Path to the hunting grounds. The longest journey starts with a single step.

Posted on Wed Sep 23rd, 2020 @ 8:57am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor & Commander Sthilg & Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
2832 words - 5.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Sthilg let out a slight sigh as he stopped to admire his work. He'd cleared his quarters of all junk and had prepared everything for the ritual.

He still couldn't believe he was restoring to this magic rubbish, but as now he was seeing his dead wife around every hour he didn't have much choice. Everything was prepared. The circle was drawn with the holy salt from his peoples one sea split into seven sections each with one of the candles. with a small circle in the middle.

Would it actually work and allow him to pierce the veil and visit the hunting ground?

He shook his head. If everything didn't work he'd be high for a few hours then wake up with a very bad headache.

Hearing a chime a the door he knew his friends would be arriving.

Standing at the CMO's door, Gary pressed the chime. He was here to help his friend with some ritual he didn't fully understand but that didn't matter. What did matter was to help Sthilg find the answers and peace he was looking for.

As she turned the corner Lia spotted Gary standing outside the CMO's door, "Hey, you here to help the Doc?" She was dressed in a long skirt and loose top, and had sandals on her feet, "You should have said you were coming here, we could have walked together". Lia was joshing with Gary, she knew he was coming but also knew he needed to get his head straight. She stood beside him and waited for the door to open.

Gary turned at the sound of Lia's voice. A smile split his face. "Hi sweetheart. I am and it seems so are you. We can walk back together." He suggested. He looked at her outfit. "I like your outfit. You should dress like this more often. It's a good look for you." He looked down the corridor. "I wonder who else is coming? Do you know?"

"My look is toned down, because I don't know what the hell we're going to be doing. But I know it has something to do with ghosts and spirits, as for who else is involved? Not a clue, thought you might know. Guess I got that wrong, and I most certainly expect to be escorted back when we're finished". She lent into him and kissed him fully, wondering if he could feel she wasn't wearing a bra. Lia had a feeling a bra just might slow her down, silly but she had gone with the feeling.

"Ghosts and spirits?" Gary repeated. "Okay this will definitely prove interesting. He looked at her again. "I like the look, it's casual and free spirited yet common sense in that we don't know what the hell we'll be required to do. I imagine Phoenix is invited. She is the Captain after all." He returned her kiss completely. He could never get enough of Lia's company. He felt her breasts rub his chest through her top and it brought a smile to his face. Lia was definitely a free spirit. As the kiss broke he spoke, "I can guarantee you will have an escort back Lia. Not a doubt in my mind."

The door slid open as the gorn pocked his head out. " Hello, my freindsss. I hope I'm not interrupting anything. Please come in and welcome to my sssanctuary." He said as he beckoned them inside. The room looked nothing like standard federation quarters far more resembling an eighteenth-century reading room with a splattering of modern technology. " There are sssome snacks and drinks on the table. Just please don't step into the circle."

Turning to face the Doc, Lia smiled. "Interrupting? Nope, just a couple having a quick chat. WOW! Not what I expected, Doc, you have classic taste". Stepping into the cabin, Lia made sure to avoid the circle. "Ah quick question, what's the circle for?" Things were starting to look like an old horror tale you once read in books, and having a Gorn added to the whole experience.

Gary looked over the furnishings and nodded in approval. He never would have thought the CMO would have such human tastes. "I like your style doc. I surely do."

Alicia arrived outside Sthilg's quarters, her abilities were slowly returning but not as fast as she would have liked. She hoped she'd still be of help to the Doctor with his ritual. She pressed the chime and waited for an answer.

S'hib rounded the corner to the corridor as Alicias finger left the chime, his bare cream white chest and arms juxtaposed against the bright yellow dress around his waist. "Lieutenant!" S'hib called out upon seeing Alicia stood outside. "We're not late are we?" He asked as his hooves thumping along the carpet towards her.

"I don't think so" Alicia smiled warmly as she looked at S'hib. "I'm just hoping we can be of help to the doctor."

" We need it for the ritual." The gorn explained as he heard the door go again. Pocking his head out the door he gave a warm smile to S'hib and Alicias. " Welcome you two pleassse come in."

“Thank you Sthilg” Alicia smiled as she entered the Gorn officer’s quarters. “You were right by the way, my senses are slowly coming back.”

" Very good. We jussst need to wait for the captain then we can get started." The gorn replied as he pointed to the table and the coffee,tea, and biscuits.

