Left Its Seeds While I Was Sleeping
Posted on Thu Dec 5th, 2019 @ 12:00am by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Commander Vaebn tr'Hwersuil
Edited on on Thu Dec 5th, 2019 @ 2:53am
2,677 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Episode 8 - The Silence
Location: Planet Wren IX
Timeline: MD004 1200 hrs
She knew it was coming. She couldn't explain why, but when she felt the tap on her shoulder and the finger that made it she wasn't surprised. Her movements were slow as she turned her head and looked, really seeing them for the first time. Her eyes widened slightly but then returned to neutral. "Are you real?" She asked almost in a whisper, making no movement as she simply looked.
Ameri felt something crawling up her back. Like that feeling you get warning you that something was coming. Her back was to Tallida. She wasn’t certain she wanted to turn around but she couldn’t help herself. She felt compelled to.
Quinn felt cold chills coming down his back. He was taken by what he saw. He put his personal feelings aside, and focused on his duties.
"I am Commander Quinn Ó Flannagáin, First Officer of the Federation Starship Pioneer, I am here on behalf of the United Federation of Planets." Quinn said with his opening greeting. He was curious to see how they responded to his greeting.
They looked at the one who spoke, The Silence understood but there was no way that the man could understand. They pointed at the Commander's comm badge and their wide bulbous eyes narrowed. They knew that insignia it was one of the others, the ones that would not and could not understand. The Silence allow their thoughts to project, for them it was an attempt to communicate. You will hear us, you will not remember. We are the Silence. Leave or be silent for all.
Quinn felt quick and sudden rushes of pain, it felt like someone was taking a hammer to his head. He bent over in pain. He knew he needed to attempt to make communication with this race."We have traveled far, to come and meet with your society. We would like to open up an official dialogue." Quinn said, hoping that was not talking to deaf ears. He wanted to be able to make proper first contact. But if their opening line was any indication. They seemed like, they wanted to be left alone. He did his best to fight through the pain, but it was growing stronger, and with more intensity.
Ameri’s hands went over her ears. The screaming was mind blowing. She couldn’t stand it! Even with her ears plugged the screaming would not quit. She dropped to her knees. “Stop!” She called out. “Someone stop it!”
Quinn walked over to comfort his wife, and put his arms around her, but this only caused the pain to intensify. He continued to support his wife. He waited to see what the alien race was going to do.
Vaebn was almost on his knees from what felt like a hot knife in his forehead, but through the static and pain was a voice. He staggered forward as he raised his head to stare at the creature, "I can...... hear you...." he managed to get out through gasped breath.
Tallida looked at the XO and his wife. It took her mind to read the situation, or at least try too. "The Silence." she stated softly looking over them. "Will you let us leave?"
The Silence took no notice of the pain they caused. It was as if Ameri, and Quinn did not register to them. We are very real and you do not belong here. We told your kind before. As to the answer to your second question. We have not decided. Why has that symbol returned to us? Why do you disturb us with your trespass? You can understand us? At first the Silence spoke in unison, and then each question was asked by one of the triad. The first member of the triad asked their question as they inspected the pained O Flannagains. The second member of the Triad addresed his question to Vaebn. The final member spoke directly to Tallida, almost nose to nose.
Quinn started to put his hand on his communicator, if Tallida, could not talk the Silence down. He would have to call for an immediate extraction. He waited to see what Tallida could do, and he was curious, how she was able to withstand the pain.
Vaebn felt the pain subsided slightly as it crested and the words flowed through him. He narrowed his gaze at the one who appeared to be directing its thoughts at him. "Yes; I understand you," he thought and spoke as one, hoping it would understand one method of communication. "Who are you? And what are you doing to us?" he asked through clenched teeth.
The being stared at the pained Romulan and it's eyes narrowed for a second. The look that it had was one of evaluation, of examination. We are The Silence. We are driving you away. You are trespassing and yet you do not give reason for your presence. You are proving to be like them, like the ones who came before. The being projected it's thoughts into the Romulan's head.
"We do not mean to trespass. We did not know you were here." Vaebn spoke and thought in chorus again; "We can leave if our presence disturbs you, but we only wish to explore and meet other cultures as we travel." The strain of projecting was becoming harder now.
Ameri still felt the pain but it wasn’t quite as bad. It came and went. She got up with Quinn’s help. “I’m sorry!” She whispered. “I couldn’t control myself. I am better now.”
Tallida closed her eyes longer than a blink as she tried to remember what she knew about this planet. Nothing came to mind, she was really regretting being so distracted by Neil lately. "What symbol?" She asked looking down at her comm badge. She pointed to it. "Have you see this before?" She asked.
The Silence who addressed Tallida reached forward in a single move of his long finger removed her commbadge and crushed it. We have seen that symbol and others and we watched as they destroyed each other. They had no business here then and neither did those that came with them. Just like you have no business here now.
"We didn't know," she replied honestly with no hint of deceit. She made no movements to run away, show her back, nor try and stop them from taking her badge.
Quinn was curious, if they have made contact, with this race before. There tone, even though painful, made it sound like, this was not their first contact. He was hoping that Silence, would stop this psionic attack, so they could communicate properly, and open a dialogue.
Vaebn's mind reeled in as the pain slowly ebbed away as a waning tide, and thoughts cleared in his mind. Was this an assault? Was this a hostile action or just a side effect of the psionic abilities of these, creature that called themselves the Silence. "We, did not come to destroy. We came, to explore, and learn." The words came halting from his mouth as he formulated his phrase in both thought and speech, not sure which would be heard. "However; your thoughts, cause us pain."
