Mirror

Posted on 08 Dec 2022 @ 8:51am by Lieutenant JG Ron Bumble

Mission: Through the looking glass
Location: Sempok Nor
704 words - 1.4 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Ron circled his mirror imagine. He had read about situations like this before but never imagined he would be in one. He had pressed to speak with him solo believing he was likely going to be the most successful in understanding things. Afterall, he had been so close to the same discovery.

"Well, I know I'm not a clone so either you are or your ....

"From another door," Ron finished for him.

"Is it nicer there?" he asked. "Of course, it is. Any where's nicer than here."

"Not necessarily," Ron said.

"There's an infinite number of universes so anything is possible," both said at the same time.

"That s not creepy at all," Ron said.

"Are you going to kill me?" the restrained version of him said.

"You help me and I will help you," Ron said after a moment. He wanted to truly believe he could trust himself but even if he couldn't it was the best way forward. If he believed a bargain was possible he would likely get what he needed.

"In that case you take me with you. And Natasha too," he said eyes pleading.

"You I can try. Her no. She s not to be trusted," Ron said.

"I love her,” his mirror said firmer than Ron imagined.

“And in her own way she loves me," he pleaded. "Have you any idea how rare that is. That a woman like that would be interested in me. In a man like us."

"Yes," Ron said softly. "Yes I do. But if she truly loved you she would have got you out of here already. She's toying with you in this reality. Using you. Getting you to create things to dispose of her enermies."

"In this reality ... " the other Ron s eyes opened after a moment in understanding. "Oh your with a version of her too?"

“My Natasha is very different,” Ron said. And boy did he dearly want to get back to her.

“I need everything on the gateways. Every address, every level,” he looked him right in the eye.

“Your stuck here then. Did she send you? Shes not manifested here yet but theres stories of elsewhere,”

“Im not the first then?” Ron said narrowing his eyes. “To cross over.”

“The El Aurians seem to do it quite frequently,” he sighed.

“I doubt they use the gateways though. When our goddess manifested she spoke directly with one of our El Aurians. She according to her reports was confused.”

“She may have lied,” the other Ron said fleetingly, “On her report.”

“Well shes with the Cap ….” Ron stopped. Oh Shit what if she had lied and had Captain Reynolds fooled hook line and sinker for something more sinsiter.

“Point taken,” he said after a moment. Harper was fairly new. She had joined as just an Ensign and by all accounts of the gossip circling the ship she had snared Jonathan Reynolds pretty quickly. What if she was a spy. It wouldn't be the first one onboard the Drommie would it? He made a mental note to speak to the security chief If no when the got back.

“You get me out of here and take me to Jonathan Reynolds,” his mirror demanded. “Natasha too.”

“I can get you to Jonathan Reynolds,” Ron said simply. “I need you to help me modify your code to our vessel. So we have the same in our databanks.”

“Then you better bring Natasha,” he said.

Ron momentarily panicked inwardly. Where did he go from here? If it was the other way round he would do just the same wouldn't he?

He found himself doing something he never imagined. He shot himself with a phaser.

He stared down at his hand shaking and swallowed hard. Time to man up. Squaring his shoulders, he exited the bedroom and bowed before Cassie.

“My lady. The El Aurians are tricking the emporer. We must return this false me to him immediately. If the marriage to Aer and his lordship goes ahead they will have weaved in deep to the organisation. We may not get another chance, this station can wait. I have reviewed all his personal files. The attendant is of no danger to the Emperor.”

OFF