Seeking Answers

Posted on Tue Jan 22nd, 2019 @ 1:03am by Sevena t'Dhvael & Lieutenant Commander Mira Jayde

1,999 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Ghost of a Chance: Epilogue

ON

At the first opportunity, Jayde went in search of Sevena. Notwithstanding the Captain's request, she wanted to talk to the Romulan and get her opinion on what happened.

It wasn't that she had any problem with Sevena sending the report--if she had. Jayde was fairly certain Jason had sent in a report, too. She couldn't really blame him. Although she would not have taken the same hard line. Jayde didn't really like any of the possible solutions as she saw them. She would much prefer to lock the Romulan captain and her crew in a brig somewhere, but that also had ramifications she wasn't sure she could live with.

And now she'd probably lost any chance of working things out with Jason because once again she'd failed to live up to his high standards. What was it people often said to her? Ah, yes. Once Maquis, always Maquis. It wasn't true, but it wasn't entirely false, either. And Jayna was supposed to be the twin more likely to react illogically.

When she found Sevena, she asked if she had a few minutes to talk.

Sevena had taken to hiding in her quarters since the T'vek rebels had been marooned in the asteroid field. She had managed to escape a certain execution by hiding with the Starfleet officers, but she had also been extremely lucky. And the fallout that had followed from the Hyperion stumbling upon the T'veks had been caused by the Romulan government, which made the deaths and damage to the ship in part her fault since Sevena was the officer who represented that government. There were other outcasts and of course, there were more of the T'vek family still out there. So when the first officer came knocking on her door, Sevena sighed and opened the door, not bothering to hide her appearance. She wasn't in uniform, instead dressed in pants and a long silk like tunic that came down to her knees. Her hair was uncombed and loose, in stark contrast to her usual groomed appearance.

"Come in, Commander," Sevena said.

Jayde bowed. "Are you well?" she asked as she walked into the room.

"Not really, if you wish to know the truth. The recent events have left many questions left unanswered," Sevena said as she walked to the center of the main room. Indicating one of the chairs, she nodded. "Please sit."

"Thank you," Jayde said. She took a seat and listened to what Sevena had to say before asking her own questions.

"There were questions left from when we explored the asteroid, as well as when the T'veks attacked us. I'm afraid that I've only focused on one of those subjects, that being the T'veks, as I believe we have not yet seen the end of our problems with them," Sevena said as she sat down.

"I agree with you," Jayde said. "I have my own concerns, but I could not justify in my own mind turning her over to the Empire. Not without more answers myself." She looked at the Romulan. "I'm sorry if you object to that."

"I hope I can help you live with your choices, Commander," Sevena said. "The story of the fall of House T'vek isn't an easy one. Senator F'nor T'vek was an accomplished commander before and during the Dominion War, leading his House and Family to greatness and building in strength a force powerful enough that he quickly became a power onto himself. He had five children with his wife and it's rumored that he had more with his mistress. He sat on the Senate, the Continuing Council, and even the oversight committee of the Galae. What happened to make him betray the Empire, I don't know, or care to know. But one night, he led the majority of his personal force to Romulus itself and stormed the Imperial City. Three members of the Royal Family were killed, the Praetor badly wounded."

Sevena paused, letting her gaze fall to the view port for a long moment before she turned back to Commander Jayde. "T'vek failed. No one knows how, or why, but he was captured and brought before the full Senate. He was executed on the Senate floor along with his senior commanders. His mistress was imprisoned, tortured, and publicly executed a week later. His wife was found at his family estate, murdered. The children and one forth of his force were exiled under pain of death. They were hunted, and they remain exiled to this day."

Jayde nodded her head. "Thank you for the information. I understand far too well. I, too, was part of a rebel faction once. The Maquis. I do not know if this Romulan Captain was guilty of trying to overthrow the government, or if she was simply outcast for being part of the family. Either way, I didn't feel her crime worthy of death. And so, I chose to support a lesser punishment." She looked at Sevena for a moment. "Perhaps we should have asked you your opinion.

"Ael'Isha was far too young to have committed any true crime," Sevena said. "At the time of his rebellion, T'vek's oldest daughter was barely nine years of age. I don't believe the children should share in the guilt of the sins of the parent, his family should have been spared. I can't fault the T'veks for having to live the life they've been forced to live by m government. But, unfortunately, they are all adults now. They must face the penalty for the crimes they now commit. It is a difficult thing to consider."

