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Posted on 14 Sep 2013 @ 4:45pm by Lieutenant Kiri Cho & Commander Andreus Kohl

1,148 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 04 - Exodus
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, LT Kohl's Quarters
Timeline: MD -02 - 2000 hours

[ON]

When she heard the news, Kiri didn't understand how it made her feel. Dawn had become her favourite person on the ship, her best friend and well. She really liked being around Dawn, being close to her, trying to impress her. Questioning her own motives hadn't given her a real answer yet but maybe, whatever the case Dawn was someone special. Liyar, Maenad, Cyrus, Brayden, now Dawn. Her friends, every time she became close to someone, they left. It was something she had for a while but each time it got stronger. Even with her successes, it felt like a failure. It all felt hopeless, pointless. That all that ever happened was they left, she was hurt and back where she started. Pain was what she wanted to avoid, should she give up?

These were the thoughts floating in her head and they had lead to sullen silence and tears, anger. Where was she meant to turn now? What she wanted was Dawn, to kick and scream and throw a fit until she got what she wanted. If it would have helped at all. Mor'an, Peers, Kohl, Theron, they were the only friends she really had left. Peers was so busy, Mor'an didn't seem the best for emotional problems, Theron. Theron wasn't Kohl. Kohl would fill the hole in her, Kohl would listen and hold her and, everything. Kiri knew full well she was on the tipping point between completely retreating into herself and letting all of her feelings pour out over someone. Not following completely rational thought she tugged at her combadge, "Kohl, are you free?" Her voice breaking on the edge of tears.

"Yuh-- yes, I am," came Kohl's voice through the communication equipment. Edged with hesitancy, his voice continued, "Are you-- Kiri, are you feeling well?"

"No," Kiri answered rather flatly before adding quickly, "But it isn't medical," If she had burned her arm again or worse she at least could deal with that, it was a problem that would get better. This, everything she tried failed, it tore at her insides and left a scar that seemed heavier and heavier. Falling onto her sofa with a wet gasp the girl huddled around her knees, trying to protect herself. Her tone became quieter, emotions creeping in deeper and deeper, "Can, I, talk to you?"

"Kiri," said Kohl, and his concern was showing through the comm line. "Come to my quarters."

"Yes," Kiri ended the call and stood up, gasping for air, her chest was tight. Pulling at her hair she tried to looked at least a little presentable, her uniform was clean at least. Kohl's room was in the same corridor, so it wasn't far, neither did she see anyone before reaching his door. Pressing the chime she bit hard on her lip.

There came no immediate reply. Further down the passageway, the doors to a turbolift parted and Andreus Kohl strode out with some urgency. He was dressed in his uniform, but the collar had been loosened. He rushed along the passageway, and as soon as Kiri was within reach, he clasped her by the shoulder.

Kiri didn't hear him coming, the weight on her shoulder forced her to turn, looking rather shocked. As soon as that gave way to relief how sad she was pulled across her face. About to burst into tears she asked, "You aren't going to leave, are you?"

Gently, Kohl gripped Kiri by both shoulders. He didn't pull her close, but he did hold onto her. "No one has told me yet, if I am," Kohl said, but he didn't land the joke. There was no levity in his voice; there was only concern. His gaze flitted about, studying Kiri's eyes, the severe expression on her face, and her dejected body language, all at once.

"Dawn has left, just gone," Kiri felt like she was going to melt and now he was here it didn't really feel like she had to keep holding herself up. Everything seemed to require too much effort to do, tears forming at the edges of her eyes she pushed her lips together, "It's not fair."

"Come inside," Kohl said softly. He nudged Kiri towards the doorway, and he draped an arm over her shoulders. Leading her in, Kohl guided her towards the sofa beneath the viewports. "Was Dawn reassigned?" Kohl asked her.

"I don't know, she just left a message," Sobbing, "Saying goodbye," Shaking again Kiri instinctively pulled towards him, wanting to be enveloped more. Even as they slid onto the sofa she huddled smaller, "Everyone leaves."

As he felt Kiri snuggling against him, Kohl cleared his throat. His grip on her turned stiff and awkward. Were Kiri a young woman from his hometown, crying to him about a boy who broke her heart, Kohl would have held her until the tears were all dry. She would have understood the intimacy was meant as comfort. But Kiri wasn't from Kohl's hometown; Kiri was human. Maenad Panne had reminded Kohl what it meant to be human.

Moving to his feet, Kohl stood from the sofa and he stepped away only far enough to fetch a blanket from inside a side table. He handed Kiri the blanket, and he didn't join her back on the sofa. Looking to her, he said sadly, "Everyone does leave, eventually. Both in Starfleet and in life."

Looking more forlorn Kiri frowned at him for a second. He was leaving her alone, did he not like her? He was the only person on the ship she felt she could have any contact with she could trust, and he wouldn't? That, hurt as well. What she wanted was to not feel alone, and. Pulling the blanket over her head she sunk her eyes to her knees and shook. She was never going to have any friends, no one was every going to love her. She'd never had a normal life or a chance to have someone special. What had she done? It wasn't fair!

It hurt, a hole inside her that she just wanted to fall inside of, blubbing she answered, "But now?" She got that nothing lasted forever but she had tried so hard, very hard and had nothing. The people she liked, she wanted to spend time with, they were gone. It hadn't even been a month, she was just starting to enjoy things other than work. What was the point?

"I'm so sorry," Kohl said. He sat himself down close to Kiri, but what he sat on was the coffee table. His posture was awkward and there was little chance of physical contact between them. "You're never going to be prepared for it. It's always going to come too suddenly-- too soon. I'm so sorry."


[OFF]

Lieutenant Andreus Kohl
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Kiri Cho
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

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