Some things must be done.

Posted on Sat Nov 12th, 2022 @ 5:08am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Commander Arrianna Salannis an Vantar & Kyle Cragen [Reece]

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Ready Room and other Places
1695 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Arrianna tapped on the door chime to Phoenix's ready room. She had to do this, for better or worse, and for the fate of Josie's young girl. Better or worse, she did not want to be known as a villian to either Josie, or her child, for hating her father. This hatred of Kyle Cragen, the incident where Arri stabbed him again and again. She had to let go of this, and she needed Phoenix's help to do so.

Phee looked up from her reports. "Come" she called out."

Arrianna entered. "Still more paperwork, Commodore?" She noted calmly.

"yeah well, that's life right?" Phoenix asked. "What can I do for you Arri?"

"I need to close the book on the last year of my life, Phee." Arri noted. "I've been working with the counselors for a while. Trying to get my life back in shape. Trying even to save my relationship, my career. Everything I have. There's just one last thing I need to do, And I really need your help with this. I need a holographic uplink to New Zealand. There is something I need to tell him, and after that. It is done." Arrianna noted. "You know the strange thing about being in love.. you don't always get a choice on what you have to do."

"Cragen?" Phoenix asked curiously.

"Yes... Josie forgave him." Arri noted. "She didn't have to. But she did. She certainly had the right to hate him. We both do. Anyone who was destroyed by him deserves to.. But the situation is different. Soon, she will have a daughter. One day I will have to tell her about what happened, and she will ask me if I hate her because of what her father did to us." Arri noted. "Then I will have to tell her I stabbed her father fifteen times." She noted. "No more, Phee.. No more hatred of Cragen. Nor more obsessing over him, no more having dreams of him in the middle of the night. No more Carrington or secret plots, or even the Terran Empire. They can't do anything to me anymore that hasn't been done. I've been broken, but I've been rebuilt and I'm stronger now. I will have him know this. I will do as Josie has done."

Phoenix considered it and then nodded. "very well. I will set up the link. Briefing room be ok?"

"If you want, you can come in with me. I would appreciate your support." Arrianna noted. "Afterwards.. I will wait for Josie to come to me.. I will take her and tell her I've moved on from them.. They no longer control me. And then I will tell her I love her with everything I am." Arrianna noted. "I want her to keep this daughter, whatever her father has done.. it is in the past."

Phoenix nodded. "Very well. I will meet you in the briefing room shortly."

When Arri left, Phoenix made the call to Earth via the relay stations. She got permission from the warden and as they set up the call and routed it to the briefing room, Phoenix took a breath then headed in to the briefing room.

When she entered she moved to her normal seat and opened up the Video Link. "Arri, its coming through now."

She kept her eyes on him. No fear. Resolve. "Mister Cragen."

When Cragen's image appeared, he could be seen in a prison jumpsuit and was secured to the chair he was seated in. "Capt...forgive me, Commodore. Congratulations on your well-deserved promotion. And also, I heard that you and Captain Richardson recently wed each other, so a belated congratulations there as well."

"Mr Cragen," Phoenix stated. "Commander Salannis au Vantar wishes to speak with you."

Kyle's features went from polite topained. He then nodded acceptance. "Yes, Ma'am. I stand ready."

"You have taken from me many things I held dear. Nearly destroyed my life. Your underling turned me into what I wasn't. Tortured the love of my life. Broke me into your servant and coerced me to help you. You have made my life a special kind of hell. She may never be the same. Filled me with so much shame, I would have remained a slave not to face myself if it wasn't for Phoenix." Arrianna noted. "But with all your crimes, it seems we have something in common. My madness... was yours. I love her so much. It turned me into a my own worst enemy. And I stabbed you fifteen times. I was sick with madness in love."

"I did not set out to steal her away from you, Mister Cragen. Had I known what was happening maybe things would have been different. But I am here not for myself, but for the daughter my love will soon bear. She is as precious to me as her mother." Arri noted.

