Light and Dark

[Capt Ayers 0]

Nick frowns slightly as he reads through some paperwork while in his office. It was amazing, he thought, that even in a crisis paperwork could pile up..in fact it seemed to pile up faster. Granted, he wasn't a neat freak but his desk had gotten a little too messy thanks to various padds and forms and such as of late for even his taste.

 

He sets the padds aside and sighs to himself. There is just one last little matter to take care...the disposal of the Rixian that had tried to kill him. What with the Romulans and everything else that had happened, there simply hadn't been time to deal with the dead would-be murderer. After a few moments he taps his comm badge and says "Doctor McKinny to my office please."

 

DJ leaned against the back wall of the car as she rode the turbolift up to the Control Tower. She'd been a little surprised by the Captain's summons. He hadn't offered any explanation as to why he wanted to see her but she assumed it had something to do with her impending departure. She decided he must have had enough of Sickbay for a while. Now it was her turn to come to his office.

 

The lift came to a slow stop and the doors swished open. DJ stepped out into the controlled chaos that was the station's command center. It never ceased to amaze her how many people were either coming to or leaving from the Control Tower. She wondered how they all managed to move up and down the corridors without some type of traffic signal. She much preferred the more mundane environment in Sickbay. It wasn't as noisy down there either.

 

The CMO walked toward the Captain's office, greeting several passersby along the way. The door was open and Nick Ayers was sitting at his somewhat cluttered desk. "Dr. McKinny reporting as ordered, Captain," announced DJ. She smiled politely as looked up but waited for his invitation before entering the office.

 

He glances up at the Doctor then gestures to one of the open chairs opposite him. He says "You could have entered after announcing yourself." He waits until she sits down to add "My apologies for summoning you up here like this but I think you may have an objection to what I'm about to ask and I thought it better to deal with that in private rather when in Sickbay or over the intercom. It occurs to me that with everything that's been going on we haven't dealt with the body of Damin yet." He pauses long enough to make sure that no trace of residual anger at what Damin had done leeches into his voice. "I want the body taken out of storage and cleaned up. Once that's done I'm going to have security take the body and put it in a torpedo casing and then I'm going to have it launched into the Cardassian sun."

 

He settles back in his chair, awaiting the inevitable objection.

 

"It's odd you should bring this up," replied DJ evenly as she walked toward one of the chairs in front of the Captain's desk. "I was asked just yesterday if any decision had been made regarding Damin's body. I assumed it was still....evidence." She shrugged her shoulders slightly. "I guess I was wrong. Sounds like the investigation is now over."

 

Captain Ayers said nothing nor did he give any indication that she was right about the investigation. He simply sat quietly and waited for her to continue. He'd been right when he said she might have some objections to his plan. At the same time, DJ was hoping there was a viable reason behind it. She would hate to think Ayers wanted to send the Rixian's remains into the Cardassian sun for nothing more than revenge.

 

"Shooting Damin's body into the sun is a bit dramatic, don't you think?" she asked casually, taking her seat. "Wouldn't it be much easier to cremate him and return his ashes to Rixis? I'm sure he has relatives who must be wondering where he is."

 

"The investigation is for all intents and purposes over. There is no evidence that he acted with anyone here and it's impossible for us to find out whether the Rixian government or parts of it are responsible or not. Frankly, the Federation is not going to waste the resources to find out over one mere Starfleet Captain. Especially with this situation with the Romulans looming over everyone's heads."

 

"As for shipping the body back to the Rixian home world that is likewise out of the question. We'd have to explain how Damin ended up here, how he died and what he did while here. That could at the least cause difficulties for the Rixian reformers like Dr. Lanvin. The Rixians by and large are prone to xenophobia, they were xenophobic over 1,000 years ago and they're just as xenophobic, if not more so, now. The reactionaries in their government would for sure try and pin Damin's death on us and use it to secure the retraction of the Rixian government's request for help. They'd rather die, Doctor, then ask assistance from people who they consider inferior. As much as I would personally like to return him to his family, Doctor, I am not inclined to create a martyr in so doing. Not when it might cost a species their existence."

