Voices - M J Marlow (i can read with my eyes shut txt) 📗

Solace. I spent as much time as I could with Drea; who had
been rescued from Anjela and her man before they could get her
away. My teachers were all very happy to praise me in their
weekly reports to my Grandfather. They told him that I appeared to
have a natural empathy and patients seemed to calm in my
presence. I was just coming out of a session with Brad when Danel
nearly ran me down hurrying down the corridor. I hit the wall with
a thud and Brad was at my side, making certain I was all right. My
uncle was still going. He suddenly stopped and turned back to
watch with deep brown eyes as I was helped to a bench. I caught
the look of shock on his face before he came to check on me.
“Are you all right, Laura?” Danel asked as he pushed in
between the doctor and me. “I’m sorry, child. I didn’t see you
there.”
“Is there some kind of emergency we are unaware of
Captain Noris?” Brad asked in concern. “We heard no alarms.”
“No,” Danel looked sheepish. “I am just late for a
briefing.” He looked at me in concern. “You’re all right?”
“I’ve survived a fatal knife wound, Danel,” I smiled back at
him. “I think I can take a little bruising.”
Danel frowned at the reminder of my past injury. He had
not been there to help; his men had not been around to help. I had
faced the pain and terror on my own and I had come through it. He
was really quite proud of me. I smiled as I saw all of this in his
mind and he nodded and continued on. He arrived in his cabin just
as the call came through from Magistrate Aken on Jarusian.
“You really think they’re going to move on her, sir?” Danel
frowned. He thought about it and remembered some of the alerts
he’d been receiving from his men. “The Romulans would kill to
get their hands on prince Aden, but Melaura is no one important.”
“She is to marry him, Danel,” Aken reminded me. “They
would have even greater control if they took both of them.” Aken
frowned. “They have their agents in Hazri space and they have
made some inroads with those Hazri who have never stopped
wanting to be Romulan citizens, but think how much more they
could secure with Aden and Melaura under their control. I want
you to sit in on this call, Danel,” Aken said as he turned to a
second terminal. “Admiral Wainwright,” he smiled at the man who
appeared on the screen. “That ‘situation’ we discussed?” The man
nodded, his expression never wavering. “Laura Greyson is
currently stationed on the Jarusian medical ship, Solace.” He
waited as his friend thought it over and calmed. “You and I both
know what is going to happen now.”
“So what do you suggest, Lorn?” Wainwright asked his old
friend. “We could take the child into protective custody…”
“Your people wouldn’t get to them in time,” Aken shook
his head. “I have men on her 24/7. If anyone gets too close, they
will be ready to move. If they do manage to get to her, despite my
precautions, than I have a team that will be tracking her.” He
thought about what was going to face me and shook his head.
“She’s a true innocent in all of this, Ben. Melaura has absolutely
no memory of her parents; the trauma of seeing them murdered
caused her mind to shut down for several months afterwards.
Governor Dav will join you at the space station near Vulcan to
discuss what would be best for her and for the Federation.”
“I will be there,” Wainwright nodded. He looked over his
shoulder. “My aide is waving at me. Something else is coming to
my attention.” He looked back, and his expression was concerned.
“You know if this situation escalates, we will take her, Lorn. The
peace of the Federation…”
“I know,” Aken frowned. “One innocent child’s welfare is
of little consequence when the Romulans are on the move.”
Wainwright had the intelligence to look shocked. “I know you did
not mean it that way, old friend. I have teams to brief. I will send
you updates and let you know when that meeting should be set.”
Wainwright nodded and watched Aken’s face fade from the
screen. He turned to his aide and the man nodded. He had heard
everything and they both knew what they had to do now. If the
Romulans managed to get Aden and me under control, it was only
a matter of time before they forced the Hazri Emperor to allow
them access to the worlds he ruled. There would be Romulan bases
inside Federation space before they knew it.
“Send out a general alert to all Federation personnel;
starships, stations, and outposts,” Wainwright told him. “If they
see Prince Aden or Melaura Greyson, they are to ascertain their
status. If they are in peril, they are to extricate them from it and get
the prince or Miss Greyson to me.” He pulled up an image that
Aken had just sent him. It was of me at work in the Medical
Center. “Pretty child. She does not deserve any of this.” His aide
moved out and he called his grandson. “David,” he said as the
young lieutenant answered. “Is your Captain nearby?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I need her in on this call,” Wainwright told him. “Can you
patch it through to her ready room?” David nodded and a moment
later, the screen shifted and he was looking at Captain Elaine
Harrison of the Commitment. “Ellie,” he smiled briefly. “Captain
Harrison. I have a very important mission for you and your
people.” He briefly underlined what was happening. “The girl is
stationed on the Jarusian medical ship Solace at the moment, but
that may not be the case much longer. I need you to be on patrol at
the Neutral Zone near Hazri space, and I need my grandson
monitoring Ferengi chatter.” He saw David flinch. “I know, son. It
isn’t what you want to do, but this child’s life hangs in the balance.
