Tarik left the meeting and returned to his office. He reviewed his messages and found one from Lt. Anderson regarding three of his Marines who had been arrested for starting trouble with Engineering.
Terrific! Tarik thought with disgust. He activated his combadge. "Tarik to Hartman."
[Hartman here, sir.]
"I'd like to see you in my office, please. Bring Corporals Elgin and Bartholomew, and PFC Borodin."
[I think I know what's going on. I'll round up those sons of bitches posthaste!]
Within moments Hartman had arrived, with three bruised-up Marines in tow. "You men wait outside," he instructed them. "We'll deal with you momentarily." They left to wait in the corridor.
"Okay, Gunny, want to tell me what's going on here?" Tarik asked as soon as the door closed.
"It is as the Lieutenant states in his report. Those three men engaged in some festivities with some Engineering crewmen and caused some damage to one of the station shops in the process."
"Hmmm... what can you tell me about them?" Tarik said as he reviewed their files.
"Elgin's a first-class maggot. Why he's even in the Marines is beyond me, but they threw the 28th together in a hurry for the Son'a campaign. I guess they took what they had available. By all accounts Elgin started the fight. He likes to start fights, but only with people like Engineering or Medical, or civilians. He punched out the ship's counselor aboard the Simon Bolivar last year. Other Marines and Security he leaves alone--fair fights aren't his style. Bartholomew isn't much better, but he's really a second-banana to Elgin. Without Elgin, Bartholomew is at least manageable and has decent readiness scores," Hartman said with some disgust.
Tarik reviewed the file on Elgin. The man was a consistent discipline problem and only barely passed his readiness evaluations. And, according to Anderson's report, he had shown gross insubordination to an officer. Officers in general didn't seem to agree with Elgin. Well, we'll fix it so that he doesn't have to deal with officers ever again, Tarik thought.
"How about Borodin?"
"He's okay; he's from a fairly remote agricultural colony--can't recall the name; Novy Novgorod or something like that--and doesn't really know all the ropes. He's book-smart, and he does okay in the field, but he's not streetwise. My guess is that he fell into bad company with Elgin and Bartholomew."
"Very well. Have them come in," Tarik said.
The three Marines entered the office.
"Corporal Michael Elgin," Tarik snapped. Elgin looked up, but didn't exactly display alacrity in doing so.
"You will display respect to your superior officer and stand at attention, Corporal!" Hartman snapped.
"That's all right, Hartman. He isn't worthy of that right. Corporal Elgin, your actions and your deportment have consistently disgraced our fair service, and your professional competence is lacking. Are you aware of your rights under Starfleet Code of Military Justice section 867.5309?" Elgin nodded. That section pertained to his right to appeal to a higher command authority what Tarik was about to do.
"As of this moment you are dishonorably discharged from the Starfleet Marine Corps. Gunnery Sergeant Hartman will escort you to your quarters where you will clean out your locker and be on the next transport out of here."
Elgin's jaw dropped. "You can't do this to me!!! This isn't fair!"
"You ask about fair? You've been given chance after chance to straighten out your act and your life, and you've failed to do so. We're through with you. You're not worth any more of our trouble," Tarik said simply. Not that I owe this son of a bitch an explanation.
"Come with me," Hartman said simply but firmly as he led Elgin out the door.
"Corporal Charles Bartholomew," Tarik snapped next
Bartholomew was smarter than his compatriot and snapped to immediately.
"I am tempted to deal with you as I dealt with Elgin," Tarik said, "but in light of your record I am going to be lenient just this once--you are reduced to Private First Class and assigned 30 days' guard duty. All leave and liberty privileges are revoked for 30 days. As you saw with Elgin I could have done much worse. But I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself. Don't blow it, Bartholomew! Or you will not like what I have in store for you next! Report to Gunnery Sergeant Hartman for your guard duty assignment. Dismissed!"
"Aye, sir." Bartholomew said as he turned smartly and left the office. A thousand percent improvement already! Tarik thought.
Tarik took his time with Borodin, as he looked over the man's file. Not the best Marine, but far from the worst, he noted. The kid deserves a break.
"Private First Class Nikolai Borodin," Tarik snapped. The private came to attention.
"At ease, Private. Let's talk."
"Sir?" Borodin asked nervously. Having seen the fate of his comrades he was understandably shaken.
