Chapter 112: Wrath

"Nagi?" Some time later when at last she was alone the voice had come again.

Having fed and bathed, just as Nagi was preparing to settle down in one of the well appointed staterooms.

"Your back!" She whispered excitedly. Having begun to think she had somehow imagined the whole earlier affair.

"Well of course." He replied obviously amused. "Did I not say we would talk later?"

She remembered blushing, smiling having forgotten that detail in all the excitement.

"I wanted to say thank you." She whispered, looking down at the huge bed upon which she sat.

"It was my pleasure and privilege to help..." He returned after a slight pause.

"Such a beautiful young woman as yourself." She had swallowed, nervously yet pleased at that.

Her father had sheltered her overly much.

At the time Nagi had less sufficient experience with the ways of the world. She supposed her silly young head had been full of stories and romance.

"And I must say," He added while she was pleasantly fidgeting.

"You look absolutely fetching in those pajamas!" She took a moment to regard the bright pink top and bottoms. They had been the most conservative her and the lieutenant could find!

"You've been very kind." She told him unable to think of any thing more appropriate.

"Yes..." His voce mused trailing off.

"I was hoping, that after you had some time. Maybe you might be willing to return the favor."

"You mean," She asked surprised. "You need my help?"

"Yes." He repeated firmly. "I am reluctant to impose my wishes but I fear..."

"What can I do?" She insisted.

"I am trapped in this place." He finally confided. "Doomed to wander these lonely halls!"

"No." She gasped, having suspected as much.

"Did ... Did you die here?" Nagi had asked after a long moment.

"No," He replied almost sounding like and echo.

"Not as such, I perceive my self as 'alive'. Suffice it to say however, I am in a place where I can't effect the world about me!"

"How awful!" She had gasped.

"Yes..." He had sighed.

"Life and the here after apparently are wrought with woe."

"What can I do to help?" She had asked.

"Sleep now." He had told her.

"But when you wake, go to the place where you first heard my voice."

He had then simply left or at least stopped responding to her inquiries.

She awakened somewhat later, only after sheer exhaustion had finally lulled her excited mind to sleep.

Finding the others had let her rest while they resumed the business of scavenging aboard the huge derelict.

Still flushed and curious she had dressed hastily for her rendezvous, taking time however laughingly in present context to brush her hair.

Oh, she remembered even now how the emotions had swirled. But hindsight is as always keen and unforgiving! And so with a head, doubtlessly full of fantasy princes unremembered she had arrived again at the agreed location.

"H ... Hello?" She had whispered after a few minutes of again starting to feel foolish.

"You look lovely." He had spoken at last.

"I must apologize for not speaking immediately but I was admiring your hair."

"Thank you..." She had blushed. Elated of course that he had noticed.

"Beautiful, almost silver..." She had heard him muse. "Your natural shade?"

"Yes!" She gasped, delighted in spite of the strangeness, holding still as she could for his inspection, fixing eye upon the debris littering the deck before her.

"Perhaps if we are successful, you might confirm that for me?" He continued quietly, as Nagi's blush became almost livid, knowing full well what he had meant!

"I..." She had stammered.

"Someday." He concluded softly.

"But for now, we must concentrate."

"What must I do?" She had asked.

"There is a corridor on the other side of the main chamber." He had then instructed.

"Directly across from where you are standing. Go there now."

Nagi had made the short journey in a sort of half daze. Taking great care, not to be seen. For some reason it just still seemed appropriate.

Though unquestioningly she supposed she had felt self-conscience even then. Convincing the others there was an invisible man talking only to her, was another mater entirely!

Additionally there was the difficulty navigating the debris barricading the room to which his voice eventually led.

"We have arrived." He assured even as Nagi was about to ask.

"As you can see, there was much damage to the mechanisms. But I believe with your help I might be able to reverse the effect which holds me here, on the threshold betwixt life and death!"

"What caused all this?" Nagi had asked as she surveyed the wreckage.

"Not what," His voice supplied solemnly. "But who."

"I don't understand." She asked after several moments scanning the air before her futilely hoping to catch some glimpse.