Released & Reunited

Posted on Wednesday, 16 June 2021 - 4:57pm by Commander Soral & Captain Barret Stillwater & Lieutenant T'Lanna Vali & Lieutenant Ryan Rose MD & Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt & Petty Officer 1st Class Siana Ilian & Crewman Leopold Eberhardt

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich
Location: USS Standing Bear | Deck 02 | Transporter Room 1
Timeline: 2394 MD 43

ON:

Adrianna had heard whispers of her freedom, but she had before. It was a carrot in front of a donkey at this point. Her hopes had not been raised, knowing any glimmer of freedom was always quickly extinguished by König making a visit.

That left her to where she was at the moment. Her wrists were bound, a gag tied around her mouth, further to a few sarcastic comments, kneeling on a concrete floor in an area of the prison she'd not yet ventured to before. She supposed it could be an inkling of freedom but with König standing closely behind her, she was more braced for an end to it all.

She closed her eyes upon silence falling amongst guards. König seemed to be shuffling a little, or fiddling with something behind her. In her mind, she prayed a prayer of forgiveness, hedging her bets that heaven and hell may have existed in some capacity somewhere.

====================

Captain Stillwater was briskly walking down the corridor of deck two, en route to Transporter Room 1 with his First Officer, Commander Soral, and FAO, Lieutenant Vali on either side of him just a step or two trailing. The corridors were only so wide. It was a quick exchange of words as they were heading to the transporter to meet with the Chief Medical Officer. It had been a success.

Several hours ago, the Ekosians and Zeons were at each other’s throats as they had been for centuries intermittently. As of an hour ago, that all came to a halt. A ceasefire was signed into effect and as of twenty minutes ago, Rear Admiral Veruka Kitan with the assistance of Commander Soral and Lieutenant Vali had brought the two factions plus the Ferengi representative into an agreement. Mining rights were secured, trade routes were going to be open, and formal communication was in the process of being paved.

Now, it was a matter of two members of their crew being released and returned home. Two very important guests had already been brought aboard: the parents of Crewman Leopold Eberhardt. Lieutenant Kingsley and Ensign Sety were seeing to their guest quarters and tending to the couple’s needs.

“Good work, the both of you,” Stillwater said as the trio headed towards Transporter Room 1, coming to a stop in the corridor, just a few steps from the doorway. “Ending the violence between these two people will foster peace in this star system, and ideally the sector.”

T’Lanna offered a smile. “Thank you Sir, I’m just glad I could help.”

Stillwater focused on Soral momentarily. “Bringing the Ferengi to the table would not have been possible without your connections. This mining deal is going to help recuperate some of what we lost with Utopia Planitia and the Mars mining operations.”

"Indeed. All sides seemed to be drawing benefits of this deal. I am sure things will work out well," Soral was faring a bit better these days. He was almost fully recovered from Pon Farr and he was glad to be back working.

“T’Lanna, they have been imprisoned for several months now and very likely beaten and tortured. Doctor Rose can patch up their physical injuries, but you are going to have to tackle the mental and emotional damage. Regardless if Rose clears them physically fit to return to duty in a few weeks, I don’t want them returning so quickly, especially Baciami.”

“Agreed Sir, they’ve most likely been through hell. The Psychological aftermath is going to be a long battle.”

Barret looked at Soral. “We both served in tactical and intelligence capacities, Number One. Would you agree with delaying her return to duty? She’s been held captive by an alien advisory for several months. Her position aboard has had her privy to top-level clearance, secure materials, and access codes.”

"I would say that the recovery is long. I concur with your assessment. She will need time to come back to herself and perhaps both should be given time to recover. They will need the crew, the ship, the doctor, the counselor, and one another to recover fully." Soral said

"Doctor,” the captain said to the Chief Medical Officer. “Once they are transported over, they are going into the joint care of yourself and Lieutenant Vali. I want thorough medical exam of them both…the works. Ekos isn’t the most advanced place for medical care, especially not their prison systems.”

"Of course." Ryan was quick to reply. "I've already got sickbay set up for them."

Stillwater looked over at the woman operating the transporters. “Petty Officer Ilian, lock onto their individual coordinates. Bring them in one at a time if necessary.”

“Don’t worry, Captain, as soon as we have clearance I’ll have them aboard,” the Trill woman assured him. She had already double and triple checked the systems, just to ensure this went smoothly.

A few moments later and Stillwater's eyes met with the Trill. That clearance had been given. "Energize" Captain Stillwater said. It was only a matter of seconds before one humanoid shape began to form on the transporter pad, engulfed in shimmering light. More features became clear within the light haze.

