JP LtCmdr DeVeay. & NPC Ryzek Xerion - She Left it all to you
Noelle Motuelle
((Starbase 118 Ops - FO Office))
Alora had lost an inch. Literally.
It was maddening and she wasn’t sure what could be done about it, if anything. She already got teased by her brothers about being short, but now she was sure next time she saw them they were going to notice that she’d somehow managed to lose another inch of height. At first, the idea of the possibility had seemed preposterous. After all, the orb had restored them. But no, imagination turned into reality when she realised that every single pair of pants she own was, yes, indeed, an inch too long and had to be altered. When she’d officially measured herself, it only confirmed the fact. Alora had half a mind to go to the temple where the orb had been sent and do something to find a way to regain her lost height, but the idea that she might actually lose even more nipped that in the bud. As irritating as it was, she was going to have to live with it. Better one inch shorter than sixty one inches shorter!
She had actually slept well the night before. Being shrunk and then unshrunk evidently took it out of a person, and she’d slumbered hard. Even the nightmares wouldn’t have been able to penetrate the blanket that covered her. Fortunately, those two were less frequent. When they hit, they hit hard, but they weren’t visiting her quite as often. It was a great way to start shore leave - except she wasn’t quite starting shore leave. Instead, after a late breakfast, she did take the time to run by the Galactic Equities Exchange Convention which, despite everything, was still happening as scheduled. There, she had been able to procure the artifact that had caught her eye. Although there was only part of the medallion, the fact it was made of the same stone as Solaris’ necklace intrigued her, and if she could find out more information about it, maybe she could find out more information about the T’kon.
Afterward, Alora made her way to her office. Securing the broken medallion into a drawer until she could take it home, she was almost immediately interrupted by a call.
Vairel: =/\=Vairel to Commander DeVeau.=/\=
DeVeau: =/\=I’m here, Vairel. What’s up?=/\=
Alora could almost hear the sigh on the other side, though she was sure it wasn’t actually physically emitted. The Vulcan couldn’t understand Alora’s lack of formality, and despite her attempts to indicate the appropriateness of keeping with pomp and circumstances, Alora simply did her own thing.
Vairel: =/\=There is a man here who insists on speaking with you. =/\=
A man? Who? Alora wasn’t expecting anyone.
DeVeau: =/\=Who?=/\=
Vairel: =/\=He says his name is Ryzek Xerion and that it is a personal matter of some urgency. =/\=
A personal matter? Ryzek...Ryzek...that name sounded passingly familiar. After a moment, she finally responded.
DeVeau: =/\=Let him in, Vairel.=/\=
Vairel: =/\=Very well, commander.=/\=
Alora had heard the name before, but she couldn’t quite place it. As the doors parted and the visitor entered, however, she recognised the face. It was the man who had been staring at her while at the gala and subsequently escorted away by security. What was he doing there? Rather than her normal smile, Alora greeted him with a furrow of her brow.
DeVeau: You!
::Ryzek hesitated, briefly, in his stride at the almost accusatory tone in the woman’s voice. With a chin slightly raised up, he made his way just a few feet from her. Just out of swinging range. He wore a well tailored Betazoid suit, hair gray but still full and well kept. He tucked his hands behind his back while holding onto a PADD.::
Xerion: My name is Ryzek Xerion and I need to speak with you ::pause. He looked her up and down in an innocent manner.:: It is of great importance.
DeVeau: Well, now that we’re not in the middle of an event, you can speak to me. What can I do for you?
Alora couldn’t imagine what would be so important as to try and barge into the gala without warning. The intensity with which he’d stared at her had been unnerving, but there, closer and face to face, she found the man less intimidating.
Xerion: May I sit? ::he waved his hand over one of the chairs.:: This might take a while.
DeVeau: Of course.
Alora’s hand swept toward the two chairs that sat on the opposite side of her desk, there for just such an occasion. She studied the man and noted the lines of sorrow around his, a detail that instantly made her tense. What was going on?
DeVeau: In the future, I find it best practise to request an audience rather than trying to barge into a place you’re not invited.
