Three's Company

Posted on Tue 26th Jun, 2012 @ 11:25pm by Lieutenant Colonel Cara Karikkar & Commander Jasmine Collins-Keller & Lieutenant Adam Keller

2,605 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: http://sb109.sim-station.net/index.php/sim/missions/id/2

ON:

Cara looked over at Jessie who was giggling at a cartoon while cara got a private dinner ready for them, Kell and Nyx. They were due any minute.

It was their first real night on the station and Kell had talked Nyx into eating dinner with Cara and Jessie. Nyx still wasn't convinced that there hadn't been something more between them than a mission a year ago, but she knew now that Kell was hers exclusively. She wasn't about to risk their relationship by acting foolishly and she agreed to the dinner with friends. However, she was sure to dress just a little sexier just in case.

"You about ready Nyx?" Kell called into the room. "Cara is expecting us five minutes ago."

"You can tell her it was my fault." Nyx called back out. "Or maybe you should just take Max. He's better behaved." She came out of the room zipping the back of her dress. "But then you'll be sleeping with him for the next few days." She grinned.

Kell shook his head and smirked. "Move your ass woman." He opened the door and waved his arm out letting her go first.

A few short minutes later they were at the door of Cara's quarters. Kell chimed.
Jessie jumped up and yelled "I'll get it momma!" opening the door she smiled shyly at the two adults before moving so they could enter.

"Hey Jessie." Nyx smiled at her as Kell ruffled her hair.

"Cara dinner smells great." Devyn walked over to hug her. Nyx watched but kept a smile on her face.
Jess leant into the ruffling before going back to her cartoons.
Chuckling Cara hugged him back and then hugged Nyx before saying "I know that Kell thinks he can live on meat alone do I did lasagne in the hopes we can sneak veggies into him and Jess. Oh and there's sticky toffee pudding and ice cream for dessert."

"Sounds good." Nyx smiled. "Salad." She shrugged. "It's how we get our veggies. Kell loves salad. I just slip in baby spinach with the greens."
"Salad I can do ..." she grinned conspiratorially "Garlic bread ok with you?"

"Sounds fine or plain buttered bread is just as good and less trouble." Nyx didn't want Cara to go out of her way.

Kell laughed. "Would you just put dinner on the table and let's eat. There's plenty of food here and no need for more."
Laughing she called Jess to the table and they started serving.

"I am so glad to be off that ship. Poor Max was going stir crazy and I have to admit - so was I." Nyx tried to make conversation.
Cara nodded "So is Jess... She needs a lot of exercise."

"I can imagine. I remember how I was at that age." Nyx laughed. "But now we have an entire station to explore."

"And bring on line and repair and clean up." Kell shook his head. "From what I've heard and seen, half the systems are off line and the place has been completely neglected." He looked at Nyx. "I don't want to come off as the bad guy but you're aware that most of us will end up on clean up duty and that as security, I'll have to make sure you don't go exploring too far."

"Party pooper." Nyx groaned.

"I'm sorry honey, but that's what we're coming into." He shrugged. He made himself a plate as Cara passed the food.
Cara winked at Nyx and mouthed 'you and me on our next day off.'

"Don't give her any ideas Cara." Kell almost barked and then caught himself. "Sorry. It's just well - she's equal to two of you as far as a trouble magnet and she comes with some baggage you don't know about yet."

"Really Devyn, it's not that bad...my secret that is." She looked at Cara. "But I could get into a ton of trouble."

"Ask Devyn to tell you how I managed to get the most demerits ever at the academy sometime ... My record still stands."

"I will." Nyx smiled.

She laughed at Dev's grumble about trouble women as she put lasagne and bread onto Jess's plate and then her own and indicated for everyone to dig in. "I was thinking of getting Jess a pet ... any suggestions on something that would be appropriate?"

"I'm all about dogs." Nyx smiled. "Max has been one of my best friends for years now."

"Get the right dog and you'll have a friend, protector, and babysitter." Kell agreed.
Nodding Cara admitted "I have no idea what to look for .. I thought maybe a German shepherd or a lab?"

"Max is an Akita. They're strong willed, but very smart dogs. German Shepherds are the same way." Devyn wasn't an expert on dogs but he knew a few things. "A lab has the right disposition for a child. They don't need dominance, not as stubborn and still very smart."

