Repose in Transit

Posted on Sun May 12th, 2019 @ 1:33pm by Jaeih Dox-t'Aan & Az'Prel

Mission: Fractured Fairy Tales
Location: Romulan Scorpion fighter, the Nihroi
Timeline: 2396

"We will be entering the K'reo'n Nebula in 14 minutes. I will drop us out of Warp for entry at two hundred thousand kilometers from the leading edge." Jaeih Dox called back from the pilot's seat of the small two-person replica-Romulan Scorpion fighter dubbed the Nihroi.

The Rihan word for 'The Question', it was an appropriately whimsical choice, made by the Hera's First Officer, Rita Paris. And it was the kind of thinking Jaeih Dox had begun to expect from the unexpected human.

Sitting behind and slightly above the elder Dox was the Vulcan refugee from a mirror universe of horrors, Az'Prel. She, like her Romulan companion, was volunteering her prodigious skills in service of the Hera on a covert mission to gather the information that might aid the Hera's Captain, Enalia Telvan, in her upcoming tribunal to wrest control of the Artan Pirate Fleet from her mother.

"Once inside, I will have to drop us out of warp as warp fields are far too unstable in the nebula. However, the cloud will completely obliterate our trail making it impossible for anyone to track our path of travel back to the Hera." Jaeih added. It was close to the only conversation the two women had shared since they left the ship together on this mission.

"A most fortuitous natural occurrence. Sensors show no signs of pursuit or detection." The displaced Vulcan woman then paused a moment before continuing. "In my native universe, the Terran Empire scans for and destroys all ships that employ similar tactics in such nebula."

"So would a Romulan Warbird, were one near. It appears Empires think alike regardless of the universe." Jaeih commented somewhat flatly. For a Romulan, her mannerisms were often deliberately emotionless. It was a necessary coldness in her former life as a Tal'Shiar enforcer that never quite went away. "The Commander and my... the Lieutenant... mentioned something about your origins, but no specifics. I am to take it from your statement that like Commander Paris, you also hail from a different reality from this?"

"Yes, I am from the mirror to the Commander's own universe," began Az'Prel, maintaining her own emotionless speech patterns. "As my universe collapsed, I tried to escape its destruction and eventually found a hole in space and was rescued by the beings known as the Prophets. As far as I am aware, I am the sole survivor of my universe."

"I cannot imagine how that must make you feel, which for a Vulcan of any reality must be... distressing on multiple levels. However, from the limited intelligence reports I have read regarding this realities Mirror, I can only surmise you are in a far better situation having survived to come here." Jaeih added.

"Just from my limited experiences aboard the USS Hera, I am inclined to agree. Fortunately, I am unlike my more emotional Vulcan counterparts and am a logician so am a closer fit to what this universe expects of me." There was a slight pause before Az'Prel made an addendum. "Other than being a highly skilled former slave and freedom fighter that has killed nearly a thousand Terrans through hand to hand combat and infiltration. I assume that those are not common Vulcan traits."

From her seat in the front, Jaeih allowed a slight smirk to cross her face. "No, not inordinately. Vulcans here are both logical to a fault and very peaceful. Though with those skills, I can see why Commander Paris thought we would be well suited to working together on this mission."

"In my universe, it was Romulans that were very peaceful. The Republic did not last long against the Empire during the war." Az'Prel performed another sensor sweep, just in case. The small craft didn't have the range of most other vessels, so she wanted to stay on top of things.

"A true mirror, then." Jaeih replied. The tone of her voice was largely neutral, with the hint of a chuckle on her lips at the idea of a peaceful Romulus. "It is going to be a long journey, so I do hope you do not find any of my questions intrusive. But, also, if we are to be working together, it will benefit us both to have some level of familiarity with the other."