::He nodded his thanks, taking the nearest chair. After a long gaze at the Padd in his hands, he looked up at the curious woman.::
Xerion: There is no need to be defensive, I’m hardly a threat. ::his lips twitched slightly upward before they resumed a more stoic look.::
DeVeau:
Xerion: Perhaps I should start with a better introduction. ::paused.:: I am Ryzek Xerion steward to 15th house of Betazed, last of the ancient houses, Keeper of the silver keys, guardian of the treasure of Rixx. If this sounds familiar to you, it should. I serve Lady En-
The fifteenth house. Of course! As soon as he said it, Alora made the connection. Although she had never met the man, he had been mentioned a couple of times.
DeVeau: Oh! Enzada!
Immediately, Alora’s face spread into a smile. Enzada was a dear friend, one quickly but readily made. She had been steadfastly supportive after Kalin’s death.
::He nodded. As the Matriarch's steward, he had heard all about Lady Alora DeVeau. Enzada spoke of her frequently, moreso after her visit to Earth.::
Xerion: It is with deepest regret that I must inform you of her ::he took a breath, such a subtle indication of his inner turmoil on the subject.:: of her passing. :he finished.::
For a moment, Alora thought she’d heard wrong. Her ears must have deceived her and he must have said something else. Surely he was mistaken.
DeVeau: But...we spoke just a few days ago.
Like she did with her family, Alora connected with Enzada every week, without fail. In two days time, that week would have passed, and they would have shared another phone call. But now...
Xerion: ::he nodded, slowly.:: I know. This was… sudden
DeVeau: What happened?
Xerion: It was her heart. ::sorrow was evident in his tone and bony language.::
And it still didn’t make sense. Although in her eighties, Enzada had been active and in good health. She should have lived at least another twenty years. Her heart simply giving out seemed preposterous. Alora’s gut twisted. It was so sudden, and strange. Enzada had always been very open and open. She surely would have said something if her health was compromised.
DeVeau: And the autopsy...didn’t reveal anything suspicious?
Xerion: No nothing. ::he waved it off. He hated that part, it seemed so intrusive to the one he served all his life.::
It still didn’t make sense. Someone’s heart didn’t just stop without some sort of pre-existing condition. It was just...odd.
DeVeau: I...thank you for telling me. And doing so in person.
In person. All that way to tell her of Enzada’s death. While she was a good friend, it still seemed a rather odd thing to do.
DeVeau: And...I have to ask. Why did you come in person?
Xerion: ::he shifted in his seat and adjusted his collar.:: Informing someone Lady Enzada viewed as important to her as you are, via commlink is insulting to say the least. ::it was evident that wasn’t the only reason.::
Alora’s eyes narrowed. She could understand that to some extent, but even so, there was something else. Something unsaid. There was more to this than met the eye .
DeVeau: I appreciate that. ::She paused, then queried.:: What are you not telling me? There’s something else.
::Ryzek crossed one leg over the other. The late Matriarch, any real time spent on thinking about her filled him with tangible grief. She was fair, kind, friendly and so much more. He had vowed to serve her all those years ago, never thinking he'd outlive her.::
Xerion: Yes, there is another matter of great importance we must address right away. ::paused, he handed her the padd.:: She had left it all to you, the house, title, all of it.
Silence. That was all that came to Alora in the wake of that bit of information. Enzada left everything to her? He sat there, looking across at her as she stared at him. He took her silence as a request to clarify.
Xerion: Simply put, you are the heiress to the 15th house of Betazed, last of the ancient houses, Keeper of the silver keys, guardian of the treasure of Rixx.
DeVeau: But...she can’t.
Xerion: She can do as she pleases, in regards to her house. ::stubbornly.::
DeVeau: But...I don’t understand. Why? I’m not Betazoid.
Xerion: ::he paused, giving her a long, hard look.:: That is irrelevant… moreso when there’s no one else, blood or otherwise for it to be handed down too.
Once again, Alora lapsed into silence as she tried to process what the man had just told her. Her. Heiress. Which meant...Matriarch. The idea boggled her mind.
