Star Trek: Starbase 777 - lt-khellian﹢lt-tr’lareth

[D] Following the accepted offer of a slice of chocolate cake on the chatroom, a chime would resound out on the door as said slice of cake was delivered by the Lieutenant Commander. Secured in a small blue replicated box, the slice of chocolate cake accompanied by a second slice of cake as it was, was positioned carefully in view but out of the way of the door with a note addressed to Lieutenant Rilek Khellian.

As requested, some cake!

[D] Rilek, excited for their cake, opened the doors to their quarters and grabbed the cake that was delivered. Armed with af fork and a few napkins, she took the cake to the small coffee table in the common area and began to eat the cake. The texture was fantastic, Rilek had never had something quite like this before. They noted the taste was also very unique, they had never had such a flavour before. It was sweet but also nutty in a way, but it wasn't any nut they had tasted before. Rilek was already halfway done with their cake when they picked up their PADD to check what the news was in the chatroom. The more Rilek ate of the cake, the more they felt the world spinning around them. Before long, they found themself struggling to type a coherent message and quickly put their PADD down. Epohhpadre, the name stuck with them, where had they read that name before? Anyway, the chatroom did shine some light on why they were starting to feel lightheaded, it was chocolate. Rilek stood up and stumbled over to the replicator to replicate themself a hypospray to undo the drunkness. Thankfully it only took a few seconds before they were sober again. "Chocolate. How could I have missed that," Rilek swore under their breath and walked back to the sofa where they could inform the chat that they were alrght. After sending those messages, they decided maybe their roommate could have the other slice.

14:41

Rilek grabbed the piece of paper that had their name written and scribbled on the back a messgae to their roommate-- written bilingually as Rilek was unsure if their handwriting in Standard was legible.

To: Lieutenant King I have received chocolate cake from another member of the crew. As I am part Vulcan I cannot fully enjoy this treat, please eat this second piece.

After the note was written, Rilek left it on top of the container that housed the second slice and grabbed their PADD to see what sort of messages they had written whilst they were drunk. 'Oh elements', they said aloud as they realised the mess of letters they had typed out. Very quickly they attempted to delete all the messages, forgetting to delete the infamous 'Egg' message though. They really hoped no one would remember what they said, it would be very embarrassing if word got out that the Khellian matriarch was out here getting drunk. Not that anyone in Starfleet would even know what Khellian was, but they didn't want someone's first impression on the Khellian house to be some drunk lieutenant. With that taken care of, Rilek grabbed her PADD and headed into her private quarters, it was time to do some Surak meditation.

A Secret Santa Gift arrived for Rilek: The object was neatly wrapped in shiny silver wrapping paper. The object was an ornate box made of dark cedar wood with redwood inlays. Inside the box encased in specially designed organizers were two sets of prosthetic fingers that looked nearly identical to Khellian’s current set as well as a can of polish and a note. Written on the note was this:

Greetings Lieutenant Khellian, I hope that this gift finds you well. Enclosed are two new sets of prosthetics and a can of polish. These are not any ordinary prosthetics however. One of them is a highly compact phaser that I worked hard with the engineering team to design, and the other is a controller system that allows you to manipulate normal control surfaces from up to 3.5 feet away using normal gestures. I will leave you to enjoy the process of figuring out which does what! Happy Holidays, Santa

Rilek opened the doors to her quarters to find the gift and brough it inside to the common area. She was just about to have her breakfast (a hot cup of Vulcan spiced tea with scones) when the bell chimed. When they opened the box they saw the two sets of prosthetic fingers mentioned in the letter and glanced down at their right hand. One set is finger guns, the other is a controller..... Maybe she'd need to test both out somewhere safe, just so she wouldn't accidentally phaser the walls or anything. She hadn't met her roommate yet, but they would probably not be too happy to see OPS in their quarters on Christmas day trying to cover up a burnt wall. Rilek wasn't quite sure what the can of polish was for, to give the proesthetics a manicure? Rilek was a simple gal who kept her nails a natural nude colour, but maybe it would be fun if she painted her prosthetic nails a different colour? Rilek proceeded with their breakfast and began to think about where would be the best place to try out the prosthetics. Probably a tactical or security training area or the holodeck. Definitely not their quarters.

Not too long after Rilek was munching their breakfast, they got a ping on their PADD to indicate a message. Maybe it was from their secret santa? They put their scone down and pulled up the message on their screen.

To: Lieutenant Rh'vaurek tr'Khellian, Starbase 777 Command division From: Valak tr'Khellian, Paehhos Rehabilitation Centre Hru'hfirh, I hope this message finds you well. All of the residents of the centre were encouraged to write heartfelt letters to our loved ones for the new year. Without a doubt I chose you, my most honourable hru'hfirh. Things have been stressful in the centre, however the days of my roommate terrorising me will soon be over as he has just been approved to move to a private suite. I am glad the guards care about my protection. I may once again know peace and maybe I will be able to focus on forging a better path for myself. I hope you have a better living situation. It's very lonely here, I think about our family every day. I speak to Eviess on occassion, she is lonely too. If only there was someone on the outside who could help bring the Khellian house together for just one day.... I will not tell you how to run our house, but is a divided house on new years really how we will start 2414? I miss you, Rh'vaurek. I want to go home, my heart aches every second I am separated from our house. Family is everything to me. Beautiful and strong Rh'vaurek, guide our house into a shining new year. Your beloved brother, Valak tr'Khellian. This message was sent from the Paehhos Rehabilitation Centre and all communications will be logged and screened for safety.

