Maybe you Can go home again

[Guest STSF Jcin]

Maybe you CAN go back home again

 

Pt. 1

 

J’cin/Briana

 

 

 

The doors to the shuttle bay whisked open as J’cin strode into them, his boots ringing on the floor of the bay. The two or three crewman there snapped to attention, recognizing him even though he had changed from his uniform into a loose fitting green shirt and black pants. He nodded casually to them, and walked over to the open shuttle, peering inside briefly to ensure that everything was there, then tossed his shoulder bag in with the rest of it.

 

Briana entered the bay shortly thereafter, wearing clothes that had turned more than a few heads on the ship. It wasn't that she was dressed provocatively, or even seductively. Its just that very few people alive had ever seen stone-washed blue jeans or the light button-up “Old Navy” shirt she wore. Not to mention the sneakers. J’cin on the other hand, liked what he saw. He always loved the way those old jeans had fit women…

 

‘Better derail that train of though quick, Kris.’ He thought to himself, then walked over to help her with the 2 large duffle bags she carried.

 

“That’s the farthest out of uniform I’ve see you in awhile, Bri.” He said, grinning.

 

She nodded and smiled slightly, “Yeah… I’ve never found my uniform to be the best thing to travel in… besides, I don’t think this outfit has seen the light of day in centuries. Literally.”

 

J’cin laughed and carefully set her bags into the cargo part of the shuttlecraft. “Yup. That style went our sometime around the Eugenics wars.” He shrugged, “It looks nice.” He called as he entered the cockpit of the shuttle.

 

“Thanks,” she replied, following him in. “I didn’t think I’d be returning to Earth anytime soon, to be honest with you.” She said, and sighed deeply.

 

“I understand. I really should get back more than I do, but that’s about to become quite difficult, so I need to prepare the staff for my extended absence.” He tapped a panel on the console, and the shuttle door closed behind them. Another tap and the shuttle powered to life. “That and I need to pick up some more crates of wine. I seem to be running low, and the replicators can’t make a decent Merlot no matter how many times I reprogram them.”

 

Briana for her part signaled that they were ready for departure at her station, then tilted her head, as she contemplated the face that he still has a ‘staff,’ but let it go. Instead she replied “More wine? At least I know you have your priorities straight.”

 

J’cin tapped some more keys when he saw clearance from the ship was granted, and lifted the shuttle in the air and took it through the field that kept the shuttle bay safe from the vacuum of space beyond. “Well, you know me.”

 

She smiled at him, and settled back to enjoy the view. The trip, she knew, would be very short, and she was enjoying seeing earth again, despite her earlier statement to the contrary.

 

They spent the next few minutes in companionable silence as they approached the continent of Europe. Then J’cin, struck by an off bit of nostalgia, piped up with “Ladies and gentlemen, we are on our final approach to Gascony. Please place your seats and tray tables in their upright and locked positions. Local time is 1321 hours, and the temperature is a pleasant 76 degrees with a light wind out of the northeast. To your right you will see the famous Eiffel tower at a distance of… oh…” a dangerously close flyby, leaving a couple of tourists abit breathless, “about 3 and a half meters.”

 

Briana was giggling at this point, feeling better than she had in awhile. “Oh god, it’s been a long time since I heard that speech.” She looked out at the rolling hillside as they swept past Paris and towards the Gascon province, “You know, as much as Earth has changed, some of the best parts are still intact.”

 

“I know what you mean… I never get tired of seeing those hills.” A console blinked at him, and a red light on a distant tower came into view. Ah… here we are. Care for a look from the air?”

 

Briana nodded, and J’cin took the shuttle up to let her see the sprawling vineyards he still kept. Rows and rows of grapevines stretched acres into the distance, dotted with small shacks where the harvest could be monitored by the fieldworkers. A few large barns came into view where she knew the grapes underwent their pressing and fermenting. Much like it was done when this was her home. Then she saw a small shuttle port, with a few small pods parked nearby, and followed an enclosed walkway up to the manor house.

