Ghosts, Part II
Posted on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 @ 6:19pm by
1,662 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
The Shining Truth
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: Current
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PREVIOUSLY:
"How could I, when you phrase it like that?" Arkham said quietly, wrapping one arm around the doctor's slim waist. "But we're avoiding the subject, aren't we? Yes, Dr. Ellard -- I do have reason to believe that the war will be coming to an end very soon."
"Tell me all about it, Lieutenant," Ellard said, pulling away and taking a seat on Arkham's desk, smiling slightly as she took a seat on the Intelligence Officer's desk. Arkham smiled, though her expression came across as slightly nervous. "But first, why don't you pour me a little wine. It's been a long day, Row."
"Oh, you have no idea," Arkham said quietly, turning around and moving toward the minibar. "No idea at all."
Indeed, all was going exactly to plan.
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NOW:
"So what happened after that, Row?" Ellard said quietly. The two of them were sitting on the patio of a small coffee shop now. Ellard sat across the table from Arkham, a cup of tea in front of her.
"I had by this point seen the bomb under my desk. I didn't know who planted it there. Speculation implies that I did it, considering you and I were the only ones who knew how to get into my office. And I killed you. I let you die."
Ellard laughed at this. "I'm sorry, Row. You're...you're my snuggle puppy. There's no way you killed me. You and i both know that you of all people aren't capable of that."
Arkham smirked and snorted at first, but managed a slight smile at the nickname, a hint of nostalgia crossing her features. When they were younger, Dr. Ellard had always wanted a puppy -- but Kingsfield refused to allow one aboard the Sparta, and even if he had, Jim Ellard would have told her no. So Arkham, seeing how upset the good doctor had been, had said simply, "I'll tell you what. I'll be your puppy. There's nothing a puppy can do that I can't do. Sit? Stay? Play dead? Fetch you your slippers? Lick your face?" And the pet name had stuck.
"But Megan," Arkham said quietly entangling her long fingers in Ellard's as the doctor attempted to clandestinely steal the other officer's pastry, "the evidence points to..."
"The evidence," Ellard said, raising one delicate eyebrow as she spoke, never pulling away from Arkham's outstretched hand, even for a moment. "According to whom?"
Arkham thought about this for a moment as she sipped her tea, drawing away from the other woman. The implications of what she was saying were almost unbelievable. Finally she said, quietly, "Megan--"
"Think about it, Row," Megan said quietly.
Rowena had just turned to pour the wine as Dr. Ellard took a seat on the desk. Simply from that first few moments between them, Arkham could tell it was going to be a wonderful evening, one the two of them had waited far too long for. Moments like this were few and far between, what with both officers being rather busy and the threat of discovery always looming.
Hopefully that would change soon, Arkham thought, feeling the weight of the ring in the pocket of her uniform trousers.
"So, Row," Ellard said, a sultry tone creeping into her voice. Arkham smiled a little over the bottle of champagne she was attempting to uncork as she did so. "What, dare I ask, do you have planned for tonight? You must have something up your sleeve if you're pulling out the good champagne."
"Well, Dr. Ellard, I was thinking a lovely dinner -- I have some filet mignon prepared that's utterly to die for. A little champagne I think, perhaps I'll regale you with the story of the past couple of days. And at some point I need a shower, if you don't mind--"
"Of course not," Ellard said as Arkham poured champagne into crystal glasses. "Come to think of it, Lieutenant, I could use a shower myself. While it might be... smaller than what I'm used to as the wife of Commander Jim Ellard, I'm sure it can accommodate what I have in mind. If you're not too put out, Rowena."
"Not at all, Dr. Ellard," Rowena said, chuckling a little as she turned around, two flutes of champagne in hand. "Perhaps I would be, if I didn't think that the sight of soap running down your spine in the shower was the most breathtaking thing I've ever seen in all my travels."
"Surprising," Ellard said smoothly. "The way you effortlessly sweet-talk a woman, you'd think that you would have found someone more attractive than me by now."
"LIke you said, Megan," Arkham said smoothly, kissing Ellard gently for only a moment before pulling away. "You are all the beauty I will ever need."
