Unlikely Allies

Posted on Wed Jun 5th, 2024 @ 8:19am by Kyle Cragen [Reece] & Quinn [ADMIN NPC]

Mission: Back Home
Location: Galaxy Station, Cragen's Guest Cabin
Timeline: (The evening of "The Answer")
2308 words - 4.6 OF Standard Post Measure

After Cragen and Natsuko finished their dinner, he told her that he needed to go meditate and pray to his ancestors to bring the Elysium and her crew home safely.

Once he returned to his cabin, he locked the doors and started to pace. What he was about to do angered him. However, perhaps this one would prove different from the others. Afterall, she had aided him when he was in prison.

Finally, he stopped pacing and simply called out. "Quinn! I know you're our there, watching. I can feel your presence! Show yourself, you demon!"

There was silence then a voice said "Demon?!?! How insulting coming from you!" Then she appeared sitting on his sofa in jeans and a white button down, red hair pulled into a pony tail. She gave him a cool look with her green eyes.

He looked at her with a slight scowl. "At least my race doesn't get their jollies on tormenting lesser-developed species," he replied. "But enough of that." He took a breath. "How could you allow it to happen?! I know you see that crew of the Elysium as your little playthings...why didn't you protect them?!"

Quinn didn't meet his taxing gaze. "I was stopped. And believe me I tried to save them, stop it from happening, but we have rules and I was blocked."

This news hit Cragen like a ton of bricks. "You tell me of rules?! What rules would stop you from helping them, when you kind go about the galaxy doing whatever you want?"

"The rules that enable people to right wrongs. No interference in events that need to happen!" Quinn stood up. "They will meet a race that interferes with others and will hopefully stop that race." She looked at him and swirled her hand, giving him another holo globe. "Liberty" she handed it to him. The image was of the nearly 4 month old.

Cragen's rage was immediately extinguished when he saw the face of the daughter he and Josephine had created. After taking the orb, he collapsed to his knees, his previous display of power and rage reverted to utter heartbreak and weakness.

In a voice barely above a whisper, he begged, "Bring them back, Quinn, please! I'll do whatever you ask, I give you my word as an El Aurian! I'll give you my very soul, if you only bring them home safe! They're in the Circinus Galaxy, we don't know where, but the evidence points to that being where they ended up. Please....bring them home."

"I can't. Not yet. 18 months or more until they will be able to return. Depends on if they fix what they have been sent to fix. But she will be back before Liberty turns five."

"Sent to fix?!" Cragen repeated, his anger starting to rise again. "What in the hells are you talking about?!" He then realized how much of his daughter's life he was going to miss. "Why couldn't your kind fix what was broken?!"

"Because of the rules. The Q are not alone in their power. That galaxy has its own powers and they refuse to. I think they like being worshipped.."

Cragen felt impotent by this news. He deflated again, returning to the image of his beautiful young daughter. "Please tell me that she is safe," he pleaded, his face looking like a worried, powerless parent.

"She is. Very safe. They are using a cloaking device. No accords there to stop them." Quinn said. "Her mother is going well. Though you might want to know that you will not need to worry about Arrianna any more."

Looking up suddenly, he had a confused look on his face. "What do you mean?'

"She is dead. She went nuts and tried to kill survivors. She took herself and several others out. Josephine was being put under a lot of pressure by Arrianna as well. It seems what Arrianna went through caused a mental break."

Hearing about Arrianna's fate caused Cragen to feel a renewed sense if grief and guilt. Closing his eyes, he bowed his head and prayed. "All Powerful Mother and Father, please watch over the souls of Arrianns and those lost by her hand, because of my deeds." He was silent for several minutes afterwards.

Then, looking back up at Quinn, he pleaded again. "Please...is there nothing you can do?"

The Q looked at him. "I have tried. Several times. But even my going there is currently blocked. I want them back here as much as everyone else, but the continuum is refusing to budge."

"But...why?" He asked, exhausted by it all. "The Continuum is infamous for doing whatever it wanted. What are these rules that you are suddenly holding to?"

Quinn sighed. "There is always a bigger fish," she said softly. "The Continuum has been in decline for a few centuries. We have had only one new Q born in the past few years, and one human turned Q due to her genetics. They fear a war with the others in the other galaxy. And in a way they are right. These beings get their power from worship. And their adherents are pretty large in number. So they can pull a lot of power."

Hearing what Quinn said, and the worry in her voice, gave Cragen a very chilled feeling run through him. "A war? When? With who?? Who are there others?!" If those he cared fore were in danger, he would burn down every galaxy to keep them safe.

"No one yet. But if we go there, the Q, we will start a war and we do not want that. It would burn both galaxies." Quinn said.

A dangerous look suddenly filled Cragen's features. "Then you had best pray to whomever you worship, that those I care about return unharmed. If they do not, I will burn EVERY galaxy!"

Quinn forbore rolling her eyes. "It will be fine Cragen. You guys have more important things to deal with."

'Like what?" He growled. "What is more important Than getting my family back safely?"

"Like people using the disappearance to their advantage." She walked up to him, not scared of him. "Your old Friend Pallas. You remember him right? He gave you the bounty for his sister. With her and her ship gone? He is going to strike."

Cragen straightened up and exhaled evenly. "I should have executed that pup when I had the chance," he shook his head. "I only ever used him for his planet." He looked Quinn in the eye. "In what way can he gain from this event?"

"Without Phoenix around, he can try and arrest his brother and mother and have them executed, then he can try to take his father out. If he takes out the High Lord, then he is going to open his boarders for another race use Erisian space as a conduit to attack the federation and their allies."

