Kosu?

Posted on 05 Aug 2018 @ 10:45am by Lieutenant Deeli Kosu (Dec-Jan 2389 - TRNSFR After Gorn War) & Captain Akio Tachibana

Mission: Ne Me'e Laua Na Paio - Heroes & Villains
Location: CHENG's Office, Main Engineering - Deck 15, USS Hawaii
Timeline: 1400, 16 Jan 2389 - After "An enemy within? Pt2"

ON:

Akio looked at the warp core below. He was always mesmerized by the immense power. Just one misconfiguration and the entire ship would explode.

He turned to the CHENG's office, hoping to find Kosu after she stormed out of the meeting earlier in tears.

Still sniffing and rubbing her eyes as she heard the chime go "No one is here" Deeli said with a sad voice as she gets all the memories back from her Redguard days and her home grabbing her head with both hands "Argg..."

"Your voice would seem to betray your statement," Akio said, hoping for humor.

That somehow calms her a bit down, as Deeli press the side panel and let the door slide open for the Commander. Looking down to the ground and depressed.

Akio felt a pang of guilt as he entered. He had not worked closely with the Chief Engineer despite her being a member of senior staff. It was largely her antisocial persona, yet Akio knew that shouldn't be an excuse to avoid her.

"What's going on Kosu?" Akio asked, taking a seat.

Not looking up at her Captain, she let her red hair hang before her face to cover her tears. She sniffs a bit “Nothing, nothing to be concerned about Captain” It was strange to let those words roll over her tongue, but it was the first time she addressed him with rank/position.

"Well, I just saw a senior officer storm out of a mission meeting, so I think there is some concern. Look at me, Deeli," Akio requested.

What did she did, was something that she would usually not do and slowly tilted her head up to look with her watery eyes at the Captain. It was a face she rather not gave, to anyone.

"You are part of this crew now. If something is bothering you, it bothers all of us," Akio explained.

It took her a few seconds to let her lips move “trust...” Deeli got out in a shaky voice “Something that has little value to the common person. But for me...” She holds her right hand and placed it on her chest “... it’s the only thing I have that I can give...” She taps her desk panel as her bio appears “My youth I was always bullied... always picked on or beaten...”

"I am aware of your service record. There was an incident on the Redguard," Akio started. "Is someone bullying you on this crew?" Akio jumped to conclusions, recalling the previous discussion of trust by Taltos.

She waved her hand over towards the last entry that was black marked away about her assignment at Redguard. The Redguard, a small vessel that was assigned towards Intelligence branch was doing top secret missions in the RTC. But it was the ship that had the most impact on her. Getting open and social, getting friends for the first time in her life and also the continued trauma expanded here. The words began to appear before Akio eyes, Deeli was hospitalized after the Redguard was docked at a starbase for repairs. An old enlisted man had out of hatred for her early promotion to CEO beat her up so badly and left her behind to die. A weak smile came up, yes this was the expanding truth on her bitterness of socializing and trusting people, especially men "Trust...is not easy for me. It bares memories that are my scars from the past."

Akio was surprised. Part of Kosu's service record was classified and he was now reading the entry for the first time. It reeked of a cover-up. Starfleet was too embarrassed that something like that had happened and likely classified it under the Redguard's mission as an excuse.

Akio moved around the desk and slowly placed a hand on Kosu's shoulder, "No one is going to beat you up on the Hawaii."

It was the first time that someone actually tried to comfort her, Deeli was scared as Akio touched her shoulder. But when he said what he said, she felt the tears roll over her cheeks. Her sight became blurry and she started to sniff more "Why..why does everyone hate me so much....why am I so...lonely" She cried even harder as she puts her head against Akio suddenly.

Akio was unsure what to do, yet he felt for Kosu. He moved his hand to Kosu's other shoulder so he arm was forming a frame around her head.

"Sometimes, we confuse indifference or fear for hate. You are a very strong officer and I understand you do not like social situations, yet others may be scared to approach you for that reason," Akio explained. Back in his younger days, he remembered being mentored about his reserved persona and temper that made him seem unapproachable to some.

Letting her tears go as she holds now Akio uniform with both hands and looking slowly down sniffing "I never learned how to, my youth was the bloody same...my classmates laughed at me, mocked me, bullied me and my parents said I was a disgrace!" Deeli was slipping up with her emotions and let her telepathic emotions loose on Akio. He could feel sudden enormous sadness and frustration.

Akio used his free hand to steady himself on the desk. He allowed the silence to marinate before speaking softly.

"That is in the past, Deeli. You graduated from Starfleet Academy. You proved your mettle through some of the toughest training in the galaxy. You are also a Starfleet Lieutenant, now. I know it is tough sometimes, yet people look up to you. You have to be strong for them," Akio stopped as he felt like he couldn't hold back tears of his own.

