(Open your mind to me, Kamiana) he said gently. (I'm going to take you into my memories, and then you will see...but don't say I didn't warn you.)
"Michael, I'm not the little girl you saw last six years ago. I'll be able to handle it, whatever it is."
A moment later everything blurred, and Kamiana found herself in a landscape straight out of a nightmare.
There was nothing but devastation in every direction, as far as she could see. Bare, cracked earth, and now and again what appeared to be scars of actually burnt ground (the sort that might be caused by phaser fire from space). She could also see a few stubbly, blackened things that might once have been trees, and a rut that might once have been a river but was now as dry and arid as the land around it.
This is where we are now, physically, as it was before the Light sent me here.)
Kamiana knew that he was telling her the truth, but she was amazed by the power the Light had given him.
(And as for the children...)
The mindscape shifted, and now she was in what she could recognize, barely, as the plaza that they'd arrived in, but so different...the large fountain in the center was cracked in two, the surrounding buildings were partly or completely rubble, and more rubble chokes the streets leading out of the plaza.
There was a scrabbling sound from one of the half ruined buildings and a ragged, dirty, scrawny child emerged, clutching something in his hand that might be food, by the way he was desperately stuffing it into his mouth as if afraid that at any moment it would be taken from him.
(This is how it was for them, Kamiana. This is what the Darkness had brought them to, and if it is not stopped, all the worlds we know could end the way this one almost did, and would have had it not been for the Light, working through me.)
There was another shift and she was back in the present, Michael's eyes holdng hers filled with the pain of those memories.
Kamiana could feel his pain, and with it a fear that the Light was using him as just a tool, though one with ultimate power. She extended a hand to comfort him. The emotions raging inside of him filled her for a second until she could block the rush. "I believe you, Michael." was all that she could say.
She now could see that he still had the reactions he'd had as her teacher years ago. "When I understood," she said gently, "your eyes could have been the Light itself. But I think you have some questions about all this.."
The look in his eyes was as if she'd hit a nerve.
Then it hit her. That was why he wanted her to join him so badly. That was why he'd pulled her aside to explain what was going on. He wanted reassurance that the power the Light had given him had not corrupted him, and after this talk she now knew it hadn't. "Michael, you are working out of concern for others as you always have. I see that now...and I trust that you have not been corrupted."
He seemed to relax at that, as if a terrible weight had suddenly been lifted. (I needed to hear that...) he whispered in her mind. (and from *you*)
She felt as if their old friendship had returned. But there still remained the question of explaining this to the others. Paulos knew about Michael.. but no one else on Avalon did. Renee, yes, but she was far away on Toshi Station...she pushed those thoughts aside and simply held Michael's hand, silently reassuring him.
After a few more minutes he seemed calmer. (Now that you understand, I must ask again, are you with me, us?)
Kamiana made a decision. She knew how stubborn some of the crew could be. "Michael, I am going to join you. I am doing this because of everything you have told me today. I believe you. I trust you."
Paulos would understand, she hoped, he'd seemed to understand so many other things. Of course, there'd be Captain MacBreandain and the others--but she wasn't betraying anything, wasn't Starfleet dedicated to promoting peace?
Kamiana held Michael's hand tightly. What he'd shown her had shaken her, though she had managed to handle it. "I am with you, Michael," she said again. "And remember not to doubt yourself. You are a good man, the others will see that, I know they will, once you've explained a bit more to them."
Michael managed a slight smile. (Thank you...) he said softly, < She nodded. "I am. But why don't you let me talk to them first. That might
make things easier for you." She took a deep breath, this wouldn't be easy for
*her* to get through, but Paulos understood, she knew he did. And he could help
her convince the others. The rough part would be explaining why she hadn't told
anyone about Michael before, but she would just have to get through that.
(Kamiana...you do not have to do this.)
"Yes, I do," she said firmly. "Let me try. If they won't listen to me then
you can talk to them. But I'm sure they will."
He looked at her for a long moment, then nodded.
There was a flash of white light and both Michael and the glade were gone.
* * *
There was a flash of white light and Kamiana appeared, alone, in the plaza.
She stood there for a moment, blinked as if reorienting herself, then slowly
stepped forward. The one thing that was immediately obvious to all present was
that her uniform was gone, she now wore a simple white robe like those of the
Prophet and the children.
"Lt Tyrrel," MacBreandain said sternly. "Where is tha Prophet naow--an' what
happened ta ye? It's past taime for explanations. If he told ye anythin'..."
