Part II: A new friend a new step

Posted on Tue Jun 5th, 2018 @ 4:23pm by Lieutenant Commander Radak
Edited on on Tue Jun 5th, 2018 @ 4:24pm

Mission: Misson 1 - Rebirth
Location: Starbase 54 - Outside Coffee Cafe
Timeline: 10th February 2395

Previously on USS Wolff,

Radak followed her gaze. Apparently the woman at the counter was unwanted company. He couldn't help the little frown at his new friend's obvious distress. "Where are you going to go?" He rose when she rose and prepared to follow her. "I have quarters near here... I mean. Not to make you uncomfortable... but..." he looked over his shoulder at the woman again.

"I'll be okay." She stood and gathered her notes and bag. Just as she turned to go her name was called by the woman. Ilana bolted, "I gotta go."

The woman walked up to the table just as Ilana slipped out the door. She studied the man that Ilana was talking to. She headed out towards the direction Ilana had headed. She would catch up to her sister, they had to talk.

Radak stood there at the table and watched. He was very surprised at Ilana's reaction. He also hoped she wasn't in any sort of trouble. He had to admit that he had no idea who the woman was, but whoever she was she didn't seem to make his new friend very happy, since she up and left him and he was her perfect Romulan.

And now, the continuation....

ON:

Ilana had had a sleepless night. Her family showing up... well at least her sister was not welcomed. She'd shaken her sister quickly and thanks to a Bolian freighter captain with a love of chocolate she was able to convince her sister that she was off the station. Just to be sure she had decided to change her appearance for a few days. She opted to hide her blonde hair under a raven wig and her deep purple glasses were changed for dark rimmed ones. She added a hat and jeans with a t-shirt. She ventured outside in the afternoon after scoring a few stick on bushy eyebrows that she hadn't pasted on quite right. Her Vulcan ears were hidden by the long wig although a strand of her blonde hair stuck out. She walked around getting a few odd stares.

After a few hours of walking around she was convinced her sister had left and then decided to return to the café for another iced coffee. All seemed clear and this time she spotted her Romulan... correction Romulanish friend seated on a seating bench outside the café and across the promenade.

She sat down beside him as he seemed to be engrossed in a PADD.

Radak was reading a letter from his uncle. It was funny how someone who was not his family was all he considered family now. He had been with the man since he was young, so it was easy to forget he wasn't blood, not that it mattered to Radak that much. He glanced quickly at the person who sat down next to him, but didn't say anything, although his gaze continued to flick back and forth between his PADD and the stranger.

Ilana was pleased with herself. He didn't recognize her and neither would her family. She didn't realize that her eyebrows were out of whack and she had blonde hair sticking out of the Raven wig. She simply smiled and glanced at Radak.

The longer he looked at the person next to him the more he felt like something was up. He also felt like he knew the person sitting next to him, but he couldn't quite figure out how. It took him a look that was longer than a glance to notice that other things were awry as well. One of the person's eyebrows was starting to droop in a most interesting way. His own brows furrowed, then he tipped his head to the side and looked at her directly. "Ilana?" It couldn't be. Could it?

She smiled a bit, "I guess my disguise isn't as good as I thought." She scratched her itchy head a bit more of her blonde hair stuck out. "It's me."

"Well..." It was everything he could do to keep from laughing. He actually put the heel of one hand under his chin with his palm and fingers over his mouth. "It is starting to come off..." he said softly, through his hand.

"Oh! Where? I could have swear I used enough temporary adhesive to..." Before she could finish her sentence a bushy eyebrow dropped from her face and plunked into her coffee with a sound of a coin hitting water.

Radak had had it at that point. He snorted and then laughed. Once he started laughing it was hard for him to get himself under control again and it was way too funny. When he finally managed to stop laughing he took one look at her and lost it all over again.

Her lips twitched. She found his laughter contagious but nothing funny about the situation. "Vulcan's don't laugh," she said, pulling out the eyebrow from the coffee cup.

When he could breathe again he leveled a gaze at her. "I never went through the Kolinahr. I was supposed to and I couldn't bring myself to do it. My parents were furious. I had to go live with my radical Uncle in another city to continue my schooling. My parents never spoke to me again." He shrugged.

"Yeah my family is not gold either but..." The other eyebrow fell into the coffee cup. She let out a frustrated sigh and then pulled off her wig. "Oh for Pete's sake."

Radak snorted again. "So why are you wearing all that?" he asked, trying to change the subject from her failing costume. He didn't want her to feel bad and he didn't want her to think he was unsympathetic to whatever her plight might be.

She sighed. "I am avoiding one of my older sisters who seems... hell bent, to use a human phrase, to find me." She shook her head. "Thankfully, she seems to have left the station." Her relationship with her family was long and complicated. She never belonged. "I was a constant disappointment." She shrugged.

"It is alright. I was too. My Uncle helped me to see things in a better light though and look where I am now. Look where you are now... you do not need them to be proud of you. The only person you need to impress is yourself." He smiled at her a little. His smile was warm and friendly. "I would like to keep pretending that I am a regular Vulcan though."

Her eyes rounded, "Oh!!! I knew it! Ha! Mister you are officially my Romulan." She said the last part whispered so that others would not over hear. She positively looked like the cat that swallowed the cannery. She would have a building block for her character.

"It is Radak, Ilana," and he chuckled. "Hum... interesting choice. A Vulcan playing a Romulan... I am curious though. Why is your sister trying to find you so badly? I mean, I cannot see that it is for any good reason, considering your reaction, but what does she want from you?"

Ilana shrugged. "I don't know. This is the fourth time that one of my siblings has tried to track me down. It's a long story Radak." She had already said so much more than she wanted, but she trusted Radak for some reason and she couldn't explain why.

He raised one eyebrow at her. "So, I take it that they've been unsuccessful? Have you thought that you might want to ask them? I mean... what could they possibly want if you're not the favorite?"

"Radak it's a long story. Sometimes the past is just left in the past. Sometimes it's..." She shook her head. "I should go." For the first time in years she became overwhelmed with emotion. When was the last time someone cared to find out about her and how she felt? She had avoided friendships, avoided talking to people so long that she was feeling overwhelmed and unsure. She felt the sting of unshed tears. She stood. "I... I should go until I'm sure she's off the station."

"Hey!" Radak stood. "Hey now! You do not get to run off twice." He reached out for her arm. "It is okay to talk to me. I am definitely not going to judge you. Remember, I am your perfect Romulan." He chuckled softly, trying to make lighter of the situation. "Please do not run off again. We can go somewhere more quiet and talk... or cry... or whatever you need to do."

Ilana, not one for physical touches, didn't pull back this time. She studied him with head tilted. "Sorry, I'm not good at the social dos and don'ts... but..." See this was the hard part, would she allow herself to make a friend? She wasn't very good at it but she decided she should try. She wasn't very good at this, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't try. She had a book to research and talking with Radak had been effortless. She smiled. "Alright. How about this. I need to get out of this getup and check with Lt. Higgins to make sure my family is... or has left and we can meet at the top level restaurants on the promenade... how bout Romulan food?"

Radak shook his head and chuckled again, it was a little sarcastic sounding. "You know I have never actually eaten Romulan food. If that is what you wish then we should go there. How long do you think it will take you to check with Lieutenant Higgins? I could go up there and just wait if you would like."

She smiled, "Let's say one hour at the Bird of Pray Café?"

OFF

Radak
Executive Officer
USS Wolff

&

Ilana Jareth
Civilian
Starbase 54 soon to be on USS Wolff