Dark Nebula: Shadows of the Past

Posted on Monday, 20 April 2020 - 1:44pm by Lieutenant JG Yolen *

Mission: Operation: Overdrive
Location: Debobula
Timeline: Several Years ago

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[Present time: The images started before his head hit the control panel...]

===Several Years ago===

Yolen found himself in his room, back on Denobula, smoothing out his long tunic. He was going in front of the family now. Not only his mother and father but their respective second and third husbands and wives. He looked at himself in the mirror and questioned if he was strong enough to stand up for what he believed to be right.

The door opened and a beautiful blue eyed young girl, his age, came in. "Ready brother?"

He turned. "No."

She smiled, "Nonetheless I have faith in you and that you will prevail. Only you know what is right for you. Our society is founded on that."

He sighed, "Can you tell the family council that?"

She laughed. "I'm sure this will be only a formality."

Yolen wasn't sure. He shrugged and took a deep breath heading out into what he knew was going to be a hostile crowed.

The family motto statements were read there was a parade of formality that was both long and boring. He sat there; his mind was turning and trying to figure out the possible outcomes and the logic behind each.

Finally the family records keeper sat down and Yolen's father stood. "Yolen. You have been called here because we are in possession of some distressing news."

He stood and bowed to his family, "What news is that?" He knew what it was but if they wanted to use tradition to draw this out so would he.

"You are accused of forsaking our family tradition, of refusing to take a first wife, of..." there was a pause. "...of undergoing a procedure that is both tasteless and forbidden by our family charter that would ensure you do not have children."

There was an audible gasp in the room. Yolen knew that part of it was that most family didn't know why they were here. A family trial was so rare and no matter what his father had called it, this was a trial.

He watched as his father sat and his mother stood up. She had a kind face but he did not doubt for a second that she would not take his side.

"Yolen. We are your family. We wish to know what is going on. In addition to all of the above you have chosen not to pursue science?"

Yolen licked his suddenly dry lips and then picked up the water that was before him. He drank and then stood up. "It is true that I will not pursue science."

There were murmurs and before he could say anything his mother's third husband stood. "What do you wish to do?"

Yolen was grateful for one ally. "I wish to be a pilot."

There were murmurs and the council talked amongst themselves. His mother stood again. "Alright. I think I have it figured out. You can pursue being a pilot but you must marry within the year to your first wife and within three years to your second wife and you must produce children."

Yolen stood. There was so much silence that a pin could be dropped. "No. I have made my choice. I will not marry, if and when I marry there will be no children. I will be a pilot and I have been accepted to Starfleet Academy to start later this year."

After his declaration the council suspended for a few hours and returned. He knew the verdict before they read it. He would be banished from his family. Oh he would be allowed on Denobula but as a person with no family and no status, he'd be shunned by all.

That evening he'd packed and said goodbye to the siblings that had provided his support and left with one last look at the planet he knew he would never see again....

***

[Present Time: Yolen was the first to wake. He bolted up looking around the shuttle. His mind raced to make sense of things but the screaming alarms got his attention. He unlocked the helm control and flew the shuttle just outside the nebula. ]

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Lt. JG Yolen
Helms Officer