Reunions

Reunions, Chapter 1 (K/S)
Leonie — 20 Nov 1998, 10:32 PM

The aroma of freshly made coffee filled his small kitchen as he poured himself his traditional first mug of Joe in the morning. Kiteman brought the mug to his lips and took a sip making sure that his lips touched the side of the cup as a single drop found its way to his tongue, before he brought the mug away from his lips. It was too bitter and too hot as usual, but that was the way that he liked it. He sat down at his kitchen table and used the steaming mug to warm his hands.

It was a cold morning. The heat from fire that he had started in the front room had not reached the kitchen, and the coffeepot brewing had only brought a small amount of heat into the room. Kiteman didn't mind. It was going to be the perfect day to fly kites according to the VC Almanac, so he didn't mind the cold.

Kiteman was the biggest kite buff in Voyager City. A few people in town were aware that he was once a PKF (Professional Kite Flyer). He toured a lot of the towns in the mid-west winning a lot of championships and a lot of medals for his skill and performance in the particular sport. To the people in Voyager City, he was a toy maker, his specialty being the making of kites, of course. A lot of the toys that he created were made to order toys. However there was a small selection of his more popular toys that were kept in stock at Miss Peggy-Lou's general store. At times, to supplement his income, Kiteman also took on small odd jobs for the people in Voyager City.

If few people in Voyager City knew that he had once been a PKF, no one knew that all tournaments that he contended in were in fact staged. Oh Kiteman was a skilled flyer all right after all it would be kind of hard to fake that. But the tournaments were not set up in certain towns because they were the preferred venues of the AKFA. (The American Kite Flyer's Association). They were held in certain towns at certain times because the ACIA (The Anonymous Cowboys in Action or the Fleet as they were commonly referred to in government circles), had special concerns about certain people and situations in the specific towns. Kiteman was sent to "look out after the Fleet's" best interests during those times.

But those days were behind him now. After wandering into town and being part of Miss Kathryn Janeway's cattle drive and the Posse that successfully neutralized the bank robbers that had come into town a while back, Kiteman had stayed in Voyager City and made it his home. He figured that it would give him all the excitement that he craved, but not as much danger as the life of a Fleeter.

Kiteman finished his joe and made his way to a room at the back of his house. He opened the door and entered the room slowly taking in all that was in there. He breathed in deeply the scent of freshly cut wood, oil and turpentine. He saw the workbench, the tools that littered it and the wood shavings that seemed to have made a floor covering of its own. This room was the very heart of his household and at the center of who he was. Kiteman's eyes wandered around the room for a moment before coming to rest on his kites, his pride and joy. Some; the ones that were made for the children of Voyager City, were hanging on the ceiling. His own personal kites were on a bookshelf, which was located in a prominent place in the room. Of all of them, there was one particular kite, which occupied a special place in the bookshelf.

Reunions Chapter 1 pt 2 (K/S)
Leonie — 20 Nov 1998, 10:59 PM

He went over to the shelf and picked her up. Barbie-Borg was different from the rest of the kites in his collection. This particular kite was not triangular or even rectangular in shape, but had two elongated, oval pieces that were mounted on a large rack. It was silver blue in color, and sparkled when the sunlight caught it. Kiteman had won many a YAM Kite Design and Performance awards with it. He had affectionately Barbie-Borg after Sevenita's rock group (Or at least that was what they called that type of music with all the hooting and hollering that went on in it). He had gone with Reverend Windes to her first concert and had had his first spiritual experience when he looked deeply in her eyes as they conveyed to him her emotions when she was singing.

And thinking of songs, Kiteman felt one rising in his throat as he walked outside and to fly his kite. Mentally he apologized to Tim, Tim, Tim Man of the Jungle? (Sheesh the people in the local YAM club, where do they get these nicknames from?). He was the first person he heard singing the tune.......

I've got a lovely set of ki-ites,
Look at them, all arranged neatly on the shelf.
Small ones,
Pointed ones,
Some so big, yet still they can stand by themselves...
Oye Vay!!!
(da de dum).......

***

He saw the kite dancing in the wind as he rode out to Kite's residence. He smiled. It had indeed been a long time since he had seen Barbie-Borg in flight. He knew that it was she when he caught the reflection that the sun made off the object dancing in the wind. He managed to catch up with the owner of the kite just outside his house. Kiteman seemed oblivious to the sound that his horse made as he came riding up. The stranger's smile grew wider. As if he could fool him! Kite had been his mentor in the ACIA; he knew everything that Kite knew. The stranger realized that he was waiting on his identification before turning around. He also knew to make it before dismounting.

"Kiteman."

