Well, Time to Die

Posted on Sat Aug 30th, 2025 @ 4:46am by Ensign Henry Taylor & Cass'e'Indira & Tessa di'Orion

Mission: Lower Decks
Location: Tessa's Quarters

Henry was shaking like a leaf as he walked down the corridor for what could very well be the last time. He had another bouquet of flowers, thornless roses, in his hand. Part of him wanted to think of this as a do-over for his first attempt to see her, but he knew that one wrong move and this would be the last thing he ever did.

Part of him wanted to run back to his quarters, but he wasn't in control of his body at that point. He'd sacrificed too much of his sanity already, might as well go for broke.

He stopped at Tessa's door, rang the chime and said a prayer she was home, alone and he wasn't about to get stabbed.

The door slid open within seconds, revealing Tessa standing there by herself, clad in a silver outfit of wrapped shirt tied on the side and skirt, sashed at the waist with a golden belt that had a cylinder on it, one that had been visible every day at sickbay. Tessa gave a slight smile as she gestured towards the inside of the suite, "Please, Milord, come in. I sent Cass to coordinate the security escort for when I return home, it should take nearly an hour."

Henry sent whatever gods were listening a quick thank you and stepped inside. "Like I said, just Henry," he said. "I'm not important enough to be a Lord, you know." He turned to face her again, once again stunned by the light that seemed to radiate off her. He held out the roses awkwardly. "I figured I owed you a fresh bouquet," he said, simply, smiling shyly.

"Given that I never received the first one?" Tessa said with a roll of her eyes, reaching out to take them, "I shall gladly accept, although roses without thorns?" She gave a questioning look, "To rob them of their only method of defense just seems wrong to me, but I suppose that's my sense of fair play talking, isn't it? Thank you, Henry, the Gods forbid Cass ever hear me call people by given name, she's all about formality."

"Well, don't look at it as robbing them of their defense," Henry said. "Look at it as them trusting they're completely safe with you and have no need of defense." He gave a small smile. "And in Cass's defense, I can appreciate her attention to formality. Things work similarly in Sickbay, as you know. And I'm kind of...well I appreciate playing by the rules. I like doing the right thing. It takes something pretty big to get me to flaunt them." He paused, blushing a bit.

Tessa reached out to touch him very gently on the forearm, feeling it tremble at her touch. “You have much to learn about Tial, it is a dangerous planet, every flower has its thorns and for good reason.” She exhaled, trying to remember her diplomacy to try to find the right words, “But Milord, and sorry I must use that title, I have the intuition that you did not come merely to gift me flowers. The fact that you didn’t wish to discuss whatever it is in sickbay, so as not to interfere with our duties, along with not desiring Cass'e'Indira to be present are indicators that it’s not official.” As she spoke, she placed the flowers on the table, making a mental note to put them in water and feed them.

"You're right...on both counts," he said. "I don't know nearly enough about your planet. I've been reading up on it as much as I can. I'm learning more by the day, and I do want to keep learning. I'd love you to teach me--for you to teach me." He cleared his throat. "But yeah...my being here is not official...it's personal." He took a breath. "I've been wanting to spend time with you. Socially. I don't know the protocol for this, but in our culture, we call it 'courting'. It's a precursor to exclusively seeing someone romantically. I've been unable to stop thinking about you and I would greatly like to--" he lost the ability to finish his sentence as he found himself on his back once again, the wind knocked out of him.

The words ‘courting’ and ‘romantically’ had caught Tessa by surprise and he’d even gotten another half sentence out before she had reacted almost without thinking. Her hand had crossed the inches to the cylinder on her belt, plucking it off and activating it, causing the expanding staff to emerge. There was a rapid half-spin before she hooked it behind his right leg and took it out from under him, continuing her motion to smack him in the chest rather hard to drive him to the ground on his back. Another spin of the staff and it was pointed at his throat from a few inches away, her standing over him like she couldn’t when both were on their feet, “You are aware that if you continue on and should I accept any courtship that you would be presented to my father, possibly the most dangerous of the Lights of Tial? That if he deemed it offensive that he could have you killed, by his own hand, with no repercussions and the first notice you would have of his decision would be you, on the ground, bleeding out?” She gave a sugary-sweet smile like she’d seen Kally have a couple times, “Are you sure you’d want me to accept?”