Hearing that Phoenix was arriving, Lia turned and faced the Gorn. "So Doc, you want to explain just what we're going to be doing? It looks a little complex and deep, are you sure we're the people to help you?"

" Off courssse i'll jussst" the doctor began before pausing. She was right in front of him so close he could see her green eyes. Shaking his head he moved around her and pulled a rather old looking blackboard from behind one of the bookcase. It was covered in a copied image of the ancient gorn book of the dead. " Now..." He said as he picked up a box full of several viles of various liquids and five candles. " I thank each and every one of you for helping me do thisss. I'll need each of you to take your position in the circle. At the anointed time me and the first guardian If the old text is correct this ssshould allow us to perch the vile and enter the hunting ground. "

Alicia looked at the circle taking note of where it was she was supposed to sit, moving over to her place she sat down and waited for the others to do the same.

Gary looked at the circle. saw Alicia sitting down in a space meant for her. Gary looked at the CMO, "Um, where am I suppose to sit Doc?"

" Sssecond sssegment commander. " the gorn said pointing as he began to divide the candles between the five places adding two small hyposprays to each segment.

"Second segment." Gary repeated as he moved to and then sat down in the prescribed segment.

Lia heard Gary asking where he was to sit, so turned and spoke to the Doc. "And just where do I plant myself Doc?" She smiled at Gary, glad he was here in a way. She glanced at the door, and wished Phoenix would hurry up and arrive.

The door opened and the Captain entered then. She was dressed in black jeans and a dark green sweater with low healed shoes on her feet. "I am so sorry." she apologized to the Gorn as she moved in. She looked harried but she forced a smile onto her face.

" The firssst sssegment. " the gorn clarified as he handed her her vials and candle. " If this doesss work i would all of you to be on alert for the dark one. According to the book of the dead he doesss hauntsss the path. If you hear sssomeone ssspeacking in a familiar voice tempting you off the path do not follow. "

Alicia nodded as she listened to what Sthilg was saying, “What if the voice sounds like you? How will we know if there’s something trying to lure us if the voice is familiar?”

" You'll be able to tell it's me from the candle. It will connect us via a lifeline. At least that'sss what the book sssaysss." The gorn replied before he pulled out a few medical scanners. " Jussst to monitor us jusst in cassse." He said as he handed them out after clipping one to his neck.

Gary took the scanner and followed the CMO's lead, clipping it to his neck.

Taking her scanner, Lia clipped it to her belt. "My scanner will have to sit there, my blouse collar won't support the weight. And I don't wish to offend, by exposing myself here".

The gorn nodded. " Would anyone want to back out now. I will not hold it against you." he said wanting to give his friends a chance to back out. He wouldn't blame them.

"There is no great ocean in your quarter's Doctor, thankfully," S'hib said softly as he moved towards an empty spot in the circle. "So I'm afraid these dark ones will be unable to speak to me in the voices of my dead... Though I am sure they will try." He snorted stubbornly before lowering himself to the floor, his long legs crossing awkwardly.

Lia looked straight at the Gorn, "I promised to help you Doc, and help you I will. So I'm staying, ok?"

"Doc. We're here to help you. So lets get this show started." Gary replied making it clear he was here to help the CMO.

The gorn nodded as he made sure everything was finished before he took his place in the center. " Each candle will burn for one hour. Starting from Lia you need to take your own portion of the drug after lighting your own candle. If the book is correct you should be pulled into the hunting ground with me and when the candle has finissshed burning you'll be pulled out. Just don't break the circle or it will break the ritual. " he explained.

Kneeling he bent down and lit his own candle that he placed in front of him. " All mother mother to usss all. Your humble ssson ssseakes guidiance in hisss time of greatessst needed. " He said as he picked up the bowl with the chemical concoction swilling in the bottom. Slowly he drank the green gunk down. It tasted foul and he nearly gagged as it went down. The effect was almost instant as the lights of the room began to swim as he felt his head getting lighter.

The gorns head dropped as his eyes closed though his chest still rose and fell almost as if the doctor was heavily dreaming.

Alicia sat watching, all she could do now was wait for her turn to eventually come around.

Following the Doc's lead, Lia lit her candle, she recited exactly what the Gorn said and swallowed a foul tasting concoction. After that she felt as if she was on some sort of drug fueled trip, and her eye's closed despite her resisting.


