[Jaw Breaker] The Curse of Knowledge

Posted on Friday, 13 November 2020 - 6:08pm by Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt
Edited on Saturday, 14 November 2020 - 3:58am

Baciami had ventured back onto the base to stretch her legs a bit. Any opportunity to get off the ship, she was happy to do so. The ship had a harsh tendency of giving someone cabin fever. The woman found herself in a coffee shop, people watching.

Her eyes caught sight of a familiar face. It was a man that used to do 'runs' for the Baciami 'business'. He was a rough and ready looking guy but with such a charm, he would be able to sell sand to vulcans (maybe even pet tribble to klingon's). She opted not to say hello, but rather sit near him. Anywhere Constantine was, something juicy was being smuggled.

"Does it work though?" came an unfamiliar voice.

"It's a long-lost tear of the prophets," Constantine replied, "it's colloquially called the orb of the damned. I'm not touching it. Ignorance is bliss."

Adrianna had heard of the orb before and as the men talked some more, she realised what it actually did. The orb had been stolen and had been missing for decades. The man Constantine was speaking to stood up, walking away to take a call. Adrianna hopped up and slid into the now empty seat, "hello, friend, long time."

Constantine's eyes lit up, "hello beautiful."

Adrianna smiled, "you charmer. I know what you're selling. Who are you selling it for?"

"That would be telling," he teased, "but know this, your head is worth more than this thing."

Good to know, Adrianna thought before replying, "hand it over and I'll let you walk out of here without me telling Starfleet. You can also say you sold it to someone paying more."

"I fail to see the benefit for me," he replied, "I'd barely get a slap in the wrists for this. I want something more."

"Were you telling the truth about not using it?" Adrianna asked sitting back in her seat.

Constantine looked to the box, "I'm not stupid enough to touch that. Those that know the future often die unhappy."

"Fine, hand it over and I won't force you to touch it," Adrianna smirked.

It was written all over Constantine's face. He was actually considering it. Whilst knowledge was power, this would be a death sentence for the soul. The man may have been smart, but he was rediculously superstitious. "Fine," he slid the box over and stood up before he pulled his hand away he warned, "curiosity killed the cat. Don't let this crucify your spirit. Keep it shut." He then reached out and ran his thumb over her lips, "you might want to hide your face. There's a lot of people here that know about the bounty."

Adrianna was stunned. It had been a long time, but he still made her weak. "Why don't you bring me in?" she asked, almost as a whisper.

"You saved me once," he sighed, "you were just doing right by the world. If I see you again though, I'll bring you in. I could use the money." He paused and returned to his warning, "Don't open the box."

Adrianna watched him walk away. The warning of both the orb and her safety lingered in her mind. Tapping her badge she made arrangements to see security to get the orb returned to its rightful owners and headed that way.

***

Hours later, Adrianna was in her office awaiting a Commander Tully to pick up the orb. She had to steal her gaze from the box several time. She couldn't help but feel curious. With her impending trip to Italy coming up, thanks to a combination of bravery and stupidity, it would be good to know if she'd survive. Against her best judgement curiousity won and she pried open the box timidly, reaching in. Suddenly a vision took over her with a loud scream of unresting souls.

***

"Baciami?" a tall man in a commander's uniform walked in to her office.

Adrianna looked up from a PaDD she was reading, "I haven't been called that in decades, sir. How may I help?"

The man nodded, "I once heard that Baciami's have tally Mark tattoos for their near death experiences. Is it true?"

Adrianna sat back in her chair, looking curiously at the man. He must have been in his forties. He didn't look familiar, he certainly wasn't on the crew's roster. She went with it though, it wasn't unusual to have strangers in her office to discuss small tasks, it was an Intelligence officer's job after all. "It is true," she replied, "I kept mine up to date, I'm on twelve."

The man chuckled, "are you superstitious?"

Adrianna subtly reached for a phaser, held on the underside of her desk. Something wasn't right. "Should I be?" she asked, playing it off as teasing him.

"Up to you," he shrugged, pulling a phaser out quickly.

Black.

Darkness.

Cold.

***

Gasping, Adrianna retracted her hand as if she'd burnt her hand. The woman looked panicked, falling off her chair and scrambling for the wall, hyperventilating. Her hands patted get body as if trying to find a wound hole. Adrianna lifted her shirt a little to count her tallies. Seven. She had time.

What the hell? Killed by one of her own? That didn't sound right.

"Baciami, you here?" came a voice, "I'm here for the--it's real then."

Adrianna looked to the origin of the voice. Commander Tully stood before the Italian, offering a hand. "Real. Don't touch it. Lock it away. It is not meant for us," she almost whispered, her voice having been torn from her by adrenaline, first in Italian then in standard.

He reached over shutting the lid of the box.

A close of a chapter not yet written. Why would anyone want to read the last page of the book? Adrianna was filled with regret, but felt more confident about her trip to Italy. Though, now that brought new fears. She was on seven tallies, how did she get the other six in the vision?

Knowledge was a curse.