One of these things is not like the other - part 7

Posted on Tue Jan 31st, 2023 @ 4:22am by Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Myne Redal
Edited on on Thu Feb 2nd, 2023 @ 6:55am

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Deck 14 - Holodeck 4
Timeline: Prior to current mission
21017 words - 42 OF Standard Post Measure

//ON//

~~ Previously, on the USS Elysium ~~

Gary was about to protest that he wasn't squeamish that this was more a matter of common sense which Myne was clearly not demonstrating right now before she took matters into her own hands (so to speak), he didn't panic, he had seen, and been through too much in his career to panic. That didn't mean he couldn't be shocked, and he was profoundly shocked by Myne's action. He rushed to her side as she screamed bloody murder. Kneeling, he could tell her leg was broken. It was time for an Oscar-winning performance. "Oh my God Myne! Your leg is broken! Oh God!" He looked about wildly. His eyes wide. "Help! Help! Somebody, help!" He decided to add to his performance. He jumped to his feet, paced his hands on either side of his head and began running around in circles. "Help! Help! Myne has broken her leg and I don't know what to do!"

~~ And now... ~~

Myne was simply beyond any expectation to reply. At least not now, the pain was blinding and she was doing her best to just stay focused enough to see and hear what would happen next. But other than that and screaming, Myne couldn't do anything else. However, between her screams and Gary's cries for help, the Nanny clearly noticed. That or she was monitoring their condition, for she appeared moments later and looked upon the scene confused and angry. "What is going on here? What did you two do? Quickly Captain, do something about it!" She asked in a cold tone that betrayed an underlying tone of worry.

Gary had stopped his frenzied running in circles and was now wringing his hands together. He looked down at Myne who was lying on the snow-covered ground still bound, still screaming bloody murder but watching the scene unfold quite intently, and now had a broken leg to boot. "I can't! Myne is a Trill her physiology is different than a human. I might do something that could her and the symbiont. You don't want me to kill her do you?" He asked his eyes pleading for help any kind of help."

Nanny looked conflicted for a moment, taking a forced step forward as she was struggling clearly with herself. Looking between Gary and Myne she was about to speak when the Ark popped back to life and Mister Numbers' voice filled the air. "Medical Department, Library C#437, Subsection Vista/1/4, Trill. You owe me a chess match." With that, the Ark closed as Mister Numbers so casually came to the aid of Nanny, telling her exactly where to go to find the information she needed.

"Very well." Came the suddenly cool reply from the Nanny, who composed herself and focused, reaching out to access the medical library of the ship. Allowing a smile to form on her lips she shook her head at Gary. "Nice try, but I will handle this and you two will still be stuck here."

Gary stared at Nanny, "Nice try? What are you talking about? " His gaze drifting to Numbers before returning to Nanny, "Myne has a broken leg! Are you going to leave her bound and with a broken leg? You have to help her! You can't leave her in pain. You have to do something! You can't hate her so much you won't help her!" His voice held a nice pleading tone.

"I am going to help her. But I am not letting you take her out of here to treat her leg. I will fix it. Your plan failed. Accessing the database now." The Nanny said smiling smugly as her eyes lost focus for a moment as she established a connection with the ship's medical database. It wouldn't take her long to find what she is looking for, not with Mister Numbers giving her... a completely bogus and made-up location to look for the information she needed. As soon as the connection formed, the Ark began to vibrate in Gary's hand.

Gary waited as Nanny began to look for information from Elysium's medical database. As she did and her attention directed on finding the information she needed, He spoke to the computer. "Computer override. Taylor, Alpha, Bravo Tango, 7 1,3, 7" Then waited for his command to take effect.

The Nanny chucked for a moment and seemed stuck in place for a long second as she stared at Gary. "What did you do?"

Suddenly music filled the air, it was the Super Garrett song! Daring man of mystery, Champion of right, Swoops out of the shadows, Super Garrett owns the night. Somewhere some villain schemes, But his number's up. (3-2-1) Super Garrett (When there's trouble you call SG) Cloud of smoke and he appears, Master of surprise. Who's that cunning mind behind That shadowy disguise? Nobody knows for sure, But bad guys are out of luck. 'Cause here comes (Super Garrett) Look out! (When there's trouble you call SG) Super Garrett (Let's get dangerous) Super Garrett (Better watch out, you bad boys) Super Garrett! And there he was! In all his glory He smiled at Gary but he beamed brilliantly at Myne "Hello Captain and a special hello to you my trusted assistant and sidekick Gadget Girl! Everything is alright now. I am in control."

"No!" Nanny said as she turned to look at Super Garrett, narrowing her eyes and starting to focus. "I am in control. No, I will regain control. You will not take her away from me!" But before Nanny could do or say anything else, through pained grunts, Myne's voice rang out. "C#437, V/1/4, T!" At which point the Nanny simply disappeared from in front of them, and Mister Numbers' voice once more beeped from the Ark in his cheerful tone. "Got her Redal. Nice catch! Captain Taylor, remember, you owe me a game of chess!" With that, the Ark went silent and dead to any future attempts by Gary to interact with it.

"Gaaah, S-super G-garrett. Really h-happy to s-see you. B-but... s-seriously... h-help!" Myne managed to speak between more grunts of pain as she tried to deal with it as best as she could. Still bound, still with a broken leg.

Gary spoke up. "Garrett, Super Garrett, let's wait for the medical team to arrive and take a long look at Myne's leg. It doesn't look too serious but I don't want to take any chances. But answer me this, why haven't her bonds disappeared?" Garrett shook his head, "It is a code Nanny used, it will wear off in a day, maybe a couple of days." He looked at Myne. "Sorry Gadget Girl."

"Oh this is just too perfect. Really... perfect... so are you two lovebirds gonna actually call me a medic or... do I have to jump on one leg there." Myne muttered frustrated and in pain. "I know I m-make it look easy... but this is actually painful... serious now..." She did her best to not move her leg at all, starting to rethink her impulsive decision earlier and deciding that this had not been a brilliant idea on her part. "I swear I'll shove Sudra... out front... make him deal with this..."

Gary glanced down at Myne. "Lie still Myne." He commanded. Not realizing how stupid the command sounded. Bound as she was, all Myne could do was lie there."We'll call the medic." He looked over to Garrett. "Question is, if Myne is going to remain bound for at least the next two days. I'm sure she doesn't want to be seen like this, so what do we do? She needs someone to stay with her." He glanced at Myne, "Any ideas." Even as he tapped his com to call medical.

"This is too much..." Myne groaned and exhaled to relieve all of her exasperation. "Fraaaaaak!!" She started cursing in Ferengi for quite a while, rapidly too. It wasn't anger, but cursing did help ease the pain somewhat, and plus it was fun and warranted to do so. "Screw it, Gary... order s-some drugs... so at least I don't feel the pain." Pausing to take a few deep breaths, she continued. "Then, I'll give you my... code... to override a transport... to command it to do... activate one of my... secret programs... It will transport us... to my cabin."

Gary was full of conflicting emotions. He was concerned over Myne's broken leg. He was sympathetic to the pain she was in and her present condition. He was angry at the rashness of her actions and not thinking them through, He felt helpless in that he couldn't give her the help she needed. "Wait a minute Myne, we have to set your leg. Don't want you to have a limp. " Garrett spoke now, "Um, Gary? It is a simple break and while you were talking I set her leg. Get the meds and transport both of you to her quarters." Gary sighed, this isn't what he wanted but it was probably for the best. "Very well." As he set about doing that.

The teary-eyed Trill on the floor, engaged in another, less intense bout of Ferengi cursing nodded. "Yeah... he did..." She confirmed Garrett's actions earlier. And the pain was already less than it was before, but still distressing. "H-hey, it w-worked... right? Sledgehammer solution..." Myne tried to smile and crack a joke. "Also, had a peg leg once... for a little time... one lifetime only..." Well, that was a bit of a lie, but with almost a dozen lifetimes under her belt and four centuries lived, Myne could afford some creative licensing in recounting some things. "Meds and bed sound... heavenly about now."

Gary listened as Myne through tears recounted she once had a peg leg. "No peg leg this time Myne thank goodness. He sighed, "I don't like this, but it is the best solution. Myne stays out of sight for a few days while her leg heals, and her bonds disappear." Gary admitted as the meds he ordered came through after much threatening from himself to the medical officer on duty. "Alright Myne, I have the meds, give me the code so we can get you to your quarters." He nodded to Garrett, "Thank you for your help, Garrett." Garrett nods, "Of course, good to see you Myne." He says warmly. His feelings for the young Trill obvious.

"Don't discount... peg legs... they make you... look cool." She chuckled. "At least this... is not real snow... cold would've been... bad!" Looking up at Gary as he came back with the pain-numbing meds, she forced a smile on her lips. "Chief, gonna need ya... to approve... a few days of leave!" Turning to Garrett and winking, her smile becoming a lot more genuine and bright. "Always happy... too see you Super Garrett. I know you're... not the real him... but I promise to message him... soon. And... you know... save you in the database... as well admin Super Garrett. So you can keep... being awesome."

Looking back at Gary, Myne winked and readied herself. "Try to find... the code... in this one big bro: I am become death, destroyer of worlds."

"Please do message him. I know he would love to hear from you. He thinks very highly of you as I do," He looked over to Gary, "Gary, take care of her, please. She is a special person." Gary nodded, "I will, I promise." He listened to the words Myne said. The code was in the words, Myne said so. He thought and he puzzled over, thinking of different codes and then quickly discounting them. He stood there, thinking and then a smile appeared on his face. "Oh, clever girl. I think I have it." As started to assign value to the letters in the words. It took him a while, but he finally was finished. He picked Myne up off the snow as he did, he spoke "Computer initiate code 9 14 43 38 129 2191."

"Thank you Super Garrett... I miss you too... and..." Myne did not finish that part, instead letting the words trail off as she looked up at Gary smiling down at her. She gave him a chuckle as he picked her up and shook her head. "Keep things simple, you know? Why bother with weird... long... codes, when you can just... remember fun expressions!" And with that, the two of them were dematerialized and rematerialized into her cabin. Among the sheer chaos and parts, components, tools, small power cores, batteries and computer parts, and a taken apart replicator that had seen work done on it before it had been connected back into the ship's power grid. The engineering mess that was Myne's room.

As the pair rematerialized in Myne's quarters, Gary shook his head in dismay at seeing the state of her quarters. It looked like a hurricane had passed through it or someone had thrown up parts and just let them lie where they fell. Parts were littered everywhere like dead bones. "Oh Myne!" This is um unusual." He said diplomatically, as he looked around the room and the complete disaster that greeted him. He looked around and saw the sofa looked relatively clear of parts so he took Myne, knocked a few parts onto the floor (like anyone would notice), and laid her on the couch. "Can I get you anything? Like a vacuum?" He asked.

Once on the couch, a blushing and embarrassed Myne cleared her throat, letting the meds numb the pain and sighing. "I always need stuff and parts, this way it is easier. I have a, erm, sorting system. Literally, I have a program that knows where everything is and brings what I need to me." Nodding to what looked like a processor crystal Myne offered a timid smile. "Butler! Crystal D/23." A small ankle-height bot began moving from under the bed. A manipulator arm was attached to its side and it picked up the crystal and brought it to Myne, placing it next to her on the couch. "Butler! Clean up and storage." She called out and about a dozen small bots came out from every nook and cranny and began to gather up the mess on the floor. Each was unique, some were square with wheels, others were spiders, others were four-legged, others were crab-like, and so on. As they started to gather up the mess, Myne nodded to a chair. "Butler! Chair to the couch." One of the small bots moved the chair next to the couch right behind Gary.