(edited)

To: Lieutenant Rilek Khellian, Starbase 777 From: Letor i-Thaaei tr'Khellian, Mol'Rihan Jolan tru, hru'hfirh. After a recent subspace call with my father, Tavaen, who you have met with, I was advised to seek you out should we, as a family, be interested in officially rejoining the Khellian House. Of course, it took some time, as deliberation in our family can take quite a while. And, if you'll forgive the brazen confession, I also had to make sure that you were a safe person to entrust my family with; you're aware of the kind of House we are from. I have, in the past twenty years, been the person entrusted with the safety of our family, and as a result, they have once again trusted me to speak for them. I would like to, on behalf of my father and stepmother, younger brother, husband, and two children, formally request to be reinitiated into the Khellian House. We in turn promise, of course, to uphold the values of our House and matriarch, and put our efforts into presenting a strong and dignified House towards Romulan society and the rest of the galaxy. However, I also understand that whatever trust my father and your mother used to share is no longer a given. To give us a chance to build that trust back up, I would like to invite you to a subspace call not too long from now, to meet face to face and talk through any potential concerns you or I may have. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. Live long and prosper, Letor i-Thaaei tr'Khellian, advisor to the Senate, ch'Mol'Rihan

(edited)

To: Letor i-Thaaei tr'Khellian, Mol'Rihan From: Lieutenant Rilek Khellian, Starbase 777 Jolan tru. I remember speaking with Tavaen about you and I am glad to hear that you are well. Thank you for your hard work carrying on the Khellian name, there are not many of us left. I had a pleasant conversation with your father, he is doing well on 777 so far. I would be agreeable to inviting you and your family back into the Khellian house and having a video call. As you probably know, I am a Starfleet officer and I have taken up an oath of honesty and transparency, you are free to ask me anything you would like. Whether it be about my current service or my past records. Let me know the best time for a chat and I will make sure to mark my schedule. In the meantime, let me know if there is any information you would like to see. My mother, Eviess, is currently living on Mol'Rihan. I will send her comms code with this message. Live long and prosper, Rh'vaurek i-Ki Baratan tr'Khellian

When Rilek returned back to their quarters that day from work they checked their personal PADD for any messages-- and to no surprise there was one.

To: Lieutenant Rh'vaurek tr'Khellian, Starbase 777 Command division From: Valak tr'Khellian, Paehhos Rehabilitation Centre Hru'hfirh, I have not heard back from you and I wanted to tell you that I miss you. I reached out to Tavaen, but he seemed unsympathetic to my situation. I had not seen him since I was a boy and I was shocked at his reply to my new year's greeting. I thought as matriarch it would be something you could address with him. I have no power where I am. I am just another resident at the rehabilitation centre. I celebrated 2414 alone. I thought about you and the rest of our family. I thought about Rai and how much regret I feel for treating him the way I did. I hear he is the CO of the Eventide, what a wonderful accomplishment. At your earliest convenience I would like to speak with you over subspace. Perhaps you would be so kind as to help sponsor my case for a visit home to see our mother. Your support would not be condoning my actions, if anything, your support would allow me to speak to those whom I have hurt and apologise for my actions. Please reply, even if it is just one word. I am a criminal that is true, but I am also your brother who deeply misses his family. Valak tr'Khellian. This message was sent from the Paehhos Rehabilitation Centre and all communications will be logged and screened for safety.

Rilek sighed and clicked to see if there were any other messages, but there were not. Even if it's just one word.. hmm. So Rilek replied with a simple,

To: Valak tr'Khellian, Paehhos Rehabilitation Centre From: Rilek No.

So his transfer had gone through, that was a relief, he wasn't sure what he would do if it hadn't – well, he did know, he just didn't like to think about it much. Of course, there were many things he was looking forward to in this new position, things from larger quarters to a more “relaxed” environment (anything was more relaxed than a Warship, he commented with a laugh). It was going to be a change of pace, and he was sure he could pull it off, at least, he had to pull it off in order to stay in the position. But that was just defeatist talking. There was hope for a better tomorrow, he just had to seize the Future with his own hands. He came to his new quarters holding a rather large duffel bag full of everything that he usually carried with him, things like his extensive clothing collection, to trinkets and keepsakes from his home on Rheiss, to even a few pictures from his time at Cambridge (even if one face was scribbled out of a most of them). If he was going to do this, live the space station life, then he was going to do it right, he wasn't going to cause trouble, cause any accidents , he was going to do his job and do it well. And that was what brought him out of his thoughts, as he strung up pictures on lights that he replicated to give his room a more “homey” feeling, smile crossing his face. Maybe he would be able to make a real difference here, just like he had wanted to all along.

