Chapter Two – New Life
The next morning Fallon was up early, she hadn't slept all that much, her mind racing with the knowledge that in the space of a very short conversation she had insulted James T Kirk and landed herself on an away mission. Fixing her hair she looked at herself in the mirror.
"Keep your mouth shut Wright." She gave herself a stern look. Zipping up her light brown jacket she placed her communicator in one of the pockets of her trousers. Her uniform, which was much more utilitarian than the Starfleet design, allowed her to load up the pockets and attach tools to the waistband. She tended to wear a sleeveless shirt underneath as some of the bays could be climate controlled for exotic plants. All a dull brown in appearance, this morning the colour matched her mood.
On entering the large conference room she noted that most of the senior officers were already there and seated. Taking a place next to a security officer she placed her hands in her lap, trying not to pick at the small tag of skin near her thumb nail. James Kirk entered the room closely followed by Doctor McCoy, he clocked her instantly and made his way over sitting in the vacant seat beside her.
"How'd you get yourself into this one?" He stared at her intently, for a second Fallon thought the question was rhetorical but then realising he was waiting for an answer she cleared her throat.
"Well..."
"Let's get started shall we?" The Captain declared from the head of the table, he hadn't sat down yet and it occurred to Fallon that he looked different today. He wore a solemn look on his face, his features were strained and yet he was giving off a very strong vibe of 'Captain', of 'Commander' of this vessel. He was professional, mature and right then and there Fallon understood why he was the Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise. For all his cute boy charm, flirting and philandering he was above all a leader, a decision maker and someone not to be trifled with.
"For over fifty years the Qazvin people of Bhu'raq'shma, consisting of peasants, mainly farmers, have fought for survival against the oppressive ruling Bhu'raq'shma military. Torture, murder, rape, mutilation and widespread executions of ethnic minorities have forced a million people into refugee camps and millions more to flee into the forests and mountains to fight a losing battle for their survival. The Federation has called the systematic destruction of the Qazvin people a slow but certain genocide. The struggle between the Qazvin freedom fighters and the ruling Bhu'raq'shma army is the longest running civil war in this planet's history." Kirk continued to explain that although the planet was in ongoing talks with the Federation it was not at this time a member. Although progress was being made, one such example of this progress was allowing an away team to travel to the planet for research and medical supplies purposes only. Cultural, geographical and botanical. Fallon realised she was finding it hard to swallow. "Not to worry Dr Wright, we're taking our best and brightest." Kirk tried to give her a reassuring smile, it didn't go unnoticed to Fallon and the majority of the officers that the smile didn't reach his eyes.
Bhu'raq'shma
A large military truck pulled up alongside a deserted rice paddy. In the near darkness a group of ten soldiers lead out a terrified cluster of five young Qazvin men and roughly shove them to the berm of the paddy. Several of the troopers are no more than 13 to 15 years old. As the young prisoners stand knee-deep in the murky water, the soldiers overtly place bets among themselves...a dead-eyed Major in his thirties, named Ghut, motions to Lt. Ayt, who gestures to two soldiers holding guns. The weapons explode and the darkness suddenly illuminates into a glowing crimson red. The young men, who are situated in a line are ordered to run for their lives. They're frozen in fear as the boisterous soldiers fire shots at their feet. They're still reluctant until Lt. Ayt motions to the soldier at his side and without hesitation the obedient trooper raises his rifle and fires point blank into the nearest prisoner's back. The hapless soul crumbles face first into the dark water. The terror-stricken men commence running, the soldiers cheer for their preferred bets, like one would do for a favourite racing dog. As the men near the opposite bank, the prisoner in the centre steps on a submerged land mine, bursting the muddy water upward like a bloody geyser and sends the man's broken body into the air finally crumbling like a broken doll in to the marshland below. The vocal soldiers pay off one another as the dead-eyed Major Ghut looks on without emotion.