-=Flashback, USS Mississippi, 2376=-

"Sir, we cannot sustain these operations. The war is over. It is time to pull back," a younger Akio with half the pips and in a yellow uniform told a Lieutenant in the same uniform.

"When you run the department, Tachibana, you can make the schedules. Yet we do no know what the Dominion are up to and we will continue this schedule! Am I clear?" The Lieutenant raised his voice in the corridor.

"You are going to break our people; I have already worked a double shift and do not mind, yet how do you explain that to a Petty Officer or Ensign when there does not seem like a need?" Akio rapidly spoke, trying to kept his voice quiet.

"You will do your job and they will do theirs, Lieutenant," the Lieutenant stood firm.

"Is that all you need from me, sir?" Akio spat before he was quickly dismissed.

He stormed along the corridors of the well-used Sovereign, tears streaming down his eyes. He couldn't believe this Lieutenant he was working for and ached for something different.

The Master Chief of Operations spotted Akio. "Sir, what is wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, Master Chief" Akio quickly replied, hiding his tears.

"Sir, I know you better than that," the Chief said. "Come here. Let's chat," the Master Chief ushered Akio into her office.

"I do not want to speak poorly of Lieutenant Hayden, yet he is going to break our department. I just had to break up a fight in crew mess. Why are we still working these hours when the war has been over?!" Akio vented.

"Don't worry about him. Us chiefs talk and I know Command is not pleased with him. They take notice, you know. We'll make it happen. But I want to chat about what's going on with you. Why the tears?" Master Chief asked.

"It is so frustrating working with him. He disagrees with my advice constantly even though I am looking out for the crew," Akio explained. "I dunno how much longer I can go on like this," Akio's shoulders slumped.

"Sir, the crew appreciates what you're doing. I appreciate what you're doing. You graduated from Starfleet Academy though, some of the toughest training in the galaxy. You are a Starfleet Lieutenant. People look up to you. I know it is tough sometimes, yet you have to be strong for them. If you cry, they cry," Master Chief mentored Akio.

-=Present Day, CHENG's Office=-

As Akio looked down at Kosu, a single tear started to form.

Looking up at Akio seeing his tear, She stood up and grabs with both her hands his uniform and pulled him closer to her. The tears were still rolling over her cheek "Past, present, future....it makes no difference Akio" She said with frustration and sadness. No one would accept her for whom she was, acknowledge her for being gifted for her mind, she has no place. Looking into his eyes "I got no place that feels at home, my homeworld, Redguard or even the Hawaii. Everywhere I go...I am looked down as a mere obstacle that hinders people around me. I don't choose this life... Starfleet Command did, my parents did" She placed her head against him "Why am I so weak now..."

Akio ignored the first name basis. This was a personal and touching moment.

"You forget that you are a plank-owner," Akio said while hugging Deeli, referring to the term by which the initial crew was called. "You helped commission this ship. I would say that the Hawaii is probably more your home than anywhere else at this point," Akio maneuvered himself so he could start to wipe away Deeli's tears. "Sometimes when we are met with destiny, it seems like an impossible task. I think you have found your calling here, though," Akio wiped away Deeli's tears with his thumb.

Looking numb at the Captain as Deeli felt his fingers over her face, but for some reason, she was not scared, her blurry eyes looked at him as he talked about Hawaii and what was basically the truth. Deeli was given a place that was called home for her. Feeling the warmth of his hug around her body, she felt protected, safe and...happy? Deeli let her grip on the Captain's uniform go and her hands slid to his face, time was slowing down as Deeli felt drawn to his gaze as she pushes herself onto her toes and within a matter of seconds her lips were touching his. The warm sensation crossed her body and she did feel happy and at the moment until she opens her eyes and realizing what happened. Pushing herself away from Akio and looking at her desk.

This was confusing, she despises men, hated their guts. Yet...she let her finger go over her lip. No, Deeli could not have "I...I'm sorry Captain...I.."She was so confused, what was happening to her. Her face was red from the blushing and her eyes looked at Akio as her lips were trembling.

Akio froze. What may have been eternity for Deeli was a flash of lightning for him. His vision came back into focus as he looked at Deeli. She was a Lieutenant. Such a relationship was frowned upon although she was a member of Senior Staff. He didn't know what to do because of the emotions swirling in his body and mind.

"It-It is fine," Akio stammered out softly. "I will be in my ready room."

Akio fled. He felt another tear forming. Why had it seemed like when faced with the unknown, he was always running away?

She looked at Akio and reached out her hand seeing him leave, however, the words did not come out as the door slides to a closed she dropped to her knees. Deeli did not understand anything of what just happened, what is this feeling, this warm feeling. She grabs with both her hands to her chest and felt as if her heart was bouncing so fast as the only thing that crossed her mind was that kiss.

Looking with tears in her eyes at the door "I...I...kissed him..." Deeli was stunned and blown away of this all.

Akio Tachibana, CAPT, SF
CO

Deeli Kosu, LT, SF
CHENG