Meandering Sisters

Posted on Mon Dec 28th, 2015 @ 3:17pm by Captain Li Hawke & Lieutenant Bajun Julisa & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: JAG Offices

* JAG Offices *

“Settling back in okay?” Darwin leaned against the frame of Julisa’s office door.

She glanced up, smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Ray said I should take a few days, but I wanted to be here to get the reports on Niro in place for his prosecution.”

He nodded, thinking that getting back to work also let Julisa avoid dealing with her new-found family and all the issues attached to it. “I’m going to have Niro moved shortly,” he said, earning himself a sharp look from the JAG officer.

“Any particular reason?”

“Eh. Just to shake things up, make sure my transfer guys are on their toes. Some of them need the exercise.” In more ways than one. Darwin had already notified Suresh that Niro would be moving from one level of the Starbase to another. He heard a voice behind him and pushed himself off the door frame to look back at the outer office. “Captain Hawke,” he greeted a new arrival.

“Long time no see Darwin.” Li smiled up at him. “You want my opinion? Try the recyclers down on deck 900. The industrial ones down there can do up to ten pounds at a time.” She smiled but it wasn’t clear if she was joking or not.

He looked at Julisa and frowned. “Sometimes, you telepaths have strange senses of humor. Is she kidding, Jules?”

Smothering a smile, Julisa shrugged with one shoulder, “Not sure, Darwin. I’d go with not kidding, considering her rank.”

Li perked one eyebrow at him. “Would I joke about something like that in the JAG offices? Besides, if you were found out you have a witness that you were ordered to do it.” She managed to keep a straight, very official expression. “File your report under extermination of vermin.”

Again, he frowned, looking from one to the other. “Duly noted, Captain. I have the feeling she’s here to see you, Jules, so I’ll show myself out,” he said.

“Good. I’ll message you later if I need you,” Jules said to his back. For a brief moment, she let herself enjoy the view then shifted her gaze to Li. “What can I do for you, Captain?”

Li had also turned to watch Darwin depart, but Julisa’s question pulled her attention back. “I hope I’m not interrupting? If so, I can come back another time but there’s a few things I wanted to go over...both professional and personal.”

“You’re not interrupting,” Julisa knew better than to tell the Station’s Exec that she was bothering her. “Come in and have a seat. Let’s start with the professional things.”

“Thanks.” Li sat in one of the chairs before Julisa’s desk and crossed her legs. “First up, I wanted to make sure you’re alright after that Niro-imposed trip back in time. I know when we got back from the ruined 900 in the alternate universe, it was a little disorienting.”

“Perhaps time travel is less disorienting,” Julisa remarked. “I’m fine; I just wanted to get back to work here. If things had been more pleasant there, it could have been more like a vacation.” She smiled to denote that she was only partially serious.

“Well, the one you spent most of your time with guarantees it was no vacation. Strangely, he’s somewhat related to one of the things on my list. Or rather to someone. You have Kh’ali’s report on our new asylum request?” Li asked.

“Darhe’el died three years after we were there. Kha’li’s report deals with Legate Zikar; at the time of Darhe’el’s death, Zikar was his lieutenant. His death elevated Zikar. As for the Bajoran...,” she shrugged, “No reason to deny asylum. The woman has no record of any kind on Bajor.”

“I caught that too. No records aside from birth, and nothing on Cardassia save the marriage certificate.” Li passed a padd over to Julisa with Zikar’s face showing on it. “The name may not be familiar but is that face?”

She stared at the image and swallowed then shook her head. After a moment, she winced. “Oh, I do. I recognize that face. Do you?”

Li nodded. “I just wanted confirmation. I’m glad Nico is off the station right now.” Li frowned. “This will likely involve your office, however. If his wife stays, it’s likely going to mean that you or Ray has to handle the dissolution and any financial agreements. Unfortunately, she was officially made a Cardassian citizen many years ago, so all I can say is...good luck with that.”

