Brothers

Posted on Sat Apr 1st, 2023 @ 7:29pm by Commodore Keiben Haistro & Lieutenant JG Osil Haistro

1,756 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 5 - Objects In Motion
Location: Osil Haistro's Quarters

ON

The room was barely furnished, though there were a few ornaments here and there that referred to Betazoid culture and history. Osil stood in the middle of the room, a small potted plant in his arms. There were a few pictures scattered around the room as well, most notably one that sported himself, flanked by his much older brother and his younger sister.

He nearly dropped the plant as he was pulled from his thoughts by the chime. He smiled as he senses a familiar presence. "Come in Kei!"

The sportswear clad Commodore entered the spartan quarters of his brother, admiring the few things he had dressed the room with. He had to give his younger brother credit, this was more personalised than he last set of quarters on his previous assignment... Maybe this meant he was finally starting to feel at home.
"Am I interrupting?"

Osil shook his head. "Nah, I'm just trying to make this place home. I just don't want to clutter it too much, you know?" He studied his brother, noting the lack of uniform. "What brings you here?"

"Mother!"
The word sounded almost alien on the elder Betazoid's lips, not one he had ever thought he would use when referring to their entirely alive and kicking mother.

Kei absently dropped down into an armchair, allowing himself to relax completely for the first time in what felt like months. Perhaps it was a mix of being out of uniform and in the company of family but it was nice to be able to drop rank and just speak to someone, a family member without the worry of them treating him like the Commodore.
"What do you think about the whole situation... I'm not sure what to think anymore!"

"You say mother, I say stranger. I have little to no memories of our mother. I don't know what to feel or think either, other than that I have a hard time trusting her or opening up to her. I don't know her, and I feel angry for being left without someone to look up to when I was little." He offered a wan smile. "other than you, obviously. What are you thinking?"

Kei had done what he could for both Os and Ileyana and in many ways he was still proud of the people they had both turned out to be, even if Os was still a little lost in direction.
"I did what I could and you still turned out alright!" the older Betazoid teased. "Has she been to see you yet? She seems to have dropped silent since she first arrived."

"Not a peep," Osil admitted as he studied his older brother. "You know you did a great job as surrogate dad right?" He suddenly said, "for both of us. You were always there when we needed you to be. And I can't exactly say the same of mother. She barges in and upheaved our lives and then just...." He shrugged. "I'm not sure I can keep up with that. I'd rather have no mother than one that comes and goes on a whim."

Kei couldn't bring himself to say it aloud but in truth, his own feelings were the same. It had been the same through their childhood with her coming and going but this... It almost felt like an insult that she had returned now after the hard work of surviving and making something of his own life while providing for Osil and Ileyana.

Without warning he could sense her. She was directly outside of the door contemplating ringing the chime or running. He could feel it clear as day.
"She's here... She's debating if she wants to ring the chime or not"!

Meave had been keeping to herself, not truly wanting to go anywhere for the time being. There had been rumors of a Q showing up and she felt him, she didn't want to have anything to do with him. None what so ever. Besides, she had sensed that there had been some sort of activity, sensing distress from her boys. Did she feel she had the right to go see them? Perhaps not, today though she was going to pay Osil a visit. Beyond the door though, it was Keiben as well as Osil.

Sucking in some breath through her teeth, Meave reached out and pressed the chime. Now to see if they wished to see her.

Having no such connection with his mother, but moreso with his brother, Osil sighed. "I guess she did press the chime," he muttered in return, an unhappy look on his face. "Come in mother," he called out, "we'll see what she wants."

Meave stepped in feeling all sorts of nervousness. It was definitely leaking out. "Hello." she clasped her hands nervously. "I am sorry I've not come to see either of you, since I first arrived on the station. I figured I'd stay out of the way." she moved forward enough to allow the door to completely shut behind her. "How does one bridge the absence of a parent and try to make amends for the abandonment?"

