SIM:Nicholotti The Bane of Civilization, Repeating

((Turbolift, Enroute to Docking Ring Bay 7, Starbase 118))

::Rumors. From the beginnings of written history, it seemed that they alone could be responsible for a rise to power, or a tragic fall from grace. In the words that spread as wildfire through the social vine, were the power to build up, and the power to tear asunder. Entire civilizations were created and maintained on rumors of strength and power, or terror. Those same civilizations fell easily under the weight of the words, and for eons, good men fell victim to the sword that was the pen.::

::In pervasive whispers, men became consumed. Eaten from the inside out, souls were devoured by the acts that sought to hush the voices of the crowd. But the voices only changed. The blackness vanquished the good, and into the abyss that remained, fell the hope of humanity.::

::It was a recurring theme, at least throughout the history of Earth; the rise and fall of entire world powers on the whims of the rumors that were always hanging on to the coattails of mere mortal men. Now Kali found herself caught up in the same on her second day of command. It terrified her to an extent, but that emotion would never surface. Instead, she would have to find a sort of resolve and soldier through.::

Nicholotti: Eh. ::She paused carefully considering what she would say next.:: Would you believe me if I said I don't know quite how to respond?

Daniels: Yes. Yes I would. I know don't want to cause any problems for you with all these untrue rumors flying around...

::It was then, that Kali chose to turn and face him. She studied his face for a moment, thinking of the choice she was making. It was something she hadn't been prepared for, especially so soon after the heartbreak of losing Makal for a second time, but the way she felt when she was near him.::

::She couldn't fight it. She wouldn't fight it. Rumors be damned; she would not let all that made life precious crash into the soul eating darkness of whispering insurrection. It was what she had fought for when she stood between the knife and Jaxx, what she refused to let be taken away from her when she pulled Tressa from the mangled shuttle that day, and what she had brought into the world only a short time before the crisis began.::

::It was worth fighting for, even if she faced a battle on many fronts; the projectiles in front of her and the smoldering fuse of social ambiguity behind.::

Nicholotti: I was thinking that maybe there could be some truth to what they say.

::From the moment she joined the Marines and Starfleet, Kali had been known for her passion for her team, for her chain of command, and for the sanctity of life itself. And God help those who would put any of those in danger; to incur her wrath meant meeting with a fury unmatched.::

::Again, she found herself studying his facial expressions. The seeming cacophony of things made it all hard to read and she smiled. Maybe they were both a bit unsure of things, but together, they could certainly find their way.::

Daniels: I... I think there is definitely some truth to these rumors. I also think we should do whatever makes us happy and to hell with what other people think.

::Her smile only grew. It wouldn't be quite that easy, but she would let him have his moment. He hadn't really spoken his mind since they had returned to the life of the uniform and it was actually quite the sight to see him just then. The filter was down and his thoughts spilled out into the silence of the turbolift as they headed towards destiny.::

Nicholotti: I wish it could be that simple.

::But destiny would wait for a moment longer.::

Daniels: I care for you...a lot, Kali. ::He looked at the beautiful officer next to him and tried to think outside of their Starfleet ranks:: I don't know exactly where this is...::He paused and rephrased:: Where WE are going, but I do know that I don't want to let a few gossipy officers and wild rumors get in the way of us finding out.

::Kali had fallen before and the resulting crash made this even more difficult. But in that moment, seeing the fire burn in his eyes, and hearing the intensity of the words, she felt the weight of command, and the fear of falling, melt away. For a single moment, the raven haired commander was no more. In her place stood only a woman who craved more of the feelings that his presence invoked.::

::Locking eyes with him, Kali conveyed the trust she had in him that he would catch her and not let her crash. It was the sentiment that if this road led to the hard fall she had suffered once before, it would be different this time.::

Nicholotti: Then let's not let them.

::And with that, she jumped in.::

TAG/TBC
--
Commander Kalianna Nicholotti
Commanding Officer
Starbase 118 / USS Victory

Return to Kalianna Nicholotti