Gary gave her a frankly disbelieving stare. "A sorting system in what junk collecting?" He grew silent as Myne called for the robot butler and first one then several small bots appeared and began cleaning up the parts off the floor and one brought a chair for Gary to sit on near the couch. He nodded in approval as the bots tidied up the room. "Much better." He acknowledged at the room was cleared. "How are you feeling? He asked, "Need anything?" He looked at the bots, "Do they respond to only you?"

"Everything in its place and every place with its thing. Eidetic memory big bro, I literally cannot forget anything. It is not perfect though honestly, but having a symbiont makes forgetting things almost a very frustrating task." Myne explained with a bit of a bitter smile, looking out in the distance for a moment. "I wish I could forget actually. I envy you Humans for being able to just ignore something and then completely purge it from your minds and memories." Snapping back to the present she looked at Gary and nodded. "Yep, only respond to me, all of my tech is exclusive to me Gary. And I am fine right now, the meds are working, it doesn't hurt so much."

Gary sighed, "That's a double edge sword to be sure Myne. Sometimes you just need to forget an unpleasant time or situation. I know there are times I wish I could forget but I can't." He shook his head to rid himself of his melancholy and smiled, "Gotta say I think your butlers are great." He looked around the now clean room. "Keep it like this, okay?" He glanced at her lying on the couch. "If you do need something, just holler. Good your butlers only respond to you but like now there should be a way someone could control them if you were incapacitated." He walked over to the chair and sat down. He was quiet for several seconds then he spoke. "Glad the meds are working. That wasn't a smart thing you did in the holodeck." He stated.

"I feel you there big brother. You know what Sudra always said about not being able to forget? He said that sweet oblivion is only a bottom of a bottle away!" She smiles with sadness and nostalgia. "Glad you like my tiny butlers. But no, need the chaos when working, takes less time to find and get what I need. Also, no one ever comes to my cabin, so no point in keeping it tidy!"

"Looking at her tiny butlers with a warmer smile she shook her head. And don't worry, if something ever happens to me they have orders to destroy any evidence! Good little accomplices they all are." Chuckling Myne winked at Gary. "But no, I cannot do that silly Gary. I do not wish anyone to access my tech, or else it may cause issues and chaos that I will be held responsible for. I already got over a dozen warrants still on my name, I don't need any more problems.

"Also, can you keep me company for a bit? I am still high on adrenaline. And also yeah, it was a stupid thing, but it worked!"

Gary shook his head, "Getting drunk isn't the answer. When you get sober the problem is still there. Sometimes you just need to accept what has happened, put your big girl or big boy pants on and deal with it." He
glanced around her clean room. "As for no one coming to your room, that changes now. I'm here and I plan on coming back and I'm sure others will come to see you as well, Keep the room tidy. Your butlers are efficient that is for sure Myne and I understand why you don't want them to respond to anyone else. I just think you should have a contingency plan that doesn't end in them destroying evidence.

He smiled at her, "Of course, I can stay with you for a while. Brothers look out for their sisters." He nodded, "Yes, it worked, no argument there but what if it didn't? " He grew serious, "Don't be impulsive Myne,"

"Maybe Sudra should have heard those words a few hundred times. Poor man drank about a dozen livers, it is ridiculous. Worse part big bro? I am stuck with all the memories of all the hangovers." She shrugged and stretched her body as best as she could. "Aww, but cleaning up is soo haaaard..." Myne pouted and looked miserable for a long second as she complained about the effort needed to clean up. All of that while her tiny bots continued to clean the room for her and one of them, shaped like a crab, genuinely stopped in front of Gary and Myne to stare up at its creator with a very judgmental stare. Not that it had the features to emote, but the intensity and long seconds it stared at Myne helped convey that it was judging her.

After she shooed the judgmental bot in Ferengi, Myne chuckled and looked back at Gary. "Yeah, no. I've been thrown in jail way too many times to not have learned that destroying the evidence is paramount! You should consider that as well if you ever plan on living a life of an outlaw. It could suit you, you do have the looks for it and the gutsiness!" Letting her smile drop for a moment, Myne shook her head. "Yeah, I'll try, no promises though. Problems need solutions, and I am good at solving problems. What's a leg compared to having the XO of the ship trapped due to a stupid decision?"

Gary sat and listened as Myne talked of Sudra. "Too bad he didn't." He said after a moment He then favored Myne with a long stare, "How hard can it be Myne? You have an army of robot butlers to help you," He grew silent as one of her robot butlers came to stop in front of her and stare t her for several long seconds before she shooed it away in Ferengi. "Yeah, you tell her buddy." He laughed as Myne said he had the looks of an outlaw and the gustiness to go along. "An outlaw? Maybe if I ever get that frustrated and fed up with Command and if wasn't a stupid decision Myne it just had unforeseen consequences. Things happened. Don't worry about it."

Gary decided to try and change the subject. "With that fancy memory you have, I bet you have some great stories to tell and as I said I would stay, how about you regale me with one? It should be complete with all the details and drama one acuminates over several lifetimes. So start talking." He said with a grin.

Myne laughed heartily and shook her head. "You see what I have to deal with? My 'minions', quotation marks intended are all really mean and wilful. If I ask them to clean up too often, they'll be bearing pitchforks and torches and hang me upside down!" She explained with clear humor, but in a manner meant to at least make Gary doubt that she was not joking entirely. She was, but still, it was fun trying to at least scare the good captain a little bit. Waving her head and going 'pssst' at one of the bots that was finishing up cleaning the floor she looked at Gary. "Anything to drink? I for one would love a slug-o-cola right now."

The bot waited for Gary to tell him his preference before moving to the 'abused' replicator and bringing the preferred drinks. The replicator did not need any verbal or physical input, apparently taking instructions wirelessly from the bot. The small spider bot, yes, it was spider-shaped, returned with each drink one by one, leaving Myne last so it could hold up the bottle with a straw for Myne to drink from.

"A great story? Hmm. There is one I really like. Vede Redal was towards the end of his life a paranoid monster, with quite a good deal of death warrants on his head, all deserved mind you. He was my host before Sudra you see, about sixty years ago, give or take a decade or two. He's the reason I still can't go into Cardassian territory, those people have a looooong memory." Myne took a sip of her slug-o-cola after making that introduction and made herself a bit more comfortable.

"He was also, like me, very fond of Ferengi. But as I said, none of my hosts ever start out as bad people. Vede started life out as a computer specialist and an ethical hacker. He loved to travel the stars and do tiny measures of good here and there, wherever he could and where he saw people struggle against authority. Freedom fighter, that was what he identified as. A veritable Robin Hoodwinkle!" Myne almost got that reference right.

Gary accepted the bottle of water from the robot butler before he replied to Myne. "Oh, I see how mean and willful they are Myne, they obey your every command and wait on you hand and foot which is a good thing given your present situation." He looked at her with a cynical eye. "I seriously doubt they would revolt against you let alone with pitchforks and hang you upside down." He sipped from the bottle. "It is a good story though Myne. You get an A for being so creative."

He looked at her sitting on the couch still bound hand and foot and sipping some god-awful looking drink the robot butler was holding for her. "Yes, I have noticed your love for all things Ferengi. Tell me Myne, why do you think all of the previous hosts have started out as good people only to go off the rails and you don't have to worry about the Cardassians. They won't bother you." He paused as Myne gave him a brief background story on Verde. "A computer specialist and an ethical hacker? Wow." Gary joked. "A freedom fighter as well. So, want went wrong? Oh, it is Robin Hood, not Hoodwinkle," He had with a grin.

He took another sip of water, "How is your pain? Do you need anything? Another drink? Something to eat? A blanket? Anything?" Gary asked wanting to make sure Myne was as comfortable as possible for the duration of her situation. He eyes her robot helpers as they milled around, or some went back into their hiding spaces to wait to be summoned gain. They were great creations and leave it to Myne to come up with them.

Myne chuckled and shook her head. "You have no idea how willful they are. And they do not obey me Gary. They are humoring me because I am doing my best to give them a purpose, that is all." Wrinkling her nose at him for correcting her mistake, she sipped from her delicious slug-o-cola before continuing. Her tone was a bit sad, but she tried to keep a smile on her lips.

"We, the hosts of Redal, have had many theories. Starting from Redal being cursed, to being a bad luck symbiont, to it simply being defective or evil. You must understand, a symbiont doesn't really die, they can live thousands of years, but in a host, they only last for so long. At some point, they become too big to fit, so our duties as hosts are to help our symbionts experience as much as possible. Sudra strongly believed that Redal is seeking to experience, erm..." Myne trailed off and looked to the side for a moment. "Misery. Suffering. Grief."

"Something always happens years, decades in, something snaps, something breaks. None of my previous hosts met a good end Gary. They were in their final moments horrible beings, that left me with nightmarish memories. For Vede, he started out with such a pure heart. But eventually, he met up with resistance. And his tactics got more and more... wrong. He was so larger than life, I remember being him. I remember joining the Cardassian occupation of Bajor. I remember charming and making a Gul fall in love with me."

Myne chuckled and smiled to herself. "He thought he was untouchable and yet, I milked him dry of everything. Funds, resources, everything slowly being siphoned to the Bajoran resistance. Until one day I framed him to cover my tracks and he got executed for it. That was worth one of your early twenty-century moving pictures. But it was a turning point. After that, nothing seemed impossible to justify. Not even murder. Not even venting an entire colony into space to stop a Cardassian patrol."

Gary listened in silence as Myne spoke first about her robot butlers and how they were humoring her. "Aren't you transferring emotions to a mechanical device? And they are obeying you unless they somehow changed their programming." He moved to the next topic. "Okay, first of all, do you believe that? That you are evil or defective? I surely don't. Nor I do believe that Redal is evil. Weak maybe and morally lacking in the case of Vede a case for being evil can certainly be made." He paused to gather his thoughts on this subject.

He nodded his head as if confirming the route he was taking. "I think all the hosts are just taking the easy way out by saying Redal is evil or bad luck. We make our own luck. Myne. Sure, there may have been bad decisions or bad outcomes but it takes courage to break the cycle and none of the hosts up to you haven't shown any courage. I'm hoping you will be different and break the cycle. I believe in you Myne and so does Garrett. He saw the officer, the amazing officer you can be. You can't hide forever Myne and that is what you are doing. I don't know why you are but I do know you are doing a disservice to yourself, You are responsible for what Vede did or Sudra or any of the previous hosts did. You are only responsible for yourself and your actions. Time for you to cast off that weight now." Gary replied firmly.

"You aren't alone in this Myne. I'm here to help you in any way I can but you have to take the first step and resolve to change Redal's history and sincerely mean it not just say the words. or go through the motions. You can do this, I firmly believe you can." He stopped and looked at her, "Sorry, got carried away. Point is it is your decision to make. Do you continue down the same path as your previous hosts or do you take the road less traveled?"

Myne shook her head at Gary slowly. "I am not really transferring emotions. I told you I see them as living beings. Sure, I might have added emotional responses to those who did not already have it as part of their original programming or evolution. But they are just as capable of refusing me out of their own volition as you are. It might be rudimentary on most of them, but I have found a way to implement it in a way that doesn't require too much hardware. Nanny for example, as you have seen, is a very emotional program. My little butlers are similar, if simpler in how they experience emotions. They are not bound to obey. Sure I only pick to use from the Ark those that I know will cooperate, but still."

