Conections -- Part II

Posted on Tuesday, 18 January 2022 - 7:32pm by Lieutenant Alex Kingsley & Commander Soral

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

Previously on Connections...

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.”

And now the continuation...


She reclaimed her hand as she stepped towards Soral. “I will confess, I am amazed she made this connection,” Lexi mused as she circled Soral, her boots giving her a good few inches of height advantage over her other self as she touched Alex’s cheek, “so much potential just locked away. Not that it changes anything. Even if you chose to live, you know we are lost. If you stay here, we are lost. Death or purgatory makes no difference.

I find myself wishing you to live, Soral. Guilt. Grief. I despise such weakness. It is a distraction.”

He studied the new arrival. He saw so much strength, the inner strength he knew was in Alex. "I find myself curious. She is not with me yet she is with me. Odd situation." He studied her. "And your Soral, he too considers himself a Son of Shariel?"

“I won’t allow it to happen again so I would take advantage while you can,” Lexi commented as she took a seat beside the fireplace, “attempting to send a distress signal to help them find you? It sealed her fate. It allowed me to … shall we say… get comfortable? And I took the liberty to undo all that hard work but you were found anyway. And you -“

She pointed towards Hamura, “you think she doesn’t like you. Three times I wanted to kill you and she stopped me. Would be wasteful for all that to be in vain.”

Lexi’s gaze turned to Soral, “do not think you can compare to my husband. Son of Shariel, husband, father. Including to the four children we have had since I made the right of challenge and killed Evesta. It was a beautiful day. You are nothing like him. And so your survival has no significance to us. My Soral, our Soral, saw death as a kindness to you. He experienced my death, after all.”

Soral sighed. "I see, and being here he saw my Alexandra as a means to bring you back." He shrugged. "It is logical, I would have done the same."

Hamra's eyes widened. "What the hell? You're thinking of giving up aren't you?"

Soral looked up. "They have children together. He is a husband, a father filled with grief at the loss of the one person that gave him light." He looked at Lexi. "He helped you develop your abilities did he not? Helped you control them?"

Lexi smiled, seeing how Alex had reacted - His words seeming to confirm her worst fear. Even in her sleep, Soral had given up on them as a couple and she was truly alone. She had gone so still, seeming to shrink back into herself as the link to this place seemed to weaken, become less tangible.

“When I was a young girl he took me in, trained me,” Lexi confirmed, a hint of triumph in her voice. “I had little control over my abilities back then. Not like now.”

Soral studied her, "And if you merge with my Alexandra...will you still be able to control those abilities? Will she continue to live and exist even though both personalities were merged." Soral saw Hamura's gaze on him. With a slight turn he cut off what Hamura was about to say. A plan was forming.

“She will,” Lexi conceded, “in a way. A very small, inconsequential way.”

He looked between the two Alex figures. "May I ask...how was the Katra merge done...was it done by a priestess?" He hoped himself, or rather his mirror self arrogant enough to have done it alone.

“Believe it or not we didn’t bring one with us,” Lexi shrugged. “Soral saved me, and found your Alex. It’s a bit odd, I have to confess, I have lived a few years longer than her. This body has definitely not had four children!”

"Indeed. We have no children." So he had done it himself. That may make things a bit easier. He knew that his Alexandra was stronger then this Lexi but Lexi had many things to give."

He studied her. "Your Soral, I wager is like me a man who likes a good bargain. I have a wager for you." He studied Lexi.

Lexi laughed at that, clearly amused. “I do love to bite, so I’ll listen.”

"Your Soral, he needs you as his wife, no doubt his grief has driven him to replace you with her. His intent is to continue your life together, however, he failed to take into account that my Alexandra has something that you do not. If you override her personality you would be condemning your Soral to a fate worse then death. I offer you a way to save him. At a cost, of course."

“You cannot even bare to save yourself!” Lexi taunted him, her amusement kicking into high gear. “And I am all he needs. He is in no danger. Besides, she is a scientist… that is very useful to us. I fail to seen any danger to our husband. Besides so much quite frankly needless knowledge, I also fail to see what she has that I do not.”

Our. Her choice of word was deliberate, looking to wound and ensure he revelled in his misery.

His logic kicked in. "Indeed. Other then having a soul an heart you mean...she has knowledge of the inner workings of the Borg collective. She has studied, as a scientist, the longevity of the Borg, particularly Vulcans." He shot her a look. "My wife has noticed something in me that your Soral shares." He turned to Alex. "Is that not right?"

Lexi glanced towards Alex, knowing the answer as soon as Alex began to nod. “Ithena Syndrome?” Lexi said as if reading an unfamiliar word from a book she was reading for the first time.

“Yes,” Alex said quietly, “or at least that’s what I call it. It is a very very rough translation from ancient texts but it is a condition which degrades the nervous system over time. Borg technology… it could stop it.”

“The Borg don’t heal, they assimilate. They destroy. Everything in their path will become part of their King’s empire. They are relentless,” Lexi hissed. She fixed her gaze on Soral, “so what is the cost? Obviously not my heart or soul. Cute by the way. The last person who tried that kind of line I crushed his heart inside his chest while his crew watched on. It was a glorious day.”

Alex looked distinctly ill at the memory.

"Indeed. So the cost, your husband has this condition as do I, she has the cure. This bond that I shared with Alex there was a sliver left by the priest a necessity since I had to freely give it up. I have done so, her link to me is now cut. If your personality fully takes over the cure for your Soral will die with her. If you integrate share knowledge weave yourselves together you can save him but the price is you must give her at least 70 percent hold." He hoped Alex understood what he was doing that he was attempting to ensure she would have a chance to fight Lexi but also gain from her the confidence and strength she needed. "The question I have is are you willing to pay the price of loosing your Soral by taking over completely."

“You gave it up?” Alex breathed. Or at least tried to.

“You know, I actually heard that,” Lexi pouted in mock sympathy. “Broken hearts… after she fought so hard against them breaking the bond. It was quite entertaining.”

“Stop it,” Alex snapped at her.

Lexi laughed, delighted. She sobered as she looked at Soral, “you ask too much. But I do like her. I won’t destroy her, not completely. That’s all I can guarantee. At least until the cure is complete.”

"Ahhh but there in lies the sacrifice. If you maintain an air of distance and do not weave together the memory will fade and she will not be able to unlock the right combination. Your husband risked all to save you because of his love for you. He doesn't know that she has the cure. What are you willing to risk to save his life? Or do you not care for him as much as he for you."


To Be Continued...