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The Long Flight Home

Posted on Tue Jul 30th, 2019 @ 9:03am by Ahreva Malana & Az'Prel & Ensign Varnok Jahal & Jaeih Dox-t'Aan
Edited on on Wed Jul 31st, 2019 @ 9:08am

Mission: Mudd on the Souls of Mankind
Location: The Khallianen
Timeline: 2396

The small, j-type ship known as the Khallianen warped its way through deep space from the Orion Syndicate controlled world of Inris Four. Onboard, four operatives from the U.S.S. Hera rested, successful in their task to retrieve biological samples from a woman known as Zhedda.

The owner of the infamous Drelax Club, Zhedda was the biological model for holographic life form known as Maica, the wife of the Hera's Captain, Enalia Telvan. Together the two were newfound parents of the infant known as Moira Artan. An infant clone of Enalia's own mother, rushed through development and dying without an infusion of DNA from both parents. DNA now safely stored in the Khallianen's cargo hold.

Onboard was the Hera's resident biologist of stone, Ahreva Malana. The Vulcan freedom fighter from an alternate reality, Az'Prel. The Cardassian intelligence officer, Ensign Varnok Jahal. And at the helm, the former smuggler and former Tal'Shiar agent, the independent operative for the Hera, Jaeih Dox.

And Jaeih Dox looked troubled. Lost in thought, the elder Romulan woman was leaned over the control console, her head resting on her tented fingers while she thought silently.

As a whole, the ship was silent. Malana seemed to have all but frozen in place like a literal Boulder while Az'Prel meditated from her seat on the bench along the port bulkhead of the relatively small ship. Varnok seemed to be reading from a PaDD sitting closest to the bow of the ship.

There was a small cabin with a bunk, which was the property of the ships owner and Captain, Jaeih's own Daughter and the Hera's Chief Flight Control Officer, Lieutenant Mnhei'sahe Dox, and nobody seemed to be comfortable using it. As such, Jaeih stayed at the helm, watching as the stars streaked past the window, tiny rainbows against the blackness of space.

As she looked out the window, her thoughts fell back to the mission and the ease with which she found herself returning to intelligence work. The comfort she felt lying to targets in the field. The utter lack of remorse she felt for the Ferengi that she had manipulated to gain access to Zhedda. It’s likely that he would face some form of punishment from someone for compromising the clubs owner based on a lie he could have easily disproven had he not been so trusting. Had Jaeih not been so convincing.

There was always collateral damage in intelligence work, and becoming numb to those concerns was a quality that the former Tal’Shiar agent wasn’t sure she liked to have come back to her so easily. But it served its purpose and they were able to perform the job without any bloodshed. Well, any direct bloodshed on their part. They two guards that the team easily overcame would likely also face harsh punishments for their failures. For all Jaeih knew, all three were already dead. Possibly too the bartender that Az’Prel questioned. Maybe even the dancer that Varnok had seduced. They might all have paid for the team's efficiency. But she didn’t want to think about that, so she stared out the window hoping to clear her mind of doubts. Zhedda had turned out to have some measure of compassion during their meeting and agreed to help the Captain, so perhaps she would show leniency. 'Stranger things have happened.', Jaeih thought as she watched the stars streak past.

Which was when the usually alert Romulan woman was ever so slightly surprised when the Cardassian Ensign, Varnok, stepped up beside her next to the empty co-pilot seat.

looking down at the pensive Romulan, Varnok said, "Do you mind if I join you?"

Tilting an eyebrow at the Ensign, Jaeih nodded silently.

Taking a moment, Varnok turned towards the Lieutenant's Mother and asked, "If I may, you seem to have the weight of worlds on your shoulders."

Sighing slightly, Jaeih paused as she continued to stare out the windows. "Apparently so. This job was… easier when I had no future but it. Now I find I can't stop myself from pondering the ramifications of our actions. Moira will live, and that brings me… far more happiness than I imagined. And I am happier still for Enalia… for the Captain. But I can't stop thinking about what we left in our wake."

"I understand, as much as I enjoy these types of infiltration missions, there is always the aftermath. I try to not get anyone else more involved than they need be. It does not always work out that way, such is the nature of intel work" the Cardassian replied softly. "What it really means Jaeih, is that you have a soul."

Smirking slightly, more out of a desire to avoid going into the topic much deeper, Jaeih replied with a dry chuckle and a flat joke. "Perish the thought, Ensign. What kind of an intel operative would I be with one of those cumbersome things?"

"Someone who can cultivate friends and cherish loved ones....?" he chuckled back, turning more serious Varnok stated "Never scoff at the ability to care about people, you never know when you will no longer have the chance."