Kamiana bit her lip. She didn't want to betray her Captain and crewmates--but
she couldn't fail Michael again! and really what he wanted was what Starfleet
was supposed to be about, wasn't it?
"Captain...I..." Her hands clutched each other and she had to force them not
to shake.
Paulos leaned close to Captain MacBreandain and spoke softly. "Sir, could I
speak with Lt. Tyrrel alone for a bit. She seems distressed and it would be
better for her not to be put on the spot or, um, interrogated I think. I can try
to find out what has happened and perhaps help her if she needs that." He looked
at the young Betazoid briefly. "I think that she might."
The Captain looked at the counsellor for a long moment. "Fine. But get
something out o'her as soon as ye can. We have ta get tha ship back."
Kamiana's eyes went from him to Paulos, then seemed a bit relieved as she
watched MacBreandain move off to the side, to join Jen, Backus, and Longshadow
in a huddled conversation.
"Thank you," Kamiana whispered, meeting Paulos' eyes.
"You know that he'll expect me to tell him what you know about the Prophet,
Michael. I don't want to betray anything you tell me, but if it can help the
ship I think I have to. I want to help you if I can..."
"I know. And I want to tell you, too. To have you all understand--he's only
trying to help us." Kamiana whispered. The words had come out in a rush, before
it had fully registered exactly what Paulos had said. Then it hit her and she
stared at him. "I didn't tell you his name yet--" something clicked--"oh, I'd
forgotten, I did show you his picture once, didn't I." She took a deep breath.
"He only wants to bring peace--like he did years ago. I told you he was an
ambassador..."
"Yes, I remember. And he thought that you had a calling in that area as
well...does he still want for you to join him in that?" Paulos stopped short,
looking at her very closely. "He has a power to him now...something he didn't
have before, maybe it makes him more convincing this time?"
Kamiana nodded. "He's still the same man inside, I know he is." she began,
"and all he wants is the best for all of us. Including me. He knows about the
nanites--but there's worse coming if we don't stop the darkness." She closed her
eyes for a moment, remembering again the visions he'd described to her--and what
he'd shown her. "Look at our history, Paulos. No matter how much Starfleet talks
about peace we end up in one war after another. He wants to end all that. To
make the dream a reality."
His eyes widened slightly, and he regarded her in silence for a few moments,
shaking his head. "How?" What he really wanted to ask would have to wait; how
could anyone claim to do that without taking away individual liberties...the
liberties that create discord by allowing multiple cultures to continue to exist
by their own definitions. Wasn't that what the Borg had claimed as one of their
goals in assimilation?
Paulos' brow knit slightly, and he waited to hear if she had a response to
the simple question of how the Prophet planned to take action.
"There will be those who will follow him as the children here do," Kamiana
began. "And you saw what happened on the Avalon, not a weapon left anywhere on
board. Think of that spread through all the worlds we know of, whether they're
presently part of the Federation or not." Her eyes held Paulos'. "The children
here are only the beginning, once the message of Peace goes out from here others
will follow too."
Before Paulos could reply, there was another flash of white light and Michael
appeared. He smiled at Kamiana, then moved to MacBreandain.
(I know you wish answers, and I did promise you such. You will have them--)
"Then we talk naow. Just tha two o'us. Send everyone else back ta tha ship."
The Prophet shook his head. (Ask whatever questions you wish, Cullyn
MacBreandain. But as for your crew, these cannot yet be returned. I will begin
first by this: you say that I have violated the Prime Directive here. I will
show you now why that is not the case.)
The Prophet's pale blue eyes gazed directly into MacBreandain's and for
Cullyn the world blurred out of focus, for what seemed only a moment, then
became clear again. Though it was the same place he'd been in, it was also quite
different.
The city was now a devastated ruin. there was rubble everywhere and in the
midst of it came a scrawny ragged figure picking its way through the piles of
crumbled stones that had once been buildings, a figure that as MacBreandain
peered more closely at it he realized was the girl he'd seen first on the bridge
of the Avalon.
* * * *
In the plaza...
Jen stepped forward as she saw both the Prophet and MacBreandain freeze in
place. She looked at Longshadow, then Kamiana. "What's he -doing- to him?"
"He -won't- hurt him!" Kamiana exclaimed, determined to convince her
shipmates that Michael truly did not mean anyone any harm. She looked
desperately at Paulos, who gave her a look of reassurance.
Longshadow looked closely at the Prophet and MacBreandain, then shook his
head and turned to Jen. "It looks like some sort of trance to me."
Jen gave Tyrrel a hard look then turned to the nearest white-robed child, a
red haired girl, midteens. "-What- is the Prophet -doing?-" she demanded again,
determined to get a straight answer.
