Post 551: Why The Long Face? Part Three

Stardate: 71113.2145
Title: Why The Long Face? Part Three
Author: Vedek Jariel and Zanh Liis
Scene: Arboretum
Time: After Part Two
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[[What do you mean?]] This was hardly the reaction he expected from her. He was expecting something more along the lines of "What does she know?" or "I'm sure that's not what she meant." [[What am I missing.]]

*What's going on is that she was trying like hell to impress you with her knowledge of all things religious in order to get your attention, but it backfired on her. That is what's going on!* Liis wanted to scream, but somehow she managed to restrain herself and posed a question to him.

"Why do you think she dressed up as a religious heroine? Probably to get closer to you and have an excuse to talk."

Camen looked as bewildered by her words as he felt. [[But that doesn't make any sense. She can talk to me any time, she knows that. We're old friends. We used to talk every day when we all were living on the station.]]

Liis was leaving him the trail of breadcrumbs, but he just wasn't following. She decided to try taking a different tack.

"Yeah, about that. When we were living on the station, how much did you pay for your soup when you ate at Fleur's cafe?"

[[Nothing, she never charged me. In fact if I tried to leave the money on the table she would yell at me and tell me that she was only going to contribute it to the war orphans fund if I left it. She said a man of the cloth should never have to pay for a meal as simple as soup.]]

"You see? She has. . so much. . .affection. . .for you. " Liis almost choked on the words, they were so unpalatable. "Friendly. . .feelings. . .obvious. . .reverence when it comes you. . um. . your work . .." Liis thought a long moment before continuing.

Her brain was engaged and ready to plot a course in one direction toward the truth that would shock him. Her tongue was ready to follow, but her better judgment called 'time out' and everything came to a screeching all stop.

She couldn't be the one to tell him this. He'd have to figure it out on his own, when he was ready to figure it out. Or hear it from someone else. But not from her.

[[Liis?]] He wondered why she'd gone silent seemingly mid-thought.

"Camen," Liis took his hands in hers. "Fleur Le Marc has never had anything but the utmost respect for you. As a Bajoran priest, and as a man. . ." she paused, muttering "especially as a man," under her breath.

[[I'm sorry, I missed what you said at the end?]]

"Wasn't important. In any event, I'm sure that she didn't mean to offend you- likely she was just trying to start a philosophical discussion with you to see how you would respond to her choice of costume, and it came out wrong somehow. We all say things the wrong way sometimes. Well, never you, you always know exactly the right thing to say."

[[I didn't earlier. She could tell that I was upset, I made the situation worse by overreacting.]]

"Hey, if anyone has a right to be sensitive on the subject of being touched by the Divine, it's you," Liis assured him. She reached out and gently placed her hand against his throat. "Whoever the Prophets really are, they've touched you in a very personal way. I don't pretend to understand it all, but it's what you believe, so I try the best I can. Even though to me it's still a mystery to me why you give them so much credit." She cleared her throat of the emotions that came upon her suddenly as she whispered, "I do miss the sound of your voice."

[[I know,]] He also knew that Zanh's own tortured past and viewpoint of the Prophets was something she'd have to square with, one day, in her own way and time. What had happened to him hadn't helped matters any. But he believed he'd earned this "punishment", and so he had to live with it; and so did she, however long it lasted.

But the very last thing she needed, if she was ever going to find her way to a faith of her own, was to be preached at and so he knew he had to leave the matter alone. [[So now what do I do?]] he asked, changing the subject back to Fleur.

"The Ship's Chaplain is asking me for advice!" Zanh laughed a little. "You know I'm awful at diplomacy. This is why we need you around here."

[[The only reason?]] The question was meant to be a joke, but he seemed more insecure than Liis could remember seeing him in a very long time, and she looked directly into his eyes.

"Hey, don't do that. You know that the entire crew would be lost without you. Everyone needs you here, for many varied reasons. But beyond all that," she put her arm around his shoulder. "My reasons for wanting you to be here are entirely selfish and you know it."

He finally smiled a genuine smile. He pressed his feet to the ground and launched their swing into motion once again, in kind of an "aww, shucks" sort of gesture. [[Promise?]]

"Oh, I promise. Come on, Vedek Jariel. We should get some sleep."

[[Thank you, Captain Zanh.]] Liis helped him up off the swing, and held his hand on the way out of the arboretum, a little tighter then usual.

Jariel sighed and nodded, and Liis nudged him gently. "Don't be so sad, Camen. Aren't you the one who always tells me that things will look brighter in the morning?"

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Vedek Jariel Camen
Ship's Chaplain
USS Independence

and

Captain Zanh Liis
Acting Commanding Officer
USS Independence NCC-90791