SIM:LtJG Ayelet Kadosh: Brutality
Author's Note: The original sim "Brutality" is available here. Below is an edited version that compiles the complete scene as told through the following additional sims by both the writer for Marine medic/pilot Seargent Zeet "Knight" Tidari and myself: Zeet "Knight" Tidari: "A Quiet Moment", Zeet "Knight" Tidari: "It's A Small World, After All...",and "Ayelet in Wonderland". This sim finally revealed what happened to Ayelet and the Vaadwaur guard Tiradora when we last saw them in the sim "Escape". And it only took nearly 10 months! Dave (the writer for Zeet and Tiradora) and I had written a few "episodes" of the Vaadwaur Occupation of Deep Space 17, but we never quite finished this one. All we knew was that Ayelet would get rescued by Bakari and the resistance. However, as time went on, I felt it would be more interesting if Ayelet didn't just play the typical damsel in distress role for Bakari. Finally, when the "present day" mission of the Independence seemed to offer a chance to show this flashback, I decided to dive in and complete it. I particularly enjoyed setting up the parallel action of Ayelet fleeing from Tiradora and the Federation resistance rushing to the rescue. Hopefully, readers hit that "brick wall" moment themselves just as suddenly as Ayelet herself when she rounds that corner. The events in this SIM occurred on stardate 238809.30. ((Sickbay, USS Independence-A)) ::With their Bajoran prisoner safely deposited in sickbay, it seemed as though Zeet and Ayelet had a quiet moment to themselves. Doctor Velana was preparing sh'Shar for surgery, and Counselor Zinna and Tan seemed to be recovering well.:: ::He leaned against a biobed, casually washing down his whiskers for a moment and then shaking his head.:: Zeet: So much for that cozy overtime, huh. ::The Caitian gave a broad grin, as he leaned against the biobed with his tail swishing underneath. Ayelet in turn was sitting on the biobed leaning against the Caitian. She was downright exhausted. After all that had happened... the madness in sickbay... the incident in the brig. And yet, strangely, it all seemed like such a distant memory.:: ::Zeet, for his part, dutifully acted as a standing post, quite happy to be a cuddly standing-pillow for the tired Terran woman.:: Kadosh: Just another... ::yawns:: ...day on the Independence. Zeet: Well, yeah. I don't know. Seems like we got off kinda light... I think the only serious injury was Ensign sh'Shar and although I have no idea what's going on outside I'm sure it's being handled. At least the ship stopped rocking. ::Ayelet raised a finger, pointing to Zeet's nose.:: Kadosh: You'd think all this work would make you too tired to talk so much. ::Zeet gave a sad smile, followed by a slight yawn.:: Zeet: You'd think. Nnnf...! Ahh... mmm. ::The Caitian then shook his head.:: Zeet: Time for a catnap. Getting there, anyway... ::Ayelet covered her mouth as she yawned again.:: Kadosh: Stop it... you're making me even more sleepy! Zeet: ::chuckles:: Well, I'd suggest dinner, but honestly I think we'd both prefer to just crawl into our beds and sleep. I don't do well without occasional naps. ::The nurse laughed.:: Kadosh: We just had dinner! Granted, several... many hours ago now, but... ::Tidari patted his fuzzy belly.:: Zeet: There's always room for more dinners. Besides, that was only *one* dinner... have you forgotten the pie-eating-contest-of-doom already? Kadosh: Besides... I think I do need to sleep off whatever happened back there with the prisoner. ::Tidari turned to her in concern, his tail slowly coming to rest against the metal of the deck. His tone changed from cheeky and playful to soft and serious.:: Zeet: ... yeah. What happened back there, anyway? Kadosh: