Lt. Dakora - Shocking Revelations
Travis
(( Room 02-1601 - USS Excalibur-A ))
Talos' first foray into Commander Addison MacKenzie's quarters was for way-less-sexy reasons than previous iterations of himself would've hoped.
He'd showed up at her door at an ungodly hour because for the Nth day in a row, he couldn't sleep at all. Somewhere in the tossing and turning and thinking about all of the fun and interesting ways he should've been dead, he'd decided to go pay a visit to the only person who would truly understand what he was going through.
Now she sat opposite him on her couch as he tried to explain just what was bothering him.
Dakora: I have talked to Lt. Seta- and it helped - but she wasn't there. You were. I was. ::He shrugged and splayed his hands.:: I just keep running through all of the little branching paths where we got lucky and things went our way. ::He laughed mirthlessly.:: There were like 157 different ways that we should've died.
She offered a small smile and rose her hands apathetically.
MacKenzie: Should have is not the same as might have, and there are lots of ways I might have died by now. But I haven’t, and neither have you.
He eyed her with trepidation.
Dakora: I don't think that's as comforting as you think it is.
She shot him a look, not that look, but a look, and Talos smiled a little, despite himself.
MacKenzie: Would you like something to drink? Perhaps something non-caffeinated…?
Dakora: Please. Whatever you've got. I'm gonna fall asleep at my desk tomorrow if I don't get this under control...
Addison rose and crossed to the replicator, returning with two cups of something. Talos took the offered cup as she returned to her seat and faced him.
He took a sip of the warm concoction -some kind of herbal tea, or something?- whatever it was, it tasted like a flower smells, with some added sugar or honey.
MacKenzie: So which moment do you keep reliving?
There was a shift in his expression as he considered the question. It was subtle, but it was there.
Dakora: There are a couple that keep sticking with me... ::He sighed.:: When they had me strung up on the crane... Vo'kor's guy? Durok? Well, he placed that dagger of his point first right into my sternum. He'd decided that I didn't have the intel he wanted and I felt his muscles tense and start pushing that blade into me. ::Talos shook his head and blinked.:: I knew it was all over. I was dead. I was so certain that I was going to feel the point driving through my skin, up into my chest- but at the last second Vo'kor shows up and tells him to hold off because we might still be useful. ::He directed his towards MacKenzie:: It was close. And when I close my eyes my brain keeps doing me filling in the gory details of what would've happened if he hadn't stopped.
He realized he'd launched into a weird monologue and after a moment of awkwardness he continued.
Dakora: Uh, how about you?
MacKenzie: I go back and forth between the sound of blood pumping through my head while I was being held up by my neck and the look on Vo’Kor’s face when we wiped out the rest of his bridge crew.
She smiled -the same one she tended to use when threatened to eject him out an airlock or something- and he realized there was some new depth to Addison MacKenzie that he'd only just discovered.
The corner of Talos' mouth pulled up in a lopsided grin.
Dakora: Oh, that was great. ::His eyes lit up a little.:: Or when the Commodore said the Excal was coming back online and Vo'kor was all: ::He assumed an inaccurate but comical impression of the Klingon's deep voice::"What, that's impossible! My little nano-bots! Boo-hoo! ::He switched back to his normal voice.:: and I was all like: "Shut up, Captain Asshat!".
She, of course, would remember that. She was standing only a few feet away when it happened. But something about recounting the highlights did, somehow, make him feel better.
MacKenzie: Response?
Against all odds, he felt a shift somewhere in his mind, like the old endorphin emitters had come unclogged and the first spurts of positivity were playing across his ravaged brain chemistry.
Dakora: Hey, I pulled those pants off and you know it! I might have to get the replicator pattern from you... with some anti-wedgie modifications.
He sipped more of the herbal tea and smiled, genuinely, for the first time in a while.
MacKenzie: Response?
Talos rubbed his tired eyes with the back of his hand sleepily.
Dakora: You know, now that we're out and we didn't die, I do have a confession to make...
His gaze found hers and let his expression just this side of serious.
MacKenzie: Response?
He took a deep breath, like he was preparing to bare his very soul.
Dakora: Back on the Daisy; It was a voice print authorization. ::His grin turned positively cheshire.:: You didn't HAVE to say an authorization code at all. I just... you know... thought a little humor would help at the time.
He broke out into a small fit of laughter at the revelation.
MacKenzie: Response?
Talos had mentally braced himself, but probably not enough. Still smirking, he continued.
Dakora: It is a good password though. Something no one would guess. ::He sipped up the last of his tea.:: I'm gonna use it somewhere in the Intel Department.
He set his cup down on the little coffee table and yawned. A quiet moment passed between them and he figured that he ought to be going before he overstayed his welcome.
Dakora: I don't know how, but I actually feel better. ::He shrugged.:: Thanks for the talk. And the tea.
MacKenzie: Response?
He rose and crossed to the door, but stopped right in front of it and glanced back at her.
Dakora: And... if you have any trips planned for this shore leave that don't involve going to Risa, I'm respectfully declining now.
With a final mischievous grin, he moved through the door as her reply chased him out.
MacKenzie: Response?
Standing in the hallway, he felt pretty good, considering the shape he had shown up in. He'd probably even get a little sleep tonight.
And maybe Addy never would HeartsTalos2399, but maybe, just maybe Addy-Thinks-Talos-Is-Alright-2400 and he could work with that.
Tag, and TBC!
Lt. Talos Dakora
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Excalibur-A
O238811CD0