"On the contrary, I have learned much of this universe, yet it is but a fraction of what is truly out there. If my experiences offer some insight as to what I will need to know for this mission, then by all means. I would be happy to answer any and all questions you may have. It would only be logical." The Vulcan woman from another universe may have said the word happy, but her cool, emotionless voice carried no hint of it. Indeed, she'd used emotive terms many times over her time in this universe, and yet showed little to no signs of emotion and what she had shown would be expected for someone having watched the destruction of the literal fabric of their reality and everything they knew changed and flipped upside down.

"One thing I would like to ask you first, if I may. I have only met one other Vulcan in this universe and he is a Kolinahr Master. I had to adopt certain... patterns... In order to blend in and not be killed from an early age as a logician. He has informed me of several traits that I have that make me stand out, such as emoting in my speech. The Commander also had to correct my saying from 'I live to serve' to 'I come to serve'. If you notice anything else that stands out, will you please inform me?"

"I will." Jaeih replied. "I spent many years as a smuggler and in that time worked with many Vulcans. It led me to learn the language to teach it to my daughter, but I've also come to be fairly adept at reading Vulcans. In my time on the Hera, I had not had the opportunity to meet Lieutenant Sonak, but my Daughter speaks extremely highly of him. But as a guide for behavior to blend in, he would be an extreme example. One that may actually make you stand out even more if blending in is your goal in regards to espionage."

The elder Romulan turned back towards Az'Prel with an eyebrow raised and a slight smile. "Outside of espionage, you are under no obligation to monitor your verbiage. Speak however you are most comfortable."

"Most Vulcans I've met show some degree of emotion underlying their words or actions. Only Kohlinar masters are truly without emotion, after all. The rest simply excel at controlling theirs. As such, your body language cues should not be an issue at all. As for your choice of words, I'm sure you can work out the proper swaps. 'Amenable' in place of 'pleased', and so forth. But I will assist you as needed."

"However, a suggestion. Since we are endeavoring to infiltrate an organization with many Romulan members, creating a persona of mixed heritage may be of benefit. Can you speak Rihan?" Jaeih asked, in full on 'work' mode now.

Switching to the language now, Az'Prel tilted her head back in a slightly haughty manner that she had picked up from years of studying Terrans. "It was only slightly more difficult to learn than I had expected. It took me four days to learn, instead of three. From this point on, I am half Romulan. My mother was Vulcan and my father was Romulan but both were killed when I was very young and I was raised by... Reconstru... Refornifi... Redecor..." She paused a moment, trying to remember the shape of the word before proceeding. "Reunificationists. In secret."

As the Vulcan infiltration specialist began talking, Jaeih turned on the comm screen so she could watch her new partner without having to twist around in her seat. She replied in Rihan, "Excellent. And your backstory will aid in covering up your lack of a distinct accent. I can hear a hint of your natural Vulcan accent on emphasis, but that's very common for those raised cross-culturally. I would recommend, if asked, that you claim that you grew up or at least spent time in transit ships and on... the T'Viick Colony. A heavy, but highly transitory reunificationist population. All the accents are muddied there."

"The ship has a decent library of information on the subject you can study for specifics. I made sure to have Ensign Gonadie supply a very up to date file on reunification efforts for infiltration purposes." Jaeih added.

"Accents are hard to cover and I had not practiced enough, it seems. I will take your recommendation. Anything that will aid in this mission's success is amenable. Thank you." Az'Prel pulled up the respective data and began reading over it as they continued their talk. "It has been a while since I had to adopt a role like this for infiltration. There is something... Electric... About it."

The elder Romulan couldn't help but smile at that. "I agree. It's been many years since I've been on a mission like this as well. And never before for positive purposes. 'Electric' is a very apt description." Then her tone shifted to a more somber one, "My... prior infiltration missions were... nothing to be proud of."

"If you did them for the purpose of what you believed in at the time and you performed admirably, then you may take pride in the job itself. If your views have since changed, then the logical thing to do is to work towards your new goals and taking pride in that and repairing any damage that you may have caused, is it not?" The Vulcan woman broke it down as simply as she could, but she knew that the galaxy was a far more complex place than that. In the end though, that was how she made her decisions - simple logic like that.

