Welp, here is my second "on-time" ULC challenge submission. It's for the 20th STO forum ULC, prompt 4, because that one hit me as perfect. I have a pacifist character, so it's time to fuck up some lives. Also, yes, I swear frequently. I noticed that a few years ago and I now laugh when anyone comments on it. Also, as to the fucking up of lives, this character first saw her official introduction on an IRC client and forum based RP site, so that's where some of the details within come from.
For a quick brief, here are the basics: Gary Williams was the head nurse when Sarissa was the CMO of the USS Sentinel. Loret and Kelly were a medtech and nurse respectively. There will be some references to a war with the Tzenkethi that took place in-RP in 2394. There will also be a few references to having done cov ops, but that'll be explained in another fic. Maybe. If I can find the right prompt. Anyway, to start the fun.
"Shattered Hopes"
Sarissa t'Kaveth-Colvem was working on going through some communications, mainly medical journals, when her comm chirped.
"Sarissa here. Go ahead."
"Riov, it's Saresh. There's an encrypted comm channel from Mol'Rihan, marked for your eyes only."
Sarissa sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Thankfully, she had decided to grow it back out. That bob she had was starting to annoy her.
"Put it through, Saresh. And aren't you supposed to be off duty?"
"Funny, I was about to ask the same of you."
Sarissa could hear the undiluted snark in her first officer's voice, and smirked.
"Catch some rest, Saresh. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow."
Saresh cut the channel and Sarissa opened her computer terminal and accepted the transmission.
The face of Enriov tr'Kererek appeared on the screen, his face grim. That already assured Sarissa that the news was indeed poor.
"Riov, is your ship ready for another mission?"
"Of course. Which colony are we going to this time? And please don't tell me someone else has gotten the Rigellian flu."
"No flu this time, Riov. I'm attaching a secure packet to the signal. You're going to the Tal Shiar medical station on Levaeri V. Yes, I know it used to be an experimental station, but it's now a Tal Shiar-run medical base. Empress Sela is throwing allegations around that a Republic warbird attacked the station and killed most of the crew. I need someone with medical training to look over the place. But first, you're going to rendezvous with the USS Serenity to pick up some MACOs. No argument, Riov."
Sarissa didn't bother to open the subspace packet, just scowled.
"You know my policy about soldiers on my ship, Enriov. This is a relief vessel, not a warship. And why, exactly, are you sending me to deal with the Tal Shiar?"
Tr'Kererek's gaze brokered no arguments, but he let out a deep breath, "Look, Sarissa, I know of your history with them. I know what they did to you. But you're a doctor, with Starfleet training. And, you're empathic. You're damn near one of a kind in the Galae right now. I understand your hesitations. And the MACOs are headed up by someone you know. Mister Williams requested to be on the assignment and he brought two of his med staff along."
"Gary Williams? I… fine. You know what, I'll do it. Elements help me, I'll do it."
"Thank you. The packet I sent contains Sela's allegations and supposed evidence. Give that to someone on your senior staff and let them go through it to see if it's real or not. Also, this stays between you, your senior staff, and the MACOs."
"Ie, Enriov."
He signed off and Sarissa opened the packet.
As she read it and then saw the "evidence", her face paled further and further. The commander of the ship that had allegedly carried out this attack… she knew him. He was from Glintara, he'd been a patient of hers once. His daughter was a frequent visitor to her clinic, she'd had a poor immune system.
With a long heaved sigh, she looked up towards the bulkhead above and let out a whispered prayer to the Elements.
"Please don't let me screw this up."
! #$%^&*())(*&^%$# !
Gary Williams swore and slapped his cards down.
"Fold. Kelly, I swear, you always cheat."
Lorella Kelly scoffed and brushed strands of black hair behind her ear, "You're just jealous that I'm better at poker than you. Loret isn't complaining."
Loret Delens instantly scooted his chair back.
"This is so not my problem," he announced, drawing laughter from the fourth player.
Noemi Idaris chuckled, "Williams, relax. It's not your fault you can't get past the pheromones."
Kelly offered the Trill a nasty glare as she set her cards down and collected the winnings.
Major Sivak lifted an eyebrow, "Most human males tend to fall prey to Orion pheromones as a course of nature."
Gary lifted his hands, "Fine, fine. Just some honest complaining here."
"Bridge to Idaris. We're coming up on the rendezvous point now."
