Episode 5: Murder in Paradise

||USS Fenris
||Mess Hall East
||April 9, 2388
||1450


Elena was rubbing her temples as she went over the information because it seemed like she wasn't going to be able to do much of anything right now. She didn't have any physical evidence and she only had scans and she really needed more information and figure out what would make Kira stab someone...then again, maybe she didn't do it. It was just that it seemed more and more plausible that she did exactly that, and maybe with the right push she could snap.

It was the quiet ones you were supposed to look out for.

Shrugging a little bit, Elena started to eat a little bit of the food in front of her and didn't really think about much of everything as she looked at her PADD of information. She really wanted to figure this out before the wedding happened and she wanted to make sure that she was at the head of this as the doctor, but right now she had no power...maybe Taylor and James had gotten something.

With a plate of lasagne Taylor wandered around the mess hall in his armour, looking for a place to settle down and eat. Being back on the ship after shore leave was suppose to make you feel like you had been refreshed and ready to start a new season of hard work. Instead it just made Taylor want to eat and sleep. Of course he couldn't just retire just now, no, this was merely a breather to recharge his batteries for round two of the murder mystery. He spotted Elena eating lunch and looking at a PADD and decided to kill the bird of having to speak to her later right now.

Taylor wandered over to her table and plopped himself down on the seat with a sigh. "Hope you don't mind me joining you. Staff Sergeant Corden and I were getting to know the locals. One Mr Marius for example...our witness." As he said this he placed a PADD on the table for her to view before talking a small mouthful of his meal. After a few more he proceeded to speak. "If we were to just sign off what we know now, it wouldn't look good for Dolliver. Marius confirmed it was a small knife, which it was and he claims that the victim was stabbed after he and Dolliver had some kind of argument or stand off. However, I get the feeling she'd go for the chest if she was mad....when a killing is emotional you don't really think about placement of wounds, you just do it...and the chest is the biggest spot. Plus, I'm willing to bet that he just saw her pull the knife out of his leg rather than the actual stab."

"By all means, Colonel," Elena looked up and smiled, sitting up straighter. "I don't mind...though I can't say I have a whole bunch of good news for you. Her prints are all over that weapon and only her prints--it's looking like she might have stabbed him too, but I agree with you that the leg is just too convenient. Not to mention that heated lovers quarrel or not, she just doesn't seem the type. All I know is she was here a year ago for a while on assignment and must have met the victim them. They definitely had sex before he got stabbed and I really need to talk to her."

Elena frowned a little bit. "I think there's more to this Marius character than he's letting on, especially since Bakel hacked into the planet's records--that's strictly classified of course--and he's been in a scrape or two with this Ryder fellow. Perhaps it was self defense and she's really just a terrible Security officer and can't aim to save her life. At this point, I don't know exactly what is going on, but I know the victim was severely beaten a day or two ago, so this goes so much deeper..."

"Marius was being shifty with us at his home. I don't think it's nerves...just the way he kept pushing and pushing, saying it was her. It could be an honest mistake or he is looking to bleed the heat from him and onto her." he said sullenly before playing with his food. Right now talking about the case was making Taylor lose the will to eat. However the fact that Marius and Ryder had been in a scuffle before raised some interest within him. "Think maybe that'll be enough to get a warrant to bring him in?"

"The cases were pretty open and shut, so I don't think so," Elena said dismally. "I think we're going to have to wait until Gabe gets us the jurisdiction that we need so that we have more solid evidence to go on. You want to know what I think? I think that Marius is the key to this whole thing, but I don't think that Kira is entirely without blame either. Just the fact that they can be linked to being lovers makes it look bad on her part. What I don't understand is the stabbing him in the leg...we need to be allowed to interrogate her." Elena shrugged a bit and then decided to change the subject. "Whatever happens, we've got our best people on it, so we'll get the information that we need. Nayla, for instance...she was very helpful during the research phase of the investigation."

The smile that appeared on her face when talking about the Orion was hard to miss...

"I hate waiting." remarked Taylor rather sullenly who had taken to simply poke and prod his food with his fork than actually eat it. Simply put the case had made him lose his appetite and soon after he would probably lose his ability to sleep. It was one of those situations he was ill suited for; one where barging in with a phaser in hand was not the best approach. Of course Taylor couldn't help but notice the smile on Elena's face and it took him a while to click before he found the reason why. A sly smile crossed his lips before it disappeared behind a faux look of seriousness.

Still he managed to poke and prod his food as if trying to remain, in Elena's eyes, serious. "So...Ensign Pena....I'm sure you're glad you'll get to work closely with her on this case. I'm rather surprised you didn't go along with her and Staff Sergeant zh'Tar. Blue and green skin...must be worth a thorough physical examination. Of course it depends if you could take um...care of them both at the same time."

"I'm a joined Trill, Colonel," Elena said with a laugh. "I'm not that much of a drinker. Besides, I'm sure the two of them are enjoying time without the old doctor."

She knew that she had definitely let something slip, but at the moment she was gauging Taylor's reactions to it all and decided to just let it out. After all, what was the bad part of it all? Taylor was closest to Nayla and she kind of needed his approval here...well, maybe not. Still, it was nice to see what Taylor had to say about it all because they were working together.

"Can't say I haven't thought about the green one though," Elena admitted with a shrug. "One of my other hosts had a thing for Orions and can't say the allure isn't everything I remember it being in my other body."

Mostly, Elena was Tam and people didn't seem to understand that, but that was what she preferred to be called too: Tam. After all, Elena was just the host and while she leaked through, the experience was mostly Tam and he was loving things right now. The problem was, Elena always tried to suppress his fun because she didn't want to get attached to someone she would have to let go...it just seemed wrong. Nayla, though--she was an exception to the rule, or at least she felt that way about it at the moment.

There wasn't much reaction on Taylor's face but beneath it there was plenty of activity. Even after being on Fenris for some time now he really didn't have an opinion of the doctor since her attitude seemed to change like the winds. However he did give a slow nod. "I see." he began, wondering what else to say to the matter. "Well...you're both adults so talking to me about it isn't really going to yield any results. I think you need to speak to the green one herself. Unless you've got things on your mind?"

"I know," Elena responded nodding. "I know I need to talk to her about what's going on in my head, but I'm not sure what to say to her. You know her better than anyone around here and I don't want her to think I'm just trying to use her...in fact if anything, I'd be trying my hardest to make whatever happened last even if part of me is against it. I don't know if you know this about joined Trills, but it's a rule not to pursue past relationships when we change host bodies. For this reason, Elena has a thing against trying even though her heart betrays her--hurting Nayla isn't acceptable. You run off into danger quite often knowing there's a chance you won't come back to your family...how do you and the captain deal with that?"

Perhaps it wasn't alright to pry, but Elena was curious because if Taylor and Lillian could find a way to make it work, then why couldn't she and Nayla? There was a chance that one or both of them would die and yet Tam would be able to come back, more than likely and just be in a new host with all of the thoughts and experiences still intact, he just wouldn't be able to pursue Nayla again should he and Elena fall in love with her...that was why. It was because it would be painful for all of them and at the same time, they wanted her...and not just to bang her.

"We both admit I'm immune to death." he said with a chuckle before simply placing the fork down onto the plate. The mystery had more or less ruined any chance of him eating and Taylor just pushed the plate more inward of the table before looking right at Elena. "We've just gotten used to it really. I mean I know she doesn't like me being the one to always put everything on the line but she knows that's me. Duty has become part of my family life now...we're Starfleet officers and that means obligations to the Federation as well as each other. Simply put; we make do with the time we have. After all no one wants to die alone."

