Seeing through the Mirror

Posted on Sat Apr 10th, 2021 @ 1:28pm by Lieutenant Mila Lynn & Captain Freya Mannerheim & Colonel Sehan t'Varis & Major Ashley Rogers & Lieutenant Hatham tr'Krotash

3,693 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: Chapter IV: Unravelling the Mystery
Location: Briefing Room, I.R.W. Ourainavassa
Timeline: 238702.16

The briefing room on the Ourainavassa had been fully restored, and prepared for the occasion of Captain Mannerheim's visit. The large black banner with the ship's crest that adorned the back wall was now flanked by the banners of the United Federation of Planets and the Terran Empire, and Raven had given orders that this was to be treated like a formal visit by the commanding officer of an allied vessel - including the wearing of dress uniforms. Obviously, most of her crew did not usually wear uniforms, but they had instead been asked to dress as formally as they were able.

The Colonel herself had donned what was reminiscent of a mid-20th century German army dress uniform, a simple grey tunic with a white shirt and black tie over black slacks, with shoulder boards denoting the rank of Colonel. She had also donned her pauldron and cape, and had her Romulan rank insignia pinned to the collar of her shirt. In place of the surgical eye patch she was wearing a simple, black patch, which she was now wearing almost all the time. Her Blazefire Sabre hung from its sheath attached to the back of her belt.

Mila had put on her mother's Ceran Defence Force uniform, complimenting the white, closed-neck blazer with a plain black skirt and black leather gloves. She, too, had pinned her rank insignia to the collar, and had maintained the Lieutenant's bars on the shoulder boards.

It was a little tight across the chest now, but Hatham had dusted off his old Galae uniform, including the medals earned combat for the Empire, but with the rank insignia he'd been given here. He stood at proud and proper attention, ready to meet whoever these mirror universe people might be.

Ash was not going to put on her old uniform... too many bad memories... and not to mention, there was already a Commander Ashley Rogers running around. She opted to just wear what she wore to dinner the other night with the twins and their father again: simple black trousers, a button up shirt, with a jacket over it. She shrugged at Mila, who noticed, and signed, I don't usually dress up. She did take a moment to nudge Hatham with her elbow and a smirk, "It's been a while since you put that on, hasn't it?"

Raven looked around the room with a stern smile. "Right, folks, this is serious business. Captain Mannerheim requested this meeting. Well, she requested to meet with myself, the Major, and Lieutenant Hatham, I personally decided it would be best to bring the Chief Science Officer in as well. Commander Rogers is meeting the Captain at the airlock, and will be bringing her here. We need to present a good first impression if this cooperation is to work. I don't know who else the Captain will be bringing to the table, or what she wants to discuss, but whatever it is must be of vital importance to the operation."

She paused, and looked directly at Hatham. "Lieutenant Hatham, before you say a word, I know what you are going to say. Our primary concern remains the elimination of Vulture's threat to any refugees trying to escape Romulus, and the rescue of those she has already taken. I will make it clear, as I trust you will also, that anything that may compromise that goal is not acceptable to us."

The colonel looked back at the others. "We may all be dressed up nicely, and we may be displaying their banners, but this is only courtesy, as dictated by both Romulan and Starfleet protocol. The meeting itself will be purely about business. We have no time to waste, and I do not intend to let Captain Mannerheim distract us. I have confirmation from engineering that the repairs to the ship are nearly complete, and that we will be leaving dock within three days, quite a bit ahead of schedule. We must find Vulture, and the survivors, and we must do so fast. I have tried to keep us in the loop as best I could, and there have been reports of another attack on a convoy, one that was foiled by timely intervention by the KDF. Vulture must be getting desperate if she is striking so close to enemy territories. So time is of the essence. Something is happening, and I bet it will be happening soon."

Commander Rogers entered the room first and announced the arrival of Captain Mannerheim, "Captain, I'd like to introduce you to Colonel Sehan t'Varis, also known as Raven. Colonel, this is Captain Freya Mannerheim, commanding officer of the I.S.S. Amelia."

He remained at perfect attention, but Hatham was quietly assessing the Terran Captain - small in stature but battle-hardened. He wasn't necessarily good at distinguishing the various flavors of human, but there was something in features and complexion that was similar to to the twins. And also similar to the blonde human who entered a proper half step behind her.