Henry stared up at her, his heart pounding in his ears. His medical mind was telling him to control his heart rate before it got to dangerous levels, and his practical mind was telling him to stop putting himself in a position to be killed.

"Yes," he finally said, his voice holding more conviction than he thought he'd be able to muster. God bless adrenaline, he thought. "Tessa, you can double my heart rate just by looking at me. I have no doubt you could jumpstart it from nothing if you tried." Part of him prayed that sounded as good out of his mouth as it did in his head.

“Assuredness, that will stand you in good stead with Father, Mother is more forgiving of violating protocol and tradition.” Tessa smiled and retracted the staff back into the splinter form, then reached down with a hand in offer to help him back up. “From the documentaries and ‘movies’ that I have seen of your culture, ladies my age are, quite frankly, idiots.” As he took her hand, she hauled him off the floor with a strength that didn’t match her looks. “Even now, I am considered an adult, have been for two years since I reached my majority of fifteen years and passed the trials for my Second Class rating. As all Korashe on Tial, I have some training in combat arts, though far more than most Priests of Urd, given that I am the Heir to Light’s End.”

Henry felt himself hauled up and stood up gingerly, trying not to loom over her as he realized how close he was to her. He looked down at her hard, blue eyes. He thought of the Pacific Ocean and the first time he saw it. As a kid from a nowhere town in Ohio, the ocean was a vast, blue, terrifying thing that looked like it would pull him in and swallow him up. In that moment, Tessa's eyes were having a similar effect on him. He hadn't let her hand go, he wasn't sure he could, and as she stared straight into his soul, he found himself staring back, meeting that strength of will and being pulled into it, leaning forward before he even realized what he was doing.

Tessa leaned forward slowly, having also seen this in some of the movies she’d watched and wondered what it might be like. A flicker of motion came from her peripheral vision and the hiss of door sliding open was the only warning she had before she instinctively pushed Henry away with her free hand without releasing his hand as a sword came slashing up between them while a snarl sounded. Just as quickly, the same sword blade changed direction unerringly towards the stumbling man and this time, jerked him around her as a fulcrum and finally released him to let momentum carry him wherever.

Wherever was into the corner of a chair, bruising another rib and taking his voice away again. He gasped for air and tried to get to his feet to stop what he knew was about to happen.

The sword recovered and the black miasma that was starting to obscure Cass’e’Indira’s features lunged forward again, clearly intent on what she deemed a threat, but the sword strike was deflected by a staff as Tessa regained herself and reacted to protect the man. The staff began a series of spins that seemed graceful, but varied in speed to keep her opponent from seeing a pattern, the same opponent who had taught her everything she knew, including that a good offense was the best defense and Tessa advanced, her skill with the staff clear as she struck out before drawing back to defend against slashes aimed against her.

The glow that came from Tessa was as golden as Cass’s was dark and it seemed that the two auras were in the same conflict as the two combatants, but it was clear who would win out almost from the beginning. While the spinning staff batted away strike after strike, it was apparent that those strikes weren’t meant for her, or at least just to test the defenses that were being put up. Then as if a switch were turned on, that blade became faster, a blur that reached in past Tessa’s grip ok the staff and touch her three times, three small wounds on wrist, back of right hand and forearm in sequence that caused the staff to fly from Tessa’s fingers and go flying into the armor laid out for Cass.

Henry still hadn't recovered his voice, nor could he move quickly, nor did he have a weapon, but he saw the staff fly out of Tessa's hands and saw the blood flow and immediately readied himself to dive in front of whatever movement Cass' blade made next. It wasn't as much a heroic gesture for the girl he fancied, as much as him unwilling to let her die accidentally for his foolishness.

