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"Mutual Observation"
[previous post was "Time Around And Back Again"]
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Black Hole Lounge
Stardate: 30151.0730

The three women had enjoyed their breakfast for nearly an hour now and the CEO had done the greater part of the chatting.  Aside from the occasional nod or single word reply, the other two thirds of the trio had dedicated the remainder of their energy at observing each other.

At first Ya'Han had felt uncomfortable with the scrutiny of the CSO's gaze, and since she had not been in a position to avoid it, the Chief of Security decided to return the favor.  The strange aspect of this intense mutual observation had been the non-accusatory sensation that seemed to envelop the two women.  The two of them had simply been looking at one another trying to understand the specifics of the other and possibly uncover whatever mystery hid beneath the surface.

"Hey, Bat Girl," Sonja said after she swallowed the last piece of her Klingon sausage, "by the way that was a supremely nice gown that you had on earlier.  Where did you find that gem?"

"Counselor Dalziel helped with the design," Ya'Han answered, keeping her gaze locked with that of Maya.  "She suggested a mix of two dresses that I was left to decide on.  I'm just not good at making these kinds of high fashion decisions."

"You security types y'all the same," the engineer chuckled in an accent that the Chief of Security could not immediately identify.  "Getting ye clothes off is the easy part, figuring out what to wear afterwards, now *that's* the challenge."

"What?" the Chief of Security gasped, not entirely certain if she had just been insulted by the Engineer.

"She is making a reference to the aspect of your duties which requires you to make rapid decisions in the heat of the moment," Maya explained without cracking the slightest grin as if expecting Ya'Han to give up some hidden secret through her reaction.

"Oye," Sonja laughed out loud at the obvious double entente, "you need to relax Bat Girl.  Keep it up like that and you'll be turning your hair white in no time."

Ya'Han actually held her breath for a moment as panic swept through her.  Did they actually know?  Why else would Sonja have mentioned her hair turning white, the color of those who worked in the medical field, in response to an increase in her stress?

"Relax," Maya said as she reached across the table and took hold of Ya'Han's hand.  "You are amongst friends here.  Whatever secret it is and whatever reason you may have to keep it as such is yours, but know this; everyone has secrets on this ship."

"Think about it," the redheaded engineer continued.  "I am sure that there are more than a few secrets hiding beneath the suave facade of our great and powerful leader.  As the CO though he has to keep his skeleton from the rest of us to maintain that *perfect* image, but we as mere mortals have the luxury to share our secrets making our lives that much easier.  Secrets have a nasty way to come out and bite you in the aft when you least expect them."

Ya'Han paused for a moment as she looked at Sonja, wondering if the CEO and CNS had somehow swapped bodies during the latter part of their breakfast.

"Trust is something that does not come easily to me," the Chief of Security whispered, knowing that the statement would confirm that there had in fact been a secret being hidden from the others.

"We all trust each other in our respective duties and responsibilities, but personal trust is not something that is simply given," Maya nodded, "it is something that is earned.  All Sonja and I can do is hope to one day prove ourselves worthy of your personal trust.  Knowing each other's secrets does not weaken us but rather makes us stronger as a whole."

The Chief of Security pondered the words spoken by both women sitting at the table with her for several minutes.  Wisdom had been present in each and every word, but still the Chief of Security could not bring herself to simply divulge her complete life history.  After a little while though, Ya'Han decided to at the very least confirm the presence of a secret even if she would not give the full story.

"I'n Nylaan, and my people can change their hair color to reflect their social position," Ya'Han admitted thinking that for now it had been best not to specify the full extent of her range of colors.  "Green is the color meant for those who belong to the performing arts, while black is for the simple commoners."

"You are a long way from home," Sonja said through a half grin, happy to see that the Chief of Security had decided to open up to them.

"That explains the dancing," Maya added with a smile, showing that she too had been happy to see the Chief of Security opening up and trusting them with a part of her past that she had kept hidden up until then.

Maybe one day they would learn of the rest of her secret, but for now Ya'Han had actually felt relief in having been able to share what she had with people she considered to be friends.

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Hanali Han

Ensign Ya'Han
Chief of Security / Chief Tactical Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501