Priya Kapil
FC: Kelly Gale
Age: 28
Key personality traits: Carefree (Devil-may-care)/Charismatic/Smug/Crooked/Erratic/Incorrigible
Established relationships: Col. Ryan Benjamin (previously romantic relationship – can be romantic again)
Interests: Cameron, Cyrus and Gemma [Ryan]
Stardate080721: New Captain, who dis? - Done
Gemma had led me to her quarters that day, and from there on she took me along a path I had walked many times before. When I had started to recognise the twists and bends to the Cyrobay I had stopped, Gemma had waited just a few steps ahead until I started up again. It would have done no good to back out already.
Who awaited me there was Nerissa Logan, but the sight that awaited me was perhaps what shocked me most of all. It didn’t make sense. And after a week in here, it still doesn’t make sense.
My naps had taken me to the Cyrobay before, plenty of times. And it had always been the same; the vast bay, bright and light, neat rows of Cyrobeds filling the space, hundreds of them – I was never given reason to count. The place had always been pristine, I remember it so clearly because I never thought I was pure enough to fit in there. It was a place of peace and calm which would hold me for a while.
What met me in the presence of Gemma and Nerissa was completely the opposite. It was dark and there was a wet chill to the air. Gone were the endless row of Cyrobeds, what remained was something about twenty – all in all far too few. And they looked worse for wear, I wondered if they were safe.
And that’s where Nerissa declared that this would be my home for now. She told me to ponder the sight in front of me – and that I have done, I still don’t know what to make of it – and she said I would stay there until I was fully cleansed, that was seven days ago.
Still I know nothing. I’ve wandered the space and only thing I can think of is that some of the Cyrobeds has the same markings as the one I found in the cargo bay, PK#15-20 and RB#25-30. There is something wrong, I know that. Something is very wrong.
And then we has come to today, Stardate 080721. Gemma arrived earlier. She told me it was time to choose, if I would be with them or against them. She wouldn’t tell me more. Only that she would be back soon and that I needed to have an answer ready.
The day held more excitement than the last week because after that, my com buzzed, it was pleasant distraction from the choice before me which demanded my answer. Or perhaps not so pleasant as I would come to find out.
“Priya, where are you?”
I froze at the voice in my mind and I went cold all over. Of course, I hadn’t forgotten, but after a week in that place, the plan making of what I would do when I saw him again had grown less intense and less frequent. Hearing his voice was like remembering I had third degree burns which wouldn’t heal, and then someone starting to poke at them.
“I’m in your quarters, why are you not here?”
I can’t tell you what his voice sounded like, because the sound of it had me starting to seethe again, but I can imagine I was just another bother in his day.
“I can’t imagine why you’d think I’d be in my quarters, it’s not exactly where you left me.”
“There’s no time for this now – you need to listen and tell me– “
“Listen?! Listen to you?! I have no reason to listen to you! You never explained anything. I was playing by your fucking rules and look at where it got me?!”
“Where, where has is gotten you?”
“I had to go and find out for myself – nothing is what it’s supposed to be…”
“Damn it, just tell me where you are so I can come and get you. When things are starting – when things start to go sideways, there’s no way for me to keep you out of trouble.”
There was a pause, he was expecting some kind of final answer.
“I never needed you to keep me out of trouble. That was never why I wanted you. I said it before, if you only want to talk me out of ‘trouble’ – you need not bother anymore.”
I ended the call.
I must admit there and then I had brushed past the “so I can come and get you”-part but in my anger. I could find no good reasons why he would want to come and get me. He had shown his hand quite clearly already, hadn’t he? Anyway, if there had been some reason, I guess I had killed what had remained of it with this last conversation. I kicked one of the closest Cyrobeds, it looked like it had been through worse. I felt a bit hollow, but perhaps it was for the best.
Gemma came back not much later, I told her I was with them. After all what was clear was that I still hadn’t figured out what was going on. She looked happy with my decision.
Did I still imagine I could handle the situation? I had no idea, but that was like it had always been, you win some – you loose some.
Stardate081021: What Happens in Holosuite D
I’d lie if I said I was sure I had made the right choice. The outlook on what they would do to me, what I had to do to repent, grew grimmer by the day. When they came for me that morning though, I was still determined not to give up and finally figure out what the fuck was going on. It was what happened later that morning which broke my resolve.
Nerissa had set me to fasting in quarters that were smaller than my own, sparser and, of course, locked. For three day I bid my time, all in order to be cleansed and reborn so I could finally start my repentance, I kept a straight face, but I scoffed on the inside. Soon enough I would cower away from their ideas instead of mocking them.
Gemma had been selected as my guide but as I was held in fasting, she still refused to tell me anything. Not until the morning of my repentance.
I’ll admit I felt weak as she stepped into my room that morning, but I stood up to meet her, still expectant.
