Changes

Posted on Thu Apr 14th, 2022 @ 7:11pm by Captain David Hawkins & Emmah (Svidi)

Mission: The Goddess
Location: Ready Room - USS Arcadia
1765 words - 3.5 OF Standard Post Measure

As soon as Emmah was transported back to Arcadia she made a bee line for Hawkins ready room, an object clutched in her hand. Having learned from humans she interacted with, she had a determined and yet pensive expression on her face, which caused crew members to move out of her way as she moved quickly through the halls and to the bridge.

When she arrived she nodded to the Captain. "I found something." she said opening her palm, "And there are things I think we need to discuss." she said.

"Commander Thompson, you have the bridge," David ordered the ranking Strategic operations officer as he stood from his chair and waved at Emmah to head to the ready room. "Whatever you all found over there, it has you even concerned. Not sure I have seen you in this state sense the holo-incursion several years back."

"My brothers taking over the ship and torturing its crew members was a very trying time indeed." she said thinking back to Elion, essentially her big brother, born on Gladiator, a test in holographic capabilities. Sadly COIL, a terrorist group that had an issue with 'unnatural' people corrupted Elions programming to prove a point. He became obssessed with the Gladiators XO, Mercia Kavi, and locked down the whole ship, using the ship wide holographic emitters to plunge them all in to their own nightmares to keep them from being able to overpower him.

"I do have good news, Tayla d'Jax was not among the dead. They have never taken prisoners before, but from my guess, that had changed." she said placing the paper scroll on Hawkins desk. "I have not opened it yet." she clarified. "But it is another change, the rituals changed as well..." she said as her eyes looked at his desk, connecting with the holographic interface, and transferring images taken by her own eyes to it. It showed some of the crew members being hung, with the trinity symbol also cut in to their flesh.

"Previously, all victims were in perfect condition, just missing blood. It seems that there was... rage in this attack." she stated as she showed him more of the gory images.

Looking over the images, it started to eat at him deeply. He knew all to well that Tayla was a more than capable commanding officer, but she was not a seasoned combat officer as he was. Would that have changed the outcome of him being in command or would that make no difference whatsoever. From what the images showed, there was hatred, strife, and chaos in all that he saw. Nothing was done clean at all. Then there was the paper scroll. Emmah was right, this was all new. "So we are not looking at the same type of people and not a copy cat group either. And you said Tayla was not among the victims. Do we know of any others missing?"

"We are still waiting on a list from the saucer section of who was left behind. Dr Svidi will be going through the bodies once they are finished being transported over here, and we finish a complete search of the ship." she said. "Based on the crew manifest, and the faces I did recognize, I know what teams they were on. If the teams were complete, then there are over 20 unaccounted for." she said.

The captain took a long, deep breath as he tried to suppress the mixture of anger and helplessness that was shadowing the whole situation. It was a struggle not to blame himself for this, but how the hell could he not blame himself. This was built into his genes, his decades of training and experience. The feeling of what was before them was horrifying and disturbing. It was his fault. He left it to others to clear up the stragglers. Had he not trusted others to handle the job, and dealt with hunting them down himself, would this have happened?

"How long do you estimate a full ship wide search will take?" David asked Emmah as he looked at the images once again before turning his attention to the scroll that she had brought in with her.

She paused for a moment calculating with the Arcadia, "I will submit an inquiry to the security department. Standard time, with no issues, should be just over an hour if security uses majority of their teams to sweep the ship." Emmah said. "Inquiry submitted." she said. She followed his eyes to the scroll. "They've never left notes before." she said.

"No they haven't. The Trinity aren't the 'leave a love letter behind' types. I'm going to assume its been scanned for any types of contaminates?" David commented as he joined her next to the table and the scroll. "Unique way of leaving a message, to say the least."

