Deception - On Set

Posted on Tue Sep 14th, 2021 @ 2:52pm by Lieutenant JG T'Sehn & Lieutenant JG Anek Tua & Lieutenant JG Osil Haistro

3,167 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 3 - Fear Is Fear Itself
Location: ???...???...???
Timeline: Mission Day 4 @ 1622 Hours

ON:

One second there had been something in front of the ship like a nightmare. And it had fired. Several times. Alarms had been screaming, things had been on fire. The smell was still in the teen's nose. She had been running, trying to make it to a corridor not damaged and burning and then she had run out into a place in darkness. Her senses didn't catch up and she thudded loudly into something else. Some lighting started to kick in and well as her daddy would have said, she wasn't in Kansas anymore.

Grabbing the source of the Thud who seemed to be a Trill. Charlie did a double take. The only Trill she was aware of on the Copernicus was her mother. Even she was half and barely looked Trill. "Where ... what .... " she looked at him, eyes wide. Several more lights lit revealing what looked like a small park. Air started to go from feeling stale to fresher.

"Life support is kicking in," she reasoned. "This looks familiar somehow," she turned back to the stranger her hands still digging into his arm.

"Lieutenant, Miss... If I may enquire, where are we?"

The Vulcan had approached past a black metal spiral staircase that went up into the darkness, a darkness that seemed almost to black, black as the deepest obsidian. "I left sickbay and went to the transporter room. Lieutenant Osil Haistro and I were the last to leave but we seem to have been separated upon transport... What has happened?"

"Yeoman," Charlie corrected her. "And we were either transported somewhere else or this is the afterlife. This neither looks like Mak'relle Dur or well .... Heaven to me. So I'll bet my latinum on the first one."

It was far from a comfortable transport for Lieutenant Tua. He barely remembered what had happened, it all seemed like a blur to him. He had been aboard the Copernicus at the Operations Panel and then he was here, well whereever here was. It looked like it was the Cardassian Station but it could very well have been Hell and no one would really have known the difference. He always imagined that the Cardassians and Lucifer had similar architectural interests.

As he heard voices in the distance he wondered why he had not heard another. For the first time since their joining he had wanted to hear from Tua, to make sure that the slug was still alive inside of him. As he heard more voices nearby he stood for a moment, trying to center himself to hear the Symbiont.

"I'm here," Osil said, emerging from the darkness. His eyes were even blacker than Charlie had seen them in the short time they'd known each other and it was clear the Betazoid hadn't come across wholly unscathed. "I so hate beaming into unknown places without having had the chance to scout ahead," he grunted, "and I definitely hate walls that weren't there before. Are you two in one piece?"

Charlies eyes fluttered round and looked directly at the man she was still gripping. Her hands suddenly freed him.

"I'm so sorry ..." she said slowly to the other Trill. "I thought for a moment you were the only other person ... "

Anek looked out into the distance and saw that there were others from the Copernicus having had arrived there too. At least misery had company. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes, letting his mind drift to try to connect with Tua. It was quiet, perhaps even too quiet, but it was there in the ether. Something was wrong though, like it was stunned. It made him feel sick to his stomach.

Beyond embarrassed and already hearing in her head Minka telling her to play it cool, she turned away and looked directly at her "Uncle to be". "I'm okay."

"Your mother will be pleased to hear that once we reunite. And I'm pretty sure Kei will want us to stick together." Osil nodded, then wrenched his eyes shut as his vision started to swim. "Do all of you have weapons?"

Charlie actually laughed. "No. They don't let minors and yeomen have weapons. I have a comb, and some hair grips," she pulled them out her pocket. She might be able to pick an old fashioned lock she mused internally.

Anek pushed through the discomfort, having realized he needed to regroup if they were to find out what was happening. Pushing himself forward through the Gothic promenade he called out, "Ahoy there?"

“Ahoy …” Charlie looked at him incredibly. “Are you expecting sailors?”

Osil waved at the new arrival. "Seen or heard any others?" He asked, "perhaps we should go first others." He looked to Charlie. "You stay close to me kid, your mom and my big brother would never forgive me if I let something happen to you."

"If I recall Cardassian Space Station Design correctly" T'Sehn began while orienting himself by looking both left and right. "The retail and entertainment portion of a station such as this also held the medical facility... Perhaps it would be logical to assume other refugees from Copernicus may have attempted to reach that location!"

"Then we should see about locating the infirmary," Osil commented with a shrug. "And perhaps somehow let others know where we are... does anyone have any beacons? Or markers? Anything that can point others to us?"

"I do not Lieutenant!" T'Sehn replied crisply as he started down the shopping centre of this once bustling station. The shop fronts, eateries, religious shrines, tourist boards... they all looked pristine but power seemed to be an issue. He pressed on regardless knowing the Cardassian's often sign posted their medical facilities with a similar symbol to the humans, some kind of serpent wrapped around a blade and before long they could see two large doors, one cast open and the other twisted and fragmented into a shadow of its former self.

