==========
" Gravity "
(Previous Post was Jessica's "To Become Something…")
==========

Setting: VALLA ROYAL, Promenade
Stardate: 63076.1600

The young woman made her way through the crowd with relaxed confidence, her attention drifting from store to store as she sampled only with her eyes items that she would likely add to her rapidly growing collection of dresses and outfits.  Every now and then the redhead would attract looks and even praises from some of the VALLA ROYAL's patrons which made her feel… alive.

The day had thus far been nothing but delightful… almost perfect… at least that was until she heard her name called out.

"SAMANTHA!!!" The commanding voice of the Pythron Ambassador pierced the crowd of the Promenade like a runaway battleship, having pretty much the same effect on the people present who parted to give the daunting figure as much room as he desired.

"Ambassador Gerran," the young woman offered with the utmost politeness and reverence as she respectfully bowed to the Pythron diplomat.

"WHERE IS MY SON?" The Ambassador demanded as he stared down the much smaller woman standing before him.  All witnesses to this sight could gather that the Pythron official had no love for the meek Dabo girl whom he obviously looked down upon… in more ways than one.

"I have not see Trodat since this morning," Rikar replied, her voice having remained perfectly calm and respectful.

"I know that the two of you had breakfast at the Cellestial Temple restaurant and that after this he took you into the diplomatic section of this station," the Ambassador said in an accusatory tone, not at all happy that the VALLA ROYAL's own internal sensors could not have followed them further.  All Ambassadors had been most grateful, at one time or another, that the recreational orbital station had a strict polity of absolute privacy for all diplomatic and honored guests.

"He did not take me to the Pythron Ambassadorial quarters," the redheaded woman calmly offered in an effort to ease the Ambassador's troubled mind as to the possibility of her having gained access to confidential or damaging information.

"I want to know WHERE he is!" Gerran continued, his anger and frustration showing no indication that they would be contained in anyway before Trodat was found… hopefully alive and in one piece.

"The last time I saw him, he was in the Ambassadorial observation dome," the young woman softly stated as she tried to explain the situation without further enraging the Ambassador.  "He fell asleep looking up at the stars," the redhead added keeping to herself the over two hours of physical exertion that had led the Pythron youth to fall asleep… a rather pleased grin on his lips.

The Pythron Ambassador glared at the redheaded woman for several long seconds as if silently debating what his next course of action would be.  Eventually the imposing figure growled and leaned in closer to the young woman so that she would be the only one to hear his next words.  "You would do well to stay away from my son from now on… I doubt that anyone would look too closely into the disappearance of a Dabo girl with obvious questionable lineage."

The young woman watched in silence as the Pythron Ambassador forced his way through the crowd that had gathered once again behind him, the high-ranking member of the warrior race having no reservations as to pushing those in his way out.  Memories of another giant came into Rikar's thoughts and a smile graced her pink lips as she compared the gentleness and compassion of the man in her memory compared to the brutish and arrogance of the one who had just walked away.

"Are you alright Miss?" A passerby inquired of the redheaded woman, drawing her out of her thoughts.  Rikar turned to see the caring, smiling face of another young man who had apparently felt to need to come to the maiden's rescue, not that she had needed any.  Although her clothes and general demeanor pointed to her being nothing more than a Dabo girl, the woman held skills and knowledge that far surpassed the impression she gave of herself to others.

"I'm alright, thank you," Rikar offered, the gentleness of the smile on her pink lips left no doubt that she had been through worse and that this minor altercation had been nothing for anyone to be concerned about.  As the young woman bowed her head in thanks to her would-be rescuer, her eyes ventured through the crowd to see the Pythron Ambassador speaking to a man… a man that she had never met but hard heard about through discussions being held around the Dabo table.

Although Rikar had never spoken to the man directly, or even been within physical reach the young woman instinctively knew to stay away from him… as far away as the universe would permit it.

==========
Setting: VALLA ROYAL, Promenade
Stardate: 63076.1615

"Ambassador Gerran," the man dressed in a subtle, understate suit offered pleasantly to the much taller and bigger Pythron official.  "My associates have sent me to make sure that all is well with your government."

An expression of nervousness swept over the Ambassador as if something not entirely legal had suddenly been brought up to light.  "Everything was… perfect," the Pythron official hesitantly replied, not wanting to say more than he could get away with while being in such a public area.

"I am most happy to hear that, Ambassador," Mortan announced, his voice laced with double meanings and covert tones.  "I just wanted to make sure that all was well and to say that my associates may be asking for a favor in return soon."

The Pythron Ambassador's eyes narrowed as he glared at the man, not liking the idea that he owed him or his associates a *favor* but knowing that he had little choice in the matter… his own appointment to the position he know held and the saving of his son's life having insured his continued and complete cooperation.

==========
Setting: VALLA ROYAL, Promenade
Stardate: 63076.1620

The young woman observed from afar with morbid fascination as the two men talked to one another, the idea of individuals sharing similar interests and views being drawn together seemed to oddly fit at that precise moment.  Like the gravity well of a black hole, the man known as Mortan seemed able to draw the light and joy out of an area, attracting the darkest, most questionable elements present… not only on this space station but from this entire section of space.

As a former Counselor she would have been interested in learning more about the man… to understand how he thought and his motives for doing what he did.

As a former Science Officer she would have been fascinated to study the man… to see if the feelings she and many others experienced had been pure instinct or a reaction to something else.

As a former starship Captain she would have been quick to place the man under observation… to insure that security forces would be ready to react at a moment's notice.

As a Dabo girl all she could do was to be an observer… to listen to the fantastic and all too often creepy stories that surrounded the man and his business *associates*.

==========
Sabrina Jones

Samantha Rikar
Dabo Girl
VALLA ROYAL

Once known as...
Captain Sabrina Rikar
Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501