Spirits of the Ice Forest - Part Four

Posted on Sat Jul 31st, 2021 @ 5:26am by Grand Admiral T'Sara McKnight & Lieutenant Penthesilea "Ilea" Rohr & Senior Chief Petty Officer T'Paaru & Department Master Chief Petty Officer Stephen "Orthos" McKnight

Mission: Mission 106: Restitutions and Resolutions
Location: Various Locations - Utgarde IV
Timeline: 0830Hrs - October 24th, 2393

Department Master Chief Petty Officer Stephen "Orthos" McKnight was unsure of what to say to his spouse on the topic at hand. He decided to leave Daisy alone to keep an eye on T'Sara as Orthos went into the den which was located in the basement. It was secured behind a locked door with a double password combination. Orthos smiled as he came to his destination. He proceeded to input the two codes. Orthos smiled as he walked into the room after he secured the door behind him.

Orthos sat down before opening a communications channel to the Starbase that orbited the world of Utgarde Four overhead. "Orthos to Vanguard," he commented as a voice answered him a moment later. "This is senior chief petty officer T'Paaru. Can I assist you, Master Chief.?"

"I'm looking to speak with Lieutenant Penthesilea Rohr. It's a personal matter but it's important. Could you connect me to her?"

"One moment, please. Master Chief." T'Paaru answered. A moment later Orthos heard a female voice groaning softly. "Hello... What's up, Master Chief?"

"Ilea. I hate to bother you but I need to ask you about the T'Sara McKnight you left in your home reality." Orthos explained. "Did Archos ever mention her at all to you?"

Ilea blinked as she came fully awake. "Yeah..." she groaned as she slowly sat up. "I'm Sorry... I went to bed about an hour ago..." she explained herself as she blinked away her fatigue. "He mentioned that she was depressed. A lost and sad woman who was all alone in the universe." Ilea explained as she groaned softly.

"I understand," Orthos answered after a moment. "Thanks, Ilea. That was all I wanted." it was strange to him hearing the voice of his spouse in a woman who he had only just met. "I'll let you get back to your rest," he commented, as he did not wish to keep her.

"Okay. Rohr out." and with that, the comlink was terminated. Orthos tapped the display and stuck in his second call. This time it was to the USS Alaska, he wanted to speak with the ships first officer. Archos appeared on the screen a moment later., "Orthos. What's up bud...?" he cheered up instantly upon seeing Orthos.

"Archos. I don't want to take up too much of your time as I know you're a busy man... But could you tell me a little about your mother?... You see... She might be here... As in, here in my home, now."

"What?" Archos answered. "Well... That was unexpected." he paused. "The last time I saw her... She was dealing with the losses of being the last McKnight. I was lost to her. With being assigned to the Farragut... and Dad had died the previous year in a Cardassian metaweapon attack." Archos sighed softly as he paused. "The attack in question glassed an entire planet, killing over a billion people..."

"My god..." Orthos paused. "What the hell kind of a world do you come from?" he asked before he could stop himself.

"A brutal one." Archos paused before he leaned forward. "Orthos... Let me be blunt and clear with you on the matter at hand... I've never had a brother like you... Hell... I almost never had siblings at all... But if my biological mother is here... Then she intends to do more than just blend in... Mark my words... Brother..."

Orthos nodded, processing what he was being told. "Okay... I have a feeling that the T'Sara who just dropped out of the skies... Might be your mother... rather than mine..."

"I hope not..." Archos answered quietly. "That's... Not something I'd care to be thinking about..." he admitted.

"Alright. I have one more call to make... and when I am going to go and deal with this issue... I will call you back and let you know if this was all a wild goose chase and I was just being overly ridiculously paranoid..."

"But you are many things Orthos... Paranoid is not a word I associate with you." Archos paused. "Alright... Call me back when this is all over will ya?"

"Consider it arranged brother." and with that, he sighed. "Orthos out." and with that, he ended the comline to the USS Alaska. The chat had not helped him. It had only made things worse as he decided to call Starbase Fifty-Four where his mother was assigned as the commander of the region around the Starbase. Orthos considered what he wanted to say and how he wished to say it when suddenly the screen lit up with his mothers face. She was wearing her uniform and she had a rather wide smile on her face. "Orthos... Y'know. People are always telling me that space is so vast and timeless... My kids and grandkids never call and I never hear from them." The happy Vulcan answered. "I so enjoy hearing from them..." T'Sara grinned at him. "How is everyone doing!. Have you bedded Talon recently?"

Orthos regarded his mother, this was a surprise and the look on his face said as much. "Mother..." he answered quietly. "Well... This... just went sideways..." he commented aloud.