Counselor Gilroy

Posted on Tue May 12th, 2015 @ 10:35pm by Jackson Banning V & Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Commander Gilroy

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: Main Brig

"That's what the Admiral ordered? No contact of a professional nature? Hmm." Gilroy was reviewing the Admiral's written orders. Since Oz was off-station on a classified mission, technically, any contact with her needed to be duty-related. "To hell with it," he grumbled, keyed in a few commands and waited. A few moments later, he received a response and stood to head to the brig.

In the brig, he found Jackson in the smallest cell - the one that had a single, short, concrete bunk and no privacy whatsoever. It was meant as a temporary holding cell for some of the smaller species on the 'base. Gilroy snarled. "Moresi! Open this cell."

"Yes, sir!" Moresi dropped the field on the cell.

"Jackson," Gilroy gruffly greeted the man.

Jackson had been sitting on the bunk, his back to the wall and his knees drawn up. When the force field dropped, he lowered his feet to the ground and smiled.

“Hey Gil, welcome to my humble abode. I’d offer ya a seat but this bunk looks like it was designed for Ferengi. Little ones.”

"Come out of there," Gil said. He wouldn't even enter the tiny cell; just looking at it made his claustrophobia act up. "That's no place for the CSEC's husband."

Jackson stood and approached Gilroy. “I don’t want ya gettin’ hassled. I am afraid Eric’s already gotten a tongue lashin’ for securing me in my quarters as it is.”

"We're just going down the hall to the counsel room so that you can have your one phone call." The part-Klingon gestured for Jackson to walk with him. "That is your right, after all."

“It is, unless ya ask her,” was Jackson’s comment. “What a week, huh? Gone ta hell in a handbasket I think.” He paused a moment as they walked. “Any word from Oz on this project she and Li are workin’ on?”

"No, sir. I haven't spoken with Oz directly yet. I did talk to Darwin; he said they are in the Neutral Zone, gathering information." He stopped outside a counsel room. "Your counsel is waiting. Remember that nothing in these rooms is recorded. Attorney-client privilege." Not that that applied here, but who was to know?

“Thanks, Gil. I owe ya one...or ten.” He clapped Gilroy on the shoulder then stepped into the room. Once the doors closed, he sat at the small desk, turning his attention to the viewscreen and expecting to see Ray’s face.

When the view screen snapped to life, it wasn't Ray on it. "J! What the hell is going on there? Are you okay?"

“Oz…”A bright smile lit Jackson’s face at seeing her. “To answer yer question...well I wish I had an answer. Somebody’s really after our two Admirals in a big way. They’re diggin’ back into the war and what was happenin’ in the DMZ, which includes me in a big way. I got questioned an’ when I wouldn’t give ‘er the answers she wanted, she decided I was a co-conspirator and added me to the case - which explains my current residence.”

"That's ridiculous!" She looked worried. "You can't be held on such thin cause." She was ready to come home and take on the Admiral at the heart of this. She couldn't, and knew it, so she switched the subject. "Gilroy tells me that's there's been a sudden influx of rather short Ferengi into the brig, taking up all the cells intended for folks their size. Looks like he'll have to bump up your accommodations."

‘Much appreciated, Chief.’ Jackson smiled at the joke, but then the smile faded. “I know yer worried, honey, but trust me when I say that while this looks like a shit pile right now, I don’t think it will stick. When the one questionin’ ya is doin’ her level best to put words in yer mouth, they either don’t have much or are hidin’ somethin’ themselves. Given my position at the time in question, I’d have had an easier time bein’ the turncoat, not the old men. An’ we both know I wasn’t, so there ya go.”

"Still, be careful, love." She had good cause to worry about him and part of her was actually relieved he was in the Brig. No one could get to him there, in theory. "Anything else happening there?"

“If ya consider someone plantin’ a bug on a bottle of whiskey in my office somethin’, then yeah.” He told her about Jim’s visit and his discovering the listening device. “They had already questioned Jim, and I warned ‘im to be careful.” Jackson decided to leave it at that. As he talked to Oz, too many coincidences began to line up in his mind, all of them stamped with a big red ‘Classified’ label.

"Ok," she nodded, obviously working through her worry. "Gil will be back to take you to a cell."

