Surefoot 59: The Burning World

Vonbran grunted. "Hopefully the Federation will provide me with one when I defect. There; I've shut down the Conflagrators. The Eastern Hemisphere remains scalded, the combusted materials will shroud the upper atmosphere and reduce sunlight for several years, and I would recommend filtration treatments for the contaminants in the air, but I've saved half of the planet for you." After a moment he added, "You're welcome."

"Don't expect a medal," Eydiir told him. "Ms Emoto? Mr Stalac?"

Tori rose and brusquely shoved the Vorta to one side, examining the readouts. "Yes. The prick has detonated the Conflagrator warheads in Gault's orbit-"

"My name is Vonbran," he informed her mildly.

Eydiir ignored him. "Mr Stalac, have you accessed the ship's systems?"

"Yes, Lieutenant. I can confirm Ms Emoto's assessment. I have also accessed the ship's security systems."

The Vorta looked down at him. "You can do that?"

"There is a firefight in the forward section- Jem'Hadar are on their way here now!"

"Take cover! Protect the prisoner!" Eydiir raced towards the doorway, drawing out her kligat, seeing nothing there yet... but flinging it ahead of her anyway, the blade making its familiar high-pitched whistling sound as it soared out, sticking into something in the air... as a shrouded Jem'Hadar, the kligat sticking in his chest, came into view upon death.

Even as his body continued to fall, she reached out and retrieved her weapon, holding one crescent end and slicing open the jugular of the Jem'Hadar with the other end, even as she fired by instinct, making more of the enemy drop their natural shrouds and become visible.

She was strong, stronger than most humans, but the Jem'Hadar were stronger, and outnumbered her. But the Dominion's super-weapon was stopped, the rest of the planet was saved. If she had to die today-

A phaser beam centimetres away from her head struck a Jem'Hadar, sending him down, and she used the break in the dynamics of the fight to strike out with her own phaser and her kligat, even as Tori, who had fired seconds before, brought down another Jem'Hadar, and Eydiir dispatched the final one.

She glanced down the corridor, confirmed no one else was on their way, and turned back to the others, focusing on Vonbran, standing there, looking paler than usual from the mayhem. "Can you access the control systems of this ship? Lock out the rest of the Jem'Hadar elsewhere and give us command?"

The Vorta held out his arms. "Easily, Lieutenant. Then we can return to your ship and-"

He paused, stiffened, eyes wide with confusion.

And gasped as a second mouth seemed to open across his throat, sending dark blood gushing down his front.

Seconds later, a Jem'Hadar unshrouded behind him, as he finished slicing wide open Vonbran's throat with a knife.

Tori cursed and raised her phaser, but Eydiir was faster, firing and striking down the Jem'Hadar, before rushing up to catch the Vorta and help him down to the floor, the blood gushing out from a wound that she knew was not treatable, not with the extent of the wound and the lack of medical equipment. "Easy- Easy-"

Vonbran gasped repeatedly like a fish out of water, eyes staring upwards, the life ebbing quickly from him like his blood.

Eydiir looked over at the last Jem'Hadar, who was still alive, watching the Vorta die, as if he clung to his own fading life long enough to fulfil this one last duty. Eydiir grunted. "You distracted us sufficiently to get in here shrouded and finish him off. My compliments."

The reptilian solider, who wore the ranks of a Jem'Hadar First, nodded, his voice raspy as he replied, "V-Victory... is Li-Li..."

He dropped.

"Lieutenant," Stalac reported. "I'm detecting new systems brought online: a self-destruct mechanism! This ship will blow itself to pieces in a minute's time!"

Eydiir rose and slapped her combadge, communications silence be damned now. "Eydiir to Tailless! Gault is spared, but this ship will self-destruct in the next minute!"

There was no response.

*

"Eydiir to Tailless! Gault is spared, but this ship will self-destruct in the next minute!"

Kit clung to the station as a disruptor bolt rocked against the ship's shields, his stomach ready to throw up half-digested beetles; not the way he preferred to leave this life. "Best Friend Giles-"

"I heard!" Giles banked sharply again, trying to drive two of the Scarab fighters together and possibly collide. But they were too good, and the Tailless couldn't cloak any longer. This was it-

Until it wasn't, as a Scarab to their right shredded beneath the relentless barrage of phaser pulse bolts, and then another, and the Ajax swept into view, banking and pursuing the remaining Jem'Hadar vessels, and Kit announced, "The Surefoot and Ajax are here!"