Kiteman turned so quickly that he almost dropped the string on his favorite kite.

"Sunrise? Sunrise, my goodness is it really you?"

He looked over the stranger to ensure that it was indeed his best friend from his fleet days. As "Sunrise" dismounted, he quickly drove a small stake into the ground and tied the string on Barbie-Borg around it. When Sunrise came up to him, Kiteman gave him a firm handshake and Sunrise responded in kind by clasping him on the shoulder.

"It is good to see you Kiteman"

The Fleet had insisted that they use their code names on all assignments, even when they were alone with other Fleet members. That way it was easier for them to become their alias on the job. Since Kiteman was a perfect nickname for what he did on the outside, it made sense that he would stick with it even though he had left the Fleet.

After the two men had finished with their introductions, they continued to watch Barbie-Borg as she swayed gently in the breeze, defying gravity.

"Nice to see that you've still got the touch. How long did you take to get her up in the air?" Sunrise asked

"By my count, 1.5 sec give or take 0.2 sec" They had been taught to do very accurate second counts in the Fleet, for Kite, it always came in handy when he was timing his lift.

"But I doubt that my ability to fly kites brought you here. Why are you in Voyager City?

Reunions Chapter 1 pt 3 (K/S)
Leonie — 21 Nov 1998, 3:05 PM

"Do you really expect me to tell you that?" Sunrise asked kindly.

"Nope." Kiteman replied. He had trained his novice well. "Will I know when your business in town is complete?"

"One way or the other, yes."

*The mission is that dangerous* Kiteman realized.

They two men watched the kite for a minute or two longer before Sunrise said,

"I'm out after this."

Kiteman nodded his head. He knew that it would have only been a matter of time before Sunrise would have come to that decision. In a way he was glad that he knew before anything happened.

"What do you think that you'll do?"

Sunrise chuckled. Every time he explained this to himself, he felt as if he were caught in the Woman's Vapors. Still if there was one person who would understand it would be Kite.

"I'm thinking that I'll find somewhere nice, settle down get married. Raise YAMs and grow pigs. I mean raise pigs and grow yams."

It was Kiteman's turn to chuckle. In Voyager City, they were one and the same.

"I'm worried that I would get bored with a life like that though", Sunrise continued.

"Settle here. It wouldn't be a problem."

"In this back of the woods little town?. I'm sure that the "Voyager City Bake Off" would be the most interesting thing to happen here!!

Kite burst out laughing. He doubled over and had tears pouring out of his eyes. Sunrise looked at him puzzled and eventually his laughter subsided.

"You'll find out different soon enough." He gasped out, as soon as he was able to manage it.

Later on in his life Sunrise would look back on that conversation and marvel at how wrong his instincts about Voyager City could be.

Re:Union Chapter 2 pt 1 (S/L)
Leonie — 21 Nov 1998, 3:10 PM

Sunrise crossed the main way in Voyager City and made his way into Caroline's shop. It had indeed been a long time since he had seen Caroline. In fact he had last seen her 13 years ago when she had finished basic training. She had been on mission every since.

The chime that rang when the shop door was opened fell on deaf ears. The women of Voyager City who came to do their hair that morning were making so much noise with their chatter, that the chime effectively served no purpose. Sunrise caught Caroline's reflection in a mirror as she bent over a woman's head giving it the finishing touches. He took off his hat and made his way towards her.

"I like it!!" The woman holding up a mirror to the back of her head in order to see its reflection in another, said.

"You know, you really should consider letting it grow out instead of cutting it all the time. The day may come when you would want to have longer hair and it just wouldn't grow back, then where will you be?" Caroline questioned.

"Think of it this way. If I continue to keep it short, then you'll always have a customer. Besides, I have to try and keep up with Miss Kathryn Janeway."

Caroline rolled her eyes and groaned. "Don't even say that name to Madame Emony. Miss Janeway tortures her every fortnight to cut her hair in the most dreadful styles."

"I know." Sunrise realized that the woman was trying to sound sympathetic but the undercurrent of bitterness towards this Miss Janeway was present in her voice. Whoever those two women were, they were not good friends.

"That last one made her look like a "Boy's Stickball Club" Mom". The woman continued.

They shared a chuckle over that while Caroline continued to fuss over her customer's hair. Sunrise rolled his eyes. Women!! They never shut up. But he would have to wait until this customer left. It just would be best that there would be no witnesses to the content of the conversation. Since he knew that he would be leaving town never to return, he really didn't care who saw him conversing with Caroline. Besides she already had Fleet story plants in place which could be verified if anyone asked her how she knew him. He just wanted to make sure that no one heard what they said.

"What do I owe you?"

