Past Prologue, Part 4
Posted on Fri Feb 22, 2019 @ 9:04am by Commander Caleb Ryan
1,578 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Things Past
Location: USS Winchester/Rowa/Between Vulcan and Andorian space
Timeline: FLASHBACK: 2375/Near the end of the Dominion War
Pierce stood in front of the view screen looking out at the dead and lifeless planet turning slowly below them. A rocky, barren world with large swaths of windblown dust and desert, there was nothing left to indicate what had once been a thriving tropical biosphere.
The mood on the bridge was subdued, most of the bridge officers occupying themselves with busy work as they waited in orbit. Artemis glanced over at Ensign Mira’ni at the helm, her shoulders slumped. She took a deep, shuddering breath as she stared at the view screen. Pierce put a hand on the young officer’s shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze, noting her scent held sharp hints of pepper, a clear indication of her mood.
Pierce turned back to the command chair. His XO sat in his place, shifting agitatedly in his seat, the only other person showing any sign that the dead planet below them held any significance.
“Why are we hare, Captain?” Laroci asked. “And why do we need to meet with them?” he said with distaste, his eyes shooting to Ensign Mira’ni at the helm.
“What’s the matter, Commander?” Keesmaat snapped, turning in her seat to glare at her Andorian superior. “Can’t stomach your handiwork?”
“I had nothing to do with this!” Laroci snapped, standing angrily.
“Ensign! Face front!” Pierce interjected loudly, bringing the two officers’ attention to him. “Commander!” He glared at his Number One. He expected better behavior from the seasoned officer, but the Andorian and the Rowa’ni never did get along. Pierce wasn’t about to dress them down in front of the bridge crew, though.
Lt. Tasash gave a huff of amusement from tactical, while Lt. T’Eden ignored them completely at operations. Only Lt. Jinys Hon’gha, his young Bolian science officer, gaped openly until Natalya slapped him upside the back of his bald head.
“This is where Matriarch Mira’ni wished to meet,” Pierce told Laroci. “She did not wish to interrupt their pilgrimage and I was willing to accommodate her.”
“I’ll bet you were,” Laroci muttered under his breath, shooting another look at Keesmaat.
“Commander, join me at the helm,” Pierce practically growled. He spoke quietly but firmly to Laroci and Keesmaat. “I know this is difficult, for both of you. No one likes to be reminded of the tragedies of their past,” he said, looking at the Rowa’ni, “or be blamed for the sins of their fathers,” he said to the Andorian, “but I need to speak with Daniel Larison, and this is where he will be. He knows more about the Syndicate’s activities than anyone. Now, I need Ensign Mira’ni for this. I don’t need you, Commander, so don’t make me throw you off the bridge.”
Laroci glowered but nodded. He took a breath to calm himself and immediately regretted it as the waft of Ensign Mira’ni’s pollen pheromones sent a shudder of desire through him.
“I am sorry, sir,” the Andorian apologized and turned to return to the central seats.
Pierce nodded curtly and looked down at Keesmaat.
“Sorry, sir,” the helmswoman muttered. “I just…haven’t been here in years.” She looked up at the screen. “I still remember the caresses of Eqod and Qaxit on my skin, the sweet water of Bokew on my tongue, the feel of Rowa between my toes. Rowa was beautiful.”
Pierce frowned. “That was over two hundred years ago, Kees,” he said. “Your mother wasn’t even born then.”
“Racial memory, sir,” Kees said, looking up at Artemis. “We all remember it almost as if we were there. The arrival of the naladis,” she glanced at Laroci and T’Eden, “the Lapjyp’wi, the Botel’xhehk and the Rowa’mak.”
Artemis nodded, piecing together what he knew of the Rowa’ni’s tragic history with the native words Kees used. The arrival of the outsiders, the House Wars, the genetic plague the Andorians released against the Rowa’ni, and the evacuation of the Rowa’ni from the only world they called home into exile in the galaxy.
“If you need to take a moment, Ensign…” Artemis offered.
The Rowa’ni shook her head. “They’re here,” she said, looking up.
Artemis looked up at the screen to see several flashes of light.
“Incoming ships, sir,” Tashash announced. “It’s the Mira’ni.”
“I know,” Pierce said. The flotilla of ships was a motley assortment of civilian freighters and shuttles with a few scavenged starships likely stolen from battlefields like Wolf 359 or Sector 001 or ‘liberated’ from scrapyards. The largest – and pride – was the Mira’wi, an old cobbled together Akira-class carrier. Several small fighters ran a defensive perimeter around the fleet.
