Reunion After Spa

Posted on Thursday, 23 July 2020 - 1:01pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley

Mission: Operation: Jabberwocky
Location: Earth, Australia
Timeline: 2393 - MD 06

{ON:}

The two days without Alex has torture. She and Laura would be back today and he found that the wait was killing him. He sat at the kitchen table tapping his fingers nervously.

Almost an hour later than planned, the sound of voices and laughter drifted closer to the door before Laura pushed it open and led the way. "Home sweet home! I did not miss you one bit!" she declared with a bright smile as she headed for her bedroom to unpack.

Following her mother inside, Alex closed the door and set down her bag as she rounded the corner into the kitchen. "Soral," she breathed as she rushed to him, dropping her bag in the middle of the floor and happily letting him pull her into his arms as she kissed him. "I've missed you. It was amazing and beautiful and so much fun. I wish you could have been there with us. We went scuba diving, my mother has a date with a reflexologist, a massage therapist and Robert, the concierge..."

Soral had stood the moment he'd felt her near the door. He opened his arms to her and held on to her while she talked. Without her he'd felt incomplete but now it was as if he was whole again. "Alexandra," He whispered her name. As they pulled away he cupped her face his gaze running over her. "I have been incomplete without you."

"You say the most romantic things," she mused as she kissed him again. "It was an amazing gift. Thank you. I found the most adorable blanket, I thought Bones might like it rather than our uniform jackets, and of course some souvenirs for you since you couldn't be with us. Have you been okay? I wanted to call you every five minutes even though it felt like everything was okay. You had so much just dropped on you and then we left you here..."

He walked with her to the sofa and they sat down. "I was alright. Mac and Haru and I were at Haru's grandmother's funeral the day before yesterday and yesterday Mac thought Haru and I needed cheering up so he took us to a blacksmithing competition." He raised an eyebrow. "It was entertaining." He wrapped his arm around her pulling her close. "I am glad you are back." He paused. "Liviana wishes to have dinner today."

“And is that what you want?” She asked him softly.

"I do not know. This is all...strange." He paused. He really could use her advice. "What would you do?"

Alex offered him a sympathetic smile as she held his hand, “I would want to at least try to get to know her. I can’t promise you will be the best of friends but she is a part of who you are. And she was really brave coming all this way to tell you. Besides, I will be right by your side, I promise.”

He gave a nod. "Then we shall go to dinner." He kissed her temple. "Are you sure you are not too tired?"

“I’ve spent two days doing nothing but relaxing, I’m fine,” she assured him. “And when do I say no to food?”

"Indeed. I will ensure we go to your favourite restaurant."


=/\= Luigi’s, Cambridge, England =/\=


Nestled in the corner of an old Victorian street, just a short walk along the meticulously restored cobblestones, lay one of the finest Italian restaurants on the planet. Passed down from father to son, generations of the Romero family had continued the legacy of their ancestor, Luigi. The food was exquisite, the deserts to die for and yet it remained a hidden gem. It’s presence was never advertised yet it was always busy, just like tonight.

During her time at the university Alex had often visited, it had helped that her mother worked there a few nights a week which by default made you a part of the extended family. It was with her mother’s help they had secured a private booth on short notice. And it was her mother’s friendship which meant they were guaranteed a very warm welcome.

“There she is!” Maria Romero declared, rushing forward to throw her arms around Alex while bellowing, “Roberto! They are here!”

There was a clatter from the kitchen, some cursing in fluent Italian and the Roberto burst into the room. “Ah! So it is! And you, Sir, are the luckiest man on the planet. I had always hoped my Edward would steal your heart. But come, come, let me look at you my dear Alex! As beautiful as ever! Ow! I didn’t mean you were not beautiful dearest Maria -“

“It is good to see you both too. Soral, this is Roberto and his wife Maria. They run the restaurant and managed to keep my mother employed for three year, a record.”

“Yes well, your mother is one of a kind,” Roberto laughed.

“Next time you must bring her with you!” Maria added. “And it is lovely to meet you Soral. I wish it were quieter so we could catch up but it is busier than usual. Come, I will show you to your table.”