The familiar swoosh of the automatic doors rang through the common area, followed by a rather loud blast as a stream of energy shot right through the middle of the room and past the open doors of the new arrival's room. A stream of grumbling and knocking could be heard before another blast of energy fired, but this time not through her roommate's open doors, but it did leave a mark on the wall. Standing in the middle of the room was the original occupant of the quarters, Rilek, with her asymmetrical red hair and yellow Khellian eyes, she was dressed in civilian attire that day. With a pair of pink yoga trousers and a black sports bra, she was just doing some exercise and trying to test out her new fingers. The the downside was, Rilek had not expected this pair to be the guns, but they were and now she was ruining her own quarters and would probably have to explain to OPS why she had literal finger guns. Thankfully the strength on the beam wasn't very strong, but they still made quite the mark on surfaces when hit.

He had been minding hiw own business, as it were, and maybe he should have closed the door after himself when he decided to take a trip down memory lane, but here he was anyways, currently completely bewildered as a blast of energy flew past him and onto one of his pictures -- leaving a burned hole right through the scratched out face. He yelped with surprise as his temper flared, only for him to remember his training and control. He was not a child anymore "What do you think you are doing?" He said as he turned around, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as he turned to face the supposed culprit. "Why do you have... finger? Guns?" He asked, clocking the nature of the guns in question, something that made him even more confused.

Rilek was so used to living with an absent roommate she was surprised to see a Romulan face and not her former roommate. Them and their former roommate, Billy, had never formally met but they didn't mind that at all. Rilek preferred solitude so having a roommate who kept to themself was what they were used to. When they locked eyes with the stranger they gaze stayed neutral, almost Vulcan-like in stoicism. "They were a gift from my secret santa. I was given two pairs of prosthetics with one pair being guns. The gifter did not tell me which pair was the guns," Rilek walked over to the other side of the room to see their new roommate up close. She held up her right hand, palm facing outwards. There was a clear seam where the prosthetics met her natural hand on her middle and ring fingers. At the tips of the fingers were tiny holes where the lasers would come out. "Apologies for the shock. My name is Rilek, matriarch of the Khellian house. And you?" Rilek gave her house name and position seeing as this person was Romulan so... They would probably care?

Zhi'rev managed to stay calm, his own Vulcan Roots coming back to help him in that. And so, he listened to the explanation with rapt attention before he gave a soft sigh. "Perhaps going forward you should mark which ones are the guns -- since you know which ones they are at the moment," some advice given with his own calmer tone. Now that he knew what was happening, it wasn't so bad. He just hoped his new roommate would be a little more careful in the future. Hearing that his roommate was a Khellian... however... that made his blood run cold. His mother had told him stories, and here was the matriarch, standing right in front of him. Was he safe here? Was he safe anywhere? Another deep intake of breath before he decided to introduce himself as well, making it seem like nothing was wrong. "Zhi'rev, of House Lareth, and... thank you for the apology" his voice was even as he bowed his head in greeting.

"I plan to do that," Rilek responded with a matter-of-factly tone. She wasn't intending to sound so blunt, but it was just the way she spoke. With a heavy sigh, she carefully flicked some hair from her face and closed her eyes for a moment to steady her emotions. Although Rilek did not consider himself an especially devote Surak follower, they understood the importance of controlling their own emotions through meditation. When the other introduced himself as a Lareth, Rilek's eyes suddenly opened in shock as she looked upon Zhi'rev. "Whichever OPS officer thought having a Lareth and a Khellian room together clearly has never opened up a Romulan history book," Rilek smirked and clicked her tongue. A little glimmer shone in her yellow eyes as she stared right at Zhi'rev. "Oddly enough I have had recently dealings with your house. I am getting my family's knife repaired by a Lareth," Rilek opened both of her hands for Zhi'rev to see. A subtle gesture, but the meaning was, ironically, that she was unarmed and had no ulterior motives. "Alright, Zhi'rev," Rilek suddenly balled her hands up and crossed her arms, her demeanour shifting. "What is your job and where are you coming from? ... For safety. I am aware of the history between our houses and I think if there is any discomfort, we should voice it right now so we can request a room transfer if needed."

“Perhaps we need to make the most of it, move past old wounds,” He offered, though he was not sure of his words himself. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, but at the same time, maybe it would end in disaster. At the very least, Zhi'rev wasn't about to judge a book by their cover (even if Rilek had already shot at him, he did concede that it was an accident). He did his best to steady his own emotions, the training his father gave him coming back in full force as he controlled himself. This could be a stressful situation, and he did not need to make things worse by getting all worked up. He Relaxed slightly when he heard of Rilek's recent dealings with the Lareths – though it intrigued him all the same, there were more on the station? He would have to meet them. It was clear that Rilek was at least trying To move past old history, that must count for something, right? But soon enough he was being questioned again – that was fair, it was only fair to ask questions about someone who might come back to bite. “I am a diplomatic attaché, my most recent post was with the USS Monoceros, an Excelsior II Class vessel that saw service during the Iconian War and beyond. Before that I worked for the Republic as a diplomat,” he explained, offering as much information as he felt comfortable offering. “May I ask the same of you?” he asked after he had explained himself.

"We will have to if we intend to remain roommates," Just like any good lawyer, Rilek held her judgement. Zhi'rev seemed like a smart guy and they were both Starfleet officers so even if they did have personal biases, they were bound by their oath to serve the Federation and uphold its laws. Rilek's posture and mannerisms exuded confidence; the grace she had when tucking her hair behind her ears or the self-suredness of her stare. "Diplomat. Hm," Rilek pondered the other's words for a few moments, her face not betraying any of her emotions. "Most of my life I was a lawyer, I only switched jobs to Fleet Liaison recently. I have never been a Republic officer, but I have connections to many of them," Rilek's words were delivered plainly, with no emphasis on any of the syallables. She made sure to choose her words wisely as she was curious to see how insightful Zhi'rev was. Would he immediately assume Free State? Considering Rilek was a Khellian that would check out. Or would he assume independent faction, which would also be logical seeing how Rilek was a lawyer and a very fair and moral one at that. She was probably the last person to be doing any sort of crimes or fraud, ever. "I sense you do not know much about your house's recent dealings, Zhi'rev? You have a whole family here, in Starfleet."

There was a voice in the back of his head screaming at him not to trust her, not again, he wouldn't trust someone again, he would keep himself at arm's length and he would see how things went from there. But, this was not a place for his own personal paranoia, not a place for the feelings that he swallowed down and hid behind his own mask of calm. "A lawyer... may I ask for who you served? I will not judge, as I have met many people from many different factions in the past. I am simply curious," He was personally unsure, as Rilek did not seem the type to join the Free State -- but then again, he himself didn't look the type to join the Free State, and he had. "And I have not had many dealings with my house in general. My mother was... disconnected... from their dealings before I was born. Perhaps I should meet some of the members of my house here, it could prove... insightful."

Rilek wondered just how paranoid Zhi'rev was. For someone who struggled with anxiety their whole life, Rilek looked quite calm throughout the exchange. Their gaze unwavering with no change in expression either. "I am a transfer from the Romulan Free State, " Rilek admitted. They considered being cryptic with their response or dancing around the subject, but if they were to have an open dialogue with Zhi'rev, it was best to just speak directly. "I had a number of disciplinary issues there combined with constant attention from members of my house, I consider my decision to leave a logical one," They explained, hoping that having context would be enough to tell Zhi'rev that they regrtted their decision and did not condone the actions of the Free State. "Maybe that was for the better, the Lareths have an equally bad reputation as the Khellians. But... Seeing how we are both in Starfleet, I think we are both here for the same reason and do not wish to continue the cruelties of our ancestors," Rilek turned her head to look at the empty common area behind them. Rilek was not one to have many decorations laying around. His room was equally very empty. "Are there any rules or requests you have? For me, I am part Vulcan and will spend much time in my room meditating. If you have guests over, tell me," Rilek sounded like a mother the way she spoke to Zhi'rev, but that wasn't her intention. She was just trying to be clear with her request.

There was something about Rilek that made him want to tell the truth. Perhaps admitting a shared experience would make them trust him, or maybe it would do the opposite. What mattered was that he had to try, he needed to try and be a good roommate – and maybe one day he would grow to be a good friend – it was inevitable, really, he always ended up trusting people in the end, even if he did not mean to. “I defected from the Free State to the Republic due to… incompatibilities… between their values and my own. I transferred to the Federation because I could no longer feel secure in Romulan Space,” a few nuggets of information on his own that showed that he understood where Rilek was coming from. “And you are correct. I do not intend on perpetuating the atrocities of my ancestors, my mother always used to say that the cycle would end with me, and I promised her that it would be the case. As for rules… I am also part Vulcan, I only ask that if I get too loud that you tell me. I… am a very passionate person, and sometimes that shows itself with my volume. Other than that… I doubt I have any requests at the moment. I should warn you that I might storm into my room sometimes to meditate, I… am not at my best when I am like that.” he wanted to be transparent with his new roommate and that meant admitting to his own faults and flaws. "Is there anything else we should discuss in order to ensure our compatibility as roommates?"

Rilek raised an eyebrow in a very Vulcan-like way. It seemed being direct was the best response as Zhi'rev seemed forthcoming with his experience as well. Rilek laced her fingers together in front of her, clicking the cold metal bits on the backs of her fingers together. "Then we have similar stories," Was he only repsonse to hearing the other's experience, but she did sympathise with his situation even if it was hard to tell through her steady tone. They were happy to hear that Zhi'rev was not wishing to have any ill dealings with his house. That would also ensure that should Rilek's cousin Valak happen upon the station, the Khellians and Lareths onboard would be sure to be as unwelcoming as possible. Same goes for if any Lareth were to appear... But surely that wouldn't happen anytime soon.... Right? "Oh, that is interesting to hear. So we are both part Vulcan and part of very problematic families, how fascinating," Rilek broke her 'Vulcan' persona to giggle at that, covering her moth and turning away. "I will make sure to tell you, but the walls are soundproof so we shouldn't have much of a problem," Rilek said, looking up at the taller man. It was nice not to be towering over people for once, Rilek was only one inch shorter than Zhi'rev. She admired his honesty in expressing his struggles and tendencies, it seemed like they were going to at least bee able to have a civil roommate relationship "Nothing else on my end," Rilek looked as if she was about to walk away, but then turned back to Zhi'rev. "May I say, Zhi'rev, you are not as scary as you look," It was her way of complimenting him subtlely, but maybe it wasn't so subtle. "I am the Khellian matriarch so if you need any favours, well, I have many connections."

Zhi’rev nodded, it seemed like they did have similar stories, and in a way, that was comforting to hear. It seemed that they shared some values as well, which would make things a lot easier. It was always easier when you shared something with the people close to you. Maybe that was why he had connected so much with… him… they were the only two Romulans at Cambridge at the time. Zhi’rev did not have anyone else to connect to at the time, but now it appeared to be much, much easier. “Yes, both part vulcan and both part of families with problematic pasts, it appears that we have more in common than what we might first have seen.* “It is good to know that the walls are soundproof, some places I have been they… weren’t and I am sure I gave some of my previous roommates quite a bit of a headache,” he gave a short laugh of his own, even if it was at his own expense. Zhi’rev was a little taken aback by her last statement, him? Scary? He certainly tried hard not to be scary, it didn’t bode well for a diplomat who was intimidating. “I… am glad that I am not as intimidating as I look. I do try my best. I look forward to speaking with you in the future, if you ever wish to speak with me – and it does not have to be about favors,” he finished, not liking the idea of owing anyone anything. That was more of a mark of his younger days.

"Maybe the OPS offer who placed us together really did have half a brain," Rilek joked, knowing very well that room assignments were more or less handled automatically. It wasn't like one person was sitting in the OPS room putting people together. Unless either Rilek or Zhi'rev had made a specific request, which was obvious that they did not. "Don't worry, I am quiet," Rilek was aware that given she had emerged from her room with literal finger guns that her statement seem contradictory, but that was not the case! She was usually quiet. "Than we shall speak again. Thank you for your time, Zhi'rev, Jolan tru," Before turning around, Rilek gave the man a flirty wink and then headed into her quarters so she could properly mark the fingers she was wearing at the ones with the guns.

Rilek came home from her shift that day and put her stuff onto her bed. To no surprise she kept her quarters neat and tidy, perfect for meditation and focus when studying. They placed their shoes by the door and got to changing into their loungewear. A long night dress with some sort of Romulan hyena on it. They sat down at their desk and scrolled through messages.

To: Lieutenant Rh'vaurek tr'Khellian, Starbase 777 Command division From: Valak tr'Khellian, Paehhos Rehabilitation Centre Hru'hfirh, A lot of the other residents of the centre were allowed to visit family this weekend. I was denied, yet again. It was just me and my ex roommate and he stole my chocolate chip cookies. He said if I told, he'd scramble some eggs again.

️ Valak tr'Khellian. This message was sent from the Paehhos Rehabilitation Centre and all communications will be logged and screened for safety.

Rilek decided not to respond and just deleted the message. It was almost time for their chat with Letor so they waited patiently for the call to come through. (edited)

Before long, the call did indeed come through, precisely on time and not a second late. When Rilek accepted, the screen quickly showed an adult Vulcanoid, sitting down in front of the screen on the other side of the call. His hair was dark brown and shaved short, and his eyes weren't the orange one would expect of a Khellian, but golden brown instead, only glowing orange when the light hit them just right. He wore neat clothing, not overly fancy but certainly well-dressed. In the background, a tall man occasionally passed through the screen, working on something in the house. "Jolan tru, Rilek," Letor said, his Romulan unaccented and crisp. He looked the very picture of serenity as he sat there, waiting to be judged by the matriarch of his ancestral house.

Rilek accepted the call and propped up the PADD so Letor could see her from the chest up. She wrapped a small blanket around her shoulders to be a little more modest considering her nightgown had thin straps and showed her shoulders. Scandalous, well , not as much as showing her hands was. "Jolan tru," They said as they looked at the person on the other side of the screen. They knew very little about him, but they were looking forward to this conversation. They were looking forward to interacting with the non-problematic members of their house. They took note on Letor's accent and his surroundings, interesting. Definitely not what he expected from someone Vulcan raised to speak such good Rihannsu. Or maybe he had more exposure than she thought. Rilek also realised she was here in sleepwear during this call. "Tavaen spoke well of you. How are you, Letor?"

Letor raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised at the comment, or the question, or both. "I am glad to know I make him proud. I have been busy, but I prefer it to having nothing to do, so I certainly will not complain. I hope you have been well, too?" It was phrased like a statement, but he lilted upwards at the end like it was supposed to be a question. Letor for his part didn't look too hard at Rilek, seemingly caring little for how they chose to present themself. He was here to make a good impression, but didn't seem overly fussed with vetting Rilek back. In fact, quite the opposite; his eyes wandered off to the side every so often, looking elsewhere for a few seconds at a time before looking back at Rilek. It seemed that his attention was slightly divided, even as he made sure to catch every word Rilek said.

Rilek pushed her hair behind her ears and gave a half smile towards the camera. Even through video call, her grace and professionalism shone through. She fiddled a little with her prosthetic fingers when her hands returned to rest on the desk. Anyone who was unaware her third and fourth fingers were prosthetic would probably find it odd she could just remove her fingers. "I have," Came a simple Vulcan-like response. Aside from the small changes in facial expressions, Rilek did carry themself more like a Vulcan than a Romulan. "I am Fleet Liaison for the Republic, which is a good use for my law background. It is important to keep up with the latest policies and laws of our homeworld," Rilek told Letor, amber coloured eyes glistening under the warm lighting of their private quarters. "What is the current status of your family? It seems you are living well."

Letor nodded along as Rilek spoke. He'd looked them up, after all, he knew what her job was and quite possibly had most of the information on how she performed it. He folded his hands in front of him, thinking about how to answer her question. "I have done well for our family. My stepmother, brother, husband and children all live comfortably in a sizeable house on Mol'Rihan. Mirak and I work for the Senate, so we can afford some luxuries." Mirak being, of course, Tavaen's wife of many years. Curiously, only one brother was mentioned, even though Tavaen had three sons. Then again, only one brother was mentioned in Letor's initial communication, too. Again, Letor glanced off-screen, then took off the gloves he'd been wearing to accept a small child into his arms; a little Romulan boy with ridges on his face who looked like he'd been crying, handed to him by, presumably, his husband. "My apologies. Fatherly duties, you understand," he said as he pressed the kid's face into his neck, soothingly petting the boy's head. "This is R'Imus, my youngest."

Rilek looked visibly impressed when Letor mentioned senate work. A Khellian in the senate, two Khellians? Well, it wouldn't be unusual. Rilek did notice the maths of the siblings being off. Only one brother, but they were sure there were three in total. Golden cognac eyes carefully relaxed to a more neutral gaze as they nodded in acknowledgment. Seeing Letor's family felt strange to Rilek. Letor seemed to have his affairs in order with children of his own and a comfortable life style. They were both Khellians, but it was clear Letor's family had little need of any external support. It was almost like Rilek's mother, the Llhweiir matriarch, Hannim, and D'Nal. Curious. "I can see your family is doing well," their lips curled into a smile. "What a beautiful name," she complimented as her eyes watched Letor's soothing motions. "As you may have seen on records, I am the matriarch, under the name Rh'vaurek tr'Khellian," She explained as she stretched her fingers out on the desk and rubbed the joints of her prosthetics. "I take my duties as matriarch seriously and was wondering if your family would be interested in joining myself, Eviess, and Tavaen in the Khellian estate on Mol'Rihan. I completely understand if that is not something you are interested in and will respect your family's decision to remain as an unaffiliated branch," Rilek made sure to be explicit in that she did not want to pressure Letor into joining if he did not want to. Also curious, Rilek made no mention of her brother even though he was also a Khellian.

"We try. It is not without its issues, but Saren is endlessly patient. He is almost more Vulcan than I am, sometimes." Letor nodded to someone off-screen, and after a second, a third face ducked into view of the screen. Saren was a handsome man, his face chiseled and his forehead ridged. His eyes were dark and doe-like, and his mouth was naturally upturned, giving him a kind air. After waving once, he ducked back out with a gentle caress of Letor's face, and could be seen leaving the room behind Letor. "We wouldn't want to impose. We live comfortably here, though perhaps Mirak or Ev'kor might wish to move. But with two young children, I can't imagine throwing someone else's home into chaos. Especially-" Letor cut himself off, looking at the boy in his arms, before continuing in equally fluent Vulcan, as if he didn't want someone to hear what he was saying. "Especially because we are not lucky in every aspect. My daughter seems to have drawn a good lot, but R'Imus gets terrible headaches that leave him screaming for hours on end if I'm not there to soothe him." Telepathically, the implication was. And, as an even deeper implication: "I would not want to burden your family with the hardships of mine."

Rilek nodded as Letor spoke, understanding their family situation was delicate with children. She was not expecting an emphatic yes or any immediate action to be taken, in fact, she'd be concerned if they did want to jump at the opportunity to move so soon. "I see," She responded to the comment about Saren being Vulcan. Rilek never thought there would ever be Vulcans in the Khellian house, but Tavaen proved her wrong. It was oddly comforting, actually, to know she was not the only mixed Vulcan. It was something she had been taught to be ashamed of. "Quite the opposite. My mother would love children in the house. She is currently living alone in our estate. It is a big space and with just her and a few servants around, it quickly becomes lonely," she spoke softly and nodded her head slowly with her words. The mention of Letor's son with headaches made Rilek frown and furrow her brows. "What sort of headaches does he get? And may I ask, I understand you are.. Half Vulcan? And what of R'Imus?" Rilek knew a little about Letor, but next to nothing about his children. She had an idea, if R'Imus was genetically related to Letor, he would be part Vulcan, which could be dangerous for someone with a more Romulan physiology.

"Perhaps we will be able to visit sometime. Moving can always come later," Letor said before he sighed deeply, almost defeatedly at Rilek's questions. "Migraines, of a sort. Ev'kor works with children, and tells me it's something genetic and he can't change things without heavy medications I am hesitant to start on. I trust my brother, but my son is barely two years old..." Letor readjusted R'Imus on his lap, processing Rilek's next questions. "Yes, I am half Vulcan. I'm sure my father would love to tell that story at some point," he said sarcastically, though he quickly got back to the point. "Dhivael and R'Imus are mine by blood, so they are both a quarter Vulcan. Do you know more about this?" The Vulcan tendency to neglect to emote left Letor's affect flat, but his eyes seemed hopeful.

"That is true. You are always welcome to visit, I will make a trip back to Mol'Rihan for it," Rilek was thankful that Starfleet was lenient with time off, especially for family affairs. They leaned forward when Letor mention R'Imus' condition being genetic, which was in line with their initial hypothesis. "I think I do," Rilek raised both eyebrows at hearing that Letor's two children were a quarter Vulcan. More than Rilek, but still, a quarter mattered. Anything lower than a half made the chances of brain to body confusion more likely. "I am an eighth Vulcan and I also suffer from severe migraines. I experienced a lot of what R'Imus is when I was a child," Rilek folded their hands in front of them, fiddling with their prosthetic fingers again. "After a few brain scans, it was revealed that whilst I am mostly Romulan, my brain is Vulcan and possesses Vulcan neural pathways. As there is quite a big difference in Vulcan and Romulan physiology, often times my Vulcan brain struggles to know where in my body to send the proper signals to. I have been able to treat my migraines with lifestyle changes and meditation. It does not fully alleviate the discomfot, but modern medicine is great and at the very least, I am able to live my normal life without it being dominated with pain," Rilek explained their situation and hoped it would encourage Letor to possible do a brain scan for R'Imus. "I do not possess telepathy of any kind, which is a bit frustrating because I get all migraines for essentially nothing. The rest of my body is Romulan."

Letor looked thoughtful as he listened to Rilek. If nothing else, he seemed interested to hear how he could help his son. "It is too early to tell whether or not either of them have any telepathic abilities. I myself was gifted with considerable ability, but very poor control, so it is very possible that either or both of them are in some way gifted as well. But I will look into it, for both of them. If it's possible to avoid Dhivael developing something at a later age by acting now, I will do so." He looked down at his son, who was now drooling on his collar. The boy looked much more relaxed now than he had before, his face no longer scrunched up in discomfort. "He is asleep now, at least. It tires him out, being in pain. I hope your wisdom will help him. Thank you, Rilek." It was clear that he meant it. He couldn't keep the tired pain out of his eyes, even if his voice masked his emotions pretty well. While he acted like a Vulcan very well, it was clear that, especially when it came to his family, he was as incapable of truly burying those feelings as any Romulan. (edited)

"That is true, although I will say whether they have it or not is something determined by nature, not nurture," Rilek informed Letor as she gently pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders. She wasn't actually very cold, but she was worried for Letor's children. Their memories of being a Llhweiir were hazy, but they did remember the pain. They remembered all the times their mother would have to stop work and come home just to care for them. She nodded when Letor said that R'Imus as asleep. Rilek could understand as they slept a lot when they were not in pain as well. Although the Republic was fair and kind, Rilek wondered what sort of childhood Letor's children would have. What of the headaches and unsure growth and changes in physiology? Rilek considered themself lucky that their Vulcan brain was the only mismatched part of their body. They couldn't have imagined having to work out what various combinations there were of Vulcan and Romulan organs. "Anyway," Rilek shifted in her seat. "How is the senate? I am currently serving Starfleet, but one day I wish to run for office. Our family has done many bad things and I hope I can be just another fair and just Khellian to prove our house's reputation wrong and perhaps restore our honour. I take my position as Matriarch very seriously as you can tell, it is something my biological mother, Hannim, had envisioned for me, although Hannim had expected me to head my actual house, the Llhweiir house," Even with the orange Khellian eyes, Rilek still considered their rightful house to be the Llhweiirs. It was their mother's house after all. "Would you and your family ever consider visiting the station? I would love to meet face to face," Rilek was only partially lying, she did not in fact, like meeting people face to face, but she had to uphold her matriarch duties.

"Politics will forever be nothing but chaos, no? From my position as advisor, I can sit above it all and tell everyone "I told you so" when things go wrong. But a young government such as the Republic... sometimes I hope for less excitement. There was a fistfight, not two weeks ago. Some ancient feud between two houses was the cause... I thought those had all died with ch'Rihan." The conversation shift towards politics did not make Letor seem any less tired, though it wasn't the bone-deep weariness that came with seeing your children in pain, but rather the endless exasperation of having to deal with adults in a professional setting. "I'd wait a few years to run at least, until the excitement dies down a little. You're pretty young still, so waiting shouldn't hurt too much. And I'm sure you could reinstate Llhweiir house, if you wanted to. Perhaps that doesn't come with the prestige of the Khellian name, but it's its own kind of renown, rebuilding a defunct house." Letor looked pensive, weighing pros and cons and the political ramifications of every decision. For a moment, his eyes were sharp and keen in a purely Romulan way, his calm collectedness making way for a calculating look that made him resemble Tavaen in a way he hadn't before. Then, his gaze softened again, and he was back to looking as Vulcan as ever. "I am unsure as to how feasible travelling that far with two small children is, but if the opportunity arises, I will be sure to make an effort to come that way. Seeing my father again would not be amiss, either, and I know Ev'kor is ready to jump at any reason to come, though he is far more restricted in his travels than I am." Letor hadn't commented on the misdeeds of their House. Hadn't broached the subject and deflected awkwardly, he'd simply elected not to say anything. Then again, for a large time he'd been a Federation citizen, and not at home being a Khellian, so one could wonder how much he'd realistically have to say about it at all.

