Burial
The sky rumbled ominously, and huge sooty clouds churned and rolled above Stryker's head, "Perfect weather for the occasion" he mumbled.
Freina's father, Ray, Mouse, Stryker, Alice, MRess, Enzo, Deanne, Oratrei, Talisa Soto, Perl and the four Edenian exchange students were in attendence. They stood onboard the deck of a small boat, 40 kilometers from the west coast of the Canary Islands.
"We all know what Wiuen meant to us." Enzo said. "He was patient, a good teacher and a good friend. He helped me get to where I am now. Many of us have been helped by his prompting and suggestions, and terrible humour. If it weren't for him, I would have quit the Academy. I just want to say that all of us will sorely miss him as a loyal friend."
"He fiercely fought off the Romulans to protect us, to protect me. Even after the way I have treated him in the last four years." Mouse said with a sob. She felt guilt and sorrow and the pain of never hearing him pester her one more time. She already missed the adversarial friendship she had with Wiuen.
"Wiuen was a hero. A wonderful person, a great friend, and a selfless hero who no one will ever forget." Alice said, her face covered in tears.
"I miss him already," Freina said quietly. "I miss him too," Aneleh said putting a comforting arm around her distraught daughter. "It's not fair," Freina said wiping tears from her cheeks.
"He had the funniest and outworldish expressions like, When in doubt, give it a good smash, which also earned him the nickname Meltdown." Stryker said, "To the faithfully departed. To all those who have gone before us. You are missed Wieun."
"What has come from the ocean, has returned to the ocean." Freina said, wiping tears from her face. "Watch over and protect us." Jias said.
Everyone stared as Wiuen' body fell into the depths of the ocean. The clear blue water seemed to embrace the body like a lost lover. Into the water he sank, further and further.
Three weeks later.
Damn, was I hit by a plasma mortar ? Stryker thought as he opened his eyes.
Never again agree to drinking contest with Mouse. That woman consumes it like a fire. Must be the hair, Stryker thought as he rose from bed very slowly and carefully. He held his sore head in a vain attempt to battle its pounding.
The night was one to remember through. Deanne was drunk after only two rather small drinks. Her head was swinging around on her shoulders, as she was unable to keep it still. MRess walked her home when she started singing.
Cariahn looked up from her computer workstation. "Morning Precious."
"Don't start." he warned the andorian.
He got changed and met Alice in the hallway. "Ready ?" she asked.
"Where are we going ?"
"The hearing, remember ?"
"Only if you carry me." he replied.
"Only if you want me to break your digits, one by one."
"I am walking, I am walking!" he said in mock fear.
The hearing room was large courtroom. An elevated podium held the commissioners' bench and the witnesses' stand, and the upholstered seats that filled two-thirds of the room. A double row of tables arranged in front of the podium; reserved for witnesses, advocates, and other more or less active participants in the day's proceedings. The Federation President was due to arrive in a few hours. The Romulan diplomats and a few members of the Imperial Senate was present.
A replica of the great seal of the Federation hung suspended above the bench. The Speaker took his seat. And the day's proceedings started at 0900 hours.
Captain Marjean Holden spoke, unable contain her hatred and anger, "We are here today, to ... " she had to pause, her eyes brimming with tears, Lt.Cmdr. Rain Williams steadied her friend. Holden continued, "To discuss the events of the Aurora incident. How the Romulans destroyed it. Tortured and murdered my crew."
One of the Romulans stood up, in defiance, he was one of starship commanders that destroyed the Aurora. "I was protecting my people. From murdering Starfleet personnel." he pointed to Stryker and Mouse. "They killed my people. I found their bodies and security video recording on the Kreel outpost."
"Commander." the Speaker said. "You have not entered this into evidance. Nor has everyone mentioned this before."
"I will enter it into evidence now." the Romulan said. He gave a PADD to Captain Long John Baldry. Baldry in turn had the device plugged into a cradle.
After about 6 seconds of decoding and translation, the recorded video started playing on the many monitors in the courtroom.
