Final Goodbyes (Part 1)

Posted on Tue Aug 2nd, 2022 @ 3:39am by Captain Akeno Misaki & Commander Mashiro Munetani "Shiro" & Lieutenant Avery Coyle & Lieutenant Commander Raelyn Mckenzie & Lieutenant Commander Mark Johnson & Lieutenant Luna Eclipse of the House of Martok & Lieutenant JG Patra Rommel & Lieutenant Commander Jonathan Miller & Ensign Magnum Rhodes

Mission: Arista
Location: Arista Colony, USS Wayfarer

To all crew.

I regret to inform you that Captain Sistine Fibel, the leader of the Arista Colony, and previous Commanding Officer of the Federation Starship Arista has passed away. Analysis from our Chief Medical Officer shows that the Tyranians engineered a 'expiration time' into the Arista' colonists DNA. Therefore if they were not 'harvested' on time they would suffer cellular degradation and organ failure.

Captain Fibel passed away a short while ago, her last words were of thanks to the crew of the Wayfarer for assisting her to release the Arista crew and herself from the Tyranians. She passed peacefully in the prescense of myself and Doctor Johnson.

A memorial ceremony will be held tomorrow morning at 10:00 as arranged with the Arista Colony in the flower meadow just outside of the colony. All duties will be suspended for all Wayfarer crew to attend by my order and dress uniform is mandatory.

Regards

Captain Akeno Misaki

Luna, having just been discharged from Sickbay, closed the message and wept. While she had not had the honor of interacting with Captain Sistine Fibel, she had spoken with many of the Arista Colonists and they all held her in high regard. Luna stood and went to her closet, shifting uniforms and civilian clothing alike, until she can to a custom made hanging unit. Carefully, almost reverently, Luna unzipped the unit, and pulled out her dress whites. Luna brushed them off and held them up in front of her mirror. "Smirk. I'll have to get this thing temporarily tailored to deal with...this," Luna smirked at her reflection as her shoulder wound ended up giving her a brief respite from her grief. Luna dug around for her sewing kit, and went to work...eventually having to admit defeat and asking one of her crewmates to help because of her shoulder.

The morning light shone brightly through the ready room windows casting shadows from the furniture. Akeno sat in silence behind her desk as she gazed at the door. Her white Starfleet dress uniform had not been worn for a long time, it only seemed to come out in occassions like this. Now however she had four pips on her collar and instead of the grey shirt, a white one to represent her command status.

The computer beeped, it was time to make her way over to the flower meadow. Slowly she rose from behind her desk and made her way over to the door. It swished open to reveal the bridge, however the room was empty and silent. Everyone was most likely at the flower meadow by now, their stations left in standby mode.

A small smile stretched across her face, remembering what Sistine has told her about rejoining Starfleet. She only hoped that she could have one day relived her life again and done what she desired. She straightened her collar and uniform as she slowly passed the tactical console and stepped into the turbolift.

---

The scent of the bright colourful flowers drifted through the air in the flower meadow. The meadow stretched high up on a hill that overlooked the colony below. At the peak a pit had been dug by hand, fresh soil had been placed by its side to make a mound in which several shovels now protruded out of.

Many of the Arista colonists were already there, along with the Wayfarer crew. The Wayfarer crew wore their dress white uniforms and the Arista crew stood by their side in their traditional red Starfleet Uniforms. It seemed strange seeing the modern dress uniforms mixed with the old, but somehow it seemed appropriate and right for them all to be wearing their best.

A black cloth had been placed over the pit, held in place by weights as a single photon torpedo casing sat in the center, suspended over the pit. The United Federation of Planets flag had been laid over the casing.

Lieutenant j.g. Patra Rommel stood in her dress white uniform, which had her Drakon Cluster of Courage, Tristar Cluster, and Exceptional Performance of Duty award with device on it. Her skin itched horribly from the treatments for her burns. She was unsteady on her left leg and had to use a cane as she could not feel her leg. Her left arm trembled ever so slightly. The worse though was the erratic heart beat she had. She was on extreme light duty, desk bound actually, per Doctor Mark Johnson's orders. As he put it, she needed major treatments for her burns and neurological damage. She coughed a bit and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, spots of blood dotting it. She thought back to the last time she had attended a funeral like this, for members of the Starfleet Marine Corps Marine Raider Regiment (EOD) 2nd MSOB and lover Marine First Lieutenant Sabine. Tears slowly started to roll down her check and the world began to swirl and turn black.

Mark joined the rest of the crew and the officers in the meadow. He was wearing his white uniform and found a spot close to Lt. Rommel. He noticed her suffering and did a mental note to visit her again soon to see if he could do something to relieve at least part of her pain. A quick glance around the area showed many of the treated officers. They were doing pretty much fine, all considered. A shy smile of relief crossed his face. There had been losses, but the medical team of the Wayfarer worked at its best. He was proud, after all.

