"Passage of Time, Revisited"
[Previous post: 'In The Beginning', written by the great Julian Knight]
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Stardate: 60299.0827
Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Section C, Level 4, Food Court
Lea entered the food court of the NEW ALEXANDRIA base like Cortez stepping inside the walls of El Dorado. The memories of the Assistant CMO were precise for some thing, while for others they were nonexistent. It was easy to see that the latter had been the case in this instance.
A bright smile formed as Lea saw two figures that she recognised from the ANUBIS. Making a beeline to the table where they were, Summers waved to Maya and Serenna who hesitantly returned the gesture.
"I can't believe how big this base is," Lea said standing between the two sitting officers. "Even following the maps and the directions given to me by some of the staff, I still can't make my way around without feeling like I am completely lost."
"Have a seat," Maya said, pulling the vacant chair to her left. It was only after the invitation had been made that the Shillian noticed the narrow eyed glare that had been sent her way by the Ops Officer.
"Don't you remember anything about this place?" Serenna asked in an accusatory tone. Remembering the chaos created by the Assistant CMO the last time their paths had crossed, the Ops Officer had not found it easy to believe Lea. "You were stationed here, even if only for a short while."
"There are things that I remember, like Admiral Koneki," Lea said looking through the thick protective windows that gave onto the docking bay. "There are also a lot of things that are completely new to me. Like the majority of the locations within this base, this place being an example," the Assistant CMO continued. "It is as if I was here during another time, or another life."
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Stardate: 60145.1402
Setting: USS NILE, Mess Hall
In space there was no day or night, only time. On the transport ship USS NILE though the lights had been dimmed and the mess hall emptied as night settled in. None had questioned Lea in her wish to stay where she had been sitting, leaving her alone with her thoughts. With over half a day's journey from their destination, Lea sat amongst the shadows contemplating time. The past, the present and the unknown future.
Lea had spent two years inside Dominion space studying the effects of time on ancient civilisations. Many had fallen to give way to more evolved and more prosperous civilisations to come and take their place. This transition from one to the other had rarely been a gentle one, and every time history had recorded the loss of something precious to those who had fallen. The destruction of scientific advancements, medical knowledge and artistic accomplishments had been recorded in the pages of time, but through her archaeological research Lea had also found one thing that had been destroyed by the invading forces. The rarest most precious of all possessions: a people's innocence and their belief in a better future.
Would this new ship they would be asked to join be a defender of this innocence or would it be just another tool in a military force's attempt to bring their version of order to the rest of the universe? When looking at civilizations through the pages of time, it is amazing to find that as different as they claim to be from one another, their goals and methods are remarkably similar. The Breen and the Klingon conquered worlds to expend their empires and impose on their subject a way of life dictated by their beliefs and way of life. The Cardassians and the Romulans had been no different in their history, the only difference having been their methods. Instead of destroying all that stood before them, these military forces imposed themselves on weaker civilisations and subjected them to an iron fist rule. The final result remained the same despite the slightly different methods, one race imposing its will on another never questioning if the ways they had vanquished had not been better than their own.
The Alpha Quadrant did not hold the monopoly of this sort of behaviour, the history of countless worlds throughout the universe having recorded similar acts time and time again. The Dominion and the beings that ruled over all within its boundaries with an iron fist were no exception other than in their overbearing conceitedness. Not only did they claim that their way was better, but the Founders also claimed that *they* as living beings were better than all others. 'Solids' were an inferior form of life that not only needed but also demanded to be led away from the chaos that had been destined to be theirs for the future to come, at least that had been according to some of the historical accounts Lea had encountered.
Staring through the darkness around her, Lea wondered how different the Federation was from all of these conquering races. Sure history had recorded the passive ways of the Federation towards less civilised races and their continuing efforts to help them in their development, but time had also taken note of some of the less admirable moments of this great coalition. More times than it would care to admit, the Federation had sent vessels and delegates to new worlds offering a right hand of friendship while holding a phaser in the left. The weapons were claimed to be for defensive purposes, but the truth had not escaped the record of time. Many times these encounters of friendships and discovery had left the world they had visited forever scarred and devastated. At least the Founders, like the Klingons and Breen, did not hide being a veil of diplomacy to achieve their objective and simply took what they believed had been rightfully theirs.
Thinking of this, it had been very difficult for Lea to imagine this USS ANUBIS to be nothing more than a tool of conquest that would be used after normal diplomatic channels had failed to make a race understand the 'benefits' of joining the Federation. Keeping their most powerful weapons hidden from the general population would also insure that the peaceful image of the Federation would remain intact and support the claims of the diplomats that the Federation was a benevolent organisation that supported and encouraged a people's right to evolve without outside interference.
Would the ANUBIS, with all of its weapons, specialized crafts and marine assault troops be a guardian of this freedom or a behind the scene enforcer of a set of rules set by those in power? As much as the Federation claimed the former, Lea could not help but look upon history and believe the latter.
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Stardate: 60299.0828
Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Section C, Level 4, Food Court
Lea grinned, bringing her eyes back on those at the table with her. "Maybe it was several lifetimes ago that I was here last, I can't remember. All I know is that this *feels* like where I belong."
The announcement was received in two very distinct ways by Serenna and Maya. The pointed ear hybrid seemed less than pleased while the Shillian appeared happy.
"So the Admiral has asked you to stay on NEW ALEXANDRIA?" Maya asked.
"Maybe," Lea replied. "I'm not sure what the Admiral has in mind for me. He asked me several questions, some of which were about the medical department onboard the ANUBIS. Who knows, maybe after talking to Captain Simmons I might be assigned to the ship instead of staying on the base. I know that I would like that."
Serenna's face fell at the possibility of having Lea permanently assigned to the ANUBIS. Things had not been easy the first time around, but who knew, maybe things would be different this time around. The Ops officer would in no way complain if the ghosts of the past were put to rest once and for all, not only for Lea but for other members of the crew as well.
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Tiffany Rose {lady_tiffany_rose@mail.com}
Ensign Lea Summers
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS ANUBIS
2005 post #041
