Post 441: Friend or Foe?

Stardate: 070916.1413
Title: Friend or Foe?
Authors: Fox Margolis and Zanh Liis
Scene: Ready Room
Time: Following "Alchemy's Arrival"
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Expecting to have a few minutes of down time in the Ready Room, Zanh was certainly surprised to walk in and find herself with company. A complete stranger, dressed in civilian clothing, was sitting at the desk, his legs casually propped up on it. Before she could say anything, the door to the room slid shut behind her.

"Security," she immediately called. Nothing happened. Zanh glanced over at her "visitor" and saw a warm smile cross his face.

"Surely, Faustine must have told you about this little toy." He held up his hand and displayed a small cylinder hardly the size of his pinkie finger. "It creates an undetectable communications bubble."

Zanh slowly and cautiously walked into the room. "Dr. Corbinsky, I presume?"

"Guilty, as charged," Corbinsky replied, another smile flashing across his lips. He swung his feet down and got up from the chair. "Quite comfortable. I have always wanted to try one. Thank you for the opportunity, Captain Zanh."

Zanh was hardly surprised that he knew who she was; she half suspected he had the entire crew roster memorized. Although he had given up the "command" chair of the room, both of them now stood, facing off with one another.

"What can I do for you?" she asked, trying to keep her voice and demeanor neutral.

"No, no," Corbinsky said, shaking his head softly, "the question is what can I do for you?"

"For starters, you can get off my ship," Zanh firmly replied.

"If only matters were that simple." Somehow there was an innocence to his answer.

He did have a natural charm, it was evident in his posture and words. Zanh could see why Fox Margolis found him appealing; she could see why most women would find him so. . .even though he certainly was not her 'type'.

"From your work for Temporal Intelligence," he continued, "which was quite impressive, you know that matters are never straightforward. It's the constantly evolving challenge that makes the game alluring. I know you haven't forgotten that."

"I also haven't forgotten to be very cautious of strangers who show up uninvited and offer their 'help'."

"Liis, Liis," Corbinsky lowered his resonant voice to a purr, "If I may call you Liis,"

"No. You may not."

He laughed softly. "Your reputation is well earned, you do not disappoint in person."

"Happy to hear it. How about I sign you an autograph and you can toddle off on your way?"

"But don't you even want to know what the nature is of the help I'm here to offer?"

"Nope."

"Even though I give you my word that I'm here with the best possible intentions?"

"You know what they say about intentions," Liis replied, hands firmly on her hips.

"What about depending on the kindness of strangers?" Corbinsky countered. "There's a famous old catch-phrase about that as well."

"We could banter all day long, Corbinsky, and you're still going to find that I'm not willing to pay whatever price you're asking for this so-called help of yours."

"Maybe I'm not going to ask for anything in return."

Now the laughter heard in the room was Zanh's. "Right."

Corbinsky seemed to be tiring rapidly of the fact that even though she was female, his charm seemed somewhat lost on her. "But what if it meant saving your life?"

"I can take care of myself."

"Or Salvek's?" He nodded toward the bridge, and Zanh's hackles went up. She didn't respond and he knew he'd touched a tender point.

"Or Jariel's?" he added, going in for the kill. Zanh lunged forward and grabbed a handful of his shirt.

"Listen, you temporal interloper, I don't know what your true purpose is here, but I am here to tell you that you're not going to get whatever, or whomever," she said, indicating Margolis with the modulation of her voice, "you're after. So go find another toy to play with, and get the hell off of this ship."

"Oh, Liis, Liis, Liis," he said, sighing and straightening the wrinkles in his otherwise perfect shirt from where she had grasped it before letting him go. "You have so much to learn from me. We'll talk again." He turned, and held up the cylinder in his hand once more. "Soon."

And then, he just disappeared.

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Lt. Faustine Margolis
Operations Officer
USS Independence NCC-90791

and

=/\= Zanh Liis
Acting CO
USS Independence NCC-90791