Reunions
Posted on Fri Oct 8th, 2021 @ 11:33am by Colonel Loval & Lieutenant Commander Vaebn tr'Hwersuil & Major Cornelius Tremble & Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna
Edited on on Fri Oct 8th, 2021 @ 11:34am
2,730 words; about a 14 minute read
Mission:
Episode 11 - Family Matters
Location: Outpost Tavea IV (Romulan Space)
Timeline: MD005 1430 hrs
Lyie had been told wait for the fight to come to her. However, when she saw the blur of a group go by her she could not resist. She made her way to follow the group while staying out of sight. She ducked into doorways and down side corridors to make sure that she would not be seen. In due course she realized that they were from her brother's ship and they were there for her.
All at once Lyie was conflicted between attacking or running to them to be taken away from this place. She quickly unlocked a door and ran into the room. It was a storage room. She needed a moment to clear her head. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing as Dr Jova had taught her. The doctor had said that this would clear her head and allow her to refocus on who she really was. All at once she realized that she was for the Empire and Vaebn needed to be swayed. The sound of the doors opening brough her disruptor up and her attention to the door. She cursed herself for not locking the door and tumbled behind a storage container for cover before she could be seen.
Vaebn entered with a disruptor drawn he knew his sister anywhere, and when he saw her in the marketplace he recognized her. His old skills came in handy while he followed her, all the while she thought she was following him. Being the older, higher trained sibling certainly had its advantages.
He followed her through a hatchway that seemed like it would be a sewer. Then through a series of tunnels and into a room. A room that seemed empty when he entered. "Lyie it is I your brother. I have come to bring you home it is safe to come out, you are with friends." Vaebn was unsure if Lyie was herself. He was sure that she had seen him in the marketplace and yet she still ran.
Lyie slowly came out from her hiding place, her disruptor was drawn but lowered and at her side. "You are no brother of mine, you are a traitor. One who wears the enemies uniform. It is all clear to me, how we were both sent in by the Empire and now I have been brought back, brought home. Now it is I who will bring you home brother." Small pangs of doubt seeded their way into her belly. There was still a part of her that knew what she said, and what she did was wrong. But again Dr Jova's training won out and her breathing slowed, and her mind cleared.
Vaebn was dumbfounded, and for the first time in a long time was at a loss. He had no idea what she was talking about or where this was coming from. However, he decided in order to win he had to learn, to play along. "Lyie, who brought you back from the deep cover, who was your handler."
She laughed almost maniacally. "Ambassador Loval, he is your handler too. Well, he and Dr Jova."
The anger welled within Vaebn and he could not believe what he had just heard. Loval had done something to his sister, and she thought that he was under the same training. Vaebn felt it best to play the part thought of him. He would either learn what this was all about or his sister would come around. At least he hoped that was how this was going to work out. "What are you talking about sister. I am a Starfleet Officer as are you."
Dimitha knew where Lyie would be. There is only one place Loval would tell her to hide and that would be in the bunker. The only question she had was why. Why would Loval go through all the trouble of brainwashing a Starfleet Officer just to have leave her out in the open. After minutes of leading Jayna through the myriad of corridors and through the muck, deep into the underground of the Outpost she got one of her answers.
Dimitha stood momentarily frozen as the asset was in a confrontation with a Romulan male. One Dimitha not only recognized from his file, but from her past as well. This is the ultimate test of loyalty... she thought.
Jayna watched Vaebn and his sister. Brainwashed, and so quickly. She shook her head. "Does Loval want him that badly?" she whispered.
"I believe Loval needs your officer for some sort of plan to bring the old Empire back. It could have something to do with whatever secrets he knows. I think the bigger question at the moment is where is Loval?" Dimitha whispered back.
"You left us... left us all to die. You are no true Romulan you are a traitor. Just seeing you in that uniform is enough to make my blood turn and my stomach churn." Lyie began. Her disruptor was quavering as it was pointed at Vaebn.
"Sister, whatever he has told you is a lie. You are a Starfleet Cadet. One of the best in the class. There is no Empire, that line of thinking and government died years ago with all those people. Do not add to the list of casualties from that incident. Lower your weapon and we can sort this out." Vaebn's phaser was drawn and pointed at his sister. His mind was racing as to whether or not he could actually pull the trigger.
Jayna followed Dimithia, but when she saw Vaebm and his sister pointing weapons at each other, she stopped. A dozen different options and scenarios ran through her head, each quickly assessed and discarded. She needed a way to keep Vaebn alive but still let him talk his sister out of whatever she thought she was doing. She carefully maneuvered into a position that would allow her to react. Her life was secondary to the other two, and she was ready to throw herself in front of the science officer if that's what it took to keep him alive.
Neil worked his way through the corridors and wasn't overly happy with it. Well, mainly he wasn't happy to have Coddington making entry with him. He had that itchy feeling in the back of his neck, waiting to be generally betrayed.
Really, he just didn't like working with someone he didn't know. But, there was a mission to get done and they'd been on this rock too long already. He had a whisper/flitter drone working ahead, the tiny fly with it's multiple feeds, giving him a map and advanced warning if hostiles were lurking.
They hadn't run into anyone yet, but Neil expected that to change...and it did as they came to a room where he found Vaebn and someone having an exchange.
It sounded like familial bickering, but the Marine waited until facial recognition software in his contact confirmed the Cadet's identity. He listed for a few beats, then activated his comm unit and sub-vocalized, "Tremble to Vacationers. Eyes on. Looks like Vaebn is working on his sister. No sign of Loval. Everyone stay frosty."
After a few beats more, Neil readjusted the grip on the phaser carbine he held and pulled a Bester Grenade from his belt. The small, fingernail sized bit of ordinance would stun a two and a half meter area.
They could sort the rest out later: if the scientist didn't get his business sorted soon.
Coddington was floored by what he saw. A woman wearing Starfleet civilian clothes, and a male wearing the same. Both Romulan both bickering. He leaned in to Tremble and confirmed that these were the people they had been searching for.
Jayna noticed the arrival of Tremble and another male before he sent out a message. She wasn't sure if she was happy to see the cavalry, or afraid things would go pear-shaped. She nodded her head in their direction and whispered to Dimithia. "Starfleet Marine and one of the locals, I assume."
Images flooded Lyie's head as Vaebn continued to speak. There were flashes of classrooms on Earth. Friends she had made, family she had chosen. The life she wanted to lead flashed before her eyes. Then in a sudden change there was the image of Loval and her training. All that she missed on Earth was in fact a lie. It was just there to allow her to assist her Empire to return to glory. And now there was a third image that of her brother. The man who she had believed was undercover as well was here now telling her that yet another thing she believed was a lie. But what was the truth it was this that she could not get a handle on. She levelled the disruptor again. "I will do it I will shoot you Starfleet. Stop with your lies..." Her voice quavered it was filled with doubt.
Meanwhile, Vaebn's voice rose with conviction and belief behind what he said. "Lyie you are a child of the time. You were raised in the shadow of what was once a glorious Empire. But now you have the chance to bring that Empire back. Not through the machinations of the old ways but through your own actions. Your own desires you can escort Romulus to the galaxy. I once believed as you say that Starfleet, the Federation were our enemies. My dearest friends, my family are all here." He had just spoke the words that he had been wrestling with for some time. However, the fact that his crewmates risked their lives for his family and him told Vaebn all he needed to know. "Lyie if you shoot you better hit your mark because I will not miss..."
Jayna was just out of sight, but close enough to cause a distraction. Too close, if she was correct and Neil had pulled out a stun grenade. But he didn't know she was here and wouldn't unless she showed herself and the timing wasn't right for that. If she watched and waited, she might be able to distract Lyie before she shot her brother, or forced him to shoot her. The half-Vulcan carefully pulled out her belt knife. It was balanced for throwing and both Romulans were in range. Now she had to wait, and hope for the best.
The images were too much for her to take and Lyie dropped to her knees for a moment and screamed in pain. Her brain could not reconcile what was the truth and what was fake. Was Loval the right choice or her brother. Vaebn saw the window to end this and made a motion to do so. However, before he could do anything Lyie jumped back to her feet and releveled her phaser. Her thumb moved to the trigger button. For the briefest moment Vaebn was under the impression that this would be how it all ended. Despite it all he could not bring himself to fire first. She was his sister, and Vaebn knew that she was not herself. His hope at the moment was that his friends aboard the Pioneer would be able to make to Loval.
