Deep Space 5 calling... (Part II of II)

Posted on Wed Sep 11, 2019 @ 8:15pm by Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin & Lieutenant JG Scaliontis Lovok & Lieutenant Alanna Wells

2,012 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: Pangaea Portal Complex
Timeline: MD11 1830

Previously on DS5 calling....
"Did you bring a board for the Chess?" Scaliontis asked Sovok with a smirk, he clearly missed the context as he thought Sovok had suggested they play Chess now. Then he actually processed Sovok's word properly. "Oh we could always play a game of Truth or Dare?" He suggested, he had be subjected to it back at the Academy.

"Tempting." Sovok replied, holding Alanna's gaze. "So very tempting."

And now the continuation


He turned back to Scaliontis, "But a hostage negotiation is hardly the time and place."

Alanna shivered. No, she wasn't in the mood for Sovok's brand of chess right now. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear what questions he would have for her this time.

She also disliked the term hostage negotiations. It was more for the protection of the others that Sovok was detained. She didn't like it, but couldn't think of a better way to handle the matter.

"Clearly there is nothing we can do but wait, do you have a title?" Scaliontis asked Sovok, he was a little concerned now by how often Sovok was watching Alanna. He hoped to distract the Vulcan a little.

"Chief Inspector." He looked Scaliontis up and down. "You have vulcanoid feature, but you're not entirely Vulcan. Are you a simple miscegenation? Or is it a different congenital defect."

"We prefer the term hybrid," Alanna said, hoping Scaliontis wouldn't take offense, even though the comment was offensive.

"I'm Romulan not a Vulcan hybrid as," Scaliontis nodded at Alanna with a thankful smile before looking back at the foreign Vulcan, "you think I am Chief Inspector. You do not have Romulans in your reality? We do have Vulcan ancestors." Scaliontis asked surprised, though it could be possible that the Romulans never left Vulcan.

"No." Sovok said. "We've spread across the galaxy but never managed to produce a...." he seemed to be grasping for the words. "Sub-species."

Alanna had hoped to avoid talking about Romulans with Sovok. She decided on a short explanation. "Centuries ago, a group of Vulcans split off because they did not choose to follow the teachings of Surak. They settled a planet named Romulus. The two species diverged over time. You've seen our Vulcans. Scaliontis is considered to be a Romulan. Shared common ancestry, but significantly different now."

Sovok regarded Scaliontis again, then dismissed him with a shake of his head. "There have been no such schisms in my time. This Surak must never have done whatever it was he did to turn your Vulcans so...constipated."

Alanna almost laughed at his remark. She had a great deal of respect for Vulcans, although she could never give up her emotions. "Surak is considered the most important philosopher in Vulcan history. He taught logic over emotion, peace over war."

"Yeah my people went with emotion over logic, obedience over freedom," Scaliontis said before he reached up and traced his forehead V ridges, he smirked. "I've always believed that we Romulans shouldn't have got these," he tapped at the ridges, "for we survived without resorting to complete emotionless Logic. It took years of concentration apparently, so I think our cousins the Vulcans should have developed these," he indicated his ridges again, "though they could be because of my ancestors would have been angry all the time because Vulcans wouldn't cohabitate with non-Surak followers."

Sovok shrugged. "I'm glad he never happened to my people." He gave Alanna another look. "I would never want to miss out on so much that being your whole self can be."

"I admire the Vulcans for their logic and intellect, but I wouldn't give up my emotions,either," Alanna said to Sovok. She was thinking about Jason, which made her worry again.

"Is this the first alternate reality you have encountered?" Scaliontis asked Sovok. The Romulan decided to step into Sovok's view of Alanna. He hated when people wouldn't look at him when talking with him.

Alanna was curious about that, too, and watched Sovok's face for his response to see what she could pick up.

Sovok continued to watch Alanna. The way a well fed tiger would watch a baby deer. "Its a first for me. I can't speak for the Academy. I'd imagine any other contacts would be highly classified."

That look was making her uncomfortable. She was not on the menu. But she made sure none of her discomfort surfaced. Where was the security team? She wanted them to return so Sovok could finally leave. However, he did say one thing that piqued her interest. "What is this Academy?"

"The Vulcan Academy of Sciences?" Sovok sounded surprised, "Have my brethren of this dimension abandoned curiosity and achievement as well as pleasure?"

"No." At least that was the same. "The Vulcan Academy of Science here is one of the foremost centers for learning in the galaxy," she said. "I wasn't sure you shared that."

"What about humanity?" Scaliontis asked curious as to if the Federation existed in Sovok's reality. He also narrowed his eyes at Sovok a little when the Vulcan was now too overly interested in Alanna. Now one didn't need to be a people person to know that the Vulcan was planning something and it had to do with Alanna. He hoped Alanna was going to pick this up telepathically. Lieutenant I have a bad feeling about Sovok, I think it might be wise for you to go get another security team and I'll keep him here, he thought as he waited for the Vulcan to answer his question.

