Calling the Shots

Posted on Sat Feb 27th, 2016 @ 10:08pm by Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Commander Earl Crane & Lieutenant Commander William Harding M.D. & Jackson Banning V

Mission: Further Challenges

Mindless chatter echoed in her head, whispering about ‘us’ and ‘we’, telling her that she was so much more when part of something larger. It was, at once, seductive and sickening. Oz answered, Shut up. Just shut up! She didn’t realize she’d spoken aloud and she was back asleep before the knowledge filtered in.

Earl frowned as he looked at her. To Jackson, he said, “She’ll likely hear, or think she hears, the hive mind for a few days, maybe a week or so. It’s common for those who have been recovered; their own voice, that one that we all have, gets interpreted as being the hive mind. She might also have memories that aren’t her own.”

Jackson nodded and sighed aloud. “Hell, Earl, I don’t care if she hears the Borg Queen singin’ her a lullaby. She’s alive and back to her normal self physically. The rest we can deal with in time.”

“And time might be what it takes,” Earl put a hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “You can stay with her this time. She’s clear of any Borg technology, including the nanites.” He looked a Oz for a moment then left the room.

Jackson was more alert this morning, given that Ophelia had threatened to sedate him if he didn’t get some sleep. He had and now, showered and fresh, he was back. He raised Oz’s hand to his lips and kissed it, then murmured her name. Earl had said she could awaken anytime now and how he longed to see her sea-green eyes looking up at him, looking as if she knew some secret no one else did.

Minutes passed slowly. Oz’s eyes opened, slightly; she watched Jackson for a long minute before speaking, surprising him. “Hey. Do me a favor?”

“Anything, darlin’. What is it?” he asked. His fingers tightened around her hand. Gently he brushed a kiss over the back of her hand, beyond relieved to see her awake.

“Tell me that I’ve just woken from a bad dream,” she said in a weak voice. “And that we didn’t lose Sakkath.”

Jackson sighed aloud and shook his head. “I can’t, honey. It’s the truth. I’m sorry.” His expression slipped to sadness. “It was all so fast there was nothin’ to be done.”

Her hand tightened on his and she started to cry, fat tears rolled down her cheeks. “Oh.... No.... How is Li? Gilroy was there; he saw...,” she stopped and frowned. “Ignatius. It was her assimilated drone. Does she know? Where is she?” If anything, her concern for the spider was heavier than that for Gilroy or Li.

“She’s fine. The implants really didn’t assimilate Iggy. Ian said it had to do with her not havin’ one central brain or somethin’ like that. So, she stayed Iggy with a few extra pieces. He thinks all he has ta do is run her through the transporter with her pattern on file and she’ll be good to go.”

“No... I... I recall her... gods, she wouldn’t shut up. The hive mind was debating what to do about her, but couldn’t get around her constant chatter.” She laughed suddenly. “And Bryce... he said he would refuse to assimilate anyone. But the hive... it ordered me to assimilate you.” She looked at him with something akin to clarity. “You shot me,” she said accusingly.

“Yeah, I did,” Jackson admitted. “I had to so you wouldn’t take out me or Gil. I was careful though, and aimed for incapacitatin’ without doing a lotta damage. I guess my old sniper days came in handy.”

She cocked her head to the side and repeated, “You shot me!”

“I shot ya, yeah.” He grinned back at her. “An’ it saved yer life too. The second you went down, we had ‘em transport you out. You an’ Dae were the first out, then Bryce an’ Patrick.” He paused and took a deep breath. “We’ve been over an’ over everything. We did all we could do. We all knew goin’ in this one was risky but we went. That doesn’t ease the loss any though, and it’s hell bein’ overjoyed that I got you back while Li got stuck the big loser.”

“I know, but you shot your wife!” She smiled now and winked. “Damned good thing it was you.” Her rollercoaster topped out and she started sliding back into tears. “I can imagine what Li is going through, and that terrifies me. If it had been you....” She didn’t have the ability to finish that thought.

“I know.” He leaned down now and kissed her cheek. “You worry about you. Earl says that if yer still doin’ this well tomorrow, you can go home. An’ Li promised she’d be here today too.”

“Oh, good,” she said, reaching up to hug him. “Does Ignatius know that it was her drone that shot Sakkath?” She had the feeling that Iggy would be beyond distraught. Sakkath had been the first male whose name she had used; Iggy had fought alongside him when Li had been in danger; Iggy had, somehow, brought Sakkath out of a coma. Oz knew Iggy held Sakkath in a special light.

“Hell no an’ I am not gonna tell her.” Jackson’s tone was firm. “She couldn’t handle that an’ I don’t think anyone else knows it was the drone she made except for that drone himself, a marine corporal. He’s recovered an’ I sent orders down that he wasn’t to tell Iggy either.”

“Oh no... he’s under supervision, right? It’s not his fault - it’s the hive mind, but the guilt.” She felt the guilt just for having needed rescue. If not for that, Sakkath would still be alive.

“Dave’s got the matter well in hand,” Jackson assured her. “Try not to worry. Once yer outta here and Iggy’s ready, we’ll get her home. Solis will be in this afternoon to look you over too.”

