Commodore Jalana Rajel - Through the fog

[Dizmim ChNilmani]

(( Sick Bay, Constitution, 12 hours ago ))

Darkness.

Her heart beat jumped up. Was she back in the tunnel? Where was Laria? Was the rescue just a dream?

It took a moment for Jalana to register that she was laying on something soft but firm. Not the tunnel, not the metal floor. The pain she had felt in her leg the whole time she'd been in there with Laria was gone, her mind was like wrapped in cotton. Pain killers.

As she looked around she faintly made out lights next to a frame, though something felt wrong about the way it looked, she recognized where she was. Sick bay. Relaxing back into the biobed she exhaled. It wasn't a dream. She and Laria had been saved.

Then the memory kept flashing back. Storming Va's office. Va changing... staring in her own face.. the pain. Once more her heartbeat increased rapidly. Enough to alert the nurse to come into the room and having to sedate her again.

Something was wrong...

(( Sick Bay, Constitution, 6 hours ago ))

Jalana sat in shock on her biobed, staring at the PADDs before her. Maybe it was her imagination but they looked different when only seeing them with one eye. The writing was more fuzzy, wonky even. It was just in her mind, it had to be. Just because she knew what had happened. The attack from Va had completely destroyed her eye and it had to be removed. The doctor had assured her that the optical nerve was only slightly damaged and she could easily have an artificial eye but she had just sent him away.

She had told the medical personnel she didn't want to see anyone but somehow Diz'mim had still managed to get through. That infuriating blue man. She had sat in silence, staring into the void as he informed her about what had happened. She had remembered the attack after all she was only attacked after she had gone to Hermes Outpost to get an update from Va. His voice drifted to her like a whisper of wind through a foggy November night.

He told her everything he knew from the officers who had been switched and the changelings that were now in the bridge, the loss of one of the Ollos who had died to save Nugra who had almost been flushed into space by the changeling posing as her. The panic on board because of the events in the Sol System. He had given her a PADD with all the information about Frontier Day and informed her that those events had been stopped and the Borg and changeling thread was over. Naturally those that had died during them could not be brought back and the crew was still in shock, many worried about their own families.

She heard about the way Changeling Laria had taken over the ship, another had attacked a child, again others attacked the crew and attempted to stop repairs and finding solutions. But Diz'mim had also told her of how the crew had come together to counter these measures, to find solutions and regain control of some of the ship to be able to fight off the returning pirates. If she had not been stuck in her grief and guilt she could have felt the pride in her crew. Pretty sure it was there, deep down, but the other negative feelings overshadowed everything.

Jalana hadn't said a word while Diz'mim reported the events and assured her that he would make sure the ship would be repaired and taken care of while she recovered, which just made her feel useless. The First Officer had asked her what to do next and as she had not replied he had his own ideas which he naturally revealed to her. First of all he would inform Starfleet that Captain Va had been exchanged and as they had scanned the whole outpost for her without a result had to assume she was still somewhere out there.

Repair crews for the outpost that had taken such a beating, would be sent by Starfleet to make sure it was fully repaired on top of the work the Crew had already done, that would include the orbital sensors and relays. He also would inform Starfleet Security to send someone to escort the changelings to their most likely final destination. And the Constitution would work on repairs while returning to Drever IV. They could retrieve their buggies after doing the race they had to interrupt, giving everyone some time to recover from the events. There were also large parts of the planets that would give people a chance to explore a bit and as she heard large parts of the crew had requested to leave and check on their families.

So after hearing what he had to say she simply nodded and he had enough sense to leave her alone and put it all into action. She still hadn't moved a bit, and continued to stare at.. nothing. And even that felt too much, so she scooted down and pulled the blanket over her head. Maybe that would make it all disappear engulfed by the fog in her mind.