Hatham's eyebrow threatened to mar his military bearing by edging fractional upward. Another doppelganger? He didn't know the human it belonged to very well, but he knew that face. The hair that framed it was styled differently, and it was clean-shaven - so much for the convention of men from the mirror universe being the ones with beards - but otherwise it was identical, at least superficially. There was something harder, more controlled, something about the way he scanned the room that was almost ...Romulan. He should appreciate that, but in this human it only notched up his natural paranoia.

For his part, Lieutenant Arnason entered with a polite smile, curious to see the band he had only heard of in reports until now. The smile didn't quite reach the Counselor's eyes as they swept the group: Roger's other self, the blue-haired teenager, the burly mountain of a Romulan, and the hybrid Colonel. They were a motley bunch, but it served him to see the costumes each had chosen for the occasion. The other Rogers was pointedly dressed in barely business-like civilian attire, still rejecting who and what she was. The teenager wore a Ceran defense jacket that could not actually be hers, but with Tal'Shiar rank on the shoulder that she had earned by merit - young and advanced beyond her years. The Romulan was doing his best to look inscrutable while also assessing him, but he might as well have proclaimed himself out loud since he was literally wearing his loyalties: regular forces Galae uniform but with the Tal'Shiar rank insignia common to the rest and ribbons marking bravery and valor in several military campaigns. Only the Colonel was not easily read by what she had on her back. Her attire was a cross between pirate and some steampunk version of an old Terran uniform. He wasn't sure if it was meant in homage or as subtle mockery.

Captain Mannerheim had instructed her crew to turn out in their dress uniforms as well. These were very similar to the design of those used by the Federation's Starfleet, with one major difference - instead of the jackets being white, with gold trim and a blueish-grey undershirt, the uniforms of the Empire were black, with a dark red undershirt. Instead of the rank pins worn by the Federation, the Terran officers wore their rank on shoulder boards, and all three of them had ceremonial daggers on their belts. Evidencing her authority as Captain, Mannerheim was also carrying an old Japanese officer's sabre, a family heirloom.

She followed the Commander and Lieutenant, and, when introduced, stood to attention, and gave the habitual Terran salute. "Colonel," she said, in a friendly yet authoritative voice. "Thank you for your invitation. As the Commander said, I am Captain Freya Svanirsdottir Mannerheim, of the I.S.S. Amelia. You know Commander Rogers, and this here is my ship's counselor, Lieutenant Gunnar Arnason. He has been instrumental in maintaining a good working relationship between the Terran and Federation personnel on my crew, and that is why I brought him along. I myself served in the Federation's Starfleet for several years before transferring to Section 31, and finally the Federation-Imperial joint temporal task force."

Raven simply nodded in response to the salute. "Captain, welcome to the Ourainavassa. This is my second-in-command, Major Ashley Rogers, Lieutenant Hatham tr'Krotash, Chief of Security, and Lieutenant Mila Haraldsdottir Lynn, Chief Science officer. Please, take a seat, and let us get to business. We don't have time for pleasantries."

Freya smiled. "Efficient and to the point. I like you already, Colonel." She sat at the opposite end of the briefing room table, and, when everyone had taken their seats, continued.

"By now you will all be aware of the operation in the Hobus system," the Terran began. "We have determined that this operation in itself is a temporal incursion, and poses a serious threat to not only the integrity of the timeline, but also the integrity of the multiverse. Analysis by your own crew, forwarded to me by Commander Rogers, has shown that the installation at Hobus is experimenting with what both the Empire and the Federation call Omega Particles, or Element Zero as it is known to the Romulans of this universe. I won't go into detail regarding the qualities of this substance, except for this. A single unstable Omega Particle can cause a chain reaction that will destroy subspace across a vast area. Now, somehow, the operatives at Hobus have found a way to stabilise large amounts of Omega, which we have preliminarily termed Omega-S. While we do not know the purpose of their experiments, we do know of the dangers this Omega-S procedure carries."

She took out a PADD, and connected it into the projector system. A holographic depiction of a map appeared, with a large area around Hobus shaded with a red field. "This is the area of subspace that we estimate would be affected by a single, unstable Omega reaction." She tapped a few buttons, and the red field expanded to cover the entire Alpha Quadrant. "This is an optimistic estimate of the effects of a reaction caused by the amounts of Omega being processed at Hobus. So you can see the threat to this universe clearly. However, the threat is even greater than that. Somehow, the Omega-S procedure is affecting what is known as the Mycelial Network, a network of pathways connecting the entire Multiverse, both across space and time. A catastrophic event at Hobus would mean that the collapse of subspace would be transmitted across the entire network, affecting all universes, at all points in time. That is why Hobus must, at any cost, be stopped, the installation destroyed, and the Omega-S particles eliminated."

