Dining In The Heart

Posted on Wed Aug 31st, 2022 @ 3:54am by Captain Devin Hadenbeer & Bartender S. V. Jones & Lieutenant Commander R'elle & Lieutenant Commander Klarth

5,408 words; about a 27 minute read

Mission: Into The Void
Location: The Lion's Heart

Devin had made the dinner semi-formal, meaning uniforms were optional. She had opted for a dove grey full length dress with a green silken belt about her waist, along with a matching silver cane. The fact that a few crew gave her some appreciative stares as she strode down the hallway did wonders for her ego. She entered The Lion's Heart-

"-the dandy highwayman
You're too scared to mention
I spend my cash
On looking flash
And grabbing your attention
The devil take your stereo
Your record collection
The way you look you'll qualify
For next year's old age pension!"

Devin grimaced at the music, said grimace redoubled as she realized Dare was singing along with it as she danced around the combined tables in the center of the room as she set plates, while Jones looked on, amused. Her niece was wearing her black dress with the gold belt since had not brought any civilian attire on board with her. Dare was grinning, it slowly died as she saw whom had just entered the room.

"So," Devin noted as she strode towards the table, "I see your uncle is trying to turn you into this ship's Twentieth Century Guy."

Dare frowned, "Ah...what? Sir," she frowned, "Sir?"

"It's your aunt's theory that every ship has at least one crew member that is obsessed with Earth's twentieth century culture, be it the music or fashion or literature."

"Oh!" Dare nodded in understand, "I get it now. I suppose he is," a sly smile slowly crossed the cadet's face, "But Aunt Devin, if I recall some of your favorite composers are f-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Devin replied with an involuntary grin crossing her face, "Out of uniform for five minutes and already you're impertinence is out of control!"

Dare laughed, then sobered slightly as her hands brushed down her thighs to admire the fabric, "It's lovely. Thank you for loaning it to me."

"That dress belonged to your grandmother. It's a touch short because you are so freakishly tall-"

Dare's eyes widened in the beginnings of outrage.

"-but it can be adjusted. It's yours now."

The outrage died as Dare stared in surprise, "I...Aunt Devin...I can't..."

Devin stepped around the table and regarded her niece, she felt a sharp pang of longing, of wishing this was her daughter and not her brother's. She reached out and took the young woman's hand and smiled, "Take it. Please. Every officer should have something stylish to wear and it suits you."

"I..." Dare hesitated, then nodded, "Thank you."

"You are welcome," she turned to Jones, "Could you please shut off that music?"

Jones smiled indulgently, "Of course! Computer, end song!" The music abruptly cut off.

Devin sighed, "Thank you. Now-"

Jones grinned, "Computer, play Dave Brubeck, Take Five!"

Devin sighed as the jazz composition began to play...

R'elle entered soon after. She had dressed up with a form fitting dress. She wore earrings that conformed to the shape of her ears. She didn't like the dangling kind. She didn't like the feel of them. She had applied a touch of perfume. "Good evening Captain. " She nodded to the captain., "Ahh Dare! Good evening. Nice to see you. You look lovely as do you Captain! Mr. Jones, wonderful to see you as always. Hmm Jazz. I'm guessing this is your selection Captain. I can't see Dare listening to Jazz, not really her type of music. It's nice though. I like it!"

Devin was about to snap something acerbic the counselor's way but one look from Jones forced her to restrain herself. She took a breath, smiled with something akin to pleasantness and said, "You look very...presentable as well, Counselor. Computer, turn the must down a notch an play, ah..."

"Random Brubeck," Dare suggested with an impish grin.

"...random Brubeck after current selection," she mock glared at Dare, "Et tu, Dare?"

Jones, who himself was clad in simple black trousers and boots with a white silk shirt and burgundy vest, motioned to a seat at the table, "Captain sits at the head, guests to her left and right, Dare and I at the far end. What will you have, counselor? Tonight's meal will be a roast beef with a fine Bordeaux, but if you would like an apert-"

Devin made for the bar and reached unladylike over it to grab a glass. Soon could be heard the pouring of a pint.

"...or a pint of dark?"

R'elle raised an eyebrow at Dare's behaviour. Ahh youth! She would learn to comport herself better with some maturity. Dare was a wonderful girl but she was young and it showed. "What do you suggest for an apartief Mr Jones?"