Crewman Leopold Eberhardt had definitely seen better days. He looked starved, battered, and beaten. "Captain," Leopold said, a wave of relief came over the man, but it was soon followed with concern. "Adrianna?!" he was panicking.

Ryan immediately headed to the transporter pad.

Stillwater stepped forward and helped Dr. Rose ease the man down from the transporter pad. "Petty Officer Baciami is alright. She will be here soon, Crewman." With those words, he looked at the Trill and nodded.

Ryan began getting Eberhardt situated on a stretcher as they waited for Baciami to be transported over.

At the captain’s signal, Siana initiated the second transport. “Energising,” she reported, tracking the progress as another shape began to take form until, finally, Baciami too was back on board. Her eyes widened in alarm to see the woman’s physical condition, it was painful to see which was of course nothing to how the woman herself must have felt.

Adrianna started to materialise in the transporter. She was barely recognisable as blood, burns and swelling masked her natural skin colour and appearance and she looked like she may have lost a little weight, though it may have just been the oversized prison clothes. Her wrists were still bound and the woman was still gagged, her hair a little matted in front of her face and kneeling.

On feeling the familial materialisation, she opened her eyes. They stung a little as they adjusted to the light. It was so different from the darkness she had been used to in days of late. After blinking a few moments, Baciami took in her surroundings. Transporter room. Captain. Doctor. Leopold... Breathing. She looked back down and instantly started to sob through her gag at the overwhelming realisation that it was finally over. This woman didn't break easily, but dammit she didn't care. She was home and safe.

"Welcome home, the both of you," Captain Stillwater said. He looked over at Lieutenant Vali. This seemed more of her area of specialty. Emotions were filling the room. "Doctor Rose is going to need to take you both to Sickbay for physical exams and general observation. I don't suspect the health care down on Ekos was all that great."

Adrianna stumbled a little to her feet. She held out her wrists, wanting the ties off, more so gag than anything else. She nodded to the captain and then looked to Leopold. She wanted to say so much but she knew he'd need medical attention. From what she could see, he definitely needed it.

T’Lanna approached Adrianna offering a gentle smile and assistance. “Here, let me.” She gently helped to remove the ties binding Adrianna’s wrists, moving to help with the gag as well. She could see she was going to have a lot of work helping Adrianna and Leopold over their imprisonment experiences.

"Thank you," Adrianna spoke quite raspy and as almost a whisper. Her throat was sore from screaming and other things. She walked rather stiffly off the pad and looked to Stillwater, "that vodka you keep - - I'm going to need a few samples."

She didn't stop to engage in conversation but rather kept her attention and gaze on Leopold. She kept walking to Leopold. Her mind now wondering whether, although Leopold was alive, if he still loved her after everything. She reached out and put her hand gently on his fingertips, "Leo...?" The woman almost seemed in disbelief at the reality of him being there.

Soral stood back during the episode letting Vali and Rose take the lead. The sight of all that she had been through burned his Romulan blood. He'd like five minutes with whoever had done that. Seeing her disregard for her injuries and concern for Leo triggered something in him. He approached her. "Petty Officer, there will be time for that. Let us get your injuries looked at too." He looked over at Rose. "Doctor."

Adrianna looked over to Soral and sighed, nodding. She almost felt defeated, but agreed that he was probably right. She looked to Rose, "If you don't mind, I'll walk to med bay. I don't want to be stretchered." Her accent was thicker than usual, a slight stutter gracing her words as standard was forced from her lips instead of her native tongue.

Soral placed a hand on her shoulders. "There are times for strength and yours knows no bounds but there are times for letting others care for us. I think that this is perhaps one of those times."

Adrianna flinch and winced under his hand but tried to maintain her small smile of gratitude, "Thank you, sir. I'll be fine. I just need time."

Soral stepped back. "I know. We are all here to assist."

Ryan kept a watchful eye on Adrianna, getting the feeling that she wasn't going to be the easiest patient to deal with.

Ade nodded and looked to Ryan, gesturing to the door "can we go?" Yes, she wanted to say hi to everyone and to catch up, but her priority was Leopold. Furthermore, she didn't feel up to conversation. She wanted to go home and catch up with Leopold.

"Slowly, but yes." Ryan gave Adrianna the dignity of walking alone, but he was so close it would be inappropriate if it weren't a medical need. He could easily catch her whichever way she may fall.

Adrianna nodded and walked out with him. In one sense she was grateful of the support from him should she need it, but the woman wanted to gain back control as best she could in life.


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