Meetings
"I really don't think this is what Starfleet had in mind."
Mary managed to keep her arms from moving, but it was hard. There was no space with three beings crammed into the tiny spacecraft. A shuttle pod was not a shuttle. It wasn't designed for long term voyages. Not that shuttles were luxury liners or anything, but shuttle pods were even less so. They were intended for very short range work near a station or ship. Add to that? This wasn't a Federation shuttle pod, but a Klingon one with no frills whatsoever. There were not even seats! The three passengers stood in an area that might have been a small shower stall on most Federation ships. At least they were all clothed!
"Maybe. It was the only craft we had aboard that mounts no weapons." Captain R'Rollow said form where he stood by the front of the pod, controlling it, "Every full shuttle has beam arrays and micro-torpedo launchers built in. The Chariot too. Taking them off would be a dockyard job. We didn't think that simply disabling them would be enough."
"Hard to say. It is not like a shuttle would be a huge threat, but it could be a threat, so, probably safer if uncomfortable." Mary said with a sigh as she looked at the other occupant of the ship. K'Mir looked decidedly unhappy. Both with the close quarters and other things. She hadn't wanted to disarm and when she had finally been convinced, it had taken a while for her to remove all of her weaponry. K'Mir had been a walking arsenal. Mary had stopped counting weapons after thirty. Then again, who could blame her after what she had gone through? "We will need you." Mary reassured the Ferasen.
"This is not going to end well." K'Mir muttered. "They told everyone to stay away. You might be allowed, R'Rollow, since you are the delivery agent. But me? What possible reason do I have for being here?"
"You are a witness to something very similar to what was done to me. They will know as soon as they see me that I was hurt and they will likely be able to sense your injuries as well." Mary said softly and K'Mir glared at her. "You have no reason to love the one who hurt the both of us. In addition? You are honest, brutally so. You see no honor in lying. You won't lie to them, even if it costs you your life. I can't say that and I doubt the captain can either. Both of us were reared in cultures where lies were 'polite' or 'politically correct'. Lying to Iconians is a bad idea." The captain nodded fervent agreement.
"I can lie." K'Mir snapped. "I had to learn when to lie and when to keep my mouth shut while a member of his crew." She nodded to R'Rollow who pursed his lips, but remained silent. "I just don't like to."
"That is good." Mary said a bit sadly and K'Mir eyed her. "I remember a lecture at the Academy where I was told that all Starfleet officers have a duty to the truth, no matter the cost. Truths can be unpleasant or have unpleasant consequences, but lies have a tendency to come back and bite us at the worst possible time. Maybe I am just naive, but Picard said that truth is important too."
"You talked to Picard?" K'Mir asked, eyeing Mary sidelong. "I mean, not many people have seen him recently. I think… I think he was a bit disgusted by all of the mess."
"He was." Mary looked out at the starscape. "After so long striving for peace, all but fighting to see Klingons and Federation not at each other's throats, he was disappointed with a lot of what happened. The Gorn, the Undine, the Klingon War, everything. On all sides. I understand that feeling. I was very upset after Starfleet turned me down. I said some things that I shouldn't have. To people that I shouldn't have such too. The fact that what I said was true only made things worse. After my last 'meeting' with the recruiters, I left fuming and might have done something really rash. Instead, one of my teachers took me aside, led me to a holo com kiosk and left me there. Before I even realized what was happening, he was calling me on that com. Me." Mary shook her head. "I… I didn't know what to say. I mean, it was Jean Luc Picard!" She put a hand to her face, careful to keep from bashing either of the others in the close quarters.. "I made a complete fool of myself."
"Glad I am not the only one." The captain piped up and both female stared at him. "I attended a lecture he gave on synthetic rights when I was in the Academy. I bumped into him in the hall after, literally ran into him. I wasn't watching where I was going and I was in a hurry. I ran right into him and bounced. He may look ancient, but he a lot tougher than a human. He was utterly polite when he helped me up after I landed on my rump. All I could say was 'Um. Hello'. I couldn't even manage 'I am sorry'. I was that gobsmacked that I had run into him. Then he just left and ever since I have cursed myself for not being able to find my tongue. To apologize at the very least!"
"Yeah." Mary sighed deeply. "It is not every day you talk with such a being. He was kind." She shook her head. "I guess he was interested since I am some sort of synthetic?"
"So is he." K'Mir said very softly. "But anyone giving him any disrespect now will likely get torn apart on the spot just about anywhere in the Empire. He is very much a legend to many. Federation and Klingon alike."
