((OOC: This one was getting long and I didn’t want to leave a lot of tags for Micheals. I’ll let them add in Semara’s part in their next sim))
((Inside the Ouachita, Shuttlebay, Deck 2, USS Khitomer, En Route to Alpha Trionus II))
Ezra and Lera were busy searching through the runabout for clues about their future guests. Talking about potential what ifs and their families.
Zerva: I suppose, I would call my family to tell them I love them. Even my mother, who as you know I have a complicated relationship with.
Michaels: You have not told me much about your Mother. I have intuited that the relationship was suboptimal. :: Lera flinched. What an awkward way of phrasing that. :: You have led me to believe that your relationship with her was not all that you might wish it to be. :: short beat as Lera finished the data transfer and removed the memory unit. :: There is nothing preventing you from contacting her.
No there wasn’t anything preventing him from calling his mother, Kala Zerva, except work. Something that she was always too busy with and something he was currently busy with as well. Almost every shore leave Ezra had made a point to call home and talk to at least one of his parents and sometimes his siblings as well. Perhaps once they were finished in the shuttlebay, he would give his mother a call.
Zerva: Speaking of which, what about yours? If you knew you had only weeks to live? What would you say?
He spied a several items that looked as though they were hastily put together in some sort of juried rigged fashion. Not unlike the MacZerva device he had fashioned on the bridge during their last mission. Was this his legacy? Jury rigged parts scatted about in the back?
Michaels: I can tell you what I would not say. "There is a 50:50 chance I will be able to see again. If not, do not worry. You and everything else are royally effed." :: soft laugh:: No. It will be the usual. I love you. I miss you. I hope I do not die before I get to see you again. :: beat :: How are you?
She was using some humor and for the briefest of moments it made him feel a bit better.
Zerva: I see. ::pausing unsure if she was talking about her family or him:: I’m sure it would be a difficult conversation.
Well technically it already was a difficult conversation to begin with. Especially knowing you will die an untimely death at the hands of the Lattice Alliance. Not to mention their own conversion he was trying to avoid.
Michaels: Hmm. Now that is interesting.
She had found something. Perhaps it was a missing clue that they needed to help them unravel this future mystery. Whatever it was, he decided it was worth checking out.
Zerva: ::moves to her location:: Did you find something?
Ezra leaned in just behind the chair in the cockpit Lera was seated in and looked over her shoulder as she spoke.
Michaels: The first entry in the data log is almost exactly forty years ago. Ouachita ran a set of self-diagnostics while it was in the nebula ::beat:: no one on board. No life support. It was hit with a tractor beam :: beat :: and pulled aboard a starship. The shuttle was at least minimally functional before being recovered. But there is no data at all before that. I can not tell if this was the initial recovery or not.
Zerva: Hmm so no data of your mission on the probe? I wonder—
Before he could finish his thought the power inside the Ouachita gave out, and the interior was plunged into darkness. The only light Ezra saw was coming through the permanently open door.
Michaels: We probably have a good thirty seconds before Lt. Semara shows up. :: playfully :: We could, umm, enjoy the darkness or ::beat:: we could go plug this wreck into the ship's power.
For the first time since the conference room, he managed a smile upon his lips.
Zerva: ::smiles:: You know my migraine is feeling much better now. ::playfully with a grin:: What sort of things were you thinking we could enjoy?
Michaels: Response
From behind the chair, he leaned in closer to her, his arms wrapping around her just below her neckline. His breath was upon the back of her neck, just behind an ear. His left hand didn’t even flinch. This was a good moment.
Zerva: ::whispering:: I guess there’s nothin' left for me to do, but—
El’Heem: =/\= El’Heem to Zerva.
=/\=
Michaels: Response
oO Wow, great timing Ras! Way to kill the mood. Remind me to give you a plant that requires your full attention, twenty four seven. Oo
He would probably like the challenge though, Ezra thought.
oO Okay no plants for his next birthday. Wait. Plastic! A plastic tree snuck into Ras’s real plants! Oo
How long would Ras try and water it before he figured it out? Ezra could replace the real ones with fake ones, one at a time. Yeah that would show him.
Ezra stood up so he wasn’t shouting into Lera’s ear. He let out a soft sigh as he tapped his comm badge to respond.
Zerva: =/\= Go ahead Lieutenant. =/\=
oO Crap! I mean to say Zerva here sir. Oo
El’Heem: =/\= Can you have someone escort one of our… guest, Tori to the Life Science’s Lab at your earliest convience? =/\=
Zerva: =/\= I’ll have a member of Gamma Watch see to it personally sir. =/\=
El’Heem: =/\= Thank you. ::pausing:: And Ezra? =/\=
Oh this is it he thought. Ras is gonna go full lieutenant on him.
Zerva: ::raising a brow:: =/\= Yes sir? =/\=
El’Heem: =/\= We should talk about…all this. When you get a chance is all. =/\=
Ezra’s body began to relax. Ras wants to talk the time stuff? Hmm might be a nice change he thought, given it was Ezra who was trying to get Ras to talk after he lost his hand.
Zerva: =/\= Yes sir, but you’re buying the first round of milkshakes. =/\=
El’Heem: =/\= El’Heem out. =/\=
Should he have added in that last part with the milkshakes? Maybe? Maybe not. Would Richard be there? He began to wonder if anyone else was near Ras when he made the call. Did they hear him? He hoped the answer was no.
Michaels: Response
Zerva: ::to Lera:: Sorry about that. You were right about the 30 seconds, but not the who. Ras has impeccable timing. One moment, I better call Gamma Shift. He quickly tapped his comm badge before she could protest.
Zerva: =/\= Lieutenant Zerva to Kelana =/\=
Kelana: =/\= Kelana here sir =/\=
Zerva: =/\= I need you to escort one of our guests, Tori to the Life Science’s Lab. =/\=
Kelana: =/\= Uh sir? That’s gonna be pretty hard to do. =/\=
Zerva: =/\= Is there a problem Petty Officer? =/\=
Kelana: =/\= It’s just, um well Kael is practically glued to her. Idk if he’s going to let her go without a fuss. =/\=
Zerva: =/\= Inform them this is vital to the mission to stop the Lattice Alliance. If there are any problems, call me at once. Zerva out. =/\=
oO Please don’t call me back right away. I need a few minutes here. Just a little more alone time with Lera. Oo
He actually had no idea why Ras wanted Tori to go to the life sciences lab. Whatever the reason it likely came from the Captain or XO. Ezra made a point to follow up on the reasons and the results of whatever was going to happen in the lab later. Right now his mind was on returning to what he and Lera were up to before they were interrupted.
Michaels: Response
Zerva: A security officers work is never done. ::smiling as he leaned in once more whispering:: Now where were we?
Michaels: Response
TAGS/TBC
——————
Lieutenant (JG) Ezra Zerva
Security Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
A240101EZ2