Bitter Betrayal

Posted on Tuesday February 16th, 2021 @ 8:59pm by Tiandith 'Tia' Tobru

Mission: Marauder's Map
Location: Valhalen Asteroid Belt, then UNKNOWN
767 words - 1.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Darkness. Why does all life seem to start and end with darkness?

Tia struggled to move as the weight of the mangled shuttle around her seemed to press down on her. She had escaped Bovali’s betrayal but only just. Her resistance cell, her family, had been all but cut down by Jem’Hadar forces led to them by the man she once called a friend.

Their base of operations for the last year had been an asteroid within the Valhalan Belt. It was known to have radiation that disrupted sensors so where it was good to hide it was not as good to sense the coming of death. However, it was as safe a place to hide these days than most.

In truth Tia had felt the walls closing in on her for the last couple of years. Her alias as The Listener was proving to be popular amongst the citizens of the quadrant who felt the oppression needed to end but most unpopular to those who relished Dominion rule or were simply happy to serve.

Tia had never been happy to serve tyrants. The Federation, Starfleet, were beacons not just institutions. She had read a series of books once, The Hunger Games, and the mockingjay and two fingered salute were just as much a representation of hope as the insignia of Starfleet, or the flag of the Federation. Now these symbols were images of resistance to an oppressive regime and a pain in the Dominions, and Prime’s ass.

She had fled with some of her fellow fighters into a shuttlecraft and attempted to escape what Bovali had brought down upon them but was only successful enough to get a little reprieve.

Pushing some debris off her she coughed a little and looked around the broken shuttle. “Anyone alive?” she called out as she squinted for better sight.

No answer.

Only 5 of them had made it to the shuttle and they lost one when they were hit by Dominion fire.

It was then a struggle to keep the shuttle together as they made it through the asteroid belt. All the time Tia looking for a safe place to hide, to settle and regroup. She could feel the anger in her, so much so she could taste it in her mouth. Everyone was gone.

Her stoic and logical second in command Soval, a Vulcan with a heart of gold. Sometimes their arguments would make waves themselves, but they always valued them as they brought out the best solutions and behaviours in them both.

Her weapons master Brogan, a Human and former security chief adept in hand to hand as well as a keen eye for hitting a target. He always managed to keep them supplied and armed with whatever he could find.

M’Rel, her Caitain Doctor. Sometimes she would scratch you for the fun of watching you bleed. She was a little sick like that, but she only did it to annoy you and take your mind off the disruptor wound to your leg, or knife in your stomach.

All gone, and so many others too. There were over 100 souls on that asteroid.

Tia managed to open an escape hatch, a small opening but enough to let a little light in. As she popped her head out, the sunlight hurting her eyes she realised she was way off course and had no idea where she was.

The feel of dried blood through her hair and down her face clinging to her as a reminder of Dominion rule.

She reached out of the hatch and felt a pain in her shoulder and after a few El Aurian expletives saw a shard of metal had pierced her from front to back. There was no way of removing it without causing more damage and she was no medical expert by any means. She had first aid skills, the ability to patch people up but given the placement of the shard she knew it was best to leave it.

Instead, she found a medical kit and wrapped bandages around it to keep it in place. Before leaving the shuttle, she placed a small transceiver on the outer hull. It transmitted an SOS on a lower subspace band that the resistance used, embedded in it was her own unique code to identify her as The Listener so that others would know it was safe.

She would need to find shelter, food, and safety before deciding her next move. Her injury restricted her, but she had been through worse and she would not rest until she was back in the fight.