Chapter 3.3

Posted on Mon Jun 19th, 2023 @ 11:51am by Willian Targaryen & Commander Emko Xasx & Lieutenant Rrawran

1,255 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Remember Everything
Location: Brig, USS Enterprise
Timeline: 3189-03-17, 09:30

The Security Compound within the Stardrive Section of the Starship Enterprise was a large series of rooms dedicated to ensuring that the ship and crew were kept safe. Normally this area of the Enterprise was alive with activity as hundreds of Security Officers worked from here at any given time. Ever since the Burn and their being pulled forward to this era it was almost devoid. Enterprise had only a third of its normal complement of security personnel and it truly showed here.

"Admiral," Lieutenant Rrawran greeted from the door to the Brig.

Willian smiled, "Captain now, Lieutenant, but I appreciate the reminder."

"To me you'll always be the Admiral," the Rorworr Security Officer announced. "Thank you for asking me to accompany you. I thought that this would be something you'd do with Chief Zim."

"Zim has other assignments and I don't want to bother him," Willian confirmed. Letting out a breath, Willian looked at the entry to the Brig. In his entire career he'd be here perhaps only a dozen times. Enterprise had three Brig facilities aboard. One was located in the Saucer while two were located in the Stardrive compound. Each Block had ten cells that were used to incarcerate those accused of criminal acts and Willian had been gratified that he'd only had to visit this room so infrequently.

Rrawran nodded, "I understand, Sir." He input a code into the keypad attached to the door, opening up a small corridor that the two had to traverse before entering the actual Cell Block. Security Sensors monitored this corridor looking for evidence of weapons as the two officers traversed. They didn't find anything, but they were far from infallible.

Passing through the threshold into the Block, Willian immediately noticed how small each cell truly was. Consisting of a small room containing only a bed, a small refresher, and a fold down table that could be used for eating, Willian was immediately taken aback by the size of the chambers. The head in his quarters was larger than the cells. As the door behind him slid shut the sound of a forcefield engaging to seal the room off immediately gathered his attention. He knew that if things went wrong he and Rrawran were trapped weaponless with people that were potentially responsible for bringing Battle Group Omega to its knees.

"May I introduce you to Commander Emko Xasx, Captain," Rrawran motioned toward the cell to the right of the entryway.

Willian crossed his arms as he approached the entry to the cell. Commander Emko Xasx, if that was his name and rank, sat inside the cell on the bed. A couple items quickly caught the former Admiral's attention. The Commander looked more like a child than a soldier. He was sitting quietly atop the bed in his undershirt and the Captain could tell that he had ate very little as his frame, while athletic, looked more frail than it should. The TriCom had been confiscated, but the tunic itself had been carefully placed and not thrown about. That was the most noticeable aspect of seeing the Commander and told the Captain multitudes.

"I'm Captain Willian Targaryen," Willian introduced from the doorway. "I'm Captain of this vessel."

Commander Xasx rose from his place on the bed and approached the door, standing directly parallel to the Captain. "Commander Emko Xasx, Captain. I'm of the Federation Starship USS Nog."

"Where is the Nog now, Commander?" Willian asked, curious.

"With any luck at Federation Headquarters, Sir." The young Betazoid kept firm, "You'll have to excuse me, Captain, the Brig is a little warmer than I am used to. Hence I am out of uniform."

Targaryen smirked, "Trust me I understand, Commander. Rrawran, can you look into adjusting the environmental controls for Commander Xasx?"

Rrawran looked between the two, "Yes Sir." Being from a planet with an arctic climate, Rrawran found most rooms on the ship overly warm for his comfort, but the Brig had been relatively fine. It was probably a tactic that the Captain was using to show support and get answers. The Security Officer walked to the console.

"Thank you, Sir," Emko answered. "How are my team? I haven't seen any of them since you arrested me."

"My medical staff are still working with your one crewman, Commander. The other officer is being held in the other Cell Block. My apologies, but it's standard procedure to keep potential criminals away from one another. Being in Security I'm certain you know that." The Captain explained.

"I respectfully request that you release my team and I immediately and allow us to proceed on our way," Xasx got right to the point.

Willian shook his head, "I'm sorry, Commander, but I can't do that right now. You and your team have been accused of stealing the Command Codes of Starfleet Battle Group Omega for sale to the Emerald Chain. I cannot allow Federation property to be sold to the enemy."

Xasx laughed at the thought, "I'd never do that to the Federation, Sir, and I'd sure as Hell not give support to the Emerald Chain."

"That may be so, Commander, but look at it from our perspective. We were with the Stargazer when you and your team fled," Willian pointed out.

"The Stargazer had been taken, Captain! It's been captured by the enemy and masquerading as Starfleet!"

Willian remained stone faced, "Commander, they said the same about you. Respectfully, it's a lot easier for three people to pretend to be Starfleet than an entire crew of a vessel to do so."

Xasx sighed and rolled his eyes at the same time, "Not these days, Captain. There's no Starfleet Academy anymore, the fleet's been decimated, and the Federation's a shadow of itself." He returned to the bed, "I intercepted the file on your ship from the Stargazer when I, how did you put it, 'pretended to be Starfleet.' I don't need it to know that you and your ship are from another time, Sir. Just looking at it for the cursory glance I had before your crew disabled us told me that. Captain, I can take you back to the Federation if you help me. We can get you away from these impostors and reunite you with the fleet. I just need you to trust me."

The Captain of the Enterprise looked at the young officer. When he first came here he noticed the tunic and the way it was placed. He knew from it that the young man had been Starfleet to the core. That level of reverence for the uniform wasn't common with those who were criminals, but that didn't mean it wasn't a trick. But, what he said matched up with Galatea's true comments. Maybe they were really Starfleet after all.

He had to be careful because even Galatea, with everything that had been going on, may have been compromised. She hadn't given them really any indication that she was on their side.

"Trust has to be earned, Commander," Willian answered. "Rrawran."

"Sir?"

"Please remain here with Commander Xasx," the Captain commanded, "I'll give him my answer soon."

The Rorworr nodded, "Aye Sir."

Xasx looked up from his new isolation on the bed, "Captain, please."

The Captain of the Enterprise looked back. He wanted to trust him, he wanted to help him, but there was still more to this galaxy than any of them understood. "You'll have my answer within the hour, Commander." He stepped out of the room, but didn't know himself which way this would go.

 

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