Sniffling, she frowned and asked, “Dave?” For a moment, she couldn’t place who the hell ‘Dave’ was. From somewhere in the dark recesses of her mind, the hive mind whispered, Marine CO. Her shoulders jumped towards her ears and she winced. A little panicky, she looked at Jackson, again tightening her hold on his hand, and said, “The hive mind, I can still hear it!”

“Earl said you might for another few days yet but it’ll go.”Jackson stroked her cheek gently. “”Yer not connected any longer. All the implants are gone. They even got all the nanites out of your system. You are, once again, Oz. An’ ya have all your hair too.”

She touched her dark hair and chuckled. “They didn’t even get me as bad as Suresh did. Come here,” she said, pulling at his hand. When he was close enough, she kissed him. “I’m glad I’m home, with you.”

“Not nearly as glad as I am, darlin’,” he murmured, then kissed her back.

Behind them someone cleared his throat. Jackson turned to see Dr. Harding there. “Hello you two. I’m glad to see you awake, Oz.”

“Hi, Doctor Harding. How are the others?” Oz asked.

“We’ve finished up with Bryce and Major Smith. Dae is coming along,” Will answered. “There’s a complication with the neural implant given he is telepathic so it’s talking a little longer. But we’re pleased with everyone’s progress. Solis has been worked beyond endurance and so I sent him home and came to check on you myself.”

“Okay. Can I go back to work? I need to talk to Gilroy and Darwin and find out what else has happened over the past couple of weeks,” she said, glancing just slightly at Jackson. She wanted time with him, as well, but duty called.

“That would be a no, not yet,” Will answered. “You are to take a few days off, at least until you can’t hear the voices anymore. Then we’ll check you over and release you if you’re ready. You are, however, to see one of the counselors. No sliding out of that one Oz.”

Oz frowned and a voice came to her, We will figure out how to get out of that. She blinked. “A counselor, sure. All the nanites are gone? You’re sure?”

“I am. The voice you hear is, for lack of a better term, an echo. It will fade, I assure you. You may be tired from all the surgeries for several days too, so don’t push it. I mean that.” He looked to Jackson, who nodded.

“I’ll see that she doesn’t lift a finger,” Jackson promised.

She lifted a finger and smiled slyly.

“You cut that out,” Jackson teased her.

Will moved over to the screens on the wall and spent a few minutes looking at the readouts. Finally, he nodded. “Looks good. Alright, I’ll check in on you later.” He patted Oz’s hand and departed.

“Later. It’s always later,” Oz sighed. “You don’t have to stay, J. You have the Nexus to tend to, and Iggy’s kids. Where are they? Do Chance and Eli have them?”

“Chance and Eli have Ariadne, Reva had Gilroy but since she’s on an away mission, Gilroy is with Desta. Louie’s been keeping Kahuna and those two are thick as thieves.” He laughed and shook his head. “They’re all good. I have some good news for you too.”

“Wait...,” she shook her head slightly. “Reva? As in Madhava? She’s on a mission? Who put her on an away mission?”

“It’s a joint mission..security and Intel,” Jackson answered. “Darwin picked her. They’re taking the Korenna, now renamed. They needed her and Janus, and Six to see to the operations. I’ll explain once we’re out of here.”

Oralia looked at him while thinking on that, trying to put it together. Then she did and sighed, “Oh, I get it. Sort of. Darwin did, did he? Weird. I thought he thought she was too young.” She shrugged. “I’ll get it, later.” She yawned.

“I didn’t tell you the news,” Jackson said softly. “The boys went down to Archadia and got married.”

That snapped Oralia awake. “What!? Did they take Mom and Dad? Chance’s other Dad? Oh my god, they’re so young! What sort of idiot goes off and gets married like that?”

“They took the crew from the Nexus since it happened sort of spur of the moment after they had closed up for the night.” Jackson grinned now. “We did it….and they went to that same beach where we got married. Your brother was here last night and he was just beamin’.”

“But...,” she shook her head, “We’re old... and we were together way longer... well, we pined after each other for a really long time.”

“We are not old and they are not too young. After all they’ve been through, I don’t blame ‘em for doin’ it now,” he said indulgently. “They’ve learned up close that life is short sometimes.”

“They have,” Oz agreed.

“Anyhow, Chance has been here but I sent him on to take care of his business. Li said she’d be here this mornin’ and Eli is comin’ this afternoon.” His expression was concerned now. “If you get tired of the company, just shoo ‘em off. They’ll understand.”

“I’m sure,” she nodded even as her eyes reddened and teared up. She sniffled then was crying. “We lost Sakkath,” she blurted.

“We did,” Jackson answered, his voice soft. “But as bad as this is gonna sound, right now you need to worry about you.”

She nodded, still crying. Talking was difficult. “I know. But, still....”

“Anything I can get ya right now? Before Li gets in?” Jackson asked. “She’s seein’ Earl first, then will be here.”

She shook her head then reached her arms out for him. “I’ll be fine.”

He wrapped her in his arms, lifting her gently to sit up. “Welcome home, honey. I’d have done anything in the world to get to you and bring you back, an’ I did. I will always keep you with me, no matter what it takes.”

Oralia held him tightly. “I’m glad you did, even though you shot me,” she said, her tone playful.

**************
Lt. Commander Will Harding, M.D.
Lt. Commander Earl Crane, M.D.
Jackson Banning V (A Damn Fine Shot, According to Oz)
Commander Oralia Zeferino (The Only One, According To Jackson)