Cragen's features grew dark. The last time they were that way, he was running his criminal empire. "Not bloody likely," he growled again, though this time, his anger wasn't aimed at Quinn. "Phoenix is an honorable woman. She could have simply killed me, or let Arrianna kill me, after I was captured. She not only kept me alive, she was decent about it. More than I deserved." He started to shake his head to himself.

"I owe her a life debt." He looked over at Quinn. "How well do you know her?"

"Pretty well. I knew her when she was a junior officer. I worked with her." Quinn replied. "Its why I annoy her so much" she added with a smirk. "But you are right, she could have let you die. But she would rather people suffer I guess."

"Would you consider her a friend?" He asked matter-of-factly. While he knew the Q were interested in their own satisfaction, there was something about Quinn that, he had to admit, felt differently.

"Yes. Who do you think got rid of her last partner?" Quinn mused.

Cragen was silent for a few beats. Finally, he spoke. "You know my people. You know what our word means. Right here and now, as her friend, I give you my word that I will not allow her brother, Pallas to cause any harm to her father -even though he has put a price on her head- her mother, or her other brother. Pallas will never gain the crown, so long as there is breath in my body."

"Very well. You will need to look into his dealings with the Acorosiel. You won't find anything on them in Federation Databases, but the Erisians have a bit."

He was silent for a moment, before nodding. "I remember seeing something about them when I was in his castle. Remind me, who are they?"

"Bad news. They hunt for fun. And want more planets under their control. They believe that they deserve it. Acorosielians typically stand over six feet tall, have two long, proportionately thick fingers and an opposable thumb on each hand, each tipped with talons, and a set of mandibles around their mouths. The most distinguishing feature of Acorosielians is their metallic carapace, which contains trace amounts of thulium. The Acorosielians evolved this trait as a defense against the greater levels of solar radiation that penetrate their homeworld's weak magnetic field. Acorosielians features are avian, making them resemble humanoid birds or raptors, however unlike most Earth avian creatures, Acorosielians are viviparous and give birth to live young. Acorosielians are also recognisable by their voices, which have a distinctive flanging effect. Males and females do not differ greatly in physical appearance, but female Acorosielians lack the crest of horns found in the males of the race. The lifespan of a Acorosielians is comparable to that of a human. Acorosielians exhibit the characteristics of predators rather than those of prey species. Their forward-facing alert eyes give the impression that they possess outstanding eyesight and their teeth and jaws mimic the structures possessed by apex predators such as crocodiles or ancient, carnivorous dinosaurs. Needless to say, their talons on both their feet and hands seem capable of ripping flesh. As such, their diet is primarily meat-based. Their slender bodies also seem to suggest that they are also capable of moving at high speeds. The Acorosielians homeworld, Acorosiel, has a metal-poor core, generating a weak magnetic field and allowing more solar radiation into the atmosphere. To deal with this, most forms of life on Acorosiel evolved some form of metallic "exoskeleton" to protect themselves. Their reflective plate-like skin makes Acorosielians less susceptible to long-term, low-level radiation exposure, but they do not possess any sort of "natural armor". An Acorosielians' thick skin does not stop projectiles and directed energy bolts. Acorosielian blood has a dark blue coloration." She said giving him the run down on what they looked like.

Cragen took it all in quietly. When she was finished, he asked, and where are they currently located? Are they still on their homeworld, or have they begun to spread across the stars already?"

"Currently they control several sectors in the inner core. To get to the Federation they would need to go through Klingon Space or ... Erisian Space, as Erisia is between Romulan and Klingon Space." Quinn said. "I have premonitions that they will be coming soon."

"And the Continuum is just going to stand by and do nothing? I know that the Federation, and especially Starfleet, is perceived as your own playthings. Surely, none of you would want the Humans destroyed."

"Humans, Cardassians, Romulans, Klingons, Andorians, Breen, Betazoids, Vulcans, this race will not discriminate. And I am doing something. I am telling you." She waved a hand and a Pile of PADD's appeared. "All you need." Quinn said. "I am sure you and the others will be able to stop them... eventually."

He moved over and grabbed one of the PADDs and started reading through it quickly. His features grew more concerned as he read. Finally, he looked up at her again.
"Eventually??" He exclaimed. "According to thos, it will take nearly halve the Starfleet to do it! What the hell are our enemies going to do, if that many starship is pulled to the far side of Romulan and Klingon space??"

"You have 6 months." She said softly. "I cannot forestall them longer than that. If I do, I will be destroyed by the others for sure."

He let out a heavy sigh of resignation. "Well...thank you you for this advanced warning at least. I'm not sure what I can do to get the word out to the fleet. I'm not exactly on friendly terms with those in power.

"Your Ambassador, however, has the pull." Quinn looked at him. "Seduce her if you must, but the information must be put forth."

Cragen gave Quinn a hard stare. "I'll do what I feel is best. I will not dishonor Natsuko."

"Ppffftt," Quinn blew a raspberry. "You have done worse in your life and dishonoured a number of women. So it wont be that hard for you Cragen."

The El Aurian nodded quietly. "You are correct. And I will carry the shame of my deeds to the grave. In case you missed it, I am trying to rebuild my life. I will not go down that dark road again. Not unless my family is harmed."

"Well if these guys are not dealt with, they will come back to nothing."

"Leave it with me," he finally replied. "I will figure out the beat course of action."

Quinn nodded. "Very well. But do not leave it too long Cragen. You won't like the result."

Cragen nodded and waved her away. He had much to consider, and not a lot of time to do it in.

Quinn merely nodded and vanished.

~OFF~

 

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