Posted by Civilian Thyr Th’arialat (Resident) in Pernicious Shenanigans

Posted by Civilian Jezem (Upstanding Citizen) in Pernicious Shenanigans

Posted by Civilian Thyr Th’arialat (Resident) in Pernicious Shenanigans
Posted by… suppressed (60) by the Post Ghost! 👻
It was almost a week after the day Shivan and Jezem had gone to the shooting range. Shivan’s shop was coming along nicely, mostly thanks to Jezem’s gifts and style. The med kit Jezem had gifted him had a permanent home in the front of the workshop, where it was likely to be needed.

Shivan had made a promise and he intended to go through with it. It had taken him this long to acquire everything he needed. These kinds of underhanded plans weren’t Shivan’s style but after Pavlajia, he’d had to find his own competence in them. After Jezem disappeared out of the sky. He found it funny he was now using those skills against Jezem, for fun.

Shivan had bought him three coffees already. Said he was trying to be nicer and all that garbage. And pay him back too, for all the dinners. Today the coffee had a little something extra in it. An Orion poison, enough to make him sick for about a week, but definitely not enough to be lethal.

Shivan entered Jezem’s house as he usually did and set the coffee on the counter. “Jezem! Coffee’s here!”

~ Thyr

“One minute,” Jezem called from another part of the house. The orion was in his room, sitting before an ornate gold and white wood vanity. Spread across it were various jewlery boxes and stands with clusters of various Orion beauty products and body oils filling the empty spaces in between. With a little cotton swab Jezem applied a thin white powder to the underside of his nails. Once the bottom of each nail was covered he applied a thin, clear coat of another liquid that caused the powder to turn transparent.

It was cute how Shivan thinks he’s being so underhanded. Insisting he couldn’t poison Jezem then bringing him drinks to ‘pay him back’. All Jezem had to do was discreetly dip a nail into the coffee and test for poison. There were only so many poisons Shivan could acquire with relative ease and without alerting authorities with any suspicious purchases. Oed wasn’t a bastion of criminal activity either so any offerings provided by local black markets would be similarly limited. What he couldn’t detect by the powder test could be smelled or tasted in coffee.

Jezem entered the main part of the house, “You know, I’m starting to get a little tired of all the coffee. Would it kill you to bring me a tea now and then?” Jezem pried the lid off the top of the cup to add a sugar mix with one hand while rooting around in another drawer for a spoon. And if he just so happened to accidentally dip the tip of a fingernail into the drink then that could be excused. Jezem stirred the sugar into his drink and oh, it was no effort to keep his face perfectly relaxed.

He feined a sip of the drink, not letting the liquid touch his lips, then retched, “Sisters, this tastes disgusting.”

Jezem

Shivan shrugged. “Tea next time then. What kind of tea do you like?” He must have been practicing his poker face. He knew Jezem dipped a nail in that coffee, yet his face showed… nothing. He went about his business, drinking his own coffee. “Breakfast today, or no? I have work to do at the shop.”

~ Thyr

“Ginger tea, or a redbush tea. Any kind of tea with a spicy taste to it,” Jezem dumped the poisoned coffee down the sink and with it Shivan’s hopes and dreams. Too bad, so sad. Suddenly in good spirits Jezem, fixed himself a cup of fresh squeezed juice before answering, “Sit down, I have some left over knenap.” It was a dish similar to an egg casserole but fluffier and lighter in texture and color. The dish was served cold and topped with dried pepper flakes and generous drizzles of what amounted to the Orion version of sriracha sauce. “Where have you been buying all this coffee anyways? I want to know so I can avoid it,”

Jezem

“Coffee place up the road,” Shivan said with a shrug. “The place near my shop is much better, but out of the way if I’m coming here.” He sat down. “It’s that, bad, huh? Couldn’t even drink it?” He’d had Jezem’s knenap before. It was spicy, like everything Jezem made, but very good. “Ginger or redbush. Got it.”

~ Thyr

“I think I know the place you’re talking about,” Jezem said sipping juice in between spicy bites of food. They ate in silence, getting their fill and once Shivan finished his plate Jezem set a packed lunch down in front of him. “You know, it’s been so nice getting these coffees from you. So I thought I’d make you an extra special packed lunch today. No need to thank me. Knowing my cooking keeps you happy and sustained with nutrients is enough of a reward for me.” Jezem spoke like a woman from an advertisement trying to sell you the latest kitchen gadget.

