Kym could tell Captain Tulane was still standing to her left on the bridge of the Defiant as they approached the station. Tulane's injury had been repaired and she spent most of her time quietly on the bridge since the journey home began. The two women had barely said two words to each other since they left Kurrill Prime, except to say hello and how are you. The formality of it was just enough; Kym didn't really know what else to say to her. After closing the portal which contained the man she loved, Kym didn't blame the Captain for being angry.
As for the Prime Directive, Kym wasn't really sure what would come of that. Surely, any consequence would be far less severe than the start of another war. At least, in her mind it was.
"Captain, the station is hailing us." Lieutenant Tenmei spoke, stirring Kym out of her thoughtfullness.
"On screen," Kym said, not getting up from her chair. Her hip ached. So did her head. She was happy to be home. Tulane didn't move, but focused her attention on the screen as well.
Kira's face immediately appeared on the screen with a huge smile. If she only knew what I did, Kym thought. She wouldn't be smiling like that.
"Welcome home, Defiant. I see your mission was a success. You're clear for docking, then I look forward to speaking with you, Commander."
"Thank you, Captain. I as well." Kym said. Actually, she wasn't looking forward to it. Not at all.
Defiant slowly docked, securing her place at home. Kym dismissed the crew ashore and took a few moments to wait until the personnel were clear of the bridge. She savored the few moments before she delivered her report to the Captain. Just a few more moments before she was required to confess. Maybe she didn't make the right decision after all. She took a slight comfort in that Vaughn would back up her story and support her decision. After all, it was his idea to disrupt the power to the generators in the first place.
She stood slowly out of her chair, her hip clicking and grinding in place. Just as she turned to walk off the bridge, the aft doors slid open, revealing Bashir.
"You coming?" he asked quickly. Kym nodded. Just like him to wait around for her.
"Slowly." Julian laughed quietly at Kym's reluctance to board the station.
"Come on, let's fix that hip before you report to the principal's office," he joked. Suddenly, Kym felt even more guilty than she had back on Kurrill Prime.
"That'll leave Tulane plenty of time to tell on me," she said, taking Julian's outstretched hand and allowing him to lead her off the Defiant and out into the promenade.
"Captain, I appreciate your circumstance. And I'm glad you came to talk to me. But I can't take the type of complaint that you wish to deliver and you know that. You'll have to forward it to Internal Affairs," Kira said, holding up her hands in surrender. "But I assure you, my officer would never intend to hurt or kill anyone. And she certainly wouldn't choose to violate the Prime directive without a very good reason."
Tulane sat still in the chair across Kira's office. She sensed defensiveness from the Captain and empathized with it. She didn't want to report Commander Rzepka for the events on Kurill prime, but she felt it was her duty.
"Perhaps we can settle this here, with you. Where is the Commander?" Tulane said quietly. Kira sat back in her chair and folded her hands in her lap.
"The commander is still in surgery. She may not be available for the next few hours, I'm afraid," Kira said to the captain. "When is your ship scheduled to be here?"
"Three hours. Likely not enough time to have this settled." Tulane said with a sigh. "I guess I'll forward to Internal Affairs, then."
"Captain," Kira said quickly before the captain had a chance to stand and leave. "Let me tell you something about Commander Rzepka. She may be a little green, but she is one of the most intuitive and responsible people I know. She's not irrational. She's not devious. She was touched deeply by the Dominion War and would probably do anything to prevent another insurgence by the Dominion. I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing if I were in her place. She's a good officer. Perhaps we should let this incident go. Just this once." Tulane stood in her place, looking Kira in the eyes.
"Captain," Tulane said. "Violation of the Prime Directive is not only prohibited by the Federation, but it shows a blatant disregard for authority. Any commanding officer that displays that type of disregard gives subordinate officers an impression that it's okay to break the rules. If we let that happen, we would have an entire fleet of rogue officers on our hands."
Kira could tell that Captain Tulane wasn't going to reason with her. She heaved a sigh again and looked back up at the captain, shaking her head.
"Well then. I guess your mind is already made up."
"Simon..." Julian breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."
"No problem," Dr. Simon Tarses replied to Julian. "You can go see her now if you want."
Julian walked quickly into the recovery suite, where Kym was already sitting up and going over her notes for her meeting with Captain Kira. She sensed Julian's presence and looked up, smiling.
