Cries in the Dark

Posted on Wed May 15th, 2024 @ 6:49pm by Rear Admiral Leena Haistro & Commander Lillian Carter & Commander Peter Horn & Lieutenant Commander Liam Reynolds & Lieutenant Rohan Read & Senior Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Stoun & Glin Slorir Varin

1,220 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 1: Palingenesis
Location: Ops

ON

Lieutenant Command Reynolds message had sounded urgent, something about a distress call from his brother which had immediately worried her as the Andromeda had long since been destroyed and crew presumed dead.

She had quickly pulled on her uniform, finally donning the red collar with her gold boxed pips on her collar. She strode into Ops, coffee in one hand, the other hand covering her mouth to stifle a yawn.

"Report Commander!"

"Sir, my brother's alive and being held captive," Liam said. He looked pale and sweaty. His cortisol levels were sky high. "By the CeTea. And they are in league with the Romulans. Planning an attack on ...." he screwed his face up trying to remember the planet designation. The half Betaziod sat down feeling woozy. He chewed his cheek, looking at Amia trying to remember what he had been murmuring in his sleep induced telepathic connection with his twin. His son had been smart enough when awakened to alert the CMO. Most likely he should be in sickbay and Amia had tried to put her foot down and drag him there but he had hot tailed it down to Ops immediately.

"Its one of the Cartel's territories. They are going to make it look like it was the Federation using Jon. Then the Cartels will turn on us while they ........ theres more to the plan. If I could just ... I need to re-establish the link with my twin"

He sure as hell didn't want to at the same time. He had experienced the same torture during it his twin was enduring.

"Liam, you need to calm your system, that would make the connection easier to manage." Amia advised Liam softly, looking very worried by the readings she was getting from her med-corder as she was checking him out while he talked to the Admiral.

"Commander, I can sense that you believe what you are saying but Andromeda was lost with all hands" she offered motioning for him to take a seat at the Ops table along with her just as a few other the other remaining senior officer entered Ops.

Lillian felt slightly out of sorts this morning but she arrived at ops, she quickly reported in. "The Cerberus is standing by, all repairs are completed."

Like the others, Peter seemed to look exhausted as well, which was fairly unusual for the Vulcan hybrid. "Apologies," he mumbled as he beelined for the replicator, "my wife is feeling unwell but she is refusing to share what is ailing her. She is blocking me out from sensing it, but her discomfort is palpable. Even the boys are concerned for their mother." He spotted the new CMO, wondering if she knew anything yet knowing in the same thought that she'd not be allowed to tell him if he did ask.

The turbolift gently ascended into the Operations Chamber, allowing Glinn Slorir Varin a plain view of all that had already arrived in the command center for Deep Space 21. Unlike most of his companions, the Cardassian Liaison sighed as he stepped through the small opening and into Operations. Having been aboard the station for a while now, this was one of the few times that he had willingly entered Operations and it showed the change in the relationship between the Federation and the Cardassian Union. While he inwardly still hoped to one day see the station returned to Cardassia - they did build it after all - he was contented to let sleeping dogs lie as the Humans may say.

"Fish juice," he ordered walking to the replicator as he waited to learn more.

"Glin I'm suspicious of that replicator, I've had three service calls on it so if your order is off, let me know how it tastes" Jon sat his repair kit down. "I'm sure it is fine, just let me know if it is fishy enough for you." He looked around at the rest of the officers on deck. "Sorry I'm a bit late."

The Cardassian took a cautionary drink of the traditional morning beverage of his people, expecting the worst as the taste hit his taste buds. He was surprised to find that it tasted exactly as he had expected it to. Nonetheless, he set it back on the grid and hit the recycle. His only comment on the matter a grunt.

Lieutenant Rohan Reed walked into Operations from one of the service doors on the lower deck. The rugged looking security chief was rubbing his dirty hands on a cloth after working on glitches in the stations security net. He noticed some commotion was foot afoot. "What's up?" He simply asked.

"The Commander feels that he has been in telepathic communications with Captain Jonathon Reynolds... His twin brother" Leena quickly filled in the others as they gathered.

Liam sensed a flood of lust towards his brother suddenly and it sure wasn't him. Curious. If he wasn't feeling so awful in his own self he would pin that down. "I was in telepathic communication Admiral. When you are a Betazoid twin its different. More powerful. And he's being tortured. Not far from where the Andromeda went down."

"Commander Carter, how quickly can Cerberus be deployed to investigate?" Leena asked, not completely buying into what Liam was saying but at the same time she wasn't going to discount it, stranger things had happened in space after all.

Lillian straightened "Just give the word Admiral."

"very well, pull together a skeleton crew, I will be accompanying you also but the ship is yours Commander". She looked to Horn next. "You will assume command of Ops but make sure that Lieutenant Haistro is assigned to Cerberus for this outing".

"Glin Varin, given our proximity to Cardassian Space would you care to join us?" she looked at the Cardassian, extending the olive branch so to speak. The Briar Patch was only a hand full of light years from the border of Cardassian Space and this rescue mission would be verging on the borders still and the aid of an ally could be beneficial should the Cartels catch wind of their presence.

Just as he had done moments before, the Cardassian grunted in response to the request. Despite this, he was actually excited to be more involved.

Lillian tapped her commbadge "Carter to Cerberus. Prepare to depart. Seal the airlock, release docking clamps and standby to beam three directly to the bridge."

She motioned to the Admiral and Varin to join her as she stepped apart from the other assembled officers.

Varin sent a message to his vessel as he followed. He was curious to see what would come of this.

Liam having pulled himself together, the physical feelings of the torture ebbed away while the rest of the command staff telepathically contacted Teena asking her to look after Cade while he was away on this mission. His eyes fell on the admiral wondering why she wanted to accompany them. Did she have history with Jon?

"Lieutenant" Leena called over to Reed as she spotted him. Her thought being the more seasoned security personnel they had on hand would be of benefit should this 'feeling' that Commander Reynolds had was more than just a figment.

The security chief finished wiping his hands as he moved towards the Admiral. "Yes, ma'am?"

END

 

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