From: Kim (kimtoussaint_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Thu Mar 13 2008 - 22:08:41 PDT
"Minzinite Mining Camp #42 - part one"
( Continued from Ran's "USS COMMENDATION'S ARRIVAL" )
____________________________________
Location: ANDARA -> Minzinite Mining camp # 42
Scenes: Various
Stardate: 2.80313.2135
_____________________________________
Since seeing those disruptors pointed square at him
Drake had been left in one of the cells deep in the
battleship, in the fitful bouts of sleep he got soon
afterwards he believed the guards had been replaced
but couldn’t be entirely sure. What he was surprised
at was the fact that no Vorta had been to see him. He
had killed the one flying the battleship but surely
there wasn’t only one on the vessel?
He was pretty sure the ship was no longer near GATEWAY
or ANDARA, he had felt the change in vibrations that
could only have been an acceleration beyond the speeds
you could obtain from impulse drives, he just hoped
the others had managed to get away.
He quickly managed to assess the cell he was held in
and the conclusion was simple, there was no way he
could escape from here without outside interference.
The cell was essentially smooth apart from the slab
that consisted of a bed and a single, sealed,
replicator which provided meals on a timer. Two
Jem’hadar were stationed outside the cell that he
could see and they were stood in such a way that he
could always be seen and they were too far from the
call front to be incapacitated even if he could
somehow overload the forcefield.
Content that, for the moment at least, he could do
nothing Drake sat on the slab and closed his eyes,
thinking of Lara and Hex.
His eyes snapped open again when he heard footsteps
outside the cell.
It was presumably from the stance of the guards the
head of the Jem’hadar, presumably the Second as he
was pretty sure he had killed the First on the bridge.
Regardless of his rank the Jem’Hadar held the device
they had ripped from Drake’s arm.
“How does it work?” he demanded.
Drake rubbed his arm, still sore from the less than
gentle Ministrations of the Jem’Hadar, he was glad he
had left the rest of his equipment behind with the
others. He said nothing.
The guards tensed as one reached to the wall out of
Drake’s field of view, he wasn’t then surprised when
the forcefield dropped, but the guards had tensed for
nothing, he didn’t move at all, he just kept looking
straight ahead.
“How does it work?” Demanded the Jem’hadar again,
this time louder.
Drake moved his eyes to look straight in to those of
the Jem’Hadar.
It was probably a mistake.
The Jem’Hadar backhanded him and Drake flew off the
slab and to the floor, blood seeping from a split lip
and stars dancing before his eyes.
When his head cleared a little he saw the Jem’Hadar
about to put the device on his own arm.
Drake spoke the first words since his capture, “I
wouldn’t do that.”
The Jam’Hadar glared at him and proceeded to fasten
the device to his arm.
Drake waited a second and heard quite clearly a
building hum, and he smiled.
Just as the Jem’Hadar dropped to the floor convulsing,
sparks flying from the device on his arm.
Overall he hadn’t done too badly then thought Drake,
he had taken out the Vorta and the First and Second.
Now though he would probably pay even more.
He woke, or rather regained consciousness, on a
different type of bunk, there was some sort of
mattress under him, and beneath that it seemed to
be a wire-mesh structured bed.
When Drake woke he immediately began to process
information, a habit of his livelihood. The most
immediate thing to surge to the front of his mind, was
pain.
His face was swollen around his right eye, his ribs
and stomach were bruised, it felt like several of his
fingers on his right hand were broken, and the
annoying stinging sensation riding up his left leg
told him that too had been broken. The ache still
lingered after treatment as the bones finished
re-knitting. What he'd learned of medicine from
living with Lara told me they treated just enough
to make sure he could still function with no concern
about actually making him "comfortable" or easing
his pain.
There was a musty smell in the air, dampness. Drake
forced himself to stand up, finding more bruises in
the process. His clothing had been changed. Where
he once had a uniform, there was now only a simple,
brown tunic and trowsers with matching shoes.
He couldn't help a little smirk and thinking to himself,
** These people have no fashion sense at all,
do they? **
On his chest, something that vaguely resembled a
comm badge. He quickly studied it and realized it
contained only a translator, nothing he could use to
make a comm signal.