Ameri felt rather than heard the Silence was serious. She loved making first contact as well as gaining a Union with new species but there were times it would not be possible. If they had been here before then how as it command didn’t know and sent them here? Was this some work in order to get rid of the Pioneer and it’s crew by someone or was it possible the others never made it home?
The triad stared at the away team and all fell silent. The pain subsided, the screeching ceased, for the Silence were speaking among themselves. One among them stepped forward and in a guttural and deep voice spoke even though the being had no apparent mouth. It's words seemed to be directed at Vaebn "We are The Silence! We have heard those words from your kind before. Those words Explore, Learn and they were lies then. They are lies now. You must leave, all of you. And Forget!" One long bony purple finger extended from the being's robes as it spoke the word forget.
Ameri turned and looked at Quinn. “We are done here, we need to go Commander.” She didn’t know why but she knew time was of the essence.
Still keeping his gaze at the triad in front of them, Vaebn began to pull his thoughts together. "Commander, I believe I can continue this dialogue a bit further," he said, his forehead muscles visibly strained at what was happening; "Let me try." Before an answer was given, Vaebn began to mutter aloud, putting voice to thought again. "We came, to learn about your world. Others, will follow us. They seek to live here. They sent us first. They are not like us. They, will not talk." The strain became too much for the moment to continue and Vaebn dropped to one knee, breathing heavily with sweat beading on his forehead.
We know them well. They were here before with the others who wore the same uniform. You... you are something we have never seen. No matter when you leave we will be protected. You will forget, just as they have... The voice in Vaebn's head trailed off as a thought occurred to The Silence. The same gutteral, deep voice boomed for all to hear. "You say that they sent you hear. We must know who? We must know so that we can go undetected. For if they sent you then they will send again even if you forget."
"If you can make us forget," Vaebn forced out through heavy breaths, eyes still locked on the one member of the trio, "it may be perceived that our mission failed." He drew in a deep breath and concentrated again, "If they have been here before, and forgotten, then you know what they will bring when they come back." He placed a finger in the dirt and etched the design of the old Cardassian Union as best as he could, "Was this who came before us?"
All three members of The Silence looked at the symbol that Vaebn drew. Their eyes narrowed and the one that had been speaking with the Romulan rubbed the symbol away with it's foot. "That one and the one on your chest both came..." The first spoke clearly for all to hear although there was no mouth. The second stepped forward. "There was another symbol as well. All three fought..." The third stepped forward to join his brethren, his voice was a but meaner with a lot more edge to it. "We ended them, ended their fighting and made it so they would forget."
"You made them forget, and yet we still came again." Vaebn said, finding the strength the continue. There may be another way. We could forget again, but one with enough memory could prevent others from coming. he thought outwards. He looked at them waiting for some kind of acknowledgement, hoping they could hear him.
The three members of the Silence huddled as if in conference with one another. Within minutes they turned to Vaebn and replied telepathically. We take it that you volunteer for such a burden. For a burden is what it will be. If you are to reveal this place to anyone for any reason you will become one with the silence for eternity. We believe this to be too great a burden for one of your kind. However, if you do so voluntarily... The Silence were wary of this plan, however, they saw the logic in his plan. They had tried it their way once so now they might try it his way.
Vaebn looked at the Triad, then glanced sideways to his crew, noting their pain and hoping this agreement would help them all. I accept this freely and bind your secret to my very life. Your burden has become mine as well. I will do my best to hide your world in plain sight, so you may live without fear of discovery. If you make the world appear hostile to life, I will set markers warning all to steer clear. May the Silence remain at peace and hidden from the sight of others.
The pain was becoming in tolerable. Quinn forced himself, to tap on his com-badge. He had no idea if it was even working. The pounding from his head was very intense, when he called out. "Away Te....." He said, as he dropped down to both knees and was forcing himself to crawl around on the ground. The away team was in serious trouble.
The Being that had been talking with Vaebn noticed Quinn and Ameri suffering. Despite it's brethren it did not wish to be the cause of such pain. It eyed the two people and it's eyes narrowed. No words were exchanged among the Triad, however, a look was. When the Being looked back at Vaebn the pain had subsided. "We do not wish harm, we wish to be Silent, and to remain so."
"Thank you, will take our leave now." Quinn said, having to put the safety of the away team a head of making first contact. It was clear to him, that this race wanted to be left alone.
"Very well you are free to leave at your leisure. However, I want you to know this. When you leave you will have no memory of us or this place." The first member of The Silence Triad spoke, then the second member picked up the speech. "As it has been, and as it should be." Finally the third member spoke. "We are the Silence, and silence is golden."
Ameri got up and turned away from them. She smiled over at the others. They had done their jobs it was time to go home their was nothing of value here.
Tallies was relieved that the others in her group were no longer writhing in pain. She also couldn’t help but question if they were real, but she kept that to herself. Something was off in her head. She simply observed and waited.
Vaebn looked at the Silence again, knowing his comrades would forget as soon as they left, and began to build the cover story to protect his new acquaintances. He would definitely never forget what happened here, but these events would have join the dark recesses of his memories and the other secrets buried within. His crew began to walk away and Vaebn turned to leave but paused for a moment. He looked back at the Triad, Distant cousins of mine have a saying that I am somewaht familiar with, and I believe fits well here, he held up his right had and displayed the old Vulcan sign, Live Long, and Prosper. Vaebn lowered his hand and turned his back to the Silence, and walked away for the first and last time.
A Joint Post By:
Commander Quinn Ó Flannagáin
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Ameri Ó Flannagáin
Chief Operations Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Vaebn tr'Hwersuil
Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Tallida Ovaa
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
The Silence
Silence Will Fall
RSS Feed