JP: Lt. Talos Dakora and Amb. Rivi Vataix: Noble Pursuits
Rivi Vataix
((Betazed Gardens, Peace Park, Amity Outpost))
Her mother’s arrival to Amity–and expectation that she go along with her scheme to prevent the marriage of Tri’lea Polgonz–had certainly thrown Rivi Vataix back into the choppy waters of Betazed house politics. As Matriarch of the Eleventh House, her mother Naminae Vataix expected and was entitled to the full support of her house, starting with her own daughter. Yet the words of Rivi’s cousin Sky Blake still weighed heavily on her mind. Blake of course was practically an off-worlder in her thinking when it came to the duties of being part of a Betazed noble house. She expected that just because Rivi may have had misgivings about her mother’s methods that she might stand against them, but that’s just not how it worked.
Or was her cousin right? Did she need to speak up now before Tri’lea, Ceciri, and eventually Keehani and Wil were drawn into the larger war Naminae was preparing for?
Rivi needed a walk to get some fresh air. She was about halfway through her afternoon walk through Peace Park when she stumbled upon a cloud of mixed emotions hiding within the Betazed Gardens section. Recognizing the familiar thought patterns of a fellow Betazoid, the blonde ambassador reached out telepathically as she approached.
Vataix: ~~ Hello there! ~~
Following his second meeting with Lohani Vananth-Polgonz, to say Talos had a lot on his mind was an exercise in understatement. After practically wearing a hole in the carpet of his temporary suite as he paced around, he’d managed to make his way to Amity’s sprawling peace park.
In a fitting bit of Irony, he’d found himself strolling through the area seemingly modeled after Betazed, with appropriate flora, fauna, and architecture to match.
As he stood, staring at some flowers that he was having an embarrassingly difficult time remembering the name of (considering he’d just been made aware that he was a son of the Sixth House of Betazed) he felt another Betazoid presence brush against his troubled mind.
Dakora: ~~ Uh, Hello?~~
He slowly glanced around the open space, eventually settling on a blonde woman whom he didn’t recognize. She looked about his age –or close enough that it didn’t matter– but she seemed to carry herself like someone important.
When he looked over towards her, she found a tall man of similar height and stature to that of her husband Tidrid, with the handsome and rugged face to match.
Vataix: ~~ I was walking by and felt your presence. ~~
She smiled at him.
Vataix: ~~ So I decided to come say hello. ~~
She dipped her head slightly towards him.
Vataix: ~~ Niarivi Vataix, Daughter of the Eleventh House. But you can call me Rivi. ~~
Talos bowed his head as well, stifling a near-flinch as her title rolled itself out across his mind. Before he’d come to Amity, he wasn’t sure he’d ever met a single person of Noble Blood, now this was the second in as many days.
Dakora: ~~ Oh. I’m Talos Dakora.~~ ::Beat:: ~~Well met, Rivi.~~
Vataix: ~~ Welcome to Amity Outpost. Are you newly assigned or just visiting? ~~
He tried to pull his mind free from the handful of different things that currently wrestled for his attention and focus on their conversation, but it wasn’t easy.
His entanglement with Robin and her unexpected involvement in the process of determining his relation to Vananth-Polgonz had taken what had been a spontaneous, one-time encounter and turned it into… Well, he supposed it was still that, just… with the added awkwardness of being forced to work together afterward. Then, naturally, he’d found a way to make it worse.
Talos nodded.
Dakora: ~~Just visiting, I’m afraid. Though the more I see of this place, the more tempting it is to stay. ~~
He winced internally, seeing the momentary flash of something in Rivi’s eyes. Having spent so many years among Humans in Starfleet, his mind had become a touch undisciplined. Talos had an idea of where the conversation was heading next…
Vataix: ~~ Ah, I see. Well I hope this is just the first of more to come. I imagine perhaps there are others–or at least one in particular–who hopes the same. ~~
Dakora: ::Smirking reluctantly.:: ~~Oh, yeah. I’m not so sure she’d agree.~~::He paused.::~~Have I gotten that easy to read?~~
She returned the smirk but said nothing as she walked over closer to him and gestured to the path.
