Going Home - Part.. add one

Posted on Tue Aug 31st, 2021 @ 3:54am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Remal Kajun

Mission: Gamma Quadrant
Location: Bajor
Timeline: Backpost

Rhenora’s jaw dropped as T’Givishite spoke, regaling the shortcomings of both the Federation and the last few thousand years of the Prophets' guidance all in one 3 minute clip. If people listened to this garbage it could cause a rudimentary destabilisation of Bajor’s society, a fundamental shift in our many thousands of years of faith and trust.

“ He can’t be serious” She whispered in shock as the screen returned to the regular news bulletin, showing the reaction to T’Givishite’s address in several larger cities; several witnesses gave some comments of both a positive and supporting nature to his words - which was even more troubling.

“Do you think this is connected to the ‘Wraith’ cult we encountered last time?” She turned her attention to her husband, well aware that the people in the markets were murmuring about the bulletin already. The seeds of unrest had been sown.

Keeping his eyes fixed upon the screen, Remal had mixed feelings about what he saw. He was about to answer when he noticed a familiar face being questioned in the crowd, “I think there is your answer.” He pointed at the visage of what appeared to be the same man and woman who had visited them at their cabin the previous time they had visited Bajor. “Seems those two get around a bit.”

Rhenora followed his eye gaze, making eye contact with the two before vanishing into the mingling lunchtime crowd. "I have a bad feeling about them" she said quietly, a shiver of dread coming over her "they are here to cause trouble"

The hasperat no longer seemed appealing, the gnawing in her stomach made it almost impossible to eat. Her mind raced with the possibilities of watching her home planet descend into chaos, it's religious system turned on its head and it's government powerless.

A Bajoran woman approached their table, baby in hand, stopping a foot from Rhenora. "Get back to the cabin. If they come for you we will hold them at bay, but we are few and they obviously have friends in high places." She offered, while looking concerned.

"You think they will harm us?" The Sunfire Captain rose from the cafe, taking Remal's hand. Caution told her to get out of town while they could, past experience also told her these two know where they would be going and could this put them in more danger. There was safety in numbers.

"Not necessarily. Most of us here would never, considering who you are and what you've done for us. We try hard to make sure no one knows when you are back, but obviously there are eyes everywhere and right now there is much division among our people. It is growing more difficult to know who you can trust." She finished with a sigh.

Showing no fear, Remal wiped his lips of Hasperat, returned his wife’s hand squeeze and rose up out of his seat. “We were just finishing up anyway. Thank you for your warning, we will be on our way shortly.” He helped Rhenora out of her seat and guided her into the market. They still needed to grab some supplies before heading back.

Rhenora slipped her arm through Remal’s offered elbow, looking cautiously at the faces of the people around them as though looking for a threat. There was murmuring following T’Givishite’s speech, mostly rhetoric about madmen and disbelief about what their homeworld is coming to - but there was also a subtle but powerful undercurrent of questioning and possibility.

They headed for the market stores, intent on acquiring what provisions they would need for the afternoon and evening. Rhenora doing her best not to be paranoid about being followed. Were they being followed? Every now and again she would gatch glimpses of the two she had seen in the marketplace, but was it her imagination? Whenever she looked again they were gone.

Supplies purchased, together they moved beyond the eyes and ears of the people, back up the trail towards the cabin. Remal had not said anything since the speech, not really, but now he spoke to reassure. “These are good people. They are a large part of why I chose this place. I was young, and I was a man of the Prophets and the people in this village embraced me as a kindred spirit.”

The sun was still high, around one or two in the afternoon. Their short vacation was probably going to get cut short and he knew it. “I’d like to get the South wall up, maybe share a meal. Unless of course, you wish to leave. I know Armrey and Bocca would be saddened if we left early. Perhaps this is a moment to show strength, not fear.”

She thought about his words, honest and truthful as always. He was her strength, her guide and her moral compass more than she could ever imagine. Perhaps a stand was to be had - even if it was only symbolic.

“ Then the south wall shall go up, and whatever else we can get done in the time we have available. Last I heard the repairs were still 24 hours off”

He squeezed her hand, happy they were on the same page. “Then, we will be back in twenty-two, or less.”

“ Deal, we better get moving whilst the light is still good” She walked a little faster along the path, hearing the construction going on at the cabin in the distance. “The South Wall isn’t going to build itself, and I want to make sure the window is large enough to let the morning sun in”

TBC