Alla continues

Posted on Thu May 6th, 2021 @ 1:58am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Lieutenant Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell

Mission: Trapped in Time
Location: Alla
Timeline: 100 years in the past

Reality blurred into fantasy which then blurred back into reality. Time seemed to stop yet keep moving at the same time. Everything that was real was not.

Salaya looked around, trying to gain her bearings in a moment where everything was in flux. Words would not come out of her mouth and she struggled to even think straight. Was this what the celestial temple was like?

He stood next to his partner, the weapons in their hands a forgotten memory. Sheer awe filled his face as they stared into the void briefly before coming to their senses. They dropped simultaneously to their knees and began praying Abrem after Abrem, even as the deck plates began to rattle as the hull stresses grew.

And then everything stopped. Silence and emptiness surrounded each of them. A pure white spectacle of nothing and everything at the same time. Doge commented out loud, "we're dead. I knew it, we've died and this is it. This is the afterlife I've earned, nothing." His voice was full of disappointment.

“We’re not dead… it’s something else” Salaya grumbled, “It’s worse, it’s thinking you're dead and you’re not” she tried to make sense of what was happening around her. The Celestial Temple swirled in its myriad of colours, promising everything yet delivering nothing. She hadn’t really been sure what to expect considering this was the home of the Prophets after all. I mean - what did they even look like?

Everything shifted into a single white existence, the crew of the Alla all present but the beings they faced were representations of people they knew. They seemed both familiar and yet foreign all at the same time.

“ Who are you?” Salaya asked, being forthright was one of her stronger points “And why have you brought us here?”

“Inquisitive, this one is.” The beings spoke in unison, circling the group in a curious pattern. “And this one, bold, brave in the face of opposition.” The being motioned to the Major.

“They are of Bajor and yet the opposition towards one another vexes us. Yes, indeed, confusion as to the nature of their arrival perhaps.” They carried on conversation with one another, ignoring Salayas questions as though their own agenda held more importance.

One of them stopped in front of Naprem, and eyed her with utmost perplexion. “This one has not yet fully reached height potential. It’s mind is filled with images that are not of Bajor, yet pique our interest.”

“ You lot leave her alone, she’s just a child” Salaya stepped forward protectively, placing herself in between these beings and her daughter.

They paused briefly to study this turn of development. One of them, a familiar to Salaya, stared her down with a head slightly cocked to the side. “We wish to understand.”

Doge was shaking his head as he moved closer to Salaya, “This doesn’t feel right. I don’t like this.” He said through baited breath. Was he even breathing, was there even air here?

“ You can understand with someone else’s child” Salaya challenged, refusing to back down. She looked at Doge then back to the beings.

Behind her Naprem screamed as the monster from her book seemed to come to life - complete with eyes, fangs and claws. Salaya froze for a second - was it even real?

“Interesting. The young one appears to think fondly of the strange creature, and yet she exudes high pitched tones from her vocal region. We are perplexed by this and should study this further.” The beings looked at each other and one snapped their fingers. The ship reappeared around them, but the creature remained, looking confused and angry.

“ Ma!” Naprem shouted, her childlike mind trying to understand exactly what was happening.

Salaya grabbed Naprem and dived behind her chair, giving comfort and line of sight to the Major and the Commander. Doge stood still, frozen in fear, though later he would spin a tale about standing still so creatures with limited vision couldn't see you.

The Major just reacted, pulling his pistol and firing on the creature. The Commander followed suit. This of course angered the monster who didn't seem overly phased by the beam weapons. It rushed forward, knocking the still Doge off his feet. It continued until it reached the Major and placed it's large claws around his throat.

Suddenly there were two more phase blasts that erupted on the creatures back, stronger. The monster cried out in pain then turned to stare down the Religious passengers who stood bold, pistols in hand. The man tried to ration with the creature. "We don't mean to hurt you. We've come seeking answers, that's all."

Salaya, defiantly argued, "You're trying to reason with this thing! You truly are insane. You've got its attention, now do a dance and lure it away." She wanted it as far away from herself and her daughter as possible and she really didn't give two shits on how that was accomplished.

The monster stilled, regarding the two passengers with a curious look. “You ask questions, yet you wish to injure us. Explain” It said simply.

The woman was clearly shaken. "We did not realize you were intelligent. We only wished to meet those we call Prophets, to understand who we are and other things to explain life. We mean you no harm, really."

“Yet you are bold enough to invade our home” The creature replied “What of these ‘Prophets’ is that your term for us?”

The woman scoffed, “You are not the Prophets, at least not how we envision them to be. You’re just something from a child's play book.” She was glad to see there was at least some reasoning with this beast of a creature.

“Our Prophets are benevolent and kind. They weep for our pain, revel in our joy. This thing before us in fiction manifested, nothing more.” The man agreed, instilling his own penny per pound.

“How is it that you know this?” The creature seemed contemplative, as though trying to understand how the beings had come to think that way.

The man and woman looked at one another, then back to the monster-like creature. “We’ve been shown. For many millennia now the Prophets have guided us through our Vedecks and bestowed upon us visions via what we call Tears of the Prophets. They are relics delivered to us in the early days of our heritage.” He was starting to question his own sanity at the thought of convincing an imaginary creature of who his Prophets were.

"The Orbs, we released them so that you may know about us" the creature replied, it's tone now one of understanding. "We knew not of this term 'Prophet' but we understand now" it nodded. "We will learn much from you."

He scrunched up his brows in confusion, “What do you mean will learn? Are you not those which created the Bajoran people? We’ve come to learn from you all the things we could not learn otherwise.”

The women stepped forward, “You are most benevolent and we are your humble servants. Ask what you will of us. Teach us. Learn from us. We are at your mercy.” She knelt and gave a curtsey of a bow.

“Mercy is also a term we are unfamiliar with. Explain, what is mercy, no, show us what is mercy.”

Doge and Salaya looked at each other knowing this situation was growing fast beyond their control. The Prophet creature had it’s back to them along with the Major and Commander, but if it were truly a God, what could they do but play along?