"He will -not- harm him." the girl replied, "if that is what you fear. They
are communing."
Jen's patience was wearing thin. "Specifics. I want specifics and power or
not you're going to tell me now."
"Your Captain had questions, the Prophet is showing him the answers, that is
all. I do not know just what he is seeing, I cannot know that unless the Prophet
chooses to reveal it to me."
Jen sighed. She was tempted to drag MacBreandain away from the Prophet
herself, but she wasn't sure that would actually help. Telepathy was something
she didn't know much about, not being one herself.
MacBreandain found himself back in the plaza, in the present. He shook his
head for a moment trying to clear away the images of devastation.
(That is what they had when I came here, Cullyn MacBreandain. Now tell me
that I should have left them to suffer.)
Cullyn MacBreandain stood for a moment, thinking. He knew his duty as a
Starfleet officer, he knew the rules. But to be quite honest, part of him
applauded what this Prophet had done. The dream of a peaceful galaxy was a good
one, and he had helped these children. Still he was a commanding officer of a
Federation Starship...and though it rankled he knew what his decision had to be.
He looked at the others. Still there, of course, what he'd just seen didn't
change anything. Then he turned back to the Prophet. He knew that the man before
him had powers that so far superseded his and his crew's that they didn't stand
a chance if it came down to it. He also knew quite possibly that what the
Prophet was doing was right...still, he had no doubt that his decision was the
right one.
"Ye know tha answer ta that." MacBreandain replied. "Ye were a Starfleet
officer an'ye had a responsibility ta follow tha Prime Directive. Even if ye
find a dyin' race ye are duty bound nae ta interfere. I dinna ken what kind
o'man ye were, but right naow ye are one who be drunk on power an'dinna ken what
ta do when someone doesn't agree with him.'
He shot a look at Kamiana as he said that.
(Captain, you *don't* understand...!) her eyes said silently, oh what was she
going to do now, she'd thought they would understand. She glanced to Paulos,
knowing he at least understood.
"Captain, this -wasn't- a dying civilization when he got here. That was
already dead. All that was here were children. Are you going to tell me the PD
extends to letting children die?"
Michael glanced to Kamiana, meeting her eyes.
She silently felt his presence in her mind, pleading with her to let him
handle it. She nodded and stepped back, as Michael returned his attention to
MacBreandain.
(You still do not understand, Cullyn MacBreandain. There are principles even
higher than that one. And one of those is that life in any form is *sacred* and
to be preserved.)
"We canna begin ta compare to yuir power," MacBreandain flung back, stealing
a quick look at Kamiana, "an'I suppose if ye wanted ye could *make* us follow
yuir path. Ye've already done somethin' ta her." he shot another glance in
Kami's direction, "An' I suppose there'll be more who'll follow ye inta this
path o'Light. but I'm nae goin' ta be one o' them. Yuir right there's a lot
o'rotten things out here. War, strife, starvation, plague, they be everywhere,
this darkness as ye call it. But tha's what drives us ta try ta do somethin'
about it. Sometimes that somethin' isna pretty, an' sometimes people even die.
But things happen for a reason, even if we cannae understand it it's there. So
dinna expect me ta give up everything to follow you because it willna happen."
Kamiana wanted to cry in frustration at MacBreandain's speech. Michael
-wasn't- trying to -betray- any of the thhings Starfleet stood for, was she the
only one who saw that?? "Please, all of you, listen!" she cried out, looking
around at the assembled officers, "Is it wrong to want peace?? Is it wrong to
save those who can't save themselves? That's not what I thought Starfleet was
all about."
She shot an apologetic look at Michael. (It's all right, Kamiana...let me try
again.) then he resumed speaking to MacBreandain.
(You begin to see, and then you retreat. It is true as you say that things
happen for a reason, and I was given these powers for a reason, Cullyn
MacBreandain. And that reason is to put an end to the fighting, the hatred, the
killing--before they consume all that both of us seek to preserve)
"Ye are na' God!" MacBreandain exclaimed. He had had just about all he could
take of this self righteous cult like line.
(Know this, Cullyn MacBreandain, that what you have seen in this world's
past, so I have seen in the future of the Federation, if they do not come to the
ways of Peace. The final conflict is close at hand, that is why the Light has
sent me, to ensure that the Darkness does not triumph utterly.)