Frustrated, he studied the a small stone built room.
There was no door in the frame, the only furniture
beyond the bed was a small table that seemed to
have a basin built in it. Walking gently over to the
doorway Drake stepped out in to a corridor made from
the same stone. A door at the end was open and
Drake saw the shadow of several Jem’Hadar.
He shambled over and looked out of the door, just from
the immediate vista he saw security fences, guard
posts, patrolling Jem’Hadar and of course the
landscape.
The rocky terrain was coloured with sloughs of mud,
rivulets of rain pouring down the rock formations and
the rain, lots of rain, the entire sky looked
overcast, but it was very strange, the entire sky,
rain included, looked purple.
A tone sounded loudly through the camp and a Jem
Hadar approached him. "That means it's time for
work."
"What kind of work?" Drake asked, avoiding direct
eye contact this time.
"Get in line with the others." was the only reply
given to him.
Through the rain, he saw other prisoners walking
towards the center of the compound, Jem Hadar
and Vorta escorts watching over them. Their
wet clothing stuck to their bodies and they walked
with their eyes lowered. He tried to study them,
looking for a familiar face. Then, he was startled
by a flash of lightening from above.
The sky lit up during those few seconds, showing
ununsual cloud formations. There was a strange
beauty that gave him pause. He'd never seen
a planet like this one.
Annoyed by the delay, one of the Jem Hadar
struck the butt of his phaser rifle against Drake's
left kidney. Groaning softly, the half El-Aurian
dropped to one knee in the mud. Already sopping
wet, he heard the deep baritone voice of the guard
standing over him.
" You were told to get in line."
__________________________________________
Location: Minzinite Mining camp # 42
Scene: Walking from the living area to the mine
__________________________________________
Beneath the overcast sky, they moved at a slow,
steady pace. Quietly studying those ahead of him, he
recognized the forms of men, women and some that were
practically still children.
Variations in wardrove surprised him. He speculated
there had to be some type of reward system or bartering
system because other prisoners had additional garments
like crudely made fur coats, belts with tools mounted on
them, head lamps and fur wrappings adding additional
protection to their feet over their simple brown garments.
Mud seeped into his shoes and between his toes. An
animal roughly canine in nature came up to sniff him and
others. It's blue gray fur was thick and water resistant. Drake
recognized it as the same type of fur used in additional
clothing other prisoners had been able to procure.
The sound of a child's laughter took him by surprise.
Drake recognized the slightly protruding forehead and
greenish-tinted skin indicating the boy was of Argrathi heritage.
Barely an adolescent, he broke away from the adult he was
walking with to pet the animal. Fearing the Jem Hadar would
hurt him, the boy's father ran to his side quickly and grabbed
his arm to get him back in line.
Drake's heart broke as he realized what he'd heard of
these camps were true. People spent their entire lives here,
had children here. That boy had most likely been born in and
had only ever known this life, this camp.
___________________________________________
Location: Mineshaft
Scene: Drake's work area
Time index: An hour later
____________________________________________
With a few other "newbies", he was pushed to the side
and made to wait until an older prisoner fit them with working
equipment. The headlamp had a very simple operation. You
twisted it to narrow the focus of the beam. Broad setting was
for walking up and down the narrow mine shafts, dimly lighting
all around you. Narrow setting was for the more delicate work,
hunching over sections of the wall and the ground with the
necessary tools for finding and digging out
small pieces of Minzinite.
The work was simple and boring. He couldn't get the taste of
dust out of his mouth. Worse than being thirsty and hungry,
though....was the loneliness.
Not even a "Hi, what's your name?" Except to give him orders,
nobody bothered talking to him at all.
Finally, a young Dosi woman approached with a Canteen. Her
young face was painted in the traditional colors, a deep red with
patterns of white and blue. Drake eagerly took the Canteen,
smiled warmly and said, "Thank you so much, Miss."
The young woman blinked with surprise. She wasn't used to
anyone showing her such kindness. She smiled herself and
warned him. "Save some water to wash your feet."
The half El-Aurian sputtered and blinked. "Excuse me?"
"There are microbes in the soil. Not good for your feet. Try
to wash them as often as you can." she warned him gently.
