Searching Part 7, Getting Closer

Posted on Tue Aug 13th, 2024 @ 3:15am by Captain Remy Johansen & Lieutenant Commander Razka Kas & Lieutenant Eirly Andersen

1,463 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Helping Brunel
Location: Earth, The Himalayas
Timeline: MD 14, 1900 hours, Earth Mountain Time Zone

Kas sat cross-legged on the floor and looked at Eirly. "Part of the responsibility of a Seeker is to preserve the stories of our people. We seem to have to time, would you like to hear one?

Eirly nodded in response, "Of course, that'd be nice."

While they waited Kas thought of a story that best introduced the Quath'Mar to someone who hadn't heard much about his people before. He was an animated storyteller, using hand gestures, different voices, speaking more loudly at times and barely a whisper at others creating a captivating effect. Kas threw himself into the tail of 'the missing children.' One of his daughter's favorites, as he spoke he thanked the Cosmos the he would see her again.

Some time later a disgruntled Remy walked with Brandon through the halls. "I suppose you want me to thank you for rescuing me from what that other guy called torture."

Brandon shook his head quietly. "No not at all. You asked to see your crew and verify that they are unharmed. They are this way."

Remy walked with him a few more steps and watched as a panel by the door scanned his eye before opening. The Betazed stepped in first and gestured for Remy to follow. Remy took a few hesitant steps forward and when she saw it was just Kas and Eirly and they did in fact appear unharmed she let out a sigh of relief, running to Eirly first.

Remy put her hands on Eirly's arms and pat her down like a mother might a child who just took a bad fall. She then scrutinized her forehead where the individual had shown an image of a large laceration. She ran to Kas and did the same, the Hybrid's nostrils flared at the sight of Remy from her scent she seemed to be unharmed. As she checked him, he leaned in and touched his forehead to hers in the greeting of his people and made a low growling sound from the back of his throat.

Remy stepped back and nodded. "I'm fine. I haven't been hurt, really."

"Are you both okay? Have you been hurt at all?" The Captain asked.

"My injury was treated, and the chemicals are out of my system, they aren't completely incompetent," Kas said dryly.

"I'm okay," Eirly reply as she took a step back to assess her Captain. "Unlike the looks of both of you, I've not been injured in any way, shape or form. In fact, Brandon here has been quite nice."

"You haven't been hurt?" Remy asked skeptically. "Not at all. I was shown pictures of both of you that looked like you had been beaten and tortured." Remy gave an evil glare back to Brandon before turning back to Eirly and Kas.

Eirly shot a questioning look to Brandon before looking back at Remy, "Trust me, I'm fine. A little nauseous still, but food has helped that. I'm all good." She gave the other woman a half smile, "Kas here has had it worse than me."

Remy looked over at Kas. "Why? What did they do to you?" Remy asked.

Kas gave Eirly a disapproving look, "Their clumsy amateur injured my eye during my abduction. Then they treated my injury without my consent. I removed my conscious mind before they could use chemical or aggressive techniques. Honestly, I'm unimpressed."

"I mentioned there might be a screening process, though I didn't expect that torture would be involved," the Captain stated as she took several steps toward Brandon. Without taking her eyes off of him she continued talking, "They are testing us. Making sure their operation can remain secret."

"Send them back to the shuttle," Remy said. "If that's all you need, I'll answer the questions myself. Dose me with whatever. Don't even show me the lab. Just let me leave so that the doctors on my ship can save the child."

"Understood," Brandon nodded. "Captain, you can come with me."

Remy followed the Betazoid out of the room, leaving Eirly and Kas alone.

Eirly watched as Remy followed Brandon out and then turned to face Kas, "Sorry for kind of throwing you under the bus there, I hope she's going to be okay," She frowned her displeasure at the whole experience.

"It's alright my Friend Kas said quietly.

Eirly smiled back in reply with a nod.

The Bajoran woman who had been in Kas's room earlier entered a short time later.

"We are going to transport you both back to the runabout you arrived here on," she stated. "At nightfall you should put in the following coordinates," Corin handed Kas a PADD. "These will take you outside of the range of Jupiter Station's sensors. You will be given more information then."

Corin looked Kas in the eye and hand a small bundle wrapped cloth. "This is yours, one of the men wanted to keep it as a souvenir. I took it from him, we have no right to keep it. 'Forget Nothing."

Kas took the bundle and nodded, stepped closer, touched his forehead to hers, and kissed her cheek. "Thank you you would be welcome to voyage with me any time."

Then the large Hybrid paused, "My vessel will not leave without Remy."

The Bajoran nodded. "Depending on how the next few hours go, I'm sure you'll hear from her one way or another. Those coordinates assume your Captain is about to get what you all came here for. That's all I can say."

Corin watched as the two dematerialized in front of her. When Kas and Eirly rematerialized, they were back at the Holana, still parked near the tree line on the Johansen's property in Nebraska.

Eirly felt a sense of relief at being back in Nebraska and being one step closer to getting back on the Astrea, to comfort and safety. The view was still beautiful, but she was already missing the snow and the cold of the Himalayas. Turning to Kas, she asked him a question, "Hey, what was that package that Bajoran woman gave you?"

Kas took the cloth of a curved blade with an ornate hilt, there was a red jewel in the pommel. He pointed to the jewel and smiled.

"These blades have to be earned; the Jewel means the owner has shed blood to protect his people. This will be in my hands when I am returned to the stars." The Hybrid explained. "The fool who took this would have likely been killed if he'd run into any of my people. To take one of these is an insult, to carry one you have earned is far worse."

Eirly marvelled at it and nodded her understanding about the meaning behind it. His people were fascinating. The two continued to talk for a long while before going off and doing their own things, Kas heading back into the shuttle and Eirly off across into a field to enjoy the view.

As the sun was starting to get low on the horizon Remy appeared just outside of the shuttle looking tired, but none the worse for wear. She was empty handed, but she had a smile on her face. The hatch of the Holana opened and Kas came out to meet Remy with a phaser in his hand. Kas looked around before approaching her.

“What is the plan my friend” Kas inquired.

"You have coordinates?" Remy confirmed. "The labs aren't here. We'll have to get further instructions from someone else once we're there."

"Yes, the engines are hot, I lady is ready to take us." Kas smiled.

With sunset quickly approaching Remy was eager to get underway. "We should get Eirly and get moving."

Eirly had been standing against a tree watching the sunset and feeling the last of the sun's warmth disappear when she'd heard the other two talking. She turned and walked back to them with a bit of a smile, happy to see Remy even though she was tired, "I heard my name? Are we ready to go?"

"I think so, yeah," Remy said taking in a breath and looking around. "The place we left is a lab, just not the one we need. There are some important projects going on there. I'm glad someone is doing it. I miss it," she said nostalgically. "Anyway, let's do this."

Kas turned and entered the vessel; he sat in the pilot seat ready to get underway.

"I guess we're going," Remy commented as she turned to follow Kas, slapping the hull once with her hand on her way into the shuttle.

Eirly followed both of them and made sure the door was securely shut behind her before she took her own seat in preparation for take-off.

~TBC~

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