A Stitch in Time

Posted on Mon Jan 25th, 2016 @ 11:33pm by Lieutenant Commander Solis & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & IKS Ning'Tao
Edited on on Sat Jan 30th, 2016 @ 8:38pm

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Piper Medical / Guest Quarters

* Piper Medical Center *

Solis emerged from surgery, his scrubs still spattered with the green of Kaeli’s Romulan blood. He sought out the Bajoran woman who had brought in the patient and finally found her in a nearby waiting room. He stepped in and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall.


“So, you want to tell me now what happened? And who sent that recording?”

"Hmm?" Isaura blinked, playing dumb. It was a role she played almost too well. "What recording?"

Solis rubbed his forehead and prayed for patience. “The padd that was given to the nurse, who gave it to me? That one? The one with the recording of what had been done to slow the bleeding enough to get her here? Whoever that was knows his business very well. So let’s hear it.” It occurred to him he could just touch her and get his answers but there were rules about that sort of thing.

“Oh, that recording.” Well, damn... she thought quickly. Her original plan was to tell him, “It was an accident, that’s all. Ah... Kaeli and I were goofing around in the kitchen, and I ...I stabbed her.” She wasn’t surprised when that story tumbled out of her mouth. It was the one she’d been rehearsing ever since Solis’ team had taken Kaeli to the back and put her here. She shrugged. “Then our friend came over and, you know, did that recording.”

Solis simply stared at her and blinked. Then re-crossed his arms and stared some more. “I don’t like that version. Care to try again?”

“Oh,” she was disappointed he hadn’t bought that one. She tried again: “Okay, it was a girl fight. Me and her and I got the better of her.” She cleared her throat. “And then our friend came over and did that recording.” Isaura pressed her lips together and looked back at him, wondering if that’d fly.

This time, Solis laughed out loud. “I don’t think so. Let’s put this in perspective, shall we? That stab wound wasn’t random. It wasn’t done accidentally, or as a lucky shot in a fight. It was done with such surgical precision even I was impressed. It was done in such a way as to be quick, leave a small outer wound, and do maximum internal damage. It clipped a major artery. Whoever did it, not you, knew what they were doing. And whoever patched her up is a master. Now then, what do you have to say?”

“Well... fuck...,” she muttered and immediately apologized. “Sorry for the language. We didn’t do anything illegal. We were minding our own business when a fellow in Saturnalia... um, encouraged Kaeli to leave with him. Once I caught up with them, I tried to stop the bleeding and then called our friend, who is the ‘master’ you mentioned.” She paused. “Better?”

“Getting there.” Solis smiled and relented. “Is she going to press charges? She should and I’ll be more than happy to call Security. This sort of thing really pisses me off. You almost lost your friend you know.”

“I do know that,” she said, looking at her shirt, which still bore the evidence of her attempt at patching up Kaeli. “But we’re fine; she won’t press charges.” She shook her head then suddenly perked up, “Except... um... Darwin: big, tall guy? Dark haired. Good looking. Maybe if you call him, that’d be okay.”

“I’ll pass it along to him then, certainly.” Solis moved back to the door, then stopped. “Will whoever did this still be after you two?”

“Nope,” she shook her head then realized she sounded perhaps a little too certain. “I mean, I don’t think so. She’s all patched up, right? Can I take her home?”

“You can but she needs to take it easy for a day or two. No strenuous activity. You can tell whoever made the recording that. I’m sure he’ll know exactly what she should and shouldn’t do and will see to it?” Solis asked.

Isa shifted slightly and hesitantly said, “I’m not sure where he’s going to be. Maybe you should tell me what she shouldn’t be doing. I’ll guess running is off the ‘okay’ list. Is she supposed to just sit around on bed rest?”

“Not that exactly, but just no fighting, running….you get the idea. She’s still pretty sore so she will likely limit herself anyway. Come on.” He turned and led the way out of the waiting room.

* Kaeli’s Guest Quarters *

“Shouldn’t they be back by now?” Drekkar grumped. “What if Isa was taken into custody by Security for stabbing Kaeli?”

