Posted by Lieutenant Alexis Bonner (Assistant Chief Medical Officer) in side - sim: Social Experimentation at its Finest (Tag Kane)

Posted by Lieutenant Dr. Solomon Kane (Chief Science Officer/Research & Development) in side - sim: Social Experimentation at its Finest (Tag Kane)

Posted by Lieutenant Alexis Bonner (Assistant Chief Medical Officer) in side - sim: Social Experimentation at its Finest (Tag Kane)
Posted by… suppressed (18) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Anthony Bonner entered his home in the suburb of San Francisco and put his PaDD down. He inhaled deeply of the fresh baked aroma the permeated the house. Alisson was baking. That wasn’t all that strange, that was her profession after all, but for the scents to be so strong that meant she had been home all day. It was the sweet with a tinge of bitter aroma of white chocolate chip and cranberry cookies that told him she was missing their only child. They were Alexis’ favorite treat and Alisson baked them in mass when she was missing Alexis.

The kitchen was covered in breads, cakes, loaves, cookies, pies of all kinds covered every conceivable inch of their kitchen and dinning room, and Alisson was pulling two sheets of cookies out of the oven. He waited until she put the scorching hot pans down and closed the oven before walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her and gently kissing her neck.

Alisson let out a little sigh. “I miss her. I haven’t seen her since she graduated Anthony.” He squeezed a little. “You know how she is. And we knew when she graduated it would be on us to make sure we saw her.” Alisson pulled away from him and started moving the cookies to a cooling rack and muttered a sad, “I know.”

“Go pack your bag.” Alisson looked over her shoulder at him. “What? Pack a bag for what?” Anthony stared at her a moment and then grinned. “A bag we’re going on a trip. I’ve arranged it, gotten all the permissions, and we’re going to go see Alexis on the Ogawa.” Half the cookies fell on the floor because Alisson bumped the rack in her haste to hug her husband and go back her bag. Anthony chuckled and plucked a muffin off the counter and slowly made his way to the garage to grab their luggage.

---

Two weeks later the small transport ship pulled up along side the Ogawa and the aging science officer and his wife beamed aboard. Alexis was not there to greet them because Anthony had not bothered to tell her they were coming. He figured that was best. Alexis would get so distracted in her work she would forget the day or the time or just be busy. Besides it was nice to surprise her. They were oriented to GALEN and then shown to their guest quarters. Alisson planned to cook, and her husband had plenty of replicator credits built up. They never used them. While she got settled, Anthony went looking for the main science labs. They were staying for a couple weeks, and like his daughter, Cmdr Bonner did not like to be idle, and thought he could at least help as a lab assistant while they were on board.

Anthony entered the science labs and glanced around the lab for the CSO’s office. He found it, door open, but lights off. There was a single individual working in the lab. Anthony made his way over to ask if they knew where the CSO was.

Anthony Bonner

The individual in question was seated at a work bench and was soldering something by hand. They were dressed in tattered and stained blue jeans and a bright red shirt with black letters on the back that said ‘I’ve got enough to do today without having to make your death look like an accident.’ Long, unkept hair fell down both sides of the person’s face, and before the elder Bonner could say a word, a voice that seemed to be more of a predatory growl than a voice said “Read the shirt. Take the hint. Leave. Me. Alone.” without the face even looking up.

Kane, CSO / R&D

Anthony paused, pursed his lips for a moment, “Alright.” And then proceeded to walk the long way around the bench simply out of curiosity and came to a stop behind the man, by several feet. Anthony had been a scientist too long to not know to stay well back of work he didn’t have a part of. He read the shirt and began to laugh. “Alright then. Do me a favor though. Use something unique.” He turned toward the door still laughing. He’d have to see if he could find the CSO another time. Alexis on the other hand would not find it funny at all if her father knew how ‘unique’ and accident she and Solomon could come up with, without really trying.

Anthony Bonner

Kane finished the soldering and sat up straight and looked at his work. “You got it. Mastrakian ice beetles. They’ll devour you alive in under a minute and then go into a hibernation state while they digest. Takes about an hour. Right before they start moving, I’ll feed them to a Brezid gecko. That way the beetles eat and digest you, and the gecko digests them. No physical evidence left of your demise. And I don’t have any more random people walking around the lab when I’m supposed to be working.” Kane said, still looking closely at his handy work.

