Subject: Grail: "The Great Brightness" - 'Control'

<<Stardate: 47307.30-00:05>>

<<Couselor's quarters>>

Mirka entered her quarters still feeling nauseous, she ran into the

bathroom as the nausea took the best of her. Sitting on the floor she

tried to calm down. She had to get rid of the panic that had taken

control of her. She felt weak in her stomach and their was something in

her throat. Last time she had felt this way was... when she...Terrek...

She suddenly got up as if it could shake the nostalgia away.

What had he done? No. Not what. Why? Why did Epic Terrakian do

that to her. Why did he drain her of her strength? Because he needed

it? That's what he had told her. But it could not have been the only

reason. She focused her thought on the discussion they had just before

he... fed? On her. She smiled, maybe telling him to move is butt was a

bit overzealous. And then it struk her. He had tried to scare her. He

wanted her to fear him. She had talked to him like nobody should talk

to the captain of a ship (especially when on a mission). He wanted her

to know that he was calling the shots, not her. He could have gotten

mad and put her back in her place (wherever that was). But that was

beneath him. Getting angry was loosing control of your emotions, he

didn't do that. He was always in control of the situation.

She chuckled. Oh God, he tought he could make her fear him. Not

just her, most of the crew. It explained it all, the black outfit, the

'Captain Dracula' nickname. Well, she thought, he was in for a ride.

Because she didn't fear anyone... except herself. Fearing someone was

giving him control over you, that she wouldn't let anyone have.

The panic was almost gone now. It had been close, to close. She had

regained control of herself, but it had taken a while, too long, she

hadn't been very attentive during the Torrilion meeting. That wasn't

good. Nothing and nobody could have this influence on her. She was

tired, but that wasn't an exuse. She closed her eyes and tried to

relax. She saw the ocean... the mediterranean... the body, and she felt

empty. She let herself plunge in the void as she undressed and went to

bed. She was going to find a way to deal with Epic Terrakian another

time.

____________________________________

<< Stardate 477307. 30-09:55>>

As she entered the conference room, Mirka was completly calm. The

events on the eve put aside for as long as it would take. She had

passed the beginning of the morning analysing the brief meeting she had

with the Torrillion Ambassador. Altough she hadn't been very attentive,

she had tried to draw some conclusions of that first contact. Anyway,

she thought, Kyp Firespray and Lt Fionn would probably be in a better

place to judge than her. She would give her input only if it was asked.

In fact, for her the real attraction of the staff meeting would be to

see the crew interact. Tension was running high everywhere on the ship.

Which was normal, after being contained for so long, the steam has to

come out. She just hoped T'Nek was wrong and they would be able to go

down on Kerestria. The change of air would do a lot of good for a lot

of people.

Counselor Mirka Tzavaras.