Luna was doing all she could not to cry at the beauty of the meadow mixed with the sorrow of the reason she was standing here with her crewmates and the Arista Colonists. To get her mind off of herself, she allowed it to drift and sense what those around her were feeling...not that she couldn't tell from their faces, but she just needed the distraction. Luna's heart soared as she found Commander Miller's feelings among the crowed! Even though he was feeling that things beyond his control were his fault, Luna was just grateful he was alive.

Lt. Coyle found Luna with the rest of the mourners and attempted to get her attention with a look and a nod. He felt horrible about what happened to Miller and Sistine. He had never experienced trauma or loss like this. He slid next to Luna and reached out to offer his hand. He could see she was grieving and physically in pain and wanted to offer support. Luna reached back for his hand and held on tight….what seemed like for dear life.

“Luna, I’m so sorry. This is hard for all of us,” Coyle whispered.

Luna responded in kind. “Thank you, Avery. I’m glad you’re here,” she said as the tears still ran down her cheeks.

Akeno slowly approached, it seemed she was last to arrive at the service.

"Captain?"

Following several hours of intensive care, Commander Miller was finally up and cognizant, though with the loss of his right leg, he was now confined to a wheelchair for the foreseeable future. He, like Akeno, was struggling to come to grips with Sistine's death. As per the conversation they had had shortly after Johnathan woke up from his coma, she knew now that he took failure particularly hard, even if it was completely out of his control. Granted, he was trying to keep his head up for her sake, but the sadness in his eyes betrayed how he really felt.

Akeno nodded briefly at her executive officer and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder before stepping forward closer to the grave site.

Raelyn stood at ease with her hands behind her back near the perimeter of the memorial site. In a place where she could hear and view the memorial. Four or Five of her security members also stood guard in various other areas around the perimeter and near the podium. She wanted to make sure that there were no more attacks on the two crews. Let alone at a time like this. This is why security was more or less tight.

But aside from that, she felt she could have done more, even if Sistine hadn't died in the battle. She had so much ambition for getting back into society. So many plans out the door for the old Captain. But, Raelyn would help honor Sistine's legacy in any way she could.

Akeno cleared her throat to get everyones attention. Slowly she reached out and placed a single hand on the torpedo tube. It took a few moments for her to find the correct words to start.

"When everyone here put on the uniform, we were all aware of the risks and dangers out in the vastness of space" she started in a soft sad tone. "No one understood that more than Captain Sistine Fibel. I took the liberty of looking into her records in our database, I can only tell you of her before she and her crew made this planet their home" Akeno told them all. "I can tell you she worked hard to gain her command position of the Starship Arista. I can tell you she was a fine officer, but I don't think I am the right person to go any further"

Akeno glanced over at Sadako, a girl who looked only a few years younger, it was obvious she had been close to Sistine. Sadako stepped forward, her dress uniform, even if too large, still sported the rank of Commander in the white command division. Akeno respectfully stepped back away from the tube, allowing Sadako to take over.

The girl took a deep breath. "I am Commander Sadako Takanashi. I served as the Chief Science Officer and first officer of the Starship Arista. I remained second in command after Sistine here in our little village" she paused for a moment. "From the moment we ended up on this planet, Sistine always stayed optimistic. She was always coming up with new idead of how to escape, how to overcome the hell that was forced upon us..." she struggled to fight the tears from surfacing. "Yet, she never stopped smiling. Right to the very end. She was our leader, she was our friend... no..."

Sadako looked at the ground and sniffled. "She was part of our family. She never gave up, and she sacrificed everything for us in the end. I am proud to have been by her side for all these years". Tears began to run down Sadako's face, they glistened in the morning light as she bowed her head.

Akeno stepped forward and placed an arm around Sadako. "She wouldn't want you to cry..." she said fighting back her own tears. "You're their leader now... She put you on the right path, now all you've got to do is walk it". Sadako broke free and retreated back to circle to be embraced by a few of the Arista colonists.

"We hereby commit the body of Sistine Fibel to the ground. The first to be buried here on Arista" Akeno said so that everyone could hear her. "Before she passed, she thanked me for releasing her from this existence and to ensure we care for her crew. She was selfless to the very end..." Akeno paused. "She was more than a Starfleet Captain. She was a leader and I know the memories we all hold of her will never fade"

Akeno wiped her face as she ran a hand over the torpedo tube, the soft fabric of the flag running under her fingers. She stood up straight and faced the Wayfarer crew, tears running down her cheeks. Usually a Starfleet Captain wouldn't show such weaknesses infront of her crew, however she was only Human and her emotions were far too strong to take control.

"Crew of the Wayfarer!" she said loudly. "Stand at attention!"

Sadako quickly made her way over to Akeno and stood next to her. "Arista crew. Stand at attention too!" she said loudly.

To be continued...