=/-\= Conference Room, USS Charon =/-\=
There was a tense silence hanging in the air as the Rihannsu junior officer sat in the chair the armed guard had designated for him. Lhaetan had taken it without resistance, rather hoping his cooperation might earn him a little more freedom than he had been given in recent time. In fact, since his arrival on board the Federation starship he had scarcely been allowed to leave the set of guest quarters that had been assigned to him. And the presense of the security officer following him around, and those standing outside of his quarters almost continuously, showed just how little trust either Starfleet or t'Rehu (or both) were willing to place in him.
When t'Rehu walked into the room the erie'Arrain's first instinct was to stand in respect, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped that effort almost immediately. Lhaetan scowled over his shoulder but for a breif moment, instead turning his attentions back to the commander of the vessel. As was custom, he would not speak until spoken to.
Shiarrael stepped into the tattered conference room followed by two security guards- they both eyed Lhaetan suspiciously but the Captain threw a thumb towards the door "get out" she ordered. One attempted to protest but she reiterated her order and they quickly filed out. Once they were alone Shiarrael walked up to the table and sat down on the table in front of the Romulan intelligence officer "you saved my children- I owe you a debt of gratitude Arrain."
Lhaetan bowed his slightly in her direction as he replied, "It was my honor, Riov. " It was not something he could easily explain, but since his initial arrival at the I'Rak facilities, he had been drawn to the activities of t'Rehu and her Starfleet crew. When tr'Sahen's irrationality had become apparent there had been but one course of action; the children could not be allowed to suffer. The only thing weighing on his mind were the Rihannsu lives he had been forced to take, unknowing whether or not they had been loyal to tr'Sahen or had just been following their orders.
"There are many that will not welcome you back to the Empire." She studied him, wondered what thoughts were floating around in his mind. Were they similar to her own? "You have aided a villain in myself. However, I am still thankful for what you have done. I may not be retained after this incident- Starfleet is fickle and afraid of the wild thrai thrashing about at the end of her chain." She smiled at Lhaetan "but if I am retained, there will always be a place for you aboard my ship Arrain, that is if the Empire should not have you back."
What would his family think of him, their son living aboard a Starfleet vessel? Lhaetan was afraid he knew the answer and hoped that one day perhaps they might understand the purpose behind the actions he had taken. Maybe they would be able to look past his sullied honor and see the compassion which had felt.
"I may have no choice but to accept your offer," Lhaetan answered, his eyes falling to his joined hands resting on the table. After a moment he looked back up at her, "I haven't heard from anyone off your ship, Riov; the Empire, have they released any information? Am I a traitor?"
"There has been nothing," Shiarrael said, her eyes noticing the tensing of his features, the concerns quietly etched on his face. Does he fear a similar fate to mine? She stared at him quietly, the silence passed until it became so awkward she was forced to speak again "I will have my people keep an eye on transmissions. tr'Sahen has been labeled a traitor- perhaps going against him will ease your fate."
"Their faces," he said, his glance turning back to his hands. "I still see their faces. And I can't help but wonder who they were." He quickly shook his head, attempting to force away his thoughts until a different time. The Rihannsu raised his chin a bit, trying to recall some of his pride, "But that's not your problem, Riov. If you have a place for me to serve here, until a time when my fate is determined, I would be honored."
"Whose faces?" Shiarrael asked, she slid off the table and made her way towards the massive observation windows that lined the side of the conference room. Placing her hands on one of the cold metallic beams that framed them she stared down towards the burning planet churning beneath them "faces of the dead?" She asked again, her tone growing colder "do not let their frozen gazes haunt you Arrain. I have taken enough blood to stain the seas of Ch'Rihan" she turned and looked at the other Rihannsu with an icy expression "friend or foe- their deaths have made me better. So, have no regrets, and be better for their sacrifice."
With there being absolutely no way to determine the truth of their loyalties, the ghosts of the slain Gai'Shian would haunt him for a long time to come. But Lhaetan recognized that allowing his own collapse under their weight would do nothing to help him. He bowed his head again, "Of course, Riov, you are correct. Perhaps in time my own honor will prove itself, and I may one day make restitution for any innocent lives that were taken."
