Surprises

Posted on Thursday, 23 July 2020 - 1:07pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley

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

{ON:}

Pulling the hood and cape over herself a little hand reached out and knocked on the door of the lovely little house. She'd scouted around and had seen a kinder older lady puttering about in the evening light.

In the back garden, Laura set aside the trowel at the sound of someone chapping the door. Calling out for the visitor to come around to the rear of the house, she stood, wiping the perspiration from her forehead with her sleeve. Despite the heat, her morning’s work had been successful. Fresh flowers now filled the planters, the small garden awash with colour. Next up, checking the leak in the roof ...

“Oh, hello!” Laura called out with a bright smile as the small figure came into view. She took in the cloak which shrouded the person from view yet from the diminutive height she would have sworn this was a child. Still, it was hardly typical attire for these parts. “Can I help you?”

"I am looking for Commander Soral. Does he stay here?"

The voice was definitely that of a child but she quelled her curiosity to answer the question, “yes, he does. Is he expecting you?”

A small hand came and waved. At the wave two women came into view and with a nod they left.

The figure walked over to Laura. "He does not know me." She said. "Are you the Earth woman's mother..his wife's mother?"

“I am,” Laura said slowly. Was there any value in correcting the girl. Besides, with Mars in flames, Earth had become home. “And you are?”

The girl removed her hood and familiar Vulcan features looked out at Laura. "My name is Severine." She had been about to give the Vulcan salute then changed her mind extending her hand for a shake.

“Laura,” Laura replied as she shook the offered hand, struck by the similarities- it was uncanny. “Welcome. Soral should be back in a few minutes, please come inside. It’s best to be indoors at this time of day and all this gardening has made me thirsty.”

As she headed into the kitchen the girl followed, “What brings you here? I’m afraid you missed the wedding.”

"I was not going to come...he might not be as receptive to meeting me as I was to meet him. " She entered after Laura and looked around. "Your home is lovely."

“Thank you,” Laura smiled as she accepted the compliment. “But why would he not be receptive? How exactly do you know my son-in-law?”

There was a pause. "I do not know for certain he would not be receptive." She paused. "He is father to me and my twin brother."

Glass already in hand it took a few seconds for the words to sink in. By then the glass had already slipped through her fingers and shattered on the floor. “Father!” She gasped.

Severine gasped. "Do not move." She bent down and began picking up the larger bits of glass. "That is the reaction I was attempting to avoid.... if he reacts as you did...."

“I think he’s entitled to be surprised! At the very least,” Laura exclaimed as she collected a broom and dustpan. When the girl moved aside she swept up the floor, disposing of the fragments. “He has no idea?! At all?”

"No. My aunt said that our mother hurt him greatly and when she found out about us she did not want to reopen any wounds. When she died...Aunt Liviana cared for us."

“Liviana. His sister? Oh boy...” Laura sat down. “And she knows you are here?”

Before she could answer they heard voices approaching. Laura frowned, wishing the door wouldn’t actually open. No such luck. She stood, frowning, wanting very much to protect her daughter and her son in law from what was about to happen.

Soral and Alex came in holding hands. He kissed the back of her hand as they entered the kitchen. He was facing Alex so his sighed wasn't drawn to the figure that stood by Laura. "Mother we have returned," he started having decided to try the word out to see if Laura was averse to it.

Alex rolled her eyes, she already knew he had her mother wrapped around his finger and now this? “Sorry we are late but I- oh, you have company...”

Her voice trailed off when the visitor turned, her features so similar to the man still holding her hand. “Soral!” She whispered urgently, drawing his attention to the new face in her mother’s kitchen. Her eyes went to her mother who looked ... sad? She didn’t have time to dwell on it as the girl stepped towards them both and Alex gripped his hand tighter.

Soral just stared. He recognized the features as his own. "I...What is this." He held his wife's hand feeling the slamming of his heart.

Severine for her part remained calm. She straightened her cape. "I am Severine." She said.

