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Years Prior - Cardassian DMZ - Norvella Colony - When Titans Meet, Thunder Comes

Posted June 16, 2021, 12:49 p.m. by Civilian Kenzo B'tren-Hyrushi (Governor) (James Sinclair)

Posted by Civilian Sinayda Nyx (Governor’s Aid) in Years Prior - Cardassian DMZ - Norvella Colony - When Titans Meet, Thunder Comes

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Years Prior - Cardassian DMZ - Norvella Colony - When Titans Meet, Thunder Comes

Posted by Civilian Sinayda Nyx (Governor’s Aid) in Years Prior - Cardassian DMZ - Norvella Colony - When Titans Meet, Thunder Comes
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Kenzo was paler than before, but he nodded and pointed. Ahead of them, past the fence a few low maintenance and control sheds, was the dam. It was a large concrete structure, and the roar of water could be heard from the other side as they were at the back of the dam. Stairs went straight up either side at a steep angle, and looking around they would be completely exposed going up them with nowhere to run if they were spotted.

“Th… there. The stairs. Takes us up… to the top. The dam is flowing, so the water will be moving quickly… less… surface tension when we hit the water at the bottom… also means we’ll… go much… deeper than you think… Basin is a hundred fifty feet deep… mini-reservoir… we should be fine… unless we get pinned… against the far edge… of the basin… by the water.” His speech and breathing showed he had lost a lot of blood. But he cleched his teeth and said “Do we… jump together?… or apart?” and looked at Nyx.

Hyrushi

She noted his halted speech and pale complexion. “I think we’d better jump together. That way if one of us gets into trouble, the other is there to assist. And you don’t look too good right now.” He really needed medical attention. Although she admired the way he’d smuggled a weapon into the Prefect’s presence, she also realized it was a stupid chance to take because of the wound it caused. She looked at Kenzo and saw three different ways he could have hidden the weapon on his person that wouldn’t have caused any damage.

“Look, are you sure you can make it?”

—Nyx

Kenzo looked at her, his black eyes hard and starting to seem less cognizant. “Do I have a choice? Die here for certain. Die there probably. I’ll choose probably. Now go… I will be right behind you.” And he urged her forward and to the other side of the fence.

When he dropped down, he fell flat and struggled to get up. “Go… I’ll be right behind you.” he said but it was obvious he wouldn’t make it fast… if at all.

Hyrushi

She pulled his arm over the back of her shoulders and and wrapped the other around his waist. “We don’t have time to argue about this, just get moving. C’mon!” With her help supporting Hyrushi, they made fairly decent time getting up the steps. Twice they had to duck down to avoid being seen by one of the guards and each time it was more difficult for Kenzo to regain his feet.

He’s probably got some horrific infection coursing through his blood Nyx thought as the two of them crept out over the dam’s overflow. As she looked at the drop and the white water they were about to plunge into, she swore, “Cketnai! (the Rocqi version of Hell) If we don’t die when we hit the water, try to get back to the surface as quickly as you can.” She let go of him—holding on would just injure one or both of them. “Are you ready to do this?”

—Nyx

Hyrushi nodded and stepped to the edge. He looked at Nyx and simply said “Well done, Ms. Nyx. And thank you.” he then looked straight out and stepped off, falling into the white, rushing water.

When he hit the water, it was like slamming into a hard cloud. He was disoriented and he hurt. He tried to kick up to the surface, but the pounding water from the dam pushed him back. He tried to relax, let the water move him along. But the blood loss coupled with the exertion meant he couldn’t hold his breath nearly as long as he normally could. He was moving forward, downstream, but he simply didn’t have the strength left to go up. As black took hold of his vision, he thought What an odd way for me to die…

And the there was nothing.

Hyrushi

The fall was frightening and exhilarating at the same time. On the way down, all Sinayda could think was don’t let me land on him, don’t let me land on him…Since they’d both stepped off only a second apart, they were treated to pretty much the same series of events as they hit the water. At least she’d remembered to cross her ankles on the way down! The water was surprising clear except for all the bubbles beneath the overflow. Still, she was pushed deeper than she thought she’d be but the rushing movement of the water allowed her to surface a safe distance from the white water.

Where was the Negotiator? Dark eyes scanned the water in a 360 degree circle while she tread water. There was no sight of Hyrushi—no body either. Nyx quickly took in a deep breath and plunged beneath the surface looking for him. She had to come up for air once more before she caught sight of him ten meters ahead of her, unconscious and riding the current.

It took the last of her reserves to catch up, but she did and maneuvered herself beneath him. When she resurfaced, she was supporting her body with her own, his head on her chest/shoulder. With one hand, Nyx kept his mouth and nose out of the water as the current pushed them farther and farther away from the Cardassian command post.

Eventually, Sinayda guided them to the shore and dragged the Negotiator out of the water. With no real idea how far they’d floated, she pulled some foliage along the bank and camouflaged Kenzo after checking his arm and bandaging it with her other sleeve. It took almost two hours of walking in one direction and then the other before she found the truck and driver.

