Cloak and dagger – Offer of Hope
by HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' Terri (Tell) Hope

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Post Details

Title   Offer of Hope
Mission   Cloak and dagger
Author(s)   HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' Terri (Tell) Hope
Posted   Sat Nov 02, 2013 @ 9:50am
Location   Deck 2
Timeline   After the proposal
The sound of Marie's footsteps died away as she left the hold. Tell muttered something under her breath and lifted her violin to play once more.

Tell had her eyes closed playing a piece she new by heart. It was something she had written when Marla had died and she played it now. She needed her friend back, needed her advice on the situation with JaqwI'.

Her old friend was in her thoughts once more and now the engineer wished more than ever that Marla was here. She regretted acting the way she did with Marie and thought that given time they would be friends again, eventually.

She paused mid chorus though, aware from the change in sounds of the birds nearby that there was someone else in the room.

"Look Marie if that's you..." said Tell but when she opened her eyes she nearly dropped her instrument.

"Hello, Tell," Marla said with a smile. "Read any good books lately?"

Tell coulnd't do anything but stand there, her arms dropped to her side letting the bow and the violin slide to the floor. She wanted nothing more than to rush up to Marla and hug her but the engineer thought she must be dreaming.

"Marla?" Tell gasped "Is that you?"

The half-Klingon shook her head, "No, it is not. I heard the sad music. Such pain and suffering. I had to come and try and help. I knew you missed this face."

Tell fought back the anger and the pain that had replaced the shock of seeing Marla standing there. It threatened to choke her if she let it get a hold. She bent down to pick up her instrument. It was neither chipped or damaged by the fall yet she still inspected it looking at its iridescent colour that never failed to amuse her. As she stood up Tell turned to face the impostor that was in the image of her dear lost friend.

"If your not Marla, then who the hell are you?"

Tell almost spat the words out. She had a feeling she already knew the answer but all the same she wanted to hear it. She walked right up to her and looked at her face to face. Scrutinising every detail about her.

"Who am I? Then you have not guessed. You were fairly drunk when I was brought aboard."

"You! Then you must have remembered a lot of what I said." Tell replied vehemently "You have no right... to look like her."

"I am mildly telepathic, Tell, and I can hear the hurt and confusion in your mind. So much hurt... so many losses. But I may be able to help. We may be able to help each other."

Tell shook her head, it was the second offer of help she had had within the space of an hour, she must be popular. Tell was a person of gut instinct and her gut instinct was telling her to to have nothing to do with the thing standing in front of her. But it wouldn't do any harm to find out what help she was offering. Tell fixed her gaze and tried to stop her thoughts from wandering.

"Just what kind of help are you talking about?" she asked

"There is a new type of engine, a Trilithium Drive. The Klingons have several working prototypes, but the Federation one looks to be much more efficient. They made a single test vessel, which has since gone missing, taking with it the Chief Engineer, one James Hope."

Tell took a step back, feeling like she had been punched in the jaw. Jamie she thought. She'd got nowhere in her recent search of the Fallen and had hit a brick wall with nowhere else to go.

The engineer walked over to where the chickens were looking expectantly at her and clucking away as if waiting for the music to start again. They liked her music but they had their preferences. Clary, Tells favourite, eyed her from her perch and waited patiently to be picked up by the hard edged engineer. She turned back to the waiting impostor, that's how she thought of him now.

She tried to block off the information she knew about the Fallen. The impostor would pick it up, concentrate on something else she told herself. For instance did the impostor know that these chickens preferred Debussy above all the other music she'd played. Why was that? Tells mind went through various reasons trying to find the answer.

"What do you know about my brother?" she asked

"I know you are wanting to find him very badly, and we want to find that ship for our own R&D. We can help each other. I know you have had time on that ship, working with those engines. If you provide me with some information, the Corporation will track that ship down for you. The crew will all be returned, we have no interest in them. In exchange we cut years off our own research."

Tell's lips formed a dangerous tight smile. She had already decided that she didn't like or trust this impostor. Everything comes with a price, you never get anything for free in this game. She walked up to him wishing it was the real Marla that was standing there.

"I have work to do." she told him casually "I'll think about it and let you know."

Tell began to make her way back to engineering but a voice followed her as she left.

E smiled with Marla's face, "You have had so much loss lately. Would it not be great to find something for a change. Let us help each other. There is no risk to you, your ship or friends, and it may save your brother. You do want to find him don't you?"