"Ah, for you, Counselor, I have something special. I-"

Klarth arrived. He was wearing a Klingon military uniform, perfect for any formal occasion. He smiled at the Captain and Lt. R'elle and gave Dare a wink. "What are we drinking?" he asked "I don't suppose there is any blood wine behind that bar?" he asked Jones.

"As a matter of fact," Jones said as he stepped behind the bar as he made a gesture of patience to the Counselor, "You happened to have left a couple barrels behind when you, ah, departed last time, Doctor."

Jones lifted a small, stout black barrel with a grunt and laid it on the bar. He said, "the '13 might not be as fine a vintage as the '09, but it is still considered a pretty good year."

Klarth absolutely beamed at Jones. "Any man that knows his blood wine is a friend of mine for sure." Klarth found the right tool handy and opened the barrel and poured himself a nice sized glass.

He grinned at R'elle, "The fumes alone would leave a cadet sprawling!"

"Hello Dr Klarth." She said with a smile back to him.

"Yes, hello Counselor Commander," said Klarth drinking his wine. "It is good to see you recovered from that incident you and Lt. Fitzgerald went through. What happened?"

"Someone sabotaged the environmental system in my quarters. Turned it into a regular jungle raising the heat and humidity drastically. I dread to think might have happened if Lt Fitzgerald hadn't come along to save me!" R'elle said.

Klarth noted, "Sabotage environmental systems, who would do such a thing? Or maybe on a ship like this the question is, who could do such a thing?....Did Commander Arkyn seem to think this might be an escalation of the so called practical joker? Unfortunately, that's the first thing that came to my mind."

"Yes that is the general consensus. That is quite an escalation. You do make a good point Klath. I suspect the list of people who could tamper with the environmental systems is a small one."

Dare brightened, "May I-"

"No," Dare replied as she made her way back to the table, tall glass of stout in her hand, "You may not. You may have a beer, and a small one at that."

"K'tal's claws, blood wine is powerful stuff. I drank some once. I couldn't tell up from down or much of anything for several hours. Never again! Too strong for me."

"Perhaps this will be more to your liking, then," Jones replied as he set a glass before R'elle. She caught the subtle scents of vanilla, orange, raisins, cherry.

"MM, now that smells nice." R'elle said as she lifted the glass and took a sip. "Mm that will do just fine Mr. Jones. Thank you!"

"A vermouth," he explained, setting down a similar glass before Dare whose eyes at the prospect of sampling the drink, "I hope you like it," he glanced at the Captain, "And the cadet's glass is the syntheholic version."

Dare's face fell in mock sadness at that.

"Well," Klarth said raising his glass of blood wine, "large glass or small glass we must all drink a toast to Captain Handenbeer, to the crew of the Lionheart, and to our glorious adventures into the unknown!"

Jones and Dare both raised their glasses, Devin hesitated before raising her own...

R'elle lifted her glass as well.

"Captain, how many years ago was it that we first served together?" asked Klarth reminiscing.

Devin let out a breath as she pondered that question.

"Well...we met almost five years ago, when I first came on board Lionheart as an observer," she glanced R'elle's way, "I was on medical leave and called up because some Starfleet ships had gone missing and my...prior experience made me an expert on the problem of locating them. Klarth was Lionheart's Chief Medical Officer then, under Captain Adenaur."

"And during that mission the crew all lost their memories," said Klarth. "And even without knowing each other I put my trust in this Captain to get us out of it." Klarth raised his glass to Hadenbeer as a salute...So why is it that he was having doubts about her now? Klarth asked himself..."Anyway," Klarth continued "no one wants to hear that old story, I have a surprise planned for tonight if you feel like some fun. S'Lace gave me a mystery program. Who wants to meet a famous detective?" Klarth mumbled this last part under his breath "Perhaps he can help us with some of our current mysteries."

"Now that sounds interesting Klarth! I'd love to join you!" R'elle said

"Well, not all our memories," Devin amended, "It varied from person to person and..."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, "Famous detective? You aren't going to have us in a conversation with Sherlock Holmes or the like, are you?"

"Well, the pub is equipped with holo emitters," Jones pointed out as he stood and walked over to the replicators to prepare dinner, "Perhaps it is a...twentieth century detective like Philip Marlowe?"

"I am interested," Dare piped up, ignoring her aunt's mild glare.

"No, this character is a Klingon," said Klarth. And well I use the terms famous and detective rather lightly. He is a character in a mystery novel and he'll be familiar to you all because he is based on me."

