A Mirror Shattered #100, #111 "Friendship."

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ON: [Brig, U.S.S Pegasus] Hannah strode angrily into the brig. She walked over to Sulan's cell. "Alright, I'm here. Spill."

Sulan looked up from her meditation pose. Reading the emotions on Hannah's face. "Greetings Hannah. I find it agreeable that you would choose to visit me." She said quietly, in an effort to clam the woman. "What would you like to know?"

"Everything, Sulan. You tell me everything, and then I'll understand why you're saying all this...stuff, and everything will be back like it was." Hannah said, still somewhat distressed.

"I highly doubt that, Hannah..." Sulan said quietly. "I've done things which you would find... disagreeable. Discussing them with you, would only cause you pain." She stood ad moved toward the back of her cell, to sit on a bench.

Hannah looked over at the crewman at the desk. "Let me into her cell." The crewman looked at her dubiously.

"That's an order, crewman." She said dangerously. The man backed down, and dropped the forcefield so that Hannah could enter. Hannah walked into the cell confidently, and sat next to the imprisoned Vulcan. "You remember our climbing trip?" she said, quietly.

"Yes." She said distantly. "In fact, I've used it as a focal point in my meditations during the last few days. It was that which I thought of during Petrova's attempts to gloat over me. Why do you ask me such things?"

"I had fun too." Hannah said. "You remember the pranks you played on me?"

"Yes..." She said fighting the urge to smile. "That was most agreeable...."

Hannah smiled happily. "Did you know that the dye you used stained skin as well?"

"Ah, No, actually..." Sulan said somewhat taken aback. "I apologize."

"No problem - you want to check out your handiwork?" Hannah said, giggling a little at her inadvertent pun.

Sulan raised and eyebrow. "I would not take offense, but the guards would wonder at the sight of your blue-stained posterior."

"Meh - they're too busy trying to beat the high score on whatever game they're playing at reception." Hannah grinned. "You really should check it out - it's quite impressive."

Sulan pauses for a moment, confused.... "Ah, very well. You may show me, if that is your wish."

Hannah stood up, and checking that the guard wasn't watching, made to pull down her trousers and underwear. She turned at the last moment, however, and grinned at Sulan. "Had you going, though, didn't I?" She laughed. "See, now this is what I miss. You and me, messing around. Are we ever going to get that back?"

Sulan raised an eyebrow. "Point taken. I too, would like to return to the joviality we had together." She looked at Hannah, studying her face carefully. "I want than more than I can express in words."

"Me too." Hannah returned to sitting next to Sulan. "No more trying to kill me?"

"I never-" But she stopped before she could finish. There HAD been a time when she WOULD have killed her easily. "No. I do not wish nor intend to kill you." She said hollowly. "When did you stop wanting to kill me, Sules?"

"I am... uncertain, to be honest." She looks away. "It was sometime between getting to know you, and getting to like you, I suppose." She talks quickly, trying to get past the moment of perceived weakness. "I am attempting to arrange a protector for you while I remain in the brig. Also, I wish to track down the person responsible for destroying the statue, and punish him. You need not worry. I will make those who wish to harm you suffer greatly."

"You arranged a protector for me?" Hannah said "Who?"

"Mr. Ryylar. Though me might not wish to be, and I am unsure how well he will do. He may only confine his protections to the capacity of that of a starfleet officer, which would be unacceptable for the price I am willing to pay."

"Oh." Hannah said. "Well, y'know, that's kind of you and all, but..." she paused. "you really think they're gonna kill me?"

"They will attempt it, absolutely. I believe..." She hesitates. "I believe that all of our operatives share a 'core' personality archetype. That is why Angela and I are so similar. Our personalities are written from the same memory flash program." She looks at Hannah hard. "So if my theory is correct, she will definitely try to kill you. Because I would have, in her place." "And you don't know why?" Hannah asked.

"I was never informed why. Simply to come aboard the Pegasus, as chief of security, wait for you to arrive, and terminate you, making you look like a traitor."

"If you know who's coming for me, can't you just inform Security, get them to arrest her when she turns up?" "No. If I did that, at the very least, she would slay them. Or worse, simply destroy the vessel itself."She considers for a moment. "But whoever wishes you dead wishes it very badly. Because I was pulled off my last mission to be sent here."

"What was your last mission?" Hannah said, unable to stop herself from asking the question.

"It is of no consequence. I killed all of the personnel of that installation, to cover my departure." she said causally. "Don't you feel any remorse for that?" Hannah questioned.

"No. Of course not. I could not be what I am, if I felt such emotions during a mission. If was only after I came here, that I felt any hesitation toward a mission."

"What made you change your mind?"

About you? I can only speculate. Perhaps original aspects of my personality reasserting itself. Most operatives have their minds flash written from birth. Mine began when I was fourteen. So, it is possible a large portion of my original personality will continue to assert itself."

"You mean you'll get better?"

"Perhaps. I can only speculate at it. Though I cannot allow myself to get 'better' till all operatives are eliminated. Also, there is the possibility that I will suffer mental collapse as my conditioning slips." She shrugs slightly.

