To serve a friend
Posted on 24 Feb 2014 @ 2:44am by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal & Federation Ambassador Ayren Kelan
Edited on on 29 Mar 2014 @ 9:07am
1,886 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission: M12: For Duty or Honor
[Earth - Bora Bora]
Dez sat relaxing in front of her hut as she soaked up the sun. She had really spoiled herself while she had been on her sabbatical. Hell she deserved it! After being attacked and tortured on her own ship...then the whole Kzinti mess that followed.
The fighting with the Kzinti wasn't what had bothered her...being tortured by one of your own crewmates, now that had rattled her. Kretorg had approved her request without hesitation, even after he had made that pass at her. That memory had actually brought a small grin to her face as she rolled over onto her back to continue sunning herself.
As she absorbed the warmth, listed to the waves lap against the pylons supporting her hut, felt the gentle breeze kiss her flesh she mentally reviewed things to make sure everything was taken care of. ~Notify Starfleet about my return to duty...check, Arrange for transport to the VaQbach...check, Personal items send to Spacedock for transport...check, Souvenirs her friends...check....~
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a craft approaching. Sitting up she looked back through her hut to see one of the resorts hover-launches approaching. Putting her bikini top back on an a light wrap around her waist she stepped over to dock side of her accommodations to great her visitors.
She could see, as the launch neared, that this wasn't going to be a social visit.
Da`nal moved to the bow of the craft as it pulled up to the small dock and he stepped onto the platform with ease. "Thank you that'll be all, my ship can beam me away when I'm done." The pilot grinned and nodded as he pull way and returned the way he'd come.
Turning to the bikini clad Cardassian he nodded. "Dr. Lacaran. Excuse the interruption, but I need you to come with me."
Dez was surprised and understandably a little pissed off that her time here was being cut short. But the fact that an Admiral had come here in person showed the seriousness of the situation. "Certainly sir, let me get my things."
"That won't be necessary my yeoman will see to your effects." He reached up to tap his commbadge, but she interjected.
"With all due respect Admiral...what's this about?"
"Your former Executive Officer." Tapping his badge he haled the Achilles. "Two to beam directly to my ready room."
As the transporter effect took hold all she could do was puzzle over his critic response. ~...Charg??"
[USS Achilles]
The pair materialized in his ready room just as Lance was preparing to leave. "Welcome Ma'am. Everything's been taken care of and I will have the rest of your things aboard shortly."
Now she was even more puzzled. "Rest of my things...what...???" Turning sharply towards Da`nal, "Sir what the hell is going on!"
Da`nal nodded to Lance who left to complete his assignments even as Da`nal spoke. "Have a seat Lieutenant, everything will be clear very shortly."
Depressing the commpanel on his desked, =^= Commander Kelan, report to my ready room immediately. =^=
=^= On my way =^=. Ayren responded. She was just on her way back from Latiq when she received the instruction. She turned around and headed back to the bridge, Moments later she was at the door. ~A Cardassian!?~ she thought as she pressed the door panel. Once the door opened she stepped inside. ~In a bikini!?~ At least the woman seemed to be as confused as she was. "Good day," she greeted Dezra. "I am Ayren Kelan," she offered, but the looked at Dan'al with a huge question in her eyes? ~What the hell?~
Da`nal could help but laugh to himself. "Ayren, this is Lt. Dezra Lacaran the former CMO of the D`ama & VaQbach. She has been on sabbatical on Earth since just after the Kzinti incident."
Her mouth dropped open "Oh my... of course.." She now recognized the Doctor from images she had seem. "What is this all about Da'nal?" she asked still very confused. She could sense Dan'al was going to make a startling announcement and there was excitement attached to it, but she was not sure.
Now that he was off the hook he looked at the still puzzled Lieutenant. "Ok, Doctor Lacaran, there are some thing you need to made aware of. Following your departure from the VaQbach that ship had a run in with a member of the Q. Now as a result of that encounter Commander Charghwl'IH...your XO...my friend went missing. Presumed dead."
Ayren's mouth formed a "what!?" ~X'aedell!!~
All Dezra could do was go wided eyed and hear hand covered her mouth as the image of Xae came flooding up.
Da`nal raised a hand slightly to hold off any addition reaction as he continued. "However, evidence was found in an archaeological dig in Rome that he was not killed be sent back in time."
Dez's hand dropped and he nodded as she tried to get her head around the whole thing.