I don't know. I've never felt that way before... ::somewhat softer:: ...well, at least not in a long time. ::That response concerned him. Zeet raised a fuzzy eyebrow.:: Zeet: Since... when? ::She sat back up away from the marine.:: Kadosh: Do you know much about the Federation resistance during the Vaadwaur's occuption of DS17? Zeet: Only what I saw on the holovids. I was on the Kumari at the time, but I was on a regularly scheduled leave rotation... I missed Operation Bright Star. Kadosh: ::shakes her head:: Starfleet called us heroes afterward... but none of us cared about being a hero. It was about survival. ((Flashback: Vaadwaur Occupation of DS17, SD 238707.29)) ((OOC: Note, this is a follow up to the flashback in this SIM: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SB118-Independence/message/17973 )) IC: ::The Vaadwaur soldier Tiradora carried her prize over her shoulder as she strode down towards the turbolift. A short ride down to the lower levels and she'd have some privacy. Ayelet squirmed to get free, but the Vaadwaur female kept a firm grip on her.:: Tiradora: I do so love it when they struggle! ::The nurse ignored the taunt as she noticed that her laser scalpel remained clipped to her uniform jacket. It seemed Rais and the Vaadwaur guard hadn't noticed the tool or didn't understand what it could be used for. Ayelet pulled the device off of her jacket and tried to hold it steady. She'd only get one shot at this. She reached for the guard's leg, scalpel in hand. Quickly, she activated the device, sending a thin red laser through the guard's clothing and into her flesh. Instantly, Tiradora roared at the sting of the scalpel and dropped Ayelet, who landed hard onto the station's metal deck plating. :: Tiradora: AHHHHH! Cursed wench! Ahrgg..! Kadosh: Tisaref be evadon! ::Ayelet got up and ran back up the corridor as fast as she could. The wound she had inflicted wouldn't stall the much larger Vaadwaur guard for long. After spending a moment to inspect the wound, Tiradora tore after Ayelet, scowling darkly. Maybe she would just kill her--this one had too much fight in her.:: ((Elsewhere on DS17)) ::Ensign Khali raised her black eyes to the ceiling. The Betazoid woman was with a group of Federation insurgents. She held up her hand for them to stop. Their leader LtJG Msafiri Bakari looked up and then back at the woman, knowing exactly what the problem was.:: Bakari: How many? ::Khali closed her eyes, reaching out with her telepathic abilities.:: Khali: One Vaadwaur, one Human. They're a deck above us. ::Staff Sergeant Jennifer Brockton was bringing up the rear, phaser rifle in hand. She stepped forward.:: Brockton: Another hunting party? Bakari: If so, we better find another way to the power relay. Brockton: Agreed. Khali: No... wait. They're... it's just one Vaadwaur. She's chasing the other Human. She wants to- ::Her eyes opened widely.:: Khali: Turbolift- now! ((The deck above)) ::As Ayelet ran, she could hear the Vaadwaur female right behind her screaming in rage. The cry was so loud and piercing that even the insurgents heard it as they reached the deck. Quickly, the insurgents readied themselves for the ambush. Msafiri knelt down on one knee and aimed his rifle.:: Bakari: Positions, everyone! ::Jennifer shouldered her own rifle, nodding.:: Brockton: As soon as they come around the corner. Make sure you don't hit the human. ::And so they waited as Tiradora continued to pursue Ayelet through the dimly lit corridors. The nurse saw the bend around the corner. Broken equipment and optical wiring littered the floor.:: Tiradora: Surrender to me and I'll make sure your death is swift and painless! ::Ayelet knocked down an equipment cart behind her and rounded the corner...
