DANGER DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE [Gavin/Jiseth]

[Jiseth]

[Main Lounge]

There was a demon who lived on the Discovery. They said any one who challenged her would die, as she had twice already and came back. The only hint of her Romulan equivalent to humanity was actually in the joining of synthetic to organic. Two mechanical legs were really the only empirical evidence that she could be injured, let alone killed. Testaments to her mortality that made her slightly more on the same level as everyone else. Until she threw someone across the room.

As she entered the lounge area, she was mostly on autopilot heading for the bar. The gift of kali-fal from Zero would be hard for her to consume in her given state and a tolerance that had been steadily weakening over time needed to be strengthened. She had her standard casual attire on for the task: cargo shorts and a black tank top. Sure it was a bit cold through the corridors, but often times her immense anger could keep her plenty warm. Especially when she caught sight of a particular individual sitting at the bar already.

Why that cocky, half-grown, sperm-guzzling PIECE OF SHI-

"Mister Van Gelder, pleasure to see you here..."

[Gavin Van Gelder]

Frowning to himself, Gavin looked deeply into the light green contents of his fluted glass, swirling the Bajoran springwine around.  Usually he only did that to get a sense of the esters, but he was already a glass deep.  Now he did it mainly out of sheer boredom.  Thelos had taken Beta shift for the last few days, so there had been precious little contact between the two of them, even though they lived together.  Truth told, Gavin wondered if the feeling of distance was something he imagined or...

With that in mind, he decided it was time for another drink.

Of course, he very nearly choked on it at the sound of a voice behind him.  Aw, son of a --  Turning around, Gavin swallowed the wine in his mouth without coughing, which would just be undignified in front of the vile Romulan banshee that stood before him.  "Yeah...unbridled pleasure.  That's the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of you, let me tell ya."

[Jiseth]

"Oh, I'm sure of it..."

She was glad to see the malice between them was still thick and deep enough to drown in as she slid onto the bar stool next to him. Two years go by and with any luck tonight they would be fighting with broken halves of wine bottles. Though to his credit, he had been an admirable friend to Zero. That mere fact would only keep him safe for so long from her.

"...Admittedly, it's a slightly different type of pleasure. For instance, there's the joy in seeing my daughter walk around and play with Ghost. The kind I feel for you, good sir, is akin to what one feels after a large bowel movement. Simply refreshing to be in your company."

She looked to a rather wide-eyed bar tender and ordered a gin and tonic which was a drink that she felt matched herself quite well. Chilled, yet spicy. Enjoyable, but at times quite hateful. A rare, respectable human drink to the Romulan.

"Besides, I have a lot to thank you for."

[Gavin Van Gelder]

"Oh, I'm sure of it..."

She was glad to see the malice between them was still thick and deep enough to drown in as she slid onto the bar stool next to him. Two years go by and with any luck tonight they would be fighting with broken halves of wine bottles. Though to his credit, he had been an admirable friend to Zero. That mere fact would only keep him safe for so long from her.

"...Admittedly, it's a slightly different type of pleasure. For instance, there's the joy in seeing my daughter walk around and play with Ghost. The kind I feel for you, good sir, is akin to what one feels after a large bowel movement. Simply refreshing to be in your company."

She looked to a rather wide-eyed bar tender and ordered a gin and tonic which was a drink that she felt matched herself quite well. Chilled, yet spicy. Enjoyable, but at times quite hateful. A rare, respectable human drink to the Romulan.

"Besides, I have a lot to thank you for."

Go right ahead and sit down, Sunshine, Gavin thought, cocking an eyebrow as Jiseth did just that.  He couldn't possibly fathom why she'd even want to spend any of her spare time around him, seeing as how he didn't exactly want to spend his around her.  Was Zero happier, now that Jiseth was back in her life?  Or did the Augment feel like Gavin did - guarded, and ready for the Romulan to split yet again?  That's not fair...she was legally dead, you know.  But she'd allowed Zero to mourn her for years.  Bloody years!  What a complete and total sociopath.

"Uh.  Glad I could make you feel that way.  Try sitting at a relaxed, natural posture, feet elevated.  Your eliminations will be more fulfilling.  I can write down the angles for you, if you need it..."