"Indeed he is." R'Rollow agreed. "One of the basic action criteria for Starfleet captains these days is always 'What would Picard do?'. I can only imagine what it is like to have such a reputation. I have enough trouble… with mine…." He trailed off, looking out the window of the pod.
"R'Rollow?" K'Mir inquired as the captain touched controls and the starfield shifted a little.
"I just saw a visual distortion obscure a star." R'Rollow said tersely. "We are too far in system for the K'Valk's Honor to support us safely. None of your birds were up, right?"
Mary stilled. K'Mir's ships were Klingon Birds of Prey, heavily modified for Alliance work. From what little Mary had overheard, the Ferasen was rightly proud of them and their crews. They all had cloaks and some could fire weapons while cloaked.
"No." K'Mir had stiffened as well. "They are not happy, but they all know I will kick their butts if they disobey. You think a cloaked ship?"
"Yeah." R'Rollow hit controls again and Mary felt the tiny pod shudder as it accelerated in a way that its manufacturers had almost certainly never designed it for. "I know there are Alliance ships in the area and I know several have cloaks, but none will approach while we are doing this. They don't like it any more than we do, but orders are orders." He looked at Mary who frowned.
"Plasma like from Romulan plasma torpedoes somehow knocked the Denali out of warp." Mary said very slowly. "But if they wanted us dead, they would have fired by now." She shook her head. "Capture? What could they gain? If they de-cloak here, they are dead."
The carrier had done some basic scans from the systems edge and there were Herald ships on patrol further in system. None of them had seemed to pay the K'Valk's Honor any mind, but no one was silly enough to assume that they would not take action of the ship moved any closer. Cloaks had sometimes fooled Heralds during the war, but sometimes not.
"Maybe they think they can re-cloak before any Heralds can get here?" K'Mir asked. "That is insane. Heralds are nothing if not quick to react to such things." She would know.
"Can they use a tractor beam while cloaked?" Mary inquired as the pod's course altered again.
"No." K'Mir said flatly. "The beam interferes with the projection. Transporters now…" She made a face. "I would prefer not to be a Romulan prisoner today, captain."
"Me too." R'Rollow agreed. "But whatever ship that is, they are shadowing us. I cannot tell if they are getting closer or not-" He broke off as a shimmer of energy surrounded the ship and then they were elsewhere. The green metal walls and the icons on said walls said it all. Romulan. Some kind of hangar bay, but theirs was the only ship in it. "Well, hell."
Several forms in Romulan attire surrounded the pod all with weapons drawn. Eight of them. It was odd. They were a mixed bag. Some of them wore Romulan Republic uniforms while others' garb was more like the Imperial Navy remnants. At least none were in Tal Shiar uniform. That would have really sucked of the Romulan secret police who had become their own faction after the destruction of their homeworld had been present. They always complicated things with their plots.
The captain looked at his console and shook his head. "They are demanding you, Mary. I assume not to talk to you."
"What are the odds that they will let you and K'Mir go if I do go out there and get fried?" Mary asked the captain softly.
"Slim to none." K'Mir and R'Rollow chorused. The Captain continued the thought. "They do not like witnesses." Both the Catian and the Ferasen extended their claws.
"I…" Mary swallowed hard. "I didn't want anyone else to pay for whatever I have done. My dorm mates nearly died. Denali crew died and now… No…" She shook her head savagely. "I won't let them kill you for whatever they think I did." She bowed her head and- Was she singing under her breath? Then she raised her head and her eyes were glowing under her Meridian. What color was that? It wasn't her normal energy. Silver blue instead of white, blue and purple. Darker than her normal energy. Scarier. "Stay here. Do nothing."
That wasn't Mary's voice! It was sort of female. Sort of not. Almost like Iconian voices they had heard during the war! Sort of.
K'Mir and R'Rollow both froze as Mary started to glow, a dark silver blue shade and slapped the hatch control. They stared at one another and then out the window of the shuttle pod as Mary stepped into view, now totally glowing with the same dark silver, blue energy. She moved to stand in front of the pod and stopped.
"You should stop this." The dark and scary voice from Mary was clearly audible right through the pod's hull. "You will not win-" She cut off as a line of green energy traced from one of the Romulans to hit her in the chest. She just stood there, the plasma splattering off of her as if it couldn't touch her at all. Then another burst of green hell snapped out and hit her. Another and another. Now disruptors were slamming into her too! All of the powerful weapons did nothing. She just stood there, taking the fire! Mary, or whoever was controlling her, did not react to the insane amounts of energy that were hitting her. Indeed, the voice that spoke through her was if anything, resigned. "You should stop this silliness. I also recommend you leave. You are trespassing and threatening guests of the Iconians. They will not take that well."
