Who Are You?

Posted on Tue Mar 9th, 2021 @ 6:43pm by Lieutenant Hatham tr'Krotash & Major Ashley Rogers

1,222 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Chapter III: The Hunt is On
Location: Rogers' Quarters, I.R.W. Ourainavassa
Timeline: 238702.06

Hatham had kept an eye on both Rogers after the meeting, wanting to find an opportunity to speak to the Major alone without having to overtly snub the other Rogers, but also without the risk of one replacing the other before he could do so. That had come when 'his' Rogers had returned to her quarters (it was relief at least that they were not sharing like twins). Activating the door signal, he waited to be admitted.

Ash had just sat down when her door chimed. She sighed and hoped it wasn't her counterpart, "Come in!" When it was Hatham that stepped through the door she visibly breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh good, it's you. What can I do for you, Hatham? If you're here to collect on our bet, I thought we agreed it would be after we rescue your family..." She saw how tense he was and her icebreaker didn't break the ice at all, "You don't like the other me, do you?"

An eyebrow angled upward slightly. "I don't know her at all so I can't say as to like/dislike. I came to speak with you because I have some serious reservations about trusting her. Given your reaction though, I'm wondering if you don't like her."

"Have a seat," Ash said gesturing to a chair and sighing again. "Based in our interaction, it would appear that I know her too well. That woman is me. The way she thinks, the way she moves, it's incredibly unnerving and quite... annoying to literally interact with yourself in such a way. It's a living mirror of all of your flaws and quirks. And it's some deep self reflection. I don't trust her either... because I know me. I don't trust me. And that's a terrible thing to tell you because I'm your superior officer, and I'm questioning my own trustworthiness. I sound crazy, don't I?"

Settling into the chair, Hatham took a moment to process that. He had come to (mostly) trust Rogers, at least so far as having his back in combat. However, he knew she had been attached to Starfleet version of the Tal'Shiar. Recognizing herself as untrustworthy was either true self-awareness or a very clever rouse to make him believe she was being honest. "Not necessarily. I'm Romulan, remember - I wouldn't trust a copy of myself from elsewhere because I know (1) I'm fully capable of deception, and (2) I wouldn't know that other self's true loyalties and motives," he explained in what to him was a perfectly clear-eyed rational analysis. "This is essentially why I'm worried about the level of responsibility she's assigned for this mission."

Ash nodded, "Giving her full control of the Ourainavassa is quite a leap of faith. Whatever the two talked about must have given Raven reason to leap into this blindly, but..." She stood up to pace around, "But she is very focused on Hobus when she and I had a chance to speak. She was able to confirm a lot of things T'Ango, Mila, Raven, and I suspected... Now I wouldn't put it past me to go through with such an elaborate ruse to steal this ship for whatever nefarious reason... but, for some reason, I actually believe her myself." She looked at Hatham, "I know that means little to you, considering what is at stake. So, I recommend some precautions. A dead man's switch, if you will... if it comes to that to keep her from taking this ship."

"Believing she cares about stopping whatever is going on near Hobus doesn't preclude the idea that she'd steal this ship to accomplish that," Hatham noted. "But the deadman switch is a good idea..." he smirked, "...one I already thought of, but implementing it will easier without having to go around you."

Ash actually laughed, "My loyalties are to this ship and crew... and I will lay down my life to ensure its safety. And I'm perfectly willing to sacrifice the other me to do that." She furrowed her brow at Hatham, "Wait... what else have you thought about that would need you to go around me?"

Putting a tracker in that new ship, bugging a few spots on this one, installing a command over ride in case the rescue mission for home needs this ship's firepower... Hatham glanced up and to the side, almost innocently. "Not much." He smiled. "Bribing Renee to poison the other you did occur to me."

Ash narrowed her eyes at Hatham and skeptically muttered, "Mmmhmmm... I've got a few tricks up my sleeves as well, in the interest of full..ish disclosure." Then the last thing he said registered in her mind, "Oh God... Renee has no idea there's now two of us now.... she might just poison her thinking she's me..."

"You say that like it would be a bad thing..." Hatham pursed his lips. "Though I suppose I can see why you might want to keep your dimensional twin around as decoy..."

"So what are your plans to keep her on a tight leash with the crew? I think having secondary controls to the primary systems would be good, command overrides to lock her out if she tries something," Ash recommended. "Or just shoot her... but where's the fun in that?"

How much to tell her...? "Yes, all of those precautions, and I plan to talk to the Galae officers on the bridge crew. If this person is you, I'm sure she can fight, but against several experienced Romulans? If mutiny becomes necessary, I like our odds. Ideally they avoid shooting though. Shooting on the bridge is better avoided if possible - never know what might get hit in a fire fight," he explained matter-of-factly. "So the back up for that is anesthezine... have you told Gable about the other you yet?"

Ash smiled at the thoroughness of Hatham, "Good call. Treat her as if she is me. Assume she knows what I know and can do what I do. And then double it. I can be... quite... stubborn. And no, I don't think we've briefed anyone else that there's a second me walking around. Actually, I don't even know where she is right now... that's pretty disconcerting. Speaking of Gable, I think she might enjoy knocking me out..."

Hatham laughed. "I think she'd enjoy knocking all three of us out." He paused, thought about that a beat. "Which of us should tell her?"

"How about both of us?" Ash said with a nervous chuckle. "We can back each other up... that is unless T'Ango and Gunnar already told her. Or if the other me is already causing chaos," she looked at Hatham, "Isn't this fun?"

"Fun is not the word that springs to mind..." Hatham snarked. "Probably best if we both do it - me to vouch that you're the original, and you to vouch that I'm not insane. If we don't want a hacked off doctor on our hands, we should talk to her soon, before she hears it from someone else, especially if she hears of it because the other you caused troubled."

"Or worse... the other me gets to her first... you have time now? No time like the present?" Ash said.

The worse was worrying. Hatham got up. "I'll make time."

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