The Orb
Posted on Sun Dec 27th, 2020 @ 1:39am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Aurora Vali & Chief Petty Officer Remal Kajun
Mission:
Healing of Minds
Location: Counsellors Office
A Mission Post by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Aurora Vali & Chief Petty Officer Remal Kajun
Mission: Healing of Minds
Location: Counsellors Office
Timeline:
Captain Kaylen Rhenora strode towards the counsellor's office, a heavy and worried knot in her gut that had been there since the Prophets dire warning to them. She needed to talk this one through, wrap her head about the imagery and try to make sense of it before it drove her mad. She was meeting Remal there, and hoped that he had some further enlightenment to share.
Aurora was in her office going over her files, she’d received a request from Rhenora to meet and had granted it straight away, she put a PADD ready for use to make notes on whatever it was Rhenora needed to see her for.
Rhenora pressed the door chime - having no idea if Remal had gotten there first or if she were on her own. Either way, it didn't matter, the issue concerned them both but she had her own baggage to unpack from it even though it was a shared experience.
Aurora got up and walked across to the door. “Captain, come on in and make yourself at home” She smiled warmly. “Would you like anything to drink?”
" Coffee" Rhenora said simply, dropping herself into the comfortable chair and tucking her legs up underneath, she felt a little vulnerable and felt the need to hold something, a warm coffee would be perfect. "Thank you - sorry, my head's a little all over the place" She apologized for her tardy manners.
“Not to worry” Aurora smiled warmly. “I’ll get you a nice strong coffee.” She walked over to the replicator and returned a few moments later with a steaming hot mug of coffee. She placed it down on the coffee table and took a seat in one of the two chairs. “Did you want to start talking about it or would you prefer to wait a little longer?”
"I can give you a bit of a backstory, that way we won't have to go over it again when the others arrive" Rhenora offered, accepting the steaming mug and cradling it between her two hands. It's warmth permeating the mug and providing comfort.
“Sure” Aurora nodded and offered a warm smile.
Rhenora breathed in the coffee aroma, letting its scent fill her senses.
"We were down on Vulcan at the markets, Remal was helping Bonnie barter with a Ferengi for an old computer. I saw what appeared to be an imitation Orb Ark in the store - along with some lesser quality ones and I thought it may be good for a decorative piece in one of the eating halls on board. We haggled, we beamed it back and thought we'd take a look" The Captain paused, sipping her coffee as the door opened again.
Savar had come from the bridge after making sure everything was under control, all stations manned and ready. He entered Aurora's office to find the Captain and Aurora already there and talking. "Aurora, Captain." He greeted as he moved to a chair and sat next to Aurora.
Remal entered moments later, still absentmindedly picking the dirt from under his nails. He eyed the room briefly then flopped onto the comfy couch next to his wife with a hearty smile.
Aurora nodded politely as she looked at Remal. “Thank you for coming. I’m hoping I can help you both with this.”
"Commander, thank you for coming" Rhenora smiled, setting the tone for the discussion, she cradled the coffee between her two palms. She had discussed the vision briefly with Savar on the bridge but it was time to get into more detail.
" I feel a little outnumbered, 3 counsellors to one" She quipped, reclining slightly on the couch and settling into Remal's closeness.
"Not so Captain." Savar remarked. "I am here in the capacity of First Officer. Aurora and your husband are the counselors here." He pointed out.
" Ever the logical one Savar - that's why we work so well together" Rhenora smiled - considering her XO a friend as well as a damned good first officer.
"Thank you. I do try Captain." He replied evenly though the respect he had for Rhenora was evident.
"And you succeed" The Captain replied just as evenly before turning things back to the matter at hand " Now I know we discussed Vulcan religion whilst I was visiting your house - Remal and I would like both of your opinions on the recent Orb encounter we experienced."
“I would like to know more particulars of the vision you and Remal experienced before I venture an opinion." Savar stated.
The Captain looked at her husband and drew a deep breath.
" We assume this is the missing Orb of the Elements, we were in a vast white expanse - with no detail or identifying features. The Prophets mirrored Remal in their elemental forms. Although we only saw fire and water." She paused and looked to Remal for guidance - he had a way of explaining things like this far better than she did.
He began where she stopped, picking up the momentum like a song intro. "At least at first it was fire and water. They started by suggesting my devotion was in doubt and that I mock and joke to hide my true feelings, but did not indicate to what." He swallowed hard as he tried to think about what else was said.
"They went on to suggest my pagh was not inline with my energy and that my inner light had grown darker. Then, well then, " he looked at Rhenora who was so small and withdrawn next to him. "They suggested she didn't believe in them as she tried to use science and logic to understand their meaning."
"That's when they suggested our paghs were not in tune with one another and that a great challenge was coming. It didn't really elaborate on what sort of challenge, just that we need to get our path and our pagh inline with them in order to overcome it." He thought about the end of the experience.
"At the end, fire and water converged to create a torrent in the form of a tornado and ash. Then from the ash stepped forth an element of pure energy. It touched our hearts, at the same time I think, and pushed us back to reality." He looked around the room to see who would want to comment next. There was only one small bit he could share left and that was his follow up dream sequence.
Rhenora shivered at the accurate recall of the memory, the feelings of insecurity, bewilderment and fear all starting to rise again despite her best efforts.
"It seemed as though they were displeased" she said simply, wondering just how did you please a God?
