When Khat Met Ella

Posted on Mon 6th Oct, 2025 @ 8:43am by Commander Heriah Rex & Ensign Elaine Kaleh

2,512 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: From The Ashes
Location: Nightclub
Timeline: Current

ON

That bottle of Rivals Talanack was not doing anything for Heriah.

'Of course it isn't. Synthehol.'

Pulling the PADD back to her, Heriah swiped for the drink menu again, found the Rivals Talanack, saw that it was, by default, made with synthehol, and changed it to real alcohol Rivals Talanack. Of course the PADD asked for an authorization code. Looking up from her empty bottle, Heriah eyed the place, ensuring no one was the wiser. She had gone this long at the nightclub without anyone noticing her or recognizing her as the starbase's XO. She wanted to keep it that way.

Heriah quickly tapped in her command authorization code and sent the order request onward. Only the bartender would be the wiser and she hoped he would not say anything or ask anything. And, sure enough, he did not as he brought her the bottle of real Rivals Talanack.

Rex grabbed the bottle firmly and took a greedy gulp.

'Now that we can think more clearly, who should we dance with next/'

Heriah eyed the dance floor. The number of people had lessened by about a third. It was getting on into the night and Heriah herself briefly thought about finishing her bottle and turning in for the night. Briefly thought because...

'No! You came her to have a good time. Have a good time. You don't want to wake up in the morning alone do you?'

"At this rate Rex," she said to herself, "I won't have to wake up."

'Because your going to end it all?'

"Because I won't have time to sleep," she said more audibly. Thankfully no one was close enough to hear.

She was on her second bottle of Rivals Talanack when she returned to the dance floor. She was feeling only the beginning stages of getting tipsy, which was about as far as she wanted to go. With the bottle in hand, she chose a person at random to dance with. Unfortunately, the lady already had a dance partner and paid Heriah little to no mind. Heriah chose another but he stepped away as the song was winding down to it conclusion. With a shrug, Heriah took another swig from the bottle and continued dancing to the new song that had just started. She danced alone. Maybe someone would decide to join her instead of her joining them.

As the lights strobed and the smoke wafted about, the DJ started into another song; one of her favorites entitled "Emily" by the band emblazoned upon her shirt; Clan of Xymox. She ventured into the center of the dance floor, allowing the dark beat of the music to carry her along. Still, no one was joining her.

The lingering anxiety that never vanished from the back of her mind started its way to the forefront once again. The lights of the Borg vessel, the steam spraying and wafting about, the drones spread out here and there. Several wanted to grab her, to assimilate her, but she refused. She knew the anxiety should want to drive her to the floor but...

'I got you. They can't hurt you. Not here. Besides...'

'You want me to end it all?' Heriah thought to herself, to Rex, then took another gulp of her beer. 'Give me this night and I shall consider it.'

Anxiety welled with her; made her heart pound and her skin sweat. Heriah pressed her eyes shut, but let Rex move her about, keep her upright.

Symbiontic Anxietal Repression was the active allowance of a Trill symbiont to take control thus keeping most of the physical showings of an anxiety attack at bay. Essentially, a bottling up of all the pain and emotions from said anxiety attack. Heriah knew from her counselor, Rikata Mol, that this was not recommended as well as a dangerous way to cope with anxiety. But he was not there and she did not want an attack right then and there.

Heriah was already having a good time at the nightclub's Emo/Goth night. Why not live a little on the edge.

Elaine had been watching the ebb and flow of humanity into and out of the club, making notes in her mind as to who to approach and when. The was something of an undercover mission, and the changes she'd made to her hair and makeup made her virtually unrecognizable. Her white blonde hair was streaked with liquid silver and bore glittery black and silver extensions. Elaine was dusted with silver glitter, and everything she wore was a matte black that seemed to suck the light in. She almost seemed to glow through the lace of her clothing, with her black and silver makeup, accenting her eyes and her sharp cheekbones. She'd been carefully working the crowd to see if any of her contacts showed up this evening, before her eyes landed on a woman that caught her attention completely. For a brief while the reason she caught her eye didn't come to her.