...that revealed a dead end with nothing more than rubble on the ground and scorch marks along the wall.:: Tiradora: Pathetic. ::The nurse spun around to see the Vaadwaur standing there, blocking the way back. Ayelet looked around desperately to find anything she could use--a hyperspanner, a tricorder, a broken PADD...anything. Slowly, the Vaadwaur female approached her like a carnivore stalking its prey. Ayelet activated the laser scalpel still in her hand and aimed it towards Tiradora. The short 4 cm blade of light seemed hardly threatening, and indeed, the Vaadwaur laughed at the human's last display of defiance. With a swift kick at Ayelet's arm, she knocked it out of the nurse's hand, and the device bounced off the wall before resting on the floor with the rest of the trash. Tiradora grabbed Ayelet around the throat and shoved her against the wall, forcing a kiss. Ayelet bit down on the Vaadwaur's lips, causing the guard to break the kiss in frustration. Yet she didn't seem too enraged by it, instead licking the blood with a smile. Still holding Ayelet by the neck, Tiradora slammed her down to the deck. Again the Vaadwaur pinned the human down and leaned over to force another embrace. As their lips locked, blood fell from one face to the other, and the Vaadwaur guard closed her eyes, savoring every moment. Ayelet reached out, groping for something on the floor. When she found it, she didn't hesitate. With the laser scalpel back in her hand, she slammed it into the Vaadwaur's ear, which prevented Tiradora from hearing just how loudly she screamed when the blade pierced her ear drum. The guard leaned back, temporarily blinded by the pain, and grabbed for the device. Ayelet rolled out from underneath the guard and kicked her hard in the face. The Vaadwaur appeared to have been knocked out by this point, but Ayelet continued her blows against the guard, each one splattering more blood onto the deck. Eventually, it was quiet in the corridor as Ayelet sat down next to Tiradora's corpse, staring at the Vaadwaur's disfigured face. Suddenly, she felt someone behind her and turned with a gasp. Bakari: It's okay, calm down! I'm Starfleet. It's over... you're safe now. ::Ayelet didn't say anything back, still breathing hard. Msafiri called for the others to come, letting them know the threat had been neutralized. Corporal Resiv, Jennifer, and the others soon arrived.:: Resiv: My God... what happened? ::Jennifer took in the scene and then snapped her head to the nurse, eyes wide.:: Brockton: ...Ayelet?! Bakari: She's okay. ::He put a hand on Ayelet's shoulder.:: Just a little shaken. ((End Flashback)) ::Ayelet looked away after she finished telling her story to Zeet.:: Kadosh: When the others asked what happened, I didn't answer, and so Msafiri told everyone that he had killed the Vaadwaur guard. I could tell some of them were disgusted by the brutality of it and gave him a judgmental eye. I don't blame them because I was disgusted, too... except I was disgusted at the right person. Zeet: I can understand why you would feel that way. If it were me... I probably would have done the same, and I doubt anyone would say otherwise for themselves, either. ::The nurse took a sharp breath in. She knew Zeet was trying to comfort her, but she had long since stopped lying to herself about what had happened.:: Kadosh: No... she was no longer a threat. I didn't have to keep hitting her. ::She looked back up at Zeet.:: Kadosh: But I was so angry at them. Angry at what they had done to us, how they had killed my friends and colleagues... and turned the rest into their puppets. ::Zeet regarded her with his yellow eyes, ears settling back against his head. :: Zeet: Have you... told anyone else this story? Kadosh: Yes, after Starfleet reclaimed DS17, the survivors all had post-traumatic counseling sessions. But outside of those sessions, only Msafiri knows what really happened. ::He held up his paws. :: Zeet: I'm just saying, it can help to talk about it. Especially with counselors... like Zinna, or Brice. Kadosh: Yeah... ::Ayelet thought about her turmoil in the turbolift. Perhaps she did need to schedule a follow up appointment with a counselor soon... or at least a vacation.:: Zeet: It's kinda funny. You said her name was Brockton, right? I knew a Brockton once... ::Zeet gave a light chuckle. :: Zeet: Did I ever tell you about Zama Beach, on Praxi IV? She and I served there, along with her partner, one Private First Class Radi Rais. The three of us made a hell of a team back in the day, but... Brockton ended up getting both her arms blown off and last I heard of him Radi was sent off on some suicide mission to crew some mortars. It actually all started back when the Gorn- Kadosh: Wait, when was this? ::Zeet's eyes widened slightly. He shook his head. :: Zeet: This is 2382. It was well before your time. Kadosh: You didn't stay in touch with them? ::Zeet shook his head, insistently. :: Zeet: They died. I was casevac'd out first; nearly bought the farm myself, got a whole bunch of really nice scars to show for it too, but... as far as I knew, Brockton and Radi died on that planet. Kadosh: No... they didn't. ::He listened as she talked, hardly believing it. :: Zeet: ... well I'll be. Ain't the galaxy a tiny place after all. Kadosh: Perhaps that's the problem. Countless stars yet still not enough for some. ::The ship then shook as alerts began ringing. The nurse didn't react much. Instead, she leaned back against her friend. If there was more work to be done in sickbay, it'd come to them soon enough.:: ----- Lieutenant JG Ayelet KadoshNurse with contributions from the writer for Zeet "Knight" Tidari and Alleran Tan |