Gavin held out his three-quarters-empty glass for the barkeep to refill, which the man did.  "Just leave the bottle," he requested.  "I'm glad you're fitting in well with your family," he said, taking a drink and then giving her a sidelong glare.  "But what do you have to thank me for?"

[Jiseth]

Most of his ramblings she paid little attention to, focused mostly on her drink being made. She appreciated the little amount of shaking and slice of cucumber muddled amid the ice cubes instead of lime. When it was served she took a long pull. A very long one. Almost have the contents were gone by the time she placed it back on the counter. She was going to need it.

"...Because when Zero needed a friend, you were there. Miss Kaz was too, but you're easier to talk to because I hate you. Kaz's so cheerful and bubbly it makes me want to punch a kitten."

It was a poor attempt a humor let alone truthfulness. The kitten would remain unharmed, it's the Trill she'd punch. She felt his glare on her, but kept focused on her drink.

"Thing I hate more is how right you are. Laying in a hospital bed for months on end, put me through two double amputations before they give me these crappy things to walk around with, and not a single visitor because I was supposed to die in the crash. Everybody seems to have been better off except for one... Callion. So here I am."

Slowly she looked over to him. In her own unspoken way dared him to challenge her presence.

[Gavin Van Gelder]

Most of his ramblings she paid little attention to, focused mostly on her drink being made. She appreciated the little amount of shaking and slice of cucumber muddled amid the ice cubes instead of lime. When it was served she took a long pull. A very long one. Almost have the contents were gone by the time she placed it back on the counter. She was going to need it.

"...Because when Zero needed a friend, you were there. Miss Kaz was too, but you're easier to talk to because I hate you. Kaz's so cheerful and bubbly it makes me want to punch a kitten."

It was a poor attempt a humor let alone truthfulness. The kitten would remain unharmed, it's the Trill she'd punch. She felt his glare on her, but kept focused on her drink.

"Thing I hate more is how right you are. Laying in a hospital bed for months on end, put me through two double amputations before they give me these crappy things to walk around with, and not a single visitor because I was supposed to die in the crash. Everybody seems to have been better off except for one... Callion. So here I am."

Slowly she looked over to him. In her own unspoken way dared him to challenge her presence.

"Lee's a great girl," Gavin replied, leaning an elbow on the bar.  "We actually used to be a couple, back at the Academy.  Blink-and-you-miss-it...but," he added, with a slightly playful grin, "I was also her Xenobio tutor."  Gavin felt Jiseth's green eyes boring into him as he tipped back his wineglass, attempting to look more casual than he felt.  "So I don't think you should punch either Leela or any small animals, thank you very much."

Gavin sighed inwardly as he thought of Zero and Callion.  "We all did our part.  Zero was even more clueless about motherhood then than she is now.  It's been a learning process for her...for all of us, really."  He set his wineglass down, fingertips drumming on the surface of the bar.  "Turns out Thelos and I are really great with kids."  Gavin sat quietly for a few moments, his attention focused on the springwine before the returned said attention to Jiseth.  "You're right.  Here you are.  I don't think anyone can blame you for being gone after getting caught up in whatever bullcrap you were caught up in.  But years?  Honestly, Jiseth...what the hell made you even decide to wedge a lever under her life again?" 

[Jiseth]

As Jiseth listened, she finished her drink and began to chew on the cucumber slice. The gin itself tasted like it as well, an old Scottish brand in a squat brown bottle. Her empty glass was taken and another drink put in front of her as the faint numbness in her head began coming along as well as the tingling along where nerves met wires.

Part of her was relieved that Zero was not abandoned to fend for herself amid everything. Since the Romulan's return she had noticed that the Augment had become a much bigger person even if she was perhaps even more afraid of her own shadow than before. Then again, it worrying was mostly for Callion and almost every promise Jiseth made to herself to protect them seemed hollow given the course of events that had unfolded. Gavin's question felt like a saber and swiped across her chest.

