At first, Reiv's embarrassment over the whole alternate reality thing was amusing. Over the past couple days, however, it had begun to grate heavily on Yilaan's nerves. Any time she would talk to the man, he'd respond nervously, quickly, and generally incoherently. Off-duty, when she'd enter a room, he'd leave. If she were relaxing in Nine Port, and he entered, he'd leave.
Yilaan was sitting with her feet up in Nine Port after a particularly lengthy and annoying meeting with Commander Jevor and the Engineering division. Lt. Reiv came in, spied Yilaan, and turned on his heel, leaving quickly.
Yilaan made a face and pressed her comm-badge. "Yilaan to Lt. Reiv; please see me in Nine Port. Now," she finished with a distinct edge in her voice.
Reiv sheepishly reentered the room and walked to where the commander was sitting. "Commander?"
"Sit Reiv. Let's talk," she offered sternly. Reiv sat down uncomfortably as her eyes appraised the young man coldly. "Lieutenant, you've been skulking about this ship like a frightened deer; what's going on?" Reiv shifted in his seat and glanced out a window. Yilaan smiled, "Are you attracted to me in real life or something? Is that it? Did this alternate Reiv display what you've been hiding?"
Reiv's eyes grew large, "No no, not at all!" Realizing his emphatic response might be mistaken for insult, he tried to cover his tracks. "I mean you're an attractive woman and all," Reiv stammered as she made a face at him.
Yilaan put up a hand, "Well, alright then, if that's not it, what's the problem?"
Reiv sighed and leaned in somewhat, lowering his voice as he folded his hands before him. "Bajorans have a strict code of beliefs," he began as Yilaan listened intently. "We believe that the Prophets have a plan for us, and that they guide us in our lives. Life is presented as a series of choices, some of which take us closer to the Prophets, some farther away. However, there is only one of us, and the choices we make are our responsibility." Reiv sighed and put his palms flat on the table. "Do you see, Commander? I took the Starfleet courses on parallel dimensions, etcetera, etcetera. I never truly accepted that there was another me anywhere, and now you tell me there is. Not only that, you tell me that he's evil and unscrupulous, and I can't help but wonder; is there only one me, and if so, is this person a part of me? And if he isn't me," Reiv continued, pausing, "our teaching is wrong. The Prophets have allowed errant teaching of the faith. Even worse, could the Prophets be wrong?" Yilaan opened her mouth to say something, but no words would come. "Commander, I've been unfair to you, and I'm sorry. It's not you I have the problem with, it's myself. I suppose you remind me of my conundrum whenever I see you, and I react accordingly. I'll try not to let it happen again."
Yilaan shook her head, "I understand Reiv. I'm sorry events have put you in this position."
"It's no matter," he replied, brightening somewhat. "A faith that can stand up to a challenge grows ever stronger."
"You know Reiv, there's good and evil in everyone. Maybe that person is a part of you, but so what? Give yourself credit for being the man you are," Yilaan finished as she stood up to go. "I'll see you later on the Bridge."
"Aye Commander," Reiv responded, as Yilaan left him alone with his thoughts.
Yilaan strolled out of Nine Port and nodded to passing crewmen in the corridor. A moment later her comm-badge chimed. "Commander Yilaan, this is Lt. O'Shea on the Bridge."
"Go ahead Lieutenant."
"Sir, Captain Freeman is half an hour overdue in his daily check-in," O'Shea reported.
"Thank you Lieutenant. They might be in the middle of something and allowed time to get away from them. However, keep me apprised. Yilaan out." Cecilia arrived at the end of the corridor and entered the turbolift. Another corridor later, and she was in her quarters. She set herself up with a cup of coffee in front of her terminal and read various bits of news and inter-fleet transmissions. Her absorption in the material in front of her was broken by a second call from Lt. O'Shea.
"Commander, Captain Freeman is now an hour and fifteen minutes late in checking in," O'Shea informed her from the Bridge.
"Have you tried to raise them?" Yilaan asked.
"Repeatedly, Commander. There's no reply to my hails," he responded.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. I'll be up shortly."
True to her word, Yilaan arrived on the Bridge a few moments later. "Status, Mr. O'Shea?"
"My last attempt to raise them was three minutes ago. I believe the Runabout is receiving my transmission, but there is no one aboard her, and the computer cannot raise the landing party," Lt. O'Shea reported from his position at the tactical station.
Yilaan nodded and walked up towards the front of the Bridge. "Lieutenant, get me that Klingon border commander that the captain talked to before he left, on subspace."
A moment later, the Klingon appeared on the viewscreen. When he saw Yilaan he bared his gnarled set of teeth; whether it was a smile or a sneer, she couldn't tell. "I'm Commander Yilaan, first officer of the U.S.S. Bristol. Our captain spoke to you a couple of days ago regarding an entrance permit to a planet in your space."
The Klingon's concentration turned to a nearby computer display. He punched a couple of keys and glanced back at Yilaan, "You are correct. What is it you want?"
"Our shuttle is overdue in checking in with us. I would like to enlist your aid in a search for our missing crew," Yilaan stated matter-of-factly. 'Probably a sneer,' she thought to herself, based on the feeling her empathy gave her.
The Klingon accessed his computer again, "The Klingon freighter M'klegh is in the vicinity; we will ask them to check for your ship." The Klingon sneered again, "Outpost Fourteen out." His image disappeared from the viewscreen.
"A freighter!?" Yilaan seethed at the pattern of stars on the screen. "Don't go to too much trouble on our part!" She turned from the viewscreen and glanced at Lt. O'Shea as she made her way slowly to the command chair. "Lieutenant, advise Starfleet of our status. If we don't hear from the captain or that freighter soon, I might ask them for a few hard decisions about violating a territorial border or two."
"Aye Commander," O'Shea replied, his fingers dancing across the control panel.
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