Ghosts of old times past

Posted on 20 Jul 2019 @ 2:17am by Lieutenant Commander Aidan Datari

Mission: Mission 1 - In the pale moonlight ...
Location: Aidan and Emme's quarters
Timeline: En route to Monolith
1532 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Sleepless nights were starting to become a habit it seemed. The Trill tossed and turned in his bed, unconsciously doing his best to stay on his own side of the bed and not wake the woman sleeping next to him. He was moaning under his breath, panting as if he was running. His eyes flew open as he was confronted with a very familiar creature. "Pasha?" he whispered, eyes unseeing in the darkness, as their owner wasn't even awake. The symbiont seemed to give off the vibe of a smile, but it was far from pleasant. The vibe sent a chill down the Trill's back as his mind was thrown back to a time he preferred to forget.

Already drenched by the rain that kept pelting down on him, Aidan raced through the streets. He had returned home on Trill for a few days because he wanted to attend a memorial for his parents, while Kesha remained at the academy. That, and his foster father had something in store for him that required his presence at home. However, his adventurous nature had once again gotten the better of him and he had roamed the streets, dashing from corner to corner, trying to remain unnoticed. He liked being invisible, unnoticed by anyone else, and he never did mind being overlooked by his peers. It helped him in his 'profession' and this only helped him better his skills.

He'd recently turned fifteen but he was reasonably tall for his age, if not a little skinny looking. Because of his appearance, he was underestimated when it came to physical strength. Having trained from age five, Aidan was an expert fighter and a fierce defender of his foster sister. However, since he was so engrossed in being invisible, he failed to pay attention to his surrounding and hadn't noticed that he was being followed by a middle-aged Trill dressed in shabby attire. The shady figure blended in easy with the crow as he streaked from group to group, following the fast moving teenager. Yes, he would be perfect, he was healthy looking enough.

Time was of the essence now, because other subjects had been unsuitable so far, and he needed to get a move on. The man darted after the child, and yanked him into a portal, trying to restrain the soaked figure who struggled with all his might. “Easy child, don't make me hurt you. But I will, if you don't stop struggling. I need you to come with me, it's a matter of life or death and I need your help.”

Too scared to do much of anything, taking the man's threat for a serious one, Aidan allowed himself to be dragged along. He knew he wouldn't win a fight against an adult and he had felt the bruising grip around his arm. He was led into a drab looking building which from the inside was clean and well-lit. He stumbled as he was shoved forward, barely catching himself before he could sprawl onto the floor. “I think I've found someone suitable for Pasia,” the man spoke, his voice soft and filled with want or greed, Aidan couldn't tell. It sounded strange, not caring at all. And who was Pasia?

“Did you now, will this one actually survive? If this one doesn't match up, Pasia will die and all was for nothing. Our buyer won't be pleased if she dies..and it's on you if she does. So it better match up this time, or I'll kill you myself.”

Aidan froze. “Who died?” he managed to stammer out as he started to back away from the two men, “what do you want from me?” His eyes travelled to what to him looked like a medium size aquarium, except that it didn't hold any fish. Inside, cast into semi darkness by the shadows around it he could discern a small oblong shape and he could take a guess on what it might be. Pasia, apparently, was a symbiont. He went white as it dawned on him now. These two had stolen a symbiont and now needed someone to traffic the thing somewhere else. And they had apparently, from what he could put together, lost a few of their other attempted hosts. How or why, he didn't know but he did know he didn't want to be next.

The teenager bolted for the door but was tripped up by the second male. “Going somewhere child? Pasia needs you, surely you won't let such a young thing die? We learned her name from our previous attempt but the host was incompatible and died from shock. But you, you're healthy and young. Surely you are a curious child?” He hauled the boy up to his feet and dragged him over to what seemed like a medical examination table. “Hold him down,” he instructed his partner, while ripping away the boy's tunic, exposing the entrance to the pouch which would hold the symbiont.

“It'll only be for a few hours,” the first man tried to soothe his struggling subject, “a day at most and then we'll let you go. Pasia won't be joining with you, she knows she's not meant for you. We'll make sure you're all right, I promise you that boy. Now lie still or I'll have to sedate you.”

Sedate, and then what? Aidan didn't want to spend what could be his last minutes unconscious. He gasped as he felt something being placed inside him, inside the pouch. His eyes went wide as he fought to sit up. Surprisingly, he was allowed to do this. The boy slid off the table, but held himself up by it, trying to keep his balance. He made a few uncertain steps, staring around like a newborn exploring it's surroundings.

“It worked,” his captors breathed in relief. But their relief was short lived because while they were distracted with their joy of success, Aidan took the opportunity to bolt for the doors. Covered by the rain, and the busy streets, he quickly disappeared into the crowds before crawling away in an abandoned building.

He felt something brush his consciousness, a curious mind, trying to blend with his own. Trying to learn from him, learn his name. He learned this symbiont was female, her name was Pasia and she was very young. She hadn't been joined before and hoped for a long and joyous blending and they fit well because he was young too. Joined before either was ever ready for such a commitment. She tried to soothe his fears.

Meanwhile, Thelev was getting worried, for his son had not returned home as he'd been summoned to do. Hours late he was now, which was quite unusual behaviour for him. He had alerted the authorities which had started a search for the fifteen year old. Hours went by, even a full day went by, before they found the boy curled up in the building, clothes all but torn from his body. He was still alive, but severely under-cooled and dehydrated. Thelev, part of the search party, took the boy up in his arms and carried him home, wondering why he wasn't responding. “What is wrong with him?”

Aidan heard the voices but he didn't have the energy to respond. I don't want this. He thought desperately. While he didn't want Pasia to die, he didn't want this. He was too young, untrained, he didn't deserve to be joined, there were so many others. And she was too young too, taken from the Pools before she was ready.

“He is what?” Thelev all but snapped as the medic shut her scanner off. “Take him to the Pools, take him now and fix this. Return that worm to where it belongs and return my boy to me. And we'll make sure he won't remember any of this, at least not until he's ready to learn of this.”

Barely conscious, Aidan was aware of being moved, of being transported, and then moved again. He felt cold air brush against his exposed skin and involuntarily, he shivered. He felt Pasia try to soothe him, that everything would be all right, and she would never forget him even if they made him forget about her. She was joyous to have experienced this much even if overall the experience of having been joined three times within a few hours time was somewhat traumatic.

Aidan heard a sharp hiss and then all voices seemed to fade into nothing.

Aidan bolted upright in bed, drenched in sweat and trapped by his sheets. He screamed until he had no voice left to scream, kicking to free himself from his entrapment. Breathing hard, he stared around the darkened room, wondering why he was tormented by this nightmare yet again. He sat panting for breath, turning his head to look at Emme, praying he hadn't wakened her. Slowly, he slid out of bed, pulling his pillow along with him. Tonight, he'd sleep on the couch, for fear something worse might happen during his almost waking dreams.

●● Lieutenant Aidan Datari
Chief Science Officer
USS Andromeda