Idiots

Posted on Oct 28, 2015 @ 11:06am by Lieutenant Commander Aerdan Jos
Edited on on Oct 28, 2015 @ 11:06am

Mission: Civil War

"Idiots" (continued from "Blast from the past")

~*~

Location: ANDOR
Stardate: 2.151028.0030
Scene: Northern Thrass Plains: Observation Deck

~*~
"Passion makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots clever."
~Francois de La Rochefoucauld
~*~

"You're an idiot."

The tone was smart and no-nonsense, the perfect tone to put a decided cramp in the lanky blue man's enthusiastic plans.

"There's a new president, isn't there?" Arjan Jos waved his hands against the backdrop of freshly falling snow on the Northern Thrass plains of Andor. "Things are getting straightened out, they're calling for backup. I mean things are going to be fine. Right?" He paused, leaning forward and staring expectantly at his Trill companion. "Right?" he prompted again weakly.

Zabrielle Liden rolled her eyes. Twelve lifetimes told her that nothing was that easy. "You don't get rid of an infestation that big and that nasty with a single swat. It may be progress, but it's hardly victory."

Arjan deflated, frowning. He had been feeling tremendously guilty hiding back on his family's lands while his brother - his baby brother no less - was out there doing suicidal things to save the galaxy. It reinforced his feelings of cowardice and made dark thoughts creep into his mind during the long dark nights. "So what now?" he sounded hollow, carved out a little.

"What do you want to do?" she queried, leaning back. Dr. Liden had made her decision long ago, and she was just biding her time until she could act upon it. Then again she was also keenly interested in steering the brother of the man she loved away from harm. Problematically Arjan was both stubbornly idealistic and ill equipped for life on the front lines. He had an intense desire to prove himself and yet he had little stomach for danger. Oh sure, when pushed to a breaking point he could be terrifyingly effective at defending himself - but breaking points were few and far between, making him far more of a liability than an assistance.

"Not sure." the blue man admitted, shrugging gently. "Hadn't really thought about it."

"You're lying." She tossed back, narrowing her eyes. She was sure of it, and almost wished she had the telepathy to prove it. "I think you're waffling on a bad decision."

Arjan snapped his eyes upwards, his mouth forming into a slow frown. "Do you, now? And what decision would that be?"

"I think you're contemplating heading back to the PHOENIX." She clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth in a chiding fashion. "And I'm here to tell you: don't."

"Why not?" He shot back hotly.

"Because you're not up to it." she stabbed a finger towards his chest. "If you want to go help, fine, go help. You're a superb doctor and you'd be a great asset on the back lines. But on the front lines you're a liability and if you don't get yourself killed, you'll get someone else killed. Someone who'd be worrying about you."

Silence hung in the air. Arjan had a very sassy counter-argument planned up until the point where she had called him out on putting his brother at risk.

Because that had never happened before. Multiple times.

The Andorian neurosurgeon sighed. "And I suppose you'll be going instead?"

"I can handle myself out there. I've lived through more wars that I care to recount." she tossed back. "But if you like, we can travel together as far as the back lines. I wouldn't mind the company."

He gave a vaguely strangled mumble back as a reply. Neither one of them liked the situation the Federation was thrust into; making the best of a bad situation was a hard pill to swallow. And yet you swallowed it, because the other choice was to lay down and die.

Which was hardly a choice.

~*~
Location: USS PHOENIX
Scene: Observation Lounge

Aerdan Jos closed his eyes, listening to the hum of the ship as final repairs and modifications came to a close. So many changes had come so quickly, his head was spinning just to keep up. So many brass, so many important people coming and going. Add to this the PENDRAGON, and the ghosts of the past, and Aerdan felt much like a man who was floating in a stream, carried around like so much flotsam.

"Are they gone?" Aerdan's voice was a whisper-thin echo in the darkness as his antennae perked up.

Michael Turlough Kane didn't jump. He had long come to expect the Andorian's incredible hearing to pick him up a mile away; the pre-emptive response was almost calming, though his news was not. "Not completely. They're ... touring." the last word had a hint of disgust, well polished by a professional tone. "We have a guest."

A curious opening, though Aerdan was assuming he was talking either generally or metaphorically for without turning around he was quite sure he only heard one set of footsteps. Then again, there might be someone levitating behind Captain Kane, but that was unlikely at best.

Kane strode slowly forward, and Aerdan didn't turn, keeping his eyes riveted towards the stars. "I take it this guest is uninvited?" the ExO ventured lightly.

"Journalist." The word was dropped plainly, as a second pair of eyes gazed out at the stars and the glow from Elenapolde hanging gently below.

Aerdam canted his head, searching his memory for the appropriate Terran term. "Implantation?"

