JP Ens Trovek and LtJG Tito: A Good Death - Missing Piece of the Puzzle

[Arys Trova]

((Tanssivat Klingonit, Helsinki, Finland, Earth))

Arys stayed in touch with Tito, but it took a few days until she had time to meet with him. She had invited him to a restaurant that reminded her of their first meeting. She stepped inside, moved to one of the booths with cushioned benches, and checked the drinks menu. As the waitress appeared she was just about to order a glass of wine when she remembered Tito’s past and settled on a tea instead.  Then, she let her gaze wander across the room and towards the door, waiting.

Arys didn’t know how much time had passed as she saw Tito stepping inside and looking for her. She got up, waving him over to her. 

Trovek: Tito. :: she smiled::  Thanks for coming - how are you enjoying Earth?

Tito had used the past days for resting. The hotel he was staying in was quite comfortable and he was enjoying the sauna. He did however hate Finland's freezing-cold climate, and that was why he only went outside the Hotel once, to have a quick visit to the city.

Now that he caught up with his sleep, and was feeling much better. Dressed in a freshly replicated suit and a black tie he smiled as he saw Arys. He took off his puffed winter jacket before sitting down.

Tito: I love Earth, but I admit this North is a bit too cold for me. I am a southern boy. :: He tilted his head to her.:: How are you doing?

Trovek: I am feeling a little guilty because I should probably have told you I moved - I am renting a place in Berlin for the time being. :: she sighed:: So much happened, I don’t even know where to start. At this pace, I will be looking forward to returning to the Juneau, at least what we encountered there were just illusions or hallucinations.

She sipped from her mug of tea and pressed the holo emitter in the center of the table to bring up the menu. She wasn’t feeling hungry, but she had gotten much better with the whole eating thing. 

Tito arched his eyebrows. Berlin was certainly a lot less cold than Helsinki. But what surprised him was the fact she had moved at all. Curious at what happened he pondered if he should question her. She probably wouldn't answer, and there was a chance she would try to pull away from him again. But he couldn’t let it go so easily.

Tito: You moved? What happened?

Trovek: Where do I even start? Well… first things first, my father inherited the house and I was asked to leave and not come back. That’s why we-.. I.. why I moved to Berlin. I lost my position as a consultant at the Clinic, so I guess that’s another thing that happened. 

We? That Lurkin friend of hers? He wondered if the Cardassian was taking advantage of her moment of sorrow, but he tried to not imply it just yet.  And why the fallout like that with her father?  Perhaps those were too many questions to ask, but the fact she had moved would explain why they took so long to see each other. 

Not really knowing where to start he chose to follow the easy path and press her Freudian slip.

Tito: So there is a We now? Your friend Lurkin I assume?

Trovek: :: blushing ever so slightly:: It’s… complicated. But yes, we took an apartment together, and he… he is…:: looking for the right word:: … he is my person, whatever that means at the moment. I am grateful that he is there. 

She smiled and waved the waitress over to order something light to eat, trying not to crave Lukin’s cooking instead. Really, if his career as Ambassador ever got derailed, he could just open his own restaurant.  Tito smiled as he saw her features brighten up. The way she said he was “her person” reminded him of how Vetras called him “her Human”. And it looked like they shared the same brightness in the eyes as they said that.

Tito: I am glad to hear that. I just hope that he behaves with you. There are some stereotypes about Cardassians that worry me. And how about your father, what happened? 

Trovek: Well no, he isn’t like that. I don’t really want to talk about the family trouble either, suffice to say it is bad. Once I leave here I doubt I will be coming back any time soon. Nothing left to come back to. 

He raised an eyebrow at her words, but since she wasn’t comfortable with that he wouldn’t push it further. He leaned back wondering what to order.

Tito: It must have been difficult, after what we went through on the Juneau, being in this situation. I am glad you could count on Lukin for support and weren’t alone facing this. :: He lowered his head, feeling guilty for not helping her and arriving too late.:: I am sorry I wasn’t there.

Arys frowned and shook her head vehemently. 

Trovek: Tito, you know me. I hate sharing my feelings, let alone my problems. And in this very case, it would get you into a more than a difficult situation. 

She was thinking about the fact that she, in theory, should report her father’s actions. She hadn’t done it yet, and she didn’t want to do it either. Was it because she still felt affection for her father? Or had his threats of destroying her own reputation found purchase? 

Tito nodded. It was a huge effort for him to go to the cemetery, and he wouldn’t likely be good support for her.

Tito: And you also know me. Yes, I admit I had a tough time at the cemetery.

Did he want to make this a counseling session? She hadn't asked him to come here. Arys banished these thoughts - she had been in somewhat of a bad mood ever since she had learned about Taril's existence, even if she wasn't sure why.

Trovek: But there is something I could use your advice on, considering that you seem to have a tendency to adopt people into your family. At least that’s what I gather from Sil. 

He tilted his head. It wasn’t that much of a family, and he never had one in the proper sense. At least not until Vetras. 

Truthfully his friendship with Arys grew more than he expected, but she was rather easy to connect with. In a weird way.

Tito: Well, you were easy to adopt. oO But a lot difficult to take care of. Oo What can I help you with?

Arys hesitated, waiting for the waitress to show up with the ordered food, and only spoke when the woman had vanished. 

Trovek: I… I inherited, amongst other things, a bunch of documents. It turns out I have another brother - a half-brother from my mother’s side. He is half Cardassian. 

The way Arys waited for the waitress to leave made him lean forward. He wrinkled his forehead, surprised by what she shared. He lowered his voice to keep their conversation as private as possible.

Tito: Your mother never mentioned him? How did you find out?

