Haunting - Part II

Posted on Saturday, 3 July 2021 - 3:20pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant JG Maximus Mackenzie & Lieutenant JG Hayashi Hamura & Lieutenant T'Lanna Vali & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich
Location: Various (Memory Post)
Timeline: 2394

Previously one Haunting...

He gave a nod. The dinner was a quiet one and he felt bad that he'd brought the mood down. Each seemed lost in thought and the dinner went by quickly as did dessert. They were just heading out the restaurant door having called a crewman from the ship to pick up the shopping and take it to their quarters when Soral froze dead still just outside the restaurant. His eyes glued to a laughing woman. She was facing away from them but she was retying her pony tail and her neck was exposed showing a green Romulan symbol.

Alex was preoccupied as she ate. Vulcans - and therefore she assumed their genetic cousins - were not known for hallucinations. As far as she knew. Perhaps it was just as Soral guessed, a side effect from the mind sifter. Yet what if it were more. Although a part of her reasoned that a mind now prone to hallucinations surely would not be quite so adept at hiding said things. She hoped T'Lanna had ideas because she was coming up empty.

Now unburdened by shopping bags, she had been walking beside Soral until he stopped dead. Half a step ahead she frowned, half turning back and about to ask what was wrong when she saw the look on his face. Her eyes traced his line of sight to a small group of women who were talking nearby. "Soral, what is it?"

T’Lanna looked in the same direction as Alex, having noticed the look on Soral’s face. “Soral... tell me what’s going on. What are you seeing?”


and now the continuation...

ON:

"Evesta." His voice was low. "Evesta!"

The woman turned there was a moment of recognition and then she turned and ran. Soral running after her. "Evesta! You must halt."

The Romulans she'd been with seemed to disappear into the crowd.

"Soral!" Alex took off after them, hindered by the throngs of people who seemed to do everything possible to get in her way. She knew she was going to ache for it tomorrow but she kept going, buffeted this way and that and ignoring protests as she tried to keep her eyes on Soral. Eventually she hit clear space in time to see him disappear around a corner. She rolled her shoulder that had taken a few too many hits, took a deep breath and set off after him as fast as her legs would carry her. Thankfully she had worn trainers today, and years of running had ensured she didn't tire out too much. But still Vulcans and Romulans could run like hell and as she came barrelling around the next corridor, she couldn't see him.

T'LANNA chased after them both, catching up with Alex a few seconds later.

Soral had tracked her to a quiet part of the station. He rounded the corner and there she stood with two other Romulans. She was, indeed alive.

Evesta smiled. "Hello Soral, long time no see."

Soral clenched his hands. "You are alive, you..."

She waved her hand. "Yes, yes. I'm alive." She looked behind him. "Come on out ladies. I know you're there."

Soral turned.

Alex moved first, stepping into their line of sight as she moved to Soral's side. Her gaze was like ice as she stared at Evesta, a woman so wrapped up in their lives and clearly not the ghost people though. She was alive, apparently fit and healthy and she could feel the emotions her husband was trying to contain. Her eyes studied the woman intently while she took Soral's hand and squeezed it as she stepped closer and just a fraction in front of him. She couldn't help it. She knew what how much she had hurt him and she had no intention of allowing it to happen again.

"You know a lot for a dead woman," she observed coldly. "We didn't interrupt any sneaky spy things did we? Or perhaps any more children you've abandoned that we should know about?"

Her tone surprised herself. Perhaps the bond was influencing her more than she knew but she felt a fury towards this woman she rarely felt towards anyone.

Soral held onto Alex's hand. She was what was grounding him. He couldn't begin to identify his emotions.

Evesta smiled. "My! You are fire. He always liked fire. I was more ice." She grinned as her companions raised phasers. Soral stepped to black their shot of Alex. "Stand down!"

Evesta smiled. "They won't do anything without my say so. Anyway you, my dear Soral, haven't changed a bit! Vulcans never do. You are the same as you were six years ago and eleven years ago even."

"I didn't know you elven years ago."

She grinned. "No, but you know Y'kari."

Soral's eyes widened. He staggered back hitting a wall.

Evesta grinned coldly. "She was my Vulcan persona," She said for Alex and T'Lanna's benefit.

