Unification

Posted on 02/23/2022 @ 12:01am by Captain Thorrin & Captain Cornelius Harrington
Edited on on 03/02/2022 @ 1:19am

1,825 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 22: The Other Side of the Mirror
Location: Ready Room - Deck 1 - DTI Herodotus
Timeline: MD001 1805 hrs

As Thorrin crossed to his desk he thought of words he had heard hundreds of years ago on Earth. A man named Abraham Lincoln spoke them: "Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends." He sat behind his desk as Harrington followed him in. It was time that they cleared the air and got on the same page.

Neil waited till the man was near his desk before he opened his mouth, he wasn't going to let something like position, or status change his mind. In here they were both Captains, both Commanding Officers, and he wasn't going to be one of those silent "yes sir" type XO. "This crew is putting a lot of faith in you Thorrin, and I am truly hoping you are being honest with them all. Many of them don't know the horrors of the MU as we do. They haven't experienced that level of evil. You gave a very convincing briefing but I still can't shake the feeling that the other shoe hasn't dropped yet. That little nugget is Thorrin keeping all to himself?"

"If Jerimiah Isaacs is still pulling the strings then this mission is far from that simple," Neil added before he took a sit, "and don't refer to me as Number One, hate that title. It's Captain Harrington or Neil."

That tore it Thorrin had enough of people simply not believing him. Fact was Thorrin never lied, he stretched the truth perhaps but never out right lied. "Fair enough, Captain Harrington on the Bridge, and Neil here. Please call me Thorrin." He began with the pleasantries. Thorrin paused for a moment to shift gears. "Tell me what I have to do... What do I have to do to make you believe that there is nothing being hidden from you. I hate... no hate is too weak a word. I loath Jerimiah Isaacs. He is no more pulling the strings as you are tap dancin. This crew is indeed putting a lot of faith in me, and I am doing the same. If there is one thing I have learned from all of my missions it is that anything can happen when you mess with time."

"It would seem that we both have a mutual understanding of the man," Neil stated referring back to Isaacs. Faith and trust have to be earned, and right now I have a hard time. If Valentine is alive and she is over there, then yes we need to rescue her. But, I can't help but wonder if this future your department foresaw is true then does Valentine want to be rescued? And to what extent do we end up at? If Ana wants to remain, do we force her out?"

Thorrin's voice softened as he spoke again and calmed down. "Neil on DTI missions the safety of this universe and of the timeline are of utmost importance. It supersedes any and all other directives. That said you can be sure that Ana does not want to come back. She wants to use that universe to... well... to get back at you, she is on a revenge quest. If she does not go willingly, then yes we force her out. If force does not work I am afraid that the safety of the timeline takes precedence over her life. But the lethal force is a last option only. I agree that trust and faith have to be earned. All I am asking is for you and your crew to meet me in the middle. I am going to give a little and would ask for the same in return."

Neil looked at her, "leaving her behind wasn't easy. But, I would agree with you given what I have read in your reports, Ana can't stay there." He paused realizing how that sounded. Here he was arguing that Ana couldn't say in the Mirror Universe. However, on the side, he was passionate about arguing about Adra staying in there. How were these things too different.

"I promise you that no harm will come to her unless absolutely needed. But I need you to begin to process the idea that ultimately it may come down to you. As I said in the briefing I will be remaining aboard the Hero. So you will be in charge on the ground. The decision of what happens to her may once again fall to you. All I can do is help prepare you and advise." Thorrin spoke a bit quieter here as he placed his elbows on his desk and leaned forward. He had to make sure Neil could handle what was to come.

Neil finally allowed him to sit down as he tried to relax, even for a bit. "I thought leaving her behind was the worst thing that I could have done. She was being put to death, and we couldn't save her. Now two years later I find out that nothing I knew was correct. I am not sure I am the right man for this job, and not because I can't do it. But there is a very real possibility I am the last person she ever wants to see. I am the man who left her here. Whatever happened to her will be my fault."