"Right." Drake moaned dryly. "Of course there are. Thank
you."
The young woman was just beyond her adolescence and
gave Drake a flirtatious smile. Then, she sighed. "I should
probably go."
"Wait." Drake almost pleaded. "What's your name?"
She smiled, pleased that he'd asked. "Aryah."
He grinned. "Thank you, Aryah. I'm Drake."
The next thing she said left him baffled. She gave him a little
smirk and said, "Yes, I know."
Drake frowned, "I beg your pardon?"
Before Aryah could explain, the familiar baritone voice of a
Jem Hadar bellowed, "Water woman! Keep moving!"
The kindness and the smile quickly faded from the young
woman's features. Drake sighed with disgust as just the
sound of that voice made Aryah lower her eyes and scurry
away like a well-trained, scared little mouse.
His insides ached with disgust as he considered the
possible indignities that young women Aryah's age could
be subjected to in a camp like this. Jem Hadar had no
sexual appetites of their own most likely wouldn't be
bothered by whatever their prisoners did to each other
as long as people were still able to get up and do their
work.
That moment of sympathy and frustration, knowing he
was just as trapped here as she was, quickly turned
back to confusion.
** She knew my name? How could she know my name?**
___________________________________________
Location: Camp #42
Scene: Medical area
Time index: Two hours later
___________________________________________
As the Commanding Officer of GATEWAY station,
Daisy was a trophy in the eyes of the Dominion. They
loved the story of how they'd captured and punished the
arrogant Starfleet Commander openly trying to negotiate
with and undermine their hold on
ANDARA.
That story made good anti-starfleet propoganda. They
wanted people on multiple worlds to see Daisy humiliated
and suffering. And on other worlds? The idea of her being
publically converted, publically switching sides from Starfleet
to Dominion, carried some appeal. In both cases, they
would be able to use her as a weapon to demoralize and
to control solids.
Only having one "Daisy" made that difficult. It took time
for the footage of her working shifts in the mine and treating
injuries of the other labor camp workers to reach through out
their territory.
The simple sollution was cloning.
When Aryah returned to the medical area for another
load of water canteens, she was once again dazzled by
the equipment. It looked fantastic and alien against the
background of what had been a fairly primitive hospital
area.
Identical duplicates of the same blonde haired, brown
eyed woman were carrying the naked body of yet another
one from a processing chamber to a bed. One began wiping
her clean as the other one wrapped her in a blanket. She
was wobbly and disoriented,
a newly born clone.
"You were right." Aryah spoke to both of them. "One of
your people *IS* here...the one called Drake."
"I thought so." the two spoke in unison. Then, they
glared at each other. "I hate it when you do that."
came from one and "Oh, shaddup" followed from the
other.
"I knew they had to have taken more than just me." one
Daisy continued.
"I saw what looked like a couple of junior officers from
the crew of the CHANTICO, too - but I wasn't sure if they
were real or just Changelings or Chameloids messing with
my head for kicks." the other Daisy added.
Aryah sighed and hugged the woman closest to her, "You
make them sound so cruel - but you will see the blessings of
the Founders as we all have."
Daisy groaned and lightly patted the young woman on
her back, half-heartedly returning the embrace. "So you
keep telling me young lady, so you keep telling me."
__________________________________________________
Location: GS2
Scene: Temple of the Prophets
____________________________________________________
A small, unassuming structure located in a quieter area of
the Promenade, this temple holds regular prayer services to
the Prophets and acts as the hub of Bajoran spiritual life
on GATEWAY.
The interior holds several pews around a central holographic
representation of the Celestial Temple, with inspirational art
adorning the walls.
Wangel Erek was on his knees before a shrine, praying for
the safe return of Erika's mother and an end to the war.
He was praying for peace, softly chanting Bajoran words under
his breath when Arby came running in.
The Bajoran sighed with annoyance and looked up at the
Risan.
"Arby - what is it?"
"A report from the Gamma Quadrant."
The color drained from Erek's face and he jumped to
his feet. Then, he followed Erek out to the promenade area
and looked for a public terminal. The face of a lovely human
reporter was on the screen.
