Vashti -- Secrets of the Past

Posted on Saturday, 23 May 2020 - 3:17pm by Commander Soral
Edited on on Saturday, 23 May 2020 - 4:16pm

Mission: Operation: Recall
Location: Vashti -- City & Compound of the Nuns
Timeline: 2393 - MD06 Late Evening Night

{ON:}

Soral wondered the streets of Vashti. The sun had almost finished setting. He'd put out some feelers as to Stillwater and was waiting to see if anything came out of it. For the moment he strolled the streets. He'd stopped in a cantina that had the sign Romulan's Only and it appeared that meant Vulcans were welcome too. He was treated with respect and courtesy and noticed by a few people he recognized. He figured he'd be summoned soon into Emos' presence but until then he was content to stroll though Vashti.

He wasn't just wandering here or there. He was thinking about what was and what had been. He was thinking about reconciliation and Vulcan and his duty and his half sister. His mind drifted to Alex and to his new home and Bones and just about everything and everyone in is life.

He wasn't the type to feel as he was now. Logic was vital to him but whenever the sisters were involved and Vashti and Romulans his whole person changed. It was as if his soul was trying to say something. When he was here it became hard to be Vulcan.

He turned down a road that was lit a little more then the rest and stopped just as he'd turned. He watched as several people sat on the street huddled under blankets for warmth. He watched the elderly, women, children all looking at him with weary yet pleading eyes. He watched youth break a bit of bread and share it with a beloved pet. Perhaps the youth's only meal?

He swallowed past the lump in his throat. He turned back and leaned against a wall to give him time to recover himself. A once proud people were now reduced to this. He went to the cantina again ordered whatever his credits would buy. He wasn't a poor man, his estate had been in profit since his hiring of the Ferengi.

When he had brought all he could carry he once again walked down the road passing out food to those who held out their hands and thanked him as if he'd given them the world.

The lump that had formed earlier was back. His brethren, his cousins, and if he had to be honest, there were rumours that there was Romulan blood in his family although he didn't know quite concretely how far back, these people, his people were here, needing help.

He wondered, not for the first time, if he'd made the right decision staying in Starfleet. He'd never advance past the point he was in now. Oh sure he'd be allowed a rank jump to full commander but he'd never have a command of his own. His actions several years ago had guaranteed it. Was he sorry? No. He'd have done it over and over again if given the chance. He would do it again and happily.

He sighed. Soon he ran out of food.

He'd received hugs, blessings, people had reached for his hands. He'd lost his jacket somewhere had given what he could. For a touch telepath this had been a long day. He'd managed to stagger to the shuttle, he'd known that Rose and Assisi were in guest quarters so the shuttle he had to himself.

Collapsing on the ground he did something very un-Vulcan.

For the second time in his life Soral wept.

He wept for Romulus, for the people of the Romulan world, for the Federation, and all that had happened in the name of hate and xenophobia.

The sound of his weeping drew the head of this particular group of Qowat Milat.

Lali had seen Soral enter and worried at his staggering she'd left her tent and followed him to the shuttle. She'd heard a sound and as she neared the shuttle she recognized the gut wrenching sobs of a broken man.

Perhaps now was the time to tell him one piece of a complicated puzzle.

She entered the shuttle and knelt by Soral. Had she been an enemy he would have been done for.

She gently stroked his hair in a motherly fashion. "It is alright. Even Vulcans cry but you, you are more special then you know."

Soral managed to raise his head. It had been a phrase that the monk who'd taken him in used. "I...I do not understand." He seemed to realize how he'd acted and slowly started rebuilding himself. His display of emotion bringing on the worst sort of shame a Vulcan could bring about.

Lali smiled and gently cupped his cheeks. "Soral...you are a child of two worlds. Vulcan yet you have Romulan blood in you."

He knew that, he'd told her that long ago. "That does not make me special or Romulan. A distant Romulan relative...."

She smiled. She gently touched his shoulders and in a swift move her thumb and index and ring finger found the spot that Vulcans usually guarded well. She pressed down.

Sora's eyes went wide. He gasped and his eyes rolled back into his head. He collapsed from the well delivered nerve pinch that he'd thought to Lali just years ago.

Lali reached over and pulled a blanket over Soral who was out cold. She found a spare pillow that was kept in the shuttle for emergencies and she gently put it under his head. Now that he was no longer conscious she said what she had no courage to say when he was awake.

"No. Not a distant relative. You are a son of Vulcan, son of a Vulcan father but you are also a son of Romulus. Son of a Romulan mother a woman I knew and admired." She looked up just as a second woman arrived. Younger then Lali she looked to be about Soral's age with the same intense eyes.

Lali stood. "Stay outside and guard your brother while he sleeps. He needs a rest from his mind."

The woman regarded her. "You did not tell him."

"No. And you are not to either. You have been this long without your brother, your twin. You can stay without him a little longer. Now is not the time."

The other woman bowed. "As you wish it."

She watched Lali leave and then looked at the man who had features similar to hers. He'd been born looking purely Vulcan. A telepath of strength but she had been born looking fully Romulan. No telepathy to speak of. So different yet twins nonetheless. "One day, Soral, we will speak. Until then I will bow to Lali's wishes, to our mother's wishes."

She turned and left hiding in the shadows to stand watch over the shuttle lest former Senator Emos and his people try to get to Soral. In his weakened state she feared what might happen.


{OFF:}