"...When this ship arrived at Starbase Columbus, I had only been out of the hospital for two weeks. I contacted an old friend from my cadet cruise, a Klingon fellow. I guess you could say he's one of the only two friends I have and my confidant. He thought it wise to at least let her know I wasn't blown to bits in a crater somewhere."

Her second drink soon disappeared in a series of quick gulps before she firmly set the glass down onto the bar.

"Also because I'm a god damn mother, Gavin. You tell me why I shouldn't come back when Zero kept showing Callion pictures of me and recordings of my voice. You know what's sick? They kept me alive. They could have pulled the plug when I was in a coma or bound up like a mummy. Pushed me down a flight of stairs when I was trying to learn to walk again, which took a year in and of itself, between questioning sessions and court martial hearings. So many options. So many opportunities. But no. The bastards kept me alive..."

She suddenly scowled at her empty glass as her eyes began to water up and her face blush green.

"It's been hell, literally Hell, but take solace in that it seems I've gotten my just desserts."

[Gavin Van Gelder]

As Jiseth listened, she finished her drink and began to chew on the cucumber slice. The gin itself tasted like it as well, an old Scottish brand in a squat brown bottle. Her empty glass was taken and another drink put in front of her as the faint numbness in her head began coming along as well as the tingling along where nerves met wires.

Part of her was relieved that Zero was not abandoned to fend for herself amid everything. Since the Romulan's return she had noticed that the Augment had become a much bigger person even if she was perhaps even more afraid of her own shadow than before. Then again, it worrying was mostly for Callion and almost every promise Jiseth made to herself to protect them seemed hollow given the course of events that had unfolded. Gavin's question felt like a saber and swiped across her chest.

"...When this ship arrived at Starbase Columbus, I had only been out of the hospital for two weeks. I contacted an old friend from my cadet cruise, a Klingon fellow. I guess you could say he's one of the only two friends I have and my confidant. He thought it wise to at least let her know I wasn't blown to bits in a crater somewhere."

Her second drink soon disappeared in a series of quick gulps before she firmly set the glass down onto the bar.

"Also because I'm a god damn mother, Gavin. You tell me why I shouldn't come back when Zero kept showing Callion pictures of me and recordings of my voice. You know what's sick? They kept me alive. They could have pulled the plug when I was in a coma or bound up like a mummy. Pushed me down a flight of stairs when I was trying to learn to walk again, which took a year in and of itself, between questioning sessions and court martial hearings. So many options. So many opportunities. But no. The bastards kept me alive..."

She suddenly scowled at her empty glass as her eyes began to water up and her face blush green.

"It's been hell, literally Hell, but take solace in that it seems I've gotten my just desserts."

Sitting quietly, Gavin poured himself some more wine.  He was already starting to feel the flush of it in his cheeks.  It really didn't take much, unfortunately.  Thelos always got a kick out of how soon Andorian ale had him giggling and stumbling.  That, of course, was playful drinking.  This was drinking to numb the conversation.  However...there was one thing that couldn't be numbed...and a feeling that he was genuinely surprised to feel for the Romulan in front of him, she who had for so long been as much a thorn in his foot as he knew he was to her.

Gavin pitied Jiseth.

You can't pity her, he thought, she's evil.  Only...well, he knew that wasn't really true.  Arrogant, yes.  Dangerous, very.  A complete and total tricobalt warhead right into the broadside of the sense of normalcy and continuity that he felt was best for Zero still-developing social and interpersonal skills...definitely.

Reaching up, Gavin rubbed his temples.  "Zero would have been there, all through the recovery."  He looked at her again, his sea-green eyes sharp.  "You know that.  Don't tell me someone like you couldn't have found a way to get a message out.  Starfleet Medical is sometimes a curmudgeonly monolith, but they're not as vile as you make them out to be.  Not wholesale, at least." 

[Jiseth]

There it was, that annoying brilliance of the curly-haired bastard. She could lie, but what was the point? A bridge had to be built. Whether it was made of bricks or tissue paper soggy from all the gasoline was another issue. The idea of opening up to him of all people made thing gin in her stomach almost toxic and after taking a glass of water the reflex to gag was subdued if only a little.

