It's all uphill at the Monroe's Pt 1

Posted on Sun Mar 2nd, 2025 @ 10:57pm by Commodore Finchley Kerr & Lieutenant Commander Isabelle Savette & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T'ghann-Dex. Doctor

2,264 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Voices of the past
Location: Turbolift, USS Blackeagle/Monroe's office
Timeline: Current.

Back in the turbo lift Isabelle had been listening to Shon. “You said you could remove my augmentation? What exactly does that mean? What would happen to me?”

Finchley turned to look at Shon as he himself was interested in this as well, wondering if it would alter Isabelle in any way, physically or mentally.

Shon sighed, "I wish I could give you a direct answer. i am hoping I will be able to find something on the planet, they must have medics and, possibly the Monroe's can help. I have been experimenting with the nanites to see if they can help destroy the augmentation without destroying healthy tissue." She looked at Isabelle. "I am sorry I do not have better news. I cannot remove the borg nanites so it has to be the Augmentations. The only other thing we can do is put you into stasis and return to the Federation."

Isabelle looked at Shon in surprise. “It’s that serious? I just thought it would be as simple as something for the irritation around my implants.” She sighed. “I guess we’ll have to hope my so-called family are willing to help.”

"There's something I have to say regarding that Isabelle" Finchley said, "and this isn't easy for me to say and it'll be even harder for you to hear. I don't care if they are related to you, they're augments and it was because of them that we had the Eugenics wars back on Earth, wars that cost the lives of millions. Whatever they say, whatever they offer you, you're a Starfleet Intelligence Officer, your duty is to help stop these people from causing chaos anywhere. I know they're no longer a threat to Earth at the moment, well, as far as we know, but that's not to say they won't be again one day. If I had my way, they'd get wiped out right here and right now, but, I want to hear what they say and I want to know if they can help the Doctor here get rid of the augmentation in your body. We'll play along with their 'family reunion' story, but I want answers as to why those six children were left behind, after that, I can't make any promises as to their wellbeing."

Isabelle nodded. “I understand Sir, if what they say is true then I’m a descendant of one, or two of those children. If so then I’m going to need some serious answers, even then it’s my life and I want to keep it just the way it’s always been. I don’t want to end up in some Federation prison.”

Shon moved over to her and enveloped her in a bear hug. From my point of view I just want you to live. I will do everything in my power to save you."

Isabelle couldn’t help but smile at that. “Thank you Shon, whatever happens I just want to say thank you to both of you. I know I didn’t stick out being First Officer for long, but I appreciate the fact that you gave me the chance Commodore. As for you Shon I want us to be the bestest of friends, now we have the chance to be onboard the same ship. I’m not giving up on anything, no matter what happens.”

Finchley waved his hand, "There's no need to thank me Commander, you gave it your best try but felt it wasn't for you, and that's all I could ask for."

Isabelle nodded. “Not right now anyway, doesn’t mean I won’t try again in the future. That’s depending on what happens now of course.”

"Resume" Shon ordered as the lift began to move. Suddenly she thought of being with Finchley and dismissed the stray thought. He was tense she could sense that at least. The lift began to move again.

With all that had gone on, now that they were 'on their way', Finchley still couldn't shake the bad feeling he had about this mission. There was nothing so far that had stuck out as being particularly worth worrying about, well, most things had gone right, just little hiccups like getting thrown twenty thousand light years away from where they'd been, but one problem at a time.

"You know, is it just me, or were the Monroe's just a little bit too keen to contact and then want to meet us, well, Isabelle anyway?"

Shon countered, "Well I suppose a long lost daughter contains a lot of expectation on both sides but, as your CMO and Isabelle's physician I agree. i have an itch in my spine I cannot scratch. " The lift finally deposited them at at the main transporter. "Ready" Shon asked.

"Well, there's no time like the present" Finchley joked as they entered the transporter room. He gave the coordinates to the Lieutenant at the controls then stepped up onto the pad.

"Just keep in mind both of you that we want more information out of them than what we give to them" he said to Isabelle and Shon.

Shon straightened her communicator, it was something she always did before stepping onto a transporter. How it originated she had no idea but it was just one of her ‘good luck’ things. She checked her little box of medical tricks and stepped up next to Finchley, patting her phaser she waited for Isabelle.

Isabelle paused before stepping up, she was suddenly feeling very nervous about the whole thing.

"You know, I did do a little bit of study on historical name's in my home country, like Kilbane, I'm Scottish" Finchley said, "Even though technically Earth doesn't now have countries anymore, just regions. Anyway, did either of you know the name 'Monroe' comes from northern Scotland?"

“It does?” Isabelle looked at Finchley curiously. “I guess they could be of Scottish descent then.”

"Very interesting but not prescient to the mission, can we please just go?" Shon said knowing that this would end badly for someone or, everyone.

"It has nothing to do with knowing what will happen in the future, that is after all what prescient means" Finchley replied, "I was just imparting a little bit of what I've learned about name's, and get rid of the phaser, we're not going down there armed, how the hell do you think that'll look when we walk into Monroe's office" he finished.

“I have no intent of causing any problems Sir” Isabelle offered a smile. “I want to get to know these people.”

Shon nodded, "Yes Sir" she said handing her phaser to the Ensign. Sighing she climbed back on the transporter. "I want you to know Sir there is something very bad about this ."