"And no, I do not believe I am evil, but I do believe Redal is. Or at least it does not understand the concept of morality as we do. And I still have trouble reconciling that me and Redal are now one being. As for Vede, yes, morally lacking towards the end, but not at first. No, he was a man to be admired with strong morals." Myne sighed and took another sip of her drink before leaning back and looking at the ceiling. "You don't get it Gary. I live with a tumor inside of me, that will kill me if I remove it. And I cannot let Redal die, I believe in the purpose it has imparted upon me and the other hosts. And I am a Joined Trill, I am Vede and Iza and Sudra and all the others. We are legion, as you would say it."

Remaining silent for a few moments, Myne thought of her next few words before continuing carefully. "The only one who took the easy way out was Sudra and his drinking. I have the memories of all of them, I can't remember however when the switch happens, but I know it does. And very good people changed for the worse without realizing it. The one thing they all did however that I refuse to do, is isolate themselves. As soon as they felt something was wrong they all tried to handle it themselves. Or better said I tried to, a dozen lifetimes over. That is why Sudra chose me to be Redal, hoping that I will do things differently this time. That I will surround myself with wonderful, amazing people. So you see, I am taking the road less traveled in this lifetime. I just don't know if I will change myself."

Gary glanced at the butlers and then to Myne as she reclined on the sofa. "I'm sorry Myne but I think you are wrong about your butlers. They may give the appearance of being able to refuse you but in the end, they would follow your commands and excuse the expression, they are bound to you. They cannot refuse you and I also believe they would let no harm come to you if they could prevent it." He shrugged his shoulders. "That is my opinion so take it for what it is worth. Which in all honesty is not a whole lot." His voice grew firmer as he continued. "How dare you say I don't get it. I pride myself on understanding others and their situations and for you to say I don't get it is an insult Myne. I am fully aware of the symbiont you have inside you and that you have access to a wealth of memories and experiences."

He sighed. "You say you surround yourself with wonderful, amazing people. That may be true but you spent the vast majority of your time here in quarters, with your butlers and your other gadgets. Why do you think Garrett made you morale officer? He saw the creative, talented officer you are but you were hidden away here, in your quarters and he wanted you to come out of your shell and interact more with the crew." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Yet he leaves, and you quit the position." He held a hand up to stop any protest Myne might offer. "Which is your right, but I think you are doing a disservice to him and yourself." He smiled at her, "Oh, I think you will change, give yourself time. I mean what is a few years or even decades in the grand scheme of things when you have already lived several centuries." He got up and walked around the room. "Do you need anything? Another pain pill? Another one of those whatever it is you are drinking. Scissors?" He joked lightly.

Myne nodded but did not argue with Gary any further. She instead looked down apologetically and shook her head. "I did not mean to insult you Gary. But you are looking from the outside in, there is only so much you could understand. No more than I can understand what it means to be Human. It's not something to be upset over." She pulled her still tied feet to her, raising her knees so she could hide her face in them, given that her arms were also still bound behind her back.

"I never wanted to be morale officer. I am not good with people Gary. Yes, I try and try very hard, but it gets exhausting to keep pretending sometimes." Her words were soft as she spoke, not challenging. "Machines are easier to understand than people." Myne sighed and looked up at Gary with a weak smile. "The pain is dulled, I am decent now. And no, no scissors, ever tried using one with only your teeth? Nooooot fun." Chuckling she rested the side of her head on her shoulders and continued. "I envy you Gary, and Garrett, and Phoenix. You have the undeniable will of righteousness and conviction about you. You make it all seem so... easy. It is a Human thing? Or a Command staff thing? Do they train you to be like that? Because I wouldn't mind paying a bar of latinum or two for those courses!"

Gary looked at Myne and felt immediately bad. "No Myne, it is I who apologize to you. I overreacted and that was wrong. You are right. I am on the outside and try as I might or want, I can only see and know so much. I didn't mean to make you feel bad or that I was belittling you." He watched as she brought her tied feet to her, hiding her face. "Please don't ever worry about upsetting me. We're brother and sister, we should be able to be totally honest with each other and not worry about bruised egos." He shook his head. "I think you are better than you give yourself credit for and I think the reason you like machines better than people is that people can hurt you and you've been hurt by them in the past.

He smiled at her comment about no scissors. "Yes, I imagine it wouldn't be easy and I don't want you to lose any teeth, though it might be fun to watch you make the effort." He teased before getting serious again. "I am glad the pain has dulled for you." He looked t her and moved to sit in the chair next to the couch. "Thank you for the compliment. I don't think it is either a Human thing or a Command thing but rather a personal thing. That you not only have confidence in yourself and your ability, but you also have a strong will, and you don't let failure change your perception of yourself or your beliefs. It is a strength of character." He pointed a finger at her. "And you Myne Redal are stronger than let on. I'll help you have strength in your convictions. That's part of believing in yourself, confidence in yourself."

"No, I am sorry big bro, this whole experience has been utterly frustrating and disarming. I just feel so lost. I have been a man, woman, husband, wife, father, mother, surgeon, soldier, politician, explorer, and many more. I have saved and taken lives, and commanded others, power, wealth, and respect. And yet, for the past few years, I feel like nothing more than a scared young girl. Emotions and feelings that I can barely control."

Myne sighed and looked down. "Sometimes I am fully Redal and things are going great. I am in control, I am myself, I know what to do, how to do it, how to teach my cadets at the Academy, how to handle my tasks as assistant chief. Other times I feel like I am Myne and I have this intruder, this alien inside of me that wants to break me and I can't get him out without dying myself."

"Your words are kind Gary, thank you. For today and before today. You're not half bad yourself Super Garyman! Can you just, come sit down next to me so I can use you as a body pillow for a bit?" She asked and sighed seeming lost in thought as if she was mulling over something.

Suddenly Myne began to laugh and straightened her back, looking back at Gary with a wide, bemused smile. "You want to hear the most stupid part of all of this? The one thing that I can give you to hold that would spell my death?" She waited for his response before continuing. "The funniest part is that I cannot talk to anyone about any of this. The moment our Councilors on the ship, one a Trill, the other Trill born, hear about the fact that me and Redal do not have a perfect merger of our personalities, that this disassociation exists, then the laws of Trill demand that he is removed from me. Ain't that something, right?"

Gary nodded, "I can see and understand how this is all frustrating and disarming to you as you do not have use of your arms." He joked. "I think you are much more than a scared young girl Myne but it is hard dealing with emotions, especially one you have trouble controlling." He smiled at her, "I thank you for your kind words and as far as me sitting down next to you, sure I can." He said as he sat down. "Slide your bound self over here and use me as a pillow."

He stared at Myne as she began to laugh. "Now Myne you can talk to me and whatever you tell me stays with me. No one will ever know what we discuss. I promise you that. So, you don't need to worry about anyone trying to remove Redal from you and killing you. I may not be a counselor, but I am a good listener and I think I understand people and what they are dealing with, and what is important to them. I know Redal is important to you as well as all the experiences the past hosts have had. However, don't lose Myne for I think she is a pretty special lady and I don't want her to get lost." He looked down at her. "You realize no one would ever believe this story anyways. So, it will remain our secret which is probably for the best."

Shuffling on the couch, Myne leaned against Gary and exhaled, allowing some of the tension to leave her. "You make a good pillow big bro." She chuckled for a moment to try to ease some of the stress she felt. "Redal was important to me about two or three days Gary. After that, it was no longer a problem of him being important or not to me. I can no longer exist or live without Redal, I no longer have a choice in the matter."

Turning her head to stare at Gary, whose face was not close enough for her to hair whip him, she shrugged. "Think of it like a toxic marriage, on one hand, we are codependent now, and both of us will die without the other. However, Redal can be shoved in an Unjoined Trill who is aboard the ship. Sadly, for me, there's no similar option. And, I don't know about that, had a few close calls in the past. In any case big bro, you might have just signed up to be my Councilor on occasion!"

Gary chuckled at her comment about him making a good pillow. "I knew I'd be good for something one day." He bantered as he felt some of the tension leave her body. He met her gaze as she looked up at him. "I think that sums up your relationship Myne. I hate you use the word toxic but you both are mutually dependent on the other and to coexist just makes sense at least to me it does."

He paused and looked down at Myne who was still securely bound hand and foot and he began to laugh softly at the absurdity of the situation. They were having a normal conversation only thing out of the ordinary was Myne was bound. They could never tell anyone of this. That Myne was bound and that he (Gary) hadn't untied her. Made no difference the bounds would only come off when they were ready and as best he figured that was still at least a day and a half away. He would be viewed as scum, the worst type of person. He sighed and replied. "I'll be your counselor anytime you want to talk Myne." He smiled at her. "This is funny."

Myne couldn't help but laugh at Gary's infectious laughter. She didn't get why, but it felt good to laugh at least. She shook her head as the laughter died down, but a cheerful smile remained. "Thank you, Gary, for coming to save me. And for letting me vent. It felt good to get these things off my chest. You know, if you ever want or need someone to talk to, I'll be your counselor too. I still have a medical diploma. It's as a surgeon, but I am sure I remember enough to make a good listener at least."

"I'm sure you would be a good counselor Myne." Gary admitted as silence followed then Gary announced. "Hey! You told me a story from your past, I'll tell you one from mine especially since you can't get up and run away." He joked. This takes place when I was much younger, and I was assigned to the USS Solstice as a tactical officer. We were on a routine patrol, out near the Romulan Neutral Zone. Everything was normal until the red alert klaxons started to sound. Their wail was heard all over the ship. I was on the bridge, and we had somehow strayed into the Neutral Zone! Before we even had begun to turn back, we were surrounded by a pack of Romulan war birds. They made no demands, they just opened fire!" Gary paused for a moment before continuing his story. "Their first attack killed the captain and XO outright. The next attack killed the chief engineer and destroyed our engines. We were dead in space." He looked away for a moment that terrible day still fresh in his memory. I was the ranking officer and I gave the order to abandon ship. I and some other junior officers got the women and children into the life pods. We bought them some time to get away. When the Romulans boarded the Solstice to learn her secrets, The few remaining officers were taken prisoner and transported to a jungle POW camp.

I spent three years there. Three years in that mosquito infested hell hole. I was tortured and beaten every day by a sadistic bastard of a guard nicknamed Pig because he looked like one. He was fat and dirty and delighted in inflicting pain, especially on me. But I never broke." He raised his tunic so MYne could see the scars the electro whips had left. "Back looks the same." He commented calmly. "By the time I was released, I was the only member of the Solstice still alive. " He looked down at her, "I met him again several years later when the Captain, Commander Taylor, and Commander Qwyyn and I were captured by Romulans to get to me. We were rescued by the Elysium crew. Do you know what I did to Pig?"

With a tilt of her head, Myne bonked Gary in his jaw, not hard, but gently. It was meant to be playful as she muttered under her breath at his teasing comment. "But I can shuffle and crawl and trip you! Smartbutt Garyman!!" But Myne did listen to his every word and remained quiet as he told her his story. As he asked his question, Myne couldn't help but make a few comments. "You know... I don't wanna mean anything by this, but over ten lifetimes, most spent in space and I never lost a ship. Just saying." She tried to make a bit of light of the graveness of his story, offering a shy, 'please laugh' kind of smile.

"But three years? That sounds horrible. Now I can understand why you are the way you are. Surviving something like that and still being able to smile? Gary, you are made of latinum bones and have latinum flowing in your veins." Myne offered the best compliment she could think of. The way Myne says the word 'horrible' somehow it felt as if she wasn't referring exactly to Gary being tortured for three years. "You didn't want to get rid of the scarring? I think I get wanting to hold onto that as a memento of what you have been through. But no one else survived?" She paused for a moment and seemed conflicted, but eventually did manage to make a decision.

"No, I do not know, but I can form an image in my head. Did you break his bones one by one?"

