JP: Lieutenant JG Sevantha Saa & Morro Caras - Blurred Lines [Epilogue]
Sevantha Saa
Morro and Sevantha walked out of the auction hall with all the other attendees.
Caras: oO that was… painful. Even for someone who doesn’t like the guy. I suppose we should go pay our respects, being the guests of honor and all Oo
Saa: ~ …It would be in poor taste and might draw suspicion.~
Caras: oO Maintaining our cover after this is extremely important. When I spoke to Maddox over that transmission I promised him I wouldn’t drag his name through the mud. And that I would put in that request to move his name up the waiting list for federation resources. I’m still not sure how Lhandon is going to make that work. Oo
The two made their way to the side conference room that they were in earlier, where they knew Zelos would be waiting. They stopped for a moment outside.
Zelos: We can barely pay for repairs on the Courtesan. Let alone rebuild the fleet.
Tira: Inviting the Betazed Houses was a mistake.
Zelos had his reasons, but he didn’t expect Tira to understand that.
Zelos: Next time I swear, we’ll…
Tira: Captain.. ::motioning with her head:: Your guests are here.
They had been noticed. Tira had honed her instincts well.
Caras: Didn’t mean to interrupt. I did want to stop by and compliment you on the food, the atmosphere, and the music. I don’t leave the studio often these days, but I thank you for not wasting my time.
It was the best compliment he could think of without totally running the character of Maddox.
Zelos: Well I had hoped so. When you never responded, I figured most of my efforts would go unappreciated. Glad to finally meet the mystery man in the flesh.
Caras: Pleasure was all mine.
Zelos extended his hand. Caras recognized it as an opening for an Orion departing gesture, but he opted for a handshake like someone who has negotiated with the federation before.
Zelos: I took the liberty of putting your gift with the items you won in the auction, which you can collect at the front.
Right. The gift. Sevantha managed to keep a pleasantly muted smile despite her desire to roll her eyes.
Saa: …Merci, it was very kind of you.
It wasn’t a lie, the gift was kind for a couple, but they weren’t a couple. Dancing around the truth proved to be a challenge. Politely she bowed her head and rose. Almost immediately her mind felt the presence of her father closer than he ought to be. Luckily, a Betazoid becoming distant and distracted mid conversation were not uncommon occurrences, Soleil was often described as exceptionally flighty when whims caught her.
Sevantha was not, however, but her father’s movements not matching his words perplexed her. He was supposed to be gone, and yet he was still there. Had he lied to her? Why? This made it hard for her to remain grounded in the physical and also hunt for the answer.
Caras: I would say that we might see one another again, but I think this is my last outing for a long time. Farewell.
Zelos had been holding Morro’s hand for a while now, for a moment Caras thought that he wouldn’t let him go.
Peirse: ~ Vanna, I know you’re listening and looking for me, I’m going to ask you to stop now and we’ll discuss it later. ~
Saa: ~ What game are you playing?~
Zelos: It was a pleasure to meet you two. Farewell, keep making exquisite art.
With that Zelos finally let him go. Tira was staring daggers at them, ushering them to go. The two turned and left.
Caras: oO something wrong, you seem distracted? Oo
Saa: ~ My father, I am not sure he truly ever left. ~
Reaching to touch Morro’s skin again, she grounded herself once more, and looked down. As she did, Sevantha realized a tinge of green had appeared in his hands, and their time was now severely limited.
Caras: What’s wrong?
Saa: ~ Morro, the pigmentation is wearing off, we have to go… Follow me.~
There was no making this action look natural. Rushing to the front, pulling him along, Sevantha grabbed the case with the cytraxian moon crickets, a piece of eclectic art with identifiable origin that they’d been joking about the whole show, and a collection of rare Cardassian kanar that had undersold due to the now questioned authenticity. Initially Sevantha challenged Morro’s desire to bid on a drink he was allergic to, but he justified it as offering to Commander Nijal in trade… just in case later on he ever owed her. Sometimes she wondered how he managed to be so bold.
Caras: oO I’ll need to find a place to get out of these clothes too. Can’t let anyone see me be green and in these. Oo
Saa: ~ He’s close… Hopefully with a ship or lodgings. ~
As the two rushed from the party, Tira’s had quietly followed them a few steps out, noting their increased urgency. It was there she caught the hint of green in Davian’s skin and alerted Zelos.
Tira: …Does he look familiar to you?
Zelos: He recognized what the shake was, he played dumb. I finally got a good look at his eyes. Looks like the family from The Gambit, Caras.
