K'Teira sat in her office reading over a PADD. The beautiful Klingon counselor was working on a crew psych report for the Captain, and so was reviewing her notes from over the time she’d been here. The Fairburn had been in space for over two years and the crew, while there were still personality conflicts, had begun to mesh together. There were still things that required K'Teira's attention, but all in all her schedule now primarily consisted of the usual crew problems and the like. Quite pleasing to note, really…
So involved in this task was she that when the Captain called her to the ready room, the Counselor had absolutely no idea what was going on.
When she walked in and spotted James sitting across from the Captain, she was instantly curious. This must have shown on her face because Captain Randall smiled and nodded towards the other chair.
"Hello, K'Teira, please have a seat. No doubt you're wondering what's going on?"
K'Teira nodded simply. "I have to admit, I am curious as to what would require a meeting between the Captain, XO and Counselor."
Randall sighed. "Well... Starfleet Command has decided that due to the Cardassians activities of late, we need a Communications officer, and the one they've chosen is Lt. Cmdr Kylen Dubois."
K'Teira frowned thoughtfully. "That name, have I heard it before?"
Grieg glanced over at her. "I'd be surprised if you hadn't. Commander Dubois was the Communications chief on the Enterprise. Until last month."
K'Teira thought back, mentally reviewing what had happened over the previous month that might have to do with the Enterprise and this Cmdr Dubois.
The answer hit her almost immediately. The Enterprise had engaged in a minor border confrontation with a Cardassian ship about then. Rumors speculated that Captain Picard had resigned as Captain of the Enterprise so that he could go on some sort of covert mission for Starfleet. K'Teira had a hunch the rumors were true.
"Does this have something to do with the border conflict the Enterprise was involved with?"
Randall nodded. "Yes." She hesitated. "What I am about to tell you two cannot under any circumstances leave this room. Understand?"
"Yes Captain," both officers chorused.
"When Captain Picard, Lieutenant Worf, Dr. Crusher and Cmdr.Dubois left the Enterprise they were headed out on covert mission to infiltrate a Cardassian facility on Celtris lll. There they were to find out if the Cardassians were manufacturing a metagenic weapon. I trust both of you are familiar with that term?"
Both Grieg and K'Teira nodded solemnly. They were more than familiar with the term. A metagenic weapon was the biological equivalent to a neutron bomb and just as deadly.
"Ordinarily this would not be a mission for a Communications officer. However Lt. Cmdr Dubois was not only a communications officer; she was also Starfleet Intelligence. Her orders were to assist Captain Picard in his mission but she was also to gather as much information on the Cardassians communications systems and codes as she possibly could, which, from what I understand, is what she attempted to do. However, they were walking into a trap. The Cardassians captured Captain Picard and Cmdr.Dubois."
K'Teira closed her eyes. She knew full well what the Cardassians were capable of… and what they did to suspected spies. She now knew why she was present.
Grieg looked at the Captain. The striking woman's face was pale against her honey brown hair and her blue eyes practically leapt out of her face. She looked like a ghost and he realized that there were things she was leaving out that he knew were much, much worse than she was saying.
"Both Captain Picard and Lt.Cmdr Dubois were tortured almost to the point of breaking. Somehow the Cardassians knew Cmdr.Dubois was SI and they were especially hard on her for it. When they were returned to the Enterprise Lt.Cmdr Dubois was nearly catatonic, constantly repeating her name and serial number. It took Counselor Troi nearly two weeks to get the Commander to even speak of her capture let alone speak of..." Randall hesitated, then took a deep breath and continued. "Her father's ordeal."
Though neither one openly showed it, knowing them as well as she did told Susan this information had cut them to their cores. James in particular had stiffened slightly upon hearing it.
"Lieutenant Commander Dubois is..." Grieg couldn't finish.
Randall nodded somberly. "Jean-Luc Picard's daughter. She had to watch as her father was tortured and likewise he had to watch her be tortured. That was what made it so bad. Apparently, Dubois and her sister Jeiana are the product of a relationship Captain Picard had with a Federation archaeological expert, Doctor Selena Dubois, twenty seven years ago."
