Written In The Stars

Posted on Saturday October 23rd, 2021 @ 3:51pm by Wraet tr'Melanth & Emily Reagan

Mission: Marauder's Map
Location: Astrometric Lab
1883 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

As she was essentially being put to work on the Loki as a navigator she had decided to wander off and see what kind of toys this old Federation bucket had. It wasn't a lot but then again it had been out of service for a while.

Emily had found a room. It was covered in cloth, wiring had been left on show and really it looked like an unfinished project but she knew an astrometric lab when she saw one. She LOVED stars and had always been fascinated by them as a child so it seemed fitting that she became someone that used them to navigate her way around, that and a computer also helped.

She had began to attempt to bring the system online, or at the very least get a working console so that she could see what she was working with. She was pretty sure that she probably wouldn't be allowed to just wander the ship but there wasn't that many people watching a small redheaded teenager and she snuck off and found her way past a sealed bulkhead to where she was now.

After decades in the Tal'Shiar Wraet had gotten good at reading people, even from other species, on first encounter. His assessment of Reagan was that she was in fact who and what she had been presented as being, but that didn't mean she shouldn't be watched. Firstly, because his ingrained Tal'Shair training said everyone should be watched, but also because there were still quite a lot of unknowns in terms of what her past may have buried in her, and even if that were not the case he had once daughters that age and therefore had a solid concept of how much trouble they could get into even with no intention to cause trouble - sometimes especially then, in fact.

He would have investigated an indicator showing activity in a offline and sealed off area no matter what, but the query that identified the sole being there as Reagan meant that while his hand was on his disruptor as he quietly entered, it was not drawn. After a quick sweep of the area showed she was in fact alone, he relaxed a fraction before moving toward her. "Ms. Reagan, is there a reason for your presence here?"

Emily jumped a little as the voice from behind her spoke. She dropped the tool she was holding and spun around hiding what she was working on behind her back. The tip of her nose and a part of her forehead had black dirt marks on them from where she had touched her face whilst working, this place was filthy. "Ehm I got lost?" She attempted the little white lie.

Wraet lifted a sardonic brow. "I know you were not among my people for long, but surely long enough to realize that if you are going to lie to a Romulan you need to do much, much better than that."

"Well technically its not a lie... I was lost earlier. This is a lot bigger than Lexie was." She said as she sized up the Romulan in front of her. "If I wanted to lie properly I would have." There was almost a hint of defiance to her words whether she meant them or not. She wasn't used to dealing with adults in a situation where she didn't have an escape route, or at least knew the terrain.

"Ah, the Vulcan approach to lying," Wraet noted with slight smirk. "Except they do it better." He cocked his head seeming almost as though he was looking around behind her. "What are you working on? And before you answer, I am extremely adapt at detecting lies. If I weren't, I'd have been dead decades ago."

Emily rolled her eyes a little, "Good thing you're so smart." She said sarcastically. "I imagine you've made lots of friends being a dick." She muttered quietly to herself as she looked down at the ground. "I'm trying to fix your starcharting equipment."

"Yes, it is," he replied matter-of-factly. "I'm not sure why adopting a nickname for Richard would earn friends, but I surmise by your tone that word also means something akin to SOB," his lips twitched in a fractional smile, "which in my profession is considered a compliment." Squatting down, he propped his elbows on knees and held out a hand. "Perhaps I can assist with whatever piece of equipment has you so flummoxed that you felt a need to hide it."

There was something about the smile, the smirk, that seemed to remind her of her father. He'd been dead now just over 10 years but still there were familiaeitities that she sensed in moments, like a brief memory long forgotten.

Emily handed over the hydrospanner. "I'm trying to get the power on to the main console but I think I'd have to break some rules to get it." She admitted.

Taking the hydrospanner, Wraet turned it over in his hands. Breaking rules to accomplish an end was certainly something he could relate to. That didn't mean that it was a good idea in this case. "I can understand why you want astrometrics back online, but this ship is has just been resurrected. We cannot afford to break rules that might break systems we will need in battle."

"What happens if you need to get away?" She asked. In some small part she understood why he was saying this but she had a one track mind sometimes. "I could find a really cool nebula, a Dominion shipyard or a dilithium planet. That'd be amazing right?"