Gary smiled at Myne as she bonked him on his jaw in a playful manner. "Yeah, you can shuffle and crawl and definitely trip me." He replied lightly. "Losing a ship is a terrible thing. I can still hear my crewmate's screams. It is not something I would want anyone to go through." He shook his head, "No, I want to keep the scars. Not for anything macho but because it reminds me of what I survived and became even stronger because of it." He shook his head, "No. When we were rescued. I had liberated a disputer and went hunting for Pig. I found him hiding and marched him out into the courtyard and stood him against the wall in the courtyard. The same courtyard he had Liselle and I walk in every day naked and in chains. The slimy piece of crap tried to bribe me to let him go!" Gary's voice rose in anger. He took a breath and continued in a more normal tone. "I refused and asked if he had seen the sunrise. Then I shot him. Vaporized the son of a bitch on the spot. I hope he burns in hell for all eternity." He looked at Myne, "Sorry Myne, got a bit carried away."

Myne pressed herself tighter against him. She could not hug him, but at least she could try to offer some support to her friend, her freshly minted big brother. "I get that. I am glad you managed to come out... sane... on the other side. It must have been difficult. Actually... it was difficult, harrowing, and a living hell. I know." She paused for a moment to lean forward and press her forehead into his chin to nudge him, an attempt at maybe a friendlier gesture with a fist, something she must have seen in an Earth movie. "You were kind, you only killed him. A past me would have done worse. You should be proud you have shown so much restraint, to only take his life and nothing more." Looking back at him, the young Trill seemed much older than her physical age showed, and her tone much graver. "I wish I could tell you there was a hell for him to burn in Gary. But I never actually died as Redal, I was always removed before each death occurred. But I can tell you what haunt my dreams, the moments before. And if he experienced what I have so many times, then it was a fitting end for Pig."

Gary smiled at Myne and her words of comfort. She couldn't hug him but he could and did hug her. "Thank you, Myne, thank you for your kind words of support and comfort. You are a good sister. To be honest, I did punch him several times and hit him with a pain stick. But shooting him so nothing remained seemed fitting. He was scum and dirt and he didn't deserve anything more. What he did to poor Liselle, was inhuman. He deserves no further thought." He looked at her. "Thank you for listening. It means a lot to me."

He then sighed. He was glad to have shared a small part of himself with Myne. He trusted her, not that what he had said was classified or secret, but it also wasn't common knowledge and he preferred to keep it that way. "You questioned if anyone else survived. No one from the prison camp did but from the Solstice, many of the crew survived and were rescued by Starfleet ships." He didn't mention Catlin. He didn't want to burden Myne with that. Only Lia knew about Catlin. "So, you see I have a dark side. One very few people know about, and I like it like that."

"Now you're talking. That feels more appropriate. Still, three years." Myne shook her head. "You are made of very stern stuff Gary, seriously. Vede would have loved you on his crew. The Ferengi were big on Earth pirates from movies at the time, so Vede saw all Humans as supposed to have a hook for a hand, an eye patch, and a peg leg, so you would have had to you know, get those. Also, talk with an accent, but heck, he would have loved someone with your kind of spine. Ferengi don't make for good pirates, for all their virtues, courage is not usually one of them."

"Well, at least some survived, there's that. And you as well. Do not worry, your tale is safe with me. Have I told you by the way how Vede died? It was rather cool, I still wake up some nights, and the memories of that day are quite vivid still. It was like in one of those Adam Eve movies from the Wild East of Australia!!" Myne chuckled getting everything wrong with her reference.

Gary nodded soberly. "Yes, three years. A small smile made its way to his face. "Thank you, Myne for saying that. I just did what needed to be done. I got rid of the trash." He chuckled at Myne's comment that he should have been a pirate. "A pirate? Perhaps but I'm not getting a hook for a hand or a peg leg. Now an eye patch, that's doable. So is speaking with an accent." He nodded, "Yeah gotta agree with you on the courage aspect with Ferengi. Haven't known any with marked courage." He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He could still see the wrecked bridge, and hear the screams of the injured and dying. He still smelled the burnt ozone lingering in the air. The red alert klaxons wailing. The lights flickering and creating an atmosphere worthy of any horror movie. It was still fresh in his mind after all these years, and he suspected it would always remain that way. Thankfully Caitlin had managed to escape. He opened his eyes and shifted his gaze back to Myne. "No, you haven't. Cool? Now that sounds interesting." He commented before he shook his head at her in amusement. "Adam, Eve from the Wild East of Australia? I think you have references slightly askew Myne. However please tell me this cool story of how Vede died."

"Oh yeah, you'd make an awesome pirate. As for my darling Ferengi, I have never met such an interesting culture, almost entirely bereft of violence. Starfleet officers and the Federation tends to view the Ferengi unfairly, discredit them and see them as spineless cowards. But they are not, they've built a society that is certainly based on profit and gain, but there is no violence, and there are no conflicts with thousands or millions of deaths. Compared to the history of Earth before the Federation, Ferengi culture is almost a utopia." She chuckled losing herself a bit when thinking of the times she had spent among them.

"Ah right, Vede. Yeah, I will never get any references properly from Earth, sorry. Your culture is a confusing, convoluted mess. But yes, so here I was, a veritable Robin Hood, robbing Cardassian convoys for resources and prisoners to hand over to the Bajoran resistance. As well as other occupied or threatened worlds. All the while still turning up quite a profit here and there in order to pay my Ferengi crew aboard the 'Plausible Deniability'. Such a good ship it was, DaiMon Tegal had been a prominent Ferengi officer, but I still had to shoot him when I led the mutiny against him. It had been years since then, and the Cardassians really hated me. I had blown a few of their ships, using traps and bait mostly, vented out a whole colony into space, and committed acts that would be counted as war crimes."

Myne looked up as she recalled that part of her life. "They hated me so much and I hated them. My quest to fill the Ark continued and it went well during my time as Vede, but with each passing year, I became less and less Vede and more and more Redal. Hatred began to fill me and paranoia began to rule my mind, losing myself more to it with each passing month. I started losing my allies by acting out against them, the Ferengi and Klingons. Eventually, I made enemies of them too, but no one could catch me and my crew was too terrified to act out against me."

Sighing she shook her head and continued. "I cannot pinpoint when I had become a monster, but I was too blind to see it. Until I attacked a Federation convoy. They... did not surrender and I acted... like I always did. The lives I took made the Federation finally act against me. Unlike the Klingons, Ferengi and Cardassians, the Federation was not as predictable, and you idealist pricks... crap sorry Gary. Got lost being a bit too Vede there for a moment. I meant to say that the idealist nature of the Federation meant that the individuals who ended up in the captain's chair ended up being of brilliant, impressive character."

A smile crept on her face, wide and joyful. "It was brilliant. The chase, the battles, the narrow escapes, it took the Federation two years to finally catch me. Two years of living and escaping by the edge of my teeth. But eventually, they actually caught me in a trap. One I had used against the Cardassians more than a decade earlier. I did not see it, too lost in my infallibility, pride, and paranoia. I had stopped trying to fill the Ark and the purpose Redal had imprinted upon me. To this day I believe Redal made me miss that trap on purpose, so I would get caught. When the marines boarded the Plausible Deniability my crew surrendered and I was left alone to fight them off. Took a blaster right in the chest, and to this day I wake up at night feeling the burn. You never forget a death like that! Took two marines with me though, I refused to go down easily."

Gary listened in silence as Myne spun her story. One thing in Myne's long list of accomplishments was her ability to tell a story. Her voice was full of emotion that lent to the nature and tone of the story. She was animated not as much as he was sure she would be normally, but her hands were still bound behind her back. He could just see her waving her hands about as she jumped on the couch. He listened as Myne told of Vede's beginning and the good he did in fighting the Cardassians. How he was a modern-day Robin Hood helping the downtrodden and oppressed. However, as his fame and reputation grew so did his hatred of the Cardassians and in turn, his actions grew more violent.

His eyes widen at Myne's telling of Vede venting an entire colony into space. He stopped her story and interrupted her. "He did what? Vented an entire colony into space? Why? For what purpose? Just his hatred of the Cardassians? I can see why he was losing allies and his crew feared him. He had gone off the deep end. He had gone from being a savior to being the very thing he hated.... a monster. His perspective was gone. He developed tunnel vision. All he saw and knew was his hatred of the Cardassians. He might have gotten away with his actions toward the Cardassians but he went too far in attacking a Federation convoy. The Federation takes a lot and sits on its hands more than it should in an attempt to get along but even they have a breaking point and attacking a convoy was it. However, when they did decide to take action, it took two years to catch Vede and that was because he refused to see what was happening around him." He paused and looked at Myne. "A blaster to the chest? Ouch. Yes, you are a fighter. Taking two marines with you proves that." Gary admitted. He spoke again, "So, there had to be a Trill ship close by to take Redal and put it in another Trill. Right?"

Myne seemed to hesitate for a moment as her expression went sour. "I was not DaiMon Vede yet, I was still the chief operations officer though. And I had been guiding DaiMon Tegal for a while. In many respects, I had already been running the ship and was known to do so for some time. We attacked a Cardassian colony, stunned the population, and loaded everyone in our cargo bays. The goal had been to turn them over to a Bajoran resistance cell so they would force the Cardassian at the negotiation table to gain at least something in return to help their struggle. It would have also led us to quite some profit, at least by selling what we plundered from the colony."

Pressing herself against him, Myne continued, refusing to speak of Vede as a different person, but accepting that she was or has been Vede after all. "Tegal was incompetent at the best of times. And we ended up in the tractor beam of a Cardassian warship. Our shields were still holding, so I sprung my mutiny. Shot DaiMon Tegal and became DaiMon Vede. My first order was to vent out all the colonists into space. I wish I could tell you how or why I decided that was the course of action, but I can't. Even back then, once I understood what I had done, it took months to get over the shock. Where did the impulse come from? The Cardassians dropped the beam on us and started to transport their colonists as quickly as they could into their own ship. We bolted at that very second, and it was the start of the decades long hatred between me and their union."

Sighing she shook her head. "I condone my actions now, but the worse of that guilt was born by Sudra. He tried to make amends for many of Vede's actions over the years, but with little success. But hey, I got what was coming to me, right? Got killed, almost like an execution! I have to say those final moments are a maelstrom of emotion. Glee over killing those pathetic Starfleet marines on one hand." Her tone changed for that last line, with a strange, unlike Myne glee, as if reliving Vede's emotions back then. But then it changed to a sort of contented happiness. "And relief, over my torment and agony being over, relief over being punished for the sins that I let get out of hand."

"One moment I am shooting back at the marines, then pain blinds me. The kind of pain I cannot even begin to describe, the feeling of cells dying for an instant that lasted an eternity. The next moment I am in a Starfleet's ship morgue, looking down at... me. At the former me with a burnt chest. I am Sudra and all I feel is grief and sorrow, I can't stop crying as I am assaulted by the weight of all of my actions and all the suffering I have brought. And hatred for myself, such blinding hatred over the carcass I had once worn and in which I had committed such atrocities."

Sighing deeply Myne shook herself as if trying to push away emotions of two other different lifetimes, trying to stop them from overwhelming them. "Sudra was the operations officer of the ship sent to capture me. And it was not a chance of fate that he was an Unjoined Trill assigned to that ship. I had made preparations centuries ago. Kajan Redal, the second Redal host, well basically me in my second iteration so to speak. Right after Iza Redal took in what I now understand is an irony of fate, four kinetic rounds that ended her life. As Kajan I was quite the politician, and let us say I have established contingencies to ensure that Redal always finds a host. The kind of contingencies that are still in effect today. Honestly never expected my tentacles from over three and a half centuries ago to reach this far."

