Boldly Going....

Posted on Sat Aug 4th, 2012 @ 10:51am by Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Jackson Banning V

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: Varies

Without ceremony, indeed, without even knocking, Darwin entered Oralia Zeferino’s office and stood in front of her desk until she looked up at him and gestured at a seat. He planted his butt in the seat and sighed, leading Oz to smile slightly.

“Okay, Mike, out with it.”

“You’re good, Oz. You had them pegged,” he started. It was a start that had Oz’s smile disappearing. “According to Ms. Wilde, they were on a date when Chase, our good friend Zach Chase, interrupted and cock-blocked Jackson.”

“Coc... um... let’s not use that word in the official report, okay?” Oz winced, but not because of the word. She didn’t like the feeling she got when considering the idea of Jackson and Cassidy, dating. Her stomach roiled uncomfortably. “Well, at least we know why Chase is dead. And we know we can trust our gut reactions a little more often.”

“Yes, we can. Also, Ms. Wilde stated that she’s in love with Mr. Banning,” he watched Oralia closely as he said this, lest she throw something at the messenger.

Which that very nearly was her first reaction. She frowned at Darwin for a long moment then harshly asked, “You’re just spilling all the salacious parts right now, correct? And these little tidbits won’t make it into the final report, correct?”

“Oh, absolutely. They will not be there, Ma’am.”

That earned him another glare. This one was interrupted by a chime from the computer and a voice stating: “Commander Zeferino, Mr. Banning is out of surgery and should be waking up in the next twenty minutes or so.”

Standing, Oz looked at Darwin and said, “Sounds like we have somewhere else to be.”

* * * Piper Medical * * *

Along the way to the Medical Center, Darwin and Zeferino had been ...heatedly discussing... whether Oralia should be present while Jackson was interviewed. Darwin’s bone of contention was that she was emotionally involved with Jackson and that could taint the official investigation. “Look, if he clams up and won’t talk freely while I’m there, then I’ll leave,” she offered.

Somewhat mollified by the offer, Darwin nodded slowly. “All right, then, Commander. But I’ll also remind you you’re still on light duty per Medical’s orders.”

“Pfft,” Oz voiced her opinion of that then fell quiet as they entered Piper Medical Center and were escorted to Jackson Banning’s recovery room. True to her agreement with Darwin, she stayed in the background, even though she wanted to rush forward and hold Jackson’s hand, even though she wanted to be the one questioning him.

“Mr. Banning?” Darwin spoke up slightly, as if Jackson’s issue was that he was deaf.

Jackson’s eyelids fluttered open slowly. “Oz?” He looked up at Darwin and finally his eyes focused. “Oh, not Oz, unless she changed a lot in the last few days.” His words were slow, still a trifle slurred.

Even just coming out of anesthesia, Jackson’s sense of humor seemed to be in place. Darwin smiled lopsidedly. “Commander Zeferino is here, Mr. Banning, but I have a few questions to ask before giving you over to her,” Darwin explained. “Are you up for questions?”

“If yer patient, sure. What ya wanna know?”

“How did you get from the beach bar to the warehouse where we found you?” Darwin had the feeling he already knew, but needed to hear it from the horse’s mouth.

“Chase. After that bomb scare, he found me, saying Cass wasn't there but was safe and he’d take me to her. We went for a walk and ended up outside this warehouse. By this time I was gettin’ antsy. He was actin’ weird and then he said we were bein’ kidnapped. I said that joke wasn’t all that funny and he assured me it was no joke. Then shots were fired from the warehouse door. Hit him in the back and when he fell, got me twice in the chest.”

Darwin glanced at Oz; she’d made a noise as Jackson described getting shot. He tossed her a warning look then turned back to Jackson. “Did you see the shooter?”

“No, we were in an alley and it was gettin’ on towards night. Too many shadows. No idea how long I was out, Cass can likely tell ya though. Hey, is she okay?”

“Ms. Wilde is fine. She’s been treated for her injuries and is recovering,” Darwin gave him a neutral answer; something was bothering him, something about the disruptor and how Cassidy had claimed to have gotten it. He repeated a question he’d already asked Cassidy: “How is it that you and Ms. Wilde were on a romantic vacation together?” Ok, it wasn’t exactly the same wording.

“Romantic?” Jackson considered that for a moment, apparently confused. “I thought she might like to see Archadia since she just arrived and hadn’t had the chance yet so I took her down with me. Never laid a hand on her. Why’s it matter?” He turned his head a bit to look at Oz. It did matter, he knew that.

“Do I need to have Commander Zeferino leave the room, Mr. Banning?”

“For what? I was just curious why the personal question, Dar, not that I have anything to hide. Water please?”

Before Darwin could respond to his request, Oz was there, helping Jackson with his water. “He’s just asking to verify certain information, Jackson,” she told him.

“Gotcha.” He took a long drink through the straw and his eyes met Oz’s own. Finally, he smiled a little. “I wasn’t sure I’d see ya again.”

She smiled back, “Well, it was touch’n’go, according to Doc Harding. He seems to have put you back together just fine, though.” The only bandages Jackson had were two over the largest wounds he’d incurred - where the shots had done their damage and then Cassidy had applied cauterizing elastomer.