Grieg looked impressed. "Selena Dubois is the commander's mother?"
Susan Randall smiled despite herself. Trust James to know of her!
"I take it you know of Doctor Dubois?"
Grieg nodded. "My mother has spoken of her. Apparently the Doctor is heading a team of archaeologists studying planets suspected of being Preserver colony worlds; places where they left technology and the like. They've made some pretty incredible discoveries."
"Lt.Cmdr Dubois was raised by her mother on such a dig so she has a rather extensive knowledge of her mother's work." Randall commented absently.
"So," K'Teira spoke up. "When does she arrive?"
"Tonight. She's under orders to attend counseling sessions with you, and Counselor Troi has sent over her records. I want you two to make sure she feels welcome. That young woman's been through a lot over the past month and I don't want her experiencing anymore stress than she has to; not until K'Teira can give her a clean bill of health."
"How is she physically?" Grieg questioned, eyeing the PADD that held the Commander's file.
"Perfect. Cmdr. Dubois’ mother, Selena, is an Olympian, so the Commander recovered remarkably quickly." Randall looked slightly uncomfortable with the subject, and with good reason - the Olympians had caused the biggest uproar in the Federation since the Klingons had signed the treaty of Khitomer.
The Olympian homeworld, Olympus, had been discovered several years earlier. The Federation had, as per procedure, sent in a first contact team to gauge the technological level of the Olympians in order to determine whether or not to reveal the Federation to them.
The team hadn't been on Olympus for an hour before they were brought before the Ruling Council and the Queen.
The Olympians, the team discovered, were immensely powerful telepaths and communicated primarily by telepathy, and they had detected the first contact team the moment they had beamed down. The queen, Llarion, had been very amused at the whole concept of the team and had taken the team leader on a personal tour of the capital city. According to her, the Olympians had known about Earth since its genesis; they saw it as their sacred duty to guide and protect humanity through its growth.
It was a duty they took very seriously, and sent many Olympians to Earth to infiltrate society there and act as guides for those they perceived as humans who would positively influence the human race as a whole. They were not to interfere past that.
It was that revelation that had shocked the Federation Council. Yet what made it even more shocking was the revelation that there were Olympians in Starfleet, from ensigns to admirals. Even the Commander in Chief herself was an Olympian! Shalote Delaniea had spoken to the Council and appealed for calm, and assured both the Council and Starfleet that the Olympians had no intentions of subverting the Federation, nor did they consider them to be primitives. It had taken a great deal of persuading on Shalote's behalf and the combined persuading powers of Olympian diplomats (some of whom were also Federation diplomats) to convince both Starfleet and the Federation of the Olympians' benevolence. Finally the Federation had allowed the Olympians' official admittance into the Federation.
While none of the Olympians in Starfleet or the Federation echelons had to give up their duties, they had been ordered to give a complete listing of all Olympians in Starfleet or Federation postings. The list had been extensive and Susan Randall had been surprised to see several friends on that list. Some names were true shockers. The Assistant Chief Medical Officer of the Enterprise, Kylana Delaniea (Admiral Delaniea's daughter) was on the list, the Vice President of the Federation, Calieph Whitestone was there; several captains were on the list and several prominent scientists (including Selena Dubois) were there was well.
K'Teira and Grieg shared a surprised look. While the Olympians had been accepted by the Federation as a whole, there were still some people who were angry at what they perceived as betrayal by the Olympians, and there had been some backlash against the Olympians serving in Starfleet.
"Lt. Cmdr Dubois is half Olympian?" Grieg said calmly; however his eyes betrayed his shock.
Randall nodded. "Yes. And according to Counselor Troi it is something she is not too comfortable with."
K'Teira sighed. "I think that has more to do with the fact she's a hybrid than the races she's born of."
"How so?" Grieg said, turning to face her.
"Children and adults born of two different races often feel excluded from both their parents cultures. One parent's race sees the child as more a member of the other race and vice versa and the child is often adversely affected by that. They don't feel as if they have a home on either world and as such have a hard time assimilating into any culture." She thought for a moment. "Considering that, it's not much of a surprise that she joined Starfleet."