Gary listened attentively as Myne continued with her story. She pressed herself into him and he didn't object. She spoke of killing DaiMon Tegal and taking command. she spoke of taking an entire colony hostage. It was all spoken in a calm and concise manner like reading from a book. Her explanation continued as she spoke of being captured in a Cardassian tractor beam and venting the colony population into space to escape. The incident was the start of mutual hatred between the two for years to follow. He looked down at her as she pressed into him. "Condone? Myne how can you condone what a previous host did? You are right Vede dissolved into a monster, and I am so very sorry that you are burdened with those memories. You don't deserve that. Vede deserved to be killed like that for not only what he did but for not realizing what was happening to him. he became the very thing he hated."

He squeezed Myne softly as she spoke so calmly in a detached manner of dying and then becoming Sudra and having to deal with the weight of Vede's action. He only now realized the enormity of the weight Myne carried with her. How it would be so easy to get lost in the memories of others and in doing so lose herself. He made a silent vow to never let that happen to her. She deserved to be happy to change the course of the Redal symbiont. He looked at her as she spoke of having plans in place to make sure Redal has a host.

"I have to say Myne I am impressed with your organization in having these plans in place. It is most impressive. You should be very proud of yourself." With each passing minute, he grew more and more impressed with her and her strength of character. Especially now with all they had been through in the holodeck. Now here they were in Myne's quarters, and she was still securely bound hand and foot by that damn Nanny program. He didn't think he could be as calm and accepting as she was if their roles had been reversed. He was quite honestly surprised she hadn't struggled to free herself. "Myne, I want you to be happy, to have a good life. I will always be here for you. " He smiled as he said his next. "Guess it is my turn for another story. Right?"

Myne looked at Gary for a long moment confused and worry before she began to mentally go back through what she said. Shock appeared on her face as her eyes widened and she shook her head furiously. "No no no, I am sorry Gary, that is not what I meant. Federation standard fails me at times and when talking about my past I tend to think a bit too much in Trill. I meant that I do not condone and that I do judge my actions as Vede. I did not use the word properly, my mistake, I am sorry. Even four centuries-old young operation officers can make mistakes."

As she tried to pass her mistake as a joke, she nodded gravely. "But you are right, I did become a monster. And it was not the first lifetime during which I did so either." Pressing herself against him and the hand that squeezed her to comfort her, she continued her tale. "I am not sure I can double my efforts from when I was Kajan. The world felt as if it was at my very fingertips back then. People and the masses would hang on to my every word. This was before you Humans discovered space flight by the way. Iza, my first host was blinded by Redal, but as Kajan I knew better. And I understood the purpose of what was then the infancy of the Ark. So yeah, even if I as Myne were to die, there is a contingency in place to see Redal find a new host to continue."

Exhaling and smiling warmly, she nodded at Gary. "Thank you Gary. You are the best big brother a crazy Trill could ask for! Though, you know, I am older and younger at the same time." She chuckled and nudged herself against him playfully. "Now yes, it is your turn. Go go big guy, amaze me!"

Gary listened as Myne clarified what she meant in regard to Vede and his actions. It was clear she was upset that she had given him the wrong idea. She shook her head furiously to clear up the mistake. "Myne it is okay, don't worry about it. Everyone makes mistakes even centuries-old operation officers." He teased her back. Hoping she would see that no harm was done. That she simply misspoke. He grew silent as she pressed into him as he continued to comfort her. She spoke of her past. How it seemed she could do anything as she said the world at her fingertips and the beginning of the Ark. "Myne you aren't dying at least no time soon and I hope not for a very long time." He replied solemnly. "Though I am pleased to hear that you have contingency plans in place for Redal." He gave her another hug. "You Myne are the best sister, I could ever ask for or want. You aren't crazy silly. You are refreshing and liberating. In a word unique."

He paused for a moment. "Amaze you? I will try my best first. If you don't mind, I want to look at your ropes closer." He said as he looked at the ropes binding her ankles. They were as tight as ever, showed no sign of loosening, and the material if that was what indeed was, was foreign to him. He didn't check the ropes at Myne's elbows or wrists knowing they would be just as tight as they had been when Myne was first bound. He sighed in frustration at this bit of knowledge. Leaning back, he spoke. "Okay, here it is the ropes at your ankles are just as tight as they ever were. No loosening, no fraying just tight. I'm sure your wrists are exactly the same. Damn Nanny!" He grumbled. "You know we don't know if these ropes will dissolve, disappear in two days. It may be longer than that." He pointed out.

Gary continued to vent. "I don't know what Nanny was thinking. That is, one seriously messed up program Myne." He grumbled. "You are helpless. Your ropes haven't loosened in the slightest. Thankfully you have your robot butlers and me to help you. Get you anything you need. The worse thing is there is nothing we can do to change this. All we can do is sit and wait and hope."

"Hey, I don't plan on dying anytime soon either. Kinda the point is to live a long and happy life without going insane!!" She said with conviction and humor. "And yeah, even centuries-old operation officers make mistakes." She sighed and shifted in place to let Gary check her bindings while blushing at him calling her unique. That was the kind of thing Myne wasn't really used to, compliments always felt wrong to her from most people.

"Figured, I really wanna find out how the Nanny made these. I swear this is revolutionary stuff. If I can duplicate this, it will sell like hot grub cakes on Earth. Humans tend to be very very naughty people!!" She chuckled and made light of the situation, to hide her disappointment in the fact that she couldn't have her limbs free anytime soon. But she had already vented her frustration once, she did not need to do so again. Sudra and Vede might have been quicker to anger, but for Myne anger was an emotion that held no real sway over her.

"Big bro, you'll need to come to visit and feed me if these last two more days. Otherwise, I swear my bots are going to set up a fire and roast me over it." Myne laughed once again. "And yeah, Nanny is a messed up program, most are. Wouldn't you be if your entire civilization and purpose of existing is wiped out around you, leaving you alone for hundreds of years? Actually, for AI it is millions of years. How would you fare to be alone for that long surrounded by the bones of your creators? This, Zeus guy you Humans worshipped on Earth for two thousand years or so, in that Roma city place. What if he fell to Earth as a manifested being, your creator and you were alone on Earth and saw your god die and rot before you? And you'd have to stand vigil over him for millions of years? Biologicals do not understand the true horror of being a synthetic entity or a digital one."

Gary was silent as Myne spoke of not dying. He saw her blush at his compliment. Then he spoke, "Well, I for one am glad you aren't planning on dying anytime soon. Be happy and live long." He replied at her infectious humor. Then he took another look at her bindings. They were tight and secure, with no sign of coming loose. He knew Myne had to be frustrated at this situation no matter how well she concealed the fact. "I don't know what she used to make your binds Myne. I do know they resist all my efforts to untie them. Looks like you're going to have to continue to wait this out. I am sorry." He said with conviction. He nodded at her comment about finding out what Nanny used to construct her bindings and then sell them. "Yeah, I think you are right about them selling like hotcakes. You can even offer your own personal seal of approval on them. You know, certified inescapable by Myne." He bantered back a grin on his face. He continued, "I seriously doubt your robot butlers are going to set up a fire and roast you over it Myne. Now, they might just decide to get into mischief since you can't stop them."

He continued, "I'll do whatever It takes to help you in your current situation." He stated with conviction. "Not going to leave you alone." he smiled as Myne spoke of Zeus and Rome. "Zeus was a god, worshiped by the Romans and yes, I understand what you are saying about synthetic or digital beings. Though I must confess I hadn't given it much thought up to now. A question for you, " How do you think your bots view you? As a god? After all, you created them. If they view you as a god, what does it do to their thinking to see you bound and helpless? Does it create a problem they can't understand? How do they cope with what they are seeing?" As he waited for Myne to answer he went back to a previous topic. Speaking of feeding you. Are you hungry? I can fix you something to eat and feed you." He offered helpfully as he hated seeing Myne helpless and wanted to do all he could to help her and make time pass slightly more comfortably for her or so he hoped.

"Sorry for all the questions Myne. I just find this fascinating. Not you bound and helpless but the bots view of their creator." Gary explained. "Would they even be aware that another program is responsible for your current situation and if so, how does that affect them?" He stopped, "Sorry, I'm getting carried away. I'll be quiet so you can answer my flood of questions."

"No one likes dying Gary. It sucks, trust me I know. And I've lived long already. Honestly, Redal is already growing bigger and bigger. I think I might be either the last or among the last hosts. Will have to see how big he gets depending on how long I will live as Myne." Myne shrugged at Gary and shook her head. "Just relax big bro, they will come off when they will. We tried, nothing to do now but wait honestly. No reason to cry over spilled honey!"

With a hearty laugh, she nodded. "Yup yup, Myne approved for Human consumption! Do not actually try to eat them, no refunds and complaints are to be directed to the closest trash bin!" She laughed again as she went on with the amusing thought.

"Oh, yeah, they would totally roast me if they thought it would be funny. I am sure of it. I see you there!!" The last part she yelled at the bed. From under it the spider bot appeared and shook its manipulator arm at Myne and went back under it. This made her chuckle and nudge Gary. "Hah, told ya!"

"And you won't fool me, I know for a fact that neither Remans nor Romulans worship Human gods. I was talking about the Zeus god that people had that Papa guy represent in the boot-shaped country!" Myne shook her head, very certain of her knowledge of Earth religions.

"Also no, they don't view me as such Gary. I did not create them. I made the shells, yes, the physical bodies. But the programs running them are not of my making. They are residents of the Ark who accepted to have fun outside of the Ark and experience existence as physical beings. Well, as best as I could help them fit in, or parts of them. Most are subroutines of the actual AIs, and when they return to the Ark their experiences will be absorbed by their respective AIs when they reintegrate them."

Myne took a deep breath after her explanation and continued. "They see me as the, erm... building administrator of the building they all live in? That would be a good analogy. Also, yes, would like some food, I am starving and it feels like we've been in the Holodeck for days!!"

"Can't argue with you there Myne. Dying or the thought of dying does suck." He smiled at her sitting on the couch, her legs though bound out in front of her. Her wrists are secure behind her back. "Relax, she says. Easier said than done Myne. Yes, I know we tried but I don't take failure very well. However, you are right in saying all we can do is wait. Oh, it's split milk, not honey." He looked at Myne and then at the bots scattered about the room and a mischievous grin came to his face. "You think they would roast you? Let's find out." He looked at the bots. "Guys, new task. Roast Myne, she can't stop you." He waited to see what would happen as he waited he shook his head at her, "Not Romulans silly, Romans," He paused, "Boot-shaped country? Oh, you mean Italy, and the Papa guy is called the Pope." He looked at her, "Your Earth history is terrible." He said with a humorous grin. "I thought you said Garrett told you to learn it?" I take it he never tested to see just how well you learned it." A soft chuckle following that comment.

He considered what she said in regards to the bots view of her. "An administrator? Yes, I suppose they would. I like that analogy. makes sense at least to me. Thank you for explaining it Myne and I apologize for the torrent of questions. Though you didn't create them you gave them their bodies and their freedom of movement. Certainly, that counts for something." He offered as he looked at the bots and they seemed to be having a discussion among themselves, casting a look back at Myne every now and then. He slapped his hands together, "Great! Can't have you starve on my watch, and you are right it does seem like we were in the holodeck for days. Now, that said, what would you like in the way of food? What suits your fancy? I'm sure the replicators can come up with anything you desire. Maybe I should ask, what are you in the mood for? Soup. salad, sandwich, a full meal. We can cover all the bases er options for what you want. So, speak up sis. What do you desire?" He asked, hands on hips, smiling at her.

