Posted by Civilian Karilan Massat (Owner, Quill and Parchment Books) in The Quill & Parchment: TMODJ (PRSIM)

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in The Quill & Parchment: TMODJ (PRSIM)

(snip)

Eela nodded and gestured that she was coming in. Torres opened the door more and she slipped in. “I’m actually here to see you Mr. Torres. We need to talk. Back room, now,” she said in a tone that brooked no argument. Eela set off towards the back, her heeled boots sounding on the wood floors and didn’t look back, fully expecting him to follow.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Karilan appeared from inside the coffee bar, a confused look on their face. “Eela? What’s wrong?” they asked and then looked from her to Rafael and back. “What’s going on?” Their tone was one of concern, but there was also an edge to it.

Massat, Owner, Quill and Parchment Books

Just as confused as Karilan, Raf began walking backwards and shrugged before turning and following the woman to the back room.

He stepped into the back room and she stood there with an almost blank expression on her face except for a very deep focus in her hazel eyes. She could see how this woman had been a Starfleet captain. She had presence, and it was a commanding one in this moment. “If I can help, I will,” he said softly, not sure what to make of this strange occurrence.

Eela took a step forward and took him in intently. “You can help by telling me exactly what you and Dash talked about at your lunch. Leave nothing out.”

Torres frowned. “Our lunch? I don’t know what that has to do with anything.”

“Maybe nothing, but maybe everything. Humour me,” she said, though her tone deepened and he wasn’t entirely sure what to make of it.

Her heart raced slightly but he took a steadying breath. “Umm, it was pretty straight forward. We caught up a bit. I told him I had had a rough year, he told me about his family, about his sister, all who I know. Umm, and then I asked him if he could help me out with trying to find a job, because things were complicated for me. We had a bit of a difficult moment but he was good enough to say he’s try. That’s how I met Karilan,” he said, gesturing to the Deltan.

“And there was nothing else?” Dasca asked.

Torres shook his head. “No. You can ask Dash yourself. It was a very straightforward conversation.”

For a brief moment, something shifted in the woman’s expression and then it was gone. “If I could ask him, I would, but I can’t, Mr. Torres.” She pressed her lips together for a moment, sucked in a breath and when she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. “Dash was found dead in his apartment a little while ago.”

~Rafal Torres & Eela Dasca