"Dammit!" MacBreandain exclaimed. "Ye can take yuir light an' put it where
tha sun doesna' shine. I'm nae goin' ta let ye use me or me crew like this, for
this 'greater purpose' ye keep babblin' about. We know there are problems out
here an' tha's why we all joined Starfleet, ta do something about 'em. Looks ta
me like ye used ta believe in that too, before this light got ahold o'ye."
(The Light is before you, but you refuse to see.)
Frustrated, MacBreandain turned from the Prophet and walked over towards his
crew. "What did ye all find out, searchin' this place? Longshadow, Backus, how
are ye doin' wi' communicatin' wi'tha ship? We ARE gettin out o'here one way or
another."
(You shall leave, but the time is not yet.) came the Prophet's voice again.
That's when MacBreandain and the others of the original group noticed that
all the while the Captain and the Prophet had been talking the plaza had slowly
been emptying of children, that in their places were appearing more and more of
the Avalon's crew.
Cullyn turned around and rushed the Prophet. Stopping right in front of him,
he steeled himself, and stopped nose to nose. "Ye keep this up an' yuir goin' ta
have ta kill me. Ye want me ship, me or me crew, fine, but damn it give us tha
choice. Ye say this Light has some greater purpose for us, then ye take me to it
an' show it ta me. Prove what ye say. An' ye can start by tellin' me why yuir
Light's already killed one o'me crew!"
"Captain, he's -trying- to tell you! Can't you understand that?" Kamiana
almost sobbed, even as Michael took her hand trying to reassure her. Whatever
had happened to Commander Goth *couldn't* have been the fault of the Light, she
was sure of that now. Not if Michael was part of it--Michael hated killing so
much and always had. "Paulos *you* understand, don't you?"
Stepping forward, she didn't take her eyes off of Paulos even as her mind
whispered to Michael, (please, I know he'll understand, let me talk to him.)
Paulos nodded. He did understand and that was the problem. He was torn
between his duty as a Starfleet officer and wanting to help Kamiana.
Kamiana felt his reassurance and turned to face MacBreandain. She could feel
Michael's acceptance and encouragement as she reached Paulos. the tears running
down her face. "I know I should have told you this sooner." She swallowed. "I
said that Michael was an instructor at the Academy, and that's true. In fact he
was mine. You've known me as a science officer and that's all I've been...but at
one time I...I had thought of being something else, and Michael...Michael was a
big part of the reason why."
MacBreandain nodded. "We already found that out while he was talkin' wi'ye,
Tyrrel. About haow he left th'Academy, an' haow hard that was for ye."
She nodded, she should have expected that. "I'm the reason he left the
Academy, Captain." She looked to Michael for a moment, then back to MacBreandain
and Paulos. "I failed him, then, and until now I thought I'd killed him." she
shook her head. "I -can't- let him down again, I just can't. I know I've caused
problems before but I'm not betraying you or Starfleet either! Captain, don't
you see, don't -any- of you see? All he wants is to bring Peace, that's what
Starfleet's ideals are! Aren't they??"
She could feel Michael's silent support. And Paulos, too, looked as if he
were close, so close. He understood, she was sure he did.
She looked around at the others. Backus...Serrin...Longshadow...Fifth. They
were all staring at her and she didn't need to be a telepath to guess what they
thought. If they'd been aboard ship right now not one of them but wouldn't want
to throw her in the brig. Even Jen was distant.
Kamiana felt Michael in her mind again. (I know what I must do now, Kamiana.
They must -see- what the Light wishes for them, before they will accept it. I
had hoped my words would be sufficient, but it appears not. Do not worry, this
is what is best.)
(Michael, what are you doing?) she asked, even as he walked away from her to
stand before MacBreandain and the others. She watched as he raised his hands to
get everyone's attention.
(Many of you) his eyes moved over the crowd, falling now and again on certain
individuals, (have suffered because of the actions of the Darkness-- or because
of the errors and mischances of fate. In the world the Light will bring, these
things will be no more. There are even those among you who yearn for what
circumstance has denied them. As the Light commands me, I will now show you what
its world will be like for all of you. And I shall begin...) he turned back to
the Captain, (with you Cullyn MacBreandain.)
Kamiana's eyes widened. (Michael??) she asked not certain where this was
leading. She felt his silently urging her to trust him and she wanted to so
much. She *did*. She understood about suffering, that was for sure, after what
she'd endured at the hands of the alternate Defiant's crew so many months ago,
to say nothing of things that had happened since.
(There will be no more of such things, Kamiana,) Michael's mindvoice came,
his presence washing away the old pain. (The Light will end all that.)
And that was a good thing, wasn't it? Of course it was. She pushed aside the
doubt and returned Michael's gaze firmly.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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