These Our Gods

Posted on Thu Jan 11th, 2024 @ 1:21am by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr & Lieutenant Inara Senn & Lieutenant Seth Travis

Mission: Hard Earned Peace
Location: Captain's Ready Room, USS Washington.
Timeline: Current

Shon was having trouble with Puss, the turbulence she felt from him rustled through her mind negating some of her meditation. She knew Seth was waiting for her but she felt he would not mind. Puss began to weave around her legs his large body causing her centre of gravity to shift. She sat down on the couch and he immediately jumped up knocking the breath out of her.

"Hey old guy, Moi tema Puss" she said softly in a singsong voice. Shon buried her face in his long fur. "You're getting a little too heavy for this old man" she said lazily scratching there Sehlat's long ear.

Puss was now 70 years old, 40 years older than Terran cats normally lived. Vulcan cats lived to 130 but had been known to reach 180 with good living and a little help with gene therapy. The fact that she has played with his genes to prolong his life did not bother her and he seemed to be just coming into his maturity.

Large and black with long white whiskers and long shiny fur he stood over 4 feet tall with a weight to match and he was a beautiful specimen. His razor sharp canines grazed her hand as his tongue licked her abdomen eliciting movement from the twins. She pushed him off and he began to growl following her to the clothing replicator where she replaced her hair covered uniform for a new one.

Once dressed she brushed her long hair and piled it up. A sudden wave of pain flooded down her back as her scars on her back flamed into life and she bent over breathing heavily as Puss growled she looked into his eyes and the pain began to lessen. she stood and made to leave as Puss began to howl long and mournfully. The moment she realised that he needed to go with her he stopped knowing she would allow him to protect her.

Knowing Seth would begin to worry the pair left entering the turbolift.

Seth was indeed waiting, a little impatiently for Shon to arrive. When the lift doors slid open and she stepped out he was surprised to see Puss beside her. "Shon, why did you bring Puss with you to see the captain?" He asked even as he bent to pet the large Sehlat.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, I was having trouble with him, until I realised that he should be with me. I brought him on board as a service animal, so, here he is. if the Captain disapproves we will leave." Puss weaved himself around Seth's legs purring loudly. "for some reason I feel safer with him." she shrugged her shoulders and pressed her comm. =/\= Dex to Captain Shran =/\=

"I don't object Shon, I was just curious." Seth replied. As he petted Puss behind the ears.

Shran was on the bridge with Deanna going over all data available regarding their previous encounter with Hela and Loki. He hit his comm badge, =^= I was going to contact you, Shon. I need to speak with you. =^=

Shon looked at Seth and nodded. =/\= Captain we would like to speak to you also if now would be convenient, Puss is with us also if you do not mind? =/\=

=^=My ready room awaits. =^= Shran replied.

Arriving at the ready room Puss seemingly trying to maintain a continuous physical touch with Shon pushed his way into the space ahead of Seth and Shon. Sniffing the air, he looked at Shran deciding he was not a threat and began to purr. Shon didn’t wait for any pleasantries to be exchanged. “Captain Hela and I had a ‘conversation’ She intends to take one, or both of our babies.” Shon looked at Seth.

"It is as I said captain" came the voice of Morrigan as she materialized in the corner. She looked around, "Ah, a sehlat. Magnificent beast. They remind me of dire wolves like Fenrir."

Shran offered a sigh. "Shon, Seth, this is Morrigan, another of the gods of ancient Earth. Not to worry though, this one is apparently here to assist us, or at least she opposes Hela, which means we have vested interest at this time." Shran scratched his head. "My apologies, I didn't expect to be introducing her to you like this. So, you made a deal with Hela, and the prize she has selected as payment is one of your children. Did she give you a reason?"

Shon, startled a little, pressed against Seth. “Morrigan” she said slightly, bowing to the woman. “I have heard of you “she paused. “Both good and bad.”

She turned to Shran. “It is exactly as you say. Hela has demanded her ‘pound of flesh’. However, she did not specify she would take just the one child. Seth and I were wondering if you could contact other gods to help us." Puss left Shon’s side and walked over to Morrigan, looking at her intently. Shon squeezed Seth’s hand.

"There is no need to contact others. Several of us are here, or nearby" Morrigan said firmly. "That Hela has indicated she wishes both your unborn children is a new wrinkle though. We were aware of her desire to claim one for herself. The second life would be to speed along her plans."

"Speed along her plans?" questioned Shran. "What exactly does that mean?"

"When Hela appeared to you the first time, it was mostly benign. She sought to split you from Loki who was at the time being spiteful, as he tends to be. During that time..." she looked over at Shon, "you approached her and brokered a deal. A deal that she promised to make good on and did when she resurrected your daughter. When making that deal you opened up an avenue she hadn't previously had access to in quite some time, not since we left Earth long ago. Something happened though that she had not foreseen, Loki being killed. Or at least, that was what you were all meant to believe. None of your weapons or technologies are capable of truly killing us. Loki will eventually return, and it seems Hela seeks to speed that process."

