A Much Needed Chat

Posted on Sun Oct 21st, 2012 @ 9:31pm by Lieutenant Ophelia Lysander & Lieutenant Torin Drell

Mission: Episode 1.1 - "MystiQue"
Location: Lysander's Quarters, USS Yorktown
Timeline: MD 08, 1030 hours

ON:
[[USS Yorktown, Lysander’s Quarters, Day 2, 1030]]

With Hazel (PNPC) down for the night, Ophelia moved quietly through their quarters, picking up the odd toy that her daughter had left behind and generally setting their living space to rights. Hazel had been in fine form tonight, full of that irrepressible energy that all adults feared and envied at one point or another. Ophelia was glad to see her daughter acting more like herself again after their move, but she was relieved to have a little time to herself all the same.

The task didn’t take her very long, and she was just tucking away the last stuffed animal when her personal terminal began to chirp. Ophelia hurried across the room to answer the incoming transmission, and she smiled brightly when her grandmother’s face appeared on the screen.

“Grandmother K’Tel, you’re right on time,” she said warmly, settling down in a chair in anticipation of their forthcoming chat. “Thank you for calling me back on such short notice. I hope that I’m not interrupting anything.”

"Not at all child," K'Tel responded, her lips curled upward at the edges in what almost could be considered a smile. "Your grandfather and I see you so little anymore that sparing time for you is hardly a disparagement. What has you troubled Ophelia? Your message sounded most urgent."

"Hazel and I are fine," Ophelia was quick to assure the Vulcan woman, hoping she had not caused her grandmother any undue worry. "It's just that something very strange happened a few days ago, and I was hoping that you could help me solve a little mystery." Ever since her odd encounter with Lieutenant Drell in Sickbay, Ophelia had been a little preoccupied with thoughts of the Trill and his possible connection with her grandmother. As unlikely as it should have been, she was now convinced that Torin, or at least the symbiont he was joined with, knew K'Tel. What she didn't know were the specifics, and judging by the way Torin had all but run from Sickbay that morning, it seemed rather unlikely that he was going to tell her anything else.

That left just one person who could shed some light on the mystery. "Grandmother," Ophelia continued, not wanting to hold the woman in suspense any longer, "is the name Vexel Drell familiar to you?"

K'Tel shifted in her seat slightly at the mention of the name, she was indeed familiar with Vexel Drell but it was a name she had not expected to hear again in her lifetime. She had attended the Trill's funeral nearly one hundred years prior and there was only one logical explanation as to how her granddaughter could have possibly heard the name. "My dear, Vexel Drell was an extraordinary man and at one time an acquaintance of mine."

Even though she'd been expecting the confirmation of her suspicions, Ophelia was still amazed to hear it. "Really? When did you meet him? And where?" The young doctor was fairly brimming with questions now, her Betazoid and Human tendency for excitement momentarily overcoming her usual facade of calm. Realizing that she was getting ahead of herself, she backtracked before K'Tel had a chance to answer her. "As you've probably gathered, I recently met the Drell symbiont's current host. It was a very, shall we say, interesting encounter. He said that I looked familiar to him, and soon we were able to put the pieces together. Once I mentioned your name, though, he didn't want to talk about it anymore. He even denied that your name sounded familiar to him."

"Indeed, it was the only logical conclusion," K'Tel replied. "However, I must confess that your new acquaintance's reaction to the realization is quite puzzling. Vexel and I harbored no animosity, why the current host would be so emotional I cannot fathom. How is it that you met him?"

"In Sickbay," Ophelia supplied, frowning to herself as she recalled their initial meeting. "He was scheduled for a physical, and once he arrived, there was a level of recognition on both ends, although I've never met any of the Drell hosts before that day. I asked if we had ever met before, and that was when he explained that I reminded him of someone he had known a long time ago. It was so odd though, Grandmother," she sighed, remembering the drastic change that had soon come over him. "After that, he became ill, and I could sense that he was experiencing some sort of inner turmoil. But once I established that he was fine physically, he left Sickbay as quickly as he could, despite my recommendation that he rest a while longer."

"I see," K'Tel said thoughtfully. "The Trill are a complex people and it is especially so with those who are joined, the fact that he recognized my genetic influence in you is itself a prime example of this. I never understood Vexel as well as I probably could have, at the time I was so focused on my tasks in Starfleet that I only gave his advances cursory attention. It is possible that I greatly underestimated the intensity of his... feelings. If so, it might begin to explain the actions of Drell's current incarnation."

"His advances," Ophelia repeated, nodding as more of the pieces fell into place. "So it was a romantic relationship, at least in part. And judging by Torin's reaction, my guess would be that Vexel's feelings for you were very intense, indeed. I must confess, I find this all very...fascinating." It was also very complicated. No matter how much she might have resembled her grandmother, Ophelia was not K'Tel. And even though his former host's feelings and emotions were an integral part of him, Torin was not Vexel. Yet the fact remained that there was this strange connection between them, and it simply couldn't be ignored. "Well, I suppose I'll have to set the record straight with Mr. Drell at some point. Seeing as we're both senior officers, we'll be seeing plenty of each other, and I don't want things to always be awkward between us."

"It seems somehow... Illogical, for you and Drell's current host to, feel, awkward around each other." K'Tel remarked dryly, she did however understand how such a thing might happen. "I concur with your evaluation of the situation however, I would urge you to be cautious. You must give this current host time to reconcile the feelings of his past host with his personal frame of reference."

As ever, her grandmother's advice was very good. It wasn't as though Ophelia was planning on marching to Drell's quarters straightaway to set the situation to rights, but she did see the wisdom in treating the matter delicately. "I'll be careful," she promised K'Tel. "But I have to admit that I'm curious, Grandmother... What was Vexel like?"

"Vexel was," K'Tel searched for a choice of words the were simultaneously accurate and revealing. "Passionate. A trait that I often found somewhat... Difficult to deal with but which also made him who he was. He was well regarded by many and always quick to help those around him."

Ophelia smiled softly, picturing the passionate Trill working alongside her always serene grandmother, wondering what it was that had made him apparently fall in love with her. Perhaps someday she and Lieutenant Drell would be comfortable enough around each other that she could ask him. "Thank you for speaking with me, Grandmother. I'm glad this mystery is more or less solved. The next time I call, I'll make sure it's at a time when Hazel is still awake. I know that she'd love to see you and Grandpa Jones."

"Of course child," the Vulcan replied with a nod and a hint of a smile. "We would enjoy that very much as well."

"Good. I'll look forward to it then." After bidding her grandmother farewell in the traditional Vulcan way, Ophelia sat alone for some time, thinking about all that K'Tel had told her. The universe seemed like an awfully small place, at times. As soon as an opportunity presented itself, the doctor intended to have a friendly if candid discussion with Lieutenant Drell about the connection between his symbiont and her family member. The sooner they put the current awkwardness behind them, the better, she reasoned. Perhaps then they could someday become friends, despite the strange and unexpected connection that existed between them.

OFF:

A JP brought to you by:

K'Tel Jones (NPC)
Played by: Lieutenant Torin Drell

and

Lieutenant Ophelia Lysander
Chief Medical Officer
USS Yorktown