Revelations - Part 1

Posted on Mon Apr 1st, 2019 @ 8:26pm by Splendora Sage & Tom Vercetti & Vito Russo

2,150 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 97 - Cultural Exchange
Location: Cardassia / USS Pegasus-B
Timeline: MD6, Evening

ON:

Tom, Vito, and the crew people they had brought with them to help operate the restaurant's booth were working to close everything down and pack up. Most of the heavy equipment had already been beamed up to a cargo bay aboard the Pegasus.

"Did you get the rest of the veal?" Tom asked.

"Yes sir. Wasn't much left. I added it to the donations to the Lakat orphans' home." One of his workers replied.

Tom nodded as he tapped in a few notes on his PADD.

"I have the last create of 'goods' from the transaction yesterday secured in your quarters." Vito said in a quiet tone as he walked by.

Tom nodded. They had done really good business during the Exchange, selling out of almost all of the fresh food and wine they had brought from Starbase 400. Their other business deals had gone really well too.

Of course, the trip hadn't been without surprises and as he turned around he was surprised yet again as Splendora walked into what was left of the booth.

"What are you doing down here?" Tom asked.

Splendora had spent a horrible night and day and then night again in pain unable to move from the floor of her quarters. She'd crawled to her bathroom and had vomited several times. Finally feeling a bit better she'd showered and changed into the new skirt and boots she'd replicated the other day enjoying the tight fitting of it all. She was still very pale and clearly still not fully recovered but he decided that she needed to get some things done. She had yet to visit the hospital, now that the danger was over, to pick up Lai'lira's body and to take it to the Essex. On top of everything that had happened loosing her friend had hit her hard. It had been a trip that was truly bittersweet.

She had decided to stop in and see Tom and Vito. She was supposed to have met Tom last night but she had been sick. Vito...well she had to tell him a few things and check in about a few things. Tom's question, as she entered, their booth took her off guard and rubbed her the wrong way. "I am not an animal to be caged on the ship Tom. Despite what the medical department and others seem to think I'm not some weak flower that will die and wilt at the drop of a hat. Besides I have to go to the hospital and pick up Lai'lira's body." She pressed her lips together. "I just came to check that you two were alright before I went there."

"I..I didn't mean it to sound quite like that. I'm just surprised to see you down here after everything you've been through." Tom replied. "I am glad to see you."

"I'm sorry to hear about your friend." Tom added.

Vito had heard Splendora's reply and was surprised at the aggressiveness of it. It was atypical for her usually calm demeanor. He stayed back for a few moments to observe.

Splendora sighed rubbing the bridge of her nose. Her headache never quite went away. "No...I'm sorry I'm just tired of everyone being one step ahead of me and keeping me in the dark." She walked over to Tom. "How did the EMH put it. 'Your boyfriend has higher clearance then you.' or something like that. "I just want to know what the hell is going on. I tried to get it from the doctor even disengaging the safety protocol in the holodeck did nothing but put questions in my mind." She took his hand. "You're hiding something from me. All of a sudden I am able to fight and am strong and it feels like my body is not my own and then after I get so violently ill its as if my body is being torn apart cell by cell."

She sighed, "I want answers Tom."

"I'm not hiding anything from you. The little that I know, I thought you would have been told by now, but with the sicknesses going around I guess Doctor Hades has been a little bit busy." Tom replied before taking a deep breath.

"He's tried to protect you, not keep you in the dark. Sometimes, it can feel the same." Vito said in his deep voice as he walked up finally.

Tom walked over to a table that had a few PADDs on it. He unlocked a drawer in the table and pulled out another PADD. He typed in a security code to activate it, then walked back over to Splendora and handed it to her.

"This has everything on it that we were told, as well as everything we learned while looking for you, observing you, your time in Sickbay aboard the Pegasus, and up until I returned to the planet. It doesn't have all the answers, but I'm sure it's more than you've been told so far." Tom explained.

Tom cocked his head to the side as a signal to Vito to give Splendora space while she read. They returned to overseeing the breakdown of his booth and storage of everything they had brought with them and waited for her to finish.

Splendora devoured the information. As she read her eyes filled with tears, anger, pain, helplessness. She stood and gave what could be termed a howl of anger. She walked over grabbing a stainless steel ladle and broke it in half as if it was made of paper. The wave of dizziness was her payment for that burst of strength. She grabbed the wall as she swayed.

"Everyone, back to work." Vito said to the people, their employees and others, that stopped and watched Splendora's outburst.

Tom walked back to her and helped steady her. "You okay?"

She smiled, "Yeah...Seems strong emotions have an effect, fear, anger, they all seem to bring on the pain...it's like they accelerate whatever is happening." As they stood there she laid her head on Tom's shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry to get you involved in this." She reached out for Vito's hand. "You too."

