Coffee Shock

Posted on Sat Nov 12th, 2011 @ 1:54pm by Commander Oralia Zeferino & https://starbase900.info/index.php/personnel/character/23

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Coffee Shop

"Okay, okay," Oz released the leg of the cockroach she was holding for Iggy. As the roach attempted to evade being bitten by the spider, Iggy greedily caught it in her front legs, using her silk spinnerets to hold onto it. Oralia grimaced as the spider's fangs made a small 'crunch' sound as she bit into the roach. It stopped moving shortly afterward.

You will contact him, then?

"And if I don't contact him?"

The spider shifted slightly and Oz knew that she was now using her primary eyes to regard her. I will bite you in your sleep.

Knowing that'd hurt like ...heck..., Oralia nodded, "Okay, okay, I'll contact him."

Okay. Do it now. The spider, roach still impaled on her fangs, moved closer to Oz.

"Iggy!" Oz, more than slightly disgusted, protested, but relented and contacted the object of their discussion.

* * *Later* * *

Dressed as casually, yet carefully, as she could stand, Oralia sat in the coffee shop, slowly turning her mug around and around on the table. She wasn't entirely sure what to say to Connor but.... She looked up and smiled as he entered the shop. As he went about getting a drink from the barrister, she watched him and thoughts of all their long nights together hit her. Her pupils dilated and her heart rate picked up. It didn't help her that he was wearing a pair of black jeans and a deep blue henley with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows; he looked good in the bold color.

Connor's nerves had shot up the moment he walked into the shop and saw her. He inhaled deeply, getting himself some decaf tea, wanting something much stronger, something that would take away all the anxiety and obsessive thoughts that ran through his head. Li's words kept returning, and as an intelligent man with a lifetime of battling and overcoming obsessions and compulsions, he could see the common sense in those words, yet he struggled in spite of them. He missed Oralia, more than anything he wanted her back but... Seeing her now, noticing the way she looked at him as he walked towards her only made it harder to do what he felt he needed to do; he was not good for her and it was time to end things.

He slid into the seat across from her, averting his gaze as he sat his drink down, looking back to her a moment later, only no words came and so he nervously ran a hand over his mouth, looking away again...at nothing.

"We both need to stop doing that, Connor," Oralia went straight to the point; she wasn't going to waste time since she had the feeling, from his look, that he didn't want to be there.

His jaw tensing at her statement, he stared back at her, "You wanted to yarn."

His ...petulance... bothered her. "Yeah, because we always dance around what we should be saying. At least... I do." She looked him straight in the eye and started, "Look, the whole situation makes my stomach clench. Growing up with four brothers...." She shrugged a shoulder. "...emotions weren't really... encouraged. Add to that that Mom and Dad loved each other but had an open interpretation of how love worked. Mom would have a couple of girlfriends, a boyfriend; Dad would--" She was about to explain but--

Connor interrupted, "Is that what you want?" The hurt, and disgust, was evident in his eyes. His tone was harsh, "A relationship, with Jackson 'n' whoever else on the side?"

"What?" She looked startled. "I'm trying to explain--"

"Okay, then explain", he said, wrapping his hand around the burning surface of his mug in order to keep himself grounded.

"I'm not sure I want to, now," she grumbled and sipped her coffee. Frowning, she looked him in the eye and said, "That, that right there is what we have to stop. No more jumping to assume we know what the other is about to say, or what the other feels. We're not Betazoids. And I'm sick of you always assuming the worst of me! I have never cheated on a partner, nor would I!" Oralia started getting hot under the collar, surprising herself. She had thought she was here to quietly discuss how they felt... apparently not, though. Her cheeks flushed as she leaned in slightly and growled, "And you! Just walking out? Leaving without even---" Again, and perhaps very fortuitously, she was interrupted, this time by a child.

"Daddy!" The small child ran across the room and launched himself at Connor.

Startled and surprised, Connor had grabbed onto the child, sliding out of his seat to place him down before him as he got down on one knee to take a look at him. "Saxon?" he said, running a hand down the back of the boy's head as his eyes swept over him. His face had gone red from Oralia's scolding, and now his brows knitted together in confusion, "But how...?"

Oralia's jaw dropped as she looked at him then at the child. That was definitely Connor's kid. "Daddy?", Oz looked at Connor and started to rise out of her seat. Speechless, she looked up to see an attractive woman with long brown hair, coming towards them with a smile. Jealousy and irritation flashed through Oz, lending her words, "Wow, guess there are lots of things we never shared, Connor."

Connor looked up to see Aleysha Xerix walking towards them, her smile beginning to fade. "Aleysha...", he said, as he recognized her, and he held onto the boy as he stood. "What are you doing here?"

Aleysha didn't need to pry, the two were broadcasting loud and clear. Her son was confused at the bits of emotion he received from Connor. "Saxon, he's not your daddy", she said gently, and laid her eyes on Connor, clearly liking what she was seeing. "He's your Uncle Connor." She slowly pulled her eyes off of him as she directed herself to Oz, "I'm Doctor Aleysha Xerix. I was once married to Connor's brother, Alex", and lifted a brow to Connor to answer his question, "I'm the station's new Language Specialist."

"Oralia Zeferino, Dr. Xerix. I'm the station's security chief," Oralia struggled to get the words out in a civilized manner; for the most part, she succeeded. Looking at Connor holding the boy, she had a surge of emotion so raw it nearly choked her. Clearing her throat, she said, "Ah... I'll guess that you two... three... have some catching up to do. I'll let you get to it." She nodded at Aleysha, muttered, "Nice to meet you," and headed for the exit, still holding her coffee mug.

For a moment, Aleysha watched the Security Chief, then she quickly looked back at her son and Connor. She frowned to see that Connor, though watching the woman leave, wasn't heading the same direction. "Shouldn't you...?", she started to ask but Connor's quick shake of the head and accompanying surge of painful emotions made her stop. She read his next question and answered it: "Alex doesn't know I'm here. We somehow ended up with our wires crossed, both of us getting last minute assignments. I'm not very happy about it... Anyways, his ship is on it's way through the Solaria Gateway", she gave a small smile, continuing to regard Connor, "he'll know soon enough..."

Aleysha took her son's hand in her own. "Look, Connor, we're not exactly close, but," she glanced in the direction the Security Chief had gone and then back to Connor, "...if you don't go after her, you're an idiot. In the two seconds I had near her, I could easily read that she's deeply in love with you, but also hurt, very hurt. You need to make that right."

Giving him another small smile, she took her son's hand and walked away, leaving Connor, who was hurting as well, and hating himself.

A moment later Connor took off out of the shop in a hurry, the two security guards waiting outside following right behind him.

TBC...


************

Connor McKinney, CMO
Oralia Zeferino, CSec

Aleysha Xerix & Saxon McKinney
NPC's