Duality
Posted on Sun Jun 7th, 2026 @ 10:31am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Jennifer Baldric & Lieutenant Sarah Wilson & Commander Dean House & Lieutenant JG T'Lar & Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell & Remal Kajun
2,218 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Pirates!
Location: Badlands
"Duality is not choosing between two paths. Duality is walking both until one of them kills you."
USS Bristol - Badlands
Captain Bozeman considered his options, he had a ship, albeit cloaked, requesting asylum, with a potential mirror universe or changeling duplicate on board along with a defector. His enemy had given him the low down - now he was batting whether any of it was true around his brain before endangering any more of his crew.
"Shuttle, drop your cloak and your shields, come to within 100m and we will tractor you in. No funny business or we will destroy you" He finally decided that saving two lives was a better look on his record than destroying them without even asking the pertinent questions.
T'Lar was already there when she decloaked and dropped her shields. Turning to Baldric she set the phaser on the console.
"It would be wise if neither of us were holding a weapon when we exit the runabout. For what it is worth, I know that this does not erase what I did to you back on my ship. Please believe me when I tell you that I had no choice. Had I relented one bit in the commission of my assigned duties I would have been the one in the agonizer booth... or worse. My people are little more than slaves in the Terran Empire. What I did, I did as a matter of survival. I do not expect forgiveness. I just wanted you to know."
"So you're saying it was business. Not sure I know what to say about that" Jennifer repiied honeatly, preparing for the shuttle to dock and all hell to break loose. Least the Bristol was Starfleet, there were protocols and rules.
The runabout came to rest in the Bristol's shuttlebay and T'Lar and Baldric found the port side exit flanked by armed security. T'Lar went first with her hands raised above her head and was immediately taken into custody and placed in restraints.
"I am requesting asylum!" She protested as she was carted off to the brig.
"I'm requesting s shower" Jennifer allowed herself to be manhandled and taken intp custody without complaint. "And a new uniform, this one stinks" she admitted as her combadge was removed as evidence.
They were hauled to the brig and placed in seperate cells but side by side, the Chief of security, a younger Telerite woman, made sure there would be no escaping.
"Why do you not fight?" She challenged Baldric to her face.
" Because I know you'll discover the truth, I just need to be patient. You'll find the mirror me, and bring her to justice, hopefully before she causes all kinds of mayhem" Jennifer replied simply, falling into a parade rest despite her bands being restrained behind her back.
"Please inform your captain that an Imperial dreadnaught is going to be coming through that portal at any moment and if he wants to survive he needs to get this ship and the other ship that is out there out of here right now! We've already been planning to destroy both Federation vessels. There is no time to wait!" T'Lar implored the security officer.
"I will inform our Captain, what he chooses to do is up to him" the Telerite replied smugly, motioning for the guards to release the hands of their prisoners and raise the force fields. "There is currently no evidence to believe either of you"
"There is a goddam ISS runabout equipped with a cloaking device sitting in your goddam shuttlebay right goddam now that says otherwise. I suggest you take this seriously or we are all going to end up dead." T'Lar snapped, her Vulcan fury on full display.
"This is where we sit back and trust in the Starfleet process" Baldric replied evenly, returning back to her bunk and plopping down on it. "They will weight up what they know, and what they think they know and make a decision. Getting all cranky pants about it isn't going to solve anything"
T'Lar couldn't see Baldric, but she knew the direction her voice was coming from and turned to address it.
"You do not understand. Captain Remal is planning on destroying both Federation starships and he has the technical superiority to do it! We need to get out of here now!"
"You are going nowhere until we verify your identity and your intentions" the Guard said sternly. "The Captain is aware of the enemy"
The Portal – Imperial Dreadnought
The image of the I.S.S. Sunfire resolved across the command display in perfect clarity.
Marshal Rhenora Kaylen watched it without speaking. Her flagship drifted just inside the dimensional veil, a predator at rest. Vast armored bulkheads stretched away beneath vaulted ceilings. Tactical galleries occupied both sides of the command deck. Weapons officers stood at attention before rows of illuminated stations capable of coordinating enough firepower to erase fleets.
No one moved unnecessarily. No one spoke without permission. The silence belonged to her.
Kaylen sat comfortably in the command throne positioned above the bridge floor, one arm resting against the carved black armrest. The posture suggested ease. Experience taught otherwise. The most dangerous moments aboard her ship often arrived when she appeared the most relaxed.
The channel opened.
Instantly every officer aboard the I.S.S. Sunfire saw the woman who commanded an entire quadrant of Imperial space. Remal came to attention. Around him the bridge crew followed.
Bonnie offered something that resembled a smile before straightening herself.
“Glory to the Empire,” they declared in unison.
"Glory indeed to the Empire. I take it you have what you were sent to acquire?" Kaylen replied, her superiority written clearly across every aspect of her body language.
Remal clasped his hands behind his back. “The prize has been secured, Marshal.”
A brief gesture toward one of the bridge displays brought up medical telemetry from elsewhere aboard the ship. “The genetic material recovered from Batel is currently being implanted into Dean House as a host organism. Initial procedures remain underway.”
"Then process is being made. Soon we will have our own Beholder, and control of the Vezda will be ours." The Marshall continued, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Why am I sensing an 'IF'?"
“If,” Remal agreed. His eyes drifted briefly toward the Ferengi standing near the rear of the bridge. The merchant suddenly discovered an intense fascination with the deck plating. “Remaining loose ends are being addressed.”
"Loose ends? There were to be no loose ends. No threads for them to follow. How did this happen?" She accused directly, hands on hips and eyes shooting fire with every moment.
For the briefest moment the Ferengi felt her attention settle upon him. Sweat appeared almost instantly.
