A Crack in the Glass

Posted on Wed May 26th, 2021 @ 11:08am by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes & Lieutenant Ayana Hillis & Lieutenant Commander Estella Stratton

Mission: A Dark Looking Glass
Location: Mirror Universe

Shran led Estella through the corridors of the station to what appeared to be a stateroom. Guards stood outside as she was led inside. The room was gorgeous, with all sorts of luxuries that up until now had not been seen anywhere else. Shran took hold of her arm and roughly escorted her over to a window. Before anything could be said, a woman dressed in an elegant Tholian silk gown entered the room.

"What have you brought now Shran?" she questioned.

"A new servant for the Intendant. You and your other servants will train her, make her ready, but first, the Intendant wants you to scan her. By all means, don't be gentle."

The Counselor's expression hard, she walked with the other Shran down various hallways into a stateroom. Not so much as wincing or flinching under the rough touch of the mirror reflection of the Captain, Estella resisted the urge to jerk her arm free from his hold. She offered no jabs or quips. Instead, she opted to be silent and observe. Words wouldn't have done her any favors right now. Nor any of her crewmates from what she'd gathered and she wasn't going to test her luck. Besides if she could get enough information as to this... another universe they seemed to be in, they might better be able to work out some form of a plan for a possible escape.

Blue eyes narrowing, Estella scowled at Shran. She wasn't sure who was more fortunate for her patience at the time, him on account of the nasty words she would have said, or herself, as she had every intention of erring on the side of caution when it came to her dealings with him and anyone else she might come across that she recognized in this other universe. If the Shran she knew was capable of being such a sadist in this mirror reflection, who knew what some of the others were capable of?

Deanna let out a sigh, obviously unhappy and even unimpressed at the request made by Shran. She focused her gaze at the woman in Shran's grasp and began to press psychically, moving past the surface thoughts and into the deeper psyche. She began to see images, bits, and pieces of memories of people and events that were unrecognizable to her. She saw this woman looking at a man in intimate moments, he cared for her deeply, and she cared for him. And another person, an alien race she was unfamiliar with, a name, Sachzny, which held a deep significance to her. Battles with Romulans, two men killed by Romulans, they were important to her, family. Battles with Klingons, and images of another person named Samantha, a doctor, and a friend. There was more, so much more. Deep space mission, on the ship that looked like nothing she had seen before, working for something called StarFleet, part of something known as the Federation. Taken to a planet, entities of extreme power, and then she saw a face she did recognize, Shran, but it wasn't Shran as she knew him.

The Counselor's jaw visibly clenched as images flashed within her mind and some of her most intimate secrets began to slip out as if they were nothing more but film put to a screen. Quiet moments with Jon, Sachzny's talk of family followed by her sudden departure, Romulans, the deaths of her father and twin brother, the beginnings of what she hoped would be a lasting friendship with Sam, and hints of some of her recent conversations with Shran, each played out in fragments. Each flicker re-opening old wounds. The unveiling of each made Estella's head and heart both ache.

Deanna broke her telepathic connection from Estella. She looked at Shran, confusion, and panic on her face. "Who is she?" she asked hints of desperation in her voice.

"A Terran rebel." Shran looked at Celes intently. "What did you see?"

"She is a military officer of some kind. She has friends, colleagues perhaps. They have fought the Klingons, the Romulans. Romulans killed her family. And I saw you."

Shran looked surprised. "What do you mean you saw me?"

"She knows you. You were with her fighting the Romulans. You were her superior. She trusts you. And she trusts others as well. A Terran male named Jon, a Terran female, a doctor named Samantha, and an alien I have never encountered named Sachzny."

When the connection broke, Estella closed her eyes for but a second before glancing between Deanna and Shran. Sickened as she was that her innermost thoughts had been invaded, she could not help but pick up on the slightly elevated tone of Deanna's voice. Even more intriguing was Shran's reaction to the news. Nothing could have prepared her though for Shran's words.

"I've never seen this Terran before! How can she know me?" Shran seemed panicked, frustrated by these revelations.

Never seen her before? How odd... yet, this Shran did not seem at all familiar with any of them. The way he referred to them too... suggested more than hostility. Perhaps even... animosity. Why?

"I need to dig deeper" replied Celes.

