Answers of a Romulan Nature

Posted on 19 Jun 2009 @ 2:45am by Colonel Stadi Andrus

2,213 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: M2: Aggressive Negotiations
Location: Counselor's office/CMO's quarters
Timeline: Current

Melanie was determined to get some answers, she rang the chime to Termin's office.

"Come in," Elek said, looking up from the padd he was reading from. He was surprised to see the chief medical officer stood in the doorway.

"Dr Hemmingway," he said, getting to his feet, "good to see how. Please, come in. How can I help?"

"You have a son that is Romulan is he not?"

Elek was surprised. Of all the questions he was expecting, that was least on his list. He nodded.

"Yes," he said. "Well, half-Romulan. He's also one-quarter El-Aurian, and one-quarter Betazoid."

He motioned Hemmingway to the guest chair facing him as he sat down again. "Why do you ask?"

She couldn't believe that she was doing this...she would tell the El-Aurian but she would tell the chief of security?

"Because I need some help but I am not sure where to begin." Melanie took the offered seat.

"Okay," Elek was confused, but didn't let it show. He leaned back in his seat and placed his hands neutrally in his lap. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"

Melanie stood up suddenly. "No...I'm sorry...it was a mistake coming here.. I am sorry to have bothered you." She said and started heading back for the door.

"Melanie, wait!" Elek said quickly, standing. He realised that it was the first time he had properly used the CMO's first name, but that seemed irrelavent now. "Please, stay."

He could sense the hesitation from her mind - it was also plainly evident on her face. Whatever it was she wanted to talk about, was bothering her deeply, and she was clearly extremely divided within herself.

"Melanie, talk to me," he said calmly, motioning to a chair. "Come and sit, and talk. It's never a mistake to discuss an issue that is clearly weighing heavily on your mind. Sit down - please."

"Tell me...what does a Romulan family do if their child is missing in action and presumed dead? How long do they wait?" Melanie asked. She did not take the seat but stayed close to the door.

Elek pursed his lips. He sat back down in his chair, tacitly inviting her to do the same. "The formal mourning period is six months," he said. "Informally, they never forget." He looked into the middle distance for a moment. "My deceased wife's cousin had a son who was lost in combat. Her cousin remained in mourning for several years. She refused to fully believe that he was dead."

He sighed. "Sadly, in that case, she was wrong. Intelligence reports eventually confirmed his death. That doesn't mean that happens in every case, but Romulan family structures are very solid - they will not abandon or forget their own, unless an excommunication happens."

Excommunication didn't happen here...at least on Talar's part it had. "I need your son to find something out for me. I know it is a lot for me to ask, as I hardly know you." She laughed. "I need to know what happened to a man Almek." It wasn't Talar that she had come here about, not directly anyway. It was her rapist. "I need to know if he is dead and if there are any reports on who killed him if he is in fact dead."

Elek hesitated. He blew out his cheeks. "You're right, that is ... a lot to ask." He looked at her for a good minute, then nodded. There was something about her that he trusted. "But ok, I'll try. What can you tell me about him?"

"Here is his file. He is...was...a high ranking 'diplomat'. That is the nice version of him...if you care for the uglier side..." She hestitated.

"It'll help me, Melanie," he said quietly. "It might help you, too, in a way ... telling me."

She sank against the wall. "He raped me. He told me he liked it when the girls could project their fears." She resonded, silent tears began to fall. "I need to know if he is dead....please Termin...help me." She hadn't expected it to hit her this hard 12 years later.

Elek stopped and placed a hand on her arm, projecting a comforting prescence to her. He was appalled, too, but hid that - she didn't need his anger, she had enough of that to deal with.

"I'll do it," he said quietly. "I'll find out."

===

It had taken Rh'ion two hours to find out the information, and confirm it from two independent sources as his father had requested. Elek wanted to be able to guarantee the information was 100% accurate.

He had walked Hemmingway back to her quarters, thinking that being somewhere familiar to her would help while they waited. He'd sat with her as they waited, sensing that she didn't really want to be alone right now, but not speaking much. Hemmingway hadn't volunteered much more information, and he hadn't pressed it - yet.

He had excused himself back to his office when his son's call came through, and he was now back with Hemmingway. He sat down on her sofa, aware she was watching him.

"Almek is dead," he said directly. "My son's information is thorough, and accurate. He is dead."

Melanie looked at him shocked at first before the tears started to fall again. "Dead?" She sobbed, even though she was happy to know that he would never hurt another woman ever again. "How?" She asked.

"He was found ... hung from a tree, his body mutilated. They never found his killer. Local police investigated, but came up against dead ends. It wasn't deemed important enough to be referred to the Tal Shiar."

Now Melanie laughed, Talar had done it. He had killed the man that had taken away her innocence and not told her about it. "Thank the Four Deities."

Elek sensed a kind of ... relief emanating from her. The pain was still there, to be sure, but it seemed tempered by the knowledge her rapist was dead. He watched her carefully as he said, "My son has a lot of contacts. If you'd like, we could try and found out who his killer is ...?"

"That will not be necessary." She said simply. "I know who it was..and he is dead too. I only wish I could of saved him as he had done me."

"This man sounds very special to you," Elek said with a half-smile. "Who was he to you?"

"My best friend and so much more." She smiled sadly.

"How did he die?" Elek asked quietly. "Was it recent?"

