Cynthia Alighieri Corporal Medical Specialist USS Chimera "Salvation" = Promenade = SB Bragg Cynthia Alighieri leaned forward on a viewing port sill, her wavy black hair framing her face with their dance, her obsidian eyes set on the sleek vessel that was going to be her home. There was something about mythical creatures that seemed to fascinate the Special Forces - being that were seen once and never again, the kind of animals that people thought they had seen - and even imagination only allowed that to happen once in a lifetime. She heard her name called and turned around. It was her Colonel March - the leader of the last team she had been part of. He smiled at her and she smiled back with her usual poise. "Colonel." "Isis - I'm glad I caught you before you left," he paused a few feet from her as if to take in the scenery, her petite form the centerpiece, "I heard you were assigned to the Chimera." "Yes," Alighieri stepped slightly away from the window and nodded "There she is." "I always liked the Intrepid Class. Very sleek." "No doubt." "Listen, Corporal, I just wanted to thank you again. It was a difficult mission. A costly one. It must have been difficult for you." Cyn nodded hesitantly. Why had he come to her then? For forgiveness? Out of the twelve ODA members, only three had survived. And Colonel Jonathan March wanted someone to tell him that it had been worth it - that he had not made the mistakes that he had made. He wanted a lie. And he knew that it was a lie. He had accepted responsibility during the mission debriefings - no one had argued with him. Everyone made mistakes. But he wanted reassurance - even if it was based on a chimera - not the truth. Not the facts. Just salvation. He had not come looking for her - he had come looking for a priest. Alighieri said nothing for a long time, considering this. It was not her place to give him anything. She had no right. And yet he had come to her.... The Betazoid sighed at the anguish in the man's thoughts as he waited for her response - she could save him, she could damn him. But he needed to hear something that would allow him to move ahead, go on doing his job. "It wasn't your fault." He smiled. All his hopes had been realized. His universe was in order. "Of course it was, Corporal. I was in command. But - it won't happen again. I'll make sure of it." "Of course, Colonel." "Well - good luck, Cynthia. I'm sure you'll do very well." "Thank you." Knowing that he did not know what to do now, she nodded slightly and drifted away from him. She had done it. She had lied - and she did not even know why. She was not a counselor. It was not her job to reassure people. It didn't matter, however - it was done. She doubted she would go to Hell for that one white lie. Didn't matter anyway - there were plenty of other things that would get here there. And she was rather looking forward to it anyway- one of her ancestors, after all, had written the definitive book on it. That had to count for some special treatment. Right now, however, she made her way to the Chimera to meet her new ODA commander. "Let us go there," she paraphrased Dante to the ghosts that were always with her, "With steps that are slow, holding fast always to hope...." = End Log