Kane, CSO / R&D

Anthony nodded with a grin, that was certainly original. “Much obliged.” That was the kind of problem his daughter would love to tinker with, try and figure out how ‘solve the murder.’ Anything that would fed her brain. His presence might irritate the man. In fact he seem to be working better for the irritation and chance to be snarky. As if he enjoyed being overly sarcastic and rude. “I have never seen a monophasic beam emitter used quite that way. Is that a light-based communication system?” He was genuinely curious and not just from a ‘random person’s point of view.

Anthony Bonner

Kane sighed slightly and said “Could be. Could be a new phaser emitter, too. Maybe a next gen holo projector. Or…” and Kane picked up the palm sized device, strapped it to the back of his hand, velcro-ed the emitter to the tip of his finger and pointed it at a glass of dark tan liquid. A blue-white beam shot Outland struck the glass, and immediately ice crystals formed all around the glass.

“Or it could be I’m just too lazy to go the replicator around for ice cubes.” and he lifted the glass and took a drink.

Kane, CSO / R&D

Anthony watched his face passive. “You know after the way you plan to get rid of me, and the way you’re playing at being Tony Stark, I was expecting something more than just a toy.”

Anthony Bonner

Kane sipped his iced coffee and shrugged. “Toy… ok. Sure.” and he took a drink and finally turned and locked his typical glare at the stranger in the lab through his cascade of hair over his face. “Or, and of course this is complete conjecture on my part, it could be a subthermal cauterization tool for surgical patients whose physiologies are more attenuated to cold than heat.” Kane’s tone took on a sarcastic edge he reserved for those who had irritated him, and he spoke like he would to an annoying child. “You see- Andorians, Lurians, Roylans, dozens more… all physiologically adapted to cold. SO… for those playing at home… when you use heat to cauterize vessels in those species during surgery, you increase their chances of infection post-op by almost five hundred percent. And thats bad… okay? But if we use cold, then guess what? Thats right! Lower risk of infection and less trauma to surrounding tissue! Yay for thermal dynamics!” and he turned back around and picked up a small tool and began tinkering with the device. “And I don’t get paid enough to be Tony Stark… so bite me, old man.”

Kane, CSO / R&D

Anthony stood there a moment contemplating. That was very innovative. He wasn’t a doctor, he was an ecologist. But he’d helped Alexis study. He’d have to ask her about it. But he’d also been teaching a long time. “Well good for you junior. Keep up the good work. Have fun tinkering. I came to visit my daughter so I best go find her. She’s gone crazy over some boy, so,” he clapped his hand and rubbed them together, “I get to be dad and embarrass her. See ya round Stark.”

Anthony Bonner

“I can’t even begin to tell how much I really don’t care.” Kane growled and pointed at the door with his unencumbered hand.

Kane, CSO / R&D

The der man grinned and chuckled as he left the lab. On a whim he decided to take things into his own hands and see if he could track down one Solomon Kane that worked with his daughter in the R&D lab and introduce himself. He found the lab easily enough.

---

Alexis was coming around the corner with Frigga. Taking her home. Alexis was done with work early and they were headed home.

“I’m telling you Alisson, he’s probably a civilian contractor. Why Star Fleet uses folks like that I dunno. He must be really sharp or something. No way he’d make it through the Academy.” Alexis paused, Alison? Was that…no it could not be.

“I wonder how Alexis deals with someone like that? It can’t be good for her. You know how she hates chaos and loud, domineering personalities.” Her mother, HER MOTHER! commented.

“Mom?” Alexis shook off her surprise and hurried over to throw herself into a hug that seemed to bring her back a decade to when she was little. “Daddy?” Anthony chuckled and hugged her right. “Surprise!”

That was an understatement. Her parents were standing outside her quarters. The ones she never moved in to. The ones assigned to her as AMO. She paused taking it in. What were they doing here? After everything that had just happened? Why? Why now? “Umm..this way.” She led them back toward her quarters, her mom perplexed. “Aren’t those your quarters?”

“They are but I don’t live there.” Frigga bounded to the door and it slid open. The quarters were spacious and neat, everything in its place. A stack of PaDDs in the work area, Frigga’s things, and a single sketch tacked to the wall by the bedroom door. “Frigga!” Frigga was always happy to meet new people, and her mom had baked dog biscuits for her. Alexis went to change out of her uniform but could hear her parents continuing to talk.

Her father chuckled, “I’m sure the CSO keeps a wide distance between the two of them. No way Alexis could work with that, everything scattered everywhere and the constant sarcasm.” Anthony wondered aloud to his wife, “I have no idea how a Chief Science Officer could deal with an attitude like that, though. Smart? Absolutely. But that attitude would drive me insane if I had to manage it daily.”

