Absence

Posted on 14 Jun 2009 @ 12:15pm by Colonel Stadi Andrus

1,383 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: M2: Aggressive Negotiations
Location: New Zealand
Timeline: 2386 - about four weeks before the attack on DS5

" ... and so she left," Talar said as he sat and rested his elbows on the table. "I finally drove her away."

"Your action was correct. She would not make the decision for herself so you caused her to take the correct action," Sulek replied, the slightest twitch of his eyebrow betraying his puzzlement.

"I was wrong," Talar said. "That's why I've contacted you."

"Starfleet required her services, she was willing to go and you broke her emotional attachment with you to ensure that she did her duty."

"Maybe I'm just not that objective."

"No. I don't think you are."

"I need your help. I'm a doctor, a good one. I will not bring her back to wither here on this beach but I could follow her."

"If ..."

"If I could prove who I was."

"And who is that, Talar?"

"I already told you. You've checked my story, with your recommendation I can finalise my status ..."

"As a vulcanoid citizen of the Federation."

Talar nodded, "I've lived this way for ten years ... its time to make it official."

A little later Talar sat alone; she'd be contacting him soon and he would tell her ... what exactly? Sulek had promised his assistance but how far would that get?


Melanie was in San Fransisco preparing to depart for DS5 and take the CMO position on the Freedom. There was one thing that she had to do first but she wasn't sure if she could. She and Talar had already parted on what she considered bad terms and now she had to contact him.

She paced back and forth in front of the console wondering what his decision would be and if he would come with her. Her heart was broken but she still loved him. She sighed and set up the secure channel with him and waited for him to respond.

"I thought you'd decided not to bother," he said as he answered.

The hurt was written across her face. "Talar...don't."

"Don't what? Talk? That would make this rather pointless. I just spent the afternoon trying to squeeze sympathy out of a Vulcan."

"That is not what I meant, Talar. You know how I feel..."

"Feelings ... he had a lot to say about feelings." Talar sat and let his hands fall into his lap. "When do you leave?" he asked.

"Two weeks tomorrow." It was difficult talking to Talar, she loved him so much and he had sent her on her way.

"And what are you doing until then?"

"That depends on what your decision is..." She responded quietly.

"Its not my decision. I can't be off-world where anyone who is competent enough to do a little research can find out all about me, not if I don't have the right backing, anyway. Sulek, the Vulcan I have been talking with ... he works in this field ... he assesses the 'special cases' that come the Federation's way, defectors and the like. Amusingly that's how I'm classified for the time being ... well it amused me, anyway," he said in a flat and humourless tone.

"How so?" She asked, how could it not be his decision?...even slightly.

"If my new best friend Sulek decides that I am not a risk ... I think that was his way of saying spy ... then I may be in a position to come with you."

Melanie closed her eyes and shook her head slightly, tears of happiness fell down her cheeks. ~Praise the Four Deities.~

"Don't ... don't get too carried away," Talar sighed. "If he decides that I am some form of threat ... well, they know about me now. I'll probably find myself being asked a lot of questions I don't have answers to, or they might forcibly repatriate me. I don't know."

"It is a step in the right direction anyways though...that this Sulek is willing to talk to you." She paused for a moment and bit her lower lip. "Can I come see you?"

"I'm glad you take the propect of my being disappeared so lightly," Talar said under his breath. Talar glanced through the window and onto the terrace, if she did not come he'd smash the table, crockery and the entire setting into fragments. "Come if you want to," he said.

"I'll be over shortly.."

"Computer site to site transport to the following coordinates." She said standing and breaking the channel with Talar.

Melanie materialised in the living room of their shared house. She smiled at Talar when she saw him. "I don't take you disappearing lightly, only I would rather try and focus on the positive."

"You do that, I'll be prepared for the worst," Talar said. He moved closer then turned and walked over to the stove, "Mussels to start," he said lifting the lid from a large pan.

"Will you not greet me with a hug and kiss?" She asked. "It has been weeks since we last saw each other."

Talar let the lid fall with a clatter, "Its not a guarantee," he said, the words sticking in his throat.

"What isn't? Do you not still love me? Would you rather I leave?" Hurt evident in her voice.

He chose his words as carefully as he could, "If I didn't love you I would not have told them I was willing to go through their damned vetting procedure. He told me I shouldn't see you until he made his decision, but I told him I would anyway, here you are ... I'm starting to think he was right. Melanie, do you have any idea how difficult this has been to arrange, how hard it is going to be to convince them that I am not some form of spy?"

"Yes, I do. At least to some extent I do. Would you like me to talk to Sulek?" She asked.

"No, he's my problem. They'll find someone to talk to you soon enough. Come here," Talar said, "Before I change my mind."

Melanie went to Talar and wrapped her arms around him. She inhaled deeply, she missed how he smelt to her. She missed the closeness they shared. ~I missed you.~ She projected and touched his mind.

He held her back, holding her to him, his hand covering her cheek, fingers lost somewhere in her hair. Talar could feel the damp of her tears beneath his palm but he did not say it, "It has been a very long few weeks," he said instead.

She nodded. "It has. I wish I didn't have to leave." Melanie regretted her decision to leave the moment she had left.

"I know longer think that it is forever."

"If you cannot come with me I will return as soon as my tour is over. I promise...being apart from you is torture."

"It might be painful, Melanie, but torture it isn't. Sulek and I are exploring options - he wants to observe me - I will try and persuade him that he can observe me as well, if not better out there. If it works I'll see you on Deep Space Five before you leave and if I convince him, I'll be waiting for you when you return from your jaunt. Understand?"

"Yes Talar." She looked up at him. "I understand."

"Good," he squeezed her close. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Always if it is your cooking." She smiled.

"Then sit down - these may be mussels, but the recipe is Romulan, and its probably the last non-replicated meal you're going to eat for a month."

"Maybe I should program this into the replicator so I can eat this when I miss you....even if it isn't 'real' food." She laughed.

"It won't taste the same, I had to adjust it to work with these," he said as he upended the pan and tipped the shellfish into a large dish, "grab the bread and the wine, Mel."

Melanie got out of her seat and grabbed the fresh bread from the counter and the wine that had been chilling. She placed both on the table before returning to grab two wine glasses.

"It smells wonderful Talar." She said taking her seat again.

"Now," he said, "Tell me how you've been wasting your time for the past few weeks."

OFF.

Lt. Melanie Hemmingway
CMO
USS Freedom

Talar, NPCd by Louise

 

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