"You get around," Alex replied with equal coldness, her attention torn between Soral and Evesta although more so on her and her armed friends as she once again moved so she was between Soral and his tormentor. Although she had little to defend him with when the woman was using his past to hurt him. The weapons didn't trouble her, if they wanted them dead they would be already. And firing the weapons would trigger alarms, sending station security down on them. "Just to be clear, that isn't a compliment."

She was grateful to have T'Lanna there, trying to help Soral. The woman must have so many questions. Hell, so did she. But what she really wanted to do was punch Evesta right in the face.

"Evesta, Y'Kari... Anandrine?" Alex rhymed off, trying to buy Soral some time to recover his control. "Many other names I'm sure. Why don't you get your friends to drop the phasers, you can come over here and see how much fire I've got? Because if you hurt my husband, you will pay for it."

Evesta laughed. "Oh I like you." She shrugged. "In another life we could be friends." She looked at Soral. "Now, my dear Soral. Have you worked it out?"

Soral managed to get hold of himself. Before he said anything two figures stepped forward. Hamura and Mac and both had phaser rifles lifted.

Evesta held up her hand to the Romulans. "Nice and easy. Hello Mac! Miss me?"

"Give me a minute to aim." Mac said stepping up to Alex. "You okay?"

"I'd be even better if you shot her," Alex admitted under her breath, glancing at the weapon he had trained on Evesta. Especially after that laugh. So unconcerned with all she had done, the children she had abandoned along the way.

Soral managed to find an opening in the confusion. "I don't understand why are you here?"

"I had some business here but glad I ran into you. I hear you broke my husbands nose, good for you."

Soral's anger took over. "He tried to keep your son on a sinking ship. Did you ever once think of N'vek."

Evesta's face softened. "N'vek. I was coming to pick him up when my husband took him. You're grandfather was not pleased."

Soral's head snapped up. "What?"

She sighed. "Soral."

"Careful," Hamura said.

Evesta waved a frustrated hand. "Oh stand down Hamura. You're Senpai as you call him will hear some good news." She turned back to Soral. "Your grandfather wanted you to take your place by his side. He also thought you could use...a little help in the marriage department. When Y'Kari couldn't convince you to leave Vulcan and the seduction didn't work he was mad but when he found out that you were going to be a father..."

"What?"

Mac's mind put it together. "By the Gods of Capella....N'vek…"

She smiled. "Yes, your eldest son. You can now tell Severine and Soval that they have a full blooded brother."

Alex glared at the woman, her grip on Soral's hand like a vice. She could be lying but from Mac's reaction... "Soral?" she asked it on a breath, not entirely sure what to do.

T'Lanna had stood taking in everything that was being said. "So I take it you don't care about your children? As far as they know you're dead! Gone and not coming back."

Soral didn't have words. His mind was processing it all.

Evesta glared at the Vulcan woman. "You should know better about Vulcan and Romulan parents." She rolled her eyes. "Soral these are you children. I won't interfere."

Soral straightened. "Do I have your word as a Romulan?"

She studied him. "Yes."

He gave a nod. "Then be gone."

She studied him a long moment and then tapped her wrist. Within seconds she vanished.

Mac looked at Soral and touched his shoulder. "Is it possible?"

"She would not lie about this. She knowns how vital family is to me."

He turned. "I need to be alone."

Hamura was about to go after him but Mac grabbed Hamura's arm and Alex's. "He needs to be alone."

For her part, she knew better than to try and follow. And she more than needed to be alone herself, trying to process not just what she felt but what she could feel from Soral too. She pulled her arm out of Mac's grip, saying nothing as she turned on her heels and walked in the opposite direction feeling as if her own feelings were unravelling with every step.

T'Lanna quickly followed on behind Alex. "Alex... Wait" She offered an understanding brief smile. "You don't have to talk about it, but if you decide you want to I'm here."

"Thank you," Alex said quickly, "I just need some air and to calm down. I'll be okay. I'm sure Soral will be too."

"Well if you need to me, you know where I'll be" T'Lanna offered a smile resting her hand on Alex's shoulder before letting go. "I'll leave you be."


=/\=Present Time=/\=

Soral snapped back from his memory. He stood and walked over to the replicator. He needed another coffee. He really did. Soon enough he would know if Evesta was telling the truth. His brother was due to call any second.

After picking up his coffee he sat back down and looked out at the stars.

OFF: