered into being.:: Turner: ::materializing a few feet away from him:: oO Good, he showed up.Oo ::quietly:: Hi. :: He stood up. His defence was paper thin. She looked perfect. For a moment he couldn’t speak. Then, he simply smiled.:: West: Hi. Turner: You look. . . oO Should I tell him he looks distinguished and handsome? Oo ...nice. Very nice as a matter of fact. Since when did you give up cargo pants? :: The grin hadn’t dropped from his features yet.:: West: Oh, somewhere around the last moon of Jupiter. They were cramping my style. :: He took her in. Black dress, showing her legs off beautifully, her hair up, looking as professional and formal as possible. Memories of her getting up, getting dressed, tugging on her uniform danced across his mind and he tucked them away.:: West: You look incredible. Turner: Oh, it's nothing special. I just didn't have much time to look for something else. ::pulling at her earring nervously:: I.. I guess we should go in, or do you have a later reservation? :: Ever the modest Human. He nodded and opened his hand out to the large glass double doors, and they walked together. Out of habit, even after however many years it had been, he pressed his hand into the small of her back as they stood.:: ::Feeling the warmth of his hand on her back as he escorted her inside, sent a chill all over her body. It was like the first time he touched her. Somehow time had preserved all those little feelings he brought out in her. She smiled, hating to see the waiter coming to seat them.:: West: Anywhere you’d like to sit? I think they have balcony seating. Turner: See if he has a table out on the veranda. The view of the beach is beautiful this time of night, and it's peaceful out there. West: Beautiful we have already; peaceful I can appreciate. :: Having a quick word with the waiter, he showed them to a two seated table on the veranda of the restaurant. Toni was right, it was beautiful. The sun was kissing the horizon line and the sea lapped at the beach as the tide came in. They weren’t alone out there, but they were separated enough to talk without being heard.:: :: Heath pulled out her chair, a gentlemanly glint in his eye.:: :: She felt him push the chair gently to the back of her knees, seating her comfortably near the table.:: Turner: ::smiling:: Thank you. :: He sat down in his own, the waiter bringing them wine and the menus for the different kinds of food they served, catering to a variety of races at any given time. Heath knew what he wanted, without looking, and set it down on the table, looking over the flickering candle under the glass dome in the centre.:: West: You seem really settled here. ::She really hadn't thought about it, but he was right.:: Turner: Yes, I suppose I am after nearly four years on the planet. West: It’s a lovely place. I can’t see why anyone would want to leave. ::his hint of a smile returned:: How do the children like it? Turner: Well really, this is the only home that Garth has known. As you know, he was born shortly before I was sent here. And Vee had only known life on the Challenger, so being grounded on Til'ahn was an easy adjustment for them as their first honest to goodness home. :: His fingers found the base of the wine glass, lifting it in his hand and taking some down. It was good. He debated whether it was Bajoran, made from the fruit of their flowering summer trees. Bajoran. The word stuck in his mind.:: West: How are you? Turner: I like being assigned to the Embassy. It's a great place to work, and .... ::He cut her off mid-sentence.:: West: Not the Embassy, Toni. ::his head tilted slightly:: Are you alright? ::After a small quiet gasp of frustration, she saw his point, but was it his way of trying to sound like he was really interested, or just making conversation?.:: Turner: I...I'm fine. Reasonably happy,...well, not as happy .. ::looking away from him her voice dropped to a whisper:: as I could be if we could get together. ::Feeling she had said too much, she added as she faced him again:: on what to tell the children about you being back without hurting them. :: That he did know. They were far too used to him not being around, to knowing he was gone, not that he knew what Toni had told them. He imagined it was what SFI had told her. He was dead, most of the time.:: Waiter: And have you decided what you would like to eat? :: Heath took a meaningful look at Toni, his former wife, and searched his memory for what she enjoyed. :: West: It's a nice night for white wine. ::he smiled, at Toni, then looked up to the waiter:: Chicken, cooked well infused with jumba sauce. Light on the spice. Please. ::Toni was fine with him ordering for her. He had always known what she wanted better than she did.:: oO Too bad that only applied to food. Oo Turner: Sounds good...So do you still cook? West: It's been a long time since I have. I could probably still find my way around a pan. I can't believe you remember it. Turner: ::smiles:: Vee often asks me to make "Booberry Pancakes" but you know what a bad cook I am. Maybe one morning soon you and she can make some. She would love that, and I'm sure Garth would too. West: I'd love to. :: He leant forward slightly, covering her hand with his on the table. The movement