Ensign T’Fearne - Divergence [Part 1]
teayl.thorn
((The Vaults, B’Hala, Kendra Province, Bajor))
After receiving cryptic warnings from the frail Kai, urging them to beware the Banished—enemies conspiring against the welfare of the people of B'Hala—the group descended into the Vaults, the ancient, labyrinthine repository of sacred knowledge buried deep beneath the city.
The air was cool, dry, and faintly fragrant with the dust of centuries in the vaulted chamber they found themselves in. Overhead, work lanterns hung from the rough-hewn ceiling, casting soft pools of golden light that flickered and danced, the light catching in the intricate sketches, embroideries, scrolls and carvings on the stone table. The Starfleet officer slowly began gathering the corners and edge pieces of a much larger puzzle. The crew of the Ronin’s mission on Bajor appeared to have a much deeper purpose than a straightforward rescue venture.
Alieth: So far I have been looking for stories about these Banished the Kai talked about... there is some reference to a fight between the Prophets and some who were banished:: She paused, everyone knew who they were from the actions of Captain Sisko, but it would be many centuries before that happened:: It does not make sense, though, they should be in the Fire Caves, not here.
Lorana: That jewel…
Nemes: The Kai whispered something to me that was interesting. He said that she awakened something. ::shifting her weight from one foot to the other:: And she brought something. Perhaps she was at the Fire Caves? And brought something here? ::beat:: The jewel perhaps?
The other ensign shrugged her shoulders, but T’Fearne nodded, agreeing to her speculations and thinking on her own as she leaned over the scrolls, her long fingers tracing the delicate Bajoran glyphs as she continued to read.
T’Fearne: Fascinating!
The former Vulcan, with her calm precision, leaned over a scroll, her eyes scanning the intricate Bajoran text, her quill poised in her hand to take notes.
Alieth: So, so far we have a very fragmented Prophecy about travellers arriving to save the City, about how the Banished will devour the City and sink it under the ground, how the people will or will not be saved without specifying exactly how and... :: looking at T'Fearne:: how a jewel is able to harness the power of B'hava'el to travel to new places... and perhaps, by the context of the story, to unknown eras. Did I leave anything out?
Lorana: I think you have the jewel from the story. I'd stake my entire family's latinum fortune on that if I had a scanner we'd see tachyon emissions, and residual chroniton particles. That thing may not be an orb but it's probably made from the same stuff. :: to Nemes :: What do you know about Temporal Mechanics ensign?
Nemes: Well, I know the theories that we had at the Academy and took two extra courses. It`s quite fascinating and complicated. But those orbs and that jewel – they have not been really scientifically analysed in depth as they are sacred for the Bajorans. ::she paused biting her lip for a second:: But those orbs we know. They did not cause time travel, did they? They only showed visions. Can we be sure it`s the same ‘stuff’?
T’Fearne let her form sway slightly, shifting the weight from one foot to the other, her sandals lightly scraping the smooth stone floor, her brow furrowed in deep thought.
T’Fearne: I don’t know much about time travel, or how the Bajorans communicate with the wormhole aliens... Only what’s been sensationalized in the reports, of course. But if these beings are non-linear, time might mean something entirely different to them. And the orbs or probes or whatever they are…we have probes that serve many different functions, to gather and transmit data, even to self-destruct given the right command. What if that :: pointing to the jewel on Alieth’s ear:: is a component or a fragment of something larger or a specialised device?
Alieth: It is really fascinating, and we could spend hours studying this, but I doubt we have the time to do so. She looked away from the table and glanced at her companions. :: I wonder if all these prophecies about the “City” do not refer to the buildings themselves, but to their citizens. ....:: lowering her voice:: it makes sense with what the Kai told us
The tall ensign's dark eyes widened above her ridged nose as the Commander's comment struck a cord in T’Fearnes memory, and she began rifling through the scrolls she had discarded on the smooth stone table.
Lorana: They haven't mentioned any others? It seems the researchers either didn't come here at this time or were able to integrate much better. Or very poorly :: she shuddered :: Commander I'd like to explore the vaults and temple, see if I can figure out a way to get us back? Perhaps we split up?
Nemes: ::suddenly shuddering as well :: Remember those two skeletons we found? We should try to find the place where we found them. Something must have happened to two of them if they really landed here in this time – or will happen, so we might still have time to prevent them from being killed. I’d rather check that out. After all, we are on a rescue mission, aren’t we?
T’Fearne barely heard them, distracted by a thought that gnawed at her.
T’Fearne::: searching through scrolls on the table:: I wonder if there’s a reason the City has to sink. If something has been awakened, as the Kai claimed, or let loose, something so powerful that another force would pluck help from the future to deal with the threat... maybe even help from someone who understands the threat well enough to challenge it. I can only think of one entity or group of entities that fit that description. :: nodding to Alieth:: The ones you suggested. They’re tied to Bajor through time—maybe they’re known as the Banished in this time... or perhaps that’s the name their followers claim.
The security officer paused and refrained from saying the name pagh-wraiths aloud. She wasn’t particularly superstitious, but, something about the thought of saying that name here, in this time, felt dangerous, like the stone of the labyrinth around them was listening intently and speaking the name might draw unwanted attention to them.
The conversation about splitting the group played back in her mind, and she winced slightly at the thought of separating. It made her self-imposed purpose here more difficult.
Alieth: I agree, maybe if we split into two groups, we could...
The former Vulcan paused unexpectedly in mid-speech. Before anyone could respond, a faint, almost imperceptible sound played through the stillness of the Vault—a sound so subtle it could have been easily dismissed. Someone, or something, was trying to move quietly through the passageway to the entrance of their lit cavern, attempting to overhear their conversation.
[[No Tags / TBC in Part 2]]
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Ensign T'Fearne
Security Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
R240107T14