Captain Randall leaned back in her chair. "Oh?"
K'Teira nodded, starting to warm to her subject. "Yes. Space is often the only place where they feel truly at home."
"Bridge to Captain Randall."
"Randall here." Susan stood.
"The Hood just arrived. They said they've got Lt.Cmdr Dubois." Daniels voice sounded curious and the Captain dearly hoped that Cmdr. Dubois had a sense of humor.
"Understood. Tell them to beam the Commander over."
"Understood, Captain. Bridge out."
"Shall we?" Randall gestured for the door.
K'Teira and Commander Grieg rose and followed the captain out.
When they walked into Transporter room one the technician was standing at the ready behind his console.
"Everything's ready Captain." he reported.
Randall nodded.
"All right. Energize."
Seconds later a column of blue swirling light appeared on the platform. Then it coalesced into a petite young woman and Susan Randall felt her heart seize within her chest.
The young woman on the platform couldn't have been more than 5’5". She was beautiful, with striking hazel eyes that Susan knew could have only come from Jean-Luc Picard, and thick chestnut hair that was arranged up into a style typical of the Olympian culture.
The young officer looked around the transporter room for a moment, getting her bearings, then her gaze turned to rest on the three officers before her and she nodded respectfully.
"Commander Dubois, I'm Captain Susan Randall. Welcome aboard the Fairburn."
Dubois stepped down off the platform and, with a reserved smile on her face, shook the Captain's hand.
"Thank you Captain, it's a pleasure to meet you. Commander Riker has told me a lot about you."
Randall smiled. "I trust he kept it clean."
Kylen laughed softly. "Oh, Will did that, but he left a whole lot implied."
The captain shook her head.
"Remind me to have a chat with him."
"Oh, like that'd work." Kylen grinned. "This is Will Riker we're talking about."
"True." Susan allowed then turned to the two officers waiting behind her. "Allow me to introduce my first officer, Commander James Grieg..."
"Commander," Grieg shook Kylen's hand and smiled at her politely.
Kylen returned his smile but there was a confused look in her eyes. She quickly suppressed it as the Captain spoke again.
"And this is the ship's counselor, K'Teira."
Kylen, to K'Teira's amazement, smiled widely at the sight of K'Teira's cranial ridges. Most people didn't react that way to discovering she was a Klingon, and that confused her for a moment, but nonetheless matched Kylen's smile with one of her own.
"Welcome aboard, Commander." she said calmly.
"I have to say it. I never expected a Klingon counselor..." Kylen began. K'Teira stiffened slightly, wondering what the communications specialist was about to say. "It's a welcome surprise." Kylen finished with a grin. "I'll have to tell Mr. Worf. I think he was somewhat concerned about not being able to keep an eye on me."
K'Teira chuckled. "Well, I'll do it for you. Along with an order for him to relax."
Kylen burst into laughter. "I don't think that'd do much good. The Commander in Chief could order Worf to relax and he wouldn't be able to do it. He'd be concerned about how to relax and then be concerned about being concerned about relaxing. It's enough to make your head spin!"
Kylen's hazel eyes sparkled merrily, full of mischief.
"Well, Commander, the counselor'll show you to your quarters. Commander Grieg and I have work to do on the bridge."
"Thank you Captain." Kylen said with a nod. "And again it was a pleasure meeting you both."
Grieg nodded back. "Likewise." he said with a smile before following the Captain out into the corridor.
Kylen picked up the small shoulder case she'd been carrying and turned to K'Teira.
"Lead the way, Counselor."Kylen's quarters were typical of a senior officer on a Galaxy class starship; wide and spacious.
The pile of storage cases in the center of the room still seemed dwarfed by the size of the room and the windows that showed the vastness of space behind them
"Lights!" Kylen called out and turned to a small access panel by her door. She keyed in a sequence and was pleased to see that her vocal pattern had been added to the computer, as the lights obediently came up.
