Joy and Tragedy

Posted on Wed Dec 12th, 2012 @ 12:06pm by Fleet Admiral Mike K`Wor Bremer & Ensign Becca Bremer & Christopher Bremer & Lieutenant K`Wor

3,622 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: Mission 81 - Revenge
Location: Starbase 400
Timeline: Current - Stardate 66449.1

ON:

It had been two days since the Christmas Party, Mike was in his quarters, wearing civilian closes for a change. The kids were running back and forth, yelling. Janice was putting a few last minute things into a bag as she said to the kids, “Everyone make sure you potty and have your shoes on!”

Mike had taken a step back, he was getting a few extra toys in a small bag for their youngest son, Christopher, to play with. “Runabout is leaving in ten minutes!” He said with a smile.

As Mike and Janice finished the last minute packing, K’Wor and Becca came walking through the door, both of them with bags of their own.

Christopher took off running toward his older half-brother, “K’Wooorrr!!”

K’Wor picked him up, “Hey little buddy, you ready to go?”

“Where’s your uniform?” Christopher asked K’Wor.

“Don’t need it where we’re going.” He replied with a smile.

Becca smiled too then looked at her Step-Mom. “Anything I can help with?”

Janice smiled, “I think we’re ready.”

“First family trip for the Bremer family in over three years...we better be ready.” Mike added with a smile.

Everyone grabbed their bags and they headed off toward Runabout Bay Two, the Cherokee was there, prepped and ready to go.

As they walked down the corridor, Janice looked over at Mike. “How’s Harry?”

“He’ll be fine, but I’m not sure he’ll go back to Risa again anytime soon.” Mike replied. Mike had known Harry for years, since they were kids. Both born and raised in South Carolina, and they had entered Starfleet Academy together.

“Did he tell you what happened?” Janice asked.

“Just that he picked up a Horga'hn and was heading to his room when a man jumped out at him with a knife. He’s really lucky, the man missed his heart by a matter of millimeters. Luckily, the Rhode Island was still in the system, their Doctor was able to treat him almost right away.” Mike explained.

“Did they catch the guy?” K’Wor asked.

Mike shook his head, “No, he slipped away. They think it was just a random robbery attempt, but Risa has next to nothing in the way of law enforcement.”

Janice nodded, “I’m glad he’s okay. So when do you think he’ll have a command of his own?”

“Captain Ramon plans to retire in a year or so, so he’ll probably take command of the Rhode Island then. Ramon is very impressed with Harry and thinks he’ll make a good Captain.” Mike replied.

Janice smiled, “Captain Harry Kim, has a nice ring to it.”

Mike smiled for a moment, but then a serious expression returned to his face. “Paul MacLeod was also attacked, an attempted robbery at DS9 last week. Someone broke into his quarters. Mac happened to walk in on whoever it was. They hit him over head with blunt weapon, but ran off when someone in the corridor saw what was happening. No idea who it was either, they didn’t catch him.”

As the family stepped into the turbolift, Mike’s comm-badge went off, “Ops to Admiral Bremer.”

Mike sighed and shook his head before tapping his badge, “Bremer here.”

“Sorry to bother you sir, but Admiral Riggs with Starfleet Command is requesting you sir, he says it’s important.” Commander Ross, the Duty Officer in Ops replied.

Mike looked over at Janice, “I’ll be right back.” He flashed a warm smile and kissed his wife on the lips.

Janice tried to smile, knowing it could mean the end of their trip before it even started. “I’ll keep your seat warm.”

“I’ll walk with you Dad.” Becca quickly added.

“You just wanted to tell Ensign Williams goodbye, again.” Mike replied with a smile. “Come on.”

Mike and Becca stepped back as at the turbolift doors closed. Janice, K’Wor, Christopher, Emmaline, and Marc all headed for the Runabout Cherokee as Mike and Becca walked down the corridor to another turbolift that would take them directly to Ops.

A few minutes later, Mike and Becca arrived in Ops. Becca smiled at Ensign Williams as he watched her step out of the turbolift from his Engineering duty station. Mike nodded to Commander Ross , then glanced over at Williams who quickly went back to looking at his monitors.

“Sorry sir.” Lieutenant Archer said as Mike walked by. Mike patted the man on the back, it wasn’t his fault Starfleet Command always picked the worst times to call…or so it seemed.

“I told him you were about to leave on vacation and I could get Vice Admiral T’Lar for him, but he insisted that he talk to you sir.”

“Thanks Nick.” Mike replied as he walked into his office.

He took a seat at his desk then activated the monitor. Admiral Riggs appeared a moment later, his expression wasn’t a pleasant one, especially when he realized Bremer was out of uniform.

“Bob, how can I help you?” Mike replied.

