Oh ho. He was feeling protective. Vera continued smiling, but made her eyes go as wide as she could, reaching up to put a hand over her heart in mock surprise. "Oh! I do apologize, I didn't realize you didn't realize, hah! I'm preparing my duty roster because I'm coming back to active duty. I've recently pledged my Lahai to fly with the fleet."
And, because Vera was an asshole and because Kev wasn't here to stop her, she grinned her most sharklike grin. "After all, where else could I go?"
The thing about lying was that it worked best if you had some truth in there. Vera did mean that sincerely, since finding out that Pecius existed she could see no where else to go. Her older two sons were grown and safe, Syvato was still young enough to keep him safe in her arms. but Pecius, the last link to-
Well. It went without saying, without thinking, that watching out for him and making sure that he had the tools to protect himself and thrive were very important right now.
"You're joking," it was a statement, not a question.
After she finished, and grinned her toothy grin, Traise's nostrils flared with deep breaths. WIth a squint he tried vainly to strip away whatever varnish she was using to keep up this 'charade' but alas...
He rolled his shoulders into a stern posture, "I will only say this once, Commander Vriha. I won't let you do anything to hurt my friends in this fleet. That's a promise."
Traise re-tucked his PADD in his armpit and gave her the option of a final retort before he marched off. It was, after all, only courtesy.
After she finished, and grinned her toothy grin, Traise's nostrils flared with deep breaths. WIth a squint he tried vainly to strip away whatever varnish she was using to keep up this 'charade' but alas...
He rolled his shoulders into a stern posture, "I will only say this once, Commander Vriha. I won't let you do anything to hurt my friends in this fleet. That's a promise."
Traise re-tucked his PADD in his armpit and gave her the option of a final retort before he marched off. It was, after all, only courtesy.
The problem with varnish was that it could cloud up over time, obscuring what was there. Trying to see what was beneath her varnish was like trying to see a centuries old painting before it was restored. You could see hints of what she was, what she could be again, but mostly you just saw discolor and cloudiness.
Vera continued smiling up at Traise, tipping her head to one side as she looked him over. "You must be a brilliant captain indeed, if that's a promise you can uphold. There are so many people here." She replied, and somewhere nearby on a warbird her Kev was finding himself with a migraine. "We'll have to catch up later. I'd love to hear the adventures of you and your lovely lady, the D."
Vera continued smiling up at Traise, tipping her head to one side as she looked him over. "You must be a brilliant captain indeed, if that's a promise you can uphold. There are so many people here." She replied, and somewhere nearby on a warbird her Kev was finding himself with a migraine. "We'll have to catch up later. I'd love to hear the adventures of you and your lovely lady, the D."
"You can count on it," was all he said, albeit in a firm voice. As he walked away, in essence back towards his boat, Traise wondered if it actually made sense given the conversation but he was already too heated now to worry about that.
He had Research to do.
Given this woman, 'Vera' was now apparently part of the 38th she'd have paperwork on her. Something to look at and dig into. He was worried about another Kul vav'ghabe Situation. He was paranoid. And even though his answers would be mundane, simple, and actually sensible... he wouldn't listen. They had to be a ploy. Part of a scheme. How can you see coincidence from a perch of paranoia?
It was tragic in a way; any other person it wouldn't have triggered the way it did for him. Almost any other person the buttons pressed wouldn't have caused such cognitive dissidence. But for Traise... well... one day perhaps he would find it humanizing.
One day.
Poor Traise.
He had Research to do.
Given this woman, 'Vera' was now apparently part of the 38th she'd have paperwork on her. Something to look at and dig into. He was worried about another Kul vav'ghabe Situation. He was paranoid. And even though his answers would be mundane, simple, and actually sensible... he wouldn't listen. They had to be a ploy. Part of a scheme. How can you see coincidence from a perch of paranoia?
It was tragic in a way; any other person it wouldn't have triggered the way it did for him. Almost any other person the buttons pressed wouldn't have caused such cognitive dissidence. But for Traise... well... one day perhaps he would find it humanizing.
One day.
Poor Traise.
Vera watched the man walk away with a smile on her face. Ah, humans. They were so much fun. Not enough to want any on her ship, but they were still fun. She really would have to check in and see what he'd been doing these past few years. Something bad, apparently. He wouldn't be guarding 'home base' so securely otherwise. This could be interesting.
But after he walked away and she didn't have a distraction anymore, Vera felt the thrill and joy she'd felt sink from her bones. It was replaced by a heavy feeling and suddenly even standing up was too much work. Her face fell emotionless and she sat back down like a puppet with her strings cut, picking her padd up and continuing on her work. Duty roster. Right.
What was the point in acting if you didn't have an audience?
But after he walked away and she didn't have a distraction anymore, Vera felt the thrill and joy she'd felt sink from her bones. It was replaced by a heavy feeling and suddenly even standing up was too much work. Her face fell emotionless and she sat back down like a puppet with her strings cut, picking her padd up and continuing on her work. Duty roster. Right.
What was the point in acting if you didn't have an audience?
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((
A few hours later... Traise speaking with Sierra:
"Let's talk about the Romulan. Can we talk about the Romulan? I've been dying to talk about the Romulan!"
))
A few hours later... Traise speaking with Sierra:
"Let's talk about the Romulan. Can we talk about the Romulan? I've been dying to talk about the Romulan!"
))