Eli's Problem

Posted on Sun Oct 11th, 2015 @ 8:38pm by Cadet Senior Grade Chance Conradi & Cadet Senior Grade Eli Ziyad & Jackson Banning V

Mission: Further Challenges

* Guest Quarters *

“Maran, hurry up. Eli will be here any minute,” Irina called from the kitchen. She stood with a cup of tea in hand and blew on it to cool it just a little. “Jackson said he had finally tracked him down and that there was something he had to tell us about Loran.”

“Okay, okay, just... it takes a minute to set. There, it’s starting now,” Maran said, gently swirling a lime green liquid in a pot. It was just started to gel. “I am so glad that the men grabbed Loran and brought him along with us. He might be in trouble for his actions against Chance and Eli, but at least we know he’s safe.”

“What will they do to him? It’s a strange circumstance since we’re off Enara. I won’t be surprised if a demand for his return doesn’t come in soon. If it does, we may be faced with defying them. This group of his? I can’t see them letting him live with such a colossal failure.” She frowned at the idea and really didn’t want to think about it yet. Moving over to Maran’s side, she peeked into the pot.

“Eli’s favorite, or it was,” he said, sneaking a kiss while she was leaned in close. “Well, we’re seeking asylum with the Federation. Let’s hope that means we can rely on them to work things out diplomatically.”

Irina snorted. “We see how well that worked in Eli’s case,” she answered, and smiled at the kiss. “It’s an awful thing to realize you cannot trust the world where you’ve spent your whole life.”

“It is. We’ll make a new life here.” He dipped a small cookie into the pudding he’d made and offered it to Irina. As she took it, the door chime sounded. “I’ll get that.”

She took a bite and moaned with pleasure. “This is as amazing as always. You should make it more often. Maybe I can lick it off---” She stopped midsentence as Eli and Jackson entered. “Hello boys.”

“Eli, Jackson,” Maran greeted them then looked past them, “No Chance?”

“He’ll be along in a few. He had to stop and pick up a few things.” Eli hugged Maran, then Irina. “And Mom? Eww...I did not want to hear that.”

She laughed and swatted at him. “Go play in someone else’s mind. Hello Jackson. You look a little more rested than you did when we arrived.”

“Yes ma’am,” Jackson drawled. “It’s amazin’ what a few hours at home will do.”

“Only a few? Don’t you have a wife at home?” Maran portioned the pudding into smaller cups and offered them to Eli and Jackson. He set the small cookies on the table.

“What do ya think I was doin’ at home?” He grinned at Maran, then snagged a cookie and dipped it in. “Oz said to send her regards but she’s tied up at the moment with somethin’.” He glanced over to Eli, then took a bite of the cookie. “This is delicious.”

Irina caught the look and frowned. “What happened?”

“Why don’t we all sit and --” The chime rang again and Eli paused. “I’ll get it.” He opened the door to find Chance there. “Come on in.”

“Hey there,” Chance smiled at Eli. “Iggy, Ariadne and Kahuna decided they wanted to stroll the Promenade. Gilroy, though,” he turned slightly, showing Gilroy clinging to his jacket. “What is that smell?”

Maran answered, “Olemop pudding. Come in and have some!”

Old mop pudding? Chance glanced at Eli but saw Jackson happily eating the stuff. “Yeah, I’ll try some. Have you told them about Loran?”

“We were just getting to that,” Jackson said around a mouthful of cookie.

“What about Loran?” Irina sat in one of the chairs and looked from Chance to Jackson.

“Right after y’all left the ship, he stabbed Vic with a shiv he’d hidden away. It looked like a piece of deck plating that had come loose. Broke his nose too, accordin’ ta Nico. Vic’s gonna be alright. They fixed him up in sickbay and Nico chased down Loran, who’s now in the brig.”

For a moment, Maran looked pale and aghast. Then he rallied and set a cup of pudding in front of Chance; flinching as he saw a hairy leg start crawling over the man’s shoulder. “Iggy?”

Chance shook his head, “Gilroy Junior, one of Iggy’s children.”

“Oh,” Maran paled again. “Well, the good news of that, then is that Loran will need to face the Federation’s wrath for injuring one of its own.”

Jackson nodded. “As unfortunate as his action was, it eases up the legal mess somewhat. The Enaran government can’t rightfully demand we send ‘im home since he attacked Vic, and as his parents, you had the right to bring him here. Kh’ali and Ray can work with that easily.”

“You’ll have to make another batch of this pudding Maran, and I’ll take it to Vic once he’s home.” Irina sighed and shook her head. “I have no idea what’s happened to our son. Can we visit him?”

“Not yet, no.” Jackson replied. “Nico has him limited to Security only for now.” He reached over to rest his hand on Eli’s shoulder for a moment. “You or Chance want to fill them in on the rest?”

For a split second, Chance had no idea what news he and Eli had about Loran, then it clicked: “Oh! Eli almost died! I come back from the dead and then he tries to leave me!” His trauma over the incident was easily read by those in the room.

Maran nearly dropped the pudding pot. “Died? What do you mean?”

