Moving On

Posted on 19 Sep 2016 @ 2:26pm by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal

1,339 words; about a 7 minute read

Da`nal sat in his ready room once again looking at the list of those lost. Immediately his eye locked onto her name…Ayren Kelan. He had lost another wife. True they had not officially been married but they had taken the bond oath. Anger welled inside him and he was about to throw the padd across the room when his yeoman entered.

Lance had been at Da`nal’s side ever since his first command. He knew what he had interrupted and he knew that he would need to keep an eye on his CO, for a time anyway. “Sir, it’s almost time.”

Standing from his desk he took up the jacket for his dress uniform and as he adjusted and smoothed everything appropriately, Lance handed him his baldric baring the crest of his house and his many awards. Together they left the ready room and to the nearest turbofit. “Promenade.”

As the lift sped off Lance glanced to his Commander. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had to do one of these.”

Da`nal nodded. “That it has….” So much had happened in the last day 48 hours after Korina had wiped out the Terran crew…saving his. Once the dust had settle and the Terran ship had been secured, they went to work.

Intel began pouring through the Terran ship’s computer for anything they could get their hands on. Initial reports showed they were able to get terraquads of data from the current status of their realm to plans, weapons schematics, etc.

Engineering had their hand full with repairs and the scavenging of the ISS Berlin for parts. He had hoped to add the vessel to their task force but without a warp core or any anti-matter it was more a liability than an asset. So he add ordered it stripped of every possible resource to be used to repair the damage to his vessels; before they depart the area he planned on destroying whatever remained.

Medical had had the worst of it; as they not only had to deal with all the wounded. But also the loss of Dr. Grange but recovery, and preparation of the dead.

Fortunately, the science team, along with Korina devised a means to close the rift. It had taken all four of the ISS Achilles warp cores, the core and anti-matter from the ISS Berlin, and a third of the USS Achilles reserve antimatter to do the job but it had worked.

The Terran ship had had several prisoners aboard. The fact that their ship was lost and that Korina’s ship was without a crew was a perfect match; and a solution that both side had eagerly agreed to.

The Klingons from the alternate realm had wanted to take the Achilles back to help them liberate their fellow Klingons but once Da`nal had convinced his counterpart that the fate of multiple universes were at stake he agreed. Some of the Klingons from the alternate reality had been allowed to remain and would either serve the Klingon Ambassador, or serve the USS Achilles in other means, n order to “restore their honor”. As the, antimatter laden, ISS Achilles prepared to enter the rift Da`nal had stood upon his own bridge with the Klingon Ambassador and the other Klingons from the mirror reality and bid farewell to the alternate Da`nal.

“batlh Daqawlu'tah (You will be remembered with honor).”

Shaking his head, “None of my people will ever know of this day.”

Da`nal stepped forward. “We will know! And I swear to you…no matter what I have to do. No matter what it takes…your reality WILL know what took place here. Songs will be sung of your sacrifice, in this universe and yours. Sto Vo Kor awaits for you and your warriors to take your place amongst the honored dead! QAPLA!”

The alternate Da`nal straightened at that, it had been a long time since any Klingon had been called a warrior. “Engage impulse engines and take us into the rift. Synchronize detonation timers.” He and the others with him began to sing as they headed towards the rift. They sang loud and strong..songs long forbidden to them…

Qoy qeylIs puqloD
(Hear! Sons of Kahless)
Qoy puqbe'pu'
(Hear! Daughters too.)
yoHbogh malthbogh je' SuvwI'
(The blood of battle washes clean.)
Sey'moHchu' may' 'Iw
(The Warrior brave and true.)
maSuv manong 'ej maHoHchu'
(We fight, we love, and then we kill.)
nI'be'yInmaj 'ach wovqu'!
(Our lives burn short and bright.)
batlh maH ghbej'jyoqIjDaq
(Then we die with honor and join our)
vavpu'ma' DImuvpa'reH maSuvtaH
(fathers in the Black Fleet where we)
Qu' DamevQo' maSuvtaH, ma'ov
(battle forever, battling on through
the Eternal fight.)

The signal was lost as they entered the rift but the shock wave from the imploded rift told them the deed had been done.

As the lift opened his thoughts were pulled back to the present and task before him. The promenade was filled to overflowing, all the shops were closed and those unable to attend were no doubt watching from their posts or other location that had been set up. Slowly he made his way through the assembled crew, greeting them, reassuring them, or just being among them as he moved towards the podium. As he mounted the dais that had been prepared he looked out at the faces before him he saw that the emotional wounds were still fresh for many and that only made him feel his own loss again…though he could never let himself show it.

“For many today is a solemn day. We are gathered her to pay the final respects to our honored dead. All of us have lost friend, family, confidant, or comrade. And in the coming days we will all have to come to terms with that loss in our own way. It doesn’t matter if you are Human or Klingon, Vulcan or Andorian, Bajorian or Cardassian, Romulan or Betazoid….regardless of race we all share a common belief, a belief that the dead should be remembered.

“Some will honor them though celebration, or ritual; others through the sharing of memories of good times. Some will be solemn and quiet were others will be festive, and some will pray and many will shed tears.

“No matter how we deal with their loss we must remember that they died for what they believed in. This is the live they chose, that we have ALL chosen. They died so that strangers, now gone from us, could live and remain free. They willing stepped forward to save not only those here, as well as those that will never know of their sacrifice.

“Our mighty vessel now carries the scars of battle, but those are easily repaired. The wounds we carry will take time to heal…but hey to will heal. Stretching out before us is the vast unknown. It is that unknown that brought us all here and we would dishonor our fallen if we were to turn our backs on that unknown. So we will press on. We will repair, we will heal, we will overcome whatever obstacles that present themselves. Not for glory or fame, not because that is our mission; but because that’s what they would want us to do.” Turning he nodded to Lance who sounded the call to attention. Everyone faced the portals, watching as the port torpedo bay began pulse firing the torpedo casings that held the remains of those lost.

[On the other side of the Sector]

“First Minister. We have reports of a massive explosion near our borders.”

Lifting herself out of the pool that was her “desk” she moved to administrator. “Was this a stellar event?”

“No Minister, one of our monitoring stations reported being impacted by a massive antimatter explosion. They also report that prior to the shock wave they detected what they believe was a battle of some kind.”

Wiping a tentacle over her head. “Dispatch a vessel to investigate.”

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