Orville endeavours of bigger proportions c4
Chapter 4
"That would be true...if I was dead." Ariel said breaking his clavicle and turning on the four in cloaks sending one flying towards the Creatures dodged an attack from another as she knocked a different one using the knife of the fourth and placing it into the third. "Commander Greyson now." Ariel called out as Alara was busy fight off the second creature going for the weak point. Kelly moves over to the device and placed the communicator on it the device became alive flashing red then green and settling on blue before switching off.
"Time for your exit." Ariel said throwing the last creature down the stairwell breaking several stairs.
"How are you alive? You were dead." Kelly asked
"I don't know, when I woke up you guys were gone so I made my way here not before running into an old friend who explained everything to me."
"Who maybe we could talk to them, bring them back to the Orville to get a statement."
"She can't leave the planet... she's dead."
"You were serious about Spirits?" Alara asked
"Dead serious." Ariel replied straight faced before breaking it by laughing. "Dead serious and we were talking about the dead...never mind." Ariel looked disappointed that neither of them got her humor but was distracted by a pain in her chest lifting up her shirt she saw the brand new scar of where she was stabbed. "Damn that was real." She muttered running her fingers down it only to hiss as it was feeling very raw at the moment. "We should leave before more come." She added trying to shake off the pain Kelly nodded but not before telling Alara to secure the General they will be taking him with them for questioning. They got back on the shuttle that was waiting for them Ariel managed to pilot them some of the way but it was down to Gordon the rest of the way as Ariel seemed to pass out Kelly was checking her happy she was secure in her seatbelt but she could see her pale complexion and sweat on her forehead Kelly knew she would have to go straight to the medical ward when the returned. Ed met them in the shuttle bay and a team took Ariel to Claire and Alara took their new friend to the brig Ed would question him later for now he headed to the medical ward with Kelly after her was assured she was fine. When they got there Ariel was on a table and Claire was working on her right now she was trying to restart her heart. Ariel gasped as she breathed deep breaths regaining consciousness as oxygen flowed through her body.
"Why happened?" She asked when they were all watching her.
"You died." Claire replied
"Again?"
"How many times have you died?" Ed asked
"Just the once?" She said rubbing her chest
"You have a lot to explain." Ed told her
"I do? I mean I do yeah... just let me catch my breath first."
"Captain she isn't going anywhere." Claire informed him
"Why?"
"Her body is still healing yes at an increased pace but she still needs her rest. I still have tests to perform." Claire informed her and he looked at Ariel Charles now she was asleep and he only now noticed how pale she was so he nodded his head in agreement."
"Commander you sent for me?" Alex Shaw entered the room.
"You told us you didn't want to go onto the planet why?"
"You were there, you know."
Do you know what that symbol is?" She asked moving to Ariel and revealing her brand and at this Alex stepped forward.
"It can't be, impossible."
"You are the second person to say that. What is it?"
"We should return to your office." Alex stated Ed and Kelly nodded
"Keep me informed." Ed told Claire as he left as Shaw passed Alara she stopped.
"You might want someone in the room." She said before moving out making Alara look back at the sleeping Ariel before telling Parker to stay there she too made her way to Ed's office where the debriefing will take place. Ed made them wait until Kelly and Alara each went and got changed after having a shower when they were ready did he only let Alex start to explain.
"This planet has a special connection to the Spirits, it has a bloody history with so much innocence lost that the balance between the living and the dead was altered Spirits roam the land."
"We didn't see any spirits." Kelly pointed out
"That was because around one hundred years ago the leaders of the living banded together to stop the interaction, that the spirits were a symbol of innocence and hope. They were starting to show the commoners that what the council were doing was wrong so they trapped them. That is why you didn't see any they are trapped in a sort of hell that is why everything there looks the way it for it reflects their way of life. That planet has a council in power that controls the citizens with fear. When someone questions them they get taken away by the police now I use this word loosely. Damion is the leader, he has the best army on the planet again the word army is used loosely but there is a group with in his army trained from an early age more correctly brainwashed from an early age to do what he instructs from killing to patrolling it varies. He brands each of these warriors with his mark a mark that puts fear in any living soul on that planet."
