Rest - or something like that

Posted on Sun Feb 21st, 2021 @ 3:20am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Chief Petty Officer Remal Kajun

Mission: The Jungle
Location: Cave

Remal shrugged, "on to the Idol, or as game bait to draw attention from the others. Although that notion appeals to me far less." He sat back in solemn reflection for a moment before chiming in again. "There are others out there, struggling. If we could get a message to them or get to them without drawing attention to ourselves, we could make sure everyone is safe."

Several thoughts fluttered through the Captain’s mind as her husband spoke words of truth. She longed to know the welfare of her crew but she could only be certain of those directly around her. She felt as though she weren’t being a good Captain if everyone wasn’t safe and well. It was her duty to protect them and keep them safe. Her head dipped a little as the responsibility settled back in her mind.

“I feel as though I’ve failed them” She whispered quietly.

Both eyes shot open. “Stop that right now. Did you learn nothing from the Brotherhood, you know, besides how bad the food is?” He took her hand in his.

"You're right, as always" the Captain replied, looking deep into her husband's eyes and seeing the truth there. She closed her eyes again for a moment, resting her head and her mind.

Once again the outside world was replaced by the subconscious, an miasma of half remembered memories and twisted tricks that the mind played.

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Inhale

The bridge was in flames, thick choking smoke making everything seem as though seen through a gossamer veil, slightly distorted and hard to see anything with perspective. Many of the bridge crew lay dead or mortally wounded from whatever had happened. The Captain picked herself up off the floor, looking around and trying to gain her bearings. What ship was this? It looked larger than the Sunfire, both of those had been on the compact side being Intrepid and then Defiant class. The Liberty was more spacious, yes, it was the Liberty. Why didn’t she recognise most of the crew then?

On the viewscreen the image flickered and crackled along the front wall, only showing glimpses of the outside world in between violent bursts of static another ship hung in space, venting atmosphere and plasma from various locations along its hull. Had there been a battle? Were they friend or foe? The viewer showed only the grey hull, it seemed vaguely familiar yet she couldn’t put her finger on it.

Her head pounded, a sticky warm substance oozing from the split skin at her temple. That would explain the disorentiation, the confusion. Why was she the only one standing though? In an instant the crew all vanished, leaving her alone on the now deserted bridge. What the? Had they been beamed away? Was another ship aiding them? With an effort that would have made the Prophets proud she heaved herself back into her command chair, using the small console to initiate the comm system.

“Kaylen to all hands…” Her voice trailed off, what if they were all gone? “Captain to...is there anybody left?” silence and static were her only answer. Either there was no-one left of the com system resembled the state of the bridge - fried beyond recognition.

The urge to sleep was overpowering, forcing itself to the forefront of her mind yet she refused to acknowledge it. No time for sleep, no time for rest. She had to find out what was going on. The viewscreen flickered again and this time she recognised it - it was Gul Maccet’s ship, but wasn’t he dead?

“ Ahh Captain… I see you are in need of assistance?” His oily voice slid through the com system - so it was working. His image crackled onto the viewscreen, his ship also in pieces yet apparently more functional than hers. At least his crew were alive.

“I had thought it best to see to your crew, I can assure you they are being tended to” He continued, his eyes cutting through the smoke like a hot knife through butter. She didn’t believe him for a second. Her crew were dead, before they had been beamed off. “My crew are dead Maccet, as are you” She challenged, unable to stand but able to challenge him from her command chair. The bridge started to list as the inertial dampeners failed. She clung on.

“ My dear Rhenora, let me help you. Rest… your time for fighting is over.” He oozed in reply, not willing to let her get the last word “ You can see I am most definitely alive, despite the best efforts of your Vulcan”

“ You’re dead, I watched you die” Rhenora tried to comprehend what her eyes were telling her. Confusion reigned but one course of action was viable. Only one. She turned her eyes away from the viewscreen towards the small control panel, hooking into the ship's engineering systems and shunting everything into the engines and navigational systems, including life support. The smoke on the bridge thickened as the power from the ventilation system was rerouted, she coughed, choking on the inhale. With a deft press of a button her final plan was put in motion. The mortally wounded Liberty lurched towards Maccet’s ship, her engines overloading even as they neared. If the impact didn’t kill them the warp core explosion would. Either way he was most definitely dead this time.

“What are you doing?!?” Maccet’s voice changed from oily to alarmed as he realised her plan. His own ship wounded he had little recourse, he couldn’t attack, and now he couldn’t evade.

“ You… Are… Dead” The words were uttered as a final death blow, the impact of both ships colliding sending shockwaves throughout the sector.

Exhale

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