Listening, Jaeih raised her eyebrows up in mild surprise as a slight smirk crossed her face again. She softly nodded as she replied. "I knew there was a reason I tried teaching Mnhei'sahe...Lieutenant Dox... Vulcan philosophy. I was terrible at it, of course, but there is a comfort in logic. It simply... is. It exists regardless of how we may feel about it."

"And while there are many things that I've done that... cannot be repaired. Logically, it serves no purpose to dwell on them other than as a reminder to not repeat those mistakes and stand against others who would. Would that logic hold?" She asked plainly, trying to take Az'Prel's words to heart.

"Indeed, that is sound logic from my experience. My mentor also counseled me in similar advice though. Do what you can with the power you have and let the rest take care of itself." The displaced Vulcan almost sounded callous in her words, but there was wisdom and logic in them. "There are things outside of your control and worrying about them only leads to your own suffering. If you can do something, do so. If you can not do anything... Do not."

But Jaeih heard no callousness at all in Az'Prel's words. The former Tal'Shiar agent turned reunification freedom fighter had tremendous respect for Vulcans, their culture and their logic and she took great comfort in Az'Prel's perspective. "It sounds as if you had an extremely wise mentor, Miss Az'Prel. And from my own experience with Vulcans, you seem a credit to their teachings."

Then her tone shifted slightly down again. "Tell me, in your time on the Hera, have you interacted much with Mn... Lieutenant Dox?"

"She was one of the ones that welcomed me aboard. I have also spoken with her several times and sparred with her." Az'Prel nodded as she spoke. "She is a highly skilled and competent officer."

From the pilot's seat, Jaeih sighed slightly. "I'm afraid I can take more credit for her skills in combat and as an officer than I can in much of anything else. In truth, I was more of a commander to her than a Mother. And since verbal subterfuge would be meaningless here, I will admit that In my limited time on the Hera I have attempted to discover what kind of a woman she has become through her friends and shipmates."

Cutting herself off, Jaeih began working at the controls. "We are at the leading edge of the K'reo'n Nebula. Dropping out of warp for insertion." As she spoke, the small craft slowed to normal speed in front of the swirling pink and blue gasses of the Nebula. "Within the Nebula, we will not have access to our cloaking device or warp speed. Sensors and shields will be limited. But unlike larger starships that might be hiding in here as well, we actually have a window to look out."

"Still, When I submitted our flight plan to Commander Paris, the Hera's long-range sensors didn't pick up anything in the surrounding space. But all bets are off within the nebula." Jaeih added.

"I have come to have a certain faith in such unknowable things." Az'Prel dimmed the ship's lighting and entered a lower power running mode as they entered the nebula. "If we remain calm and on our intended course of action, the universe will either let us pass unhindered, or we will be delayed. If we are delayed, we are in a small, fast craft that is virtually impossible to track under normal circumstances so our odds of evasion are high."

"Indeed. And it is not bragging when I say that I am a more than adept evasive pilot. We should be fine so long as we stay alert." Jaeih replied as the moved silently through the nebula on course and on schedule.

With their ingress to the nebula managed, Jaeih switched topics back to those of a more personal nature. "You mentioned that my daughter was one of the crewmembers that greeted you, and you mentioned also 'the Prophets'. Would this be the prophets of the Bajoran Wormhole? I've read much about that subject."

The Vulcan woman grunted slightly at the memory. "Yes... I believe it was that wormhole that I found in my universe and allowed me to cross to this one with their assistance. They delivered me to Commander Paris upon her traversal through the wormhole and asked her to act as my guide, in a manner of speaking. I have since learned that with the fated collapse of her own universe, mine was destined to collapse with it. I am forced to wonder if there are other survivors of my universe. She has Sonak, another survivor of her universe. What if another survived mine?"