Trovek: The documents I mentioned. It…:: she sighed:: My grandfather was a diplomat. It turns out he might have been a little more friendly with the Obsidian Order than I had thought. He got the file from them.

Tito: Why would he do that?

Trovek: Well the file isn’t dated but considering the timeline. There were only a few years between my mother meeting my father, and the fall of the Obsidian Order, and subsequent civil unrest and war. I am just making assumptions here but it seems my grandfather looked into my mother further when she met my father. 

Tito frowned. From what she hinted her connection with her mother was always difficult. And if her half-brother was Cardassian there was more to her mother’s past than she knew or had shared.

Tito: And what advice can I give you? Are you considering searching for him? Perhaps Lukin can help there.

Trovek: I haven’t decided yet if I should… open that can of worms, you know? From what I have learned, he was conceived when-.. Well.. during the Occupation. My mother killed the father and tried to kill the child too. 

Tito nodded. He heard stories like that. How Cardassians took Bajoran “comfort women'' during the Occupation. 

Tito: It clearly wasn’t easy for her as well. No matter how you feel about her.

Trovek: Yeah, she is-... I don’t know. I don’t have the time to try and relate to how my mother must have felt. He was adopted by his father’s widow and grew up Cardassian. I just… I am curious. But he might not even be alive anymore, or he might hate me, or he might not know the circumstances of his birth. I know there was experimental gene therapy on Cardassia Prime around the time he was a child, to diminish Bajoran features and raise them as ‘pure’ Cardassians. I don’t want to do any damage. 

Tito understood her doubts. It was a very old wound that could bring pain if opened again. He tried to see all angles, as he formed his reply. He attempted to suppress his own feelings, giving her sound and well-thought advice.

But he couldn’t put aside his thoughts about that matter. If he knew he had a lost brother or sister the first thing he would do was find him. Perhaps he wasn’t the best suited to give her such advice. He was beginning to feel that he wasn’t helping her as he should.

Tito: I see why you have doubts. Perhaps you should ask Lukin for advice on this. I am not sure I am the best help.

Trovek: I have spoken to him too, of course. He is the subject matter expert because he is… Cardassian. But even then, Taril -- that’s his name, Taril -- isn’t just Cardassian, and his opinion and the one Lukin has might not align. 

He shrugged as he opened his arms. Family matters were always difficult for him.

Tito: If I found out I had a brother out there I would go after him. But I barely had a family. My mother died when I was an infant, my father and grandfather tried to raise me, but my father returned from the Dominion war a wreck. My grandfather was too old… No matter how much I try to rationally help you I am… Look, what do you have to lose at least just to find him?

Trovek: How do you mean? Find him and see what happens? 

Tito: I don’t mean for you to run to him immediately, but ask Lukin for help, to find out where he is, who he is. Gather information and then make a decision.

Arys sighed. That made a lot of sense. Gather information before anything else, see what she could find out. Perhaps Taril was long dead, killed during the Dominion War. Or perhaps he had long reconnected with his Bajoran roots. 

Trovek: I think that’s the best course of action. I… don’t want to get my hopes up. Could be the one family member who doesn’t hate me. Well, Aaron doesn’t either, but he talks to imaginary friends so I don’t think trusting his judgment is a good idea. :: she smiled:: A Cardassian half-bother. Who would have thought, huh?

Tito: ::Shrugging:: Yeah, but it only shows that life surprises us. Curious how you found that out after your grandfather's death. Had he not died, you wouldn't have inherited the documents.

Trovek: You know, I wonder how Aaron would-... :: she fell silent, frowning. In her head, gears started turning:: I-.. 

Tito tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. 

Tito: I think you shouldn’t mention that to him. His cult is a bit anti-Cardassian, right?

Trovek: Yeah… 

The resentment between former enemies usually took a long time to settle down. And considering what Arys' mother has done and been through, he assumed the Trovek’s wouldn’t be pleased with Arys opening up that can of worms.

Tito: Just find out where and who Taril is. With that knowledge, you will make a better decision afterward. 

Trovek: Yeah… 

Was that the solution? The thing that, ever since she had laid eyes on those documents, was bothering her so much? She had felt like she was missing a piece of the puzzle in order to see the whole picture, but now she was holding this piece in her hands. 

She straightened her back and reached for the fork. 

Trovek: I will. And you are not wrong about my brother and my mother in particular. As a matter of fact, their sect doesn’t approve of Cardassians at all. And my brother claims divinity, you know… 

Tito: Divinity?

Arys: ::continuing:: And then there is the fact that he interpreted himself into a prophecy that would not allow for having another brother, even a half-brother. So it did benefit them both that Taril remained a secret. 

Tito: That would explain why your mother kept Taril a secret. It wouldn’t sound good for the mother of the Cult Leader to have a half Cardassian son.

Oh he had no idea what was going on in Arys’ head, and she didn’t mind that at all. 

Trovek: Indeed. 

Tito: Well, at least this bro of yours isn’t that complicated, just grumpy right?

She offered another smile, warm and pleasant as ever. She really was her mother’s daughter, wasn’t she?

Trovek: Absolutely. I am lucky to have you, Tito. Now, let’s eat. I don’t have too much time, there are things I need to do before returning to the Juneau. But … thank you. This gave me some much-needed clarity. 

Tito nodded. He took his glass of water and grinned at her.

Tito: It won't take long. I am just having a glass of water, remember.

End Scene. 

***********************

Ensign Trovek Arys 

Counselor 

USS Juneau 

J239809TA4

And 

Lt. J. G. Vitor R.S.Tito

Tactical Officer

USS Juneau, NX-99801

O238907VS0