"You have to be joking" Shran replied, a mixed look of bewilderment and exasperation on his face.

"I am not joking" Morrigan said seriously. "Also, you should know that your colleague Inara is on her way and is in her usual agitated state."

Inara entered the room without even being invited in. She began to regard everyone there silently. Then she spoke. "Shoniara.. what are you doing? Are you going to make another deal with Hela? You shouldn't have made the first one, and if you make another one, that won't free yourself or your children from Hela."

"Calm down lieutenant. Nobody is making a deal" Shran interjected. "This is a conversation in which Shon was providing me with detailed information. The sort of information I told you was necessary so that a strategy could be created. But I am glad you are here because now we can discuss every angle of this situation without confusion. Now, emotions aside, let's discuss this like rational people."

"I don't know what to do anymore. Some of them have helped me, others have hurt me. And my fear of them is telling me to run and keep on running." Inara noted. "They have both helped me and wounded me. And now... I am truly frightened. They've both given me back something precious and taken everything I was. I've come here wanting a resolution and now I don't know. And now... The only thing I am thinking about is curling up, and hoping they don't notice me, so they don't take what I have left."

"I'm no counselor Inara, but I'm not sure you are dealing with fear so much as grief. I suspect you need to take some time with the counselor, allow yourself to process everything rather than bottling it up and hoping for the best." Shran looked to the others, "Shon, Seth, our primary threat regarding Hela revolves around the two of you. So, the question becomes, how do we best Hela and her plans to make good on her Faustian deal?"

"You can delay Hela, but you have little recourse ultimately regarding giving her the payment" Morrigan said bluntly.

“No I will not countenance that, there has to be a way!” Shon’s new found Vulcan composure slipping so much that Puss, who had been calm gave a dreadful roar and began to pace the room slaver dripping from his jaws. Shon gripped Seth’s hand behind her back. She looked at Morrígan. “Is there anything I can give to you that would change this outcome?”

"Shon, tell me the exact wording of the debt, every single word, even the vague ones." Inara noted. "She's very much intentionally vague from my experience with her."

"There is nothing you can do" Morrigan said plainly. "You made the deal with her, and she is honor bound to make good on it. She has done her part; she gave back to you your child that you had lost. You made that deal Shoniara, it was not a deal Hela sought out. She warned you that she would return for payment, warned you that you would have means of stopping her, and you agreed. You said you would give anything for the return of your wee one. So, I ask you now, as painful as the price might be, will you honor you part in the bargain, or is it your intention to break it?"

"Celtic goddess of Doom, Death, and Victory, indeed." Inara noted.

Seth squeezed Shon's hand as Morrigan plainly stated what he already knew. As painful as it was, he knew what the answer had to be. He would rather give himself up than for Shon to lose one or both of her babies. He spoke up. "Shon, will honor the agreement." He said slowly. "As painful and heart breaking as it is, we will honor the agreement."

Inara shook her head. She walked to the replicator. "Computer, Wine. No synthehol." It replicated a glass and Inara began drinking it.

Shran's antennae raised. "You said she will agree to it? I cannot allow you to give up a child, and perhaps you don't have to." Shran looked over at Morrigan, "You said there is nothing we can do. You were quite emphatic about that. But is there something you can do?"

Morrigan stared silent as everyone seemed to be looking at her, awaiting an answer. She knew she could do something, but it would mean another war between her people, something she wanted very much to avoid. And she knew another truth, one that she was equally loathed to share.

Suddenly beside Morrigan appeared another of these gods. "They must be told. The mother deserves to know."

Morrigan looked at her fellow goddess, "So you can tell them then Brigid."

"Very well" Brigid replied. She looked over at Shon, "When you made your agreement with Hela, you gave her an opportunity she hasn't had in nearly a millennium. She can't have children of her own, she requires a mortal to, for lack of a better term, incubate. You are carrying her child."

Shon had not spoken for few minutes and Puss had returned to her side now quiet as if mirroring his mistress. Her Vulcan composure had returned although underneath a volcano simmered. “Both the babies are genetically ours, how can it be her child?”

"And what makes you two think that Hela is even fit to be a mother? She is a true monster, and even the two of you have admitted it." Inara asked both of these 'gods.' "Children require patience and love, she is incapable of that. Sometimes your kind amazes me, inspires me, horrifies me, and sickens me. All at the same time."

Brigid tried to answer Shon's question as calmly as possible, ignoring Inara's outburst. "The children appear to be genetically yours. At least one of them is not. You don't have the ability to distinguish with your level of technology. This doesn't happen often, or at least it hasn't happened in some time. Humanity has many stories about several of the times it has happened, and they have a term they would use, demigod."

Shran looked at Brigid, "Are you referring to Hercules, Aeneas, Achilles, characters such as these?"

Brigid nodded in affirmation.

