Unofficial Literary Challenge 22 - The Changeling
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The woman sitting at the pilot’s seat of the Yellowstone Runabout smiled at Kathryn. Her round face was graced with soft cheeks and thin lips. Yet her cat-shaped eyes relayed a sharp intellect. Brown hair fell straight, ending in curls, halfway down her chest covering Science career pipes on the uniform. Kathryn returned the smile through the small desktop viewscreen. The conversation, so far, had been filled with remembering Academy days.
Snapping her fingers, Kathryn became excited from another recollection. “Speaking of bad boyfriends, I dated a Bajoran with Klingon tattoos on his back, do you remember him?”
Alison Burnett squinted as she searched her memories. Kathryn continued. “I met him at a party and he was all over me. He was so good looking and fun but he did have a mean streak. We dated a few weeks.”
The Lieutenant Commander smirked and then nodded. “I think I remember him, did he wear earrings on both ears?”
Kathryn’s eyes widened, “yes! You may have met him once or twice.”
Alison covered her mouth as if embarrassed. “He asked me to date him while you were seeing him too. I threatened to haul him to the ethics board, and then punched him in the face.”
Kathryn feigned disappointment. “What?!” Both women burst into laughter. Kathryn wiped away a tear. “No wonder he broke it off. What an idiot. Although the board would have laughed you out of the room, I guess I should thank you for that.”
Alison also dabbed at her eyes to keep the thin mascara from running. “Only in the Academy , right?” Sher smile faded. “Shall we get down to business?”
“Yes, yes indeed.” Kathryn wore a seriousness that fit her rank as she interlaced her fingers on the ready-room desk. She sat upright and tried to remain congenial but could not hide her solemnness. “Solaris is en route to your location and we should be there shortly.” Kathryn placed a hand on a PADD next to the screen without looking away. “I’m sure you can guess that my orders are to bring you in –“, she cleared her throat, surrendering to the gravity of the situation. “Dead or alive.”
Alison was not surprised and her countenance hardened. “Starfleet is that serious? Kathy, look at those orders: you are being ordered to kill me if you have to. Defection is not a death sentence.”
“I’ve read them, more times than you think.”
“And yet, they send one of my Academy friends to do their dirty work?”
“Would you rather someone else?”
Turning away from the screen, Alison sighed. “I’d rather not even have that choice –“
“That’s my point Alison, you have a choice! If you choose to turn around, then the punishment won’t be severe.” Kathryn had sat back and opened her arms wide showing some frustration.
Alison was resolute and she shook her head. “I have chosen. So many rules and regulations, my work was being controlled by idiots and pantomimes. The secrecy was almost conspiratorial and the War was a breaking point. The Federation is no longer the shining beacon of order and stability it promotes to the rest of the galaxy … at least not for me anymore.
Leaning forward, Kathryn became animated. “And defecting to the Terran Empire was the best alternative?! You could have resigned, or even told Admiral Quinn to burn in Sto’Vo’Kor. Even the Orion Syndicate in this universe would make a deal you couldn’t refuse with what you know.”
A chime activated and Anthi’s voice coldly declared from the bridge next to Kathryn’s ready-room, “we are at the coordinates as ordered, Captain.”
Alison looked away at a console within the Runabout. “Confirmed. Kathy, you really shouldn’t be here. If you leave, then there will be no more surprises.”
Kathryn looked down as she spoke, her own resolution growing. “The secrets you have about Black Talon are why the Federation sent me. The longer this goes on, the worse it will be for you. Don’t do this.”
A new very familiar voice was heard from Alison’s side. “Okay, that’s enough.” Another woman gruffly pulled Alison out of the pilot seat, sat down herself and started tapping at the console.
Kathryn was genuinely shocked. “You! Are you behind Alison’s defection?!”
Mirror Kathryn smiled mischievously and brushed aside a thick lock of burgundy hair from her face, revealing the black eyepatch across her left eye. “Maybe.”
The door to Kathryn’s room swished open and Anthi stopped at the threshold. “Captain, a Tachyon burst was detected and a Terran ship came through. It’s –“
“The Abyssal”, Kathryn interrupted not looking away from the screen and seething with fury.
Kathryn on the shuttle mocked, “so, Captain Beringer, if you really want to get into a shooting match, then your friend is in the crossfire.”
Ignoring her doppelganger, Kathryn glanced to Anthi, “prepare Pattern Rho Tycho, but hold station otherwise.”
Anthi nodded and left the room quickly as the Terran responded, “Wise move, Captain. Although your style for naming ship maneuvers is so formal. We like things to be simple and straightforward. Next time, just say it: rescue transport.” Alison stood behind the seat into view. Kathryn could not read any emotion on her old friend’s face.
“Go to Hell. You heard my orders; I’ll vaporize the shuttle before it enters Terran space.”
Mirror Kathryn pursed her lips. “Tsk tsk, Captain, that’s not noble at all. In fact, that sounds very … Terran of you.” She laughed at her whimsical verbal parry.
Tapping her combadge, Kathryn hoped for the best outcome, and leapt out of her chair toward the bridge, leaving the laughing in the room behind her. “Anthi, execute!”
She could feel the ship lurch as it quickly moved toward the shuttle. On the main viewscreen, the Terran Advanced Heavy Cruiser also stirred. A tractor beam emitted from the Abyssal and caught the tiny vessel.
Kathryn barked, “S’Rel, do we have Alison?”
The Vulcan was furiously tapping keys on her console. “There is interference, as if she were being transported already.”
In an instant, Kathryn recalled how Alison was one of her first true friends in the Academy; she accepted Kathryn and helped her to push past prejudices and anger made from years of captivity with the Orions. Alison didn’t smile often, but when she did it was inviting and infectious and Kathryn immediately missed her friend and regretted not saying more to her since Graduation Day. Her thoughts turned to the Black Talon suit and the lengths Kathryn went to preserve its secret, yet feeling happy to know Alison was a part of the project. Finally, the words from her orders flashed in front of her.
Dead or Alive.
The Terrans could not have Black Talon. Kathryn frowned with her next words. “Phasers, fire at the shuttle.”
Anthi tapped a key and bright orange streaks reached into the void . The small ship was incinerated and the fireball dissipated quickly.
The Abyssal banked away from Solaris, and accelerated at impulse speed while it’s deflector emitted a beam toward a point in front of the ship.
S’Rel declared they were being hailed and Kathryn nodded.
The large viewscreen changed to show the Mirror Captain’s face, a wide grin mocking Kathyrn. “I’m surprise you went through with your orders. That was very cold-blooded back there.”
Kathryn gulped. “Is Alison with you?”
The Terran shrugged, still wearing her grin. “If you want to look for her, then one day you’ll find out.”
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Cast for crew:
Kathryn Beringer - Rachel Nichols
Alison Burnett - Alexa Davalos
Anthi Ythysi - Katheryn Winnick
S'Rel - Morena Baccarin
