Meddling

Posted on Fri Oct 7th, 2011 @ 1:46pm by Cadet Senior Grade Eli Ziyad & Cadet Senior Grade Chance Conradi

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Chance/Eli Quarters

* * * Chance & Eli's Quarters * * *

Eli had risen early to get his journal caught up. The past two days and nights had been...interesting. Between the Speaker at the Nexus and Kh'ali vanishing, a lot was happening. He was worried about Kh'ali and missed her. Aur'el was nice and all that, but not nearly as open and friendly as Kh'ali. He'd run up to the Diplomatic offices to report in, and moved on, not lingering.

There was also that strangeness in Jackson's office, and that perplexed him. Something was up, something had changed, but so far he was not prying. After his journals were done and his weekly report in, he'd met Sulan for breakfast. That had been a nice, pleasant diversion, something to get his mind off everything else. Now, he re-entered the quarters he shared with Chance, expecting the man to just be rising.

Instead, Chance was also just returning from being out and about. He'd gone off soon after Eli had to see if his sister, Oz, had time for breakfast. He hadn't been expecting the mess he'd found there and he was troubled by it, particularly by Oz's assertion that she would transfer off the Starbase. She had headed in for duty, late, and Chance had headed back to his quarters.

"Hey, roomie," Chance greeted Eli as they stepped inside, "Wanna get some lunch, then get a bit of studying in?"

"Sure." Eli smiled as he left the padd with his citizenship information in his desk drawer. "I had a late breakfast but I'm a guy. We can always eat. What got you up and out so early?"

Chance shrugged, "Eh... I just wanted to chat with Oz. No better time than to catch her for breakfast."

"How is she?" Eli had not mentioned what he'd sensed in Jackson's office but now he was a trifle wary. Doing his best to appear casual, he perched on the edge of his desk, watching Chance.

"Not well," Chance admitted. With anyone besides Eli, he'd have remained close-lipped. Eli, however, was... Eli. No sense in hiding anything from him. "Connor moved out and she's talking crazy-talk about transferring somewhere."

Eli blinked back at him for a moment. "Transferring? But..." Oh, careful, Eli... "What about her position? And her friends? You?" Jackson...

"Yeah, me," Chance sat at their study desk and rubbed his face with a hand. The single name Eli had thought filtered in through his concern and he looked up at Eli. "What about Jackson?"

Eli didn't move. That certainly had not been intended and now he had to muddle through it. "It's just that he...I mean they...always seemed close." Oh yes, that sounded lame.

Frowning at Eli, Chance voiced his skepticism that that was really what he meant, "Uh-huh. Right. I'm sure that once she gets her head on straight again, she'll nix that idea." At least, Chance hoped she'd get her head on first, before making any rash moves. "She told me that she accepted the transfer off the Berkeley so that she could stay with Connor."

Eli nodded. "And now Connor's not part of the equation. Her chief spot she earned on her own after she got here though, that has to count for something." He met Chance's eyes, and looked away. This was not good, not good at all.

"Yeah... I can't see Oz stepping away from the responsibility and power she has now. There's no way she'll be able to take a 'low-level' Security position. What ship's captain would let her do that?" He spread his hands wide and shook his head. "Any captain knows that that would just be asking for trouble in the ranks."

"Once you've been in the hot seat, it's very difficult to go back. Let's hope her ties here are enough, Chance." He didn't really know Oz but he knew enough to know that her leaving would not only depress Chance, it would hurt Jackson. That scene in Jackson's office....even now, the emotions that had crackled in the air washed over him again. They'd nearly overwhelmed him, and he couldn't stop the flush that rose in his cheeks. He really needed to talk to Jackson.

At first, Chance missed Eli's blush but then he caught just a smidgen of the emotional turmoil from Eli. Surely that desire and passion wasn't Eli's? Chance looked up at him. "What's up, Eli?"

"I...I think Oz may have a harder time leaving than she thinks she will, that's all." Maybe that would be enough, but Eli doubted it.

Eying Eli, Chance frowned again. He wasn't buying Eli's lame brush-off, but he decided to let it go. "I agree. Short of locking her in a weapons locker, I'll do everything I can to make her drop the idea."