The video was paused at the first frame, to identify everyone on screen. It identified non-Romulans first, complete with their Starfleet information. No doubt aquired by Romulan spies within the Federation. Wiuen, Alice, Mouse, Lucida, Stryker and Ray.
Then the Romulans were identified. Romulan Male, Centurion Lo Tlenar. Romulan Man number 2: Sub-Lt. Chaeal Ati Tlenar of the Tal'Shair. An old Romulan woman, Centurion Qell Gies. Romulan Civilian, Sieawn Tlenar. And another Romulan woman, Commander Eslien Taiva of the Tal'Shair.
The video showed a makeshift Interrogation chamber. Five chairs forming a circle in the middle of the room. Lucida stood near the medical equipment off the side while her friends strapped the five Romulans into cold metal chairs.
Stryker backhanded Lo Tlenar when he struggled against him. "Now. We can do this the easy way, or if you refuse ... " Stryker said nodding to Mouse. Mouse pressed a button on the monitoring machines to sent a shock to their prisoners.
"Skip to time index, 1135." the Romulan attorney said.
The video jumped ahead 44 minutes. Video started playing again.
A malevolent smiled appeared on Ray's face. "My, my. What do you have here Mister Tlenar. A sister ?"
"How old is she ? Sixteen, seventeen ?" Ray asked while Alice circled her like a vulture.
Mouse looked the Romulan girl in the eyes, "She has beautiful hair. I like the face, especially the eyes." she said in a soft creepy voice, slowly brushing her cheek with her left hand. Ray nodded to Mouse, who moved off.
Sieawn tried not to show fear in her eyes. Mouse and Ray exchanged amused smiles at her reaction. Alice grabbed a handful of Sieawn's hair and yanked her head back.
Alice paused, and moved close to Sieawn and began running her fingers over her skin again. A young Romulan woman tried to recoil. Alice pushed back from Sieawn, batting her on the back of the head as she did so.
"I expect the Big Tal Shair man would be much more pliable now." Alice smiled, her eyes on the young Romulan woman. "It is a shame we have to destroy such a noble spirit, but when the tree refuses to bend, it is bound to break."
Alice untied Sieawn, holding her by the hair, and dragged her so both end up standing in front of Ray. Ray pushed his phaser up against her temple. "They say that at this range, even the light stun setting can kill." he taunted Lo.
"The codes my dear sir. Codes and passwords. Tell us what we what do know." Alice warned the commander again. Sub-Lt. Lo Tlenar remained quiet. "Go to hell."
"Oh we need not travel. You are now very much a resident." Ray said. A moment later, he coldly pressed the trigger.
Alice let go of the dead girl. Her body dropped to the ground as Alice turned her attention back to the Romulan. Her voice dripped of poisoned honey. "Now then, where were we?"
Centurion Lo swore obscenily and promised to extract his act right of vengenace on his captors and their families.
"Now, Commander. I will ask you again. The codes and passwords of the Tal'Shair Mainframe. Spare no details, and I may not kill another one."
"WE WERE FRAMED !" Ray yelled. Alice got up quickly, nauseous after seeing what he just saw, almost puking because of what she just saw.
Marjean Holden flew out of her seat, towards the Romulans. Halfway there, she reconsidered, instead moving to stand by the young cadets. Mouse, Lucida amd Ray cursed at the Romulans. Stryker and Ray helped Mouse and Alice. Security rushed in armed with phasers but Baldry stopped them.
The four cadets left the hearings immediatly.
The night was cool. Mouse breathed deeply of the air, using its coolness to help clear her mind, to help rid herself of the nightmare that had been plaguing her for the past several months.
"It's not that easy to get rid of me." a voice said.
She leaned against the railing, gazing out over the city. She stood alone on the rooftop of an apartment building. "Just the two of us? How quaint." said a voice.
Gripping the railing between her hands, Mouse closed her eyes and finally acknowledged the voice by growling, "Go away."