Jayna stepped out from her hiding place and threw her knife at the girl, burying it in the Romulan's forearm and causing Lyie's hand to reflexively drop her weapon.
The half-Vulcan paused for only a moment, then ran over to Vaebn.
Lyie screamed in pain and recoiled from the sudden impact of the knife. She reeled and made to attack thinking the knife came from Vaebn. However, the sight of the Vulcan was not what she had expected. Lyie backpedaled as she contemplated her next move.
Neil grunted as something flickered from the darkness and nearly threw his grenade and swore as the drone belatedly registered Jayna and another unknown figure which had been out of the flitter's line of site. Mumbling an obscenity as the blade sunk into Lyie's flesh, he stuck the grenade in a pocket and surged forward as he saw the girl reacting to the knife wound.
Lyle's eyes had a familiar glaze of pain but she was still a threat. The young Romulan woman lunged to attack Neil. "The Empire..." was that came from her mouth as the Marine didn't hesitate. He touched the firing stud on his carbine. A stun bolt caught the young girl and she crumpled. Neil moved to step on the phaser as his eyes scanned the area, weapon at the ready.
"Well. That was heart-warming," the Marine remarked. Gesturing toward the colonies security chief he said, "This is Mr. Coddington. Ex-StarFleet and the colony's chief protector, who's agreed to help us find the cadet. We need to be moving." Keeping his eyes moving, he said, "She needs tending and securing. "
With the area seemingly quiet, he knelt to pick up the phaser, still remaining watchful.
Jayna knelt to treat Lyie's wound. She spoke quietly to Neil. "Dimitha led me here on condition that we take Vaebn and Lyie and leave. She doesn't like what Loval has done."
As Jayna spoke, the female Romulan officer stepped from the shadows. "Loval had no business bringing her here and I believe now your business here is done. I suggest you take your people and get out. I will deal with Loval and the aftermath."
Vaebn reeled as it all happened so quickly. Everything was happening and had happened barely made any sense. The only thing he knew for sure at the moment was that Loval would pay. However, today was not the day to make him pay that price. He approached Jayna and Lyie. "Warrant, I want to thank you for your swift action and saving my life. I believe I can take my sister from here. Dimitha is correct, we need to get out of here. If Loval has caught the news that he failed he will launch an attack on the Captain.
"I'm glad I was here to help, but if I hadn't, Tremble would. I was just a bit faster on the draw. Let's get you both back to the ship," Jayna said. She turned to Dimitha. "Thank you."
Coddington drew his weapon and stood next to Tremble. "Neil with all due respect, and I hate to break up this reunion. But we need to get going. If we are caught here, I can't help what would happen. I know a way out that can take you to just beyond the settlement from there you can get back to your ship."
The intel officer took up the rear so she could keep an eye out for anyone that might be following them. The sooner they got back to the others and left this place, the better.
Dimitha and Coddington had decided it best if they worked together to make sure the Pioneer crew's tracks were covered up. After a brief conversation they decided that the public would be told that a renegade group had attempted an attack, and Coddington along with assistance from the Romulan military had put a stop to the potential terrorist threat. They lead the group down the corridor which led to the edge of the Outpost.
Vaebn knew his duty in this moment. He picked up his unconscious sister without a word. If anyone was going to bring her to safety it was going to be him. During this walk his mind raced to how they would recover from this and what he would have to do.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Commander Vaebn tr'Hwersuil
Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
Cadet Sophomore Grade Lyie tr'Hwersuil
Cadet, Starfleet Academy
Colonel Loval
Commanding Officer, Tal Shiar
Tauran Coddington
Constable, Tavea IV
Major Dimitha
Executive Officer, Tal Shiar
Warrant Officer Mira Jayna
Infiltration Specialist, USS Pioneer
Captain Cornelius Tremble
Second Officer, USS Pioneer
Commanding Officer, The Cure
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