Realizing she was wearing her emotions on her sleeve with a man she hardly knew, Jaeih felt a little foolish and tried to redirect a hair to change that. "You seem to have quite the insight into such things, Mr. Varnok. But I do cherish the connections I've made... And those I work to repair."

"My apologies for being so direct. It is my curse I fear." Varnok nodded slightly and looked out the window. He really did not know when to keep his thoughts to himself, or so he been repeatedly told, as he remembered his experience on Earth.

"You're an Intelligence Officer, Mr. Varnok. You acted on your observations. Never scoff at that ability." Jaeih smiled lightly. She found the Cardassian man interesting and didn't want to be rude. "It is no curse. It is simply a personality. And one I hold no judgment of. I'm just an old woman with my own issues."

That was when Malana, the literal living statue, finished silently turning her head towards the pair and spoke, an empty teacup in her hand to try to look normal. "My people have been observing other life for millions of seasons and few of us take part in the bonds and connections others form between them. This thing called... Friendship. Family. Camaraderie. I have done so and I believe I have gained something greater than most of my people will ever come to know. What that is I still do not know and it may take me hundreds of seasons more to understand it, but I will endeavor to do so, at the risk of burning my own life force much quicker than that of the rest of my people."

"I know why I'm here..." Jaeih replied to the stoney biologist. "But... you say that such socialization is uncommon for your people. What brought you to serve with such social beings, then?"

"Curiosity and wanderlust. Most of my people cure their wanderlust by finding a planet with a developing people and lay down roots, pretending to be a statue for most of the rest of their lives... I chose to contact Starfleet and offer my services as a scientist. As I am young at only..." Malana looked distant for a moment as she counted how many seasons old she was. "Almost eight thousand seasons old now... I'll hit full maturity in another two hundred seasons or so."

As good a reason as any. And I retract my self-deprecating 'old woman's comment." Jaeih replied with a sky smirk. "And what of you, Mr. Varnok? If I may, you seem more social than most Cardassian's I've met. Is that what brought you out here? A need to connect?"

Varnok gave a slight smile to the Romulan woman at his side before replying " I wanted to make a difference after losing my parents in the war. As an orphan in Cardassian society, I had no value. I did not want to end up cleaning a shop on some remote planet with no prospects. Starfleet were our rescuers. When given the opportunity to go to a refugee encampment on earth I jumped at the chance. The rest, as they say, is history." Varnok studied Jaeih face for a moment and continued" but to answer your direct question, Yes I am quite different then most Cardassians."

The observant Romulan allowed a smile to crack her lips. Varnok hadn't exactly confirmed what she had sussed out as a need for personal connection, likely caused by years of being the kind of social pariah that was part and parcel of being a Cardassian in the federation. As a Romulan, it was something she knew had plagued her daughter throughout much of her life. But she chose to not dig too deep into anything the Ensign might be uncomfortable speaking of. At least for now.

As such, she switched the subject back to the stone-faced woman who had simply been observing silently. "So, miss Malana... Your people are observers. Hopefully, this mission provided you with topics of interest."

Malana closed her eyes for the first time since they had met and morosely bowed her head. "It has raised many questions and answered none. I will have to continue my observations and interactions for some time to come. Perhaps someday I will have a report to compile to my people, but if I do so it is doubtful they will pay it much heed."

"That sounds... Defeatist to some degree." Jaeih asked, genuinely curious as Malana's tone was the most emotional that the Romulan Intel operative had ever seen the generally stoic biologist. "Is your... choice to be here not supported?"

"No... I..." The stone woman's face contorted just the slightest bit, betraying the turmoil within her. This was definitely a difficult subject for her and a cause of what passed for grief and distress in an Ashrevanian. "My people consider me and those like me heretics. Not living my longest life... Taking part in the world around me rather than simply observing... The council of elders has deemed me a... Disruptive element... To our society. If I am to return home, it is at their allowance and likely only if I have learned the error of my ways."

Looking at Malana, then over to Varnok and then Az'Prel meditating in the rear. "A disgraced former Tal'Shiar officer jailed for refusing to follow the edict of the empire. A refugee from a dimension where her logic was forbidden who embraced it regardless. A man who may be the only Cardassian in Starfleet."

The usually stern-faced Romulan woman smiled lightly. "The Hera seems to be the waystation for us 'disruptive elements'. I think Paris might say that meant we were doing something right."

With that, the ship went slightly quiet. Everyone seemed to agree but the generally quiet nature on Intel work made for a ship full of people less inclined to small talk than most.

But what was important is that the mission had been a success and Moira Artan would live. Satisfied with that success, the Khallianen and its makeshift crew of 'disruptive elements' warped its way towards home.

 

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