life's blood

[warpfairy]

They're not near Cardassian Union space.

But then, they're not near Federation space either. This ship has as much right to be in this system as they do.

It makes Isabella nervous, anyway, and she's just about to suggest leaving and coming back another time, when the Prometheus is hailed.

They're armed. She can't warp inside a solar system.

She answers the hail.

"Hello, Federation vessel," says one of the three visible Cardassians in bad but intelligible English. "What're you doing out here alone?"

Isabella swallows. "This is the deep space survey vessel Prometheus," she begins.

The computer lets her know that they're charging weapons.

"We have no hostile intention," she says.

Comments

[dream_me_up]

Lalita makes her breakfast and then goes to bed.

[warpfairy]

Isabella reads. She makes herself lunch.

[dream_me_up]

When he wakes up, he makes her dinner.

[warpfairy]

"Thank you."

[dream_me_up]

He shrugs.

[warpfairy]

There is more interstellar space between the last system and the next. They are not there yet when she goes to bed.

[dream_me_up]

Lalita sits in the copilot's chair and does nothing.

When she wakes up, he is still in the copilot's chair, crying into his hands.

[warpfairy]

Isabella - stands behind her chair, looking at him.

"...What has distressed you?" she inquires softly.

[dream_me_up]

"Nothing new," he says hoarsely, sniffling. "You can ignore me if you want. I'm just gonna - " and he gets up and stumbles to the living quarters, where he curls up in bed to cry some more.

[warpfairy]

Isabella stands still, and thinks, for a minute.

And then she follows him. "Something has changed. Today you are crying. Yesterday you were not."

[dream_me_up]

He buries his face in a pillow.

[warpfairy]

"If you would prefer not to speak to me that is also acceptable, but - I do not prefer that you be distressed."

[dream_me_up]

"I've been distressed for days," he says, somewhat muffled by the pillow. "It's just coming out now."

[warpfairy]

"Can I help you?"

[dream_me_up]

Still muffled: "I have no idea."

[warpfairy]

Isabella sits on the bed and puts her hand on his shoulder.

[dream_me_up]

Lalita, still sobbing into his pillow, curls up close to her.

[warpfairy]

Isabella pets his hair, slowly, rhythmically.

[dream_me_up]

Lalita snuggles her and cries.

[warpfairy]

"You have not previously observed me to make use of my ability to suppress my emotions," observes Isabella. "Is it that which is disturbing you?"

[dream_me_up]

He doesn't answer. (Talking while crying is hard.)

[warpfairy]

Pet. Pet. She can wait.

[dream_me_up]

He winds down eventually.

[warpfairy]

Pet, pet.

[dream_me_up]

He can just lie here and be petted for a while, if she doesn't have anything better to do.