Makings of a Friend

It was early evening as Shara walked into the Starlight Inn. It was quiet since it was mid-week. She looked around but didn't see Tyran, so she headed up to the bar. She was still in her uniform since she'd just gotten off work and hadn't bothered to change before heading out.

"Hello, what can I get for you today ?" Danayal smiled and felt himself blush ! He dreamed of her sometimes...

Shara immediately picked up his thoughts and smiled, though she didn't let on. Only her dark eyes sparkled. "I was actually looking for Tyran . . . but I could use a drink. A Tarkelian Sparkler." She replied.

*A different day, a different drink.* She thought. After all, change was a constant.

He prepared the drink and served it to her. "The boss isn’t here at the moment, he’s with his girlfriend." He replied.

"Oh !" She smiled. "Good for him! I just had an update for him on that troublemaker, Bryce. Thought he'd like to know he won't be seeing him again . . . He's been sent to a penal colony. Apparently he was doing more than just brawling . . ."

"Oh ?" He raised an eyebrow and waited for more information. "Why was he on Serenity then, if they knew he was a problem?"

"Well, he was sent here instead of a penal colony to begin with, to try to straighten him out. Well, obviously that wasn't the case. He was trafficking in Dust . . . We found a large quantity of it in his quarters. So he's been sent off to a penal colony. Some people just don't take the second chance they're given." She shrugged. "But anyway, he's out of your hair now."

"That’ll make Tyran pleased. I know I am... since he always threatened me."

She took a breath. "Yeah, he seemed the type. Glad I was here that night; before he actually hurt someone . . . People like that just don't learn. We can only hope he does during his prison term."

"I just hope he has to stay there a long time, and isn’t allowed to come back to Serenity afterwards." He said smiling as he leaned on the counter.

"I have a feeling he won't want to come back to Serenity . . . I seem to have given him a bit of a scare," she smirked as she took her drink and sipped the sweet, red concoction.

"Oh you sure did yes..." He said dreaming of her and him walking along the beach.

She smiled at his thought. It was sweet. "So what do you do for fun ?" she asked, merely starting conversation, wanting to turn it away from Bryce.

"Uh... I like swimming and jogging... and I’m studying when I am not working." He said softly.

"Really ? What are you studying ?" She asked.

"Economics, Tyran wants to make me the owner of this place next to him."

"You and he must be very close." She replied. "And it's a nice place !"

"Yeah, he’s like my father… he saved my life... he saved me from the same fate as Bryce."

She was surprised. "Can't even picture you as a bully ?" She replied, not making the initial connection, until she picked up his thoughts about the drugs. "Ohhh….”

"I did drugs yes... you guessed that pretty fast." He said softly. "I was placed under a court order, with Tyran as my so-called supervisor."

"Well, he apparently has done wonders for you." She replied with a gentle smile.

"It’s still hard, but I won't fall back. That’s a promise I made and intend to keep."

"Good for you!" She smiled. "It's good to see someone that was able to get out of the quagmire. So many I've seen don't."

"I know... they’re the ones ending as Bryce."

She nodded. "I can't say I've ever done drugs myself . . . but I do know it's not an easy thing to turn your life around. I've had to do that myself . . ."

"Be glad it was not needed, miss." He said and took a sip from his own tea. Because Tyran was not there, he did not have time to eat yet even... but in front of her it seemed impolite.

"If you want to eat, go ahead, it's not going to offend me," she smiled. "In fact, when is Tyran due back ?"

He looked surprised. "How do you know ?!?"

Her smile brightened. "I'm sorry, I probably should have told you . . . I try to contain it, but it's not always easy . . . I'm empathic and telepathic."

"Ah, that explains it..." He smiled. "Tyran won't be back at all... not until tomorrow, but the other help releases me in an hour."

"Really ?" She replied with a grin. "It's late and I haven't had dinner myself. Would you be interested in hanging out with me tonight and we can grab a bite to eat."

"Y...you want me to go with you ? Ah... sure…" His cheeks were fiery red.

There was a delighted sparkle in her eyes as she looked at him. "Good, then in an hour we can head out to a restaurant I saw just down the street; looked interesting enough call the Ricochet."

"I know that one... but I wouldn’t recommend it. The scum of Serenity eat there. I know a better place not far from here; they have the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted."

"Mmmm! I like chicken. Since this is your town, I'll take your advice!" she smiled and finished her drink. "I think I could stand one more of these while we wait." She winked playfully at him.

"Coming up !" He swiftly made her a new drink and placed it in front of her. A few clients entered and he went to serve them some food and drinks.

Shara spent the time sipping her drink and watching the people around her. One of the things she did instinctually was watch those around her for signs of trouble.

But for the moment, everything seemed quiet and friendly. She was enjoying it.

