From: Sarah Albertini-Bond (serendipity77_at_gmail.com)
Date: Sun Apr 20 2008 - 12:00:26 PDT
=/\=
"Shoot First, Explain Later"
=/\=
Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise....
=/\=
Location: USS MCINNIS
Scene: CO's Ready Room
TI: Now
"...and that's what happened."
The sphinx-like face of Commodore Troy Svenson gazed back at the CO of the
MCINNIS. {{That's it?}}
Xana Bonviva raised a white eyebrow, but that was all the movement that she
did as she sat still in her chair. "Would you like me to make up something
else?"
{{So you went out to the HOLLAND, which just happened to be in your way on
the way to the Gamma Quadrant, sent your people over to investigate, they
came back with a child but nothing else, the Breen came, the HOLLAND
exploded, and then the Breen left and that's it?}}
"Those were the salient events," Xana replied.
=/\=
Run in the shadows...
=/\=
Scene: Bridge
TI: Earlier
"You brought back a child?"
Of all the things Xana expected to hear from Kat Gorman who was standing
there before her after having been on the HOLLAND it most certainly was not
that. "A child," Kat confirmed. "I had her put in Sickbay under guard."
Zachary Wen watched carefully to see Xana's reaction. Would she be the
mother or the Starfleet CO? Or would she try and juggle both? Or would
nothing penetrate the shroud of grief that she had encapsulated herself in?
"I'll go to Sickbay," Xana announced as she stood up. "Ens. Orla, redouble
our efforts to contact the Fleet."
"Yes ma'am," the SOO replied.
=/\=
Damn your love, damn your lies...
=/\=
Scene: Sickbay->CMO's Office->Sickbay
AJ O'Malley stood a decent amount of distance away from the doctors and
Security staff who were examining and guarding the child, respectively. He
had gotten what information he needed and decided to lie in wait for when
she'd come. He had no doubt she would.
A few minutes after when Potter-Gorman arrived on the Bridge, AJ was proven
right when Xana walked in by herself. Her violet eyes were so focused on
getting to the child that she didn't even see him. Easily jumping in the
middle of her path, AJ looked at her. "I need to talk to you."
"Now?" she asked, clearly perturbed.
"Now," he replied staring at her.
"Dio," she muttered. Looking around she saw the CMO's office was not being
used and called out, "Dr. Quin we need to borrow your office for a moment."
After the doctor easily agreed, the CO turned and walked towards the office
knowing the ILO would follow. Once they were inside Xana didn't bother to
sit or offer the ILO a seat. Turning around, she folded her arms and said,
"Talk."
"The child is a Founder," AJ announced without preamble.
Xana looked around AJ out to where the rest of the staff was gathered in
Sickbay. "Are you sure?"
"Positive," AJ replied. There was a long silence filled with nothing but a
look. Finally he said, "They won't know yet. Approved Federation tests for
such things take longer than we have."
He wondered what she'd say to that. He wondered what she'd say to the
things he didn't say but were implied. He wondered about it all and honestly
couldn't guess anymore what she'd say or do.
"I can think of a million reasons why you'd lie," Xana said softly as she
turned to look out at the stars. "Especially now. Especially about something
like that. And I can think of a million reasons why not to trust you."
AJ said nothing. It was just as he had told Svenson – she had no reason to
listen to him. There was no sane reason why she should trust him, even if
the Commodore did order her to do so, AJ knew better. She'd listen to
Svenson, smile and nod politely agreeing to do her job,but deep within her
heart she wouldn't trust him.
"Please," he said, that one word costing him more than it should have.
However high the cost he'd deal with later, though. All he knew was that in
spite of everything it was crucial that she trusted him now. Xana couldn't
work without trusting the person in the uniform, he knew that. And he needed
her trust on this. "Please you have to trust me on this."
Xana turned around at that, clearly surprised at what he was saying.
[[Potter-Gorman to Bonviva. We have the Breen on sensors.]]
=/\=
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear your saying you would never break the chain...
=/\=
Scene: Bridge
"Status," Xana called out as she made it to the Bridge with AJ following
her.