“Starfleet Intelligence has learned the Romulans have deployed an additional thirty Warbirds along the Neutral Zone, including the newest Scimitar class vessel. Starfleet believes it’s in response to your recent trip to Iconian and the former Federation colonies in the Neutral Zone not being fully evacuated.” Riggs tone seemed concerned, yet angry.

“I’ll have additional ships patrolling our border of the Neutral Zone.” Mike replied. He was somewhat annoyed, this was information T’Lar was cleared to see and hear, and she could just as easily divert ships in the area.

“Good idea.” Riggs replied, almost condescendingly. “We've contacted the Romulans, they claim they haven’t sent any additional ships along the Neutral Zone, but I think they are lying. They have agreed to a Subspace conference tomorrow morning at 0800. I want you to be on the call with myself and Admiral Tomalak.”

Mike shook his head. It was going to take the family about a day to reach the New Berlin settlement on Desica II. New Berlin was home to an all new family oriented vacation resort. There was a beach, amusement parks for kids, night clubs for adults, and more.

Admiral Riggs shifted in his chair when Mike didn’t reply, “That’s an order.” He said bluntly.

Mike didn’t like it, but Riggs was in a position to give orders since he was acting on behalf of Starfleet Command. “Aye sir.” He replied, and as the screen went dark he knew he had to break the bad news to his family.

Becca walked with her Dad to the Runabout. On the way, Mike decided to tell Janice to go ahead and leave for Desica II and he would follow as soon as the subspace ‘chat’ with Tomalak was over. Becca asked to stay on Starbase 400 too, this way Mike wouldn’t have to travel to Desica II alone. Mike thanked his daughter and smiled, he was glad they would have a little father-daughter time. With both Becca and K’Wor leaving for Starfleet Academy in less than a month, he knew this would be the only
time they would have alone together before then.

As he boarded the Runabout, Christopher greeted him, “Hi Daddy! You ready to go?!”

Mike picked up his two year old son and gave him a hug. Janice watched and realized Mike wasn’t going.

As he set Christopher down, he looked up at Janice, “I have to stay, there’s a conference call with Admiral Tomalak in the morning.”

“What’s going on, need me to stay too?” K’Wor asked.

Mike shook his head, “Intelligence believes the Romulans are building up near the Neutral Zone, but they are denying it. Admiral Riggs wants me to discuss it with Tomalak.” He smiled, “Don’t worry, have fun, I’ll follow tomorrow after the call is over.” Mike replied.

Mike shook K’Wor’s hand, then his oldest son gave him a hug. He looked over at Marc and Emmaline arguing over who would sit in the co-pilot’s seat next to their mother. Before Mike could say something, Janice did, “Both of you, hush. I’ll be in the Co-Pilot’s seat, K’Wor will pilot.

Mike smiled then walked over to them, hugging them both. They were twelve now, but Mike had only known them for five years. He’d long since forgiven Janice for not telling him about the kids when she found out she was pregnant during the Dominion War or after giving birth, but he still wish he’d been there for them when they were younger. No, they weren’t married at the time…weren’t even dating, but it was a magical two weeks on DS9 and still something Janice should of told Mike. After all, he'd missed Becca's and K'Wor's early years too after he and their mother Rebecca divorced and Mike left Starfleet to service in the Klingon Defense Force for several
months.

“Be good for your mother.” Mike added.

“Yes sir.” Marc replied as Emmaline nodded.

“Becca will come with me tomorrow.” Mike added as she was saying her goodbyes to her siblings.

Janice nodded then the two shared a long embrace.

K’Wor shook his head at his Dad and Step-Mom, “Come on y'all, let’s give those two a little privacy.”

“I’ll see you soon.” Mike said as he kissed his wife.

“Yes you will.” Janice replied with a smile. “I have this new dress, and I thought we could go out one night...just the two of us.” The two shared a long kiss.

After a moment, Becca walked back from the cockpit of the Runabout and stepped back though the airlock.

“I love you.” Janice said to Mike.

“I love you too.” Mike replied, then he stepped through the airlock.

He and Becca walked over to the observation window. They watched the hatch on the Runabout close and seal, then the small vessel lifted off and easily glided out of the bay and into space.



The next morning, Mike was in his Office, in uniform, and Raktijno in hand. He was leaning back in his chair listening to Tomalak. Mike’s mind was elsewhere, during the night, Mike learned that an old friend and former member of his crew,
Lieutenant Commander David Slater, was found dead in his apartment on Alpha Centauri. Preliminary reports suggested suicide the day before, but it made no sense, the last time they had spoken David he was in good spirits and excited about a new woman in his life.

Mike was wishing he was somewhere else.