"Which is precisely why you are the perfect man for the job. We need to get her back, and we have no idea of knowing where she is. The only thing that we do know is that she does want revenge of sorts, she wants you. So the hope is that your presence alone will bring her out, and make our job that much easier. Add to that your history with her could talk her down from the proverbial ledge. Ultimately we want her back here and alive." Thorrin explained. He did not agree with the DTIs plans too often however, in this he agreed with them.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Neil replied, "I know Ana better than most, and when I say I am the last person she wants to see... I mean it. She's a very emotional person and you can trust me when I say she's very emotional now given what I have been told. this is going to backfire, and that will be on your DTI."

"I agree that she does not want to see you. However, I do think your presence is going to cause her to come out of hiding and strike as it were. But I am curious why do you believe that this is going to backfire? We are in this together, so if you have a better plan or idea I would be welcome to hear it." Thorrin replied. The fact was Harrington was right he knew this Valentine better than anyone and if he had a better course of action to suggest then Thorrin would hear it.

Neil took in a long breath, "considering this is the last place I ever wanted to go I truly don't have another idea. I am afraid you might be right as much as I don't care to admit that. And backfire, call it a gut feeling right now."

"I have read your file, and I have seen all the successes that you have had in your career. With all due respect I hope this is one time that your gut is wrong..." Thorrin began and then he ran his hand through his bald pate. "Neil I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot and in an effort to start a fresh and hopefully forge a friendship. I do not like most of what I have to do any more than you do. However, just like every other Starship Captain I have to do what is needed to protect the Federation, and so this is my lot in life. I hope that you can understand that."

"I understand that," Neil replied, "I do, and I've been there. Perhaps we did get off on the wrong foot, I was pretty upset after the revelation of Valentine I know I went on the defense. It wasn't a good start to a friendship," he added.

Thorrin smiled. "Agreed, and if roles were reversed I would have reacted the same way as you did. I do not believe the situation to be your fault. I just think that with your knowledge of Valentine and of the MU as well as your crew's knowledge, this mission has the best chance of success. As opposed to taking a fresh crew. Whatever happens over there I know that we will get it done. I understand and sympathize with the situation that you are in. I will try to assist in any way that I can."

"Then we have an understanding," Neil nodded to Thorrin. "I can't say I one hundred percent agree, but it will work out one way or another. "

Thorrin smiled genuinely. He reached for one of his ever present bottles of wine. In this case it was a bottle of Calvados. Next to the decanter stood two crystal glasses. "Come now Neil let us talk of better things, over a glass of fine wine. When one works in time travel one must live in the present and that means that the future and the past can wait. What do you say shall we start over on the correct foot?"

Neil took the offered wine, as he raised a glass. His heart wasn't in the toast, but perhaps in time, he could trust Thorrin. Things were still raw and he didn't but in time. He sipped his wine, as he thought to himself. "The present is all we are guaranteed," he replied.

"Quite so, and to the present..." Thorrin raised his glass and tapped Harrington's. He took a sip of the wine, well it was more like a large draught. "Now, my friend it is time to take the present through the looking glass and close out the past. Are you ready?" There was a lot in that final question not the least of which was a request to see if Neil was ready to face his past, and whatever demons they may have created.

Neil wasn't lost on the implications behind Thorrin choice of words, but for now his mind was busy on other scenarios. They nearly didn't make it back from the MU last time, this time had to be different. "Ready," he replied as he stood up.

Thorrin knew that there was a lot hanging on this mission for Neil. So he let his last words hang in the air. There was nothing further that needed to be said, it was time for actions and not words. With a simple nod and a smile Thorrin led the way back onto the Bridge and into history.

Captain Cornelius Harrington III
Commanding Officer, Poseidon Station
Executive Officer, DTI Herodotus

Captain Thorrin
Commanding Officer
DTI Herodotus

RSS Feed