Missing Past

Posted on Fri Sep 18th, 2020 @ 7:22am by Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea

Mission: Season 3: Episode 5: Shoreleave
Location: USS Elysium
708 words - 1.4 OF Standard Post Measure

With the previous mission behind them, Naxea found herself in her usual area in the Elysium's gym. Sweat poured from her forehead as she pushed the weighted barbell up above her chest in a bench press for the tenth repetition.

Out of her peripheral vision she spotted a Marine approaching her. "What is it?" she asked as she set the barbell back onto the bench catch and sat up.

"Sorry to bother you ma'am, but you have Priority One Secure Message," the Marine told her.

Nodding to the man, she stood from the bench. "Thank you, Corporal. That will be all."

"Aye, ma'am." The Marine turned and headed for the gym exit.

Naxea grabbed her towel and water bottle and headed for the exit as well, on her way to her quarters.

A few minutes later, Naxea arrived at her quarters, setting her water bottle down on a table, draping the towel over the back of her neck. "Computer, open the priority One Message for me, authorization Azhul-Beta-Alpha-Four-Seven."

"Authorization accepted. Accessing message," came the computer's voice.

On the screen, the image of an elderly bajoran dressed in the religious robes of a Vedek. "Greetings, Major Azhul. I am Vedek Toral."

Her curiosity was now peaked even more at receiving a message from a Vedek--on a secure subspace channel nonetheless. Although Naxea didn't believe in the Bajoran Religion, she still held respect for most Vedeks and Vedek Toral was considered one of the oldest and wisest members of the Vedek Assembly.

"What can I do for you Vedek?" Naxea asked, tilting her head slightly.

"I know of your distaste in our religion...." he replied, concerned but he continued. "But I wish to speak with you here on Bajor if you are able. There are few in Starfleet that I trust and I know of your steadfast cause to aid our people whenever possible, making you the only person in Starfleet that I can trust with this matter I have."

'Just get on with it,' Naxea thought impatiently as she waited for the man to continue.

"I have information regarding a lost Bajoran Colony," Toral stated.

"A lost Bajoran Colony?" Naxea repeated in disbelief. "I've never heard of any lost Bajoran Colony...and even so, why contact me and not Starfleet Command about it?"

"Because as I said, you're the only one who can do anything about it. Starfleet won't do anything because the colony is inside of Cardassian Space."

Naxea's brows shot up in surprise. "Cardassian Space? Just how the hell am I supposed to help and why the hell does Bajor have a colony inside Cardassian Space?"

"The colony was established at the beginning stages of the Occupation in 2320. Established by the Cardassians to use Bajorans to mine ore. During the Occupation and later the Dominion War, records of the colony were lost and essentially the colony was forgotten as Bajor moved forward. That is until I received word about survivors of the colony but the Bajoran Government will not listen until they have more proof and I am sure you know how long Starfleet takes to act. I need you to go and find out if there are indeed survivors and if able, bring them home to Bajor," Toral explained.

"Vedek...I...I don't know," Naxea began.

"Please Naxea," Toral begged. "We need our people home...to let them know that they are not forgotten.

With a heavy sigh, Naxea nodded. "Very well. I will meet you in four days." If anything, Naxea had to dig more into this lost colony. It was simply hard to believe that there could be a lost Bajoran Colony from the Occupation out there somewhere.

A smile came to Toral's face. "Thank you so much, Naxea. Until we meet." With that the screen went blank, leaving Naxea to ponder her next course of action. She knew that a runabout would be too slow so she accessed her terminal to see what starships were headed for that sector. She only saw one ship and her heart sank at the name: USS Cerritos. 'Great,' she thought, having heard of the ship and crew and they were not good ones. "Computer, put me through to Captain Mariner of the USS Cerritos."

TBC...