The away party had landed away from the rendezvous site, unable to get as close as they would have liked. As Fallon took in the surroundings she looked out over the nearby river. A twenty-eight foot well-weathered longboat was drifting up along the nearby shoreline of a tributary. She noticed that a small dugout canoe was being towed behind the longboat. On-board there were stacks of perforated crates that looked to house captured wildlife. Fallon noticed a young man steering the old craft, as a yellowed wilting cigarette dangled from the corner of his parched mouth. His sun-creased eyes peered into the dense shoreline while the boat drifted to a near stop. Further down the shore she noticed the figures of two men manoeuvring cautiously among the foliage.
While the rest of the away team were organising their supplies and checking the readings of their hand-held sensors Fallon gazed at the hot sun, settling her sight on the horizon she noticed a second young man sweating profusely as he attempted to lure what looked like a large poisonous snake away from its hiding spot. Attempting to seize the snake's tail with a long stick, the creature angrily struck and rapidly slithered off.
The away team had landed just outside of one of the small Qazvin villages, vine-covered Bhu'raq'shma temples could be seen nestled in the nearby forests.
Kirk was taking in the surroundings also, a few yards ahead of where they stood he noticed a local man handing over several large fish he'd clearly caught earlier in the day to a group of saffron robed monks who were stood along the river's bank. Closer to the village, longboats glided into a small weathered pier. Towering poles held huge traditional fishing nets high in the breeze. Kirk walked down the beaten path, drawing closer he noticed a faded painted image of a snake like animal over a large sign. It was written in both standard and the local dialect. Kirk caught sight of the federation insignia nearby. Faint sounds of broken standard and gaudy looped music drifted out from a fairly large teak wood open air building.
"I wonder what's in there?" Fallon asked no one in particular. Walking closer to one of the open windows she peered inside the building, what looked to be a snake charming show was underway. There were rows of bleachers occupied by twenty or so men who were watching a young snake charmer dodge gracefully around a small ten foot boarded circle ring as a pair of aggressive snakes striked at him. Every move of the snake or snake charmer was punctuated by corny dialog from a young native M.C., his ongoing banter sounded bored, as if he had repeated the same speech a thousand times.
Commander Spock had been speaking with the owner of the Qazvin village, Fallon observed him finishing his conversation with the native and approaching Kirk, points in the direction of another native. Kirk made his way back to the team and gestured for them to remain back while he spoke to the man.
"Excuse me?" Kirk tried to get the Qazvin's attention. The man, Gharak, who was in his early thirties turned to look at the Captain, he was wrangling snakes himself. "Dangerous work - I'm James Kirk. Do you have some time to talk?" Gharak eyed the group for a second with an intense gaze. Fallon didn't feel intimidated, but the look was probing, like a man who'd seen it all and could thoroughly read another man's soul. She noticed him look at her directly.
"If you want, I can introduce you to our group now." Kirk caught Gharak's attention again.
"What'd you need?" His standard was broken but sufficient enough for Kirk to be able to understand him.
"I was told it might be possible to rent your boat, we'd like to do that. Is it possible?" Kirk enquired.
"Why?"
"We'd like you to take us up river." All of Kirk's diplomatic training was coming into good use. He kept the warm smile planted on his face.
Gharak went back to his work. "Duerat's a war zone."
Kirk persisted, "We know that. Let me explain, our team are here to carry out research and bring in medical supplies to the Qazvin tribes people. They need all the support they can get, if not, these people won't be around much longer."
He didn't look at him, but continued with his work. "Can't help you."
"I'm sure you could if you wanted to, we'll pay for your time, these people are being wiped out." Gharak eyed him, then turned his attention to the snake hunters in the ring.
"We've asked around and the consensus is you know that part of the river better than anybody. So you're the only one who can help us at this time. By that I mean we have little time to get in there, do what we do, and get back."
"...It's a war zone." Gharak repeated.
"It's not a war it's "systematic" genocide, I understand the risks." Kirk was getting annoyed.
"There's land mines everywhere."
"I know."