"Idaris here. On my way. Prepare to open a channel."
She excused herself and the three medical officers and the MACO looked at each other.
"I believe the human term here is… 'show time', is it not?"
"You're absolutely right," Loret said, looking proud that he actually knew that.
Kelly chuckled and snagged her medical blue overcoat.
"Let's do this."
! #$%^&*())(*&^%$# !
"USS Serenity, this is the RRW Telent, please stand by for transport coordinates."
"Telent, this is Serenity actual. Hold for a moment while I get their asses into the transporter room."
"Serenity actual, Telent actual. That's all the time we need. Sending coordinates now."
"Thanks, Riov. They'll be over in a minute. Also, that Orion probably cheats at poker."
"I know. She used to wipe Bob Harlan out pretty easily and he was married to the master of all poker faces."
"Poor man. Vulcans can be pretty interesting."
"You just got a glare from a Vulcan, I'm sure."
"Sure did. Well, I need to get to the next mission before Command harps at me again. Until next time, Riov."
"Pleasure as always, Captain. Telent out."
Sarissa leaned back and smirked at the familiar exchange. She'd known Noemi since her old friend, Tommy Alvarez, has introduced her to his team, which had included the recent addition of the fiery Trill. Her predecessor on the team had gotten thrown in prison for illegally attempting to access a Tkon ship by manufacturing codes made from his teammates' codes and access.
Saresh slid a hand under her hood and scratched her ear for a moment before continuing to monitor the transport process.
"So far so good," the Reman engineer reported.
Elina and Jeruth glanced at each other before returning to their work. Everyone knew of Saresh's strange habit of scratching her ear when she was worried.
Sarissa had picked up on that within days, being an empath, but it had taken the others. Now, they all knew each other's tells, and called them out.
"Anything wrong, Saresh?"
It took a few moments, but finally the engineer gave in.
"This all seems wrong. It's… I don't know how to describe it. My sixth sense is going off like crazy."
Instantly, the emotional temperature of the bridge took a turn for the nervous side of the spectrum. Saresh had never once been wrong about her sixth sense, ever. She'd even known something was wrong as soon as they'd approached the Azure Nebula, before that temporal mishap that only four people actually remembered.
"We'll talk later," Sarissa promised before toggling the key for the shipwide comm system, "Attention, all crew. There is a senior staff briefing at 1400 hours. Lieutenant Commander Williams and Major Sivak, you are to be there as well. That is all."
She toggled the comms off and looked back, "This is about to get real interesting."
"Oh joy," Jeruth muttered to Elina, who struggled to restrain a derisive noise.
! #$%^&*())(*&^%$# !
Gary sat next to Sivak and watched the Telent senior staff file into the room. First was the Reman first officer, who looked slightly fatigued. Then were the science and chief medical officers, both of whom seemed annoyed. Next, there was the nervous-looking tactical officer, a man named Jeraik. Finally, in walked Doc and the chief engineer.
"Take a seat, all of you," Doc ordered. She sounded so commanding these days, but that probably came from trying to wrangle one of the craziest Sickbay staffs in Starfleet.
"What's up, Doc?" Gary grinned. Sarissa pinched the bridge of her nose between her index finger and thumb before glaring at him.
"Are you still making that joke, Gary? Really?"
"I thought about mixing things up, but a little nostalgia is good."
Sivak lifted an eyebrow, "Nostalgia does serve its purposes."
The chief engineer waved his hands about, "Alright, enough from the peanut gallery!"
The table burst out into a round of laughter, simply from hearing the man say that.
"Alright, so I still wrangle crazies. Anyway, time to sober up, people. You're not going to like this, at all."
"I heard something about Empress Sela making a complaint about an attack on a Tal Shiar base, but that always happens," Gary said.
Sarissa's expression went from serious to pained in seconds.
"As much as I hate to admit it, this was a good Tal Shiar base. It was a medical facility, mostly crewed by civilian staff, but with a Tal Shiar presence aboard for the more serious work and for security purposes. A Republic warbird supposedly slipped through the defending force and did a number on it. You're not going to like this recording."
She played it and jaws dropped around the room.
A Valdore-class warbird smashed through the defending ships and opened fire on the base. Recorded comm messages depicted the base trying to plead for mercy, trying to get help, but their comms finally went silent. The warbird continued to fire for several more minutes before peeling away and going to warp, just before the reinforcements arrived. The recording ended at that.