{{ "This is Petaline Depp reporting. We have footage
from a source deep within the Gamma Quadrant that is
believed to be Commander Daisy Byrne Davidson making a
bombshell announcement that she has switched sides in the
war against the Dominion. Please stay tuned. }}
The two school teachers frowned, looked at each other,
and then turned back to the screen.
Soon, they saw a perfect clone of Daisy sitting in a
lovely house with two Vorta. A Jem Hadar hovered
nearby.
{{ "You'll forgive me, Commander...." }} Began a second
reporter. {{ "I can't help being skeptical about what I'm hearing
and seeing." }}
Made compliant, programmed quite well, the clone gave
a sweet smile.
{{ "Please call me Daisy. I've left that old life behind me." }}
Wangel Erek blinked, "What?!"
{{ "Very well, Daisy..." }} smiled the reporter. {{ "So you're
leaving Starfleet then?" }}
Wangel Erek studied the background. Through a window
behind her, he could see a pink sky and trees with orange
colored leaves. He didn't recognize the planet.
{{ "I hope you'll take my message with you." }} the clone
coo'ed sweetly. {{ "I've seen that Starfleet has no business
forcing themselves into the Gamma Quadrant. Our arrogance,
thinking we are somehow worthy or could know better than the
Founders how they should run their worlds? }} She sighed and
hung her head shamefully {{ "It breaks my heart that I was ever
a part of it." }}
Wangel Erek's shock and worry faded to contempt and he turned to
Arby. "That's not Daisy."
Arby just nodded, saying nothing.
{{ "Will you be going back to GATEWAY to retrieve your children,
then? }} the reporter asked.
{{ "Sadly, no." }} Clone Daisy announced. {{ "I think they are
better off staying with their own kind, with the solids. }}
{{ "So, you nolonger consider yourself a solid, then? }}
{{ "Not entirely." }} she smiled. {{ "I tasted a bit of true
freedom when my DNA was first altered by the Associates of
Gary Seven. " }} She beamed. {{ "The Founders have promised
me they are going to try and expand my limited shape-shifting
ability so that I may know the joys of other forms. Isn't that
exciting?"
Wangel Erek grimaced as if he'd been kicked in the stomach.
Then, he leaned over against the terminal and tapped his
comm badge.
Arby raised an eyebrow as Wangel Erek asked a Security
team to go to the school and monitor LJ and Gavirosh. The Risan
school teacher grimaced, "That sounds a little extreme."
Wangel Erek just laughed bitterly , "You've met LJ, right?"
{{ "So, you'd gladly become a changeling yourself if you
could?" }} the second reporter on the screen continued.
{{ "Of course." }} "Daisy" replied flatly. {{ "To be not just
a Cat, but a bird flying through the sky or even a fish in
the sea? Can you imagine what you could see or experience?
Anyone who says they wouldn't want that chance is
lying." }}
{{ "Do you think it's possible for a human to be turned into a
changeling? Really?" }} asked the reporter suspiciously.
{{ "Research has already begun. Humans can be made to
be as much as 1/8 Founder - able to change their color of
hair and eyes at will." }} Clone Daisy assured him flatly.
{{ "And can you imagine it?" }} she asked him with a
smile. {{ " The day when we would all be blessed by sharing
in the great link? There would be no more violence or disease.
We would all know the intimacy of the great link and exist in
harmony. This would be the best gift I could possibly give
my children, don't you think?" }}
{{ "And what would you say to those who would dismiss
your words as those of a Shapeshifter?" }} the reporter asked.
{{ "You think I'm one of the founders?" }} Clone Daisy
chuckled. {{ "Any chance your camera man or one of
your crew would have a sharp tool in his pocket?" }}
One of them came forward with a knife and the clone sliced
open her thumb.
{{ "My blood is as red as ever." }}
{{ "Thank you, Daisy" }}
The screen changed back to Petaline Depp. She reported
sadly,
{{ "The footage made it through a Comm system relay. Our crew,
though - never returned from the Gamma Quadrant.... their ship
appears to be missing. " }}
Then, suddenly, loud voices could be heard in the studio.