The Romulans will use her and prince Aden to force his
grandfather into allowing them to use his planets in the Neutral
Zone to gain access to Federation space. Once they do, there is no
need for them to keep these children alive.”
“Why the Ferengi, sir?” David asked his grandfather.
“How long do you think it will take; once the alert goes out
on them,” Wainwright asked him; “before the Ferengi are
jockeying to be in position to move?” He saw David frown and
nod. “Their avaricious little minds will be swimming in dreams of
the profit they can make on ransoming the prince and this girl.
That is a situation I would rather spare these children.”
“Why is she involved in this, Admiral?” Elaine frowned.
“She is the daughter of a colonial Governor…”
“She is also the betrothed of Prince Aden,” Wainwright
told her. “Following Betazed custom, Aden and Melaura were
engaged the day she was born.” He came back to attention. “If the
Ferengi move, I want you in place to take these children from
them, Captain.”
“We have your orders, sir,” Elaine said as the code was
sent and the orders logged in. “We will follow them.”
“If you do find the children,” Wainwright told her; “I will
be on the space station near Vulcan next month. You can bring
them to me there.” He looked at his grandson. “I know how much
you hate having to deal with those vermin, son; but these kids are
counting on you.”
“I won’t let them – or you – down, sir.”
“I never thought you would, David,” Wainwright smiled.
He closed the channel and went back to his other work; knowing
the Commitment would follow his directions. This was not the first
time he had used the vessel as his stalking horse. He and Elaine
worked quite well together; their minds traveled along similar
patterns. He thought of the woman now and his thoughts were no
longer of the troubles facing the Federation. He would have to
make a move soon; he decided, or he would go mad.
“Prince Aden and Melaura have suddenly become the most
important persons in the Federation, Danel,” Aken said as he
thought over the situation. “The Hazri are watching him. Her
grandfather is counting on you and your team to make certain she
is never left unwatched.”
“She will have more shadows than one individual should
create, Magistrate,” Danel nodded to him. He frowned. “We
should send Melaura to the Federation for protection…”
“I would prefer she has a chance for a life free of such
restriction, Danel,” Aken replied. “Prince Aden will be joining the
Solace at their next port of call. He wishes to speak to Melaura
about this situation. Keep an eye on them.”
Danel watched the screen darken and sat back to think over
everything he had heard. He made his way down to my quarters to
warn me about Aden’s arrival and found me asleep. The disk
reader was playing information on Hazri still. He smiled and
turned it off and then bent down to kiss me on the forehead and
cover me with a blanket. He could wait to speak to me about this
matter. I wasn’t going anywhere.
I went about my work; oblivious to the undercurrents of
threat building because of me. I had finished for the day, and was
on my way to the Dining Cabin; when Danel caught up with me.
He went with me to the Dining Cabin and we sat in the corner. He
thought out everything he knew and had learned of my situation
and I was astounded. I thanked him for the warning and we
continued our conversation aloud speaking of mundane matters.
“I really am sorry for plowing into you the other day,
Laura,” he said as he bowed his head to me. “It is not like me to be
so oblivious to my surroundings.”
“It must have been a very important briefing to command
so much of your attention,” I said to him. I smiled as Drea came
towards us. “Drea,” I beckoned to her. “Please come join us.”
“Captain,” Drea nodded and smiled at my uncle shyly. “I
was going over our next mission with Quinn, Laura. Are you ready
to go planet side again?”
“More than ready,” I said to her. “After a week on board
this vessel, I am dying for the sight of something natural.”
“Just don’t run into anyone’s knife while you’re down
there,” Danel said to me as he rose. He kissed me on the forehead
and I blushed. “Take care of the little one for me, Drea.”
“He’s very attentive,” Drea mused as she looked at my
face. “He refused to leave your bedside when we brought you on
board after Zona-7.” She looked at me closely. “Is there something
going on with you two that I am unaware of?”
“He is a very close friend of the people who raised me,” I
lied to my friend. I had promised Danel not to let anyone know the
truth and I kept my promises. I saw the reason for it now and I was
not going to endanger anyone by exposing such a secret. “So,” I
said to draw her attention away; “tell me about our next mission. Is
the team the same?”
“Yes,” Drea nodded. “Doctor Scotti was so impressed with
the way we came together in a crisis that he is thinking of making
our team assignments permanent.” She looked proud at that fact.
“It would be the first time he has ever made such a decision.”
“Really?” I was impressed. “I would have thought he
would keep me on permanent ship’s duty after the way I got us