“Commander?” Darwin’s tone reminded Oz of their agreement. As she stepped back, hands out in a ‘mea culpa’ gesture, he resumed the questions, “What happened in the warehouse?”

“No idea for much of it till I woke up. Cass an’ I were in a room and the smell was god awful. She said it was Chase, but you’d be able to confirm that since you were there. Then the door opened and Nat came in. Ordered some guy with her to take Cass out an’ kill her, then she started talkin’ to me.”

“What did she say to you?” It was the obvious next question.

“That she was gonna kill Cass, and likely me. Somethin’ about Section 31 wantin’ to oust the Prime Minister and control the wormhole. Then to use one of their military weapons on me. I could hear Cass fightin’ with that guy outside, then she and Nat went at it. I got hold of Chase’s taser and let Nat have it. Then everything went black again after you showed up.”

Having Cass’s version of the events corroborated, Darwin didn’t see any point to continuing. “Thank you, Mr. Banning. Give me just a moment with Commander Zeferino,” he said and turned to take two steps over to Oralia.

“It’s weird hearing you be so formal, Mike,” she whispered.

“Just going by the book, here,” he answered. “Once I leave, I’m heading back to the Detention Center to have Ms. Wilde released. There’s no evidence against her; everything points to her having acted in self-defense and defense of others.”

“Agreed,” Oz nodded and added, “Also, get with... not Li Hawke, but... her replacement....” Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall the fellow’s name, “Oh, Patrick Smith, and pass on the S31 information. Tell Gilroy and Commander Kh’ali, too; it might be relevant to his investigation on the planet and her dealings with the Prime Minister. And get on interviewing Doctor Bren, if at all possible. Record that one, video and audio. We might have to wait till the symbiot is transplanted to another Trill, but... let’s get what you can, in case that doesn’t happen.”

Tapping on the PADD he held, Darwin took notes of her orders. “I know how to reach you if you’re needed, Commander.” He glanced at the bed’s occupant then tightly smiled at Oz before exiting the room.

Oralia straightened her tunic and waited a moment while Darwin left the room. Alone with Jackson, she went to his bedside. “See? I told you that I’m usually on this side of the bed, J.”

“So ya are.” He smiled once more and moved his fingers in invitation to her. “So why’s he wanna know such personal stuff? Even if there wasn’t anything to tell?”

“He already questioned Cassidy; he was just being thorough,” she answered and took his hand. “She mentioned certain details and Mike just wanted to see if your details matched up. He did forget, though, to tell you that she’s very concerned about you and that she said you owe her several dances.”

“Ahh, might be a while. Harding said I was lucky my ass wasn’t in a torpedo tube floatin’ towards the far reaches. Is that true?” Jackson glanced down at their joined hands and it occurred to him now that, aside from the hug in Sickbay after she lost the baby, that this was the first time she’d touched him in a long while. His fingers tightened around hers.

Nodding, she confirmed it. “I just spoke with him. He said... something about your cells refusing to regenerate.... Apparently that made fixing you a bit hairy.” Suddenly, she leaned forward and awkwardly and gently hugged him. Next to his ear, she whispered, “I was afraid I was going to lose you.”

He closed his eyes and grunted a little as the hug sent a bloom of pain spreading through his chest. Slowly he slipped an arm around her. “I couldn’t rightly die when we have unfinished business could I?” Her comment about his cells, he conveniently didn’t answer. He wasn't so sure now was the time to get into that. He didn’t trust Harding yet but at least he had someone repairing him that knew his particular condition. If it had been anyone else, he likely would be in that torpedo tube.

“No, you couldn’t,” she brushed a kiss across his cheek before pulling away from him. “It seems I have Cassidy to thank for keeping you alive. She fought like a hellion, from the physical evidence.”

“She did, and I don’t know how I’ll ever thank her.” That kiss to his cheek sent a buzz all through him. Maybe it was because she had been afraid he would die, but he’d take what he could get. “What all did she have to say? She was awake when I wasn’t.”

“In part of her statement to Darwin, she told him she’s in love with you.” Funny, Oralia could tell him that someone else loved him; but when it came to telling him her feelings? No, she’d bide her time. She had ulterior motives here, of course: she wanted to see his reaction to that statement. It was the same reason Darwin had asked about the ‘romantic vacation’: curiosity. Granted, Darwin’s was idle curiosity; hers had a more focused quality to it. They’d discussed the topic on the way to Piper Medical, with Darwin filling in more extraneous details about the romantic views Cassidy held.

Jackson closed his eyes as he tried to absorb that. “Was she serious?”

“He thought so. Maybe she was just yanking his chain.” Oz watched him, wanting to touch his face or take away his pain. But his reaction also, cruelly, made her smile slightly. Whatever he and Cass had been doing on the planet, the feelings she’d professed to didn’t appear to be mutual. She didn’t particularly want Cassidy hurt, but... with Connor gone, Jackson and she could indulge, if they let themselves.