Zelos had not suspected him until the end. He figured Maddox wouldn’t want to associate himself with failure. The real Maddox would have left already. The imposter was softhearted, or didn’t know the character of Davian Maddox well enough.
Tira: ::Considering:: …Z’Mat pays well for this information, we could leverage against her for a price,, though I’m sure her terms would indicate no retaliation.
That name had been appearing more and more recently on Zelos’s radar. Another rat that had made it out of the Vale. Trying to make a name for herself and not doing too bad of a job.
Zelos: Arrange a meeting.
(( Docking Ring, Deep Space 14 ))
Once they’d gotten far enough from the party, Sevantha was able to get a better lock on her father and eventually he’d given her his location. When they’d arrived, Peirse greeted them and practically tossed Morro into the ship to get changed out of his clothing already fully aware of what was transpiring. The joys of telepathic banter with his child. Sevanthachose to stay outside the ship and interrogate her father. When Morro stepped out, the two were just staring at one another, Sevantha looking incredibly frustrated while Peirse was holding back his amusement. He would be the first one to break eye contact and turn to Morro.
Peirse: Sorry the replicator didn’t have any Starfleet uniform patterns, hopefully business casual works… though it looks like you had to modify the existence of sleeves.
Caras: No problem! Easily adjustable!
Saa: Don’t change the subject!
Morro had gotten easily manipulated by Peirse.
Peirse: I’m not changing the subject. As I explained, it was perfectly legal and we are here with permission, those were artifacts pillaged during our occupation… ::placing his hands on his hips:: Zelos parading House treasures was an insult and attempting to make fortune off our culture, we still payed for it… just at a considerably lower price then he was attempting get.
Saa: You lied.
Peirse sighed.
Peirse: Not something I take pleasure in, Vanna… but sometimes it is necessary when dealing with others on the outside who attempt to abuse our cultural disposition. ::making vague circling of his hands to explain:: I assure you, daughter, my actions are permitted and the Houses only approve those who have been thoroughly scrutinized for such jobs.
Saa: I meant to me.
Folding her arms, she huffed a little at his failure to realize why she was angry, to which Peirse smiled at his daughter affectionately. The entire situation was more funny to him, but he had been the one to instill the morality of honesty in her growing up, naturally she had been bound to react poorly. There had never been secrets or dishonesty between them up until recently.
Peirse: Sevantha, my little firebug, I’m sorry but sometimes business off-world requires more loose interpretations of our morality… Playing dress up as the mysterious Soleil and Davian Maddox is not exactly honest, now is it?
Morro did have to give that to Peirse, but they were on a mission, it wasn’t to deceive him. They didn’t know he would be there.
Saa: …You weren’t supposed to be here.
Peirse: It’s a pleasure to meet you in the… green, Mr. Caras.
Caras: Ah yes, no longer with the act. A pleasure. Thank you for keeping our cover. Sevantha has mentioned you frequently. It’s nice to meet you in person.
Peirse: Usually I don’t get the pleasure of meeting Vanna’s friends, she’s so secretive, how’d you two meet?
Saa: Atda, please.
Caras: We met near the end of our academy days, and I ended up calling her for some help a bit later. Then we became pen pals. Then to my surprise she transferred onto my ship! Since then we’ve spent time with one another almost every other day.
Peirse made a little “hm” noise as he pivoted from Morro, to Sevantha, then back to Morro. Both brows did a quick raise as if he was reading between the lines but said nothing.
Peirse: I’m glad my daughter is making such good friends.
Flustered, Sevantha attempted to turn away and hide her face.
Morro just smiled and nodded, he thought having a father like Peirse could be a whole lot of fun.
Saa: I appreciate your concern but I am not a complete recluse.
Peirse: A father is allowed his worries….
Caras: It’s really nice to see that you have a great report with one another. I don’t think you need to worry much, Sevantha and I tend to look out for one another.
A knowing gaze would be exchanged from Peirse to Sevantha who after they made eye contact, looked away unable to respond.
Peirse: We are unfortunately limited on time so I can play host for only a bit longer before I need to finish departure arrangements. ::Reluctantly sighs:: …Maybe I’ll make it back out to the Gamma Quadrant soon or, you all could take that trip to Betazed.
(( Habitat Ring, Deep Space 14))
Eventually Sevantha would give in to her father’s teasing affection and Peirse would relent to be a little gentler once he did. Yet an hour or so later, they’d have to depart. Sevantha and Morro were once more left to their own devices, wondering how the Chey’dlang diplomacy team were fairing in the endeavors. Sevantha’s father had given her a traditional Betazoid cape to wrap herself on their back to her quarters.
