Ekos 3 - Das Geheimnis meiner Schwester

Posted on Saturday, 10 April 2021 - 11:29am by Crewman Leopold Eberhardt & Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt
Edited on on Saturday, 10 April 2021 - 11:30am

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich

When the cab reached its destination, Leopold caught sight of his family home. "That's it, Adrianna, that's the family home" he said gesturing to the small home. It wasn't much to look at, an older German farm house. Leopold stirred and getting out of the cab.

Adrianna joined him, grabbing their bag. "It's quaint," she smiled, trying to be positive. She hadn't realised that he'd grown up with little. After all, Ade had grown up with quite a bit, albeit from bad sources.

"Quaint," he echoed. "Yeah, that's accurate. It was always just my parents, my sister, and I. From time to time a pet or two." He took Ade's hand. "I hope my sister isn't upset with me."

Adrianna ran her thumb over their entangled fingers, "surely she'll be happy to see you after so long. Right?" She kissed his cheek, "come on. You won't know unless you try."

"Tad Pole!" exclaimed a young feminine voice, and soon a frizzy haired girl hardly into her teenage years came storming out the front door and wrapping her arms around his body. She snugged him tightly then looked at him.

"You are skin and bones, but you have a beer gut starting," she reprimanded. "You better start doing crunches or you'll end up like dad."

Adrianna grinned in amusement. This is how she'd always dreamt of a reunion of her own, though never destined. It was wonderful to see Leopold's fears of not being welcomed, smacked with an embrace and stern warning. She remained silent, after all, this was Leopold's reunion.

Leopold scooped the girl up,lifting her up in a bear hug and held her momentarily, kissing her head soft. "Did I not say I would come back home?"

"You came back because mom and dad were taken away and arrested" she countered.

Leopold scoffed. "Reason does not matter. Besides, with me gone you were supposed to be responsible. This is.."

The girl rolled her eyes. "The one reason you are probably still alive," his sister said sharply. "Hello, you must be Adrianna."

Adrianna smiled, "yes, hello." Adrianna saw the family resemblance. She also saw Leopold's caring nature. Perhaps he was a second parent of sorts. It was sweet.

Leopold's sister wrapped her arms around Adrianna. "Thank you for coming," she said trying not to lose herself in emotion. She was clearly happy to see her brother, but the girl was just a teenager, one whose parents were taken from her and being held by their own government. She had not properly introduced herself yet. "Emilia Eberhardt, the smarter of the siblings."

Adrianna flinched first at the contact, but hugged the girl back. Adrianna couldn't help but smirk at the comment about being smarter. If only this girl knew the achievements Leopold had done. She smiled and replied, "I say the same thing about my siblings and I, Emilia."

"Grab your stuff if you have any luggage,"Emilia said more to her brother than Adrianna. "We have plenty of room with mom and dad..." She sighed. "I'll make some tea and we can discuss it."

Adrianna looked down to their duffle and then to Leopold. She went to grab it but hesitated. Leopold had said that this society was a bit more traditional in values. She stood back up and gestured to the bag with a 'sorry' written across her face and then followed Emilia inside, "we're here to help get this sorted. I'm sure we'll be bringing your parents home soon."

"Goodie," replied Emilia gleefully. "Now where's the cavalry and how many Federation phaser riffles did you bring?" she inquired with a hint of Eberhardt sarcasm.

"I'm afraid that your brother will take the lead. Also, we're alone out here," Adrianna replied, ignoring the sarcasm, "and I'm the persuasive one, if needed." A little darkness flashed in her eyes but she masked it well with a kind and somewhat playful smile.

"Ah...the Ekosian societal crap," Emilia critiqued. "Understandable, though alone? I was hoping for a little more man power. I guess that means my brother is not planning on breaking our parents out by force?"

"Diplomacy first, then I take over," Adrianna smirked at Leopold. She was teasing... Mostly.

****

Emilia had led Adrianna into the home, and straight to the kitchen where technology was noticably dialed back from a Federation world. The younger girl had put water into a kettle and placed it onto a heating source.

While Leopold was audible moving things around upstairs and undoubtedly finding that things had changed in recent years. He was unpacking their travel luggage. He's like a bull in a china shop thought his sister.

"So far it seems like my parents are holding up alright, but the Ekosian government is firmly convinced that they are involved in the underground," Emilia explained. "They don't treat those involved in political opposition too humanely for too long."

Adrianna listened to the hustle and bustle upstairs. She was a little nervous about being alone with his sister. What if they didn't get on? Nonetheless, the Italian stuck to the topic. "What evidence do they have?" Adrianna asked. She knew that was the better question as opposed to asking whether they were infact innocent.

"Family friends were involved in the underground," she replied. "That aroused suspicion. Unfortunately, the message from Leopold was poorly timed. A Federation starship communicating with suspected resistance collaborators? They no doubt took that as my parents trying to get the Federation to come here and interfere."

Adrianna nodded and seemed to like a little guilty for moment. Finally she replied as the kettle began to whistle, "at least the last part can be resolved with merely watching it and seeing us. I had the message encrypted to not get back to Starfleet, but I guess I was in uniform."

"It doesn't matter," replied the girl. "Ekosian government monitors all transmissions from outside the planet. They knew Leopold had joined Starfleet. We were being closely monitored. They were just looking for anything to bring my parents in."

The kettle whistled. "How do you take your tea?"

Adrianna watched the young woman a moment. This was the norm here and it was tragic. That said, if they were only awaiting excuse, this could have happened regardless right? So why was the guilt still in situ, eating away at her gut? Adrianna smiled, "relatively strong, no milk, thank you."

The girl readied the tea and placed a cup atop a matching saucer and presented it to Adrianna. "My parents went with ease, surrendered when the authorities came. It was the only way to keep me safe. My parents didn't want them snooping around any further, which there is something you should know about...Leopold doesn't."

Adrianna sipped her tea a moment and raised a brow, "if you want a fighting chance at getting them out, I need pure honesty. Doesn't matter if it stays between us."

"We," Emilia said. "We...are part of the underground movement. My parents have been supportive of Zeons for years, even when Leopold was my age. They kept that from him, but they believed in fighting for peace between the two worlds."

Adrianna straightened up and put the tea down," in a world, plagued by devistation, war and hatred--." She paused, she wasn't her father. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, "if he had known, he may have stayed. You should tell him."

"She doesn't need to," Leopold replied standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "I came down for some tea, but nah. I think I will have a beer."

Adrianna looked over to Leopold, watching him go to get a beer. "It's been a long trip. I'm going to find our room and rest. I'll leave you catch up."

"Ja," replied Leopold shaking his head. "I think we have a lot to catch up on." He looked at his sister.

Adrianna nodded and walked out, grazing her fingers across Leopold's hand on the way past. A subtle sign of comfort, but she'd offer whatever he needed.