"I suppose you're right," Elena responded nodding. "Can't spend your whole life hiding, can you? There's always a chance something will happen, but you shouldn't let that dictate how you live your life. If the captain can handle the father of her children running off into danger, I think Nayla can handle the possibilty of me dying and being put into someone else...she's a strong young woman. I just...I'm rusty on how to proceed not to mention out of my area of expertise...my host is normally male. I suppose it's a good thing I'm a doctor, right?"

Giving something of a face of uncertainty Taylor just shrugged. "I think Nayla would probably be attracted to you...the uh, Elena you. I don't think she fully understands the whole Trill idea of being joined. Knowing Nayla she sees a cute doctor with spots she can be playful with and not the uh...worm." The whole concept of Joined Trill was so confusing that Taylor hadn't really bothered to try and understand. Instead he had simply consigned it to the 'things that happen without cause or need for reason' and left it at that. "Just...talk to her about it."

"Technically no one sees the worm," Elena said smiling.

She was being cheeky because it was Tam in control at the moment and while that threw people off, it was just part of who they were and that made them confusing. They were interesting and alluring and almost bipolar sometimes, but everyone was always fascinated with them--wanted to see where and how far those spots went. Still, Taylor had a point about just talking to Nayla and Elena knew she had to eventually, because if she didn't, Tam certainly would and to be fair, she and Tam were in this together.

Nodding, Elena shrugged. "You've been half helpful," the Trill teased. "I'll talk to the beauty, and you should try and eat--doctor's orders, though I know you seem to only care what your wife's medical say-so is. She may not be your wife for another three days, but you might as well try the title on for size and start getting used to it. We don't have jurisdiction in this case until tomorrow, so try and eat and relax--maybe spend time with your family. I'll go see about trying to clear my head and talk to Nayla, and you...try and take a load off..."

"I'll try, no promises." said Taylor who sullenly poked at his meal.

||Idriis
||Starfleet Embassy
||April 9, 2388
||1430


Lillian had to admit that she had to stop to do a couple of things and make sure that things were taken care of before she went to see HQ. She knew that there was a lot at stake here and so when she got there she went straight to the Admirals, knowing that they were expecting her and knowing they recognized her--there really weren't many pregnant, Betazoid captains. Feeling out of place because she wasn't in uniform, Lillian took a deep breath before she entered the room, seeing two Admirals there and suddenly feeling like her mouth had gone dry.

She was a Betazoid and they were upset with her.

The two of them motioned for her to have a seat and she did so slowly, always feeling like chairs were less comfortable these days. It was more awkward to sit down with her stomach, but she just smiled at them and then wiped it off of her face when they practically stared her down and she knew that they were harshly judging her right then. After all, it had been her crew member that had been arrested for the crime committed here and that meant that it was her fault.

So Lillian decided to keep her mouth shut instead of trying to be cheeky in any way, shape or form, knowing that whatever she said would be deemed 'wrong'. Folding her hands in her lap, she was ready for the fallout from Admiral Durst and Admiral Kaine, both of them livid that she couldn't keep her officers under control and she couldn't blame them. She still didn't think that Kira did it, but until she got to see her, she was never going to know what really happened.

"I don't think we have to tell you how disappointed we are," Admiral Durst began.

Lillian shook her head, "No, sir. This happened under my watch."

"It was one of your security officers! That doesn't make anyone feel safe, Captain!" Admiral Kaine told her angrily. "What makes everyone even more upset is that it happened so soon after everyone beamed down and the fingerprints are your crew member's! Do you know how this looks?"

"Like she killed her lover?" Lillian asked, realizing it was a trick question.

"This is all on you!" Admiral Kaine said. "You are a Captain, Captain Crae! It is your job to keep your men in line and it is your job on the line here should she be deemed guilty! We understand that you can't control every member of your crew during every moment of every day, but we could strip you of your captaincy."

Lillian nodded slowly. "Because I'm pregnant?"

"While your hormones are in question," Admiral Durst said slowly, "right now your ability to lead is being questioned. The locals have Ensign Dolliver in custody and if she is guilty, then you will have to answer for it as well. It looks bad, Captain. It looks like you came back to a place where she had been before and then she killed the man she'd been with soon there after..."

Lillian nodded because she knew that this looked bad and she knew that no matter what she said here, they would find a reason to shut her down. So...right now her job was on the line and she had to do everything in her power to make sure that she got Ensign Dolliver the best care because there was something else to the story here than what it all looked like--there always was. She just hoped that Taylor and James got everything out of Marius that they could.

"When may I have jurisdiction here to help?" Lillian asked slowly.

Admiral Durst took a deep breath. "That is up to Commander Lunn, but let me be perfectly clear here, Captain: you will have a lot to answer to if your crew member is guilty. I suggest that you do everything in your power to be cooperative and you go nowhere until this is finished. Follow the rules of the planet and you have nothing to worry about."

"This doesn't look good in your first year as a captain," Admiral Kaine told her shaking his head. "You answer to us, Captain Crae...do not continue to make Starfleet look bad."

"Understood," Lillian said nodding.

"Dismissed," Admiral Kaine hissed.

Nodding, Lillian got up and she left, feeling a bit sick to her stomach about the whole thing and deciding to devote as much time as possible to research. While she didn't want to lose her job as Captain because she was really attached to it now, despite wanting to still be a doctor, she wanted to make sure that Kira was alright and that she was getting fair treatment. So, it was time to make the best of a bad situation and Lillian dove right in, heading to her office and pouring through the scans her crew had gotten her before the locals had taken over.

||USS Fenris
||Elena's Office
||April 9, 2388
||1720


Elena had requested Nayla's presence under the pretense of a medical question for her and awaited her arrival. Surprisingly, Sickbay was so slow that the Trill had time to herself and she fixed her hair a little bit in her office, smiling and checking for lipstick on her teeth. Being a woman was fun and it was also not entirely new, but Tam hadn't been in a female host for awhile and he so in things like this he 'let Elena drive' so to speak.

"Just be honest and above all else, look at her face," Elena said aloud to the mirror, but it was half for Tam.

Nayla had been summoned to the sickbay apparently for something to do with something medical. It had annoyed her to no end that Elena had made the request and dug her up from her intelligence duties which involved keeping tabs on, well, everything. Despite Nayla's inexperience with working in a uniform she had a knack for getting into things without people knowing nor wanting her there. She entered the sickbay and plopped herself onto one of the biobeds, head still in a PADD.

"Need something doc?"

When Elena came out of her office, her stomach churned a little, realizing that Nayla was clearly hard at work as Elena should have been. She just felt like there was nothing more to do until they weren't all flying under the radar like this where getting caught meant getting arrested themselves. Still, everyone had their orders and Nayla was clearly far too busy to have this conversation with Elena.

"Um..actually...it can wait until you're less busy..." Elena managed, blushing and shaking her head. "You are clearly hard at work and I interrupted. Nevermind..."

Blinking in confusion Nayla turned off the PADD and placed it on the bed beside her. Elena was acting rather strange and while Nayla could read people to some degree she was no real councillor. "Tell me doc, something is obviously on your mind and I am here. Be a waste of time for me to leave without you saying whatever you were going to say."

"No, this should be about the murder, this shouldn't be about us," Elena said shaking her head. "All these years and I still have the worst timing. We can talk about you and me when we have this all figured out."

Honestly she wanted to talk about it right then because by now she was sure she had peaked the Orion's interest, but there was a murder investigation going on. There wasn't much either of them could really do at this point, but at the same time, that didn't mean that they couldn't be pouring over the information that they did have. Actually...what was the point? It was all going to be the same and she needed to see that damn body to be of anymore help to anyone.

"Actually, you know what?" Elena asked, reaching and stroking Nayla's hair, leaning in. "Life's too short..."