Gary continued, "If you like I can even fix you something. I am if I do say so myself an excellent cook. So. you can go that route if you desire." He tilted his head at her, "You have many options here Myne. The only option you don't have is to be able to feed yourself." He continued, "So, speak up. What's on your mind?"

"I don't get that, honey can't be spilled? Or do you Humans spill only milk? Wouldn't it be like spoiled milk since it spoils more quicker? And you know what, my Earth history is amazing alright? I tried to do what Super Garrett said and I read up on Earth. It's just you guys have such a confusing, recursive, and contradicting history that it all just becomes a jumbled mess!! So you're telling me the Romulan Empire started on Earth and not Vulcan? And Pope or Papa, don't they mean the same thing?" Myne let out an exasperated sigh, the same sigh a student would make when having to deal with the most excruciating, boring, and tedious subject matter in the whole universe.

Thankfully she was saved by a sprocket striking Gary right mid-center mass and doing... absolutely no damage, the freaking sprocket was rather tiny. But the message from the crab like bot who threw it was rather clear: 'we don't take orders from you, meatbag.' The last part was implied or at least should have been implied from how the crab like bot was shaking its manipulator arm at Gary. Though the spider bot and a few of the others did appear from under the bed with screwdrivers and other tools to use as 'pitchforks and torches' and slowly approached Myne as menacingly as they could.

Overall, it was an adorably cute moment in all honestly. They rattled their tools at Myne before she started throwing Ferengi curses at them and they all scampered off back under the bed. "Told you Gary!! They are just waiting, the tiny bot rebellion is upon me!!" She chuckled and looked at Gary with a silly grin. "Yeah, I created the bodies they use for now. It counts in the sense they listen to what I tell them, but that's about it. No dreams of respect or anything, some of these programs are very rude. As I said, most spent a ridiculous amount of time alone so that isolation has left its mark on them."

Looking at her replicator, set aside from its normal socket in the wall and placed on a support she made and fixed to the wall next to it. "Erm, bro, are all of those things you proposed like... Earth food? Nooo thank you, your food is terrible and most of the time poison! Like that coffee thing. Just get me anything Ferengi, like I would totally go for A ChiggerBurger, it's supposed to be made out of people who refuse to eat a ChiggerBurger. It is delicious. Also some Tube grub, the tube worms are just sooo very tasty, a Slug-o-Cola, and I think we can share a Gree worm if you want!!" Myne was already salivating at the thought of the most delicious Ferengi foods she could think of at that moment.

Gary grinned at her, "Yes honey can be spilled but the saying is "spilled milk." Your Earth history is um unique Myne, I'll give you that. It isn't confusing to us." He countered. with a smile. He sighed and shook his head. "Not the Romulan Star Empire. The Roman Empire. totally different. Papa is usually the name for the male father figure of a family. The Pope is the bishop of Rome. Leader of the Catholic church." He explained. Just as he was hit in the forehead with a tiny sprocket. He blinked once, twice, and then laughed at the bot. "Got spirit there crabby but watch it otherwise I'll take you apart and make you a toaster." He playfully threatened.

He watched as the other bots approached Myne with screwdrivers, wrenches, and pliers shaking them at Myne and looking mildly menacing. That is until Myne started cussing at them in Ferengi and they scattered, scrambling to get back under the bed, table, or desk. Not realizing Myne couldn't do anything except yell and cuss at them as she was securely bound. "Cowards." Gary called to them in a teasing tone before addressing Myne. "No, it proves my point. They acted tough but couldn't go through with it. They are loyal to you Myne."

He looked at the wall replicator as Myne spoke of Earth food and how terrible it was. "You haven't had the right food then if you think Earth food is terrible. Ever had a vanilla milkshake? Or a pizza? Or spaghetti with meatballs? Or a hot dog? I'll put Earth food up against anyones. In fact, once your binds fall off if they ever do." He groused, "I'll fix you an Earth meal. However, if you want a ChiggerBurger and some Tube grub along with a Slug-o- Cola, I'll fix it for you. I'll even prepare a Gree worm for you." He said, having no idea what a Gree worm was other than the fact Myne seemed to love it. "So tell me. would a ChiggerBurger with a side order of Tube grub along with a Slug-o-Cola be alright with you?"

"Well see now big bro? You just threw at me a lot of words that sound like gibberish. Catatonic church, Not Romulan Empire, and a word that sounds like a father but is not father, but people see it as a father of your Zeus god guy." Myne shook her head genuinely ending up more confused than she was in terms of the topics presented. Earth history and culture will forever remain a nebulous, chaotic mystery for her.

"You're confusing loyalty with convenience Gary!! Hahaha, naaah, they're just having fun because they're bored. Still, I wouldn't bet on a bot rebellion either!" Myne chuckled before thinking of what Gary proposed for food. The thought made her visibly cringe as she began to speak about Earth food. "Please just... no! I got teased mercilessly at the Academy with people sneaking in Earth food on my plates. I was sick so often. Like, milkshakes are disgusting, pizza feels like eating sand, spaghetti is like Tube grubs but wrong, and hot dogs are... oh stars..."

The mention of hot dogs makes Myne very very visibly sick like she's about to faint. "Just.. oh stars, I can't even think about hot dogs, or else I am going to barf. How can you Humans eat all of those things? Even Cardassian food is better, and everything about them and their culture are bland. Just, please Gary, get me my delicious Ferengi foods that actually are healthy and tasty!"

Gary listened as Myne rattled about words that sounded like gibberish. he shook his head at her, " Little sis, it's not Catatonic church Myne. they aren't in some sort of coma. It is the Catholic church. Roman Empire and not Romulan and finally Pope, not Papa. Though the term Papal can be sometimes used, but we won't get into that. What I would like to know is what information source did you use to read up on Human history? Because whatever it was, it gave up a bunch of bad information. I can see why you would be confused."

He glanced at the small band of bots, under the bed and table "Maybe I am." He conceded. "But I'd hate to see them get fed up and decide to roast you Myne." He saw her visibly cringe in her bonds as he mentioned Earth food. "I'm not going to tease you Myne, that would be mean. I just think you are giving the food a bad rap. Milkshakes are heavenly. Pizza is divine, spaghetti is fabulous and hot dogs... well are hot dogs and that makes them unique."

He looked at her, his mouth agape as Myne looked like she was about to faint, which could be bad if she fell off the couch-bound as she was."Whoa! Don't faint!" He exclaimed as he rushed to her side. "Okay, no more talking of hot dogs. As to how we can eat it, I guess the simplest thing to say, is it is all that you are accustomed to. You like Ferengi food and drink. " He shook his head, "Cardassian food tastes like cardboard, wet cardboard. So, I don't want that, that is just yuck." He nodded at her request. "Give me a few minutes and I'll have everything you asked for. How does that sound?" He stopped, "Oh! While you eat, I regale you with a story."

"Oh? Crap... so you mean to tell me that the Federation database of Earth culture is full of bad information? I genuinely just looked things up in the ship's files on Earth. Oh thank the stars it is bad information, some of the things I read I knew had to be false. Like how there was this country called the Unified something something of Astmerica I think, who did such terrible things! I mean what kind of government would ever authorize the use of atomic weaponry on the same planet they live on? Or on any inhabited planet for that matter. Right? Phew, and apparently there were other countries who just blew up atomic weaponry to test them, like thousands of them. I think their names were Rasia, Frankia, Anglia, Nindia, and Ceaina." Myne looked obviously relieved that what she read on Human history of atomic experimentation and warfare was just made up. Though probably... what she read was true but Earth culture simply confused the alien Trill and she couldn't really keep up with the convoluted history of Humanity.

"Well, if my bots ever roast me at least I have faith I will taste delicious. Like genuinely, one of the bots was a cooking AI originally for a species of underwater hexapods. I know he'd make me taste like pure bliss!" Myne chuckled and smiled brightly, obviously relieved to have Gary stop trying to feed her terrible Human food. "Thank you, big bro. Sorry, believe me, please, I tried Human food. I would rather face Starfleet marines again as Vede and get shot than eat anything Earth-based. Its taste is sickening me, the smell is nauseating... it is just... gross. Please, just tasty, healthy, scrumptious Ferengi foods for me!! Nothing animal, just lovely tasty bugs and veggies!!"

Gary tried not to stare at Myne as she began rattling off what she had read from the ship's database on Earth's history. Her mangling of nations' names made him wonder if she was putting him on but she looked and sounded so earnest he decided she was on the level. He chose not to continue the discussion by explaining what she read (except for the nation name mangling) was true. It would only confuse her more. It was a topic best left for another day and time.

"Um right, Myne, who would do such a terrible thing? That's horrendous." He replied and moved to another topic and that was Myne's absolute disgust of Earth Food. "Will you stop it? Your bots are not going to roast you, They like, well they respect you. Besides if they did decide to roast you. They would need to start a fire and the ship's sensors would pick it up. Not to mention you are bigger than they are. They would have to incapacitate you and I don't see that happening. I mean do you? Really? They would have to have you already helpless to even have a chance." He stopped as he realized he had veered off topic. "I wish you felt differently about Earth food Myne but I respect your decision. I hope one day, you will give it a try again." He grinned t her, "Okay, one Chiggerburger, a Slug-o- cola, and a side order of Tube grub coming up." He told her yet the very thought of it made him nauseous. "Anything else or does that cover it?"

As he waited for Myne's reply. He thought about the story he was going to tell her. It wasn't long but it was funny, and he was the one suffering the consequences. He would tell her as she ate. He also realized he was going to have to feed Myne, seeing she was still bound unless he wanted her 'graze' that is eat her meal off the plate which would result in getting food all over her face. No, better to feed her. Certainly neater.

"Oh? What if they disable the sensors in the cabin, hmmm? Then what genius? I would totally disable the sensors first if I wanted to roast you! Also, I am bound and even if I weren't they could wait for me to fall asleep and then strike!! I am sure one of them used to be a tactical AI, so it should at the very least know that!" Myne chuckled enjoying the ridiculousness of this line of conversation.

"Hey, I am not trying to make you eat Ferengi or Cardassian food. Really now, I noticed this about all Humans I've worked with big bro. You Earthlings keep insisting that everything made on Earth is perfect, I don't get it. Like eighty percent of the holodeck programs are like about your Wild West... East... Cowmen, that Shakethespear rock band, lots of your twenty and twenty-first century things, speakheavy clubs, Earth games, the two world wars, and so on. Honestly now, even if you take into account that more of you Earthlings completely ignore everything your culture has produced after the twenty-first century in terms of books, music, and philosophy, the entirety of Starfleet seems obsessed with Human culture."

Myne ranted and sighed, nodding at him. "Yes, Chigger Burger, Slug-o-cola, and the side of Tube grub thank you, big bro. That covers it, quite the full meal I have to say and very very tasty and delicious! You should try it since you were so eager to convince me Earth food is the bestest." Chuckling she leaned her head back against the couch. "I don't get it big bro, really I don't. No one wants to talk about Klingon poetry, there is an entire current of authors writing about things other than battle and they are sublime in how they describe worlds beyond compare. Romulan prose and theater have such conflicts and drama that put that Shakethespear guy to shame. Or Cardassian spy movies and thrillers, as well political theory. Ferengi economic and culinary shows, game shows, and books. Not to mention Vulcan poetry, games, and philosophy. Like there are a hundred cultures out there to experience, but everyone aboard every Starfleet ship is obsessed with Earth, or at best Klingon, but even then the difference is enormous in volume."

Gary couldn't help but chuckle as Myne continued the silliness of the bots revolting against her. "Good point. However, the smoke would get into the ventilation shaft and eventually make its way to a working sensor and that would trigger alarms. Of course, it might be too late for the person being roasted in this case you, but help would arrive. Yes, you are bound and quite securely, so the bots wouldn't have to worry about you wiggly free." He continued. "I'd sleep lightly Myne. They may come for you when you sleep." Gary teased.