"Se..."

She swallowed hard. "I am ....your daughter."

Soral shook his head. "No...This is not possible I have no children. I..." He stepped back a bit as Severine stepped forward.

Alex felt her breath catch, feeling Soral’s own shock at seeing the girl and being confronted now with a child, not a sister. She could feel so many emotions seeping through the bond. She tried to find calm, to stay focused. “Mum?”

Laura flashed a sympathetic smile, her eyes full of concern. “She arrived just a few minutes ago.”

There was a pounding at the door. Liviana had seen one of the nuns in her order and when things were explained to her she had run all the way to the house.

"I have no child."

The girl shrugged. "That is true...you have two. Twins born seven years ago."

His mind reeled as if he'd been slapped as his mind did mental calculations.

“Soral,” Alex whispered, staying close to his side, “breathe. Focus. Please...”

Her concern for him was growing by the second, his inner toenail echoing through the bond only confirming what her eyes already saw. She longed to know how to comfort him. “Perhaps, you can show our visitor the garden, mother?” She suggested. Perhaps time alone would help. Or not. She had never seen him so shaken. Even when his twin appeared on the morning of their wedding. And she had no idea how to help him.

"Evasta..." His mind locked in on the one night he'd spent with her. She had left his life.

Severine gave a nod. "She was our mother. Died in child birth."

Soral's whole body shook. A pain wrapped around his heart so strong. Darkness crept into his vision and his breath grew laboured. With a strangled sound he fell to his knees clutching his right side, where his heart fought to keep beating.

"Father!" Severine was clearly frightened. She clutched Laura's hand. "Help him!"

“There’s an emergency comm unit over there, use it!” Laura ordered the girl, turning her away from the scene and nudging her in the right direction. She hurried to Soral’s other side, “what’s happening? What’s wrong? Alex?”

“Medical kit in our room,” Alex whispered. His pain was crashing over her in waves. Loss and anger and sorrow. ~Soral!~

His mind filled with taught of Alex, only Alex. She was his grounding and his last thought before darkness overwhelmed him.

“No!” Alex gasped as Soral slumped, unconscious as she held him. His skin clammy, his body shutting down as she cradled him to her.

The door burst open and she looked up as Liviana burst in. “You!” Alex gently lowered Soral to the ground, rising as all of his pain and anger bubbled to the surface. It was perhaps all that gave her the ability to stand, their bond once again tested. “This was your secret?!”

As she shouted the last word the air around the seemed to almost draw breath, as if gathering every molecule of energy in preparation for the storm. And then it happened. Glassware to china plates, everything fragile within a few feet of where she stood over Soral seemed to explode in one massive cacophony of noise, tiny fragments raining down on them.

Liviana stared in shock at the Glass. She saw Severine from the corner of her eyes. Within a second she was at her side and lifting her into her arms. As she saw Laura coming back with a med kit Liviana blocked her path. "Glass! Stay back."

“So I see but if you think that is going to stop me, you’re very much mistaken,” Laura told her quietly with a fierce look before stepping around them and hurrying into the kitchen, tiny shards breaking underfoot. She had only pried the kit open when the door opened to admit the paramedics.

Laura pulled her daughter back, shoving a cloth into her hand. “Your nose is bleeding,” she whispered. “He will be alright. You’ll see.”

She hoped it was true.




=/\= Medical Center - A Few Hours Later =/\=

A nurse came out of the room and walked up to the group that was gathered in the waiting area. "Lieutenant Kingsley?"

Turning away from the window, Alex spoke up, “that’s me.”

"Please follow me. Doctor Hades wishes to speak with you."

Severine was quiet. She held onto Laura's hand tightly. For all her wisdom beyond her years she was still small and she was frightened. Liviana paced and Mac stood by Alex, trying to keep her calm.

Since arriving, Alex had stood in the corner in silence. Her outburst had left her exhausted and drained, yet also afraid. None of which compared to her fear for Soral. He was already recovering, healing. And now. She could feel him, but he was so weak. And of course they had been ferried into this room!

