A Pale Green Light
Posted on Wed Sep 5th, 2018 @ 3:43pm by Lieutenant Commander Vaebn tr'Hwersuil
Edited on on Thu Sep 6th, 2018 @ 5:32am
1,541 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Episode 4 - The Sum of Our Parts
Location: RRW Insight - location *classified*
Timeline: MD001 0830 hrs
May 28 2394 0830 hrs (relative time)
A pale green light emanated from the edged ceiling surrounding the room. It was faint, just enough to outline the shapes of the furniture. His eyes were out of focus; his head was pounding and he felt nauseous. The feeling passed with a flooding of images through his mind, new and strange yet familiar. His heart began to quicken and his temples throbbed; something was very wrong.
He sat upright in the bed, throwing the covers back and breathing rapidly. He began to slow himself; yes, breath, he whispered to himself, just a nightmare, and like all of them, it would pass. Images of what were, and what could have been merged together and filtered away into the blackness of his quarters. “Lights”, he spoke softly in Romulan. As his eyes cleared and adjusted, the pale blue-green lights slowly dimmed up to illuminate the room. Something felt… off. He scanned the room through tired eyes; nothing seemed amiss as far as he could tell, until he heard something in the adjoining room. As he stood from the bed, a figure entered the room.
“Awake? Was it another nightmare?” said a soft female voice as she stepped into the light. She was short, scarcely 5 feet tall, short black hair ruffled from sleep, and a figure that cast a generous shadow in more than one place. She was unknown, yet so familiar; he knew her, yet was unsure from where. She stepped further into the light and he saw her face. Instantly memories flooded his mind; images that carried emotions on both extremes, parallel to what he thought he knew, and yet dominating his will to remember which was true.
“The same one, yet different somehow.” He spoke softly as he crossed the room. “As if I were living another life. Familiar yet, not.” She stepped into his stride and embraced him, looking up from his chest, “Could it have been so bad?” she asked, “What demons could still exist in that mind and soul of yours?” “Apparently quite a few.” His mind was still somewhat hazy, he knew where he was, and he knew who he was, but he couldn’t help feel, out of place. “I guess some things are just to scarring to forget entirely.” “And hopefully some things are too wonderful to ever forget” she replied with a longing look. “Come back to bed my love, let the day wait a little longer.”
He wanted to, and a second quick glance as she sashayed to the bed almost broke his resolve. He groaned internally, “If only I could my love, but you know I have work to do.” She looked at him with eyes like flint, “I know. But even the Commander deserves a day off, especially when his Doctor prescribes some rest.” He laughed for a moment, “Somehow I doubt that request would be followed if I stayed in. But I promise to take the night off.” “You better,” she said, “Doctor’s orders.” “Yes Ma’am,” he replied with wink and headed to the shower. After cleaning, and waking up, Vaebn stepped to the replicator, “coffee black, hot, thermal mug,” he said out of habit. The replicator stirred for a moment before his beverage arrived, “I still don’t know how you enjoy that Terran drink,” stated the musical voice from the bed. “It is an acquired taste, and always helps wake me up; even from the most restless nights.” She giggled at that, “Come see me in the med bay later. Now go, so I can get my rest before tonight.” He sighed as he took his drink and headed out the door.
The corridors were, lighter, than he remembered, but this was a much newer vessel than he had ever served on. He knew the layout instinctively, and made his way to the bridge, taking in all the sights as he walked. He nodded to a few passing crewmen and officers as they saluted his approach; he remembered faintly, the passing glances and reactions on the Starfleet vessel when visited during the Dominion war. Was it from a visit? He seemed to remember wearing a different uniform though; a Starfleet uniform. He shook his head, as if to clear the cobwebs, and the image vanished, just in time for the doors to the bridge to open.
The same green light emanated from the alcoves surrounding the ceiling of the room, all stations manned in silence, information passing across various monitors quickly being logged as it passed through the various departments elsewhere in the ship. A centurion standing near the door saluted as Vaebn entered the bridge, and the salute was returned as he passed by. He made his way past the stations, giving a nod here and there, pausing once or twice to get a better view of something that piqued his interest, before stopping at the chair in the center of the room. Multiple command consoles sprouted from the armrests, giving him insight and direct access to the data flows, just like he had requested when he took command of the RRW Insight.
A young centurion approached holding a data slate, “Sir, here is the morning reports. We are still on course to rendezvous with the envoy shuttle near Starfleet’s Deep Space 9, and maintaining our current surveillance of the surrounding area. We are tracking a lone Starfleet vessel in the area, but they have not made any course corrections that would indicate that they have noticed us. Our cloak is holding, and long range sensors are operating in silent/passive for the duration of our trip.” “Very good Centurion. Thank you, you may resume your duties.” He scrolled through the data slate, picking out what he would reassign for further investigation when memories flooded his mind again.
Images and events intertwined, things from his past and present all merging and separating. The Dominion War; the late entrance of the Romulan Empire due to the efforts of a faction in the Federation to trick the Empire, combined with the Tal Shiar infiltration efforts. The Dominion was stopped but they retained a foothold in the quadrant on Cardassia and surrounding systems, and the new Romulan Republic held an Embassy at DS9, after the (then) Empire gained a large territory in the aftermath. An uneasy truce with the Federation existed, especially after their assistance evacuating Romulus and its satellites preceding the destruction of Hobus.
That event was inevitable, and pushed the newly reborn Republic, after the civil insurrection led by Praetor Shinzon had been put down by the military and Starfleet intervention, to its limits; Vaebn had played an instrumental part in that event, and earned him a promotion and multiple honors from the Senate and Military High Command. Then another flash and he was back in the present, a chime was active on his console, and the comms officer was speaking to him. “Apologies, I was lost in thought. What do you have?” “Priority message from the embassy. Requesting secure line, your eyes only.” “Understood. I’ll take it in my office.” Vaebn stood and walked to the back of the bridge and coded into the secure room that doubled as his office and SCIF and unlocked the console to receive.
“Commander, it’s good to see you again,” came the pleasantly familiar voice. “Ambassador Vrina. It’s good to see you as well.” Vaebn said. “How is my niece adapting to living on that ugly station out there?” “She is doing well, and has a better appreciation for the architecture than your plebeian eyes,” she responded with a laugh. “However, this must be more about business than family. Our shuttle has been laid up for repairs due to some, unforeseeable issues. Starfleet has the issue well in hand, however, our envoy has urgent information that must be passed on to the Senate, and we have been required to rely on different means for their travel. You will need to rendezvous with the Federation vessel Pioneer, which should be on station near your location. Meet with them, and collect our agent, then make all speed to the Republic flotilla near the new homeworld.”
“Are we sure that this information is safe aboard a Federation starship?” Vaebn asked with an arched eyebrow. “Our agent is one of my best, and their loyalty and skill is unquestionable. I have no doubt regarding their ability,” she replied. “I understand Ambassador. I shall make the necessary arrangements, and prepare for their arrival.” “And please brother, be discreet. The envoy is to be treated to their rank, not the current job. Do not advertise. Starfleet believes something other than what you have been told.” “Of course Ambassador. Discretion is always the priority of the Insight. Rarely seen, and never heard.” “Many thanks Commander. And Vaebn, say hello to mother for me when you get home.” “I will Vrina, I will.” The channel closed, and Vaebn sat back in the chair with a deep breath. “Today just got much more complicated.”
Lieutenant Vaebn tr'Hwersuil
Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
RSS Feed