Emmah made a face, "No sir, I did not bother to scan it. I am sorry, I should have considered that as a risk." she said. "Arcadia, scan the item on Captain Hawkins desk." she ordered the ship. She didn't call it computer, as most people did, she called it by its name. It was just something about it that felt right to her. "Search for anything that would be a danger to physical beings or to the ship." she said.

There was a beep from the ship before the female voice spoke up, "No dangers detected."

"Thank you." Emmah said, "If you prefer, I can handle the scroll so you need not touch it." she offered.

"Don't be sorry. I know you wouldn't put me in any harm if you knew there would be," he reassured her as he gave the holographic crew member a slight smile to reassure her before nodding at her at her request. "Sure, let's see what threats we have to hear before us."

Emmah returned his smile, before she reached forward and carefully opened the scroll. While it seemed to have some bloody smudges on it, it was not written in blood. It took her a moment to understand the script, as it was written with a fancy flourish.

"In the words of the ancient one... a great joy will accompany the great strife, for the three in one has come. The dawn draws near, after the darkest of nights. All those pure of blood shall be reborn under the hand of the three in one. For their souls will enlighten and purity will reign. Follow the words of the messengers for they shall lead you to your redemption."

Emmah laid the scroll flat, as she read the words. "This reads like... a scripture, or translation of a prophecy. But I do not know what it means. Have they redefined what the Trinity is?"

The commanding officer took a moment to take the words in and try to understand what was being explained on the scroll. It seemed worn by erosion of time seasons. To hold up so well would have been nothing short of a miracle. Where did this come from though, and who was behind all this? How could it all be linked to what was so much less like the Trinity yet the same.

"The massacres, the conflicts, the booby-traps. Yes the draining of the blood and the marking on the foreheads are very similar to the trinity, but everything else?" David thought out loud as he looked at the scroll himself.

Emmah looked at him, "I feel like this is a different sect, there are many similarities, but, their modus operandi seems to differ, and adding these little notes left behind? I think we should have your staff research these this and see what we can find. Is this ink? If so where? Where does the paper come from? Are there words and scriptures found like this on any other worlds?"

'Not a bad idea..." he nodded in agreement before he looked over at her and pondered for a moment. "Tell me, Emmah. Why haven't you already ran those very things as soon as you returned and linked up with Arcadia?"

She pressed her lips together as she looked at him, "I suppose I should have. I spent my time comparing the other aspects of the attacks. I have all the files, plus my own witnessing of the previous events." she confessed. "I should have prioritized the note." she said with a bit of a shame in her tone.

"Don't see this as me getting on your butt about it. You just have grown and have changed over the years. It's kind of nice. You are as perfect as the day we met, but not the same person. That is for sure," David explained as he leaned his head down a little to meet her eyes. "Don't be ashamed or beat yourself up over it. Ok?"

Emmah looked up at him a moment her lack of confidence fading away to a more neutral expression, and then a gentle smile she often kept on her face any way. "I will try not to." she said. "My processes are still trying to figure out how to appropriately express such things."

"You are doing fine," the man responded as though he were a proud father to her. It wasn't a lie in the least. She was his closest thing he had to a daughter and so he felt very protective of her. "Get this checked out with the science and medical department. Once done, bring it and yourself to the debriefing later. Can you do that?"

"Of course I can!" Emmah said brightly. "Is there anything more you need me to take care of Captain?" she asked happily as she collected the scroll and rolled it back up carefully, not wanting to damage it.

He allowed for a long sigh out and rubbed the bridge of his nose before answering. "No you are already doing so much. Once we get over to the Gladiator and Operations have cleared you to connect with her, I will ask you to search her data banks for what else we may have missed."

"Of course, It will be nice to finally connect with my old friend. I miss Gladiator." she admitted. "It will feel comforting to be a part of her again." she said, "I may need some time however, I hope you are not planning on leaving too quickly." she said.

David smirked before assured her. "Yeah you take the time ya need so you can get in the groove once again. And you don't have to worry. I don't plan on leaving anytime soon."