- CHAPTER 9 -
- Sickbay, ISS Hopolite -
Enough feeling sorry for your situation, Ulysses heard the tight ball of hate buried and chained deep in his soul speak. So here you are, surrounded by animals. So what! It isn't like you didn't realize this ahead of time. You walked into this position with your eyes wide open. Of all the people in the Galaxy, you should have known what some of them could be like. So get up off of the floor. The time for self-doubt is OVER. Ulysses listened to the knot of rage at his core, for while it was something to be kept in check at all times, it was also the source of much of his strength.
He picked himself up off of the floor, brushing away imaginary dirt from his knees. Then he wiped his eyes with the backs of his hands. No more looking back on what could have been. The here and now was what mattered and it required a will of steel. He squared his shoulders and started towards the door.
It opened before he got there. In strode P'tel. Ulysses opened his mouth to speak but was shushed by P'tel raising her index finger to her mouth. Then she made a point of bringing the device she held in her hands up to eye level and turned it on. There was a slight hum and then the sights and sounds of a starship faded away. The two of them were standing in the middle of an egg shaped enclosure. Its walls were a highly distorted view of the sickbay, and the only sound came from the two figures it encased.
"Now we can talk without prying eyes and ears." She said
"A personal bug blocker. But why do you feel you need it?"
"You know full well that without one any person whom chooses to can listen to our conversation. Even with one the chance still exists, but as far as I know Section 31 has had no reason to search this ship for traitors." With the mention of traitors, every mental guard Ulysses possessed slammed down hard. P'tel leaned close to him, her mouth scant inches from his ear. She whispered, "I found you with the ceremonial dagger in your chest. I was the one whom saved you. I tried to place you in a healing trance, but your mind is unlike anything I have ever encountered before. What are you Captain?"
And strangely, he felt that he could risk telling her his secrets. In fact, he felt strongly compelled to tell her. For whatever reason, not telling her now would be far worse in the long run than telling her. He didn't know how he could possibly know that, but he did.
"If you are sure you want to know, I will tell you." If she was surprised by his candid response, she didn't let on. She just stared intently into his eyes, as if she could see his very soul. "I am part El-Aurian." He continued.
P'tel's breath hissed in between her clenched teeth with both eyebrows raising higher than seemed physically possible. "But all El-Aurians were supposed to have been hunted down and killed. The orders came directly from High Command and the Council. They were labeled a Class - A threat, one of the greatest magnitude, to the Terran Empire." Ulysses just shrugged and nodded with a sheepish look on his face.
"That's me, a major threat to the Empire all right." She frowned at him, so he continued. "Fortunately for me, they missed my mother. I am one half El-Aurian, my father was fully human. For the most part, I appear and scan just like a normal human. But I have better developed telepathic abilities than any normal human. And every once in a great while, I get a. well. a sense I suppose. of which path to take, which decision to make. Its really hard to pin down, even I don't fully understand it."
"Is that why you have such inner peace?" Her worried face took on a demanding gleam and she gripped the front of Ulysses uniform. "Tell me!" If only she knew the truth Ulysses thought. All that inner peace was only window dressing on a soul that was every bit as dark and hate filled as the worst Imperial officer's. That inner peace was merely the bars to the hate's cage, keeping it from leaking out like it had before.
"In part, but only slightly. I also subscribe to the teachings of a certain Vulcan, which is the larger part of it." The demanding gleam disappeared, and was replaced with the most pitiful look on any sentient being, let alone a Vulcan, that Ulysses had ever seen. It was part longing and part ravenous hunger rolled into one.
"Can you teach me? Can you guide me in how to find this beautiful peace that you have created?" His life was at a crossroads, and for one of those infrequent times in his life, he had no doubts as to which was the better path to take. His sense was making that adamantly clear.
"I will try. I make no guarantees as each follower of the teachings of Spock must find his own way to the peace, but I promise you I will try. In the mean time Miss First Officer, we need to start whipping this ship into shape."
"Understood Sir. And Captain. thank you."
"Miss P'tel, you are most welcome."
- Alliance Space Station Retribution, that same time -
Luza stood next to the lock with General Worf. She was about to meet someone important to the Alliance cause, but it remained as nebulous as the plasma storms raging around the station weather he was a true benefactor or a wolf in sheep's clothing. Personally, she agreed with the majority of the Klingon Warriors in that he was not to be trusted. But the High Council and the Chancellor of the New Klingon Empire DID trust him, which made him someone to watch.
The lock cycled open and out stepped a slightly overweight individual. In his expensive cloths and with his ever-present smile, it was hard to tell that he was the most powerful criminal in this half of the galaxy. The neat moustache he kept was not what you usually associated with pirates. All of the holovids showed them to be more eccentric, bloodthirsty caricatures, so the difference was to be expected. But the sheer AMMOUNT of difference was astonishing. His hair was also neatly trimmed, with a mass of tight blond curls topping his head
Peter O'Tole also had a charming personality to match his slightly paunchy good looks. At first glance, you would dismiss him as some has been playboy. Many of his former competitors in the Cartel had also dismissed him as easily. They weren't around anymore, and few people with any brains at all underestimated Peter O'Tole now. As he cleared the lock, a procession of six bulky, heavily armed men followed him. While Peter O'Tole wasn't often underestimated, he never underestimated his many opponents either. In his fast rise to the top spot in the Orion Cartel, he had made many enemies. Thus he went everywhere, even on allied space stations, with an entourage of highly skilled personal guards.