Devin smiled, "Why, Doctor, have you been writing in your spare time? Are you going to show us the first draft of some mystery novel you have been working on?" her eyes fell on Dare, who looked suddenly pensive.

"No captain," said Klarth. "Someone has been using my history as well as S'Lace's as the basis to write a salacious novel....I thought perhaps talking to my character would help uncover the author's identity...as well as possibly solve the prankster mystery and maybe even the virus mystery. One can never tell how such things are related. If they are at all."

"Possibly Klarth! If you think this might lead us to the identity of the prankster, I'm all for it!" R'elle said

"What?" Hadenbeer's smile disappeared as her head snapped around to regard the Counselor, "You think-"

"The author also wrote some novels featuring me," Dare noted.

Devin's attention focused on her niece, "They...what?"

Dare held up four fingers, "It is pretty obvious. My doppleganger runs around with a telepathic cat called Malla."

"Malla." Devin echoed. She hesitated, then took a long drink of the dark stuff form her tall glass.

"Yes I did notice that! " R'elle said

"So you think the person responsible is also the practical joker, Counselor?" Dare inquired of R'elle, "I hadn't thought of that."

"Seems a pretty elaborate practical joke if so," Jones said from the replicators, his expression unreadable.

"I think it maybe a possibility Dare. Maybe I'm way off base but I think it's worth checking out. Mr Jones, after what happened in my quarters, I am inclined to think this person has no limits they won't sink to!" R'elle said.

Klarth goes over to the holo emitter controls and starts to find the right program. "Enough talk. I don't know what Mr. Jones is cooking up for us, but I want to grill some Targ!" And then he pushes the button for his alter ego to appear before them.

There was a pause, and then the form of a Klingon appeared. Tall, broad shouldered, he possessed a thick beard and scarred face. His armor was worn and chipped, a warrior who had fallen on hard times. He took a long moment to slowly turn and take in his surroundings, to regard the people present in the pub. Then his attention fell upon Klarth.

"You have called and like a tame targ I have come. A hundred perilous tasks I must accomplish to regain my honor and my name. What task have you for me today?"

"The armor is especially good," Dare whispered to R'elle, "A nice touch!"

R'elle nodded.

Targ glared in Dare's general direction but kept his tongue...

"I've been so angry at this book's existence, I didnt really think what to ask him" said Klarth to the party goers. To Targ he said, " We are searching for a traitor or traitors. If you help us solve this mystery it will be a step towards regaining your honor...what do you remember of your life before you lost your honor? To the others he said "maybe his author has unintentionally left some clue to their identity in their creation's backstory?"

"Klarth, you may be onto something! It is quite possible they were vain enough to plant a few clues in the program!" R'elle said.

R'elle caught something in Dare's face, as if her observation may have struck a chord in the young cadet.

~Interesting! ~ she thought as she caught dare's reaction. She began to wonder if maybe Dare was somehow involved with this. Perhaps even the author? Well best to reserve such thoughts until proof surfaced that either confirmed or disproved her theory.

"My life before my dishonor means nothing..." Targ began

"The author might not have gotten around to writing it," Devin murmured, "Perhaps they were going to divulge more in the sequel."

"...but if you must know, I was a soldier, a warrior. But I tired of war and became a police officer," he grimaced, "But the stink of war was upon me and I felt my blood boil when I encountered a criminal who was more animal than Klingon but whose status shielded him from justice. I was made aware he had kidnapped someone and was to...use them for his own perverse pleasures."

"Now..." Devin began.

"Shhhhh!" Dare hissed as she waved a silencing hand at the captain, her attention focused upon Targ. Devin looked about the room, an incredulous look upon her face.

Targe continued, "I...interrogated him too roughly, to such an extent that not even the most sympathetic superior could turn a blind eye to my dishonor. It was the animal's own Father who decided my fate. Ashamed at his failings and the disgrace of his offspring, he interceded and granted me an opportunity to redeem myself."

Targ shrugged, "And so, here I am."

Klarth pondered this. The author had changed the backstory, he wasn't a doctor, he didn't serve with Starfleet. "the part about the interrogation is the only kernel of truth, I did get overzealous during the interrogation of a villainous Orion witch." Klarth thought some more. But perhaps the change is a clue without meaning to be. Perhaps he changed Targ's profession because he was more comfortable with police work as he was a Security Officer."...Klarth had a flash of memory. A crewman tied up in a shuttle, the same crewman making a make-shift shiv. "Computer what became of crewman Tchulka?"