"You missed the show..." she teased. Julian laughed and picked up a medical padd to check on her condition and the outcome of the surgery Dr. Tarses had just performed.
"It's quite alright. How's the hip?" he asked, placing the padd back down on the console. "Dr. Tarses said the surgery went well."
Kym laughed again, still feeling the tightness in her hip. "That's because he wasn't on the other end of it."
Julian grabbed a stool and pulled it close to Kym's side. "I appreciate you understanding about Tarses..." Kym held up her hand to silence him.
"It's really no problem. I think I'm starting to warm up to the guy actually." Kym smiled. She had never been fond of Dr. Tarses in the past. She always had problems trusting him. "I don't think I want you operating on me anyway. You haven't slept in days and you look like hell."
"Well, I can see your sense of humor has returned. So you must be feeling better." Julian grinned and shook his head.
"How's the Captain?" she asked. .
"She's fine. In fact, she was asking about you not too long ago. I told her once you were out of surgery, she could come see you." Julian explained.
"Why does she want to see me? She hates me." Kym admitted.
"She doesn't hate you..." Julian trailed off, thinking that if the Captain really did hate Kym, she wouldn't want to see her in the first place.
"Julian, I destroyed the only way for her to find her secret love." Kym explained. "It's straight out of a holonovel. If I were her, I'd hate me."
A nurse suddenly poked her head in the door.
"Commander Rzepka, Captain Tulane is wishing to see you."
"You can send her in." Kym said, sitting on the side of the bed. The blue surgical gown she was still wearing followed her legs and draped down to her ankles. She knew the Captain had been waiting to see her for quite some time. As the Captain walked in the door, Julian stood from his seat.
"I'll give you two some privacy. I'll be back shortly."
Julian walked quietly out of the room, acknowledging the Captain on his way out. There they stood, two Betazoids, all alone.
"Commander," the Captain started, taking a few steps to Kym's bed. "I needed to see you briefly before my transport left. I apologize for the intrusion."
"It's alright," Kym replied, sensing a feeling of sadness from the Captain. "What can I do for you, Captain?"
"I wanted to let you know that I understand the decisions you made back on Kurrill. I can't say if I was in your place, I wouldn't have done the same. You have an impressive Starfleet record, Commander. You've done very well since I saw you last on the Excelsior. And congratulations on your Christopher Pike."
"Thank you, sir," Kym said, remember receiving the award on Earth several months ago after solving a string of Starfleet Intelligence murders.
"You are a member of the Seventh House, aren't you?" the captain said with a smile.
Kym paused for a moment, reading the captain's intentions. The Seventh House of Betazed, a social class built on the intentions of courageous Betazoid ancestors. The House of Courage. She hadn't met too many Betazoids in the fleet. Kym slowly nodded.
"My father was a Nuddari. Both my parents are direct descendants of the Elders of the Seventh." Kym said.
"It shows in you." Tulane said, still smiling. "I'm sure you bring your parents great joy and honor." She placed her hand over her own heart. "Thirteenth."
The Thirteenth House of Betazed was the House of Peace and Protection. Kym could easily see those qualities in the Captain.
Kym blushed and grinned, her smile quickly fading when she thought about Kurrill. "I'm sorry for what had to be done. I'm especially sorry about Commander McPherson."
Tulane nodded, not saying anything. She didn't have to. Her regret and sadness filled Kym's mind, unrelenting to the situation
"I need to be going. Thank you again." she said. "Oh, and about the doctor?"
Kym furrowed her eyebrows at the Captain while she exuded a feeling of excitement for Kym. "What about him?"
"Don't let that one go. Tell him how you feel. Now." she said quietly, grinning and placing her hand on Kym's for a moment. "Take care, Yesera."
Yesera. Kym hadn't heard the Betazoid word for "friend" in a long time.
"You as well, Yesera."
As the Captain left, she could see the situation more clearly. She didn't want what happened to Tulane to happen to her. The Captain had never told McPherson how she felt about him- after all that time. She was determined not to let her fate turn out like the Captain's.
A few moments after the Captain left, Julian walked back in with a padd in his hand. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah..." Kym trailed off. She suddenly felt her heart rate pick up and her palms get clammy. "Julian?"
The doctor looked up from his padd and upon seeing the distraught look on Kym's face, dropped the pad onto the panel top and walked to her bedside. She reached out for his hand and took it in hers.
"What's wrong?" he asked, obviously worried.
"I... think I'm in love with you, too."