Kane stayed silent, the lack of a dissent equaling an assent. Conversations with the Andorian were strangely taciturn. The man was formal, polite and loyal nearly to a fault; and also incredibly perceptive. He had taken to memorizing certain reactions about the tiny core of officers on the Phoenix - the ones they could trust - and integrating the non verbal aspects of their communication into his mind as much as the verbal cues. Once he and Kane had established a certain level of understanding between one another, the conversations were subsequently pared down to the barest elegance of banter. The leanest amount of wordplay possible, with all the tallow removed.

"Is this a set up?" Aerdan queried gently. He wasn't a naturally paranoid man; but surviving the last few months was enough to make anyone paranoid.

Kane stayed still, statuesque. "There is always that possibility; but don't operate from that on exclusion."

"I see." Another heady pause, Aerdan was just about to ask when they were going to launch when his antennae perked straight upwards again.

The doors opened.

"Why the hell are you two always standing in the dark?" Cade Foster's dry voice cut through the air like a rusty knife cuts through moldy cheese. "Like a pair of ugly lovers."

"Cade..." Aerdan growled a warning tone, getting a word in before Kane could strike.

Fortunately the Captain didn't seem in the mood to aim vitriol at Foster, and in turn - would miracles ever cease, Foster seemed to be willing to play nice and deliver a decent report rather than sling insults. "Fine, fine."" Cade raised his hands in the air in a placating gesture. "All the transfers to the JENNER are complete. And I've checked in the new babies to our crew. They're healthy enough, at least physically. We should be good to go." He strode forward with an expression that seemed to say 'though where we are going, I'm not sure good is following.'

"When is the JENNER departing?" Aerdan asked, flicking a gaze towards the observation window, as if to catch a glimpse at the departing vessel.

"Within the hour." Cade returned. "There might be a few more crew shuffles before all is said and done, but so far so quiet."

"Good." It was as close as Kane came to a compliment these days. The Captain strode forward, passing Cade before turning backwards and giving Aerdan Jos a quiet look. The one that said 'you're ExO - crew management is your job.' The one that also indicated that if there was a problem he could be reached brooding in his ready room, however there had better not be a problem because he expected Aerdan to deal with it. At least that's what past precedence indicated that particular gaze meant and Aerdan Jos saw no reason to interpret it differently.

"Understood." The Andorian offered a small nod as Kane departed.

"Understood? Understood what? He didn't say anything!" Cade sputtered, his eyes playing ping-pong between the two. Kane was unaffected by the outburst as he exited the room, leaving Cade and Aerdan to stare one another down. "Let me guess, you two have gotten goddamn psychic and can communicate just by winks and grunts."

Aerdan sighed. Why did Cade always have to try his patience so? "Orders are orders and they usually fall along the same lines." The important ones were usually shouted out in the middle of a blaring red alert. Most everything else was business as usual.

"Brilliant." the doctor scoffed. "Me? I prefer good old fashioned insults."

"I trust you didn't come up here to sling insults."

Cade chuckled, flopping backwards into one of the overstuffed armchairs. "No. I came to deliver reports and, you know, ruffle your feathers."

"Thanks." Aerdan called back.

"You need them ruffled. You've been so quiet. Contained. Hiding in the dark." He waved his hands around to indicate the surroundings. "I'm just here to liven things up a little!"

Another sigh. "Somehow I doubt you're the life of the party, Cade. There's little party to be had here."

"But I brought you a present." Cade was smirking now. Smirking the smirk of 'I know something you don't know.'

Aerdan snapped his head around, antennae curled keenly forward as he slowly realized he was being played. "What are you talking about?"

Now Dr. Foster grinned. Of all the simple pleasures in life, having the upper hand was one of the sweetest. He alone knew of Dr. Liden's last minute transfer to the Phoenix, and he had been pondering the best way to set up the reunion between the recalcitrant ExO and the vivacious, sarcastic Trill biochemist for several days now. In the end he opted for a simple game of cat and mouse where he could watch the subsequent embarrassment. Easy, quick, satisfying. And it would earn him less overall ire than a more elaborate set up. "Oh, nothing. Just, you know, plotting a little sunshine in your life."

"You? Sunshine?" Aerdan scoffed. "That's funny, Cade."

"Oh, non-believer!" The surgeon cackled. "Don't tell me you've gone all doom and gloom on me now."

"That's wouldn't be too hard, considering the state of affairs we find ourselves in."

Cade stopped trying to keep the mischief off his face and opted for a widesmirk. "Cheer up, Emo kid."

That damn door opened again.

Aerdan snapped his head up, ready to get snappish at whoever was interrupting them now, holding just enough restraint in case it was Kane, or P'Trell, or someone else important and requiring professional behavior and kid gloves. And what he saw was certainly not what he expected.

"There you are." Such a simple introduction, delivered in such light melodious tones. Every time Zabrielle spoke, she sounded so nonchalant, as if twelve lifetimes had rendered her ethereally calm and un-phased by such things.