"I'll leave you to get settled in. If you need anything just call me..." K'Teira decided to give the young woman some space and a chance to relax before broaching the subject of counseling sessions.
"Oh, no need to rush out." Kylen said absently as she turned from the access panel to eye the pile of containers in the center of the living area. "It'll only take me a second to get settled in anyway."
"But...."In the back of her mind K'Teira knew theoretically it was possible for Kylen to do it, but still, there were so many cases…
Kylen glanced up at her from where she'd been examining the contents of one case. "I guess you're wondering how in the Elements I'm gonna get all this stuff put away in a second?"
K'Teira chuckled. "The thought had crossed my mind."
Kylen grinned. "I know."
K'Teira chuckled to herself. She'd felt the subtle brush of a mind against hers, and so Kylen's next words didn't surprise her much.
"Relax," Kylen said calmly. "While I can read surface thoughts of Klingons I can't do any probing, not without said Klingon's approval first. It's too tiring. I tried it once and fainted. According to Doctor Crusher I slept for nearly two days afterwards." She smiled. "I have no intention of repeating that again." Kylen sensed K'Teira's tension relax a little. Satisfied that she had put the beautiful woman at ease, Kylen returned her attention to the box before her. "Hmmm....I think... yeah I will... I'll start with this one."
She stood and pointed her finger at it.
There was a burst of silvery light and the contents of the case, some archaeological artifacts, flew across the room and slid smoothly into place on a shelf.
K'Teira's eyes widened and she stared in wonder as container after container flew open and their contents went flying into various places around the room. K'Teira had heard reports of the Olympian people's abilities but had never seen them first hand. It was quite an awesome sight.
In a matter of moments all of Kylen's possessions were put away and the communications specialist was turning to face the counselor. "Now," she said softly, her voice dangerously calm. "I guess we should deal with the issue of my counseling sessions."
"I thought that could wait until...." K'Teira began only to have Kylen cut her off.
"Until what? I'm more comfortable with the idea? With what happened to me? With what the Cardassians did to me? To my father? Counselor, if we waited for that, we'd be waiting till the end of time. No, we do it now..." Kylen sighed and her pain filled hazel eyes met K'Teira's blue ones. "…Before I lose my nerve."
K'Teira nodded. "All right."
Kylen gestured towards the chairs in the living room area.
Once they were seated, K'Teira consulted her PADD for Kylen's duty schedule and together they worked out a series of appointments that both agreed upon.
When they finished the duo sat for a while, chatting about life aboard the Fairburn, and by the time K'Teira left the commander's quarters Kylen Dubois knew she'd found a friend. One that, in time, she'd be able to really trust.
After K'Teira left, Kylen changed into civilian clothes, pulled out one of the antique books her father had given her and curled up in the oversized armchair she'd brought with her from the Enterprise. One trait Kylen had inherited from her father was her love of old Earth literature, and one of her favorite methods of relaxing was to curl up with a good book and a glass of her family's wine. Kylen didn't use her father's last name officially but she considered herself a Picard and knew that her father did as well. And to Kylen, that was all that mattered.
When Captain Randall walked into her quarters the children were asleep and Ian was sitting in the living area with a couple of PADDs. He glanced up and smiled at her when she entered, then turned his attention back to the PADD before him.
It took all of three seconds for the look on her face to register with him.
"Sue?" In an instant he was on his feet and walking over to slip an arm around her waist.
She leaned against him for a moment, grateful for the support.
"Sue, what's wrong?"
Susan sighed and allowed herself to be led to the couch. "It's Commander Dubois."
"The new communications specialist? What's wrong with her?"
"It's not what's wrong with her, it's what's wrong with the Cardassians!" The anger in her voice was almost palpable. "She's so... tiny! How could they have tortured her? What kind of monsters are they? To have hurt such a friendly young woman!"
Ian held his wife close and sighed. "I know. What they did... it was heartless... totally without soul."
He'd read over Kylen Dubois' medical file, and seen what they'd done to her. That was the only explanation he could think of.
The commander had given permission for the Captain's husband to look over her files on the mission. Apparently she didn't want Susan to have to keep the details from him. He found that consideration to be very mature and touching, and in an ironic twist, that had made her file even harder to read.
The Cardassians had guessed that Kylen was Starfleet Intelligence and had adjusted their torture accordingly. They had no sympathy for spies.
First they'd beaten her father. Not knowing the familial relationship between them, not that they would have cared, they'd made her watch. Knowing that as an SI officer Kylen Dubois would consider it an ultimate failure to have an officer under her protection tortured before her eyes. Strapped to a examining table, Kylen had been forced to watch via monitor, while Jean-Luc Picard was beaten and tortured almost to the breaking point.
Then her turn came.
First they'd beaten her, almost to the point of unconsciousness, then they'd used one of their most favorite methods of torture; tiny implants placed just under the skin in strategic points all over her body. These implants were designed to stimulate vital nerves to unimaginable levels of pain.
Her screams had been, according to Picard, inhuman.
If he hadn't been watching, Picard had recorded in his log, he wouldn't have believed it to be Kylen. Not his daughter.
The Cardassians had reduced a calm, controlled, disciplined Starfleet Intelligence officer into a screaming, terrified, near catatonic creature who barely resembled the woman she'd been.
"How can an entire race be so cold?" Susan asked softly. Then she shook her head. "Five years ago I may not have had an answer for that question. But now... after Wolf 359... and the conflicts with the Cardassians..." She trailed off, disgusted.
"Things've changed." Ian said quietly, stroking her hair.
"You noticed?" Susan said sarcastically.
"It was hard to miss." Ian countered with a smile. "She's a strong young woman."
"What?" Susan looked up at her husband.
"Commander Dubois." Ian clarified, chuckling. "She's experienced a lot."
"You've been reading over her file?" Susan asked, sitting up.
Ian Randall nodded. "She was aboard the Enterprise during Wolf 359. When..."
"When Jean-Luc was assimilated." Susan finished.
Ian nodded. "Quite a traumatic experience. However not all of her experiences have been that bad." He glanced at the PADD before him. "Serving on the Enterprise does have its perks."
Susan laughed. "Besides serving on the flagship with one of the best captains in the Fleet?"
"Who? I thought Susan Randall captained the Fairburn?" Ian said with a grin.
Susan gave him a poke in the ribs. "Very funny."
Her husband chuckled. "Seriously though, the Commander's met some pretty famous people. Ambassador Sarek, Montgomery Scott..."
Susan shot her husband a mischievous grin. "…Lwaxana Troi…"
Ian shuddered.
They'd met the Betazoid Ambassador at a reception. She was quite the character, and had been very friendly towards Ian. Apparently her late husband's name had been Ian and Lwaxana had teased him that since he was a Starfleet officer as well, they were fated to meet. She'd flirted with Ian until Susan had spotted them and had come to his much needed rescue.
Will Riker had later regaled them with tales of Lwaxana's pursuits of Jean-Luc, and Ian had found himself profoundly grateful that he didn't serve aboard the Enterprise, as this seemed to be the ship Lwaxana preferred to travel on.
"Come on, let's leave Commander Dubois record and move on to more, relevant subjects..." Ian said with a grin.
Susan, catching his meaning, moved closer. "Like...?"
Ian's head started to lower. "You're the captain...you figure it out."
Kylen was absorbed in her book when the door chimed.
"Come." she said absently, turning a page.
The door slid open and Kylen heard footsteps.
Thinking it to be K'Teira and not bothering to use her telepathy to confirm it, Kylen held up a hand as she finished her page.
"Still love a good book, I see." a familiar voice said amusedly.
Kylen froze. Her book fell from numb fingers. Slowly she raised shocked eyes to look at a face she never thought she'd see again.
"T… To...Tom?" she stammered in disbelief.
"Hello, Kylen." Tom Moore smiled calmly.~~~ They shimmered into existence out of blue silver columns; shadowy figures beaming into darkness…
Two people in black, carrying disrupters.
One, a petite young woman, held a Bajoran tricorder in her hand.