Aurora listened carefully as Rhenora and Remal explained the orb experience. “To be honest this is the first orb experience I’ve ever had to try to decipher, it almost sounds like there’s a trial coming that’s going to test your relationship. If we take the Tornado for what it is, perhaps we’re about to face a natural disaster of some kind.” She looked to Savar for his opinion.
Savar had listened intently to both Rhenora and then Remal as they talked of their experience with the Orb. He looked at them along with Aurora as he spoke. "I believe that you both had an experience and I believe the meaning is, that you Remal are unwilling to accept and voice your beliefs in fear of ridicule or people not understanding and you Captain. You try to dissect your beliefs into what you are comfortable with instead of just accepting them. In addition I believe the challenge is for both of you to come to grips with your beliefs. to embrace them so you both are comfortable with them and to use them as a guide in your lives both together and separately. The tornado is an allusion to the chaos that will reign if you do not."
Rhenora listened to Savar's logical explanation. They had sought counsel for a different perspective, and although the interpretation was not what she was expecting, it was also a fair assumption of what the Prophets were meaning. She nodded, rolling the comments around in her head before looking to Aurora for her perspective.
Aurora paused for a moment. “The prophets tend to give explanations in a round about way, or so I’ve heard. What Savar said makes a lot of sense, the prophets may well be annoyed that you don’t just take them as the ‘gods’ they appear to be.”
" But why us? We're just two people in a universe of billions. I guess that is what i'm struggling with. I feel my faith lately is stronger than it has ever been yet apparently it's not enough" Rhenora explained, laying her heart on the table before her friends.
"Captain." Savar replied quietly, "This may be a test of your and Remal's faith. To see if it is truly strong or you are just saying the words." He pointed out.
She ultimately agreed with him, as much as her faith had been stronger lately - it still probably wasn't up to what the Prophets expected. " You think this 'great challenge' is going to be a challenge of faith?" She asked honestly.
"I believe the challenge is indeed going to be a test of faith Captain, precisely you and Remal's confidence in the Prophets." Savar answered with quiet firmness.
Rhenora sighed, coming to grips with the situation. Complex tactical problems she could do, seemingly impossible missions she could accomplish, a test of faith however she felt she was going to struggle with. Faith was not rational, logical or could be reasoned with.
"I'm not sure how to handle that" She said quietly, letting her insecurity be known.
Aurora offered a smile. “I would normally say have faith, but in this case it’s a lot more complicated than that.”
" Ironic though" A small smile crept across the Captain's face, dispelling the sombre mood she was in. "I find it hard to have faith in something I can't explain, I can't see or touch or feel"
“Yet you have faith in my abilities” Aurora looked at Rhenora curiously. “You can’t touch or feel my telepathic and empathic abilities yet you rely on what I tell you.”
"But I can talk to you, explain things, discuss things" Rhenora struggled to grasp her own concept of blind faith.
But Captain." Savar spoke up. "Is that not the greatest challenge? To accept things because you believe, have confidence in what you've been told or witnessed?" He asked.
"That is indeed the greatest challenge, and the greatest struggle. As a Captain I'm used to being in control, being able to shape our future with action and reasoning. To release that feeling of control - I don't know" Her voice drew quiet again as she considered having to throw away her security blanket of control.
"Captain, sometimes the greatest strength we have is to rely on faith." Savar commented.
Returning from solemn thought, Remal chimed in. "In my years of studying the ways of the wormhole beings I have come to realize that their message should never be taken at face value. As beings who transcend time and space, they know things we could never even fathom about ourselves. That said, I believe this is a good starting point and a conclusion I have reached for myself."
He swallowed hard, "Something is coming. It may be a personal challenge or something bigger. But, in order for the two of us, at least, to face this challenge we must first face the faults in our own faith. Whether that be in each other or in something bigger is for us to work out, which is why we are here with you now." Each subsequent word felt harder to say out loud as it was like admitting your own faults to those who care about you most.
"So we need to accept that our faith is flawed and we need to do something about it" Rhenora mused, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Is this something that would best be done back on Bajor? We need to take the Orb back, and we have yet to receive a new mission from Command"
Remal nodded, "It is reasonable the brotherhood I stayed in could help us find our faith again, but…" there was apprehension in his voice. "I mean they assisted me when I was lost." His voice choked slightly as he remembered his days of soul searching in his youth and how he had been converted so willingly.
“But ... what?” Aurora looked at Remal curiously. “Do you have reservations about the brotherhood?”
Savar spoke up, "I believe this challenge or vision is for you and the Captain to deal with without outside assistance. It is a test of your faith."
" Perhaps the challenge is recognition of our weakness in itself" Rhenora offered, trying to find new ways to interpret things. "This whole thing is making my head hurt"
Remal wrapped his arm around Rhenora and pulled her in close, a comforting security blanket. He wanted to address Aurora but there was so much to unpack regarding the Vedic Brotherhood he didn’t know where to begin. “Let’s just say they are very private about their way of life and the ways in which they handle dealing with people who have been derelict in their duties to their faith.” He cringed slightly as he could still feel the lash marks upon his back. “I’m sure they would offer us peace of mind at least.”
" We could head back to Bajor, spend some time on the planet whilst the Liberty runs through some drills and training scenarios" Rhenora offered, it certainly wasn't a long term solutions but a week or so on Bajor could accomplish a lot. In the meantime Commander Savar could spend some time in the big chair putting the ship and crew through her paces. Of course if Starfleet assigned them a mission in the interim all bets we're off but she felt as things currently stood this would be the best course of action.