"I've had Ferengi and Cardassian food before. It tastes like wet cardboard. I've also had Klingon and Romulan food. So, it's not like I haven't tried food from other cultures, thank you very much." He shook his head, "We're proud of most of our history, not the world wars obviously but they are part of our history and need to be accepted. Along with our culture and food. But I don't insist that it is perfect." He sighed, "It's Wild West and cowboys, speakeasy clubs, not speak heavy. I don't ignore everything our culture has produced after the twenty-first century. There are lots of good examples, of good music, books, art, and philosophy. If Starfleet is obsessed with Earth or Human culture, it is with good reason. Earth is the birthplace of Starfleet."

"Tell you what, I'll get you the food you requested, and I'll even try Tube grub." He chuckled "I never said it was bestest Myne. I'll just put up against any other culture's food." He watched as she leaned back and rested her head on the couch. "It's not that no one wants to talk about Klingon poetry or Romulan prose and theater. Or even Cardassian spy movies or Vulcan philosophy and games. It's not knowing anything about them. People are only familiar with what they see and hear. You don't hear talk of Klingon poetry or Romilan theater because that would make them have the same likes and interests as we do and my little sis would it harder to hate them, especially with the Romulans. I mean I didn't know about Romulan theater. You just don't think about it and I was among them for three years. As for putting Shakespeare and not Shakethespeare by the way to shame. I can't comment. I only know that Shakespeare was and is considered one of the greatest playwrights in Earth's history. However, if you would like to broaden my knowledge by telling me about them, I will gladly listen. You can do it after I come back with your food."

"Well... what if they boil me then!? Huh?! There's no smoke when you boil something!!" Myne muttered and poked her tongue at Gary for ruining all her hopes and dreams of a successful bot rebellion against her. "And I, huh, never thought of it that way. Well, that makes sense why Starfleet is so obsessed with Earth stuff. Though you know what, I am very eager to challenge you to name me three poets and two songwriters from the twenty-second century and upwards!" Myne said firmly, not bothering that she was corrected for the thousandth time. She got used to it by now, it was part of the course after all.

"Wait, you tried Ferengi food and you're not addicted to Chigger Burgers and Slug-o-cola? It is literally in their advertisement that if you don't like their burgers, you're the next meat they will serve between the buns!!" Myne chuckled and started rhyming the very disturbing and graphic Ferengi advert for the Chigger Burger that heavily implied a soylent green fate for those who don't think Chigger Burgers are the best thing in the galaxy. "Honestly though big brother, you should watch some Romulan theater. They have an amazingly vibrant culture. Think of the Vulcans right? They already have a vast, deep culture already. Now take the Romulans who have splintered off from Vulcan and were desperate to create their own culture of no restrictions on emotions and other such things. The range the Romulan writers and playwrights explore is mind-boggling. It beats even Klingon opera, which also kicks Shakeyourspear in the butt!"

"Hmmm. Yeah they could boil you or stew you like a carrot. You couldn't stop them. Then no one would know your fate until they came to investigate why no one had seen you for days." Gary countered. He smiled at her, "Eager huh? Okay, I accept your challenge. Three poets and two songwriters. Okay, songwriters first. Coleman and Stooky. Now the poets. "Hammersmith, The Indian poet Morning Glory and let's see......." Gary paused as he thought of a third poet. "Got it!" He crowed. "The English poet O'Sullivan." He smiled in victory. "Now, what do I win?" He questioned.

He nodded, "I have tried Ferengi food. Not a Chigger Burger but what was it?" Gary paused as he thought of the Ferengi food he had. "Oh, wormghetti. That was it and I didn't have a Slug-o-cola either. Had some Ferengi mineral water. Damn stuff was full of rocks!" He griped. Then went back to the subject of art. "I promise to watch some Romulan theater. Next free moment I have. I am always interested in broadening my horizons. If it is rich and vibrant as you say, it should be an enjoyable experience. However, I doubt they would put Shakespeare to shame. I don't think any culture's playwrights could do that. However, that is my personal opinion." He paused, "May I ask you a question? Why do you dislike Earth history and culture so much? You don't like the food, you don't like the culture. What is it that you don't like?"

"Aha!! See!! I told you they could find a way to deal with me without anyone noticing!! Wait..." Myne trailed off for a moment and tilted her head to the side. "Why do I keep arguing with you about how my bots can better dispose of me?! Well, this line of thinking went down a really fun path!" She laughed wholeheartedly and looked at Gary with a bright smile. "Ah, so you do know you're after twenty-first history and culture. That's a relief, I find that most Humans do not. Also, I actually read Morning Glory and loved him! As for your prize, I will admit I know Shakespeare's real name, I just find it too funny not to mess with it."

"I mean think about it, what has he or his ancestor done to be named the one whose spear shakes or the one who shakes the spear? Either some ancestor of his was impotent, which given that he was born at some point means it is not that. Or his ancestor was a coward whose spear always shook before battle, and he was given that name to humiliate him. Soooo yeah, Shakethespear!! Also a term for going to the toilet for guys apparently! I will never say his name right!!"

Her bright smile turned to a goofy one for a moment before she nodded eagerly. "Wormghetti? Seriously? That is such a good choice, wormghetti is delicious and soo nutritious too!! As for Ferengi mineral water, it contains actual minerals, which is why it is so healthy silly big bro!!" She shook her head admonishingly at him. "You need to drink a Slug-o-cola with me then, at the very least."

"As for your question, think about it, silly big brother. I am four hundred years old. I was a mother and a surgeon not long after the Soviet Bloc fell on Earth, before you even had those fancy handheld devices, the precursors to tricorders. On Trill, I was part of the exploratory mission that analyzed our data after making first contact with the Vulcans and your people. I was there to spur debates in support of our joining the Federation. I've been to Earth so many times and I taught at the Academy in San Francisco you big silly freshly minted big brother of mine!! It's in my file!! I have had too many lifetimes to get saturated with your culture that is literally making me sick by this point to have everyone insist on me enjoying anymore. Like a good food or drink everyone forces you to swallow constantly."

Myne sighed, still smiling, and shook her head. "I am sick of it, it is as simple as that Gary. How many times does one have to listen to Shakeherspear in several centuries before it starts to sound like nails scratching on a chalk board? I am a Joined Trill, the fact that I've had three lives as an Operations Officer of one sort or another is taboo enough and hard to swallow. The fact that I've been taking care of the Ark is even more taboo. We're supposed to have completely different lives and experiences with each new host, that is the law, and that is the purpose. So yeah, for me, learning more or doing more Earth things after so much time doing them, is sinful at this point towards my own culture."

Gary laughed at her as she tilted her head to the side as she spoke first of her bots trying to get rid of her and obviously impressed that he did in fact know some Earth culture after the twenty-first century. "That's my prize? That you admit to knowing Shakespeare's real name?" He asked in disbelief. "Come on Myne, you can do better than that." He insisted. as he tried to wrap his head around Myne's argument about how Shakespeare got his name. His logic was, to say the least dazzling. "I have to admit I hadn't given much thought to how he got his name and after hearing this, I'm not sure I want to. You know, thinking about it, he could have been a blacksmith who shook the spears to cool them after taking them out of the forge." He looked at her, "Just a thought." He admitted with a grin.

"Yes wormghetti, in all its glory. With its chunky sauce and buttered onion rolls. I wasn't thinking of its nutritious value. or how healthy it might be. Definitely, a meal not to forget." He said sarcastically. He sighed. "Okay, I will drink a Slug-o-cola with you since you insist."

He did as she asked and thought about and could see her point which he told her. "Okay, I can see and accept that. For what it is worth I won't bug or pressure you about anything related to Earth food or culture. Your point is valid and well-stated. I apologize sis, I hadn't thought about it in those terms. I would get sick of it too if everyone bugged or pressured me to try. I know of your taking care of the Ark and what it entails. It is a full-time job. Dealing with all the programs stored in it and their own agendas like Nanny. I don't want you to disrespect your own culture Myne. Don't ever do that. Be proud of the Trill culture it is quite amazing and should take a backseat to no culture." He changed the subject, "How do you want your Chigger Burger and Tube of grub prepared? Have you thought about how you are going to eat it?" He teased.

"Well, I mean I could, but I a soo not telling you where the fabled Flor de la Mar is shipwrecked. I intend to eventually go to Earth and claim those riches and treasures for myself. Sooo you'll have to do with my admission that I am fudging Shakesanyspear's name for fun. And oooh boy, big bro, I really need to give you a crash course on blacksmithing. One does not put a spear into the forge since the handle is made out of wood, so you can imagine how counterproductive that would be. You have a woodcarver do the shafts, and the blacksmith does the spear tips. You know, those Reman Empire guys of your ancient history used to have detachable spear tips that would remain embedded into their enemies, so they carried spare spearheads to put on the shafts in order to continue fighting!"

Myne could not help herself but give poor Gary an impromptu lesson, the part of her that is Sudra, the old instructor, resurfacing for a moment. "Yeah, wormghetti is delicious, the chunky sauce is the best, but I could do without the onion rolls, they kind of take away from the taste. And yeah, I mean it is very nutritious and healthy, but you are right, the taste is absolutely divine." Her reply was genuine and she totally did not catch his sarcasm but instead took his words at face value with a bright smile. "Yay!! Slug-o-cola beats your coffee and tea any day of the week if you ask me! The perfect energizing drink!"

"Aaaand thank you, yeeep, sorry big bro, but at this point, I am over-saturated on Earth things. And no need to apologize, Humans pushing Earth culture on all the other races of the galaxy is kind of your thing. It's what sets Humans apart in a sense, cultural expansion and domination of other cultures. Kind of why the Cardassians and Romulans hate you by the way. And the Breen, and the Gorn, and the... actually I really shouldn't enumerate all of them, but trust me, it's a sadly lost list of sorts. I for one wish we had more nonbipedal and non Human-like races in the Federation. I mean hide my dots and I look like a pure Human. The same goes for Bajorans, Betazoids, Vulcans, and dozens of others. Weird how the majority of us evolved to look almost the same with minor differences, while the vast majority of us developed into a two-armed and two-legged structure, right? Sorry, my inner Iza is acting up."

She chuckled and exhaled, still smiling. "And don't worry about disrespecting my culture Gary. Honestly, Trill culture has also worn down on me after so many lifetimes. Hence why I am so fascinated with the Ferengi currently, they are at the very least entertaining. Honestly speaking, I like them because once you get past the greedy nature you Federation folks find it so appalling, then move past their physical aspect that really I find fascinating how most of Starfleet seems... erm, put off by them. With those two combined, there is an undertone of discrimination from Starfleet against them that truly is worth a study of."

Myne continued in her academic tone as she mused out loud. "Medium Gary, please, for the Chigger Burger, and the Tube grub make it steamed. As for eating it, you are totally going to feed me, so buckle up cowman! Or bovineboy? I forgot already buckleroo!" She chuckled. "But seriously, once you put aside the ingrained negative perception of Starfleet against them, and immerse yourself into their culture, you will find that the Ferengi have a wonderfully versatile and rich culture. One eager to integrate so much of other cultures in the name of profit, that honestly if guided properly some centuries before, they would have made amazing federation builders in their own right."

