#40 Keeping the Faith

Posted on Sat Jul 9th, 2022 @ 2:46pm by Captain Rogue Green {Meji} & Chief Warrant Officer Niraasha "Nira" Whisperwind

Mission: A Patrol and Supply mission
Location: various
Timeline: current/somewhere in between

ON:

Green and Nira materialized aboard the Yridian freighter, deep inside the bowels of the engineering section, hidden behind machinery and conduits. Nira's quadroscopic senses were a bit distorted here, what with the power sources all around her, that mucked with what she perceived. What could be a heartbeat she could normally hear, would end up a power conduit or plasma manifold if she wasn't careful and paying attention.

"Hey," said Green in a low tone. "Are you okay? I'm sensing hesitation."

"I'm fine," assured Nira. "Just a bit off in my sensory input. Power sources tend to muck with my perceptions. I just focus more, with patience, and all is revealed."

"Watch me then," instructed Green. "If I react, you react until we can get clear of all this. I'm not sensing anyone in this section. The Nile is right outside the ship, they have to know we're on board."

"Only a fool would think otherwise," added Nira.

Ro looked at her friend as she cocked her head cynically. "Have you met most criminals. Not exactly the brightest people in the galaxy."

"Soon they'll be dead," said Nira. "All worries will be over."

Green chose not to address that. She had said that the Meji would cover the full spectrum of life and she had meant it. Nira was Puazi, and it was her cultural norms that made her who she was. Controlling base emotions was essential, to not let them have reign over one's character. To be positive, not negative in dealings with others. To not turn into that which the Meji despise: those who prey on others with darkness in their heart.

***

The freighter crew were huddled together in the main cargo bay on the freighter Paragon. Surrounding them were four of the Syndicate thugs, each with a rifle, pistol and blades. They had felt the rumblings of space combat and then nothing. These four sentries looked nervous and scared, their boss ordering them to watch the crew while the rest searched the ship. So far they had absconded with only half of the cargo, and the medical supplies due for a Fringe colony were still there ready to be pirated. Those were the goal. That which would bring a hefty price on the black market. Federation medical supplies were the cream of the crop for almost everyone. The thug in charge saw the freighter captain get to his feet, taking a little girl's hand in his own to help her stand up. She could have been no more than 7 or 8 years old.

"Hey," said Thug #1. "Sit your keester right back down, old man. That's a good way to get shot."

The freighter captain raised his free hand up defensively. "I'm not trying anything, you have my word. But, we've been in here for over ten hours and unless you like it messy we need to start going to the bathroom. That door there," he pointed off across the cargo hold, to a small door. "That's a locker room/lavatory for the cargo handlers. I just want to take my daughter to the rest room, sir. Nothing more."

#1 gave a frustrated sigh. "For fu..." he cut off his own cursing and pulled his hand held flip-top comm. "Norris to Jakuun. We got problems, boss. These people are about to soil themselves and are requesting bathroom breaks. What say you?"

There was a sigh at the other end, then a male voice came back over the speaker. "In pairs, guarded. If they can hear this then here it is. You step out of line or try to escape and we will kill all the adults and take the chil..." There was a strange thrum sound at the other end and men heard screaming bloody murder as that thrumming sounded as if it was moving and twirling through the air even though #1 couldn't see it himself.

"Boss!" A few moments went by as he thought he could here low level voices speaking, but he couldn't catch any of the dialogue. "Boss?!"

"Greetings," came a female voice, one full of authority and no-nonsense. "I am Commander Green of the USS Nile. My crew and I are here to answer a distress call, and what we have found is most distressing. It will take us approximately three minutes to arrive at your location. If you have not surrendered to your captors by then, relinquishing all weapons to them, then you will be met with the full force and brutality of the Meji Order. This is the first, last, and only warning. See you in three minutes." The transmission cut.

The other three stooges all looked at each other with nervous expressions and fear in their eyes. Then, those three sets of eyes looked to their crew chief. "Now what, Norris? We gonna stand our ground and get swiped away like so much garbage?"

"Shut up!" Barked Norris. "Let me think..."

One of the freighter crew was an Andorian, and he had been privy to the tales from one of his clan members about these Meji. He had also read in the Federation news that the Meji Order had been accepted as a religion and an Order of guardians for the Federation. He grinned even as his antenna moved around with a bit more excitement. "Captain," he said to his own boss. "You might want to get down, brother."

Norris heard the chatter and looked to the Andorian. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The Captain listened to his crewman and got back down on his knees, clutching his daughter to him, his own head and eyes glancing around rapidly waiting for whatever was going to happen, to happen.

The Andorian gave a knowing smile. "Unless you give up, you'll see. One of these Meji took down an entire Romulan prison staff to cause a distraction enough that others were able to rescue some of my family. All of those people gave of themselves so that others could escape and live. She might let you live," he gave a shrug. "She might not."

"An entire Romulan prison staff," asked the thug Norris, incredulously. "I think you're full of shi..." An arrowhead pierced through Norris's throat, back to front, with the arrow sticking two inches out of his Adam's apple, the glinting silvery alloy glinting even when covered with blood and ichor. He went straight down on his face, dead as he hit the floor.

The other three spun around to face where the arrow had come from, seeing a lavender skinned 'elf?' standing there with her bow in hand and another arrow notched. Next to her stood a human female who showed she was at the pique of her physical perfection. In her hand she held a hilt, which she activated to show where that thrumming noise had come from. "Catch you fuckers at a bad time?" She asked.

One of the thugs tried to raise his rifle from the hip and was rewarded with an arrow through his heart, the next arrow notched and ready with blinding speed and dexterity from this odd being. "Oops," said Nira with a snide tone. "Guess he didn't like living. Next?"

The other two dropped their rifles to the floor and raised their hands in defense.

The freighter crew got up quickly and gathered the weapons.

Nira put her bow and arrow away as Ro closed her saber and hooked the hilt to her belt. Both came forward, with the Andorian stepping in and clasping her hand in both of his as he shook it. "A pleasure to meet a Meji. You saved my second wife and her husband from that prison in Romulan space. I am Rahvak. Minister Nashu speaks highly of you Order."

Green returned the handshake with grace and friendship. "While we appreciate your thanks, you never need say it. It is who we are and what we do. Seeing you alive and well is all the thanks the Meji ever need, sir."

His Captain came over so Rahvak motioned to the man carrying his daughter. "Allow me to introduce our Skipper. Ship's Captain Stanley Thorne."

Green shook hands first, then Nira before the Puazi turned to help with the prisoners. Ro smiled. "A pleasure, Captain Thorne. I am glad your people are okay."

"As am I," said the Captain. "That cargo is worth a fortune..." there was a vibration that went through the ship and then a rumble before all went still again. "Sounds like the blockade runner has detached and is leaving. Did you capture Jakuun?"

"Yes," said Ro, giving a shitty grin. "He's napping uncomfortably. And, he is also your prisoner. Nira sent out a call for the closest starship to arrive and aid your ship. We need to get going back to our own mother craft."

Thorne looked pleased with that. "The Paragon will always be ready to aid the Meji, and Starfleet. Thank you, Commander."

Nira nudged Green. "Time to go. I am porting now, strange ripple in Eldritch Magick. You come or I go without you."

Green nodded to her companion, recognizing the urgency that the Core was now imparting on her with its own ripples. "Take care, Captain. We need to hurry." With that said both ladies pulled out their transporter signalers and vanished in the wake of energy. Once back aboard the Nile they hopped into their seats, cleared the system, and then Nira opened her portal which Green drive through. As before, Nira slept and Ro meditated while the runabout flew into the Tython system.

OFF: