A traitors end
Apr 30, 2023 11:25:58 GMT -5
DGM Soft Kitty, Lieutenant jg Ezri Tegan, and 1 more like this
Post by PO2 Jacob William Callihan on Apr 30, 2023 11:25:58 GMT -5
A hooded figure walked down a deserted alleyway, stepping over discarded rubbish and junk, beneath their hood a disgusted look on their face. From above the loud cawing of a bird, made the figure jump. Placing a hand to their chest they could feel their beating heart, taking a moment to calm themselves, they shifted their vision to look around carefully just encase they were being followed. Seeing no signs of a tail the hooded figure continued their walk until they found themselves in the shadow of a large sculpture. The area was only lit up by the light of a full moon, seemingly out of the shadows another figure melted into appearance.
The hooded figure took in a deep breath before approaching his fellow figure in black, the tension in the air was so thick you could practically cut it with a knife. Until a female voice broke the tension in the air “Captain Edward Barron, we meet again, what have you got for us this time.” The hooded figure grit his teeth, his nerves growing, doubt was in his heart, but steeling himself looks up at the speaker. “I have something you would be interested in… the information you were looking for” He takes out a datapad and offers it to the woman opposite him.
She took it from his hand “Access code?” She asked, “ Sierra, Bravo fife niner Zulu Echo wun fower” He responded. She skimmed through the contents “Excellent The supreme Mother will be most pleased, tell me captain, how does it feel to betray your people” She sneered at him. He remained firm, despite him passing intel to her several times now, it was always the same question, it became annoying but yet he answered her the same as always. “As I have said, I'm just cleaning the slate… I am responsible for many…many…many wrongs…” He looked at his hands and he could practically see them covered in blood. “So much so no matter how much I atone I doubt I will ever be redeemed. This is just my way of balancing the scales.”
He felt guilt gnawing at him, was this truly right? How many star fleet officers were going to die for this intel he had just given over. How many children would be without a parent, how many parents would lose their child and yet again he was responsible. He felt like he was drowning with blood and bodies, every night he saw the faces of his victims. Men, women of many species, those who died for his orders and those who were killed on his orders. They haunted him whispering to him, clawing at him, but he always forgot their words when he returned from the land of dreams but they still chilled him to his core.
It was all getting too much, he was responsible for so many deaths he felt the only way he could redeem himself was passing information to the chantry perhaps that would relieve him of his sins. “This will go a long way in your path to redemption, you have served the mother well this day” She reached out and stroked his chin. “Thank you, we will see each other again soon” With that she turned on her heel and left, the weight he felt on his heart only got heavier as he watched her walk away and seemingly fade into the darkness.As he walked away from his meeting point rain started to fall, it wasn’t long before he was completely soaked, It was a long walk back to the ship and to his ready room.
But he paid it no mind,constant thoughts swirled in his head, guilt at betraying Star Fleet and his comrades, guilt of all the deaths he caused, everything fighting away in his mind, he felt so powerless and confused. He had no idea what to do if he was caught now… It be life imprisonment or..Though if a certain someone knew…that would be a mercy. He shivered at the thought of this. This could not go on much further, he should just hand in his commission and be done with it before the chantry could blackmail him, while he still had something left. He could retire somewhere peaceful and start anew perhaps even finally settle down. But that would not change anything… he still felt the need to redeem himself…but surely there was a better way.
His XO attempted to flag him down but he brushed him off and retreated into his ready room, he could not bare to look his long time friend in the face anymore out of shame. He took off his coat, throwing it to one side and collapsed into his chair, just sorting through his thoughts before with a heavy sigh, opened up his desk taking out a bottle of whiskey from earth, looked it over before taking out his favourite glass and poured himself a glass. There was a pile of reports on his desk, with a deep groan he downed his drink, poured herself another before setting himself to work, he had no idea how long it was before he got a buzz at his door. With an annoyed grunt “Enter”
A young man entered his ready room, he was in his early twenties, brown hair, green eyes well built and muscular. He had not seen this man before, he frowned, this was not his usual yeoman and something seemed slightly off with the man. “Who are you, where's Mesllia!?” He demanded. “I’m sorry Captain Petty officer Owens is down with the flu, I am petty officer third Luge Swain. I’m temporarily filling in for her, I have reports here marked urgent for you. The XO is on the bridge and he wanted these passed to you immediately for review.”
He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose “Alright…i will take them…” The petty officer nodded and approached and offered him a stack of datapads. He signed “Is there anything else you need, captain? You are looking troubled, something on your mind?”