"One ship, for now," Kat announced as she stood up. As her friend made her
way up to the front she asked, "Orders?"
"Raise shields and pull back from the HOLLAND," Xana announced. Sitting
down in her seat she muttered, "And what the hell, hail the Breen."
"They're responding," Safree announced.
"On the viewscreen," Xana announced. When she saw the faceless, mechanical
being on the viewscreen the Bolian/Human nodded and said, "Greetings and
Salutations."
The Breen did not clearly enjoy high oratorical speaking. {{This is the
Neutral Zone.}}
"So I noticed," Xana replied.
{{This is our property. You will leave immediately but only after returning
any property you stole.}}
The CO was clearly less than thrilled with that order. "That is Federation
property, therefore we did not steal anything."
The Breen were quiet before announcing. {{That ship is ours, a product of
war. You were on that ship, and it is highly unlikely that you did not take
something from it. Return the stolen property and you may live.}}
Xana leaned over to Kat and whispered, "Bring the child onto the Bridge."
"Are you kidding me?" Kat hissed.
"No," Xana replied. Standing up she stalled for time. "How is the HOLLAND
yours? As you said we are in the Neutral Zone. Are you claiming to have
entered into combat in the Neutral Zone?"
{{We confess to nothing to you,}} the Breen replied.
"They're charging weapons," Eilean announced.
{{Hand over what is ours,}} the Breen demanded.
Xana heard the doors hiss open behind her. "Don't you want to know what we
have?" Turning she saw Eilean's men escorting the child to the front of the
Bridge.
The Breen paused at seeing the Founder child.
"You can't tell me this is yours," Xana replied softly.
"I have a name," the child blurted out.
"Children speak when spoken to and no one spoke to you," Xana admonished.
Looking back at the Breen she said, "She is not yours."
{{She belongs more to us than to you,}} the Founder announced. {{Hand her
over.}}
"I will destroy everything first before doing that," Xana announced. "I'd
kill her even before doing that."
{{You wouldn't dare,}} the Breen warned.
Xana took out her phaser and shot the empty co-pilot's console. "I will
destroy this ship piece by piece if I have to."
Kat grimaced at that as she lowered the internal speakers, sure to have
Luke Serafini having a apoplectic fit at the Bridge being shot at.
{{A Federation Commander would never hurt another person without cause,}}
the Breen announced.
The CO considered that for a moment. "Mr. O'Malley," she called out. "Front
and center."
AJ did as he was told but inside he was genuinely nervous. Shooting up the
Bridge? What the hell was Xana doing? He was even more confused when she
turned to him, giving him a look. That look on her face...if he didn't know
better...
"Gods above and below help me, I've always trusted you, Adam," she
whispered so softly that he had to strain to hear her.
Then she raised arm and shot AJ O'Malley in the chest.
"I will kill my staff one by one but you are not getting this child. I will
even kill her myself before I let you take her," Xana declared glaring at
the Breen on the viewscreen. "End transmission." Turning to her stunned
staff she ordered, "Send AJ to Sickbay, bring the child back there too, and
fire on the HOLLAND. I'll be damned if the Breen will be getting that."
=/\=
Listen to the wind blow, down comes the night...
=/\=
Scene: Engineering
"How are we doing here?"
Luke Serafini stopped his ordering the staff to see the CO stand there as
if nothing happened. "How are we doing?!" he yelled. "How are we doing?!"
"I take it not to be well," the CO sighed. "Still you and your men did an
admirable job during the fight."
"We shot another Federation ship," the CEO muttered. "We did it while
shooting at the Breen."
"The ship separation function works quite well," Xana replied as if the CEO
didn't sound like he was in pain.
"You can't keep this up!"
"Hmm?" Xana murmured. "Can't keep what up?"
Luke didn't have a history with the CO like the others did. Someone had to
tell her the truth. "You can't keep this up. Shooting at the Bridge,
shooting at people, getting us into fights that we can't win."
"Luke, that's my job," Xana replied patiently. "Well the last thing is, the
first two things you listed are optional."