 

"I understand your concerns about returning him to Rixis," replied DJ. "Still, putting that body into a torpedo tube and firing it into the sun....well....that seems excessive." She half expected a rebuttal but the Captain never flinched. "If you're determined to vaporize him, we can do that here, on the station. It would be far more cost effective and require less effort."

 

The CMO paused a moment, still focusing on Ayers. "Permission to speak freely?" she asked, hoping he would oblige. She was concerned there was more going on here than met the eye.

 

"Of course. You hardly need to ask permission while in private, Doctor." He says that simply, with no trace of annoyance in his voice.

 

"We will need to dispose of Damin's body," stated DJ. "But why would you even consider sending it into the Cardassian sun?" She shook her head and frowned slightly. "That's extreme, to say the least. Are you trying to erase any trace of Damin? Because that isn't possible. He's already left an indelible mark on many of us, especially you."

 

The CMO leaned forward and lowered her voice slightly. "This idea to send his body into the sun sounds a little like an act of revenge. If it is, I assure you, it won't accomplish much. You may feel better for a little while but that will quickly fade. I understand your animosity toward him. But he's dead, Captain. There's nothing more he can do to you or anyone else for that matter. There is no need to take revenge on a corpse."

 

Nick shakes his head slightly. "Doctor, this is not about revenge. And this isn't about my attempting to erase all traces of that Rixian. I am not the type to give into revenge but I think if I did so I'd do so personally. Meaning I'd take a type 3 phaser and go down to where the body is being stored and vaporize the body myself. And frankly..if I was to give into revenge..I wouldn't start with the bottom of my list..I'd start with the top of my list and trust me on the list of people and things that I have animosity towards..that Rixian specifically and the Rixians generally are pretty much near the bottom. I'd start with the Borg. In fact a few members of Starfleet Intel and one or two members of Section 31 I've had the displeasure of dealing with would rank higher then any Rixian. Since we can't send him back, sending his body into space seems the most humane thing to do. It's not like we can bury him somewhere."

 

 

"He would start with the Borg?" thought DJ silently. "And Section 31? What is that all about?"

 

But she kept those thoughts to herself. The Captain was part El-Aurian. She knew all too well what happened to their home world. And DJ vaguely recalled that Ayers was a veteran of Wolf 359. His bitterness toward the Borg was understandable. As for Section 31, she had to admit a degree of curiosity but it was none of her business. No matter how badly she wanted to know, she would never ask him what caused his resentment toward the spooks at Intel.

 

Ayers seemed sincere when he said his plans for Damin had nothing to do with revenge. DJ didn't completely believe him but, in the overall scheme of things, there wasn't much she could do about it. She found herself wishing she was going to be around for a few more months. She would have kept an eye on Ayers, just to make sure.

 

On the other hand, DJ couldn't argue with the Captain's logic when it came to returning Damin to Rixis. It had been a nice idea but even she knew it was highly improbable such a thing would happen. But shooting him into the Cardassian sun? She still considered that a waste of time and resources. It was far too glamorous for an assassin's corpse.

 

"Well," said DJ with a grin. "Your hit list isn't that long. And I'm relieved that Damin's name is toward the bottom. I still think it would be much better to vaporize him in the morgue....quick and easy....no fanfare. But you're the boss. If you want to send him into the sun, we'll make the arrangements."

 

Nick shakes his head sharply. "No, Doctor...my "hit list" as you describe it is far longer then you think. When I said that if I gave into revenge I'd start with the Borg...I wasn't speaking of one of them, nor was I speak of a thousand or even a million of them...I was speaking about all of them. That is a far larger number then you or anyone else within the Federation realizes."