Jezem

Shivan eyed the lunch bag suspiciously, then took it. “Thanks.” Whether he’d eat it or not.... That was another question. He was way overselling it and considering what Shivan had done this morning he wouldn’t be surprised if Jezem had prepared his own surprise.

~ Thyr

The surprise was that it was a lovingly made home cooked Andorian dish. Something Jezem was sure Shivan would love and make it all the more delicious to imagine him struggling over whether to eat it or not. The meal wasn’t poisoned, but so long as Shivan suspects it might then he won. This is what you get for trying to play my games, Jezem thought with no small amount of pride. “Have a nice day at work,” Jezem sing-songed in the way that Jezem said goodbye to Argam in the morning.

Jezem

“Have a nice day… Doing whatever it is you do.” Shivan said back, and then he was gone out the door. By the time lunch came around, he was starving and Jezem’s food was all the more tempting. And then he opened the bag and saw what it was. A home cooked Andorian meal… And not that Jezem would have known but something he hadn’t had in a long time. Not since he was a child.

He sniffed it. There was no detectible smell of poison. He had nothing to test the food with. He tried a small bite. It was delicious and exactly how he remembered it, and no, he didn’t taste poison. He couldn’t resist it. If Jezem poisoned it then fine, it was worth it. He ate all of it.

When he was finished working later that day, he returned to Jezem’s house and upon entering, “Where did you learn to make shelatha? It’s a difficult meal to prepare, I haven’t had it in years.”

~ Thyr

Jezem looked up from the kitchen. Fresh baked bread sat on cooling racks and filled the house with tantalizing smell of baked goods. Jezem smirked, “Cooking videos and holoprogram lessons. It’s amazing all the things humans make available for free.” Plus all those cook books he read and studied but Shivan doesn’t need to know about that. “I take it you enjoyed your lunch?”

Jezem

“It was amazing,” Shivan said as if he worshipped the food. The truth was, it was something his parents had once liked making. He never spoke of his history though, so Jezem would never have known that. He sat down at the table. “Your cooking is unparalleled.”

~ Thyr

Preening under the attention and compliments, Jezem cut a slice of still warm bread and passed to Shivan along with a tray of herb-butter, “I owe it all to free cooking lessons and cook books.” He suddenly laughed, a memory popping to mind, “The first time I tried cooking for Argam. . . I burned the sauce, not that it would have tasted good if I hadn’t. I hadn’t really read the recipe, just added the ingredients and started cooking.”

Shivam buttered the bread and then started eating it. “That’s how I would do it.”

Sisters, bless Argam for suffering through his early adventures into culinary pursuits. That man ate everything Jezem made, even when it was barely edible. “I learned to read the whole recipe, learned the science and techniques behind cooking and practiced every day. Before long I was cooking as well as our cook on the ship and now I’m practically a master. I should get my own cooking show.” One that you have to pay to watch, of course, because why give his talents for free?

Jezem

Shivan shrugged. “I’m forever doomed to rely on your cooking. I hate cooking.” He finished the piece of bread. It had turned out perfect. Shivan planned to wait about a week. Today’s poisoning hadn’t been a failure but went exactly as planned. In a week, he had another trick up his sleeve. “Soaps tonight?” He asked.

~ Thyr

“There are worse fates to be doomed too,” Jezem said with a laugh, “I’ll get one going. You better thank me because I waited to watch the new episodes with you.” Jezem went on, the whole poisoning bet nearly forgotten. Life was good and he was. . . he was happy.

Jezem

Shivan was… working on things. He wasn’t happy, not by a long shot. But he was trying, just like he promised Jezem he would. He grinned when Jezem said he saved the new episodes. At least there was something to look forward to on this stupid rock. “Yes!”

~ Thyr

Another week slipped past and Jezem became caught up in helping Argam put out metaphorical fires at his business. Argam’s secretary had gone into labor early and was currently at the hospital. Jezem talked to Argam over the house communicator while putting together meals for the two of them plus Shivan. He needed to get everything together so he can get to Argam’s office and fill in for Louise. And of course this was the day two investors were due to arrive.

