She walked through the Promenade dressed in brown with a cloak of the same color to hide her face. She couldn't risk being recognized. She held something large under her cloak, but in a way, no one would have suspected she carried anything. Finally, she reached her destination. A shop in the Promenade that sold mystical items... Kassia's Cave of Curiosities and Mystery. She casually looked around the shop. There were a few people browsing. As she looked toward the cash register, she saw Danni busy with a customer. Kassia was nowhere in sight, but she sensed Kassia was there. Suddenly, Kassia came out of the back room. She was looking around with some urgency as if she had felt a presence. Then as her eyes saw the clocked woman, she motioned for her to follow. Danni looked up concerned for a moment, but Kassia quickly settled her down.
Kassia led the woman into a back room. As soon as the door was shut, the woman pulled down the hood of her clock.
"I knew it was you, Katianna," Kassia said. "That's why I brought you in here. Those people are still after you, aren't they?"
"Even more so now," Kat replied as she pulled out the thing she had been holding and placed it on the table. It was a large book. "This is the Order of the Light's book of prophecies. This is where they said they found the prophesy that my baby is going to be evil. That's why they want to kill us. I need to know if that's true - if they're reading it correctly... In fact, I just want to know what that book says in general. These Bozos never tell us the whole story about anything," she spat out as she thought about how they hadn't told them the whole truth about the orb of Kalimar.
"Well, it will take me a little time, but I'll get the correct translations on everything..." Kassia said almost daunted by the thought as she began flipping through the pages, seeing a multitude of different languages. "After all, we should know this stuff, right?"
"Right!" Kat replied with a relieved smile.
"But what will you do now? I mean. you can't very well stay here," Kassia said.
"Well, I'm going to stay here for two days," she said. "I want to spend Christmas with my family here on the Station. But we'll have to leave the next day and go into hiding."
"Shouldn't the Captain know?" Kassia asked.
"Well, yes, but how am I going to tell her without giving myself away?" Katianna replied. "I can't exactly go see her."
Kassia thought for a moment. "I have an appointment tonight with a patient so this is cutting things a bit close, but I have an idea!" From behind her on a shelf, she grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She wrote down a quick note, explaining the situation and folded it over. "Wait here, I'll be right back."
Kassia exited the room and went to Danni. "I have a job for you," she smiled.
"Sure what!" Danni replied back with her usual bubbly enthusiasm.
"I need you to hand-deliver this to Captain Mallory. Don't let anyone else look at it," she replied. "It's very important."
"Okay," Danni replied. "I'll make sure she gets it."
In a minute the girl was out the door. Kassia watched knowing this would bring Captain Mallory to her.
Captain Mallory sat at her desk going over paperwork. One thing she could say was that there was a lot of paperwork with the job, but she didn't mind it so much. Just as she was in the middle of reviewing a rather large form, she was interrupted by someone at her doorway. It was Danni Languedoc from Kassia's shop.
"Yes?" Kitty asked.
"Uh, hi," Danni started a bit unsure of herself. "I have a message for you... from Lt. Kassia..." She handed the Captain the note.
As Kitty took it, she was curious. Why would Kassia send a note? Why not use the Comm? But then, she opened the note and read it. That was why... She looked up at Danni and smiled.
"Thank you," she replied.
Danni smiled back and left.
"Lt. Commander Tadanni, report to my office immediately," Kitty said into her combadge as she tapped it.
[I'm on my way, Captain] he replied.
Once Danni had returned, Kassia had gone back to sit with Katianna in the back room. But then she felt a presence enter her shop. She noticed Katianna felt it too. She exited the room and found Captain Mallory there with Jarrod Tadanni. Kassia smiled gently.
"How good of you to visit the shop, Captain," she said. "Could I interest you and your friend in a reading?"
Noticing that there were other people in the shop, she nodded. "I think that would be a wonderful idea. I've been looking forward to one of your reading for quite awhile," she smiled.