Vito patted her hand with his other, then pulled away. "I need to get these people motivated." He walked off barking instructions to people.

"You don't need to apologize. Just, warn me before you break anything else please." Tom flashed a smile.

She smiled, "I'll totally pay for that." She seemed to recover quickly. "Hm....odd."

"It's from Italy." He stated, but quickly replied to the 'odd' comment, "What's odd?"

She smiled, "Nothing just that when you are around I have such strong feelings of love for you that....it almost acts as an antidote." She looked over at Vito. "Vito!" She called. "I need to ask you something. Can we talk in private for a moment." She looked back at Tom. "I will only be a minute." She gave Tom a quick peck on the lips and turned to walk towards Vito.

Vito looked at the ladle, then back to Splendora.

She looked up at Vito, "I have been dying to speak with you. It's important. Can we sit somewhere for a moment?"

"Sure, just don't snap me like that ladle." He smirked. Vito motioned toward one of the open eating areas near where the dismantling food booths stood.

Once they walked over, he waited for Splendora to sit before he did. "What's on your mind?"

She grinned. "You always make me smile. No snapping I promise." She found a large rock structure and sat down patting the area beside her. "First thing is first. Are we okay? I know when Aidan first showed up and on the bridge....you were quite disappointed at me and angry when you found out I was married to a Cardassain. Are you still mad?"

"I'm...disappointed. You've made it a point to say that you want people to be open with you, however you weren't open with me and you weren't open with Tom. I can understand you wanting to keep some of this to yourself, private, but if you expect people to be open with you you also have to be open with them."

Vito shifted in his seat, "If you expect to keep that man" he pointed at Tom "and have a relationship with him, keeping secrets from him is the last thing you'd want to do. That man saved my life, more than once, I owe him. You could say after all these years that he's my best friend. I don't want to see him hurt, again."

Vito paused a moment, "Tom also has a past, things he'd done, seen, been though that you don't know about, but all you have to do is ask. I haven't see him open up like this to someone in, well, a long time." He paused again for a moment. "Ask him about the 'Gomor Incident'."

She listened intently to what he said. "I will. I won't hurt him Vito. I promise." She looked around making sure Tom wasn't around. "I have never loved anyone like I do Tom. You're right though. He and I have to have a talk and lay things out in the open." She looked at him. "I care about you too Vito. I have siblings but...I have never seen them as that nor have I been close to them." She looked off into the distance. "You are like the brother I always wanted." She thought back to the PADD. "I read what was on that PADD. I read that some who've gone through this...Rebirth program didn't make it and that's what I worry about. I worry I won't make it and Tom will be hurt. I also worry that one day he'll wake up and realize he could do so much better then me." She sighed and pulled out what looked like a round box. She held it tight within her fist.

"That's what everyone thinks when they fall in love. What matters is moving past that into a real relationship. You should ask him about the 'Gomor Incident', I think it will help you understand him a little more." Vito stood up, glancing at her fist." We do have a lot to do before we leave tomorrow."

She sighed, "Wait...one more thing. I will have dinner with Tom tonight... or I had planned it. I will ask him." She pulled Vito down and handed him the round box "I need a favour."

Vito tilted his head and narrowed his eyes.

She smiled, "Open it, silly." She watched as he opened the box. The contents had arrived just before they'd departed the station and she had been planning on giving it to Tom during this trip but with everything that happened...

Inside the little black box was a Latinum band solid band with gold sides. It had an intricate design that could be viewed as a celtic design. On the inside it was inscribed For my Imzadi.

"What... is this?" Vito asked as he examined it. He had an idea, but wanted verification.

She laughed, "Well what does it look like? It's a ring. before all this started, before we left the station I was planning on giving it to Tom. I was going....to....ask him to marry me." She saw Vito's face.. "Yes I know it's usually the other way around. Anyway ... I don't know if I'm going to survive this....thing that's going on with me but will you keep it safe for me? If I don't make it I want Tom to have it and remember how much I loved him. If I do make it I will take it back from you and give it to him."

Vito stood again, closed the box, and slid it into his pocket. He looked up to see two drunk Pakleds stumble by followed by a Ferengi. "I will guard it with my life."

She smiled and stood. She found Tom just a little ways off and walked up to him gently touching his shoulder. "Dinner tonight?"

Tom looked at Splendora for a moment. "Sure, then we can take in the closing ceremonies if you'd like."

She smiled, "Of course." She looked back him a moment. "Tom I'm sorry all this happened. I was expecting this...trip to go a bit differently." She blushed slightly. "I just want you to know that I want us to talk. I want no secrets between us. I think that in some ways I was trying to protect you and I know you always try to protect me. I just hope I haven't pushed you away."

Tom smiled, "You haven't, as long as you're honest with me." He kissed her cheek, then went back to work.

She smiled, "I'll see you tonight."

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