“It’s time,” she said with the smile, “but before we go, you need to understand Nerissa came to our salvation. The Orions were too compassionate and to caring – their weakness damaging. As Nerissa stepped up as our emissary, we can finally be free, you can be given what you need in order to be free.”
She gripped my hands and squeezed them, her eyes filled with devotion. I tried to wrack my brain, like I had done in the Cyrobay – what did it mean? I came up blank.
“Come and I’ll show you to her.” She let go of my hands and gestured me out the door.
“I am sorry there is not time to do this properly, perhaps it’s better this way.” She said as we made our way, I was catching on that we were headed back to the Cyrobay. “You have known great pain, it will work in you favour. It is after all what you deserve.”
Perhaps I should have tried my luck running there and then, but I hesitated and suddenly it was too late. Gemma pushed me though the door to the Cyrobay.
Inside were only Nerissa, she stood beside one of the cryopods and I was staring to guess where this was going. Gemma had a firm hand at my back, making sure I was staying on course.
“Welcome,” Nerissa smiled, “finally you are ready for your repentance to begin.”
She gestured at the pod by her side. It was the one marked with PK#15-20 and I realised it was mine, it was my initials. Why? I don’t know. It didn’t look in any better shape than the others. It was what scared me in that moment, none of them looked sleep-worthy. There had always been a risk of malfunctions with the pods, but it had been small. But that had been in the pristine pods, in these – I could very well lose much of myself. Up to this point I had enjoyed me – enjoyed my life a lot.
“No,” I said shaking my head, “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“It’s what you deserve,” Nerissa assured. Not very assuring.
I’ve never been the physical fighter. I had always resorted to other ways to avoid such situations; being stealthy and sneaky, charm worked remarkably often, and then there was always running away. Neither of those options were open to me now, I had put myself in the jaws of the beast.
Didn’t mean I wouldn’t try to struggle but it was futile. I was weak to begin with and in comparison, Nerissa’s strength was unbelievable.
“No,” I repeated as I tried to dig my heels in as Gemma continued to push me towards the pod. That was when Nerissa unceremoniously gripped me by my upper arms and swiftly sat me down on the pod. I didn’t have time to react as she changed her gip, pinning my hands together with on hand, the other pushing my upper body down unto the pod with a firm grip around my throat. Gemma got my feet up and there I was on my back.
“No,” I tried to croak out again, but Nerissa cut it off as she pressed down harder around my throat. I was fixed in place and the lid was closing – there was nothing I could do than let sleep get me.
“This is what you deserve.” Where the last words I heard.
I should have drifted off, into that dreamless state where time seemed to stand still. It wasn’t like it at all. I don’t know what they had done to the pods, they must have re-programmed it in some way because I was ready for the blackout and instead a jolt shot through my body.
My body didn’t relax in sleep instead, as if every single nerve ending were pricked with a pin – all at ones – my body contracted. My mind was lit up – exploding and imploding – overflowing – as emotions flooded in. And it was not the sunshine and puppies kinds of emotions that were forced upon me.
Compared to this Ryan’s betrayal was a drop in the ocean, an ocean that now was drowning me. I couldn’t breath – I have no idea if I needed to in this state – but I remember gasping for air but all of my thoughts were redirected at trying, and desperately failing, at coping with the hurt, the loss, the anger, the desperation and desolation I was choking on. It manifested itself in my and body and it hurt – fucking hell it hurt – as if I was torn to pieces.
I don’t know for how long it lasted, that was the only likeness to Cyrosleep, I had no idea if moments, minutes or months had passed. By later calculations my best guess is a few hours – not that it matter.
Much like an ocean the tidal waves of torment rose and fell, but the ebbs were miniscule and either state were unbearable.
I hardly dared to believe it when if finally ebbed out not to flood me again. No that the pain went away, the grief were bone deep by then and my body felt as beaten up as my mind. It was a surprise I could still be kept together by my skin – I felt more like a pile of sticky goo.
As the lid of the pod opened – I was still alive – I used the last of my strength to retch over the side. Nothing came up – I hadn’t eaten for days after all.
I was led back to the quarters I had been locked into earlier, once I could stand again. I forced myself to walk on my own. I wouldn’t allow myself to lean on Gemma’s shoulder – how could I ever have thought it a good idea to come with her? Old or new Gemma – I should have known better than to trust her.
I managed a ‘why?’ before she left me to the solitude of my cell, with guards upon the door, there wasn’t any different from a prison.
“You are feeling what you deserve,” she smiled. I had come to learn that serene smile was all backed up with cruelty. “You need to accept the full grace of your repentance, until then you are to keep to this room. I myself will be in a similar situation. Remember, you are feeling what – “
“ – you deserve.” I finished for her. I desperately didn’t want to believe I deserved this.
Curling up in a corner, I did my best to fight it, the darkness which pressed in on my mind. In the simple life I had lived, I had never claimed to deserve more than just that – but I knew I didn’t deserve this.