 

It looked exactly as she remembered which took her by surprise. The large home still looked imposing and regal, even with a few modern additions here and there. If you overlooked those, you could almost feel as if you had stepped back in time to ancient France. This wasn’t, as she would later learn, too far from the truth.

 

As she saw several workers look up and wave at the craft, she couldn’t contain herself anymore. “Kris... You’ve outdone yourself. I don’t know how you were able to replicate everything so perfectly, even the designs on the doors... It’s amazing!”

 

J’cin just winced slightly. He should tell her that this was no replica, but again had a feeling if he were to do so, it could be very bad for him. “Yeah... It’s something alright.”

 

“The crops look wonderful too,” she continues, looking at the vines as J’cin landed the shuttle. “you should be proud.”

 

“Well, I’ve had a lot of help, including a quite indispensable valet… who likely will be very interested in meeting you.”

 

She ignored the cryptic end to that statement, and stood as the shuttle docked completely and powered down, the rear door opening to admit them into the French sunlight.

 

“The staff will take care of our belongings. Care to come inside?”

 

“I’d love to.”

 

“Good.” He smiled warmly at her, stretched in the sun a moment, and then called out to a young man standing nearby. “Jean-Claude! Get over here you lout!” His grin took the sting from his words, letting Briana know he was teasing.

 

“Master J’cin!” The young man cried “It is good to see you again, milord!”

 

“It’s good to be home. Have you told… everyone…that we had arrived?”

 

“Yes, sir, as you requested.”

 

“Good man. Now get the lady’s bags.”

 

“Yes, milord!” he said excitedly, and turned to Briana, who had been watching the exchange with amusement clear on her face. “Welcome to you as well, milady” he said, bowing to her.

 

Assuming it was some sort of charade, she curtsied slightly in return, smiling to him, as he entered the shuttle to get the first of their things. J’cin meantime gestured for her to follow, and she looked around in wonder.

 

“My lord?” She asked, with an eyebrow raised.

 

“There are some who thing that we have a caste system here, and in truth there is abit of rank involved, but it is never abused. They are here of their own will, and many are descended from the ones that served us back in the 18th century. There is a long standing tradition of nobility that is passed down to the workers, and since the conditions are even better than on some federation colonies, the regional governments look the other way at a few throwbacks to ancient feudalism.”

 

Briana nodded in understanding as the pair strode towards the large oak doors to the manor, “Who could blame them. I’m sure most could even easily be fooled into thinking that this is the original building. Its amazing! And the vineyards… you’ve done great things here, Kris. You should be proud.”

 

J’cin didn’t acknowledge her statement, instead strode through the doors that had opened to admit him (one of a few modern additions to the old manor), and called out in ancient French: “The master of the house returns!”

Briana felt a wave of memory hit her. She could almost hear their old valet calling his traditional response of

 

“And the house welcomes its master!”

 

… Wait a moment...

 

She whirled to her left at the voice coming from the common room as the voice continued “…and you are well met as well, miss…..”

 

The voice, so familiar to her, belonged to a regal looking older man named Marc Ramsley (though he answered only to Ramsley), with close cropped grey hair and wearing the traditional garb of a French valet. He regarded Briana with the same surprise that she looked at him with. J’cin just smirked.

 

“Miss Marie?” Ramsley asked, after a moment. “is that you?”

 

“Ramsley... My god it can’t be!” She dropped all pretenses and ran to him like the maiden she had played centuries before to sweep him up into a hug.

 

“You are looking well miss… and quite… not dead, at all.”

 

She laughed, and pulled back, regarding him fondly. “The same can be said of you, old man.”

 

“Master J’cin…” Ramsley said, looking quite serious though his eyes twinkled. “It had been so long since you had last given me a heart attack I had assumed you were done surprising me. I can see I was wrong.” J’cin had the decency to look abashed at that statement, but the older man looked back to Briana before J’cin could retort. “Welcome home, miss. This house has no doubt missed you. I assume, then, that you are as Master J’cin is?”