“Severing her marriage is the easy part. If she still has relatives on Bajor, they can petition to have her Bajoran citizenship reinstated. She can then return to them.” Julisa thought of the video showing Nico’s torture; Zikar had been there. “Can’t blame her for running. Where is Nico? Or is that super secret Intel-only?”

“I sent him on the rescue mission. Actually, I’d have had to sit on him to keep him from going back. So he’s away for the time being. As for Zikar, we are in a tricky spot here. However, if he knows that we know, that may make him far more agreeable when the negotiating starts. I’m thinking that might be worth him giving her anything she needs with no resistance. Kh’ali has already put him on notice that he will watch his step or she will kick his ass back to Cardassia.” Li finally smiled. “She would too.”

“No doubt. I’ll send what we pull up to Kha’li,” she said. “And Niro’s prosecution will be handled by Ray, all things considered. We could request that he be returned to Enara Prime, though that opens the door for the powers that be there to do what they want with him, which might be to just let him go.”

“Admiral Wegener has requested that Zikar’s past be looked into so I’ll make sure Leto sends that along to you, though I suspect you know more than they do at this point.” Li frowned as she thought about Niro. “How’s that coming? My joke to Darwin aside, tell me it’s a simple matter to wrap up?”

“The wheels of justice roll slowly, etc., etc. It should be a simple wrap up, but we have to show the evidence to an impartial third party and allow Niro his defense. If I were his counsel, I’d argue mental defect or illness.” She shrugged. “We’ll see. This is why Ray will be doing the prosecution.”

“And his defense? Tell me it’s not Tog?” Li considered Julisa’s words and nodded. “I think psychiatric will be doing an evaluation as a matter of course, so that should be in to you and Ray soon. I agree though. If he were sent home, likely nothing would happen. Word is that he was operating under the Enaran government’s orders when he tried to kill Cadet Ziyad so that tells you all you need to know.”

“Indeed. Tog is his defense,” she said. She had the feeling they were both circling these topics, delaying moving on to personal topics. “So, any other professional topics?”

“That’s it for now. All I can say is good luck. I don’t envy you the Cardassian case, or dealing with Tog. Or dealing with Ray after he’s dealt with Tog.” Li shook her head. “But onto other things. Dad said he’d been to see you.”

“Yes, he and my mother came by shortly after Solis and I returned home. You’ve met Tora, haven’t you?” She was staying closed mouth about the situation; she wasn’t yet sure of her own feelings.

“Only briefly. I’m afraid she didn’t see me at my best either.” Li pursed her lips. “I really need to see her and apologize. It was way early in the morning and the news was such a surprise, and I was worried about all of you on top of it that I really didn’t say much at all. I didn’t know what to say and Dad seemed to want to talk about it and I didn’t. I just sort of...dashed out. I didn’t speak to him for the rest of the day and it wasn’t till the next when he showed at my office that we really discussed it. I needed some time to figure out what I thought about it...and get over being angry with him for making such a decision in the first place.”

“I’m familiar with that,” Jules nodded. “I’m still not sure how I feel about it. It’s a little strange to go from wondering who my dad is to having ...more than a dad. Does your brother know?”

Li shook her head. “Not yet, no. Leto just got back from snatching him from the Devore homeworld. They arrived yesterday and he spent a good chunk of that in sickbay to detox the telepathy-dampening drugs from his system. He and Dad will be at my place for dinner in a bit. I was wondering if you wanted to come. It’s time you two met.”

“Should you spring that on him with me there or maybe give him time to....” Suddenly her anger flared, “...you’re all telepaths. Full telepaths! How did Adm-- Lucius keep this from all of you? I’m a touch telepath; hiding things from me is easy: just think of other things when I touch you. But you don’t have that limitation.”

“We are all extremely close, yes, but I don’t sift through Dad’s mind to any great depth.” Li frowned for a moment. “It’s complicated. When I was younger, I learned it was a great invasion of privacy. Once I was at the Academy, I couldn’t because he carries so much classified information in his head. It’s still that way since he oversees all of Intel for Starfleet. Well, the privacy issue is still there. There are things in my head he will never know either - some of them quite personal.”

