The Brig Post

Posted on Fri Jan 11th, 2013 @ 4:44pm by Commander Oralia Zeferino & Lieutenant Eric Edwards & Cadet Senior Grade Eli Ziyad

Mission: The Struggle Within

=^= Main Brig =^=

Eric half-chuckled as he walked into the Main Brig, primarily because of the descriptor 'main.' Only on an Immense-class Starbase could you really need more than one. But his tone sombered quickly, knowing he was here not because he had caught Chance's killer, but because Chance's killer had been a moron on a galactic scale. As if Security weren't watching out for Eli after all of this. To show up in his quarters... Well, moron came to mind again.

"What's the status of our prisoner?" he asked Moresi as he drew near.

"We're making him comfortable, Lieutenant," the Bolian replied, handing over a PADD after a bit of shuffling. "Cadet Ziyad and Commander Zeferino have both expressed interest in seeing him."

Eric nodded, looking over the data. "That's fine. Just make sure the force field stays up. It says here he's already had one visitor?" Eric wondered.

"Aye, sir. Man named... Lazan," the Bolian referenced. "Arranged for representation."

Eric scoffed. "Figures. Lawyers are going to make this harder than it needs to be. I'm going to check in on the hypospray analysis. Let me know if Eli or the Commander show up," he advised before heading off.

It was just about a half hour later that Eli arrived. On his way down, he’d put through a call to the brig to ask about seeing the prisoner and now he looked around as he stepped in, not familiar with this area. “Good evening Ms. Moresi. Is it alright if I see him now?”

She eyed him critically. "Not sure how smart this is, but Zeferino didn't put anyone on his no-visits list," Moresi grumbled after a moment then, processing Eli into the Brig's secured area, waved for him to follow her. "Orders are that the forcefield stays up. No physical contact. First sign of a problem, you're out of here. Got it?"

“Got it. And trust me, physical contact is the last thing I want.” The memory of the Hazari’s kiss was still fresh and not a very pleasant one. They reached the cell and Eli stood silent until Moresi was gone. Now that he was here, he had no idea how to start or what to say.

“Hello.” Well that was a start. A lame one.

"Get me out!" The Hazari whispered harshly, uncharacteristically. His eyes showed his fear - but it wasn't the Hazari's, exactly.

“I can’t.” Eli pursed his lips. “You.....you killed Chance. Don’t you understand? I saw it, there’s no way they will ever let you go.”

"Not him, me!" There was an intensity behind the Hazari's expression that wasn't quite readable. "Something happened... Someone else was here... I don't have long, Eli. Get me out of here!"

“What do you mean something happened?” The words didn’t seem at all like the Hazari and so Eli opened his thoughts again, reached into the Hazari’s mind. Once again, the sense of Chance within him was overwhelming.

"I don't know. I don't understand anything, things are jumbled." The Hazari physically sagged for a moment then, startled, looked up at Eli. "You! Again! Get away from me!" He stumbled back from the forcefield.

The change hit Eli like whiplash and he reached up to press his fingers to his temples. “Why did you kill him? Tell me!”

A blankness settled over the Hazari. "Who?"

“Chance. At the Nexus. You know damned well who and what!” The man’s confusion was real though, as Eli sensed it, and that both confused and worried him. Something was wrong here.

"I don't know anyone by that name," he asserted, shaking his head and sitting on the bare bunk behind him.

“How is that possible? Do you remember me?" The question was tentative as Eli tried to process this. Yes, something had happened and he had a very bad feeling about it.

"Yes, but I don't know where from. And why...?" Suddenly, he looked disgusted. "Did you kiss me?"

“No, you kissed me as I recall. You were in my quarters and jumped me. Kissed me, swore you loved me. Why can’t you remember?”

"I... love you?" The Hazari, still looking disgusted and, now, dismayed, shook his head again. "That's wrong on so many levels." He didn't answer Eli's other question as he just didn't have an answer.

Eli moved a bit closer, his gaze intent on the Hazari. “You said it.” He closed his eyes to block out the sight of the Hazari and reached into his mind again.

Chance....are you here?

A weak thought drifted to Eli. Here. He's in control again.