Vataix: ~~ Why don’t you join me for the rest of my walk? I think we could both use the company. ~~
Talos couldn’t argue with that. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to talk through the business with the 6th house with someone intimately familiar with it all.
Dakora: ~~You’re not wrong. And your input may be more relevant than you realize.~~
As they headed out towards the central lake, Rivi cut to the heart of what she saw was bothering him.
Vataix: ~~ So what’s keeping you from accepting Daughter Lohani’s invitation? ~~
Or maybe she did realize. Talos shook his head, a slight grin playing across his face, as he walked beside Rivi.
He let out a slightly dramatic sigh.
Dakora: ~~That is a complicated question.~~
Talos glanced in his walking companion’s direction.
Dakora:~~For one, I’m an Intelligence Officer. Not the cloak and dagger kind, mind you, but still. It’s the kind of job that encourages a lower profile.~~
Vataix: ~~ Yes, but we both know that’s not the issue that’s bothering you most. ~~
As the path wound closer to the banks of the rather scenic lake, he nodded. His career was a concern, yes. But that wasn’t really the crux of the issue.
The truth was that he’d spent most of his adult life in a sort of self-imposed exile from his own culture. After his mother had been killed during The Occupation, he’d been, in one way or another, running from anything that reminded him of her.
Over time the pain faded, but having never properly dealt with it, this ordeal was dredging up all manner of unpleasantness that he had thought was behind him.
Dakora: ~~I… I haven’t been back to the Mother World in over a decade.~~
He let his gaze find hers for a moment.
Dakora: ~~There are memories… Things that happened there that… Let’s just say I feel sort of disconnected from all of it. I have for a long time.~~
Vataix: ~~ And now you’re being asked not just to revisit Betazed but dive in headfirst into one of her core institutions. ~~
Talos nodded.
Dakora:~~Yes. It’s just… it’s a lot to process. A lot to consider… ~~
He noticed, not for the first time, that Rivi felt a high level of comfort there as they walked. Like they were strolling through her own back garden.
Vataix: ~~ So are you worried you’ll make a misstep? Put on the wrong tie, grab the wrong fork? ~~
He glanced in her direction, new worry lines etching their way onto his face.
Dakora:~~ Gods yes. I hadn’t even gotten that far, but yes.~~ ::He scoffed.:: ~~I’m a little rough-around-the-edges, if you haven’t noticed.~~
Rivi looked over at Talos, smirking at his sudden realization of all the other protocols of etiquette that would follow. There was something about seeing such a specimen of brawn thrown off by the thought of having to navigate the complexities of Betazed high society.
Vataix: ~~ I’m sure a handsome gentleman such as yourself will find no lack of suitors willing to educate you. ~~
He pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment, willing some of his stress to dissipate. While that part of the deal sounded promising, he couldn’t help but feel like he’d feel more comfortable jumping out of a Marine drop ship in low orbit than seated at a table with a bunch of nobles and heads of state.
Still, he appreciated the compliment.
Dakora: ~~ I’m sure I’d make a great project for someone. ~~
The blonde noblewoman leaned against the railing as she turned her shoulders towards him.
Vataix: ~~ And perhaps you are underestimating what *you* might bring to the nobility. ~~
They’d come to a stop near a railed walkway with a clear view of the lake beyond and Talos turned to face his companion.
Dakora: ~~ That’s the thing. I’ve never been one to try and fight my way up the ladder. I’m just a Line Officer. I’m happy that way. I guess I just don’t know what I really bring to the table, here.~~
Vataix: ~~ Maybe you don’t see it, but Daughter Lohani surely does. ~~
Talos felt just a hint of warmth in his ears, a sure sign that his face was going a bit red.
