The Path to Life...[HOLD]

Posted on Mon Jan 17th, 2022 @ 5:50pm by Captain Mattias Richardson [Reece]

Mission: Darkness Rising - A Phoenix Lalor Sub Plot
Location: Various
Timeline: 2395
1026 words - 2.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Mattias stepped out of the shower and grabbed his towel. As he started to dry off, he moved out into the bedroom of the suite he was currently renting. After tossing the wet towel into the reclamator chute, he reached into his bag and grabbed some clean clothes to slip on. Pulling the jeans on over his naked body, he slid open the balcony door and stepped outside into the sunshine.

Below was the beach, which, at this time of year on Risa, was about half full of scantily clad women and men. He had stayed on Wrigley's Pleasure Planet only long enough to find transport elsewhere. He wasn't staying in one place more than a few days, as he still wasn't ready to really be himself yet.

More than once, he had wanted to reach out to Phoenix. He even got as far as powering up his comm device and punching in her contact information. However, he froze when his finger hovered over the transmit button. He then shut down the device and put it away. Phoenix didn't need his troubles. She deserved to be with someone who wasn't as messed up as he was. After what she went through on Erisia, she deserved peace. And right now, Mattias was nothing but chaos.

Kara had been trying to reach him for weeks, but he hadn't returned her call. He didn't want anyone to know where he was. However, he knew that she was worried about her big brother, so when he checked out from the hotel, he sent her a quick message.

Kara,

I know you've been trying to get me, and I'm sorry for not replying sooner. There was something I had to do. To keep you safe, I can't tell you what it was. Just know that I'm safe and am doing a walkabout. I need to find myself again if I'm going to be any good to anyone. Please, don't try to find me. I have to do this alone. Know that, wherever I go, you are always in my heart. I love you, Little Girl.

Your big brother

Once the message was sent, he boarded the next transport he had booked passage on. This one was heading to Trillius Prime. After settling into his small steerage cabin, he laid dowm in the small bunk and closed his eyes. He was still so very tired. Sleep claimed him before the transport broke orbit and began its three week trip.

==A month later==

Walking along a trail up in the mountains, Mattias took a break at a clearing and looked out over the surrounding countryside. The day was clear and the view was breathtaking. He could see for nearly one hundred kilometers from up here. Taking a few moments, he closed his eyes and thought about where his life was.

"You are in pain."

The voice behind him, startled Mattius, causing him to stumble forward as he spun towards the source of the voice. As he stumbled, he lost his footing and started to fall backwards, over the precipice he had been standing on. In that instant, his whole life flashed before his eyes, growing up on his parents' freighter, rescuing and later adopting Kara, growing up with her, joining the Starfleet Marines, saving Phoenix, falling in love with her, losing her while never stopping loving her, nearly dying on that fateful mission, meeting and falling in love with Saundra, marrying her and having Charlie, losing the both of them to the hitmen, hunting them down and exacting vengence, feeling lost on finding the main enemy.

All which led to this moment.

As Mattias continued to fall back, he suddenly realized that his descent had slowed to a bare crawl. Before he could try to figure out this unusual situation, an elderly Trill man appeared before him.

"You have much pain," the man said matter-of-factly. "So much pain." He stepped closer to where Mattius was falling imperceptibly. "Your pain has awoken me from my slumber. It has been many centuries since someone has come to my mountain in such anguish."

His eyes moved from Mattius, out to the view. "I was once sought after to aid the people in their darkest hours. But, as time moved on, fewer and fewer came here and prayed for my assistance." He looked back at Mattius.

"I shall give you a choice, human. I only have enough power left for a single wish. Do you want to continue to live with this pain, but find your way back to your true heart? Or, do you wish for this pain to end totally now?"

Mattius's thoughts went instantly to Phoenix's smiling, loving face.

The old man nodded sagely. "You have chosen." His eyes flashed green. "You shall live and grow stronger. One day, you will reunite with your true heart. Live well and long, human." The flash of his green eyes filled Mattius's whole view.

Suddenly, he sat up in the bed he was sleeping in at the inn, located at the bottom of the mountain. In his mind, he heard the voice. "So long as you tell no one of this gift, you will live a long and happy life with your true heart. However, be warned, if you ever speak of this experience, not only will you return to the moment that I saved you, and fall to your death from my mountain, your true heart will suffer her worst pain ever."

The voice faded from his mind, but the promise stayed with him. He had been given a second chance. He wouldn't waste it. After packing his belongings, he made his way to the nearest Starfleet Marine Corps unit and, after signing back in, his commision was reinstated and after a few weeks, he was issued orders to his next assignment.

It was time to regain his life and ready himself for the day he would be reunited with his true heart, the woman who had always owned his heart, mind and soul, ever since the day their eyes met from across the public square on Erisia.

His true love, Phoenix Lalor.


-OFF-