Sisters, some days Jezem missed being a pirate captain, because then he could say ‘not my problem’ and order some one else to deal with the mess. “Argam, I’ll be there soon. I need to focus.” The door chime announced Shivan’s arrival, “Shivan is here, I’m going to get him his lunch and then I’ll be over. Quit panicking and do some of those meditations I taught you. Everything will be fine.” Jezem closed the line before Argam could argue.

“Please tell me you have something for me to drink because I need something,” Jezem called over his shoulder while putting the finishing touches on all the packed lunches.

Jezem

“Redbush tea,” Shivan said brightly, setting the drink down on the table. He sipped out of his own coffee. He had no idea Jezem was so busy or he might just feel bad about what he was about to do.

It had been difficult, near impossible, to get his hands on a tasteless, scent free poison that Jezem’s powder wouldn’t detect. But Shivan had done it. He’d… had to get his hands a tiny bit dirty to do it, but Eryn wouldn’t find out about that. Hopefully. He took the packed lunch and nodded to Jezem. “I’ve got to go. Work to do in the shop and all that.”

By now, the shop was nearly ready to fully open. Set up and organized, with a solid foundation for the business side of things thanks to Jezem’s help. Shivam was preparing his first items for sale and ensuring he had a steady supply of materials. Then he’d be able to do a little ‘grand opening’.

~ Thyr

“Thank the Sisters,” Jezem accepted the drink, tossed Shivan’s lunch at him and rushed out of the house. The tea forgotten until after Jezem arrived at Argam’s office and calmed the Ferengi enough to sit down and calmly read over his notes for the investor meetings. Jezem slid into Lousie’s empty chair and guzzled his tea for that sweet boost of caffeine.

The poison that Shivan procured didn’t act right away, but symptoms began within a few hours. It started as a headache. So small and insignificant at first that Jezem ignored the steadily building pain. He rationalized it away as stress from managing Argam’s stress, working Louise’s job and arranging for a meal train post delivery with the other staff and her family.

Just as the headache became a steady pounding behind his eyes the next symptoms hit. Hot flashes followed by cold flashes. With each change in temperature sensitivity his head sparked with sharp and blinding pain. It took all of Jezem’s strength and self control to finish the day and collapse into Argam’s office. Of course his husband was concerned but just as he suggested taking Jezem to the hospital Jezem shook his head vehemently.

“No! Can’t. Hospital. Poisoned.” Jezem clenched his teeth. “Thyr. Bastard.”

“No? But- Wait, Thyr poisoned you?!” Argam tried to insist he take Jezem to the hospital but Jezem was adamant he be taken home. Reluctantly the Ferengi agreed. At home, Jezem fell into bed and forgot about the world around him. Argam stepped into the other room before calling Shivan on the house viewscreen.

Jezem

Shivan appeared on the viewscreen. He was in his workshop. “Argam!” He grinned widely. That meant it had worked. There was no other reason for Jezem’s husband to call him. “Before you blame me, Jezem dared me. He’ll be fiiiine. In about a week.” Shivan was downright gleeful.

~ Thyr

Argam blinked, too stunned for words for a solid minute, “You poisoned my husband for a dare? He needs to go to a hospital but he’s refusing! Probably because they’ll ask questions how he got poisoned! There would be an investigation and this would go wildly out of control!” Argam was pacing in front of the screen, his earlier panic returning in full force. He loved his husband dearly but this! This was insanity! “Thyr you could have been arrested!”

Jezem

Shivan gave Argam a look. “Give him a lot of water, make sure he rests. He’ll be fine. Tell me if he gets worse.” Despite his poisoning Jezem, he wasn’t aiming to actually hurt the guy. Just prove he could do it. He actually appreciated Argam’s concern about his potential arrest. “I know, I know… It was dumb. Wasn’t easy to get my hands on, either, I had to make some interesting deals.”

~ Thyr

He shouldn’t be having to take care of his poisoned husband! Argam kept pacing. This is why he got out of the criminal life. Because things like poisoning others on a bet were common! Or who can win in a race through an asteroid belt. Or who can do that stupid poking a dagger between fingers the longest game. The Ferengi was ringing his hands, “Interesting deals? Who did you talk to? Where did you go?” Argam can make sure there wasn’t a transfer trail. “Do you have the antidote for the poison??”