Something is not right here...

This woman was being too careful. Her movements were too precise to be relaxed and everything in Elaine screamed that she was walking a thin line between mental states not aided by the bottle she protected from the other dancers on the floor. Then, she spotted the crescent lines in her palm of fingernails clenched so hard from...what? Fear? There was something in her lines, that screamed of desperation in a way that made Elaine ache in sympathy.

Instead of actively pursuing her, she watched her with parted lips from the corner.

Come on lovely...look at me. You know you want to.

Heriah continued dancing, allowing the dark melody to carry her along, allowing Rex to control her body. She opened her eyes here and there to ensure she was not about to bump into anyone, but could not keep them open long upon seeing the Borg drones all around her. Her heart pounded away within her chest, her palms sweated, but she calmed herself somewhat with the knowledge that they were not harming her. They had not yet, and perhaps they would not at all. All she wanted was this night for herself.

'Found one!'

Heriah focused her eyes and looked. 'Where?'

'Corner. Shiny, glittery doll. She's been eyeing us for a few minutes now.'

Heriah looked around with her eyes only. Her frazzled hair got in the way minutely, it concealed her spots, mostly, on either side of her face. She spotted the doll Rex had noticed. Locating the doll was made easier as she was near the edge of the dance floor. Borg drones moved around behind and around her. She paid them no mind. In fact, it appeared their presence had no more effect on her. Her and Doll's eyes connected. Her beauty, perhaps, was what was needed to make the anxiety go away.

'What do you think? Relive some of Davmorda's exploits?'

'I have no intention of reliving any of Dav's past.'

'Oh you're no fun.'

'You want fun?" Heriah took the final swig from her bottle and placed it upon a nearby table just off the dance floor. The couple, at the table, kissing, paid no mind at all. She looked at Doll and made an interested look, wanting Doll to join her.

Lovely seemed to have obeyed Elaine's desire. A random guy danced his way up to Lovely, but she paid him no heed whatsoever and he danced himself away. Deep blue eyes, accented by lenses to keep them shifting through the various shades of blue and purple never left the woman she was studying. At the invitation, lips that gleamed in the ever-changing light curved upwards in assent.

Lovely stepped off the dance floor and strode in Doll's direction. With each step, she swung her hips purposefully, making sure her features swayed and giggled. The two met halfway from where they both originated.

'I'm Rex. Care for a dance?'

"I'm Khat," Lovely said. "Like a..." and she gave a meow and made a clawing motion in the air. Raising and eyebrow and motioning with her head behind her, "Care for a dance?"

"Let's do." A low alto that held a hint of hidden depths to be plundered. "I'm Ella" it was both her name and not, and the shortened version suited her just fine.

"Ella," Khat repeated, liking the sound of it. She grabbed at and gently held Ella's hand leading her to the dance floor. "Beautiful name. I like how it rolls right off the tongue."

That smile that transformed her blossomed on her lips for a moment bathing them both in her glory for an instant.

The second they stepped onto the dance floor, the playing song ended, the lights changed, strobed, a thin fog misted about, and a new song started. It was one of Heriah's favorites and was called 'Emily' by the Clan of Xymox whose emblem was emblazoned on her shirt. As it started playing, she let the beat take her. Khat still held onto Ella's hand, enjoying the feel and softness of it.

"Want me to lead," Khat asked, "or..."

'You want to get a glimpse of who she is? Let her lead.'

"...or do you?"

"I am unconventional about such things" she teased, spinning her expertly onto the dance floor. They skirted the edges of the dance floor where the music was still soft enough to hear the other if they spoke.