The Colonel looked at the map, and turned to Mila. "Your thoughts, Lieutenant?"

Mila frowned. "If the threat is as severe as the Captain says, then she is absolutely right. Please, Captain, could you send me copies of your analysis, so I can review it for myself and determine whether I agree with your findings."

Freya nodded. "Certainly, Lieutenant. You will find that our analysis was thorough. We have incorporated data from several points in time and several universes, and they all reach this one conclusion. Whatever is happening at Hobus is a threat to all life, in all universes."

Raven paused for a moment, before speaking. "Do we know anything about who is behind it?"

The Captain nodded again. "We believe a Romulan group known as the Zhat Vash is behind it, specifically operatives from the 25th century. We do not know what their motives may be, however."

Raven looked around the table. "Lieutenants, Major, Commander. Your thoughts?"

Commander Rogers spoke up, "And our best chance for stopping them is here in this timeline."

Major Rogers nodded at the information presented, "Well, you have my attention. So we're just supposed to take on the Zhat Vash, the Tal'Shiar, and Vulture to save the everything that has ever existed, currently exist, and will exist in every universe?" She chuckled, "Sounds like a great way to spend a Monday..."

The Terran Rogers glared at her counterpart, "This amuses you?"

The Major looked at the Commander, "You know it does... this is crazy."

Freya chuckled. "If I didn't see both of you in front of me I'd be wondering if you weren't Terran yourself, Major."

"Humor is a useful device in facing a dire or shocking situation," Arnason remarked simply. "But I assure you, the projections are not the product of delusion; they are all too real."

The Major raised an eyebrow at Mirror Gunnar and thought her Gunnar would get a kick out of meeting this one, "Humor is what has kept me alive all these years. And I find that it works... especially when things are catastrophically real."

Hatham frowned. He didn't trust these people, but he'd seen the way both the single particle and the expanded disaster zone touched Romulus. "I would say the Zhat Vash is a myth, a tale to frighten children and cadets, but until a week ago I would have said the same about your mirror universe. What I don't understand is what Vulture has to do with it. Abducting refugees draws attention, and when it comes to shady operations that is something the Tal'Shiar is known for avoiding."

Raven nodded. "Excellent point, Lieutenant. We have seen first hand that Vulture is working with the Tal Shiar, and her actions have certainly raised attention. Especially since she now seems to be raiding in the borderlands between the Romulan and Klingon Empires."

Captain Mannerheim scratched her chin. "Yes, this Vulture you have encountered does add an unknown variable to the equation. To address your point, Lieutenant, Hatham was it? It may well be that the group we are dealing with are using the Zhat Vash name precisely because of that association with myth, in order to both make themselves seem to be nothing more than a fairytale and to inspire fear in their enemies. Either way, they are very real, whether they are the same Zhat Vash of legend or just using the name. Back onto the point of Vulture, though. I have reviewed the reports the Commander has sent me. She is taking colonists and keeping them in cryostasis, yes? If she is delivering them to the Zhat Vash, we must assume that they are using them for nefarious purposes. Or something as simple as slave labour."

Mila shook her head. "The refugees are ordinary people, not scientists. Maybe they'd use a handful of them as slaves for maintenance and repair purposes, but I doubt they would need as many people as they have taken. And we are talking not in the hundreds any more, either. Piecing together what reports and intelligence we have, I would reckon Vulture has by now taken at least 1,500 people. Far too many to simply be used as slaves on the station."

The Captain nodded slowly. "And no Romulans have appeared on the slave markets?"

Raven shook her head. "No. There is something else going on, and I do not like it. Not one bit."

Commander Rogers looked at everyone in the room, "History may shed light into this... what do horrible regimes do with prisoners throughout history?"

Major Rogers looked at the Commander, "Having been one myself... we would get beaten for any usable intel. I don't see refugees being a source of much there. Then those that can would be thrown into labor camps. Which they may be... but 1500 on a station? If they're not being sold, Mila's right, there is no need for that many..."

The Commander prodded, "And if they have no more use for their mind or the souls?"

"They will exploit their bodies. Experimentation," the Major stated. "What if all those people are being experimented on? Or used as sacrificial lambs with their work messing with Omega.. What the hell would they be doing to 1500 refugees?"

"Destroying the multiverse," Commander Rogers said, "Not so funny any more, is it?"

The Major looked herself in the eye, "Hilarious."