"It is difficult," Jayde said. "I agree that no child should be punished for the sins of his or her father." She waved her hand towards space. "Living as an exile because of a parent carries its own burdens. How much of what she did is of necessity and how much of choice?" She raised an eyebrow. "Do you think we made the right decision?"

Sevena was quiet for a long time before she answered. "I believe that you made the best possible choice given the fact that every option available to you was less than ideal. Given the fact that her men did murder members of your crew, I'm surprised you managed to remain with the choice you made. A Romulan commander would have simply executed her men and taken her back to face trial."

"If we were closer to Federation space and I did not believe it would have started a war with the Empire, I would have turned all of them over to Starfleet for trial. We do not put people to death in the Federation, so that was not a choice. Nor was turning them over the the Empire--for the same reason. It was not an easy choice, but I will stand by it. By the same token, I do not expect others to agree with me." Like Jason, who was clearly upset that she did not. To the point that, if his expression when he left the bridge was anything to go by, he felt that she'd betrayed him by her decision.

"I'm more concerned about the other members of the T'vek family. Siblings tend to hold grudges when one wrongs one of them. And there is the fact that Ael'Isha seemed to be completely set in her ways. I doubt that there will be any going back for her, that she has embraced what her exile has made her and there is no turning back for her. If that is so, then you have made a dangerous enemy," Sevena said. Turning her gaze towards Jayde, she stared at the commander for a moment before she spoke. "And I'm quite certain that members of your own crew were not happy about the outcome as well. I hope that this has not caused problems that will evolve into larger issues later."

Jayde gave her a wry smile. "Yes, there are members of the crew who are opposed to the Captain's actions. We will accept the consequences of our actions. As I said, it was not an easy decision, and there were no easy answers." She paused to consider Sevena's other comment. "And we will deal with the consequences of letting the captain and her crew live. I still feel I made the only choice I could live with. I just hope it does not cost the lives of more members of my crew." It was a moot point now. She made her choice, and she would live with the consequences. Both she and the Captain could face disciplinary actions--although she wasn't sure what Starfleet would have expected them to do in the circumstances. But she had no doubt that by not taking Jason's side, she had ruined any chance they might have had of getting back together.

Sevena nodded. She had held no illusions that such incidents had been possible, but the exploration alliance between the Romulan Empire and the Federation was still too fragile to risk being broken over such an incident. "At any rate, my report to Romulus will no doubt cause a stir among the Senate. The very fact that a secret experiment that explored outlawed technology once used by the Federation and the fact that the T'veks and the Hyperion were in the same region are bound to cause some questions to be asked. If anything, I'm sure that I will be under investigation before long, if for nothing else than to find out if I assisted in a Federation coverup. The Senate is full of suspicious minds, like all of Romulus. I clearly stated that Ael'Isha is most likely no longer a threat, and that the Vistian was destroyed. I also requested a full list of any other ships that the T'veks may still have. You will not like the answer."

"We may not like the answer, but we will need the information. I doubt that the rest of her group will take kindly to the destruction of her ship." Jayde understood the position Sevena was now in. "If it comes down to it, we'll support you as best we can."

"I'm more concerned about the Hyperion, Commander," Sevena said. "You have made yourselves a target for the wrath of the T'veks." Sevena sighed softly and looked away, growing quiet and shaking her head slightly.

"Most likely," Jayde agreed. She put a hand on Sevena's arm. "It's all right. We did not choose this, but forewarned is forearmed. I believe all will work out for the best." She wasn't so sure of this, but she would, in time. "Is there anything we can do to help you?"

"I can't completely answer that question right now, Commander," Sevena replied quietly. "But, I'm afraid that I will have to request a favor soon."

Jayde looked at her for a long moment. "I'll do what I can."

"Thank you, Commander Jayde," Sevena said quietly. She stood and walked over to the workstation in the corner, picking up a padd and turning back to the Starfleet officer, handing her the padd. "This has everything I have access to on the T'veks," she said.

It was very generous of Sevena to give her the information. Jayde looked at it for a moment. "Thank you very much. When you need that favor, come to me and I will do what I can. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Not at this time, Commander. Thank you for your visit, but I believe I have kept you from your duties long enough," Sevena said as she offered a parting bow.

"For what it is worth, you are part of this crew. At least while we are in Romulan space." Jayde returned the bow. "I thank you for your time." As she walked to the door she was certain this would not be the last time they talked.

____
OFF



Lieutenant Commander Mira Jayde
Executive Officer
USS Hyperion

Commander Sevena t'Dhvael
Romulan Liaison Officer

 

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