They were quiet a moment except for the sound of them making friends with Frigga or as her mom put it ‘her grand-dog.’ Anthony started to speak again, “I tried to go by the R&D lab but it was locked up tight so guess we’ll have to wait to meet this guy.”

Alexis walked back in just as he said that and asked in disbelief, “What are you doing?!”

Her dad laughed, “Alexis, baby, you’d start telling us all about your latest projects and forget you have a boyfriend. I had to take care of it myself.”

They left shortly after, insisting Alexis join them for dinner and to bring Solomon with her. When Solomon got off duty she was sitting on the couch, sans PaDD absently petting Frigga looking stunned.

Bonner

Kane looked at Alexis as he entered, dressed in his off-duty-but-working shirt, and scowled with concern. “Hey, doll… you ok?” Frigga bounded towards him and nudged him to move closer to Alexis. Kane acquiesced and sat down next to her. “Talk to me. Whats on your brain, hun?”

Kane

Alexis opened her mouth and then closed it, trying to piece together what was going on. No she knew what was going on, but why? Oh no....her father had gone to the R and D lab…to find Solomon. Her call ..the one…the one they made sure Soulis would find. Her dad had laughed and said she had discovered boys. She combed a hand through her hair knocking a stylus loose and her hair falling. “Uhmm…my parents are here…on Ogawa.” She was tempted to start laughing it was crazy. “You met my dad earlier. He doesn’t know that though.”

Bonner

“I did?” Kane asked confusedly. “Oh wait… is he kind of an older guy, kinda straight-laced, little too quick to judge and likes twentieth century Earth pop culture?”

Alexis would not consider her father straight-laced or too quick to judge. From Solomon ‘s point of view he probably did appear straight laced. “That was him.” She would not consider him quick to judge though.

“Yeah, he came in the Science lab when I was finishing up my cauterizer. He called it a ‘toy’, so… well, you can guess it from there.” Kane said.

“He called that thing a toy?” She was sure that went over well, “Oh…” This was so…this was awkward and weird and she was seriously considering going back to the lab to work. “He said it was great fun annoying you.” No…no no no. Life was so chaotic and unbalanced since she met Solomon. Her father was messing with her…her what? Boyfriend? No that just sounded wrong, and then there was that ring…ugh! Medicine, science, that was uncomplicated and easy.

Frigga whined and shoved her head onto Alexis’ lap. “He didn’t realize you were you. He went to the R&D lab later.” Why was she telling him this? Because she told him everything.

“So why are they here?” he asked.

Kane

“My mother missed me. That’s what they said when I asked. I....I am really happy to see them, but after…everything else that’s happened… it’s strange to see them here.” She was scared for them or worried. It didn’t make sense that she was and Alexis didn’t like things that didn’t make sense.

“Nice of them to call ahead.” Kane said sarcastically, but with genuine amusement.

Dinner…Oh she wanted to go. She meant it when she told her parents she wanted them to meet him, and she wanted him to meet them. But her dad was acting all crazy sneaking around the ship into the labs, trying to find Solomon. He was being a typical dad, something Alexis had never really seen her dad do. “They want me to come to dinner and bring you.”

Bonner

“Cool. Let’s do it.” Solomon said and kissed her cheek. He took her hand in his and lifted her chin gently so she looked straight at him. “Hey… this is a good thing, ok? They traveled… what?… couple of weeks, probably, to get here? And your dad would have had to pull some strings and call in a favor or six just get permission to come. So that means they really want to see you. They miss you. And I know you miss them. And at some point, all of us meeting would have inevitable anyway, right? So… here we are.” As he held her hand, his fingers went to her wrist. Her pulse was fast. Kane smiled and said “Lex… take a breath. They are fine being here. The ship isn’t anywhere thats dangerous right now, and there isn’t anything going on. Statistically, they are safer here then they are at their house. So try and breathe, relax just a bit, and give Frigga some pets. She’s worried about you. I, on the other hand, will be right back.” He kissed her cheek again and then stood up and went and picked up one of the myriad PaDDs lying around. He thought for a moment and then grinned and started typing while speaking the words out loud.

She knew it was inevitable and she was happy and excited to see them, she just was…stunned. She did breathe and her free hand went to Frigga’s head, scratching behind the ears. Solomon was right, of course, he always was. Her parents weren’t going to get hurt here, everything was over. Frigga jumped into the couch and across her lap. “You have to choose Frigga, steak or biscuits?”

