A Sight for Sore Eyes

Posted on Thu Mar 3, 2016 @ 5:58am by Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin & erie'Riov Rianni Monteros-t'Khellian

1,045 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Pangaea (Wrap up)
Location: Rianni's Quarters
Timeline: MD12 0050

::ON::

Rianni had given her quarters over to Klia and Yolanthe for the trip back; being the owner's Granddaughter afforded her very nice accommodations so the 'room' was actually two separate rooms, giving Yolanthe and Klia their own beds and privacy. She'd be up most of the night working on Midnight with Andy, her poor ship had taken one Hell of a beating, and she was just coming to get Mittens so they could both move into quarters closer to the shuttle bay where she'd spend the rest of the trip. She opened the door and slipped in quietly, grabbing her bag from the floor and reaching for Mittens, whispering, "Come on, baby, let's go."

"Who's there?" Klia suddenly asked, struggling up onto her elbows. There was a note of panic in her voice.

'It's just me, Klia." Rianni replied, her voice soft and reassuring, "Just here to get my things and my cat, it's okay."

"Oh." Klia collapsed back onto her back. "You don't have to. She can stay. She's kinda fuzzy."

"Yeah, she is." Rianni smiled, watching as Mittens rubbed against her legs before walking to her bed and jumping in with Klia, "Seems she likes you, too. Okay, well, I should probably go then...."

"You can stay too. You're less fuzzy, but I don't mind."

Rianni walked over and sat on her bed, considering saying 'Look who's talking' to the now bald Orion, but not sure how her sense of humor would be at the moment all things considered she didn't, and merely said, "Thanks."

With Mittens curled up between them enjoying their dual attention and purring contentedly, Rianni finally opened the conversation, "So, how are you feeling?"

"I'm too drugged to feel anything, but not so drugged that I can't sleep without dreaming." She stared at the ceiling, scratching at the kittens chest while it purred. "I never thought I'd see anyone I knew ever again."

"I can't even begin to imagine how terrified you must have been." Rianni said, her voice hiding the anguish she felt for what Klia had been through. She reached over and placed a hand on Klia's hand, "But that's all over now. We'll be home soon."

"Home." the orion echoed, not responding to the hand placed on her own. "I'd given up on ever seeing that again."

"Yeah." Rianni smiled, "But now it's just a couple days away. Get back to your old life."

"i'm not sure I can go back." Klia's fingers tightened in the kitten's fur for a moment. "Too much has happened."

"Where would you go then?" Rianni asked, the idea of Klia leaving again after all of this bothered her immensely, but she couldn't blame her, not after all she'd been through.

"Oh, I didn't mean like that. I meant, I don't think I could go back to writing porn for all comers. Or any sort of holoprogram. Writing fantasies just doesn't see right. Not any more."

"Well, what would you want to do then?" Rianni pressed with genuine interest having been in this same situation on more than one occasion, "I mean, if you could do anything you wanted in the galaxy?"

"I don't know. Not sure I want to do anything. Hardly matters anymore."

"Okay, well, not like you have to decide tonight." Rianni smiled, "You've got the rest of your life now."

"That I do." Klia was silent for a long time. "Why are you here? I mean, what are you doing here. You didn't come with Lani."

"We came for the same reason, just at different times." Rianni shrugged, "Lani and I haven't gotten along very well lately. Had some trouble with the man who let Torm get you and it just spiraled out of control. In fact, I think I'd been around her about twice since we were told you died....."

Rianni stopped dead and ran a frustrated hand through her hair, "Honestly, it was too sad for me to go in there after you weren't there anymore."

Klia snorted. "That's fucking extreme. Its just a fucking bar." Then she realised what she'd said and looked guilty for a moment, and then just shrugged. "real shit makes you put your old problems in perspective." It was the closest she was going to offer as an apology.

"Yeah, really does." Rianni smiled softly, Klia had no idea what she'd been through and, if Rianni could help it, she never would, "But, fresh starts and clean slates are a beautiful thing."

"They're also mythical. Right up there with unicorn farts and Ferengi charity. There are no clean slates. Nothing is ever clean."

"Maybe not fully clean." Rianni nodded, "But close enough I'd say. It is what you make of it. We can all make our own situations better of worse. Someone very wise told me that."

Klia snorted. "They get it out of a fortune cookie?"

"I don't know where you got it." Rianni smiled, thinking back to a time they'd spent together at a Bajoran bakery on DS5 eating hasperat and drinking Romulan coffee, "But it was what I needed to hear at that point in my life. So, yeah, consider it re-gifted."

Klia frowned. "I said that?" Definitely from a fortune cookie then. I miss those."

"Tell you what, how about I take your for Chinese when we get back to DS5 then?" Rianni offered, "Fortune cookies are on me."

Rianni let go of the kitten for a moment and looked at her. "I'll hold you to that."

"Definitely." Rianni smiled, "I... Eisn, this is going to sound so lame. I really enjoyed our dates, Klia. I never felt like I had to try to be cool or anything, no pressure, it was just... comfortable. Plus, being seen with a beautiful Orion isn't bad for this Halfling's ego." She laughed and stroked Mittens' head, smiling softly at Klia, "So, Chinese and Bajoran pastry for dessert then?"

"Ugh. no. Earth food only and fortune cookies for dessert. Deal?"

"You didn't like the Bajoran pastries?" Rianni giggled, the fact was she hadn't really liked them all that much, either, "Then Chinese and fortune cookies only."

"Good. Better go make this crate haul some ass then. I've got a craving for steamed buns."

::OFF::


Klia
NPC by Yolanthe


Rianni

 

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