Ens Dakora - Are You In?

[Travis Christman]

((Docking Ring Observation Lounge, DS224))

Talos had immediately regretted his choice of words. Seconds after making the bold claim that it was "his job to know things" she had gone and asked one question that he really should've known, but didn't. It wasn't the first time he'd found himself embarrassed and backpedaling in front of a gorgeous new acquaintance, and somehow, he didn't think it'd be the last.

Dakora: I...uh... I don't know what ship I'm on... :: He grinned sheepishly.:: I know what ship I was supposed to be on, but... well it got destroyed before I ever made it there...

(Un)Fortunately, the expression on her face changed and he felt a brief surge of emotion at the mention of what could only be the Resolution. It seemed Talos had managed to distract her from his own dumb-assery by bringing up the traumatic destruction of her ship. Nice. For her part, she seemed to take it in stride. 

A.Morgan: Ah, the Resolution. It's really a shame you never got to see her.

He nodded respectfully, letting the grin slide off of his face and a somber expression take its place.

Dakora: I was there at the end. On the Carpathia. ::A sad smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.:: That tough little ship held on as long as she could...

A moment of silence passed between them. Talos filled the space with a sip at his coffee, as he mentally scrambled to figure out how best to extricate them from the emotional minefield the conversation had steered them into. It seemed Adriana had similar ideas.

A.Morgan: She was a fine little ship, though truth be told, I am hoping we are assigned to something...a bit bigger than that this go around.

She hit him with a smirk that gave him the impression that she might have some of the information he wanted but that she might not give it up to easily. At least not without making him squirm a little. Well, the joke was on her because Talos didn't mind jumping through a few hoops, particularly when the ringleader looked like she did.

A lopsided grin tugged at the corner of his mouth

Dakora: Bigger would be nice. ::He leaned in a little, grin growing as he spoke.:: People like to say that size isn't everything... but in my experience, no one ever wishes they had less to work with.

If she was amused or annoyed by his less-than-subtle banter, she didn't make it obvious. He felt her mind reaching out to his as she asked him a question.

A.Morgan: So, Mister Talos Dakora...what do you know?

Her obsidian gaze found his as he felt her words continue in his mind.

A.Morgan: ~And what do you want to know?~

It had been a while since Talos had last had a purely telepathic conversation. There was always a sense of intimacy to it, particularly with another Betazoid. It wasn't just the words that came through with the message, it was little hints of emotion, tiny bits of imagery in your mind's eye that provided so much more context than a regular, verbal conversation. He did his best to mask his amused reaction to her message with yet another sip at his coffee mug. 

Dakora: What I know is that cargo transfers leave a trail. ::He nodded in the direction of the Discovery, Excalibur and Drake outside.:: Which is why I also know that a cargo sled carrying the personal effects of Fleet Captain Nicholotti and Commander Mackenzie arrived at the cargo transporter on this deck and was most likely beamed to one of those three ships. The trail ends there at my clearance level, unfortunately.  

That was where trail had gone cold for him, as the transporter records for cargo belonging to Command Staff weren't available to those with an Ensign's clearance. Even if the Ensign happened to be an Intelligence Officer and asked very nicely. Which was something Talos had personally discovered when he'd tried to interrogate the unnecessarily grumpy Bolian transporter Chief earlier today.

He switched his communication method, much like she had, hoping to keep her on her toes a little.

Dakora: ~Hypothetically: What I'd like to know is if you know of anyone... A Commander, perhaps?... that has a high enough clearance to access the transporter logs of Command Staff Cargo. Then I could narrow down which ship the sled was beamed to and with relative certainty, which ship is our new home. Hypothetically, of course.~

It was a long shot, but during the course of their brief exchange, he'd had the impression that she might be up for such a request. It wasn't illegal or against any regulations necessarily, just a bit... unorthodox. He'd owe her a favor, he knew, but staring across the table at his lovely dark-haired, slate-eyed companion he decided he wouldn't mind being in her debt.

They had two distinct conversations going now: One verbal and fit for public consumption and one telepathic and slightly more sensitive in nature. For some reason, this really tickled the cloak-and-dagger Intelligence Officer that lived inside Talos. He imagined the possibilities of a fully telepathic Intel Department for a moment, before her response brought him back to the task at hand.

A.Morgan: Response?

A.Morgan: ~Response?~

Dakora: I'm sure we'll know soon enough. ::He smirked.::You must've been on Risa with the rest of the Res' crew, right Commander Morgan? I'm surprised we didn't bump into each other sooner.

Quickly, he tacked on the second part of their ongoing conversation. The only indication that anything was happening beyond their primary verbal discussion was a slight subtle raising of his left eyebrow.

Dakora: ~Naturally, I'd owe you one, if you assisted me in my little harmless research project. I may only be an Ensign but you'd be surprised at how useful I can be.~

A.Morgan: Response?

A.Morgan: ~Response?~

He didn't let his smirk fade, even as he shifted in his chair a little, the only hint that the exchange had him feeling a bit nervous. There was every chance that when he started in with his unusual request she would slam the figurative door on his face. She hadn't quite done that so far, but things still hung in the balance.

Dakora: I certainly enjoyed myself, despite the less than ideal circumstances. ::He shrugged.:: Though those Risian's have some pretty interesting, if... inaccurate impressions of Betazoid culture...

Dakora: ~So how about it? ::He glanced over at the ships outside the large window:: Doesn't being among the first to know at least a little of what our future has in store for us sound nice? Are you in or out, Commander?~ 

 A.Morgan: Response?

A.Morgan: ~Response?~

TBC

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Ensign Talos Dakora
Intelligence Officer
USS ???????
O238811CD0

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke