Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in The Pied Piper

Posted by Lazol (Chief Science Officer) in The Pied Piper

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in The Pied Piper

OOC: Trickster folks. This takes place on Delotha but has nothing to do with the Trickster thread. No clues/events/etc that affect that will happen here. However you are welcome to join in if you wish.
IC:
(snip)
She traced the runes on her necklace quietly. The box had said, Freedom is not found in a place. The rest of the saying being but in the person. She wondered if Ch’otok had already been talking to Ryder. “Maybe in another life time.” There was so much left not finished, and honor and loyalty meant a lot to the people she owed it to. Ch’otok understood that. “It’s not like I can go to Chancellor Gowron and ask to be released to enjoy my retirement.”

“Would that last comment of yours have left anyone else’s lips it would have been a grave insult given my record and what it cost me Casela.” He chided, his hackles raised ever so slightly. “Still though, I do not accept a reality where you simply get to choose to self destruct out of your own pity and sorrow for the unfinished business. We all have our own baggage, yours might be heavier than most but you have the opportunity to let another willingly take some of that weight. Redistribute his and yours equally on two pairs of shoulders and the work becomes lighter for both.”

She rolled her eyes and grunted. “Ah get off it Ch’otok. You earned that retirement and you know it. You deserved your life with your family, and it’s not like you haven’t continued to honor the empire with your loyalty and your blade.” She looked out at the rubble. Ch’otok’s reaction only reiterated to her what she was afraid of. If this man, whom she’d shed blood with, fought beside in battle and for the reminantes of life that was left for them, nursed back to health, and worked beside to make amends, could not accept her with her hot headedness and bad humor, then no one really could. “I thought we moved past this type of thing. You know, or should know, I meant no offense to you,” she whispered, meaning it and angry at herself for having offended him, and she had. She didn’t need to be telepathic to know that, but her telepathy just hammered the fact home.

What Casela was focusing on as ‘offence’ was just a momentary flash, a reaction from his Klingon blood that faded almost faster than it had arrived. “Look at me Casela. I know that look, you’ve registered something in my brain that makes you think ill if yourself. Read my mind all you wish, but read it longer than a simple moment or two. We did move past this almost a decade ago, yet you seem to keep bringing it back up when we ever disagree. My point of saying that was not that you had insulted me, but that it was quite the opposite. The fact is that I’m not going to let you self destruct again. I will go to that captain of yours and demand that you stay with me for a month on Delotha to ensure that you can relax and help me on the farm. You know that tending the fields, despite your protest, was something you always secretly enjoyed.” Ch’otok turned his gaze to her, a solemn expression telling her that he was dead serious about it.

He sat there looking at Casela, the wonderful woman that she was as he said softly, “Let me ask you one more time Casela. Let me take that old Bird of Prey and find out of Mad Man is truly gone. I know it’s risky, I know I could meet my end, but I would do that for you and more to make sure that you can have what you so truly deserve. Perhaps even then you can even let the man who doesn’t blink into your life.” He wanted to mention Alyssa, he wanted her to know that deep down under her loathing teenage exterior was that little girl who wanted to be loved. But it was one step at a time.

Ch’otok

At the mention of Mad Man she looked away, haunted, always haunted. As a counselor she often wondered why. She, and she alone, had gotten herself out of his grasp, had snatched her freedom from the jaws of the demon. No back up team, no rescue, no pity. Casela, and Casela alone had fought her way out and to freedom and back to safety. It was something that T’Jal and Ch’otok had told her repeatedly to carry pride in. But the mere mention of the man had her freezing in place like a rabbit that suddenly hopped out of hiding and into the wolf’s waiting mouth. She picked up a stick, tracing idlily into the dirt. “I would never ask that of you Ch’otok. But,” she sighs. “I have received reports that he’s looking for me. After all this time I can’t imagine it’s just stories. He’s offered a reward for me, Casela Synthi-er, to be alive and brought to him. I can’t believe that at this point, 13 years later, after absolute silence, that there isn’t some truth to it. I don’t like leaving my problems for others to solve.” She stops drawing and begins to snap the stick into smaller and smaller pieces. “And there is no way I can get away, alone, to do it.” She nods towards the direction of the village. “I couldn’t even get here without all of them.” Though she’d been able to pick who she wanted, she’d known Cobb would never let her wander off alone. “I can not ask this of you, and I can’t refuse your offer either.”

“I know you would never ask, and that is why I offer. Consider it done, the price I ask is that you set off the fireworks this year in the village.” He said with a smile, patting his old friend on the shoulder. “Consider it not that you are leaving your problem for me to solve as I distinctly remember you once telling me during a diplomatic mission that ‘I have the tact of a Targ, the manners of an Andorian Frost Lilly, and the subtlety of a Vulcan during Pon Farr’ and as such I don’t plan on infiltrating or trying to sus out the reasons or motivations. I will do as much fact finding as I can, and I will report to you what I know.”

“You will have to make them for me. I’m no good at making them. I’ll be back for it this year. Hopefully by then the adoption for young Neltus will have gone through and he will be going home.” She laughed remembering telling him that. Of course, the irony of it was that Ch’otok was actually very talented as a diplomat. Or at least pretending to be one. He, like her, was much better at more unique forms of persuasion. She had often fancied though, during that mission, she had seen in Ch’otok what Rutresh had seen. “I will set off the fireworks, but you will be back before I leave, or I’m coming to find you. I’ll track the Opaka the whole time. I mean it. He’s twisted Ch’otok.” Did she doubt Ch’otok’s ability to kill Mad Man? No, but if fate should twist and not go in his favor, the ‘life’ Mad Man would make Ch’otok live was not one Casela…”Maybe not. It can wait.” As always the scars began to throb, then weep and burn. Her gaze became further and further away. It was purely psychological, but it was a living nightmare that she could never forget. “You’ve earned your peace Ch’otok. I’ll not take it from you.”

Taking a deep breath he chuckled a hearty Klingon chuckle as he said, “Yes Casela I will make them, you know demolitions explosives and fireworks are not too seperated at the principles. One just makes a boom that people can enjoy, the other levels a building.” He had heard Neltus had been chosen by someone and was going through the process. “I’m glad to hear that Neltus will be adopted, he’s always been such a good boy but quiet and reserved, I think he would do well.” Shifting his weight a little Ch’otok looked at her with a grim seriousness that she knew all too well. “Casela you did not come to this ridge to just catch up, and I know you did not come to ask me about doing this for you. Just understand that I will be going. I will be looking for him. If you can manage it you are welcome to join me however I care deeply about you bangwI’. Nothing will change that and I know that you cannot live a life with this Ryder knowing that Mad Man is still out there. You told me that if you had known about the governor before, if you could have changed the past to affect my present so that my Rutresh was still alive that you would. I feel the same sentiment and this time I can help you. I can prevent something in your future. I will depart in 4 days, I owe it to the village to let them know I’ll be out for a little while.”

“Stubborn Klingon honor could get you killed, Maj Doq (Golden Boy). You aren’t as young as you used to be.” She couldn’t stop him, and he wouldn’t stay. Now that the words had been spoken, the deed was already in motion, and Casela would have to wait for word from him. And she hoped the word was that Mad Man was dead and it was a horrible rumor.

Ch’otok clicked his tongue as that ever so annoying nickname came out of her lips. “I may not be young but I am old enough to know when to fight and when to run, don’t think I’m doing this to die Casela, I simply want you to be able to enjoy the life that I enjoyed once.”

She shook her head with a very small quirk to her mouth. “I know that bengwl’.” It was all she could say. He was going; he was going to give her the life he lost, and she would have to find a way to take it in both hands. She couldn’t dishonor him that way. Not when he was giving up so much to do this for her. “I can’t go. Look at the army they sent with me. I couldn’t even come to take care of this alone. They all think I’m fragile like a porcelain doll. It so absurd I’m not sure I should laugh or break something. But no, I came to think to remember, and hopefully to see you. Even for a few minutes. However, more importantly what do you know about these strange pranks going on with the children? This is what has brought me, and them,” she nods towards the village, no over run with her shipmates, “here, right now before my usual visit.”

Ch’otok nodded and said softly, “You have developed a good cover with them, otherwise they would not have thought you needed protection. And remember, I’m always up for a sparring match if you need to get some aggression out.” He chuckled, “I’m glad you came, even if it involves a crew who now know your connection.” He cleared his throat and said, “I do not know what the reason for these pranks Casela. I do know of the young Cardassian boy…Vedi I believe, who’s leg has not healed in quite a long time. Karra had asked me to scan him and while I could see there was a break my old Klingon tricorder wasn’t of much help. They might be rugged and dependable, but they’re not meant for fine work.” He shifted his weight a little before saying, “While I’ve heard talk I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve had Vetad talking my ear off one afternoon when he was helping me, telling me about all the strange things going on. He didn’t know anything other than the gossip either.

“As for Alyssa, I know. I love her and I’m not angry at her. But even if I could convince my captain to let me have a child on board, what would that do to her to find the woman she loves so dearly is nothing more than a fictional figment of someone’s mind? And not to mention to throw a ready made family at Ryder. And no I’ve not discussed it with him, what’s to discuss. I can’t do anything about it.”
Casela Synthi-er/Zanya

Ch’otok simply nodded at the comments about Alyssa, that was far from his business and he wasn’t one to impose when it was clearly out of his league.

Ch’otok

Casela sighed. Her life was no life for a child. She loved Alyssa deeply. And what would she do if she knew about Gen? Another complication she didn’t know what to do with. “One day, Ch’otok, I will find some abandoned moon and build a hut and farm my food, and wait for the demons to consume me.”
Casela

“And one day that moon will be populated not just by you, but a small family that you deserve.” Ch’otok said softly as he too sighed.

Ch’otok

Her brow rose, imitating T’Jal, and then rising higher, a flush or horror to her face. She chucked a palm sized rock at his mid-section, totally expecting him to catch it with flair, he always did. “Do not speak such horrors, Ch’otok! Me? Rounded out with a child, puttering around gorging on food? You hate me don’t you?”
Casela

A hearty laugh erupted from the Klingon’s belly, a sound Casela hadn’t heard in quite some time as he deftly caught the rock, redirecting it towards the valley where the mansion once stood. “I can picture it now bangwl’! You sitting down to catch your breath as you pick out the best color suited for a nursery, and then which daggers would look best over the crib!” He roared as he knew he was pushing all her buttons, that big brotherly role now in full swing as he poked fun and laughed.

Ch’otok

She didn’t smile, but her eyes lit up hearing him laugh. It came so little. He lived with ghosts and long ago memories of happiness. Though the idea truly made her cringe she’d accept the teasing from him, to hear this proud warrior laugh. “Colors for a nursery? You DO remember what happened when Karra asked me to help her with that for the orphanage right? And I think Ryder would agree with Karra that knives are not appropriate for babies, though I’m not sure what they have against it.” She huffed and glared at him, “I should chuck a knife at you. Sitting down to catch my breath? Absolutely not! I’d go stark raving mad if I had to move that slow and be that cautious to carry....” she shuddered. She could see it now and maybe, when she was younger, the thought of a child would have been a pleasant one, she wasn’t so foolish now. “Stop laughing Ch’otok. I mean it, stop. It’s not that funny.” But he continued to laugh and she was getting irritated now.
Casela

His laughing did die down sooner than later as he wiped a tear from his eye. “Oh Casela I distinctly remember that conversation with Karra. You two were very heated when it came to practicalities of raising children. She thought that you could use the distraction and had asked me if you would be interested helping. I told her that you’d love to!” Now this piece of information would be new to Casela, all this time she wouldn’t have known that Ch’otok had instigated the whole thing 12 years ago, “And so she goes to you and asks for help at the orphanage and when she goes to hand you the paint swatches you grabbed them and pondered which looked best like blood. Then you wondered aloud about getting training weapons for the children, and I swear Casela I’ve never seen a Ferengi so angry, or you so frightened!”

Ch’otok