“Stop!” Tessa shouted in the voice of command she’d had to learn as a child, “Cass’e’Indira, Shevest astoli!” The girl stepped back once, holding out her injured hand between her and the warrior, who arrested her own movement against her own will, “Peshtel als veristend savas, Mistra solent-teves.” Rivulets of blood began to flow down the hand.

“Explain yourself.” Cass growled at Henry, “You cannot follow even simple instructions.”

“He is here at my request, Cass’e’Indira.” Tessa spat back before Henry could respond.

"Okay, let's everyone take a moment to breathe," Henry said, barely able to do so himself. He looked at Cass. "Please, may I replicate something to heal her wounds? She'll know how to use it."

“No.” Both women said in unison, then Cass continued on, “You, out, now.”

Tessa swiped her hand across to block any possible egress, spattering Cass with a few droplets of blood, “No, he does not leave. You have been treating him like a piece of trash, Cass, he is a colleague and… a friend.”

“Who wishes to be more than a friend.” Cass spat right back, “I have my duty, Your Grace, to protect you from all filth."

"Hey!" Henry half-shouted, his anger outweighing his oxygen.

"What was it you were doing when I walked in? Why were you inviting him behind my back? What has he been doing to you when you’re ‘volunteering’ in the medical ward?”

"Now just a damn minute," Henry said, taking a step closer.

“Enough!” Tessa bellowed, the tension causing her to become even brighter. She clenched the bloody hand into a fist and something like sizzling was heard in the brief silence, “You keep telling me I’m the heir to Lights End, and I may be so, then I COMMAND you to stand down, Priestess, and tell me what worries you so. Why is he a threat?”

“It’s about bloody time.” Cass growled, “You finally admit who you are. And that is why. You are the Heir of your mother. You do not get to choose who you pair with, it is for your mother or the Light to decide.” She finally sheathed her sword, but glared at Henry enough so that if it was a dagger, he’d have been dead on the spot, “Not for you.” She instructed him, “I am here to protect you, Your Grace.”

"You didn't answer her question," Henry said, still breathing hard. "How am I a threat? Are you saying, if she has dinner with me, she is no longer the heir to Light's End? If we were to attend a concert together, she's going to be disowned? If I in any way tell her about my affections towards her, the planet falls out of orbit? I'm not asking her to marry me. I'm not even asking her to consummate anything. I just...want to know her." His expression got defiant. "And for your information, I do follow instructions. That's literally all I ever do." He looked back at Tessa, his expression softening. "But sometimes, there are things that don't come with instructions. Some things are too big and you have to risk everything to see where they lead, no matter the consequence."

"Your affections ARE the threat, Henry Taylor." Cass'e'Indira stated emphatically, telling him for the first time that she knew his name, "You have the luxury of being able to risk everything and the consequences that may entail, Her Grace does not." Cass looked at Tessa, who was still there with hands clenched, "You have known that you are a bargaining chip for your father, for Light's End since you were half your age. A high ranking war priest would strengthen Light's End with their loyalty, a pairing with another Holding would bind your two lands together." Cass looked back at Henry, "Would you risk the security of your nation or planet on a whim?"

"You've got a lot to learn about humans," Henry said. "We're famous for gambling on long odds if it's the right thing to do. And you'll forgive me, but despite the Federation's stance on tolerance for other cultures and respect for their traditions....what you just said is really fucked up. The only way you can guarantee security and peace on your world is to offer her up like a breeding mare? And I'm filth?" If anyone who'd known Henry had been there, they'd be stunned by the level of anger he was displaying. He was the level-headed one, the one who towed the line, who didn't speak out of turn. But something in him had broken and he was on a tear and nothing short of decapitation would stop him. "She is not a bargaining chip, she is a person. And if the care and affection of one, ordinary human can destabilize your entire society, that's a problem with your society, not with me. I'm not risking a nation or a planet on a whim, I'm risking my life for someone worth risking it for, on a hope. Besides, according to her," he said, pointing at Tessa, "her father's probably going to run me through anyway the moment she introduces me, so your problem will be solved!" He threw his hands up in surrender and let them drop to his sides. "At least...I'd die happy being by her side." He finally ran out of steam and stood there, breathing hard.