An hour later Sarah arrived to relieve Danayal. He smiled and went to Shara. "Ready for some chicken, Miss Shara ?"

"I am *definitely* ready." She replied as she stood up from the stool.

He smiled and led her through the quiet dark alleys towards a small establishment. It looked worn out.

"This doesn’t look like much, but the food is very good."

"That's the only convincing I need." She replied as they entered and surveyed the tables. The place, for a lack of looks, smelled wonderful!

He took a seat at a damaged but clean wooden table followed by Shara. "Archie ! I want my usual, two times." He yelled to the back.

An older man smiled. "Of course! On your account ?"

Danayal nodded and the man left again. He returned with some wine and half a fried chicken apiece 20 minutes later. He also served salad, fruit and fried potatoes.

"Wow !" Shara replied impressed. "I hope this didn't set you back too much . . . since I offered to take *you* out." she smiled, taking another whiff of the food before beginning to eat.

"No problem. I earn enough; this place isn’t too expensive."

"Well, next time, I'll treat," she replied with a grin. "This is very good !" she said taking a bite out of a chicken breast.

He smiled taking the wings and started eating. "So, why did you ask me to start with ?"

She shrugged and looked at him with her grin brightening. "You seemed like a nice guy . . ."

"Only that ?"

"Well, I'm still pretty new to Serenity." She said. "I've only been here for about a month and a half . . . I could use some friends." She replied. "I was hoping you'd be interested in being friends . . ."

"Only friends ?" He asked softly.

"Ooohhh . . ." She replied, and her smile softened. "I have someone in my life . . . We're bonded," she said not knowing how else to describe the relationship she had with Tyvek. He was her soul mate. They had linked during the virus on the station so long ago and it never had diminished.

"I see..." He sighed and looked disappointed; feeling as if no one wanted him. He stared at his plate.

Shara reached across the table and took his hand. "It's not that you're not attractive or anything like that . . . Lt. Tyvek and I have been together for over a year . . . He and I . . . Well, during something that happened up on Starbase 901 - at least when we were there - caused us to . . . It's a boring story." She said smiling and shaking her head. "But needless to say from that time on, he and I have been together . . . or at least feel one with each other. God knows I miss him when we're separated."

"That virus ?" He asked suddenly.

"You knew about it ?" She asked with surprise. She hadn't been aware of that many people off the station having heard about it, except the people directly affected . . . but then again, Starbase 901 had to hold off space traffic from docking until it was taken care of . . . and rumours spread like noxious fumes . . .

"Word spread, and I have a friend on that Starbase." He said with a slight smile. "And I heard a few stories in the bar about that."

Her cheeks tinted pink. "And I doubt they were exaggerated."

"Nah... Or maybe… I don’t know." He grinned.

"It was a crazy time." She replied with a smile. "It made you go after the person you loved or someone closer that you had some kind of feelings for . . ."

"So I heard, yes." He nodded. "But to answer your question, I *would* like a friend. I don’t have many. Only Tyran and Jaya, and Dom... That friend on 901 was assigned to a starship and I don’t see him any more."

"I'm sorry to hear that . . . about not being able to see your friend . . ." She replied. "But I *am* glad you're open to being friends. I need to have someone I can talk to besides my sister ! Though she's a very good listener . . . She's a Counsellor."

"I’m just a bartender in training." He said. "If you want a listener, you need Tyran. His species is specialized in it."

"El Aurian ?" She asked.

“Yeah."

"That's cool." She replied. "But I want someone I can just be with . . . talk; hang-out . . . whatever . . . It took me a long time before I even had any friends."

"Then I’m your friend if you wish." He smiled. "But as far as hanging out goes, I’m restricted in my movements, because of the court order."

"We'll make due." She smiled. "Just tell me where you can't go and we'll work around that."

"Thanks."

"No problem." She replied. "You can go into downtown Serenity City, right ?"

"Yeah, but not out of the city."

"That's okay." She smiled. "There are all kinds of things to do in the city anyway !" Her personality seemed to bubble over. Shara was now generally a happy person, but it was obvious she was excited about having someone to hang around the city with . . . when there was time for them both.

"There’s a lot to do, I assure you." He smiled.

"And I look forward to it . . ." Shara smiled. "How would you like to meet my sister and her kids ?"

"I’d like that. I like kids... but do you think they’ll want to meet someone with a criminal record ?"

"Believe me, my sister likes anyone who puts effort into making themselves better . . . and has compassion for those that can't," she smiled.

H e smiled. "Then I’m happy to meet her."

"Good !" She smiled. "Her name is Karissa . . . In fact, she had to beat some sense into me once before . . . and it worked !" She laughed. "Or I wouldn't be here right now."

"Tell me more." He encouraged.