Heriah enjoyed how Ella handled her. She was soft and gentle though knew, expertly, how to handle herself as well as whatever was in her hands and arms. She wanted to melt away in Ella's arms, but Rex pushed forth a thought of dominance and kept Heriah from falling into putty. Heriah wrapped an arm around Ella's waist, placing her hand at the small of her back, held her hand with her free hand. Pulling Ella close, Heriah could feel the warmth of Ella's body, could smell whatever perfume she had on. "I too am unconventional you will find. I've lead many times. Many times, I have been lead. This time," she said as she held Ella tight as though this was the answer to her dreams and she did not want to let go.

'This time, I lead.'

"This time, I lead," she said and the pair moved in unison as they danced around to the dark melodic tones. Heriah spent much of the time peering into Ella's eyes. There was something there. Maybe some pain and torment, but also desire.

Heriah had a lingering thought that she had met Ella before, at least once already, but also felt that was just her own desires surfacing in her mind.

"I," she said, "I've only been aboard this place a short time now. Figured it was time I met someone other than those with whom I work."

"Indeed...it's good to get out and be seen." Her voice was a purr, as she had the piece she was fiddling with fall into place. "Balance who you are with who you are."

"Balance who you are with who you are," Khat softly repeated as she peered into Ella's eyes.

'Yeah. And you will find perfect balance floating out there in space.'

"I find balance in letting myself go," Khat said.

'Letting yourself go...out an airlock?'

Khat started dancing more as the tempo of the tunes intensified. She pulled Ella close, pushed away while holding one of her hands. She spun and sent herself into Ella's embrace pulling hard arms around to encompass her. Khat put one hand behind her and upon Ella's thigh, the other she sent up and over her head, back and upon the back of Ella's neck. Khat breathed deeply, desiring Ella's embrace.

The faint cinnamon and clove scent that she wore, mingled with the mint and hops scent that the alcohol had left on her breath. It was intriguing to Ella, who raised a hand to stroke through the baby hairs on the back of her neck. "And just how far do you ever let yourself go?" she teased, lightly ensuring that her words stayed playful.

'How vast is space?'

"How vast is space?" Khat said in reply. She enjoyed Ella's touch, her warmth. Khat turned back around, facing Ella. They continued to dance slowly. "My days are all schedule and order and discipline and reports and..." she looked into Ella's eyes as though lost and seeking something.

'...and there is this thing inside you that wants this freedom.'

"And there is this thing inside me that wants this freedom," Khat voiced Rex's thought.

'Something literally inside you.' But Khat kept that thought contained.

"Of that I have no doubt."

"And you, Ella," Khat said, "do you ever just...let yourself go?" She had taken the lead and they danced about.

"On rare occasions, though not in some time." The young woman responded quietly, her hand meeting the palm of Khat's as she allowed herself to be led.

'When monotony sets in, letting go is the best medicine,' came a thought from Rex.

"It's been some time here too," Khat said. "When the days get monotonous, sometimes the best medicine is just to let go."

"In some ways, yes that can be helpful " a twinkle in her eyes indicated how she usually did so.

Khat could hear the song begin to wind down. She could tell, from out of her periphery, that the population on the dance floor and in the club was waning. She enjoyed being lost in Ella's perfect eyes, but also knew, "It's getting late. They are soon to close."

'And you have work tomorrow'

Khat ignored the thought but knew its truth all the same.

"Duty comes all too early" she noted with a gentle sigh, licking her lips.

Khat felt a butterfly flutter in her gut. It was Rex giving her a twitch. She opened her mouth; closed it, then smiled.

'Just go for it. Either way, your victory or her loss. Right?'

Khat then asked, "Your place or mine?" She tossed her head to the side, getting her hair out of her face and throwing it over her shoulder further exposing the spots on the sides of her face and neck.

"Neither, come on. " she took her hand and led her into the misty hallway. She had a room under an alias so old it was an adult, and she opened the door with an actual key. This...was for secret trysts and ensuring privacy without giving up any privacy in the doing. It was perfect.

OFF

 

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