Jezem

“Of course I do. I wasn’t trying to kill him. Just prove I’m not a total imbecile.” Shivan said. “That’s why I asked you to tell me if he gets worse. I’ll give the antidote then.” There shouldn’t be too much of a trail. Shivan hadn’t been dumb enough to give his old name, nor did he use his fake ID name. No, he used an alias. “Rehl” bought some lovely poisons in exchange for one slightly illegal weapon which he’d had to acquire. That was easy though. Weapons were his specialty. “We’ll talk about where I went in person. Doing it over a call seems… ill advised.”

~ Thyr

These two were going to be the death of him. Or the reason he advances into early aging due to all the stress. “Yes, the rest of his discussion should be in person. But not here. I fear if you were to come to the house now Jezem would find the strength to get out of bed and murder you. Let me come to your shop instead.” After the call ended, Argam checked on Jezem who seemed the same as he left him. Though he loathed to leave Jezem alone in this condition he really needed to finish his discussion with Mr. Thyr. Thinking fast, the Ferengi set up a medical monitor that would alert him should Jezem’s condition suddenly take a dive.

“I’ll be back soon, my love.” Argam left clean towels on the bed and a glass of water on the bedside table. Jezem made no indication of having heard him. Argam stopped by the alter to the Sisters and lit a bit of incense. He wasn’t a religious man but Jezem was and if these goddesses actually exsisted in any way then he hoped they would watch over his husband. The entire trip over to Shivan’s shop the Ferengi stewed in concern.

Jezem

Shivan moved into the storefront and unlocked the shop door, letting the Ferengi in when he arrived. Then he locked the door behind him. “I’ll give you names and specifics. I was careful. Used an alias. Limited the amount of people who saw my face. It should be fine.”

~ Thyr

Argam stepped inside, still wringing his hands in his nervous tick. “Yes, yes give me the names and I’ll make sure nothing was missed. But by all that is good in the world what were you thinking? I know you and Jezem have a. . . very complicated-weird-pesudo-sibling-slash-former-collegue relationship but this is really above and beyond! The two of you are supposed to be acting as average citizens, not like deliquents.”

Jezem

Argam’s nervousness had always been annoying to Shivan. He listed off the names of those he spoke to and gave Argam the alias he’d used to make the deals. “Siblings? Jezem? Related to me?” Shivan laughed. “I was thinking ‘I can’t wait to see his face when I pull this off’.” He looked at Argam. “No one will know. You tell… Whoever it is who might need to know he caught a stomach bug. He’ll be fine.” Shivam was keeping the extra of the poison he’d used… Just in case Jezem ever gave him another reason to need it.

~ Thyr

Who was he kidding? Argam would never get through to these two. He had been caught off-guard but pleasantly surprised by Jezem’s insistance on helping his old shipmate. Jezem was deeply loyal to those he deemed worthy of it and Argam thought that being around someone familiar to him would make him happier. Instead, these two constantly fight and bicker and though Argam understood Jezem’s concern they only seemed to bring the worst out in each other, “Please, please promise me no more poisoning dares and before you say anything I have Jezem make the same promise!”

Jezem

Shivan gave Argam a look. “Do you know your husband? He’s never going to agree to that, or flow through with it, until he’s had his revenge.” Shivan had known that when he did it. He was going to have to watch his back.

~ Thyr

Argam groaned, because of course Jezem would have his revenge. He loved his husband. Loved the thrill of danger, of being loved in return by something dangerous. The Ferengi also knew his husband. Knew that everything he suffered must be repaid in full with interest. “Why can’t you two compete in something- something acceptable like sports o-or I don’t know but nothing that requires criminal dealings!”

Jezem

“We’re criminals. It’ll always end this way.” Shivan replied. “This all started out as a shooting competition.” The poison Shivan had used would make Jezem miserable for a week. If Jezem succeeded in getting him back, he was probably going to be on death’s door for a week, or longer.

~ Thyr

Argam shook his head. This was too much. “I can’t talk about this any more. I need to get back to the house. S-” Argam almost wished Shivan well but stopped himself because no, he didn’t wish the Andorian well. Shivan poisoned his husband and Argam was allowed to be just a little upset about that. “I’m going.” Argam left the store, eager to get back home and watch after his husband.