was a familiar one, and Heath thought on the fact that she was the only woman he'd touched in that way for years. She was the last he would.:: West: I have this memory I've hung onto. One morning, years ago, when you got out of bed and I watched you. I remember thinking you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever set eyes on. :: he smiled, quite sadly:: I still think about it every time I wake up. ::She had a sudden compulsion to ask what she really wanted to know... Did he think they had a chance of getting back together? But at the last moment she got cold feet.:: Turner: We were happy back then. What happened to us? :: He sat back in his chair and took hold of the wine glass again, taking a long drink then placed it back down on the wooden table. :: West: I joined the Marines again. I thought I could handle it but the truth ia I can't. ::he looked up to her eyes and smiled:: I can't, Toni. It's all about to change. Turner: What kind of change? West: Starfleet. I don't want it anymore. Turner: But why? West: Because all I've ever wanted us you. ::he looked up at her:: You, me and the kids. Away from all of this. And I can't have that being dragged from each end of the quadrant. ::This was what she wanted to hear from him, but her head was telling her he was toying with her emotions again, and her heart was telling her he was telling the truth. This time she decided to take a chance with her heart.:: Turner: ::contentment showing on her face:: Oh, Heath, that's what I've always wanted too. You, me, and the children. ::She wanted to ask if he thought they had a chance to actually having what they wanted, but the waiter came with their food, and the moment was broken.:: ::Their food, in scorching plates, arrived steaming and was set down in front of them. The waiter refilled their glasses from the bottle, emptied it and took it away with him, returning seconds later with a fresh one.:: Turner: ::smiling:: After we eat, we should go to the Parker's for the celebration. We could walk along the beach to get there if you want to. ::A new arrival on the base, blessed to Hannibal and his wife. Now that would be a child Heath wanted to see. He thought of a present to get the expectant parents and decided it would be better to send it afterward. He smiled up at Toni.:: West: We’ve picked a nice night for it. (( Beach, Mishai Resort )) :: Dinner had been sweet, with conversation turning to work and the kids, back to the working of the Embassy and jumped from topic to topic that they had both missed conversing about until they were back in the open air and away from the restaurant. Now, the sun had dipped below the horizon and night had settled in, highlighting the sky with glittering stars of distant worlds. Hearing the sea lap lazily at the beach was comforting and almost poetic.:: West: So, Tallis… I really am sorry about what happened. If there was anyone I could have trusted to look after our kids in my place it was him. Turner: Yes, I'm sorry too. He was a good man, and tried his best to do right by them, but when all was said and done, he could have never replaced you. ::Lifting her foot, she reached down taking off first one shoe, then the other, preferring to walk barefooted in the sand.:: Turner: ::holding her shoes in one hand, she leaned her head on his shoulder.:: Did I tell you that we will be moving into our new house in a couple of days? Would you like to help us get moved in? We've been staying with T'Lea and Della since they came to the Embassy, and although I enjoy their company, I just think they need the privacy of their own house. ::He interlaced her fingers with his and smiled gently. He remembered T’Lea and Della. Dade had made him promise he would keep an eye on them, from his lofty tower on the Starbase.:: West: They need their own space… and so do we. Turner: Yes, we do. It will be like beginning over again for our family. :: He hoped so. He’d spent too long without them. The mornings Vee had woken him up, the evenings watching Toni watching him, a gentle rhythm that would be hard to slide back into.:: West: Nice and slow. ::Reaching the back of the Embassy grounds, they took a short cut through the garden. Toni remembered how they use to steal kisses among the trees, and wondered if he remembered as well.:: ::The garden had grown exponentially in the time he’d been away. It was cultivated, nurtured, not the sprawling mess it had been when they’d first arrived all those years ago. He remembered the little things, the times spent walking through it together. Although, he didn’t recall the painted rocks…:: West: Where’s Parker living now? Turner: It's right up ahead, in Marine Barracks, but I suppose he will be moving to the First Officer's house soon with a baby coming. :: He breathed out a laugh. Babies were everywhere.:: :: From outside the barracks they could hear the voices of the large group that had gathered.:: Turner: This must be the place. ::laughs:: ::It didn't take long for them to reach the door, pulling the lever to announce their arrival.:: TBC JP by... PNPC Major Heath West Marine Officer, Honour Guard USS Nautilus, Temporaryand Fleet Captain Toni Turner Commanding Officer Embassy Duronis II USS Thunder NCC - 70605-A