The other Celes' response jarred Estella from her thoughts as she tried to brace herself. Now more aware of another possible intrusion of her mind, the Counselor prepared to try to steel herself against it.

Celes walked directly in front of Estella and stared into her eyes. Again she began to psychically probe her. She could feel Estella trying desperately to keep her out, but it was to no avail. She saw more detailed images of the Romulans, an explosion of some sort that killed family, perhaps a father and brother. Then a related memory fighting the Romulans with Shran on a starship, the ship looking like nothing Celes had ever seen. Intimate moments with the person she called Jon; they seemed to be lovers at the very least. More images flashed of the Samantha person, in a medical facility treating her and them laughing.

Blue eyes locked with Celes' even as Estella strained to block out the memories, they flooded her thoughts. A single tear slipped out with the resurfacing of a diplomatic mission. The last she'd taken alongside her father and twin brother. Flickers of conversations. Phasers. Choices. Ones she wished never had been put upon her. Followed by the heat of that blast as she was sent back alone as a warning. The cost for her inability to choose. To place either her already sick brother over her wounded father, or vice versa. She hadn't been able to make that decision and it still haunted her. To see it again, so clearly wounded her deeply. Much as the illusion of family that Sachzny had given her. Jon had been an anchor for her... even if she didn't tell him, after both losses. Sam, an admirable woman, and true friend.

Then she began to see images that gave her pause. A battle on the ship again. They were fighting...against the Cardassians. They were greatly outnumbered and yet they were winning. An explosion, Shran was injured and she took command. She saw a familiar face up at the tactical station, was that the Intendant's handmaiden Ayana? And then she saw herself in one of those uniforms at a forward station. What was this? Who was this woman, and where did these memories come from?" Celes broke the telepathic link, taking a deep breath, shock on her face.

More flashes. Flares. The weight of responsibility that came with being given command. Their engaging with the Cardassians... a fear she'd had to face in the heat of battle. The paralyzing one that she'd fail to make the right decision. That a choice she made might get someone she loved or cared about hurt, or worse... killed. Were it not for Celes' sudden intake of air or the widening of her eyes as their link broke... more tears might have flowed. Instead, Estella steeled her expression but looked at the other Celes with slightly narrowed eyes.

"What did you see?" pressed Shran.

"Her memories make no sense. She knows you, quite well it seems. She has a respect for you, even a sense of friendship. Her memories make you her commanding officer of a ship like nothing I have ever seen. She was recently in a battle with the Cardassians, one ship against five, and they won fairly easily." Celes was almost in shock as she spoke.

"How can that be? I've never seen this Terran before!" Shran exclaimed, obviously irate, and perhaps a bit nervous. "How can you see memories of me in her if I've never seen her before?"

"I don't know, but the memories are real and true" replied Celes.

"I won't listen to any more of this. I'll get answers from one of her compatriots that I am to interrogate. Get her ready for service" Shran huffed as he turned and stomped out in an angry panic.

Celes looked at Estella intently, as if she were sizing her up. "Who are you?" she mused aloud.

"Who am I?" Estella breathed out in a low hiss. "Here, I thought you knew. Were your glimpses not satisfactory?"

Celes was in shock at such a brazen response. This was not a Terran like any she had ever encountered. The memories she had seen were so vivid, filled with emotion, impossible to fake. Whoever this woman was, she had seen and done things that didn't make sense to her, that were outside her experience. And she knew her somehow, knew the handmaiden Ayana, knew Shran, but not in a context that was familiar. She had kept some of that to herself, not wanting Shran to be made aware of such things. Perhaps, just maybe, this woman might be the opportunity she was looking for, her chance at freedom.

She turned and called towards the open door, "Ayana, we have a new trainee."

A moment later Ayana emerged from the room dressed in her silk robes, a look of sadness radiating from her. "Ready to serve" she said solemnly.

"This woman must be made ready to serve the Intendant. Get her properly attired, and then teach her. We haven't much time." Celes looked at Estella and then looked at Ayana once more, "And Ayana, she is our key."

Ayana gave a small smile. "Yes mistress." Ayana bowed slightly and then moved to take Estella away. Suddenly Ayana felt a swell of hope inside her. She didn't know who this woman was, but Celes said she was the key to their freedom, and that was all she needed to know.