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Elsewhere.

Sthilg's eyes shot open as he felt the cold air on his skin. He blinked as he slowly stood his feet sinking slightly into the grounds soft mud. Was this real? He appeared to be standing in a forest clearing with a small river running through it. " Hello..." he said his voice echoing around the clearing as a cold wind blew down from the towering mountains.

Something from the cornor of his eye caught his attention. A small wicker basket drifted down the river a tiny gorn wrapped tightly in a red blanket. " The river..." He said softly to himself as something else made him weel around.

Lia suddenly found herself behind the Doctor, "Ah where are we Doc? And what the hell just happened?" She looked about and could see a river with a basket, the Doc was lifting something out.

Sthilg heart jumped as he heard the voice wheeling around to see the ghostly image of his crewmate. Calming himself by breathing in and out he placed the basket back in the river. "We must be on the path to the hunting groundsss. Thisss must be the river of rebirth. Where thossse who never got the chance to live get to go through the cycle again. " he said looking at the small basket drifted away as more began to appear. Tears flooded his eyes. Had she been along the river? The little girl of his flesh who never got the chance to live.

Lia watched the little basket float away, "Is it just Gorn who float down this river?" She suddenly had a nasty thought of her daughter Angel forever floating down this river, "How far are the hunting grounds?"

Sthilg paused. " It sssay'sss the all mother is the mother of all of usss. I sssee no reassson other won't be here. Flowing down the river to the home of Acumar who will lead them back to the world of the living. " He replied giving the ghostly image of his crewmate a reassuring shoulder grip. " Come the path to the hunting ground follows the river up ssstream. We need to follow it to the gatesss of S'asibus who guards the path."

As they followed the river upstream, Lia watched the water. Would she see? Could she see, and possibly help her daughter Angel? Her mind now snapped back to the real reason she was here, was this the voice the Doctor had warned about? "Hey Doc, you know you said about a voice. What about thoughts? Could this dark one affect my thoughts?" Her mind started to tumble with other random bits of thought, keeping her mind on why she was here was becoming difficult.

The gorn paused slightly as he scratched his chin slightly. " Very likely. He isss the counter of the all mother." He said looking at his friend." Jussst remember he can't touch the river or what on it. If he makesss you an offer you have to ignore him. "

Nodding Lia continued to follow the Gorn, she reasoned even if Angel floated past she wouldn't know her. She never saw her, so it would be wrong to interfere with Angel's second chance of life. She had gotten a second chance, so why not Angel. "Thanks Doc, I'll remember that. So have we much further to go?"

" Not long." the gorn said as he looked up at the path which was steadily climbing into the hills. " We will have the pass the Khanasss sssoon. I hope I've remembered the prayer needed to pass them."

Catching up to the Doctor, Lia now looked straight in his eye's. "What do you mean, you hope? What happens if you don't remember? Will something happen to us if you forget?" This suddenly seemed to be taking a darker turn, what with an evil being tempting her and now the Gorn hoping to remember things. Lia's heartbeat was rising, as was her fear.

" They'll make me wait there until I can remember it. " the gorn replied with a reassuring smile. " If i wassss dead they'd make me have to go the long way around and that can take ssseveral centuries if the book is correct. Don't worry I know it well I do think it through my head every time i have to aid in childbirth."

The Doc saying he not only knew the prayer but recited it often made her feel a little better, "Once we get past the Khanas, what will happen? I'm sorry to keep asking questions, but I just want to do this right and help you".

" Then we pass through the tunnel to the bridge of judgment, but by my calculationsss your candle should have burned out by then." The gorn said as the two of them crossed a hill. Looking onwards the path came to a small stone cottage sitting next to the river. " And here we are. The Khanassss should be here." He said calmly.

Lia glanced at the Doctor, "So I just tell the next person to light their candle? I hope your quest succeeds". She continued walking, waiting for her candle to flutter out. How would she know? Looking at the cottage she noticed things fading, "Hey Doc, looks like my time here is over. Take care". Her head slowly rose and her eye's focused on Gary, "Your turn Gary, just be careful".

Gary breathed a sigh of relief as Lia spoke to him. She seemed to have been in a trance for the last few minutes so having her back with him was a weight off his mind. "Will do." He answered as he lit his candle, breathed deeply, closed his eyes and waited for whatever came next.

TBC,,,

OOC: Shall we post this?