Of course she was going to argue. If she didn't he would have to question his whole assessment of her. She wasn't entirely wrong either; she was just too focused on one star to see the whole sky. "It would, yes. Provided the ships engines don't fail or the navigational computer doesn't glitch because a broken rule cascaded into other systems."

"Well it's someone else's job to make sure the engines don't fail, not mine. I don't make mistakes." She said literally as a panel blew behind her, one she had worked on just before Wraet interrupted her. "That wasn't me... swear it. Someone must have been in here before me."

"Indeed." It was said so deadpan as to be sarcastic. Wraet rose, offering her hand. "Perhaps then it would be wise to leave this until we can spare an engineer to fix whatever mistakes have been made."

"Yeah, definitely. This ships falling apart by itself. " she joked innocently. "So what do you do for fun?" Emily asked. "Sit and watch people whilst raising an eyebrow and silently judging them, or practice sarcasm in the mirror? Oh wait! Practice your scary straight face... I've seen you smile when I speak." She almost teased the older man.

"I'm flattered. Most would say my straight face is merely unnerving," Wraet remarked, with a brief nod as if acknowledging a compliment. "Watching people is more vocation than recreation, as is assessment and judgment, though I admit the latter can occasionally be something of a hobby. 'Fun' however... I have little time for such indulgences."

"Oh no dude, it is totally scary." Emily said trying to act all serious. "I imagine that's how most people look when I talk." she added nonchalantly. "You need to make time for fun." she said giving him a little nudge. Emily had little respect for boundaries, not out of any sort of malice but just that she'd been alone most of her life and sometimes in social situations she just did what she felt. "I know the galaxy is shit, but if you don't spend some time doing something fun then what is there to save?" she half asked.

Arched brows shot up in surprise at the nudge, but Wraet quickly recovered. This was going to be like training a set'leth pup... She certainly had her own way of looking at things, though one he recognized as more human, or at least more of the attitude he recalled from humans prior to the war. He doubted very much that one such as Lt. Rayner would ever question esquing 'fun' or ask what there was to save without it. "There is a time and place for all things. Right now my time is dedicated to saving my people, and yours." He walked a few more paces. "Which isn't to say that I don't take ...a certain pleasure... in seeing retribution visited on those who richly deserve it."

He was warming to her, she could tell. There was a connection there whether he wanted to admit it or not, but still there was a part of her that was always looking out for herself. The trust wasn't there, she hadn't trusted people for years, she never needed to. Now, with the Lexie gone, she had to rely on people and it made her feel uneasy. This came in the fashion of overconfidence, nervous talking and giving herself the strongest appearance of strength. After all, those who appear weak are the first to be picked on, the first to fall under someone and be used in ways not of their choosing.

"Yeah, I like kicking ass too." she grinned. "I've killed a couple of Whiteys before." she said in slang reference to Jem'Hadar and their reliance on Ketrecel White. "Well, they chased me and Lexie for days until I took them near a black hole I found... idiots had no idea!"

Wraet's head tipped slightly side-to-side, mouth turned in a 'not bad' expression. It was a good tactic, and one that indicated greater knowledge and skill than expected for one so young. But then her survival had been predicated on early development of such survival skills. However, it was only one skill set; she would obviously need a lot of work to develop ones that would let her survive for long outside the ship. "Perhaps my old comrade has placed you well then. We will need that sort of skill, and soon."

"Helps when you don't want to die and have no-one to argue with... another perk of being alone." she trailed off quite disappointedly.

The tone was hard to miss. Still, Wraet's brows rose slightly. He had been alone so long that he sometimes forgot it was hard for others. "Alone has its advantages," he remarked simply. "I have come to appreciate it at times. However, having a team is often preferable." He glanced at her sidelong. "Particularly once you learn when and when not to argue."

"Sure thing, old man." she teased. "I'm sure I'll be on my best behaviour here." she added rolling her eyes.

Given the tone, that seemed unlikely, though possibly it was more due to a lack of socialization leaving her unaware of what 'best behavior' should entail. Wraet resisted shaking his head, deciding this was a long term project. She had value and he sensed she wanted to be part of something, to not be alone. "Within these hulls it would be appreciated," he replied with a small tip of his head. "However, outside and toward the Dominion, there is a phrase from an old human story that much of the crew seems to have adopted: 'We aim to misbehave'."