"Computer hold," Devin said, "Doctor, are you going to go on a fishing expedition to research every past or present member of this crew? Just how much time are you going to devote to th-"

"Dinner is served!" Jones replied as he wheeled a cart laden with food over to the table. Targ sneered at the human food, then frowned.

"What...is this noise?" he asked as he glanced at the ceiling.

"Jazz," Devin replied.

"It...is horrible."

"On that we can agree. Computer, end music. She turned back to Klarth, craning her head to look past Jones who was laying out dishes on the table, "Wh-"

"You speak of 'author'," Targ said to Klarth, "You ask of my background. Explain. An author implies a written work, you speak of traitors. Who has written this work and how has it harmed you?"

"Go ahead Klarth. Keep asking questions. With luck we might find what we are looking for!" R'elle said. Looking down at her dinner r'elle tried not to drool! The meat looked delicious.

Klarth picked up a padd and gave it to Targ. On it was his book " You are a work of fiction called : "Targ! Honorless Dog," by Tina Loehr. But she has been inspired by details from my life so I want to know who she is." Klarth circles around Targ and says "I thought I hated her for using my story for such a trashy novel, but seeing you in the flesh.... I have bigger problems....there is a practical joker on the ship whose jokes could soon be deadly. And in a separate issue, somehow a Lt. found a Romulan bioweapon in her luggage."

"What? how is that possible? That shouldn't be possible at all! Her luggage had to be scanned when she came on board!" R'elle was shocked. A romulan Bio weapon? On board? That was a very dangerous lapse in security! That worried R'elle! It worried her a lot!

"Please calm down, Counselor!" Hadenbeer replied, "I believe Doctor Klarth was-oh, thank you, Mister Jones," Jones had just deposited a plate of delicious meat and greens before her. The Captain seemed ready to ignore the conversation entirely in order to eat, but she mastered herself and went on, "Doctor Klarth is talking about the crate containing the bio weapon lieutenant Alia was exposed to."

"These are serious matters," Targ replied soberly, "The bio weapon would be the purview of Starfleet intelligence. As for the practical joker, often such fools have their own motives regarding their victims. Determine what the victims have done to 'deserve' these unwanted attentions and you may uncover the joker.

"As for this 'Tina Loehr', confront her! Demand from her the name of her source, or determine if this is some alias employed by a coward," Targ balled up his large hand into a fist, "If this person has dishonored you by using your pain as inspiration then she must know!"

"Well that's all well and good but we have to figure out who she really is first!" R'elle said although she had her suspicions.

"Yes that is the problem that it must be an alias employed by a coward," says Klarth. "And I have no clue who they are beyond that they'd need to have served here on the Lionheart back when I became dishonored." Klarth began to dig into the plate of meat Jones had served him. The juices dripping down his chin he continued. "As to the bioweapon, I got contact information for someone in Starfleet Intelligence from our security chief but have not been able to reach her yet to see what they know about the Bio weapon." Again Klarth attacked the food with gusto tearing flesh off of bones and eating it noisily before continuing, "And as to the practical joker, that is a good angle thinking about the victims and the joker's motives," as Klarth said this he gestured to Targ with a large drumstick he'd been devouring, then he looked to the others, "how many people have been targeted? The Captain, Commander R'elle, Lt. Fitzgerald. Anyone else?"

Hadenbeer said, "Fitzgerald has not been the target of a practical joke, Doctor."

"That's right!" Dare piped in, "In fact someone saved her life, right? Maybe it was the practical joker who did that!"

"Dare..." Devin began.

"Perhaps...this person is not a coward," Targ said, his voice curiously different. Perhaps it was a touch uncertain? Certainly not the boisterous, confident adventurer who had been speaking just moments before. He continued, "Perhaps...this person has no idea the pain they might have caused. Perhaps they...used you, Doctor, as a model because they admired you and for some reason could never say so in person?"

Targ seemed uncertain what to do with his hands as he continued, "Perhaps this person, for all their writing acumen, for all their perceived knowledge of how people think, they are still very much ignorant of..."

Targ paused and shook his head, he turned back to the table and his glower had returned. To R'elle for a few moments everything about Targ had momentarily been different, glaringly so to her expert eye.

