Mirror World - Difficult Goodbye pt III

Posted on Saturday, 11 September 2021 - 11:11am by Commander Soral & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley
Edited on on Saturday, 11 September 2021 - 11:11am

Mission: Operation: Lazarus
Location: Mirror Universe | Vulcan | Shi'kar City
Timeline: Current

Previously on Mirror World....

“We must deliver the child,” T’Mei informed Severine.

Severine ushered the boys away and sat there for a moment tears stinging her eyes. "I will take care of them, I promise." She held Alex's hand.

“I know you will,” Alex smiled, “and your father… he must not lose himself Severine or all of this was for nothing.”

Her brow knitted. "He's going to be lost...I can sense a rage in him...." She hoped that Soral would get a chance to say goodbye. The healer had assured Severine that he would have those precious moments with her. She bent down and kissed Alex on the forehead. "I love you."

“Love you too,” Alex whispered. Severine had always been like a sister and she would trust nobody else to keep their children safe. “Go… find Soral please…”

Severine gave a tearful smile and headed out.

And Now The Continuation....


ON:

Within moments Soral was in the room and by her side. His mask of anger on his face. He took her hand. "You will be well. The healer will fix everything."

She gripped his hand with a vice like grip as healers began to fill the room in preparation. T'Mei was calmly organising and preparing for the care the unborn baby would require upon delivery, while another she did not recognise was currently in deep discussion with his small team. Alex fixed her gaze upon her husband as if they were the only two people in the universe.

"We will deliver the child by C-Section," T'Mei informed Soral. "Her development is sufficient that a surrogate is not required and we can deliver care here. If you must remain, then you must give us room to work."

Alex kept her grip on his hand as he shifted just enough, glancing down as a makeshift screen was placed between her and her swollen belly as T'Mei began to work. She felt no pain but a distant tugging now and then as the Vulcan healer worked with care and efficiency. And then it stopped and they heard a piercing cry of a newborn as T'Mei turned and moved the infant to a portable incubator to be cleaned, kept warm and assessed. "Is she okay?" Alex whispered, straining to try and see for herself as healers now began to converge around her, blocking her view. "Soral, our daughter..."

He kissed her. "Our daughter is beautiful." He turned to the team. "Bring the child so my wife may hold her." It was not a request and everyone knew it.

There was a small flurry of activity and T'Mei appeared, gently handling over the small infant wrapped in a blanket so that she rested in her mother's arms. "She is so perfect," Alex breathed, touching the babies face as if memorising it before kissing her forehead. "Soral, we need to name her."

"The name will be your choice."

“Aria,” she decided as she gazed down at the tiny newborn. She was so beautiful. “Hold her,” she urged Soral, gently surrendering her daughter to him. A smile played at her lips to watch them, father and daughter staring at each other as if looking into each other’s souls. She watched them as the last of her strength ebbed, her eyes closing and one name on her lips as she breathed her last. A name she had fought for, killed for, died for and been saved by many times.

“Soral…”

Soral handed the child to the healer, who was always on hand. He quickly held Alex and kissed her one last time. As her body gave out he shouted at the other healer to help. Soral was ushered out of the room pacing like a wild Animal with his children close by.

Inside the room they could hear the voices of the healers, always calm, always in control as they attempted to save the life of Soral's wife. Outside, Severine stood with her elder brothers. She had ushered the younger boys to their nursery where they could play and be far from the torment their father was enduring. And it was Severine who first braved the wrath of their father to step up to him and halt his pacing, "please father. Let us help you -"

She fell silent as the door to the room opened and T'Mei stepped out, followed by HealerT'Ana. It was T'Ana who stepped forward, her gaze fixed upon Soral. "The internal injuries were too severe, Soral. We have revived her but she is not conscious and has moments at best. Nothing more can be done. You may sit with her if you wish," the tall woman said quietly, but not without compassion. "We grieve with thee Soral."

T'Mei looked towards Severine, "you must all prepare."

Severine gave a small nod. When the bond was finally broken, that was when she and her brothers would truly be needed.

Soral looked at T'Mei, "You saved my daughter, yes?"

“Yes, she is in need of observation but is coping on her own.”

"For that I am grateful." He turned to T'Ana, "You, however, failed to save my wife, is that not so?"

If it were possible, T’Ana paled. “The weapon used - it caused too much damage and prevented the natural healing process. We did everything possible I assure you.”

“Father, this is T’Paris’ doing,” Severine interjected, “if you seek vengeance, she is aboard our ship wishing for death.”

Before anyone could say anything T'Ana lay at Soral's feet. He turned to Severine. "All of you, go say, goodbye, her Katra must be saved. I will bring her back to you all, from the mirror verse."

Not one person, not even T'Mei, looked towards the body of the healer. Failure had sealed her fate even if that failure had not been of her own doing. Severine's eyes widened, questions dying on her lips as instead she ushered her brothers inside of the room. She had said her goodbyes and promised to care for her brothers and now sister too. But Soval and N'Vek had not had time to do so and Soval needed to most of all.

Her brother was berating himself, full of guilt for his unwitting part in T'Paris's plot. She knew as soon as they left the room he and N'Vek would be making preparations to hunt down every last one of her allies to ensure they paid for this with their lives.

Standing in the room she watched her brothers silently bid farewell while healers took their newborn sister away to the nursery. "We must give father time with her," she said after a moment, beckoning them to leave with her. She was not entirely sure how her father planned to do what he said, or if it were even possible given their step mother and friend was not Vulcan or even Romulan. Yet she was more than simply a Terran.

When they emerged, T'Ana's body was gone and their father was once more pacing. "You must say your goodbye now, Father," Severine told him, stepping aside to clear the way for him to enter.

He looked at her and gave a nod. "Come," he simply said. Leaving Severine to enter the room. He'd always marveled how Lexi hadn't been Severine's mother yet the two women were so alike. He said his goodbyes kissing her hand. He looked up as his sons re-entered, they were on hand to help when the bond was broken...but it a way it wouldn't be. He would take her Katra, he had a plan now. There was things that needed to be done in a universe far away and he aimed to do them but he would also bring back Alexandra Kingsley, the mirror image of the woman whose life was ebbing here.

He lifted her up and sat behind her holding her to his chest. He beckoned the children to gather. As they did he placed a hand on Alex's temple. "I will give you life again," He whispered. He closed his eyes and began searching, she had a spirit to her, Humans had a soul, it would be that part of her, her soul, her memories that he would take and keep safe until he could get her double back here to continue this life. It would not be his Lexi but... he could not face life without her.

Once done he held her body feeling her grow weaker. He looked at his children. It was time. They would mind meld now and as she passed they would each feel her passing but his children would help heal the mind links that would be torn by her death. He felt Severine's hand on his and held onto it. "We begin now."

Severine gave a nod, exuding more confidence than she truly felt as Soval and N'Vek took up their places. "We are ready, Father."

They're minds began to link. It was in that moment that the children could truly see the depth of their father's love for Alex. As her consciousness joined with their minds an image of her came to life. A final chance to say goodbye.

They were seemingly once more in the clearing of the picnic although the world around them was indistinct, blurred as if it were a water payment. Only the five of them felt solid, Alexandra standing in the middle of them all facing her husband. “My love,” she breathed, touching his cheek. “I’m so sorry.”

Then something happened that in all the years none gathered had seen. Soral fell to his knees and wept. "I will bring you back...I promise."

Saying nothing she simply held him. Comforting him before she knelt down to face him, “promise me only that you will never stop being the father your children need and never stop fighting for our cause.”

"I don't think I can do this without you."


To Be Continued…