"I trust that our new allies weapon functioned as advertised? Did I not tell you that it was a wondrous invention that the Breen decided to share with us in exchange for getting their homeworld back?" He virtually ignored Luza, concentrating instead on Worf. As he talked, they all started down the hall.
"Yes you did, and we are grateful towards our Breen allies for their help. That is all any of us want. All we want is our homelands back from the Terrans."
"And you will get just that once we launch our offensive. But the time is not yet ready. Soon the Breen Energy Dampening Weapon will be added to most of the Alliance's major ships. Until then we mustn't do anything to cause them undue concern." He spoke as if to a slow child, not one of the most successful Klingon military commanders currently living.
"I understand." Worf said with strained patience.
"I still don't like the Idea of building individual ships and systems for all of the members of the Alliance."
"We have been through this many times before. Once we kick the Empire out of our space, once we crush them from the face of the Galaxy, all members in the Alliance will become the proud peoples that we once were. Proud DIFFERENT peoples. Therefore, we need fleets of our own, not just a massive homogeneous mass like the Terran Empire."
"But it would simplify manufacturing greatly if you all used at least similar hulls."
"We are using by and large similar weapons, that is enough. Besides, most of our fleets are already completed, so continued arguments serve little purpose." Fortunately he didn't need to listen to Don O'Tole's complaints for much longer. "Ah, here are your quarters. I trust that they will be to your satisfaction. You may freshen up here, then join myself and my senior officers for dinner tonight. If you will excuse me, I have duties to attend to." Luza followed him down the hall, hurrying to keep up with his powerful stride. Only once they were out of earshot did she speak.
"How can you stand that glob fly? I can't believe that one such as he could be so powerful." She said. Worf stopped suddenly and whirled to face her.
"Don't underestimate him. That was all an act, one that he does well. He may seem like a glob fly, but he is vastly more dangerous than one. The High Council may believe his lies, but he is up to something, of this I am certain."
"I understand sir. His seemingly mindless dronings lulled my guard. It will not happen again."
"See that it doesn't. When the time comes, the Empire will need people like you to guard it against people like him."
- Sickbay, ISS Hopolite -
Enough feeling sorry for your situation, Ulysses heard the tight ball of hate buried and chained deep in his soul speak. So here you are, surrounded by animals. So what! It isn't like you didn't realize this ahead of time. You walked into this position with your eyes wide open. Of all the people in the Galaxy, you should have known what some of them could be like. So get up off of the floor. The time for self-doubt is OVER. Ulysses listened to the knot of rage at his core, for while it was something to be kept in check at all times, it was also the source of much of his strength.
He picked himself up off of the floor, brushing away imaginary dirt from his knees. Then he wiped his eyes with the backs of his hands. No more looking back on what could have been. The here and now was what mattered and it required a will of steel. He squared his shoulders and started towards the door.
It opened before he got there. In strode P'tel. Ulysses opened his mouth to speak but was shushed by P'tel raising her index finger to her mouth. Then she made a point of bringing the device she held in her hands up to eye level and turned it on. There was a slight hum and then the sights and sounds of a starship faded away. The two of them were standing in the middle of an egg shaped enclosure. Its walls were a highly distorted view of the sickbay, and the only sound came from the two figures it encased.
"Now we can talk without prying eyes and ears." She said
"A personal bug blocker. But why do you feel you need it?"
"You know full well that without one any person whom chooses to can listen to our conversation. Even with one the chance still exists, but as far as I know Section 31 has had no reason to search this ship for traitors." With the mention of traitors, every mental guard Ulysses possessed slammed down hard. P'tel leaned close to him, her mouth scant inches from his ear. She whispered, "I found you with the ceremonial dagger in your chest. I was the one whom saved you. I tried to place you in a healing trance, but your mind is unlike anything I have ever encountered before. What are you Captain?"
And strangely, he felt that he could risk telling her his secrets. In fact, he felt strongly compelled to tell her. For whatever reason, not telling her now would be far worse in the long run than telling her. He didn't know how he could possibly know that, but he did.
"If you are sure you want to know, I will tell you." If she was surprised by his candid response, she didn't let on. She just stared intently into his eyes, as if she could see his very soul. "I am part El-Aurian." He continued.
P'tel's breath hissed in between her clenched teeth with both eyebrows raising higher than seemed physically possible. "But all El-Aurians were supposed to have been hunted down and killed. The orders came directly from High Command and the Council. They were labeled a Class - A threat, one of the greatest magnitude, to the Terran Empire." Ulysses just shrugged and nodded with a sheepish look on his face.