Elation rose inside Giles. Damn, Papa Cat, you've got great timing... "Contact the Surefoot, get them to scan and beam over our people from the main ship and then back off before it blows!" As Kit relayed the instructions, he took the Tailless around, not sure of how far away they had to go to be safe,

He glanced at Astrid, who was pale, silent, eyes wide and welled with tears as she stared blankly ahead, her entire body tense, clutching the edges of her station so tightly she looked ready to snap a piece of it off.

"The Surefoot have evacuated our people," Kit announced happily. "And are withdrawing from the vessel."

"Thanks, Kit," Giles said with genuine relief, still looking at Astrid. "Ensign Michel." When she finally looked at him, he continued. "It's over. Relax. You did great."

Astrid seemed to begin breathing again, and she made a show of lowering her arms, swallowing and nodding.

And then a bit of familiar swagger returned. "Of course I did, Lieutenant. Just you wait, I'll be in your position before you know it."

He smiled. "I have no doubt."

In view, the main Dominion ship blossomed white with energy, like a miniature sun over the half-burned but still living planet below.

*

Crew moved aside as they saw Hrelle march down the corridor to the Transporter Room, his hackles raised and tail snapping like a whip behind him. "When I see her, do you know what I'm gonna do, T'Varik?"

His First Officer kept pace behind him, while avoiding getting smacked in the shins by his tail. "Yes, unless you've changed position from the 114 previous declarations you have made."

"I haven't. And no court martial in the Galaxy will find me guilty, either."

"That is open to debate, Captain-"

He growled.

She made no further attempts to argue the matter.

They entered as six columns of energy appeared: four average-sized humanoids, one large Hroch, and one low Horta. Hrelle continued to growl as the figures solidified, the one in front a battered, cut, exhausted-looking Sasha, stepping down from the platform and stopping as she saw Hrelle. "Dad?"

He rushed up and embraced her with all his might, making her squeak.

*

"USS Surefoot, Captain's Log, Stardate 52580.72, Captain Esek Hrelle, Recording: The Jem'Hadar task force field testing their Conflagrator weapon on Gault have been destroyed, and our sister ships have caught up with us in time to offer assistance to the survivors on the planet.

The injuries received by our Starfleet crew who had ventured here ahead of us have been treated, and statements have been taken about their actions. Lt Hrelle has accepted full responsibility for journeying to Gault without contacting her superiors first, refusing to implicate Mr Boone or any of the others in any way.

So I have obliged with her wishes, and placed a note of reprimand on her record, even as I have awarded notes of commendation for her colleagues who helped stopped the Dominion and save what was left of Gault.

The ecosystem on the planet has been heavily damaged, but, true to the nature of most colonists, the Governor and her people have made it clear their intentions to remain and rebuild their homes and lives. I have no doubt that they'll manage, at least in the short term, and given their new importance in food production for the War refugees, I recommend Starfleet Command offer any and all available support.

On a personal note, I am readying to return to Cait with my family -- including my ballache of a daughter -- for a long-overdue shore leave, and putting aside war for a while..."

*

Doc Masterson pushed the front of his Stetson up from his forehead and smiled at the young girl he was examining. "Well, I must say you are sure as shooting the fittest little filly in these parts!"

Abby Boone looked up at him, then to her father. "Is that good, Dad?"

Peter, standing with Claire, laughed and nodded. "Yes, it's good, Buttercup. Thanks, Doc."

Masterson straightened up, and then produced a set of lollipops of different colours from his medical smock, fanning them like a hand of cards in front of Abby. "Help yourself to your favourite colour."

Abby chose red, looking to Peter for approval before popping it in her mouth, as Masterson drew closer to the adults. "Your daughter and friend are fine, Mr Boone."

"Told you we were okay, Pete," Claire nudged him.

"There's no harm in a second opinion." Peter looked to Masterson. "Sorry to bother you, Doc."

"No bother at all, Petey. The rest of the medical staff are still planetside, dealing with the injuries and working out the filtration adaptations to deal with the airborne contaminants, so I'm happy to have something simple to manage."

"Thank you, Doc," Claire said, "If you ever want a change of scenery, you'll be more than welcome on Gault."

He nodded, tipping his hat to her. "I'll put it on the back burner for now, but thank you kindly."