 

It took Briana a moment to decode that statement, but then nodded. “Yes, I am. I was when I was first here, in face, and am far older than that child back there who didn’t have the decency to tell either of us that the other was still alive after all these centuries. And you…”

 

“Are El Aurian.” J’cin finished for her. “Took me by no bit of surprise I can tell you.”

 

Briana pretended not to hear the rest, and just smirked. “That would explain why I didn’t sense you as one of us.”

 

“I’m sure Master J’cin had his reasons for not telling us.” Ramsley admonished, his eyes still twinkling.

 

“You mean other than that he is an oaf?” Briana asked,

 

“HEY!”

 

“Yes, miss. Other than the obvious.”

 

“I’M RIGHT HERE!!!”

 

Briana laughed. “Come now Kristophe… you deserve every word of it.”

 

J’cin shrugged. I suppose so. But I’m sure Ramsley is right. This house has missed you.” He paused, and noted a young woman with a PADD in her hand seeking his attention. Duty called. “Ramsley, if you could show her to her room… though I’m sure she remembers the way. No doubt several of the overseers all have reports to make to me.”

 

Ramsley bowed to his master, and motioned for Briana to follow him, as she looked around at the artwork and architecture… everything exactly as she remembered. “Its amazing how well it was all replicated,” she commented as she and Ramsley went up one of the large staircases, her feet finding the way almost unconsciously, “Down to the last detail.”

 

“Replicated, miss?” The old man replied curiously, “This house has stood as it is for nearly one thousand years, when Master J’cin’s ancestors built it. We’ve spruced it up abit.. Added some modern conveniences, but nothing has changed that much. We were even spared the fires and discord of revolution. The servants were both quite loyal to Master J’cin, and quite well armed with musket and rapier. Few of the revolutionaries touched the home.”

 

“I… I had no idea” Briana said, confused.

 

“I can't say I'm that surprised, Miss. Master J’cin can be rather quiet regarding his… rather extensive family holdings. Private ownership of land is frowned upon, but the combination of the wines he produces and the ancient claim he has convinced the federation to look the other way, and have made this something of a historical monument. No doubt it will be standing for several more centuries to come.”

 

Briana just nodded slowly.

 

“You will find your room just as you left it, milady. It has been well cared for under our master’s orders. Not a speck of dust anywhere… though I would advise against eating the bread and cheese you had left on your table next to the bed.” His smile let Briana know he was just teasing her.

 

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips though she doesn’t let it show. “And… my books. Are they all still intact?”

 

“Of course they are, milady. Though some of the more ratty ones may be abit brittle, the rest are well preserved and are on the same shelf you kept them on. The staff will be bringing your belongings there if you would like to unpack and rest. No doubt Master J’cin will be busy for several hours catching up on business.”

 

Throughout his speech, Briana had seemed to stiffen, and her response was abit colder. “I see. Thank you Ramsley that will be all.”

 

Ramsley knew a dismissal when he heard one, and that was as abrupt as he had ever heard her. But he didn’t speak about it. It wasn’t his place. “It is very good to see you again, miss.”

 

Abit of warmth showed in Briana’s face as she responded, “It’s good to see you as well, Ramsley.”

 

“I will summon you for dinner; meanwhile I must rejoin the Master.”

 

“Of course.”

 

He bowed to her, turned on his heel and departed, turning back just once to give her a worried glance as she entered her room. He stopped one of the maids from following her, telling the girl to give her some time, and then headed down to find J’cin.

 

Briana entered the room, and sighed seeing her home, exactly the way it was left before she and the boys rushed to the house in paris before their arrest that fateful day. She crossed the room and picked up one of her journals, the one with the guilded pages and golden fleur de lis on the cover, the one that J’cin had given her. Tears of relief and joy mixed with angry tears as they streaked down her face.

 

Ramsley stormed into the room where his master was discussing the crop with his overseers, and thumped the man soundly on the back of his head.

 

“You, sir, are an idiot.”

 

J’cin turned to him, looked up to the direction of the room he knew Briana now occupied, and sighed deeply. “Yes, Ramsley. I know.”

 

 

 

END PART 1