"Are you saying Ensign Charles is part of this group."
"She is branded."
"That will explain why they all seemed to fear her when they saw it." Kelly stated
"You said she was brainwashed from an early age, how is she part of the Union?"
"There is two possibilities...1 she broke free of her brainwashing and joined for safety purposes not quite being able to break the need to serve...or the 2nd option she was sent to spy on us." Alex Shaw stated and the room fell into silence.
"How will we know?" Kelly asked not quite believing that she could be a spy.
"We will have to ask her, when she is lucid enough. For now though we should get a security detail on her." Ed instructed looking at Alara
"If she was a spy why would she sacrifice herself to save me? She looked surprised to be alive." Alara pointed out.
"I guess we will find out." Kelly confirmed as they left his office. Kelly found herself pacing outside the medical bay when she was stopped by Alex.
"You coming in?" Alex asked indicting the door to which Kelly nodded entering the room not surprised to see Alara there with Claire. Ariel was awake and looked over to them as they entered.
"Claire is she alright to move?" Ed asked when he entered
"I recommend she take it easy for a couple days." Claire replied she got the sense she was missing something but before she could ask Ed was leading them out of the room and Alara and Shaw were walking on either side of Ariel.
Back in his office...
"Alright I will give you one chance to come clean." Ed stated Kelly was on his right Alara was across from him and Shaw was somewhat blocking the exit.
"What do you want to know?" Ariel asked
"That brand!"
"Oh yes, when I told you earlier that my father was cruel I didn't lie I was six when he was killed. The person who killed him saved me or so I thought at the time. She took me in, and I was raised in the Eracl Reiard it is a program that Damion established basically training us to be killers, loyal soldiers only to him. This is his brand to identify me as one of his. To him we aren't people we are weapons. I was there until I turned 21 then I joined the Union."
"Why did you join the Union?"
"I don't know."
"Were you told to?" Shaw asked
"What?" Ariel asked back looking at her
"You heard me."
"You think I still work for him..." Ariel realized why they were asking these questions.
"I know what he does, the conditioning he puts you through."
"The brainwashing you mean...I left when I turned 21 I couldn't do it anymore the killing...not when they destroyed the Eastern city."
"Your friend?"
"We weren't meant to make friends, be loyal to him and only him but working day in with your designated team bonds do form. When they set the bomb off she was there helping out at a school. 382 of those that died were kids... that was five years ago."
"He wouldn't have just let you leave,"
"He thinks I died... the amount of cameras in the area he no doubt knows I'm alive but I don't think it matters I mean I was only a soldier not high ranking."
"You are one of his Reiard. How did you break the brainwashing?" Shaw asked
"I just didn't want to fight anymore."
"He can still condition you then." Shaw states
"What do you mean?" Ariel asked and the others could see what Shaw said had set her on edge.
"You haven't actually broken out of it, you just haven't been conditioned in a while so if he said the right words your loyalty will return to him."
"No, I wouldn't."
"You wouldn't have a choice."
"What are you saying Alex?" Kelly asked but it seemed that it dawned on Ariel as her eyes widened with horror.
"I don't want to go back... you need to lock me up, kill me… anything."
"I'm saying right now she is free, but they could claim her back."
"So what do we do?" Ed asked "we can't just lock her up." He stated worried that she might try to hurt herself.
"I will work with her, undo the conditioning." Shaw stated carefully.
"Why would you want to help me?"
"Because I was told trouble is coming and it might be helpful to have a Reiard warrior with us."
AN: So here is part 2 of my Orville endeavor series, I hope you enjoyed the next one will continue on with the story. What is the trouble Shaw is so worried about? Until next time. Thanks for reading.