There's No Place Like Home

Posted on Sat Jun 20th, 2015 @ 12:13am by Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Captain Li Hawke & Commander Sakkath & Jackson Banning V & Suresh & Lazan

Mission: Further Challenges

* Docking Bay *

Jackson had been in the middle of getting dressed for his usual evening at the Nexus when the call came in from Flight Control. Without wasting a second, he arranged for Camille to take the early set and departed for the docking bay partially ready, which meant he was missing his jacket and tie, but had managed to button his vest on the way. Wading into the crowd, he passed on through to the hold called out to him by an officer on deck. Fifteen minutes. It would seem like forever, he was sure. Reaching the hold, he stopped, for about five seconds. Then he began to fidget.

Sakkath had been similarly hasty in his departure from Marianna's guest quarters , but he made his way easily through the throng and came to stand just behind and to the side of Jackson Banning, his violet robes pooling about his feet as though he had floated there. He simply folded his hands inside of his sleeves, and began what was certain to be a very long wait. Already, the edges of his consciousness felt as though they were on fire. Soon, Li would be everywhere in his thoughts.

Jackson hadn’t seen him arrive but suddenly had that sense that someone was behind him. He turned and jumped a bit, then smiled. “How do you do that?” He checked the time and muttered. “Ten more minutes. Is Ehlana down here messin’ with the clocks?”

Sakkath lifted a questioning brow. “I might ask how you acquired a bottle of 2378 without the Chief of Operations knowing it came aboard 900,” he countered. “Perhaps we should each keep our secrets.” The Vulcan regarded the nearest chronometer for several seconds, then shook his head. “The flow of time seems undisturbed,” he concluded. “I doubt Temporal Affairs has any interest in this reunion.”

Jackson laughed aloud. “That is my little secret, yes. I take it the vintage was satisfactory? Marianna can be quite convincin’ when she wants to be and she was quite convincin’, especially when she said it was for you.”

“Then I am grateful for her persuasive talents,” he commented. “The vintage was more than satisfactory, as were the confections you suggested.” The Commander tilted his head to the side as he regarded the bay ahead. “You have a talent for hospitality, Mister Banning, though this should come as no surprise.”

“It helps ta know who yer dealin’ with, Commander. That’s why bartenders make such good counselors.” Once more Jackson fidgeted and looked at the time. “Does it feel like they’ve been gone forever to you?”

“Thirteen days, eleven hours, forty-seven minutes and,” only now did Sakkath pause, as if considering, “twenty-nine seconds.” He tilted his head. “My calculations may be slightly off where the seconds are concerned,” the Vulcan had to admit.

That got another laugh from Jackson. Moments later, a bell sounded and the door opened. “I think you can stop countin’ now, Sakkath.”

* * *

"Come on... Hurry it up!" Oz muttered, watching as SB900's tractor beams pulled the ship in as a prelude to settling it gently in the hanger. It was a process that seemed to be taking forever.

"Chill, Oz," Darwin shushed her, "Just another few minutes." Easy for him to say, he didn't have anyone he wanted to throw his arms around as soon as they landed.

“I’m with Oz. I love you all but I want to get off this ship and stand on something not moving. I want to walk more than thirty steps in one direction,” Li announced. “And I want to….well...never mind.” She smiled and winked at Oz.

Suresh laughed aloud. “TMI, Li, as you girls say.”

For Darwin, the end of the trip was, if anything, coming too soon. During the trip, he'd had the chance to know Li and Oz as friends, not ranks. Now, he faced going to Seyla and telling her her Suresh was dead and, oh by the way, I know you're the one who helped get Suresh off of Elba II. He wasn't looking forward to that. Still, he couldn't help but smile as Li and Oz eagerly awaited getting off this ship. A thud and loud 'clunk' drew Darwin out of his own thoughts. "That would be our landing, folks."

“So it is.” See you all later.” As soon as the hatch de-pressurized, Li was out the door like a bolt of lightning, leaving the other three behind.

“Go on, Oz, beat it.” Suresh ordered, then smiled.

Oz didn't need Suresh's urging; he was talking to her backside as she followed Li.

In the bay, Sakkath stepped forward, inclining his head to Jackson in the process. “Forgive me, Mister Banning, but I believe it is the XO’s prerogative to greet returning officers,” he explained as he moved forward towards the bolt of raven hair that was his wife.

Li barely registered Jackson’s presence as she reached Sakkath and in an uncharacteristic move in public, threw her arms around him. I am so glad to be home with you… She was outwardly silent but that didn’t mean she wasn’t talking. Let’s get out of here.

Sakkath would normally have extended a pair of fingers to Li as an expression of outward emotion, but as she leapt at him he supported her weight in his arms and pressed his forehead to her own. And I you, Imzadi. You will receive no arguments from me… though you may, at some point, wish to relieve me of your duties.

Later. Tomorrow. I want to go home, clean up and...then we’ll figure out the rest. Like Sakkath, Li’s senses were now on fire with his closeness after so much time away. It was almost overwhelming and had her focused on nothing but Sakkath.

He grinned, in her mind if not outwardly. Then I retain rank, and may give you orders. I find this… agreeable, he communicated with a touch of mischief and amusement only she could perceive.

Li laughed aloud and nodded. Very well. I am at your disposal. What is your wish?

After the mission to Charu, and Li’s departure for the Neutral Zone preceding his return, it had been far too long since they had been together. The time for pretense had passed, even when their thoughts passed as quickly as they could think them. Sakkath lifted her legs and again appeared to float beneath his robes as he carried her towards the turbolift, his forehead still pressed to hers.

Behind them Jackson watched, his mouth hanging open in surprise. He didn’t recall ever seeing that public a display from them in..like...ever.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he murmured. This time, the footsteps behind him were audible and very familiar. He turned just as Oz reached him.

"J!" She nearly tackled him, hugging him and planting a kiss on his lips. Unlike Li and Sakkath, they had to talk to communicate.

“Oh sweet heaven, yer home,” he murmured against her lips. He returned the kiss, drawing it out long and deep, but finally he had to breathe. And speak. “Is everything okay? You all fixed up? No problems with Nelvana? And tell me you have the day off tomorrow?”


"Day off? I've just had four days of doing nothing on that ship! I'm not taking anoth---", she stopped talking when he kissed her but kept on when he stopped, "Well, maybe I could be late. Right now, there's one thing I need to do. And then you can play doctor, okay?"

Jackson gave a low, wicked laugh. “Sure, but don’t tell Will, he’ll think I want his job. An’ I don’t care what that one thing is. The rest of the day’s mine. Make sure Gil knows that, cuz if he calls I’ll have to kick his ass.”

"Good luck trying that, Jackson," Darwin said as he approached from the shuttle. "Commander, the body is being offloaded; I'll see that it is delivered to the morgue and Doctor Harding's custody for whatever scans Elba II might require. I'll make sure Gilroy doesn't bother you, too."

"Hmm...," Oz, still wrapped in Jackson's arms and he vice versa, considered Darwin's statements. She looked at Jackson and said, "Well, let the doctorin' commence. That was the one thing I needed to take care of. Thanks, Darwin!"

He nodded. "Have a good evening, Commander, Jackson." He walked back towards the aft of the warbird.

Jackson nodded to Darwin, then bent to swing Oz over his shoulder. “When in Rome…” he laughed. “Let’s go home.”

"Home, Jeeves!" She laughed as Jackson carried her out of the hangar.

Suresh emerged from the ship last, moving around to the aft and Darwin. “Want some company?”

"I've got company, in the form of ...well, you, but dead." Darwin gestured at the coffin-sized stasis unit coming out of the warbird.

“Yeah. Kinda creepy accompanying myself to the morgue. I’ll go along, but I meant to see Seyla.”

“I’m sure you meant to do a lot of things,” a voice spoke from the rapidly thinning crowd in the docking bay, his voice carrying scents of scotch and cigars. He brushed a lock of long hair over his ear, smirking as he regarded Darwin and then letting his gaze linger on the coffin. He purposely said nothing to, and did not look, at Suresh. “Nevertheless, I think I’ll be taking possession of that.”

"Of this?" Darwin looked at the coffin then at Lazan and laughed. "Yeah... no, you're not," he shook his head, assessing Lazan as he did so.

Suresh cleared his throat and addressed Lazan. “This needs to stay with Darwin,” he paused only a second. “Unless you want Li having more issues from this mess.” His tone was hard and no-nonsense as he spoke.

“Last I heard you weren’t interested in fucking her, clone,” Lazan half-spat at the other-Suresh.

It took him a moment, but he managed to compose himself, absent-mindedly rubbing the cuff of his shirt. “I’m… sorry,” he admitted after a moment. He had a history with Li, one he didn’t much care for involving another Suresh in. One he could erase if he wished it. Taking a deep breath, he reached a hand into his coat.