It was almost dusk when she climbed in the truck, up front with the driver, so she could guide him. Sin led him as close to the shore as they could get where she’d left Kenzo.

—Nyx

“My son… wake up.”
“Father?”
“Kenzo… wake up, my son.”
“Father… I’m soo tired. Please, just let me rest…”
“Kenzo… you still have chores to do.”
“But I am just so tired…”
“Work first, Kenzo.”
“But Father-“
“Remember me, my son. Make me proud.”

Kenzo was mumbling in Japanese, laid out on the table in the safe house. He had lost a lot of blood, was feverish, and very weak… but he was alive. He had been mumbling for hours, off and on, and the Maquis medic had ensured he and Nyx were stable before leaving.

Kenzo’s eyes popped open and then narrowed as he took in the room… it was familiar. It was…safe. He raised his head and looked around. No one was there… until he saw the familiar form of Nyx laying on the bed asleep. Her ribs lay exposed under a blanket that covered her chest, and a fresh wound had been sutured and loosely covered so it could dry out a bit. Kenzo sat up very slowly and took a breath. He was dizzy, but it slowly passed. He took a few minutes to get to his feet. He looked at his arm and it had been cleaned and bandaged. Nodding, he moved slowly to Nyx’s side, bracing himself on furniture every step of the way. He made it to the edge of the bed and slowly sat down next to her. He lifted the bandage and saw several multi-directional, shallow cuts along her ribs… and one particularly nasty cut almost five inches long running up and down her right side. It had been stitched, and on the table next to the bed was a dish with a jagged piece of bloody glass sitting in it. Kenzo stared at it for a long moment. That was in her the whole time… and she helped me… It took his blood-starved brain a moment to make the connection, but when he did his nodded to himself. He looked at Nyx and opened his mind to hers, sensing what she felt and giving his thanks to her.

Hyrushi

She was arguing with herself in a dream. There was the moment she’d slipped through the window of the water plant after planting the bomb and cutting herself. But there wasn’t time to investigate the wound. There was her arrival and near exposure of having been gone back at the Prefects house. Then the vision of the Negotiator stabbing the Cardassian over an over, saying ‘I’m Smoke, I’m Smoke’.

Was he really?
Of course not, he’s the Negotiator.
But it would make a strange kind of sense, wouldn’t it?
I suppose, but its probably not true.

Then they were at the back of the Prefect’s house, with Kenzo exposed and Nyx still hidden. She’d flown off the porch and killed that Cardassian with only one thought in mind.

Not Hyrushi. He is going to live through this even if I don’t.
Don’t be stupid! He’s nothing to you. Save yourself!
No, if he IS Smoke, he’s done more for these people than anyone else. He lives, if I have anything to say about it.
You’re such a pushover, Sin.

But she wasn’t. Normally, she was very self aware and had a strong sense of self preservation. But experience had made her a good judge of character and she sensed Hyrushi was special.

In her sleep, Nyx sighed. They would be friends, she was sure.

—Nyx

Kenzo could feel her dreams, her subtle conflict but overriding desire to ‘help’. Who or what he didn’t know, but he had an idea. “Rest, dear Nyx. You have earned it.” he whispered and then rose slowly.

A few hours later, he was seated in the overstuffed chair in front of the fire. Some small amount of color had returned to his face, but it would be days before he was fully recovered from the blood loss. The teapot sat on a warming tray to keep it just below too hot, and a cup was nestled in his hands as the fire light was reflected in the jet black eyes.

Hyrushi

Eventually, she woke up and rose carefully, holding her arm against the wounded side of her body. The muscles there were stiff and sore but all in all, she was feeling much better. Nyx held the blanket in place until she spotted a clean shirt someone had left for her. Moving carefully, she tugged it on over her head and let it fall around her body. The owner of the shirt was larger than Nyx so it was a roomy fit. Standing, she made her way over to Kenzo to sit in the chair opposite him.

Sin felt a bit dehydrated and wondered how long she’d slept, so she poured herself a cup of tea and relaxed back into the chair. “It’s good to see you awake. You look much better than the last time I saw you. How are you feeling?”

—Nyx

He didn’t look away form the fire, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Alive… thanks to you, I take it? I do apologize, but I don’t remember anything after the jump… well, I remember hitting the water. But after that is all… nothing. Not until I woke up on the table.” and then he looked at her and smiled.

“Had I know I was being served up, I would have insisted you use the good china.” and he chuckled and looked back at the fire.

Kenzo

“You didn’t miss much. You were unconscious when I found you in the water. I made sure we floated safely for a while and then pulled you to shore. I left you hidden on the bank and went to find your driver–unfortunately, I went in the wrong direction first and had to double back and then some. We were back for you by nightfall and came straight here. I was pretty sure you were going to make it, but I wasn’t positive. Your arm looked bad before we jumped, although our time in the river cleaned a lot of the infection out. Still, we irrigated it several times when we got back here, but there’s a chance we didn’t get everything out. How does it feel?”

—Nyx

“As if I had a tengritare thorn in it for two days…” he replied with a rueful smile. He looked away from the fire and at Nyx.