"This way," she said softly.
Noiselessly they slipped through the foliage, each one trying to keep as quiet as possible.
They reached the edge of a clearing and the young woman held up a hand.
'Stop' Her telepathic voice rippled through his mind with warm insistence. 'There is a sensor field here'
He didn't speak. He knew better. The slightest noise above a whisper would bring a Cardassian death squad.
The young woman nodded at him.
He stepped forward and set a device on the ground.
After keying in a sequence he stepped back.
There was a pulse, then nothing.
The woman swept the area with the tricorder and nodded.
Slowly they advanced towards the complex. A massive, intimidating building with guards around the perimeter.
Cardassian guards.
They heard a bark and realized the guards had company.
'Toskanar dogs' The woman thought at him with a frown. 'Not good'
He smiled mirthlessly and held a thought in his mind, one he knew she could read.
'What? You think I didn't bring chew toys?'
She smiled and shook her head. 'Sometimes I have to wonder about you.'
He smiled back, this time with genuine affection. 'Fair trade. I'm always wondering about you.'
She shot a glare at him that would have melted transparent aluminum. 'Just get rid of them.'
'Your wish is my command, milady.'
She rolled her eyes. 'That's old.'
He shrugged. Then slipped a device out of his pack.
He pressed a pad on it then tossed it towards the guards.
'Hold your breath' he instructed and pulled her close to the ground.
There was a slight popping noise and then a hiss.
Moments later he glanced up and saw the guards and dogs lying across the ground, unconscious.
'Let's go. You get the info, I'll set the explosives.' he thought calmly.
She grinned. 'Just like always.'
He grinned back. 'Just like always.' Then the smile vanished. 'Be careful, Ky.'
She smiled. 'Aren't I always, Tom?'
He frowned. 'No.'~~~ Kylen stared in shock at the handsome man before her.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded flatly.
"Saying hello to an old friend." he responded, unruffled at her less than joyous greeting.
"No. What are you doing on board the Fairburn?" She crossed her arms.
"I'm a strategic advisor." he answered, sitting on the couch.
"Like hell." she countered, remaining on her feet. "Does Randall know you're Starfleet Intelligence?"
He nodded. "Of course." He frowned. "Sit down, Kylen. You're making me nervous."
Kylen laughed shortly but nevertheless she sat. "The Iceberg nervous?" She shook her head. "Never happen."
He smiled. It was not an expression of amusement. "What happened, Kyle?"
She looked innocent. "What do you mean 'what happened'?"
"Don't play games with me." he said flatly. "Your name just disappeared off the active duty list. What'd they do, put you on reserve status?"
Kylen frowned. "I'm not playing with you. I'd never do that." She sighed and rose to put her book back in its place on the shelf behind her. "And as for Starfleet Intelligence, I'm surprised someone didn't tell you."
"Tell me what?"
Without turning from the book shelf Kylen spoke quietly. "I resigned."
"What?" Now it was Moore's turn to be shocked. "Why?"
She turned and looked at him. "Do I really need a reason?"
"Yes. You were one of the best SI agents I ever met. By the Prophets! You recruited me!"
Kylen nodded. "I did. But that has no bearing on why I resigned."
"Why did you resign? Come on Ky, answer me."
Kylen dropped back into her seat and tucked her long legs up underneath her. "I screwed up." she said flatly. "And someone got hurt." She looked out through a viewport into space. "Someone I cared about."
"Who?"
"Does it really matter?" Kylen asked bitterly.
"Yes it does! Whoever it was must have mattered a hell of a lot for you to resign from SI over them! Kylen, you were... are... one of the best. You've got more successful ops on your record than some agents who've been in Intelligence for three times the term you had there. You were born to be in Intelligence work."
Kylen shook her head and rose. She stalked to the viewport and stared out.
Moore walked over to stand behind her.
"Come on Ky," he said quietly. "Tell me. What happened?"
