Ekos 1 - Die Daumen drücken

Posted on Monday, 29 March 2021 - 5:12pm by Crewman Leopold Eberhardt & Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich

It had been a while since he and Adrianna Baciami had departed from the USS Standing Bear, a place he considered home, but where they were heading to was where he was truly rooted no matter har long it had been nor how far he ran away from it, part of him was left on Ekos. He was terrified of returning to his home world, but more than being afraid of setting for there once again, it was his parents that he was most concerned about. Only this time it was not their approval he was fighting for; they had been imprisoned by the Ekosian government, and their freedom, their lives rested on his shoulders.

Leopold had fetched two drinks, the attentive man that he was. Adrianna did not need to ask him to get her anything. Instead, when he went to get something for himself, he naturally thought to get her something as well. Returning to where his fiance was situated, he handed one of the drinks over to her. "You looked like you could use this," he said to her. "Sorry, there wasn't anything alcoholic to numb us."

Adrianna was nervous, but only about meeting his family. She'd researched Ekos and felt very unsure if being Italian would make her... Well... Not really a good example of arian. She looked up from a PaDD she was reading, she was still studying German, wanting to make one hell of a good first impression, all things considered.

Adrianna looked up and smiled to him taking the drink, "thank you. You know, I know where Constantine keeps the good stuff if you need it."

"Studying I see," commented Leopold noticing her PaDD and a bit of what she was studying. "There are certain aspects of German culture on Ekos. When my people became hooked on that era of Earth's history, they went so far as to mimic some of the structures. We have our own wall in a city, I forget what its original name was, but ever since I was a child and before it has just been called New Berlin."

He noticed a small bit of concern in her eyes. "Worried about something?"

"The Berlin Wall in Germany, tore down in the 1900's," she nodded knowing. She put the PaDD down and sighed. She ran a hand through her hair and considered what was on her mind, "it's a lot. I mean, there's a lot as a woman and as your partner that scared me about going to Ekos. Let alone the concept of going to a war zone. I know Earth's history. I'm worried about how close Ekos are to that. Not to pull the race card, but I'm not arian. I'm far from it. Also because of my idea, your parents are behind bars. I've not met the parents before, but I'm convinced that this isn't the best first impression. I feel like I have to be strong for you too. We have a chance that we won't make it off Ekos. We're here - - I think the expression is boat without a paddle. I mean, aside from Constantine, no one is going to be near to bring me in for my head. But the point remain. It's scary. I have no net. We have no net," she took a breath after rambling off at a million miles an hour," that's just some of what's going on in my head."

Leopold took a seat and took a few sips of his beverage as he listened to Adrianna's concern. "Ah well," he said waving a hand dismissively. "I do not think you have to worry about first impressions with my parents. As they are behind bars for being traitorous to Ekos, you can simply greet the jailbirds with a kind hello and polite smile. If they give you a hard time, just remind them that you are there to help them out of being imprisoned and executed, and if we fail then you can help me put them six feet under."

His dark sense of humor was about the only thing keeping him optimistic these days. "The Ekosians have only one real enemy and that is the Zeons who often look entirely indistinguishable from the Ekosians. Some of us look like me, some look more like you, but if you feel more comfortable looking like me...a change of hair color and some a little medical work on your eyes can make you more passable."

Adrianna went from silent to a soft chuckle. His dark sense of humour helped. It was her humour. Adrianna reached over and took his hand," what about you? Everytime I see you, you're pacing. Pacing shows a troubled mind."

"One tends to pace when they're close to inheriting a house that costs more in repairs than its resale value," he replied teasingly. "Granted that is if I am still in the will. I wouldn't put it past my parents to screw me over."

Adrianna looked confused. She was unsure of the relevance. Regardless Adrianna felt the need to ask, "do you feel you'll be received well?"

"I left them here," he said with an unsteady breath. "Now, they are locked up and I do not know if they blame me or not, but I would not blame them if they did. I could have stayed on Ekos with them, behaved myself, and took an ordinary Ekosian job."

"The paths we choose are always the right ones," she squeezed his hand, "it's an Italian proverb. Sounds better in Italian. Anyway-- if you hadn't have left, you wouldn't have done a lot. You wouldn't have explored, grown up, become you. I can also be selfish and say that we wouldn't have met and you would have been stuck with some blonde bimbo."


"We have a similar saying on Ekos, but my favorite is about there always being an end." He cleared his throat. "The german for it is Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei," he said which would directly have been translated literally as everything has an end except a sausage which has two.

Adrianna snorted, "wise. Is what is happening now making you question your path?"

"Not entirely," he replied. "I just wish I would have fought harder to get my parents to leave, to come with me. They were so loyal Ekos. Look what that got them though."

Adrianna nodded, "I understand. You did what you felt was right at the time. That must hold some consolation. You have opportunity to help again though."

"We do," he said smiling a bit at the woman he loved. "I am sure my parents will be appreciative of that." He tried to stick to looking on the bright side. "Once we get closer to Ekosian and Zeon space, we will be met with tight security."

"Anything I need to know?" she asked, genuinely interested, "and before you say anything, yes I do have something more appropriate to wear than my usual fitted stuff. Bit more Conservative."

"Not too much, but you'll be better off letting me do the initial speaking and such. My people have adopted a very 20th Century Earth societal appearance. This includes men being a bit higher up on the domestic ladder."

Adrianna groaned but teasingly, "I know. I'm going to struggle with that, you know? It's going to be like being a teen again." She pause before half teasing, bowing her head modestly, "Oh wait... Sorry, I mean... Yes sir... Ja Herr."

Leopold chuckled. "There may be hope for you yet on my backwards homeworks." He stood from his seat, still nursing his beverage. "I'm going to check the Federation databases and do some studying myself. I want to see what my parents' legal options might be on Ekos. Hoping we have some updated information from the last time a Federation Starship was there."

Adrianna smiled, "Don't overwork."