“But she didn’t stab Kaeli,” Jarad observed. “If she just mentioned the Pit, they would say ‘oh of course, no wonder’ and go their merry way.” Despite his calm tone, Jarad was pacing the floor relentlessly. “They should be back by now.”

“Didn’t you say that that wound was precise? They’ll wonder about the skill...oh, which means they’ll know Isa didn’t do it,” Drekkar said, watching Jarad from the couch. He knew Isa was terribly smart, sometimes too smart, but she often adopted an idiot’s guise. “They’ll definitely wonder about your recorded instructions.”

“Better to have them wonder than her die, don’t you think?” Jarad asked. “How long has it been?” He circled the sofa and began his route again.

“We’ve been here exactly,” Drekkar consulted the padd on the couch, “four minutes longer than the last time you asked. Sit down. The replicator will give us only synth, but at least the taste is on target.” He got up and went to the replicator, ordered two glasses of a Cardassian alcohol then returned and handed one to Jarad.

“Thanks.” Jarad sat and drained the glass. “That was remarkably unsatisfying,” he commented. “I have a question for you. What do you plan to do about Isa?” Jarad was curious but it was more a way to distract himself at the moment.

“Isa.” He shook his head. “I’m not sure. You didn’t see her with Farak earlier; she didn’t want to leave either of us there. She still loves me, Jarad, no matter what she says to that human or anyone else. I don’t think she’ll leave me on this Station. Or anywhere else.”

Jarad nodded. It was what he suspected as well. “And yet you put up with the human. Why?”

“She loves him, too.” Drekkar sighed. “It’s a tangled web. Right now, she needs him more than she needs me. He is, after all, an engineer. Though she could handle that ship all by herself. She’ll either tire of him or he’ll get sick of the drama and move on.”

“Or you’ll grow tired of the game and kill him.” Jarad’s statement was matter-of-fact. “He is a good engineer though. Perhaps his attention might be diverted.” He shrugged and checked the time again. Then cursed.

“Diverted? To whom? Or what?” Drekkar smiled, intrigued by this idea. “I’d rather not kill him; that might turn Isa off.”

“Our little stowaway perhaps? Raf’s been overseeing her while we’ve been here.” Jarad shrugged and checked the time again.

“Oh, by Oralius’ mask, Jarad!” Drekkar got up and went to the door, punching the button to make it open, “Do you want to go look for them? Maybe they’re still... oh. Here.” He’d nearly walked right into Isaura, who was helping Kaeli slowly walk towards her quarters.

“Watch it, Drekkar,” she warned, “Kaeli’s not allowed to do anything strenuous. The doc told me that meant lots of things, including,” they entered the living room and she looked at Jarad, “sex.” She winked at him.

“I’m sure he had other things he mentioned besides that,” Jarad grumbled. He was on his feet immediately, hurrying over to help Kaeli to the sofa. “How are you? Lay down, I want a look.”

“He also said I was not to go leaping tall buildings too,” she joked. She stretched out on the sofa and let out a sigh. “No place like home, huh?”

“Well, all the other things the doc mentioned aren’t quite as much fun as sex, so what’s the point in warning you about those? Hey... what are you two doing here already?” Isa looked from one to the other.

Drekkar grunted and wrapped his arms around her. “Farak told Zeek he was putting us in stasis chambers. Zeek said they’re leaving in the morning, but Farak doesn’t think that’ll happen. Zeek also said that he wants you two rounded up.”

“That’s not going to happen either,” Jarad muttered. Gently he lifted the bottom of Kaeli’s shirt and checked her side. The skin was smooth and unblemished where the wound had been. Without looking, he passed her one of the small pillows on the sofa. Once she put it over her face, he probed the site, relying on his fingers to tell him what he needed to know. Several harsh cries came but they were muffled by the pillow.

“Hey!” Isaura stepped forward and grabbed for his hand. “Stop that, you’re hurting her! By the prophets, Jarad, Starfleet has some of the best surgeons and one of them fixed her! He said she’d be a bit bruised for a day or two.”