Miss Depp looked around, confused and worried. {{ "What?"}}
Before she could explain anything further, the screen changed to a
Fedcom logo with a small caption beneath that the News Service
was experiencing "Technical problems"
________________________________________________
Location: Minzinite mining camp #42
Scene: just outside medical compound -> Mining area
________________________________________________
Some part of the cloning process were hit and miss
when it came to Daisy's unusual genetic make-up. Some
of the clones were compliant and easily manipulated to
good little puppets and say what the Founders
wanted. Others were less predictable.
There were cosmetic details - like the tattoo on her left
shoulder and small various types of internal scarring from
the dangerous type of life that Daisy had lived. One thing
they couldn't change, though....was chromosomes.
There's a reason the same DNA can only be cloned so
many times. The length of Telomeres in a Chromosome
indicated a clone vs. a natural born person.
Shorter telomers than normal indicated when
the woman in question was formed from DNA that
came from the adult Daisy Byrne Davidson. In each
generation of clones, the telomeres became more depleted
until the DNA was nolonger viable. That's why every series
of Vorta only lasted a certain
number of generations.
Having the same memories prior to the cloning process
made each of those clones also a medical doctor. Whatever
the "real" and original Daisy may have felt about her situation,
what was happening to her clones was worse.
They remembered her children and loved them. They remembered
her friends and family, Ben Kenta, Cade Foster, everything.
With those memories was the awareness that they'd never be
accepted in that life. Knowing they were created by the
Dominion and, because of that - would never be trusted - meant
there was no pointin trying to escape from this labor camp.
They had nowhere to go.
The founders hoped that would be enough to wear down these
non-compliant ones. If not, those would be the ones that would
be seen in situations of torture, suffering and humiliation. They
would send them around to other camps and say, "Oh, look at this!
She was in command of the mighty "Gateway station" and we've
brought her here because nobody can stand against the Dominion."
Knowing this, living with this, sheer stubbornness made some of
them try to escape anyway. On foot, one of them made it as
far as the primary mine entrance.
The other workers grabbed Drake and held him back as he
recognized the long blonde hair and long legs of Daisy running
by. He fought against them, yelling Daisy's name.
She looked over her shoulder for a second. A Jem Hadar pulled
his weapon and fired.
Drake saw what looked like his old friend Daisy fall to the ground
in a muddy, broken little heap. The Canines came. They were
trained to know dead bodies were food.
Before the clone was even cold, the dogs were growling, nipping
at each other and fighting over who got the biggest and best
pieces of her flesh. The half El-aurian Intel officer choked back
a sob as one of the others chided him.
"Keep walking or you're next."
________________________________________________________
Location: GS2: Promenade
Scene: Public terminal, Fedcom broadcast
________________________________________________________
{{ "This is Inarra Reynolds-Bloom standing in for Petaline Depp" }}
began a new reporter.
{{ "My opening story for you is one of corruption within the military.
Fedcom's own Petaline Depp, our station's primary editor and the
crew of the FSS ENQUIRER - the ship we'd been led to believe
was missing, are all in custody of Starfleet. " }}
Half Vulcan, the young woman's face remained calm as she
further explained,
{{ " Keeping with laws that date back to the 20th Century,
Miss Depp and the crew of the FSS ENQUIRER have refused
to give up the source of their information relating to the abduction
of Commander Daisy Byrne Davidson, as well as other
crewmembers formerly on the USS CHANTICO. For this, Starfleet
has arrested them on counter charges of obstruction, contempt,
conspiracy and what has been called by one of our production
assistants..." an entire laundry list of nonsense" in order to force
Miss Depp and the Enquirer crew to betray
their source. " }}
_____________________________________________________________________
Location: Minzinite mining camp#42
Scene: Drake's work area -> Medical area
Time index: a Day later
____________________________________________________________________
It hurt to walk.
It hurt to breathe.
It hurt to think.
After seeing what he'd thought was Daisy's death, Drake
tried to his best to just stay numb and muddle through -
waiting for a miracle.
He'd lost weight because getting food required joining the
others in prayers of thanks to the Founders. He'd managed
to get some additional garments. The fur jacket and footwear
were comfortable - but the memory of what he'd had to do in
trade for them left him even more nauseaus than evenings of
having to sit with others saying prayers of thanks
to the Founders for this miserable existence.
