01-06-2026, 06:07 AM
Jez smiled when Alex said, "So, you think she's crazy about me, huh? I will have to take that under advisement and consider it for future conversation."
“Well, Crazy may be overstating it, but I do think Beno thinks of you as more than the Hunky Brainy Chief Scientist or just a colleague. I mean, how many times have you seen Beno kiss the Captain, or the Chief Tactical Officer, or our Chief Engineer, or our Chief of Security? My point is that the best romantic relationships start from friendships, or so I have been told.”
Jez sat there for a moment, then said, “ K’vada says you're as handsome as Kahless with eyes as dreamy as the Helix Nebula, a noble jaw line, and you're as smart as Surak. So you have that going for you.”
“Oh, and for what it’s worth, I think you and Beno would make a great couple. You complement each other very well.” Added Jez.
Jez’s eyes went wide when Alex spoke of his wife being killed on a mission against the Borg; one Borg ship was bad enough, but a whole fleet of them was what nightmares were made of. She listened intently as Alex described what happened. Jez had read survivor stories of people who had been assimilated by the Borg, and that had been rescued. Jez knew that if Alex’s wife had been assimilated, all they would have to do was to remove the Borg implants and let her natural DNA reassert itself.
Jez nodded her head when Alex mentioned the mental link Betazoids establish with the ones they love, and she knew how painful it was when your loved one is taken away from you. Jez looked at Alex’s face; he seemed so vulnerable at that moment.
“Alex, I don’t mean to pry open old wounds, but did you try a rescue attempt? The Borg implants could be removed. Survivors often make complete recoveries, from what I understand the process to reverting Borg assimilation is incredibly difficult, but possible through methods like removing cybernetics, using specialized nanoprobes, or exploiting specific weaknesses, as they did with Captains Picard and Seven of Nine, often requiring unique technology like the Isolinear Molecular Reconverter or nanite injectors, though it's rare and often leaves psychological scars, but wouldn’t it be worth it to get our loved ones back?” Said Jez with a warm smile, imagining Alex and his wife reuniting someday.
Alex locked eyes with Jez, "I will always look back and wonder if I should have risked her wrath and talked her into not going on that mission. Can I be so incredible if I let her go on a mission we both knew she wasn't going to come back from? I could have lived with it, if she were still alive to be angry with me, but some things can't be undone." He said his tone was filled with sadness. Jez wasn’t sure how to answer that. She couldn’t imagine the pain and anger he must have faced.
Finally, Jez spoke, “Well, it sounded like you were in a no-win situation. When two people have careers in Star Fleet, there is always the chance that one or both parents may be lost on a mission, but you didn’t know what was going to happen. Would she prevent you from going if the situation were reversed?”
Jez was a bit surprised when Alex said, "You know, if you decide you're ever up for trying the single mom thing, I know a guy who can set you up with an independently powered holo-nanny program that wouldn't require being tapped into ship's direct power system and could care for your child while you're at work or even away on missions. You've met Thor and Cindy, you've been to my quarters and seen the independent holographics and drone programs I've developed. I'm serious that if you need some help in that area, we can sit down and discuss what sort of program might meet your needs and still be acceptable by Star Fleet standards. I'm just saying..."
“Alex, I don’t know if I’m capable of being a single parent. I don’t know if I’m strong enough, physically, yes, but emotionally, I don’t know. You see, my parents were always focused on their dig sites; they are more concerned with finding the next big Archeological find. If anything happened to me, I don’t feel my parents would give my daughter the attention she needs, and my father’s parents are all Vulcan all the time, my mothers mom is amazing, but at her age to raise a child, I couldn’t burden my Grammy like that. I certainly don’t want my baby brought up by Devyn and his pure-blood-obsessed, bigoted family. Ideally, I want to talk with Teddy Bear and see what he has to say.” Said Jez, her voice seemed to be filled with regret and confusion.
Jez was so upset with herself. Why didn’t she see Devynn for what he really was, had she been so blinded by his wealth and charm that she couldn’t, or more frighteningly, didn’t see him for what he really was, a bad trait for a Star Fleet Officer, especially a Star Fleet Security Officer?
“I’ll keep a cyber nanny in mind, I just have so much to think over. I suppose my first step is to respond to Devynn’s demand letter. I don’t know how to reply. I was thinking of speaking to our JAG Officer, but I don’t know who that is.” Said Jez.
