"So, then, each of us concerning himself shall give reckoning to God." Rom 14:12
Personal Log: Stardate 51727.9, on board Runabout Sequatchie. This has to be the longest ride with Megan that I have ever taken. We've barely spoken to each other since leaving the station for el'Aena. I guess both of us have a lot on our minds and neither of us wants to think about what could happen. I have to admit, I admire Megan's sense of duty in this matter, because I don't know if I would do the same and that shames me.
Scott clicked off the computer when he heard Megan open the door from the rear compartment. She smiled slightly in a way that told Scott she understood him as best she could.
"Don't worry, Scott, I only heard the last two words of your log. You shouldn't be ashamed. Any sane person would feel the same, which means that I might not be sane."
Scott smiled mischievously.
"If you like, I can verify you unfit for this mission and turn around. I do have some pull with the station commander. No one would question me right now, except perhaps Kira. She's actually looking forward to this."
Now it was Megan's turn to smile.
"She would. She's as bad as you are, Scott, always looking for a good fight. To her, this battle has already been decided. Adoyi Nvda will defeat the Pah Wraith and the Golden Age of el'Aena as well as Bajor will begin. I only wish I had as much confidence as she does."
"Faith, Megan," Scott replied, "Kira doesn't call it confidence, she calls it faith. She has faith in the Prophets and believes they will triumph, no matter what."
Megan nodded her head in agreement.
"Yes she does. It makes you wonder if humans did themselves a disservice when they stopped believing in 'higher powers' long ago."
Scott nodded his head no.
"Oh, I don't think humans have stopped believing in higher powers, Megan. I certainly believe in some type of power out there that could be called 'God'. I don't think humans would have made it as far as we have without a God to keep us from annihilating ourselves. God knows we've tried hard enough."
Megan hung her head, and then threw it back; her long hair swung back. It was something Scott found almost erotic and he almost wished she didn't do it now.
"Anyway, Scott, I guess I shouldn't worry too much. The only thing that could really happen to me is for me to be killed. I've been dead before so, I guess 'been there, done that'."
Scott growled low.
"That's not funny, Megan."
Megan smiled sweetly.
"Strange, I thought it was. Scott, come on, I'm just teasing. I have absolutely no intentions of getting myself killed."
"That's good to hear. We're approaching el'Aena. I'll get Kira on the comm. link."
Scott punched up the communications channel and very soon, the face of Kira Nerys appeared on the monitor.
"So Scott, you just couldn't stay out of the way, could you? How are you doing, Megan? It's too bad that you and I can't seem to get together with Scott sticking his nose into it."
Megan perked up almost immediately. It has been quite a while since she and Kira and the rest of the "girls" got together for talk and companionship. Life in space sometimes doesn't allow for socialization.
"Yeah, Scott won't allow me out of his sight now. That's okay, after this is over; we'll get together with some real wine, a bottle of the best that Jean-Luc Picard gave me from his brother's plantation, and celebrate all night long."
"You betcha," Kira beamed back. "You know I'm always up for a good celebration."
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Scott interjected, somewhat annoyed, "Kira, do you have a suggestion as to where to put down without being seen?"
"At this time," Kira answered, "the entire area around the Orb is in turmoil. I would suggest that you put the runabout on autopilot and beam down instead. You've been there before, so they would know you and, of course, Megan."
"Sounds like a good idea. Computer, engage autopilot and maintain orbit, authorization McKnight Alpha-5-7-3-4-Tango."
With a mechanical whirl and click, the autopilot engaged and the computer verbally confirmed it. Scott entered coordinates to beam down then met Megan at the transporter pad.
"Computer, energize."
Moments later, Scott and Megan were standing on the surface of el'Aena, less than fifty paces from the village, with the clearing and the Orb beyond. Scott could clearly see the Orb hovering off the ground and the large warrior standing alone just to the side of the glittering icon. The villagers had formed a tight semi-circle behind the Orb. Scott glanced at Megan and was surprised to see that she now wore a long dress and robes, her Adoyi Nvda attire.
"Megan?"
Megan looked at herself and then back to Scott. She was just as surprised and confused as he was.
"Don't ask me, Scott. I don't remember programming the transporter to select garments."
The two walked through the village and entered the clearing. Several of the natives met them and started to throw down blankets or whatever they had on hand to cover the ground in front of Megan. She stopped in front of the warrior and looked him over. This had to be their best and strongest hunter, a formidable foe for Qo'lek, let alone a goddess-queen. The man opened his eyes when Adoyi Nvda stopped and started forward. She waved Scott off when Scott started to stop the huge man.
"It's all right; he can't hurt me, at least not yet."
"Well said, Your Majesty," the man started. He spat out "Your Majesty" as if it was distasteful. "Not yet is the correct term, because the time of the Reckoning is close, but it is not yet. I know your name, Adoyi Nvda, so let me introduce myself. I am Kostemojen and although we have never met, you know who I am. For now, leave me. In two days time, we shall meet for battle. Prepare your forces, as I will mine. We will meet here at high sun on the second day."
With that, the man now Kostemojen vanished and left Scott, Adoyi, and the natives in the clearing. Scott knew this was going to be a fight to the end.