"I know you're grieving but you can't take the rest of us with you while
you do it," the CEO blurted out
Xana said nothing at that. Finally she said, "If I thought it would keep
Gene's soul at peace I would blow up this ship right now. And I'd not feel
any guilt over it. But it wouldn't put him at peace. What would make him
rest in peace is me protecting all of you. Sometimes to do that you have to
do the seemingly unsafe thing."
Luke watched the CO walk away. "Wait," he called out. When Xana turned
around he said, "If you're going to be shooting up the Bridge then you
should have...I'll have my team install a dummy console next to the
co-pilot's chair. It won't damage any systems if you need to go all Wild
West on it."
Xana smiled at the CEO and then left.
=/\=
Run in the shadows
Damn your love, damn your lies...
=/\=
Scene: Sickbay
AJ O'Malley hurt like hell. His idiotic ex – who he had stupidly still
wanted not that long ago – went ahead and shot him.
Shooting him had done a great job of helping him get over her, he had to
say.
Lying on the biobed, but still not opening up his eyes, he listened to a
conversation going on not that far away from him.
"You're mean!" The voice was high, and clearly very childish. It had to be
the Founder child, AJ thought to himself.
"When I have to be," Xana agreed. "I prefer not to be but yes, when I have
to be, I'll be mean."
"You shot that man! You said you'd shoot me," the girl replied.
"I said I didn't want to shoot you but to avoid letting the Breen get you,
yes I would have shot you," Xana replied.
AJ could almost hear the pout. "I don't want to be here."
"I'm sorry but you have to stay on the ship."
"You're not my mommy!"
"No, I'm not," Xana agreed. "Do you have a name?"
"Himeko," the girl replied.
"Well Himeko, I'm Xana," Xana replied. "You'll stay in Sickbay until the
doctors say you're well...and then after that we'll figure out something for
you."
"Where are you going?" Himeko asked.
"Well I'm going to go check on that man I shot and you're going to go with
Nurse Loja for more tests," the CO replied.
"You're not nice at all," the girl pouted.
Xana said nothing to that but walked over to AJ's bed, making sure there
was a privacy shield around them. Sitting down in the chair she read over a
PADD while waiting for him. And since he was getting tired of pretending to
be asleep he opened his green eyes.
"How do you feel?" Xana asked.
"Like I was shot," AJ muttered.
"Do you want some painkillers?" she asked. "Should I get a doctor?"
"I'll be fine," the ILO replied.
The CO nodded at that. Lying the PADD she was holding on his bed she said,
"I brought you the form to fill out if you want to charge me."
They both said nothing for a long time. Finally Xana filled in the silence.
"I meant what I said."
"Why?" AJ asked.
Xana swallowed the lump in her throat as she figured out what to say.
Looking off to the side she said, "A few years ago, Gene and I were having a
rough time of things. I thought a friend of mine had died and...well I
wasn't myself. Anyway around that time I heard about an agent who was caught
behind Romulan lines....who was being disavowed....nothing could be traced
back to Starfleet but as an Ambassador I had resources that the Fleet
didn't....relationships I could lean on that they couldn't...."
AJ said nothing during all that but just continued to stare.
"Later on I tried to rationalize it by saying I was having a rough time in
my life and all that...but honestly, you've always had a piece of my heart.
Some part of me will always trust you as a result." She gave him a look and
said, "I was in love with Gene, and I loved the life we had. I still love
him, if you want me to be honest. But you had my heart first. It was just
something I had to deal with."
Shrugging her shoulders Xana sighed and looked at AJ. "Fill out the form
when you're ready."
"You just told me that you still have feelings after you shot me?" AJ asked
incredulously as he moved to sit up.
Xana gave a smile at that. "I never said I was an easy person to love, or
even understand." Standing up she chuckled dryly, "And you can thank your
lucky stars that you don't anymore. Just fill out the form and I'll probably
be escorted off by the time you're out of here and back on duty and then you
won't have to deal with me anymore."
=/\=
Break the silence
Damn the dark, damn the light...