Dakora: ~~Maybe.~~ ::He paused.:: ~~ She didn’t seem too put off by a little indiscretion. That’s for sure.~~
They looked back out onto the lake, letting a moment of silence linger between their thoughts. A pair of holographic swans swam by in the distance, such a scene of naturalistic serenity ironic in its artificial creation.
Dakora:~~Can I ask what it’s like? The whole Noble thing?~~ ::He paused, screwing up his face a little.:: ~~Sorry, I’m sure it’s the only life you’ve ever known. But it all seems so foreign to me.~~
Vataix: ~~ Well, there are as many opinions on the nobility as there are nobles these days… ~~
She chuckled at herself.
Vataix: ~~ But I imagine you have more familiarity with it than you realize. I don’t mean to equate it with your service as a Starfleet officer… but there are shared virtues of duty and honor. Certainly expectations that come with the titles. ~~
Talos watched as one of the holo-swans circling the lake dove under the surface, presumably after some holographic fish, as he wrangled his frayed nerves. A part of him knew she was right. He could see the parallels, the obligation to tradition, etc.
When he’d entered the Academy after years as an enlisted Marine he’d felt similarly hopeless that he’d ever be able to adapt. His service record since then was evidence that he’d managed it.
Dakora: ~~I can see that. Maybe… maybe it’s the kind of thing I can just figure out as I go.~~
She cocked her head slightly, the irony of a new Son of the Sixth House of all houses thinking that.
Vataix: ~~ I would be remiss to give you that impression–as entertaining as the results might be for Lohani’s own publications. ~~
Talos grinned a bit sheepishly at her response.
Dakora:~~Ah, you’ve got a point there…~~
Vataix: ~~ You are a Starfleet Intelligence officer, Mr. Dakora. Do you approach an operation just “figuring it out” as you go? ~~
He shook his head. Talos knew that days, weeks, and sometimes even months of preparation, research, and planning went into deep cover operations and–in many ways– that’s what this was. Learning to adapt, to fit into this society with all of its established rules and norms. That sounded a little more up his alley.
Dakora:~~No, no we don’t.~~ ::He smirked.:: ~~You’re right. I need to do my homework. Once I understand the whole thing better, it might be easier to make this decision.~~
Rivi nodded slowly as she returned a grin of her own.
Vataix: ~~ And so the question isn’t about whether you can take on this new role or not. If you choose to do so, you will. That’s who you are–who you’ve trained yourself to be. What you are asking is whether it’s worth it. ~~
He drummed his knuckles on the railing as the nervous energy inside him sought an outlet. He took a breath.
Dakora: ~~Yes. I can figure this out. I just need to consider the big picture.~~
Vataix: ~~ I know most non-Betazoids do not understand our ways. Even many Betazoids live their lives perfectly content not to follow the affairs of their nobles. And we are privileged. But that privilege is to serve our society, our people. Every House has its particular niche, from medicine and research to agriculture and industry. And likewise, every noble must find her or his own way to contribute. Perhaps before you decide, you should consider what you might do as a Son of a Noble House. ~~
Talos considered her words for a moment, giving them the space that he felt they deserved. For the first time since his world had been turned upside down, he felt as though he had a chance of sorting it all out.
It would take work, it would take some serious introspection, but he had a feeling when all was said and done, he’d be satisfied with the choice he had made.
Dakora:~~Thank you, Rivi.~ ::He cast a warm smile in her direction.:: ~~You’ve helped me more than you know.~~
She reached out and touched his arm.
Vataix: ~~ Enjoy the rest of your stay here. And if you should find yourself someday invited to a gala, remember: right arm around her, left arm out. ~~
Still smiling, Talos pantomimed where he’d place his hands in the air.
Dakora: ~~I’ll keep that in mind.~~ ::He dropped his hands back down to his sides and bowed his head respectfully. ~~Take care.~~
She smiled and left him to his thoughts by the lake.
—
Lt. Talos Dakora
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Artemis-A
O238811CD0
&
Rivi Vataix
Daughter of the Eleventh House of Betazed
I238705TZ0