"Mental collapse...?" Hannah said, timidly.

"Yes. The conflicting parts of my personality will try and assert dominance over my mental functions. One side, wishes peace. The other, wishes to stand on the top of a pile of freshly killed corpses. It is that side, that informs me of how dangerous Angela is. For unlike me, her mental flash is complete and unhindered by compassion. That is how I know she will slay you. But, if she truly is like me, she'll wish to make you suffer before killing you, now that she has to deal with you directly. There is a chance she'll wish to show herself to you before she strikes." Sulan nods. "I often did such things... It was my one of the few pleasures I allowed myself... In fact, my first kill was-" She stopped herself, frowning slightly.

"What?" Hannah said anxiously.

"Ah, it is of no consequence." She said trying to change the subject. "I will give you a description of her. "She is a young woman of about 20, with fair skin and blond hair. She is of slim build, and seems to favor a pair of sapphire earrings. She will try to speak to you in casual conversation to see what you are like. She probably won't strike then, but at a later date, after speaking to you."

"Woah woah woah." Hannah said, "That's all well and good, but you just dodged a question, Sules. I'm used to be Security too, y'know. What were you going to say?"

"You don't want to know, Hannah." Sulan said darkly. Where was I? Ah, yes... Angela will probably try to take something of yours as a trophy. Be prepared for that."

"You know, that's a really bad habit you've got there, Sules." Hannah said, sighing. "I don't know - I come in here, I chat, I offer to show you my backside...was it the fact that you didn't get to see my ass? I mean, if that's all the problem is..." She winked at Sulan, trying to joke about the situation.

Sulan is confused. "It is not a matter of seeing you 'ass' as you put it. Though if you really wish to show me your posterior so badly, I have no objection." She said not realizing the attempt at humor.

"Never mind." Hannah said. "It was a joke, Sules." She looked steadily at the Vulcan. "Something's obviously troubling you. Now if we're going to be friends again, you need to tell me what it is."

"Your intuitive ability is quite amazing. How did you realize I was struggling with such feelings?" Sulan asked curiously.

"Because you're my friend." Hannah said, simply.

Sulan is silent, touched at the words. She looks away once more. "I am... concerned that... the flash programing will reassert itself. Also, How much of me is really me? Are the memories I have real? Or is all that I am a product of a flash-writer's program? Is the feeling of friendship I have for you, mine or something they wrote in?"

Hannah frowned once more, considering the tricky questions Sulan had put to her. Finally she shrugged. "I have no idea." As Sulan looked at her, Hannah sighed. "None of us know everything, Sules. At the end of the day, it comes down to choices – which Telek Sulan do you want to be - the one who came climbing with me, and dyed my ass blue, or the one who acted out on Commander Petrova, and was willing to kill me?"

"But... what if I don't have a choice in the matter? That's... that's what I'm afraid of." Sulan said sounding lost.

"Do you want to kill me now?" Hannah said

"No..." She shook her head slowly. "I cannot conceive of being without your friendship."

"Then I'd say you had a choice." Hannah said simply.

She nods, wiping quickly at her eyes. "Someone should... should really check the air filters in here. The dust is making my eyes water." She clears her throat. "Have you been able to find anything out about your father's associates?"

"Yeah, dust, right." Hannah said, suppressing a smile. "As for my Dad, nothing yet, except that apparently there was a suspicious accident at his detention center six months ago. Looked like someone tried to off him, but got interrupted, and scampered. Since then, they've upped his security by a bajillion times. Maybe your employers tried to deal with him, but have had to settle for me instead."

"That would seem logical." Sulan said thoughtfully.

"You didn't hear anything about that? Y'know, when you were hanging out in Ye Olde Villaines Bar n' Grill?" Hannah smirked.

"I've never been to such a place. Is it an information drop?" Sulan asked seriously.

"It was another joke, Sules." Hannah said, wearily.

"Ah. I see the concept of humor will remain beyond my understanding for now." She said, blinking.

"Well, just remember - flashing your buttocks in public? Comedy gold." Hannah grinned. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a ship to attend to. If I see this Angela woman, I'll let you know. Anyhow, I'll be back later tonight, if she doesn't kill me."

"I doubt she would be on board." She stands. Thank you for visiting me. I found your company most agreeable."

"Yeah, it was fun." Hannah said. She stood, and then looked at Sulan carefully. "If I try and give you a hug, will you totally flip out and kill me?"

Sulan looked down at her feet. "No. I was actually hoping you would. I'd heard that to do so meant that a human was comfortable with the person receiving the embrace."

: Hannah embraced Sulan, a tear falling from her eye as she did so. "It's gonna be OK, Sules. I promise."

"I certainly hope you are correct." She said wiping at her own eyes again. "Ah, I see the dust has affected you too." She watched as the woman departed, hoping her words would ring true. [Off]

A joint post by:

Lieutenant (jg) Hannah O' Driscoll U.S.S. Pegasus "I'll trust you to the death...even if you're the one that brings it."

&

Lieutenant (jg) Telek Sulan U.S.S. Pegasus "Out of darkness, light."

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