“Perhaps he is good but is he equal to me?” Jarad nodded, satisfied and pulled her shirt back down. “This particular cut? Was one of my trademarks. I can name a handful of students who were taught to do it.” He tossed the pillow aside and smoothed back Kaeli’s hair. “Welcome home.”

She smiled up at him and nodded. “Great to be here. I’ll leave the tall-building leaping to you, darling.”

“Surely other doctors can do that, or teach that. The doctor refused to believe that I did it.” Isa shrugged and stepped back to Drekkar’s side. He put his arm around her and pulled her close.

“Somehow, I can’t blame him for not believing that, my dear,” Drekkar grinned at her and she shot him a quick, toothless glare. “Shall we go to my quarters, Isa, and leave these two alone?”

“No, we can’t leave them alone. Strength in numbers and all that. We should round up Rafe and Ro and circle the proverbial wagons back on the Ning’Tao. We can more easily defend against Zikar there.”

“Where is Ro?” Kaeli asked.

“Good question,” Jarad answered. He still sat on the floor by the sofa, holding Kaeli’s hand. “Joe and Rafael are out looking for you two. I sent them. We were afraid you’d run into trouble when you left here.”

“I’ll comm them,” Isa said and moved to the kitchen to do so.

“Should we move Kaeli to the bedroom?” Drekkar asked.

“No,” she answered emphatically. “It’s boring in there alone. Sorry but I’m taking up room here. Deal with it.” Her grip tightened on Jarad’s hand and moments later he nodded.

“Be right back.” He rose and hurried off to the bedroom.

“What happened to you two, Drekkar?” Kaeli asked.

Drekkar touched his brow where Jarad had bandaged a gash earlier. “We sat tied up for a bit, when Zikar came back. He... uh... wasn’t in the best of moods, but that improved after he’d taken a few shots at each of us. Farak got us out of there and here we are.”

“What happens when he figures out you two aren’t in stasis? I know this Farak has some great plan but do you trust him?” She glanced over to Isa, knowing she had likely read Farak.

Isa had returned from the kitchen with a plate of cookies and was munching on one when Kaeli called on her. “Mmphf? Mm, yeah, oh,” she swallowed her food and coughed slightly. “Um, yeah, I do. He’s ambitious and wants the Legate position.” Holding out the plate of cookies to Kaeli, she continued, “So, yeah, I trust him. About as far as I could throw him, but... still.” She shrugged.

“Well, he did let these two go. At least for now.” She fell silent as Jarad returned and pressed a hypospray to her neck. There was a faint hiss and she closed her eyes. Several seconds later, she opened them and smiled. “Thanks. Should we send these two to the ship?”

Caught taking another cookie, Isaura looked at Kaeli and frowned, drawing her brows inward and down. “What? And leave them on their own? They might not make it. Besides, this’ll be like a slumber party. Drekkar and ...uh, Jarad,” she’d almost said ‘I’, “can take the bed.”

“Kaeli’s going there,” Jarad stated flatly. “I just gave her enough to knock out a targ. You can stay in there with her tonight if you like, Isa. I have a little business to take care of later anyway.”

“Safety in numbers,” Drekkar said. “Unless you want me with you, Jarad, I’ll stay here, in the living room and guard the girls.”

Isa, mouth full of cookie again, protested, “Whath? Women, not girls. But, okay, I’ll take the bed with Kaeli.” She gestured to her, “Help me get her in there.”

“I’ll do it.” Jarad lifted a now drowsy Kaeli as she were weightless and carried her off to the bedroom.

The doors of the quarters opened suddenly and Ronin entered. “Hi gang.”

Isaura grinned, “Ah, at long last, the wayward brother returns! Don’t worry, no one is hurt.” As she said this, she saw the bandage on Drekkar’s brow and frowned. “Well, no one you like is injured anymore.” Drekkar rolled his eyes.

Ro was immediately suspicious. “What do you mean ‘anymore’? ‘Fess up Isa.” He swiped a cookie from her plate. “Then I have news.”

“I’m fine, no worries there, my friend. Drekkar and Jarad got a little beaten up, but you don’t like them, so,” she shrugged. “Kaeli, however, was stabbed in the side and spent a few hours in Piper. She’s fine, too, now. Just a little bruised. She’s in the bedroom,” Isa gestured at the door.