“Sinayda…” and he reached out with his uninjured arm and took her hand, and his black eyes locked onto hers. “I owe you my life… and so do many others. They will most likely never know all you have done for them. But I know what you have done for them… and for me. I may never have opportunity to repay that debt, but I will strive to do so whenever I can. Thank you.” and he imparted his gratitude and sincerity through his touch to her.

Hyrushi

Nyx was overcome with the feelings of warmth and comfort, bringing a tingling sensation to the center of all that she was. Her eyes opened a bit wider as she looked back at Hyrushi and understood the senses she was feeling were originating from him. “You don’t owe me anything, Negotiator. As Maquis, I am on the people’s side.” Still, it was noted that he thought he owed her a debt.

Breaking the contact between them as she reached for her tea, Sin felt the loss of sensation. “So, what’s next for you?”

—Nyx

Hyrushi shrugged and said “At this point, I will probably stay off the roads and such for a time. I’m willing to place a wager that you and are both wanted… at least for questioning. As I do not believe that there were any witnesses to our actual actions, and we were there acting in good faith, I do not expect that interest to last long however. But if we are asked, we should simply say we were ushered outside by the guard, he was killed by persons unknown, and we ran in the panic and chaos. As long as we hold true to that, I’m certain the blame will fall on ‘Smoke’.” and he sipped his tea.

Hyrushi

Sinayda nodded. “Ahhh yes, Smoke. That elusive gentleman who has been such a help to the Norvellans. Is it true—are you him?” Her eyes narrowed slightly, making her gaze a little more piercing than a moment ago.

Kenzo stared at the fire a moment and then said “I am. Although some of what has been laid at Smoke’s feet was not my doing. Until yesterday… I had never directly killed anyone.” and he took a sip of tea.

“I’ll stick to the story, but if its alright, I’d like permission to stay here for a few days while my side heals. I won’t be much use to anyone for another 48 hours or so.” Thinking of the damage to her side, Sin covered it with her arm, a knee-jerk reaction.

—Nyx

Kenzo’s head turned and the almond shaped obsidian eyes stared directly into hers. “You are welcome anywhere I call home, Sinayada Nyx. For as ling as you wish. Whatever I have, now or in the future, is yours. I owe you my life. My roof is a paltry down-payment on such a debt.”

Hyrushi

Nyx studied Hyrushi. She’d known shortly after meeting him that he was different and that she felt a kinship with him. Now, it appeared he was of the same mind. She accepted that they were going to be in each other’s lives going forward. “There is no debt. You were worth saving. It’s that simple. However, since we seem to be destined to share part of our future together, you might call me Sin. Not many do—only trusted friends and family.”

—Nyx

He reached over and set a hand on her shoulder gently. “Kenzo. And it is my true pleasure to be included in such esteemed company… Sin.” He looked at her a long moment before saying “Are you one who believes in destiny, Sin? That everything happens for a reason?”

Kenzo

“I’m not opposed to the belief. That open mindedness is a tribute to my mother. She was able to instill a good deal of her ideas in me before she passed away. The part of me that is a fighter and strategist, is due to my father’s influence.”

—Nyx

Kenzo settled back in his chair, wincing slightly, and then said “Tell me about them… about you. I would like to know you better.”

Kenzo

Sin refilled her tea and sat straight on the chair, crossing her legs. “Please understand, I don’t share personal information very often, so if I seem hesitant its because I’m not used to it. A simple question on your part will prompt me to continue…” For the next two hours, she told him of her parents and being raised on her home world of Rocq. Kenzo would get the impression that her mother was as nurturing as women were allowed to be, but that her father had the final say in how she was raised. Mostly, it was male children who were taught to fight at a young age, but Ulell, her father, was determined that ALL of his children would be able to handle themselves in any situation. it was probably a surprise to find out that she had six brothers. They stayed in touch as much as they could, but because of certain lifestyles, sometimes months or years would pass with no word.

It was also news that Sinayda was able to grow a thick, silky mane of hair, but chose to keep her head shaved so an opponent couldn’t grab it in a fight and use it to their advantage. That question came up because in the few days they relaxed and healed, a fine shadow of very dark hair sprouted from her scalp, begging the question.

They continued to share the one bed and get to know each other over the course of days so that when she was ready to leave, they’d established a real friendship.

As she stood at the sink and shaved the stubble from her head, Kenzo stood in the doorway of the bathroom. “Thank you for your hospitality, Kenzo. I have to leave today, but I look forward to the next time we meet.”

—Nyx

Kenzo watched her shave, feeling her emotions and thinking on what the future looked like. “That is actually something I wanted to talk to you about. I will not drag this out with pretty words or subtle hints… I want you to stay, Sin. With me. We work well together, and our goals are aligned. I trust few people, and I trust you more than the rest. This isn’t about my debt to you… this is about us as a team. I honestly believe that we will accomplish more together than we will apart.” He reached out and lightly touched her shoulder, sending his sincerity in his belief to her.

Kenzo


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