Morrigan was far less charitable regarding Inara's outburst. The shadows grew as the lights dimmed in the room as she glared at Inara. Her voice boomed and echoed as if they were in some sort of echo chamber, "Your spiteful, vengeful heart jades you to everything. You are unworthy of our help. You deserve everything that fate gives you for your crimes. You know nothing about our kind, only what you imagine and perceive. If others wish to assist you so be it, I will no longer protect you." As the light returned to normal Morrigan vanished.

Inara raged. "Baby killers... Monsters... Demons... Accursed..." She left the room and ran down to the chapel determined to unleash rage. She entered and pushed the ships chaplain aside. "Down with this bauble." She began smashing the altar to pieces."There is no reason to worship these superstitions!!!!" She then left again and entered her quarters, curling up into a ball. Tears flowed from her. She was mad.

"This is not my fault. It's always them!!!! But not to worry. I'll use more VOID Matter this time. Enough to make Fate scream." She cried. "I will twist it into a thousand pieces, until it gives me what I want." She cried and then sighed.. "I've become Cragen.... I am the monster... Computer lock the door."

Shran looked at the others after Inara's outburst and subsequent rushing out. "Did my Chief Science Officer just throw a tantrum?" He hit his comm badge, =^=Ayana, Lt Senn just exited the ready room to parts unknown. Locate her and return her here immediately. =^=

=^=Aye sir. =^=

Shran looked at Brigid and then over at Shon and Seth. "This revolves around the two of you, especially you Shon. We must figure something out that protects you and your children."

Shon looked appalled at Inara's outburst, feeling dizzy she shrank to her knees Puss holding her up as she leaned on him. "Morrigan, come back...please. We apologize for our Science Officers outburst. This is between my husband and myself, not Inara." Her Vulcan composure broke as she sobbed.

Brigid approached Shon. "Worry not, you will be fine. You remain under our protection. Inara is a very angry and confused woman. She lashes out because she can't accept her responsibility for the tragic events of her life. I am sorry that she has caused you grief at this difficult time." She attempted to soothe Shon. "We will be with you. You will survive this."


*Inara's quarters*

"Morrigan is right... I don't deserve mercy." Inara noted. "In fact, I have not slept... for a very long time. Oh Josie... It's taken me this long to realize... I am a fool...."

"You are mortal" said the voice of the unknown goddess. "You may sleep. It will be brief, but you will dream."

"All I wanted... was to never lose anyone again... But the process, I nearly lost everything... I'm a fool..." She began to fall asleep. "I'm a fool..."

"Loss is part of life." said the voice of the unknown goddess. "Sleep now, dream, and remember those that made you happy."


*Captain's Ready Room*

Shran looked around. "It seems that the solution everyone is getting behind is simply letting Hela have her way. I can't say I am for that. I don't want to see one of my people lose a child to Hela."

"I'm sorry, but no matter what you do, Hela will get the child" Brigid replied.

Shon couldn’t breathe, taking in air seemed so very far away and difficult to do. As she began to pass out, she saw something in the distance, a flash of red as a small child ran towards her dressed in a red cloak her blond curls tucked round her cheeks. “Mamma, do not worry I will live with her, but I will find my way back to you both one day.” Shon held her arms out desperate to keep a hold on the child who was already retreating. Darkness took Shon into unconsciousness as she slipped to the floor a smile on her face.

As Seth grabbed for his now unconscious wife, Shran signaled sickbay for a medical emergency and had Seth and Shon transported immediately to sickbay. As the two faded away Shran looked at Brigid who had a look of concern, "Something vexes you?"

"Hela" she replied simply. "Shoniara was having an anxiety attack, in part because of this entire situation, but mostly brought on by Hela. Hela placed a vision in her mind, one designed to give her false hope."

"False hope? Do you mean about saving the child?" Shran questioned.

"Yes. You have to understand captain, Hela is committed to this particular enterprise. Shoniara may not have known all the details of what was to happen, but Hela did. It was insidious to be sure, but perfectly within the rules of our people. Your Inara doesn't care for it, but we have rules we live by, similar to your Prime Directive. In regard to the child, while your medical technology cannot detect it, the child is in fact a demigod, to use a term you are familiar with. It is in part what has drawn so many of us to your vessel I'm afraid. The child will be born with powers of some sort and will have a similar demeanor as its mother. Shoniara believes because Hela has convinced her so, that she can recover the child. Nothing could be further from the truth. It would be inherently dangerous to you to have the child amongst you without proper supervision."

"I'm unclear as to why she wants a child. Surely if this was a goal of hers, she would prefer to mate with one of you, rather than have a child in this manner" Shran queried.

"None are willing to be with her for such a thing. To be honest, many of us believe she is doing this as a means to please Odin, or perhaps as a means to supplant him amongst their tribe. If she were to get the second mortal, particularly Shoniara's other child in this birth, she would most definitely speed the return of Loki. Hela is dangerous enough without Loki lurking about, as you can well imagine" Brigid replied. "I am needed elsewhere now captain. Please excuse me. The Great Mother requires me. Heed my words captain. Console and keep Shoniara calm. We will do our best to close up this matter as quickly and painlessly as we can. I am sorry for this situation, honestly." With that Brigid faded away.