Insomnia sets in

Having trouble sleeping, Liara decides to get up. Pulling on a old pair of sweats, and her favorite "Gretzsky" jersey, she grabs her PADD and heads down to the crew lounge. Once there she stops and makes herself a powdered milk toddy. Taking a sip of the warm milk, she wrinkles her nose. "Damn I hate powdered milk" she says aloud, though she is the only one in the lounge at the moment. Reaching into the pocket of her sweats, she pulls out a small container of nutmeg, and half of a Hershey bar. Breaking off 2 squares from the chocolate bar, she drops them into the warm milk, stirring until the chocolate has melt, then adds just a dash of nutmeg. Taking another sip, she shrugs, having found a taste she can live with. Walking over to a chair, sets her drink on the table, and plops down on the comfortable chair, to catch up on some personal mail.

After a short while, Emony walks in with a sleepy smile on her face. She doesn't notice Liara at all as she walks over to get a drink and grabs something at random. She looks at it only long enough to know that it's best served warm and goes to heat it up. Like Liara, she also has on sweat pants but she also has a sweatshirt on that reads "Starfleet Academy" on it. Only when she turns around again does she notice Liara. When she waves it's apparent that she also has a PADD with her. She walks over and sits down oposite of Liara and takes out the PADD and starts doing Sudoku, her favorite pass time other than reading.

Lost in her own thoughts, Liara fails to notice Emony arriving, and the Ensign sits down in the seat across from her "Huh" she says with a start. "Oh. Hi Emony. You can't sleep either I gather?"

She looks up for a moment then shrugs, "No, I usually get up a bit earlier than everyone else, the peace and quiet is nice. I take it you can't sleep though." Then she goes back to her puzzle and occasionally takes a sip of her drink.

Liara shrugs, taking a sip from her mug. "Hardly at all for about a week now. I suppose that's the price you pay for executing General Order 24." Setting her mug on the end table, Liara stretches her arms over her head, and yawns. Pulling her legs under her, she sits Indian-style in the chair. Lost in her thoughts for a moment, she sits silently, a smile slowly emerging, as she recalls happier times. "My brother Zarath and I spent a whole month on Coridan once, with Uncle Thy'lek. My father was away on maneuvers, and mother was attending a trade conference on Earth. We spent the whole time, exploring old mines that the resistance used to try and overthrow the government, back in the 2150's. Got to meet a couple of old rebel commanders that Uncle knew, and even found an old weapons cache. I still have that old compression rifle in my quarters" she says with a chuckle. "And now all that's left of Coradin, is that old rifle" she adds, the smile fading from her face. What wasn't corrupted by the Genesis Effect, I burned to cinders."

Emony looks up again, nods, and then opens her mouth as if to say something, then seems to think better of it and goes back to her puzzle.

His shift done T'zark speaks with Captain Tigan for a time in her ready room and leaves feeling his spirits raised for his efforts and attempts at a new-found comradeship with his Captain. He queries the ANTARES hallway computer access for the current shift time after his talk with the captain. He realizes he has still 30 or so minutes before his... evening with the lovely Ensign Parker from Medical, a small swing by the Galley for something... 'festive' might be nice for their evening - a sythohol substitute within regulation amounts for two off duty officers!

T'zark is smiling and in full duty uniform as he enters the Galley heading for the fabricator he orders up two glasses and a flask of some slightly alcoholic and sweet beverage.

He almost walks out his mind on ... the intimate evening to come when he notices Liara and Pren.

T'zark gets a puzzled look upon his rather jovial expression his handsome features showing concern for his dear friend, "Liara? Your shift is not for another 4 hours... is something wrong? Can't sleep again?"

Noting Ensign Preen, "Good Evening Ensign Pren... studying more? {Sigh}.. you should try to make some more social friends with the crew... all work and no play make for a dull officer!"

He winks at Pren with a mischievous glint of mirth in his eye.

Emony looks up again. "Hello T'zark. This isn't studying, it's Sudoku." She looks at the drink T'zark and sniffs. "Does, does that actually have alcahol in it? You know what? Never mind, I'm not sure I want to know." With that Emony turns back to her PADD and occasionally taking sips of her drink.

"If you have something to say Emony, just say it" Liara says with a grin. "We're off duty, and I promise you won't hurt my feelings" she adds.

With a wink to Emony, she turns her attention toward T'zark. "Well seeing as I approve the duty rosters, yes I know. Also there is plenty wrong, and it's not like I can't sleep at all, it's just that apparently I can't sleep well, or very long" she says rubbing at her eyes, before taking another sip of her drink. "And no, you can't show me any Vulcan massage techniques to relieve tension, help me sleep, and or loose my clothes" she adds with a good natured smirk.

