Veracity and Tenacity

Posted on 23 Oct 2015 @ 2:47am by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal & Lieutenant Commander Alorha Grange & Ensign Karrak & Lieutenant JG Alana Tambor & Federation Ambassador Ayren Kelan

2,114 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: M13-C: Shattered Time
Location: USS Achilles

[Sickbay - Before Leaving DS9]

Alana stared at Elas as he lay in the coma breathing and not much else. He still terrified her, she was pure empathy, a receptive vessel and he had taken her as his own. She had felt the cognitive dissonance of his subconscious desires and knew he loved it despite his guilt over it. He was a good person at the core of his being, but that had slipped away at some point after the Achilles crisis. The man she had avoided under strict order was now laying helplessly, but she did not see that as such. To her eyes, he was the vicious entity who had forced his way into her mind and violated her in the most private and unthinkable way. Her mind had been shared by another and his only desire...

She stopped herself before the trauma returned to her. It would always be there, but it was no worse than how the Viaans had treated her. She had survived then, she would survive now. She refused the bow to the feelings he evoked in her. She would have walked away save for the request from Security to be present for questioning regarding her assault.

Suteyo had a heavy heart as he approached the Medical Bay, he admired Commodore Da'nal greatly but this incident had potential to damage his station even further. From the reports it sounded like Da'nal had only barely restrained himself from killing Elas outright, but a Klingon showing restraint when his mate was attacked sexually was not something that meshed in Suteyo's mind. The nature of the whole affair and previous incidents cause both Medical and the JAG to declare a full investigation into both officers.

The doors opened to a busy room, Medical was a huge ward, covering several sections and decks of the ship. Security made his job easy, two young officers stood guard. He was pleased to see they were operating under the double blind system of telepathic custody. They were watching each other closely for odd behavior, a third officer stood far away, ready to disable either guard at a moment.

He saw the Minaran, she was staring at Elas and clearly shaken. As much as he knew it was hard for her, he needed her to relive the experience for the information it could provide.

"Lt. Tambor, I am Suteyo Alahanu, I am the investigation officer assigned to this case. If you like we can speak somewhere more comfortable or private?"

Alana resented the gentle treatment, but knew it stemmed from a good intention. Declining to indulge him however, she simply shook her head, non verbal more natural for her given she was mute.

Suteyo sat next to her on the small bench cropping from the load bearing pillar as all of sickbay bustled around them. He was taciturn in times like this, it helped reduce contamination of the witness statement.

"Please, could you tell me in your own words what happened that night. If you can remember previous encounters or interactions include them, no matter how insignificant."

Her voder was not the most graceful for nuanced emotional tones; as such it was expressionless and flat when she spoke, though oddly it matched her emotional state.

"I remember him from a file on telepathic crewmembers, and we had an orientation in Counseling but I saw Counselor Ritchil not Vonti. My only previous run in with him was in a meet and greet, he expressly declined to make contact with female telepaths without our consent, he was very respectful and aware. It was nearly four months later when he appeared in my dreams...."

Her voder trailed off, it required focus and will power to make the things speak the words she wanted, and her distraction made it trail to a squack sound as it turned off.

"In your statement, you said there was a clear moment he became involved in your dream, how do you mean?"

"He was there one moment. It was just a sudden and abrupt appearance, it startled me, as I had never dreamed of him or really seen his face beyond a fleeting encounter."

She didn't know how else to explain it, one moment there was her home-world, only free from its oppressive rule, and she ran in fields under yellow skies. Then he was there, and everything changed, it was like she had ceded her dream to him and it all twisted to become some twisted combined version of her Ship quarters and a private residence she could only assume was Vonti's home at some point.

"Was anything said that you can recall as relevant or Germaine to life outside of this shared dream?"

Alan blinked in confusion, he had asked her for what words were exchanged... something she can remember... but it wasn't there.

"I am sorry, I do not recall what was said. Much of it was base and crass animal expressions and very little of it I wish to recall."

"Elas has expressed these actions as a medical side effect of an imazadi connection from Ayren Kelan and her Klingon mate Da'nal. How could a Minaran become involved if this were the case?"

"I do not know. There is little corroboration to that... weak... excuse. Minarans are highly empathic, we receive signals from others so if Elas was strong enough he could also have invaded by trying to... broadcast himself into my thoughts."

Suteyo consulted his notes, Ullian telepathy was extremely limited, almost requiring tactile transmission. They were decks apart at the time. "Do you know if Elas had done anything to enhance himself, the distance between you two seems to fall outside the ability of an Ullian to "broadcast" themselves?"

"NO! I dont know how he did it, but he was there, are doubting my statements of events, am I under investigation for false report?

Suteyo realized she was emotional but he had to get her to dig deeper. "Lt., anything you can remember will help us create a larger picture of why this happened. We are eager for everyone involved to have the best outcome, and if that means Elas spends the rest of his life in isolation we have prisons for telepaths where he will receive therapy of one kind or another until exoneration by Medical or natural death."