Da`nal glanced to Ayren before dropping the next bomb as this would be news to her as well. "While on the surface I was approached by the Klingon Ambassador. And, I don't know if you are aware but Charg has some friends in some very high places and they had the Ambassador petition the Federation to send a team back to get him. This mission was denied and that's when he came to me. I went to Vice Admiral Rittenhouse myself and we were given strict orders to stay out of Earth's past."
"Does X'aedy know?" Ayren asked the most burning question
"I don't know...I would think she would know about the discovery, but I don't know if she knows about the request being denied."
Thinking she had the sequence of events down Dezra chimed in. "I understand what you are saying sir, but where I fit into all this?"
"I may have been forbidden to go into the past to help my friend, but I will not allow him to remain trapped in the past. Honor will not allow it...However I cannot disobey a direct order either. That is simply trading one dishonor for another. " He placed his hand over a Klingon data chip and slid it across his desk towards her.
The Doctor looked at and reached for the PADD but stopped. "What is that?"
He shrugged slightly. "That? That is merely a data card with a private message from me to Kretorg. All I am asking is that you deliver it."
Dez swallowed hard she was tempted to insist on knowing what she was being ask to carry but she was pretty sure she knew what it had to do with. Besides if it could help Charg... "I assume this is a very private matter and for his eyes only?"
"You assume correctly Lieutenant."
"Will he know how to access the date, sir?"
Da`nal grinned, he hopped the clue he was going to give he was enough. If it wasn't he could contact him later. "Just tell him to think about a maneuver we used to save him and the D`ama."
Dez was at a loss for words. Obviously she was being used as a courier and knew better that to ask what was on the chip. "I assume I'm not taking a transport the meet the VaQbach?"
Nodding he confirmed her assumptions, "You assume correct. We just happen to be going your way so we will take you as far as the Federation-Romulan-Klingon border, from there one of my shuttles will take you to the VaQbach. You have been assigned quarters and the ships resources are at your disposal during your stay on the Achilles. Any other questions?"
"No Admiral."
"Good. If you need anything just contact my yeoman."
"Thank you sir." Rising she pocketed the chip and left to find just where she would be staying.
Ayren tried to wrap her mind around what she had just heard. She had mixed emotions, what if X'aedell found a new hope and it was crushed because they couldn't get to him, or they couldn't find him. The thought of loosing the life of your life...twice... was inconceivable. She gripped Dan'al's hand. "How are they going to get to Charg?" she asked concerned.
Without saying a word he rotated his monitor to her and reactivated the screen. The data displayed was from a classified report filed by then Commander Geordi LaForge on the Enterprise-E's re-creation of a Borg temporal vortex.
It took a moment for Ayren to realize just exactly what she was looking at. "How did you... no wait.. I 'd rather not know..." she said waving her hands in the air. She hugged him excitedly and kissed his cheek. "Oh Dan'al... " Then curiosity got the better of her. She grinned at him playfully. "How DID you get hold of this.....?"
Grinning at the memory of the dressing down he had received, obviously meant as a cover...just in case. "Rittenhouse."
She shook her head and chuckled. "Only you will get that right...they will have to go at the time he landed there if they don't want to disturb the timeline... " she thought out loud. "Oh time travel, it gives me a headache, I am just so glad he can be rescued for X'aedell.. and for you.. he is one of the few people you really trust, one of your only real friends....." she said, stroking she side of his face with her fingers, the thought clouded by the enemies Dan'al did have.
Moving his hand to her and pulling her onto his lap. "We go back along time...but he's not the ONLY person I trust."
Once she settled, she smiled, her eyes bright with delight. She truly adored him and never minded to show it. "Really.. " she teased, as she planted kisses along the side of his face.
As much as he wanted to enjoy their time together his concern was with his friend. His fate now rested in the hands of a Cardassian doctor, the abilities of Kretorg and his crew. He had done all he could do if they failed....if they failed his Starfleet career would be over as he would have to disobey is orders and try to go back to find them. If Kretorg succeeded only he and his crew would know how Charg was found. If everything worked they would alter history and most of the events Charg had already experienced in Earth's past would never have taken place...to include him marking the column that led them to him...such were the paradoxes of time.
Ayren smiled knowingly, she knew where Dan'al's thoughts were and understood his concerns. "You took a huge risk for a friend, and you can't do anything about the execution of the plan... but you did everything you can and if anyone can pull it off and will pull it of it is Kretorg and his crew..." she said. She didn't particularly like Kretorg, but he was clever enough to surround himself with good people. "Only time will tell..." she said with some irony.
Rear-Admiral Da`nal
CO
Lt. Commander Ayren Kelan
CDO
Lt. Dezra Lacaran
Medical Officer IKV VaQbach
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