They took a detour on the way back, however, to catch a glimpse of the Zelos’s ship and clean-up crew. As they had observed, most everyone present was not actual crew, just paid by the hour mercenaries for playing the part. The ship itself, Morro informed Sevantha was an old model, likely refurbished, but nothing like his previous vessel. Ultimately, the two concluded the Captain was no threat to the negotiations and had been there in an attempt to simply sell questionably acquired items from the Jem’Hadar at outrageous prices by appealing to upper echelons of victim species societies or trophy hunters who sought to expand their collection.
Saa: What a night…
Caras: Agreed. At least we had a good time, and we got all of these souvenirs to commemorate the occasion. I have some things to put in my quarters.
Morro had stuffed most of his things into a bag.
Sevantha looked at the ground and smiled.
Saa: These poor crickets are going to need a home other than my room. ::she looked up:: Every could have gone far worse for us… all things considered.
Caras: It was a great night! Honestly it was a pretty good fake date. We worked really well under cover.
Something about what he said struck her and her pace slowed. Her eyes remained on her feet as they walked.
Saa: We did… didn’t we?
Caras: Of course, we always are amazing together.
Saa: …Morro
She abruptly stopped walking and looked up at him.
Saa: What if… ::she hesitated:: …next time was real?
Morro’s brain stopped. What did she mean by that? That they would be the actual Solei and Maddox. That couldn’t work. Holodeck stuff certainly wasn’t real. What did she mean? Did she mean… them? Both of them, going on a real date?
Caras: I… I don’t know…
Caras didn’t know how to do a date that wasn’t a seeker engagement. He knew she didn’t mean it like that. She had even said so that night over their long distance communication. He didn’t know how to go on a real date, with his real feelings. He didn’t know how to be anything more than a friend. He had really only learned that in the academy. He had never been in a relationship. He just… didn’t know.
She deserved someone who knew, not him.
Standing perfectly still, Sevantha watched as Morro struggled, and when she attempted to reach to his mind again… his emotional overwhelm shut her out. The connection the had sustained was out of her grasp and the familiar void of absence struck hard.
There was a trauma response to the sensation that risked transference onto the situation for her end, and yet it was hard to ignore. The connection and then its sudden absence all because she’d chosen to voice her feelings.
Saa: I… i’m sorry. ::she stepped back:: I…
Caras: No, don’t be sorry, i just…. I just…
He didn’t know what to say. That he thought she was making a mistake? How could he tell her that?
And that was the only word that made it through to her head.
oO “Mistake”. Oo
Oh. Sevantha stood silently for the moment. Was that how he viewed it? Just like Lorian did. She was a mistake indulged in a moment only to be cut off when reality of her feelings became too much. No. She was transferring emotions between situations. She needed to make space.
Saa: …just forget I said anything, p-please
Her voice weakened, there was something about her that seemed to physically withdraw into herself, before she seemed resolved to swallow her feelings. One of her closest relationships she’d sunk due to her own heart… once again… and all she could was remind herself what had happened the last time she’d let her feelings win. She forced herself to give him a small smile, a dishonest one, but an attempt to alleviate any guilt he felt.
Saa: I know the way from here… don’t worry.
Caras: ….. Goodnight.
That part was true at least. He wanted her to have a good night. It wasn’t that he didn’t like her. He really liked her. Liked her a lot. Maybe more than anyone else since he had left the Vale. He suddenly realized he had never examined his feelings about her. Not once. Why was that?
Saa: Good night. I’ll submit my part of the report by morning.
Politely she’d offer him a little bow before finding a small burst of energy in the conflict of emotion to walk past him. She couldn’t feel him as her emotions sweltered beneath the surface in a quiet maelstrom and only added to her sudden isolation.
Morro could only manage to get a wave out. He supposed that he also had a report to do. He was in his usual drama spiral. This time it was different. This time he sank like a stone to the bottom. He had messed everything up, hadn’t he?
As the two went their separate ways, Tira emerged from one of the stores, her gaze following Sevantha Saa's direction. She'd witnessed the events at a distance but hadn't heard what they said. An opportunity to increase the value of her information had arose and she wasn't about to let it escape. Lifting her communicator, she smiled wickedly.
Tira: If you pay me extra, forget Zelos... I'll get you the name of the Betazoid he was with. ::she muses:: Poor boy looks like he just had his heart ripped out.
Z'Mat: =/\= Done. =/\=
Lieutenant JG Morro Caras
Co Assistant Chief Engineer
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240106MC1
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