"Holy shit," Gary murmured, feeling sickened.
"I'm with him…" the Reman first officer scowled. The others agreed.
"What's more, the warbird is one I recognize," Sarissa continued. Gary could tell that she was trying not to have a moment right now.
"Oh?" Sivak asked.
"I used to have a practice on Glintara, before the Tal Shiar happened to it. The commander was a patient I saw occasionally, but I mostly treated his daughter. She didn't have a good immune system."
"Damn," Gary muttered, "If that was really a medical base, they would have had containment cells for several very nasty bugs. If those containment seals broke…"
Sarissa nodded, "Exactly. It's why we're going over in EVA suits and the full rig."
"Still got your STAR gear?"
"I almost slapped someone for trying to take it from me, despite how badly the mission went."
"Anyone want to fill me in here?" Saresh asked.
"Kid," Gary began, "You're looking at the only person in the entire Romulan Republic who has even had the honor of being called a STAR agent. STAR is a special ops branch of Starfleet, one that has been noted for several cov ops missions, including the retaking of Sigma Rho from the Tzenkethi."
Saresh's eyes widened, "Who sent a doctor on a cov ops mission?"
"Let me tell you a story of damned fools with guns," Sarissa said before laughing, "Ahk, who am I kidding, I miss them so much, despite the craziness."
Gary smirked, "Never thought I'd see the day where you said something about those crazy bastards other than how crazy you thought they were."
Saresh looked around the table and thumped her fist on the metal surface once.
"Back to business," she said simply. Sarissa nodded.
"Sorry. Anyway, we go over in EVA suits in three teams. Team One will breach the Ops section. Team Two will get to the containment center. Team Three gets to Engineering. We'll space jump across the gap between ship and station and use short range transporter units to get inside once we're within spitting distance, as it were. After we secure the assigned areas, Team One will get Ops running, Team Two will secure the containment facility, and Team Three will get the station running again. Teams One and Three will remain stationary unless attacked and Team Two will go around looking for survivors. Any questions?"
"Only one," Major Sivak asked, "How many personnel will each team consist of?"
"Team One is five people, Team Two is fifteen, and Team Three is seven."
"I request one MACO for every five personnel, thus giving Team One a single MACO, Team Two will have three MACOs, and Team Three will have two."
Sarissa nodded, "An excellent idea, Major. I'll send team listings to the department heads at 0500 tomorrow morning. We arrive at the station at 1300 hours with departure point being at 1325 hours. Dismissed."
! #$%^&*())(*&^%$# !
Sarissa leaned back in her chair in her Ready Room and sighed, going over the team listings one last time. Three empty mugs sat next to her, all having at one time contained some concoction of raktajino and Swedish coffee. Tasted like a mix of bad alcohol, coolant fluid, and a hangover; but it did wonders to keep her awake overnight. She was just too damned nervous to sleep right now.
Surprisingly, her door chime went off at exactly 0420 and she called out, "Come!"
And in walked Lorella Kelly, with the always-reliable cup of strange caffeinated brew she always would make after a long day in Sickbay or a battle.
"You look like shit, boss," the Orion nurse said simply, setting the brew down.
"Do I want to know what mixture of stimulants you've added to this?" Sarissa asked.
"Considering that at least two are illegal, probably not."
"Are they illegal in the Republic?"
"Yes."
"All the more fun," Sarissa shrugged as she took a gulp of the drink and tried not to spit it out.
"Tastes awful, doesn't it?" Kelly asked knowingly.
"Absolutely. But I'm feeling very awake now."
Kelly sat down and gazed over the mess of PADDs for several minutes before saying, "You're still not clean, are you?"
"What do you mean?" Sarissa said cautiously. How could Kelly possibly know? She couldn't…
"I know about those missing drugs from Sickbay. Nothing anyone would look at separately, but if you put them together, you get a black market stimulant that's illegal for a damn good reason. It kills most humanoids and even Vulcanoids have a damn hard time handling it. But somehow, you managed to create the perfect mix and put it in your coffee, every single day. I can't believe it was you, but… I asked for replicator access and I used a program to check your files. What the hell are you doing to yourself? How long has it been since you slept?"
Sarissa sighed and ran a hand through her hair, "Lorella, it isn't that simple. I… I can't sleep. I can't sleep, knowing what I dream of. I have nightmares, every single night, Lorella. They're always the same. Either someone I love dies or I'm back in the Tal Shiar facility they were holding me at and… no, I won't explain myself to anyone, least of all someone who illegally checked my replicator files!"
