History

Posted on Tue Feb 27th, 2024 @ 10:52pm by Senior Chief Petty Officer Mason Malone & Lieutenant Xavier Leiko

Mission: The Trojan Horse
Location: Mess Hall
Timeline: MD02
2543 words - 5.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Xavier cradled the steaming up between his two hands and let the warmth penetrate his skin. He had never suffered from cold hands before but for the last few weeks, he would often lose the feeling in his fingertips. He wondered if it was a side effect of the Trexamoxin and made a mental note to check once he went back to his quarters. He quickly dismissed the idea, searching for side effects of a drug he shouldn't be taking seemed like a sure way to get caught. Instead, he pressed his fingers harder against the smooth surface of the metallic cup and enjoyed the sensation it provided.

Bringing himself out of his reverie, he looked up at the man sitting opposite him. He had asked him a question hadn't he? What was it again? Oh yeah... "Sorry," the Betazoid said with a sheepish smile. "I was a million lightyears away. I just wanted to check you were okay, I heard through the rumour mill that you and George were... I heard it was complicated," he said eventually.

Mason gave a single nod as he sipped his coffee. Something was up with the Betazoid across from him, his entire body language was somehow different but he couldn't figure out why. And now this daydreaming of sorts ... "It is complicated, and utterly confusing," he admitted. "I'm at a complete loss and I feel I'm being punished rather unjustly but it's George that needs to see it. All I can do is be patient now." He took another sip from his coffee. "I love him very much, but I don't know how much longer I can take this treatment. How are things between you and Jerant, better than me and George, I hope?"

Xavier offered a sympathetic smile but only listened as the human spoke. He thought about how much the man had changed in the short time they had known each other; long gone were the days when Mason was chasing Kevan around the ship like a lost puppy. "They're good, I think. We're taking things slow. I think he would like to move faster but I'm happy with where we are right now. I don't even know if we're official, I don't know if I want to be." He shrugged and took a tentative sip of the still steaming drink. "Relationships are hard," he said sincerely.

"Yeah...." Mason looked up and smiled sadly. "Fast isn't everything," he admitted, "but too slow can ruin things too. Why wouldn't you want to be official? And how do you define official? Isn't it something private, between you and him? You two are an item aren't you, one way or another?" Weren't he and George too, even though he was getting somewhat of a cold shoulder lately? "Sorry...none of my business," he added apologetically, "you don't have to answer that, obviously. If you two are happy with what you have that's obviously the most important." A more genuine smile now. "And that you both have your senses back, I'm glad you do."

Damn, he's struggling more than I realised Xavier thought as he watched the man hurl question after question at him. "Easy there Mase, this is meant to be a friendly conversation, not an interrogation. I'll answer your questions if you don't fire them at me at warp speed."

Behind Xavier, in Mason's eye line, the doors to the mess slid open and a Bolian/Android male stepped through in combat gear. His face was buried in a PADD, his eyes more focused on the display than on where he was going. However, his movements suggested he was aware of the people around him sidestepping them to avoid bumping into anyone.

Mase Not a great many aboard the ship called him that. "You don't need to answer my questions," Mason answered quickly, "I mean you can if you want to as obviously I'm curious on how you two manage. But really Xav, it is none of my business. I mean it, if you're happy the way things work for you two, that's great." At the sound of a footfall he recognized, Mason briefly turned his head towards the source. "Oh bother," he muttered under his breath, really wishing he was in civvies instead of security yellow.

"What's wrong?" Xavier asked. He turned his head to follow Mason's eye line when the human didn't reply. "The marine? Do you know him?"

Xall looked up from his PADD and scanned the room looking for the closest replicator. His gaze lingered on the blue-eyed man whose face he would never forget. The mere sight of him caused his blood pressure to rise, his throat to go dry and his hands balled into fists.

"Whoa!" Xavier said before Mason could answer his questions. He felt a wave of pure emotion, a hatred that he had never experienced before, it was almost primal. "He does not like you."