Taking a chance, she pressed her lips to Nayla's...

Elena had caught Nayla mid-breath so that the kiss had ended up trapping air in Nayla's throat that she wasn't too sure what to do with. She half pressed in and half pulled back which basically kept her where she was. It was a good thing that she had put the PADD down otherwise she might of dropped it. Nayla's emerald skin had come to a darker flush of emotion before returning the kiss for a moment before pulling back.

She made a show of smacking her lips, even licking them as if trying to scrape off as much taste as she good. "Mmmm." Nayla purred rather hungrily. "I think...I need to teach you how to kiss a woman..."

"You think I need some practice?" Elena asked with a smile on her face, cupping the Orion's face. "We've got time if you'd like to give me a lesson..."

Just like that, all playfulness that Elena possessed surfaced and whether it was Tam or Elena was hard to tell because both were invested. Both wanted this to happen and wanted to cement to Nayla that they were interested in her and in pursuing her further. They were going to make her feel things and they hoped that Nayla would want that...would do the same in return...

The Orion looked between Elena and the PADD as if weighing up she had enough time to molest the good doctor in her own sickbay. An evil smile even crossed her face as Nayla wrapped her legs around Elena's hips, pulling her in close against her. "Isn't there some kind of medical rule that stops you from screwing crew members? I mean...you've already seen me naked for my medical so what possibly could you gain from this?"

"We can do as we please as long as we're off duty," Elena responded, letting her fingers trail along Nayla's body. "Technically that means we're stepping over a line, but I'm more than okay with it..."

She knew that Lillian had started to crack down on everyone, but at the same time Nayla was right here and she was beings responsive and Elena wanted to go for it. For the first time since the incident a few years after joining with Tam, she felt like she was happy and Tam was more than happy. They were seeing eye to eye again and Elena brought Nayla in for another kiss, letting her tongue run along her lip.

"All I wanted out of this was you..." Elena whispered.

Blushing deeply Nayla let her hands mould and caress the Trill's breasts through her duty jacket with a wicked grin. It was tempting...to just close over the curtain along the bio bed and start a rampant sex session. However after the kiss and a bit of a fondle Nayla moved her hand down and along Elena's leg, just brushing through the trousers and her underwear to much sweeter, sensitive flesh. Flashing a grin she hopped off the bio bed with the PADD in hand before turning around, giving her rear a bit of a shake.

"Help me catch this killer, and I'll let you do anything you can come up with...Spots."


JP by these lovelies

||USS Fenris
||Lillian's and Taylor's Quarters
||April 9, 2388
||2145


After putting Sareth to bed with a couple of stories with Taylor, Lillian had gotten ready for bed in shorts and one of Taylor's t-shirts, wanting to throw all the blankets off of the bed because Taylor didn't much like having the environmental controls tampered with all of the time to compensate for Lillian's heat flashes and Sareth didn't like it either. She had other people to think about and she knew that, so she ignored the blankets, but she was looking at them when Taylor came in to get ready to lay down with her, even if they weren't really quite tired yet.

"Can we have a serious conversation and then some sex and then sleep?" Lillian asked, eyes still on the blankets of the bed as she pondered what to do about them.

By now, Taylor knew her well enough to know when she was contemplating and when she was serious and she was both of them. She honestly wanted to talk and have sex and she was standing there all cute in his shirt and she hoped he'd just cave and do as she asked. Besides, she'd been finalizing wedding plans in her free time not able to interrogate anyone and trying to deal with getting berated and she just wanted her almost husband right now...and she wanted to apologize for everything she put him through--and everything she was about to put him through.

The marine had already deposited his weapons and armour at the armoury and was now taking off his duty uniform for bed. At hearing his wife's requests he just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Right now he just wanted to sleep and wake up the next day to hopefully kick down some doors to clear the name of a security officer that was only caught up in the midst of it all. Of course Taylor was suppose to remain neutral in it all but dammit...he thought too highly of Starfleet officers.

"Yes to the first, no to the second and without a shadow of a doubt to the third." he answered, climbing into bed with another sigh. "What's on that mind of yours?"

Lillian laughed a little. "'No to the second'? We're already married..."

She was teasing a bit, but as a hormonal pregnant woman, she was allowed--at least she thought she was. So she tookk a hold of the top blanket on the bed and ripped it off, letting it go to the floor because it would make her far too hot in the middle of the night: Taylor's heat was more than enough. Getting into the bed, she took her hair down and then looked at Taylor with a serious look on her face.

"Are you mad at me for inviting your parents? I feel like I overstepped a boundary there, but I want them here. My parents want to meet them, you're their only son, eldest child and the first one getting married, and I've never met them. They're going to be Sareth's step grandparents and this one's biological ones and yet...I dunno...after getting berated by Starfleet today, I feel like maybe I should have left that decision up to you. So...are you mad?"

Oh boy thought Taylor who ran his hand through his hair. Mum and Dad..... Taylor hadn't seen or spoken to his parents for twenty one years now and Reneé had always been some form of news reel about family which he listened to half-heartedly. In fact Reneé was the only Lucas he kept in touch with. Actually, that was a lie...there was Grandpa Sashenka from which Taylor had gotten his middle name.

"Lillian...we have a crew member locked up for a crime she might not have committed. Forget the wedding, forget our child, forget our parents and grandparents. This crew is our family when we're in this uniform and right now one of our family is in trouble. You're the captain...you can't be seen making wedding plans when one of us is locked up and could go to prison for something she never did. This investigation is the most important thing going on for us. Weddings can be rescheduled....peoples' lives can't be."

For a moment Lillian just looked at him because obviously he was avoiding the question, but it was almost like he was telling her how to do her job. He knew nothing about her job. You never told someone else how to do their job--you certainly never told your pregnant Betazoid captain how to do her job when she was swamped and stressed out and had a baby inside of her kicking her bladder all the time now. No, Taylor had definitely unintentionally touched a nerve and now she was just angry and no longer apologetic in the slightest.

"No, I didn't notice that anything happened today," Lillian told him sarcastically. "I don't have the luxury of just getting to forget things because as you so graciously reminded me, I am the captain. There are shuttles that are already on their way here, you know that? Because this wedding was planned weeks in advance and I can't just make them all turn around and go on their merry ways when I had to get this time off for us and the crew in advance! What do you want me to do, Taylor? Waltz back into headquarters where they lectured me on my ability to lead my crew in the first place and just ask for more time off when I have shuttles arriving at 0600? I know someone got murdered, okay, and I know it was my crew member and I've been dealing with that all day! I get to deal with it from here on out because I am the captain!"

She tried to take a breath, but she had started and she would continue. "I know how to do my fucking job, Taylor. I can't do a damn thing until the morning, but I have to, because I'm the boss here and I have to be there and I have to deal with it, and I will deal with it and I have been dealing with it. I just happened to momentarily feel bad for a second that I made a decision without you, but you know what? I unapologize. Forgive me for giving a rat's ass about everyone else today and thinking that maybe I should make you feel better too. It's fine, though...not like I wanted to be your wife anyway, maybe we should just cancel the wedding all-together--such trivial things in life can always just be returned to later."

With that, Lillian turned over, her back to Taylor, thinking about going out to sleep on the couch, but she was six months pregnant and she really didn't want to practically waddle out there. She wanted to be in her bed with her husband to be, close to the bathroom if need be and while she was angry, she was still a Betazoid and she craved comfort and contact. At the same time, she didn't want to have this conversation anymore because she was offended that Taylor would even imply that she had been dealing with her personal life instead of doing what she could to get Kira pardoned...how dare he think that? The only thing she had thought about all day besides the shuttles coming in the morning was about getting Kira the freedom that she deserved and while she wanted to be Taylor's wife more than anything, she felt...hurt.