Peter took Abby's hand and walked out with Claire. "Are you guys hungry? Or maybe you'd like a tour of the ship?"

"Yeah!" Abby declared from the side of her mouth lacking a lollipop. "I wanna see the ship!"

"Another time," Claire offered, looking to Peter. "I think we all need to sit down and talk."

Peter nodded at that, nodding ahead. "The Officer's Mess."

It was quiet in there, with windows overlooking Gault, revealing part of its blackened, smouldering side. He provided Claire and himself with coffee, and Abby with a sundae, offering a smile that he didn't feel, unable to shake his fear about where Claire might be going. "So..."

She cradled her cup in her hands. "We had an arrangement, Pete, before Abby was born: when you were secure enough in your new career to be allowed dependents, you'd take full custody of her. You know it, I know it, Abby knows it.

The question is: do you still plan on doing that?"

Peter stared, breathing out with some relief, as he heard someone enter the Mess Hall, but ignored them. "You- You don't want to change that?"

She shook her head, glancing out at the window. "I never want to leave Gault. Even now, the way it is. She needs me, needs all of us to help her heal, now more than ever." She looked back at Peter. "You never felt that way. And Abby's inherited that from you. You've seen her bedroom, all the starcharts and ship pictures and every single image you ever sent her up on the walls. She wants to be out here. With her Dad."

He looked down at her daughter, who was scooping up ice cream with the remains of her lollipop. "Buttercup... would you like to stay with me?"

She looked up at him with big wide eyes and a mouth full of ice cream and nodded, making enthusiastic sounds and dribbling chocolate sauce onto her sleeve, prompting him to wipe it clean with a napkin.

Then he looked back at Claire. "Won't you miss her?"

She looked back wistfully. "Of course I will. How couldn't I? I gave her life, nursed her, changed her... told her off when she still stayed up all night reading her adventure books." She glanced at Abby, who was pretending not to be listening, before looking back at him. "But I won't be any less her mother if I'm not there, than you were any less her father when you weren't there. And I'll still expect plenty of letters and images, and visits when you can."

"Of course, of course!" Peter looked between them, excited... and then alarmed. "Damn-"

Abby pointed a finger at him. "Language."

"What is it?" Claire asked.

He leaned back in his chair. "I'm sitting here making all these plans, and I still haven't had even asked the Captain! What if he says No?"

"I doubt that," replied a familiar female voice from nearby.

They turned to see a brown-furred Caitian female in a blue-bordered Starfleet uniform rise and approach, tail swishing behind her, followed by a metre-high Caitian male cub in a minikin Starfleet uniform, but red-bordered -- with his muzzle stained with juice from the bowl of snozzberries he was eating from. The female smiled. "Sorry for eavesdropping. I'm Counselor Kami Hrelle, and this little tail chaser beside me is my son Misha."

"Captain Misha," the cub corrected between bites.

Kami took a seat beside the others. "And you must be Claire, and this very, very adorable little one is Abby."

Peter nodded. "Yes, Counselor. Um, you really think the Captain won't mind?"

"What, having another cub underfoot to spoil?" She smirked, focusing on Abby. "And I'm sure our nanny won't mind providing some tutoring, the way he's doing for Misha."

Abby looked up at her, the remains of her sundae forgotten. "Are you really a cat lady? Do you purr?"

Peter flushed. "Abby, she's not a 'cat lady', I told you about Caitians-"

Kami waved off his chagrin, coming around to squat beside the fascinated child, still smiling at her. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do purr.... if you stroke my fur." She held out her paw. "Would you like to try?"

Abby nodded eagerly and began doing it. Kami began leaning in and purring against the side of her head, making the child squeal with delight.

Standing nearby, Misha finished his snozzberries, set aside the emptied bowl and wiped his muzzle on his sleeve, looking unimpressed as he informed Abby, "She only purrs to make you take baths and eat vegetables."

Kami stopped and looked to her son. "And who is exactly is 'She'?"

Misha rolled his eyes. "I mean 'Mama', okay?"

"Hmph. And Abby, if it's okay with your Mom and Dad, maybe while they go with me to talk to our First Officer about you staying onboard, my son can take you to the Arboretum and smell the flowers?"

Misha nodded enthusiastically. "We go to the Bridge and fire fizzers?"