Jezem was in for quite the miserable week. A persistent headache that could never fully be quelled by pain killers, a body that shifted continuously between too feverish hot and too freezing cold. After three days his frazzled nervous system burned. Muscles all over his body randomly spamming with sharp pin-pricks of pain. By the end of the week the orion was dehydrated, and exhausted. Jezem would spend another two days in bed, sleeping for several hours at a stretch and eating the nutrient-dense food bars Argam handed him.

His first coherent thought once the haze of exhaustion began to lift from his mind, ‘You’ll regret this, Thyr’.

Jezem

Shivan had stopped by several times throughout the week. He really did just want to prove a point. He wanted to make sure Jezem was okay. In the meantime, he did his best to handle his shop stuff on his own. He didn’t bother Argam more than he had to. He lived on replicated ‘fast’ food. All in all, he stayed out of their hair.

~ Thyr

Argam was a touch cold to Shivan every time he visited, having not quite forgiven the Andorian for taking up the bet. The Ferengi’s consciousness was somewhat relieved by the thought that Shivan knew what he was getting into, and that Jezem would find a way to have his revenge and no one the wiser. Argam tried to figure out what Jezem might be planning but he could find no evidence of any sinister plans. Jezem even acted as though nothing had happened. Days passed.

Jezem was plotting, however, and he waited until Shivan went to meet with their counselor to enact it. It was a dry poison that readily absorbed into fabrics where it would remain indefinitely and near impossible to detect once applied. The real magic happened when the poisoned fabric came in contact with living flesh. It took days for the poison to build to noticeable toxicity. The symptoms mild and similar to that of the common cold. But as the target continues to come into contact with the poisoned fabric the symptoms worsen until the target was entirely bed bound.

And so long as they remained in contact with the poisoned fabric then they would remain sick and weak. A perfect non-lethal torture. All while Jezem continued to push food and beverages upon Shivan in various obvious and sly ways.

Jezem

Shivan was cautious, not accepting the food that seemed too obvious, but without the willpower to turn down some of the more sly ones. It wasn’t until four days after his most recent appointment with Séan that Shivan began to show symptoms of the poison. He worked through it. He stopped accepting Jezem’s food unless he saw it prepared. A few more days went by and Shivan’s condition worsened. He stopped by Jezem’s house that day looking tired and worn down. His body ached. He flopped onto Jezem’s couch with a sigh. “I think I caught the flu.”

~ Thyr

A sigh could be heard from another room, “Let me get the med kit,” and Jezem appeared. He was dressed down today in just a loin cloth. No leather straps or stunning gold accessories. He pulled the med kit (he’s since bought a larger one) and knelled beside Shivan. First he took the Andorian’s temperature, then his pulse, “Hmm, your temperature is elevated but not quite feverish.” He gave Shivan a once over, “Really, Thyr? You get a cold and the first thing you do is come here? I’m not your nurse.”

Jezem

“Well, I didn’t expect you to whip out a med kit,” Shivan said with a shrug. “I just wanted someone to complain to.” Jezem would remember from their Pavlajia days Shivan tended not to like being alone when he was ill. He sighed, “Maybe I just worked too hard, then. But it’s been going on for a few days, so I don’t know.”

~ Thyr

“Better safe than sorry with you,” Jezem set the kit aside and settled himself on the other side of the couch, legs tucked underneath him, “It’s a cold, you’ll be fine. Take some breaks, drink some water and I don’t know, eat some soup.” Louise sent Jezem several bowls of the soup, more than the orion could ever expect to eat. Actually. . . “Argam’s secretary sent me some human chicken noodle soup.” He got up to fetch one of the bowls. They were pre-packaged and sealed but made by a local business. The bowls themselves were self-heating and kept the soup warm.

“Here. The human cure for your ills.”

Jezem

“Uh, thanks.” Shivan had no idea what human soup was going to do for his illness, but he supposed it was better than having to go get his own food. He took the bowl, sitting up enough to eat, and opened it. There was a little spoon in it, too. “Got time for soaps?” He asked.