Seeing the move for something in the coat, Darwin was quick to react. He grabbed Lazan's arm and yanked his hand back into view. He was a little chagrinned to see papers in Lazan's hand.

Lazan smirked as nothing threatening was removed from his jacket. “Suresh’s last will and testament,” he explained, seeming exceedingly cocky now that a security officer was gripping his wrist. “I have arrangements to make, which is why,” he repeated, “I’ll be taking that body.”

"Not yet, you won't. Once Doctor Harding releases it, you can have it. Till then, he's technically still a prisoner at Elba II," Darwin said.

“Typical Federation bureaucracy,” Lazan smiled. “My contacts tell me he died on Eden. In Romulan space,” he stressed, “where you have no jurisdiction, Mister Darwin,” he purposely used no rank.

“Your contacts would be wrong,” Suresh answered. He crossed his arms as he regarded Lazan. “I have to confess, also, that I am curious. What’s in the will?”

"I'm curious about that, too, Lazyboy. Did he will his entire collection of Teletubbies to you?"

Lazan couldn’t help but grin, even if the Lazyboy comment seemed to drill into every one of his bones. “Wait until the reading, boys. But until then, know that you have nothing to prevent his executor from taking possession of his corpse. And I’m quite sure his widow,” he paused for emphasis, his dark eyes leveled on Darwin, “will appreciate some...alone time.”

"Widow?" That stumped Darwin. What female would be nuts enough to marry Suresh? He glanced at the live Suresh, "Were you married?"

“Not in either dimension.” Suresh’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t think he pulled something funny with Li do you?” Anger colored his voice with the question. “Surely she would know?”

"Wash your mouth out with soap, Suresh!" Darwin squared his shoulders and eyed Lazan. "Even if you are the executor of his will, you can't have his body yet," he explained, speaking as if Lazan were five years old and about to have a tantrum over spilled candy. "Starfleet has possession and needs to run a few scans. Once Elba II is satisfied he's really, really dead, Harding will release the body."

Suresh stepped closer and reached up, adjusting Lazan’s collar and patting his shoulders. “Till then, you must be patient.” He paused and smiled. “And one last thing….the last you heard? Is wrong.” He released Lazan and stepped back. “Shall we go Darwin?”

"Yes, we will." He motioned to the dockhands to move the coffin along. "To Piper Medical."

Lazan laughed darkly in the corner, lighting up one of his cigars as he regarded the two of them. “You’ll be hearing from my people,” he assured them, just before exhaling a puff of fragrant smoke. “His body will be in our possession soon enough, and this copy’s dick in a vise as soon as I can manage it,” he promised. “This base is mine now. And not you, not Seyla, can stop it.”

"Huh... And here I thought you were one of Li's lackeys, Lazyboy," Darwin paused and looked at Suresh, "Oo, I really like that nickname for him, you know? In old Earth lore, Lazyboys were these huge behemoth chairs people sat around in."

“In the Delta Quadrant,” Lazan said with a puff of smoke as he stepped away, gritting his teeth, “they will be what they bury you in, Michael.”

"Now I'm scared," Mike deadpanned and added in a falsetto, "So scared!" True was, he was annoyed and ready to pummel Lazan into a coffin of his own.

Lazan had no reason to care what Mike was feeling or thinking. He had pressed more than enough buttons, and had finally made known his intent to control the underbelly of 900. Anyone that didn’t get in line… well, he would deal with. Or else, he would erase.

Suresh looked Lazan up and down, then shook his head. “We’ll just have to see. I can tell you one thing, Lazan. Whichever of you emerges victorious won’t do so without me.” He smiled and moved on past the man. “I have things to do. Coming Darwin?”

Setting the dockhands in motion again, Darwin went with Suresh, the live and dead versions.

Lazan stood silent and watched them go. “I don’t need you,” he said to no one but the glow of his cigar. “All I need is your corpse.”

*******************
Jackson Banning V
Owner & Erstwhile Doctor
The Nexus Club

Commander Sakkath
Acting XO
Giving the orders…

Captain Li Hawke
Happy To Say ‘Yes Sir!’

Commander Oralia Zeferino
Happy Patient

Suresh
Now The Only One

Suresh the Dead
Now Just a Body

Lt. Mike Darwin
Testing the Lazyboy

Lazan
Pressing Buttons