"You try forgetting about a baby that kicks you from the inside and let me know how that goes for you," she said angrily. "Tomorrow morning I need you to get Sareth fed and to Daycare because I have to go early to talk to Commander Lunn before we get to do any interrogating, because I'm the captain."

Sensing a fight occurring Taylor just rolled on his side so his back was facing her like he was tactically retreating from the fight. He was tired, sore and angry at this whole case and now he was expecting to deal with his parents which was something he was sure he had been able to avoid in due course. Now he was thinking of what to say to them, something to placate them or perhaps he'd simply hide behind his duties and hope that their age had dulled their navigational senses and hopefully they'd end up in the mess hall.

Not likely if Reneé was going to be with them.

"Just...leave me in peace to sleep."

Lillian couldn't believe that he was just ignoring it, even if he was tired and sore and upset--so was she. Taylor had a habit of retreating when he just didn't think that he could handle it and Lillian wanted to hash it out, but when she turned to him, his back was to her and she felt her eyes fill with tears. Fine. She would leave him alone for as long as he wanted to be alone because nothing she said was going to change how he always acted in situations like this.

"Fine," Lillian said, her voice obviously pained. "Fine, I will leave you alone for as long as you would like. By all means, don't offer the pregnant woman the bed either, I'll just sleep on the couch." Lillian said as she got out of the bed and grabbed her pillows. "I expect you at 0545 in the Security District of the Plaza. Don't worry about Sareth, I will have Lyra come and feed him and take him to class. Not once today did you even ask me how I was, you know that? I've been stressed out and I've been tired and sore and your child kicks all the damn time, and I just wanted to have a nice evening with my fiance and my son and just...feel free not to talk to me tomorrow unless it's about the case because God forbid I forget to do my job and slip into something unprofessional. All I wanted to do was say I was sorry for inviting your parents and that I will be there by your side when you face them if you want me to, but you obviously don't. By the way--next time we have a baby, you're carrying it!"

In a huff, Lillian headed straight for the couch and set herself up without a blanket, lying there for a only a moment or two before she got up and left their quarters. It felt like a synthehol moment for her because she couldn't get comfortable in the first place--the baby was kicking and she was too emotionally wound up. So she got some synthehol out of the replicator, knowing it looked terrible (even though it was non-alcoholic), but she really didn't care at this point because she was also invested in this case and had a lot on her plate and no one seemed to want to help her with it. Sitting down on the couch she cringed and placed her hand on her stomach, breathing gently and shaking her head.

"God, I need you to sleep so that I can," Lillian told her stomach.

||Idriis
||Security District Holding Cells
||April 10, 2388
||0530


Sleep.

Right now, Lillian Crae had no idea what that was because she had gotten maybe two hours and that was really all before it was time to shower, grab coffee and a danish and come here. She was worried about her job, still angry with Taylor and trying her hardest to focus on Kira right now because Kira was the one that needed to be rescued and as Taylor had pointed out the night before, it was all about her. While Lillian had understood that, she was still tweaked that Taylor had insinuated that she didn't understand that when all she had been doing was devoting herself to trying to get Kira freed.

"So after this, I can look at the body?" Lillian asked Commander Lunn.

He made a face. "Your CMO is taking care of that. You are needed for this task because you are a telepath and while that isn't hard evidence, you can find a way to get the truth to come out. On top of that, this is your crew member and you should handle it. You gave me quite a list here..."

"They're my senior officers," Lillian said taking a breath. "Though some of the people on that list wouldn't care if you rescheduled all of this, since even important, life changing events can be rescheduled regardless of the time and effort put into them..."

"Pardon?" Lunn asked her.

Lillian shook her head. "Nothing, just...I want all of them to be here. We would like to see Kira and ask her questions and you can certainly be present, I just want to get down to the bottom of this." And soon because I need a nap, Lillian thought to herself.

Despite easily drifting off to sleep Taylor still looked pale, ill and in need of a good holiday. What leave he had earned from his deployment on Starbase Seven had obviously been taken away from him due to the fuck up on Sigma III. When Taylor had left all of his time was spent on tracking down the Doclin Six who had sent armoured soldiers after him on Vega Station only to plunge a knife into the Cardassian bastard's heart. Now his first real taste of leave in years had been shattered and once again he found himself in marine mode.

Giving Lillian a small glance he looked at the colony's chief of security before giving a salute. "Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas, MCO."

Lillian looked at Taylor and ran her fingers through her red hair as Commander Lunn saluted him back and then pointed toward the room with the cells. She hated being upset with him especially when they had to work together and so she took a step forward as Commander Lunn looked around for the others, everyone due to arrive around 0600, if not before then. He had already interrogated the woman, but he needed the Fenris to also look her over as this was their case now too.

"We're not going in waves, Colonel, we're all being allowed to talk to her at once. Ensign Dolliver will be escorted to the interrogation room and you, Bakel, Sharpe, Garren and I will ask her all the questions that we can think of and listen to her side of the story." Lillian explained, resting her hand on her stomach through her duty jacket and sipping her coffee, looking like death, she knew, but that's what happened when you didn't get enough sleep. "That way things move along faster, we all get our information and hopefully I won't be demoted, which could still happen if she's guilty. So, we must be thorough and above all else, search for the truth even if the truth is that Ensign Dolliver is as guilty as she looks."

Alyssa didn't sleep. She was trying not to panic when Marissa called her. She walked with a cup of coffee. "Sorry, I'm late. Garren isn't feeling well. Hope it's alright that I'm taking her place."

"That's fine, as long as I have Security here," Lillian responded with a smile, gently touching Taylor's hand without anyone noticing because mad as she was, she wanted him to know she still loved him dearly, and then turning to Alyssa, she tucked her hair behind her ears. "All that's left is Sharpe and Bakel and Commander Lunn will escort us to the interrogation room and we can ask all the questions that we need to and hear Ensign Dolliver's side of the story. According to the reports, the witness is being held currently as well..."

Marissa had gotten Alyssa here under false pretenses, but felt that she should be there for this interrogation for her own personal reasons, as she was good at her job. Smiling at the others, showing up after Gabe and Marlo, she stood with them and looked toward the cells were her own security member was being held on murder suspicions, which looked bad for absolutely everyone involved with her on any level.

Kira was guilty or innocent.

Marissa's money was on innocent...but something else was going on here.

They'd figure it out.

After saying 'hi' to everyone, she signaled to Lunn and he made a derisive noise in his throat, but saw that everyone was assembled and that seemed to make him a little happier. Marissa had noticed in talking to him before that he didn't seem to be too fond of women and the fact that Marissa, Marlo and Lillian were in such high positions made him uncomfortable: tack on that Lillian was pregnant and he just seemed angry.

"Let us begin, shall we?" Commander Lunn asked them.

He led them into the interrogation room, which was much more homey than he had made it sound. There was a large round table and chairs, and they were all instructed to sit around it, Commander Lunn leaving the room to get Kira, Lillian deciding that now was the time to lay down the law. It was imperative that they all give each other time to ask questions and to get responses, and it was important that they make sure to get down to the bottom of things.

"Look," Lillian began, standing up and leaning on the table in front of her, looking at all of them. "I want Security and my MCO to begin because technically this is your case. As for Bakel, Sharpe and I, we will follow up. This is our crew member--our family--and while we want to lean toward her innocence, you have to remember to also ask the tough questions. After this, I'd appreciate the company of Lieutenant Colonel Lucas and Lieutenant Commander Garren to question the witness, as he has also been taken into custody."

Lillian looked up as the door opened and Kira was led in, happy to see everyone and yet she looked tired and she looked scared. "How are you holding up, Kira?"