“And I will make sure only the finest food for my little Alex!” Roberto added as he disappeared back into the kitchen.

Maria led them to the booth which was laid out with the finest of decorations and a bottle of champagne on ice, a small box gift wrapped on the table. “Just a little something to say congratulations. I felt awful not being able to come to the wedding so this worked out beautifully!” Maria declared as she opened the champagne and poured two glasses. “I will bring the menus when your guests arrive. Enjoy.”

As she departed it seemed suddenly quiet. “She’s an Italian version of my mum. It was a riot in here if they were together,” she passed him a glass before raising her own, “to us.”

He smiled. "Yes...seems interesting." The whole introduction happened so quickly. "He is right. I am lucky." He taped his glass to her. "To you wife. To your wisdom, beauty, and grace. I am unworthy of you but I cherish the gift that is you."

“Why do you always know the most romantic things to say?” Alex teased.

There was a snort. Liviana stood with her arm crossed. "That he gets from his Romulan side."

Alex stood, sure there was perhaps not much worse the woman could have said.

Liviana studied the woman. She then looked at Soral. "Jolan Tru."

He gave a nod. "Indeed. Please have a seat." He looked around.

"T'Mari is not coming. I wished to speak with you alone."

He raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. My wife Lady Alexandra of Vulcan."

Liviana sighed. "Yes you do tend to absorb off-worlders." She turned to Alex. "It is nice to meet you"

“And you,” Alex replied as she retook her seat. Absorb off-worlders? What was that supposed to mean...? Somehow it didn’t sound good. Still, she was here to support Soral so let it slide in the interests of keeping the dinner cordial. She hoped.

Soral sat down too. There was a awkward silence until the menus were delivered and food ordered. Finally they were all alone. Soral broke the silence. "I am at a loss as to what this will accomplish."

She shrugged. "I don't know. I just...always wondered what you would be like growing up."

He gave a nod. "I cannot say the same thing. I knew not of your existence."

"Yeah...well. So... what was your life like?"

It was a fair question but one that was...loaded. He paused a long time. "I grew in a backwards village that thought of me as a bad omen and a step mother that saw me as a constant reminder of her husband's infidelity, We were run out of the village as Earth people would say in the night with fire and pitchforks. I then had a period of mixed stability and then at 13 found myself abandoned by my family. I spent a few months homeless living in the dessert of the forge and then at a monastery. Once my mentor passed I entered the Academy and then I was an officer."

Liviana was silent. It must not have been easy and hearing his childhood saddened her. She'd always imagined him happy.

Alex listened to them in silence, not wishing to be an intrusion. They were, at the very least, speaking. Although it was evident just how different their upbringings had probably been. Although she didn't doubt for a moment that Liviana had seen her own share of difficulties growing up. As Soral spoke she took his hand, offering him a reassuring smile.

She had too much of her mother in her, however, to allow the silence to continue. "It must have been difficult in other ways for you, knowing you had a brother yet not knowing him," she mused as she took a sip of champagne, "I'm not sure which is worse. Although you both now have the chance to change that. To learn about one another."

"It was difficult." Liviana acknowledged. She was trying so hard not to tell him more. There was more that he must know but ... "I have always wondered what he was like." She shrugged. "Mother was very clear though. She said not to disrupt his life."

Soral raised an eyebrow. "I assume she's passed."

Liviana gave nod. "When Romulus ...."

There was silence and then Soral broke it again. "So why did you contact me now?"

Before anyone could speak two waiters descended upon their table, setting down their meals with a flourish before disappearing out of sight. It smelled almost as good as it looked, Alex knew it would taste even better.

Liviana was taken off guard by the smell. She had ordered something called Pizza. She had never had it but the description sounded good and it looked amazing. She smiled as she took a pre cut slice. "I've never had this," she said.

Alex stared at her in disbelief. “Never?! I went through a phase of eating nothing but pizza. Then again, we lived in a flat right upstairs so...” she shrugged as she took a bite out of her pasta.

Liviana smelled the pizza and then tentatively she took a bite. The burst of flavour almost made her dizzy. At the order they only ate bland food. "This is..."