“Did he ever tell you that Darhe’el thought I was you. He demanded my name and I gave him yours. Then Lucius walked in, told Darhe’el I was his daughter. That’s why he left Tora. Why he never acknowledged me until now. If he’d stayed or if he claimed me or Tora as important to him, Darhe’el would have taken his revenge on us. Have you ever been assigned to Bajor or to handling Cardassians?”

“I spent a little time in the DMZ undercover,” Li answered. “You’re right, of course. And I know logically that his reason made sense but I was still angry...on your behalf. There’s something about your question that Dad doesn’t know but I think you need to.”

Frowning, Julisa looked at Li, trying to keep her look a look and not a glare. “What should I know?”

“My time along the DMZ was at the order of his XO, before I came to the Berkeley and before I was sent to the Neutral Zone. I was investigating some intel that came in - supposedly that there was a plot that had been brewing for a long time...passed down through the ranks, to finish off our father. I never found anything concrete and was eventually reassigned. His XO never told him.”

Julisa laughed, a short, sharp bark of rueful mirth, as she shook her head. “That does not surprise me. Darhe’el was the type to order something like that; there’s probably a bounty on his head or some sort of prize for whatever Cardie finally kills him. I have no doubt there’s one on your head as well.” Julisa’s experience with Darhe’el wasn’t limited to just the time she’d spent with him in the past few days. “I read a report that there’re more Cardassians than just Zikar visiting the Station. Have you had any of the others vetted?”

“Intel’s keeping a close eye, yes, but mainly on Zikar and those he brought with him,” Li answered. “The other two are civilians….well they are now. A source has said they are former Obsidian Order who ran afoul of the Order and ran for their lives. So, it’s likely they aren’t too thrilled with Zikar’s presence either.”

“As if their presence is glorious.” Julisa’s sarcasm meter was on full. “Should Tora be there tonight? Solis?”

Li shook her head. “I suspect that some privileged information may come up, given the nature of this family.” Now it was Li’s turn to laugh. “From what I know of Nico’s story, you were following in the family’s footsteps. Rather ironic, don’t you think?”

“The way I understood it, I was sent in with Niro because I was convenient. Plus, I had access to the prison and could get in. Getting out was more difficult.” She smiled only slightly. “I’m not cut out to follow in those footsteps - I like the law and how it’s orderly, staid, simple. It isn’t made of constantly moving, constantly shifting parts and allegiances.”

“I can understand that. Your career choice certainly makes life less dangerous. Well, normally it does. I think you and I both could use a long spell of normalcy. It’s part of the reason I’ve sort of been….persuaded to stay on-station and pass up the crazy away missions for a while by Sakkath,” Li admitted.

“Husbands do seem to prefer that their wives stay safe. Funny, aren’t they?” Jules smiled. “Dinner is when? I’ll need to let Solis know where and when I’ll be there.”

“As soon as you can get out of here and get to my place.” Li smiled again finally. “It will be a nice surprise for Dad and Admiral Wegener too. Which reminds me, I left Seren overseeing dinner. I should get back there and make sure everything is under control.”

"Then I'll see you in, say an hour?"

“Good.” Li rose and hesitated. “I know this is all pretty crazy for you, and in your shoes, I’m not sure I’d be as calm about it as you are. I just wanted you to know….I guess what I’m trying to say is that you have a place here, with us. Dad’s terrified of rushing you and not too sure how to approach it all. I thought it might be easier if you felt comfortable with Seren and I and that might make it all a little easier. Maybe. See you in an hour.” She turned and hurried out, already taking a call from her assistant Kozel.

Julisa watched her go till her office door slid shut. She still wasn't sure how she felt about suddenly having a dad and siblings.

*************

Lt. M. Darwin

Lt. Bajun Julisa

Captain Li Hawke