"I want to know how a bright young man like you managed to end up with two idiots like Elgin and Bartholomew. Explain this to me," Tarik said.
"Well, I..." Borodin said very tentatively.
"Speak up, man!" Tarik snapped.
"I was with Elgin and Bartholomew, and a few other guys during a pub crawl," Borodin explained. "We ran into some Engineering folks who were also pretty drunk, and Elgin decided to start making something out of nothing. Everyone else left. I tried to but Elgin grabbed me and said I wasn't a real Marine if I didn't stay and fight," he answered. "He said we had to show those Engineering wimps who really did the fighting."
"Considering the man who said that has never been a real Marine in his life I wouldn't take that to heart, Private," Tarik replied. "It sounds to me like you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, let me ask you this: who do you think won this fight?"
"We did, sir. The 28th."
"Wrong. The whole station won this fight. While we were busy breaking heads, who do you think kept the air going? Engineering, that's who. And if it hadn't been for Security and Tactical things would have been a lot worse. Esprit-de-corps is one thing, but the big picture is another. I don't expect you to know all the details--you're not an officer. But you'll want to keep things in perspective. Do you know how much Engineering is required to become a Marine officer?"
"No, sir."
"Take a look at that frame on the wall--the third one from the right," Tarik instructed. That was his degree from Starfleet Academy.
Borodin looked at it. "It says you have a degree in engineering, sir."
"That's right, Private. Marine officers have to take nearly as many engineering courses as the Engineers themselves--with the exception of the warp core we study just about every major system aboard a starship or starbase, so we know what to hurt on the enemy's ships, and what to protect on ours--and how to accomplish those lofty goals. The title 'engineer' itself was a French infantry rank dating to the Middle Ages on Earth. Almost as much as our infantry skills, our engineering skills are our stock in trade. Don't ever forget that!"
"Yes, sir." Borodin was awestruck. He had never seen the connection before.
"I'm not going to mark this in your record--you were in bad company, and I think you've learned your lesson. But don't ever let me catch you doing anything stupid like that again or you can be assured I'll nail your ass to the bulkhead! Understood, Private?"
"Aye, sir."
"Very good. Dismissed."
The sigh of relief was audible as Borodin smiled. Then, remembering who he was and where he was, he snapped to attention, turned on his heel, and headed out the door. The kid's going to turn out all right, Tarik thought.
"Tarik to Hartman--have the troops assemble in formation at 1330 hours. I wish to make an all-hands announcement. Also, I want you to choose our two best squads for an away mission. Have them gather their 782 gear and assemble at 1700."
[Aye, sir.]
All eighty surviving members of the 28th Marine Expeditionary Force assembled in the huge cargo bay that the Marines had affectionately christened the Parade Ground. It functioned much as one, too, serving as practice space for inspections, close-order drill, and any other activities requiring a large volume of space. Tarik noted the black eyes, cauliflower ears, and deviated septums of those who had recently been in bar fights. He also noticed something else. At the rear of the formation was a statue. Of a yellow clown. In a kilt. Playing bagpipes.
"Hartman, what is that clown doing there?" Tarik asked.
"Oh--you mean Private MacDonnell, sir? He's our regimental piper!"
Oh, great--now my Staff NCO is a miscreant as well! But still, I like it! Tarik thought. "That man is out of uniform. Upon dismissal of this formation, he is to stand guard duty for 14 days outside Storage Area 13-01," Tarik ordered. Storage Area 13-01 was an empty compartment near Tarik's office.
"All joking aside, Marines, I want to make something very clear," Tarik announced in a deep, projecting voice. "I have had far too many reports of Marines engaging in brawls with other station personnel, particularly in Engineering. I will no longer tolerate such activity! Any report of any brawling by any one of you that is not in self-defense will be dealt with quickly and decisively! Am I understood?"
"YES SIR!" came back the thundering reply.
"Very well, then. I expect no more reports of fighting with other station personnel," Tarik said, knowing that there would be at least three more fights before the end of the week. But maybe this would make them think first. He doubted it.
"Gunnery Sergeant, dismiss the formation!"
"Aye, sir! Formation---fall out!!!" The assemblage broke up and everyone began to return to their duty stations.
"And Hartman?" Tarik asked.