It was when she pulled away that she saw it. A flashing light under the desk, red and ominous. It didn't take Arkham more than a moment to realize that someone didn't want her to leave this office. Her blood ran cold. How much time did they have? Did she have?
Downing her champagne without so much as a toast or handing the doctor hers, Arkham turned away from the doctor, who remarked, "Are you all right, Rowena?"
Rowena turned a little, managing a slight smile for the doctor's benefit. Should she tell her? "Fine, dear. It has been...a very long day. Didn't realize how much I was in need of that champagne. One more moment, I promise you."
Rowena sighed. God forgive her.
And then, quite suddenly, everything went white.
As Arkham ended her account, the doctor quite suddenly burst out laughing. Arkham's features furrowed somewhat at this, whether from confusion or irritation was unclear. Raising a single silver eyebrow, Arkham said, "I'm sorry. Was that funny?"
"Yes, Rowena, it was," Megan said warmly. "You know you didn't kill me, and yet you're...so convinced you did."
"Because that's what happened," Arkham snapped, thumping the table with one clenched fist. "I killed you. Or i might as well have. I was too worried about self-preservation to even think about you. It all makes sense--"
"According to whom?" Megan said quietly. "Hon, I know you don't want to think about this. But I need you to think back for a minute. You didn't turn around because of the bomb. You didn't even see the bomb. You were distracted by something. You turned around because you forgot--"
"I forgot the ring," Rowena breathed, awe crossing her features as the pieces came together after so many years.
It was right after she'd turned around that she realized she was jumping the gun. Rowena Arkham had always been a romantic -- and she'd wanted to propose in a way she'd always found classic and surprising: the ring in the champagne glass. Of course, this was before their playful banter had gone to her head, and she'd forgotten about the platinum band in the recesses of her pocket.
She needed to find a way to turn around without seeming too suspicious. Damn.
Downing her champagne without so much as a toast, Arkham turned away from the doctor, who remarked, "Are you all right, Rowena?"
Rowena turned a little, managing a slight smile for the doctor's benefit. Should she tell her. "Fine, dear. It has been...a very long day. Didn't realize how much I was in need of that champagne. One more moment, I promise you."
Then, smoothly, Arkham poured another glass of champagne for herself, enjoying the warm feeling that the first had left her with, and surreptitiously slipped the ring in Dr. Ellard's. A true smile crossed the Lieutenant's features for the last time.
And then, quite suddenly, everything went white.
"Oh my God," Arkham breathed. "I..."
"You didn't do it, hon," Megan said, smiling. "I told you, you're my snuggle puppy. You're the one person who'd never hurt me. And I don't blame you for what's happened. There was nothing you could do--"
"The bomb was probably keyed to when you entered the room. As soon as the door registered your voice, the timer started," Arkham said quietly. "Which means..."
Stroking Arkham's hand, Ellard smiled a little, "You're almost there. Who was the only one who could have possibly known that we would be together that night?"
"Her," Arkham said coldly. It all made perfect sense now. "She was...she was my assistant. She was the only one who knew. I thought...I..."
"You thought she could be trusted," Megan said quietly. "I don't think you realized that you'd...borken her so thoroughly that you were the only one she trusted. Seeing you with another woman...it didn't sit well with her."
"So she..."
"Yes," Megan said quietly. "You're leaving now, aren't you?"
Arkham stood, turning away from the doctor as she put her coat back on. "You know what I have to do. A life for a life. It's the way of the world."
Megan sighed. "Rowena?"
"Yes?" Arkham said, stopping for only a moment. "What is it?"
"I want you to know," Ellard said, a single tear escaping from one of her eyes, a tear that Arkham knew was there without even turning, "that I would have said yes."
Arkham paused, shutting her eyes and taking it in. So this was what absolution felt like. The doctor placed a hand on her shoulder, and Arkham pulled away. "Don't worry, Megan. Your puppy won't be long in coming."
As the scenario ended around her, Arkham brushed tears out of her single working eye. Retrieving her program, she went to remove the file for Dr. Ellard -- she could not bear to see her again. Not as a program. It was, she realized, no substitution for the real thing.
Of course, it was then she noticed that the Megan Ellard simulation wasn't part of this particular program. And for the first time in years, she smiled.
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