Inopportune Reunions
Posted on Fri Jul 29th, 2022 @ 11:56am by Captain Luka Mahone & Alika Mahone
1,079 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Roll With It
Location: Shuttle Poi, Haumea Flight Pad
Timeline: MD 02 : 0629 Hrs
"You know, the only reason I'm helping with this is because the food isn't half bad and you said there was more in the town."
Luka rolled his eyes, reaching over and ruffling Alika's hair. "The more tough you are, the more likely I'm gonna let Lugh come in here and slobber all over your controls."
The pair sat in the shuttlecraft she had flown in on. While the craft itself was not unmarked, it's rickety appearance definitely raised flags for the security crews on staff when she arrived. But, for as worn down as it was, Alika had somehow managed to piece together fairly state of the art equipment from various sources.
The young woman swatted at Luka's hand, scowling. "If that mutt steps even a hair on this ship, I'm gonna get half your colony abducted."
"No you're not."
"Yes I am. Just like the cows in those old, super racist alien abduction vids." She sat upright, placing her hand on the side of the console like she was mimicking an animal, and raising it slowly into the air. "MoooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOO Wwwwhyyyyyy didn't youuuuu stop picking on your sister, Moooooooo?"
Luka flopped into his seat, amused. "You wouldn't because half the colony wouldn't fit in this thing."
"Hey! Don't insult the Poi like that. She's tryin' to help."
"... The what? Is that what you've called this shuttle?" Luka looked around, confusion written on his soft features.
Alika reached over to throw a lazy punch into Luka's gut, "Stop it. I named her that because she's got the same color on the outside. She's all good on the inside."
Luka held his side with one hand and holding up the other to Alika in plea, "Alright, I'll stop."
They both fell silent, as Alika returned herself to tapping at the console and furiously analyzing all the readings that it presented her with. "... You're different, you know."
Luka frowned. "... What?"
"I thought you'd be more... I dunno... good glowing aura or something." Alika waved a hand at him. "Less... rough around the edges I guess. More of a pushover."
"You don't get to be in my position without at least one rough edge," Luka leaned in to see what was being displayed on the console, as if he could himself read what was going on. He could not, but only because it was being displayed in Ferengi. "But don't let this fool you. Just like how you expect me to just think you're my sister."
Silence passed over the pair. Luka went on. "Her remains were sent to Hawaii about a year ago, once they were identified from the middle of deep space. I'm actually pretty sure if someone found out that I decided it was a good idea to leave the Command Center and follow the woman claiming to be my sister without knowing who she was, the whole Starfleet base would be in a riot. Well, moreso than it is now."
"I'm not here to abduct you." Alika sat upright, eyes cast downward. "It really was a coincidence that the Ranger crash landed here - if I remembered this was your colony, I'd have sent someone else to come find him."
"... Mmm, but that doesn't answer the question I haven't asked yet." Luka swiveled in his chair idly, brow raised. "... Who are you? A Changeling? Someone with some really convincing surgical implants? Is this some weird dream I haven't woken up from?"
Alika fidgeted. "None of those. I am Alika." Her eyes shot over, ready to shoot down any protest. She relaxed when she realized there wasn't going to be one. "... I am her, just not... your her. I passed through from my reality to this one awhile ago. It's been a few years. It just slipped one day that someone recognized me, and I fell into the identity."
At every new sentence, Luka's eyes widened as the Not-Alika-But-Alika explained herself. Alternate realities... if he didn't have a friend who had most likely hopped through time and space and didn't report to an Admiral who was at the head of a ship known for skipping through time, Luka might not have even thought an alternate reality was even a possibility. But here she was, his sister, but not his sister.
"... I'm going to need-"
"A lot more information? Proof?" Alika tensed.
"Yes. And answers. Lots and lots of answers." Luka let out a soft sigh. "But at the very least, a scan that you're not a Changeling and verification of your DNA. If we get that verified... it'll be a lot easier to convince Starfleet not to have you detained on sight."
Sheepishly, the young woman looked over to Luka. There was a touch of caution in her voice. "Does that mean you believe me?"
"I... want to." Luka leaned forward in his seat, "It's... a bit much. I've grieved the loss of my sister already. Kikua too-"
"He's alive?" Alika perked up, eyes flashing with hope. But it all came to a halt when Luka held up a hand.
"He is. But let's not get ahead of ourselves here."
Alika's shoulders sagged, and she turned back to her readings, annoyance rushing back to her voice. "... Well you'll be happy to know that whatever's going on in that bubble is all hologram programs."
"I... what?" Luka leaned closer to take a better look at the readings. "... Holograms?"
"Yeah. The forcefield bubble is like a safety precaution so that the whole colony doesn't get zorked into whatever's going on in there. Also so that anyone walking by doesn't happen to get sucked in and walk in - those in don't get some weird jarring effect when they come out of it - you know, that sort of thing."
"How did your equipment pick up on that when-"
"When your state-of-the-art Starfleet equipment didn't? I dunno. All this stuff is calibrated to look for the all the crap Starfleet doesn't look for. Out in the middle of the Neutral Zone, we gotta stay on our toes." Frowning, Luka went to tap his badge, stopping himself to give Alika an apologetic look. She shook her head, waving dismissively. "Go on, put the Captain Pants back on. I'm not gonna go anywhere till I get a hold of my Ranger."
Luka fell silent, silently nodding and tapping his badge. "Hey Davna, I know it's early, but I've got something that might help the team."
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