The Orb Pt 2

Posted on Thu Dec 10th, 2020 @ 8:28pm by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Chief Petty Officer Remal Kajun

Mission: Healing of Minds
Location: Captain's Quarters

Remal, the real Remal, imagined what would happen if the fire and water version of himself collided. It amused him slightly, distracting him from the enigmatic nature of the prophets. They were darker than the last time he had a vision, possibly due to this new revelation they were thrusting their way. “We are one. We have reconnected and we now travel together as one. Please help us to understand what this is all about so that we may prepare ourselves better.” And then his wish was granted.

The fire Remal and the Water Remal stepped into each other creating a whirlwind of smoke and fire, steam and ash, swirling like a fire tornado. It was a scary conflicted being which spoke no dialect, but Remal sensed was meant to represent the turmoil within each of them combining into something more fierce. He could write a paper on the study of the prophets and the cryptic nature, or maybe a whole book.

As they stared into the conflict tornado another Remal emerged from the ash, this one translucent, yet not quite corporeal. It’s edges were fringed with a plasma, it’s eyes made of pure light. It was a Remal made of energy. It strode forward, reached out its arms and touched both Remal and Rhenora’s hearts, pushing them out of the void and back into their quarters, leaving them begging for answers.

"Well that was rude" Rhenora commented as her eyes reacquainted themselves with the darker light.

“Indeed.” Remal said blinking rapidly to adjust his own eyes. “But what did we expect when talking to the Prophets themselves? So, what did we learn?” He was thinking about what they said and how everything the Wormhole beings say has some merit of truth and it just takes time to understand the meaning. No better place to start than with what they know.

"That the Prophets never tell you what you want to know and only ever talk in riddles?" She retorted, just a little cranky about the ominous tone yet the complete lack of detail.

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her in close. “That is true, but what else? There is some sort of great challenge coming up in our lives, that the two of us have to face together. But what else?” Like a dream the vision was clear but fading with each passing second. It felt the harder he tried to hold onto it, the more difficult it became.

She paused for a moment, almost hesitant to bring it up
"That you are conflicted, and that your light is not within?" She said quietly, not able to meet his eyes lest he claimed his conflict was to do with their marriage.

He shrugged, squeezing her tighter, “Well there is that nugget which I can only speculate about. But at the same time they clearly pointed out that you are having a difficult time with acceptance. Maybe it has something to do with the Vulcan temple, maybe not.”

"Mmm this is true" she mused, frustrated and a little on the defensive. "I just wish they'd explain themselves, these double meanings are making my head hurt" she flopped backwards against the couch.

"We need to notify the Bajoran government and let them know we have the Orb. They will want an explanation, and probably an investigation" she sighed, rubbing the ridges on her nose.

He rubbed his temples, while taking a moment to feel his pagh through his ear, it was intact as far as he knew. “This sounds like a job for Captain Kaylen.” He said mockingly. “It also sounds like a job for the morning. AND, as your husband and your personal counselor I suggest we start by each of us seeking counsel. We could do it together or separate, your choice, but I think a third party would be best.”

"You're probably right" she admitted, wanting nothing more than snuggling into his embrace and letting him sooth her fears.

"Together, I think. We could talk to Aurora, she is more than qualified. Or we could see a Bajoran counsellor?" She offered.

“I think Aurora will do. I’m sure she is a more than qualified counselor to be serving on this ship, under your command.” He lifted Rhenora up into his lap with an oof. “And for now we can just hold on to one another and speculate until we drift off to sleep. How does that sound?”

"Fabulous, shall we adjourn to the bedroom? Sleeping on the couch isn't good for many things, let alone my 50 year old spine" she smirked, still happily snuggling in his arms.

He rolled his eyes, “I’m no spring chicken either. Bed it is.” With her still on his lap, he wrapped his large arms under her and stood up. She squirmed a bit and gave him a dirty look, but he didn’t care as he walked into the bedroom area and deposited her upon the bed.

"Oooh" she exaggerated as she flopped on the bed, wriggling up until her head was in the pillow. "Ugh, uniform" she grunted, sitting up and peeling off the offending garment, leaving it in a pile on the floor. "Much better" the flop was resumed.