Osil gestured towards a seat, not sure if what he sensed was real or just a farçe. He didn't have the telepathic prowess his siblings had. "One doesn't," he answered simply, "I don't think you can make up for lost time. But you can tell us why you left Kei to raise us. He's as much father as brother, the way he looked after me and Ileyana."

Kei remained silent, allowing Osil to vent his anger. In a lot of ways this would be a cathartic experience for him. He had been old enough to know mother at the time but not old enough to have lasting memories of her so his hurt would run deeper than his own. He allowed his telepathic abilities to brush against the pair, subtly and unobtrusively. Osil he recognised instantly, he was familiar but his mother... She had once been a warm and welcoming individual at the psionic touch. Now though, something was cold, detached and he couldn't put his finger on why.

Meave took the seat as she spoke, "I had mentioned it before, I crashed upon a planet, and lost your father, my lover, my friend." Meave paused as she was experiencing a welling up of strong emotions. "I didn't abandon you, not on purpose. The accident, my fractured memories." she sobbed out. She hid her face, not able to bear the expression in his eyes. She felt such pain about the loss her sons and daughter had experienced.

"Then why were we told you had died?" Osil just couldn't understand. "Why did everything come onto Kei's shoulders?" He could sense her remorse, he could see her hurt but the way Kei watching her drew his attention. What is it Kei?

Meave raised her head slightly to look at Osil, tears still running down her cheeks. "They didn't know what happened, they looked, they didn't find us. As far as they knew, we had perished in the destruction of the ship along with the others. That is why your father and I were declared dead. Counted amongst those that died."

'I'm not sure' Kei responded to his brother, opening up his response so Meave could hear it telepathically as well but it was as if she couldn't hear their thoughts... Nothing.

"You can't read either of us can you?" Keiben was direct, his voice level and boarding on detached as the scientific mind took over with its analytical approach and the command officer in his started to take charge of the situation.

Meave stared at Kei and at Osil, her breath coming in fast as she fought hard to keep from bursting into more tears. Meave clenched her fists, her cheeks turning red, her jaw tensed Meave had been afraid of this moment and rather embarrassed.

"Kei, I can't read your thoughts nor Osil's thoughts either. I am dead telepathically. I can't even do touch telepathy. I can barely catch the sense of someones emotions, scarcely above a human's level. That horrible crash that took your father away from me and me from you, it broke me. I am less of a person, and definitely less of a mother even more." the shame Meave was feeling permeated the air. Her head hung low, she couldn't bear to see the look in their eyes.

"Have you been in to the infirmary yet?" finding he was struggling to read her as clearly as he ought to. It was a maddening sensation. Casting his mind towards hers but like an oiled surface, his own mind just seemed to slide off. All he could sense were emotions and even those felt detached, distant. Like an echo in a cave. They had a beginning in reality but the truth of it was lost on the return.

"I have been to multiple infirmaries and they can't fix my problem at all. And do you think that your wife, Melanie will be able to fix me? I don't think she can. It is very frustrating to be quite honest." Meave responded, feeling rather frustrated about this whole situation.

"Indulge me..." he cast a glance at his brother. "Indulge us!"

Meave just looked at Kei in disbelief, he didn't believe her and it hurt deeply. She would have to agree to go to medical and she didn't want to go, too much of being poked and prodded, and scans being run. It looked like she would have to go through that again. Giving a resigned sniffle, Meave rose from the seat, heading towards the door.

"Very well, I'll go now." Just as she reached the door, over the whole station the blare of red alert sounded rather loudly. The sound of the alarm covered the sound of the door opening and Meave disappeared from view.

Kei jumped track instantly, both he and Osil on their feet and poised to act. The older brother tapped the badge on his chest.
"Commodore Haistro to Ops, report!"

Osil was ready to move once the order was given, though concern was visible on his face as their mother disappeared from view. "Should I go after her?"

"We've got a situation, Commodore the Cerberus is being pursued by Romulan ships, it is being dealt with. The Cerberus is coming in hot."

"I'll get to Ops" he addressed his brother directly. "You'll be needed coordinating the civilian population on the promenade"

OFF

 

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