Brother Bye

Posted on Thu Sep 8th, 2016 @ 9:43pm by Cadet Senior Grade Eli Ziyad

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: The Brig

* The Brig *

“Place your hand here,” the duty officer directed and Eli did do. The panel beeped and the officer nodded. “Go on in cadet. Call if you need anything. The guards in that section will be close by.”

“Thank you.”

Eli waited for the force field to drop, then stepped through the doorway. Behind him came a soft hum as the field regenerated and he began the walk down to Loran’s cell. Two guards were on duty and they nodded to Eli as he passed. Finally, he reached the cell and stopped.

Loran was seated on his bunk, his back to the corner and an actual, printed book in his hands. Eli noted that it was a volume of sea stories, one of his brother’s favorites. He remained silent, knowing that his presence had registered. Given Loran’s race, he was on neural inhibitors so as to prevent any monkeying around with the guards and escaping. He could read Loran easily and was surprised to see that the inhibitor was something of a relief from all the mental noise on a station full of non-telepaths. One small mercy, Eli thought.

“Well? Aren’t you going to say hello?” Loran placed a bookmark in the pages and dropped the book to the bunk. “You’ll have to speak up since I can’t read you.”

“Hello,” Eli answered. “I’d have to anyway. They record conversations down here. How are you?”

“Not bad. Thankfully, I can’t hear all the noise, which almost makes me appreciate the inhibitors. The food is palatable and they leave me alone otherwise. I’m not plagued by people stopping in to see how I’m doing when they don’t really care. It saves me the annoyance.”

His meaning wasn’t lost on Eli. “With such an outlook as that, I can see why. I know Dad was here last week. Were you at least polite? I wouldn’t expect him to be after you handed them over to be killed.”

Loran shrugged. “I was and so was he. He said that our mother wouldn’t be coming. I expected as much.”

Neither was Eli and he didn’t blame Irina one bit. “No, she won’t. What you did she can never forgive.”

“So be it.” Loran smiled slightly. “I’m surprised to see you here, actually. Not that I was longing to see you. How’s Chance? I heard you two actually got married, as disgusting as that thought is. I should have killed him when I had the chance, if you’ll pardon the pun.:

Eli’s expression hardened at Loran’s words. “Chance is none of your concern and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t speak of him. But for the record, we are just fine.”

“Very well. I hope you’re happy knowing you can never go home again.” Loran’s tone had turned spiteful. “They’ll kill you.”

“Not likely. I guess holed up in here you haven’t heard. Reed and your whole organization were taken after we left Enara Prime. He’s been very cooperative and all of them are going to be locked away as long as they breathe. You know justice back there is harsh. They should be glad they escaped the old punishment in the square. The question then became, what to do with you? You are part of that group, but you tried to kill a Federation citizen.” Eli was glad Loran’s telepathy was shut down so he wouldn’t read the truth about Vic and his position with Starfleet. “So it’s the Fleet’s call on your fate. There’s nothing our parents could do, assuming they even wanted to.”

“So? You come to taunt me or to deliver the news? Which is it?”

“The Fleet has decided to turn you over to the Enaran government,” Eli answered. “Lt. Benson will be coming to meet with you. From what I understand, you’ll be leaving in three days.”

Loran was silent for several seconds. Given the justice system at home, he was sorry the Fleet hadn’t claimed him. He sat watching Eli, for a moment seeing his younger brother as he had been before everything went haywire. “What happened to you Eli? How could you become…..this?”

“I learned to think for myself,” Eli answered softly. “I stopped believing the propaganda and stood up for what I believed in. I found what makes me happy and I stood up for that too. I am sorry you couldn’t find the same.”

Loran snarled back at his brother. “I’d rather die than be what you have become...both personally and professionally.”

Now it was Eli’s turn to shrug. “You may get your wish. Goodbye Loran.” He turned and hurried away, not wanting his brother to see the sheen of tears in his eyes.

Back in the cell, Loran growled and threw his book at the force field. Then he turned to face the wall and closed his eyes.

***************
Cadet 1st Class Eli Ziyad
No regrets

Loran Ziyad
No Love Lost