Home Gone

Posted on Mon Apr 5th, 2021 @ 1:23am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Chief Petty Officer Remal Kajun

Mission: *CD*
Location: Bajor - USS Liberty
Timeline: Current

Moments after the roof collapsed the emergency services arrived, beaming in with their relevant equipment to contain the situation. Fire suppression systems were deployed rapidly, starving the fire of oxygen and rapidly extinguishing it. Medical personnel and law enforcement officers rapidly followed, each performing their own duties.

"The area is secured and safe" the fire team announced as the last tendril of smoke was snuffed, leaving only the smell of burnt timber and belongings. They took their equipment and left, leaving the couple in the care of the medics and law enforcement.

Both bore indicators of their precarious dice with fire, scorched clothing, singed hair and a hacking cough that wouldn't settle for days. The local constable wandered over as soon as he was permitted to, sitting down before them and asking for a detailed description of what had happened.

"A strange group of three men visited just beforehand, wearing grey robes and saying all kinds of strange things." Rhenora explained, turning to Remal "they called you The Builder, and Fa, and claimed that you had deserted them"

Remal eyed her questioningly, it was arson, or more accurately attempted murder. He was confused by why they would call him the Fa as other than flowers he had not fathered anyone to date. He wondered what else they may have talked about and if she had been called anything. She did not reveal to the constable and therefore he would wait and ask in private.

Meanwhile, the skeleton crew on the Liberty had picked up the garbled message from Remal, the young watchman not entirely sure what to do with it.

On the bridge of the mighty starship, Savar noticed the troubled expression on the security officer’s face. “Something concerns you Mr. Longstreet?”

"Aye Sir, a few minutes ago we received a garbled message from the Captain's combadge, except it wasn't her voice." He stated, still looking like a deer in the headlight.

Savar made a decision, Lock on and energize all life forms in the vicinity of the com signal. Now.”

"Aye Sir" Longstreet seemed to accept that he no longer had to make decisions on his own. "Where would you like me to beam them to?" He asked, touching his panel to isolate those in the vicinity of the captain's badge.

“Here onto the bridge if you please Mr. Longstreet and alert both security and medical,” Savar answered absolutely calmly.

"Very good sir" Longstreet echoed and engaged the transport, beaming 6 people into the center of the bridge. Two medics, two constables, the Captain and Remal looking somewhat surprised. The lingering stench of smoke wafted away from them.

Rhenora looked up, seeing the bridge of the Liberty.

"Savar?" She coughed as she wiped the soot from her face.

“Captain.” Savar intoned as if he was reading a menu. He noticed the soot on her and Remal’s faces and the scent of smoke on their clothes.
“It seems we beamed you up just in time.”

"There was a fire...someone burnt our cottage down." She stood, surveying the people around her. The medics looked bewildered. "Ummm sorry I'll beam you back to the surface" Rhenora apologized and glanced at Savar.

“At once Captain. Would you like to make an official report to the authorities as well, as they are present?”

"Whilst they are here I suppose. I was just starting to give them a statement. I believe this was a deliberate act."she started as the medics vanished only to be replaced by her own security and medical staff as they arrived on the bridge.

“Attempted murder.” Remal uttered under his breath but enough for the room to hear. His jaw clenched at the idea that someone would attempt such an act on his home planet let alone in his own backyard.

“May I suggest your Ready Room Captain. It will give you the privacy you desire.” Savar commented.

Dr Wilson nodded that they were well enough without requiring too much medical assistance. Trioxin plus some burn ointment were applied and a stern "stop by in an hour" were issued before she left the small group to talk.

Gazing out the front viewscreen, Remal stared at the planet below, a mild form of shock mixed with anger and frustration clouding his judgement. He barely flinched as Sarah administered her care. Instinct overrode his functions and as the rest left the bridge, he followed.

"Indeed" Rhenora muttered as the doctor retreated and they headed to the ready room, the two constables trailing behind.

Rhenora dropped onto the couch and closed her eyes for a moment, recalling the strange trio that had visited her just before the fire.

"There were three of them, clad in robes and speaking of desertion, the Marnah and the Fa and they called you The Builder" she looked at Remal as though it would help her remember. "One was quite young, only 16, the others were older."

Constable Odessen looked from Rhenora to Remal. So far Remal had been rather quiet. The terms Mother and Father and Builder were simple, vague to say the least. “Did they say what you may have been the Marnah and Fa of, perhaps? Or the Builder of?” He squinted and then looked at Remal, “The Builder of what, Mr.?” He had not been introduced formally.