"Well . . . I was once a problem child." She smiled gently. "Even when I joined Starfleet I was a difficult person to work with . . . I was transferred four times in three years . . . When I met Karissa, everything changed. At first I wanted to do anything to prove I was better than she was . . . I guess I should tell you that her and I look exactly alike . . . and since we'd never seen each other before . . . Well, imagine two territorial cats in the same place. She was more reserved than me . . . I . . . I did some things I really shouldn't have. But it was the only way I knew how to deal with the world around me at the time."

"And now ? Do you know better, have you lost your wild hairs ?" He smiled.

"Oh they're not gone completely." Shara smiled. "They're ingrained into my genetics, it seems," she smiled, wondering if he would take that as a joke on her part of see the truth behind it. "But having her win in a fight against me and me *finally* have to listen to someone . . . I finally saw that I didn't have to be the person I was and that I wasn't alone in the universe anymore . . ."

"Which was good for you. For me Tyran did this. He wanted me to listen to reason."

"And sometimes it's the hardest thing to listen to, isn't it ?" She smirked.

He laughed. "Yeah, because you feel you know better, when you don't!"

"Exactly !" She laughed. "But thank god Karissa was there to literally beat sense into me !" She laughed. "I still can't believe I went after her like that . . . We're so close now . . ."

"I’m curious to meet this Karissa." He grinned, thinking this would get interesting.

"Well, do you have a day off on Sunday ?" She asked. "I would have you meet her sooner, but she's busy working . . . I do know that she loves to take the kids to the park on Sundays though. That would be a good day for you to meet her."

"I can ask Tyran for a day off, I think I can. I know he won’t make a fuss, since he wanted me to find more friends."

"Good !" She smiled. "Then after that we'll go to dinner - my treat." Her dark eyes sparkled.

"Alright, thanks." He smiled and finished the last of his chicken.

She finished her dinner too and gazed at him. "You know, I can tell that you're a pretty trustworthy guy . . . I can tell these things." She smiled. "And you were brave enough to share something very personal about yourself with me . . . maybe it's only fair I share something very personal with you too . . . I mean, that's what friends do, right ?"

"Yes, that’s what good friends do at least." He said.

She went quiet for a moment feeling herself get a little nervous. "I'm not exactly like everyone else . . ." she said softly. "Literally . . ."

"So ?" He said waiting for her to go on.

"I was . . . genetically engineered . . ." She said softly. "Not too many people know that . . ." She shrugged. It wasn't something she was completely comfortable with, but it gave her some peace of mind . . . because of her *uncle* who wasn't her uncle . . .

"Why did they do that ? What was the purpose of this ?" He asked with interest. He wasn’t offended, nor did he see her as a freak.

She shrugged. "The best guess any of us can come up with is that we were created to be weapons." She replied. "You only saw some of what I can do and that was without breaking a sweat . . . I'm capable of killing anyone quickly and easily . . . It's frightening to think someone created me for that. But at least it means the man who raised me wasn't my real uncle. There is a certain amount of relief knowing that man and I are not blood related . . . On the downside, I think he was my creator . . . that and . . . Karissa's . . . She didn't deal with the news as well as I did."

"I think you do well, and that you’re not as bad as you think, even though created as you say."

"Well, I take pleasure in the fact that I might have been created to be a weapon, but I have a pretty decent head on my shoulders and I can chose when and how to use the gifts I was born with . . . It's been harder for Karissa to see that, though she does. I just think that she'd held onto the idea that she'd find her real parents one day, only to find out that there were no real parents . . . Though I don't know why . . . The people who adopted her and raised her are wonderful!" Shara beamed. "They accept me as part of their family too. But I guess Karissa just always wanted to know why she could do what she could do . . . She thought that she had Felinoid DNA. It's not Felinoid, of course, but it *is* feline . . . Her and I both have a lot of feline DNA in our systems."

"So that’s why the comparison with a cat, I had to take that literally." He said grinning. He got on his feet as he looked at the time. "I’d better get going."

She looked at the sky and just how dark it was . . . many of the stores beyond were closed for the night. "Wow, I didn't realize it was so late !" She replied, standing up and stretching, much like a cat would do after a nap.

"It is... and I’ll get in trouble if I’m home late... because if I want a day off, I’ll have to ask Tyran early."

She laughed. "Then by all means, go!" Her smile could have lit the street like the sun. "Maybe I'll come by after work again tomorrow for another drink."

"That’s perfect. I hope you *can* come. I work from three to nine tomorrow."

"I'll be there . . ." She replied. They walked outside the restaurant into the nice cool evening. "Have a goodnight, Danayal . . ." She smiled.

"You too, my new friend." He walked off enjoying the fresh night skies. Staring at the stars, he knew life was good sometimes.