"Kind of like Kell." Nyx winked before giggling. "Good faithful companions that don't need to be in charge."
Cara giggled with Nyx "I saw someone giving away German shepherd pups on board ... About three months old? Could I talk you into looking at them with me?"

"Sure." Kell grinned. Nyx was suddenly quieted, still unsure of the pair's relationship.

"Well dinner is very good Cara." She jumped to change the subject.

Cara smiled "Thanks Nyx ... what made you go into medicine."

"I'm not sure really. It came naturally to me in school and my adoptive mother was a nurse." She explained. "But she told me my ability was a gift that she couldn't come close to." Nyx smiled. "I think she was just being a proud mom though."

"Its the reason Nyx and I met." Devyn joined the conversation. "I was practicing with some Klingon cousins and ended up in the emergency ward. Nyx patched me up."

Cara laughed "Sounds like Dev ... I swear if it wasnt me nearly getting him killed on a mission ... it was his cousins trying to do him in."

"When you play with Marines and Klingons, I would expect some injuries, but when you jump off the roof of a building onto a mattress on the ground - you deserve them." Nyx looked at Devyn. "He was practicing his free fall after six or seven glasses of blood wine. He didn't even know he had a broken arm." she shook her head.

"Hey, that was a secret." He growled at her playfully. "Maybe we should discuss our last night on the station...with Tok?"

"Now this I have to hear ... as long as its ok for little ears." Cara looked curious.

"Just a time Nyx didn't use a lot of common sense. Her vice is Tequila. The Ferengi was just about to escort her home for the evening...if I hadn't shown up when I did...Let's just say Nyx wouldn't have been too happy with herself in the morning and we would be in couples counseling."

"I wouldn't have let him sleep with me." She growled.

"Oh sweetheart that Ferengi has taken advantage of some of the best." Devyn reminded her. "And if I recall, you were quite relieved to hear my voice when you woke up."

Cara nodded "If its the one I've heard about ... he's taken advantage of a lot of women ... and got away with it due to the embarrassment of the same women."

"He's a cad but most of the women he's entertained have done so willingly. Nyx however was being extra stubborn and I'm glad for that." Devyn smiled. "I'm not sure what would have happened after another drink or two."

"Nothing would have happened." Nyx felt her face redden. At the moment she hated Devyn for telling that story.

Seeing Jessie was distracted Cara said softly to Nyx "Dont worry Dev rescued me from a similar guy ... what was it Dev? Three years ago? He was a perfect gentleman." She put her hand on Nyx's so she could feel and see the truth.

"I'm not usually that vulnerable." Nyx snorted.

"The hell you aren't." Devyn laughed. "Where trouble is concerned you're more vulnerable than anyone I've ever met. It's why I hang around. Someone has to protect you from yourself."

Cara grinned sheepishly at Nyx "He has a lot of practice."

"Six years watching over Cara over three years watching over Nyx....hmm." He shook his head. For him the answer was easy. Nyx was far more prone to trouble while Cara found danger because of her job.

"I'm a monster." Nyx suddenly said with all seriousness. She looked at Cara.

Cara looked at her in surprise but not fear or anything else. "How do you mean Nyx?"

"Nyx stop it." Devyn shook his head. "She's not a monster."

"No? I nearly killed my parents when I was thirteen. I have to wear a device so I don't shift and hurt others. The military controls me like a beast on a leash." She looked at Cara and then at Devyn. "Tell me most of my troubles don't come from what I can be."

Devyn swallowed hard. "Uh most of your troubles come from not controlling that tongue of yours." He saw the curious look on Cara's face. "Go on explain it. You started this conversation. Cara will understand."

Looking at Cara, she pulled her shirt collar revealing a gold device attached to her neck. It was ornate and resembled jewelery. "This keeps me from shifting. I come from a race of shifters. Have you heard of the Planet Arc IV from the Beta Quadrant? I'm called Chameloid. I have two forms." She indicated herself with a sweep of her arm. "This one and a warrior beast much like an Earth werewolf, large, powerful, somewhat indestructible." She smiled. "Great warriors...but I was never taught to control mine...In that form I know nothing but anger, hatred, and the desire to kill." She shrugged. "A monster."