A blast of green energy surrounded Mary but when it faded, she still stood there! The plasma grenade had left a patch of glowing super hot mess on the floor and Mary stood in it, utterly unharmed by the sun hot fury! Then one of the Romulans pointed a big weapon at the pod and Mary finally moved. She shook her head! That was all!
"A bad idea." The Voice that was not Mary said with a sigh. "You force my hand." Was that black energy that was starting to surround her? It was!
"Oh crap." The Captain said softly. K'Mir nodded. They both knew what was coming! They had seen it firsthand and barely survived. The pod rocked as something hit it and Mary's face hardened.
"So be it." Was the voice sad? Then her voice rang like thunder! "HERALDS! TO ME!"
Both of the furred forms stood frozen in awe and fear as a dozen pure black spheres appeared around the bay. Then the spheres morphed into familair blue shimmering gateways! Out of those gateways came forms straight out of nightmare. Constructs, Defilers, Thralls and yes, two Iconian Heralds! Dozens of the Iconian warriors strode into the bay! These were the absolute worst kind of synthetic enemy. You could kill them, but even then, they tended to explode! And there were always more of them! Kill a hundred, a thousand, a million? More came! Even the Borg generally ran from Heralds. Borg were single minded, not idiots. Resistance to the Collective might have been futile in most cases but not when Heralds showed up! All of the warriors held the staff like weapons that were the hallmark of the dreaded Iconians. Either firing beams of pure anti-proton energy that cut through shield and armor as easily as air or as brutal melee weapons, such weaponry was dangerous in any hands. In Herald hands, such weapons had very nearly conquered the entire galaxy for their mistresses less than five years previous!
"These are guests." Mary or whoever was running her, waved a hand at the pod. "Protect them."
The Romulans were caught out in the open. There was no cover in the bay. Most of the constructs fanned out, aiming their weapons and awaiting orders to fire as three Thralls and a Defiler moved to flank the pod, all of the heavy hitters with weapons ready as well. Neither of the Heralds moved, but both glowed with energy. This wasn't going to be a very long fight, if 'fight' was even the proper word.
"Stop! You mustn't do this." A soft, scared voice heralded another Romulan appearing out of green transporter energy. Both Heralds aimed at her. This Romulan had no weapon in hand and her uniform said high rank. "They are obeying my orders. No more. You must not do this!" She all but begged. About the Heralds or something else?
"You would kill a girl who has done nothing to you?" The dark and sinister voice from Mary demanded. "She is not to blame! She came to us broken, lost and without memory! She was and is a good soul and now? You and so many others would slay her simply for loving someone who you hate?"
"No, Mary is not to blame." The Romulan shook her head and slumped as her people vanished in a haze of transport energy. "But that does not change the fact that she must die."
"Why?" Came from the other.
"What must be, will be. I am sorry, but I have no choice." The Romulan bowed to Mary and then she vanished in a green haze of transporter energy as well.
K'Mir hissed as one wall of the bay also vanished in green energy! The hangar bay was opening! The vacuum of space beckoned, but a flash of black energy and the pod was elsewhere. The constructs and Heralds that surrounded it hadn't even moved! Neither had Mary.
"Trying to space Heralds and constructs?" K'Mir facepalmed. "Didn't they read any of our reports? Heralds and constructs don't need to breathe!"
"Apparently the Romulans didn't read our reports. I am not sure if that is good or bad." R'Rollow said as Mary turned to the Iconian warriors and nodded. The Iconian constructs all started to vanish in flashes of blue and black energy. In moments, all were gone but the two Heralds who stood between Mary and the pod.
"Who are you?" Came a recognizable voice from one of the Heralds. Not 'quite' as scary as the voice that had come from Mary. "You are not recognized."
"I…" Mary was wilting now, that was clear. "I am… Mary..." Her voice lost the dreadful timbres. "I… What?" She stared around, clearly confused as the dark energy faded completely from her eyes. "What just-?"
Mary collapsed to her knees and then to the floor of what had to be a Herald hangar bay. It was huge, maybe big enough to hold the K'Valk's Honor! Small craft hung from the walls and ceiling. Mir fighters and Baltiim raider craft. K'Mir started for the hatch, but R'Rollow grabbed her and held her as she struggled.