Soral was clearly amused trying to hide it. It was quite similar to the reaction that he'd had when he'd first tried it. They ate their meal slowly and there wasn't much in the way of conversation. After the plates were cleared and dessert was ordered Soral studied the woman. "Very well I can accept that you are my sister however you are hiding something."

She twitched. "No..."

"Your order believes in Absolute Candor. You do them dishonour now."

She sighed. "It is not a lie to keep the truth to oneself."

He raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. Thusly I know that there is something you are hiding. Now for certain."

Liviana looked at Alex. Before she could say anything Soral excuse himself to the bathroom. As he left Liviana released a sigh of relief.

“I won’t keep secrets from him so I will not ask,” Alex began as she studied the woman, “but he will not forget and he is stubborn. He will keep asking and searching for the truth until he knows. For the benefit of your relationship, perhaps keeping the truth to yourself may not be the best foundation for your future. I can give you some time alone if that is easier?”

She looked up at the woman instantly liking her. "Then he is a lot like me. However...now is not the time for him to know and," she smiled. "He will not want to let you leave. He shares everything with you. I can see that."

"Almost everything," Alex corrected. "He's sometimes... overprotective."

She had perhaps said to much and it went against her natural curiosity to not ask. She saw Soral approaching the table and added a very quiet, "talk to him. Soon."

She gave a nod.

Soral sat down feeling like something had transpired but not pressing. The desserts arrived. As they ate he studied his sister.

It was Liviana who asked. "Don't you want to know what our mother was like?"

He tipped his head to the side. "For what reason. She chose to leave me behind and thusly I can conclude she wished to know nothing of me, why should I know something of her. She is not alive nor is she asking to learn about me. There would be no logic in my curiosity about her."

Liviana looked down. It hurt that he thought so little of their mother. She herself, had wondered about their father.

The sudden tension around the table was palpable, yet Alex suspected neither of them were truly aware or acknowledging it. ~Soral, she doesn't understand how it felt for you. Please don't hold it against her. ~

He sighed. "You are right my wife." He took her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist as he often did. "I apologize Liviana. Perhaps I have allowed the past to override logic. This is...new to me. You and I met before and you did not tell me who you were. Just weeks ago on Vashti."

She sighed. "I was ... afraid." A Vulcan retort formed itself but holding his wife's hand he sighed. “Indeed. Fear is unnecessary. Logic dictates we must cover all topics in our quest to know one another better."

She smiled at Alex and held the woman's eyes, Livinia's misting slightly. She sent a silent thanks to Alex as she knew that it was the kind heart of his wife that had opened Soral's mind.

“Logic says we should also enjoy desserts,” Alex added lightly as a massive strawberry ice cream sundae was set down in front of her. “I may die tonight,” she whispered as she studied the mountain of ice cream and strawberries. Nobody could be upset eating these.

As she picked up her spoon she flashed Soral a grateful smile. He was trying. She couldn’t ask for more.

They all tucked in. Liviana seemed amazed. "I have never had a brownie...it is....very good!"

"Indeed. You should try something they call smores. While at the Academy I spent an entire week dining on those...it did put me in the hospital but it was worth the taste."

“How could eating them almost put you hospital?” Alex asked him incredulously.

"I ate them the entire week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

“Sounds very logical,” Alex teased.

"Indeed. A scientific experiment."

Liviana laughed. "Yes sure. Tell yourself that."

Soral allowed himself a small smile.

The rest of the night passed quickly and the siblings mostly talked about one another and Liviana asked about how Alex and Soral met. By the time they were done and parted Soral was feeling more at ease. As he and Alex walked home he held her hand. "It did not go as I had expected."

“Good,” Alex encouraged, “since you feared the worst. Come on, a detour.”

She tugged his arm, pulling him in the opposite direction of the transporter station. “I want to show you the reason I left Mars...“

Five minutes later and they stood in a path overlooking the sprawling grounds of Cambridge University. You could feel the history just seeping from every building, the centuries of learning continuing to this day. “Come on, I’ll give you the moonlight tour before we go back to all that sunshine.”


{OFF:}