"No," she replied telepathically. "He can think what he wants, but as soon as the security team returns, he's going through the portal by himself and then we'll be done with him. We already have enough security here with his personal guard and the Marines."

Scaliontis felt a little better as he thought back. Ok, at least you are aware of his... what's the right word... creep factor? He had to fight the urge to laugh as he glanced at Sovok for he answer about humanity's status in his reality.

"Humans?" Sovok asked. "Some are useful, can be excellent lickspittles, others are defiant and only useful as bedwarmers and target practice."

That left no ambiguity as to his opinion on the matter, but it wasn't new information for Alanna, who already knew what Sovok thought of anyone not Vulcan. Scaliontis should try playing chess with him. No, that would probably be a bad idea, she thought.

"Lickspittles?" Scaliontis repeated never having heard that word before.

Sovok stared at him, then turned away. "too easy," he muttered, turning his attention to the pylons. observing the pale marble they were made from , contrasting with the dark granite of the cave.

"Lackeys," Alanna whispered to Scaliontis. "Where he comes from, humans are primarily slaves." She didn't want to mention the other two.

Maritza checked her watch again. Time was ticking by. They should have been back by now. "Sergeant? Will you call Lieutenant Sh'Zera and ask her to join us." She wanted to contemplate options of going after them. Zhao nodded, and stepped out of the crevice on one side of the cave, a green line sprayed across it.

Alanna watched the sergeant leave and glanced at Maritza. She assumed the commander was considering sending a second team through the portal. Would it be wise? Then again, it might be the only way to find out what was going on with the others. She wondered if she'd be allowed to go, too.

"I got that from the rest of what he said, I'm not completely naive Lieutenant," Scaliontis whispered back with a huff of indignation. He wondered how the development of humanity could have changed to put them into slavery to Vulcans. Maybe their first contact went differently then theirs did here.

When the Commander ordered a marine to get Sh'Zera, Scaliontis watched the marine leave then he remembered the Sentinel. "Hey Sovok, is there one of these on your side?" He walked to the statue and gestured to it before looking back at the pesky Vulcan Chief Inspector.

The Vulcan came over to inspect the statue. His marine shadow moved to stop him, but at a signal from Soran they settled for just following him. "No. Its very fine work." He studied it, the pointed ears, the catlike slit pupils, the fine detail on the armour and the long spear. The marble was polished as smooth as silk, and the fine veins running through it only highlighted the form. Even the individual hairs on the plume of the helmet could be made out. "I don't think our finest artists could do anything more lifelike."

Alanna stayed where she was, watching Sovok. The sentinels were amazing. She still wasn't sure if they were carved out of marble or living beings turned into marble. But that was probably just her whimsy. She was still trying to figure out what the Vulcan was so smug about.

"It is lifelike," Scaliontis agreed with a nod as he slowly circled the statue. He realised that maybe there isn't any Sentinels on the other sides could be because whoever inhabited this planet didn't want to leave any evidence of them in the other realms they visited but left the Sentinels to protect this side. But shouldn't it have attacked the Andorians and Vulcans when they came through. "Chief Inspector, is the portal on your side on a similar planet to this one?" He asked curious.

Sovok glanced to Maritza. "You do keep your minions in the dark, don't you. How very Vulcan."

"Your opinion of my methods are of no concern to me," Maritza replied, just as drily."

"I didn't think so. Shall we get this charade over with?" And with that, he grabbed Scaliontis by the scruff of the neck and hurled the Romulan bodily into the two marines shadowing him and they all went down in a heap. In completing the move he pirouetted on one foot, grabbed Alanna by her blonde hair, and the two disappeared through the portal.

===What about this part?===
It happened so fast, Alanna didn't have time to do more than gasp in surprise.

Scaliontis was in a pile of bodies with the marines and they all were trying to get up. "Stop," the Romulan said forcibly. The marines did and Scaliontis managed to extract himself without hurting the marines.

The Romulan then realised what happened but his head hurt so much and his hand went to the point of impact. He felt a bump with some wet, there was a few other bruises but not as painful. He looked to where he was talking with Sovok and both the Vulcan and Alanna were missing.

He went to the portal and decided to go through anyway but simply walked through the obelisks, it took a minute for him to register the fact he was still in the same chamber. He turned to see Soran and the marines. "Damn." He said with pain.

Soran had started running the moment she realised that Sovok had turned on them. But unlike Scaliontis she had been much further back, and as she sprinted forward, the statue had swung its hand up with the grating of stone on stone and caught her arm in an unyielding grip. "Endieendiġe heo, you will becwael."

Soran glared at the empty space that Alanna had been dragged through. It looked like her people were trapped, and she had no way of getting them back.

Scaliontis saw the sentinel come alive and grab his commanding officer. He went to her but stayed out of range of the sentinel, or so he thought he was, "Are you okay Commander?" He asked, his anger and panic at what just happened with Alanna played across his face.
====


To be continued...

Commander Maritza Soran
CO
DS5

Lieutenant JG Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer
Deep Space Five

LTJG Scaliontis Lovok
Chief Engineer
DS5

 

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