What happened Chance? I have to know if I’m to help you. And I am working on getting you back, Dr. Harding is going to help us.

I don't want to discuss it.

The Hazari growled and lunged up off the bunk. "Get away from me!"

From behind Eli came another voice, "Eli," it was Oralia, in uniform and unhappy about seeing Eli there, "Really? Wasn't finding him in your quarters enough? Go home, or go to Cadet Vor's. Before I call Janice and tell her to come collect you."

Don’t want to discuss it? The refusal surprised him, as did Oz’s voice. He turned and it was clear that something had disturbed him.

“Something’s wrong Oz. This man suddenly doesn’t recall who I am or being in my quarters at all, no idea who Chance is. And Chance is in there still, saying he doesn’t have long.”

"I do have Betazoids on my staff, Eli," Oralia said, none-too-kindly. "As for Chance, its not like we can just reach in and offer him a box to live in until Harding...." She stopped and shook her head, realizing that she was now on board with the idea that her brother - her very dead brother - was actually in the Hazari's head. "Go home, Eli. If there's something 'wrong' in this guy's head, my people will find it."

He looked back at the Hazari and one word passed into his thoughts. Soon... Then he looked back to Oz, his expression closed.

“Fine. I came because I didn’t want Chance down here alone.” He ran a hand over his face, then stepped away from the cell and Oz and began to walk. “See you later.”

She nearly snapped, Chance isn't down here!, but stopped herself. Granted, the thought had rocketed to the top of her thoughts, so it went to Eli just as if she had shouted it. "Eli," her tone softened considerably, "I'm sorry, but we can't get our hopes up."

He stopped and looked back at her. “I have to Oz, he’s counting on us. I have to.”

“Everything all right here?” Edwards asked as he approached, evidence bag in hand. “Commander,” he greeted Oralia formally, before simply nodding in Eli’s direction.

“I was just going. I’ll talk to you soon, Eric.” Eli turned away once more and this time, his pace was quick and soon he was out of sight.

“Huh,” Eric mused as he watched Eli go, casting a curious glance back at Oz. “He, uh, doesn’t seem to be so much in mourning, if you don’t mind my saying so, Commander.”

"His hopes are up about an impossibility, Eric," Oralia sighed, also watching Eli go. She switched gears and asked, "What do you have?"

“Medical finished their analysis of the hypospray we recovered from Jackson’s office. It contains felodesine which, injected into you or I wouldn’t do much of anything beyond a stomach ache. Injected into a Vulcan or a Romulan, though...” The silence that hung in the air for a moment made clear the lethality of the substance. “This was meant for your brother, Commander. It’s the only conclusion I can draw.”

"Combined with the note Jackson gave you," she nodded, "Good work. Eli said our friend doesn't recall him now. Let's bring in a betazoid and see if that's the truth." She didn't doubt Eli's veracity, but... perhaps his sanity was slightly in question.

“Sounds damned convenient,” the junior Security officer thought, “but even if it’s the truth, we’ve got a decent amount of physical evidence now, plus the incident in the Cadet’s quarters. I’ll have one of the telepaths brought up right away,” he promised. “Any word on Admiral Wegener and the others?”

"Commander Leroy has an idea and Sakkath ok'd him to run with it. Otherwise, I'm as well-informed as you are," she smiled genuinely.

“Well, here’s to hoping, then,” Eric said, returning the smile in kind. “Let me get on this Hazari. You’ll have a report on your desk in the morning, Commander.”

“Good deal, thank you.” She looked at the Hazari and had a desire to make him feel every ounce of her pain. That desire was what brought her down here, why she wanted to lay eyes on the male again. Given half a chance, she’d... she knew what she’d do and it startled her. Coughing slightly, she straightened up, shot a small smile at Eric then excused herself, “Yeah, I’ll let you get to work, Lieutenant.” With a quick nod, she turned and rapidly left the Main Brig.

************
Cadet Second Class Eli Ziyad
Confused, Still Not Crazy

Lieutenant Eric Edwards
In the dark

Lt.Commander Oralia Zeferino
No Hopes, Just Desires