 

Nick frowns slightly as he studies her for a few moments. "Doctor, in case you don't understand..and I suspect that you don't since most people wouldn't treat the body of someone who tried to kill them with any sort of dignity..the reason I am willing to give the Rixian a burial that on face value he doesn't deserve is specifically to treat him better then he treated me. He was a coward for giving into dogma in the face of reality..for being willing to sacrifice his people for that dogma, he was a coward for trying to assassinate me and he died a cowards death but that does not mean that I have to sink to his level in how I treat or dispose of his body. He..his kind and far too many others in the Universe think they're inherently superior to everyone else..that they're better simply better because of what species they are or because of their culture or in the case of the Borg..because of their ability to conquer and assimilate those they can and destroy those they can't. This is simply a small gesture of defiance towards the darkness that breeds those types of beliefs....towards the darkness whose agents destroyed my people's home world..the same darkness that will destroy the Rixians if they don't choose a different path."

 

DJ listened intently as the Captain spoke. His words brought with them a new appreciation of the man sitting across from her. She was sorry she hadn't gotten to know Nick Ayers a little better during her tour on Aegis. Yet, she was grateful she'd been able to see this side of him prior to her departure.

 

"So, you have a long hit list," she replied lightly. "But other than the Borg, it doesn't sound like you're on the look out for too many bad guys. And I am genuinely impressed that you've held onto your sense of honor and dignity...that you've been able to avoid falling into that angry pit." DJ shook her head slightly and shrugged her shoulders. "Take it from me, it's hard to crawl out of it."

 

The CMO leaned forward in her chair. "So, if you want Damin's final resting place to be the Cardassian sun, then so be it. He's already cleaned up. As a matter of fact, the technicians dressed him on one of the better outfits we found in his luggage. Just let me know where you want him sent....and when."

 

DJ stood up but remained in front of the Captain's desk. "Somehow, I knew you were targeting all of the Borg," she said in a more serious tone. "If given the opportunity, I would dare say you would eliminate every last one of them.....and I'd cheer you on. But if you were able to destroy their queen at the beginning of your purge, you might not have to kill as many of their rank and file. That said, I sincerely hope you never cross paths with any of them....ever again. It's probably best that you don't."

 

Nick smiles faintly "Doctor, if that Rixian had attacked Ethan I'm not entirely sure I'd be quite so magnanimous. As for when...in a few hours will do." The smile disappears as he continues "As for the Borg queen..we've killed their queen before and they remain. I'm afraid, Doctor, that it will come down to killing every last one of them....those that we don't manage to save that is. And I'm equally afraid, Doctor, that I will cross paths with them again. If I live out my natural life span that will be about one thousand years assuming. It is a safe bet, Doctor, that they will come for the Federation sooner or later...because the simple fact is that the Federation is becoming a growing threat to them, one they will be unable to ignore for long..and they will come en masse for the Federation. The Federation can make peace and allies with the Romulans, the Cardassians, the Klingons, perhaps even some day the Breen just to name a few examples. But the one "species" that for sure the Federation will never make peace with is the Borg. They will destroy us or we will destroy them...that is the only choice that exists...light or dark."

 

DJ nodded solemnly. "I hope you're wrong, Captain. I hope you live out your natural life without ever seeing them again." She turned and started walking to the door. "We'll notify you when Damin is ready," she continued as she stopped just inside the office and faced him once again. "It's been a pleasure serving with you, Captain. I wish you and Commander Hawke the best of luck. May you both live long and prosper." She grinned mischievously. "And maybe have a couple of kids. There's nothing like children to take some of the starch out of your collar....or so I've been told."

 

Nick smirks for a second. "The whole kids bit is up to Ethan. I'm deferring to her on that. And it was a pleasure having you onboard, Doctor. Take care and do keep in touch, please."

 

With that, she leaves the office and as the door closes behind her, Nick's smirk fades away into a frown. He murmurs "Doctor, that wasn't a prediction about the Borg. That was a statement of cold hard brutal fact. Fortunately for you..you'll be long dead when what I said occurs."