Secrets Part 1

Posted on Sat Feb 29th, 2020 @ 5:34am by Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD & Commander Hades,MD

1,869 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 104 - A Glimmer of Hope...
Location: Holodeck, USS Mercy
Timeline: MD 02, 0100 hours

{ON}

He paced the small confines of his office. They would be back on the station soon. "Computer locate doctor Fal."

=/\=Doctor Fal is in Holodeck three=/\=

Hades marched his way over to the holodeck. He entered and stopped a moment taken aback by the surroundings. He shook his head and walked over the rocky ground. Sounds of fighting drew him to the inner court a small island surrounded by water. The ebony sky filled with diamond stars seemed to kiss the rocky ground. There on the little rock Fal stood fighting a holo opponent. Hades stood back watching him. He moved like the wind twisting trough the air. He shook his head again and walked over. "Fal!"

Fal sighed twisting in mid air and turning the mean sword towards Hades. "You know better then to sneak up on me old man."

Entering the holodeck, Carolyn had stopped just inside the entrance, taking in the sight which welcomed her. It felt odd, walking in to some else's programme but she had arranged to meet with the visiting physician so they could talk. As she moved along the path she slowed, hearing voices. Recognising them both instantly.

"Are you going to run me through?"

He sighed, "Not for the moment." He studied Hades. "I take it Carolyn doesn't know that she was a pawn to you. Just like Ri'ar'herd." He said using Harris' given name.

Hades stayed silent. "I could not have known they would fall in love....not like that."

"You should have known. When I found out..." Fal turned away to let his anger lessen.

Carolyn felt her breath catch, inching closer to the pair until she came to a small outcropping of rocks. She could see them both now, Hades with his back to her. Her heart was racing, trying to make sense of what they had said. Perching on the edge she listened, hoping she had heard wrong because there had been no denial. No contradiction or protests...

Fal threw his sword away. "Ri'ar'herd spent most of his life by your side. You know what his idea of a perfect woman was and you laid her out there for him to love." Fal turned on Hades. "You knew Carolyn was prickly and had issues attaching to people but that Richards innocent ways and his genuine heart would bring her to him." He crossed his arms. "If that weren't bad enough ... does Carolyn know about the pre treatments you gave her?"

Hades shook his head. "I knew it! To Ri'ar'herd you gave tea, to Carolyn chocolate a guarantee that she would conceive. You used First Federation technology to help. You knew they would eventually get together."

Hades sighed, "Yes. But I did not know they would be that in love."

“Why?” A quiet voice demanded from behind them. Blue eyes as cold as steel as the fixed on Hades. “Why would you do that?!”

Hades sighed. "Carolyn..." He stepped towards her but Fal was quick. He placed himself in front of her so that Hades could not approach. "Tell her old man!" In that instance Fal sounded just like Richard. "Tell her how you not only used her but Richard."

Carolyn stood, her anger and hurt almost palpable. “Tell me he’s wrong...” she demanded, although it almost sounded like a plea.

Hades sighed, "I..."

Fal turned to her. "Will you allow me to tell you?

Carolyn glanced up at him, “if he won’t tell me himself, yes. I’m done with secrets.”

Hades stepped up. "Yes. It's true. I knew you two would get together. I knew of your past with the baby I healed the scars enough to allow you to get pregnant. I knew that your baby would be special. The reason that there was a way for you to carry was that it has been in the works for years. Adari had found a way to extend pregnancy between someone who'd been through the Rebirth process and someone who had not. I just needed someone to test it. The only thing she hadn't accounted for was Ri'ar'herd's genetics. He wasn't human. He was part Romulan. I tweaked the formula and now it will work. You and your child will mean healing for my colony. The baby will be born with no genetic modifications. He or she will be just human and part Romula. I didn't believe that you'd both fall in love."

Fal stepped forward. "Did my brother know about this?"

Hades shook his head.

“So it was all what? Some fun little experiment?! When did you even ...?!” She turned away, not sure if she wanted to throw up or kill him. Turning back she glared at him, “well, congratulations, I’m pregnant. I mean, my husband might be dead but your precious colony can heal! I hope it was worth it!”

Hades reached out, tears in his eyes. "Carolyn..."

Fal slapped his hand away. "Enough." He looked at Carolyn. "Let me walk you to your quarters."

