Star Trek: Defiant

Pilot Episode 5A

Written by Laine Rael

Rael hummed to herself as she performed a quick diagnostic on the biobeds. Everything seemed to be under control lately, with only minor injuries to various crewmen due to the ongoing anbo-jytsu tournament.

As she made a few minor adjustments to Biobed 4, she felt her stomach rumble. She checked her chronometer and noticed it was way past lunchtime. Since things were pretty quiet, she decided to leave Ensign Mak in charge and return to her quarters to enjoy a little relaxation.

She made her way down to her quarters, which were on the same deck as sickbay, and entered. "Lights," she called as she walked to the replicator and tossed her padd onto her bed.

As she pondered what to order, she was overwhelmed by a wave of emotion. Rael had always had slight empathic tendencies that were fully developed when it came to people she was very close to. For a moment, the strength of the feeling led her to believe that something had happened to Jeffrey. But then, after no more than a fraction of a second, she knew it was not so. It was not Jeffrey.

Without realizing it, she had fallen to her knees, her head down, one hand resting lightly upon the wall under the replicator. The presence was overwhelming, pushing all other thoughts out of her mind. And then she knew who it was. Her mind screamed as her head snapped up, eyes glazed with fear, -no-, -no-, -no-, but all she could manage was one whispered word.

"Rick?"

Her door chimed, softly. To Rael, it sounded as if the room were filled with cotton. The sound felt slow, drifting toward her, and she turned her head to the sound blindly, slowly, as if her head were moving through a thick substance, like molasses. She shook her head, trying to clear it, and managed to get to her feet, leaning on her bed for support. She sank weakly down on the edge, green-blue eyes wide with terror as she stared.

The chime repeated, and a soft, sweet voice came from behind the door. "Rael?"

It almost sounded playful, singsongy.

"I -know- you're in there. Haven't you missed me?"

Rael sat, mind racing, trying to think of a way out. She didn't know how he had gotten here, or that he had been planning to visit. She instinctively reached up with her right hand to tap on her combadge, but she stopped herself. -I can't bring Jeffrey into this-, she thought. -I have to do this alone. I have to face him.-

"Come on, princess...I thought I'd take the Defiant to Starbase 23...you guys are passing right by there tomorrow, so I thought I'd stop to see my favorite girl!"

Rael was numb. Favorite girl, after all that had happened. The words echoed faintly in her mind. Favorite...she then thought of Jeffrey, who really did love her, who really -did- consider her his very favorite, the one and only. How dare he call her those things.

Thinking of Jeffrey brought her courage and strength. And anger. The anger filled her body, coursing hotly through her veins. She stood now, eyes more green than blue as they always seemed to turn when she was angry, and faced the door.

"Enter," she said coldly.

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