SD 241301.14 || "Ally" || XO || Cmdr Lansine

Posted on Tue Jan 15th, 2013 @ 1:25am by Captain Robert Lansine

787 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Romulan Ale.. I mean Aide
Location: Colony Underground
Timeline: Between Dar's Landing and Landon's Fly Over
Tags: Lansine, Tal'Shair, rebellion, Romulan, Colony

=/\= Colony Underground =/\=

While the Captain, his team and Landon continued their search for the absent XO, Lansine sat still in the corner of one of the many underground cavernous rooms occupied by the Romulan dissidents. Time had passed since Aerv had explained their little rebellion, and their plot to lure non-Romulan assistance into the debacle. At first the notion of jumping into any sort of domestic Romulan squabble seemed outrageous. The Federation was already fully engaged with the Tholians, their resources and attention diverted to a very imminent threat, one directly attacking the Federation and her citizens. Yet, living in the battered and seemingly war-torn environment of the colony underground had softened Rob's attitude.

It was far too familiar.

A young child's heavy cough from across the room interrupted Lansine's thoughts. The sight was only one of countless examples of these small band of rebels' continual plight. Clean water was scarce, there food was running out, and worst of all, Lansine could see the hope draining from their faces with every passing day. He might not have stayed with these people very long, but his personal experiences on Carida tugged all the right emotional strings. Enough so he was finally ready to give Aerv and answer.

The walk to the Centurion's 'office', if you could call it that, the small battered little room could have served any other purpose, was a short one. Despite the brevity of the walk through the cramped corridors, Lansine found himself further depressed with every individual he saw pass. Rationing and triage had prevented medical care to those deemed too sick for their quaint medical supplies to treat. Because the poison, by design, encompassed the entire colony in hopes of drawing outside attention many of those underground were also suffering from the horrible effects of blood infection and septic sock . A weapon of last resort designed to rescue them from oppression in turn offered so much collateral damage Lansine doubted any of the rebels would, given the chance, ever chose such a dire course of action.

With no door separating Aerv's office from the passage way, Rob poked his head in, "You have a moment?"

The Romulan, seemingly unaffected physically by the tainted water supply, looked up from one of his larger data devices and smiled, although weakly, "Yes, Commander please come in."

Rob stepped into the room and began what he hoped would be an eloquent answer to the Romulan man's pressing question. After pausing for a few seconds, Lansine realized no such show of rhetoric would help the situation. He abbreviated, "We can help you."

The words felt liberating, like a giant boulder lifted off Rob's chest. The procedural and legal questions had tormented him since Aerv had first propositioned him, but now after understanding the situation and realizing the tactical relevance to Romulan man's claims of Tal'Shiar involvement he could not turn his back.

Whatever ounce of happiness left in the entire complex seemed to suddenly flow to the elated Centurion's face. "Wonderful, just wonderful, Commander!" He threw down the device he was handling and stood up from his make-shift desk. If not for an entire class devoted to the Romulan civilization during his time in the Academy, Rob would have considered Aerv's reaction normal; relived to have another dog in their fight against the governor, but Rob knew the Romulan's as a sharp and jaded people. The man's outburst of positive energy was as striking as it was rare.

"We were going to let you go soon anyways," Aerv said as he began to dig through one of the small drawers in his battered desk. "A kidnapped Starfleet officer does little to bolster our position despite what some of my lieutenants have suggested."

Rob's brow raised. Which one had offered that suggestion?

"BUT, now I can release you full-knowing you'll help us. I cannot tell you how happy that makes me, Mr. Lansine." Aerv's smile was almost unsettling. Rob had never been one for grandiose episodes of emotion, but now in the midst of a joyful Romulan, Lansine smiled.

"Please, take your communicator badge and scanner," Aerv pulled the bag holding Lansine's comm badge and Tricorder out of his desk and talked them to the Lansine. "I've made the appropriate adjustments to your communications device. You'll be able to contact your shipmates now. The interference from the planet's crust is a obnoxious annoyance, but given the proper attention and diligence we've been able to augment comm signals to cut through."

Rob nodded, "Thank you." He took the two devices and attached them back to his person. "I'll contact my people and return to meet you soon."

Aerv continued to smile, "Yes, Commander. We await your call."

=/\= End Log =/\=

 

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