A Gift of Thanks, part 2

Posted on Tue Jun 22nd, 2010 @ 6:37am by Commander Raven Adams & Khiy Tal'ehrihn

814 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Silent Steps Of Murder
Location: Trans Galaactic Trading
Timeline: Current

ON

[OLD]

Miral hesitated for a moment, then followed Khiy's actions. She took a small amount out of the bottle and spread it on a cracker, then put the cracker in her mouth and bit down.

[NEW]

It was her first experience with caviar. She hadn't been an ambassador long enough to have encountered the delicacy. She was surprised at both the texture and flavor. It was not what she'd expected, but it was not bad.

"Delicious, isn't it." He said noticing her hesitance. He prepared another cracker as he looked at her. "Where did you manage to find a shop on the Typhon that carries this?" He thought he had the station pretty well mapped out, however, it seemed a few gems were yet to find.

"I got it through a friend of a friend," Miral admitted. "It is an interesting flavor, isn't it? I haven't tried it before now." She would normally never admit to such, but she wanted to be honest with Khiy.

Khiy nodded. "It's been so long since I've had it last that the memory of what it tasted like had all but vanished. Effectively, for me this is like having it for the first time...again." He grinned affably.

"I hope it is a welcome memory," she half said, half asked. She was still unsure that she'd chosen the right gift. Weapons for commanding officers she was good with. Something for a friend -- or someone she hoped was a friend -- was foreign territory. Romulan officers couldn't afford to have friends.

"It is." Khiy assured her. "To be honest, I'm happy to replace the first memory of having it. It was less than ideal conditions." He shook his head.

The first time Khiy had caviar was aboard a wealthy merchant ship, of which Khiy's ship and crew were hired to relieve some of its cargo. They realised all but too late that the whole operation was a set up by a rival competitor looking to wipe out his crew. The trap ended up being a colossal failure, as their enemy vastly underestimated their quarry. They cut their losses and retreated before the Decorus Era could exact proper revenge. The merchant ship's occupants, who were instrumental in the assault against Khiy, paid for the deception the only way he knew how back then...An error doesn't become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.

On examination of the new prize ship Khiy stumbled across a bottle of caviar as he was rummaging through the dead captains quarters. He celebrated the acquisition of a new ship and the deaths of his enemy by sitting in a corner and finishing the bottle alone, a melancholy finish to a bad day.

Khiy smiled to hide the feelings of that memory. "All things considered, the company is much better this time." He really meant it, not that he was comparing her to a corpse.

"It was that bad before?" she asked, sure that her company was not of much worth. Commander Jatara had said as much on many occasions. One of the reasons she was eager to accept the position of Ambassador to Starbase Typhon.

"Well, it was business related. I wouldn't dare compare you. Come to think of it, I'm having trouble comparing you to anyone." It was a rare truth from him. He was completely unsure of what to expect from Miral. The thought of a gift was really throwing him off in his perception of her.

"I'm glad you don't equate me with business," Miral replied wryly. Her expression sobered and she gave him a piercing look for a moment. "I don't think I can compare you with anyone I've encountered, either." It was a very disconcerting feeling. The man was an enigma. She was both wary and intrigued.

Khiy sat motionless for a number of moments before a small laugh escaped his lips. He was amused by how awkward he was suddenly feeling around Miral. The thought of voicing unguarded truths was something new to him and given Miral's political affiliations it was abjectly what he needed to avoid. Still, it seemed easy for Khiy to say what was on his mind around her, wise or not. He didn't trust her by any means, but for some reason he was questioning that in his mind, something he had only done on very rare occasions.

"Well," He started, keeping his thoughts to himself for the time. "I imagine you and I share very different circles of associates."

'"I'm sure we do," Miral said, laughing. In many ways, she envied Khiy separation from the Romulan Star Empire. She finished her tea and set the cup on the table. "I don't want to take up too much of your time..."

(To be continued...)

Khiy Tal'ehrihn
Chairman
Trans Galactic Trading
Starbase Typhon

Miral Tal'Aura Annhwi (NPC)
Romulan Ambassador
Starbase Typhon

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