“No…actually wait, tell me something young man…please take a seat” He gestured to the seat in front of him. “Captain?” The petty officer gave him a confused expression. “Sit!” The petty officer nodded and sat down. “A drink?” he offered waving a hand over his whiskey. “No thank you sir, i appreciate it but i don’t drink on duty” The captain smirked. “That's good kid, you don’t want to end up a drunk fool like me.” The petty officer looked at him “Sir… you're not…”
“Save the ass kissing kid…I’m in no mood for it...That's what I am… a drunk old fool, who somehow still wears a uniform…” He stopped himself placing his hands on his face and there was a dead silence between the two. Something seemed off, his instinct was warning him of something, he observed the kid before him who seemed to be watching him closely, his eyes were sharp, almost too sharp, the more he looked the more those eyes unnerved him, they seemed remarkably cold. He had seen the eyes before, the man before him had killed before.
The drink was making him paranoid, he could feel the alcohol corrupting his mind, which was odd he was not this much of a lightweight. Though there was a lot on his mind, he had not slept in a while. “Tell me kid, do you believe in redemption? Do you believe we can be forgiven and cleansed of our sins” The Petty Officer looked blank “Sins captain?”
“Yes sins… Star fleet is not always about adventure and exploring…Sometimes missions go wrong…Sometimes you have to do bad things for the right reasons… Sometimes you have a whole bunch of dead civilians or lose entire crews.” He held his head once more, he felt weak and woozy, his breath felt wheezy and raggard. He clutched his chest, something was wrong! But the Petty Officer did not look concerned in the slightest. “Doctor!” He gasped. He reached his hand for his comm “Aquarius sends their regards.” The petty officer said there was no emotion in his voice, a smile curled on his lips which didn’t reach the eyes. It was akin to a predator who had caught their Prey.
The captain forgot all about using his con badge; he felt like his heart stopped, fear filled him, paralysing him. “No what…why…” He stammered. "You know exactly why! You played your part well, little pawn, but you are no longer needed on the game board." The captain froze if the petty officer…no this man's words were true, everything he did for redemption was pointless…He was just like always a pawn in someone else's game, forever dancing to someone else's tune. It aggravated him to no end. “If it makes you feel better, the intel you passed on is what Aquarius wanted to leak.” He felt so foolish, for a brief moment he considered killing the messenger, his hand drifting towards his pistol hidden in his desk.
The man’s smile didn’t waver, his eyes didn’t leave him for a moment and for a brief moment he thought he saw a glint in his eyes. He knew he was being carefully observed, The cold smile on the man’s face, the look he was being given, it hinted to the captain he knew about his pistol, he wanted him to at least try. He signed in defeat “Way to kick a man when he’s down…So what now…are you going to arrest me? Or you going to kill me?” He laughed nervously at the end. The man before him didn’t even blink “I already killed you from the moment you took a sip.” Gestures to the bottle.
Cold confirmation gripped his heart, oddly though he did not feel afraid, anyone more and the captain could not help but laugh again feeling like the king of the fools as he looked at the glass before him. He raised it as if in toast “There was never any point in it was there…” The man shook his head. “Damn that bitch” before downing the rest, if he was going to die it would at least be on his own terms. He sat back reflecting on his life, his mistakes, his fears, so much of it seemed so pointless now. He thought himself a monster for the deeds he did, for all the death and destruction he had caused but he was nothing more than a minnow. There were real monsters out there.
His quest for redemption, could he even call it that? He was just being led along by the nose…It was getting harder to think clearly, his mind was hazy, images, faces, names all faded into the mist of his mind. It wasn’t long before he collapsed in his chair, letting out a last final gasp as he did. The man who sat opposite him, had been watching him in cold silence as the captain sat contemplating his last moments. It was odd in a way, there was no pleading, there were no last messages to loved ones, no requests, no last minute struggle, nothing, no action at all. Just contemplation.
To him it was pathetic in a way, casting one last look at the captain to ensure he was gone. Once he was certain the job was done and finishing touches to the scene made he exited the room, he left the room as he found it taking nothing to ensure the investigators had something to work on, but leaving behind some evidence of the captain's misdeeds to point the investigations team in the right direction. Nodding to the XO as he did who had looked his way upon exiting, the poison while it would first keep the body in a state of stasis before it would kill it would delay the time of death. So when the time came, no-one would think twice about the petty officer, the less eyebrows raised the better.