“No...! I know the way,” she said as she stepped away from them. She looked at Hades, “this experiment is over. I can’t even - I thought -“

Suddenly she felt like she couldn’t breathe. All of the times she had confided in him, all the times she had trusted him. Even been part of his wedding! Felt for him when Kalani was hurt, when they lost their own child. And Harris.... he had trusted Hades with everything. Followed him blindly like every loyal member of the Scooby Gang.

Blind loyalty. Exactly what Fal had warned about.

And Harris... Part human. Part Romulan. Even Harris had hid secrets. Yet she couldn't bring herself to be angry with him, to let that override all he had done. Because, no matter what, he had been there. Risked everything. All for what?

She looked at Fal. “And you,” she said between shallow breaths, “you knew him your whole life, you said you were close, you even sound like him sometimes. Same eyes. He kept you a secret. I’ve asked you before ... exactly how did you know him? You kept a secret too. Your brother...”

"Half brother," he corrected. He turned to Hades. "I asked him to keep me a secret. Until I found out what he was up to." He motioned to Hades. "We had the same mother but different fathers." He studied her. "Carolyn let me help you. I have some...items of Richards you might want to look through."

Hades suddenly felt sick and weak. He hadn't wanted things to get this far. He'd wanted to help both Carolyn and the colony. He'd known that she wanted a child and how much it had hurt her to have lost hers but he'd hurt her deeply and he didn't know if there was any coming back from this.

Help... she wondered what he could possibly think would help this. Because she was too numb to think of a single thing.

“No,” she said quietly, finally answering Fal as she began moving away from them. Turning her back before Hades could see the tears beginning to flow. Not to spare him but because he had taken enough from her. “I think I’ve had as much as I can take.”

Fal turned on Hades wen Carolyn had left. "Richard told me that you fought all your life for justice for the colony and what was taken from them. You are just like the scientists who worked on Rebirth. I throw a saying at you that you would be familiar with. If you do not learn from history you are doomed to repeat it."

He turned and walked out leaving Hades.

The words did sink in. He had become all that he'd hated. Perhaps he'd driven the two together for more then just selfish reasons. He had wanted them both to find love, he had wanted to help Carolyn with her problems but in the end he'd created more. She'd fallen in love, married wonderful man who gave his life protecting her. Now she was alone and she hated him.

Hades sighed. Leaving Starfleet, a thought that had crossed his mind more then once, seemed like the right thing to do. It would be an idea that he'd toss around.

Angry, Fal had returned to his quarters and picked up the PADDs he wanted. He made his way to Carolyn's quarters and rang the chime. Richard would have wanted him to help.

Sitting on the floor, Rainbow curled up in her lap, Carolyn ignored the chime. After the fourth time she realised whoever it was would not go away. Lifting the puppy in one hand she walked to the door, standing in the doorway as she faced Fal. “Please, can’t you just leave me alone?”

Fal sighed, "I could but Richard sent me these. I know you're upset at Hades and rightfully at me. I've made it my mission to bring him down but my brother loved you. At least take these and know I will protect you. You were important to my brother. He didn't have much but he once told not long ago that in you he had everything."

She looked down at the PADDs he carried. “What are they?”

"Messages he sent me."

"Aren't they private? Between you? Between brothers?" she said after a moment.

"You were his wife. You have a right to them." He paused. "I am sorry you are going through this. But as complete candor would dictate I have to point out while I dislike Hades with a passion he will ensure you and the baby are healthy. Harris did wish one thing and that was that his child didn't have to go through the genetic issues he did from rebirth."

“It seems like he will be getting his wish,” she replied after a moment, taking the collection of PADDs from him with her free hand and setting them down on the nearby workstation. “Thank you for bringing these. As for Hades …"

She shook her head, unable to finish the sentence. Torn by the fact she had, until a few minutes ago, considered him to be a friend. No, more like a brother. Family. And now? She almost laughed. Maybe he was more like her family than she would have ever wanted him to be.

"If you could make sure everything is okay in Sickbay, I'd appreciate it," she said after a long moment. "I need some time to think. I’ll be back to help transfer our patients when we get back."

Fal placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sickbay is in good hands. Promise you that. I would like to speak again, get to know you more if you are alright with that."

“I’d like that. There is so much I don’t know about him,” she said softly.

He bowed. "I look forward to those conversations. I ..." He paused, "Miss him."

A small, sad smile played on her lips. “Me too.”

"We will grieve together. You are now my sister." He gave a small bow. "Rest well." He turned and began to walk away.

“Fal?!” She called after him. “Thank you.”

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