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Quarters - Cmdr Zef Rollo

Posted Aug. 21, 2020, 6:59 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Zef Rollo (Counselor) (D Grisham)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Zef Rollo (Counselor) in Quarters - Cmdr Zef Rollo
Once she left the officer’s mess after Kalig’s departure, Zef returned to her quarters to contact Ganro Fleg, her friend and confidant. Equipped with a fresh cup of coffee, she sat down at the desk and began recording.

=/\=Hello, my friend. I hope you and yours are all well and happy. I have news and I need your help with something.

The Manhattan is now in the Delta quadrant, far, far from home. I tell you that so you will understand how odd the situation here is. The Kestra appeared on our port side today with Kalig Marrov and his crew. He demanded to come on board to talk to me. Ganro, he is trying to get me to go with him, citing some old law about marriage. He said since I was married to Broggs and we had no children, that I am now bound to him as wife.=/\=

Zef took a moment and sipped at the coffee while thinking. =/\=I’ve never heard of a law like that, have you? Can you research it for me? I don’t feel like I can just ignore what he’s saying because he’s been following me the last few years and now he’s come all the way to the Delta quadrant. Kalig never does anything that won’t benefit himself, so something’s up but I have no idea what it is. Captain Cochrane is very displeased with the situation and with me. I don’t want to be on his bad side, friend, I’ve told you the thoughts I’ve had about him. He’s given me, at most, a week to make a decision one way or the other, depending on what I find out. That’s why I’m counting on you.

Please be safe and well, my friend—and let me know as soon as you find out something. Thank you. My love to the children. Zef, out.=/\=

—Zef

During the time she was off duty in the week Cochrane had given her to find an answer to Marrov’s claim, Zef found herself spending more time in her quarters than usual. She wanted to be there when Ganro’s sub space communique arrived. She’s been tense since Kalig’s first appearance and nothing she did seemed to relax her very much. It was just something she was going to have to wait out.

Sitting on the couch, wearing the traditional met’ak in blues and greens with golden thread around the edges and in the belt, Zef drew her legs up beneath her body and sipped on a glass of white wine. “What would I do if there really is a law like he says?” She asked the empty room. For a few moments, she tried to imagine life as Kalig’s wife. He was the equivalent of a mercenary pirate, stealing anything of value from whatever ship the Kestra crossed paths with. Did he have any scruples at all? Would he ever have them or was he destined to live for the attainment of wealth and reputation? Those were the things his father set value on, so that was a likely path for his son.

As the figure of Valdar Marrov filled her memory, Rollo’s face took on a pinched look. He had never liked her or approved her good enough to mate with Broggs. He had a low opinion of women in general—they were something to toyed with for enjoyment—unless they had wealth of their own. In that case, a mating of convenience would be tolerated. But she had no wealth. Her only claim of value was that she was Pre’ja, a ‘pale one’, and that gave her some status on Baj because is was very rare.

Another glass of wine followed the first and second. She knew it was careless, as she was feeling some of the effects of the alcohol, but there was no one to talk to about the things concerning her at the moment and the wine made her feel content and almost happy. It wasn’t something she did with any frequency, but tonight she wanted the comfort it brought as it dulled her senses.

—Zef


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