Henrietta walked into the Engineering Faculty at Star Fleet East. She walked up to Acrylos and looked the Bajoran in the eyes. Henrietta proceeded to weave the grand tale.
Henrietta told Acrylos about how she went to Betazed and sought out Dr. Catherine Coren and her pharmacuetical research. She told Henrietta about her and her father's plans to destroy Nicole Branson and Tania Branson. She told Acrylos about manipulating Zoe and D'Tall into a hormoen driven relationship that still has benefits to this day. Henrietta almost cackled like a witch as she described Catherine's feelings towards Nicole and the manipulative nature of their attack.
Acrylos was disgusted. He once lusted for this girl. He once believed they shared an amazing kinship over their love of engineering. He looked at Henrietta and asked her to leave.
Henrietta took great pleasure in their next phase of the plan. She told Acrylos about how her father, Admiral James Hatherton had handpicked the Caitian student to manipulate the engineer. She told Acrylos how Coral was chosen because she was a starving student who had a fascination with Acrylos Teero and his city building replicators. Henrietta and James offered her a residence, free tuition and access to Teero if she agreed to manipulate the Bajoran into falling in love with her.
Henrietta took great pleasure in destroying the Bajoran in the same way she had been destroyed when he chose not to stay in her arms. The Hathertons have shown their true colors. Acrylos was devastated. He thought of that first night and how bizarre he found it when the young student came on to her so strong. He knew he should have known better.
He thought about General Ro Anora and how he had betrayed everything Bajoran for the relationship with a student. He could have spoken out on his people's behalf.
Henrietta left the Chief Engineer in a shambles. He was sitting on the floor in tears. Henrietta thought of Branson when she saw Zoe and D'Tall together for the first time and the sleaze she had become as result. Henrietta cackled one more.
Acrylos was sitting on the floor when Coral arrived. She knew that Henrietta had been there. She sat down beside her idol. She pushed her head up against his, "I am sooo sorry. I did not understand who these people were and what they were doing to me and worse yet to you."
Acrylos held the young girl. He remembered working with the Cardassians for the first time on the Tanmesad. He remembered how dark they all were. He remembered the darkness that was Vash Enranet and Thua'ra Varno. Over time, in working and being with the citizens of the colonies, they grew as persons and grew in their maturity. He was able to forgive these men for their dark pasts. In that moment, he looked at Coral.
Coral looked at Acrylos, "I am ready to spend the rest of my life making it up to you."
Coral slid off her shirt and moved closer to the Bajoran, "Forever.", she whispered.
Posted by:
Colonel Acrylos Teero
Chief Engineer
Ephyra Colony
King's Fleet
