Connections -- Part I

Posted on Tuesday, 18 January 2022 - 7:31pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley

Mission: Operation: Crimson Kaleidoscope
Location: Unknown
Timeline: 2395

ON:

Retreating to the solitude and silence of their quarters, it took only a few heartbeats before pain and grief to overwhelm her. There was no distraction, no way to stop it. Instead it stole the very air from her lungs and tore at her very soul.

Soral was dead.

The love they shared had seemed invincible- able to withstand anything and everything the universe wanted to through at them. He had found her in her darkest moment, rescued her and been her source of strength even as he himself struggled. It seemed inconceivable to her that he no longer lived, that his children would now face a future without him.

And yes, it was not her Soral. Not this Soral, the one who had travelled so far to get back his wife. To bring back the mother of their children … but at the same time it was.

She vividly remembered walking down the aisle, the warm sun beating down on them as their friends and family watched on. Could remember exactly how Soral had looked at her as she came towards him and stood at his side.

And as they said vows and kissed, it felt as if time itself had stopped. A little bubble in time and space that was just theirs.

But she had broken those vows. Not purposely but she had.

And she, or Lexi, had died. Which sent the other Soral off on a mission to save her - to bring her back in the body of her mirror counterpart.

And because of what she and Lexi had done, Soral - the one who had carried her back to her quarters after she had twisted an ankle before almost running out the door - was dead.

Her grief had refused to be banished, following her into the dark as sleep claimed her. Manifesting in a dream that felt too vivid, too real …


The corridor stretched on for what seemed like miles, constructed of marble as black as night with gold inscriptions which seemed to shine as brightly as any star. The coldness of the floor beneath her feet made her glance down, finding them bare and realised she was not wearing her black catsuit but instead a form fitting dark green dress. She knew this dress… as her hand brushed against the fabric she remembered how. Her dinner with Soral. The first ‘date’ if you didn’t count the forge…

Curiosity carried her onwards, finding doors every few meters along the corridor but they were sealed tightly shut and she had no choice but to go forwards. Her steps grew hesitant as she heard noises up ahead. Voices.

Two of them.

One she knew by heart. After a moment of hesitation she hurried forward, almost running. It couldn’t be real, for she knew it was impossible but still…

Finally she reached the end of the corridor and came to a winding staircase, and from the top step she could look down into a vast room she recognised. But she did not dwell on that, her eyes fixed upon just Soral. Both grateful and cursing how vividly her imagination was at work. It was a particular kind of cruelty. Yet if a dream was all she had, she would take it.

A raised voice brought her gaze momentarily to the other person in the room. Hamura. The engineer appeared to be determined to be heard, yet Soral seemed unmoved.

With each step the voices became clearer, although what was being said made little sense. And it was so cold… she glanced towards the fireplace just beyond the foot of the stairs and as if in response it came to life, flames taking hold and spilling out warmth and shadows. She barely took notice, almost running down the stair towards Soral, determined to embrace whatever her imagination was throwing at her - good and bad.


Soral sighed. "Hamura I cannot go back, I cannot face a life without her."

There was a long silence and it stretched into endlessness. "Alright." Hamura sighed. "If this is what you want, to stay here to seek out the Vulcan God of D..."

A sound drew their attention to the stairs. Soral gasped. Hamura's eyes widened. "Well shit..." they said.

“Soral,” his name escaped on a breath as she threw herself into his arms. He seemed so real, so solid, so… alive. God, she didn’t want to wake up. “I’m so sorry!”

He held her speechless. Hamura slowly pulled back to let them have a moment. They were a little angry at Alex for all this but Soral could handle things.

Soral pulled back. "Why are you in this place of death." He motioned to the temple.

Tears stung at her eyes as she studied him, touching his face as if to be sure it was him. “Don’t say that please,” she pleaded. “I can’t even… he sent Hamura to kill you -“

Soral looked over at Hamura. "Indeed, a mirror version of the one that is here now."

“Isn’t this just so sickeningly… sweet,” a familiar sounding voice observed as Lexi descended the staircase, the heels on her knee high leather boots echoing on the stone. As she descended her blue eyes looked upon the scene with displeasure although there was a hint of amusement upon seeing Hamura. “I can feel your anger all the way over here….”

She crossed to the engineer, smiling as she inspected their surroundings. “What a dramatic setting. Our husband’s have that in common, at least,” she mused as she came to a stop in front of Hamura, a gloved hand outstretched, “we haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Lexi. You found him then?”

Hamura gazed at her. They felt Soral's mind in their own. "Hamura," They said. "I did find him along with your Hamura. It seems your man was a tad quicker then I." Hamura shook her hand, not by choice but because They're Soral wanted to get a read on her.

“They are quite… resourceful,” Lexi agreed with a relaxed smile, untroubled by the familiar sensation of another mind touching her own. Unlike Alex, she had the benefit of almost a lifetime of learning from not only Soral but some of the finest teachers on Nivar who had all welcomed her as one of their own. Admittedly most of the time in secret until she had been able to stand at Soral’s side. Indeed, her tone remained pleasant as she allowed Hamura to do as she wished, only shielding her bond with Soral. You could not be too careful after all.

“Yet losing their touch, perhaps,” she added, nodding towards Soral, “you have his stubborn streak. Why linger here of all places? Torturing yourself? If that is what you wish, I can certainly oblige.”


To Be Continued...