The Low Down

Posted on Saturday, 26 September 2020 - 1:06pm by Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt

Mission: Operation: Dreamweaver
Location: USS Standing Bear
Timeline: 2393- Night Prior to the briefing

{ON:}

Eyelaya sat waiting for her friend. She stood then and began pacing. This was big, huge! She hoped Adrianna would be there soon.

Adrianna was soon there, sounding the chime and waiting rather impatiently. Worried. A new sense of paranoia flooding--one of concern for the safety of a friend.

Eyelaya opened the door swiftly. "Did you hear? Mac is all agitated. He hasn't stopped looking..."

Adrianna looked confused, "sorry, I've been so focused on a task I was set. I'm not even sure what the time is."

"It's late...the XO has disappeared."

"I don't understand," Adrianna took a seat, "we're in an enclosed ship. How does one go missing?"

She shrugged. "I don't know I just know Mac is going out of his mind. He's searched the ship twice and the computer says he's not aboard. This is...creepy!" She said. Eyelaya began to pace. "I...I don't know what's going on but this is not good."

Adrianna nodded, "he'll show up." It may have been the only form of help she could verbally offer. In Baciami's head, she was now concerned as to who she could talk to about the issues she'd heard about and how to protect her friend.

Eyelaya smiled. "Sorry I'm bad at this. Come in, sit I'll make some tea."

Adrianna took a seat, "I've been meaning to ask, whilst I'm here by the way. Where were you before here? I may have found the guys name you saw, but it's one of three, so I'm trying to deduce which one it is." Good cover she thought.

"Hm... well I was stationed on a station actually. But I know for sure it wasn't there. I'd have remembered him and Cassia for that matter. But before that I was on Vulcan." She smiled. "Actually it was the first home I had. I loved it there."

"Vulcan," Adrianna decided to ask, "odd place to be.. How did that happen?"

She shrugged. "Well I spent some time on Bajor in an orphanage and then was adopted by a Betazed couple. It...didn't work out. One of my teachers, a Vulcan, she helped me get into the Vulcan Engineering Academy and then off I went. I don't know it was kind of the first place I felt safe...at least or a little while. After the accident...well that too was taken away from me."

" Lucky, Vulcan education is prestigious, " Adrianna commented," what happened? "

She shrugged. "I was working on a project I saw something was off. I tried to get everyone out of the way and...." She shrugged as if the memory was painful to thin about.

"Least you saved people," Adrianna encouraged.

Eyelaya sighed as she placed a couple of drinks in front of Adrianna and herself. "That's what makes it all easy to bare." She stood and walked over to the desk in the corner. She pulled outa photograph. Taking it she brought it to Adrianna. In it were several Vulcans their faces unsmiling and amongst them a Cardassian girl with Bajoran nose ridges. It was clearly Eyelaya but in it she was smiling, almost glowing, a diamond amongst passive faces. She smiled, "That was me. Before the accident."

Adrianna looked at the picture. When the information had come through no one had sent pictures. She couldn't imagine Eyelaya look like anyone else but herself, "wow."

She smiled. "I miss looking like that. The accident...they told me at the hospital that they couldn't fix it that they had to give me more of a Bajoran look. I think that for me ... that was the most difficult part. Looking in the mirror and not knowing the face staring back at me."

Adrianna nodded and offered," I think you look great either way. It is a shame though. Maybe one day you could look like that again. I mean technology is always developing. "

She frowned. "Well that's the thing...I spoke with a doctor on Earth and he said there should not have been an issue."

Adrianna toyed with the idea of telling Eyelaya the truth. Soral wasn't there and if Eyelaya did need protection quickly, then she had a right to know," I'm sure they had reasons." Instead, she opted for a different approach to see if she'd say anything about her brother, "my brother called this week by the way. I'm not sure whether to tell Starfleet, I'm sure they know."

Eyelaya smiled. "The good one? The one that is supportive?"

"I don't think I'd use those words. He got me the job in Starfleet, but for his own gain, really, not just to protect me," Adrianna replied, "I was told to steer clear and not speak to family because of circumstance. He just randomly called. I've not heard from him since joining Starfleet."

Eyelaya's brow furrowed. "What did he want?"

"I haven't spoken to any family since joining Starfleet," Adrianna replied with a little sadness to her tone, "he called me to warn me about a family issue. Then he got distracted by seeing Leo. Think Leopold should consider himself lucky that there are light years between us. Last guy I took home got run out of Orte."

"Well if they don't want to be a part of your life then they have no say in who you date." She placed a hand on her friend's arm. "Beside you have a new family now."

"You make it sound like there was a choice," Adrianna defended her family. She didn't know why she felt defensive about it. She looked apologetic, "sorry, look, there's a lot you don't know. But know that I am here and I agree that I have a base of friends here. You being a big part of that."

Eyelaya gave a nod. She sipped her drink. "How are things going with your young man?"

"I'm surprised he hasn't run off screaming, especially after the call with my brother," Adrianna chuckled, feeling a little more at ease, "I think things are going really well."

Eyelaya smiled. "Excellent. Dress shopping soon?"

Adrianna felt like she blushed and a smile pulled at her lips, "I doubt it, but who knows. He's really bringing out the best in me. He hasn't run. It's still early though. I'd say I'm turning from having a 'crush' to something more though."

Eyelaya laughed. "Good. You look happy." She covered her friend's hand. "I'm so happy to see you smile."

"I need to go, I have a huge report to sort," Adrianna smiled as a thank you but knew she needed to be work focused or she wouldn't have a live friend. The Italian stood up, "I know everything is crazy right now, but can you do me a favour?"

Eyelaya smiled. She had never been good at making friends but here she'd made a few. "sure."

Adrianna considered her next words. She finally settled with, " the next few days or weeks, maybe even months, are going to be difficult. No matter what happens, we make time for each other OK? No matter what. Even if it means dragging each other to coffee, ok?"

She smiled, "That is a deal!" She grinned.

{OFF:}