"In a universe of infinite possibilities... a multiverse really... there may be a high probability of this being true." Jaeih said with a slightly somber tone. "However, given the nature of the universe you described, whoever else may have survived may be less than benevolent."

"That is not a comforting thought."Az'Prel paused a moment, trying to collect her thoughts on the matter. "Especially with what I saw during a holographic training exercise that turned into an assassination attempt upon Baroness von Alcott's life. Agony tech that should not exist in this universe. It is possible it existed in the mirror of this universe rather than only in mine... But the similarities... They were disconcerting."

"Similar concepts are disconcerting enough. Were you able to examine the construction to see if the similarities we're more than superficial?" Jaeih added, quickly slipping in to an investigative mindset. One of the traits that made her idea for this mission.

"Unfortunately, I am not as familiar with the particular console in question as I could be. I am more familiar with being in an agony booth, as I spent around three years in one." Az'Prel didn't mince words as she stated the simple facts of her history. "I was able to infiltrate and assassinate several members of a research team working on a system that looked identical to the one on that bridge, However, the lead scientist escaped me. They were working on a way to integrate the Agonizer tech into localized ship-wide forcefields."

"That would enable someone to use that technology across an entire ship in concept. Anywhere with field emitters, which is essentially everywhere." Jaeih reasoned. In her readings, she had come across the descriptions of the technology and so didn't need to ask Az'Prel any additional questions considering how the woman's entire demenor had changed when the subject of the Agony technology had come up.

"The nature of our investigation may yield information on this subject. Considering the nature of this tribunal, if this so-called queen does have this technology then we must find out. The Captain must know and be prepared." Jaeih added somberly.

"Of that, we are in agreement. Not just for her sake, but for the galaxy at large." Indeed, Az'Prel's demeanor had darkened at the turn of subject - the memories of the constant pain were still fresh in her mind. Thus, she decided to turn the subject to another topic. "We have discussed my background somewhat extensively now so it would only be fair to discuss yours. Is there anything you would be willing to share?"

In truth, Jaeih had spent the majority of her life learning to lie and keep secrets. Sharing had become almost an alien concept to her, but in her commitment to being the mother her daughter deserves, she was actively working to move beyond the woman she was.

And that meant truth. Truth not just with Mnhei'sahe but with those she called friends.

"I will admit that it is... difficult... for me. But I made a decision for the sake of my daughter. And that means extending trust outward. And if we are to perform our tasks in this mission, that means giving you my trust." Jaeih began.

"In this universe, the Romulan Star Empire has ruled it's sector for generations with feat, terror and deception. When our people left our Vulcan roots behind in the great Exodus, they embraced a darker path. But it was a path I was raised to believe was just."

"I believed the propaganda of the state and joined the military out of school. I was a trained Engineer but I dreamed of bringing honor to the Empire." Jaeih scoffed as she spoke, disgusted with herself.

"I rose to the rank of sub-commander. Second in command of the Warbird Deleth. Soon, my military service brought my skills to the attention of the director of the Tal'Shiar. The Romulan secret police and I was recruited. In time, I served the director, a woman named Verelan t'Rul directly. I was... her enforcer." Jaeih sunk her head slightly, knowing where this story was leading.

"As an enforcer, I hunted down those disloyal to the Empire. So-called traitors. Successionists. Any Romulans who had come to recognize what we really were. I hunted them down. I tortured them. And eventually I... killed them. And for a time, I could still cling to the believe that I was right and they were the enemies of peace and Romulan prosperity."

Telling the tale was clearly difficult to Jaeih, but she continued. "The director had a son. An investigator in the Tal'Shiar named Dralath tr'Rul. In time, we found love. In time we both began, through that love, to see things differently. To see what we had become. It came to a head when I was sent to put down an Insurrection from a group of colonists I was told we're anarchists."

