The Windswept Tide - Part Three

Posted on Sat Apr 30th, 2022 @ 2:23am by Division Admiral Rhaenys "Nighthawk" Dvald & Commander Sohnaxx Dvald & Commander Siaxx Warfield & Post Captain Heris Dvald

Mission: Mission 121: The Mobius Loop
Location: Various Locations - Starbase Vanguard
Timeline: 1615Hrs - November 1st, 2393

"Why didn't you tell us, mom?" Herar asked. "About what happened... I mean..." he added.

Dvald-Vaxx regarded her son. "Look at her..." Dvald-Vaxx answered softly. "What was she supposed to tell you son?" she indicated her younger self with her hand. "How could she?... I mean, she couldn't even fathom herself, what had taken place... What had been done to her... The fact that a man she was supposed to trust... A man who should have protected her had been the one to take what he wished from his own niece... He had simply held her down, ignoring her protests, her cries, and her screams while he more or less removed her clothing by force and then had his way with her. He was fully in control and he could do as he wished to me... Oh, he enjoyed himself while I fought tooth and nail to get him off of me... Fortunately, Lenaris intervened with a metal pole... He would have murdered his own uncle over what the man had done to me." Dvald-Vaxx paused. "There are times when I wish he had."

Herar was speechless, he had no idea of what to say. It showed too with the look on his face.

"I know its a lot to take in all at once Herar..." Dvald-Vaxx admitted.

"It is..." Herar answered softy. "How did she cope?" he indicated the hologram of his mother.

"She had the care and attention of her siblings who were always there for her, when they weren't then they contacted her often via subspace and wrote almost daily. I have thousands of emails saved in my personal database from our family, wishing me well and hoping for my recovery. keeping me in their thoughts and the like." the older female paused. "I followed my siblings into Starfleet... Mom was in the service and dad had enlisted... He did after Rhaeny's and I joined the service."

"What happened to aunt Rhaenys...?" Herar asked gently.

"She was just as damaged as I was with what happened, with her it took longer to manifest... She said she'd never find anyone for her, she'd never marry or have children... Rhaenys diverted everything into her career as she went into security but Starfleet Intelligence came calling... She signed on... and she's been doing it ever since..." she paused. "Her service record is impressive... But she is alone, no husband... no kin of her own, all the while she is still tormented by the same demons that plague me." Dvald-Vaxx regarded her son. "You asked me what you could do for your friend. Be there for her when she calls you." as she gently took her son's hand in her own.

"What if she doesn't call me?" Herar answered

"Your friend is going through a life-altering event, one that will reshape her in long-lasting, complicated, and profound ways... She is... In essence, a totally different person now." she sighed softly. "You need to find out where you fit in with her new reality... The friend you knew, gone she is... replaced by a complete stranger wearing her name and her face..." Dvald-Vaxx paused. "She is besieged from within and from without... When she rages, listen to her, when she falls, help her up... When she cries, dry her tears... when she's lost, go and find her." Dvald-Vaxx clearly knew of where she spoke.

Herar listened to his mother in silence.

"In her darkest hour... you must shine... You may yet be the one who helps her come to terms with whats happened... Remember, she knows intimately what he feels like to be someone else's plaything, a living, breathing sex-toy. She means nothing to this person who did the deed, only that he has control over her, because what's to stop him, from doing it again?"

"I don't know... can anything actually be done?" Herar asked softly.

"That depends on a great many things." Dvald-Vaxx sighed softly. "It took me many years to come to terms with what had happened... and yes, your father knew what had happened to me," she explained. "I showed him this file... He said that he would ensure that I would be protected, he would see to it that I would be able to handle matters... He continued teaching me the martial arts that Jake and Torilla Yamaguchi both taught me earlier... but me being raped wasn't the only trial of my life... There were a few others..." as she let out a deep sigh. "I will tell you about those... But not today." as she indicated her younger self. "She is who I was..." and with that, she turned back to her son. "Computer. end program... Come on Herar, let's go home."

"Yeah, right behind you mom... I don't think I'll ever look at women the same way ever again..." Herar admitted.

"So long as you remember that a woman is a living, breathing person and not something for your own pleasures, you'll be fine..." Dvald-Vaxx answered with a gentle smile. "Look on the bright side of things... I guarantee that a Bolian woman somewhere wants you. It'll be great."

"Perhaps mom." as Herar followed his mother out of the holosuite in silence.