Sweat glistened on Lihran’s skin, his brows furrowed into a face of concentration. He was in the fitness facility of the base, working on his regular regime. He had listening devices in his ears, tuning out everyone else in the facility. He was on his back, doing bench press reps. He had to use special equipment made for Vulcans and Romulans due to their higher strength, even then, he was pushing the limits. 

INCOMING TRANSMISSION! INCOMING TRANSMISSION!

The sharp tone and voice blasted through his ears painfully. His arms wavered and buckled. A Vulcan noticed and leapt forward to try and help Lihran lift the weight back into place, but it was a bit too heavy for him as well.  He averted the crisis and helped guide the weights off to the side. 550 lbs crashed onto the floor instead of on Lihran’s chest. The bench suddenly toppled over at the same moment with the abrupt displacement of weight. Lihran deftly tucked and rolled off to the side out of the way.

He swore and yanked the devices out of his ears, “Last time I have the damn things in without a privacy setting!” He mumbled his thanks to the Vulcan, hurrying over to grab his PADD. He put the listening devices back in his ears, answering the call with a scowl.

A Romulan official came up on the screen, lifting his brows, “Bad time, Lieutenant Lihran?”

Lihran shook his head, glancing around before stepping out of the gym, “I haven’t worn that rank in fifteen years. How serious is the matter for an official to call me?”

The official replied, “Quite serious. You may wish to sit down and have a drink after.” Lihran furrows a brow, “Alright, sir. Call me back in…. Half an hour and I will be decent.”

The oficial inclined his head in acknowledgement and closed the connection.

Lihran looked quite worried, an urgency in his steps. He showered and got back into his uniform. He found his way walking the promenade, debating on a place to drink. He decided Downtime was the best place for a drink.

Lihran lowered himself onto a metal barstool, thankful it was rather quiet here today. Skal approached as Lihran turned on the devices in his ears again. Lihran bluntly stated, “Romulan ale.” The screen of his PADD flashed with the incoming transmission again. He gave Skal a stern, dark glare that even made the Tellarite clamp his jaw shut and not say a word to Lihran.

He sighs and answers the call, pulling the glass of blue liquid towards him, lifting it to his lips and taking a sip. He glances at the official, “Lay it on me, sir.”The official nods, “Very well, Lihran. Your parents are dead. You are still their heir by Romulan law.” Lihran’s eyes widen and he slowly lowers the glass to the bar, “Dead?! How? How are they both dead?”

He had only spoken to them a handful of times since he left the Tal Shiar, nor was he particularly close to him, but they were the only family he has ever had and will have. He was their only child as far as he knew, though a disappointment of one.

The official replies, “Murder. I will send you details of their deaths and an account of their assets which fall to you, being their heir.” Lihran swallows and nods, taking another gulp of the ale, finding his throat suddenly dry, “Yes please, thank you sir. Am I required to go there in person to settle the estate?” The official slowly shook his head, sighing, “It is not safe for you to do so. Nor can I guarantee the safety of your assets at this point in time.”

Lihran looks troubled, “Not safe? What is going on?” The official looked around on his side, “I am not authorised to tell you that. You may be able to discern enough from the report. That is all I wished to tell you. Good bye.” The connection suddenly dropped.

Lihran stared blankly at the screen, the documents flashing up. A confusing swirl of emotions welled up inside him. His first instinct was to laugh, though it wasn’t a humorous laugh. It was a laugh of disbelief, a nervous response, “Dead? Murdered?”

He dropped his elbows heavily on the bar, covering the lower half of his face with both hands. He closed his eyes lightly. Lihran was never really a spiritual or religious Romulan, but he found his lips moving as he whispered prayers to the Elements into his hands. He wasn’t particularly close to his parents, but he had a slight bond to his mother. It wasn’t that strong, but it existed.

Tears started welling up in his eyes. He closed his hands and raised them up over his eyes. His entire body trembled, holding back screams and sobs that he wanted to let out. He slammed a fist on the bar, making Skal jump. He grabbed his ale and quickly downed the entire glass. Lihran croaked and gestured, “I need another…” Skal quickly got him another without a comment. A crying Romulan was a rather terrifying sight.

Lihran drank in silence for a while, letting the hot tears run down his face. He was snapped out of his brooding by a hand on his shoulder. Lihran jerked his head back to look at the offender, “I… Thevius?! What are you doing here?”

Thevius sits down beside Lihran, nodding at Skal, “Saurian brandy, if you please.” He looks over at Lihran, “If I was to guess, it’d be the same thing that’s gotten you in this state.”

Lihran sighs, “Coup, parents. Dead. Dead, they are dead.”Thevius nods, emitting a soft sigh, “My mother was there as well. I haven’t told my father yet. He is married to someone else, I doubt he would.. Care.”Lihran snorts, “Vulcans? Care?” That earned him a glare from the half Vulcan. Thevius replies tersely, “Some of us do. We are not robots, Lihran.” Lihran shook his head, “If you were, at least you’d make sense to me. Did you come here just to do a check up on your old friend?”

Thevius shook his head, sipping his brandy, “I am here to resupply and check in before I continue on towards my assignment. I was wondering if you would like to come along?”Lihran shook his head firmly, “No, Thevius. I am stationed here. You would have to go through my command.” Thevius sighed at that, “I thought so. Was worth a shot.” The process of transferring someone was long and they did not have time. He would have to come up with a different solution The two Romulans drank in silence till they parted ways, taking solace in old friendship.