I kept repeating it. Muttering it under my breath, rocking back and forth in the corner of my cell. I might have been the picture of insanity – this was all very insane.
Somewhere in this my com must have buzzed and I must have answered because suddenly Cameron’s voice was there.
“I’m so thankful to get hold of you! I’m sorry I haven’t contacted you these last days, things have just been so crazy – you know since the Captain disappeared, with the inspections and everything. I hope you’ve been okay through it all.”
It was nice to hear his voice, there was a perky note to it as usual. Perky was everything I didn’t feel.
“Cameron?” It came out weak, obviously, he heard it too.
“Priya? Are you okay? You don’t sound like you are.”
“I’ve been better,” it was nice to talk to him. To keep something as linear as a conversation going helped to keep my mind occupied. “Actually, I’m not sure I’ve been worse.”
“What happened? Did Saru get hold of you?”
I shook my head before I remembered he was only on the com.
“No, that woman might not likely but she’s not pure evil like these creatures.”
“Creatures? Who got you?”
“Just promise me you’ll stay far away for anyone wearing a blue shift.”
“Should I come and get you? Where are you?”
“I’m locked up in quarters, not sure exactly where but close to the Cyrobay.”
“Alright, I’m coming to get you.”
“No. No, don’t, it won’t work, they have guards outside the door, don’t come here. You need to keep away from them.”
“I’ll find a different way.” I could already hear him moving around.
“You don’t know what they are capable of.”
“It will be fine, I’ll get you out. I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Cameron?” But he had already ended the call. I don’t know what I hoped most for, that he stayed away or that he would come. Definitely the latter.
When I had been locked up in the previous days, Sarus strange messages had still reached me, blue-shifts hadn’t bother to cut me off from them. And another such message was broadcast that afternoon, I didn’t bother looking up at the screen. Until another familiar voice broke in instead.
“It is stardate081021 and I am Octavia Benjamin, OB#15-20 of the U.S.S. Osiris, 728 of 730 and I am ready to repent for my sins against the Orion Confederation. Before I re-enter Cryosleep my final words are ‘We choose are own Duat.’”
So, that was who had taken her, I wasn’t really surprised. When the first announcement of the Octavia’s disappearance had appeared, Gemma had hardly reacted to the fact.
She wore a blue shift and she looked worn – I wondered if they had put her through what I had just been through. If so, she hadn’t been defeated, still she stood tall. And here I sat with bowed head. I hade hated her guts for a long time. Seeing her so strong made me feel even weaker and pettier, because after all I was still jealous of her in a way.
I didn’t try to make sense of what she had said, nothing made sense anymore anyway.
Her image soon cut out again and I caught a glimpse of blue shifts grabbing Saru before it cut to black. So, I knew they were advancing. Soon enough, perhaps it didn’t matter if Cameron managed got me out or not, they would have every nook and cranny under there grip.
The com buzzed again, thinking it Cameron again I answered quickly.
“You need to find a way to come and help me,” Cyrus snarled in my ear. I didn’t bite back.
“Cyrus?” My head wasn’t working as smoothly as I liked. “Hello Cyrus, why are you calling me?”
“What?! Remember you still owe me.”
“You want me to come save you?” My smile didn’t travel all the way to my lips but there was a tiny glint of it somewhere within me – the horror hadn’t managed to take over so completely.
“You.need.to.come.help.me.”
“It doesn’t matter what I owe you. What ever you’ve got yourself caught up with – I think I may be in it worse.”
“What?”
“Beware the blue shifts, I don’t even think I would wish them upon my worst enemy.” There was a moment of silence. “What do you need help with anyway?”
“Why should it matter to you? When you are useless to me anyway.”
And then I was alone again, had he been just a tad bit civil I might have told him about Cameron. I didn’t have to battle the silence alone for too long but it was long enough to have me feel hopeless again.
“Priya.”
I looked up at the whisper but saw none. Then it came again.
“Priya, up here.”
I looked up further at that, up at the ceiling. But I didn’t understand that it came from the vent before the panel started shifting. I stood up at that, glancing towards the door but it remained shut. Soon the panel was removed a white head of hair popped out.
“You came.” A surprised laugh slipped.
“I told you I would, didn’t I?” He was grinning from ear to ear, but I also caught him glancing at the door. “Come over here and I’ll pull you up.”
I followed with out a word. It took a few grunts and heaves before I, head to feet, was inside the air duct. I managed to crawl passed him, letting him put back the panel before I thought it might actually work. He turned to me, it was dark in there, but I could see him smile.
“Are you alright?”
Two people in the ducts, it wasn’t exactly spacious, but it was better than that room. So much better.
“I will be.”
In that moment I was sure I would be in time. Little did I know this escape was barely a breathing room for what would come down on us.
Stardate082521: Lost in Space?!
1.Cameron
2. Ryan
3. 5
4. Magpie
Round 5 Done
Last edited by tricole (21/10/2020 at 22:42)