"Do you remember when you saw me earlier? The man I am grieving for is him."

Elek leaned back on the sofa. "Ah," he said, "I see."

He sat quietly for a moment, looking out the window at the starfield, as he collected his thoughts. His suspicions had crystallised. "Melanie, I'm going to ask you a question now that will no doubt be ... difficult for you. Was this man Romulan?"

Melanie looked at him and then at her folded hands. Her chin quivered but she held back the tears. ~Yes Termin...he was.~ She projected the words that would not leave her lips. Melanie refused to look at the man she had started to trust.

~Melanie, it's ok,~ he projected back, sitting forward and placing his hand over hers. A small smile appeared. ~So was my third wife.~

~The Captain knows...but please no one else. I only told you because of your son and wife. I am still risking everything in telling you...please.~

~No-one will hear from me. I promise you. Were the two of you ever seen in public? I assume he either disguised his ears, or pretended to be a Vulcan?~

~He was that Vulcan I told you about. I performed the surgery myself.~

~You must have loved him dearly, to perform that subterfuge.~ He hesitated, but realised that his emotions would have gone through their temporary link. ~Melanie ... would people really have worried that a Betazoid was in love with a Romulan? They became our allies during the Dominion War.~

~With the attack on DS5 and his defection...yes...I worry still.~

Elek nodded. ~No wonder you have bottled up all this fear, for all this time. Melanie, you've lost the man you love. Perhaps it's time to let the fear go?~

~How can I? I have been afraid for so so long...~

~I'm not saying it'll be easy, but it can be done. Look deep inside yourself. Think back to a time before you were frightened. Remember it. Remember when you felt joy and laughter, rather than fear.~

~Since I was 16 there had been fear Termin...but it was easier and less when Talar was there with me. But I am afraid again, because if his body is found and they realise that he is a Romulan and not a Vulcan...~

~Where is his body? How did he die, Melanie?~

~Claire didn't tell me how he died, except that he died in her arms. His body should be on DS5...I don't know.~

~Romulan and Vulcan burial rites are very strict. Their bodies are virtually always cremated. Perhaps you could ask for a cremation service, to be done immediately?~ He physically sighed. ~It might not be my place to say, but you should at least consider the possibilty of taking a few, select people into your confidence, who are better equipped to help you. Consider it,~ he went on quickly, sensing Melanie's protests brewing. ~Claire, for instance, could help you. So could Commander Da'nal, I'm sure. Let us help, and see your fear diminish.~

~There lies the problem...we can't find his body anywhere...it is like he was never on DS5 but I left him there! We parted ways! I have talked to everyone and the captain has unofficially brought in T'Pal.~

Elek nodded. From his experiences with T'Pal so far, she was an experienced investigator. Her unusual Vulcan / Klingon blend certainly gave her a passionate, yet logical approach to her work that Elek liked.

He turned his attention back to Hemmingway. He realised that her fear and her sheer terror wouldn't be going away any time soon, at least until her lover's body had been found. In the meantime, he needed to help her control it, so that it wouldn't overwhelm her.

~Melanie, do you remember your calming exercises from when you were on Betazed? Would you like to do some together?~

~It has been so long...I hardly remember.~

Automatically, Elek mentally reached out and projected some calming thoughts into Melanie's mind. He kept his hand on hers and closed his eyes, as he focused his attention on her emotions. He sent peaceful, calming thoughts, and reminded her of some of the Betazoid calming techniques that children received as their telepathic powers started to develop during puberty.

He guided her in the direction of finding some answers to her fears, to resolve them. ~Think calmly, Melanie. What is the next step you need to take, to help remove your fear?~

~Find him so I can let go...~ She sighed.

Elek suddenly felt a wave of relief, and knew it had come from himself. The fact that Melanie was willing to consider letting go was excellent news - it meant that she could help herself to overcome the situation.

~Melanie, why was he hiding? I don't understand - what was he in exile from?~

~He cared nothing for the Empire and when given the chance he left. Talar loved me...he was a doctor and his family frowned upon it, they wanted him to be an admiral in the Empire.~

~Forgive me, Melanie, but now Talar has gone and taken his place with the Elements, surely it doesn't matter if his true identity is known? His family have no hold over him any more. The truth can safely come out.~

~No it cannot come out...my life and career are now in danger, especially since the attack on the starbase. I will never truly be free. I will be branded a spy.~

Elek considered the truth of her words, and understood. He nodded. ~I see,~ he said. ~In that case, we must find him, and keep your secret.~ He gave her a smile.

~He is nowhere to be found...I'm afraid they already got his body...~

~Who have?~

~If he wasn't taken to the morgues on the starbase or here then the Romulans must have him...~

~A faction loyal to his family?~

~Oh I don't know!~ Her body was exhausted as was her mind.

Elek picked up on the tiredness that the doctor was unconsciously projecting. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation tomorrow," he suggested, speaking aloud, "when you're more awake."

He subtly projected the image of her bed into the forefront of her mind, and mentally stimulated the sleep area of her brain.

She nodded. ~Thank you.~

Elek carefully guided her into her bedroom and waited for her to fall asleep before he turned and left, deep in thought. For one of the few times in his life, he was truely conflicted ... he wasn't sure if he knew what to suggest.

--------------------------------------------

Lt. Melanie Hemmingway
CMO
USS Freedom

Lt (JG) Termin Elek
CDO / Counselor
Uss Freedom

 

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