The Way Forward

Posted on Sun Jun 19th, 2022 @ 9:02am by Vice Admiral Cael Maz & Governor Kaelyth Solmarr & Civilian Tovil

Mission: Colony Life
Location: The Skyward - Market Sector - District Three
Timeline: 241401.19

As a civilian contractor its hard to find work. He was here on Dava accepting a new job. Like when he got first here things seemed to be out of place. Not much happening for this place. To the nearest bar he entered as he was given directions to meet his old friend Cael Maz. He was the Governor now as he heard before arriving. Tovil was contacted many days ago to come here. Till he got to the bar he heard the bad news once he got inside of his old friend.

Not that easy to say the least. Even some recognized him here and wondered how he got here upon his arrival. As the bar tender inside said, "Your the El-Aurian they keep talking about around here. " He put a drink in front of Tovil to encourage him to try it. The bartender described it as a new concoction.

"Really? I seem to be in quite high demand. I was supposed to meet with Governor Maz.", Tovil replied as he carried on with his tasks looking at his data pad.

The bar tender replied, "Someone will be down soon to speak with you instead. Keep it easy. It's been a rough day for everyone. Governor Maz is in coma if you haven't heard."

"We go way back. However not sure if he remembers me at all.", Tovil replied in hesitating low voice.

The bartender leaned over. "Don't expect him to remember you. Then again there is this Borg problem we been having lately. Since your El-Aurian here well I'm glad you are here with us."

"Well at least somebody can be cheered up around here." Tovil said right when the bartender had to tend to the other customers in the bar. Probably not important to know his name. After that Tovil waited for while till someone came to arrive.

Kaelyth had been busy trying to get all of the new civilians situated. Yes, there was a quartermaster to disseminate quarters, but there were always other concerns that fell to him to tend to. Now he had been asked to add one more to his roster. Apparently, one of the diplomatic aides who had come here needed some help orienting. According to the information Kaelyth had been given, the man had been expecting to meet Cael, but things being what they were, he would have to settle for Kaelyth.

Entering the bar -- Kaelyth had been told that the man had gone there -- he cast his gaze around the room, his gold-and-silver eyes coming to rest on the El-Aurian. Making his way over, he stopped a short distance away from the man. "Hello, you are Tovil, yes?" he asked to be sure he had not gotten the wrong person.

Tovil caught sight of Kaelyth as he was approaching him. First off it was not what he expected but however proceeded to speak. "Correct sir. It appears I am needed here., " Tovil replied. Quickly Tovil chugged down a sip of his beverage in front of him before Kaelyth responded again.

Kaelyth's expression registered apology. "I am aware that you were expecting to meet with Cael Maz. I am sorry, but he is not available now, so I have come." He motioned to a seat nearby. "May I join you?"

Tovil was caught off guard by Kaelyth's response. "You sure may. May I kindly ask what the current state of Cael Maz is? We go way back. I am quite concerned that is why I am here and he needs my help."

Kaelyth seated himself and held the other man's gaze. "Governor Cael Maz has been injured. He is currently undergoing medical treatment, but I do not believe there is any cause for true alarm." That may not have been completely true, but there was likely nothing this man could do that Dr. Torr could not, so there was no need to worry him unduly. "You said that he needed your help. In what capacity, if I may ask?" Cael had not mentioned this to him prior to the accident, so he was a it taken off his guard by it.

"I received a beacon signal with a hidden message in my shuttle in the Milky Way galaxy which I charted that led me here to Andromeda to the coordinates in this galaxy here at your planet. What I got was a message that your planet here was under threat by the Borg.", Tovil spoke softly without fear in his voice. "But it's the last line of the message which he said that it was time to come to keep the Borg at bay because my own parents promised that I would be here as it was a destiny foreseen. Sorry to imply but I don't see myself as some savior nor my parents never spoke of this though they did know Cael only by reputation." Tovil explained everything to Kaelyth to the best of his ability in hopes to get answers.

Kaelyth listened carefully, head tilting to the side in his customary pose of non-understanding. The Borg? They were in the Milky Way, but they had not come here yet, so why would Cael have sent such a message? The simple answer was that he would not have. But then who...?

The question did not finish forming in his mind before his own brain answered it for him. There were two versions of Cael Maz on Dava now. It had to have been the second who had sent the message, but that still left the question of why he would send such a message when it was obviously erroneous. A frown slid over Kaelyth's features as he thought about this.

"I am not certain why such a message would have been sent as the Borg have not been seen here. But I will contact someone who might have that answer. Please excuse me for a few minutes?" he asked, standing as he did. He was not sure how many people the Vice Admiral wished to know that he was here, and so he was choosing to err on the side of caution.

Meanwhile, the Vice Admiral was taking care of some last-minute things dealing with the cloaked ship when he got the call, "Go for Maz." he stated listening in as his hands were busy taking a bite to eat of his burger.

Kaelyth let his gaze drift to the man he had been talking to for a second before looking away and speaking. "Admiral, I have a minor situation," he began. "I am at The Skyward. I received a message that there was someone here to see Cael Maz. As the message was not specific as to which of you was meant, I thought he meant Governor Cael Maz. However, he has given me some... information... that suggests that he may have been referring to you instead, though he might just as easily have been from a completely different universe and referring to the Cael Maz from his universe." Kaelyth frowned as he continued even though the admiral would not see it. "I was uncertain as to whether or not you wished your presence to be revealed, so I am making this call semi-privately."

Maz responded, "And it's not my wife or daughter? Interesting. No one else knows I exist in this timeline save for the crew of Destiny, my Destiny. We should have him scanned for temporal signatures. Jessica is capable of that and after this firmware package, so will Jenj. I leave the choice to be yours." he then took another bite of his burger while he waited to hear what was going to happen to the stranger.

Kaelyth frowned in thought. Either could work except that until they knew who this person was for sure, he did not really want to give the man access to the Destiny. He was about to answer when he heard the stranger speak to him again.

"Very well. I guess whatever danger there is it is not immediate. Therefore perhaps I should go to the quarters that I have been assigned to. This is only the beginning," Tovil replied as he eyed Kaelyth. "Perhaps I need my rest."

Kaelyth turned to regard the man. Having initially moved away from him to make the call, Kaelyth noted that the man had approached to speak to him again and nodded. "Yes, that is a good idea. Give yourself a bit of time to acclimate to this place. We will speak again," he told Tovil.

Once Tovil had moved away from him again, Kaelyth turned his attention back to the vice admiral. "I believe the best option would be to ask Jenj to do this when she has finished the update. I do not feel that it would be wise to bring someone to Destiny whom we are not yet sure of... yes?" The questioning tone that the final word was spoken in was a to give the vice admiral the indication that he was open to having that thought countermanded.

Between bites of the burger, Cael nodded to no one and responded, "Agreed. Keep me posted, Maz out."