~ Thyr

He laughed, Shivan seemed to have given up on complaining and pretending to hate the soaps. “I have some time before I need to leave to do some errands.” Jezem turned on the holoscreen, picking up where they last left off. Their current soap series was really picking up. The plots were as twisted and entangled as ever but this series elevated that by intersecting seemingly unconnected side plots with different alien groups. It wasn’t until the last episode that the various plots began to twist together with the promise of a beautiful and devastating clash.

Jezem

Shivan was into the show, but by the time Jezem needed to leave, Shivan had dozed off in his spot. He went home later that night… Only to sleep in his poisoned bedsheets. Jezem didn’t see him again in the next four days. By then, he was feverish, weak, achy. Too ill to work. Too ill to do much besides lie in bed.

~ Thyr

Jezem kept a discrete eye on Shivan and cheerfully evaded Argam’s probing questions into what sort of sinister thing he had planned. Lucky for Shivan once the symptoms reached a certain point they would get no worse than before. By this point Shivan would be experiencing the worst of his “illness” but would remain sick for as long as he laid in those sheets.

Now and then Jezem dropped by the shop to ensure Shivan had plenty to drink and food to eat, and even completed a couple sales to ensure the business stayed somewhat afloat. Shivan had a good amount of stock built up and Jezem was able to secure a few orders for when Shivan felt better again. He of course pretened to feign interest and made the occasional comment of taking Shivan to the hospital. Hmm, one more week of this ought to do.

Jezem

Shivan refused the hospital, as Jezem must have known he would. He couldn’t go there. Too many fleet officers. But he was miserable. When the symptoms finally got as bad as they were going to, he was bed bound, too tired and weak to move, with a high fever. His body ached, his mind was foggy and unclear. His breaths were shallow. He was by then, fairly sure this was Jezem’s revenge. If it was, though, how and when had Jezem poisoned him? He was too tired to think too hard about it. When would this end? Or maybe he really was sick and he’d just die because he couldn’t go to the hospital.

~ Thyr

I suppose I can release him from his torture, Jezem thought one morning. He paid Shivan back double and now the game was up. Jezem arrived at Shivan’s shop in high spirits and with a hypo of medical goodness that will set the Andorian back onto the path of good health. He would have let Shivan get better on his own but the man really should get back to work. “It was the bedsheets, by the way,” Jezem said in greeting.

He jammed that hypo tight against Shivan’s neck and pulled him from the poisoned bed.

Jezem

Shivan was yanked from his bed, a hypo shoved against his neck. The bedsheets! “I knew it was you.” His voice was tired and weak. When Jezem yanked him out of the bed he plonked onto the floor. “When did you do it?”

~ Thyr

“Two weeks ago, you need to up your security because it was far too easy to slip in. Talk to Eryn about it because that’s not my area of expertise.” Knowing how to infiltrate was different from defending against it. Jezem pulled on the Andorian until he could rest against the wall, “You’re going to have to burn all your bedding. The poisoned I use will not wash out.

Shivan tried not to groan as he was pulled up against the wall. Of course it was easy to slip in. His security system was a basic lock and two security cameras, both focused on the store’s sales floor. He planned to update it but that was expensive and the store wasn’t that profitable yet. He still had to make payments to Eryn out of his profits.

“Want to attend the bonfire?” He asked.

“Argam said we’re not allowed to poison each other anymore.” Jezem added with a boyish grin.

Jezem

“I got that talk, too.” Shivan said, grinning despite himself. The hypo was helping a little, but he still felt awful. “Apparently, he feels we act “like delinquents”.”

~ Thyr

“He said ‘juvenile delinquents’ to me,” Jezem patted Shivan on the shoulder, “You have a ton of orders waiting for you. Since I was the one responsible for putting you out of commission I made sure that your business didn’t completely stagnate.” Along with the bare minimum of keeping the place clean and Shivan’ fridge stocked. “He wants us to try our hands at sports but when I suggested sword fighting he walked out of the room.”

Jezem

“Oh. Good. Unless your hypo works really fast I’m not going to be able to do those for another couple of days. Got to have the strength to hit things with a hammer.” He grinned, “He suggested sports to me, too! I could make us some fantastic swords!”