The two women settled their accounts and the customer got up, and turned around.

Re:Union Chapter 2 pt 2 (S/L)
Leonie — 21 Nov 1998, 3:12 PM

That's her!!!!
That's the woman that you are going to marry !

The message that communicated with Sunrise's being was loud, powerful and distinct.

***

Lee-Marie's mind also communicated a message to her, but it was of a different content.

***

YEOW!!!!

My God, that man is SEXY!!!

OH MY!! OH MY!! OH MY!!

***

Indeed he was. Sunrise was tall, rugged, solidly build and dark. His jeans fight snuggly on his frame and his white shirt was a little loose on him, serving only to enhance his well-built chest. He possessed powerful arms and large square hands.

But it was his face that finally shook Lee-Marie out of the sexual fog that she was in when she glanced at his physique. His body made hers react, but it was his face that called her into something deeper.

They made eye contact.

Lee-Marie felt as if she was drowning. She couldn't look away even if she wanted to.

***

Sunrise felt the reaction within him intensify when their eyes met. With great difficulty he broke his gaze and turned his attention away from her face.

He scoffed at himself.

The woman of his dreams, the one that he knew he would marry and would have his children. The one he would grow old with, and leave his mark on this earth by, wore jeans, cowboy boots with a GUNBELT and short hair!?! .

What on earth had gotten over him. What was he thinking?

He shook his head. *I really could do with a vacation* he thought to himself. *It's a good thing that I'm getting out*

He looked at Caroline.

Caroline had missed this entire interaction because she too had been looking at Sunrise. The possibilities and consequences of his being in Madame Enomy's were going through her mind as she also stared at him. Lee-Marie was grateful that he broke eye contact with her and looking over at Caroline and realizing that the stranger was here to meet her. She decided that this was her cue to exit.

"Good bye Caroline." Lee-Marie said walking out the door quickly and not even acknowledging Sunrise.

Caroline didn't even answer her.

***

Lee-Marie didn't stop JTM until they were out on Pinnacle Buff. She dismounted and made her way over to the bench that was fashioned out of a plank on two tree stumps and sat down. It was the same one that she and Chakotay used to sit on when they were there. After they had broken up, she avoided the Buff at all costs. It hurt her too much to even ride by it. Now for some unknown reason she felt a need to go there. To sit and think.

She didn't know why but that brief encounter with the stranger shook her to the core. But not in an unpleasant way, in a way that made her want to be shaken a little bit more. And that's what she didn't want. Her experience with Chakotay Torres was still fresh in her heart and still hurt from time to time.

*I don't need this* she thought. *I hope he leaves town soon*

Lee-Marie moaned.

That was the same wish that she had for Quai-Chan Kim, a man who's but she had grabbed when she was going through the "Woman's Curse". Not only did Kim turn out to be Harry Janeway's real brother, but also he had stayed in town after that and worked at Madame Maxine's Provencal. Lee-Marie had never been able to get away from him.

She knew it would be the same for this stranger, even though what she wanted most was never to see him again.

Or did she?

Re:Union Chapter 2 pt 3 (S/L)
Leonie — 21 Nov 1998, 3:15 PM

"Why are you here?" Caroline asked him as soon as they step outside the shop and onto the veranda.

"I wanted to know about life." Sunrise said putting on his hat and then looking out onto the main way. Caroline likewise gazed out onto the main street in Voyager City.

*A hit has been ordered* She translated to herself. She shouldn't be surprised. She was the one who had collected and relayed the pertinent information.

"What's there to say? It's hell and then you die. " Caroline responded.

Indeed it was. Sunrise tipped his hat and took his leave of her.

***

Caroline waited until Sunrise was out of sight and then slumped into the rocking chair on the veranda. She knew that this day would come. After all that's why she was stationed here. But she had hoped that after Mr.Tuvix, it would have never come to having a hit being ordered on anyone in Voyager City. She was pretty sure that the Fleet had taken him out while Mrs. Janeway had been unconscious. She had hoped that she would be able to stay in town and just continue to gather information. Voyager City was a pretty happening place for her not to be needed so she was sure that she wouldn't be pulled out soon. However each time she had a visit from an agent, it made it more dangerous that she could be found out and it would make it easier for the Fleet to decide to pull her out.

Caroline didn't want that. She had settled into this town and had gotten to know a lot of people. Against her better judgement she had formed bonds with the people there. She didn't want to leave. But those things came with being an ACIA informant.

Caroline saw a figure coming down the main way from Ms Peggy-Lou's. It was Mr. Tom Janeway. She stood up and went inside to get ready for him. He was her next appointment for a tease and poof.