Closing the case.

Posted on Wed Nov 24th, 2021 @ 9:53am by Lieutenant Xalanth & Lieutenant JG Miaxi Etaalu

1,116 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 110 - An Endeavor in Discovery
Location: USS Avenger

Xalanth sat alone in the secondary cargo bay of the Avenger that had been converted into a makeshift medical bay for the survivors of the slaver's base.

Admiral Keandra Wood lay on one of the biobeds hooked up to half a dozen machines just to handle her condition. The implant had removed a large section of her brain-damaging motor functions and short and long-term memories. It's unlikely she'd ever be the same again.

He'd be writing up the raid on the padd in his hand though it made him sick when he read it. The last piece of info he'd been sent had sealed the case though it brought him no joy at closing this mess.

Miaxi walked into the cargo bay. She was looking for Xalanth, and had a feeling he would be in here. She made a beeline for him, her eyes taking in the PADD in his hands as well as the look on his face. "What's wrong?" she asked as she arrived at his side.

The dragonian was quiet for a moment as he thought through what to say. After what felt like ages he finally spoke " We managed to track the signal that was being used to control her. It was a computer bank on Beta Ursae Majoris. It was owned under a false name, but the police managed to find it belonged to one Rajab al-Kazi." Xalanth explained as he handed her the padd.

She grimaced. "al-Kazi. So who's been controlling her since he's been in custody? Did she have any control over herself with that thing in her head?"

The lizard shook his head. " According to the Beta Ursae Majoris it was running on a pre set program. She'd have had no control." He said looking at the woman on the biobed. " Did i mention i was the one who caught Rajab al-Kazi beating his girlfriend that got him thrown out of the academy? "

"I don't think you did. Just that he had been thrown out of the academy." Miaxi said.

" It was my third year in the academy. I'd been planning my Christmas present for T'para and Leliani, big snow storm going on outside. I heard my neighbor screaming at around one in the morning. Called security, broke in the window found him hitting her. Knocked him out with a bar stool." The lizard explained as he looked at the admiral.

" Is it wrong that I wished I'd hit him harder? How much suffering could I have saved people from?" He said weakly.

She sat down next to him with a sigh. "Xalanth, it's not wrong to wish you'd hit him harder, but none of us can predict the future. Maybe you would have killed him, and been kicked out yourself. Maybe you both would have been kicked out, and he would have gone on to do these things anyway, without you in Starfleet to be where you are now. Maybe you would have killed him, stayed in Starfleet, and been killed in the war. What matters is that we just saved a whole bunch of people, and that would not have happened if it hadn't of been for you. Don't second guess your younger self."

The lizard let out a sigh. Coming from a species where a single mistake could end dozens of lives he always did have trouble second-guessing himself. " I guess your right. It's just hard for my species to come to terms with that."

She wasn't sure what to say to that. "I'm not sure I understand." she confessed. "I know we all have trouble with different things, but why this?"

The lizard tapped the side of his head a few times as he thought through an answer. " My people have a very clear view of right and wrong. This...." He said gesturing to the admiral. " This is just wrong. Cutting up someone's brain and piloting them around like a...... It's something that the Yor would do."

"Oh, you mean what he did to the admiral!" Miaxi replied. "Yes, you're right. It's absolutely wrong. I can't believe anyone woudl think this is ok. Sorry, I thought you meant coming to terms with what you did at the academy."

" It's okay my friend letting out my emotions has always been a problem." The lizard said apologetically. " Have we got the total numbers of people they had down there?"

"Yes." Miaxi replied, nodding. She produced a padd and pulled up the number. "Including those here in this modified sickbay, we have 498 people rescued. I can't believe they were able to filter that number out without anyone noticing."

" Would have been a lot more if we hadn't stumbled upon it. Imagine how many they could have kidnaped if it wasn't for one cheapskate Ferengi." the lizard said shuddering slightly as he did so.

"Trust the Ferengi." Miaxi said dryly. "Or at least, that one. Xalanth, promise me you'll see one of the counsellors when we get back to the station? It sounds like you've got more going on than I can talk you through."

Xalanth opened his mouth to argue, but then he closed it he had this conversation before. " Okay, I'll book an appointment when we get back. Only one councilor I've really liked and I'm not saying because she bore me a daughter."

"Okay." Miaxi paused. "If you can't talk to one of them, I'll do what I can." she added. "So, we've got all the survivors on board our ships, and the slavers too. Data has been uploaded from their computers. We're pretty much ready to go."

" Very good. Just need to leave a small team to guard this place until the engineers get here to decide what to do with it." the lizard added.

Miaxi nodded. "I've taken the liberty of suggesting some names." she said, showing him the padd.

Xalanth took the padd and nodded as he looked over the names on the list. " Good suggestions. Is the equipment they'll need loaded?" He inquired.

"It is not." she replied. "I asked them to work on it. It's good practice for them, and one of us can check before they go down."

" Very good. " the lizard replied handing the padd back. " I've put a commendation in your record for this Miaxi. You deserve it."

"Thank you Xalanth. I just keep thinking how easily my shipmates or I could have been among these people." Miaxi shook her head. "The war was bad enough without people slaving and profiteering off it. I hope they're severely punished."

" Life in deep freeze won't be long enough." The lizard said letting out a slight sigh as he did.

"You're right about that. Now let's go." Miaxi said firmly.

RSS Feed