"She needs help!" K'Mir struggled with him, but he was holding tight, not fighting, just keeping her inside.
"They don't know us!" R'Rollow gave her a shake. "Whoever or whatever that was told us to stay here. Heralds do not react well to unknowns. You know that. We better wait for an invitation. They will tend her, see?"
Both of them stared as the Herald that had spoken knelt by Mary and laid a hand on the now shivering girl. Mary's shudders eased and she seemed to fall asleep. The Herald rose to its feet and turned to the pod. For a long moment, it looked at the pod and then it beckoned with the hand that was not holding its staff.
"Now, we are invited." R'Rollow led the way out of the pod, making sure to keep his claws sheathed as he stepped towards Mary. He stopped when the second Herald raised its bladed staff in warning. He stopped and nodded to the Herald by Mary. "Is the girl alive?"
"By your definition, no." Came from the one that had spoken before. Was it amused?
"Is she functional?" K'Mir demanded tightly. "She saved our lives. We owe her."
"Debt acknowledged." The Herald said a bit robotically and then nodded to K'Mir. "The girl is functional, but she requires more care than can be administered here. Transport is on the way. The Great Ones wish answers."
"So do we." R'Rollow said with sigh. "So do we."
Some time later
It as very odd. Everyone was polite! Even when they told K'Mir and R'Rollow that they were to be confined until Mary woke, the Heralds did so respectfully! That was utterly at odds with most of what the galaxy had ever seen of Iconian servants. Then again, when they had showed up before, things generally got very messy, very fast. It had been war and no one had been talking to one another. Everyone had been busy shooting, running and dying.
And now? Apparently since Mary had called them 'guests', everything was different.
"Now what?" R'Rollow inquired as he stared around the comfortable room he and K'Mir had been led to after being separated from Mary. The decor said Iconian, so they were probably on planet, but with their tech, he could be in Andromeda and never know.
"Now, the Great Ones will summon you when they wish to speak to you. Until then? If you have questions, now is the time." The Herald that had tended Mary in the hangar had not left their sides and now stood nearby as K'Mir stepped out of the restroom that had apparently been fabricated specifically for their needs. Everything had been set up for fur! Regular facilities even in Stafleet were not and always made a mess until set up properly. These? No problems.
"I am not sure what I can ask." R'Rollow hadn't relaxed, but he had used the facilities himself. "We are to wait, I understand that. We need to wait for Mary to wake and we are guests. Thank you for your protection before and your concern now. But yes. Questions. Is that normal? What happened to Mary? That 'possession' or whatever it was."
"No." The Herald replied calmly. "Such has never been recorded. The mind that called us was not familiar. But the call was clear and we obey our orders." That they did.
"Okay." The captain shook his head. "Is Mary…" He paused, shook his head and then spoke again. "Do you know who she is?"
"Yes." The Herald replied. "Her identity has been confirmed. Mary Owlna Pangolin is listed in Iconian records as kin to the Great One L'Miren." R'Rollow stilled and the Herald continued. "The Great One was off planet, but she is returning. She is not happy."
"I wouldn't be either if someone was trying to kill my kid." K'Mir said savagely. "Mary is a good soul. But… She scared us almost as badly as she scared the Romulans."
"Do you know why Romulans wish her dead?" The Herald inquired.
"No." K'Mir replied. "That makes no sense. She hasn't done anything to them that I know of." She slowly shook her head. "And that is not the only thing that makes no sense. You are not acting like any Herald I ever faced. Who are you?"
"I wondered how long it would take you to ask." The Herald tapped her arm armor and her helmet folded back, into a glowing collar of high tech circuitry. The dark skinned human face that shone under the Meridian was odd. She was not young, but not old either. Her white hair was cut very short. Her eyes glowed with dark energy, but her smile was genuine and her eyes were almost twinkling under the glow. Old scars almost like Mary's shone on her face, but they did not detract from her presence or her otherworldly beauty. "My name is Glenda. I had a family name, but I gave it up when I assumed my role as Herald. Now, I am Glenda'Lar, Herald to V'Lar."
That wasn't possible! Was it? Iconian Heralds were genetic constructs created by the Iconians as servants and then modified to serve as front line warriors! Not humans. Weren't they?
"And when did you do that?" R'Rollow inquired.
"Last year."
"This is going to be a long day, isn't it?" K'Mir all but groaned and Glenda'Lar smiled wider.
"Probably."