SIM:Adyr In Death

((Bridge, USS Apollo))

::Faded voices of people she knew to be dead met her ears as explosions rang out in the distance. The muffled shouting of creatures she’d never seen before, but later came to know as the Jem’Hadar, surrounded her, suffocating her. Everything echoed as if in the shadows of the otherwise quiet bridge of the Apollo, no one else seemingly hearing the sounds that drifted around her.::

((Flashback, 14 Years Ago, Just Outside Medara, Betazed))

::Flickers of light lit the path of the resistance fighters as they moved through the shadows of the nearly abandoned outer neighborhoods. The roads stank of death and burnt flesh that had been left behind by the murderous troops that had been through there. Some of those who had once lived there were mercifully put to death, but others were now prisoners. It was those prisoners that she now lead the small team towards.::

::The mission was considered to be suicide, but Jazra, who had joined the ranks of a small group of rebels who fought against the Jem’Hadar after the death of her best friend, knew that if they did succeed, they would potentially turn some things in their favor. Though the chances were extremely slim, it was that tiny percent that she held to be the truth. They would win this night; they had to.::

::In her mind, the face of Jaxx flickered in the firelight of their hideout, the one place where they found respite from the war. It was a safehouse where the rebellion came together to plot and plan, and one that moved often, but it was one that held all of the few good memories that she had left. The days that had followed the initial invasion had been difficult, but even moreso for the man who now led the Medara resistance cell she was a part of. He had lost the girl he was to marry and she had lost her best friend. In the wake of such devastation, the two had clung together to remind themselves just why life was worth fighting for.::

::The memories of his touch brought an inexplicable smile to her face as her small team moved into position. It was that touch that she longed to feel again, and that touch that would bring her home.::

::As her eyes rose to meet the imposing building in front of them and the troops standing guard outside of it, she suddenly felt lightheaded. Half of her wanted to run back to that house now, and back to the relative safety of his arms, but her mind held her firmly where she was. A voice whispered in the darkness behind her, having seen the initial reaction.::

Hadley (Also Vid): Deep breath. Just take a deep breath.

::Jazra blinked up at the older Betazoid man, who was twice her size but one of the most gentle she’d ever known. She followed his advice and took a deep breath, calming herself.::

Adyr (Cayden & Jazra): It’s time to go.

::And with that, the team began their run.::

((Timeskip, Two Days Later))

::Feverish delirium had set in as her body began to shut down, preserving only the symbiont that lived within her. Dreams and nightmares plagued her, though she could no longer tell the difference between reality and the world that was in her mind. Voices of prior hosts, including Alaryc, drifted here and there, willing the young body of Jazra to hold on. Tears streamed down her mud-stained face as she crumpled up in pain on the cold stone floor.::

Adyr (Jazra): Kill me! Let me die….

::Somewhere, she heard a deep laugh as the ‘guard’ who’d been assigned to her enjoyed watching her suffer. Of course that was moments before the sound of a sickening crack reverberated through the room. Silence spread quickly in its wake.::

::Struggling to see something, anything, Jazra found her efforts futile. Each move brought flaming pain that stuck her like an ice pick in her chest and radiated down through the lower half of her body. After realizing she could no longer feel her lower legs, only the near-constant radiating pain, she curled back up and waited for fate to take her into the eternal darkness.::

::As it turned out, fate had strong arms, and though the pain struck with renewed fervor, she was able to remain conscious just long enough to look into the inky black eyes of her rescuer.::

((Timeskip, A Few Hours Later))

::Norah Adyr rose from the makeshift surgical bed that what remained of the Betazed resistance had pulled together for the purpose of saving what was left of a member of their own. Though he felt like an outsider, he suddenly felt infinitely more connected to the people surrounding him now. A larger man, one he suddenly recognized as being named Hadley, sat on the other side of the other bed where a very young Trill girl lay motionless. Covered in her own blood, which also covered the man who held her hand, the girl seemed to have been through quite a bit, not all of which seemed accessible to the new host.::

::Walking towards the man, Norah put his hand on his shoulder.::

Adyr (Norah): She lives on, Hadley.