"That's me, a major threat to the Empire all right." She frowned at him, so he continued. "Fortunately for me, they missed my mother. I am one half El-Aurian, my father was fully human. For the most part, I appear and scan just like a normal human. But I have better developed telepathic abilities than any normal human. And every once in a great while, I get a. well. a sense I suppose. of which path to take, which decision to make. Its really hard to pin down, even I don't fully understand it."
"Is that why you have such inner peace?" Her worried face took on a demanding gleam and she gripped the front of Ulysses uniform. "Tell me!" If only she knew the truth Ulysses thought. All that inner peace was only window dressing on a soul that was every bit as dark and hate filled as the worst Imperial officer's. That inner peace was merely the bars to the hate's cage, keeping it from leaking out like it had before.
"In part, but only slightly. I also subscribe to the teachings of a certain Vulcan, which is the larger part of it." The demanding gleam disappeared, and was replaced with the most pitiful look on any sentient being, let alone a Vulcan, that Ulysses had ever seen. It was part longing and part ravenous hunger rolled into one.
"Can you teach me? Can you guide me in how to find this beautiful peace that you have created?" His life was at a crossroads, and for one of those infrequent times in his life, he had no doubts as to which was the better path to take. His sense was making that adamantly clear.
"I will try. I make no guarantees as each follower of the teachings of Spock must find his own way to the peace, but I promise you I will try. In the mean time Miss First Officer, we need to start whipping this ship into shape."
"Understood Sir. And Captain. thank you."
"Miss P'tel, you are most welcome."
- Alliance Space Station Retribution, that same time -
Luza stood next to the lock with General Worf. She was about to meet someone important to the Alliance cause, but it remained as nebulous as the plasma storms raging around the station weather he was a true benefactor or a wolf in sheep's clothing. Personally, she agreed with the majority of the Klingon Warriors in that he was not to be trusted. But the High Council and the Chancellor of the New Klingon Empire DID trust him, which made him someone to watch.
The lock cycled open and out stepped a slightly overweight individual. In his expensive cloths and with his ever-present smile, it was hard to tell that he was the most powerful criminal in this half of the galaxy. The neat moustache he kept was not what you usually associated with pirates. All of the holovids showed them to be more eccentric, bloodthirsty caricatures, so the difference was to be expected. But the sheer AMMOUNT of difference was astonishing. His hair was also neatly trimmed, with a mass of tight blond curls topping his head
Peter O'Tole also had a charming personality to match his slightly paunchy good looks. At first glance, you would dismiss him as some has been playboy. Many of his former competitors in the Cartel had also dismissed him as easily. They weren't around anymore, and few people with any brains at all underestimated Peter O'Tole now. As he cleared the lock, a procession of six bulky, heavily armed men followed him. While Peter O'Tole wasn't often underestimated, he never underestimated his many opponents either. In his fast rise to the top spot in the Orion Cartel, he had made many enemies. Thus he went everywhere, even on allied space stations, with an entourage of highly skilled personal guards.
"I trust that our new allies weapon functioned as advertised? Did I not tell you that it was a wondrous invention that the Breen decided to share with us in exchange for getting their homeworld back?" He virtually ignored Luza, concentrating instead on Worf. As he talked, they all started down the hall.
"Yes you did, and we are grateful towards our Breen allies for their help. That is all any of us want. All we want is our homelands back from the Terrans."
"And you will get just that once we launch our offensive. But the time is not yet ready. Soon the Breen Energy Dampening Weapon will be added to most of the Alliance's major ships. Until then we mustn't do anything to cause them undue concern." He spoke as if to a slow child, not one of the most successful Klingon military commanders currently living.
"I understand." Worf said with strained patience.
"I still don't like the Idea of building individual ships and systems for all of the members of the Alliance."
"We have been through this many times before. Once we kick the Empire out of our space, once we crush them from the face of the Galaxy, all members in the Alliance will become the proud peoples that we once were. Proud DIFFERENT peoples. Therefore, we need fleets of our own, not just a massive homogeneous mass like the Terran Empire."
"But it would simplify manufacturing greatly if you all used at least similar hulls."
"We are using by and large similar weapons, that is enough. Besides, most of our fleets are already completed, so continued arguments serve little purpose." Fortunately he didn't need to listen to Don O'Tole's complaints for much longer. "Ah, here are your quarters. I trust that they will be to your satisfaction. You may freshen up here, then join myself and my senior officers for dinner tonight. If you will excuse me, I have duties to attend to." Luza followed him down the hall, hurrying to keep up with his powerful stride. Only once they were out of earshot did she speak.
"How can you stand that glob fly? I can't believe that one such as he could be so powerful." She said. Worf stopped suddenly and whirled to face her.
"Don't underestimate him. That was all an act, one that he does well. He may seem like a glob fly, but he is vastly more dangerous than one. The High Council may believe his lies, but he is up to something, of this I am certain."
"I understand sir. His seemingly mindless dronings lulled my guard. It will not happen again."
"See that it doesn't. When the time comes, the Empire will need people like you to guard it against people like him."