Chapter 22- 12403.04- 09:00 – Training and Briefing Room for the Cerberus Team
Victor was greeted by the sounds of sticks clacking against each other. He turned the corner to see Eeli and David practicing Bojutsu. "Wrap it up!"
"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Bennu asked as she and Christine came in from the locker room.
"We have orders." Victor walked to the middle of the room; arms crossed.
"You heard from Maestro?" David wiped the sweat from his brow as he left the fight mat.
"Jacob?" Christine's squeaked. She blushed at her response. "Sorry."
Victor smirked slightly, "Understandable, but no. Orders are from the diplomatic corp."
"Oh great, another turn at babysitting an important jackass Admiral or diplomat," Eeli grumbled and tucked her weapons under her arms. "No offense Angel." Eeli teased Christine.
"None taken." Christine cheeked back. "So, what pompous ass do you get to work with?" Christine leaned against a workout machine.
"We are to escort medical relief workers to Fomalhaut Prime, and if diplomatic relations go well, return cultural artifacts to the Bajoran home world." Victor sighed.
"Then why do you look like we are about to be dropped into a war zone." David walked over and put his weapons away.
"Depending on diplomacy goes," Victor let out a breath he was holding, "Will dictate if we take bodies as well as artifacts to the Bajoran home world." Victor wiped his face and went over to a console to pull up schematics of a building and maps of a star system. "David, come take a look at this."
Raising an eyebrow, David came over and sat down at the terminal. "Let's see," David began working, "Fomalhaut Prime, Type M planet. Currently run by Vogi Yukim. A former Bajoran refugee leader, who has some interesting philosophies." He tossed a holographic image of the planet upon the viewer.
"Agriculture and mining," Bennu noted. "The planetary leader is an ass in my opnion."
"If you mean a narrow-minded egotistical narcissist." Eeli indicated a video of the leader.
Christine went to a science terminal, "The technological level of the cities and the rural areas are widely disproportionate. The cities are at the highest level, but these rural areas," Christine turned and indicated places on the main holo map. "They are running thirty to fifty years out of date. Given these statistics, they are even limiting the education of the children. They aren't providing schooling past year eight."
"Sounds like a straightforward escort mission," David spun in his chair to face the rest of the team, "which means it is anything but."
"Precisely," Victor agreed. "Our cover is to escort a Neoma Myah, a Bajoran medical officer, to meet with the Bajoran diplomatic team already on the planet. First, she will work with the federation medical relief group that is being sent to aid the locals. Then, depending on what is found there, we will break off from the medical group and retrieve a recon team hidden in the farms."
"And if we can't?" Eeli asked bluntly.
"We bring their bodies home. Either to Star Fleet or Bajor." Victor said sadly.
"Vicky, I know this will be hard on you." Bennu stood and clapped him on the shoulder. "This is what Maestro has been guiding you towards. You can bring them home."
"Am I missing something?" Christine asked as she looked at the faces of her other team members.
"I forget you haven't been with us that long." Victor stepped away from Bennu to lean against the console. "The mission that got me here." Victor sighed and looked down at the floor, arms crossed. "I led a team to retrieve an intelligence package, and things went sideways."
"Vicky was the only one to come home outside of a box." Eeli leaned next to him.
"To say I am nervous about bringing my brothers and sisters home in a box is …." Victor trailed off.
"You won't have to," David reassured him.
"Especially since you have me." Christine smiled at him.
Victor's head snapped up, "You are not going."
"Pardon?" Christine's jaw dropped. "I understand Bennu not going, but me?"
"You are NOT going, Angel." Victor pushed past her.
"You need a medical officer." Christine insisted and started to follow him.
Victor stopped her. "Neoma Myah, will be our acting medical officer, which mean we don't need you."
"Why not! I've got the skill and the training."
Victor spun on his heel, "Because one, Maestro said you are NOT to go. And two, Star Fleet said you were assigned to a different mission." His eyes narrowed, and he handed her a pad marked 'Classified.' "This should explain it."
Christine glared at him and placed her thumb on the lock screen. The first screen that appeared said "Skyfox - Eyes Only." Her eyes bugged.
"Everything all right, Christine?" Bennu asked when she saw Christine pale.
"Skyfox…" Christine wandered off to the other side of the room, ignoring Bennu.
"What did you do…." Bennu's eyes narrowed, and she stuck her finger in his face. "I get that it is my job to protect the next generation and make sure no one takes advantage of the weakness that those children represent, but you are not sidelining Christine as well."
"I didn't do anything to Angel. Orders said that the team was to be read into Foulmaut-704-Xray- Juliet, and if she argued," he cleared his throat, "I was to hand her the pad."
"If you hurt her…." Eeli growled.
