Tasianna was busy packing up the last of her things for the transfer to their new assignment. She thought about what she and Sapek were going to be doing and smiled softly. They were going to be Ambassadors of the Federation to the Mulluran Empire... First job was to talk. Second job was to recover intelligence. Something she was looking forward to. Everything she had read about Francona and what he was doing, she wanted to do what she could to stop him. She just hoped that they would be able to find something without making themselves a liability.
Suddenly she reached for a picture of her and Jarrod with her cat Jean-Luc. Tenderly she touched the image as she remembered the siamese colored long-haired cat. He had died during their long voyage to and from the Large Megellanic Cloud... Many days he had been her only comfort as friends had died around her when Sapek could not be with her. When he had died, it had been quite painful for her.
She was still gazing at the photo as the door sensor went off.
"Enter," she called, finally pulling herself away from the photo and packing it.
Jarrod entered, carrying a small basket. "Hello, Tasia," he said as he gave her a warm, brotherly embrace. "I suppose you're excited about your new assignment."
"Of course," she replied with a smile, "Even more knowing you'll be along for it." Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "Come sit down for a minute! I'm sure you have time, don't you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jarrod grinned as he sat down. Officially his title was chief of the embassy's security detachment. In reality he was the security detachment...and he wouldn't have had it any other way. A tiny peep from the basket drew his attention. "I've got something for you," he said with a wicked smile.
"You do?" she asked, as she spied the basket. "And just what is it you have for me?"
Jarrod handed her the basket. "I think you'll enjoy this very much."
As she opened the basket, out popped the head of a tiny kitten. It's fuzzy head was covered in white, black and orange fur and she looked around with big green eyes. She meowed softly.
"Ohhhhh!" Tasianna replied immediately scooping the kitten into her arms. "She's precious! Oh thank you, Jarrod!!"
Immediately, she leaned over and kissed her brother on the cheek.
"I know how much you missed Jean-Luc," Jarrod said as he scratched the kitten behind the ears. "She's still a little young, but she's old enough to be on her own now. I'm sure you and her will be very happy together."
Tasia's smile was bright enough to have lit the station. "Her and I will be quite happy together, I think..." she replied. Holding the kitten in one hand she took her brother's hand in the other. "How is it, you always seem to know what I need, even before I realize it?" she asked with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Maybe because you're not quite as in touch with your needs as you think," Jarrod said with a wink. "I've seen the change in you since Jean-Luc died. Everyone's seen it."
"That obvious, huh?" she asked as she kissed her kitten's head.
"Very obvious. You can be read like a book, sister of mine," Jarrod replied with a laugh.
She smiled again and let the kitten rest on her chest. "So what do you think about this new assignement?"
"I'm looking forward to it," Jarrod said, not even beginning to hint at what his true purpose was. "It's certain to be very...stimulating."
"I think so too," she replied. "And I'm sure there will be plenty happening to keep all of us busy..."
And if nothing else, we'll make things happen, Jarrod thought. "Do we really anticipate a great need for a security detail? After all, the small size of our delegation mitigates against any infiltration, and nothing short of a full-scale counterattack against Mullura would defend our post against a determined offensive."
"Well, I think it's a good idea to have you around anyway," she replied, "If nothing else, because I'd want you around." She smiled and leaned against him, placing her head against his shoulder. Something she had done a thousand times, if not more.
"Oh, I'm sure I'll find some productive way to utilize my time," Jarrod answered mysteriously.
He placed his arm around Tasia's shoulders--again, as he had done a thousand times or more.
"I'm sure you will," she replied. "I hear Captain Mallory had you busy for a bit. Had you off on some special assignment or something for a couple of months..."
Jarrod became distant for a moment. "The less you know about that one, the better. Trust me on this."
"Why? We've never really had secrets, have we?" she asked, as she sat up to look into his dark eyes.
"You're better off not knowing what happened," Jarrod said again. "I would never hide anything from you unless it was for your own good. There are forces in this universe far beyond the comprehension of mortal minds. Not all of these forces are benevolent. I'll leave it at that for now."
Still a bit mystified, she decided to drop her inquiry. "Well, I'm glad whatever it was worked out... and that you're here safe."
"And I intend to keep us safe," Jarrod said, startling even himself with the determination in his voice. "From Francona's minions or anything else that should pose a threat."
"Anything else?" she questioned, though got no answer. She then shook her head as if clearing it a bit. "I'm sure that everything, no matter what we do, will be fine... "
"You can count on it, dear sister," Jarrod said, trying to end this part of the conversation. "Now, what do we know about our accomodations on Mullura?"
She handed him a PADD. "This is it, from what I understand," she said.
Jarrod looked over the PADD and snorted with contempt. "I see they've spared no expense," he said sarcastically.
"Nope, but I bet we can still make them jealous!" she smiled, her eyes twinkling.
"A cardboard shanty would be an improvement!" Jarrod said disgustedly. "But I'll see what we can do to improve matters."
"I think, if you and I put our heads together, we can do a lot to improve it! After all... we've been through much worse and on more than one occasion," she replied, a hint of sadness entering her eyes.
"Quite true," Jarrod agreed, thinking of their last days aboard the Albuquerque, the old ship's systems having been pushed to the absolute limit and decaying progressively every day. Had it not been for Sapek's and Parker's last-minute discovery they might not have made it home even to this alternate reality.
"No matter what happens, I know that we'll be fine. You and I have gone through too much to not make things work wherever we go..." she smiled as she tenderly kissed his cheek. She thought about all the times he had been there for her through her life. Some times more pleasant than other. Several very unpleasant...
Jarrod picked up Tasia's thoughts, and saw the direction they were taking. This has to end--and now! "It won't be all that bad, I'm sure. From what I've seen, the Mullurans think so highly of themselves they tend to forget that everyone else can think as well. This could get quite amusing!"
She smiled as her mind pulled away from the painful memories that were beginning to resurface. The memories vanishes as she looked at him. "I'm sure if nothing else, we can make it amusing for ourselves," she snickered.
"Absolutely! There's nothing I like better than letting the wind out of someone too full of himself. And Francona's definitely full of wind!" he laughed.
"And you and I are definitely the pair to do it," she smiled, her warm brown eyes meeting his. "I think I'm going to definitely enjoy this assignment!" Tenderly she caressed her kitten's body as she felt it purr. "Oh the possibilities!"
"I wouldn't put anything past Sapek, either. Now you're thinking! This could be real fun!" he said as he scratched the kitten behind the ears as it tried to nip his thumb. Certainly better than what I've just been through, at any rate.
Picking up his thoughts, she looked at him quizzically for a moment, but didn't say anything. Instead, she just smiled, her eyes sparkling. "I'm pretty sure I will be great fun! Especially with you along!" With that she gently pecked his cheek.
Jarrod gave her a quick hug. "We're going to have to hurry if we're going to make that transport."
"I think I'm ready. Everything is packed!" she replied.
"Great!" Jarrod said as he picked up both her bags and his with ease. "Sapek's got everything else we need loaded on board. Just hang in there--everything's going to be great!" he said with enthusiasm that, surprisingly, he didn't have to fake.
With a final breath, she looked around, held her kitten close and followed Jarrod out the door to the transport.