“As you can see from the telemetry I sent you, we have sent no additional ships to the border in the last several months. However, if Starfleet is building up forces...”

Mike cut Tomalak off, “At this time, we’ve sent no additional ships in the area Admiral, and to be honest with you, this posturing of yours isn’t helping the situation. We all know the drill. You send ships, we send ships, tensions rise, and it just takes one minor issue to escalate into a firefight.”

Tomalak leaned back in his chair and smirked, “You’re right Admiral Bremer, and between you and I, the Romulans aren’t looking for another war at this time. That’s why we have the Neutral Zone again after all.”

“This is pointless, we have Intelligence reports proving you’re building up forces!” Admiral Riggs harsh tone ended the little bit of diplomacy Bremer and Tomalak had just managed to build. “Are you planning to annex the Zone, or is this prelude to an all-out invasion of the Federation? We know you need more resources now that Romulus and Remus are gone...”

Mike raised his hand, attempting to stop Riggs from continuing his rant, “Bob, accusations aren’t going to help the situation.” Mike paused, expecting Tomalak to jump in, but the Romulan Admiral remained quiet. “I’ll order the Challenger to the border, Captain LaForge will act with due caution and report anything he finds to me. I’ll then share those findings with the both of you.”

Tomalak nodded, “Agreed.”

Admiral Riggs shifted in his chair, “I expect a very detailed report. Riggs out.”

As Riggs closed the channel, both he and Tomalak disappeared from Mike’s monitor. Bremer let out a deep breath as he shook his head, then took a sip of his Raktijno. After a moment, he stood and walked out of his Office and into Ops. As he did, Lieutenant Archer nearly ran into him…

“Mr. Archer?” Mike asked with a smile.

Archer’s face was clearly showing concern and worry, “Sir…um, we’ve been contacted by Desica II’s space port, the General’s...um, your family’s runabout hasn’t arrived yet and they’ve lost contact on sensors.”

Mike looked over at the time, the Runabout should have arrived a few hours ago. “What was its last position?”

Archer handed Mike a PADD, “Here sir, but there’s more. A Bolian freighter reported to DS6 that they spotted a Federation Runabout adrift. They couldn't detect any life signs on board. They relayed the coordinates, they match the last known position of the Cherokee.”

Mike could feel his heart stop, he was speechless...

K’Temoc had arrived in Ops just in time to hear about the Cherokee, and he quickly tapped his comm-badge, “Vice Admiral T’Lar to Ops, immediately!”

Mike looked over to his brother, then back to Archer. “Nick you have Ops til T’Lar arrives, fill her in.”

Mike raced for the turbolift, K’Temoc quickly followed. As the door closed behind them, Mike said one word in a very serious tone, “Pegasus!”

Mike said nothing else, but his brother knew what he was thinking and he tapped his comm-badge, “Pike, Harrison, Coleman, Ramata’Tar, Roebuck, Gillo, Baratan, Vid-Lotilija, Brislan, Hurd, report to the Pegasus on the double!”


Several minutes later, the Galaxy Class Refit USS Pegasus undocked from her moorings and backed away. The large vessel then turned, faced the space doors, and started moving toward them as they opened. Within moments, the vessel was free and in open space. Mike sat in the CO’s chair, silent, staring at the viewscreen. Chief Branson was at the Conn and already received the last known coordinates of the Cherokee. Once the
ship was clear of Starbase 400, she blasted off into high warp.

Faster than a runabout, it took the Pegasus a little over four hours to reach the area of the Cherokee.

The crew worked together like clockwork, like they always had. Pike was at Intel One, Harrison at Tactical, K’Temoc at Strategic Ops One, Vid-Lotilija at Science One, Coleman at Engineering, Gillo at Ops, Branson at Conn, Hurd at Marine Ops, Ramata’Tar at Mission Ops, Baratan at Intel Two, Roebuck at Strategic Ops Two, and Brislan at Science Two. The XO’s chair was empty.

K’Temoc spoke up as the Pegasus dropped out of warp, “I have the Cherokee on sensor, five million kilometers, bearing zero-zero-nine mark three-four-six.” He paused a moment, it was his family too. When he spoke up, his voice was a little shaky, “I’m reading extensive hull damaged from weapons fire, signatures suggest Romulan disruptors. Debris, not all from
the Runabout though, she took a bite out of whoever did this. Life support is functioning, but I’m only picking up two life signs, both faint.”

“Move us in, rescue team to Transporter Room Three.” Mike said as he stood, it was the first time he’d spoken since leaving the Station.

Moments later, blue and white shimmered in the darkness aboard the Runabout as Bremer, Brislan, Coleman, K’Temoc, and three additional Medical Officers beamed aboard. The team turned on their wrist beacons, and the bright lights cut though the darkness that was only interrupted by occasional sparks and flickering panels.