"I will attempt to access the medical records and see if there is any indication as to why this station is here and what may have transpired to leave it vacant!"

The new Operations Manager had a pang of remembrance from inside his gut, but it was strange beyond belief for himself. The Symbiont was still being quiet, at least to a point, but he could feel a breeze of familiarity in his head. The Symbiont was a newborn, a child, but there was life within that childhood. The Symbiont was the offspring of another that had been an expert of Cardassian culture. It had learned somethings that were shared. Maybe there was something to the two lives being together.

"We need to be careful," the Trill warned. "Cardassians sabotage their stations when they abandon them. There may even be Obsidian Order troops aboard in stasis with orders to defend the station from intruders."

Charlie fished out something from her pocket. "I've some lipstick sir. Perhaps some sort of markings that mean something to us but not crazy frozen Cardassian's might help?"

Anek stared a moment, his mind racing at the different thoughts that were going through his head. He had only just realized of everyone who had encountered he was the person of highest rank. That meant he was the one responsible, he was the one that needed to make sure that they all survived. All the thoughts welled up in his mind. Only a short while ago he was an Ensign on the Andromeda and not responsible for anyone. There were a million things that they needed to do if they were going to make it aboard the Cardassian monstrosity. He knew what he had to do and as he went to issue his first order...

He threw up right next to Charlie's shoes.

The Trill looked up after dry heaving, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his uniform. "Alright," he said gathering his confidence and hoping not more bile, "we do need to set up some sort of signal and that wasn't it." He referenced his vomiting. "We need to set up a refuge for us, somewhere we know we can be safe. Maybe the infirmary is the best idea. We can setup inside their surgical bay, it's a confined area with only two ways in and out. That gives us some security." Where was this coming from?

"Lieutenant, are you well?" The Vulcan asked as he moved over to the Trill, scooping up one of the Cardassian Medical Scanners from a tray on the way and started running the devise around him, trying to ascertain the reason why he had just emptied the contents of his stomach at the teenagers feet but something stopped him, it was moving from the shadows to the back of the infirmary, coming from the very location Anek has suggested they fortify. It was another Starfleet uniform, not one he recognised as he had not been on the Copernicus very long. He took a snap look at her rank. "Chief, how long have you been here?"

Charlie pulled off her shoes shooting the other Trill a look then tossed the shoes away. She wasn't adding potential gagging from the stench of his puke to their problems.

"If we are setting up in the infirmary we also need rations," Osil remarked, wrinkling his nose at the vomit, "and more weapons, and other utilities."

Yelena appeared, just watching the discussion of those that arrived on the station she laughed, at the fact of Charlie throwing away her shoes. She followed after the others as if she belonged.

Anek looked as the Vulcan moved the Cardassian Scanner, certain that he was fine, "I'm alright now. It was just a momentary reaction to..." A series of beeps came from the Tricorder, signaling the opposite. He looked up, knowing the worst already. "It's the Symbiont," he had not heard from the annoying newborn since beaming over, "it's in distress isn't it?" It was scary to him to worry about it. As much as they fought, as much as they seemed to hate each other, he really hoped that Tua was alright.

"Yes," Charlie said simply. Forgetting the shoes and that he was might fine to look at, she snapped into what her mother would call full business mode.

"I might only be a yeoman but thanks to my mum I probably have more experience in medical than the lot of you. You need to calm down and connect with your symbiont. Calm him too. You have to work together right now not against each other. Mum goes inside her ... head I assume. The other hosts talk and D'brooNi is like the big presence there holding them all together. It will be easier for you. As its just you and him. So talk to him. We need you Lieutenant. You can have the rest of your life to fight with each other once we have secured this place and our safety."

T'Sehn looked at the young women, cocking an eyebrow at her forward approach. She obviously had no idea he was the ships senior Nurse but he allowed her to continue as he took up a handheld devise that passed as a Cardassian Medical Scanner and moved over to the crewman that had emerged. She seemed silent, as if unable to engage.
"Please take a seat and allow me to examine you?"

Yelena blinked taking a good long look towards Charlie, then complied with the head nurse's instruction. "I don't know if you will find anything wrong, with me, ummmm, T'Sehn?" then she smiled, "Isn't that right, Charlie?" turning her gaze back towards the yeoman.

"We'll be okay," Anek said reassuringly (but wondered if he was trying to reassure Charlie or himself). He had had his challenges with Tua since the beginning of their bonding, but this was one of the first times that he genuinely knew he cared about the Symbiont. It was a child, a newborn, and he was a new initiate only just bonded. They both were acting like children and one of them needed to grow up quickly.

He would take the first step, "Okay. We need to secure the infirmary. Osil, since it was your idea I'm putting you in charge of finding rations. The station's lounge and replimats shouldn't be far from here. They're bound to have something."

The Betazoid security officer nodded. "Of course. I'll bring back any food I'll find, and additional weapons. Can't have too many of those." Giving the Trill another nod, he started to move off.