The soft, musical laughter that answered her came from behind her, just past her right shoulder. "Oh, Mouse, I'm hurt. And here I thought you liked me." The voice was soft and deep, feminine, and full of scorn and hatred. "Don't you like having me around?"
The muscles of her shoulder and back were stiff as steel. Her jaw ached, she was clenching her teeth so hard. She said flatly, "You don't exist."
Hands explored her back, smoothing away knots of muscle. "Ah... " The voice dropped to a sultry whisper. "But, I do exist. In fact... " Fingers trailed down her back, encircled her waist. Warm breath brushed against her ear. "I'm very, very real."
Mouse shoved away from the railing so hard that she tripped, spun, and fail gracelessly to the floor of the rooftop, skinning her hands on the concrete as she caught herself. Nobody was there.
"Naturally," Mouse muttered, and stood.
"Very dignified." the voice said. Mouse turned around.
A Romulan woman leaned against the railing. Dark hair framed a pale face and tumbled down her back. Green eyes, cold and hard. She smiled as Mouse glared at her. "Stop haunting me!"
She stalked away. "You can't run from me." Nei said. Mouse hissed, "Shut up."
She glared at the other woman. Nei's icy eyes glittered, amused. Disturbed, Mouse looked away. Nei's voice changed, "Would this make it easier to accept?"
Mouse's head snapped up. She stumbled backwards, away from the impossibility before her. "No." Her heart bled. "Not her. Anyone else but her."
She was staring into a mirror: hair a shade darker, skin a bit paler. The same face of her six year old Vellorian girl. The same build. The same face. Kekaai. Yet no Kekaai. Out of Kekaai's face burned green eyes, hard, cold, and uncaring. She smirked at the expression on Mouse's face. "Something wrong?"
"No! Don't you dare-" Her voice threatened to break. She forced panic away and took refuge in the safety of anger. "Change. Now!"
"Change what?" The specter asked sweetly, in the exact same tone Kekaai had used when teasing her. Her sister, drowned when she was 6 years old.
"That face! Don't you dare wear her face, you monster!"
"She was very much like me, Mouse."
"Shut up!" Before she knew what she was doing, Mouse had slammed her to the ground. Crouched over her, pinning her down, she grabbed Kekaai's throat. "Shut up, shut up, shut up! You're not Kekaai!"
Kekaai's hands came up, scrabbled wildly at the iron grip around her neck. She gurgled. Her eyes rolled up into her head. Mouse ignored the flashes of pain as Kekaai's nails dug into the backs of her hands. "I figured it out!"
Distantly, Mouse wondered about what she was doing. She was crying, and she couldn't stop herself. Her eyes narrowed and she tightened her grip. "It's over once you're dead. It'll be over! I'll be free!"
Horribly, Kekaai tried to smile. "There is no freedom for you." a voice echoed in her head.
Snarling fury, Mouse threw her weight onto her arms. The hands dropped away as the body beneath her stilled. Nei/Kekaai's pulse fluttered, beat twice, and died.
Mouse huddled on the ground, staring at her empty hands. Tears ran unheeded down her face. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was a hoarse whisper. "Why?"
"Because I never had a choice in the matter. Because it won't end, even if I am dead. And, because-" the voice said.
"Mouse?" a deep voice sounded behind her.
She lifted her head as the footsteps approached her back. She wiped the tears off her face. "Yes?"
"I heard you leave, but you never came back." A brief pause, then, "Are you well?" Ray asked, concerned.
"I'm fine." Standing, Mouse turned to face him. "I had a nightmare and needed to clear my head. But, I'm fine, now. You can go back to bed."
"Oh..." he looked away, but not before Mouse caught a glimpse of his eyes. It might've been just a trick of the light, but, for a fraction of an instant, Ray's eyes had burned with green fire. Then he was walking away.
"Because you're not willing to pay the price it would take to stop me." the voice said.
"No," Mouse murmured. "I'm not."
Her hands twitched in reply. "I am not your doll. I will not kill myself."
