Crossing Paths

Posted on Mon Jun 2nd, 2025 @ 2:27pm by Lieutenant Commander Rin & Commander Sthilg & Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea

Mission: Season 6: Echoes of the Zynari
Timeline: MD4 2300 Hrs.
2046 words - 4.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Naxea strolled down the corridor. She hadn't been able to sleep much and thanks tonthe pranks caused by these so called Zynari, neither had Sle'anna, whom she now carried in her arms. She was hoping the walk would calm her and so far, it seemed to be working as the infant had calmed down with her eyes closing. It would only be a matter of a minute or two before Sle'anna was once again in dreamland. 'Lucky girl,' Naxea thought, looking down at Sle'anna in her arms.

In the quiet of the corridor, Naxea's thoughts turned to Gary. They had shared some close moments but she had also seen him with Little Lia's babysitter. They had seemed happy. It didn't take a Betazoid to know that there was something to the relationship. It wasn't her place to worry about that. Gary deserved to be happy. Wherever and with whoever he found it with. "You and me against the galaxy, little one," Naxea spoke softly to her daughter.

She looked up as she spotted a figure round the corner of an adjacent corridor in front of her. She couldn't believe who she saw and he was leveling a phaser at her. All she could think of was Sle'anna. "Desek, how the hell did you escape?"

"Ah, the mysterious Bajoran who assaulted me after I arrived. I was hoping to return the favor. Shame for you and your...Sequus daughter that you are in my way." So the Sequus had a family. Had would be the key word as he depressed the trigger button on the phaser.

With barely a fraction of a second, Naxea twisted her torso to shield Sle'anna. The phaser beam struck Naxea on her right side, causing her to let out a cry as her nerves felt like they were on fire with searing pain flooding her body as she slumped against the bulkhead, as Sle'anna cried out at the top of her lungs. Naxea's vision blurred from the pain as she set Sle'anna onto the deck, still using her body as a shield as Desek closed in.

"The infant will make a nice hostage," Desek stated as he reached Naxea and attempted to shove her out of the way.

The words sent a wave of anger through Naxea as she grabbed Desek's wrist. "Over my dead body," she seethed through the pain as she used all she had to struggle with Desek.

"I'll be happy to arrange that," he replied, kicking Naxea in her injured side, causing her to cry out and leveling his phaser at her.

Traversing a cross corridor, Rin heard the phaser go off. She hurried around the corner to see Desek towering over Naxea and Sle'anna, ready to fire.

"Drop it, Desek!" she yelled, throwing herself forward. She had no expectation he would do such. In fact, she was entirely betting he wouldn't. But it would hopefully catch his attention just long enough for either Rin to barrel into him or for Naxea to make a grab for the weapon.

Desek wheeled around at the sudden outburst with the phaser.

Naxea, seeing Desek turn, attempted to get to her feet but instead stumbled forward, her legs giving out as she tumbled into Desek's leg, causing him to stumble forward, off balance.

Rin attempted to kick the gun from his hand, but he managed to keep a grip. She stepped to the side and seized his wrist, intent on at least keeping the weapon from being pointed at anyone else.

"Stupid borg," Desek insulted through clenched teeth as he tried to free his wrist by angling himself to get a clear kick at Rin.

Naxea glanced at Sle'anna who was still screaming on the deck. She was otherwise ok but Naxea's right side and nerves were throbbing with pain as she fought to stay conscious, She turned to look at Rin struggling with Desek. "I have had enough of you," she said though gritted teeth as she used the bulkhead to stand. Desek was in an exposed position to Naxea as she lunged forward with a grunt, using what she had left wrapping her hand around the phaser and pulled back, using her weight to angle the phaser as the two tumbled to the deck, the phaser twisting towards Desek in the process and going off as they struck the deck.

Rin pulled Desek off of Naxea, sparing the phaser burn in his chast an only cursory glance as she watched the light fade from his eyes. She slapped her badge. "Rin to medi..."

Like a spring-loaded toy, her badge popped off her uniform and bounced across the floor out of reach. Rin just sighed at the Zynari "prank."

Naxea could only look on in satisfaction at seeing the lifeless body lying on the deck next to her. She then saw Rin's comm badge jump off, wondering if this was it as blackness encompassed her, the cries of her daughter fading into the blackness.

"Computer, three for emergency transport to sickbay," Rin ordered.

"Unable to comply. Transporters offline," came the response. Rin now remembered the memo about it: they didn't want to risk transporting living beings when everything was malfunctioning so badly.

Had it just been Naxea, Rin could have carried her. But there was also Sle'anna, who continued to sob. She couldn't possibly carry both. And she absolutely knew which option Naxea would want.

She leaned over Naxea, who was still clearly breathing. "I'm getting help. Your daughter is safe."

With that, she unceremoniously hefted Sle'anna and started to run in the direction of the shuttle bay, toward which Desek had been moving, yelling for help the whole time. Two crewmen eventually came running.

"Colonel Naxea is injured in corridor 33. Phaser wound. My badge is...not working." She wasn't going to spend time explaining the latest prank. She looked to one of the rescuers. "If you can contact medical, I need to do so immediately." She looked to the second. "Pull a med kit from one of the shuttles. Do *not* replicate one." She wasn't about to deal with a replicator prank at this juncture either.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Rin started heading back to Naxea, Sle'anna continuing to howl the entire time in her arms.

