Forget Nothing

Posted on Mon May 27th, 2024 @ 3:43pm by Lieutenant Commander Razka Kas

1,285 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Character Backstories
Location: The Tov'Callii (Quath’Mar Frigate)
Timeline: 2372 During the brief Federation conflict with the Klingons before the Dominion War

The Tov'Callii orbited Omoga, the star Illuminated the entire cargo bay from the view screen of the observation deck. There were over a hundred Quath’Mar gathered around three dozen coffins. There were several species in the gathering, they were grouped into families. There was a teenage Klingon hybrid who stood with a group of Bajorans, Outsiders would find this odd, but the ’Children of the Stars’ do not divide by species. The crowd's silent grief was palpable as they readied their dead for their final rest.

Kas turned away from the coffin, he couldn’t bear to look at the remains of Tura, his stepbrother. A hand clasped his shoulder; "Forget nothing. Those who are remembered bring their warmth to our hearts."

He turned and looked the Shaman in the eye, he was an Andoran Kas hadn't seen before. He handed him a glass bottle. He knew he was being given a great honor, yet he was too numb to care. Hollow emptiness filled Kas as he rolled the bottle between his knuckles idly.

"Tanana Tura; may this light that has extinguished be reborn in the stars," Kas said and poured the contents of the bottle over Tura's remains, completing the ritual.

His parents sat in front of the coffin reciting the Bajoran funeral chant. They believed Tura's soul was going to the Prophets and the Quath’Mar Shaman believed he was returning to the stars to be reborn. The only certain thing was that Tura was gone… A piece of Kas’s soul was dead and nothing would be the same. He saw his stepfather crying, part of him wanted to shed tears… Yet he couldn't muster the energy to have this be his reality. He barely registered what was happening as he took his place at the head of the coffin.

Tura's face was shrouded per their customs, he closed the coffin and sealed it. Then he lifted his end of it with a Bajoran girl about his age on the other end, they put it on a conveyor belt. He nodded to the girl, he'd known Rahl most of his life. She'd been close to Tura as well. She had been in the shuttle when it happened…

He tried to pass a Klingon girl but she stepped in front of him, the four of them had taken a shuttle to defend their people, they were three now… Mara touched her forehead to his, "he died with honor. You should be proud." she whispered.

'So he's in fucking Sto-vo-kor it's he?!' Kas mused, Maybe it was wrong, but right now all he could think about was that his brother was gone. He stepped away from the Klingon and nodded again, before taking his place with his parents. He looked around the bay for the first time. The scent of the gathered crowd had been too much for his senses. He had his father's sense of smell but more of his mother's sensitivity, Too many odors overwhelmed him. Tura had once described his issue to their friends by saying; 'he's like a Ferengi caught in a thunderstorm.' He smiled softly at the memory.

The shamans began the oration part of the funeral ceremony. Kas bowed his head, he’d heard the words before… Only now they were empty... He sat and respectfully listened.

The represented species and cultures were given a chance to practice their traditions. Brok’tan a Klingon Elder and poet gave a prayer to Kahless for the fallen, followed by an Andorian Dirge Kas didn’t understand. Then a trio of Starfleet officers took the platform one with a drum, one with an odd-shaped bag with a strange-looking pipe that he put in his mouth. The third man stepped forward and began to sing. Later Kas learned that it was a song called ‘The Minstrel Boy’, a tune of significance to the people of Earth.

Kas hadn’t noticed the representatives of the Vulcan Science Academy, they’d observed the ceremony in their respectful unobtrusive manner. Many in the crowd were surprised when two Vulcan women approached the platform. The older of the two was carrying an instrument that looked like a harp, the younger one looked to be in her late teens. Even in his grievous state, he could appreciate her elegant beauty, as the older Vulcan began to play she began to sing. It was a song of their people, Kas had heard that at one time Vulcans had had emotions. The dirge she sang must have been written during that time, he couldn't understand the words but he could feel their spirit. She was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen, he'd never heard such depth in a voice before. A wave of sorrow fell over him and all his grief and loss turned to tears, he'd never cried in front of anyone before. His mother held him and his stepfather put a steadying hand on his shoulder. He hoped nobody noticed his 'moment of weakness.'

He wiped his tears away and tried to steel himself for what he knew was to come, he’d done well defending his people from the Klingons during the battle of Omoga. His people now regarded him as a hero, they saw his brother as a martyr. They were putting him on a pedestal, but they’d been angry frightened teens acting out of desperation. He was no fucking hero! He took his place among the other “heroes” from the recent battle, they stood in a line so the gathered could show gratitude and share their condolences. Mara stood to one side of him. Rahl put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Kas gave empty responses, to most who approached him.

Then the Starfleet officers came and the man who sang was the captain of the vessel that saved him. "I'm Capt. Jason Keller, that was some amazing flying Boy-o. I'm truly sorry about your brother." He stepped in, put a hand on his shoulder and touched his forehead to his, in the custom of the Quath’Mar. "Razka Kas; though you'll always miss him, may a day come when it doesn't hurt so."

"Thank you," Kas just gave a weak but genuine smile.

He was touched and surprised by the man's compassion and understanding of his culture. His officers shook his hand and offered condolences. Kas stoically accepted what was said to him. He was lost in his thoughts when he looked up, the young Vulcan woman was approaching him. She paused in front of him and then stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I am sorry about your brother," she stepped in closer. "May you find comfort in your beliefs."

He stared at her for a moment, she had the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen, her scent was so intriguing. He had a strange mix of feelings.

“Thank you,” The Hybrid replied softly

Kas stood watching the coffins being launched into the star. A piece of his soul had burned with Tura’s remains. As the final coffin disappeared Kas felt his faith vanish with it. The teaching of the Prophets seemed so hollow echoes offering no solace. How could loving ‘gods’ allow the kind of suffering his people had just gone through?... He stared into the vast expanse of space. “Forget nothing,’... The Shaman’s words echoed in his mind… He never would.

The Tov’Callii continued its orbit around Omoga, a silent guardian of the memories and hopes of those aboard, as they journeyed together into an uncertain future. He was considered to be an adult after that. Nothing was ever the same.

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