"Yes?"
"Get that clown into uniform!"
Troy had never been down to Marine Country on the station before, and was a bit lost. He asked for directions, and was told that Private MacDonnell was standing guard outside the Major's office and would be able to assist him.
It took a few minutes for Troy to realize who "Private MacDonnell" was. Outside one doorway was the familiar yellow clown from the Scottish restaurant, but with a few modifications. The clown wore a flak jacket with two empty grenade bandoliers crisscrossed over his chest. The clown's face was covered with green and black camouflage paint rendered almost like the war paint of Earth's ancient Native Americans. On his head, covering his tam o' shanter was not the expected Marine helmet, but rather a naval headpiece more appropriate for Captain Hornblower than anyone living in the 24th century. Troy looked down at the clown's feet and saw combat boots specially rendered to cover the enormous red clown shoes. It was all he could do to keep from laughing!
Tarik (who was expecting Troy) met him at the door. "I see you've made the acquaintance of our regimental piper," he said, smiling.
"How the hell did you get away with that? You know MacLeod is going to hit the roof!!!"
"Not a problem--I paid him for the thing," Tarik said, grimacing at the thought of fifty credits out the window. But still, all for a good cause...
"Now I know how that place stays in business--they sure aren't making any money off the food!" Troy replied.
The two stepped into Tarik's office. Tarik had his own 782 gear--the standard infantry load of field pack, body armor, helmet, rifle, and battle harness--laid out for inspection as he prepared his gear for the coming mission.
"It looks like you're going to be busy," Troy commented as he looked over the gear.
"Just a routine inspection," Tarik lied. "It's always important to keep your gear in good working order!"
"You don't need to lie to me, Tarik. I'm not going to compromise anything. Besides, a ship going missing is pretty noticeable."
"You're right. It's just a short run--two weeks tops. I'm not entirely sure what we're expecting to find, but it's always good to be prepared," Tarik said. That much was the truth.
"That's really what I wanted to talk to you about," Troy said.
"Sure; I'm listening. Coffee?" Tarik offered. Troy accepted as Tarik removed two cups of Colombian blend from the replicator.
"Neither one of us can be here all the time to look after Kassia," Troy said bluntly. "And she is somewhat more vulnerable than most people, particularly after--what happened. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you've done for her."
"She's done as much for me," Tarik said. "My path to self-destruction was only different from hers in that it was officially sanctioned. Kassia's given me a reason to live."
"I just worry about her, Tarik. Those cultists would have torn her from limb to limb had it not been for Toren Len and me. And there's more of them coming every day. She needs to know how to protect herself."
"And you seem to think I might know something about that?" Tarik replied as he tested the edge of his combat knife.
"Well, after your performance at the club, and the fact that your name pretty much is used by Son'a mothers to scare their kids into being obedient, I thought you might be able to show her a thing or two," Troy laughed.
"I'll do it--you know I will! I think it would be good for her," Tarik said. "But if she comes back with a few bruises, just know that I'm not deliberately hurting her. I'm giving her the best possible training. As the humans say, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs!"
"I'll keep that in mind. Anyway, I won't keep you; I see you're busy."
"Actually, I'm glad you're here! I could use your advice."
"You? Looking for advice from me?" Troy asked, incredulously.
"Yes. Maybe you can help me out here. There is so much I want to tell Kassia, and so many things I'd like to express, but sometimes I have a hard time doing so. I'm not in an occupation known for gentleness, and my upbringing on Vulcan has made me a bit too reserved in matters of the heart."
"Now this is strange!" Troy laughed. "I'm about to give a man instructions on how to seduce my sister! Didn't you say your parents were artists or writers or something like that?"
"Yes, my parents were poets. The greatest in the Romulan Empire--and I do not boast when I say that. The Senate so proclaimed them, before they defected."
"Well, bonehead--write her a poem! I'm sure they taught you something about that!"
"You might have something at that," Tarik said. "Thanks!"
It was mid-afternoon before Tarik, who rushed through his daily reports and assignments, was able to get to the poem. He replicated a sheet of parchment and an old-fashioned ink pen, and sat down to write.
The ideas--and his early instructions on formal poetry--had been storming through Tarik's head since Troy's suggestion. Tarik tried a formal sonnet, but somehow couldn't get the words to connect. Then, he remembered something else: true writing comes from the heart. With that, he wrote in flawless Romulan script.