"She's just confused right now, I think. I mean, Connor moved out unexpectedly, she's got a lot of things to sort out." Damn. Eli pushed away from the desk. Why couldn't life just stay settled?

"Yup." Chance suddenly chuckled, and said, "He didn't even give her a clue that was coming."

"She had no idea?" Eli sounded dubious. He'd seen something was off the other night at the Nexus. "He say why?"

"Oz probably said something wrong without even realizing she'd done so. I get the impression that he yelled at her last night, but that they haven't actually talked. Knowing Oz, talking won't happen any time soon, now." He looked mildly frustrated. "She can be a bit of a cold one when she's gotten her feelings hurt."

"No, I don't suppose so." Eli moved over to the window of the living room that separated the two bedrooms. He was in a difficult spot, to be sure, with Jackson on one hand, and Chance on the other. And Oz between them both. He rubbed his forehead as his thoughts whirled. At least the scene in the office made a little more sense now.

Smiling slightly, Chance watched Eli as he moved. He liked the view but there was something troubling Eli... something about Jackson. "Did something happen with Jackson?"

"I'm worried about him, Chance," his voice was rougher. "He's...been hung up on her for a while. Like since they first met."

"On Oz? Why?" Chance immediately laughed at how that sounded then sobered. "Oh." Chance stood up to pace. He didn't really need to tell Eli, as Eli could probably read the whole situation in his head, but he spilled the beans: "Oz loves ...loved?... Connor but she's drawn to Jackson like a moth to a flame. She and I discussed him just ...the morning of the Nexus event."

"I know," was Eli's only audible reply. So what now?

"They're the adults. Let's hope they act like it."

"He's very wary, and from what I could pick up, has no intentions of getting caught in the crossfire. Safest place, as I said to Sulan this morning."

"Yeah, probably the safe thing to do," Chance noted. He frowned at Eli, "Who is Sulan?" And why had Eli had breakfast with her?

"She's that Bajoran we saw, remember? After we left the Nexus night before last?"

"I see." Chance had to pause for a moment; he and Eli didn't have any agreements or understandings restricting them from seeing others. He swallowed his jealousy and simply nodded. "Maybe Jackson should get in the crossfire."

"I don't want him hurt by this Chance." He turned, watching his friend, the jealous pang washing over him. Without a word, he moved rapidly across the room and pressed Chance to the wall, hands on his shoulders. "Don't go there."

Desire rose in Chance, brought up by Eli's manly, direct move. Lacing his hands behind Eli's back, he quickly kissed Eli and said, "I won't. I won't put a bug in Jackson's or Oz's ear about romancing the other."

"I think they've already got that idea long before you arrived." Eli smiled against Chance's lips. "They'll have to work it out themselves. As for...Sulan....she has her eyes on Jackson. Maybe we need to run a little interference till Jackson and Oz figure themselves out?"

Oz with Jackson? It sounded, to Chance, like a better option than Oz with Connor. At least right now, with Connor driving Oz a bit crazy; he knew it was likely she was doing the same to him. "I like that idea, Eli. Would this interference involve taking her to bed?"

"No." Eli's response was quick and firm. "You're not the only one with a jealous streak you know."

"I do now," he chuckled and kissed Eli thoroughly.

Eli relaxed against Chance, giving in to that kiss, and to so many other emotions as well. He'd almost slipped last night on the way home, but caught himself. It was getting more difficult.

"Chance, I --" Whatever he'd been about to say was cut off by the chime of the comm system and Professor Drake's voice.

=^= You boys are late for lunch =^=

Startled, Chance cursed. They were expected for lunch? He answered, "We'll be there asap, Ma'am!" then grabbed Eli by the back of his neck, kissed him quickly and whispered, "Looks like your confession will have to wait."

"Yes." Eli's smile was brief. So close.... "Saved by the comm." Relief swept through him as he turned and moved over to the mirror to check his uniform.

Chance, too, felt relief, his and Eli's. Clearing his throat, he smoothed his uniform tunic with a quick tug. "Yeah, so close to skipping lunch in favor of something far more satisfying," he laughed and headed for the door. "C'mon, let's not keep the Professor waiting."

*********
Eli Ziyad
Cadet 4th Class & Nexus Staff
So Close

Chance Conradi
Cadet 4th Class & Starbase Busybody
Puttin' his Running Shoes on