Juliette slept well, despite being too tired to properly
conduct her evening meditation. The household was full of disciplined minds,
which made her need to properly shield herself from random thoughts unnecessary. Instead of waking to a particularly strong
emotional outburst near her quarters, she awoke to the smell of pastries
backing, the small pungent eggs that were soft boiled in broth, orange peel and
anise. The smells that came from food being prepared, a step skipped with
replication station.
The family was surprised to see her in her Starfleet uniform
when she arrived on the main patio for breakfast, but she waited until after
breakfast to tell them she had to cut her leave short and return to the
station.
The fact Ramel tried to hide his
disappointment behind a noncommittal shrug bothered her, but she left him his
space. Even Papa was hurt, but he didn’t hide it.
Karana tsked. Typical Jul. At least you managed to actually arrive this time. I
suppose I’ll make the cancellations.
This is the moment when I would get mad and go to my room. Juliette thought
to herself. Jul could stuff a plate of
pastries and sulk. But she was Lieutenant Commander Sri, caught between the
high houses of Betazed and the Daystrom Institute.
If there are cancellations to be made, Matron, I would be willing
to offer them personally. But I have scheduled my departure for late tonight,
so I will tutor Ashe in Vulcan and I will try to prevent Tierse from creating
too many self-inflicted wounds at his rebuttal jury. There are specific
exercises and meditations that are normally done at sunset as part of kareel-ifla that if the Matron of Cole could join us…
Karana didn’t bother hiding her
pleasure or her surprise. I will make arrangements. Her mood turned
to the suspicious. What *have* you gotten
yourself into?
Juliette laughed with a slight
nervousness as she poured more tea. I’m
not sure yet. Daystrom seems intent on killing the Biome project. And houses
throughout the Chillat seem to want to be affiliated with it somehow. With my
previous assignment and rank in Starfleet, all I could have done was smile and
nod. But I recently transferred to a ship affiliated with the Alpha Centauri
Institute, which gives me...options.
Make sure those ‘options’ do not earn us the ire of the Hectat. Kanara cautioned.
Make sure you don’t get yourself into trouble, either. Papa added.
Juliette nodded to be both, unsure she
could keep any telepathic reply free of the apprehension eating at her.
***