Without looking up she says "I was merely going to say that it reminded me of the time that some of other children in my younger classes deciced that they were going to go and explore Caves of Mak'ala on a field trip to a museum, the caves were within hiking distance of the museum. I got stuck in the middle of it all when I tried to tell them not. They went anyway and I went with them, and we all got into trouble, but it was amazing. I had read about them and heck, I had known about them on a personal level, but I didn't think that it was too important especially since everyone that went got into trouble." Now she was staring out into space. "Now though, I'm where I belong with people who want to be out here. Well, more than people back home were." Emony picks up her cup and realizes it was empty and went to go to get more.

T'zark smiles, "Yes, Ensign Pren there is alcohol... at regulation standards in this beverage I'm going to share with a young lady this evening. If it wasn't in accords to Starfleet Regulations the fabricator would not produce it."

T'zark laughs lightly at Pren, and comments, "She's so sheltered..."

Turning back to Liara, "No, I would not even think about suggesting it Liara... you have thus far proven cast-iron immune to my charms. Besides it would be like... flirting with my sister..."

He cocks a head at Liara quizzically his eyes glinting with insight, "If this is about General Order 24, don't let it bother you... overmuch. I just finished talking to Captain Tigan about it. It had to be done... we all would have died had we not. I know it does not seem a fair trade one ship of lifeforms for a whole world, but it is done. No regrets will change it. A decision was needed the threat was evident and spreading uncontrolled, no means of diplomacy were possibly against naked unreasoning aggression. I don't blame the Captain for her choice it saved all our lives and maybe countless others and you should not blame yourself either. Just ask H'suur... he'll agree... sometimes... killing is what needed and somethings... and sadly some people... 'just need killing'. Harsh... but true."

Emony comes back and sits back down and looks at Liara "T'zark's right, Liara. It was absolutly neccessary, it was causing pain to everyone around them, and it was going to kill us, and wouldn't of stopped there. It was only going to get worse."

Liara holds up her hands, shaking her head. "I know, I get that part. The giant brain needed to die. I just wish we didn't have to destroy an entire planet full of life to do it ya know? I destroyed every form of life on the planet, from the giant brain, to the smallest single cell micro organism." Liaras voice is low and mournfully reverant as she speaks. "I mean who knows what benefits were lost. I didn't just destroy an evil monster, I also destroyed a future. All this pain and turmoil, because some Telarite Merchant Captain broke the quarantine, for the sake of profit.

Emony looks at Liara sympathetically. "It isn't your fault that the Telerites did what they did, you did what you had to, what you were told to do. You couldn't control what the brain cells did, it was only dangerous. If they hadn't been destroyed who knows what kind of danger it could of presented to everything else alive."

T'zark smiles at Ensign Pren, "Well said Pren... I think I like you! You'll make a good officer... I'll make sure I let Captain Tigan know my opinions."

Speaking to Liara, "Try not to let it bother you overmuch friend Liara. We have no idea about what species were lost with that planet... but what we do know is none of those lifeforms were a product of the natural laws of species development... but the GENESIS Effect a purposeful and random spontaneous creation with no regards to the natural balance of evolutionary development or natural selection... an abomination imposed upon the native species of that planet ending any chance of development they had a right to and robbing them of their destiny in an instant! I expect... this will NOT be an isolated event as certain biospheres will develop that are inimical to any other lifeforms in their vicinity. Hopefully, such ruthless aberrant biosphere's will be rare and containable to their worlds... but when they are not and present a 'clear and definable' threat to the galaxy as a whole... we may be called upon to perform similar kullings. We must not falter or the consequences for the galaxy, as a whole, could be nothing less than catastrophic!"

T'zark checks his wrist padd terminal and gets a lascivious expression upon his handsome features, "Well... I must go... ladies... I'm expected by another anxious female companion. I bid you good night..."

Liara glances up at Emony. "Well Duh! Of course it's not my fault. The Telerite Captain is to blame for this entire mess. It's a clear case of cause and effect. They broke quarantine, land on the planet, and provided the neural parasites a way off the planet. I agree completely with the implementation of General Order 24. There was no other option. My problem is, that we were backed into a corner, because of the actions of one hairy piggy" she sneers. "Not to mention, all the other ramifications that destroying a planet create. Captain Teagan and I already spent most of yesterday justifying our actions to the Admiralty Board, and today, we get to do the same song and dance for the federation council." Liara walks over to fix herself another toddy, continuing her rant as she does. "I mean really, have you been keeping up with the news at all? The Federation is on the edge here, and blowing up a planet, is not very helpful. It doesn't build trust, it breeds fear. It's the kind of action, that gives people like my father plenty of ammunition, to sway people to his thinking. "See" she begins, apparently doing an impersonation of what she thinks her father sounds like. "Starfleet is incapable of enforcing their own quarantine from a freighter...A FREIGHTER! And then, their solution once the problem spiraled completely out of their control, is to destroy an entire planet. The same tactic they were appalled at the mere suggestion of using when at war with our enemies" Through out here improv, her arms pound on an imaginary podium, her fingers pointing out at an imaginary audience. The display proves with little doubt, that Liara and her father, apparently are not on the best of terms.