With a deep breath and no small sense of shame she had to admit to another person what she had been hiding. Telling the truth never seemed so grotesque.

"Medical wasn't the vile one, I was, and it wasn't just them there... Because of my condition, the Judge Advocate General decided my prison sentence was to be served in the hospital. Not like I could go anywhere anyway. Why do you think they gave me such crappy legs? If I went near anything I wasn't supposed to they'd turn off and I would have to crawl my sorry ass back. Except there was no point to it other than to mess with my head and see if I'd behave. The day I was released, I could have sworn I was going to take a shuttle off of some planet no one really paid attention to, but no, I had been in a holodeck the whole time. The other patients, theives, rapists, and murderers, none of them were real. Just one of the doctors and two of the nurses were flesh and blood while everything else..."

Lifting the cold, wet glass to her forehead, the Romulan closed her eyes. Part of her was still back there, in a small white room with grey tile floor. A window well out of reach and a toilet that felt even more so at times.

"...I remember before the crash being told that my work would help keep the Federation safe from whatever pissed off thing was on the far side of the Bajoran wormhole. Trust the Admiral, he knows what he's doing. Afterward... I'm nothing more than a criminal, a worthless disgrace, complicit with unsanctioned espionage and other unlawful acts. Then there's Zero... She wants to make a better set of limbs for me. Maybe it's just for the challenge of fixing someone else's screw up, but I'm glad it will give us something to do together."

[Gavin Van Gelder]

There it was, that annoying brilliance of the curly-haired bastard. She could lie, but what was the point? A bridge had to be built. Whether it was made of bricks or tissue paper soggy from all the gasoline was another issue. The idea of opening up to him of all people made thing gin in her stomach almost toxic and after taking a glass of water the reflex to gag was subdued if only a little.

With a deep breath and no small sense of shame she had to admit to another person what she had been hiding. Telling the truth never seemed so grotesque.

"Medical wasn't the vile one, I was, and it wasn't just them there... Because of my condition, the Judge Advocate General decided my prison sentence was to be served in the hospital. Not like I could go anywhere anyway. Why do you think they gave me such crappy legs? If I went near anything I wasn't supposed to they'd turn off and I would have to crawl my sorry ass back. Except there was no point to it other than to mess with my head and see if I'd behave. The day I was released, I could have sworn I was going to take a shuttle off of some planet no one really paid attention to, but no, I had been in a holodeck the whole time. The other patients, theives, rapists, and murderers, none of them were real. Just one of the doctors and two of the nurses were flesh and blood while everything else..."

Lifting the cold, wet glass to her forehead, the Romulan closed her eyes. Part of her was still back there, in a small white room with grey tile floor. A window well out of reach and a toilet that felt even more so at times.

"...I remember before the crash being told that my work would help keep the Federation safe from whatever pissed off thing was on the far side of the Bajoran wormhole. Trust the Admiral, he knows what he's doing. Afterward... I'm nothing more than a criminal, a worthless disgrace, complicit with unsanctioned espionage and other unlawful acts. Then there's Zero... She wants to make a better set of limbs for me. Maybe it's just for the challenge of fixing someone else's screw up, but I'm glad it will give us something to do together."

He could agree with a few of Jiseth's more self-deprecating descriptions of herself, but...as much as he didn't get along with her, Gavin felt that now wasn't the time to kick dirt in her wounds.  "Look," he said, his words just a little soft due to the rapidly-encroaching effects of Bajoran springwine, "I know a thing or two about taking a fall due to the plans of admirals."  Although he'd never been through a debilitating crash and a loss of family, Gavin had seen his own rocketing career burn up in atmosphere.  He never once regretted telling Zero the truth about his placement on the Phoenix those short years ago, but the truth was that he'd likely forever spin his wheels as a junior officer.  Never mind the fact that he would always feel that his considerable mental talents should be spent in a hospital lab, not categorizing the farts of stars.

Anyway.