"With good reason," Mason admitted as he looked up at his friend. "Just remember I'm different these days. I'm not a reckless teenager anymore, and that's how he remembers me." Mason braced himself for the tirade that was surely to follow from his former instructor. "I was very reckless and eager to prove I could do things I wasn't ready for, but I learned restraint and a level of patience over the years. Mostly thanks to my ex-husband and unit commander in my last assignment." He nodded towards the Bolian, acknowledging his presence.

Xavier nodded as though he understood but he did not. He wanted to pry into Mason's head and pull the information out but that was not his style. His patience was soon rewarded when the angry blue man stomped towards them. The vein in the Bolian's head was pulsating so vibrantly that Xavier could see it over a dozen feet away. He was momentarily overwhelmed by the wave of emotions that were pulsating from the Bolian, almost in time to the throbbing vein.

"So this is where you have been hiding," Xall said spitting at every syllable. His voice was deep and had a gravel-like quality to it. "Any decent person would have pretended not to see me, they would have hidden in their quarters until the end of the mission. But not you! You nod at me like we're old friends."

Mason straightened, looking squarely at the angry Bolian hybrid. "I'm not hiding sir," he answered quietly, fighting the urge to cringe. "I'm not a coward, never have been. Nor are we friends, sir, but not acknowledging your presence would've been rude. Ignoring one's superior in rank is just not done. Sir." He glanced sideways at Xavier. " Lieutenant Leiko, this is 2ND Lieutenant Xall. He's my old trainer and commander."

"FIRST Lieutenant," Xall growled as he pointed to the insignia pin on his collar. He looked at the Betazoid but showed him very little interest before turning his attention back to the human. "Don't remind me that it was I that trained a murderer!"

"A What?!" Xavier almost shouted as he looked between the half-Bolian and his friend.

Mason was about to apologize for the error in rank when the man made his accusation. All colour drained from his face, giving him a very sickly ashen complexion. "What?" He managed to choke out as he shook his head. "I didn't murder anyone," he added in a bare whisper. At least, he didn't remember ever doing so? Stunned yes, but murder? That required some kind of premeditation, didn't it? Yes he had killed in combat to defend himself and his comrades, but murder?

He turned hollow eyes towards Xavier, looking as though he might pass out any second. "I didn't..." he breathed, "he's lying..."

Xavier looked between the two men and genuinely couldn't tell who was telling the truth because they both believed it to be true. Mason's reaction, his pleading of innocence in the face of this accusation, was almost enough for Xavier to side with his friend. However, the angry blue man, whose thoughts were broadcasting into Xavier's head, was adamant about this fact. The only thing the Betazoid was certain of was that this emotional overload was like ecstasy to him and he couldn't get enough.

"I don't know who to believe," Xavier eventually said, pushing away the guilt that was brewing in his chest.

"Feel free to look over my records," Mason suggested after taking a few seconds to recollect himself. "I've never murdered anyone. He hates me because of how I was way back when during training. But I'm not that kid anymore, I've.... grown up for lack of a better word." A little colour returned to his face as he glared at the Bolian. "For such serious accusations, you better have evidence. Sir." And even better, why wait over a decade to shout about it.

"How quickly you forget," Xall said, the vein still popping in his head. "You remember Pi Hydri IV? Sure you do, the mission where you failed to follow orders." He paused and watched the human. He waited to see when the memory would surface in his eyes, when it would all come flooding back. There it was. "Maybe you can tell your friend just how immature you were."

"I was very immature back then," Mason admitted without pause, "jealous, quick to judge...a regular juvenile." Yet as the mission was mentioned, his memory was jogged and his thoughts spiraled while Mason went pale again at the memory.

It was very early in the morning, the sky was just colouring a very deep green as the twin moon was high in the sky and the sun was just on the rise. Mason was squared away with his team, hiding in the underbrush as they observed the enemy: a group of Cardassians holding a prisoner in a cabin. Obviously, they were torturing the man, but very little sound was reaching them now.