(( Captain’s Office, Starfleet Embassy )) :: Dressed in the green uniform of the Marines, Heath surveyed the Captain’s Office, his hands tucked neatly behind his back. It had been a long time since he had been in there, or been granted access. Unlike Toni, she had used a code familiar to both of them and getting entry had been simple. He looked around the room for anything that might indicate a personal touch, but the Captain had been keeping it rather sparse. Pictures of their children were notably missing.:: :: Fresh flowers, from the gardens of the Embassy, were flowing from a vase on her desk. They filled the room with a delightful smell that invaded the senses. Yet, behind that, the room carried her scent, her smile - everything that a young Kerelian bartender had come to admire, love and cherish.:: :: However, the Embassy was a mausoleum to him. He would tear it down brick by brick if he could.:: ::Before going home to the children, Toni decided to stop by her office to pick up her messages. As she approached the door, she had a strange feeling that she was not alone, but looking around the outer office, she dismissed it, and opened the door.:: :: His ear twitched, listening for the sliding of the door and turned his head toward it. His hand slipped into his pocket as the door opened, revealing the Fleet Captain in the red collared uniform on the other side of it. His heart skipped a beat. A reminder of the love that permeated his every fibre for this woman..:: West: Captain. ::At first glance, the memories of their last mission played tricks on her. Surely she had died, and he had come to escort her to the other side. Tears threatened, thinking of the children and having to leave them, but when she rubbed her eyes to keep them from falling to her cheek, she realized it was only a romantic notion that someone she loved would come for her. It was him, the man she had never stopped loving, and he was alive, looking as fit and handsome as she remembered.:: Turner: Major, I... I thought you were dead. Why didn't you let me know? :: The corner of his lips curved into a gentle smile.:: West: I thought this might be… ::he toyed for the word:: ...easier. ::Tossing her padd on the desk, it was all she could do to keep from running to him, hugging him, kissing him, and never letting him go.:: Turner: Easier? Easier for who? West: Easier for Vee. For Garth. ::Steadying her urges, she leaned back against her desk and braced her hands on each side of her.:: Turner: I suppose you're right, it would have been a shock to them. You should see them, Vee has become quite the little lady, and Garth... well, he's just like you. :: He looked back to the vase of flowers, the difference of colour in the room predominantly the colours of Starfleet. He remembered finding her asleep on the Resolution. His beautiful, passionate and ferocious in the right doses partner. Memories filtered through. Dancing in their Quarters, falling asleep wrapped up in her. Those had been special days. Before the onslaught of everything else had taken over.:: West: I’ve seen them. You can see a lot when someone isn’t looking for you in a sea of faces. Turner: ::dropping her head as she nodded:: Yes, that's true, but I'm not so sure Vee doesn't still look for you. Like her mother, she tends to believe in the impossible... ::raising her eyes to his:: that love overcomes everything. :: They shared a look for a brief moment, then Heath dropped his gaze back to the desk. Love tried. Sometimes it didn’t win. Sometimes it did. Often it had to patch up wounds that were greater than chasms.:: :: Visions of him in the kitchen teaching Vee how to cook her favourite "Booberry Pancakes," entered her mind, along with making up stories to put her to sleep... and she had been privileged of witnessing the perfect father for the child they had adopted as their own.:: Turner: ::smiling:: You were a wonderful father to her. :: He hadn’t been. He’d been a ghost, or a shadow.:: West: You’re a better one. Turner: Garth needs a father. I can't teach him all he needs to know. He is eager to please and misses a man he can look up to in his life. :: He looked at Toni, a slight frown of disbelief creasing his Kerelian forehead. Garth didn’t need a father like him. He needed a strong, stable man that wouldn’t be bowing to the needs of a Starfleet he didn’t trust.:: :: Then, there was something else. A shadow of a love, of an emotion, floating in the background behind her eyes. She looked at him as though she could see right through him; past the façade of a Starfleet puppet and into his soul, much deeper than anyone had ever uncovered.:: ::She wanted to tell him she still loved him, needed him, worshipped the ground he walked on, but she wasn't sure that is what he wanted to hear.:: Turner: I wouldn't be adverse to you being a part of their life. ::moving closer:: But I'll tell you right now, if you die on them again, I'll hunt you down and kill you myself. :: He laughed. She’d defused the moment. The blonde man picked up his PADD from balancing on the edge of her desk and handed it to her. However, he didn’t doubt her threat. She probably would, disembowel him from aft to stern. He caught her blue eyes with his, then smiled, a boyish grin, completely thrown by her and awkward, in a strange way.:: West: I’d like that. Turner: ::ignoring his jest:: So how long will you be here at the Embassy? West: Temporarily. I don’t want to cause you any disruptions. ::She returned to her perch on the desk certain that he had no love for her, and had only come to warn her that he would be around for awhile. There was no use to get her hopes up so she changed