Kylen sighed and leaned her head against the side of the port. "It was a simple insertion on Celtris III. Three other officers besides myself. Their mission was to get information on a new metagenic weapon Intelligence suspected the Cardassians were developing. Mine was to assist wherever possible... and gather Intelligence on the Cardassians new communications codes and systems. It should have been easy." She looked down at her hands. "Should have been. It was a trap. They knew we were coming. I and another officer were captured and brought before a Gul. Gul Madred." She shuddered. "He was sadistic. You've heard the stories of what they do to spies?"
Moore nodded. He knew. He'd never seen it but he'd heard other Intelligence officers talk about it.
"They tortured us. One at a time. While the other watched."
Tom laid a supportive hand on her shoulder. The tears were coming now. He suspected this was the first time she'd ever had to relay what had happened to anyone except a Counselor.
"It was agonizing. I never heard such screaming. It was endless. Going on and on. It was inhuman."
"It was you." he supplied softly.
She nodded. "I didn't even realize it at first. I thought it was Picard, thought they were torturing him again."
Picard. "Jean-Luc Picard?"
She nodded again. "He's...he's my father, Tom."
Moore closed his eyes and prayed to the Prophets for control. He didn't want her to see how angry he was. Kylen had once been a close friend and comrade, but she'd changed. Whatever the Cardassians had done to her, it had changed her. He barely recognized the woman before him.
"I'm still not sure how long they tortured us for and I don't want to know. The last thing I remember is going for another 'session'." She spat the word. "And then Counselor Troi was talking to me and I was on the Enterprise. I was safe." Kylen pushed a shaky hand through her thick hair. "I resigned from Starfleet Intelligence a week later."
Moore frowned. "Because they tortured you?" That didn't sound like Kylen Dubois. She wasn't the kind of woman who ran from pain. The Kylen he knew fought back.
"Because I screwed up and someone I cared about got hurt because of it!" Kylen pushed past him and walked to the center of the room. "I failed to do my job and because of that the Cardassians got their hands on Jean-Luc Picard! The captain of the Enterprise. The flagship of the fleet! He knows more about Starfleet than some admirals. And I let them have him." She fell silent for a moment. "I couldn't do the job anymore."
"I doubt that. I've heard of Gul Madred. He's one of the most ruthless Cardassian Guls there are. You're lucky he didn't do worse to you or Picard." Tom leaned against the wall. "You didn't crack. You held up under some pretty horrendous torture. I doubt some of the admirals at SI could have done that."
Kylen laughed shortly. "Are you sure about that?"
"YES!" Moore snapped. "I know you, Kylen Dubois. You are not some flaky ensign who runs for the hills at the first sign of trouble. You're a Starfleet officer. One of the best. And that's what I don't understand."
"What?"
"You resigned. You left."
"I ran." Kylen smiled bitterly.
"The Kylen Dubois I know wouldn't run. She would stay and fight."
Kylen smiled. "Maybe I'm not the Kylen Dubois you thought I was. Maybe she never existed."
"No. She existed, and I think she's still there. She's just waiting for a chance to break through. To come back and kick a little Cardie arse."
Kylen smiled. "Clear out of the quadrant?"
He shook his head. "Clear out of the galaxy." He walked over to put a hand on her arm. "It's good to see you again Ky."
"It's good to be seen." she responded.
'But I still don't understand why you left.' he thought to himself.
'You can't.' Kylen responded sadly.
He shot her a vaguely reproachful look. "Eavesdropping, Commander?"
"I'm a communications officer, not a voyeur."
"No. You're an Intelligence officer."
"Tom..." she began only to have him cut her off with a shake of his head.
"You're scared, Ky, but that'll change. You loved Intel work. You can't leave a part of yourself behind so easily. Not that big a part." He smiled. "Get some sleep. You've got bridge duty tomorrow."
Kylen glared at him. "You're not my father." She said it with a childish note in her voice.
"No. He would have made it an order." Tom said walking towards the door.
"You mean that wasn't?" Kylen shot back.
"Good night, Ky." Tom said tolerantly as he walked out into the corridor.
Kylen walked to her bedroom and threw herself down on the bed. "What the hell am I getting myself into?" she muttered aloud.