The man grinned to himself the boss always thought of everything and had all the pieces covered and in position. This after all was just the final play before the checkmate. He wondered what the enemy would think when they realised it was all a trap. Sadly though he would not get to see, he was just a pawn on the game board, his role in this particular game had come to an end, The checkmate would be delivered by another piece or perhaps pieces. He left the ship without a word to anyone, as he entered an ally a small portal appeared without hesitation the man stepped through into the beyond.
The hooded figure took in a deep breath before approaching his fellow figure in black, the tension in the air was so thick you could practically cut it with a knife. Until a female voice broke the tension in the air “Captain Edward Barron, we meet again, what have you got for us this time.” The hooded figure grit his teeth, his nerves growing, doubt was in his heart, but steeling himself looks up at the speaker. “I have something you would be interested in… the information you were looking for” He takes out a datapad and offers it to the woman opposite him.
She took it from his hand “Access code?” She asked, “ Sierra, Bravo fife niner Zulu Echo wun fower” He responded. She skimmed through the contents “Excellent The supreme Mother will be most pleased, tell me captain, how does it feel to betray your people” She sneered at him. He remained firm, despite him passing intel to her several times now, it was always the same question, it became annoying but yet he answered her the same as always. “As I have said, I'm just cleaning the slate… I am responsible for many…many…many wrongs…” He looked at his hands and he could practically see them covered in blood. “So much so no matter how much I atone I doubt I will ever be redeemed. This is just my way of balancing the scales.”
He felt guilt gnawing at him, was this truly right? How many star fleet officers were going to die for this intel he had just given over. How many children would be without a parent, how many parents would lose their child and yet again he was responsible. He felt like he was drowning with blood and bodies, every night he saw the faces of his victims. Men, women of many species, those who died for his orders and those who were killed on his orders. They haunted him whispering to him, clawing at him, but he always forgot their words when he returned from the land of dreams but they still chilled him to his core.
It was all getting too much, he was responsible for so many deaths he felt the only way he could redeem himself was passing information to the chantry perhaps that would relieve him of his sins. “This will go a long way in your path to redemption, you have served the mother well this day” She reached out and stroked his chin. “Thank you, we will see each other again soon” With that she turned on her heel and left, the weight he felt on his heart only got heavier as he watched her walk away and seemingly fade into the darkness.As he walked away from his meeting point rain started to fall, it wasn’t long before he was completely soaked, It was a long walk back to the ship and to his ready room.
But he paid it no mind,constant thoughts swirled in his head, guilt at betraying Star Fleet and his comrades, guilt of all the deaths he caused, everything fighting away in his mind, he felt so powerless and confused. He had no idea what to do if he was caught now… It be life imprisonment or..Though if a certain someone knew…that would be a mercy. He shivered at the thought of this. This could not go on much further, he should just hand in his commission and be done with it before the chantry could blackmail him, while he still had something left. He could retire somewhere peaceful and start anew perhaps even finally settle down. But that would not change anything… he still felt the need to redeem himself…but surely there was a better way.
His XO attempted to flag him down but he brushed him off and retreated into his ready room, he could not bare to look his long time friend in the face anymore out of shame. He took off his coat, throwing it to one side and collapsed into his chair, just sorting through his thoughts before with a heavy sigh, opened up his desk taking out a bottle of whiskey from earth, looked it over before taking out his favourite glass and poured himself a glass. There was a pile of reports on his desk, with a deep groan he downed his drink, poured herself another before setting himself to work, he had no idea how long it was before he got a buzz at his door. With an annoyed grunt “Enter”
A young man entered his ready room, he was in his early twenties, brown hair, green eyes well built and muscular. He had not seen this man before, he frowned, this was not his usual yeoman and something seemed slightly off with the man. “Who are you, where's Mesllia!?” He demanded. “I’m sorry Captain Petty officer Owens is down with the flu, I am petty officer third Luge Swain. I’m temporarily filling in for her, I have reports here marked urgent for you. The XO is on the bridge and he wanted these passed to you immediately for review.”
He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose “Alright…i will take them…” The petty officer nodded and approached and offered him a stack of datapads. He signed “Is there anything else you need, captain? You are looking troubled, something on your mind?”