"I love you" she said with tired eyes.

Shirt already off, tossed unceremoniously onto the floor for later, he leaned in and kissed her forehead. “And I you, now get some sleep.” He dropped trousers, pulled back the satin and slipped into bed himself, waiting for sleep to take him.

Only sleep was not in the cards this night. Not two minutes into REM sleep, he was instantly thrust into a white void while the elemental prophets stared at him. In the distance, like a distant painting, he could see the beach on Bajor, the cabin he had built and the garden path he had planted. The fire element waved his hand over the painting enveloping in a burst of flame.

Remal weeped. His life's work gone in the wave of a hand. He cried out, "Why! Why do you punish me so? What have I done to deserve this life of torment and struggle? Why now when I've found peace do you send me down the unladen path into darkness?" But his cries went unanswered as the elementals floated around him. He took note as one appeared to be missing. There was energy, light, dark, fire, water, and air, but earth was not to be seen.

Through his tears he looked around for the solid ground version of himself only to find more void. This got the attention of the others and they quickly changed tactics, suddenly rushing towards him, merging with his body and finding his soul. He woke suddenly sitting bolt right. His body was covered in sweat. He looked at Rhen, still sound asleep in her own dream. He sighed heavily at the woman who was his rock, his solid ground, rolled over and attempted to go back to sleep.

She stirred slightly at his movement but didn't wake fully, settling back into her own slumber that was far from peaceful. Her subconscious mind grappled with the many possibilities that the Prophets had very vaguely eluded to. Was the Liberty about to embark on a dangerous mission that would threaten their lives plus those they cared deeply about? Were they about to face an unprecedented health crisis of which they knew nothing about? What of the ‘darkness’ the Prophets had eluded to in Remal? Was he questioning the integrity of their love? She rolled over, as though shifting position would shift her dreamspace. Remal also seemed restless in his sleep.

She sat up, rubbing her eyes and giving up on the vestige of sleep entirely.

“Are you awake?” She asked, knowing that if he was asleep - it wasn’t a deep one.

He was staring at the wall, attempting to process the vision and the dream. "Yeah." He gruffed out, then shifted around to face his wife and her messy puff of hair. "Can't sleep either, I take it?"

"Nup, damned prophets and their triple ambiguous meanings of everything" she grumbled, taking in his bloodshot eyes and clammy complexion.

"Looks like you had a doozy"

"You could say that." He rubbed his eyes. "Have you ever wondered why the prophets have taken such an active interest in our lives? I mean, the Emissary I can understand or a Vedick maybe, but why us exactly?"

"Who knows, maybe they're like Q and Captain Picard. Of all the people in all the universe why did he pick Picard?" She mused aloud, leaning back against the pillows. "Perhaps it's you they have an interest in, your faith has always been stronger"

He thought about Picard, now there was a man he could admire. Then he thought about his faith, something he knew he was struggling with but had yet to acknowledge. "They did mention you and your path and your pagh though. And they were all shaped like me. Perhaps they sense you are straying in more ways than one." He smiled, reached out and gently brushes the ridges on her nose. "Having a fling with some other man behind my back are you?" He joked.

She pondered this pearl of wisdom, rolling it around her mind a few times. "I feel as though I've found my faith in the last few months, although the experience at the Vulcan temple was something else entirely. I still don't know what to make of it." She admitted. "My faith in us has never been stronger though, of that you can be assured. Besides no-one else would have me"

He allowed a small eye roll as she put herself into a box again. "Are you suggesting, Mrs. Kaylen, that I, in my infinite wisdom, picked the runt that no one else wanted? Hardly my beautiful runt. You were clearly the pick of the litter." He smiled broadly as he picked and teased while still spouting truth. "As for my faith in us, it too has never been more committed."

" I was referring more to the constant threat of impending doom and being dragged all over the galaxy as is the want of Starfleet?" She clarified, although she never had had a overly high opinion of herself. Remal, she still considered a high prize indeed, someone deserving of more than herself.

TBC