24 hrs in Security

Posted on Mon Oct 17th, 2022 @ 4:02am by Lieutenant Sky Jansen-Carey

Mission: The Lost Brother
Location: Security
Timeline: During Sky’s 24 hours in custody

With her punishment decided Sky was sitting in her put up accommodation in Security as Soran’s ‘guest’ she’d brought along some reading, and PADDs so she could keep on top of her filing and reports. With recent events Sky knew she owed Soran an apology, she looked across to where she could see him working.

Soran looked at the mountain of paperwork that was accumulating at his desk.

“Looks like you’re being kept busy” Sky offered a smile. “Do you have time to talk, or am I interrupting?”

"It's alright I'll take any excuse to avoid paperwork." Soran said. "What can I do for you?"

Sky offered a warm smile. “I wanted to apologise for the trouble I caused. I wasn’t trying to make your life hard, I was just... well you know.” She sighed.

"You meant well," he smiled. "Try not to break the law next time."

Sky nodded. “I’ll do my best. My very first indiscretion was for the right reason, at least I thought so anyway.” She shook her head. “I hate that I put pressure on our friendship, and that I put Xavier in an awkward position. I never meant any of that to happen!”

"It's water under the bridge now," Soran said calmly.

Sky nodded. “Thanks Ren, you’ve been more than understanding, I appreciate that. I hope I haven’t caused any trouble between you and Tony? She did stand up for me.”

"Professional disagreements are easy enough for us to settle." He smiled, "I wish she could stop trying to be my therapist, I don't know how to make that part of our relationship work."

Sky nodded. “Have you told her how you feel? If not perhaps the two of you should talk about it. I’m always happy to help if you need it.”

"Thank you," he sighed. "It's difficult, there are a lot of things I never told her when she was my therapist. Now that those things are coming up, it's hard to talk about them. She said she feels like she failed me, when she sees me struggling."

Sky nodded. “Perhaps a therapy session as a couple would help to clear the air a little? Give you both chance to say what you need to say?”

Soran smiled, "I don't deserve you guys."

He meant it as a joke, but the somber look in his eyes betrayed him.

“Of course you do” Getting up from her seat Sky walked around the desk, she paused for a moment before leaning down and giving Soran a brief hug, before moving back to her seat. “You’re my friend Ren, we might have had a rocky start with my getting into your head, but it’s brought us closer. I can’t ask for better friends than you and Tony.”

"Less than thirty percent of my graduating class survived the war." Soran said, looking at the floor. "I don't know why I'm still here, better people gave their lives for a government that didn't give a shit about them. I was one of the only survivors of several engagements, what makes me so special?"

“You’re a survivor Ren, you carry memories of those lost, you lived to tell their stories.” Sky offered a warm smile. “You deserve to be happy now.”

"I wish I could believe that," the Angosian said. "There's so much blood on my hands, Part of me understands why Moxley wants me away from his family."

Sky nodded. “Are you willing to let your past stop you being with the woman you love?”

"It isn't that simple," he said.

Sky relaxed back in her seat. “Why not? What’s in your past is past, if you need help then you can talk to me about it.”

"My people have abandoned a number of their antiquated beliefs, but some still hold sway." The Angosian said. "Many still believe that violence stains the soul, that's why they were quick to send the veterans to a penal colony. If that is so, my soul is black. Never thought I'd live this long and before I met London's and the Stoffels' I was fine with that. Part of me is afraid to share more of my past with Tony than I have, I'm a killer. Some would call me a murderer and I can't argue with them."

Sky nodded. “Perhaps you did things in the past you aren’t proud of, but it’s just that, in the past. It’s not who you were, it’s who you are!” She gave that a moment to sink in. “You’re not that person anymore Ren, look forward not back.”

"The mission brought back a lot of the past," Soran said.

Sky nodded. “I know I’m not on duty right now” She looked around her current surroundings. “But if you want to tell me more about it I’ll listen, it’s not like I’m going anywhere fast.”

"True," he nodded. He opened the drawer in his desk and produced a bottle and poured himself a drink. I'm officially off duty I'd offer you some but this wouldn't be good for the baby."

He gave her a polite smile, but he was under a considerable amount of physical and emotional strain. It took a considerable amount of energy to keep his hands from shaking as he lifted the glass to his lips.

Sky was watching carefully, it was obvious Soran was struggling and hiding it. “So just how do you relieve stress Ren? Besides drinking?” She gave him a look that said she knew he was struggling. “I’ve been in your head remember, I can tell you’re struggling and hiding it.” She looked around. “I’m famished do you mind if I use the replicator?”

"Where are my manners? It's against regulations to starve a prisoner, please." Soran rose from his seat and moved to the replicator. "What would you like?"

It was a welcome change of subject, though he knew she wouldn't drop it.

“Ohh err...a roast dinner I think, lamb please, and a chilled lemonade.” Sky smiled warmly. “I tend to go with what my body tells me it wants, right now that’s a roast!”

"Of course," he put the order into the replicator and then brought the tray to her. "Angosian in biology is unique in some ways Rothin Whiskey has an anti-inflammatory effect on me. I don't drink it very often and I rarely drink around Tony she doesn't like it. I was struck with a Klingon painstick during the mission, So I'm still a little shaky."

“Thank you” Sky nodded. “Interesting, I’d like to study your biology at some point, I’m sure it would prove of interest to Rutherford as well.” She picked up her knife and fork before she started politely tucking into her food.

"Between my medical files and the Medical Journals on the Angosian veterans from starbase 235 you should be able to get a pretty good idea of what's going on with me. He looked away from her. "I really don't like being poked and prodded. You know I have trouble trusting doctors."

“Oh..of course! I’m sorry.” Sky offered an apologetic glance. “I’ll look through those Journals instead.” She paused to carry on eating, She was savouring every morsel of her roast dinner. She paused “I’m not afraid to admit that I’m as nervous as hell about this pregnancy, I haven’t really told Xavier how nervous I am.”

"I don’t know very much about such things," Soran said. "I've been told I'm not likely to reproduce and even then my knowledge would be second hand."

Sky nodded. “I’m sorry to hear that. There’s always other options. I lost Talsi’s baby pretty early on last time, but pregnancies for her people are more risky. I’m just worrying about nothing I think.” She shrugged her shoulders. “My daughter means more to me than I can put into words.” She paused to sip her drink.

Soran sat back down with a tray with a shepherd's pie and greens, "The London's introduced me to she this. Earth food isn't that much different from the food of my people. I didn't grow up with a conventional family. My 1st commanding officer was one of the closest things I had to a father figure. He’s the one who taught me finer points of liquor and how to smoke certain herbs, not at the same time of course."

Sky couldn’t help but grin at that thought, before taking on a more serious look. “It can’t have been easy not having a conventional family, at least you had someone as a father figure. For what it’s worth you’ll always be part of my family.”

"Thank you, my family is chosen." Soran sighed. "In some ways that can be stronger than blood. Men like Moxley don't understand that."

Sky nodded. “Just remember anytime you need someone to talk to, on or off record, and if you can’t talk to Tony I’ll be there.” She smiled warmly before tucking into the last of her meal, which was rapidly going cold.

"Thank you, there are a lot of memories I still don't know what to do with."

“Well...I’m sure between you, me and Tony we’ll sort through those memories and put them to rest.” Sky smiled warmly. “Ohh I’ll warn you now, I’m normally at the worst for morning sickness when I wake up in the morning. You might want to have some ginger tea, and dried toast at the ready when I wake up!” She grinned a wry grin.

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Soran smiled.

Sky grinned. “Thanks Ren, I think I must be the most comfortable prisoner security has ever had.”

{OFF}