Cara nodded and moved to kneel by her so that she could touch her wrist and show her she didnt think less of her "Did Dev tell you what my job has been for several years now?"

"No, are you kidding. Devyn Kell break that all important barrier of silence that Star Fleet instills in its operatives?" She shook her head.

"You see, there's that mouth." Kell gave her a warning look. "You couldn't just say, no he hasn't?"

Laughing softly Cara said "Dev and I have been partners for the last 4 years ... in an area that officially doesnt exist ..." She looked at Dev who nodded "I'm a lot stronger than I look mentally ... I can help you if you want ... but I have to have your trust in order to do that." She could help bring Nyx's two sides together again.

"Won't work. Strong telepaths have tried." She wished it would. "The problem is I have to practice control. If I'm not the one holding my 'leash' I have no control. I can't even bring my other form out without permission and then its usually to help fight some enemy or intruder."

Nodding her understanding Cara asked curiously "Have any of the others actually bothered to try and talk to your other side? Or did they just try to force the two of you together?" Cara had suffered herself from over zealous telepaths who thought they knew best.

"That's not the way Chameloids work. It's not two different sides of me. It's me...released." Nyx wasn't sure how to explain it. "Chameloids without the appliance can switch to their beast when they choose; for protection, battle, training. They choose to switch to that violent side. I don't have a choice. I can't keep Nyx in this shape without the appliance."

Nodding Cara asked "May I?" and held her hands out for Nyx to take if she agreed.

"I'm a touch telepath. If I touch you, I'll know an awful lot about you." She warned the woman.

Cara thought about it for a minute not sure if Nyx knew about Jess. "I trust you Nyx."

Nyx reached her hand out and rested her fingers on the back of Cara's hand. She was instantly shown images of Cara's past with Devyn, Jessie , and others. There were battles, uniforms, death, and remorse. Nothing shocking, some of it surprising though. She hoped that Cara understood what she saw. Although she was under someone's control, some of the things from her past could make her look like the monster she told others that she was.

Watching parts of Nyx's life move in front of her Cara felt no fear of her even in her 'monster' phases just an overwhelming sense of sadness at what Starfleet had done to an essentially gentle person. It was something akin to what Cara imagined rape would feel like ... they had taken away her right to own her own body and Cara was starting to burn with anger that they would do this to someone. Pulling back gently she tried to get a hold of herself even as she let Nyx know it wasnt aimed at her.

"So now you know." Nyx sat back next to Kell. He'd seen everything and still loved her. Hell he'd seen her human side go nuts and still loved her - well most days anyway. She could count on him. "I told you it wasn't pretty."

Shaking her head Cara tried to gather her thoughts "It wasnt your fault ... nor was the lack of control. They took advantage of you ... I think I can help you if you want it but its not a quick solution ... it could take a year or more."

"No." Nyx said. "I have to do this on my own." She shook her head. She wasn't angry or upset. "My parents tried to help me when I was still a child. Both of them powerful Betazoids...and I nearly killed them. I need to do this the same way all Chameloids do. I just have to convince those holding my leash to allow it."

Cara smiled at that "That would have been my choice too if i was in your situation ... if you ever needto talk and dont want Dev then i'm always here."

"Thank you for understanding." She smiled as her hand reached for Devyn's once again. "Some day you'll have to tell me about Jessie and I'll tell you some of the things you didn't see."

Nodding Cara's smile widened "Deal Nyx."

"I'm not sure I like this arrangement." Kell shook his head and grinned. "As if one of you wasn't enough trouble." He looked at Jessie. "Don't you think it's time for dessert?"

Jess nodded eagerly "I ate all my dinner uncle Dev." she had a real sweet tooth.

"Come on, while those two decide if they're friends or enemies, you and I can eat the ice cream." He got up and waited for Jessie to follow him. "Nyx and I can't stay much longer. We have to get Max exercised and pack up our stuff. And we need to get a good night sleep so that we are fresh and frosty for meeting our CO tomorrow." He said it loud enough so Nyx and Cara could hear. It was his way of hinting that it was time to finish up their visit.

getting the message Cara stood up "Message recieved ... Dessert and then you two can do whatever you need to."

Dessert went quickly and without any fuss. Kell said his goodbyes and escorted Nyx to her quarters where he spent the night.

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