"I'm glad she wants to, too," he said, taking another long pull and setting the now-empty glass aside.  "If anyone can do it, it's her.  And Thelos, too.  You have a wealth of medical knowledge at your fingertips with those two."  And what was the deal with Starfleet Medical?  First with they way they treated Zero, and then with Jiseth...Gavin could swear that the world he grew up in, the people he'd known since he was a baby...well, he'd never seen that side of it.  He wasn't sure about Jiseth, but Gavin knew that Zero at least wasn't lying about it.  "So..." he drawled, looking at the bottle again, "...if your Klingon friend hadn't goaded you, would you ever have contacted her?"

[Jiseth]

The Romulan's fists closed slowing and quite tightly. It was not to be an over show of hostility. More like biting down on a bit of leather before someone sawed a limb off which was pretty much what she was feeling on hers which were already gone. As the alcohol sent off confusing signals throughout her body, the normal buzz was being shouted over by the pain along the joining of circuits to nerves. The enjoyment was almost entirely gone from the practice of consumption and sadly she was not nearly masochistic enough to savor the knot forming in her stomach. Perhaps she would end up drinking prune juice after all, at least it was respectable to her Klingon friend. Speaking of...

"He didn't goad me, just helped make sure I made the right decision... And for the right reason. If I shared your affinity for the male sex, I probably wouldn't mind running off with him into the pale moonlight to never be heard from again which would please a great number of parties. The problem is he's a friend. He wants to be supportive in anyway he can, but that's only a part of what I need. A rival, a counterweight to the pleasantries and smiles. Someone who will take every good thing I can muster and tear it all to shreds to make sure I see things for what they really are..."

Her eyes shifted back to him like turrets for disruptor cannons.

"...That's where you come in."

[Gavin Van Gelder]

The Romulan's fists closed slowing and quite tightly. It was not to be an over show of hostility. More like biting down on a bit of leather before someone sawed a limb off which was pretty much what she was feeling on hers which were already gone. As the alcohol sent off confusing signals throughout her body, the normal buzz was being shouted over by the pain along the joining of circuits to nerves. The enjoyment was almost entirely gone from the practice of consumption and sadly she was not nearly masochistic enough to savor the knot forming in her stomach. Perhaps she would end up drinking prune juice after all, at least it was respectable to her Klingon friend. Speaking of...

"He didn't goad me, just helped make sure I made the right decision... And for the right reason. If I shared your affinity for the male sex, I probably wouldn't mind running off with him into the pale moonlight to never be heard from again which would please a great number of parties. The problem is he's a friend. He wants to be supportive in anyway he can, but that's only a part of what I need. A rival, a counterweight to the pleasantries and smiles. Someone who will take every good thing I can muster and tear it all to shreds to make sure I see things for what they really are..."

Her eyes shifted back to him like turrets for disruptor cannons.

"...That's where you come in."

Gavin spared a quick glance at Jiseth's fists as she clenched them.  He wondered, briefly, if the batshit crazy Romulan was going to punch him.  Gavin figured that she likely would take the back of his skull to the far bulkhead, but she was also at a handicap because of her new legs.  Even if they had been perfectly fitted and made for her, there would be an acclimation period, and she likely wasn't all the way through it yet, and...

Oh, okay, he thought.  So she's not going to hit me.

Although, with what Jiseth said, she may as well have poleaxed him.  "I'm sorry, what?"  Gavin asked, eyebrow cocked.  "You're saying that...you need me?"  He scrunched up his face in confusion, running a hand through his unruly auburn mop of hair.  "Like, what?  Your personal Greek chorus?  'This is Jiseth, boy howdy isn't she crapping the bed'?"  He shook his head, stopping just short of rolling his eyes.  "And how exactly am I your rival?  Jiseth, we're not in competition for anything.  I mean..." Gavin shrugged, ticking off points on his fingertips.  "One, we're not intellectual rivals.  Even you have to know how that would end.  Two, I'm not a romantic rival for you.  Zero and I are just friends.  I think she might technically be my cousin, but that's another story.  And, as you've so amply made note of, I don't really care for girls anymore."

He stopped, blinking owlishly.  "I mean, you do know all this, right?  You don't think I'm trying to steal Zero?"

[Jiseth]

Just keep breathing... Just keep breathing... You can kill him later...

"N-No..."