DeVeau: There’s no one? At all?
::He frowned, dark eyes glared at the edge of the desk as if it had personally offended him.::
Alora had known the house was the smallest of all the houses, that numbers over the centuries had dwindled. Recent events had turned the house upside down, but surely there was a line somewhere, even if distant.
DeVeau: No...cousins, or anything?
Xerion: Her son was all she had left to pass on too. After Kalin’s passing. ::he frowned some more.:: Like I said, there isn’t anyone else. And I have looked extensively into the matter.
At the mention of her husband, Alora froze, her body tensed, hands clenched into fists. It was still difficult. Still hard to hear his name and yet not see his face, to know that she would neer be able to feel his mind in hers again. She took a breath, in, in, in, and out, long and slow. She was able to hold herself together better, but that didn’t mean it was easy.
Yes, she had been married to Kalin. His death had left her a widow, but she hadn’t realised that she would still be considered a member of the house despite that. Enzada had told her she did, but Alora hadn’t realised that it stood legally as well.
DeVeau: What does this mean for me? And the house?
Xerion: It means you have a choice - to take it or to deny it. I must tell you, if you choose against it, the house will cease to exist. Enzada’s pride and legacy would be no more.
DeVeau: That’s it? It would just...disappear?
Xerion: Unfortunately that is how it is.
One hand lifted to rub at her brow. When she had arisen that morning, if someone had said she would be heiress to a Betazoid house, she would have laughed. Now? Now she was trying to figure out how this was all going to work.
DeVeau: If I accept, what then?
Xerion: Then you will have to return Betazed, and lay proper claim as the matriarchy of the house
Leaning back, Alora closed her eyes. Betazed. She had never been, though she had wanted to go. She and Kalin had talked about going when the time was right, when their experiments had produced a bit more fruit. That hadn’t happened. And now? Now she couldn’t even step into the Ohmallera district on the station. Inhaling deeply, she opened her eyes and gazed over at the steward who had come all that way to see her.
DeVeau: All right. I’ll make plans to leave tomorrow.
Xerion: ::he nodded, slowly.:: Of course. I will be leaving immediately.
DeVeau: Then I will meet you there.
Xerion: Will I? ::hesitant.::
That surprised Alora and an eyebrow shot upward. She canted her head to the side, studying the man.
DeVeau: What do you mean?
Xerion: Well, if I were honest, I had thought I’d not be employed anymore. ::his feelings of sorrow, evident.:: I may have served for many years, but I did not know how I fit in your plans for the house and home.
Plans? She had no plans. Alora had no idea such a thing would happen. Enzada had never mentioned it, and though Alora had known about Kalin’s ties to the house, she hadn’t thought that it would ever come to her. It had just never been on her radar. And Enzada, despite her age, she could have lived to be almost twice it. In fact, it seemed as if she would have. She’d never given any indication that she suffered from any ailment.
DeVeau: I...hadn’t thought of that.
::he canted his head to the side. Gently, and not invading, he felt her emotions. He wanted to know if her words match how she truely felt. ::
Xerion: I would be more than pleased to continue to serve the noble house.
DeVeau: Then let us say you remain for now, Ryzek.
And honestly, why would she turn him away? Although they hadn’t spoken extensively of Ryzek, what had been said about him had been positive. And honest, Alora was swimming in unfamiliar waters. She couldn’t just let him go. She had to figure things out...if she could figure things out.
DeVeau: I’ll see you on Betazed.
Xerion: See you there. ::he stood and bowed his head to his new madam.::
END
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JP by
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Lt. Cmdr. Alora DeVeau
First Officer
Starbase 118 Ops
M239008AD0
&
Npc Ryzek Xerion
Steward to 15th house of Betazed, last of the ancient houses, Keeper of the silver keys, guardian of the treasure of Rixx.
Simmer by
LtCmdr Rustyy Hael
Engineer
Starbase 118
--
Lieutenant Commander Nijil
First Officer
Starbase 118 Ops
USS Narendra
A239202RH0