Just as she was about to lead them into the room, she was overpowered by an image of blinding white light. She was standing very near Jarrod. She looked at her curiously.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She smiled. "I'm fine. Please, come in here," she replied, guiding them into the room where Kat was waiting.
"Captain," Katianna greeted. "Sorry we have to meet like this."
"I understand," she replied. "Section 31 and this Order of the Light are looking for you?"
"Yes," Katianna replied. "I know why the Order of the Light wants me. They think my dad is some evil being that will unleash evil throughout the universe... Why Section 31 wants me is a mystery, unless they just want me because of the genetic make-up of the baby. I mean, part Tanzaran, part human, part pah-wraith child... All I know if that I can't stay here. They'll be back and maybe next time someone innocent might get hurt."
"She's right," Kassia replied. "Last time I saw Toren Len get run through by a sabre, only Kat prevented it from happening. They did do quite a bit of damage to my shop, but Danni and I were able to repair the damage."
"What are you going to do then?" she asked.
"I'm leaving the day after Christmas," she said. "I'm... going to Tanzaria..." She shuddered as she spoke. Returning to Tanzaria was something she did not like to do on her best days. It brought back the memories that haunted her. It brought back the memories of the raider - The Eriarti - that killed her parents and almost killed her and her brother. Her and her brother had barely made it out alive in her dimension. But she also knew from the Kat's profile from this dimension, she wasn't much better. Tanzaria would be the last place anyone would look for her.
"I don't feel comfortable letter you go alone in your condition," Captain Mallory stated. "You're still one of my officers and don't want you in a vulnerable position without protection."
"Captain," Kat began to object, "I'm a Tanzaran who -"
"Who is pregnant and cannot shapeshift and is being pursued by at least two forces ready to kill you," Kitty replied. "I am assigning Lt. Commander Jarrod Tadanni to go with you."
Jarrod stood a little taller at his name being mentioned.
"Have you been back to Tanzaria since the attack?" Katianna ask out of curiosity.
"No," he replied honestly. "The thought does not bother me since I know the attacks were long ago."
"Did you lose family?"
"Yes," he replied. "I lost my parents."
"Seems we all lost our parents that day," Katianna replied sadly.
"Yes," he replied, "It was a day that no Tanzaran alive will ever forget," he said. He then walked over to her and gently took one of her hands. "I give you my pledge that I will protect you and your unborn child."
As she looked into his eyes, she felt something from him. Some kind of feeling that went beyond sincerity. It was as if there was a definite truth behind his words, as if... as if he were a protector... She shook the thought from her head and smiled.
"Thank you, Commander," she replied, taking her hand back slowly. "Meet me in my quarters on the 26th. Be discreet and do not be followed," she said. We'll leave from there."
"Understood," he replied.
"Now I'm going to go see my daughter. Kassia, keep me apprised of the translation of that book, please..." Katianna said.
"Of course," Kassia replied with a smile.
"And thank you, Captain," Katianna said, just as she reached her commanding officer.
"You just take care of yourself and your baby," Kitty said.
The women exchanged smiled as Katianna slipped her hood back on and vanished out the door.
"Thank you, Kassia," Kitty said, as she looked to her counselor. "You've done a good thing."
Kassia smiled. "Only trying to help, Captain."
"Now I need to get back to my work," she said with a smile of her own, though she was clearly worried about her officer. She left out the door a moment later.
As Jarrod went to leave, Kassia grabbed him gently by the arm. Instantly she was hit by an image of him. He was standing there in a glow of white with white ribbons of light streaming from behind him.
"Is there something you wanted, Lieutenant?" he asked, as he looked down at her.
"You're not who you say you are!" she said with surprise.
His dark eyes met her green. "Please, I am only here to help. I have only ever been here to help... I am Jarrod Tadanni... Nothing more..."
"But you are... You're much more!"
"I am only Jarrod Tadanni," he emphasized again. "Now I suggest you get to your work as I must get to mine."
With that, he left before she could say another word.