“We had gone out with some friends and right after we got there, we sat down at a table and then the room went all wonky. I got dizzy and couldn’t see and then I couldn’t breathe. They said I fell down to the floor and then I knew nothing till I woke up. Apparently some contact poison was passed to me, they said from a touch, and it’s one there’s no antidote for. I was put into stasis while they worked it all out.” He purposely left out some of the major details, hoping to spare them at least a little worry.

Irina, however, didn’t hesitate to pluck those hidden details out of his head and she gasped aloud. “Brain dead? Eli? Who would do this to you?” She paused and then her mouth dropped open. “Oh. Is that safe? Are they sure?”

Maran, too, had picked up the details. “Borg technology?” He frowned and glanced at Irina.

Chance was quick to answer, “Yes, the technology is safe. The doctors programmed the Borg bits to shut down once they completed their task. So, he’s fine.” Chance smiled and brushed a lock of hair back from Eli’s temple.

“Given the choice between that and losing him, I would have to agree. If some other problem arises, I suppose they can reactivate and reprogram them to deal with it. But what a hard choice for you to have to make Chance. No one your age should have to make such a life and death decision for his…” She hesitated, unsure what to call Eli in this case. “His mate.” That seemed about the best choice.

“I didn’t make it, Jan did. She and Jackson are Eli’s guardians here, so she has the legal right,” Chance said. “You’re right - it’s a tough decision. But it was made and Eli’s all good,” he smiled.

Maran nodded, “It certainly seems he is. ‘tis good: now we can worry about Loran instead of both of our sons.”

“I hope you can get through to him.” Jackson frowned and shook his head. “I’m certainly interested in what he has to say and then we’ll know what to do.” He stood and crossed to kiss Irina’s cheek. “I need to get to work though. Eli has the night off so they can stay and do whatever. You two need to come to the Club tomorrow night. You can use my table.”

“That sounds lovely, dear.” Irina patted his cheek. “It also gives me a good excuse for shopping for a dress.”

Both Maran and Chance laughed. “Perhaps the boys know someone who’d be happy to show you around.”

Chance looked at Eli. “Lorna from class? Janice?”

“Oh, call Janice. She’s been wanting to actually meet you in person. This would be perfect.”

Jackson stopped at the door and looked back at Irina with a grin. “That’s a good idea. Maybe you can get some info out of her. That woman is up to something and I wanna know what it is. She’s gotten really secretive lately. Same goes for you two fellas too.”

“We’ve gotten secretive?” Chance looked at Eli, surprised. “Well... sure, we did disappear for a day or so after getting back from Enara, but that was while you were gone, Jackson.”

“I meant see if you can figure out what she’s up to. I know what you two were doing when you got back.” He gave them a wink and hurried out.

Irina looked back at the two young men. “What were you doing?”

"Nothing," Chance said.

Maran shook his head and muttered. "Non-telepaths shouldn't play that game." He'd read enough in Chance's thoughts to know just what had happened. He turned to clean up the pot he'd been using.

“I see.” Irina did her best to try and hide her smile. “Will you two be staying for dinner?” It was an obvious change of subject.

"Eli?" Chance asked him to answer his mom. "Hey, my parents are here, too. My mom could go shopping with you. And then we'll go to dinner."

Eli’s eyes widened a little at the idea of another meal with Nadia, but he nodded. “Getting the in-laws together?” he joked.

Maran turned to look at his son then Chance. "Something we should know? Beyond that pon farr stuff, I mean."

Eli blushed furiously at Maran’s comment. “It was a joke, Dad,” he mumbled. “Besides, that ‘pon farr stuff’...we..ahh….never mind.”

"Go on, you two... um, three, I suppose, your mother and I are just settling in. Ask Janice to contact Irina and we'll see you tomorrow." Maran flapped a kitchen towel at them.

Chance smiled. "Sure thing, Maran. Irina, I'll contact my mom and have her call you, too."

“Thank you dear.” She rose and kissed Chance’s cheek, then ruffled Eli’s hair. “See you two tomorrow. Nice to meet you Gilroy.”

The spider waved a leg while Chance said, "Thanks, and Maran, that pudding is wonderful."

Maran modestly smiled and said, "I know. See you tomorrow."

Once the two men and the spider were gone, Irina turned back to Maran. “Now where was I before they arrived? Something about the pudding…..” She smiled at Maran, then shook her head. “I’m afraid Loran’s gotten himself in too deep to get out this time.”

“I think he’s in less deep now than he was on Enara. There, the Circle would have had him killed. Here,” he shrugged, “Prison? It isn’t wonderful, but perhaps we could petition to have him held here on SB900 where we can visit him.”

Irina nodded. “Maybe. I hope. Since the evening is ours, why not have dinner delivered, then we’ll take a walk? See a little of the place?”

“Good idea,” he smiled as he dried the pot and put it away. “Let’s go.”

*************
Maran and Irina Ziyad
Cadet JG Eli Ziyad
Cadet JG Chance Conradi
Jackson Banning V
Gilroy, Jr.