The Telling Of The Truth

Posted on Fri Aug 7th, 2020 @ 4:30am by Captain Jane Saulitis (P) & Lieutenant Commander (P) Angus Murphy

Mission: Torn- Parallel Majestic
Location: Yorktown Station
Timeline: PMD 02
1118 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure

After sleeping restlessly Jane dressed once she decided she wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep. She left Majestic and entered the station not telling anyone where she was going.

"I'd like to speak to Commander Hakala." she said to the guard at the entrace to the station. "I know it's early and I apologize but it's important."

The security officer nodded and then spoke into a hand-held communicator. After a few exchanges, he said, "Someone will be here shortly to escort you, Captain."

"Thank you," She whispered quietly and leaned against the bulkhead behind her closing her eyes until she heard footsteps.

The station's chief of security, Meriven, arrived no more than three minutes after the initial call. The half-romulan looked as stern and cold as ever as she clasped her hands together. "Captain Saulitis," she greeted, her body firmly planted in a resting, but imposing stance that seemed more of a barrier than a welcome. "The commander is off-duty. What can I help you with?"

It wasn't what Jane had been expecting but she had to remind herself that this Hak was not hers. He was not going to come running when she woke from a nightmare and this was one big nightmare she and her crew had to face. "Uh, yes. I guess so." Suddenly the reason she'd come didn't seem adequate to wake anyone in the middle of the night, anyone who wasn't her husband. "I may have jumped the gun. I'm not sure this is that important after all I just . . . ."

"I hope it's not me," Merivan frowned slightly and stepped forward, her heeled booted clicking loudly with each advancement. "I assure you that my only want is the safety of everyone on this station and at the moment that includes you. If something is bothering you, I would do everything I could to allay those feelings."

Jane couldn't help but crack a smile. "I have no doubt that you are perfectly capable, if Commander Hakala trusts you . . . Everything is bothering me." Jane finally sighed. "I don't know where to begin. I've been trained for travel through time, destruction beyond a scale of what one person should ever have to deal with, the loss of a ship and crew and I've even heard stories of other universes, I just didn't expect to find myself in one anytime soon."

"It reminds me of a parable in Rihannsu culture of a sweet summer bird who flew the wrong direction and ran into a harsh winter," Meriven said sympathetically. "My grandmother liked to tell us children stories. Now those stories -- the ones I can remember -- are all I have of her or any of my family. Count yourself lucky that your family still lives out there. Somewhere."

"I suppose you are right." Jane replied though she felt a bit stung by the message. "Sometime I would like to discuss resources, power, shifts among the crew helping the station. And . . . if possible, I'd like access to your history banks."

"You'll have to run that by the Commander," Meriven stated flatly. She was going to say more, but heard the patter of foodsteps behind her and turned to meet a little girl running full speed into her arms.

"Momma!" the girl exclaimed, happy to see her.

"You are not supposed to be here," Meriven told the girl, then looked up to see Hak approaching. "She is not supposed to be here," she objected to him.

"It's fine, Mer. Why don't you take Alta home and I'll answer the Captain's questions," Hak offered, appeasingly.

Meriven did not look pleased by the redirection, but gave him a tense nod. She then looked back to Jane as she hoisted the child up onto her hip. "I never got to tell you what happened in the story with the bird. She died. It was a warning that we should not wander too far from our track in life." She said nothing else, but stepped away down the corridor with her footsteps retreating loudly.

"Well, I don't know what that was all about... sorry, I think?" Hak asked, brow furrowing. He was unsure what he had walked in on exactly but entirely sure he didn't want to unpack it. "Anyway. Ops said you were looking for me."

"Uh," Jane replied, keeping her voice measured. "It was some friendly advice." She waived her hand and stared after the little girl. "Alta huh?" That was not at all what she'd come to talk about. Not giving him a chance to respond she continued, turning her face away from him for a moment. "I can't sleep so I was hoping to gain access to your historical database. I thought I might as learn as much as I can, within reason of course."

Hak nodded at the name. He smiled and glanced back to the empty corridor once Meriven and Alta could no longer be heard. "Kind of an unusual name, I suppose. It's latin. Means elevated." He paused a second and nodded, "They haven't given you access yet? I thought that was already taken care of. Do you want to go to your office and I can make sure you can get to everything you need?"

"Sure." Jane said with a nod. "If you don't mind." She began to move toward the ship. "My middle name is Alta." She said, surprised that he had just picked the name randomly. "It's my father's first name."

"That is.. an incredible coincidence," Hak said slowly, as though realizing the unusualness himself. He followed along beside her as she entered Majestic's airlock and he got his first real look at the internal compartments. It was not so different from some sections of the old-Yorktown, but definitely lighter, brighter, and smelled amazingly fresh, as though it had rolled off the production line yesterday. He had a look of awe in his eyes.

"Yes it is," Jane was thinking about different universes and wondering what was different or the same in other ones when she noticed him slow down. She smiled slightly. "Yeah, she's a bit newer but certainly not the newest or fanciest thing in the fleet where I come from."

"Well, it's beautiful," he noted as they continued on and then into the turbolift. "So. Any chance you can lend me an engineer for a few hours? I'm really worried about that water system."

"Yes," she gave a short nod but thought about who to send. Murphy was a bit . . . . brisk, but brilliant. "I thought you were going to ask to see engineering for a moment there. I know I interrupted you, but would you like a tour?"

"I was afraid you'd never ask," Hak grinned.