Emony looks over at T'zark, a bit of annoyance showing. "T'zark" she kind of shakes her head at him. " It has been over two years and you still can't get my name correct. Pren, it is Pren, not Preen, P-R-E-N, Pren. So if you do give your thoughts to the captain, please try to get my name right." Then she turns to Liara "Wow, no wonder you can't sleep much, I wouldn't be able to sleep either if I had to keep explaining what happened over and over to everyone important. What happened between you and your father to make you say and do that?" Emony adds, a look of pure curiousity on her face.

A heavy silence falls across the room. Liara sits staring down into her mug. Blood shot eye, begin welling up with tears, as memories long buried rush the fatigued defenses of her mind, fighting to get out. A single tear glides its way down her cheek, glistening softly against the backdrop of her blue skin. Her voice, filled with sadness and grief, though soft and low, seems to carry and echo through the silent room. "I killed my brother Emony. Another clear cut case of cause and effect."

For a moment Emony looks suprised, then cutting through the silence, she says "I'm dearly sory Liara, but I'm going to need you to explain more. What does your father have to do with this? Did you actually kill your brother, or didn't you and you blame yourself?" Despite her words, she looks extremely sympathetic.

Liara stands, and walks silently to the view port on the starboard bulkhead. Staring out into space, she takes the time to compose herself before speaking. Try as she may though, gone is the usual strength and confidence that has become her usual persona. In its place can be seen vulnerability, pain, and just plain exhaustion.
"Zarath was 5 years older than me, and the pride of my fathers eyes, as he deserved. The eldest son, who excelled at everything he did. Combat, athletics, art, whatever he set his mind to do, he did. No matter how hard he had to work at it, he was determined to be the best he could possibly be at it." She pauses for a moment, a smile making its way onto her face. "He was also my hero. I was the wild child so to speak. Always in trouble, but my big brother was always there for me". "Anyway" she says with a heavy sigh, "When I was 13, there was a meteor shower. I wanted to see it from the mountains, so I could do a painting, to turn in for possible admission into the Andorian Academy. Zorath of course refused to allow me to climb the mountains alone. The spot we were climbing to is called Dal'eths Table. It's an ice shelf near Zareen Falls, overlooking lake En'karev. I had made that climb about a hundred times since I was 6, and never had a problem. It was starting on twilight though, and I made a fatal mistake.....I got in a hurry. I miss-stepped, and fell right into Zarath. We both fell into the ice waters of Lake En'karev some 130 feet below. Some rocks had must have already fallen, since the ice was already broken. I remember drowning in the frigid water. Of being swept along by the current. Trying to find a way through the ice for a breath of air. It's all pretty foggy from that point on, but I remember hearing Zarath's voice telling me that I was alright...that everything would be fine. He managed to get me out of the water, before he was swept away by the current. They found his body 2 days later."

Emony stood and moved next to Liara. She did not speak but instead looked at Liara with understanding. After another moment she finally spoke "Pren remembers a pain like that, it was a long time ago, though."

Liara only stares out the view port, tears running down her face. "To me, the pain is as real as it was 11 years ago. Since that day, I've tried to live my life to make my brother proud. To make his sacrifice worth while. But I've failed to do that in the eyes of the one person that matters the most. All my father sees, is the headstrong and willful child, whose actions caused the death of his son."

Now looking out into space along with Liara, Emony speaks softly "Then that's his problem. You've done all that you can. You're an XO, and on your second ship. Even on the first one, Pike looked to you as a second-in-command. If he can't see past that then it isn't your fault anymore. Pain and dispair can make you hold grudges, but that seems to be a little too far."

Liara suddenly burst into a laugh, wiping away the tears as she speaks. "To far to hold a grudge? We need to apparently increase your working knowledge of Andorians Emony. No one in the universe is better at holding a grudge than my people. One might even say, that it is an unspoken tradition, and my father, if nothing else, is a stalwart traditionalist

Emony smiles, obviously glad to see a smile from Liara. "I guess so," she laughs a bit herself. "Well, better guess I'd start learning now. I can start by practicing holding grudges. Like all those times you stole some of my food..."