Meeting the Mother and then Some

Posted on Sunday, 13 December 2020 - 5:56pm by Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt & Crewman Leopold Eberhardt

Mission: Operation: Ouroboros

Adrianna felt like she either wanted to shoot something with a face, tear someone a new one, or run and never look back. Mostly the latter. Seeing Leopold had helped but now she was near a transporter, in uniform, about to head into, frankly, a fox hunt, with her being a fox with three legs.

She sighed and tied her hair back, reaffirming her weapons placement. "We're going directly to the Baciami house. We're taking a back entrance. Stay close and keep a phaser to stun. They're still family," she told Leopold, handing him a phaser.

"Do I get to increase the setting if I see your brother?" Leopold replied. She would know he was teasingly saying that, and to which brother he was referring to, but he did take the phaser and would follow her closely. "I know how to use one of course, but I have never been very good at this, you know...enough to pass the certification and re-certification tests, but I have never really had to actually turn one of these onto someone."

Adrianna chuckled and kissed his cheek," you can set it to max. As for my other brothers, well, stun for now. Either way, if you miss, consider it target practice or a warning shot." She smiled and they soon went on their way, arriving outside the Baciami house in Orte.

It was a lavish Mediterranean villa with large walls and heavy security present. Adrianna mulled it over. It was weird being here. She did feel a sense of home sickness leave, just by seeing the familiar. Adrianna looked at the twisting vines creeping up the brickwork and the scenic windows. Adrianna finally turned to Leopold, "come on, we're taking the back entrance through the cellar." She started to walk that way, pulling her phaser, "they tend to keep all sorts in that cellar, wine, yes, but plans, schematics, weapons. Once there was even a llama in there. Don't ask."

"I won't," replied Leopold with a small chuckle. "Is there any chance your family stores bodies down there? I have heard some things about wine cellars and cold storage" Leopold added with a smirk. "Really though...a llama?"

"One or two," she chuckled, easily finding the secret door and entertained by the fact the biometric system still allowed her in, "bodies preserve well in wine. And yes. A llama. We were trying to make a deal with this guy in Brazil. He gave us a llama as a deposit." Adrianna got side tracked upon seeing some plans laid out on a table as soon as they walked in. Schematics? She wasn't sure but took a photo of it. Her eyes looked around, it hadn't changed. The musty smell with a slight vinegar burn to the senses and that smell of gun powder (of all things) and something smokey. Her eyes caught sight of a bigger satchel that was empty. She picked it up and searched it to confirm it was clear and started pulling key bottles from the shelves.

"Bodies in wine? That's just disgusting," Leopold replied shaking his head in utter disbelief. He really hoped she was joking about that, but given how her family was so far and the terrifyingly awesome potential she herself had, Leopold was left pondering the real possibility that her family had dabbled in storing bodies in wine. "What exactly is it you are looking for?" asked Leopold observing her every action.

"You don't drink it after, well, we served it to a klingon once, but it was a message," she said distracted by some maps. After a moment she looked to Leopold, "sorry. This must be unsettling. Umm, I don't know what I'm looking for, but anything that looks suspicious because there's a lot going on at the moment with reason to believe Baciami could be part of it." Adrianna stepped close and smiled, lowering her voice, "my hands are clean now."

"I suspect the Klingon may have actually enjoyed that," he said with a chuckle. "Not the body of another Klingon, but given the origins of their blood wine..." he stopped himself before lecturing. "I think your hands have always been cleaned even before you made the decision to break from the family. Clearly, you were not as 'bad' as your family name has become."

Leopold looked at the schematics that were near. "Do you think these could be of interest?" he inquired. "I dabble enough with engineering," he said with a warm smile. "These are not just simple schematics. Whoever has been toying with these has been looking at this from a structural engineering point of view, see here and here" he said pointing to two 'highlighted' areas. "These look to be the weakest points, most vulnerable for a collapse of sorts."

Adrianna looked to where he was pointing, "that place looks familiar." The woman placed a copy in her bag. She kissed his cheek, "could be." She sniffed the air, "you smell that?"

"Oregano...basil...Smells like something Italian to me," he said with a small smile. "Or is it something else you smell? I showered today I promise."

Adrianna smiled, "Gawd, that's my mother's cooking." Adrianna seemed to visibly relax, her shoulders lowering. After a moment she picked up a few other pieces of intrigue before heading up the stairs to the main house. She peaked round the door, subtly. Her mother was alone. The woman stepped in," mother?"

Tanina Baciami looked up and ran over, wrapping her arms around Adrianna with a mother's love. The woman soon let go upon seeing Leopold behind the pair. She took a few steps back, silently. It was clear Adrianna's genes were good ones. Tanina looked like she could have been Adrianna's twin sister. Aging had bipassed her, only allowing for a few grey hairs to pull through. The woman questioned something in Italian.