Two hearts wander in desolation
Looking for their meeting place.
Two souls drift through the cosmos
Seeking their meeting face-to-face.
Like a ship in a storm
My heart seeks shelter
Like a child of war
Your heart seeks peace
We meet, we link, we grow
We struggle and change
And you mold me, and I mold you
Until we come together as one.
My body may be far away
But my spirit is near
Please don't forget me!
I will return to you, my dear!
The English doesn't read nearly as well as Rihannsu, Tarik thought. Hopefully she'll see it for what I meant it to be. He rolled up the scroll and headed to Kassia's shop.
Kassia felt good as she watched the people come into her shop. Each day that passed, she felt more and more like her old self and she was coming to terms with what she had done. She was willing to accept that most of her actions had been dictated by the head injury... and the rest... ? It was something they all had inside... Just like Tarik had said to her. But seeing Troy every day and all the people she cared about, and who had been worried about her had made her realize that it was time to forgive the past and go toward the future. Which, for the moment seemed quiet bright. She had still been hesitant to do any readings, but she had been slowly adding one or two a day to her routine, until she felt totally in control of her gifts again. She was also making sure she didn't miss her morning meditation. Though it was never proved, she'd felt that her missed meditation sessions had helped place her in a weakened position when her injury occurred... making things worse. But since there was nothing she could do about the past, except learn from it, she made sure she scheduled the time for her mediations, and in doing, made sure she would not be disturbed.
As she stocked the shelves during a slow part of the day, she felt hands on her shoulders. She knew who it was and turned around, the hands withdrawing.
"Hey, Kass, how are you feeling?" Toren Len asked as he smiled mischievously at her.
"Toren!" she cried, embracing him. He had become like another brother to her and made it a point to see her every couple of days. "I was wondering when you were going to show up again," she smiled. Her green eyes twinkling. "What have you been up to?"
"First," he said seriously, yet a smile still on his face, "How are you?"
"I'm doing very well," she replied. "Every day, I am feeling better and better!"
"Good..." He said. "Now, I believe you asked me what I have been up to?"
"Yes... I did," she replied. "So what have you been up to? I haven't seen you in a couple of days!"
"Well... because of what happened on the transport, there's a new program started for those of us that helped the doctor... Basically, if we want to be trained as medic, they'll train us! I decided to do it..."
She laughed with surprised joy. "That's wonderful!" she cried and embraced him warmly.
"And I owe it all to you," he said, as their eyes met.
She let him go as she picked up a strange sense from him. "You're not telling me something..." she said. She could have read his mind to get the information, but chose not to.
"Nah..." he replied with a smile. "I just came here to thank you... because of you, I have a whole new life... Instead of the one I was going down... and I'm a better person for that... a better person because of you... "
Her smile was soft as she gently caressed his face. "You're feelings are a lot deeper, aren't they?" she asked. Her green eyes held seriousness, though she never lost her smile.
"Can't hide anything from you, can I?"
She shook her head. "Nope," she replied. "But, Len..."
"No," he said, raising his hand to quiet her, "It's okay... I don't expect you to have the same feelings... In fact, I know that a lot of what I feel is because you saved me from my own destruction... You believed in a stranger that threatened to hurt you..." he explained. "And made him a better person... a different person...And he loves you for that." Tenderly, he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.
She was shocked and didn't know what to say. She'd had no idea how deep his feelings had ran for her until this moment. Slowly, he let her hand go and smiled.
"I'll come visit in another day or so," he said. "Next time I plan on taking you to lunch though, so you can catch me up on everything going on! I want to make sure you're back to your old self!"
"Okay," she replied, still reeling from this revelation.
"Now, I have my first class in about an hour, so I need to run..." he said. "You take care of yourself." He started to leave. "And tell Troy and Tarik I said hello."
Without another word, he was gone. As she turned back to her shelf, she saw a single white rose. With a sigh, she picked it up, wondering how he had place it there without her knowing. She sniffed the delicate perfume, but was a little unsettled. When they had lunch together, they would talk again about this...
Danni came up to her after having taken care of a customer. "I thought I just saw Toren in here..." She saw the rose.
"He was," Kassia replied. "He just left..."