the subject.:: Turner: Have you seen Dade? He thinks you are dead too. :: He hadn’t let Dade know. Their last meeting had been less than friendly.:: West: Only you. I wanted to make sure you weren’t going to murder me first. Turner: Why would I? The only reason I would is if you hurt my children, and I don't think you would knowingly do that... not Vee, nor Garth, or... ::she caught herself as she didn't know if he knew about the baby.:: :: His eyes shot up to hers.:: West: Or…? Turner: Yes, another child... Breeana, and fathered by Tallis Rhul and born after he died. :: He’d heard. It had taken all he had not to come rushing back to the Embassy and pick up the pieces, but how could he do so when Rhul had picked them up after him. He searched her face, finding the hurt had sank deeply.:: West: I’m sorry. He was a good man. He didn’t deserve that. Turner: That's okay, the marriage was ill fated from the beginning, just like us. He knew my heart lay elsewhere, but he was a willing father to Vee and Garth. :: For a moment, he dropped his gaze from hers and ran his hand through his darkening hair. His heart was still with hers, wherever she had put it, or locked it away somewhere.:: Turner: I can only hope to find someone who will love all three, doing for his as he was willing to do for yours. ::She was hitting below the belt and she knew it, but something within her wanted to hurt him as he had hurt her. Truth be told, she wanted to rip his heart out, like he had done to hers... But as hard as that was to bear, knowing now how much he hated her, she still loved him.:: ::Now she was boxing with bricks instead of gloves. He felt that swing hit, and it would bruise, but it wasn’t uncalled for. They had swung between lovers and fighters for so long; it was hard to tell what the other was thinking any more. The Kerelian returned his brown-eyed gaze to hers and a thought struck him that hadn’t in years.:: West: I forgot how blue your eyes are. Turner: oO What was that? He's toying with me.Oo ::glancing straight at him:: I'm surprised you remember anything about me. :: Time suspended for a second or two, a moment caught between worlds that had been on the brink of passing one another in the night.:: West: Meet me for dinner later. Turner: ::curtly:: No! West: Come on, there’s got to be something you used to like about me still here. ::he smiled:: Just you and me. I can remind you of why you don’t miss me. ::She gazed at him for a long moment, taking in that boyish grin that taunted her, the flicker in his eyes that teased her, and that baritone voice that lulled her into submission. The moment was no different. She gave into him:: Turner: ::swallowing hard as if expecting him to spurn her again:: Alright, where and what time? :: His last visit to the Embassy had been under different circumstances and he hadn't had chance to discover the place properly, but he had heard mention of a resort on the coast from his sources. He fought to suppress the smile, fighting a losing battle.:: West: This evening, that resort on the beach... Mishai, is it? ::he exhaled a laugh gently:: I could always cook you something if you promise to wear that dress again. ::Remembering their first date, the yellow eyelet dress he had liked so much, and the first time he had cooked Lamb for her, but that meant being alone in his quarters with him, and she didn't think she could take the pain of rejection under those circumstances.:: Turner: Mishai will do fine. Say around 1800 hours? The children will be asleep by then. Speaking of them, I have to go to spend some time with them. I've been away on a Mission and I've missed them. West: I'm looking forward to it. :: He smiled, leaving his PADD on her desk, amidst the rest of them mounting up. The night would progress from there, but fearing she was planning his poisoning, he went back to professional mode.:: West: My temporary arrangements from Starfleet. I hope I won't get in the way too much. Turner: You won't. TBC Fleet Captain Toni Turner Commanding Officer Embassy Duronis II - USS Thunder NCC - 70605-A Deputy Commandant UFOP SB118 Academy - Executive Council Member & PNPC Major Heath West Marine Officer, Honour Guard USS Nautilus, Temporary

I notice that the sims that Hannibal Parker nominated were out of whack with form. I can assure you that they weren't simed that way and wonder if I posted them correctly under his nomination if they would count in Round 16?

You are welcome! Have a good time!

Congratulations, Nyals! Welcome to the fleet!

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Congratulations and Welcome to the Fleet!

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet! Hope you enjoy simming here as much as I do!

Congratulations and welcome to the Fleet and Embassy! We are looking forward to sim with you.

Congratulations and Welcome to the Fleet! I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Congratulations, and welcome to the Fleet!

Congratulations to our winners! All the stories were terrific, and difficult to judge. You guys didn't make it easy for us.

Congratulations and welcome or welcome back to the fleet!

DATES: The class began on April 14, 2014 and ended on April 22, 2014. LIST: sb118-academy1 COMMANDING OFFICER: Commander Alucard Vess FIRST OFFICER: Lt. Commander Nurgra GRADUATES: * Charea Zol * Arias Cavvar Congratulations and welcome to the UFOP: Starbase 118 Fleet!

Congratulations, and welcome aboard! I hope you enjoy the group as much as I do!

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet!

Congratulations and welcome to the Fleet, Kala! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet!