<USS Avalon> I Changed my Mind by Li Vilya and Ming Kabuki
- From: TKilyle@xxxxxxx
- To: avalon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2005 19:39:58 EST
***takes place just after "The Toast"
After her tea with Kaera, Vilya headed back to her quarters, in a more
pensive mood than ever. She'd talked about Ming and now the look on his face
as he
waved good-bye was troubling her. He looked...she was having a hard time
describing that look. He looked heartbroken. Desolate. Just plain sad.
She finally decided to keep on walking about the ship, to see if that would
get that image out of her head. She was just passing her quarters when her
comm badge beeped.
"Ensign Li," she said as she automatically tapped the device.
"Ensign, this is Transporter Room One. We need you back down here."
"What's the problem?" she asked, wondering why they were calling her
directly. She wasn't on duty just yet.
"It's better if you see in person, Ensign."
"Right. I'll be there in a minute. Li out."
She made a quick stop in her quarters to grab her personal tool kit then
headed back to the main transporter room.
~~~
"I knew I'd find you here."
At the sound of the familiar voice, Ming Kabuki looked up from the book he
was reading. His cousin was standing there, staring down at him.
"Yeah, well...I didn't feel like going home just yet," he replied. He was
sprawled over the stone bench where he first met his wife, his head propped up
on one end and his long legs dangling over the other. At his cousin's
inquiring raised eyebrow, he sat up to make room. "What are you doing here,
Saketh?"
"As I said--looking for you and I must say that you look absolutely
miserable," his half Vulcan cousin stated.
"If you came all the way over here just to tell me something I already know
then you can just go away," Ming said in an uncharacteristically cranky tone.
Saketh Kabuki did not get to be Commandant of Starfleet Academy at such a
young age without having diplomatic skills. He was raised by his Human father
and his Vulcan grandparents, one of whom was a decorated admiral. In short, he
knew how to handle a wide variety of people. That was why, despite the formal
jacket and collar, he didn't see Reverend Kabuki. Instead, he saw his
cousin, who looked thoroughly miserable.
"Why didn't you go with her?" he asked simply.
"Why? I have responsibilities to Daniel. I also want to start on my
doctorate...there was no time..." Ming replied, his voice trailing off
wistfully at
the last part.
"It is never too late," Saketh said gently. "The ship is still in orbit and
you have a cousin who can help you out. As for your doctorate, a lot of that
is research, isn't it? The library computer on a Federation starship has more
than starship information, after all--"
"You forgot about Daniel," Ming pointed out. "He was looking for me to help
him out on Kauai."
"Who do you think asked me to go looking for you, Ming? He half thought you
would be calling him from the ship by now. He said to tell you that he would
love to work with you but he'd rather you be happy," Saketh explained. A look
of mischief crept into his eyes and he added, "He also said you'd be hell to
work with if you did stay."
Eyes as blue as his own looked at Saketh hopefully. "What do I do?"
"You get up and follow me, we go back to your apartment to pack what you
need, and then we get you back up to Avalon," Saketh replied simply.
"Easy for you to say," Ming began.
"And for me to do, too, so get up and quit wasting time," Saketh said with a
grin. "If you keep dragging your feet, Avalon will be gone and I won't be
able to do a thing."
~~~
Vilya's eyes widened when she stepped into the transporter room. Ming was
leaning on the console, talking to the tech, but he straightened up when he saw
her.
"I...how...what are you doing here?" she sputtered.
"I changed--"
His reply was cut off as she launched herself into his arms then kissed him
soundly, much to the tech's delight. When she did finally release Ming, Vilya
held his face in hands and looked into the beloved blue eyes.
"What are you doing here?" she asked again.
"I changed my mind," he said simply. "Daniel and Saketh talked some sense
into me so I'm here if you want me to stay."
"Of course I do! I have to get my quarters reassigned..." she began,
thinking about what had to be done.
"Excuse me, Ensign, but it seems that Commander Kabuki made the appropriate
arrangements already with the ship's quartermaster," the tech piped up. She
handed Vilya a PADD. "You just have to move your things."
"Oh my. Thank you," Vilya said. She looked at the carryall bag Ming had
slung over his shoulder. "Is that all you have?"
"Ah, no," he said slowly as his face flushed slightly. "I took for granted
that you'd want me to stay. Malika here had my things moved already."
"Thank you again," Vilya said to the tech with a smile. It didn't surprise
her that her husband had already learned her name. That was the sort of man he
was. He always wanted people to be at ease, to feel important. She took his
hand and led him toward the door. "Let's go. I want to tell you about the
Cardassian woman I just had tea with."
Ming's eyebrows rose. "You had tea with a Cardassian? Really? Good," he
said in that gentle voice. As they walked down the corridor, he added, "Tell
me."
Li Vilya, Engineer
Lieutenant, junior grade
USS Avalon
I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.
â Gerry Spence, HOW TO ARGUE AND WIN EVERY TIME
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