::The man, seemingly so strong, tried to hide a tear that fell.::

Hadley: It won’t be the same. ::He looked down at the body and gave the limp hand one final squeeze.:: Goodbye sweet child.

::Though Norah couldn’t place all of the memories drifting in his mind, she recognized this man’s place in Jazra’s life. Still, he could offer little else than the support of someone outside the picture despite his intertwined thoughts that had once belonged to her. After a moment of silence, two Trill security officers approached, beckoning for him to go. They had to leave quickly, or risk getting caught up in the invasion.::

::Norah let his hand fall from its place on the shoulder and turned to leave. Just before walking away, he turned back halfway and caught Hadley’s gaze.::

Adyr (Norah): Please tell Jaxx not to despair. One day he will find someone who won’t leave. ::He closed his eyes for just a moment before opening them again.:: And tell him that she loved him.

::With that final word, the older Trill diplomat fell into step with the guards who would lead him back to the ship that would take him home.::

((End Flashback))

Vid-Lotilija: Take your time, briefing will not go anywhere.

::Coming to, Cayden looked up to see the familiar and friendly face of the chief science officer. She could feel the wet trails that the tears had left on her cheek, which she instinctively wiped at with the back of her hand.::

Adyr: How long was I….

::She let the question fall as she glanced back at the planet on the screen and took a few deep breaths to compose herself. After a few minutes sitting there and letting the memories settle, the El Aurian offered her a hand. Taking it, Cayden smiled softly and followed her into the briefing room.::

Vid-Lotilija: Have a good morning.

((Briefing Room, USS Apollo))

::The first thing that Cayden noticed when she entered the room was the planet in all its glory just outside the windows. Making her way around the table, she sat in the seat closest to Liam, on his left side, with her back to the windows. Shooting him a smile, she did her best to make it seem as if all was well with the universe. Thankfully, before he could ask anything, Viktor showed up as well.::

Lanius: Morning ladies...

::Cayden nodded in his direction.::

Vid-Lotilija: Response?

Adyr: Good morning Viktor.

Lanius: Today is going to be full of surprises from what I hear...

Vid-Lotilija: Response?

::Something flashed in her eyes when he said that. The kind of surprises she was thinking about, like being ambushed and being shot, and laying bleeding to death on a hard stone floor, were things she could only hope they avoided this day.::

Adyr: I hope we can avoid too many surprises.

Lanius/Vid-Lotilija/Frost: Response?

::With eyes that grew distant just then, Cayden sank back into the chair and fought the urge to let more tears fall. Closing her eyes, and not even realizing that more officers were entering the room, she concentrated on breathing and keeping herself composed. Fear ran rampant through her suddenly; this host wasn’t supposed to be caught in the middle of these situations. This host was supposed to be safe, somewhere other than on a starship in the middle of interstellar conflict. A sigh escaped her. She could already tell that it was going to be a long day, but somewhere her mind was telling her to open her eyes.::

::It was only then, when she listened, that she realized she was surrounded by those who keep her safe. Perhaps it was here, more than anywhere else, that she really was protected from the fate that had befallen Jazra on the planet below. Beyond Liam, she could see the friends she’d made of some of the strongest and most resourceful members of Starfleet. In turn, she caught each of their gazes; Vid-Lotilija, Ra, when he arrived, Viktor, and others she didn’t know well yet, finally coming to rest in the eyes she found herself looking into the most, Liam’s.::

Adyr: I’m alright. Betazed just brings back some…interesting memories.

::A strange calm came over here then and the first controlled breath left her lungs as Cayden returned to the present, leaving the past to worry about itself, for now.::

TAG/TBC

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Lieutenant Cayden Adyr
Mission Specialist/Command Advisor
USS Apollo

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