== Tag Talion. ==
“Well, Crazy may be overstating it, but I do think Beno thinks of you as more than the Hunky Brainy Chief Scientist or just a colleague. I mean, how many times have you seen Beno kiss the Captain, or the Chief Tactical Officer, or our Chief Engineer, or our Chief of Security? My point is that the best romantic relationships start from friendships, or so I have been told.”
Jez sat there for a moment, then said, “ K’vada says you're as handsome as Kahless with eyes as dreamy as the Helix Nebula, a noble jaw line, and you're as smart as Surak. So you have that going for you.”
“Oh, and for what it’s worth, I think you and Beno would make a great couple. You complement each other very well.” Added Jez.
Jez’s eyes went wide when Alex spoke of his wife being killed on a mission against the Borg; one Borg ship was bad enough, but a whole fleet of them was what nightmares were made of. She listened intently as Alex described what happened. Jez had read survivor stories of people who had been assimilated by the Borg, and that had been rescued. Jez knew that if Alex’s wife had been assimilated, all they would have to do was to remove the Borg implants and let her natural DNA reassert itself.
Jez nodded her head when Alex mentioned the mental link Betazoids establish with the ones they love, and she knew how painful it was when your loved one is taken away from you. Jez looked at Alex’s face; he seemed so vulnerable at that moment.
“Alex, I don’t mean to pry open old wounds, but did you try a rescue attempt? The Borg implants could be removed. Survivors often make complete recoveries, from what I understand the process to reverting Borg assimilation is incredibly difficult, but possible through methods like removing cybernetics, using specialized nanoprobes, or exploiting specific weaknesses, as they did with Captains Picard and Seven of Nine, often requiring unique technology like the Isolinear Molecular Reconverter or nanite injectors, though it's rare and often leaves psychological scars, but wouldn’t it be worth it to get our loved ones back?” Said Jez with a warm smile, imagining Alex and his wife reuniting someday.
Alex locked eyes with Jez, "I will always look back and wonder if I should have risked her wrath and talked her into not going on that mission. Can I be so incredible if I let her go on a mission we both knew she wasn't going to come back from? I could have lived with it, if she were still alive to be angry with me, but some things can't be undone." He said his tone was filled with sadness. Jez wasn’t sure how to answer that. She couldn’t imagine the pain and anger he must have faced.
Finally, Jez spoke, “Well, it sounded like you were in a no-win situation. When two people have careers in Star Fleet, there is always the chance that one or both parents may be lost on a mission, but you didn’t know what was going to happen. Would she prevent you from going if the situation were reversed?”
Jez was a bit surprised when Alex said, "You know, if you decide you're ever up for trying the single mom thing, I know a guy who can set you up with an independently powered holo-nanny program that wouldn't require being tapped into ship's direct power system and could care for your child while you're at work or even away on missions. You've met Thor and Cindy, you've been to my quarters and seen the independent holographics and drone programs I've developed. I'm serious that if you need some help in that area, we can sit down and discuss what sort of program might meet your needs and still be acceptable by Star Fleet standards. I'm just saying..."
“Alex, I don’t know if I’m capable of being a single parent. I don’t know if I’m strong enough, physically, yes, but emotionally, I don’t know. You see, my parents were always focused on their dig sites; they are more concerned with finding the next big Archeological find. If anything happened to me, I don’t feel my parents would give my daughter the attention she needs, and my father’s parents are all Vulcan all the time, my mothers mom is amazing, but at her age to raise a child, I couldn’t burden my Grammy like that. I certainly don’t want my baby brought up by Devyn and his pure-blood-obsessed, bigoted family. Ideally, I want to talk with Teddy Bear and see what he has to say.” Said Jez, her voice seemed to be filled with regret and confusion.
Jez was so upset with herself. Why didn’t she see Devynn for what he really was, had she been so blinded by his wealth and charm that she couldn’t, or more frighteningly, didn’t see him for what he really was, a bad trait for a Star Fleet Officer, especially a Star Fleet Security Officer?
“I’ll keep a cyber nanny in mind, I just have so much to think over. I suppose my first step is to respond to Devynn’s demand letter. I don’t know how to reply. I was thinking of speaking to our JAG Officer, but I don’t know who that is.” Said Jez.
== Tag Talion. ==