Alana felt disgust, she knew Starfleet was acrimonious in its investigation but she desired nothing for Elas except Oblivion. She had felt the duality of his guilt and pleasure, she knew he was tainted by a desire now and it was part of what he was forever.

"The only outcome I want from Elas is the physical removal of his ability to hurt anyone ever again. Castrate, isolate, throw away the key. Will there be anything else Lt?

Suteyo knew a conversation closer when he heard one, "For now, please contact me or any member of the Investigations office if you wish to add additional details."

Alan said nothing, reverting to nonverbal in her current state, a curt hand-sign for a polite dismissal was her only response as she stood and walked away. Suteyo was left watching her leave, wishing he could have comforted her but his station demanded distance. He became aware that someone was watching him as he turned over his shoulder to see Dr. Grange.

Alorha had no qualms about the danger Vonti posed to all, her anger clear in her stance and expression. "Do you see the Ambassador there?" she asked pointing to Ayren. "That is Vonti's doing and we may loose her!"


[JAG Office - Present]

The drama with the Cardassians had delayed the investigation of the circumstances surrounding the placement of Lt. Vonti into a medically induced come. Prior to his transfer Suteyo had assigned Karrak to assist the JAG in getting to the bottom of things.

Karrak started on his way to the JAG office as he had been summoned. He would take part in the investigation, but didn't know it yet. He chimed the door of the JAG office and waited.

Reading through the report T'ran sipped her spice tea. She noted that the case was indeed unique. She could not find anything with the same characteristics in previous cases. The chime interrupted her line of thought, but without annoyance she had the door opened.

"You must be ensign Karrak," she said as he entered the door.

"Yess," said Karrak. "I have been ssent here by SSuteyo to assist you in all of thiss." He had worked with JAG's before, and it was always a harrowing experience.

"Good," T'Ran said. "Which of the involved officers had been questioned?" she asked.

"At the moment, none." said Karrak. "I have jusst been assigned to this."

"Let us proceed to Commodore Dan'al now and start with him," she said as she got up.

"Travis to Grange. I need the update on your situation whenever quickly possible before you end up with a very angry and stubborn Klingon haunting your sickbay." He called down to give a warning that this was going to head in a bad direction, soon.

"Vonti is still in the coma, and Ambassador Kelan is recovering. I can only know more once she wakes up naturally," Alorha said. The ability of Ayren's mind to recuperate was remarkable from her scans, but she had no way of knowing what was actually happening inside her brain. "Her psionine levels are returning to normal though."

"Acknowledged Doctor. Keep at it and keep updating me. I'll try and keep the Commodore off your back as long as I can, though you know it'll be futile in the end with the Ambassador down there. Travis out."

"Indeed", Alorha said to herself.

"I am ready." said Karrak. "Let's go."

[Ready Room]

Da`nal was in the midst of a report from Starfleet. So far the communications buoys they were deploying behind them were working perfectly, though he had no doubt that such a thing could not last. As he read the sounds of Klingon opera filled the room but was cut off by the sound of his door chime.

"Computer pause. Enter."

Karrak entered, waiting for T'ran. "Ssir, we have questions about the incident which you have been allegedly involved in."

T'ran stepped into the ready room as well, studying the Commodore. Not waiting for him to react she went straight in. "Commodore, please recount the details of what happened between you and Elas Vonti on stardate 69573.9."

Da`nal had been expecting an inquiry into the incident at some point. He set aside the padd he had in his hand. "That was the night Ayren, my bond-mate, was mentally assaulted, for a second time, by Mr. Vonti. Fortunately for him there was nothing that happened between the two of us.

"After summoning medical for Ayren and security to detain Lieutenant Vonti I left to find him. Security already had him in hand and he was trying apologize and justify his actions. I will admit I wanted to rip his throat out, but I ordered his incapacitation.” He paused securing his calm as recalled that night that seemed so long ago. "I had trusted him...given him a second chance. He betrayed that trust. He betrayed me and he betrayed this crew!"

T'Ran listened to him carefully, and deflected the anger she experienced emanating from the Klingon. "From the report, I understand that he was placed in an induced coma and his senses were chemically subdued. And that was the only course of action you could come up with," she asked concluding in the typical monotonous voice, which was interpreted to readily as arrogance and patronage by others.

His brow wrinkle at the statement that seemed almost an accusation. "And just what would you have suggested Commander T'ran?! There were no others of his species available to monitor him. A local investigation would have required us to wait on other Ullians to arrive in addition to Ayren recovering before the investigation could even start, that would have been an unacceptable delay. He gave up his rights when he attacked my mate and a member of my crew. I have a ship with almost six thousand beings on this ship alone....I have to put their safety before his comfort."

"The needs of the many out ways the needs of the one," she commented. "Your explanation seems logical and under the circumstances does not require any disciplinary action against you Commodore," she concluded.

"I agree." said Karrak,' "And it was the only honorable way to ssolve the problem."

Da`nal's irritation was obvious and he didn't bother trying to hide it. "I'm so glad you approve. Dismissed."

 

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