“How’s things goin’ out there?” he asked. “And is this other Suresh behavin’? Please tell me he’s not gettin’ that look in his eyes over Li.”

She leaned in slightly and lowered her voice. "This Suresh is really different from the one we know, J. It's weird. Really weird. It doesn't look like he's getting obsessed with Li." She glanced over her shoulder. “We're headed toward Eden now; we got a message that Suresh will see us there."

“In full -on Romulan space?” Jackson frowned, not liking that much at all. “At least you have a Rommie with ya and no tell-tale Fleet markings. Still, be careful. I’d suggest torpedoing his ass from space, then sweepin’ up the ashes. You know you and Dar he’ll just want to kill outright an’ Li...well, let’s not think about any of it. He lays a hand on you and he’ll feel my wrath all the way from here. Count on that.”

"It's a bit disconcerting to know our safety rests with Suresh - the alternate one. I'd rather face the original out this way than on the base, though." The original Suresh liked to go after those around her and Li, to make them suffer. This way, those that mattered most were kept out of reach. "I look forward to facing him and doing what needs doing."

“An’ I wish ya luck there. But if anyone can handle ‘im, it’s you two.” Jackson paused as he looked back at Oz. “Normally, I’m good when yer away but this time, too much is screwy Oz. I miss ya. I’m worried and I won’t lie. I’ll be glad when this is done. I don’t like any of it and if we can’t disprove what they’re sayin’, we stand to lose Rick and Lucius both out here. I also don’t like the idea of you facin’ the old Suresh without me there.”

"We have some really good attorneys on the 'base, babe. They'll get the Admirals' situation - and yours - sorted. The prosecutor does have to have evidence, not just speculation." She smiled. "And don't worry about Suresh. With Li and Darwin here, we'll be fine. I love you."

Jackson laughed briefly. “You should see Ray, he’s been raisin’ hell all over. I swear if you didn’t exist, I’d be in love with ‘im.” That was clearly a joke. As he continued, his voice softened. “I love you too, more than those little words can convey. Please be careful and keep me posted, though you may have to send messages through Gil.”

"Hey, he's the one who set this up," she laughed. "I think he and Darwin have man-crushes on you."

That got another laugh from Jackson. “My boys….” There was so much more he wanted to say but he understood that privacy on Oz’s end was likely non-existent. “Be safe. I’ll be here catchin’ up on my readin’.”

"Okay. We'll talk soon." She smiled and closed the link.

Jackson sat in the silent room, his gaze on the blank terminal but his mind moving a mile a minute. Just the act of laying it out for Oz had brought a few things into focus that he needed to think on for a bit. Finally, he rose and knocked on the door to be let out. He had a request to put to Gilroy.

Gilroy answered the knock. "Good conversation?"

“Very, and thanks.” He sighed as he fell in step beside Gilroy. “I’m not wild about this hunt she’s on but far be it from me to tell her not to go. Anyhow, I need a coupla things if possible.”

"Darwin is with her, Jackson. They'll be fine." Gilroy led him back toward the cells. "What is it you need?"

“I need to see Ray and as soon as possible,” Jackson answered. “I also asked him to check on Jim Holbridge. Can you see if he’s still on the station? I was supposed to pass a message on to Dave Lorenz but I got interrupted. I’m just concerned that those involved in this ‘thing’ all seem to be gettin’ taken outta commission.”

"I'll get a message passed on to Ray. Holbridge is in Sickbay."

Jackson stopped in his tracks and a frown settled on his face. “Why?”

"He was attacked and is currently in a medically induced coma. By some reports, he should be dead. We're still searching for those responsible."

A string of curses spilled from Jackson’s lips. “I warned him to be careful. That means he’s down and whoever it is is doing their damnedest to remove me as well. We’re runnin’ outta time Gil.”

"Are we? I'm not aware of what's happening in this investigation. The 'base's Security investigators weren't included on this. 'Course, having you in our brig rather makes this something we need to know about."

“Maybe Oz is right and it’s better I am in here and not at home, considerin’ what happened to Jim.” Jackson studied Gilroy a moment, then turned and motioned back to the counsel rooms. “Got a few? I think you need to know too.”

"Yes," they turned around and went back into the counsel room.

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Commander Oralia Zeferino

Lt. Gilroy
Sneaky

Jackson Banning V
Owner & Worried Husband
The Nexus Club