Blinking Remal answered autonomically. “Kajun, Remal, and I built the house.”

“So land developers or former enemies perhaps. Do you have any of those Mr. Kajun, any former enemies that is?”

Remal grinned a little too maniacally, hate seething his mind, “Many.”

"They wouldn't have worn robes, these were different, as though they knew best," Rhenora said quietly as a cup of coffee appeared on the coffee table before her. "There was a specific vein of conversation, mainly centered around you Remal"

He was listening, yet everything was distant. His mind was somewhere else, yet nowhere in particular. He had not blinked in several minutes or had he. All that he knew is the smell of burning wood. Even his name did not bring him back from the void. Instead, he found himself suddenly excusing himself, “If you’ll excuse me.” He bowed slightly, then turned and left the ready room.

"Remal?" Rhenora looked up as he rose, concerned.

“Is he often like this?” Constable Odessen asked, puzzled.

"No, and that's what concerns me" Rhenora answered, rising and moving after him.

“Well, perhaps we have enough to go on for now. I’m sure these three hooligans cannot have gotten far. We will conduct a search and contact you in the morning.” He stood and bowed his head slightly. “Thank you for your time and please accept my condolences for the loss of your home.”

Rhenora nodded and went to stand by her husband, reaching for his hand. "What is it?" She asked, concerned.

He stopped as the doors parted revealing the bridge and her crew just beyond. He couldn't put a finger on how he was feeling only that the emptiness was consuming him. As she took his hand though, his flighty mind found an anchor. He looked at her and blinked, then cocked his head slightly before addressing Savar without really looking at him.

"Mr. Savar. The last time we were here my wife and I went to a small village in the mountains near Drakkar Province, do you have those coordinates?”

“I do.” Savar answered.

"And could you please," *cough* he looked into her eyes hoping she would understand what he was trying to convey without speaking. His emotion was trying to break through, break him down. He had an idea but he needed to know if there was life left in the village of the Brotherhood, if only to confirm those suspicions.

Savar nodded to the security officer and spoke, “Scan the area.” He stated simply. Soon they would have answers.

“You’re thinking it was the Brotherhood” Rhenora whispered quietly, looking deep into her husband's eyes. “It won’t bring back our cottage”

“I know, and close. They are peaceful people. But they have something in their possession which could lead to their demise.”

“Such as?” She queried, unsure of where this was heading.

“Commander, I’m showing no life signs at the coordinates you gave me. I’ve also expanded the search parameters and am not showing any signs of life within a kilometer of that location.”

“They’ve gone to ground?” Rhenora asked, regarding her husband with a curious look. “Why would they go to ground unless they were hiding from something… or someone.”

He looked into the eyes of his loving wife. “I don’t think they went to ground. I’m thinking they were murdered because of what they had in their possession. Mr. Odessen, if I were you, I would start my search in that village.”

“Murdered?” Rhenora paled at the thought of those who had facilitated their last retreat being murdered. Whilst they didn't quite see eye to eye, she hated the thought of them being murdered.

“That’s not my jurisdiction.” Odessen decried.

“Then for the Prophets sake, find out whose it is, and get busy figuring out who did this.” Remal gave a commanding stare down, his emotion getting the better of him. Once he realized this, and how vague he was being, he looked back to Rhenora for strength.

Rhenora wasn’t exactly surprised by the outburst - her husband had just had his pride and joy burnt to the ground and attempted assassination on their lives. Not to mention discovering that his Brotherhood order had been decimated. It was a lot for one person to deal with.

“Remal” She said calmly, hoping to calm him just a little. “ We will find out who did this - let the man do his job, I’ll also get our security team down there to do some forensics” She continued.

Right now he was feeling like he could trust no one. “Can we speak in private? I think a therapy session is in order.”

“Of course” She motioned them back to the ready room, cut off from the prying eyes and ears of the bridge crew.

He hesitated, "I was thinking more along the lines of a holodeck." He answered slightly sheepishly.

"Keep me informed of any updates Commander Savar" she nodded towards the Vulcan before turning her attention back to the Bajoran in front of her.

She raised an eyebrow at him with a somewhat unreadable expression then motioned for him to proceed her to the turbolift. Once they were inside she asked, "what do you have in mind?"

"Ever hear of Wreck Yourself to protect yourself? It is a therapy session for getting out one's frustrations. I learned of it when I studied on Earth, but this seems the perfect opportunity to try it." He said with a twisted grin as the turbolift doors shut around them.

TBC