"Can't help you out." At this point Kirk wiped the sweat from his brow, looking back at his team who were watching in earnest he turned back to Gharak.
"We're talking about a few hours that could change people's lives."
"Yeah." Gharak's attention was drawn to Fallon. He didn't avert his eyes, even when Fallon shyly looked away when their eyes met.
"We're aware of the risks and like I said before, we're willing to take them."
Gharak laughed "To change people's lives?"
"Yes, you sound like you don't believe that." Kirk was becoming exasperated.
"You bringing in heavy weapons?"
"Of course not."
"Nothin' changin'." Gharak stood up and headed back to his longboat. Kirk walked back to the away team, contemplating what to do next.
"No luck Jim?" McCoy asked.
"Let's go, he's not interested." Fallon had re-joined the group and overheard the conversation between Jim and McCoy.
"Did he say why?" Fallon asked Kirk.
"No, he didn't, let's go." Kirk began to move off when he noticed Fallon walking towards the Qazvin.
"Let's go, don't beg him, it's not worth it." Kirk shouted over to her, McCoy was watching intently also, not particularly happy with the situation they currently found themselves in.
"It is worth it, let me try." Fallon continued away from the team and caught up with Gharak.
"Excuse me..." Fallon brought herself up to her full height, without the Starfleet uniform she was feeling a sense of insignificance. She put on her most professional face. Gharak slowly stopped what he was doing and turned to face her. "My name's Doctor Fallon Wright, what's yours?"
"Why?" Gharak looked at her intently.
"Just asking." She tried to keep her voice light.
"Gharak."
"Is it true you can't take us?" Fallon asked innocently.
"Yeah."
"We only want to charter your boat for a few hours."
"Can't do it." Gharak looked up and down the shoreline as if he'd noticed something.
"Or don't want to?" Fallon shielded her eyes from the sun.
"There's lots of boats around here, ask around." Gharak turned his attention back to Fallon.
"We have and no one's interested, we don't have time to walk around asking other people, I overheard what you were saying to Captain Kirk, and maybe you don't want to feel responsible if something goes wrong, I understand that, but I think we're going to be alright, I believe everything'll be fine, we've come a long way not to finish what we started." Fallon gave a look over her shoulder, McCoy, Spock and Kirk were watching intently. She saw that Gharak had glanced over at Kirk who appeared to be agitated by Fallon's close proximity to Gharak.
"He talk you into this?" Gharak tilted his head in Kirk's direction.
"...What?"
"Did he talk you into it?" Gharak repeated.
"No, he didn't have to, I wanted to help." Fallon stated confidently. Gharak wanted to respond but decided against it after looking at the woman's impassioned expression. "I don't know anything about you and it looks like you don't want to know anything about us but we need to help, that's who we are, that's what we've travelled a long way to do." Kirk had had enough, he started making his way over.
"Doctor Wright, let's go" Fallon chose to ignore him.
"You live so close to it, and it doesn't bother you?" she asked.
"You're name's Fallon?" Gharak asked.
"Yes."
"Fallon, you've got a few good reasons worth stayin' alive for?" Gharak was staring at the away team, McCoy had come to Kirk's side.
"Of course, why?"
"Cause there's none here worth dying over." Gharak began to walk off.
"No one's talking about dying. You're not religious, are you?" Fallon placed her hands on her hips. Kirk was alerted by Fallon's rise in volume. "I mean, do you believe in anything?" Gharak kept walking away. "You pray with faith, and you act with courage. People weren't put here to just be killed off for no reason; that isn't the way it's suppose to be, that wasn't the plan!"
"Sure about that?" Gharak laughed although the laughter didn't reach his eyes.
"Yes I am." Fallon studied Gharak unreadable expression, dispirited, she turned and started off towards Kirk and McCoy.
"How many are you?" Gharak shouted after her.
"Six." Fallon turned and answered.
"If I'm here tomorrow mornin' I'll take you - if I'm not, I'm not."
"I understand - Thank you." Fallon gave Gharak a warm smile and turned back to the team.
