Posted by Civilian Jessa Novar (Child) in Where is Vela Astria when the past doesn’t match the present of the future
Ian entered sickbay with a murderous look on his face heading directly for Kelly’s room. The only thing that stopped him from demanding his wife transfer the Orion off of the ship was passing Jessa’s room. The past two hours had been nothing but damage control. Interviews and discussions with O’Neill, the security detail, the brig officers, and Lucky McDevitt on top of bringing Rinker up to speed with the events of the observation deck had occupied every minute; however, Ian’s stomach knotted watching Jessa sit motionless on her bed with her legs limply dangling over the edge. Seeing Jessa, Ian realized his first stop should have been checking in with the kid. Taking a few steps backward, his anger was replaced by guilt. Guilt was a funny emotion. Even when something was not technically your fault, it could produce the same physiological reaction as if one was the culprit. Ian did not force Jessa to the brig. He did not force her to interact with Mardusk, yet he also did not intervene when she needed it. “Damn it Damn it,” Ian cursed knowing Kelly would have to wait to come home tonight. This suddenly generated a thought. Tapping his badge he contacted his best friend.

Ten minutes later, as the levels descended on the turbo, Christopher Robins was lost in his thoughts. His mind was locked in a debate about how he felt at the moment and how he would feel if he were in Ian’s place. The hushed voices and stray glances as Chris moved past people talking in the halls, offices, and corridors were unsettling. The medical staff said Kelly would be fine however until she was walking, talking, and slinging back drinks at the bar no one would really believe that which is why gossip tore through the decks like an uncontrolled wildfire about the fourth person in sickbay. Half the crew wanted to vilify the senior staff for not blowing the four people out of the nearest airlock. The other half vilified the senior staff for not working on negotiations. Only about ten people knew Jessa and Ian were related but this was Christopher Robin’s focus.

For Chris, the idea that Ian could have a kid he did not know about wasn’t odd. Hell Ruth existed for almost eighteen months before Chris ever knew of her and this did not make Chris a bad man or deadbeat father. It just made him a guy that one night left a puck past the goalie as Kelly called it. There was never a doubt in Chris’ mind once he found out Ruth was his that Ruth would be his. In any other situation, Chris knew Ian would not blink in becoming a fixture in Jessa’s life just like he had with Ruth; however, Ruth also didn’t try to kill Lexi or board the ship with a group of suspect people who might be trying to kill everyone.

Entering sickbay, Chris took a deep breath seeing Ian talking to Lauren by the nurse’s station. “Ian,” he called, waiting for his cobber to come to meet him. There were few secrets between the two. Ian and Chris pretty much told each other everything as much as men talked about their personal affairs; however, right now the amount of personal information coming out made Chris feel like he needed a stylus and PaDD to keep it all straight.

Abruptly ending his conversation with Lauren, Ian moved across the room. “Hey thanks for coming,” he replied knowing nothing would have kept Chris away. “Just be cool when you meet her and try to have patience,” he started to walk to Jessa’s room.

“Aww come on mate. I have a three-year-old that thinks she is sixteen,” he laughed. The laughing however stopped the second he saw Jessa Novar. Two things struck him immediately after passing the two security officers stationed at her door. The first was how strong the resemblance was between his best friend and the kid on the bed. They had the same eyes both in shape and deep greenish-blue color. Physically they also shared the same mouth shape. The second thing that stood out was how young she actually was. She looked barely out of pigtails and so innocent yet the circumstances of the past twenty-four hours spoke otherwise. So did the look she gave Chris when he approached her bed. The gaze was one of someone far older than twelve. “Hello, Jessa. I am Chris,” he introduced himself.

“Hi Chris I am Hostage four,” she shot back, never missing a beat, settling a heavy gaze on the tall, blonde officer.

Chris shot Ian a side glance realizing the stories Ian related about her sarcasm were not understated. Pushing past her quip, Chris tried to continue. “You’re” he stated but left off dad. Chris wasn’t sure not telling Jessa was a good idea. He remembered back in that hotel in California when he found out Ruth was his and there wasn’t a force in the world that would stop him from being with his kid. Still, Rinker said wait, and Chris wasn’t going to make more problems for his friend. “Friend here,”

“He is not my friend,” Jessa snapped immediately, slicing the conversation to an end laying down on the bed, and rolling over to not face the two men in the room. After the events of the observation deck, Jessa knew any attempt at using words like friend, colleague, or associate were false. Everyone on this ship was just her enemy. “What does the love and wisdom of a friend give one? Friends do not lift one up but keep them stagnant in their pursuit of enlightenment. Be indomitable of their sweet platitudes. Scrutinize every word they offer. Instead, embrace your enemy for they see your true potential and force you to live up to it.”

Chris had thought Ian might have been exaggerating last night when he passed out on the couch but maybe his friend was actually being too gentle with the bible revival view of Jessa Novar. Avoiding a debate, Chris restarted the conversation. “Okay then my friend Ian then asked me ta come help ya find yah way home,” Chris said in a firm but soft tone giving his best friend a side glance. There was more than one way to reach a person.

“For what purpose? To find our homeworld and destroy it?” Jessa instantly was on the defensive. Her body was rigid as she stared at the wall and not the two men in the room. “Because you never will and I will die before I let you.” She silently cursed Evrilla and her promise of confidentiality like she had Rinker on the observation deck. Every time she tried to open up, even a little, these people used it against her.

Ian sighed deeply and moved from the entrance of her room to the edge of Jessa’s bed. “No, because I believe someone somewhere is looking for you and worried sick .” Ian felt all his diplomatic skills evaporating as fast as a breath on a winter’s day. Rinker had told Ian not to push, but also to try and build some repertoire with Jessa. Ian thought this would be a step, yet Jessa appeared to want nothing to do with him.

“Don’t pretend you give two trifing bishwags about what I need. Ever,” Jessa snapped, rolling over to lock eyes with Ian. It was clear she blamed Ian for everything that had happened that day and was not ready to talk it out.

Chris knew his friend well enough to see another disaster looming on the horizon. “Hey mate,” Chris cut his friend off, stepping between them. “Why don’t you go get Hostage number four here a coke and me a cuppa huh,” he winked at Jessa with a half-grin as he clapped Ian on the back. Ian looked at Chris and then Jessa before standing up and walking out.

Turning his attention back to Jessa, Chris decided to have a chat with the little ankle biter. “Okay, ankle biter ya ‘n I need ta come ta an understandin’. That bloke,” Chris hooked a thumb back in Ian’s direction, “is my best cobber ‘n he is tryin’ his best right now so no mah piss fahrtin’ ahround. Ya give him a fair go. Ya heahr me.” Chris was not angry or aggressive in his statement but he also left little room for interpretation. Rinker was right when he told Ian all kids need the rules and consequences upfront. It was about time for Jessa to be told this also. Seeing her nod, Chris held out his hand to hold her to her agreement.

Jessa shook it albeit unenthusiastically. “So he is your life partner,” Jessa asked, interested to find out more about Ian Bordeaux and trying to make some small conversation. Oddly enough for all her rhetoric on social topics, she did not give the impression that Chris and Ian being a couple was a negative thing. Her tone and manner indicated she was more curious on the why did you pick him over any objection to it.

Her comment threw Chris into a bout of laughter. “Life pahrtners?” Leaning in slightly “Well my misses says that sometimes but no. Ian ‘n I go way back. We weah school buddies. He is my best mate though ‘n he asked me ta come down heahr ‘n help ya.”

Chris Robins Stellar Cartography