On one hand, she would never have to deal with the pains of carrying a child or giving birth. On the other, pretty much every woman she knew did not have to deal with the sensation of being slowly dipped into boiling magma. A sight that would surely please the dirty blond bastard next to her. She had to let out a slow exhale as her eyes closed tightly shut. She wanted to scream at some points as her heartbeats seemed to send out waves of fiery pain.

Very slowly she began taking rather concentrated breaths. Her eyes now focused on both her fists.

"...Life is like a... giant, crazy marathon... Everyone is going at it... Different strides... Different paths to take... You see someone struggling, you help them along even though they're competition... Oh to Hell with this analogy... Point is... Negative reinforcement is pleasantly refreshing at times... You insipid little nutless monkey... And for the record... They called on my brains, not yours, for that project... I guess that doesn't really mean crap for dick though considering, well..."

Jiseth's lips knotted as she gently clunked her legs together.

"Maybe... Maybe I think I need a friend like you... There. It's out of the closet..."

[Gavin Van Gelder]

Just keep breathing... Just keep breathing... You can kill him later...

"N-No..."

On one hand, she would never have to deal with the pains of carrying a child or giving birth. On the other, pretty much every woman she knew did not have to deal with the sensation of being slowly dipped into boiling magma. A sight that would surely please the dirty blond bastard next to her. She had to let out a slow exhale as her eyes closed tightly shut. She wanted to scream at some points as her heartbeats seemed to send out waves of fiery pain.

Very slowly she began taking rather concentrated breaths. Her eyes now focused on both her fists.

"...Life is like a... giant, crazy marathon... Everyone is going at it... Different strides... Different paths to take... You see someone struggling, you help them along even though they're competition... Oh to Hell with this analogy... Point is... Negative reinforcement is pleasantly refreshing at times... You insipid little nutless monkey... And for the record... They called on my brains, not yours, for that project... I guess that doesn't really mean crap for dick though considering, well..."

Jiseth's lips knotted as she gently clunked her legs together.

"Maybe... Maybe I think I need a friend like you... There. It's out of the closet..."

For a minute, there, Gavin wasn't sure if he was going to have to call Medical for Jiseth.  Or, barring anything else, just grab a medkit and tricorder and go to work on her himself.  Surely, basic First Aid wasn't so far out of his purview, now?  However, she seemed to make a recovery, though a part of him wished she'd just...not talk anymore.  It was starting to get a little too damn weird.

And, for his friendship with Zero?  That was saying something.

"You need a friend."  Gavin repeated the statement, although he probably should have phrased it like a question.  "Like me."  Again with the phrasing.  He ran his fingers through his hair again, suddenly and nearly-violently uncomfortable by the turn of events.  Jiseth hurling invectives at him, he could handle.  Sniping back and forth.  That had defined their relationship for so long.  Now this?  As much as Gavin hated to admit it, the Romulan had caught him flat-footed.  "And they called on your brains because I was like, a cadet in school back then," he absently said, pouring himself more springwine.  "God, how old are you, anyway?"  He looked up at her with a weak smile, showing that he didn't mean it to sting.  "Look...I know it would make Zero happier if we...uh.  Y'know.  Got along?"

[Jiseth]

There was a slight snort that accompanied her smirk. At the very least they could come to terms with how unpleasant a future it would be if peace was made between them. Not dissimilar from the worries of a century prior after Praxis popped, thus forcing the Klingons and Humans to put aside their differences in order to glare at each other and twiddle their thumbs another day.

Though in the case of Jiseth and Gavin, it was more accurately like getting the Borg and Species 8472 on amicable terms.

"It would be one less thing for her to feel stressed about... Plus, I'm trying to not be the absolute worst role model in Callion's life... Then the hormones will hit and if she was anything like me as a teenager, I may have to go on the reserve shift. You, I'm sure, have a much clearer memory of puberty since it happened for you like, what... Maybe a year ago?"

Her tongue playfully poked out briefly as she wiped the sweat off her forehead with a small napkin. It was incredibly warm in the room still to her. Like being on the cusp of the volcano's mouth rather than dunked in it.

"And by the way... I turn 28 in about 6 weeks. Halfway to being a cougar..."