Canteens of water were distributed every other day. His had
been collected and Drake was desperately thirsty. He glanced
occasionally towards the shaft entrance, hoping to see the young
Dosi woman making her rounds to distribute water.
It wasn't Aryah today. He saw what looked like Daisy
approaching him and thought maybe he was halucinating.
Then, he thought it was a changeling or a chameloid playing
a cruel joke.
She wore the same type of clothing he did - with additional
garments of tanned canine hide and blue gray fur. She
had a bruise below her left eye and smudges of dirt on
her face.
"Drake?"
The exhausted Intel officer flew into a rage and grabbed
her by the throat. She gasped and let out a little shriek.
He pushed backwards until the back of Daisy's head
hit the wall with a sickening thud and she grimaced.
"Make any other face." the intel officer whispered
menacingly. "Just not this way. I saw them kill
Daisy. I saw it."
"D-drake." Daisy whispered, struggling to breathe.
He shook her again and a Jem Hadar slammed the
butt of his phaser rifle into the back of Drake's
head. The half El-Aurian dropped to the ground and
Daisy slumped to her knees, coughing and gasping
for air.
The minute she could breathe, she threw herself on
top of Drake and begged the Jem Hadar.
"No, don't hurt him. He was just confused."
"Distribute the water and then get back to medical."
barked an older Jem Hadar as he approached.
Drake was half-conscious and managed to open
his eyes. He was too weak and too injured to protest
as a Jem Hadar grabbed Daisy's arm and pulled her
away.
She yelled angrily, "Let me take him to medical with me.
He could have a concussion! Please!"
His stomach lurched as he was yanked to his feet.
Daisy pulled him into a hug and then leaned back.
"Let me see your eyes."
One pupil was fixed and dialated. The other was
constricted - a tiny black dot. Daisy gave him a weak
smile.
"I'll fix you right up, ok? "
"You died. I saw it." he whispered.
She sighed. "I'm sure you did. Now, let's go."
It was raining again as they left the mine. The sky was
overcast with various shades of purple.
Another Daisy approached them and Drake finally
put it together.
"They cloned you."
Daisy looked past her counterpart and then back to
her. "Where are the other two?"
"Gone." the other woman replied. "Taken to different
camps."
"How's Aryah?" Daisy asked her other self, changing the
subject.
"Resting. " the second Daisy replied. "Dr. Desai says
she'll be fully repaired and back to work in two more
hours. "
Drake walked slowly, painfully, still leaning on
Daisy towards a bed. Aryah cought his eye. She
was on another bed with torn, bloody clothes and
a sad, shattered look that he hoped he'd never have
to see. The young woman just turned away, shifting
her position carefully to avoid further discomfort. Next
to her bed was a Vorta physician holding a scanner.
"Do not move." the Vorta scolded. Then, she
asked the two Daisy's.
"What's wrong with the male?"
"Head injury." both Daisy's spoke in unison.
"His physique is sturdy. Take DNA samples for cloning."
Drake's eyes widened. "What?"
The Vorta chuckled. "We made more than a few copies
of your friend here. We aren't going to stop now - when
this same equipment could increase our number of
workers and increase mining production...."
____________________________________________________________
NRPG:
Though I am pretty much recovered from what was a nasty case of bronchitis,
I'm afraid my life is still on hold for a couple weeks until I get the results of the
Hepatitis/HIV tests. I can't really make any plans or promise that I'll be
there to run any kind of mission until I know that I'm not infected. And, if I am -
I'll be dealing with getting my husband tested, starting anti-viral drug cocktails
and meeting with an attorney about sueing the bastard responsible.
So - don't rescue Daisy until I know that I've tested negative for both HIV and
Hepatitis B & Hepatitis C. I really can't focus on anything game related until
I know my status.
http://www.thelasvegasadventurer.com/the-las-vegas-hepatitis-chiv-crisis/
Katrina and Shawn, I am going to have to trust you guys to make sure things
with ANDARA are under control. I'm sure Ran will be available to help you
both.
Thanks!
Kim
Kim Toussaint AKA Commander Daisy Byrne Davidson, M.D.
Commanding officer of GATEWAY STATION
---------------------------------
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