Jesa found herself walking, with a single bag over her shoulder through the commercial sector. There was a few things she needed to pick up, and so she headed through here. Only Lysander, Terah and Buck knew she'd be going for a few days, she left all the necessary instructions with everyone. And now was done with all of that... save for one thing.

Though she hadn't intended it, there was one more person she needed to speak with. Jesa slapped her comm. badge. "Callen to Tyne." She said, in her most "on duty" voice.

In a supply room near one of the many shuttle bays, Victor straightened suddenly up, startled at hearing Jesa's voice, simultaneously hitting his head and dropping the crate of tools he was trying to work free. He mumbled and cursed but managed to regain his composure before responding. "Tyne here... go ahead, Commander" he said, sounding a little pained.

"I need to speak to you, do you have a few moments?" she intoned, seeming just a little impatient but disguising it well.

He grimaced, she having just requested of him the very thing he was trying desperately to avoid, but he wasn't about to refuse his senior officer... or his friend. "Certainly Commander, where shall I meet you?"

She turned, looking around for the nearest suitable place. "Commercial Sector... first level, a little café called 'The spot'," she said, with slight disbelief at the name.

"Be right there commander, Tyne out." He took an experimental step on his injured foot and decided nothing was broken, then tucked the crate under one arm and headed off for the commercial sector. Picking Jesa out almost immediately he pushed his way through the crowd over to her, frowning a little upon seeing the bag. "Taking some shore leave Commander?"

She looked down at the bag, somehow just to do something, though she knew it was there. "Not really..." she gestured to one of the tables she was standing near. "Care to sit down?" Jesa restrained a smile when she saw the form of Alara in the crowd, standing across the way just keeping watch on things. The red-haired woman reminded herself to thank Alara when this was all over.

He shifted the crate under his arm and slowly sat down, placing it in his lap and folding his arms on top of it. "So, Commander, what's on your mind?"

Jesa took a breath, seeming more anxious than he had seen her before, though she tried to quiet it. "As you noted, I'm going on a short trip. I'll be gone for two days, going out to Starbase 253 and back. It's one of those 'command responsibilities'... attending a flag officer's wedding." She said, simply and straightforwardly.

He tilted his head to the side, not quite sure why she needed to tell him this. He shifted nervously in his chair, staring at her for what seemed like an eternity before finally speaking. "Well Commander... I... uhm... hope you have fun." He turned to get out of his chair.

"Victor..." she started softly. He paused, but she looked down, losing her nerve. "I gave Lysander some information and standing orders regarding you... he's still attempting to find a motive for that attack on either you or myself." She forced a slight smile "He's a good man, try not to terrorize him too much."

He raised an eyebrow at her, the crate in his arms starting to shake slightly. "Wha... ahem, what exactly did you tell him about me?"

Jesa looked at him, wondering if he really thought she'd tell anyone, even her XO, information like that. "That you were to be treated like any other member of the crew, and that your well being was important to me, and that he was to make the effort to the best of his ability. Also, Keeves would still be assigned to you for the duration of my absence because she's trustworthy."

He settled down in his chair, pausing a moment to look at her, then shook his head. "That's not why you called me here, is it Commander Callen? Is there something else you want to tell me?"

Jesa closed her eyes for a moment, looking at the table. "No, it was not the only reason." She took a deep breath, looking up at him. "I saw you left the party last night. I know, somehow, that what you saw affected you quite strongly."

His face went pale and he chewed his lip absently, trying to force himself to remain calm. "I would rather we did not talk about that..."

She nodded, somewhat shakily; a couple tears welled up in her eyes. Her voice shook when she spoke, hurting and even a little angry, but not directed at him. "Okay... then let's talk about me for a minute. Me, who is leaving on this trip more to escape for a while, because my own fiancé won't talk to me, and now my entire crew thinks things are fine and back to normal, and thus no one understands what is really happening. Even my XO doesn't really realize it, and I can't bring myself to tell him. The only one who really knows what I'm feeling is Terah. And now I'm the one feeling... very vulnerable." She spit out, actually surprised by her honesty. She looked down at the table, quickly wiping a tear away that fell onto the surface; trying in vain to quickly close up the gap of vulnerability she just opened towards him.

He watched her face, absently thinking 'You, who has everything, complains about it to me?' but he shoved the thought aside and lowered his voice. "Then why are you telling me?"

She looked up at him, directly into his eyes. "Because I needed to tell someone..." she spoke softly. "And I don't have as much as you think I do, Victor... a part of me wonders which day I will wake up and they will find out I am a complete fake. My world revolved around him... suddenly my footing is shaky, and I can do nothing to save it... it is hinged on another's choice." She looked down, her voice soft again. "I'm sorry, I know you've lost a lot more... I am sorry for my complaint. Perhaps it was a mistake."

He sighed and waved dismissively. "We all need someone to confide in, Commander. I'm sorry I couldn't be here for you more."

Her face softened slightly and she breathed softly. "That we do... thank you..." Then Jesa stood, and readjusted the strap of her bag. She was just going to walk past and then stopped, laying her hand on his shoulder gently. "You're not the only one who has trouble trusting people, or feeling they are the only one the universe ever picks on... Think about that sometime, and thank you." She said. Perhaps the words would have seemed harsh, but the way she stated them was completely gentle.

He smiled a little and stood up, putting an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her gently, like an old friend. "Take care of yourself, Commander, and try to relax."

Jesa's face relaxed a little more and she smiled back. "You too, Victor... and I'll certainly try."

Just as she went to step away from the table, the Victor's comm. beeped. Ordinarily Jesa would have paid no attention to what was going on, but the young crewman sounded most excited. Turning back slightly Jesa heard, "Sir, we're receiving an emergency transport request to the Isannah, apparently from Ensign Drake! Johnson's not responding, we need direct authorization, sir!"

'Drake?' she thought, then slapped her comm. Badge "Isannah-Refit Transporter Room, this is Callen, get him aboard now!" She almost held her breath as silence came over the link.

"We have him, sir." The officer said, his voice a little shaky.

"I need a full report, chief!" Jesa said sternly.

"... the coordinates were from outside the station sir, he was in space... no suit." he said, softly.

Jesa bit back a few choice curses, realizing it would just waste time. "Transport him to Starbase Medical Facility fourteen, I'll meet him there."

She was already moving by the time his voice came back over the comm. "It's done, sir."

"Very well, Callen out." Callen said, then mumbled to herself as she continued walking hurriedly towards the med-bay, "Damn it, I'm responsible for this...". She realized in that moment Victor Tyne was following in her footsteps, waiting for the chance to talk to her.

"You don't need to follow me. I've detained you from your duties long enough." Jesa said, lowly and formally.

"Are you sure?" he questioned, keeping pace with her without any difficulty.

She turned to him, stopping and putting her hands on his arm in the same friendly gesture that he had extended to earlier, only in her this was to impress upon him the importance of her words, and wanting him to listen carefully. "Yes, I'm sure. This is something I need to sort out. You'd only be in the way at this point. Please, go tend to your own duties, I'll talk to you later."

He looked at her a moment and then nodded. "Good day, Commander." Alara had been following them at a distance and just then dropped to a walk out of hearing range behind Victor. Jesa simply nodded, taking back off down the corridor to make it to the med-bay at the best possible speed.

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