Coffee and Nightmares

Posted on Tue Feb 22nd, 2022 @ 9:44pm by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Remal Kajun

Mission: *CD*
Location: Bajor

She awoke with a gasp, the exhalation forming a vapor cloud that hovered like a frozen blanket just above her face in the blackness of the room. Rhenora bolted upright, trying to gain her bearings and recall the nuances of the dream or whatever the heck it was she had just experienced. It wasn’t like any of the regular visions she had experienced from the Prophets, this was different.

Her abrupt motion triggered his internal alarm and he too sat up ready to fight or flee, not that he had been in deep sleep anyway. Groggy he asked, "what is it? What's wrong" his eyes scanned the room before returning back to Rhenora who appeared to be breathing heavily and sweating profusely.

Reality set in as the frosty air and Remal's waking drew her back to the present. "It was a vision, but different. It was as though it were the Pah Wraiths, they were in some kind of mirror universe where the humans were the enemy and bajorans and Cardassians were in some twisted union." She shook her head a little as though it would clear things up a little. "Dukat was there, making promises to keep Bajor safe, then his eye glowed red like the Pah Wraiths"

"Sheesh. Sounds more like a nightmare to me." He shifted to a more natural upright position, turned and picked up his PADD. "Care to delve into it a bit while it's still fresh in your mind? Maybe we can gleen something useful out of it about our nemesis." He attempted to be comforting and encouraging at the same time.

Rhenora closed her eyes and focussed on the rapidly fleeing dream. She recounted as much as she could, the Bajoran council room, the species of those present, the names, the words, the eyes. "It felt different, not like the usual Prophet visions we've seen. This felt off" her voice drifted off as she shivered a little, instinctively drawing closer as the first tinges of dawn broke through the inky blackness through the thinly covered window.

Tired and drained, she knew sleep was a past fantasy, she could only hope for a more restful night when the sun sank towards the horizon once more. They would take the day to make arrangements to leave for the tropics, most likely with their host in tow. It would be a reunion of sorts, the fighters of the past regrouping to tackle another for that threatened what they held most dear. They won last time, but they were older, some a little rounder and somewhat slower than they had been in their youth.

The smell of food cooking wafted into their small room, indicating Patin was up and about. There was a whiff of something that smelt like coffee, a distinct change from the usual tang of alcohol that permeated the air during waking hours. It seemed Patin may have turned a corner and changed her ways for the better. If she indeed had, the withdrawal from the constant intake of liquor was going to be hell.

He too could smell the coffee and knew right away it was going to be strong. Perhaps a sign from their host that she was trying to change her ways. But his focus was still on Rhenora and her weird vision/dream. "Off? In what way?" he asked. "I have always known you to be more in tune with the Prophets than anyone else, even more so lately. But to have a vision created by a wraith…" he left the ending open.

Rhenora sat quietly for a moment, deciphering her thoughts and closing her eyes again. She focussed her memory back to the dream, trying to recall more detail, more nuances that could give them a clue. Dukat’s red eyes - she had seen the red eyes before, but this was full of malice - the whole thing was to be honest. It wasn’t prophetic, even the darkest of visions she had endured from the Prophets weren’t like this. They only foretold her own death, not the demise of the entire Federation including her home planet. There was another force at work here. “I think it wasn’t from the Prophets, and if it wasn’t from the Prophets it could only be from the Pagh Wraiths.” Her blood ran cold for an instant causing an involuntary shiver. “ If they can get inside my head now…..” the rest of her words trailed off in almost terror.

Realization dawned, "then we're screwed." He said aloud before returning to his comforting role. "At least we are strong together. We will be able to face whatever they plan to throw our way." He rubbed her back knowing if they could access her dreams that she was going to be in for a world of fear and hurt mentally as well as physically. This turn of events did not bode well for their future travels. "Look, lights up, coffee is brewing, let's start a step at a time with some breakfast. One step at a time, okay?"

She nodded, swallowing the fear and replacing it with a stoicism that would make her resistance friends proud. “We’ve got a job to do, let’s damn well get it down” She rose and extended her hand “Together”

The smell of coffee intensified as they neared the kitchen, Patin was indeed making the mother of all brews in a large cylindrical device as well as a hearty breakfast for all for them. “ Eat up, big day ahead, the neighbours gonna take the animals until I get back, we’ve got work to do” She said simply as she served out the breakfast onto rudimentary plates and the coffee into carved cups.

“ Oh oh… what’s happened?” She asked as she saw the look on Rhen’s face.

"She's had a bit of a bad omen prophetic dream thing.” He said as he saddled up to the bar and glanced at the food offerings. "We've chosen to face it head on with our heads held high, right dear?" He asked of Rhenora who appeared to still be attempting to suppress the imagery as though it were nagging at her like a pile of old newsprint just laying about.

"You got Wraiths in your head didn't you?" Patin replied straight up, never one to mince words in any fashion. Rhen nodded and accepted the cup of coffee that resembled rocket fuel. "It did give me an insight that they aren't going to back down easily, and that they know we're still alive, despite their attempts otherwise"

"Good." She snarled back. "would hate for our enemy to turn wimp on us now. As far as I'm concerned we're just getting started at kicking their asses back from whence they came."

Remal picked up a roll from the table and realized it had hardened. He tapped it on his plate making a tink sound. Patin didn't even glance his way but Rhen caught sight and quickly stifled a laugh. He took some eggs and dishes them onto his plate then took a bite. The amount of salt was enough to make him gag and begive coughing as he reached for a drink.

Patin slid him some milk and asked, 'how is it?"

Amidst his coughing fit he raised a thumb and mumbled, "edible." He didn't want to dash her hope as it appeared she was at least trying to make them feel welcome.

She scoffed, "liar." With a smug grin before turning back to Rhen. "I can see what you like about him, but of a kiss ass though."

“ You didn’t say that yesterday when he was patching the gaping hole in your guts” Kaylen retorted, blowing a kiss towards her husband.

Then she shifted the subject. "So, I contacted the transport hub. That storm yesterday knocked out their transponder tower so it will be at least this evening before our next ride will get here. What do you say to a dip in the hot springs? Come-on, it will loosen those sore muscles." She pleaded when seeing Rhenoras uncertain face.

“Hot springs?” The mere word made her body almost want to melt into a puddle. Everything ached from their jaunt through the snow yesterday and a little downtime was probably just what they needed. “ So where exactly are these hot springs? And might I remind you, we’re fresh out of snow mobiles?”

Patin almost chuckled. “It’s that resort I told you about. The one we were saving from the snow pack. It’s a short tractor drive to the Tram station and then a nice jaunt up the mountain. And we’re only out of snowmobiles because someone’s aim was off.” She smirked, her eyebrow raised.

“ Oh so it’s all my fault now?” The chuckle was hearty as Rhenora wolfed down the breakfast Patin had cooked. Calling it food was probably going a little too far, fuel however was more accurate. Besides, flame grilled puluko was always worse.

“ So a short tractor ride…some hot springs, nice food, coffee, then we’re back to kicking ass?” She raised her eyebrows as she took in her companions. It was nice having the collaboration of Patin in their plans moving forward. She could however be a little of a loose canon. Something they would need to manage.

TBC