Now she slipped passed everyone- unable to look any of them in the eye as she left. The nurse took her through a maze of corridors, finally to a door which she opened. It was a standard consultation room. No Soral, but it was occupied. “You must be Dr Hades?”

He turned and smiled. "I am." He came over and took her hands. "I'm a friend of Soral's. Mac called me. Please sit." He walked over to the replicator and brought over a steaming mug. "Pease drink this it will help." He paused. "How are you doing?"

At his direction she had sank into the chair beside the desk, not entirely sure if she would be able to get back up. As the mug was set down she eyed it wearily, from the smell it was no coffee. She lifted it in both hands anyway, allowing the warmth to heat her hands. It was ridiculous that they felt cold when it was now officially a heat wave outside. Cautious she took a sip, the taste bitter. “What is this?”

"Something to help you relax. Drink it slowly. How are you doing?" He studied her as he pulled out a couple of things that he needed.

Setting aside the drink she pondered his question. “I’m not sure,” she admitted, “but I will be fine. My only concern is Soral. He’s only recently gone through surgery and he refused to properly rest and now this. Please, how is he?”

Hades stood and pulled up a chair beside her. He held up a regenerator. "Let me tend to the glass wounds on your face and hands."

“Hm?” She glanced down at her hands, little more than scratches really. “Oh. Thank you.”

He began healing her, "You're right. The surgery...the away missions. The doctor did a fine job but he should have ordered rest as in pulling rank. In Medical terms he out ranks the CO and the XO." He sighed. "Now as to tonight....Soral had a mild cardiac episode. For a Vulcan it was not quiet a heart attack but not, not a heart attack."

“That makes no sense...” she pointed out. “Please, just tell me what I can do to help him get better.”

He sighed. "He needs to heal from the surgery, the overwork, the shock of everything. I'm going to keep him here tonight." He eyed her. "What are the chances of you going home to rest?"

“Less than zero?”

He chuckled. "I anticipated that. He's in a large bed so you can snuggle up together but none of that fancy thing you young married folk do." He gave her a wink.

“I’m sure I do not know what you mean,” she grinned with a posh but on point English accent.

He laughed. "Alright. I'll take you in to see him."

“Doctor -“ she frowned, not sure how to frame her question and instead falling silent. And then an entirely different question came to mind. “How did you know? That the cuts and scratches were from glass?”

"Years of medical training and I heard Liviana explaining to Mac and Soral consulted me days before your arrival about Telekinetic incidents."

“Really?” Alex couldn’t hide her surprise. Soral had not mentioned it and that hurt a little right now. And Liviana! So nice of his sister to make sure everyone on the planet knew what happened.

He sighed. "If you wish I can assist with finding out what is going on.”

“What I wish for is a time machine, failing that, I just want to see Soral.”

"Alright. Let's get you to Soral." He stood leading her out of the room and down the hall. The room Soral was in was sterile and white. Monitors above the biobed gave continuous readouts. As she approached the bed Soral opened his eyes. "Hello." He said weakly reaching for her hand.

“Hello back at you,” Alex said as she took his hand, visibly relaxing now she could see him. Leaning in she kissed him, a kiss which lasted too long apparently and had one of the monitors bleeping in warning until she drew back.

Hades cleared his throat. "Alright. I'll go disperse everyone else to their homes."

“Thank you,” Alex told him with a grateful smile before turning her attention to Soral, “and you need lots of rest.”

He held her hand. "I am sorry Alexandra. I seem to be ruining everything."

“While you do seem fond of hospitals, you have nothing to apologise for,” she replied as she fussed over him. Straightening the sheet draped over him, running her fingers through his hair to try and return it to its usual style. Finally satisfied, she slipped off her shoes and carefully lay at his side. True there was a lot to discuss but for now his health was the priority. The rest of the mess would still be waiting for them tomorrow.

{OFF:}