"You...said we were on board a ship, I think?" he said to Klarth, "What ship?"

"The Lionheart," Dare volunteered.

Targ cocked his head, then he threw his head back and laughed, "Lionheart? Oh, that is funny!" he looked about the table, "Lionheart. You see? What is that word game? It's an a-"

Targ blinked, then he shuddered. His form began to lose cohesion and he stared at his hands. He tried to speak but no words came from his mouth, he tried to roar a challenge.

Then...he disappeared!

"Now that is an unexpected development! Why did he find the name of the ship so funny? A word game?" R'elle said. "I wonder if that was part of the program for him to shut down like that to prevent him from revealing too big a clue to the authors identity? Computer, reactivate the program that was just running!"

R'elle's attempts at reactivating the program me with little or no success. Jones mildly suggested, "It could be the program exceeded its parameters and a malfunction formed."

"It did act a little strangely there for a bit," Dare murmured thoughtfully, "At least, I thought so."

"Well, whether you get him back or not he has already given us a lot to consider," said Klarth. For instance the word game he means is an anagram the author's name Tina Loehr is an anagram for Lionheart. How did I miss that?!" Klarth was lost in thought for a moment and then said "As to his other thought that perhaps the author admired me, I had not considered it because the anger I felt at the idea of the book was so great. But seeing the creation before me and talking to him....the author imbued him with intelligence and a nobility, so maybe my anger was an overreaction." Klarth looked at Dare and remembered something else. "And Dare please tell us more about your theory of the practical joker. You think he or she helped Lt. Fitzgerald?"

"Ah...well...it's just that someone must have been spying on lieutenant Fitzgerald and either she has some sort of perverted stalker-which I could understand because she is rather attractive-or maybe it was the practical joker preparing to strike when she fell victim to that toxin? Personally I prefer to think it is the latter," she smiled, "That makes one less criminal to track down," she turned to Captain Hadenbeer, "Don't you think so...Cap...tain?"

The Captain was looking decidedly unwell. Devin took a breath and planted both hands on the table. She smiled apologetically and said, "I believe I had too much of the dark stuff too soon and it has unsettled my stomach. I think I need a good lie down."

She rose, "Please, everyone stay and enjoy the dinner; Mister Jones worked hard on programming it."

"Be well Captain!" R'elle said. She was naturally concerned. The captain certainly didn't look well so she didn't seem to be faking. "Dare I agree Lt Fitzgerald is very attractive however I don't favor the stalker theory. It may have been a coincidence that the practical joker was preparing to strike when Alia came upon those toxins. Still, there is much we don't know yet! I feel the practical joker poses a danger to the ship and crew even if it is inadvertent! "

Klarth was concerned that the Captain had not liked the little detective game and he hoped he had not ruined the dinner for her, but he said, "If lying down doesn't work the sickbay is always open. I hope it isn't Rotarran flu, crewman Daneel had a case of it yesterday. His mucus was a very unique shade of green I had never seen anything like it outside of... " Klarth looked at their faces around the table and realized he was rambling and that he was grossing them out so he returned to the subject of the practical joker, "Well, Targ said to consider the practical joker's motives. You're the counselor, could it be something like a crewman who is jealous of officers and especially the Captain....maybe a problem with female officers in particular, or if Dare is correct perhaps an obsession of some sort. Have any cases like that on board? Or the beginnings or hint of something like that?"

"Hmm, I don't know of anybody offhand but I can check my records and see if I can find anybody!" R'elle said She didn't want to accuse the captain yet. Not without definitive proof!

After the Captain had left, Klarth looks at Dare and says, "I know I had promised you that I wouldn't say anything to the Captain about the books, but I couldn't keep this from her forever. I hope it doesn't get you in trouble as you're just as much a victim of it as I am." Klarth looks around as if expecting to see someone listening to them in the empty bar and then leans in and says to the table "I am a bit worried about the Captain. Has anyone else noticed she has been acting strangely? Maybe she has just changed a bit since I've been gone. She was dressing down Commander Junix in front of the crew on the bridge. That isn't the Captain I remember at all. I was on that runabout mission with Junix afterwards and she didn't say anything about it, but I think she is terrified of the Captain." Looking at Dare and Jones Klarth continues "Why has there been so much turn around on the ship lately? None of the senior officers I served with a couple years ago are still here."