Rilek raised both eyebrows at the mention of a feud and leaned forward on the table to show her intrigue. They would never tell Letor, but they found brawls quite amusing, well, the little scuffles, not anything that resulted in actual injuries. A few black eyes and some cuts, maybe this was also why Rilek enjoyed watching pro wrestling. "I was also unaware that fistfights still happened over such old feuds. Hm, well, I will assure you I do not plan on engaging in any of those," Rilek raised their right hand and plucked their two false fingers out of the finger guards to show Letor that they only had three fingers on their hand. "Even if I had ten fingers, I don't think I would be fighting anyone," Rilek put the fingers back on their hand and leaned back in their chair. "I understand and I do plan to visit Mol'Rihan soon. I want to meet you and your family in person," They nodded when Letor explained his family situation. "As for the Khellian name, it does have its downsides, but I do not mind the Llhweiir house staying dead. It is sad, but some things are best left in the past," Rilek said with a sigh, pushing some hair from her face. She had grown up living in luxury of the Llhweiir estate, only to suddenly be thrusted into the matriarchy of the Khellians. Everything had happened so fast, it was still overwhelming even if she had been matriarch for a while now. "Is there a time that would be best to visit you? I plan to come to Mol'Rihan in a few months, I will visit my mother and possibly my brother. Do you know of Valak tr'Khellian? He is in prison right now, for good reason, but he is still my brother."

Letor hummed, an unconvinced little sound that came across almost amused. "Rilek, I hope you don't expect me to believe you any less dangerous for missing two fingers," he said, and the way he intonated, it sounded almost like a joke. "I would be honoured to meet you, hru'hfirh. And as for the past, there is wisdom to be found in keeping it alive in my opinion, but that too is up to you, of course." Letor had a sharp look in his eyes again, as if he were evaluating something about Rilek. As soon as it came it was gone again, but clearly, this man was every bit as Romulan as he was Vulcan, and with every calculating look and nugget of wisdom, the similarity to Tavaen became clearer. They looked absolutely nothing alike, but their personalities revealed a connection anyway. "I have no preference for a date or time. If you want, while you're here, I could make some introductions. If you're really serious about running for Senator one day. And, the name Valak does ring a bell, but I think his mail to me got intercepted, and I elected to ignore it. Most of my mail is screened before I read it, especially if I don't know the sender. A prisoner sending a random message can be bad in many ways, but if I can still find the communication, I'll respond." It sounded half-hearted, as if the effort was not guaranteed. Letor was a busy man, with an important job and two small children and a husband, and it was clear he wouldn't spend any significant time trying to find and respond to the message, it was more of an "if it happens, it happens" situation.

A loud cackle came from her mouth when Letor said she wasn't any less dangerous with her missing fingers. Rilek was very aware that she had a naturally commanding presence and she was secretly proud that it seemed like Letor did not seem to mind her missing fingers. Despite her confidence and Vulcan-like grace, Rilek was still struggling to find her self confidence with her body. Not just their missing fingers, but their overall appearance. They fussed with their hair and make up daily for a reason after all. "I will consider it. I have grown accustomed to being a Khellian. Although it is not my birth house, I do consider you and everyone in your family my kin," Rilek looked right back at Letor with the same sharp gaze. With her shoulders slightly hunched to look at the PADD sitting in front of her, she looked like a mother hyena sizing up a newcomer to the pack. Rilek wasn't judging Letor, she was simply imitating him for the split second he held the look. "I would be agreeable to such introductions. Also, do not worry about Valak's communications. He is a little bitch," Rilek was not one to swear casually, but it was the only way to describe her brother that she could think of. Valak was still messaging her, quite insistently too. "Do you have any other plans tonight? I do not want to keep you," Rilek said before gently plucking her two fingers off and then pulling the blanket tight around her shoulders. She assumed it was night on Mol'Rihan where Letor was, considering how sleepy R'Imus looked.

"No specific plans, though I should probably go put this one to bed, and maybe see what my husband is up to. He's very new to being in a House of any sort, so please forgive him any transgressions if they do occur. I married him for his gentle soul and infinite patience, but he is patient in his stubbornness too." A trait Letor absolutely recognised in himself and his family, and not one he could fault his husband for. It was merely something Rilek should be aware of, if the two of them were to ever meet. "Thank you for your time, Rilek, and if you should need any urgent help from the Romulan Senate or even the Navy at any point, do not hesitate to contact me. I have some weight to throw around when absolutely necessary." A more Romulan statement couldn't possibly have been made. "Until we meet face to face, then?"

"I completely understand. Romulan politics is certainly overwhelming, even for those seasoned like myself," Rilek had been a JAG officer in the Navy for a time. It was not a political job, but she had her fair deal of political cases. Those were often the hardest because one had to separate their own beliefs from the law. She pushed her prosthetic fingers to the side of her desk and held her left hand over her right to hide the gap on her right hand. "I will contact you if I need anything. I am Fleet Liaison to the Republic so perhaps we will meet again in a work setting," She tilted her head slightly and hummed at the thought of meeting another family member during work. "Until then, have a nice evening, jolan tru," And with that, Rilek ended the call. With that out of the way, she went to go meditate before bedtime.