"Yes," Kami agreed. "Or you can do as you're told, and go to the Arboretum and smell the flowers?"

The cub harrumphed, but walked around, holding out a paw to Abby in invitation. "Okay, you come. I take you, I show you where I fought a Bad Lady..."

Abby looked to her parents, got their approval, and hopped off the chair, taking Misha's paw as they scampered out of the Mess Hall. As the cubs departed, Kami warned with a smile, "You should know ahead of time that my cub is probably planning their wedding now... but I promise you it won't get any further than him asking for wedding cake."

Peter laughed, but then asked, "Counselor, are you sure we shouldn't speak with the Captain about all this first?"

The Caitian smiled. "Yes. Besides, he's busy following some Counseling advice right now about an unresolved issue."

*

Hrelle had his back to the Ready Room door when it chimed. He never moved as he responded, "Enter."

The footfalls, and the scent told him who entered the room and stood at attention.

He said nothing, continued to pretend to stare out at the Galaxy.

Then Sasha commenced with, "I hope I'm not here to get grounded as well as a note of reprimand, because right now I wouldn't mind a few more days before I go back to the Ajax."

He tensed. "I'm glad you can make light of your actions. That note of reprimand means you'll be barred from further promotion for the next two years."

"Oh. I guess I'll have to content myself with having helped save thousands of lives."

Now he swivelled about to face her, his hackles raised. "You're not even going to attempt to show any regret for what you did?"

Sasha crossed her arms. "And what exactly did I do that would warrant regret? Is it because I took action on my own initiative?"

"You didn't just take action, you deliberately chose not to contact me first. Why not?"

"Because you might have said No!"

"And what does that tell you? You chose to go off into what you knew had become occupied territory, against superior forces, carrying a shipload of inexperienced officers who relied on you for guidance! Anything could have happened to you, and we never would have known until it was too late!

What if the Thirteenth Fleet had been recalled? What if we were needed to attend to an emergency? We would have had to go without twelve highly valuable officers onboard! You know how essential we are, what a difference we all make!"

"We saved Gault-"

He bolted to his feet, slamming his furry fist down on the desk. "YOU GOT LUCKY! YOU MIGHT NOT THE NEXT TIME!"

The sharp sound of his fist, his bellow, made her start. She recovered quickly. "I made the right decision. If you had said No, it would have been because you'll always see me as your Runt of the Litter. Your little girl."

He fixed his gaze on her. "If I had said No - and that's a big If - it wouldn't have been because of that. You should have trusted me." He straightened up. "When I received your transmission, I took off to save you, and convinced Weynik to accompany me, without getting authorisation from Tattok first... because I didn't want to give Tattok the opportunity to say No, either."

Sasha reacted to that. "So... I guess I know where I get it from, then. But you can't deny that it all worked out for the best."

"In the short term, yes. In the long term, will the Admiral fully trust me again? Maybe at a time when I really need him to, will he have second thoughts, because I previously chose not to trust him? And you, you have far less credit, far less history, to back up such maverick decisions than I do. We might applaud your successes now, but the steps you took to get there won't be forgotten by the Powers That Be.

Sasha, part of the many burdens of command involve being aware of the effects of our decisions, not just immediately, but months, even years to come. And in remembering that your decisions don't just affect you, but everyone around you.

It's a terrible burden. And it can't be avoided if you want to command."

He walked around his desk to stand before his daughter, relaxing his tone. "Sasha, I won't deny that there are times when taking the initiative, bending the rules, and even defying orders, is necessary. But it should be the last resort, not your default one."

She turned to him, softening her own tone and stance. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry I didn't trust you. And I'm sorry I put the others at risk."

He regarded her for a moment. But then he gave in to his instincts and embraced her tightly.

When he drew back, she wiped her face. "Well, I was looking forward to making Captain before I was thirty." She nodded to herself. "But I deserve that reprimand."

Hrelle felt himself flush under his fur. "Oh, that. I, ah, accidentally deleted it after our last briefing." He shrugged. "Me = Big Dumb Cat."

*

Neraxis picked at her plate of grilled rotted meat. "I'm gonna miss the replicators on the Surefoot. The ones on our new posting won't be as good, I just know it."

Opposite her, Jonas spoke between bites of his goulash, accustomed to his wife's singular Bolian tastes by now. "Well, you can always ask a gifted engineer to reprogram the replicators when we get there."