Lorella calmly gazed at her, "I'm a nurse, boss. But I'm not just a nurse. I'm a former slave girl, I've seen some pretty nasty stuff. But the look on your face just now, I've seen it before, and always on the same group of people. The victims. I don't know what the Tal Shiar did to you, and I won't ask. What I will ask is that you get clean. I don't care how you do it, but get off that damned drug."
"How did you even know I was using it, anyway?"
"I'm a nurse, remember? The last time I saw you, you were so damned happy and excitable, but now, you look pale, which is saying something, considering your natural skin tone. You hardly smile and when you do, it's forced. Gary told me. He's worried, and so am I. I know what this drug can do. There's been a rash of deaths lately, all from the drug. Look, I know you're a doctor, but please, stop this. Your mixtures may become inaccurate one day and I don't want to think of what this will do to your mother, so soon after losing your father at Vega."
Sarissa lifted a hand for silence and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Fine. Elements help me, I'll do it."
Lorella looked pleased, "Look, I know it'll be hard. I got myself hooked on fake Venus drugs a while back, because they were counterfeit and did nothing but rake in money. I can give you the number of the guy who helped me. But first, you get some sleep, real sleep. I'll send out the listings, you take some time and sleep, because we don't need an exhausted team member."
"I… won't. Not now. Being so close to the Tal Shiar… it's not bringing up anything good."
"I'll be there. It'll be fine."
Sarissa's carefully constructed façade slipped for just a moment before she recovered and nodded.
"Thank you, Lorella."
The Orion woman smiled, "No thanks are needed."
! #$%^&*())(*&^%$# !
Major Sivak calmly checked the seals on Riov Sarissa's EVA suit. This STAR gear was very efficient, and quite well designed.
"You were on Sigma Rho?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied.
"I was one of the Federation prisoners you had rescued. I recall that you were occupied working on saving a teammate when I attempted to thank you."
"Yeah… Feyna. Haven't heard from her in a while, might one day, who knows."
Sivak tapped his wrist unit for a private comm channel.
"Riov, Nurse Kelly has asked me to join your team, as I presume you are taking Team One. Her request is that I watch you and make sure you are well. Would you know why?"
"Yes, I do. And no, I won't share it. Just… make sure I don't do anything stupid, alright? And don't be afraid to call me out on anything, either."
"I am Vulcan. Fear is illogical."
"Good to hear."
Sarissa tapped her wrist unit and pulled out the special model tricorder, linking it back to her suit and then setting up something.
"All away personnel, this is Riov Sarissa. I'm going to be keeping tabs on all of your life signs, so I will know if you are injured. Also, I don't want any trigger-happy idiots on this mission, I will know who you are, because you can't fool an empath. Any questions?"
There was a resounding chorus of "no" and Sarissa nodded, giving the order to depart for the station.
! #$%^&*())(*&^%$# !
Gary looked around, cautiously noting all the debris and bodies.
"This is a shithole and a half," he muttered.
"Stow the chatter, Mister Williams," Lieutenant Colonel Michael Harrel snapped. The grizzled security expert carefully scanned the area, checking with his MACOs.
Gary didn't know much about the man, but he knew that Harrel had been on the Presidential Security Detail at one time and that his husband worked at Starfleet Medical. That was about all.
"Heads up," Loret muttered over the comm channel, pointing at a door that read, in High Rihan script, "Infirmary".
"That's our place," Gary told the team.
"Harrel to t'Kaveth."
"T'Kaveth here. Go ahead, Mister Harrel."
"We're at the location for Team Two. Getting ready to head in and check the area."
"Understood. Keep an open channel."
Gary followed just behind Harrel and his eyes widened when he saw what was within the damaged Infirmary door.
"Oh my God," he murmured, "This ain't natural. This is cold-blooded murder, plain and simple. Ain't nothin' special 'bout it 'cept the crazy son-bitch motherfucker that did this."
He didn't even notice that his accent appeared, especially when a hand reached out of the darkness and for his helmet.
I am at eight pages and have decided to make this a whole chapter. I will add another chapter soon, hopefully by Spring Break. Also, for those of you who follow me, I've done some heavy editing to my other stories, so be ready for a mass update soon. Jolan'tru!