"The Security Section is not far from here," he (Tua) said looking down the corridor and recalling the layout of Deep Space Nine. "I'm going to go see if our former hosts left anything behind."

"T'Sehn, Charlie, can you help Yelena get us setup in their recovery area? That way we can have a defensive position in place should the Cardassians be here." The Trill directed.

“Is no one bothered that Yelenas dead?” Charlie started. “I mean girl it's nice to see you again for sure but you snuffed it. Sorry I cannot say it any nicer than that. That isn't Yelena. That's some Cardassian mind trick right?” she looked round at the others unsure what was going on.

T'Sehn had been running the Cardassian medical scanner over the woman who had identified herself as Yelena but the tricorder itself was telling him that the Girl was right.

"Lieutenant Tua... I think the girl may be correct... I am not detecting any life signs or mass just a complex energy matrix!"

“The girl,” Charlie glared at the Vulcan. “I'm a yeoman thank you. Not a little girl. And yes I am right. I attended her funeral. She was ripped in half on the last away mission. Nice that you got your legs back though fake Yelena. So why are you here anyway?”

"Why shouldn't I be here. I am part of the crew. Charlie. We used to visit, have some laughs. " Yelena responded. "But I am here!" giving a frown. "And i don't intend on leaving!"

"Look I'm just saying that if I was to return from the dead I would pick a more fun place that this sorry end of well whereever we are," Charlie informed her. "So what happened anyway. Why are you not bouncing around on white clouds in eternal bliss?"

The Operations Officer was wishing, now that they had a suspected infiltrator, that he had had the opportunity to go to Security prior to the revelation. Maybe, just maybe he would have been able to have some sort of weapons or defenses in place if this was a threat. "For the time being I am going to have to ask you to remain here," he pointed toward one of the biobeds nearby. "I am certain you can understand our reasons."

Osil returned a few minutes later, carrying a few silvery packs. "I've found water and rations," he announced, dumping his prize onto one of the beds, "we best use things sparsely unless we make a few trips to build ourselves a bit of stock, just in case. Unless we can rig the replimat here in sickbay to give us food and water as well?"

Yelena totally ignored the Operations officer and walked over to where Osil was. "Who are you? And wish I could eat some of that." Then she looked over at Charlie, "Bouncing around on clouds sounds really boring." then looked at Osil reaching out a hand towards his temple. "What is going on inside of your mind, pretty boy." the Russian woman commented.

"Oh yeah totally get that," Charlie said as if it was nothing she was conversing with a dead co worker. "I mean you want hot men there too right? So Fake Yelena this is my uncle to be Lieutenant Haistro. This is Yelena. She died," Charlie shrugged. "On the planet with the T'Kon Stuff. Invaded Keiben's head. Scanned mum."

Osil shuddered as the woman touched him, then moved to push her hand away from him. "Right... so how do we get rid of this... apparition? I can't sense anything from this person." His dark eyes moved towards the dead woman. "Why are you here, what do you want?"

The Operations Officer looked carefully at the woman, studying her. Could she be the reason that Tua was in distress? Had she done something to them? He walked over, more anger in his mind that he expected and wishing he had already made his way to the armory, "What are you? Are you doing this to us?"

T'Sehn could feel something cold and dark pushing at the outer most reaches of his mind, the joy of being a telepathic species, but this was strong. Far stronger than he was in that regard and he could feel tendrils of the darkness starting to wrap around parts of him, he could feel his control ebbing, not much but enough to give him pause and he could feel fear. Fear at what was going on, fear that his home had seemingly been destroyed, fear that his ship mates were in distress but most of all the fear, a deep seated dread of losing his emotional control.

He started to push it away but caught sight of Osil, the other telepath of the group and he could see in his eyes that he felt it as well, perhaps not exactly the same thing but there was something cold worming its way into his mind like a parasite looking for a host.

"What's wrong?" Charlie said looking between the two telepathic ones. "Your creeping me out and considering my dead mates here too that takes some doing."

Osil locked eyes with the Vulcan and nodded slowly. He was sensing it too. "I'm not sure kid," he answered his step-niece to be. "Something dark is going on here, and I'm not quite sure what. I suggest we stick together from now on, and keep whatever armaments we can find within our grasp. We'll divide watches between the adults. Sorry kid, Kei would never ever forgive me if I'd let you stand watch."

"Why won't you let me look into your mind." Yelena remarked reaching out one more time towards Osil, then towards T'Sehn. Then turned towards Charlie..."C'mon Charlie what is inside your mind" then reached out towards Anek, her hand stopping short. "You... what is wrong with you?" she spat out.

Anek felt cold overtake him, life a thousand knives striking his body all at the same time. It swept over him like floodwaters ready to rip him away from shore and throw him out to sea. The young Trill could feel his guard breaking down, but worse he could feel something else deep inside his stomach. A pain that he never imagined. Tua. What had happened to Tua? He blinked and, suddenly, he could see no one else, hear no one else. It was like they were all gone and he was truly alone.

END

 

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