"Restitution." She smirked- he was young, naive, but the young were not as familiar with Mnhei'Sahe these days. Matters of Mnhei'Sahe were now considered obsolete- traditional by too many. Such thoughts brought sadness to Shiarrael. That her people could ignore such a core of their being disturbed her. "They died for their cause. Whatever that is. You owe them nothing." She approached the table and shook her head at him "how can a Tal'Diann be so timid towards duty? If duty asks we must kill."
"But if their cause was mislead..." the young officer began, but quickly trailed off as his thoughts took a route he was not sure he wanted voiced. He sighed, "If they were foolish enough to follow the orders of a traitor, then they brought their fates upon themselves?"
"There is no place for fools in the universe. Their deaths was by the elements." Shiarrael smiled sympathetically. It was obvious Lhaetan had never taken a life before- she tried to recall her first time but it had long since been lost in the ocean of blood that drenched her hands "let it be. If it is necessary Starfleet provides kheinsaasi (counselor) to aid their crews. They are truly spoiled here. Had this been Isshae'Thrai, I would have simply told you to find some nerve or get off my ship."
"That will not be necessary, Riov," the Arrain quickly answered. His issues he would work out in his own time and in his own ways. The actions themselves, as far as he was concerned, spoke well enough for his nerve.
Raising from the chair he had been placed in Lhaetan stood tall as he continued, "It seems I am yours to command, Riov, Kholairlh-a ssaed-asi."
She smirked and nodded her head at him "pace yourself Arrain- there will be plenty of time to declare loyalties. Until then, research these people. It will do you well to know them." She turned and headed out "Jolan'tru, I have matters to attend to. One of the guards will release you shortly."
There was a tense silence hanging in the air as the Rihannsu junior officer sat in the chair the armed guard had designated for him. Lhaetan had taken it without resistance, rather hoping his cooperation might earn him a little more freedom than he had been given in recent time. In fact, since his arrival on board the Federation starship he had scarcely been allowed to leave the set of guest quarters that had been assigned to him. And the presense of the security officer following him around, and those standing outside of his quarters almost continuously, showed just how little trust either Starfleet or t'Rehu (or both) were willing to place in him.
When t'Rehu walked into the room the erie'Arrain's first instinct was to stand in respect, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped that effort almost immediately. Lhaetan scowled over his shoulder but for a breif moment, instead turning his attentions back to the commander of the vessel. As was custom, he would not speak until spoken to.
Shiarrael stepped into the tattered conference room followed by two security guards- they both eyed Lhaetan suspiciously but the Captain threw a thumb towards the door "get out" she ordered. One attempted to protest but she reiterated her order and they quickly filed out. Once they were alone Shiarrael walked up to the table and sat down on the table in front of the Romulan intelligence officer "you saved my children- I owe you a debt of gratitude Arrain."
Lhaetan bowed his slightly in her direction as he replied, "It was my honor, Riov. " It was not something he could easily explain, but since his initial arrival at the I'Rak facilities, he had been drawn to the activities of t'Rehu and her Starfleet crew. When tr'Sahen's irrationality had become apparent there had been but one course of action; the children could not be allowed to suffer. The only thing weighing on his mind were the Rihannsu lives he had been forced to take, unknowing whether or not they had been loyal to tr'Sahen or had just been following their orders.
"There are many that will not welcome you back to the Empire." She studied him, wondered what thoughts were floating around in his mind. Were they similar to her own? "You have aided a villain in myself. However, I am still thankful for what you have done. I may not be retained after this incident- Starfleet is fickle and afraid of the wild thrai thrashing about at the end of her chain." She smiled at Lhaetan "but if I am retained, there will always be a place for you aboard my ship Arrain, that is if the Empire should not have you back."
