...And Into the Light (Part 2) [Leela Kaz/Zero Alpha]

Leaning in, Jiseth touched the tip of her nose to Callion's. Her features dwarfed those of the infant whose toothless smile brought a warm grin to the Romulan's face.

"You are not a wall of protection, Ensign. Corinth will bypass you in an instant if he wants to. So don't take my feelings of your impotence personally..."

She looked up and toward Leela, one eyebrow raised. There was nothing the Trill could do to her and she knew it. Though her rank was essentially a formality at this point with no weight to it, they were not going to simply throw her in prison again. To her, every Feddy she came across would have a similar attitude toward her. Easily ill-tempered and with a bite less painful than Callion's, but there was always a chance to be surprised.

"...Unless you've found some form of leverage?"

The young Augment took half a step back after releasing Callion to her other mother, letting them have a moment to bond. The baby looked up at Jiseth, cooing quietly as if she recognised the Romulan's voice from the recordings Zero had been playing to her.

Zero bit her lip as she listened to the brief exchange between Jiseth and Leela, unsure of how to try to smooth any ruffled feathers between the two of them. She wasn't sure if they would ever be friends, but she could at least try to avoid the animosity that had developed between Jiseth and Gavin from happening again.

"I am not aware of any leverage, but Captain T'Koris and Ensign Kaz have been of great assistance, both with Callion and my continued education," she offered. Unable to resist the urge, she stepped forward again, brushing a fluffy lock of white hair from her daughter's forehead, a soft smile playing on her lips. After a moment's silence, she murmured in a soft voice:

"I am glad of your return. Your presence has been greatly missed."

"As I am glad to be back. I was worried I might never see you or her again..."

Her eyes met with Zero's and she returned a smile. Leaning over she placed a light kiss on her cheek and tilted her head toward the Augment's. Looking back down toward their child, Jiseth brushed aside the thoughts of her revenge. If anything that path would lead her back to a cell on some far off starbase. Without allies of her own it would prove nearly impossible and she was already under several microscopes while on thin ice.

"...She's beautiful though. May I sit down with her?"

Zero tensed, a faint pink blush creeping over her cheeks as Jiseth planted a light kiss on her cheek. Along with the rest of her training, Zero had been trying to work on her fear of being in an intimate situation. It had started with her dancing program, becoming more comfortable with a nameless dancer performing lifts with her. Gradually, she had changed that nameless dancer to one that resembled Jiseth. She had got to the point where she was able to relax while being in Jiseth's arms.

Her mind was wrenched back to the present when the young Romulan asked if she could sit down, to which Zero responded with a quick nod.

"Of course. You need not ask. Callion is not my daughter alone, but yours as well, if you wish her to be."

As the scene unfolded before her, flashbacks to Juvals younger years crowded her mind. Nights spent drinking with Corinth. She replayed the words he said in her mind. Things that seemed so innocent and unassuming at the time were now being realized as clues to a dark, demented and torturous soul.

"Why do you think he let Zero leave with me and return to the Phoenix. Juval knew the man before he had power. He promised me he was getting help, he said he was making progress with his counselor. Clearly he was feeding me lie after lie..." She glanced over to Zero. "...She knows his modus operandi all too well. One day, soon hopefully, his web of lies will unravel. He will be exposed for the man he truly is."