Finally it was closing time. Danni had just left and Kassia was locking up the display cabinet doors in the shop. Since her unexpected visit with Toren Len and finding the white rose he had left her, her mind had been filled with nothing else. She did care about him, but she didn't love him... Not the way he loved her... and she was worried about him. She didn't want him to be hurt... Yet he seemed to understand things much better than she did... All this was starting to give her a headache, she thought with a sigh.
Tarik entered the shop, looking a little frazzled. As soon as he saw Kassia, however, his face broke into a smile and he gave her a big hug and a peck on the cheek--no need to get too intimate in front of an open shop window, Tarik thought, although another part of his mind was thinking evilly of the possibilities... Then he noticed the expression of worry on her face.
"Is everything okay, dear?" he asked.
She sighed with a smile. "Yes, everything's fine," she replied, but not very convincingly. In her hand, she was twirling a single long stemmed rose. She had contemplated putting in a vase here in the shop, but felt strange about that too... So there she was, hold a white rose.
"You have another admirer, I see," Tarik said with a twinkle in his eye. Something was telling him that not everything was as it seemed here.
"Something like that," she replied, "And you'd never guess who..." She sighed. She was still very troubled.
"Let me see...someone you've managed to help has developed an infatuation for you, and wants to pursue it?" Tarik asked. He was only halfway joking--never before in his life had he seen someone who could affect so many people positively in such a short time. "Could it be Toren Len maybe? I've heard his name float around a few times..."
She looked at him with surprised curiosity. "Are you sure my gifts aren't rubbing off on you?" she laughed lightly, raising an eyebrow playfully. But she was still a bit somber. "He told me that he knows I don't have the same feelings and he doesn't expect me to... But yes... Its Toren Len. He's someone whose life I have dramatically impacted... I just don't want him getting hurt because of me..." she explained. She looked down at the ground for a moment.
"Ah, yes. Always someone left out in the cold, isn't there?" Tarik said. "He seems like a decent guy; I hate seeing the good guys lose," he continued, thinking of Private Borodin--another good guy who happened to get the wrong end of the stick. But he was able to help Borodin. He didn't know what to do about Toren Len. "You know, there is an old Romulan tradition that I think might come in handy. It's very ancient, dating to the days before the Empire."
"What tradition?" she asked with curiosity.
"Sometimes a woman will have a friend who seeks to elevate that friendship to a romantic relationship. If she cares about this friend and his feelings, but does not wish to pursue a romance for whatever reason, then she will take it upon herself to find a potential mate for her friend so that everyone's feelings are assuaged. The same also holds true of a man with a woman admirer. It's much more civilized than Earth's method of brushing people off and damaging friendships, or the Vulcan way of having suitors duel to the death for a mate."
She licked her lips as she smiled, while a devilish gleam came into her green eyes. Suddenly, the young woman who had been so concerned morphed into what could only be described as a she-devil. "That's not a bad idea!" she replied, with excitement. "He wants to take me to lunch when he comes back to see me again... and... Maybe I could take a peek at the future...Or if nothing else... get an idea of the perfect woman for him... " She laughed. "I could do it too! I know I could!" Her smile was bright as all the possibilities ran through her mind.
"A man like Toren Len has charisma enough to pull off something with just about anyone," Tarik said. "Go for it. For that matter, there are some young ladies amongst my ranks who could use a stabilizing influence--or to be quite blunt, would be better off if they married off and left the service!"
She laughed. "Well, I won't know anything until I see him again. But the best possible future for him would be a happy one, and I will do what I can to see that that happens... After all... He's part of my family..." she said. And he was... He had saved her life as well, on the transport.
"I heard about what happened on the transport. Are you okay?" Tarik asked.
"Yeah, Toren saved me... Troy told me later that Len had fended off three cultist that were literally going to kill me, while he was trapped under some wreckage... I think Troy said they blamed me for the transport accident... Toren Len showed up just in time. But I don't remember any of it... However, that is when I got the head injury."
She was quiet for a moment and the memories in the holodeck came back to her... the blade in her hand... She quickly took a breath and pushed them away.
"Are you all right? Can I do anything for you?" Tarik asked, knowing what was on her mind. It would be a long time before she fully overcame the mental aftereffects of what she had done.