=/\=
Scene: The Glade
"I never thought I'd say that shooting up things would be an improvement,"
Zach muttered.
Xana sat in a corner table with the CNS. Raising up the tea cup to her lips
she said, "I'm going back to my roots."
"Sure that's it," Zach sighed. Looking at the CO he asked, "So are you over
being stoic and cold?"
The azure woman smirked. "Sure why the hell not?"
Tomas Vukovic came over with another pot of tea, along with scones. The
story that she had outlined to AJ was true, but the friend in question was
Vukovic. Another man she loved, although not romantically, but he was a good
true friend. Definitely someone worth mourning over if he should die. And
granted she hadn't made his life any easier when he reappeared but she was
glad he was back in her life, even if their relationship would never be the
same. "When you're done slacking off, Tomas, your goddaughter misses you."
"Yes, Commander," Tomas' replied.
"And how many damn times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"
"You will have to tell me once more I believe," Tomas replied with a ghost
of a smile on his face. Realizing he missed something he said, "I'll be
right back."
"He's Dahlia's godfather?" Zach asked.
Xana nodded, a smile gracing her face as it always did when she spoke about
her daughter. "He was with me when my water broke and he held my hand during
labor."
"I always knew my nanites would come in handy. I didn't feel a thing as you
decided to squeeze my hand beyond any recognizable form," the Borg/Human
muttered with a trace of good humor.
Xana reacted quickly, tugging Tomas down to eye level. "You try pushing out
something the size of a turkey through an opening the size of a lemon
without your precious nanites."
[[Commander Bonviva, Commodore Svenson is trying to reach you,]] Orla
announced over the commbadge.
"On my way," Xana announced. Standing up she looked at the two men there
and said, "Well gentlemen if this is the last time I see you before I am
unceremoniously let go from my post let me say it's been an honor and a
privilege to serve with you." Xana then made a move to leave but stopped
herself. "Oh and call your mothers."
=/\=
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying you would never break the chain....
=/\=
Scene: Bridge->CO's Ready Room
"Can't believe you shot AJ," Kat muttered.
"Really?" Xana asked.
"Well now I mean," Kat replied.
Xana smiled and patted her friend, "Oh I'll be fine."
"Yeah that's what you always say," the XO muttered.
"Look if this ends up...well please take Dahlia for me. You and Tomas,"
Xana replied softly. "Do that for me."
"It's not going to come to that," Kat said. Softening up a bit she said,
"Sure, Dahlia can come with me." Giving her friend a look she said, "This is
not what I agreed to by the way when I said I'd come serve with you."
Xana smiled at that. "I do like to keep things interesting though."
The CO then walked into her office. She looked around – it looked much like
her other offices had in the past but she was different now. She could curse
everyone and everything in sight, shoot everyone and every console on this
ship, but it wouldn't mean a thing.
"I'd still miss you, caro," she sighed, talking aloud. "I'll miss you to
the day I die." Sighing again she muttered, "Well get busy living or get
busy dying."
Moving to her chair she typed in her codes and waited as the image changed
from the Federation symbol to that of Commodore Svenson's face. "Hello,
Commodore," Xana said.
{{Commander Bonviva,}} Troy replied. Dispensing with formalities he said,
{{So do you want to tell me what happened with the MCINNIS and the
HOLLAND?}}
Xana kept herself calm as she looked on the viewscreen. "Well you see it
began like this..."
=/\=
NRPG: I know we haven't all written in months but I like wrapping up
things. More or less LOL I've left things open in case anyone has a yen to
write but otherwise don't worry about it. The MCINNIS will be then sailing
to the Gamma Quadrant, just another ship on the line.
The song quoted throughout is Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain". No copyright
infringement or disrespect is intended.
=/\=
Sarah Albertini-Bond
Commander Xana Bonviva
Commanding Officer
USS MCINNIS
Chain keeps us together
(run into the shadows)
Chain keeps us together
(run into the shadows)
Chain keep us together
(run into the shadows)
From HyperNews_at_youth.net
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Mon Oct 06 2008 - 03:10:51 PDT