The Curious Case of the Chief: Bajor

Posted on Friday, 1 May 2020 - 12:04pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant T'Lanna Vali

Mission: Operation: Recall
Location: USS Fontana | Counselor's Office
Timeline: 2393

{ON:}

Tela Ardeth sat watching the rain fall outside. His mind was still racing on the report he'd just received. He sipped the tea that he had made and thought over things. Why now? What were they after? Why those records? As if in answer to his question the incessant chirping of the communicator device on his desk drew his attention. He sighed and answered it. The face of an Orion woman stared back. "Is this Director Tela Ardeth?"

"It is," he replied.

"I have Lieutenant Vali on line for you from USS Fontana."

"Proceed," he said curious as to why anyone from Starfleet would be calling him.

T’Lanna was waiting patiently for her call to be connected. She smiled warmly as she was put through. “Director I’m T’Lanna Vali, Psychologist of the USS Fontana. Thank you for taking my call.” She paused for a moment. “I’m calling with regards to Chief Petty Officer Eyelaya.”

He thought back for a moment. Ayman Rol came to mind. She was his friend ... "Eyelaya..." He took a moment to search his memory. "The Cardassian/Bajoran born child?" Ayman Rol had taken a liking to the child. They had worked in the same orphanage and he knew of the child. "I'm afraid I am not that familiar with her but I do recall her, vaguely. How can I assist. As I recall she is no longer on Bajor." He worked his mind to try and grasp at any information.

“Actually I was trying to find out more about her, anything you can tell me might be of help.” T’Lanna was purposely vague, not wanting to divulge personal information of Eyelaya’s whereabouts.

"The orphanage has been closed for a long time now. It closed with the death of the founder of it. I believe the child was seven or eight when she was sent away." He paused. "In normal circumstances I could look up the information in the sealed records however..."

“I’d appreciate any information you could give me Director.” T’Lanna smiled sweetly.

He sighed. "The records were in a sealed vault in the Kendra Province however that vault was broken into and the contents taken just hours ago." He studied the woman his eyes narrowing. His mind was working. "If you will wait a moment."

T’Lanna nodded. “Of course Director.” She had to admit it was a strange coincidence that the vault where the records were had suddenly been broken into.”

Ardeth stood and walked away only to return a time later carrying a data PaDD. "These are the logs of Ayman Rol. There is some mention of the child. I remember arguing with her about it. She insisted on taking the Cardassian in," he spat out his dislike for them clear. "I told her not to take it in but she insisted. Perhaps it was because of it that the records were broken into."

T’Lanna nodded. “Could you forward me the logs Director? I will owe you a favour in return should you ever need it.”

He shrugged. "I will do so but I must warn you of something. It was a conversation that just came back to me."

“And what would that be Director?” T’Lanna studied the man curiously.

"I argued with Ayman Rol. The night the child came into the orphanage. I had a feeling it was nothing but trouble but she insisted the child was special. As it grew I remember having an argument with Ayman several times to rid ourselves of the Cardassian, there were other orphanages but she insisted on keeping it and that it was special and she even blocked several adoption attempts."

“I see” T’Lanna nodded. “Well thank you for all your help Director. It’s much appreciated.”

"I will transmit this shortly." He hung up.

T’Lanna tapped the comms. “Vali to Commander Soral, can I see you in my office please Sir?”

"On my way Lieutenant." It didn't take him long to get there. It was only a few minutes until her chime rang.

T’Lanna greeted Soral at the door, motioning him inside, she waited for the door to close before speaking. “I just spoke to the Director on Bajor regards Chief Eyelaya. It appears you were right about there being more to her than it seems. I expect it’s in her medical records but she’s half Cardassian for starters.

"That is in her records yes. Her Bajoran appearance was due to an accident on Vulcan. They had to do substantial reconstruction." He motioned for the chair. "May I?"