< Planet-side >

Kara stood patiently waiting for the arrival of Isabelle and those from the ship, as much as they hated Starfleet she knew if they were to get what they wanted that she’d have to put her dislikes aside, at least for now.

“All ready?” Jackson offered his wife a smile. “Not long now, the people are waiting to see the first of our own to return. The doctors are waiting to confirm her true identity.”

As the transporter dematerialisation finished its cycle Isabelle looked around their surroundings, then at the Monroe’s there was no mistaking the resemblance between herself and Kara, even though they were generations from the original children who were left behind.

“Welcome to our home” Jackson stepped forward to offer his greeting. “You are our very first visitors, the people are eager to see you hence why I chose to meet you all here.” He looked towards Isabelle. “Isabelle, welcome home.”

Shon stepped forward. Indicating Finchley, "This is Commodore Finchley Kerr, our Commanding Officer, I am Shoniara T'Ghann-Dex Chief Medical Officer on the Blackeagle. Lieutenant Commander Savette is my patient." She felt strongly the disrespect towards the Commodore and carrying her medical tricorder she surreptitiously turned it on to scan Jackson. "I wish to be with her when you perform your scans."

Finchley saw the intent of the disrespect that Jackson Monroe showed towards him, this also gave him the first inkling of how Monroe thought things were going to go.

"There will be no scans of Commander Savette, nor will she be meeting anyone except yourselves" he said to Jackson and Kara, "not unless I'm satisfied with what's going on here. Now, as much as this is your office, and this is your planet, you're still augments and you're still outlaws in the eyes of Starfleet...and myself. Your lack of respect towards me as the senior representative and Captain of a 'visiting' vessel shows me that you have no desire to enter into any kind of monologue with me or us, as Starfleet representatives. Your sole desire is to have the Commander here paraded as some kind of returning demigod, that's not happening. Now, we can either start over again, and you can show some proper respect, or we can leave right now and report our findings to Starfleet" he finished, looking at Jackson and Kara with raised eyebrows. He wasn't scared, he was brusque, and he needed to show the Monroe's that he meant business.

“My apologies Commodore” Jackson offered a polite smile. “We obviously meant no disrespect, despite what you might think of us. Please be seated and we will answer any questions you may wish to ask.”

Kara, who had remained quiet until now looked towards Shon. “Doctor, you said Isabelle is your patient? May I ask why?” She looked towards Finchley. “We have doctors here who maybe able to help with any medical issues Commodore.”

"Neither you nor your doctors are going anywhere near any of us, is that understood Mrs Monroe" Finchley replied, "any attempt to do so will be seen as an act of aggression and be met with the swiftest of reprisals."

Turning to Jackson he said, "You can start with explaining why the six children were deliberately left behind when the USS Ranger launched, and speaking of that, why the launch date was moved up and by who. Please don't insult my intelligence by saying you don't know."

Shon meanwhile was scanning Jackson and Kara. What she found worried her deeply and wanted to get Finchley alone.

“Very well” Jackson took a seat. “There’s obviously distrust on both sides, I will answer what I can. The USS Ranger was forced to depart earlier because our ancestors were forced to take control of the ship. Starfleet learned just who our ancestors really were, the launch was going to be stopped. Arrangements were made with sympathisers to take care of the six remaining children. Their identities would be forever hidden except to our ancestors, and now to us. In time the lost generations would find their way to us, the fact that you’re here is proof of that.”

“I didn’t guide anyone here if that’s what you’re suggesting” Isabelle looked at Jackson before cursing as she started scratching around one of her implants. “Besides if something isn’t done soon I won’t be around to worry about it!”

"Our doctor will see you're not put in any danger Commander" Finchley replied to Isabelle, "you'll be long gone from here before anything stressful can occur."

Turning back to Jackson he said, "The reason I distrust you and your forbears is that they caused two wars, killing millions of humans, some of my own family included, and other species who chose to help us. They didn't have to start it, we could have lived in harmony, but instead your people decided they wanted everything. Leaving that to one side, the only way the launch could have been moved up was if someone in a Senior Admiralty role ordered it...oh my god...it could only have been an augment, you had an augment in a Senior Admiralty position."

He turned round and stepped away, thinking fast. "So for them to be there, and you saying they had sympathisers in order to take care of the children, it goes much further than just one augment, there would be a lot more, you infiltrated Starfleet! This can't wait, it has to be reported back to the 'Eagle and somehow sent back to Starfleet. Ok, Commander Savette, Doctor T'ghann-Dex, we're leaving."

Shon really wished her hand could grip a phaser. "Mr Jackson why are you currently experimenting to increase your augmentations?" she said as she grabbed Isabelle's arm.

“Stop!” Kara raised a weapon. “You’re not taking her from us!” She looked to Jackson who nodded as more augments started filing into the room, all of them armed. It only took a moment for things to get out of hand as weapons fire rang out and Finchley was hit.

As the mob filed in, Finchley instinctively stood in front of Isabelle and Shon, looking to shield them from any harm. Holding up his hands he began speaking, "Do you honestly believe that forcing the issue is going to do you any goo..." but he wasn't able to complete the sentence as phaser fire sounded.

Stunned to silence as he felt the hits, he looked down to see four holes in his uniform, one in his right arm, two in his chest and one in his stomach. He looked at Shon and Isabelle in shock as he began sliding to the floor, "Get out" he managed to say hoarsely, then fell to the floor.

TBC

 

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