Meeting Ranul Again-Final Part

Posted on Sun Aug 3rd, 2025 @ 9:29am by Consul Andrinn Orin

Mission: WHAT IF?
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Unknown Stardate, 2130-0000 hours
1647 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON:]

Ranul and Andrinn's walk down to Sickbay was rather quiet, as the two men were almost holding their breaths. Both men wanted some answers and to figure out what was going on.

Getting off of the turbolift and walking down the corridor a short way to Sickbay, Ranul finally spoke up and said, "What do you think that they're going to say about this whole situation? You don't think one or both of us are clones, do you?"

Andrinn couldn't help but crack a smile and let out a small snort before laughing. While it was definitely plausible, Andrinn wasn't so sure that either one of them were clones. Looking over at Ranul, Andrinn replied, "No, I don't think that either one of us are clones. They would have had to get one of us to get into Orin's mind to be able to get the memories for either one of us. I'm going to say that it's more in likely that one of us came from another universe where roles were reversed. Maybe even that the Zynari are playing some mind tricks on us."

Ranul couldn't complain with that logic as he shrugged his shoulders. Looking back at Andrinn, Ranul said, "I guess that you're right. I think I'm just getting ahead of myself and want to figure out what's going between us. Like I said, the last time that I saw you was back several centuries earlier. Way before I ever even joined Starfleet or anything."

Before Andrinn could think of anything or reply to Ranul, the two men walked into Sickbay. There were various doctors and nurses throughout Sickbay, and they were all working on the patients that had come in over the last few hours. Andrinn and Ranul both looked around to see if they could find the doctors or nurses that they were talking to before.

They heard someone call both their names from their lefts and happened to see a doctor in the Chief Medical Officer's office that was off to the side of Sickbay. Walking over, Andrinn said, "Doc, you called us down here. Hopefully, with news, whether it's good or bad news."

The doctor shook his head as he went past the two gentlemen and headed towards one of the standalone consoles in the main part of Sickbay, pulling up the information about Andrinn and Ranul. Both men followed the doctor and waited as he pulled up the scans and other tests.

Two of the tests that the doctor pulled up were tests relating to temporal and another was to test the quantum signature of both men. Once they were pulled up, the doctor replied, "Well, as you are both aware, we ran several tests on you guys and took some samples from both of you. We wanted to figure out what was going on with you guys and I think we've finally figured it all out. Thankfully, it didn't take too long for us to get the test results back."

As the doctor was taking, he pulled up some more information and said, "At first, we thought that it was just something temporal or a generalized displacement, like it was a bleed over from another universe. But, as we ran the tests, the signatures didn't match up to the typical parameters. Ranul's quantum signature was close, but somehow slightly offset. Just enough to mark him as a native of another universe, but how he may have gotten here or how that universe came into creation came into question. It's almost like if someone...or something...made him and his universe to just bring him here to see what might've come of it."

Andrinn and Ranul looked at one another before looking back at the doctor. Andrinn raised his eyebrow and asked, "The Zynari?"

"Exactly. There was neural residue in both of your scans. Subtle, but unmistakable. More than just sharing of a symbiant or someone doing something like the zhian'tara ritual. It appears that someone reached into your mind, Andrinn, and used Orin as a conduit. Then, the Zynari seemed to either create or pulled the closest version of Ranul over from what appears to be another universe. But, I can say with certainty. Ranul wasn't summoned here by accident. He was pulled here by the Zynari," the doctor said as he showed both men more scans and tests they had completed.

Ranul took a few steps back, clearly stunned at the revelation that he was now in the wrong universe. Pointing at Andrinn as Andrinn and the doctor turned around to look at what he was doing, Ranul spoke and said, "So, you mean to tell me that I was yanked out of my own universe because someone wanted to go digging around in HIS head?"

"No, it seems like Orin was thinking about you and remembered you. Whatever the Zynari are doing, they somehow were able to get into Orin's mind and latch onto one of the few unresolved things in both his and my past...you!" Andrinn said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"However, there is a catch for Ranul. His presence here is...incomplete. He's real as you or anyone else," the Doctor said, pointing to Andrinn and the rest of the people in Sickbay. He continued, "But, his molecules are in a state of temporal flux. Within a few days, maybe even hours, he'll start to unravel unless we find a way to send him back."

Ranul leanded up against one of the empty biobeds that lined the room and put his head into his hands, shaking his head slightly before looking back up. "So, not only am I not native to this universe, I'm also going to unravel unless we can figure out a way to get me back to my own universe before it's too late? How lovely."

The doctor punched in a few commands into the console and brought up an alien looking device. Pointing to it and looking at Ranul and Andrinn, he said, "The good thing is that we've been working closely with the A'jaine. They have a harmonic chamber that could stabilize the link long enough to send you back...if we act quickly enough."

"How long do we have before he has to depart us?" Andrinn asked, looking at Ranul. Ranul was clearly still in shock, as this was something that he never thought would happen. Not even in his wildest day dreams.

The doctor pulled up some information on his PADD before replying, "Well, the A'jaine have already set everything up on their end and have sent a shuttle over to pick up Ranul. It should be here within the hour, if you two wanted to say any sort of goodbyes."

Andrinn and Ranul simply just nodded their heads and the doctor replied, "Alright, if you guys wanted to speak privately. You could use my office."

The pair quietly went over to the office and punched in a few commands to bring up some privacy screens on the windows. It made them dark enough that someone could see shadows in them, but not exactly who was in there or what they were talking about.

Both men remained rather quiet, unsure of what to say or do next. As Ranul had mentioned, this was something that nobody would have imagined up in their wildest day dreams. Nor was it something that was atypical of the Zynari. They wrecked havoc on people and technology. Not bring people back from the dead, so that they could have a one on one conversation about the past and the present.

But, Andrinn thought about how good it was to see Ranul again. Especially one that had gone through what Andrinn had gone through with this universes' version of Ranul.

Andrinn let out a soft sigh and finally spoke when he said, "You know, maybe this was a good thing that the Zynari did. Even if they meant it as some sort of trick to wreck havoc on us, it worked out in the long run."

Ranul shook his head before he finally spoke up. "Yeah, I think both of us had some trauma that we never really got over. Since both of us had Orin and our last hosts didn't die in the best of circumstances, it was good to have a moment to see you again and speak with you."

"Yeah, plus it seems like our last hosts, the versions of us that aren't us, were kind of mean and jerks. So, it was nice to speak to you as a friend instead of my mentor," Andrinn replied with a small laugh. Ranul laughed back and said, "Yeah, that was definitely a better way to remember you than the mean spirited mentor that I had."

The two men remained quiet for a moment before Andrinn hugged Ranul. "You know, I think I'm going to miss you," Andrinn said quietly, almost in a whisper.

Ranul hugged back and said, "Yeah, I'm going to miss you, too. Just...remember to take care of yourself cause lord only knows that I do too."

Andrinn and Ranul got out of the hug before Andrinn shook his head. Before he could say anything else, Ranul said, "I guess I should probably get ready. I was never good at long goodbyes."

"Yeah, neither was I. I just start crying with long, emotional goodbyes. So, take care of yourself too," Andrinn replied, wiping away a tear that had fallen onto his cheek. Ranul shook his head before heading out of the office. Before exiting the office itself, he turned back to Andrinn and said, "Good luck...with everything."

Andrinn replied, "Right back at you Ranul." With that, Ranul smiled and headed out towards the shuttle that would take him back to his own universe.

[OFF:]

Consul Andrinn Orin
Chief Diplomatic Officer
USS Elysium