"If you don't tell him, I will." Cass told Tessa with a look that told entire stories.

The look on Tessa's face was troubled, because she could see things from both sides. She shook her head, but she stopped and didn't know why, because she had been raised a daughter of Tial with all of the traditions that Henry just did not understand, because he had been born into a different society. But she didn't want to. "Cities have been wiped out for less." She said quietly, "Armies have gone to full-blown wars, with all of the casualties that involves for the 'affections of an individual'. So long as my father survives, I am indeed an asset to him beyond the value of his sons. While I will never inherit his title and lands, my presence will bind others to him, especially the power of Light's End. Would Tialan society collapse? No. But tradition is strong among us, it would shatter confidence if my father did not uphold it and someone else would rise against him, and another and another. Progressive Lights have to be careful and he is one of the driving forces to sending out contact ships to seek other societies as peacefully as possible. Destabilizing the Eastern Watch would be... Bad."

Tessa looked down at the ground, then up in defiance, "And I would have that change as well. Mother defied Grandmother, even if it was after she died to Father's sword, but I believe she would understand, WILL understand. If my pairing with a war priest would strengthen Light's End and the Eastern Watch, what about one with the Federation?"

That almost made Cass want to bury her face in her hands and she looked at Henry, wanting to ask him to give that tidbit, but didn't trust him to tell Tessa the realities, so she did, "Then pair with the second in command, he has the actual power on this ship past the Captain. This one is... Hardly worth noticing in the power structure on the ship. Irrelevant to a diplomatic pairing."

"Fuck you very much, too," Henry muttered, folding his arms.

"My point, Cass, is that... is that..." Tessa couldn't find the words she wanted to say. "Is that we are not in a normal situation on Tial. We haven't been ever since we were captured."

Henry looked between the two women, regarding them both. One of the strengths humans possessed was that after their adrenaline spiked, it evened out. Even in extreme situations, they could go back to thinking rationally. With his life apparently not in immediate danger, Henry was finding it easier to focus on what was being said, and an idea was forming.

"Cass is right," he said quietly to Tessa. "I can't risk your entire planet, countless lives, everything, no matter how I feel about you." He looked into her blue eyes and smiled. "No amount of love I could have for you justifies that much suffering."

"You're an idiot." Cass muttered

Henry ignored her. "And you're right," he continued, looking at Tessa. "I don't know nearly enough about your planet. I want to learn more. I want to learn everything, even the parts I don't agree with. That takes time, but if I spent it with you, I'd happily take that time."

He looked back to Cass. "And I'm right. This situation is absolutely messed up." He took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck, then looked at Tessa again, this time more thoughtfully. "And your idea might work," he said, thinking.

"Her idea would never work." Cass interrupted before Tessa could get a word in edgewise, "Unless you have some high figure in your Federation for her to be Paired with."

"'Pairing', as you so artfully put it, with Commander Espersen will not in any way cause an alliance with the Federation any more than if she married me. We are a society of equals," he said, looking at Cass. "But Tessa's got a point, an alliance with the Federation would make rivals think twice before attacking."

The full-bore laugh that Cass emitted was almost borderline insanity in tone, "You are thinking about a life-bond with Her Grace?" She couldn't keep the laughter in, even as Tessa blushed a deep red at the thought of it, her defiant look fading suddenly, "You truly don't understand our way! A 'Pairing' is just that, two of the Korashe joining together to create a child, nothing more. There is rarely any emotional content between the two parents, because it is for the continuation of the lines, not for 'love' or 'feelings'. The Light has five children, of five different mothers! Her Grace has a brother from a different father! Sentar may have life-bonds, but that's because they outnumber the Korashe nearly a hundred to one on Tial, they don't have to be as careful when breeding."

"Cass." Tessa said quietly, trying to stop the warrior from continuing on, "That's not entirely true."

"Those were stories." Cass chided her charge, shaking her head, "The number of life-bonds for 'love' between Korashe in the history tomes wouldn't fill a pamphlet, because it just isn't done. And most of those fell apart in the end. But you say an Alliance with the Federation would be life-changing? Why? Your technology?"