~ Thyr

“Swords or bat’leths. . . Klingons knew what they were doing with their bladed weapons.” Jezem plopped himself down on the ground beside Shivan. The Andorian was looking better, “Poison me again you’ll be dead before your body hits the ground.” Though Jezem said the words in a serious tone his face told a different story. He was. . .furious but there was respect there. Jezem was impressed that the Andorian had pulled it off. At least some part of Shivan must have listened all those years ago, and he had remembered Jezem’s preferred method of testing for poisons.

Jezem

“Yes, they did. They’re difficult to make though. Veeery complicated.” Shivan said. He grinned, “Fine. But only because I’m not interested in dying by Jezem.” He caught the respect in Jezem’s furious gaze and it made him grin and look proud.

~ Thyr

“Stop grinning, you look like an even bigger idiot.” Jezem stood and surveyed the room. “This place doesn’t look so miserable with furniture and decor. Less ‘a sad lonely andorian lives here’ and more ‘a not so sad but still average andorian lives here’.”

Jezem

Shivan scowled. “Interior design isn’t my thing. I don’t care what my place looks like.” He stayed sitting against the wall. By then he was feeling like maybe he could stand, but after a week of being bed ridden, he was going to be a little weak and shaky even healthy.

~ Thyr

“I’ll be in that sad section of your apartment you call a kitchen, you need some real food after two weeks of electrolyte drinks and nutrient bars. If you need help don’t call for me.” Jezem shot a smile over his shoulder as he moved out of the bedroom to do as promised. That hypo should at least give the other man the strength to stand and shower on his own.”

Jezem

“Not everyone can be rich,” Shivan said. He sat there for another minute or so before he picked himself up and got in the shower for a quick, much needed, shower. He stepped out, dressed in the Orion clothes Jezem had given him, then sat in the unit’s small dining room.

~ Thyr

Jezem set out a plate of plain porridge topped with a cooked egg and side of toast, “Eat up,” Jezem plopped down into the chair beside Shivan and began to poke through a Padd he found laying about, “Do you ever think people can change?” He asked, apropos of nothing.

Jezem

Shivan started eating the porridge, slowly. Not because it wasn’t good (for porridge, anyway), but because his appetite wasn’t back yet. He considered the question. “I would say no, but,” and he gestured to the bowl, “You’ve changed.”

~ Thyr

Jezem stretched his arms across the table, letting the burn of the stretch soothe his mind before pulling upright again, “I can see the differences between then and now, point out the things that I would have never done then but sometimes I feel as though I haven’t changed at all. Like I stretched myself out of shape and then I snap back to place again. Maybe I have changed.”

Jezem

“You have,” Shivan said with a definitive nod. “Maybe you’ll go back to how you were.” That was pretty much his secret fear after all. He ate some more porridge. “I mean, sure, you poisoned me, again. But I poisoned you first. And you came and managed my store, which you didn’t have to do. And made porridge.” He didn’t mention visiting besides managing the store because he knew Jezem too well. He wanted to watch him suffer. Didn’t count towards change.

~ Thyr

“Can people like us ever really change?” Jezem wondered out loud. If the colony knew the crimes they committed. . . “I suppose I’ll have to take your word for it.” Argam said he had changed to. Then why did Naanni ask him that question? Jezem seemed to be in a strange, moody state. He stared at Shivan’s table as though it were a crystal ball from which he could divine the truth.

Jezem

Shivan shrugged to the question that wasn’t necessarily asked of him. “Does it matter? Do you want to change?” Shivan liked how they were. It was “normal” for him. And if Jezem changed… Would he push Shivan away? Because Shivan was from his past? That was a new secret anxiety to hide in Shivan’s mind.

~ Thyr

“Maybe,” Jezem said, “Don’t you ever wish you were different? That you could let go of your ugly parts and your past and be someone better?”

Jezem

“Of course I do.” Shivan said it without hesitation. He hesitated before he went on. It was weird talking about feelings with Jezem. He half expected the Orion to start teasing and harassing him. “I wish I could go back and time and change what happened… In the Academy. Or tell idiot young me to get a grip on his anger.” He clenched a fist. “But I can’t do that. So it’s not worth thinking about.”

~ Thyr

Can a tiger change its stripes, as the humans would say. Maybe Jezem couldn’t change, his markings burned deep upon his flesh and soul. Jezem didn’t see the point in imagining what-ifs. The past was settled. “I’m heading home. Don’t do anything stupid until after you are feeling better.”

Jezem