"The Lion and The Mouse"
Previous Post: "Intrigue" by Sabrina
-=/\=-
Stardate: 60298.1634
Setting: USS ANUBIS - Corridor on the way to the Brig Holding Area
Enaii travelled quickly down the hallways of the ship, a small holographic projector clasped firmly in her right hand. She had gone to investigate the ship after having come across a name in the computer's databanks, she had not for a moment expected to find this. She couldn't believe her eyes, she wondered if one of their prisoners would in fact be him, or if he had died in the firefight at the hands of her crewmates.
She needed to know, yet she dreaded the outcome whatever it would be. She did not want him dead, but she could not allow him to be turned over to the Federation no matter what the cost to her future would be. Rounding a corner, she quickly dismissed the on duty guards with a wave of her hand and they went unchallenging. She did not know what to expect, what she would see, but for some unexplainable reason she could not get her heart to stop pounding and the ringing in her ears was beyond distracting.
Before entering the Brig, she paused. "Computer, realign Brig force fields to one-way viewing."
As soon as the computer acknowledged her request, the Operative steeled herself and stepped into the room, pressing a sequence of buttons on her way in that would prevent anyone else from entering.
Turning to face the prisoners, Enaii's heart both sank and fluttered at the same time. Only two men had survived the assault, and He was one of them. Taking a step forward, she reached a hand out to the force field as though caressing his image, though he could not see her he looked directly outward, seemingly staring at her face.
He looked so old, not fragile, but worn. Like a thousand years and a million hardships had made their mark on him. She could still see the face she remembered beyond the shadowed lines of his face, the strength he used to boast still lingering in the muscular shape of his arms. There was a light missing in his eyes, a piece of his soul stripped from him, and standing here she wondered if that shard of his heart stood, unknowingly, a force field away from him.
There was so much she wanted to tell him, so much she wanted to know, but there was no time for that now, and though she wanted to stay here forever, to memorize each new feature of his face, she had to move quickly if she intended to help him.
Without further delay, she left the Brig and got to work.
-=-=-=-
Stardate: 10298.1655
Setting: USS ANUBIS - Bridge
Serenna stood at the back of the Bridge as lights began to flash on the control panel before her. "Sir," she announced in disbelief, "The Romulan ship has launched and is heading back towards Romulan Space."
James, who had just recently returned to his post, stood and turned to face the Operations Officer, "Engage tractor beam!"
The Romulan hybrid shook her head, "It's no good sir! The tractor beam is offline."
"Phasers!" he demanded.
"Offline, so are missiles and transporters…" she announced.
"Helm, lay in an intercept course." The Captain was becoming agitated.
"It's no use Sir, we're locked in to our present course and I can't change it," the Flight Control Officer replied.
"Sir," Maya interrupted, "They are out of range, there's nothing we can do now even if we had missiles or tractors or helm control or transporters."
Captain Simmons turned to face the Operations Officer as if expecting an explanation, instead the Hybrid's face fell. "Sir, all malfunctioning systems are back online with no record of having malfunctioned at all. Engineering reports Omega level lockouts prevented them gaining access to affected systems and that there is no evidence of that having happened either."
With narrowing eyes, James gave only one order before exiting the Bridge, "Have Enaii brought to my Ready room."
-=-=-=-
Stardate: 10298.1702
Setting: USS ANUBIS - Captain's Ready Room
James sat behind his desk, still upset, though somewhat calmer now. His logical mind told him there must have been a reason for this, some dire matter of life and death. Though she was prone to hermit-like behaviour and anti-socialism, Enaii was not one to jump off the deep end without good cause. Looking up at the woman who stood before him, he finally spoke. "Why did you do it?"
The Operative betrayed no emotion, "I had no choice."
The Captain growled, "There is always a choice Commander. I ask you again, why did you do it?"
Enaii did not blink, "It was something I had to do."
James slammed his hands down on the desk before him in frustration, "WHY DID YOU DO IT?!?"
Without reaction, the Operative sat down in the chair across from him, a movement that was so out of character that it sobered him immediately. For anyone else, it would have meant nothing, but for her he understood it to mean that she was no longer speaking as an officer, but on a familiar level.
"There is an old Earth fable," she began, he dared not interrupt her as he, for the first time, could hear something terrorizingly close to emotion in her voice, "Of a lion and a mouse. The lion is lying in his den one day as a mouse foolishly runs over his paw. Without effort the mouse is caught and is about to be eaten when he pleads for her life, he tells the lion that he would not make a good meal but that someday maybe he will be able to help the lion in return for not eating him… The lion, rather amused, sets the mouse free, not believing that such a small creature could ever come to his aid." She paused a moment before continuing, "Well as it turned out, many moons later the Lion becomes entangled in a hunter's snare, unable to free himself he lets out a mighty roar. The mouse, recognizing the call of the lion who had spared his life, comes to his aid, chews through the ropes, freeing him from what would have otherwise been his death."
James waited a moment, however it was apparent that the woman had recounted what she had intended and was not planning on speaking further. "So you think these Romulans will come to our aid in the future?" he asked sceptically.
Enaii shook her head, "No. You misunderstand, I am not the lion… I am the mouse."
-=/\=-
Lisa Mac Isaac {lisa_mac_isaac@hotmail.com}
Writing the hopes, dreams and future of:
Lieutenant Commander Enaii - Intelligence Liaison Officer
USS ANUBIS
And if you see no reason for giving thanks, rest assured that the fault is in yourself.
~~Chief Tecumseh 1813
2005 post #013