"You.... will be punished for your insurrection and your tardiness." Kaylen retorted, glaring at the Ferengi. She looked back at Remal - who appeared to have yet more bad news. "There is more?"
“There has been a defection within the ranks.” No reaction appeared on Kaylen's face. “Lieutenant T'Lar.”
" Defection? Is she not dead? Her corpse adorning your hull as a reminder for others who may feel the same?" Kaylen retorted angrily, rising from her chair to her full height, her voice dropping in timbre to a dangerous level.
“No, Marshal.” Remal continued. “She absconded with the Prime Jennifer Baldric aboard a modified runabout and successfully reached a Federation vessel. She has almost certainly requested asylum.”
A faint silence settled across both bridges. “The timing creates a potential complication to the Duality Plan.”
"Their Baldric, or ours?" Rhenora asked simply, before continuing "You are not alone, your course was followed. This complicates things significantly"
“Two Federation vessels followed our trail into the Badlands.” Remal brought up the tactical display.
The symbols representing the U.S.S. Bristol and U.S.S. Woolloomooloo pulsed near the edge of the storm, their vector continuing to approach.
“T'Lar has likely informed them of our destination. Their presence may interfere with future operational objectives involving their counterparts.”
The Marshal studied the display for several moments. Behind her, officers remained perfectly motionless. No one interrupted her thoughts. No one would have survived doing so.
Finally Remal spoke again. “The prize remains secure.” The emphasis was deliberate. “The portal remains open.” Another pause. “The question becomes one of priority.”
His eyes lifted to meet hers directly. “Do we eliminate the pursuing vessels?” The tactical display reflected in his eyes. “Or do we ensure delivery of the prize to the Emperor above all other considerations?”
Silence followed.
"You will achieve both, and you have one hour to do it. I will guard the portal, and anyone that approaches will be taken from your hide when next we meet" Rhenora sat back down on her throne, crossing her legs elegantly. "Time's a ticking"
Remal held her gaze through the display.
The order settled across the bridge like a drawn blade. One hour. It was not a suggestion. Not really an objective. A deadline. His jaw tightened once, visibly.
Across the command deck, several officers exchanged the briefest glances before returning their attention to their stations. One hour to destroy two Starfleet vessels, secure the portal, and deliver the Empire's prize. Typical.
Remal came crisply to attention. “For the Empire,” he said. The salute was sharp.
"For MY Empire" The Marshall signed off, knowing she had given the man an almost impossible task. Still - he had never failed her yet.
Then Remal sat, settling into the command chair as though preparing for a routine patrol instead of a battle inside one of the most dangerous regions of space in the quadrant.
The transmission began to terminate. Then he spoke again. “Marshal.” The air on the bridge paused. For the first time since the conversation began, the faintest hint of amusement touched Remal's eyes. “Should we win the day...” His head tilted slightly. “Dinner?”
A few bridge officers immediately found reasons to stare at their consoles. Bonnie's eyebrows climbed toward her hairline. Even the Ferengi looked startled. For a moment, only the distant hum of bridge systems filled the silence.
There was a nod before the channel completely closed "And more if you succeed"
The channel closed. Her image vanished. For several seconds nobody said anything.
Bonnie finally broke the silence. “Well...” Her grin widened. “That was either very brave or very stupid.”
Remal ignored her completely. His attention shifted toward the helm. “Navigator.” The newly assigned officer turned immediately.
“Sir?”
“Take us out of the dark matter envelope.”
The vortex still churned beyond the viewscreen, violet and black energies twisting around the dimensional wound hidden inside the Badlands. Behind them, the Marshal's dreadnought remained poised before the portal like a predator guarding its den.
Ahead waited the Federation ships. And a clock. “One hour,” Remal continued. The bridge lighting brightened fractionally as systems transitioned from concealment posture to combat readiness. “Bring us to full impulse.”
The helmsman's fingers danced across the controls. “Aye, sir.” The lighting of the Badlands plasma storms changed the lighting on the bridge.
The I.S.S. Sunfire rolled away from the shelter of the dark matter formation and emerged into the surrounding storms. Plasma lightning illuminated the hull in violent flashes of crimson and gold as the ship accelerated.
Remal's eyes settled upon the two Federation signatures burning on the tactical display.
The U.S.S. Bristol.
The U.S.S. Woolloomooloo.
Both still alive. Both still unaware that they had just become the Empire's timetable.
“Red Alert,” Remal ordered quietly. The engines answered and the hunt began.
Sickbay
Dean's head slowly moved side to side, almost like he was listening to music in his head. Sarah still poking and prodding at him, or whatever she was doing. He understood some of it but not all of it. A small flinch here and there while waiting on something or another. A little curious why she'd not said much...thus far.
"Quit moving, I'm messing with your DNA. Unlike you want to end up like a lizard or something" Sarah retorted as she tapped at the console with the aggression of a soldier, not a doctor.
Back on the Bridge, Captain Bozeman sat in his command chair.
"Scan for enemy ships, right down to displacement. The Vulcan said her ship is out here, not that I completely believe a Terran we just met, but we need to be sure. Shields up, Red Alert"
"Aye Captain" The words rang out around the bridge as the crew began their tasks with quiet simplicity. There were no theatrics on this bridge.
"Captain I'm picking up a displacement steam of what could be an impulse drive, could be a cloaked ship, it's barely registering on sensors" The tactical officer announced.
"On the screen" Bozeman ordered, and the tactical overlay appeared on the viewscreen, eclipsing the badlands beneath. A red marker indicated the assumed position of the vessel.
" We have a path to escape Captain, it's tricky, but I think I can get us through" The helmsman added.
"Hold position, and send the data to the Woollomolloo" Bozeman ordered. "We need to take that ship out"
TBC
RSS Feed