Her soft smile returned as she looked into his eyes. "I'm fine," she replied. "Just every now and then..." She sighed.
"I know," Tarik said, holding her closer with both arms. "It's like that for me after a battle. Sometimes it can take months to go away. But I'm here for you." He held her back a little bit, looking her straight in the eye. "You know, Troy stopped by my office earlier today."
"What did he want?" she asked.
"We talked for a bit. Your brother's a great guy!" Tarik said. "He does get concerned for you, though. That particular cult is trying to establish a colony in this sector so more of them are likely to be passing through. And, this isn't exactly the nicest neighborhood in the Federation, either! You're a beautiful woman with a lot of charm and, quite frankly, neither one of us can be here to protect you constantly. Troy thinks it might be a good idea if I taught you how to defend yourself."
"Really?" she said. It was something she had never really considered before. "Sounds like it could be interesting!" She smiled. "Even fun!"
"I'd be happy to teach you personally. Somehow people seem to think I'm good at that sort of thing," Tarik grinned.
She laughed, her green eyes sparkling. "I can see why! Okay... so when do we start?" she asked.
"Unfortunately, it may not be for a while," Tarik said, sadness in his eye. "I've been ordered on a two-week cruise on the Arizona, starting tonight. That's part of why I came over tonight--to let you know. But as soon as I get back, we'll get started!"
She sighed, trying to keep the gleam out of her eye. "So you have to leave so soon... Then I guess we had better utilize the little time we have together..." She grinned mischievously, "So what would you like to do before you go?"
"First, I'd like to give you this," Tarik said, handing her a parchment scroll. "I worked on it this afternoon for you. To remind you of me when I'm not around."
She laughed. "Troy put you up to this?" She looked at it, and her gentle giggles subsided as looked at the foreign words before her. She could sense the emotions in it, though she couldn't read it. "What does it say?" she asked.
"Your project, in my absence, is to use the Universal Translator and find out!" Tarik grinned.
She smiled. "I could do that," she replied. "But you know... there is something I might want from you before you go..." She bit she lower lip as her green eyes met his. She reached out and tenderly caressed his face.
"Hmmmm....what might that be?" Tarik asked, knowing well what she was going to suggest. Or so he thought.
Tenderly, she leaned toward him, letting her lips just brush his lightly. "I want your kiss..." Her smile was seductive and inviting.
Tarik returned it, deeply and passionately, holding her tightly by the shoulders. Once he started, he could not stop. His lips forced hers open, his tongue probing her open mouth.
This is what she wanted, she thought with her desires heightened by his response. She didn't want to wait for the right opportunity. She didn't want to have to be good... She wanted him right there, right then...
Without hesitating, Tarik led her into the back room of the store and shut the door. It took only moments for him to pin her to the floor, kissing and fondling her passionately.
"There are times, my dear, when I just want to take you! Nothing fancy, just right here and right now!!!" he said, fire in his eyes.
With matching passion, she returned his gaze and breathlessly replied, "Then do it..."
Tarik's hands reached up under her blouse, caressing her with a gentleness Kassia would have never expected. He continued to kiss her, on the mouth, on the neck, nibbling her ear and--once--a playful peck on the tip of the nose. Kassia smiled up at him as he did that.
The two lovers continued their explorations, focusing on each other to the exclusion of the entire universe. Tarik had never experienced anyone quite like Kassia, who could read his mind and determine exactly what would bring him pleasure. When he left the back room of the store, he felt as though he couldn't possibly experience anything more than what he had.
Noting the time, Tarik realized that he had to get to the Arizona. He had only an hour to collect his gear, round up his troops, and get billeted aboard the ship. "I have to go, love," he said to Kassia. "But I'll be back!"
She just smiled a knowing smile as Tarik left the back room of the store. He made sure that the store itself was locked up as he left.
It didn't take long for Tarik to gear up and get to the docking bay, where Hartman had already assembled the two squads he'd requested. "All right, Marines, let's pack 'em in!" Tarik yelled. "Gunny, you've got the unit for the next two weeks! Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"
"Aye, sir!" Hartman replied. "And if I do, I'll name it after you!!!" he grinned.
No sooner than Tarik had entered the airlock than he saw a familiar face on the other side.
"Surprise," she smiled softly, a long stemmed red rose in her hands.