"Good...a bit hungry," Kira responded, smiling a little because Lillian had called her by her name, and she took a seat next to Commander Lunn. "So...what do you guys want to know?"

The touch of Lillian's hand on his was something Taylor needed when yet again the duty of Starfleet and the duty of being a husband had clashed yet again. She had wanted to talk about the wedding but he had been caught up so much about this case that the conflict had ticked him off and in typical Lucas fashion whenever he or one of his family members was angry, things were said that were said only out of spite than truth.

He looked at Kira and crossed his arms, absconding his armour for the day to look less aggressive for the security officer. "Couple of details really; how did the knife get into Ryder? How did you get blood over yourself and why did Marius swear black and blue that you're the one that killed him." Taylor blinked and looked at Lillian since he wasn't really suppose to know that. "James and I may have...stumbled across him on our way back. During our little Q'n'A he mentioned that he and Ryder had usually had scuffles or arguments but then Ensign Dolliver was still the murderer. Basically, I want your side of the account."

Marlo, unlike everyone else it seemed had gotten some sleep and was wide awake--she'd be the last to admit that part of it was from anger; she'd never forgive herself for letting her guard down around Sully of all people. She knew she needed to focus though and she sat back in her chair, taking notes on a datapad lying across her lap, so if she needed to refer to this conversation later she could. A holoimager sat on the table in front of her, quietly observing everything and taking frame by frame images of Kira's testimony. She listened to Taylor's statement and realized she wasn't the only one who had done something she shouldn't but she wasn't about to let it slip--Marlo had done a very good job covering her tracks and had no plans to undo all the care she'd taken. She was not going down with him.

"He was drunk; he kept raving about me being unfaithful to him, but I never was. I don't know where he even got such an idea, but I bet Marius had something to do with it; he and Ryder are--were--best friends." Kira took a deep, shaky breath as she held back her tears. "They'd grown up together, so Ryder took Marius' advice very seriously. Everything happened so fast--one minute he was yelling the next...we--Marius and I--pulled the knife out and tried to stop the bleeding but that just made it worse. He died in my arms."

Kira used the back of her hand to wipe her tears away, having nothing else on hand.

Gabe, who had until now had stood staring at the one way mirror that hid the observation room, turned slowly his hands behind his back.

"Yes, that we already knew." He said, "It doesn't answer where the knife came from, who left those marks on the victim, and why someone would want him dead as the nice Colonel already pointed out. Ensign right now we're the only thing standing between you and a prison cell so lets start at the beginning shall we and see what comes up?" he said, pulling a PADD from a pocket inside his shirt and tossing it on the table. It was an Image of The ensign, Ryder and Marius datestamped a few months before that Gabe and Karina had found in Ryder's home, "Lets start about here shall we?"

"Unfortunately," Marissa said speaking up, "the knife belongs to her." Looking at Alyssa as she said it, Marissa continued. "Seems that some of my security personnel helped each other to smuggle weapons down and the weapon belongs to Ensign Kira Marie Dolliver...doesn't it, Ensign?"

Kira's face went pale but she nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

"So the real question here is why did you stab him?" Marissa asked.

"I...I..." Kira tried. "I tried to save him! Why would I kill someone that I love?!"

"The knife does belong to her, Commander," Alyssa spoke, annoyed that she was being lied to. "I simply got it for her. I didn't want it, and it was given to me as a gift. Ensign Dolliver saw it in my quarters and asked about it. She's a collector, so I gave it to her. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm not needed here." She left ignoring any and every protest.

It seemed to Taylor that every piece of information added to the puzzle was pinning more and more blame onto Kira with each passing second. He ignored Alyssa's immature walk-out, Marissa could sort that out since she was the CSO. Instead he ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "Why did you want to get a knife past security screening in the first place? What possible reason could you want an edged weapon in your possession? You're a security officer trained in hand-to-hand fighting skills so don't give us the 'for protection' routine." Biting his lip Taylor decided to lay back on the aggressive questioning, switching his tone of voice to something a bit more relaxing and calm.

"Ensign...we want to catch this guy. Apparently he was drunk...did he have a favourite bar? Any known enemies or rivals in terms of his work?"

"Wow...I'm getting fired..." Lillian thought to herself.

Before she could say a thing, Commander Lunn stood up. "That's more of the puzzle than we were aware of and given that your officer that just stormed out is now involved because she's the supplier of the weapon, you deal with her, or we will bring her in."

"Yes, Commander," Lillian said submissively. "I'm aware how bad this looks, I really am."

"Besides what it looks like for your Ensign here, I don't think you should hold your breath too much longer about your own title, Captain," Commander Lunn told her.

Lillian knew that now all of her Senior Officers were aware that her job was on the line, but she was pretty sure that her days as Captain were now numbered. Commander Lunn began to pace as he waited for Kira's answers, Lillian looking at her and taking a deep breath because she didn't know what else to say right now. Her job was in danger and she knew that what happened here was important to clearing Kira's name, or running it even quicker through the mud.

"Ryder wasn't a drunk," Kira told Taylor, her voice even, tears running down her cheeks. "He was sober for a long time--you can check into any of the records--he just snapped yesterday. Marius filled his head with all sorts of lies and when he came at me I was in a panic and waving my arms around and it stabbed him...it was self defense! I just...I would never kill him! I tried so hard to save him and so did Marius!"

"Marius is in custody because his prints were on the body," Commander Lunn told them with a nod. "He also says he was trying to stop the bleeding so the question here is...was it really self defense, or was it murder?"

"Or is she covering for someone else?" Lillian asked slowly, looking over Kira's body language and reading her mind. "Was there a third person involved?"

Marlo kept her face blank; it was only a matter of time before someone could trace her hacking job--she'd bounced back and fourth between about thirty different relays, three satelittes, and one probe, as well as accessed about twenty other files so it wouldn't look as suspicious, but she'd only done it because they'd had no idea when the signed order would get to them giving them jurisdiction, and she wanted this out of the way before Lilly's wedding.

She'd jumped through as many hoops as she could because she knew that Lillian's name, job, and reputation hung in the balance--the one in charge always got blamed, and Marlo was hoping to prevent an incident. But Gabe and Taylor had been careless.

"Ensign Dolliver, there's something else here. You said Marius poisoned Ryder's mind with lies...about you, I presume. Why?" Marlo asked, calmly.

Kira clasped her shaking hands under the table, wringing them together in her nervousness. This was still her fault, she was a collector; she collected pieces from every culture she'd ever encountered--the knife was the last piece in her collection. She had over a hundred years of history, and Ryder had been fascinated by it too. Not only was the knife there to make her feel safer, she'd wanted to show him, the one piece it had taken her years to get.

Where had it all gone wrong?

"I don't know why Marius did half the things he did, honestly. All I wanted was to show Ryder the final piece of my collection, he always was interested in other cultures like me; it was one of the things we had in common...can I go back to my cell please? It may have been self defense and an accident, but Ryder is dead because of me...I killed him. " Kira told everyone assembled, finally answering their MCO's question about why she wanted to smuggle down the knife.

Lillian shook her head. "No you didn't. That right there was a blatant lie."

"I'm done answering questions," Kira responded, shaking her head. "This is my fault and I should be processed for self defense."

So much had changed since Kira had started screaming and seen Ryder dead on the ground, but one thing was still the same: she was loyal. Lillian and the others couldn't help her if she didn't help herself and even though Lillian shook her head as Kira stood to get up, Commander Lunn had gotten the confession that he needed and since Marius was swearing up and down that she did it, it would stick. That meant that they had to find the other person that had done this and soon because Kira was going to die if this held.

"No one just waves their arms around and stabs someone," Lillian said, standing up too, shaking her head. "You're protecting someone, and you need to tell me who it is."

