Memories of the Past

Posted on Wed Jun 9th, 2021 @ 3:06am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Remal Kajun

Mission: Gamma Quadrant
Location: Bajor
Timeline: Night before launch.

He had not stopped once boots hit the ground. Hurry up and get to work in order to spend as much time relaxing was the way of things, though he really didn't think too much about it. He just did it. The cabin debris had been cleared away and the new foundation was formed. Not bad work for a week and a bunch of locals, although they were Bajorans.

It was true he had made a call or two, not only for assistance in setting up the site, but also for a security sweep of the area. After the fire there was no stone left to be unturned. He had remained in constant contact with the local Constables and was sourly disappointed in their findings. But all said, the tent was pitched and the firewood stacked.

The campsite was complete, tent, comfortable sleeping bags on inflatable camp mattresses and a fire flickering away merrily.

"You've been busy" she smiled as she joined her husband seated by the fire.

Tossing a log onto the fire and then sitting back to brush his hands, he mused. "Ive got a few friends. Perks of a life of saving souls I suppose." In truth there were a great many who had pledged their lives to helping him when he needed. Something he promised to never take for granted nor advantage of.

She sat on the timber log, hands extended forward to embrace the warmth of the flames. It was late and the night air was falling cool and slightly damp. There was a comfortable silence between them, each lost in the mystical flames that seemed to draw the watcher in.

"Do you ever think of the old days? You know, of Irksnot, Talla, Laria and the Syed's? Heck I even miss S'thenosis despite the constant thorn she was in my side" Rhenora's mouth turned upwards at the thought of her old crew, "and I miss Jenna, I wonder if she ever found her answers."

She, like he, was feeling nostalgic once more. Her mind had been on the old days, mostly her old days on the Sunfire. Those were days which offered their good and their bad, much like the occupation, which he reminisced about often. Life; it seemed, was full of moments to look back upon and this was one of them. And then the Lady Dragoness popped into his mind and his eyes went wide, and a smile formed.

“I do, actually. Truthfully I miss many of them. Enough so, that I attempted to keep tabs on their movements and progress over the last few years.” He stared into the licking flames, and thought. “Let’s see, Ole’ Irkky bounced around as an Ensign aboard the Potemkin for two years, then made Lieutenant. I’m not sure where he’s stationed now though.”

“Talla and Syed’s moved up in rank. I’m not sure where they are stationed currently. Now, S’tenosis,” he swallowed the bile that suddenly emerged in the back of his throat. “If you remember, she served as Ambassador to the people of Coralee for a year or so, then was the thorn in Admiral Branche’s side for another two, before deciding to return to being a JAG officer. I would not be surprised if she’s the one they send to handle the Cardassian mess with Maccet.”

The fire flickered before them, each lost in their own worlds of memory and times past. It was good to reminisce on the old days, but it was important to remember the lessons learnt from the hard times as well.

“Irksnot made Lieutenant? Wow, the Universe really does work in mysterious ways. Remember when he was masquerading as Grand Admiral? In some sort of bluff? I can’t even remember what the rest of the situation was around it” Rhenora mused, letting her eyes rest on the dancing flames. “ As for S’Thenosis, she was a true dragon lady. I’d be happy to never set eyes on her again. She did teach us some good lessons though, we must remember that”

He belly laughed. “Incarceration mission. I remember. Hard to forget that one, actually.” His face went ghost pale for a moment as a chill ran down his spine. As the moment passed, he thought about Laria.

She picked up on the pause. “What’s wrong? She asked gently, “What did you remember?”

“Just like during the war, I remembered the toll it took on us all. We lost Tic, your Andorian pilot. And later his brother Toc joined the ship, but life was different after that mission. I remember how well Laria handled things though, and in fact, she was a doctor during the war. I think she hung up her hat last year though, choosing to take over the family business of ‘tossing’ cargo.”

“ It took a toll on all of us, more in some ways than others” She echoed quietly, her voice sombre as she echoed his thoughts. The previous family scattered now far and wide across the galaxy, some dead, others recovering from their ordeals. There was a new family now and Rhenora vowed that she would try harder to keep them safe and to protect them from harm.

His voice took a more distant tone as he thought about Jenna. “As for Jenna, you remember that thing with her Mother, the pregnancy, Fubar? I remember how Laria shunted the Sunfire to Cardassia Prime just in time to save Jenna, but she lost the baby.” He twisted a stick into the fire, stirring the flames and causing sparks to light up the night.

A pang of guilt twisted inside her, things she thought she had dealt with years ago cropping up again. The loss of a child was something no parent should have to bear. “I had almost forgotten about that. How can I forget such things?”

“She stood trial for her mother’s crimes, served two years, resigned her commission and has been pretty much a recluse in her home on Earth. I’ve tried reaching out to her. Sometimes she responds, sometimes she doesn’t. But I keep trying. “ He looked over at his wife. “Perhaps, what she needs is the familiarity of an old friend to bring her out of her shell.”

“ We should visit her next time we’re back on Earth, perhaps it may help” Rhenora mused aloud. The fire died down a little and she rose, grabbing an armful of wood and tossing in onto the smouldering stack.

“What we do need to give some thought to - is where we are going to be in 4 months time.” She changed the direction of the conversation to happier times.

“Well,” he eyed her curiously. “I would imagine here, but then I do tend to just go with the flow where you and your job are concerned.”

“It’s not just about me and the job, not anymore” She reminded him gently, “ You get a say in this, this is your child as well, not property of Starfleet”

“I should hope not. However, I have long ago resolved that I go where you go and in four months if Starfleet sends us into Hell itself, I’m sure we would find a way to have our child there. Stubborn as we are.” He couldn’t help to reach over and place a warm hand upon her belly, which had yet to show any growth after only a week. Perhaps the child will be a small, bouncy baby girl, he mused.

“Perhaps, what did the Prophets show you in your last vision with them?” She asked, “ I don’t have a gut feel yet either way”

tbc