Kyle's bottom lip tremored at the mention of Liberty. "If it means anything, Commander...I am sorry for the pain that I caused you. I regret every single action that I performed and allowedcto be performed in my name. I know I can never fully atone for what I did...all I can do, is accept my fate, that I will be alone for the rest of my life, however long that will be. And, to apologize to those I have wronged. I am sorry."

Phoenix had to blink at that. She wondered if she had water in her ears. She just stared silently from where she stood to the side.

"I love her. From the moment I saw her. She was intelligent, charming.. kind. But I can hold this hatred inside me no longer. It is my intent to love her, and her daughter. I will not tell my stepdaughter that I hate her father. I will tell her I forgave him."

A tear fell down his left cheek. "Thank you, Commander. I...I never expected forgiveness. I still do not believe that I deserve forgiveness. However, I will not attempt to rob you of that release. I am all to familiar with the Darkness that can take HD of one's soul. I hope that you and Josephine are able to reclaim what I stole from you both. Liberty..." his voice cracked with honest emotion.

"Liberty is the only good that came from any of this. And the good that she will be, will be sue to Josephine and you...Arrianna."

"If she desires to know her father, I will not deny this of her." Arrianna noted. "My people nurture our families, they are everything to us. And I do this now so that Liberty will know there are no secrets I will keep from her. No lies I will tell her." Arri noted. "She will know the truth, no matter how painful it is for me to tell her, but she will also know the hatreds have been put to rest. Even though it seems like we live for years, decades.. Centuries.. We have such short time to dwell about hatreds. But also know.. If your men did not succeed in subduing me that day, I would have fought to the death to protect Josie. The same is true now for her and Liberty." Arri noted.

Kyke nodded. "I understand, Arrianna. And I thank you. I know that the Alindari are a noble people. If you say they will be protected with your last breath, then I know it to be true." He paused a beat, then added, "I truly hope you a long and happy life together, Commander. Josephine is a one of a kind. We are the fortunate ones to have been able to love her. Me, purely, back in the distant past. You, here and now in the present and into the future. Be well. I hold no animosity towards you in any way. Thank you for your part in restoring my clarity of mind. It is a debt that I will never be able to repay."

"Farewell, Kyle Cragen. I do not know if I can forget what happened. But at least I will not carry this blinding cancer with me any longer. And we may see each other the day we bring Liberty so you can hold her. I can say I'm not completely blameless for what happened to Josie.. I should be a better partner to her. Josephine Carlyle deserves the best we can all give her," Arrianna noted. "This year I learned, you and I are not that different. There's monsters in us, and we fed them. At least we can dedicate what life we have left to being better people before we ascend to the next existence." Arrianna mentioned. "Until we meet again, Kyle Cragen."

Kyle nodded calmly. "I am glad that you are free of the darkness that I brought to your doorstep, Arrianna. I thank you for your thoughtfulness in regards to allowing me to one day see and hold my daughter. No matter what has happened in the past, she is what is most important now. I give you my word as an El Aurian, I will do everything in my power to earn her pride in me."

The guard barked out "Times up"

Kyle nodded. "Yes, Sir." He then looked back at Arrianna. "Take care of yourself, Arrianna. And take care of Josephine and Liberty." That said, the holo-conference ended, leaving Arrianna and Phoenix alone in the briefing room.

Phoenix looked at Arrianna. "And now what are you planning to do?"

"Bishop... Then I wait for the woman I love to feel comfortable talking to me again. Ascendants, I love her Phee. Nine months I did not know if she was alive or dead. Anyway, it's all gone. When she talks to me.. I won't take anything for granted anymore."

"okay. I will let you go deal with your work. We have no way of tracking Bishop so that will have to wait." Phoenix said softly.

"One more thing, Phee. Tell her I love her. And it helped me fight the hate." Arri turned to leave the briefing room.

Phoenix nodded and watched her go.