You are not alone. (Part 1)

Posted on Mon Nov 24th, 2014 @ 2:44pm by Commander Alexandra Vance & Sergeant Amarylis Beckinsale

1,369 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Deadly Diplomacy
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: Prior to "And the hammer comes down".

ON:

Amarylis sat atop a cliff overlooking a vast blue ocean glistening from the sun and the air filled with the sound of waves crashing against the base of the cliff guided by a gentle breeze. She had substituted her standard Starfleet Marine uniform for something more comfortable and suited to the warm tropical weather of her simulation. She adorned a two piece swimsuit beneath a sheer turquoise dress to cover the bruising, a reminder of the nightmare she had endured at the hands of the one known as Nero. While she had not spoken to others much since the incident her mind was constantly in motion. She wondered if Nero had met his demise on that planet...she wouldn't lose any sleep over it. Nero had done what very few others could. He had attacked Amarylis on a very personal level bringing back a moment she would never have forgotten and wished never to relive, especially when this time she was the victim.

Amarylis was no firm believer in fate, but something must have shone down on her as right in her moment of need, as like years before in the dredges of Cardassia Prime, Alexandra and Amarylis were reunited just as they had been on that fateful day.

Back then Amarylis was a Corporal assigned to the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Shadowrunner. Typically Amarylis served as a sniper however for this mission she took on the role of assaulter. As a twenty-five year old Marine Amarylis had some experience and share of combat stress, but nothing prepared her for this. The mission briefing had explained that the team would be extracting their two X O which had been captured following an op. Amarylis had never got the details as to how Alex was captured, she was a Corporal and the two rarely talked of the situation since. The details didn't matter, the only thing that mattered that day is that Amarylis and Alexandra would form a bond stronger then that of most families. Despite the nightmares it was a trade Amarylis would make over and over again given the choice.

Like the Orion compound, Alexandra's prison on Cardassia prime was a dark, damp, dwindling structure of rock however the Cardassian structure featured multi levels, the bottom reserved for special prisoners kept from the rest of the population and known only to the most privileged of the Cardassian government. Amarylis and her team had managed to infiltrate the compound via a breach going undetected as they descended the vast building into the catacombs where Alexandra was held. Estimates from the briefing had Vance held in the prison for nearly a week. Cardassians worked fast and were relentless in their pursuit of knowledge which they could use to their advantage. These particular Cardassians had a special interest in reuniting the former Dominion alliance despite the backlash their people received at the end of battle for Cardassia Prime. While the founder had ordered the deaths of thousands of Cardassian citizens this cell believed the treachery of their own people led to the drastic course of action. The group sought retribution to those who were responsible for the treasonous alliance...The Federation, Klingons and the Romulans. Alexandra was their prize, their first real opportunity to strike deep within the Federation. Her mind possessing the secrets which would open the doors to a new truce, a new coalition which would not be defeated like the last.

[[2387]]

The team had split when they had reach the bottom level. Time was precious and the guards would soon be alerted. Amarylis moved stealthily down a dark corridor using only her senses and dim light to guide her along. She would soon come to a room at the end with a light much brighter then the rest. From a distance she could hear voices screaming from within and the sounds of a whip. As she got closer, the words became audible as did the screams....human female. In a blur of both instinct, adrenaline and rage Amarylis stormed the room swiftly dispatching of the Cardassian guards. She didn't even have time to look at their faces. Her index finger simply curled depressing the trigger and her screams echoed throughout the room as the Cardassians fell to the ground.

In the wake of the slaughter, in a dark corner of the dimly lit room curled in a ball was a female. She had not moved during the shooting and was not quivering or seemingly unnerved by what had just transpired. "Excuse me." Amarylis said taking a step closer to the woman.

She did not respond to Amarylis remaining in the same position. As Amarylis approached the woman, her eyes were met with the gruesome details as to what she had interrupted only a few short moments ago. The woman's back was covered in various bruises and marks from a whip. Blood seeped down her lower back and dripped onto the cold cement floor below her. She had wreaked of sweat and presumably from days, months, some period of time without a shower. The perspiration no doubt aided in the electro-torture employed by the Cardassians as noted by the burn marks on her sides. Amarylis slowly moved her hands towards the woman's shoulder placing it gingerly upon her. Just a soon as her fingertips touched the woman Amarylis' wrist was grabbed onto and the woman quickly rose jabbing her elbow into Amarylis' stomach before sending her tumbling across the room.

Amarylis quickly recovered but did not take any form of stance to defend from an attack. This woman was startled and not an aggressor. While she seemed trained in some martial art, the fight would be unfair and this woman was a victim. Before Amarylis was a taller then average woman with an excellent physique even if masked by filth and blood. Her frizzled hair covered much of her face and Amarylis tried to see if she could recognize her as she could now identify her as human. She struggled to cover her breasts and private areas and Amarylis could tell from the look in her visible eye she was humiliated and vulnerable.

"Miss. My name is Corporal Amarylis Beckinsale. I am Starfleet on the USS Shadowrunner. What is your name?"

The woman smiled at first and then began to snicker as she hunched over. The snicker soon became a laugh. This confused Amarylis.

"You took long enough Corporal." the woman replied.

"Excuse me miss, I don't understand." Amarylis said tilting her head but not approaching the woman. She began to wonder if a delirium had overcome this woman in her state, she certainly wouldn't have blamed her. The amount of mental and physical anguish inflicted upon her was far more then Amarylis had ever witnessed or even read about.

"My name Corporal, is Lieutenant Commander Alexandra Vance." Vance replied looking up at Amarylis smiling. "And you're late."

"My apologies Commander. We've been looking for you for over a week. I'm here to take you home." Amarylis replied moving towards Vance.

"Not yet Corporal. I need some clothes." Vance stated.

"Ok ma'am." Amarylis said as she looked around the room for something that could clothe the Commander. In the opposite corner of the room she noticed some robes placed on the table. The material was well worn and tattered but she hoped it would fulfill the commander's request.

"Here ma'am." she said holding out the robes to Alexandra. "Will these do?"

Vance took the robes and slid them on hastily. "I need a phaser."

"It's ok ma'am we have an entire team here. I'm going to get on the means and let them know I found you and we can get you home." Amarylis replied tapping her commbadge.

"Wait..." Vance said holding her hand out. "I need a phaser."

"Ma'am, you don't need to fight. We will protect you." Amarylis said reassuringly hoping to calm Vance down. She could sense the woman's adrenaline was kicking in.

"I'm not the one that needs protecting Corporal....." Alexandra replied with a soft laugh.

"Then why a phaser?" Amarylis asked.

Vance stood up straight and took a few steps towards Amarylis. "Because I plan to kill them all..."

[[To Be Continued]]

 

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