Gary sat and listened as Myne began talking. He listened as she talked of the fabled Flor de la Mar shipwreck. "Keep your secrets Myne." He joked. "I hope you do find and claim the riches." He sighed dramatically, "I suppose I will but I still think that is a poor prize." He shook his head at her. "I never said the whole spear, Miss Smarty Pants. I said the spear itself, not the shaft. However, I thank you for the history lesson." He cringed inwardly as she extolled the attributes of wormghetti and the chunky sauce it was covered in. "Yeah, the onion rolls leave something to be desired. Oh sure, you are absolutely correct. very nutritious and healthy." He finished without gagging. "As I haven't had a Slug-o-cola, I'll reserve judgment on it."

He listened as Myne spoke of being over-saturated by Earth things. "I think the Cardassians, Romulans, and Breen hate us for more than us pushing our culture on them, which we don't do. However, I am not going to get into socio-politics and what is involved in dealing with other governments. I don't mind more Gorn in the Federation or Hortas for that matter. Yes. " He agreed. "It is unusual how most of the races or species developed into two-legged creatures. Don't apologize. It is nice to see and hear you wax philosophical."

He shook his head, "No, I would never disrespect anyone's culture." He sighed as she spoke in high praise of the Ferengi and their culture. "I don't see what you see in them Myne. They appear to me to be a money-hungry society only interested in making a profit. Only looking out for their own interests. never doing anything for an altruistic reason. May I also remind you that this is the society that believes in the female being naked? So, they definitely have sexist attitudes toward women and how they are viewed. I mean, you could be lying there naked and bound if Nanny was a Ferengi program and not the sociopath program she is. So, consider yourself lucky."

He decided to tease her. "You want me to feed you after giving me such a poor prize? I don't know Myne. I'll have to think about this." He continued on, "One medium Chigger Burger with steamed Tube grub and a Slug-o-cola and it is a cowboy. I definitely need to get you to come to visit my ranch in Wyoming. Let you see a working ranch with horses and cows. "I think it is wonderful that you find Ferengi culture one to admire, and you may be right, perhaps if they had been properly guided centuries ago, they would be held in high esteem instead of how they are viewed today, One with little reason to trust. One is only interested in its own self-interests. When dealing with Ferengi, let the buyer beware."

"You might be joking, but I already know where the wreck is. When I was Sudra I had access to some pretty high-tier sensors in orbit of Earth. Just saying, if you want a cut, I could use a henchman for some other projects I have." Myne chuckled and teased him. "Yeah, now you're trying to save face, I doubt you ever even smithed a fork, big bro!! Booo!! And I am actually very well-versed in Human history, to a point. Actively trying to forget most of it. But let's talk more about fooooood!! I am starving!!"

"Also you might underestimate the Federation. Passive cultural contamination and influence are a thing. And the Federation does tend to like to force others, let us call them aliens to fit with the Earth-centric theme, to look at the state of affairs through their lens. If the Elysium were to meet a race of beings who communicate by cannibalism, wouldn't you be appalled and react badly when for those aliens it would be perfectly normal and kosher?" She asked raising an eyebrow at Gary.

"I once had the sad pleasure of meeting a race that would, well, have a single individual fill most of this cabin. With a long body that had its plates broken into segments, eight of them on the individual in question. Each segment had its own limbs that could be used as manipulators, eyes, and mouth. Try talking to a being with eight voices that speak at the same time, it was headache-inducing. Sadly, that individual was among the last of its kind and I think by this point they should be properly extinct. Got a navigation AI from them though, very fascinating to work with something not coded in ones and zeros."

"As for the Ferengi, I mean, they do seem like Humans from a few centuries ago, just with fewer wars and killing each other. And Ferengi do tend to be altruistic in their own ways. Sadly that happens less outside of their culture as they are aware of how the rest of the galaxy, specifically the Federation, views them. Not easy being altruistic when you are actively looked down upon and discriminated." With a shrug, Myne chuckled and shook her head.

"You have it wrong big bro. You know there was a culture on Earth that did the opposite right? Kept females so covered you could only see their eyes. But I know something you might not. Winds are changing on Ferenginar, and females are starting to get more rights, such as clothing and the right to earn profit. Apparently, things have been moved by events on DS9 near Bajor and the wormhole. Plus, I would not count the status of Ferengi females as sexist, but more like extremely misguided protectionism. Most Ferengi do tend to revere their mothers, but the inertia of what made their status so low seems to be fading away. Also, I would have you know I look amazing, so I wouldn't have minded being naked. Would have given me a chance to show off!! Haven't been intimate with anyone since... erm... a long time ago."

With a tilt of her head, Myne looked at Gary a bit weirdly. "How can you have a ranch? If only boys can tend to the cows, aka being cowboys, you would be a cowman, so you shouldn't have anything to do with a ranch anymore. And Ferengi is my current culture of the century. I used to be as hyped about Earth culture back in the day, until... erm... I got into some of the less fun parts of your culture and history. Damn you Humans put the freaking Klingons to shame, I can honestly tell you I have yet to meet a race that has been so tireless at killing each other like Humans."

Shaking her head and hearing her belly rumble Myne sighed. "How is that food coming?! I am hungry big bro!! Also, speaking of Ferengi, the problem is not with them, but with everyone else. Ferengi are very trustworthy, just get your business acumen on!! Honestly, it is just like dealing with a ship's quartermaster most of the time."

He shook his head. "I don't think that particular problem is exclusive to the Federation Myne. Klingons do it so do Romulans, they practically shove their views down your throat. Though your point is well taken. If a society thought murder was a normal way of life and the federation encountered it, I'm sure eyes would be raised to say the least and several high-level discussions would be taking place on how to proceed." He shook his head as Myne spoke of meeting a race that sounded to him like a variation of an Earth caterpillar. "I would have liked to meet them. I can see where speaking to him would be headache-inducing."

I'll take your word on the Ferengi and I'll even rethink my views on them. Not making any promises but I will be more open in viewing and dealing with them." He nodded his head. "There are still cultures on Earth that clothe their woman like that." He nodded his head, "I am happy to hear that the winds of change are reaching Ferenginar. Women should be afforded clothes and the right to make and earn a profit." He smiled at her as he said his next. "You look amazing huh? I believe you. Though I'm not sure you would have minded being naked, not with me here."

"He chuckled at her, "I have a ranch, a rather large one in fact. I will be happy to show you, one day. You can even ride a horse and see the workings of the ranch." He sighed, "I am not proud of Earth's past history, but I feel we have made huge advancements in our society and how we treat everyone." Gary laughed as Myne asked about food. "Should be done." He commented. "Like dealing with a ship's quartermaster." He repeated when Myne spoke of dealing with Ferengi. "Thanks for the insight. I'll have to remember that." He rose from his chair. "Let me go get it. Don't go anywhere." He teased as he went to get Myne's food, disappearing into the kitchen.

He returned a few moments later with a Chigger Burger, Tube grub, and a Slug-o- cola. "Here we are, your food madam, just as you requested." A medium-done Chigger Burger, a large Tube grub, and a Slug-o- cola. Now, to get down to business and how to feed you."

As Gary waited for Myne's reply, he looked at her. She still had a rope around her ankles and knees, holding her legs tightly together but there was something else. He got up and looked at her from behind. There were ropes still around her wrists, holding them tightly behind her back. Another set of ropes above her elbows and a new set had appeared below her elbows. All are tight and secure. He moved to sit back in front of her. "Um, you aren't going to like this, but I think Nanny was screwing with you. You have additional rope wrapped below your elbows now, adding to the binds you already have."

"When you retire? Well, it depends, if I am still Myne by that time then fine 20%, if I move on to a new host, 5% because you waited too long to retire! Clearly!!" Myne chuckled, then shook her head at him, grinning. "Ah, but there is a difference there my dear big brother. The Romulans, Klingons, and Cardassians bully planets or smaller space nations. The Federation bullies empires, the scale is very different, and that is the issue. And already the Klingons have been plenty influenced by the Federation, the Cardassians, and the Romulans to smaller extents. We have to admit, that the Federation is a juggernaut, it alone dwarfs any other empire of its technology level."

"I have a few more thought worms for you. How would you and Captain Lalor react to a society that does the ritualistic sacrifice of a member from both sides to facilitate diplomatic talks? What if refusing to do so would be our equivalent of torture and murder? Or one that asks you to ritually scar yourself after interacting with them? Or enforced nudity on all participants because they see clothing as heretical? And so on. Trust me on this, the Federation would refuse to engage, but that would be hypocrisy on our part, but that is the benefit of the powerful, right?"

She nodded sagely once more. "We are the Federation, we are the dominant force in two quadrants, and we dictate what is moral and right to everyone else. Thus, we dictate that greed is evil and we look down on Ferengi as ugly, repulsive and disgusting because they worship greed. Despite their greed making their history so peaceful that it puts the histories of Vulcan and Earth to shame."

Shifting in place she watched him bring the food over, her stomach rumbling. "So don't just keep an open mind when dealing with the Ferengi, but with any new race, you meet. Try to see things through their eyes, their history, and experiences. Just like I am understanding of Human expansionism. Your race has been so busy at killing each other over so many millennia, you could call it the most popular sport on Earth. So I understand the drive of cultural domination and expansion of the Federation because I managed to look through the eyes of your culture and understand where you are coming from."

"Also, sweetie, I've lived ten lifetimes, trust me on this, I don't mind going naked and I do look amazing. Got rid of that kind of shame back when I was an archeologist. And no, I am going to turn down riding those killing machines you call horses." Myne waited for Gary to look at her bindings, feeling the extra rope materialize. "Yep, going to be fine, I'll deal with Nanny after I am free. She will rue the day!! So, I am starving, please start with the Chigger Burger and give me regular sips of Slug-o-cola please! Going to leave the Tube Grub for last. As for Ferengi, just think of them as Klingons, but instead of bravery and courage, they value greed. Play to their greed, and they can become your greatest friends."

Gary shook his head, "On no Myne. 40 percent now and if you aren't you then 25 percent." He counter-offered. "I think bully is the wrong word here Myne. I don't think the Federation bullies at all. Maybe steers or guides but not bullies. The bullies are the Romulans and to a lesser extent the Klingons." He paused as Myne gave him as she called them thought worms. "That's an excellent question Myne, It would have to be dealt with by encounter. I mean torture and murder absolutely not, I can't see any dialogue in that. The scarring perhaps if it would cement an ally a friendship. Same with nudity. It might be embarrassing for the Federation team but one they would reluctantly agree to in order to form an alliance." He leaned back as Myne continued to talk and the more she did the more impressed he got with her insight on the federation and its policies. "I don't think we dictate. I do think we can be overbearing in what we see as norm and acceptable. I mean we don't tell the Ferengi to clothe their women. That is an issue for them to decide."

He brought the food over to her, "I promise you I will be more open-minded when dealing with Ferengi and any other new races we meet." He chuckled at her statement about not minding being naked and looking amazing. He wondered about her story about being an archeologist but wouldn't press her on it. He grinned at her."Horses are killing machines Myne. What makes you think they are killing machines? He shook his head, "Yeah, I think you need to deal with Nanny, she needs an attitude adjustment." He nodded again, "Got it, play to the Ferengi greed. sound advice." He held up the Chigger Burger, "I believe you said you wanted this first." As he moved close to her so as not to make a mess when feeding her.

As he brought the burger to her, he spoke, "One Chigger Burger for you Myne." as he held it close to her lips for her to bite. "I hope you like it. I'll get you some sips of the Slug-o-cola next." He added, Gary feeding Myne a few bites of her Chigger Burger and then deciding she needed some cola to wash it down. "Here Myne, have a few sips of cola to wash the burger down." As he angled the straw for her to easily sip on.

~~ To be continued ~~


//OFF//

Captain Gary Taylor
Executive Officer
USS Elysium

&

Lieutenant Myne Redal
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
USS Elysium