Liberation Day
Posted on Mon Aug 5th, 2019 @ 4:30pm by Lieutenant Commander Jacob "Jack" Devine
Mission:
Preludes
Location: Cardassian Space; Cantra's Moon
Timeline: 2384
Three months of plotting and planning and death but not the deaths he wanted. The prison yard had been thinned out considerably thanks in part to Jacob. It ate at his soul little by little like the rodents that infested his cell. He had thought that the bars were constricting but it was nothing like the trap he found himself in, a trap of his own doing. Months ago if you had asked him what he would have done in such a situation, he would have had a smart ass come back, a genius idea.
Genius?
“You know, I think you actually like the killing. Fancy yourself a god of death.” Gul Tamok was sitting at his desk while Jacob hung suspended by his wrists from the bar in the Gul’s office. Their usual morning routine. Tamok liked to hear himself talk.
“Untie me. I’d love to demonstrate just how much I like killing,” Jacob said flatly.
“So violent. You Federation operatives are all the same. You spout the ideals of peace and equality for all and yet if pushed you will just as easily revert to your baser instincts.” Tamok looked up from the ledger on his desk. “Do you know what your problem is, one?”
“I’m sure you’ll tell me whether I want to know or not.”
“You lack commitment. Accept your role in this and your struggle will end.”
Jacob's brow crinkled. “So I should simply accept the role as your personal executioner. Should I lick your boots as well?”
Tamok smirked. “Accept it or deny it. Choose a path, one. Stop wavering between the two.”
“Take part in a quick merciful kill or stand by and be forced to watch brutality and you talk about my baser instincts. Either way they die.” And there was nothing Jacob could do about it.
“Exactly. Control what you can. Learn to let go of what you cannot.” Tamok rose from his seat ignoring the verbal jab as he stepped around the desk to stand in front of Jacob. “Surely even you can see the logic of that?”
Jacob opened his mouth to speak but the words were cut off with a low rumble as the building shook. Had he not been tied to the bar he would have fallen. As it was his body swung around. Tamok stumbled back into his desk. In that moment everything was just so perfectly aligned and Jacob didn’t think. He pulled down on the ropes and brought his legs up and wrapped them around the Gul’s neck before Tamok could stand up again.
When the doors burst open, parted with force by a pair of armed Marines, it was to find Gul Tamok suspended from Jacob’s legs. He let the Gul fall with a thud, Tamok’s eyes open and staring. "How's that for logic and baser instincts?" Jacob snarled.
One of the Marines came forward and cut Jacob free. He nearly collapsed but was caught on the way down and eased to the floor. “Careful. In another few minutes we’ll have the place entirely locked down and we’ll get you to the medic...”
Was it really over?
[Hours Later...]
Jacob stared up at the ceiling as his stretcher was beamed aboard the USS Olympia through decontamination protocols. He didn’t speak or move as they carried him out and through the halls and into the largest on board hospital he’d ever seen. In all, he’d spent six months on Cantra’s moon but there were others who had been forced to survive much longer. Could he have made it through years?
“Lieutenant?” a soft, gentle feminine voice spoke.
Jacob didn’t answer.
“Leave him alone, Cecily. Just tend to their wounds and worry about the physical. Counseling will deal with the rest.”
“Aye, sir.”
[Three Days Later]
“Jack?”
Jacob sat in a chair facing the port windows, his back to the room. Watching the stars streak by was comforting. It meant he was getting farther away from Cantra. Part of his mind resisted the freedom. Maybe it was all a dream. He’d wake up in a few hours to be dragged from his cell yet again and hung up in the Gul’s office like part of the furnishings.
“Jack,” the word, a name, spoken softly. A hand landed on his shoulder causing him to jump and was followed by a quick apology. “They said you survived. I had to see for myself.”
He was tall, with jet black hair and brown eyes. He grabbed a chair and placed it between Jacob and the windows and sat down backwards, facing the back of the chair with his arms folded over the top. Jacob studied him for a moment. “Boomer?” His voice cracked with the inquiry, unaccustomed to use.
“That’s me,” the tall, gangly officer grinned. “I spoke to counseling. You need to get out of here, man. See that it’s really over for yourself. Put your wings back on. They tell me it’s too early for that but screw them. The chief said I could take you out in my kaneda... you can be my TSO. What do you say?”
“Let’s go,” and Jacob rose without hesitation.
Boomer grinned. “It’s like I always say: the only open door to a pilot’s soul is through his wings.”
“You’re corny as ever,” Jacob remarked which earned him a laugh and a brotherly arm about the shoulders.
“You do remember how to fly?” Boomer shot back.
“How about you be TSO and we’ll see.” Jacob had picked up the pace. At that moment the Olympia seemed oddly claustrophobic with its medics and psychologists and its big, big, bleeding heart.
“Fat chance. NOT on my bird, you don’t.” They entered the lift and Boomer called out a deck number. “But if you’re a good boy I’ll make sure command brings you a new lady. You’ve been out of commission too long. Need to kick off that rust.”
“Amen.” Jacob didn’t even care he was dressed in patients’ scrubs or that he was missing his favorite scarf and jacket. To fly was to be free. This was liberation day.
LtCmdr Jacob Devine
Squadron Leader