"I'm sorry, Captain," Kira told her, shaking her head.

Commander Lunn sighed, but he led Kira out and back to her cell, Lillian resting her hands on the table and then moving to the console in the room. She motioned to Marlo, who helped her to get past the security walls and pointed at the manifest, Marlo nodding gently but seeing the same thing that Lillian was seeing--a solid alibi. Lillian sighed loudly, but she had a plan in order and she knew that it would all work out in the end if she executed this correctly, regardless of the fact that she would still probably lose her job.

"Kira kept thinking about the name, 'Hunter'," Lillian said, tapping the console for the rest of her senior staff to see. "Look...Hunter is the name of the victim's brother and while this says that he's off world with his parents, I think Kira is covering for him. Marius is in custody now, so I would like Garren and the Colonel to come with me, Sharpe, go talk to Kira about her being here before because there is something else here and Corden and Bakel? I want you looking for Hunter. He's the key to saving Kira, whether she wants to be saved or not...this is about Starfleet too. I would also like to get this done before Commander Lunn needs to speak to me again."


JP by these lovelies

||Idriis
||Security District Holding Cells
||April 10, 2388
||0612


Lillian wasn't quite sure what to think of everything right now, but she was determined to at least clear Kira's name so that Kira could go about her life. She knew what it meant to protect those that you loved, but she wasn't about to let Kira get sentenced to death for something that she clearly didn't do. So, this was the next best plan and she knew that it needed to be executed with extreme caution because Marius was onto them, she was sure of it--unless Taylor and James really had everything under control.

To be honest, Lillian didn't doubt that.

While there were a lot of things she was doubting right now, Taylor Lucas wasn't one of them and she knew that James had Taylor's back. So, she wanted to just cover all of the bases and this was the way to do it now that they had another name. Ryder was in the business of collecting things for the museum here and that was why he had wanted to see the knife and Kira had brought it to him, but the drunken altercation...there were still loose ends.

"You talked to Marius already, so he'll give us what we need cause you're back," Lillian told Taylor as they walked to Marius' cell, then she looked at Marissa. "You're here because you're so good at being intimidating. Now...we need to know where Hunter was because he certainly isn't off with his parents, I can feel it."

Marius looked up when the three approached and sighed, shaking his head. "I have nothing to talk to you guys about."

With his lieutenant colonel silver oak leaf rank pip replaced by a triple stripe rank pip on his lapel, Taylor had now effectively stepped back into his alter ego for the purpose of the interrogation. He had in his hand a stun baton for nothing more than to give an intimidating appearance and wasted no time in smacking it off of the force field to make sure that Marius was paying attention.

"Given that a word or two wrong and you swing from a gallows might make you want to talk to us 'guys' about. This is Captain Crae and Lieutenant Garren of the USS Fenris. Commanding Officer and Chief Security Officer respectively, try to keep some form of decorum in front of real people. Of course you've already met me Marius. Now...we're going to have some words with you. First off...it crosses my mind in a strange way that you didn't attempt to stop the bleeding along with Kira or attempt to restrain her. In fact you more or less stood there and then scampered off. Doesn't sound something an innocent man would do, does it?"

At first Marius seemed a bit intimidated by the man in green, but the moment he started talking to him, the surprise and fear started to dissipate. In fact, Marius smiled a little bit because it seemed like all Taylor was doing right now was just being intimidating and Marius wasn't about to let himself be intimidated and then slip up. No, this was perfect...Kira was right where he wanted her and he wasn't about to budge from his story.

Marius scoffed at Taylor. "You've got your facts wrong--only reason I'm in here is because my prints are on the body, same as Kira's. I tried to help her to apply the pressure to the leg...I didn't know he got hit in any vital part of his body. I didn't stab him."

"That much is true," Lillian said with a nod.

"Right...Betazoid--aren't you usually whores or something?" Marius asked her, looking at her stomach and shrugging. "I mean I guess so judging from the kid in there."

Lillian took a deep breath. "I've been called worse..."

"So if he didn't stab him, he's just lying about Kira stabbing him too?" Marissa asked.

Marissa could tell that there was more to the story here and wanted it to be known that she was paying attention to the details before her officer was in danger. She wanted Kira to get off scott free, but right now Kira was saying that she was guilty and clearly she wasn't because Lillian was going out of her way to get her out of it regardless of her confessing.

"So what, Marius?" Marissa asked. "He got the girl and you didn't? Third party comes swooping in and you don't want to tell the truth because Kira is such an easy target?"

It took a lot of Taylor's self control to not lower down the forcefield and start beating Marius half to dead so he simply cast a dark look in the man's general direction while Marissa did her thing. He was suppose to be a sergeant they had never met before. "Seems that way ma'am." he said to Marissa with a nod. "Given his vile temper and acidic tongue it's hard to see any woman who would actually stand him. Probably the reason why he lives within the jungle."

Taylor sneered at Marius as he said this as if trying to goad out a response from him. Oh please slip up, please you piece of filth. "Besides from the sounds of it if the ensign did stab him she has a good self-defense case. After the court deals with it she'll be able to scamper free. Of course it just seems too much of a scape goat....broad daylight, busy plaza....a lot of 'witnesses' to confirm your 'truth' if you say it long enough."

"Is it even okay for a pregnant woman to command a star ship?" Marius asked, trying to keep his focus on something he could control. "Do you even know who it's--"

"--as much as I'm enjoying this conversation, you really need to talk to us because if you don't, I'm just going to read your mind." Lillian said in an exasperated tone. "Come on, now...we all know that Kira didn't really do this, so why are you protecting the real killer? Why?"

"Reading my mind isn't material evidence," Marius shrugged, though he was a little scared. "I thought I loved her once--she proved to be like every other slut out there. Surely you would know."

"Wow..." Lillian responded, sighing loudly and closing her eyes as she shook her head and then opening her eyes up again. "So you loved her? I can tell you think that's true, but you're framing her. You can't love her that much if you're willing to sentence her for death all because she was screwing your best friend. If the man I loved was out screwing someone else, as much as I'd want to kill him, I'd just leave him. It's a much worse punishment than framing someone for murder. Do you think she'll want you now? What's in it for you? Your best friend is dead."

"He was dead to me the moment that he went for her. Not my fault she killed him--she's getting what she deserved." Marius huffed, shaking his head. "She can rot for all I care."

"I'm disappointed in you Marius." huffed the marine who folded his arms, showing how deep the disappointment was. "I was expecting an intricate web of lies which led to it being about some will or a drugs cache but nope. It's just people unable to keep their pants on and deal with envy. Think of it this way; if we can't prove her innocence we can prove it was in self defense. She won't rot. She'll be free to walk away. If we can't have the cake, we'll have the cherry."

Marius laughed a little bit. "I'd like to see you try and prove it was in self defense. Her word against mine and you can be sure that I'm not saying it was in self defense. She only started trying to help me save him when she realized she'd succeeded. Good luck to you."

He was never going to tell them that he was wrong even if he knew that Lillian could tell he was half lying and he turned his back to the three officers. So what if Kira hadn't really killed Ryder? Marius was going to swear up and down that she did...

"We don't need luck, we've got his severe intoxication on the CMO's reports." countered Taylor with a frown. "Who knows...drunken man decides to beat up a woman who uses her training to defeat the threat. After all, all Starfleet officers are trained in combat techniques and security officers do have to be relied on to use lethal force to defend a ship, colony or installation. Perhaps her less-than-lethal defense strike hit too deep? But of course one cannot ignore the blunt trauma on Ryder's body. I wonder if matching fist size and weight-thrust ratio will yield results closer to a male assailant assaulting Ryder with physical violence. The plot thickens."