“With Jarad I suppose?” Ro’s tone had grown sharp. “Who stabbed her? Tell me now.”

“A Cardassian,” Isa answered, unhelpfully. “Obviously neither one of these two. Yes, Jarad is in with her, but he’s only putting her in bed. I’m going to sleep with her tonight.”

“Should I even ask?” He looked from Isa to Drekkar, then shook his head. “Kidding, I know what you meant. I want to see Jarad but first, the news. I have found a replacement for...Olivia.” He frowned at the mention of her name. “I think he’ll fit in just fine.”

“Oh, wonderful!” Isa smiled.

Drekkar glowered, “He? Who is he? Where is he from?”

“I found him here, actually. His crew has gone their separate ways after the ship’s captain was arrested for...a whole mountain of things even you wouldn’t do Drekkar.” Ro flashed a smile at the Cardassian. “He’s laying low on Archadia till time to go but he’ll be happy to meet with you Isa.”

“Oh, Archadia. Maybe we could all go down there and hide out for a bit?” She looked at Drekkar.

“There might not be a need to do that any longer, but I’ll go with you to meet this man,” he said.

“Rafe can go with me,” she answered. “Go on, Ronin, go see Kaeli. Thank you for finding a new engineer.”

“Sure.” Ronin glanced at Drekkar, his gaze lingering a moment, then he passed on through to the bedroom.

Kaeli was sleeping soundly as Jarad stood looking down at her. “She’s going to be fine,” he said.

“So Isa said. Who was it?”

“A Cardassian named Linar, who is soon to draw his last breath. He almost killed her, Ronin. It was touch and go for a while there.” Jarad looked from Kaeli’s prone figure to her brother. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Not without me you won’t,” Ronin murmured. “I’m going with you.”

Jarad’s surprise was evident on his face. He hesitated, then finally nodded. “Very well. Let’s go and let her sleep.”

“First tell me the details,” Ronin answered. He listened closely as Jarad began to speak.

Meanwhile, Isaura and Drekkar were left alone in the living room. Isa ate another cookie to avoid speaking to Drekkar. She also figured that he wouldn’t kiss her if her mouth was full of masticated food; she sure as hell wouldn’t kiss him in those circumstances. As she swallowed the cookie, though, she asked, “The couch’ll be okay for you?” Not that there was a solution if it wasn’t.

“If I must. Can I twist your arm and convince you to join me out here?” He smiled at her, then it faded. “Sorry, bad choice of phrase. You know what I mean though.”

“The couch is a bit small for both of us,” she said, frowning. “Besides: Rafe. You know I’m in love with him. And we’ve had this conversation. I love you, but I’m not in love with you, Drekkar. There’s a big difference.”

“You’re fooling yourself, Isa. I know better. This is me you’re talking to, the man you put your life on the life for, and the one who just jumped into the lion’s den so you could go free.” He handed her another cookie. “But I’m patient.”

Smiling ruefully, she touched his cheek with one hand and took the cookie with her other hand. “I know.”

He rose and moved out of her reach as Jarad’s suggestion rose in his mind. The idea had merit, he had to admit and he smiled as he requested a glass of chocolate milk from the replicator. It appeared and he carried it back to Isa.

“A little more for your sweet tooth.”

“Thanks,” she took the glass and smiled. He knew her better than anyone else on the Ning’Tao, other than Zarv. “I didn’t want to leave you with Farak, but he really was telling the truth about his plan. I think the stasis chamber idea will fail, mostly because Zeek is likely to go look at the chambers to gloat.”

“It won’t matter. It will just mean he has to admit failure that much sooner. That man is on the edge, I tell you. He walked in the door and smashed a padd against the wall before he got friendly with Jarad and I. Apparently he got the official word tonight that his wife means business and is leaving him. He insists she’s coming home with him though, which leads me to believe he plans to swipe her and run.”

“I hope she’s under good protection, then. Like we are.” She gave him a small smile.

*************
Lt. Solis
Isaura Panossian
Kaeli
Drekkar
Jarad