"I believe she is different than when you knew her Klarth. She has been through a lot. Starfleet is quite aware of the turnover. There are times she does seem to be acting strangely!" R'elle said. She didn't really want to go into details yet! However she was beginning to be seriously concerned about the captain. If her suspicions were true they could all be in danger but she had to be sure before she acted.

"What do you mean they are aware of the turnover? asked Klarth.

"Just like I said. Starfleet is quite aware of the turnover and the general situation onboard the Lionheart! They are evaluating things to figure out what to do." R'elle said.

"No offense, but it's probably a bunch of Admirals that haven't seen the outside of their office in 10 years let alone a starship. If Hadenbeer needs help," he looked around the table,"Then we (and the rest of the crew) are the ones that need to do something."

R'elle shook her head. "No Klarth. It isn't like that! And if Admiral Janeway heard you say that about her she would be very offended. As for doing something, I told you she was being evaluated. It takes time for a proper diagnosis. We will do the best to get her the help she needs but give it time!" She wanted to be discreet but Klarth was not making this easy. Well not like it was a secret. The Captain knew the Admiral sent her but still she didn't want to blab it all over the ship.

Klarth smiled ear to ear at the mention of Janeway, "Yes, Admiral Janeway and the Voyager had an adventure worthy of several Klingon operas. They were out there in the Delta Quadrant for 7 years and lived to tell the tale. I've often wish I'd been on that ship, or maybe not as all the doctors died just as the journey began."..."If Hadenbeer is being evaluated you'd think someone would have informed the Chief Medical Officer." Klarth got up and looked at Jones and Dare and said "Mr. Jones thank you for a lovely meal. Ensign Dare, always a pleasure." Klarth started to go and looked back at R'elle, "Come on, let's go to your office, can I be read in on this? What has been evaluated so far? "

Dare watched the pair go. A troubled expression on her face, she turned back to Jones.

What she saw chilled her blood. His expression was...she was not quite certain how to define it.

"Those two," he said after a long moment, "Need to take a short walk out an airlock."

"Mister Jones..."

He blinked and seemed to come to his senses. He forced a smile and said, "Don't worry about what they were saying, Dare. They can't harm the captain."

The smile turned into a death's head rictus, "I won't let them..."

R'elle nodded and took Klarth back to her office. "My evaluation is not done but it is not looking good! The captain is suffering from post traumatic stress. Hard to say how severe it is. She has gone through so much trauma. However it does not look good. There was a serious incident that has me very worried. I was leaving a counseling session and unknown to me at the time there was an empty turbolift shaft behind me. The Captain saw it, but said nothing. That causes me great concern. I also have suspicions she may be the prankster. I can't say for sure. She does a good job covering it, but I fear she is a troubled woman. After all she has gone through, I'm surprised she isn't a total wreck."

"Is there any chance she has been taken over by some kind of entity and this is not the real Captain or could she be acting as the prankster subconsciously and not know she is doing it? Why would she order her Security Chief to investigate the prankster if she knew she was the prankster?" Klarth was grasping at straws. He did not want to believe Hadenbeer would do such things. But even he had to admit to himself that it was possible. "Before we can act on these theories we would have to devise a way to prove them."

"Yes or disprove them. I am not 100% sure either. I want to make sure I'm right before I act. I wish I could be certain." R'elle said

"Well like many Captains Hadenbeer avoids doctors and counselors like we might give her the Denobulan Plague," says Klarth. "Do you think we have enough evidence to order her into sickbay for an exam. I'm afraid she might not be honest about any symptoms she has but, perhaps we could give her a lie detector test. Or failing that we could have S'Lace mind meld with her....." Klarth thought about it and added, "That's probably going to far though."

"yess, a mind meld would be wayy over the line Klarth. As for sickbay, well that is your domain. If you feel she needs to be there then that is up to you. Sickbay is generally for physical ailments. Right now I'm not sure there is anything physically wrong with her. I'm more concerned about her emotional and mental well being. I may be way off base here but I don't think so. Based on what I have seen I think I am right. That said I am still trying to keep an open mind. I don't feel there is enough solid evidence to support my diagnosis at this time."

Klarth let out a sigh and said " Well even if we don't know what our next move is I still consider this night to have been a success because I have gained something invaluable, an ally" and he put out his hand to link arms the Klingon way.

R'elle followed suit and smiled. "Thank you Klarth. I am glad we met. I hope I am wrong about the Captain. Guess time will tell..."

 

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