Hijacked
Posted on Sun Jan 21st, 2024 @ 11:13pm by Commander Kevin Lance
Edited on on Mon Jan 22nd, 2024 @ 3:24am
Mission:
Deep Space Nine
Location: Gamma Quadrant
Timeline: Current
on:
{Shuttle KL-237}
Kevin returned to consciousness in a bunk in one of the three staterooms aboard the shuttle that he had rented at Deep Space Nine. He had lingering memories of guilt-laced dreams about his mother and sisters but the details were too foggy to properly recall. He hadn’t dreamed about them since his academy days and though that he had left them behind in his former life. He found the resumption a bit disturbing.
He found his hands and feet still bound and the bunks restraints continued to hold him in place. He struggled against them but they continued to hold him firmly in place. “You’ll do yourself an injury,” a voice from above and behind him as he lay on the bunk.
Kevin craned his neck around to see who had spoken. It was a young Cardassian male, not out of his teens. Kevin only vaguely recognized him but he couldn’t place where. “Who are you,” he asked.
“My name is Sehket Arrett,” he introduced himself, “For what little good that knowledge will do you. I must apologize for the unmannerly way in which we intruded ourselves upon you.”
“We?”
“Me and my companion, Mika,” he replied.
Kevin knit his brows in concentration. “The Bajoran girl,” he offered.
The Cardassian smiled in acknowledgement. “You remember her from the short time that you were conscious.”
“How long,” Kevin asked, licking his dry lips.
The boy moved towards Kevin with a water bottle in hand. “About a day and a half,” he explained as he offered the drinking tube to Kevin. He told the tube into his mouth and took a long drink. “Again, I apologize for what we did to you,” the Cardassian continued as Kevin drank, “Regrettably, we had no choice.”
The excused rang hollow in Kevin’s ears and he was overcome with a feeling of deja-vu. He released the drinking tube and said, “You always have a choice. Saying you don’t is an excuse to not take responsibilities for your actions.”
The boy smirked, “You sound like my father.”
“Where are we?”
“In the Gamma Quadrant,” Sehket replied, “About as far away as we could get from our families. Here we have a chance to begin life anew. I am certain that we will be easily tracked to Deep Space Nine so we needed to conceal our departure. Hence, we stowed away aboard your shuttle.”
“And hijacked it,” Kevin concluded.
“Well, we couldn’t be sure where you were planning to go after reaching the Gamma Quadrant,” Sehket admitted, “And I am fairly certain that you wouldn’t have been open to taking stowaways where ever they asked.”
“You’re very perceptive,” Kevin replied drily. “What are your plans now? Where are you going?”
“There is a planet within a several lightyears of the wormhole that is well-known for its discretion in business transactions. From there we will purchase transit to another planet more suitable to starting a family. Between your assistance and the natural recalcitrance of the business men, our families will never be able to find us. Mika and I will be free to live our lives as Oralius intended.”
“What happens to me?” Kevin asked.
“Once we are assured of making our escape, you will be free to return to the Alpha Quadrant,” Sehket responded.
“What would prevent me from informing the authorities of your plans?”
The Cardassian’s smile waned as a cloud crossed his features. “I suppose,” he replied, “that we will need to rely on your word as a Star Fleet officer.”
Kevin was dissatisfied with the answer but decided not to press Sehket any further than he already had.
Sehket’s communicator chirpped. He activated it and said, “Yes Mika?”
=/\= “The computer says that we are entering the Talbort system.” =/\=
“I’ll be right there,” he answer before deactivating the communicator. He smiled at Kevin once again. “Don’t worry, Lieutenant. This will all be over soon.”
:off
Lieutenant Kevin Lance
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Chuck Norris
