Jenara sat in a quiet corner of the Day's End Lounge trying not to be noticed. Though she had been avoiding contact with the crew after her shift, especially Commander Lataro and Lt. Benton because of the memories that had resurfaced: the biological fathers... Well, Benton's double... But still... She just stared out of the large porthole trying to lose herself in the vast darkness as she pushed aside the memories that kept intruding upon her consciousness. She had ordered a berry-calabeurs smoothy, but had hardly touched the pink, fruity concoction. She could only hope that Johnny would meet her there soon. Maybe with him, the memories would truly abate for a time. He was good at soothing her emotional distress. Maybe they could even visit the holodeck, she thought. Spend more time on that moonlit beach...
"May I join you?" asked a deep masculine voice.
She turned her gaze to see Kalmar standing there, dressed in white. She smiled and nodded. "Of course," she replied.
As he sat down, he gazed at her very intently. "You seemed lost when I first came in."
"I was..." she replied, quietly, "By choice, I'm afraid."
He nodded in understanding. "Things have not been easy for you, have they? I sense that you have troubled memories in regards to this child you're carrying."
Her green eyes widened in surprise. "How...?"she began, and then stopped with an embarrassed smile. "For a moment I forgot that you're a god, a protector. That YOU would know."
He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "I am now among you, as one of you. It's not surprising you would think of me as such. But it seems to me that you have many protectors, besides myself."
"You know about Tiadara?"
He nodded. "I felt her presence on your arrival on Xenon III."
"That's where she made her presence know to me."
"But you have another protector in Human form: Major Johnny Chee."
Her mouth opened in surprise, but not words came out. She knew Johnny would protect her if the need arose. There was not doubt about that in her heart. But to hear it from someone else...
"Yet, you're a bit of a puzzle. You're so strong. You really don't need protectors. You are a mix of strength, gentility, logic, emotions: the mind of a warrior and the heart of a woman. And one day in the future, instead of being the protected, you will find yourself the protector."
Now Jenara was puzzled. But as she went to question him further, Johnny entered the lounge.
"Your friend is here," Kalmar stated. "I'll take my leave of you." He stood from the chair and then took her hands in his. Tenderly squeezing them, he added, "I hope I have the pleasure of speaking with you again."
"I hope so too," Jenara replied.
Swiftly, he left as Johnny arrived.
"Wasn't that Kalmar?" Johnny asked, taking the seat right next to her.
She nodded. "Yeah. It was." she replied, with many more questions and possibilities swimming in her head now. She would be seeing Kalmar again. She knew it.