"Saying he tried to attack her is circumstantial and you know it," Marius responded with a shoulder shrug. "He and I got roughed up a few times, but you'll note he took the beating days before now. What's more, Kira took the first move so it's not some drunken roughing up that lead to self defense--it was blatant."

"It was not blatant--no one flails their arms around and accidentally stabs someone in the thigh." Lillian told him, shaking her head. "She didn't kill him, so who are you trying to protect? There is a third party here and you and Kira both find the need to protect them, so tell me what's going on--who actually stabbed your best friend, Marius? I know it wasn't you, but it wasn't Kira either. Was it Hunter?"

Marius' whole body went rigid when she said the name, but he knew that she could read his mind and Kira's and while she may not know the exact truth, she had a name. Now the man considered saying something, but shook his head because he didn't want to get into that...not at all. He was going to stick to his story if it was the last thing that he did just out of spite and personal justice.

"You heard what I had to say...I'm done talking to you now." Marius responded slowly.

Gabe/Kira JP - You're Lying: 0612

||Nevis>USS Fenris
||En Route to the Fenris
||April 10, 2388
||0700


The shuttles had been late, but they were still coming in and docking in the Fenris just as it had been planned. One shuttle in particular, had family members that had only just met for the ride and some were far more friendly than others and for very evident reasons. Right now, Kara Crae was dealing with her 2 year-old baby girl as Leonard Crae, her husband, was dealing with their sons, Garrett and Liam, 8 and 6 respectively. Then there were ambassadors Leona and Minas Crae who were talking to their youngest child, Megan, who kept eying Taylor's parents, but then looking away.

Garrett, wasn't so much looking away.

He was rather focused on his cousin's step-grandfather's glasses, wondering what they were made out of and how terrible his sight was without them. Leonard was dealing with Liam at the moment because Liam was bothering his little sister, who desperately needed a nap, and so Garrett felt like he could do whatever it was that he wanted. That included striking up conversation with the three people that would eventually be part of his family and family, to the Craes, was the most important thing in life.

"How bad is your eye sight?" Garrett asked Taylor's father. "You're a doctor, so shouldn't you have perfect vision?"

The man who Garrett had been addressing seemed to peer at him with the same icy blue eyes as his marine son possessed as if analysing the Betazoid with critical workings. Doctor Gareth Lucas was a thin man with neatly kept facial hair and spectacles that he was fond of, preferring to wear them than use the latest technical innovation to correct his eyesight. Gareth was wondering how this boy knew both his profession and the fact that correctional lenses would be used for such a purpose.

"Perfection my dear boy is a matter of perspective." said Gareth in his soft, Scottish accented voice. "Take these spectacles...glass which has been created in a way to refract light in such a way that my retinal shortcomings are much more innovative than a simple laser correction procedure."

A blonde middle aged woman beside him seem to smile fondly at the doctor, pecking his cheek while an elderly man in a somewhat outdated Starfleet uniform sat beside them with a cane in hand seemed to look rather pleased with the whole event. His red jacket was adorned with medals and ribbons with a Master Chief Petty Officer rank pin stuck on a grey lapel showing him to be from the navigation department. "Ah, Betazoids!" he said happily as if he was rather joyous to be on a shuttle with such a race. "You know Gareth." said Sashenka, Taylor's grandfather in his heavy Russian accent. "You could have been half Betazoid with the amount of leave I took there. The people; so accommodating. The cities; so clean and the woman....bozhe moĭ....it pained my heart that Taylor's first time there would be in battle."

"He met Aunt Lilly there," Liam spoke up, sidling up next to his brother. "She's a really good doctor, but she's a captain now..."

"Have they ever fallen off into a body during a surgery?" Garrett asked, still curious.

Kara sighed and walked over to her sons. "You know, it's not like you can't ask other doctors questions--your mother is one. He asks lots of questions."

"He could be taking out my appendix and drop the glasses in my torso!" Garrett protested, looking up at his mother.

She laughed at him and shook her head, looking at the three Lucas' and smiling at them because they were to be family soon. Kara had really hoped to meet Reneé, but she would take what she would get and wanted to meet Lillian's new in-laws more formally. So she held out her hand and looked them in the eyes, other hand on Garrett's shoulder.

"Kara Crae--these too hoodlums' mother," Kara said gently.

"I of course keep them firmly secured during surgery." replied Gareth calmly at such a childish and ignorant question. "And of course we've never even heard of this 'Lillian' apart from our daughter, Colonel Reneé Lucas. It seems that my son wishes to keep his swashbuckling adventures to himself. And...Doctor Gareth Lucas my dear, a pleasure."

"Doctor Mary Lucas." added Taylor's mother rather sweetly, shaking Kara's hand.

"You my dear, may call me Sashenka." said the elderly man, kissing the back of the Betazoid's hand. "And I have heard tales of this Lillian. Taylor tells me she is a fair creature with a gentle soul, something my grandson needs to tame his somewhat fiery temperament. Unlike my good son, I have heard of his many a swash and many a buckle." As Sashenka spoke it was in the booming deepness of a jovial old man just enjoying life to the fullest. He had buried a wife which was an ache to him and forever feared burying two grandchildren; Taylor and Reneé who had both offered their lives to Starfleet. He tried to counter these fears with a laid back and gentle nature.

"Doctors--that will make Lilly feel quite at home," Kara said with a smile, sending the kids off to be with their dad and taking a seat, smiling at Sashenka. "Hopefully she will prove the tales don't do her justice in person. You'll be gaining a granddaughter and some great-grandchildren, you must be very happy. I'm sure the two will have more than the bundle of joy coming in the next four months to add to your family."

Speaking about family always made Kara brighten right up and she ran her fingers through her short blonde hair and glanced over at her husband with their three children and then at Leona and Minas who were fully aware of the conversation taking place. Minas even got up and came to sit down next to Kara, offering his hand out as well to Gareth, Mary and Sashenka to greet them warmly. He hoped they'd all be seeing a great deal more of each other, but the Lucas' didn't seem to want to be here as much as the Craes--sans Sashenka anyway.

"Ambassador Minas Crae. That is my wife, also an ambassador, Leona, our son Leonard, who is our eldest, Megan, our youngest as Lillian is our middle child and you've already met our daughter-in-law and our grandchildren." Minas said, introducing everyone. "You've never met my daughter, eh? We had never met Taylor until recently but we heard quite a bit about him and his escapades in her room after we got control of Betazed back during the war. I assure you, you're obtaining quite the daughter. Beautiful, bright, protective--everything a woman should be, right?"

Once handshakes were exchanged Gareth seemed to mull over Minas' quip about Lillian with another one of his critical stares. "I may be gaining quite the daughter but what about you gaining nothing more than a son who wishes to embellish himself in cavalier adventures? Did you know he could have been anything in any position...a doctor...an engineer...and he chooses to be a marine? I have not spoken to him in over twenty years. I can see him not being all that happy to see me..."

"He followed his heart--seems to me like you raised a good, passionate, brave son to give up so much to benefit others who can't help themselves..." Minas explained, certainly standing up for Taylor. "Can't say I'm the most excited about him potentially having to jump at a moment's notice for the sake of duty, but he's putting everything he can into what he wants and he wants my daughter and a family on top of all of it."

Kara smiled and nodded. "I think Taylor's a great addition to the family. He's protective and brave and it's not like he can't use what you taught him. Unless...there's something else about him we should know?"

"He is nothing more than a simple hotheaded fool who charges into things without proper prior thought." snapped Gareth before his face settled into a more neutral state. He took off his glasses and wiped them on a neat handkerchief with a heavy sigh. "Taylor could have helped people another way. You know as a teenager he would read all my medical notes...he had the makings on a grand future to becoming a highly successful doctor. But no, he had to follow your advice." Gareth leered at Sashenka for the last part which the old man simply chuckled at.

