"Thnak you.", Tania walked into to see Illyan.
"For what? For ruining everything. For bringing the wrath of Starfleet and the whole Alpha quadrant.", Illyan frowned.
"No, for wat you did for Nicole and what that allowed for other things to fall into place so Penny and Nikki could be together.", Tania forced a smile.
Illyan started to tear up. He thought about Loiza and her will to prove that love could be a part of the universe. He had lost her through all this.
Tania had seen Illyan at his worst, in the heighth of his power when she served as Head of the King's Fleet. She had never seen him like this. She did not know what to do.
Tania slowly moved forward and gave him a little rub on the back. Illyan burst into tears. The image of Third Corinthians Exploding into space repeated over and over in his mind. Tania did not know what to do next. She stepped forward and put both arms around him. She held him tightly to her chest. The Betazoid balled like a baby.
Admiral Illyan Coren, Admiral Alexander Laree, Admiral Vincent Viceroy and Vice Admiral Gavin Viceroy had built the King's Fleet nearly a decade ago now. They once were so influential that Starfleet came to them for advice in the Alpha Quadrant. All that changed.
Vincent became an outcast leaving Starfleet for a long time. Illyan and Alexander did whatever was necessary to solidify their powerbase on Betazed including allying with Eugenio Coren and the ruthless Elizabeth Coren. Illyan had gone from grand political power to ruthless regional power monger The Betazed houses when from a source of a valuable asset to any crew to a scary risk of espionage. All these historical images played out in Illyan's mind.
He looked at Tania, "Do you think anyone could love me again?"
Tania looked at Illyan, "When I returned from the Borg, I felt the same way. I had been the Communications Adjunct at Wolf 359. I directed the cubes that handed the Federation its greatest loses ever. I was able to rebuild my life. You can too."
Illyan rested against her busom. Tania felt the warmth of a Betazoid heart. She kissed him on the forehead. Illyan looked up and pressed his lips against hers. Tania thought about pulling away. She had a budding relationship with the Vulcan T'Zohl. She should have pulled away. Illyan had been her enemy.
He tasted so good. Tania kissed him back. She had been with several women and she had enjoyed a great love with Captain Ivan Younger. She had not felt the great warmth in a long time. Tania felt Illyan's free hand cup her left breast. He had lost a wife, a friend and a legendary lover. Loiza had been such a great case study in passion, Hulanen Laree, the universe's foremost expert on inter-species relationships wrote an entire thesis on Loiza.
Tania looked at Illyan, "Is it too soon?"
Illyan looked at the beautiful Borg Disconnect, "Make me feel loved again."
Tania needed this as much as Illyan. She and the Betazoid Governor made sweet love on the floor of his office. It was not something taudry or distasteful. It was not a discredit to Loiza Coren or her legacy. It was a special moment between two people who have lost so much to the service of others.
When Illyan exploded into Tania, he looked up, "I think I could love you."
Tania was stunned. She thought this was a passionate release and not the beginning of a relationship, "Illyan, I think I could love you too."
Posted by:
Commander Tania Branson
Executive Officer - USS Quasar Quest
Ephyra Colony
King's Fleet