Mike quickly looked around, finding Janice slumped over in the Co-Pilot’s seat. One of the Medical Officers stepped up and scanned her with a tricorder.

“She’s alive sir, barely, the panel exploded in her face.” The Medical Officer gently brushed Janice’s hair from her face, showing cuts, burns, and bruises on her face, forehead, and temple, then she tapped her comm-badge, "Gates to Pegasus, two to beam directly to Sick-Bay."

After Janice was beamed to safety Mike continued to look around. A moment later, Coleman tapped in a few commands and the interior lights came back on. Everyone switched off their beacons as they looked around.

K’Temoc stepped into the Runabouts aft section, and came to a sudden halt. Mike saw his brother stop, and knew he’d found something. Mike walked back to K’Temoc, and as he rounded the corner he came face to face with what he feared the most...

He saw the body of his twelve year old daughter Emmaline laying on the deck beside the door, a phaser wound on her chest. One of the Medical Officers knelt down beside her and scanned, but soon shook her head.

Mike tried to swallow before he spoke, he didn’t want to sound as upset as he really was. He knelt down beside his daughter and ran his hand though her hair, “Ensign...take her home.”

“Yes sir.” The young woman said and she gently folded Emmaline’s arms over her chest before tapping her comm-badge, “Noel to Pegasus, ready to beam two to Sick-Bay.”

As Emmaline’s body was transported back to the Pegasus, Mike turned his attention to finding his sons. Suddenly the quiet was broken by the sound of something falling within the locked closet of the aft cabin.

Mike tapped the panel to access the closet, but it only beeped, the door was jammed from the inside.

Mike pressed his hands against the door, took a deep breath, and using every ounce of strength and will he had, managed to force it open.

As the door opened, Mike found his younger two sons. Christopher was unconscious with a bruise on his head. It looked like he'd been hiding in the back of the closet on a shelf, and had just rolled off an onto the deck. Mike gently picked him up and Brislan scanned him and smiled, but before she could say anything Mike spoke.

“Get him to Sick-Bay, please.”

The Chief Medical Officer nodded and softly put her arms around the two year old boy, then stepped back out of the way to beam back to the Pegasus.

As Brislan beamed back, Mike looked back into the closet and found Marc. He was lying face down with a Type-II Phaser in his hand. K’Temoc slowly and gently picked up the phaser as the last Medical Officer scanned Marc, shaking his head.

“It’s K’Wor’s phaser, and the power cell is all but drained. It looks like Marc was trying to protect Christopher.” K’Temoc stated aloud, his voice shaky.

The Medical Officer was easily moving Marc’s body out of the closet to beam him back to the Pegasus. Like his sister, Marc had phaser wounds...one in the chest and one on the leg. A moment later, he beamed back to the Pegasus too.

Mike looked over at Coleman, “Transfer all logs and data to the Pegasus and beam back.”

Coleman nodded and a moment later, shimmered away as he beamed back to the ship as well, leaving just K’Temoc and Mike left on the Cherokee.

Mike looked around the runabout, there were scorch marks all over the bulkheads and walls from weapons fire. A rush of anger and pain overwhelmed him. Mike started breathing harder, faster, and then let out a loud roar as he face turned deep red and an expression of pure anger shown on his face.

K’Temoc spoke softly, “I’m not picking up any residual Human or Klingon traces, K’Wor wasn’t vaporized...”

Mike cut him off, “He was taken by whoever did this. It’s a message.” Mike paused a moment as he took a breath, “Harry attacked, Paul attacked, David dead, this...it’s a personal message.” He slammed his fist into the wall leaving an dent.

Mike walked back to the cockpit and sat down in the pilot’s seat. He looked out the window at the Pegasus hovering nearby. As he did, he couldn’t hold back the emotion anymore and tears started to flow. His twin twelve year old son and daughter were dead, his seventeen year old son missing, his wife and two year old son seriously injured. It was more than anymore could bear.

As he cried, Mike took a deep breath, “I should have been here.”

K’Temoc sat next to his brother, he too was teary eyed, “If you were, then you and Becca both might be dead too.” He looked up at his brother in the eye, “We’ll find whoever did this, they will pay!”

The brothers grabbed each others hand tightly and pulled their arms together, and looked into each others eyes intensely.

After a few moments, Mike stood and wiped his eyes, “I’ll be in Sick-Bay.”

K’Temoc also stood, “I’ll take charge of the investigation and be on the Bridge. I’ll let you know if we find anything.”

Mike nodded, then took another deep breath before tapping his comm-badge, “Bremer to Pegasus, two to beam aboard.”

A moment later, both men shimmered away as they returned to the Pegasus…


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