“So what happens now?” He left the question intentionally vague, letting Oz choose whether she would address the matter of Natalia and the shootings or the matter of them. He ran his thumb lightly over the back of her hand. Complicated...

Choosing the ‘safe’ topic, Oralia explained, “All evidence points to Natalia Bren as being a Section 31 agent. At the moment, she’s dying, so prosecution is unlikely. Doc Harding is seeking a new host for the symbiot, so we might be able to get some answers, eventually.”

Stopping, she smiled, smirked really, and lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his skin. “That’s not the topic you wanted answered, was it?”

“No, but if it helps, she admitted her association to me.” His eyes widened as she kissed his hand.

Looking at his hand, Oralia froze, her brows drawing down. “She told you she was Section 31? Before she arranged your kidnapping and tried to kill you?”

“Just before. According to her, Harding forced her to cooperate with some things from the past Oz, and she later left him and his project. That was years ago though, and apparently all a lie.”

“Harding?” The tone of doubt in her voice came through loud and clear. She shook her head, unable to quite reconcile the Harding she had dealt with with a Harding that would have forced someone to cooperate. “I’ll ask Natalia about Harding. If he’s as rotten as Chase or Natalia, then we need to root him out.”

“That is a deep well, Oz, that you and I need to discuss. But not right now. Right now, I want to get back to my previous question.”

She’d almost distracted him away from that topic. “So what happens now?”, she repeated what he’d asked and sighed. “What happens now is …we heal. I’m grieving Connor; you’re not exactly ready for any calisthenics...,” she quirked a brow and slyly grinned at him.

“I could be.” He smiled once more, then grew serious. “I’m a lucky man, Oz, on several counts.”

“You’re lucky to be alive, Jackson,” she agreed and gently squeezed his hand.

“Lucky to have had Cass down there or I wouldn’t be. And lucky to wake up to find you here.” He started to say more, then hesitated and closed his mouth.

Catching his hesitancy, she considered whether to let it go or pursue it. She let it go and leaned in close to him again, her cheek against his. Whispering in his ear, she said, “J, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere but by your side.” She started to say more, but hesitated and instead kissed his cheek again.

His breath hitched in his chest and he turned his face to her. “Oz....I gave you up once, because I thought it was the best thing for you. I was wrong. I lost you then, and almost did again. I’m done dancin’ around.”

“We lost each other for Connor’s benefit, Jackson. And mine,” she frowned, knowing that she’d never really recover from losing Connor. But life moved on; grief recedes and she wasn’t about to miss a chance with Jackson again. “There’s no need to dance around, unless we’re on a dance floor,” she couldn’t stay serious for long.

“You remember back when you were confined to quarters on the Berkeley?”

She chuckled, “I recall why I was confined: that ogre of a Chief lit up a cigar. That, and I hadn’t slept much.” Shaking her head slightly, she shrugged and added, “Beyond that, I recall catching up on sleep and having visitors. Why?”

Jackson closed his eyes as he recalled a particular visit. “I recall that day sayin’ that if I didn’t leave yer quarters, I would commence with the scoopin’ and carryin’. There was some reference to you screamin’ my name till you were hoarse too. I shouldn’t have left that day.”

His words brought back that memory; they also stroked nerves and left her feeling buzzy and jangled. If he weren’t laid out on a biobed, she’d have challenged him to make good on his offer to scoop, carry and make her scream. Getting a hold of herself, she blinked slowly and said, “J, we both know there were other considerations at work there. Maybe... maybe I should be going, though, and we can have this conversation when you’re...,” not injured “...back on your feet. And then we can see what might have happened if you hadn’t left that day.”

He reached up and took hold of the front of her uniform, pulling her closer. “First things first.”

Knowing she could have easily backed off, Oz let him pull her closer. “Let’s hope no one walks in right now.” She rather wished she wasn’t in uniform at the moment.

“That’s their problem.” He pulled her closer, and for the first time since that tense morning in his quarters ages ago, their lips finally met.

The kiss was informative and everything Oz had imagined it would be. Wanting more, she broke their kiss and put a hand on his uninjured shoulder. “Let’s not wear you out, J,” she admonished him, “Otherwise, your recovery might take longer than anticipated... and that would be a bad thing.”

He nodded. “There’s something related to my recovery you will need to know.”

“There is?” Oralia was a smart cookie, but she wasn’t well-schooled on medical topics. The concern Harding had expressed about Jackson’s cells being difficult to regenerate had gone over her head; she didn’t connect that concern with anything. Weren’t all cells difficult to regenerate?

“When I am out. When will I get out by the way?”

“I’m not your doctor, babe,” Oz smiled, “But I know your doctor and I’ll bet I could pull a couple strings, get you home before the end of the day. We can promise the doc we’ll be on light duty together.”

“Oh, is that what they’re calling it these days?” He grinned at her. “It’s been a while.”

She laughed. “Let me go talk to Harding,” she said and kissed him, quickly this time, before heading out of his room and leaving him with his thoughts.

***********
Lieutenant Michael Darwin
Gossip Mongerer

Commander Oralia Zeferino
Moving On

Jackson Banning V
Owner Who Is Thanking His Lucky Stars