Adrianna responded in standard, for Leopold's sake, "Don't worry, he actually is in engineering this time. This is Leopold Eberhardt. My boyfriend. We were on the Jupiter station and Giovanni - - well, I had to make sure you were ok."

Tanina smiled to Leopold. Her standard was not great, but she simply said, "welcome, Leopold."

"Thank you Mrs. Baciami?" he inquired uncertain how exactly to address the woman. "Are you?" He added "Alright that is," he continued to elaborate. "We could smell your cooking from the cellar." Leopold was glad he was getting to meet Adrianna's mother.

"Tanina," the woman smiled. She looked to Adrianna and said something in Italian which made Adrianna blush. She then looked back to Leopold, "I am well. I hope you both are too. I have - umm -"

Adrianna listened to the Italian and translated, "she says she made too much if w would like to join her. My brothers aren't due back for a few hours."

"I would love to join her," he replied to Adrianna. He then looked at Tanina, not wanting to treat her like she wasn't there. "Yes," he said simply to her nodding. "Will your idiot brother be coming here?" he added inquiring to his girlfriend.

"Which one," she groaned under her breath before replying, "we'll need to leave before they get here anyway. I have missed my family, but not enough to find out if water is under a bridge. You don't belong in a wine barrel. You're too handsome."

Tanina interrupted, "perhaps, we eat in wine cellar. We lock.also weapons."

Adrianna nodded smiling, "thank you. My mother taught me to cook. She's better than me. You'll love it." Adrianna stepped back a bit as Tanina stepped forward.

The woman put her hands on Leopold's face. She looked into his eyes, before running her fingers through his hair. Tanina said something in Italian, making Adrianna blush. She then turned to Ade and said something else, which left Adrianna with her jaw slack whilst Tanina stepped away to the kitchen, leaving Leopold and Adrianna alone.

Adrianna soon got composure, "umm, let's go clear a table downstairs."

"What was that about?" he asked as he followed Adrianna down the stairs. "Was that bad or good? Did I just take his place in the family or did I mark myself for getting whacked?"

Adrianna couldn't help but chuckle at Leopold going straight for something negative. "It's embarrassing, but she said that if I don't make you my husband and provide her with grandchildren, she will. She thinks your handsome."

"Cougar momma," Leopold replied. "I like her" added Leopold as he started helping Adrianna with the table. "What is the saying...mother knows best?"

Adrianna smirked, "she does. In Italian culture, a man may be the Head of the house, but the mother's that are head of the family. She seems to approve of you, even if it's just for, and I quote, beautiful grandchildren." Adrianna looked to Leopold, "this may be the only opportunity to meet someone with my surname that isn't horrible with a sketchy past. I was a daddy's girl, but my mother is very much the only one who supported my decision to put my father behind bars and run."

"So, what you are saying is get close to your mother and stay on her good side because she is the head of the house and can protect me from the rest of the sketchy Baciami clan," he replied. "So, you really are the black sheep of this family."

"I'm the white in a flock black sheep," Adrianna nodded. Damn semantics.

Tanina soon returned with three bowls of some gnocchi soup, "eat. Get fat."

Adrianna smiled,quickly tucking in, "thank you, mother." She had missed her mother's cooking. It was homely, comforting even. Adrianna could remake it gram for gram, ingredient by ingredient, but it would never be the same.

"She's trying to fatten me up," commented Leopold. "It reminds me of a fairy tale from Earth that made it's way to my world. Children were burdening a family and they left them in the woods. The two children find a home and the woman fattens them up with intention of eating them."

Both women chuckled. Tanina then asked," when are you to marry my only daughter?"

"I wanted to meet you and ask you for your approval before I took any steps forward," he replied. "It is important to me that someone in the family supports it. Her one brother does not like me."

"You find no son of mine like you. They are protective. You love her, you marry her," Tanina smiled.

Adrianna looked dumbfounded by the conversation and remained silent.

"Then I will," he said looking over at Adrianna. "When you are ready. I will ask, but not if I think you are going to say no. I do not want to rush you."

There was a quick conversation between mother and daughter before a door was heard opening upstairs. Adrianna switched to standard, her meal barely half finished. She kissed her mother's cheek and embraced her," we have to go. I love you."

Tanina nodded, "I love you too. Be safe. Both of you."

Adrianna grabbed the satchel and made her way for the door, "come on. We need to go."

Tanina grabbed Leopold into hug, whispering, "keep her safe."

"Til my last my breath, always. I will keep her safe."