I smile for the people I need
Every day and every night
And I don't feel lonely again
They are always with me
I smile for the soft breeze I feel
Every raindrop
Every ray of sunlight
And I find the gifts from the stars
Shining bright through the nights
For the warm smiles they give me
Love of people holding me in their arms
Fills my heart with joy
I just smile...
The song faded in the background. The den was lit only by a cozy chimney
fire. Alice and Stryker was laying on their backs, midst a mini-ocean of
pillows. All was silent except for the quiet crackling of the fire.
For long moments, neither of them moved; indeed, it seemed as if nothing did. The starlight, now unfiltered by sheets of snow, lit everything with a silvery glare. Alice drifted off to sleep. Stryker noticed it after a few minutes and carried her to bed.
Before pulling the bed covers over her, he drove his fingers through her hair freeing it from the pins that held it and put them on the coffee table. He secured the blanket over her before getting into the queen sized bed himself.
During the night another winter storm system arrived. Violent winds raged, clouds of the drifting white stuff rapidly solidified into huge barricades on top of existing snow, well over a meter high (and rising) while frightful white-out conditions covered the entire county and the surrounding areas.
Inside and comfortably warm, Josie sat upright, her tail wrapped neatly around her feet, regarding her 'mom' and the other one skeptically from her throne. The red haired mistress of the household apparently having made up her mind, jumped down and went looking for someone to play with.
Gray clouds began to break up as the sun began its ascent into the sky.
Alice muttered quietly to herself as the light lancing in through the blinds woke her from her sleep. She reached over to where Stryker was still sleeping soundly, grabbed hold of his pillow, and yanked it out from beneath his head and covered her own with it.
She heard a mumbled protest from him and was soon engaged in a wrestling match over the pilfered pillow. Stryker gained a good hold on the pillow, but Alice yanked it out of his grasp and whapped him soundly with it before resuming her former position with the pillow clamped over her head.
"I know you are not a morning person ... but don't you think this is a bit extreme ?"
"Hrrrm...no," came her muffled reply. He grabbed the spare pillow on the side of bed and whapped Alice with it. It made him smile as she protested, "Aw, come on."
He lifted up the corner of the pillow and peeked at her. She smiled at him. His smile faded, "Why are you smiling ?" he asked, wondering if she is up to something.
"I'm happy when you're happy," she said brightly. She put her arms around his neck and leaned her head on one shoulder. "Hey, what is with the look ?"
"What did I ever do to deserve you ?" he asked quietly.
"Must be your charm and amazing sense of humour," she said sarcastically.
"Be nice..." he said in a mock-warning tone.
"Or what ?" she shot back playfully. A thought dawned on her. "Wait! No. You don't dare !"
Stryker's expression was absolutely angelic. "Don't I dare what?" he asked innocently. "This ?"
He then gave her a cheeky smile, "Oh no." Alice cried, trying to dart away from him. She was fast, but not fast enough, with her legs trapped by the bed covers, she was not going anywhere. He always did this when she made fun of him. "No! Stryker! Don't do it! Don't" he did it anyway, "TICKLE ME!"
She shrieked and he laughed, "Pay back sucks doesn't it ?"
She squirmed, "Ok! Ok! I won't tease you any more!"
He stopped and helped her up. "No fair tickling me!" she cried, catching her breath.
"Since when have I been fair ?" he grinned. He had hold of both her wrists now, holding them above her head with one hand. He leaned in and kissed her.
"Stryker," Alice said.
"Yes Heart ?"
"What do you think of marriage ?"
"Well, I..uh, that is," he fumbled for an answer.
Alice laughed. "Exactly what I was thinking," she said.
He looked deep into her eyes and saw the echoes of her love for him. Stryker put his hands aroud her waist, bringing her close for another kiss. As they parted, Alice whispered, "I will take that as a yes."
"Alice, I honestly can not imagine living without you. I want just to be with you."
He smiled. "Good answer." Alice said, returning a smile, and slowly ran her hand up his side. Alice closed her eyes and suddenly brought her lips to Stryker's, pressing her body into his.
Chapter 14 Here with me (Normal version)
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