Going Home - Confrontation

Posted on Tue Sep 14th, 2021 @ 1:57am by Remal Kajun & Captain Rhenora Kaylen

Mission: Gamma Quadrant
Location: Bajor
Timeline: Backpost

He stopped packing long enough to chuckle and respond, “Now who is the wise ole Counselor? Huh?” Then he returned to packing, determined to wrap up the weekend on a better note.

“ I probably got it wrong, I can’t even remember where I heard it” She admitted with a shrug “ But conviction right, fake it till you make it?” she laughed, levering herself up off the log and taking the dishes inside to the rudimentary kitchen and began washing them.

“On some level, everyone is faking something in their life. Even the greats like Piccard or Trazenski had moments where they had to make things up as they went along. I suppose as long as you're not faking it while in bed with someone you love, it’s alright.” He poured the last of the dishwater over the fire and made sure it was out completely.

“ It’s not love if you have to fake anything” She retorted as she returned with the clean plates “ Besides…”She paused as she sneezed again “ What was I saying?”

“You were saying how much you can’t wait to visit Deep Space Nine and see Nerys again.” He winked at her as he slung the pack over his shoulder and stood back to take in the visage that was their cabin once more.

“ I was?” A look of confusion crossed her face and she simply shrugged “ I do miss our...robust... conversations, even better with a bottle of something to banter over” She admitted as she finished packing. She paused to look over the completed south wall and the progressing structure. It spoke volumes of Remal’s design talents.

“Have you ever considered a dabble in architecture when we retire here?” She mused with a raised eyebrow “ You have a flair for it”

“Not once.” He took her hand, allowing a sigh to slip out as they began walking towards the village. “And if it’s wine you want, we can grab a bottle in town before the ride back. Besides, soon enough I’m going to have my hands full enough.”

“This is true, very true” She looked forward to that moment but knew there would be a loss of her previous life, almost an identity change. They would no longer be able to just run off on adventures without considering the consequences for their family.

“Not to say I’m not up to the challenge, just with the recent turmoil on Bajor it’s a tough choice to attempt to raise a child here. Part of me is starting to believe a Starship would offer better protection.” He said as they rounded the bend, the small village popping into view.

“ We have the option either way, the decision can be flexible” She agreed, thankful they did have the option to choose. “ Perhaps the turmoil will resolve in a few months, doubtful but you never know” They were words of hope she didn’t fully feel convinced of.

“Perhaps.” He responded simply, with a heavy heart and a mind that was reeling with the possibilities and doubt.

The path was quiet to start off with, until a small throng of people appeared towards the other end. The builders were returning for another day of work, their gentle conversation rolling like a wave through the group.

“Leaving so soon?” One of them asked as they approached the couple.

“Sadly yes, we are needed back on the station” Rhenora replied with a shrug “Duty calls”

There was a voice from the rear of the group “And what of your duty to Bajor?”

Rhenora looked for the voice but couldn’t discern who it was that spoke the words. There was a quiet hush through the group as they seemed to pause to consider the spoken words, considering them, and for the most part discarding them, but the murmuring had started, the voice of dissent had spoken.

“Our duty to Bajor is the same as everyone else's, to honour the Prophets and to live our best life” Rhenora challenged whoever it was who had spoken - her ire rising at the constant challenge to their belief. The group stopped face to face with the couple.

For the most part they were good people, simple folks earning a living doing construction work in one way or another. Some were carpenters, stone-smiths, joiners, plumbers and the like. There were a few general laborers, untrained in any particular field but capable of lifting, hoisting and moving things here and there for the tradesmen. The laborers were a transient bunch, moving from job to job with the tradesmen, not sticking around if they didn’t like the groove. They weren’t tied to anyone and it was one of these who Rhenora finally identified as having spoken.

“ Why do you challenge us?” She moved through the assembled builders, seething, tired at the constant challenge and threat to not only their lives but the harmony of the planet as a whole. It was these sort of dissidents that could cause the social structure of the Bajoran people to crumble.

“ Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Why must we follow the Prophets? Where were they when Bajor fell to the Cardassians? Where were they when the Dominion came? Our Starfleet protectors ran away, the Prophets and their beloved Sisko were nowhere to be seen. And now they’ve appointed another Emissary who has no plans on being tied to Bajor. How are you supposed to lead the people when you’re never here?” The young man spoke with an anger that seemed to be breeding through that age group.

Remal stood tall behind his wife, left behind slightly as she pushed through the crowd. When he spoke, the crowd became eerily hushed as they hung on his words. “We are you. We fought alongside you, we bled with you. I personally have watched many of you grow up, and some of you, be weaned from your mother's teat. We are Bajor, we only work in space.”

He paused to look at each of their faces, taking them in before continuing. “A large part of who I am personally has left behind the visions the Prophets were showing me, mostly because they were filled with so much anger and hate, but I see that now many of you share in this, and frankly it makes me sad. All that I am is a man, blood and bone, husband, father, brother, but if I could give you anything right now, it’s this:

Bajor is but a tiny dot in a sea of tiny dots. The past 60 years have taught us that we are not alone out here. We are a big player in a galaxy of strange and fantastical places and after much reflection, I have found nothing better than living a simple life while at the same time embracing the future of what may come. I wholeheartedly believe the Prophets are preparing Bajor to be a part of something bigger, one day, but not until we can get past our own self-destruction and learn to live as one.” He finished his impassioned speech and waited for any sort of rebuttal.

The builders murmured amongst themselves, mostly in agreement with Remal’s words, the younger one’s less so.

“We are entitled to our own beliefs” The younger one stated again, crossing his arms in front of him and standing defiantly. A year ago this wouldn’t have happened, the Bajoran people were united, not fractured like we are now.

“Yes, you are. And I see no one here attempting to stop you from believing what you will, do you?” He asked directly.

The young one was silent, unable to counter such a direct statement. One of the older builders walked up to him and looked at him with concern.

“ You are entitled to whatever you want to believe, until it creates a problem for others. Now you can stay here and work with us, or you can go earn your living elsewhere, but there will be no more trouble. Understood?”

Backed into a corner, yet stubborn, the younger men stood still and stared down the one worker until more turned and supported Remal and Rhenora. They were at least smart enough to know when they were outnumbered. After a moment of hot air, a small group of young men turned and walked the opposite direction, leaving the argument to lie.

“ I believe there will be no more trouble here” One of the older men shook his head sadly. “The problem is, those young men used to be us, so full of passion and wanting something to believe in, something to fight for.”

“They don’t know what it was really like, just fighting to survive. They are rebellious youth, looking for something to occupy themselves. Perhaps, we as their elders aren't providing them with enough chores to do.” He chuckled. “In reality though, a lack of understanding and guidance is doing these youth a great injustice. Perhaps it is we who must fight harder to show them a better life?” He left the open-ended question hanging out there as he pushed forward and out, hesitating only to see if Rhen had anything to add.

“Perhaps, we must allow freedom of choice but should strive for a united Bajor. Without it everything will crumble and the rebellion that seems to be within its infancy will spread like a scourge among our people” Rhenora bowed her head in sorrow. “ We must strive to show them the better path, knowing that they will possibly rebel against it, but we must try anyway. Lead by example, peaceful, wholesome lives.”

Everyone seemed to be right there with them in mind and spirit until a woman nearby, moved by their speech, dropped to the ground in front of them and began praising them, "Prophets help us. You have sent the perfect Emissaries." Extremists were always on both sides.

Remal took Rhen by the hand, "And that is our cue to leave." He pulled her away from the crowd and toward the wine house. "Let's get the wine and get going, okay?"

"You're right" she replied simply, wanting to avoid the attention and live her life for the moment. She took Remal's hand and walked away, letting the builders carry on to build their house.

TBC