The Long Road Home, Part 2

Posted on Sat Sep 19th, 2015 @ 11:49pm by Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Raj Amani & Lieutenant Commander Leto & Desta

Mission: Further Challenges

* * *

Beaming happily at Raj as he crossed the crew lounge towards her, Desta waited for him to approach and speak first. It wasn't a conscious act; she'd been conditioned by Fisher and Pash to wait for their permission to speak.

Raj smiled back at her as he sat down at her side. “Did you get enough to eat? And where’s Reva?” He hadn’t seen them apart much at all since they’d been recovered and Desta alone in the crew lounge had him curious. He also saw it as a positive first step, however small.

"I did have enough, thank you. Reva convinced me to try this ham and cheese sandwich with a spicy jam. She ate a lot of food and Riley took her back to her room to sleep."

“I see.” Raj looked around and, like Desta had, noticed there were no other males in the lounge. That explained her calm presence while alone, at least. “And what about you? No urge to wrap up in a blanket and snooze for a while?”

"Not yet..., is that what you want me to do?"

“No I…” Raj stopped and shook his head, then took Desta’s hands in his. “What I want is for you to decide. You are no longer a prisoner, Desta. You can do anything you want. I know that asking permission is ingrained in you now but we’ll work on that. Eventually, you’ll come to believe that you don’t have to ask me or anyone else if you can do something. So let’s start small. Right now, what is the first thing that comes to mind that you’d like to do?”

"What I'd like?" She hadn't been asked that, except in a sarcastic way, for ages. "What would I like? Riley," she decided, nodding. "I'd like someone to look at me the way he looks at Reva and to look at someone the way Reva looks at him." She smiled at Raj, coming close to emulating Reva's look.

“That’s understandable,” he agreed. “You have to remember, though, they have a lot of time and history together. It didn’t happen overnight.” Though he knew that in Riley’s case, perhaps it had. “It’s certainly something that will come for you, I have no doubt. You are a lovely woman and you have plenty of time now to find that, if you decide that’s what you want.”

"I see," she knew when she was being brushed off. "On the planet, Reva and I sat in the sun for a few minutes. I'd like to do that again. Is there a holosuite where we could sit?"

Raj shook his head. “Not on this small ship, but once we’re home, there’s plenty. There is also Archadia III to see, with real sun. However,” he rose and pulled Desta to her feet. “There’s one place to get a good view. Come.” He also knew it was one way for her to see that they were, in fact, moving away from where she had been.

She went with him, comfortable with him by her side, even as other men came towards them or walked behind them. "Will I see you once we're on the Station?"

“You will, at least I hope so. As a counselor, I want to help you deal with all that’s happened and help you adjust to your new life and figuring everything out. And as your friend, I certainly hope I’ll see you outside my office,” he answered. “I’m here for whatever you need, Desta. Anytime.”

They'd come to the Observation lounge, where Bryce and Riley had talked earlier. Bryce was no longer there, but his seating arrangement by the window was. Raj and Desta took the seats and sat looking out the window. "I'll need to earn a living," she commented.

“Eventually, perhaps,” Raj agreed. “I can help there. I know a few people.” He smiled as they sat, watching the stars pass by. “But you don’t need to worry about that for now. The main thing is to get you settled in and adjusted to being independent once more. The living quarters on the station are quite comfortable and bigger than the ones on this ship,” he laughed. “I think you’ll like it there.”

"I think I'd like anywhere other than where I was. This still doesn't feel real. I feel like I'll wake up any minute now and Pash...," she stopped as a sob surfaced.

“I know.” Raj wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close as she cried. It was the first time he’d seen her do so and while her tears distressed him, it was a sign that the paralyzing emotional shock was beginning to give way. “It will just take some time. How can I help you believe he’s really gone?”

"I haven't a clue," she sniffled. "I don't know anything. Reva asked what I wanted to wear and I didn't know - she chose for me." Her tears abated. "Hey, could I get a fashion magazine?"

“Just ask the computer.” Raj smiled. “I have a padd back in my quarters you can use and look at anywhere you like. You can find a whole lot more than fashions on it too.”

"News of people on Daled IV, too? I have family there, though they think I'm dead." She frowned.

“Oh absolutely!” Raj was on his feet in a second. He took her hand, urging her to stand. “Why didn’t you say so before? Let’s go contact them. Come on.”

Dismayed, she shook her head and started crying again. "Please don't make me! I... I don't ...I don't know that I want to!"

Her reaction surprised Raj. He settled back down on the sofa and took her hands in his. “I’m sorry, Desta. I didn’t mean to upset you. But...why not?”

"I've been gone a long time. A lot has happened and," she hesitated, shame radiating off of her, "I don't want to tell them."

Her words, and the shame that filled her pierced Raj’s heart. “None of it was your fault. The temptation to blame yourself for not fighting back is normal but you did what you had to in order to survive. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t have to call them unless you want to. I’m not here to make you do anything, Desta. It’s your choice.”

"Thank you. Maybe we'll contact them in a while. Not today, though. To them, I'm dead and mourned. Letting them continue that way won't hurt them. Could we just enjoy the view for a bit?", she asked for his permission.

