Stalled Progress and the Art of Patience

Posted on Fri Dec 8th, 2023 @ 9:47pm by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Remal Kajun
Edited on on Sat Dec 9th, 2023 @ 2:45am

Mission: The Beginning of the End
Location: Bajor
Timeline: Current-ish

"THIS DOES NOT WORK WITHOUT HER!" Brin yelled as he tossed a stack of paperwork across the table in the direction of one particular irritant who had just suggested giving up on the hunt for one Rhenora Kaylen. Not a man who would normally lose his temper, Brin's patience with the stalemate they had entered had his blood pressure high. A comforting hand upon his shoulder was the only thing offering any sort of balance point.

Inwardly he smiled knowing his counterpart Faro was normally the one who threw things when angry. It was a trait he admired and now acknowledged he was starting to emulate. Covering her hand with his own, he cleared his throat and refocused. "We have been over this, time after time. Without Kaylen, this movement crumbles. Kaylen's child must NOT be born. It's not enough to wait for her to come to us. We MUST find a way to bring her back to Bajor. She will die and she MUST die here. Otherwise," He looked up and into Faro's eyes. "It's all for naught."

He slowly stood and began to walk around the circular table resting in the dirt floor. "Let's go over it again." There was mild groaning which he ignored. "The child will be born in eight weeks on the night of the winter solstice."

"Didn't the last report say she had nine weeks before she would come to full term?" One of the 'henchmen' questioned.

This caused Brin to pause slightly, having his words questioned along with his thoughts interrupted. "She will give birth six days early as a result of 'complications'" he emphasized before continuing. "It will happen on the night of the solstice, I have seen it."

"Drakkar province, at their mountain cabin. That will be the final fight. We will commit everything we have to the battle. Nothing else will do. There will be several enemies of all sorts." He grimaced. "Ones we have failed to deal with. This lot will be inconsequential."

"No, the majority of the fighters will be the Starfleet Officers which is why we must secure the site with a series of transport inhibitors ahead of time. If we force them to play by our rules and on our terms, the day will be ours."

"We do not expect much resistance from the local village, but to underestimate our opponent has on multiple occasions been cause for failure. This is our moment, this is our fight." As he finished he found himself standing next to Faro once more. "Any questions?"

The group around them mumbled incoherently to themselves, grumbling that this was probably a last ditch effort before their two leaders finally give away this lost cause. They nodded though, unwilling to go against Brin and Faro, at least openly.

"How are you gonna get her back here? Last we saw she was supposed to be dead in a Cardassian prison. How do you know she's even still alive?" One brave brave soul asked, her steel eyes boring into Brins.

"Bait." He said simply. "We will have something she would be willing to fight for, do die for. Something she would not dare allow the grip of her enemies' hands tighten around." He cleared his throat and focused his steely gaze upon the group.

"Let me remind each and every one of you. We, you, this group, did not agree to this path without the knowledge of repercussions. You were shown from the beginning that we were on an uphill path which would not prove easy. If any one of you feels they are in over their head and wishes to back out now, take this opportunity to leave, now." He got quiet for a moment as if waiting for someone to be brave enough to leave.

"You've given us no assurance that what you've seen, and what you're planning will come to pass" One of the group stood as though threatening to walk out of the room. "You've given us nothing except words. Everyone hates us, the villagers hate us. Ever since you started preaching the Pah Wraiths it's as though Bajor itself has turn on us!"

"True everyone hates the individual who thinks for themselves, the rebel, the fighter. But before you go, know this. The conscience you've grown now will only reward you with torment later when you realized you have chosen the wrong side, the losing side. To cement this idea all you have to do is look around. We are the future. We are the rebellion standing up against the clouded minds of the persecutors. And if you walk beyond that door, you will be walking away from a chance to live free."

The footsteps heading towards the door halted, there was something in the words that rang just the tiniest bit true "You have failed so far in your efforts to kill the Emissary child, what makes you think you can succeed this time?" It was one final challenge, almost half hearted in its delivery.

"Succession is only as possible as those who believe in the cause. I ask only for patience. Time is on our side. The more time passes the bigger the strength of our movement grows. Is that not worth waiting for my Brothers and Sisters? Is the future of Bajor not worth an ounce of patience and faith. Faith in our cause, in each other, in the Pah' Wraith who has lead us this far? I would give all that I have, all that I am for a shred of the patience it has, and the peace it promises."

" I give you 8 weeks. Once that child is born, if all this doesn't succeed, your movement will have failed. The child is heralded as the peace bringer of Bajor, the new Emissary. If it lives, we are all doomed" The words were almost defeatist as those in the room murmured among themselves. In 8 weeks the child was prophesized to be born. If it did not die soon after, the new age of Bajor would begin - and it wouldn't be the Pah Wraiths in charge.

"What of now? What are your plans? The villagers caretake their house, and watch the village. How do you plan on taking them down?" A small but determined voice echoed from the back of the room.

"For that I will turn the conversation over to my fellow rock, Faro, our strategist." He then turned his back to the rest and whispered to Faro, "Go easy on them." Then he tilted his head as a side note, "Deal with the dissenters in private." The nod he received was acknowledgement enough.

"The villagers are of no consequence, I have secured a contract that will allow a small number of us not only into the village, but into the property itself." She paused for effect. " We are gardeners and caretakers. And whilst tending the flowers and mowing the grass we can gather detailed information about the place and set up equipment to work in our favour. The villagers will be as ignorant as our targets. We will not fail."

TBC