(( Sick Bay, Constitution, Now ))

While Jalana was busy feeling sorry for herself and chasing everyone away, the ship had done the opposite. It had reached Drever IV and entered orbital routines. The Trill looked at the window in the single bed room she had occupied since her surgery. The planet looked peaceful as ever, simply doing it rotary thing down there. If she waited long enough she could see all kinds of landscapes from forests, to desert, even icecaps, oceans and large rivers splitting through the continents. It was fascinating to think that the only living people were those in the colony. She had half a mind to ask someone to cover the view. It was just a reminder that everything looked wrong because she had lost an eye.

Nurse: Commodore, you have a call.

The voice cut through the fog in her head and Jalana rolled her eye with a grumble.

Rajel: I said I don't want-

Nurse: ::interrupting:: It's from the colony. Someone called N'Veri.

Hearing the name Jalana's mouth closed. She had wanted to tell the nurse to bugger off but that stopped her. The child. Jalana hesitated, but finally sighed and sat up. She reached up to try to fix her hair but it looked unruly either way. But she did reach for the eyepatch the doctor had wanted her to wear and she had ignored so far. She did not want to scare the child and covered the empty cavity in her face with it and then reached out for the PADD the nurse held in her hand.

As she had it Jalana took a deep breath, though she didn't manage a smile, she at least didn't want to look like a total grouch. finally she pressed the button and the child appeared on the green. N'Veri had a bright smile on their green face, the dark brown eyes sparkled and the dark green hair filled out almost all the screen as the child was real close to it.

N'Veri: Hiiii Papa said you are back! You left without saying good bye!

Rajel: N'Veri. ::She greeted softly.:: How is your recovery going?

N'Veri moved the screen a bit away from their face and Jalana could see the pillows behind them and the blanket pulled up to their chest. During their mission N'Veri had suddenly fallen sick and it had turned out that they were affected by the poisoning in the soil, that had also gotten into the plants eaten and used to make tea. They had suddenly collapsed and worried everyone, until receiving treatment after figuring out what was going on. And then they had been called away. It was hard to imagine that this had been only yesterday. Or was it the day before by now? Jalana couldn't say.

N'Veri: It's boring. Papa says I have to stay in bed until they are sure I'm okay. ::The kid tilts their head:: What happened to your eye?

For a long moment Jalana remained silent.

N'Veri: Oh was that bad to ask? Daddy says that sometimes thing should not be asked about.

Rajel: It's... ::She started harshly but something in her stopped her, even if she really wanted to yell at someone, and sighed, the words coming out more defeated now.:: I was hurt when we had to leave.

N'Veri: Oh. You have great doctors though, I bet they make you well again. Like me!

Jalana looked at the kid and took a breath before nodding. In her foggy mind she still wasn't sure if anything could make that good again.

Rajel: ::whispering:: Yes. The best.

N'Veri: I wanted to invite you. ::They beamed at the screen.:: Your crew. They all helped us so much and they saved me. And because of that I can have my naming day soon. You will come, will you?

Rajel: Your naming day?

Jalana had not spoken much with N'Veri and thought they already had a name.

N'Veri: Yes, Daddy says our people choose their own name when they are 10. I am 10 so I can choose! ::They grinned proudly:: N'Veri is a .. placeholder he calls it. You will come, yes?

They asked for the second time and Jalana who didn't want to go anywhere, still nodded slightly.

Rajel: When will it be?

N'Veri: In two weeks.

Two weeks. That would give everyone enough time to check on family, repair the ship and recover. Even if she may not. How could she. That eye wouldn't just grow back and her leg would need some time to recover as well.

Rajel: We... will be there. Thank you for the invitation.

They chatted a little bit more after that -or rather N'Veri chatted and Jalana listened with a few nods and leading questions here and there - until N'Veri noticed that Jalana got tired and said they had to rest more. Or maybe they were tired themselves. Who knew. Once they hung up Jalana lowered the PADD and leaned back to stare at the ceiling. She'd be there. If she could make herself get up that was.

Commodore Jalana Rajel
Commanding Officer
USS Constitution B
Image Team Co-Facilitator
A238906JL0