Rebuild III - Ash Fallen
Posted on Tue Apr 13th, 2021 @ 11:50pm by Chief Petty Officer Remal Kajun & Captain Rhenora Kaylen
Edited on on Wed Apr 14th, 2021 @ 1:02am
Mission:
*CD*
Location: Bajor
Faro had slipped into the village unnoticed, Brin leading the way under his newly acquired disguise. The villagers were discussing whether to help their fellow seaside couple rebuild their cottage and how. So far the consensus had been affirmative although the current discussion was to how to broach the subject.
One particular resident noticed the strangers pass through their midst, but didn’t think much of it until the pair disappeared up the road to the Kajun cabin. She took this as a sign that they were beating around the bush and should just stop talking about the situation and start doing something to help.
“Listen. While we stand around talking about helping, there are others already willing to help the Emissaries rebuild what they’ve lost. The Prophets would want us to help. Seriously, are we Bajorans or are we Cardassians?” She rallied.
There was an uncomfortable pause before the shopkeep shouted, “We’re Bajorans. We help other Bajorans, Emissaries or no, it’s the right thing to do.”
The crowd gathered suit as they cheered. Each of them began packing supplies to help with the process. They carried what they could, some pulled carts, others bags of food. The butcher, the baker and the chair maker all gathered supplies together before herding together and making the walk up the road.
Faro and Brin saw the building momentum in the village and realised their window of opportunity would be limited. Completing their ultimate mission was out the window for the morning with the large number of people around. They would have to settle for planting the seeds of deception and fear instead.
They walked up the path but we're intercepted by the security guards. "State your name and purpose."
"We are mere neighbours wishing to pass on our condolences and offer assistance" Faro bowed her head in a gesture of humility. The guards waved them on then turned back to their conversation on who they thought was going to win this year's Perisi Squares tournament.
Brin hung back a few steps, not entirely confident in Faro's handiwork. Together they both moved silently, a practiced art. Until Faro reached the edge of the cabin space where she watched for but a moment before clearing her throat audibly.
Remal turned, instantly defensive, caught unaware as to how lax the security team had been. Rhenora was the closest to this newcomer as she stood almost in line between them. He waited for one or the other to speak before he jumped to a negative conclusion.
Rhenora looked at the approaching couple, noting nothing of consequence about them. That was almost the troubling part, they were so nondescript she couldn't have described them if she tried. The woman was of fair complexion, unknown hair colour as it was concealed beneath a scarf, her clothing drab but covering all skin apart from her hands and face. The male was similar, completely nondescript.
"I'm sorry, who are you?" Rhenora asked, regarding them with a guarded expression.
"We are wishing to pay our respects and condolences, as well as offer our assistance" Faro replied in a tone that most would take for simple honesty.
Instantly skeptical, Remal eyed the pair from afar. After years of working on the cabin and his many trips to and from the village, he had never met them, though that meant little. But why them, why now, and why the hell did the guards allow them to pass without so much as a pat down? “I don’t recognize you, from where do you hail?” He asked, dipping his toes in the water.
"In the hills behind the village. We saw the smoke yesterday and were concerned. We ask only to render aid and offer support" Faro implored, opening both hands in a gesture of honesty. "Please, the Prophets wish you to not do this task alone, you are destined for greater things"
Rhenora looked on with a skeptical eye, she was trying to read the body language, the idioms and inflections in the words but only found confusion. She had no means to have them removed but she was also not comfortable with them staying.
" I understand you wish to assist. But please, this is a deeply personal time for us" she came up with.
Like a cat with its hackles up, Remal shuffled closer to his wife. “We thank you for your offer, however as you can see,” He gestured around at the fallen timbers. “We have nothing to offer in return.” He looked to Rhenora, seeing how uncomfortable she was before continuing. “And to be honest, we are just about done here.” He lied, as he took Rhen by the small of her back and guided her towards what remained of the front door of their cabin.
Somewhere from nearby the sound of more voices could be heard, drawing closer by the moment. Rhenora sighed, wishing to be left alone so she could deal with the heartache with only Remal to bear witness. Out of the corner of her eye she spied the dusty remains of the trinket box near the front door and stopped to retrieve it.
Faro moved closer to the front of the cabin, Brin following close behind. She was sensing her time growing short and she had yet to truly size up her opponent. She wanted to reach out, to strike down her enemy, but the war within raged, and the promise she made contained her actions. Right now she longed to get close, maybe even touch the hand of her enemy. She needed this.
Rhenora turned, having the gut instinct she was being followed and that something wasn't right.
"Please, just leave us alone" she started, turning to face the woman.
" You are the mother and father of the new age of Bajor, the prophets wish us to help" Faro replied.
Brin ribbed Faro from behind gently, but enough to make her understand she had said something that may give them away.
" Wait…what did you call us? " Rhenora paused, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Only the trio and the now murdered Brotherhood knew of that.
" I was merely referring to the expectation of a child" Faro covered, and hoped the heck she was correct. " I heard you sneeze"
" Even Remal has been sneezing with all this ash. Are you going to imply he is expecting?" Rhenora's ire rose. She wanted these two out of her space. "Please leave us alone" she raised her hand only to meet with Faro's. Instantly Rhenora was filled with a feeling of darkness and fire. This woman was bad news.
The security guards raised their eyes with the sound of voices but were quickly outnumbered with villagers who had finally come to the conclusion they wanted to help and we're making their way down the path.
One touch. That was all it took for Faro to garner the information she needed. Now all that remained was the seed of fear which needed sown. She had prepared just the right words for the situation. Using her grip to pull Rhenora in, she whispered one little phrase, then backed away with a deviously twisted grin upon her face. As she nodded to Brin, she checked that her hood was up and together they disappeared into the throng of the arriving crowd.
The Captain shuddered as the two seemed to vanish amongst the large group that had descended upon their cottage. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't pick them.
Remal looked out over the crowd that had formed, emotion gripping his being. He had lost sight of the pair only a moment after the crowd arrived. He moved closer to Rhen, wrapping his arm around her. Even as the crowd approached and stopped, he was confused as to what had happened and what the woman had said to Rhen.
The leader of the crowd spoke out. “Blessings from the Prophets. We have come to aid in the rebuild of your cabin. Please provide direction and we will do the rest. Bajorans helping Bajorans and all that.” She motioned for the builders to setup nearby as the people began working like busy little beavers.
Still shaken by the meeting with Faro, Rhenora was apprehensive. It appeared this group had a different feel about them, they only wanted to help, to assist in whatever fashion they could. Some set about clearing the heavier objects like walls, and collapsed ceilings, moving them over to one side of the land so what lay beneath could be revealed to another team who set about recovering any items and carefully placing them in another location for cleaning. A third team cleared the remainder of the debris down to the ground level with shovels and other rudimentary implements. This was the true spirit of Bajor, people helping people.
Rhenora headed over to where the recovered items were being laid and tried to identify that which they wanted to keep and what needed to be discarded. Truth be told they didn’t have much in the cabin, only the necessities plus a few small items of personal touch and luxury. There were some trinkets and things of a personal nature which the Captain was keen to see if they had survived.
Meanwhile Remal had been accosted by the local village architect who had come prepared with paper and pencil ready to draw the new cabin that would be built.
He worked alongside the architect but kept looking over at his blonde angel. She had a haunted look in her face that spoke volumes. Even as the day progressed, the look remained. He knew she would not tell him here, not while surrounded by onlookers and well wishers who apparently saw her as a blessing from the Prophets themselves.
TBC