"I merely reminded Taylor that our linage has fought, bled and on occasion given their lives for Earth and for the Federation. He wanted to be something more, do something more than fester in some sickbay. He wanted to do his own thing. Did I ever say 'Gareth, you wanting to become a doctor has shamed our tradition'? No. You drove the wedge between you and Taylor."

It seemed Gareth was about to say something else until Mary glared at him into silence. The woman then smiled at the Craes. "It will be good to see Taylor and Reneé again, and it will be good to see our son all grown up no doubt in uniform with his new wife." she said sweetly.

Minas shifted uncomfortably in his chair because on the one hand he understood and on the other hand he really didn't. He too had wanted his children to follow in his footsteps and become ambassadors for his people like their parents, but they had chosen their own paths and only Megan had even decided to be a diplomat. It was about what their children wanted to do--what they had the heart to do--not about following some pre-laid path that was in front of them.

"I wanted my children to be diplomats like my wife and I, but they all chose different paths--except Megan. They still help people as I always taught them to do and I'm proud of them just the same because they're doing what they want to do with heart. Twenty years is a long time, Gareth...Taylor has undoubtedly matured since then and is going to be a father." Minas told him. "Just because he didn't become a doctor, doesn't mean he's failed--he's helped countless people and if something bad happens to him, he's marrying a doctor, so she can patch him right up."

Kara nodded and smiled at Mary. "I really can't wait for you to meet Lilly--she's a beautiful young woman. She and Taylor are lucky to have found each other and I'm certain their baby will be the cutest thing."

"At least Lillian had the good sense to follow a profession that directly helps people, not going on some warpath with the idea of claiming to be a 'protector'. All this will do is ensure that child grows up without a father and that she will grow old without a husband. It seems his selfish nature knows no bounds."

Mary seemed rather flustered with her husband's ability to darken such a glorious occasion but it seemed he had that down to a tee. The elderly man just sighed and rolled his eyes before looking at his son before looking at Minas. Hopefully age and wisdom would count for something. "I used to be a gunner on board a torpedo boat...about the same size as this shuttle. Maybe bigger. We were charged, with five other of these boats, to defend a space station along the Klingon border. Could you imagine a shuttle going up against a Bird-of-Prey and surviving? Even with a wife, even with a child, I carried out my duty. Other men and women had families and they too would be leaving people behind if they fell. What would it say about me if I simply packed up and went home? Taylor believes this, as I believe; to fight for the Federation is a duty. To die for the citizens of the Federation is a privilege. He has been trained to think of himself as part of a unit, as a team. This is what my son and all others seem to forget. He fights for us, all of us as I once did."

"Yes, and we're thankful for that," Minas admitted with a nod, smiling at Sashenka. "Someone has to fight and if that someone has to be Taylor than so be it. He's been through a lot and made it out, and I believe in him. I wouldn't be letting him marry my daughter if I didn't see some worth in the man."

Leonard nodded at that, choosing to speak up. "Someday Taylor will retire and when that day comes he will put even more of your teachings to good use. He wants to have a family and a life, but he feels he needs to earn it, I think. He's saved many people--my sister included--and someday all of his hard work will pay off and he'll get to sit back and thoroughly enjoy his life. When he holds that little baby in his arms, he'll just see more to fight for and he should...you become more protective when you become a parent and I think Taylor will find his way. Perhaps it's a little bit selfish, Doctor, but he does his job honorably."

"While the rest of us don't see eye to eye with him all the time, he doesn't need us to stand behind him to make his choice," Megan told them all, agreeing with some of what all of them were saying. "In the end it doesn't matter what we think...it matters what Lilly and Taylor think. They will do what they think is best for their family and we all just have to accept it. We don't have to agree with them, but they don't have to answer to us--they're adults now."

When it came to situations like these--and like many other--the Crae family always seemed to band together even if they didn't fully agree. They all agree on one very important thing: family. While they knew that Taylor would always put his duty first, they knew that Taylor thought he had a duty to Lilly and their children as well and they had faith in him. After all, even though Lillian was taking on the 'Lucas' name, Taylor was also in a sense becoming a 'Crae'.

"Maybe we all have to agree to disagree?" Kara asked them.

Leona chuckled and nodded. "Very diplomatic, Kara."

The bespectacled man seemed to look defeated and said no more, not wishing to cause an argument to sour relationships. Mary seemed rather proud of this since Taylor got his stubborn desire to always get the last word in from his father. Of course Sashenka was beaming, looking out of the window and seeing a sleek, newfangled ship that he had recognised from pictures from the Federation News Service as well as holographic post cards.

"Oh, Reneé is here."

The Craes didn't particularly wish to argue with their future family anymore either, so they smiled at the mention of Reneé. They were glad to extend the hand of friendship to someone else and welcome her into the family with open hearts and open arms. Kara was the first to speak up, Megan coming over to her and standing close as she looked out the window and thought about how things might escalate this nest few days.

"More family," Kara said merrily, Megan laughing.

Megan rested her hand on her sister-in-law's shoulder and shook her head. "What a bunch we're going to be..."


JP by these lovelies

||Idriis
||Starfleet Embassy
||April 10, 2388
||0710


Lillian was aware that she was in quite the predicament right now and she didn't want Commander Lunn to think that she was being obstinate, so she went to meet him. Even though she had often told Taylor that she was unfit to be a leader and he had argued that she was in fact good at it, it was times like this that Lillian questioned her own ability to lead. She didn't seem to inspire any sort of respect out of her officers and the moment she stepped into Commander Lunn's office in the Embassy, she could feel his anger come off of him in waves.

She knew why she was here too, because she had done all sorts of things that breached protocol and so did members of her crew and she was about to get fired. Oh no...oh, Lillian could just see herself getting fired right there and then and she just wanted to apologize and take it all back and beg to stay there. If she couldn't be a doctor, she wanted to stay a captain and prove that she had it in her...but this was bad. This was so very bad and she didn't know if she could handle it.

"You have no idea how to lead a ship," Commander Lunn told Lillian plainly.

Lillian swallowed. "With all due respect, Commander--"

"--with all due respect Captain, you ignored protocol to get a job done." Commander Lunn interrupted her. "You gave your crew orders you never should have given and they followed through, not to mention we know that someone on your ship hacked into our census to get information about the victim. Our witness has been released due to lack of evidence and your team talking to him before you should have. You have a lot to answer for and you will be under review."

"I have no issues with that," Lillian said with a nod. "Starfleet needs to know that its members are in good hands and I am more than willing to be followed."

Commander Lunn nodded. "If your ensign is found guilty...you will be stripped of your title."

"I am aware, Commander," Lillian told him honestly.

Actually at this point, Lillian wondered if there was really any reason to try and keep her job, but she knew that she couldn't just quit--she'd never quit at anything in her life. Of course she missed being a doctor, but she had taken this on and she was going to see this through no matter how it ended. She owed that much to Taylor, Sareth, her unborn child, her crew...she owed it to herself. Right now, Lillian needed to focus and be the best she could be for everyone and right now was as good a time as ever to just not be a Betazoid.

"If you had more experience," Commander Lunn began, taking a deep breath and shaking his head. "This is a mess you have to clean up on your own."

Lillian nodded at that and ran her fingers through her pony tail. "I will make sure everything is taken care of, Commander. You have my word as a federation officer. Since this case is currently in my jurisdiction, we will see it through to the end and I will take the brunt of the consequences. Now, if that is all, I have shuttles to meet."

"You are dismissed, Captain," he responded, but she could tell he didn't like her at all.

Aria/James/Marlo/Dariak/Hunter