"Maybe," Henry said. "At the very least, having us as a trading partner and friend would appear intimidating." He eyed Cass accusingly as something struck him. "But hang on....there are those who have pursued love?"

"A bare handful." Cass stated, "All ended in disaster, whether death, or the one that lasted nearly eight years before they fell apart after destroying their whole family structure. Disowned by their families, cast out." She looked at Tessa, "Not something I would wish for Her Grace. She's too precious and important."

"We agree on that much," Henry said, looking Tessa in the eyes again, his voice softer. "She is precious...and important." He smiled and turned back to Cass, walking right up to her. "Thank you," he said.

"For what?" Cass asked, slightly smug that he'd finally agreed with her.

"For making me realize how I felt. I wasn't sure what to do about this situation, but you've made me really think about what I want, and get some perspective, and helped me make a decision. Thank you."

He turned his back to Cass and walked right up to Tessa, looking back into the ocean. "Your Grace," he said, formally, "would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner tomorrow night?" he said.

Cass reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder, holding him back from getting too close to the young woman, but not hard enough to injure him, "What do you think you're doing?"

"If you hurt me, you are committing an act of violence against a Federation officer," Henry said, looking towards Cass. "If you truly believe the Federation won't care about me, do what you will. If, however, you agree that having the Federation as an ally is more valuable than having them as an enemy, then I suggest you allow Tessa to make up her own mind." Henry didn't wait for a reply before turning back to Tessa. If he was going to die, he was going to die seeing her face. "You are under no obligation to say yes," he said, not wanting to pressure her in the other direction. "And I understand if you have to refuse, but I'm not going to leave here regretting not having asked."

"Why would I refuse?" Tessa asked him in some confusion, then her eyes brightened as she saw a compromise that could work to keep Cass happier, "So long as Cass'e'Indira is able to chaperone us to keep her own mind at ease. She is, for the record, forbidden to kill or injure you unless you show a clear and immediate threat to my life, from here on out. Understood, Cass?"

The hand on his shoulder tightened a fair bit, then relaxed as she heard the direction from her liege lady, "Yes, Your Grace, it is clear."

Tessa smiled brightly, reaching out with the hand that now had dried blood on it, with three angry red marks where she had once been bleeding, "Is that satisfactory to you, Henry?"

Henry lit up at her smile and grinned ear-to-ear. He took her hand and stepped closer again, holding it between his hands, wishing he could heal her just from a touch, his eyes taking her in. "Extremely satisfactory," he said.

Cass'e'Indira shook her head at the sight, her hand having fallen off. This was not going to end well, one way or another. Tessa, "Then just name the place and time."

Henry turned back to Cass. "Is the mess hall an acceptable, public location?" he said.

"Yes." She grated out, "Anywhere would be fine so long as I'll be present to prevent any... Mistakes from happening."

"Then we won't make any 'mistakes'." Tessa said primly, "Besides, what better way to celebrate my seventeenth birthday? That does happen to be tomorrow, if I've kept up with the calendars correctly."

Henry did a double take, looking back at Tessa. "Tomorrow?" The wheels in his head started spinning. "Then we most definitely need to celebrate." He looked down at her hand and shook his head. "Remarkable," he said to himself. He reluctantly let it go and walked to the replicator, ordering a dermal regenerator. He walked back over and took her hand again. Seeing Cass shift, he held up a hand. "I'm a healer. Let me do my job," he said. He activated the regenerator and held her hand tenderly, running it over the wounds, healing them quickly, removing all traces of scarring. He finished and put the regenerator in his pocket, then took her hand again, rubbing it gently between his. "Tomorrow evening, 1900 hours." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and resisted the urge to do anything more overt. He didn't feel like pushing his luck yet.

Tessa squeezed back, "Tomorrow, nineteen hundred." She confirmed, "Now I just have to find something to wear."

He turned to Cass. "Thank you again," he said, no irony in his voice. "I think the time has come for me to take my leave. I'll see you both tomorrow. He stepped away, wishing he didn't have to, and finally let her hand go before turning and walking out of the quarters.