What would his family think of him, their son living aboard a Starfleet vessel? Lhaetan was afraid he knew the answer and hoped that one day perhaps they might understand the purpose behind the actions he had taken. Maybe they would be able to look past his sullied honor and see the compassion which had felt.
"I may have no choice but to accept your offer," Lhaetan answered, his eyes falling to his joined hands resting on the table. After a moment he looked back up at her, "I haven't heard from anyone off your ship, Riov; the Empire, have they released any information? Am I a traitor?"
"There has been nothing," Shiarrael said, her eyes noticing the tensing of his features, the concerns quietly etched on his face. Does he fear a similar fate to mine? She stared at him quietly, the silence passed until it became so awkward she was forced to speak again "I will have my people keep an eye on transmissions. tr'Sahen has been labeled a traitor- perhaps going against him will ease your fate."
"Their faces," he said, his glance turning back to his hands. "I still see their faces. And I can't help but wonder who they were." He quickly shook his head, attempting to force away his thoughts until a different time. The Rihannsu raised his chin a bit, trying to recall some of his pride, "But that's not your problem, Riov. If you have a place for me to serve here, until a time when my fate is determined, I would be honored."
"Whose faces?" Shiarrael asked, she slid off the table and made her way towards the massive observation windows that lined the side of the conference room. Placing her hands on one of the cold metallic beams that framed them she stared down towards the burning planet churning beneath them "faces of the dead?" She asked again, her tone growing colder "do not let their frozen gazes haunt you Arrain. I have taken enough blood to stain the seas of Ch'Rihan" she turned and looked at the other Rihannsu with an icy expression "friend or foe- their deaths have made me better. So, have no regrets, and be better for their sacrifice."
With there being absolutely no way to determine the truth of their loyalties, the ghosts of the slain Gai'Shian would haunt him for a long time to come. But Lhaetan recognized that allowing his own collapse under their weight would do nothing to help him. He bowed his head again, "Of course, Riov, you are correct. Perhaps in time my own honor will prove itself, and I may one day make restitution for any innocent lives that were taken."
"Restitution." She smirked- he was young, naive, but the young were not as familiar with Mnhei'Sahe these days. Matters of Mnhei'Sahe were now considered obsolete- traditional by too many. Such thoughts brought sadness to Shiarrael. That her people could ignore such a core of their being disturbed her. "They died for their cause. Whatever that is. You owe them nothing." She approached the table and shook her head at him "how can a Tal'Diann be so timid towards duty? If duty asks we must kill."
"But if their cause was mislead..." the young officer began, but quickly trailed off as his thoughts took a route he was not sure he wanted voiced. He sighed, "If they were foolish enough to follow the orders of a traitor, then they brought their fates upon themselves?"
"There is no place for fools in the universe. Their deaths was by the elements." Shiarrael smiled sympathetically. It was obvious Lhaetan had never taken a life before- she tried to recall her first time but it had long since been lost in the ocean of blood that drenched her hands "let it be. If it is necessary Starfleet provides kheinsaasi (counselor) to aid their crews. They are truly spoiled here. Had this been Isshae'Thrai, I would have simply told you to find some nerve or get off my ship."
"That will not be necessary, Riov," the Arrain quickly answered. His issues he would work out in his own time and in his own ways. The actions themselves, as far as he was concerned, spoke well enough for his nerve.
Raising from the chair he had been placed in Lhaetan stood tall as he continued, "It seems I am yours to command, Riov, Kholairlh-a ssaed-asi."
She smirked and nodded her head at him "pace yourself Arrain- there will be plenty of time to declare loyalties. Until then, research these people. It will do you well to know them." She turned and headed out "Jolan'tru, I have matters to attend to. One of the guards will release you shortly."
"Jolan'tru, Riov" replied the Arrain as t'Rehu exited the room. Alone in the room, the young Rihannsu man could not help but smile despite himself. Perhaps the Elements had a place for him after all.
=/-\= End Log =/-\=
Captain Shiarrael t'Rehu
Commanding Officer
USS Charon
erie'Arrain Lhaetan tr'Valkar
Romulan Exile