"If I get a little closer, I can listen to their conversation," Mason offered, eager to brush up on his skills with the Cardassian language. "I'll be careful," he added as he started forward under the assumption he was ok to go. His focus was already ahead, and no longer on his team, where it should've been.

As he got closer, he could hear voices, making out a hushed conversation. Straining to listen, he crawled closer, making sure he wasn't seen by the guard outside. He froze when the voices went quiet all of a sudden, glancing around to see if he had triggered something. Something he should've been conscious of, or been warned for but his eagerness to prove himself had thrown such care out of the proverbial window.

He muttered a curse under his breath as he saw the guard start to investigate, and trained his rifle on the man while flattening himself as much as possible in the tall grass. He knew he'd been seen as soon as the Cardassian beelined for him. Mason was about to fire when commotion from his prior location drew his attention. A fellow recruit had revealed himself to draw attention and the Cardassian fired his disruptor in reflex. The recruit went down in a motionless heap before the guard was struck by multiple orange beams.

Mason sat in silence as the memory whirled through his mind, replaying the scenario where his own recklessness and eagerness had gotten a teammate killed. He'd been cleared in the following investigation, but the stain on his reputation had followed him and it had taken him years of active training and practice on his part, training he had actively sought help for, to get rid of it.

Xavier's mind was bombarded by the memory, a memory as vivid as he had ever felt before. Perhaps cause the two men were broadcasting at the same time or maybe because of the emotional weight of the incident. He felt as though he were there, watching the scene unfold both from Mason's hero perspective and Xall's horror one. He could smell the wet moss-ridden undergrowth from Xall and the blood of the hostage from Mason. He could hear the interrogation and the snapping of fallen twigs. He could feel the fear as Mason realised his mistake and the anger as Xall pulled the trigger. He experienced all of it.

Xall noticed that silent tears fell down the Betazoid's cheeks but paid him little attention. Instead, he focused on Malone, if he weren't so angry he would be relishing this moment. "Not all of us have the fortune of suppressing that incident. I can guarantee that Gropta's family don't. You may not have pulled the trigger, but you're the reason he is dead, you as good as shot him yourself. Do yourself a favour and stay out of my way for the remainder of this mission." He didn't say another word as he turned towards the doors and left the way he had come.

Mason watched him go though he sat frozen for several long seconds. He had no intention of going anywhere near Xall, not unless he was ordered to because orders always went before personal feelings. Finally, he looked up at his friend, his expression turning apologetic despite his remaining pallor. Unlike his former instructor, Mason did pay attention to him. Quietly, he offered an unused napkin to the Betazoid. "I'm sorry you were witness to that," he said slowly, his voice sounding hoarse with lingering emotion, "I really am. But now you know... I was reckless and stupid back then, but not a murderer. I'm not that kid anymore Xav, you know me. I've paid dearly for that mistake, but that's where it should end. "

Xavier accepted the napkin but he didn't use it, instead, he scrunched it up into a ball and rolled it around in his hands. "Do you know how I became Chief?" He asked, not taking his eyes from the white ball in his palms. "The previous one, Chief Daniels, killed himself during one of my first missions on the Athena. That stayed with me a long time," the Betazoid continued as he dropped the napkin on the table and started smoothing it flat. "It still does. I think about him often, that night. I replay the scene over and over again, what I could have done differently, how I could have saved his life."

Xavier took a deep breath as he felt the memory of that night trying to surface again. He pushed it away, not out of denial but for survival. "His death wasn't my fault, I know that, I truly do. However, I was part of his story and he's a part of mine." He smiled sadly at his friend, the tears were long gone but the streaks remained. "I think Xall was harsh calling you a murderer Mason, you were young and inexperienced. However, I think you've been quite flippant in your words and memory of Gropta. You dishonour him by not realising that he's part of your story." He slid the napkin back to Mason and stood up. With a curt nod, he left the room.