Like It Was Yesterday

Posted on Wed Aug 16, 2017 @ 9:29am by Commander Caden Aldrex

691 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Rumours
Location: Cardassia
Timeline: MD 06 / 0900

[ON]

Just because it rains, doesn't mean one is in danger of drowning. That's what Siana Elor told herself as she ascended the stairs to Legate Vatell's office. It didn't make her feel any better. Of course she had been in that office many times, but always with other officers to give briefings or receive orders. Never had she been summoned alone. There was no reason to believe she was in any kind of trouble. She had always performed her duties competently. She rolled her eyes at herself. It sounded as though she were already constructing her own defense. Whatever will be, will be.

The doors parted as soon as she approached them. Vatell had been waiting for her. "Glinn Elor, come in," he said. He was seated at his desk, looking intently into his desk monitor.

Siana came to attention. "Reporting as ordered, sir."

"Hmm, yes," the Legate replied, still focused on his monitor. It was angled in such a way that Siana couldn't see what he was reading. Not that she would try. She kept her eyes welded to a spot on the bulkhead above the Legate's head.

Vatell finally gave her his full attention, leaning back in his spacious chair. He sighed. "At ease. Sit."

Siana looked down at the chair and did as told.

"You had an interesting childhood," Vatell said next.

Siana frowned at the odd statement. Not the opener she was expecting. "No different than most other children, sir."

Vatell smiled thinly at that. Obviously she hadn't seen the news reports. "You lost some friends in an...incident."

Siana cast her eyes downward for a moment, then raised them and nodded. "Yes, sir. A long time ago. It doesn't affect my duties."

Vatell waved that off. "Of course not. You're a model officer. A credit to the 85th Order. Can you tell me what happened? Or were you too young to remember much of it?"

Siana drew in a deep breath. "I remember everything. One doesn't forget." She wondered where he was going with this. Surely he knew that her personnel file had an entry that mentioned of the so-called incident. This was so confusing. Why was he dredging up painful memories for her?

Vatell recognized that and decided to get to the point. "You're going to Deep Space Five," he declared. "It's a Federation outpost."

The junior officer was understandably puzzled. "Why?"

"The Starfleet officers responsible for that act of terrorism have been apprehended. They're to go on trial."

Siana's mouth opened, but no words came out. She felt like she had been gut punched. "I had no idea."

"You were not aware? Most of the news services have reported the story."

"No." Siana shook her head. "How can anyone be sure it's them? After all these years. That entire area was bombarded by ships in orbit. Nothing could have survived."

"It's a bit complicated," Vatell said, shifting in his chair. "Apparently, the perpetrators were from the future. Or, I should rather say, from the here and now. They traveled back in time."

It was already so much to take in. Siana couldn't believe it. "Why?"

Vatell shook his head. "I imagine the prosecutors will extract that information." He paused and added, "there's more."

"Yes?"

"Your friend. Bretav Dejak."

Siana nodded, remembering Bretav's face, although the years had blurred the image in her mind somewhat. "He was killed."

Again, Vatell shook his head. This time slowly. "He's alive. The Starfleet people took him."

Siana nearly shot out of her chair. "Alive?! Are you sure? I watched him die."

Vatell calmly laid out the remaining facts as had heard them. "He was wounded. According to their explanation they took him to save his life. So he's alive, and as I understand it he's been returned to Cardassian custody."

Siana sank slowly into her chair. "He's alive," she whispered. Bretav was alive. She didn't know whether to be overjoyed or angry about that.

"Your transport leaves in three hours. Is that enough time to gather some things for travel?"

"I'll be on it," she replied.

[OFF]

Siana Elor
Cardassian Officer
PNPC Aldrex

 

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