A friend never says goodbye...

Posted on Fri Feb 4th, 2022 @ 6:11pm by Remal Kajun & Captain Rhenora Kaylen

Mission: *CD*
Location: Bajor
Timeline: Current-ish

“ Hey! What’s all that about?” Rhenora protested, following her into the kitchen. Something was bugging her friend and she was determined to find out what it was. As she followed Patin into the humble excuse for a kitchen she put her hands on her hips “ Spit it Patin, what’s eating you?”

Patin rummaged around in a cabinet and when she came up empty she started to search another. "Nothing's wrong, nothing at all." She spat as she continued her search.

"I mean, not unless you can tell me where my bottle is?" She was clearly irritated more than she was letting on but was bottling it up, which was rare for her. Remal remained back in order to give the two friends time to hash things out.

Rhenora held the bottle, having spied it earlier on her search for something warm to eat whilst Patin was being patched up. “ This isn’t about a bottle Patty, is it?”

She finally stopped and looked at Rhenora, and the bottle. It was within her reach. A comfortable warmth only she could fully understand and appreciate. But this was a standoff situation. Patin absently picked up the cutting knife from the counter and began tapping the tip against the counter. “No. It’s not.”

“Just, you walk in here after, what, 6, 7 years. With the promise of excitement, adventure, a romp with your man.” As she talked she dug into the counter like she was carving an image. “And then you deliver and it was Patin and Nozzie back in the trenches all over again. And for one glorious moment we were a team again. For one moment there was fun.”

“ You miss the old days don’t you, the excitement of every day, the constant demands and a goal more noble than ourselves. You miss being part of something bigger, and for years you’ve hidden yourself here trying to hide from who you really are” Rhenora glared daggers back at Patin, well aware that a knife was most likely going to come in her direction anytime soon.

“Well, to put it out there so blunt, yeah, I do. But not five minutes back and you’re already talking about leaving, going off on your merry way. Having your little adventure. Do you have any idea how that hurts? I mean more than this bloody hole in my back or the singed hair, which I’m still pissed about by the way. You’re seriously going to walk away and deny me the opportunity for a little retribution? And I thought I was the cold hearted bitch, not you.”

“ Did you ever think you could come with us?” Rhen matched the anger with her own, redirecting the rage and the fear of isolation. “ I have a cause at the moment, saving our cell mates, if you want to come with us and get out of the frozen wasteland you’d better make up your mind!” She shook with the injustice of it. Here they were trying to make a difference and Patty just wanted them to sit around and play happy visitors. “ People are dying Patty, and we can do something about it”

Patin pointed the knife at Rhenora, “Careful there. This frozen wasteland is my home, and I like it just the way it is. Thank you.” But then she lowered it and eyed her friend skeptically. “What I want is more than a day with my friend, and to kill that bastard who shot us, but also to spend time with you.” She smiled, “You remember Trildago, man that was a blast, literally. I just… the way you were talking… it was like you were ready to jet off already and can I PLEASE have that drink now?”

Rhenora held the bottle just out of reach for a moment “Come with us…” She said again “Be a part of something. Hell, we could use your skill of blowing uppy things. Booms were always your forte not mine.” As she finished she lowered the bottle into Patin’s hand “Just think about it, they’ll lower their guard now that they think that we’re dead”

She smiled, something she had not truly done in a long time, then took the bottle and downed half of it in one gulp. “Well, since it was your idea and all. I suppose I could give it some thought, yup.” She gave a mighty belch. “That’s some good shit. Care for a dram?”

“ What so we both can end up rat-faced on the floor?” Rhenora sniffed the bottle and wrinkled her nose at the offending odor. It smelt more than a little potent. When she thought about it the last 6 hours were probably the longest time Patin had been sober, drowning herself in liquor to avoid facing the harsh truths of her life.

Patin nodded at the idea, "That is the idea. Besides, one of us owes the other a case of Spring wine."

"Well then, you better make sure it's a good vintage" Nozzie replied before wrapping the other woman in a hug. They were both firecrackers, both hot wired and ready to charge off after the latest injustice. Some things would never change.

TBC