Opening Old Wounds - Pt 2

Posted on 23 Mar 2012 @ 2:49am by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal

1,920 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: M8-A: Kzinti War - Recon from Hell
Location: Ready Rm

The trill had to take deep breaths to hold herself together. "After a while they took Amy. We tried to hold onto her, but..." Soran's eyes were glazed slightly, seeing only the past."...What could we do, they were bigger, stronger, faster." She shrugged, trying to be numb against the dark memories. "They cut her skull open and shoved probe after probe into her brain until it was just mush. We got to watch her die a little bit at a time."

Then she shook herself. Going over it wouldn't bring Amy back. "I was separated from the others after that. Taken to where they keep their own women. The ship was big, built to accommodate their size. But it came up on the Onedin’s scanners as not much bigger than she was, so there couldn't have been many crew. They need about 4 times the volume as humans. A space that can only accommodate two Kzinti could easily accommodate half a dozen humanoids. They keep the lights dimmed, about 80% of federation standard. Closer to klingon levels. It’s relatively cooler than Federation ships, maybe 16 degrees. I didn't see much movement, but there were guards outside the lab. But I don't know why. It wasn't as if we were going anywhere.

Niemi listened and observed every minor to major detail that Soran gave off. She studied the woman's features hand gestures, lips movement, just about everything that the normal person talking to the person would out right not notice, but the Orion, studied and observed these as she listened to the tale in which Soran gave, which, wasn't all to surprising from all the tales she had heard, when she was a smuggler and trader for the Orions, but, she had no love for them as much as she Kzinti. Ba'al, turned her attention towards the captain.

"If I may" she asked the gathered before she went on and looked to the Soran, her look wasn't anything near what Soran gave the captain and those around in the office, just someone who knew firsthand what she had gone through, yet only divided years apart, before she looked to the captain.

"I might not be the universe brightest star in the greater blackness of the void" She started to help relax the mood a little "but, it's plain as day that the fallen of decades past, see a opening in the wake of a war, in which the three empires stood steadfast against the Burning Legion known as the Dominion. The Kzinti, bring forth a new of their old ways. To strike upon, what the Kzinti, see as a weaken enemy. But, how much do we really know about Kzinti, other than hear say, old and out dated reports. Not a whole lot, which, is a little bit on the frightening side, if you ask me. Soran here, has brought up a point, which, if I may, says, they want to breed out all other races. First killing the males, ingest their souls to strengthen their warrior spirit and well, you can figure out the rest with the females. If the females are dead, well, eat them, more fuel for the warrior caste and their fighting spirit."

The trill looked at the Orion woman for a moment in both contempt and disbelief, "Going on the fact that I saw perhaps 4 females on a ship that seemed to hold far more many men I doubt breeding is something they're considering," Soran snapped back. "And as for Anthropophagy, i hardly think that a race that has managed to successfully wage war on large chunks of the Alpha/Beta Quadrants borders is that superstitious, So I would say that whatever kzin you've had contact with he was atypical of the species!"

She looked over to Soran and sighed "In more ways than one, but, the things that happen to me, isn't as bad what you've experienced at the hands of Kzinti. Plus, our own history, either Trill, Orion, Human, Klingon, and whomever did similar things to each their own kind centuries back. But, we've out grown these desires and ways. The Kzinti, it would seem have not. Barbaric, perhaps, but perfectly logical from their point of view. Of course, biologically speaking, I am no expert in matters of the flesh and how things tick in the living organisms, my expertise lays in psychology. So, looking from one point of view such as it is, from the stand point of information I have at hand, both from you and whatever intel I have gather, plus what the captain allows me to review, is just that, observation and a point of view, nothing more. But, I would say we continue with another time and place, Soran."

She turned her attention towards the captain and waited for what he had to say, when she heard his clearing of his voice and movement of his hand to cover his lips.

Outside he was a mask of calm, inside he was raging at what he was hearing. Lowering his hand Da`nal address the women before him. "First Ensign, the Kzinti lost to the Humans for two reasons. They underestimated them and they considered human females to be like theirs, sub-sentient. They rushed into combat with the human race before they knew their enemy. If they are conducting experiments to understand the human female; obviously they are looking for answers of some kind and they see humanoid females as a threat."