=/\= Commander and Mrs. Bonner,

On behalf of the entire Science and Research and Development section, I would like to welcome you aboard the Ogawa. I apologize for not meeting both of you upon your arrival, but I understand that this visit was a surprise for Alexis. Ahe has informed me that you would like to meet us for dinner this evening. I have shuffled my schedule around to accommodate for this, as I am very keen indeed on meeting the parents of such an amazing woman and officer. I look forward to meeting you both.

Sincerely,

Lieutenant Solomon Kane, Chief Science Officer /Director of Research and Development =/\=

Alexis stared at him a bit open mouthed and then began to laugh quietly. “Good thing I didn’t inform him the brilliant but arrogant contractor he met was you.” Alexis was very much feeling like a teenager that was bringing her first crush home. She didn’t know that’s how she felt but she was happy and nervous and dreading it all at once.

He hit send and smiled at Lex. “There, that sounded just pompous and stick-up-the-ass professional, I think. Now… how about you and I take a shower and then get ready for dinner?” and he winked at her.

Kane

Alexis flushed pink when he winked at her, but it has the effect of turning her attention and making her relax a bit. She pushed Frigga off her lap, and the dog whined. “It’s okay Frigga, they just surprised me.” She snagged a toy off the floor and wrestled the dog a moment for it and then threw it across the room and Frigga bounded after it. Alexis stood up and walked over to him. She paused for just a moment before she kissed him, and then ducked into the bathroom.

Bonner

---

After ensuring that each of them was veryclean for the upcoming meal, Kane was tying his boots. He was dressed up… at least for him. The jeans were clean and had no holes in them. The t-shirt was likewise new-ish and had an odd cartoon-like picture of an armored figure, wholly encased in red and gold metal with some kind of emitter in his palm glowing bright blue. And he appeared to be flying. His hair was tied back, exposing the shaved side of his head. The tattoos on his neck were quite visible.

Kane looked at Alexis and smiled. “You know, I must really love you. Because I hate dressing up.”

Kane

Alexis had braided her hair and it hung down the length of her spine. She was wearing tapered jeans and a soft cotton shirt that almost fell off one shoulder. She slipped into her shoes and grinned up at him, but shook her head. “I know you do.” She kissed him, her mind searching for words to express how she felt. “You don’t need to dress up. Don’t..don’t be anything but you.” She sighed, Solomon wasn’t going to be anything but himself, not for anyone. She wondered if this was one of those things her dad said had to be understood with her heart and not her head because she was having trouble expressing herself. “I love you the way you are.”

Frigga whined as they left, “Come on, you too.” Alexis patted her leg and they left.

Anthony read the letter and raised a brow.

“What a nice young man.” Alison said reading over his shoulder. Of course her daughter was amazing and brilliant. Anthony grunted, “Sounds more like someone stuck up trying to suck up.” Alison laughed,”You are just cynical because of all those cadets you deal with all the time.”

Bonner

They arrived at the door and Kane looked at Alexis. “Ready?” he asked with a grin and pressed the chime.

Kane

Alexis grinned, “Yeah, are you?” She really didn’t know what to expect from her parents as far as her relationship with Solomon. She was just about over the shock of them being there, she thought. She was still surprised and wasn’t sure why they didn’t tell her they were coming, but they were here. She had missed them, and when the door slid open, the smell of....cookies wafted into the corridor. “I did mention my mother loves to bake, right?” Like Alexis loved to experiement.

Frigga bounded into the room, and Alexis started to call her back. Instead she let her go as Frigga sniffed and exlopred the whole space. Her mother was near the replicator and if Solomon thought Alexis made a mess when she cooked, her mother made it look like a volcano erupted. Her father on the other hand had stood up and walked toward them to pause as they stepped inside and the door closed. With a barely contined smirk, “You know my daughter is going to be really upset if you let Mastrakian ice Beetles devour my remains and then let them in turn get eaten by a Brezid gecko.”

“Best part of the plan… she’d never know, now would she?” Kane said with a somewhat forced grin.

Alexis looked over and up at Solomon. And in those tiny ear buds they always wore he would hear a muttered, “Mastrakian ice beetles??” Alisson paused what she was doing and glanced over at her husband, “Anthony what you going on about now.” Then stopped turned fully as her brain tried to make sense of the chaos standing by the door.

Bonner

“Tell ya later.” Kane subvocalized and then he looked her father dead in the eyes. “Kane. Chief Science Officer. How ya doin’?” and he held out his hand to Anthony. “Other than trying to break into my R&D space, that is.” and this time the crooked grin was mostly genuine.

Kane