Diversion & Deception - Part 7
Posted on Wed Jun 17th, 2026 @ 6:49pm by Captain Daegan Baas & Commander Jerome Hunt Jr. & Lieutenant Darius Korveth & Lieutenant Ayumu Tanaka & Lieutenant JG Ryan Kellerman
1,757 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
What was Lost is Found
Location: Surface of Kril'Es
Continuing, Kurul looked to Yuvana and several of those Dareem had clearly lost. Dareem still had a weapon pointed at an officer, but it was obvious he had lost the other. Taking an implement, being used as a make-shift spear from one, he handed it to Sokah.
"Dareem, you betrayed their trust. You betrayed me. You betrayed us all..."
The old council hall had witnessed births, marriages, arguments over irrigation rights, agreements forged between two very different peoples, and now it was crowded with armed colonists and Starfleet officers.
Dareem's arm remained locked around Doctor Tanaka's shoulders, the disruptor still pressed into the small of the Trill's back. There was something that changed, and his face betrayed it. It was a certainty that had carried him this far which now seemed to be flickering like a tiny candle against a strong breeze.
"You speak of betrayal," he replied sharply. "You, of all people."
"Do they even know what we were, old friend?" Dareem asked. "Do they know what we did before Kril'Es forced us to forget who we were, burying us beneath harvests and council meetings?"
The old Romulan's eyes drifted across the whole of the room.
"Do they know how many worlds we pacified and how many insurgencies we crushed during our service to the Empire?"
Several of the younger Romulans lowered their eyes while the Starfleet personnel remained where they stood, expressions clouded.
"No. Of course they do not," Dareem spat. "You speak as though I have become a monster."
"Because you have! You speak of the worlds the Empire pacified, of old triumphs, of the way we 'were'... You still think the Federation weak but you forget that with us having every advantage; a cloak, an advanced weapon, they still blow us from the sky."
Shaking his head. "You want glory?!" Casting his hands wide, "LOOK AROUND YOU! We helped defeat an enemy that has devastated entire worlds! We helped tame a planet and build an entirely new society that exists nowhere in the galaxy with next to nothing! That should be enough accomplishments for anyone.
"Now what? When we are all dust, how will you be remembered? You took yourself and the rest that joined you from founding pioneers. Icons that are revered and memorialized to no better than selfish traitors."
Kurul's features softened in disappointment. Reaching, he managed to pull the Doctor slowly from Dareem's grasp. Kurul breathed out, turning to the other officers. "Go."
Baas had only just begun to relax when he saw Dareem's face harden in a flash, and the disruptor rose. "Noo...!"
Kurul whirled at the shout, but it was all over. Dareem stood there frozen, his arm partially raised towards him. A moment later, Sokah jerked back on the implement he had only just thrust into Dareem's heart.
Batting the disruptor from his friend's hand, Kurul caught him, and together they sank to the floor.
A gurgle erupted from Dareem's throat as the full weight of his body slumped onto Kurul's. It seemed that for the briefest of moments, all of the air inside of him had burst outward, leaving behind a sharp pain in his chest. It wasn't clear to him what had occurred, but he felt safe. Safe with his old friend.
"Kurul, my dear friend," he said, his breathing already becoming labored.
In an instant, the decades peeled away from him--the council chamber vanished. Kril'es vanished. The frightened colonists, the hostages, the Starfleet officers--all of it receded beyond his sight.
All that remained were two young cadets from the Imperial Academy, standing once more beneath the pale sky of Romulus. It was a memory that emerged with startling clarity.
They were on the dusty parade grounds of the main pavilion, and Dareem's uniform felt heavy and stiff. Of course it did. It was new.
"We are going to change everything," he said, his voice weak and low.
A small amount of green blood appeared at the corners of his mouth. His breathing was becoming more rapid and shorter as he tried to focus on Kurul's eyes.
Kurul remembered the phase from the two of them the day they arrived at the Imperial Academy. Remember the sun shining on their young faces, repeating his reply from all those years ago. " 'The future is ours for the taking' ".
Dareem's gaze drifted toward the open doorway. Beyond it and through the embedded glass, the clouds seemed to break, allowing sunlight to spill across the settlement. He could see figures gathered outside--Romulans and Humans. And children born of both. They were families that would have been impossible in the time period he remembered.
Then, he thought of her. His love.
"Anastasia..."
Tears came to his eyes, and he could no longer focus on Kurul. He turned his head toward the Starfleet personnel who were hostages only minutes ago.
A shadow of frustration crossed Dareem's features, and he tried to push away from Kurul.
"No," he croaked. "We don't belong in this world. I don't belong here..."