"They were reunification supporters. Nothing more. I was given a device. A horrible tool called a Neural Extraction Converter. A device Verelan t'Rul designed to rewrite an individual mind. Make them believe whatever you wanted them to. Or erase those minds entirely. I had my orders. Change their minds or wipe them out, but I couldn't. They simply wanted peace. They wanted to explore the serenity of logic and rejoin our ancestors. They were no threat."

"As I realized it, I realized what I had become and I couldn't be that any longer. I disobeyed my orders, turned on my own crew and gave the reunificationists our ship to escape. But the director ordered the ship to self destruct remotely, killing them all." Jaieh continued, her voice cracking ever so slightly.

"I was imprisoned, as my skills as an engineer we're still of value to the Empire. In time, I escaped, becoming a smuggler. So as to dedicate my future to aiding those that wished to escape Romulus." The story hung in the air for a time while Jaeih waited for a response.

The Vulcan woman listened intently, neither judging, nor interrupting. "You have led an interesting life as well, it seems. I assume that your actions weigh heavily upon you as well. If so, may I offer some advice?"

"Extremely so, yes." Jaeih replied, nodding slightly. "And please, I welcome it."

"Nothing I say and nothing you do will ever lighten that burden and we are all products of our experiences and choices." Az'Prel paused a moment to let that sink in before continuing. "However... In every moment... In the here and now that you live in... As long as you learn from your past, none of it matters. Live for the future and cherish every moment you have in the present."

Listening intently to a woman Jaeih knew understood all too well, she nodded silently and processed for a moment. "Thank you. I will take that to heart. I have been... trying to craft something of a future. If only for Mnhei'sahe's sake. She deserves the mother I couldn't be in her youth."

"That is a wish both of us share. However in my case..." The displaced Vulcan trailed off for a moment, leaving the thought heavy in the air. "When I was a slave, I had a daughter. She was taken from me and I was told she would be sold. When I escaped, I tried to find her, but was unsuccessful. I try to put my faith in the words of my mentor to ease that pain most of all."

"I... I am terribly sorry. I can't imagine..." Jaeih was genuinely shaken by Az'Prel's revelation. "Throughout everything since having her, I have always taken comfort in knowing that she had taken a better path. To have no knowledge... I have no words."

"My universe is now gone, and thus so is she," Az'Prel replied flatly, focusing on the files on her co-pilot screen. "There is nothing more to be said."

"Perhaps." Jaeih responded. "Although the core conceit, as I understand the nature of the link between the universes, is a reversed balance. Have you considered that a version of her could have existed here? Could still exist?"

"This universe's version of me may still be alive as well," Az'Prel replied. "However, if they are my mirror version of me, I have concluded that I would rather not research that possibility for now. I would rather not be confronted with what that possibility holds just yet."

"Well... right now it is only just a possibility. And a possibility can be whatever you choose to make it." Jaeih replied, turning slightly. "So it's up to you to imagine what you choose for now. Imagine the best."

Realizing the conversation had gotten perhaps a bit too hard to manage for the both of them, Jaeih moved back to their task for a moment. "At our current speed, we will exit the nebula in 7.2 hours."

Reducing the interior cabin light slightly, Jaeih turned slightly towards Az'Prel. "Once we exit, we can resume warp and will be at the first station point within two hours, but for now the route ahead is clear. We both have files to review and should take turns resting."

Az'Prel nodded in acknowledgement. "Agreed. The mission ahead will likely be dangerous and stressful. Now is the time for meditation. If possible..."

At impulse speed, the tiny black Scorpion cut it's way through the swirling through the brilliant gasses of the K'reo'n nebula on it's way towards it's destiny. The two women, both taking the time to prepare themselves for the challenges ahead of them. Both survivors of their own unique flavor of horrors. Both committed to using those life experiences to ensuring that the crew of the U.S.S. Hera would have the tools to survive the trials to come.