That did not mean the intended target of the observation remained un-phased. Aerdan Jos made a curiously high pitched squeaking sound as he tried to draw in a breath and speak normally but his brain and lungs seemed to have a disconnect. Cade giggled unabashedly. "I told you I had a present for you. Be glad I didn't wrap her up!"

"Shush, Cade." Dr. Liden waved a hand in the air, walking forward. "My days of exotic wrapping are over."

"Are you so sure of that?" Foster continued to chuckle as Aerdan finally found his tongue again.

"What are you doing here?" he questioned, quite sure he had not seen Zabrielle Liden's name on the list of transfers.

She grinned lightly. "At this moment I'm saying hello again, you fool." A wink. "But in general I'm a late transfer into your medical department."

"I'm not a fool." he countered without even thinking.

"Prove it." she teased back.

"Kiss her!" Cade crowed from the peanut gallery.

"Not with an audience." a quiet protest.

"Coward." Foster's grin was vicious and teasing.

"Asshole." Aerdan countered back, stepped forward and kissed the girl.

There was a moment of tender silence before Cade decided to shatter it with a rather raucous "Nine point nine five. Would have been a ten if you had picked her up and spun her."

"Shut up, Cade." both Liden and Jos replied in unison.

Cade blinked at them. "Scary."

As Aerdan regained his bearing, he gazed down at Zabrielle, furrowing his brows. The last he had seen of her was when the Phoenix launched. He had sent her back to Andor with his brother to keep them both safe. "Please tell me you came alone."

She wavered on her feet a little, looking him in the eyes. "Mostly."

"Don't tell me my brother came with you." Aerdan frowned darkly. Zabrielle could handle herself on the Phoenix no matter what they faced. Arjan not so much. His brother had little stomach for chaos and danger. Aerdan was far more comfortable knowing Arjan was stuffed away somewhere safe.

"He did; or at least he wanted to." She put a hand on the Andorian's shoulder. "I didn't let him come this far. He's on the back lines, due to rendezvous with the JENNER." There was an earnest pause before she added, "I promised you I would keep him safe, and I couldn't stop him from trying to help - but at least backlines he'll be as safe as anywhere else in the Federation."

Aerdan nodded a slow assent. He might have preferred knowing Arjan was hidden off on Andor, but Zabrielle had a point - nowhere was really safe anymore. Though the PHOENIX was decidedly less safe than most places, at least the JENNER would be protected.

Wait, the JENNER? His antennae perked upwards. "Is Arjan aware of the patients on the Jenner?"

"Patients?" Zabrielle canted her head. She wasn't aware of them herself.

Cade offered a low whistle. "Didn't think about that." He lifted his clear blue eyes to Zabrielle. "Phia's on there. Bomba. And..." dramatic pause. "Evangeline Montoya."

"Oh great." she sighed, resisting the urge to facepalm. Arjan was largely unaware of the sins Montoya had committed, and he had a long term dalliance with the woman that had stretched into something that went well beyond friendship. Then again, if anything would motivate him to keep his blue butt planted firmly in the safe zone, it would be the challenge of saving the lives of people he cared about. "Actually, that's not so bad."

"He's crazy for Montoya." Aerdan murmured, his brain going along the same lines as Zabrielle.

"Good. That'll keep him put." Cade surmised, slowly brightening. "And he's damn good at what he does." Which, coming from Cade Foster, meant something.

It also made Cade feel a lot better about transferring Phia out of his care. While Cade was a tremendous surgeon and a medical genius, what Phia really needed was top notch neurosurgeon. And neurosurgery was one of those things that you just didn't pick up all the nuances of overnight. Where Cade had spent his entire life studying all the strange and creative aspects of medicine, Arjan Jos has spent quite literally his entire life studying every in and out of neurosurgery. And unlike his brother who had never really fit well into the mold of a neurosurgeon, Arjan was naturally talented at it.

If anyone could pull a recovery out of the ones they had left behind, it would be the elder Dr. Jos.

"That he is." Aerdan admitted without shame.

There was another lingering pause, as three people let their thoughts fall silently to the worry about what would happen to loved ones, before the only one who had loved and lost multiple lifetimes over spoke. "Don't worry. They'll pull through." Either they would, or they wouldn't. She preferred to be optimistic, but either way she found that worrying was useless. "Come on, you two should get out of the dark. I'm sure you have places to go, things to do, and you know, better things than brooding and slinging insults."

"We're good at slinging insults." Cade countered.

"Cade's good at it."

"Hey, I have a pretty decent student at insult throwing right in front of me."

"I'm not your student."

"Says you."

"You two are idiots." Zabrielle grinned, pulling them away from the darkened stars and back towards the light of the ship.

~*~
NRPG: Yes, it's a post, with words and stuff. Yay?
~*~

Jamie LeBlanc
Lt Commander Aerdan Jos
Executive Officer
USS PHOENIX

"Why do we fly? Because we have dreamt of it for so long that we must"

~Julian Beck
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