"Whatever they are held for, they will be freed, or given honorable deaths if they are beyond that." Hatham wasn't in a place to issue orders or make decisions, but the statement carried a firm finality: it was what he would do. Raven might put her revenge against Vulture first, others might care only for ending whatever this Omega experiment was, and he had no faith that these others from some other time stream weren't using them all for other ends entirely, but he knew where his loyalties lay. He'd left the Galae, but never his oath to protect the Empire and its people. Only loyalty to family superceded that and he had already begun calling contacts for Plan C.

Captain Mannerheim opened her mouth to speak, but Raven held up her hand. "I am with the Lieutenant on this. Our initial mission with the Romulans was to ensure the safety of refugees. And that remains my priority. We need to locate and free those taken by Vulture, and eliminate her. With your time travel technology, I can't see why you would need our help with Hobus, Captain."

Mannerheim nodded. "I respect that. Unfortunately, we cannot call for reinforcements, for reasons I will not discuss. We must therefore rely on allies we make in the here and now. If your science officer is right, and I am inclined to agree with her, the Zhat Vash are holding the kidnapped refugees for experimentation, or whatever other purpose. Freeing them will significantly weaken their operation, and may provide a window of opportunity for us to strike at Hobus itself. So, our priorities are aligned. Lieutenant Hatham, you have seen the projections. What good will it do to save a comparatively small number of refugees, at the price of every Romulan life to ever exist? Gods, we don't even know what such a disruption of the timeline would cause."

Suddenly, Mila raised her hand, trying to get the others' attention. "Uhm, here's a thought," she said, not sure if she was overstepping her authority. "Vulture knows who we are. She is probably keeping an eye on us as we speak. If she doesn't know where we are now, she will find out the moment we leave Cera. If we attempt to rescue the refugees, she will expect it."

Freya looked at the young scientist with wide eyes, as if a lightbulb had switched on in her head. "But she doesn't know anything about us. I see why the Colonel and the Major put so much faith in you, Lieutenant. The Amelia is equipped with an advanced drive system that allows us to travel anywhere in the multiverse at a blink of an eye."

Raven nodded. "Which means that, once the location of the refugees is determined, you could jump in and cause chaos, allowing us to liberate them. Or even liberate them yourselves. And with your ability to time-travel, you could even help locate them."

The Captain shook her head. "Temporal and interdimensional travel have consequences. What if our time travel causes a paradox that throws the entire mission off. No, that is not an option. However, you are correct on your other point."

She turned to Hatham. "I know you do not trust us, and you have no reason to. So, I make you this offer. When either of our crews locate the refugees, you will join us as we jump to their location and rescue them."

"I accept." Hatham inclined his head a precise degree. He still didn't trust them, and accepting might mean he only joined the refugees if they were playing them and actually in league with Vulture, but at least he would be there to fight.

The Commander nodded, "I'm glad you're with us. This is going to be a hell of a fight for all of us."

Freya nodded as well. "That it will be. Well, then."

She stood. "Effective immediately, the I.R.W. Ourainavassa is affiliated with the joint task force. Commander Rogers will remain on board as a liaison. We will need to coordinate closely in order to achieve our shared mission - the elimination of the Hobus operation. This entails eliminating the Vulture, as well as locating and liberating her captives, and, if possible, determining why they were being held. As of right now, all senior officers of this crew will be afforded the appropriate authority of Imperial Starfleet officers of equal rank. We will come to your aid if required, and in return ask that you do the same."

Raven stood as well. "Captain Mannerheim. Thank you for your openness in this very productive meeting. I invite you and your officers to stay and look around, take some refreshments in the mess hall. Our chef, as Commander Rogers will attest, is very skilled."

The Commander smirked slightly, "Indeed she is. You'll find that this entire crew, as unconventional as they appear, are all very good at what they do."

Major Rogers picked up on the slight smirk from the Terran. No... she wouldn't.... Renee wouldn't.... "Thank you for the endorsement," she gritted out.

The Colonel smiled. "That is why this crew works. We have lots of strong characters, and some will clash, but ultimately, we all get the job done. Commander Rogers can show you around the ship if you would like, I have to go check in with medbay. Thank you everyone for a surprisingly productive meeting. One last point for my crew, don't forget that we have the memorial ceremony for the fallen tomorrow. We'll meet in the memorial hall at 1100, and then move to hydroponics to dedicate the memorial garden, before continuing on to the wake in the mess hall at around 1300. Gedak actually left instructions that he wanted to be remembered with at least half a day of drinking, and who are we to not honour that request. Right, everyone. Dismissed."
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