"I…"
"Who is Star Fox, Victor?" David stepped up next to Eeli, hoping the defuse the situation. "I saw them listed as our point of transport, but what is it to her? She wouldn't back off so easily. What did you do?!"
"Stand down!" a voice shouted from the doorway. The team's head snapped to the entrance.
"Intruder!" Eeli pounced on the Bajoran man standing there with Bojutsu sticks.
In an instant, the man had grabbed a bo staff and began deflecting her blows. "I said stand down!" He said through gritted teeth as he quickly subdued her.
David grabbed his weapon and prepared to join the fight. "And what gives you the right to come in here!"
David was about to jump into the fray when Christine's voice rang out across the room. "He's Captain Torbin Varel. Your new boss."
"I must commend Jacob on his work with you." Torbin rubbed his shoulder as a young Bajoran medical officer treated his injury. "It is not often that someone can get a hit on me."
"Dad, don't go poking the dragon." The girl closed her medical case and glared at her dad.
"Or the honey badger," Bennu mumbled, glaring at Victor.
Victor rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the captain, "We were under the impression that we were going in covertly. No offense but having you on this mission makes it high profile."
"He is your cover," Christine commented. "You are the captain and his daughter's escorts to Fomalhaut Prime. For the length of the mission, she is your medical officer. You will also meet your permanently assigned medical officer, Lieutenant De La Vega, when you rendezvous with the relief mission group." Christine had tears in her eyes, but she was all business.
"Where does that leave you?" Bennu asked, laying a hand on Christine's arm.
"My assignment with Cerberus is complete. I have been temporarily reassigned to a training mission." Christine shrugged and tried to smile.
"This is bull shit, and you know it," Eeli growled. "Christine is a member of our team. She deserves to go with us."
"I hate to say it, but you and I know she was never a proper team member," Victor said bluntly, earning him glares from the rest of the team. "I mean, we brought her into the fold to protect her while … while Jacob was gone."
"He is still gone, Victor!" Eeli gestured around them. "We are not leaving a team member behind!"
"You are not." Torbin interrupted. "You are bringing your Maestro home to his Angel." He sent a smile to Christine, who smiled back.
"But you said…." Bennu faded off as she looked at Victor.
Torbin nodded, "One way or another, they are coming home."
"That's not very reassuring." David groused. He sighed and pulled up the mission specs. "The mission states that we will be transported to the rendezvous point with you, Captain. Our ship will arrive in two hours."
"If not sooner, if I know her captain." Torbin stood and straightened his uniform. "You all have your orders, including you, Lieutenant." Torbin eyed Christine. She nodded in return. "Dismissed."
09:43AM- Station 71 School-
"Chrissy!" Brielle cheered as she saw Christine and Bennu walk into the cafeteria with the principal. A moment later, Josh was on his feet, running to hug Christine.
"Hey, munchkins!" Christine kneeled and accepted the hugs from her children.
"Chrissy, what are you and Bennu doing here?" Josh asked once Christine let him go.
"We needed your wonderful hugs, Josher." Bennu teased the little boy.
He looked up at the two adults. "You are going away."
"No, Josher we..." Bennu tried to reassure him.
"No." Josh looked up into Christine's eyes. "You tell us not to lie. You can't lie either."
"Chrissy?" Brielle tightened her grip on Christine.
Christine swallowed the lump in her throat, "It is true, I could lie and tell you I was just doing extended time in sickbay, but that wouldn't be fair to you." Christine reached out and took both children's hands. "I am going out on a mission, and I'll be gone for a few days." Christine looked up at Bennu, "Bennu will stay with you while I am gone, and Aunt Julie will stop by and check in on you."
"Will you come home?" Brielle asked.
"Yes, I will come home." Christine looked from Brielle to Josh, "And I'm bringing your dad home too."
"You are bringing Dad home?" The children said practically in unison.
A knot tightened in her stomach, "Yeah, I'll bring your dad home." Christine reached up and cupped each of their cheeks.
"Bennu?" Brielle looked up to her nanny.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Can you pack Bun bun for …my mom. Please."
"Sure, sweetheart. If you are sure."
"I'm sure. My mom needs Bunbun more than I do."
Wordlessly Christine wrapped Brielle into a tight hug.
"Bring my Dad home, Chrissy." Josh joined the tight hug.
Tearfully, "I will; just take care of your sister Josh."
"And I'll take care of my brother." Brielle said fiercely.
Christine and the children held each other and cried until Bennu cleared her throat. "I'm sorry to break your family up, but your ship will be here in an hour, and you still need to pack."
Christine stood and wiped her eyes. "Yeah. I love you two and be good for Bennu while I'm gone."
"We will, Mum." Brielle nodded.
With a quick kiss to each, Christine stepped away from the children, leaving them with Bennu. Her resolve became more robust with each step away from them, as did her determination.