All his plans. The Valkyrie. The Empire. The return home. There was no home waiting for him. His home had been Kril'es all along, and he had just now come to that realization.
Dareem tried to focus his eyes and looked back up to Kurul. He could hear the wind brushing the endless plains of stekot'l in his ears--endless golden fields rolling beneath the sky of Romulus in the ch'Rihan.
"I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I only wish to return... home..."
His eyes closed, and the elder Romulan went limp, a deep rattle sounding in his chest. He slumped backward in his old friend's arms.
It was finished.
With trembling hands, Ayumu picked himself up off the ground and pressed his fingers against the side of Dareem's throat.
"No pulse," he muttered. "He's gone."
Baas had holstered his weapon. It was over.
Kurul lowered the body of his friend to the ground. Standing, he looked to the other Romulans who had taken part in the insurrection. "Drop your weapons." There was no hesitation, just the clattering of old disruptors and implements hitting the ground.
"Captain, my apologies to you and your people for all this. I know that will not bring back your officers but we surrender to you."
Glancing to Hunt and back to the body of Dareem before looking back to Kurul. "The man who pulled the trigger has been dealt with. I'm sure there would be other crimes to be addressed, but this all took place on your world. Your laws take precedence.'
Kurul huffed in surprise. Thinking to himself, ~Maybe this was the key to the Federation's success. Not the domination of the worlds they encounter, but their inclusion while allowing self-determination.~ Leaving those thoughts for later, he turned to Yuvana. "As I took part in this...betrayal. I step down as Administrator. You will take my place until the next selection. I surrender to your authority."
Sokah swallowed and nodded to Posrun and the others before mimicking Kurul. "As do I."
A conflicted-looking young Posrun appeared next to Kurul and Sokah. His expression was a cloud of frustration and pity, having found himself staring at the lifeless body of his role model. He turned to face Yuvana.
"Administrator," Posrun said, ashamed. "I participated in this. I believed Dareem's words and followed his teachings my entire life. I convinced myself finding glory was what it meant to be Romulan." With his eyes downcast, he added, "I did not think it would mean taking the lives of others."
For a long moment, the young Romulan looked as if he might cry. Then he seemed to straighten himself, looking directly at Yuvana with conviction.
"I should be punished for my actions," he said, steely-faced. "I submit to whatever you decide, Administrator."
Baas watched silently as Yulvana stood in silence for a time before the having the conspirators escorted away.
Outside the shock could be heard as Kurul was taken with the others. “Please go home my friends, the crisis is over. I took part in this and must face the consequences. Yulvana will need your help in healing our community and the trust with our new friends.”
[Back in the council chamber]
Now that there was a new Administrator and that he knew justice would be served Baas moved to his officers. Placing a hand on the shoulders of those nearest. "Everyone ok?"
"Its a damn shame that things had to end like this," Jerome answered. "Honestly I wonder if the damage done here could truly be undone."
"Well... I think I've had excitement for one day," Ayumu sighed as he dusted himself off. "Then again, could've been a hell of a lot worse..."
Lieutenant Ryan Kellerman entered the council chamber. He was wearing tactical armour and the strap of his phaser rifle was taut against his trim frame. The rifle itself was tight against his back with the muzzle pointed downward.
He strode forward toward Baas and the assembled officers, a data PADD in one hand. He gave the corpse of Dareem a barest of glances as he crossed the chamber.
"Captain," he said, nodding curtly to his commanding officer.
He paused momentarily to see Darius was okay and standing nearby, engaged in conversation with Hunt and a few of the Romulan colonists. While he had been worried for his safety, he also knew that out of any of the Starfleet personnel taken hostage, his ex-husband was more than capable of taking care of himself. Still, there had been concern.
"My team completed a deeper scan of Dareem's residence." Ryan offered the PADD to Baas. "We found hidden compartments that were shielded from initial scans. These compartments held fragmentation grenades, improvised explosive devices, and several EM pulse emitters. Even a few pieces we haven't fully identified yet."
That revelation was odd. Why hadn't those weapons been brought into use or at least made available to those involved in their insurrection? They must have been really sure of their success... no matter. "See that they are secured until Administrator Yulvana can make arrangements to charge of them. In the meantime, let's get everyone back on the ship."
END
Captain Daegan Baas
CO
Commander Jerome Hunt
XO
Administrator Kurul
Played by Bass
Lieutenant Darius Korveth
Strategic Operations Chier
Lieutenant Ayumu Tanaka
Chief Medical Officer
Ensign Josiah Lambert
Security
L'ena
Played by Troga
Lieutenant JG Ryan Kellerman
Chief Intelligence Officer
Dareem / Posrun / Alim
Played by Ryan Kellerman
RSS Feed