“Of course Sir” T’Lanna nodded. “It seems that the lady who took in the Chief after she was abandoned at the orphanage, thought there was something very special about Eyelaya. She blocked several attempts at adoption.”

"I see." He said sitting down.

“I also have reason to believe that perhaps we’re not the only ones looking up records from the orphanage. It seems there was a break in and records taken just hours ago.”

"Indeed?" He raised an eyebrow. "Curious. Were all the records taken?"

“He didn’t say.” T’Lanna shrugged her shoulders. “What’s important is he has the Journal of his predecessor and he’s sending it to me.”

"Good. I will leave that in your hands. I have a voice interview with her former teacher on Betazed, a Vulcan that aided her in getting accepted into the Vulcan Engineering Academy. This is proving to be a curious case."

“It is indeed” T’Lanna nodded. “Yet I hope that Eyelaya will come to trust us eventually. To be honest I like her. She’s bright, cheerful and highly talented I’d hate to see anything change that. She’s a credit to the engineering department.”

"Indeed. Whatever is hidden I do not believe that it is malicious but I am beginning to suspect, with the records theft that she may not know what is hidden either." He paused. "Lieutenant are you doing alright. I know that this has been a difficult time for you."

T’Lanna shrugged her shoulders. “To be honest...I don’t really know. I still have to arrange to have my mother sent home yet I can’t seem to face going to see her again.” She sighed. “The nightmare I had aboard the shuttle involved my mother and it wasn’t something from our past, I’m afraid of what it means.”

"The wave that you went through has many possibilities, the past, the present, the possibility at the future and the future. It will take a while to figure it all out. Speak with Commander Victirx with respect to your mother. She can assist with a lot of things there."

He thought a moment. "Do you wish to see her again? Your mother that is. If you wish it I can accompany you there."

“I...” T’Lanna paused then nodded. “Please Soral. I’ve wished for years that I’d find her, I shouldn’t let a nightmare stop me from being with her now.”

"I am told that all her nannites have stopped functioning. Chief Eyelaya was able to save a few." He stood and allowed her to precede him.

“The nanites in a dead or dormant Borg drone automatically shut down, like all mechanical things they can be reactivated in a new host.” T’Lanna walked ahead of Soral. “I was in some way hoping that my mother would be liberated one day.”

"Indeed." He didn't know what to say in situations like these. They arrived at the morgue where with the help of the nurse on duty they were able to see the drone who was still in under force fields to be sure. Soral stood to the side allowing Vali some privacy.

As she stood looking at her mother T’Lanna wished she could get to touch her, but she knew that was a risk under the circumstances in which she was found. “Before we found her....she called to me.” T’Lanna’s gaze never left her mother. “I heard her in my mind, but how? She was dead before we brought her onboard! How could I have heard her?”

"The Betazoid as Vulcan's believe that a soul a Katra is inside the body that stays active until the last of the body has failed. You were telepathically linked even before you were part of the Collective by both your Betazoid and Vulcan heritage. It is not beyond the realm of possibility."

T’Lanna turned and looked at Soral. “I never thought of it like that.” She smiled a small smile. “Thank you Soral.”

He gave a nod. "I think you should speak to the Commander regarding your mother. I can arrange for a ship from Vulcan if you and the Commander decide."

T’Lanna nodded gracefully. “I would appreciate that, thank you. I’d like to get her home.”

He gave a nod. "Come away. You should rest Lieutenant."

T’Lanna nodded. “On that I agree. I don’t want to be causing myself any problems.”

They closed the cell where the drone was being kept and headed out. Soral walked her back to her quarters. "Rest Lieutenant." He knew she had been working hard to find Stillwater.

“Aye Sir” T’Lanna nodded and offered a warm smile. “Thank you for accompanying me to see my mother, I appreciate it.”

He gave a nod and headed away. He had much to think about.

{OFF:}

Lt T’Lanna Vali
Psychologist

&

Lt. Cmdr. Soral
Executive Officer