“Hail the—“
“We’re being hailed,” T’Eden said dryly.
“Of course we are.” He glanced down at Kees, who merely smirked back at him, wiping at her eyes.
“On screen.”
The screen was soon filled with the image of the Mira’wi bridge. One would hardly recognize it as Starfleet if it wasn’t for the requisite computers and consoles required to run a starship. The floor was covered in grass and mounds of grass-covered earth on which to sit.
In the center mound where the captain’s chair would be lounged two Rowa’ni, both completely naked. Both had the normal green skin of the alien race, but the male had the antennae of an Andorian, with long violet hair, and the woman looked much like Keesmaat with long green hair and pointed Vulcan ears. Both were hardly noticeably older than Keesmaat.
The male looked decidedly angry when he spotted Laroci standing silently behind Pierce, and Artemis saw the woman place a hand on his thigh and give it a squeeze. Artemis figured there was some warning telepathic communication to go with the gesture.
“My darling daughter, you are looking decidedly lovely today, though much too covered up,” the female said with a pout.
“Thank you, Mother. It is good to see you, too,” Kees replied with a smile.
Pierce cleared his throat to get their attention, trying not to be distracted by her lovely naked form.
“Oh, yes. You must be the Artemis Pierce. My lovely Kees has told me so much about your prowess.”
“Captain Pierce, yes,” Artemis said, blinking as he tried to recover from his embarrassment, feeling the eyes of his bridge crew on him. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Matriarch Mira’ni.”
“Please, it is just Vacan, Artemis,” she said. “Matriarch is merely a title, like captain.”
Pierce frowned a bit. He’d worked hard to earn that mere title. “Yes, if that is what you wish,” he said. “Is Daniel Larison available? It is he to whom I would like to speak.”
“Ah, Daniel…” Vacan smiled fondly and looked at Kees.
Keesmaat couldn’t suppress her giggle.
“Daniel is currently occupied at the moment. He should be available in…” Vacan tilted her head in that familiar way Pierce had seen Keesmaat do, “an hour. It would be a shame to interrupt his worship.”
“Worship?” Pierce frowned.
“Sex,” Keesmaat whispered to him.
Pierce blinked in surprise. “Er…yes, of course,” he coughed in embarrassment. “I know Larison can be…irascible, and I would prefer him much more compliant. We can wait. It will give us time to put together a gift. Ensign Mira’ni—“
“Keesmaat,” Vacan corrected.
“Yes. Kees,” he said, being even more familiar, “has said you are often in need of parts and supplies. If you send over a list, I can have my people start putting something together.”
Vacan’s eyes widened in surprise and delight. “Oh, Artemis! That would be wonderful! Yes, indeed, there are things we need. It is often difficult keeping these old ships flying,” she admitted.
“Then we will await Larison’s arrival in an hour,” Pierce said.
Vacan frowned. “I am afraid Daniel will refuse to leave the Mira’wi,” she said. “Especially for a Starfleet vessel. You understand…”
“Ah, yes,” Artemis smiled. “Then we will come over to you.”
Vacan beamed. “I will await you eagerly, Artemis,” she said in a sultry tone. “Please, bring over anyone you wish to enjoy our hospitality.”
Pierce looked back at his crew. Laroci scowled, T’Eden merely raised an eyebrow, Jinys was practically bouncing in place, Natalya looked intrigued, and Tasash grinned wolfishly.
“I am afraid most have too many duties to attend to,” Pierce said with a smile, “and we do not wish to take up too much of your time. We know this is a special place for you and do not wish to linger where we might impede your remembrances.”
Vacan nodded. “That is kind of you, Artemis. Thank you. We await your arrival.” She gave him an alluring smile and nodded for the channel to be closed.
Artemis took a breath and exhaled slowly.
“I think Mother likes you.” Kees beamed up at him.
TBC
Captain Artemis Pierce
Commanding Officer
USS Winchester
Commander Laroci th’Ordoro
Executive Officer
USS Winchester
Ensign Keesmaat Mira’ni
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Winchester
Lieutenant Tasash
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Winchester
Lieutenant T’Eden
Chief Operations Officer
USS Winchester
Lieutenant Jinys Hon’gha
Chief Science Officer
Lieutenant Natalya Ivanova
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Winchester
Vacan Mira’ni
Matriarch
Aalbue Afri’ni
Patriarch
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