Ayren had stood still throughout the conversation and Maritza's recall, trying to control her own feelings, swallowing back the vomit of horror and fear for X'aedell, her cousin. The Trill had gone through far more than she had imagined, but it explained the emotions she had felt emanating from her during the staff briefing. "Thank you for sharing that, Lieutenant...." she said softy. The only hope they had was the fact that seemed less interested in other species. That gave her some hope. "From what you've seen there, can you give us your opinion for the reason for kidnapping Klingon females?" It was a shot in the dark, but Maritza would have better context than them to extrapolate from her experience.

To Ba'al she said softly: "I think that you need to speak with the counselor from the D'ama first, before seeing the Lieutenant." Being a counselor herself, she knew the protocols and reminded Ba'al gently.


The trill gave the young Orion ensign a foul look, but turned to Ayren. "I don't know. Maybe to figure out what makes them tick? Their women really are animals; maybe they just want to see how we work? Klingons would probably be a fun job." She dropped her withering stare to the floor, suddenly out of energy “I think they like it when we fight back."

Unfortunately they were at war and there were no guarantees that there would be reprieve any time soon, in fact it could get significantly worse. There was not even any guarantee that they would be on the winning side. In fact, they could die, or worse be captured. Ayren was not negative; it was just the reality they had to live with. There would not necessarily be time for her to work through the trauma she had experienced. Ayren took a risk and stepped closer to her, placing her hand on Soran's shoulder, a simply gesture to convey her acknowledgement of her feelings, that she cared and also to let her know that she was not alone. "Actually that gives us a lot of insight," she said glancing at Da'nal, to let him know that the woman had had enough.. For her it was not about the information, but about the person who gave it. "Thank you for your willingness to help us...." she said warmly.

Da`nal knew this meeting would be difficult for Ayren and he wished there had been a way to keep her from it, but she had been needed. However he had the information he needed and they had a staff meeting to get to. "Thank you Lieutenent Soran, I'm honored by your strength and willingness to aid us. If there is anything you need my ships resources are at your disposal, but now if you'll all excuse me the briefing will be starting in a few moments. Ms. Ayren, would you stay for a moment?"


Ba'al's unorthodox way of treating had a desire effect in which she felt, was the best way of making people feel better about themselves, when their attention was focused upon her and how they can get back her, which, the Orion felt, was fine and it brought said person back into the swing of things, plus, if and when they wanted to talk with her after her bluntness of 'life sucks deal with it' towards them, she would ask them nicely to accompany her to the nearest holodeck and being a program that was tailored towards the person needs of releasing their hatred and bad feelings.

The Orion felt that, the way the Federation, saw treatment of one's mind, was unproductive and it took to long for the Orion's taste. Her way, had more of a positive effect then sitting in a chair and listening and give advice. Yet, when she stated what she thought about the current data, She gotten the effect in which, Niemi wanted to see, and if Soran knew it or not, she did feel sorry for the woman, but Ba'al, didn't want to show it in front of the others.

Looking to the captain, the Orion who happen to look like an Earth troll, simply nodded her head as she rose up onto her feet. She of course, had to do more research on the Kzinti/Federation relationship, but that can wait, she had other things on her plate that needed her attention at the moment, as she slipped out the door, to her tasking and other odds and ends.

For her part, Soran only gave a mute and grateful nod of acknowledgement before escaping the confines of Da'nal's ready room with an almost audible sigh of relief.

As the others left, she stayed behind, rubbing her upper arms with her hands, as if hugging herself. She didn't need to pretend in front of Da'nal, this was hard. There were no two ways about that.

Da`nal moved around and sat next to Ayren. "I'm sorry you had to hear that. But I needed you here to make sure her thoughts were genuine, and in case she broke."

"I know..." she said, taking his hand and squeezed it, silently appreciating his concern. "She is very strong....but I am unfamiliar with the psychology of an unjoined Trill, I have just never dealt with one before..." she said thoughtfully. "But everything is genuine....I can assure you...." she said, finding it hard to not think about her cousin's fate.

Wrapping his arm around her; he wanted to say that Xeadell would be fine...that they would get there in time. But that wasn't a promise he knew he'd be able to keep. So he held for a moment longer. Finally, he released her, "you go on ahead and I’ll be there shortly."

For a short moment she pressed her forehead against his chest, taking what she could from the security she felt in that moment. "Love you..." she mouthed before she left.

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Capt Da`nal
CO

Ayren Kalan
NPC

Ens. Ba`al
CCO

Lt Martiza Soran
IKS Dama

 

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