Maybe I dodged a bullet not having kids, Rin thought.

The heavy footsteps indicated the arrival of a familiar and wanted face. Sthilg with a medical kit strapped to his back. " All mothersss glandsss what happened here?" He called out as he hurried to Naxea side.

"Desek got out of his cell," Rin explained. She pointed to an assisting crewman. "Get security and medical down there."

She barely noted the affirmative "Yes, ma'am" as she turned back to the doctor. "Naxea must have happened upon him. She was wounded when I arrived. Desek was killed in the ensuing fight. Sle'anna appears uninjured."

Sthilg didn't even need to bring his arm into scanner mode as he could see Naxea's heavy phaser burns. " Naxea i need you to brace yourssself." He said pulling a bottle from his bag along with a mouth guard, which he moved towards the ship's chief devil dogs mouth. " I need you to bite down on thisss. " he said as his artificial arm opened the bottle of his own special brew of cooling gell and healing nanintes.

In the darkness, Naxea could hear a voice. It sounded familiar, yet the pain began to flood her senses again. Her breath was ragged and shallow as her eyes stayed closed. She heard the voice again. This time she could understand the words better as she bit down on the mouthgard.

The gorn gave a fatherly. "Everything'sss going to be alright." before he applied the gel to her burns. Dam their guest for causing all the painkiller hyposssprays to be filled with cheese. " Rin are you okay with Sssle'anna?" He said as he picked up the ship's chief devil dog.

"I'm not sure she's OK with me, but we're working on it," Rin replied, awkwardly bouncing the infant.

That's what people do to quiet children, right? Rin thought as she followed Sthilg back to Medical. Sle'anna seems a bit calmer now. Or have I just acclimated to the crying?

Sle'anna watched the big, scary looking person pick up her mommy. Was mommy OK? She remembered that the big scary person was nice. She remembered a sully flashy thing that he moved around her whenever mommy would take her to see him. She looked at the person carrying her who was bouncing her up and down. She had things on her face. Things mommy and big scary person didn't. Her tummy didn't feel right. Mommy often made it better by giving her something to eat. She could almost taste the warm liquid. Which made her sad and start to whimper loudly as tears formed in her eyes.

Sthilg wished he could reach over and comfort the small hybrid, but he had both hands full. " Easssy little girl. "Everything is going to be alright," he said to her in his most grandfatherly voice.

When they reached Sickbay, Rin remained in the waiting area, staying out of the way, still bouncing the fussy baby. A few minutes later, one of the nurses came out offering her a bottle. "This may help."

Rin maneuvered Sle'anna on her lap so she could feed her. Finally, the crying died away, replaced by satisfied slurps.

T'Kek helped prep the surgical bed as Dr. Sthilg set Naxea onto the bed. Within a moment, the bed registered Naxea's vitals which were dangerously low. Tapping a few commands, the display showed a display of Naxea's body and internal organs showing her right side in red. Kidney and right lung were among damaged organs with severe damage to the skin, nerves, and muscle.

Sthilg sighed as he looked at the injuries he had to deal with. Dam that Cardassian. " Alright, people were in for a long sssurgery with thisss one. Let'sss hope are guessst don't bother usss." The old gorn camly said his team. " Get sssome kidney and lungsss tisssue replicated." he said as his arm turned into it's surgical mode. Time for home to go to work.

Unaware of what was going on in the next room, and having finished the bottle, Sle'anna rested her head on the strange woman's shoulder. She seemed nice enough. Her eyes were growing heavy as she let out a contented sigh.

After a bit, Sle'anna had gone completely quiet, still except for her steady breathing, her face turned away from Rin.

"Is Sle'anna alright?" she asked a nurse who came to check on them.

"Perfectly alright, Commander," she replied with a smile. "She's asleep. Shall I take her?"

Rin considered, looking down at the bundle on her shoulder. "Could you get her a blanket? I think I can hold her a bit more."

Back in thr surgical ward, T'Kek was helping Sthilg with the surgery. He was glad that it had been a phaser and bot a disruptor, which would have caused lethal damage, especially at a close range which was evident by the damage to the tissue.

Sthilg sighed slightly as he removed the colonel's damaged kidney, followed by the damaged tissue from her lungs. " At least are uninvited guest are leaving usss alone." he said quietly to T'Kek.

"Agreed, Sir. Colonel Azhul was lucky," he observed as he assisted Sthilg. "Had the wound been to the front or back, it would have been instantly fatal."

Like the true master of his craft, Sthilg worked for hours fixing up the marine until she was out of danger. Letting out a sigh of relief, he took a swig from the water bottle he was offered. " Let'sss get her into the recovery ward. Sssomeone make sure to bring a crib for Sssle'anna. " he said as he looked around for Rin.

One of the nurses motioned for the others to follow, indicating they quietly peek into the waiting area. There was Rin and Sle-anna - by now awake once more - quietly making faces at each other. "I wouldn't have guessed the Commander had a soft spot for kids. I'm not sure the Commander would have guessed that either. I'll get that crib set up."