“No…actually wait, tell me something young man…please take a seat” He gestured to the seat in front of him. “Captain?” The petty officer gave him a confused expression. “Sit!” The petty officer nodded and sat down. “A drink?” he offered waving a hand over his whiskey. “No thank you sir, i appreciate it but i don’t drink on duty” The captain smirked. “That's good kid, you don’t want to end up a drunk fool like me.” The petty officer looked at him “Sir… you're not…”
“Save the ass kissing kid…I’m in no mood for it...That's what I am… a drunk old fool, who somehow still wears a uniform…” He stopped himself placing his hands on his face and there was a dead silence between the two. Something seemed off, his instinct was warning him of something, he observed the kid before him who seemed to be watching him closely, his eyes were sharp, almost too sharp, the more he looked the more those eyes unnerved him, they seemed remarkably cold. He had seen the eyes before, the man before him had killed before.
The drink was making him paranoid, he could feel the alcohol corrupting his mind, which was odd he was not this much of a lightweight. Though there was a lot on his mind, he had not slept in a while. “Tell me kid, do you believe in redemption? Do you believe we can be forgiven and cleansed of our sins” The Petty Officer looked blank “Sins captain?”
“Yes sins… Star fleet is not always about adventure and exploring…Sometimes missions go wrong…Sometimes you have to do bad things for the right reasons… Sometimes you have a whole bunch of dead civilians or lose entire crews.” He held his head once more, he felt weak and woozy, his breath felt wheezy and raggard. He clutched his chest, something was wrong! But the Petty Officer did not look concerned in the slightest. “Doctor!” He gasped. He reached his hand for his comm “Aquarius sends their regards.” The petty officer said there was no emotion in his voice, a smile curled on his lips which didn’t reach the eyes. It was akin to a predator who had caught their Prey.
The captain forgot all about using his con badge; he felt like his heart stopped, fear filled him, paralysing him. “No what…why…” He stammered. "You know exactly why! You played your part well, little pawn, but you are no longer needed on the game board." The captain froze if the petty officer…no this man's words were true, everything he did for redemption was pointless…He was just like always a pawn in someone else's game, forever dancing to someone else's tune. It aggravated him to no end. “If it makes you feel better, the intel you passed on is what Aquarius wanted to leak.” He felt so foolish, for a brief moment he considered killing the messenger, his hand drifting towards his pistol hidden in his desk.
The man’s smile didn’t waver, his eyes didn’t leave him for a moment and for a brief moment he thought he saw a glint in his eyes. He knew he was being carefully observed, The cold smile on the man’s face, the look he was being given, it hinted to the captain he knew about his pistol, he wanted him to at least try. He signed in defeat “Way to kick a man when he’s down…So what now…are you going to arrest me? Or you going to kill me?” He laughed nervously at the end. The man before him didn’t even blink “I already killed you from the moment you took a sip.” Gestures to the bottle.
Cold confirmation gripped his heart, oddly though he did not feel afraid, anyone more and the captain could not help but laugh again feeling like the king of the fools as he looked at the glass before him. He raised it as if in toast “There was never any point in it was there…” The man shook his head. “Damn that bitch” before downing the rest, if he was going to die it would at least be on his own terms. He sat back reflecting on his life, his mistakes, his fears, so much of it seemed so pointless now. He thought himself a monster for the deeds he did, for all the death and destruction he had caused but he was nothing more than a minnow. There were real monsters out there.
His quest for redemption, could he even call it that? He was just being led along by the nose…It was getting harder to think clearly, his mind was hazy, images, faces, names all faded into the mist of his mind. It wasn’t long before he collapsed in his chair, letting out a last final gasp as he did. The man who sat opposite him, had been watching him in cold silence as the captain sat contemplating his last moments. It was odd in a way, there was no pleading, there were no last messages to loved ones, no requests, no last minute struggle, nothing, no action at all. Just contemplation.
To him it was pathetic in a way, casting one last look at the captain to ensure he was gone. Once he was certain the job was done and finishing touches to the scene made he exited the room, he left the room as he found it taking nothing to ensure the investigators had something to work on, but leaving behind some evidence of the captain's misdeeds to point the investigations team in the right direction. Nodding to the XO as he did who had looked his way upon exiting, the poison while it would first keep the body in a state of stasis before it would kill it would delay the time of death. So when the time came, no-one would think twice about the petty officer, the less eyebrows raised the better.
The man grinned to himself the boss always thought of everything and had all the pieces covered and in position. This after all was just the final play before the checkmate. He wondered what the enemy would think when they realised it was all a trap. Sadly though he would not get to see, he was just a pawn on the game board, his role in this particular game had come to an end, The checkmate would be delivered by another piece or perhaps pieces. He left the ship without a word to anyone, as he entered an ally a small portal appeared without hesitation the man stepped through into the beyond.