Shadows cast by a final salute Part 2

Posted on 25 Sep 2026 @ 2:22pm by Captain Alexandria Somers

1,206 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: General Sim Postings
Location: Various
Timeline: Stardate 237401.01

[ON]

Annabel was still taking Alex through her timeline, just to help her...

“Stardate 238201.01, USS Sovereign’s shuttle bay: you are now a Marine Captain, and you have command of twelve Marines. Such units are still few, but are now used on surgical strikes, as any fully trained Security Officers are now either Department Heads on ships and Starbases or are at the Academy training the next generation,” Graves said.

She looked at Annabelle, still not understanding. “Why am I here?” Alex asked and saw her friend roll her eyes.

“Really, Alex? Really? You honestly do not understand yet,” Annie exclaimed “We are in your future, remember- well, a possible one anyway,” Annie added. Then they were in another place.

As they stopped moving, Alex looked around “Hmm, a Stardock class Starbase. Where and when are we, Annie?” She asked, her tone starting to have a note of realisation creep into it.

“It is 239210.25. This is USS Powell, and you are now a Marine Major and First Officer. It has been eighteen years since that time on earth where you were beaten, and in this possible reality you find yourself relegated to the administered version of an MCO. This duty is not meshing well with you; you are 36 years old in this time, and you have advanced quickly up the ranks,” Annie said.

Then they saw a slightly older Major Somers walk past them, her longer hair in a ponytail and her shoulders slumped. "Ah, yes, just a couple of months later and you are in one of your down moods, as you got news of your reassignment back to Earth for further training," Annie added.

"Finally, Stardate 239609.05, this is not long after you got the news of your graduation and assignment as Commanding Officer of the Tomcat; look how happy you are? So I cannot understand why you have summoned me; you are on the up, and this last bit is a brief glimpse of your future, the only one you are going to get, as it is a turning point and a fixed moment in time," Annie finished.

Alex was gobsmacked by a brief glimpse of her future "That is then; I live in the now ever since your passing, Annie," Alex said. Annabelle shook her head sadly, always looking on the glum side of things, I cannot talk to you as a drunk; if you clean your act up, we may meet again," she said and then vanished.

The next thing Alex saw was the blurry surroundings of the seedy bar that she was in; she ordered some more alcohol; what she had seen was already forgotten.

The barkeep had returned with two bottles; Alex opened the green bottle, poured a glass and knocked it back. This was followed by another until the bottle was empty, then she opened the Bloodwine and began to drink that.

A hooded figure entered the bar, unnoticed by the other patrons. As she sat down, she ordered a water and waited; while she did, she looked over and was amazed that someone with such a small frame could hold so much strong alcohol. The girl looked tipsy, but the hooded figure knew that her coordination was shot; holding one's drink was one thing, holding it and having perfect coordination was another. The hooded figure studied the drunken woman and then pulled out a communications Padd and connected to the person who asked the person to keep an eye on his daughter.

=/\= Ambassador, this is S’arila. I have located your daughter, =/\= she quietly said into the hidden communications device.

The Ambassador on the other end said, =/\= How is she, S’arila?=/\= the Ambassador asked.

S’arila studied Alex. She remembered that this young woman, while she was not her Alex, had many of her version's qualities and of how the woman had died in combat in this other reality, and she had similar demons, but pushing those thoughts away, as such memories would only hinder her mission =/\= For someone so slight in stature, she can certainly pack down a lot of strong drink; never seen a human put away so much before and remain upright =/\= S’arila said, hearing the Ambassador sigh heavily.

=/\= What has she been drinking, S’arila?=/\= he asked, a mix of curiosity and dread mixed in with his question.

Looking at the bottles on the bar, =/\= Let’s see, she knocked back four full bottles of Andorian Ale, then she knocked back a bottle of Romulan Ale, and now she is finishing off a bottle of Bloodwine,=/\= S’arila said. And on the visual device, Sam saw the woman look up as if something had caught her attention. =/\=I will make sure she arrives home ASAP, right after I stop her getting whupped upside the head. =/\= S’arila said, placing a strip of Latinum on the table for her drink S’arila stood up and slowly made her way to Alex’s table. She noted those to her left and right looked afraid as the hooded figure stood up to her full seven feet in height.

"Time to take you home, young Alex!" S'arila said.

Alex looked up through squinting, blurry eyes "Who... *hic* arrrr... u? *hic* " she asked in slurred speech between hiccups.

"Someone who was sent by your father," S'arila said, pulling her hood back and looking down at the inebriated redhead.

Alex was too far gone to notice as she was face first on the table. S'arila looked at the barkeep "Has she paid for what she has had?" She asked. The Barkeep nodded. S'arila smiled "Would you happen to have a barrel of cold water outside your rear entrance?" she asked.

"Yes, I use it to wash the back area down after the rain has filled it," he answered.

S'arila smiled "Might I make use of it?" She asked. The barkeep suddenly knew her intention and smiled, and S'arila picked up the unconscious Alex and carried her out to the rear of the bar and stood over the metallic barrel filled with very cold rainwater.

She looked at the barkeep "Stand you back good barkeep; her reaction is going to be noteworthy," S'arila said and threw Alex in feet first. The woman sank below the water, then suddenly shot up, gasping and looking angry.

Alex was in a drunken stupor, vaguely aware that she was being carried, her orientation being altered, then something cold was creeping up her body fast; it had passed the top of her head when her drunken brain registered the cold water, her eyes opened wide, and she stood up rapidly, blinking the water out of her eyes, looking around wildly, and her eyes settled on S'arila.

"Why you f&^%^*^^$£%^$£%^$%&^%!" She said in some unintelligible profanity; it was not made better by the smiling faces. Then she collapsed, and S'arila picked her up and wrapped her in the cloak she had taken off.

"Okay, little one, let's get you back home" S'arila said and nodded to the smiling Barkeep and left.

[OFF]

Major S’arila Donovan [P: Somers]
SFMC – Earth Sector

Colonel(Retd.) Samuel Somers [P: Somers]
Ambassador to Kronos

Corporal Alexandria Somers
SFMC

Jim [P: Somers]
Human degenerate

Meng [P: Somers]
Unknown Species degenerate

 

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