One step at a time, Raj reminded himself. “Of course, whatever you like.” They settled in on the sofa and began to watch the stars in a comfortable silence.

* Ready Room *

Leto sat at the terminal in the small ready room, sending the last of her communications. One had gone to Nick, the other to Dae to update him on their progress and estimated arrival on 900. She had also received some disturbing news that had led her to call Oz and request to see her. Now she was silent as she waited, a frown on her face and her thoughts chasing in circles. She reached up to rub her eyes as the doors opened.

"You look like you could use a good sleep, Lieutenant." Oz commented as she entered the small room. "I thought you'd be relaxed, considering that Madhava is safe and the slave traders' ship has been destroyed."

“Yeah, you’d think,” Leto muttered. “Nick’s on Qo’nos and they just had to kill four Klingons who were trying to get to Kh’ali’s baby and that’s the good news. Have a seat Oz, we need to talk about something that just came in.”

"Four...? Gods, that's awful!" She sat in a chair opposite Leto. "That's just mad!" A chill touched her as she realized that whatever else Leto was about to tell her was likely worse news. "Iggy's children? Are they okay? Is Iggy okay?" She knew some spider species died once the next generation was ready; tarantulas, she thought, weren't one of those species.

“Iggy?” It took Leto’s scattered thoughts an instant to catch up and she shrugged. “I’ve not heard anything about Iggy. I did get a report from Dae, however. There’s been an...incident. Eli and Chance were out for the evening and Dae said that Eli suddenly collapsed. They took him to sickbay and the situation is grave. Eli’s in stasis because right now, they aren’t sure what’s causing the problem. Something, some reaction to something they think, is destroying the telepathic center of his brain and he is….well, everything else seems to be following suit in his system.”

"Oh hell...," Oralia whispered. Her thoughts went to Chance and how he must be suffering and to Eli and his condition. 'Grave,' Leto had called it. "We're nearly three days out." She stood and paced, as much as she could in the small room. "Thanks, Lt., is J being notified as well?"

“I sent word. They are still en route to Enara but should arrive any time now. I….” She paused a moment. “I asked him not to tell Eli’s parents until they are close to 900. There’s no need in them spending three days on a ship worrying and being unable to do anything about it.”

Oz wouldn't have told Jackson either, for that same reason plus that he needed his focus to be on the mission, not on Eli possibly dying back on SB900. "Of course," she nodded, "that's wise. I'm going to go call my parents. They're on the Station and should be with Chance."

Leto nodded. “Jackson said he’d call Jan, too.” She shook her head. “What a mess and I have to admit that my Intel brain and its normal suspicions are riding high. I don’t like it, Oz.”

"What suspicions do you have?" She stepped around the chair and sat down again. Oz had her own suspicions and, for once, they didn't involve Suresh or anyone attempting to settle a score with her.

“I find this a little too coincidental considering Eli just escaped from Enara Prime in the face of the government perpetrating a lie to lure him there, then trying to kill him,” Leto answered. “They don’t strike me as the kind to let this lie.”

Nodding, Oralia agreed. "Vengeful, backward...," she shook her head, "I'll have Gilroy get involved and pull the records of all residents or travelers coming in from Enara as a start."

“Good.” Leto sighed. “Have him go back several months. Wasn’t there a break-in of their quarters back last year?”

“There was,” Oz nodded. “Gilroy will be thorough. He’s been in Security a long time.” She stood. “I’m going to call my parents. Likely they’re already with Chance, but just in case. Anything else, Leto?”

“No. Wish Gil good luck for me. I wouldn’t wish this one on my worst enemy.” Leto sighed. “I’m due to rotate off duty. Will you call when you hear anything on Eli?”

“Of course. Hey, have you talked to Riley or Raj yet?”

“Not much,” Leto admitted. “So much has been going on since we picked them up.” She rubbed her forehead and smiled. “I need to get something to eat, then I thought I’d track one or the other down. Though, do you need to see them first? I don’t think that’ll be easy based on Desta’s reaction to Bryce.”

“Her reaction to Bryce?” Oralia frowned. “You mean asking her to rehash her experience? I asked Raj if either Reva or Desta would be up to telling us about what happened. He’s not confident about that, so we’ll wait. Most likely, I’ll ask him to try to pull details out of Desta, see if there’s someone else tied into this trading ring. For Reva, we know how she ended up there; I’m in no hurry to discover exactly what was done while she was on that ship, particularly since there will be no prosecution of the slaver.”

“That lack of prosecution is the only reason I wish he was still alive so you and Ray could rip him to shreds,” Leto admitted. “At least Reva and Desta don’t have the worry that he’ll reappear.”

“Right. I’m fine with not needing a prosecutor on this.” She’d been burned by the Station’s prosecutors in the past; they’d often let Suresh and his men slide on crimes due to lack of evidence or other bullshit reasons. “Okay, time to call the parents, before I get distracted again. Talk to you later.”

Leto nodded and followed Oz out of the ready room. Seeing Leela had come to relieve her she waved and moved off to go get dinner.

*******************
Desta
Lt. Raj Amani
Lt. Leto
Commander Oralia Zeferino