Chapter Text
Star Trek Picard: The Countess Part Three
The part where the passengers of La Sirena finally go to The Countess’s home planet…and things begin to end…
Chapter One
CAPTAIN’S LOG: Rios, La Sirena Stardate 2400
With the information Picard gleaned from the nano-tech buyer, Thakel, we have altered our course. La Sirena is now set to where she was originally commissioned to take us.
The Arcturus System.
Our diversion to Dorado was literally in the opposite end of the quadrant, so our trip to the Countess’s home planet will take a few days. I feel a deja-vu set in, for we will be stopping once again at the Vesian Spaceport to refuel, right where this entire adventure began for me with the Countess, and finding Dr. Locke.
Speaking of the doc, we will leave Mrs. Locke and the body of her husband at the port. She has arranged a transport for them back home to their residence on Earth. I am relieved to have them taken care of, but am concerned with another matter. Picard is going to talk to Jocelyn about what we’ve found out. She needs to know. Her Arcturiun sister is involved in this plot with Thakel and a few others, and, we are not sure, but think that she actually has the nano-technology (still not sure what or how it works in sub-space terrains, or whatever the fuck they are) and that she plans to use it. We’re not even sure where she is at this time. Thakel didn’t know, but he gave up the names of the other individuals who paid for the advancements. Everything directs us to Arcturus as the place to start.
The holograph system on this ship was developed there. Ian and Emmit are currently analyzing the holo programs and their design to see if there are any answers, or a clue. If we could disrupt it in some way, it would stop the plans of the terrorists. Not sure what else to call them.
Jocelyn doesn’t know yet. I’m not sure how she will take this information, about the holo-tech development on Arcturus, or about her sister’s involvement.
And as for me and the Countess, we are involved in this dangerous situation, and somehow find a way to make it like a honeymoon. Every night. Maybe it’s the danger driving us together. Or this borrowed time, the few days we have left together on this ship. What can I say? How can I explain how I feel about Jocelyn. I can’t imagine not being around her now. We are heading for her home world, the one place she wanted to go in the beginning. When we get there and complete this investigation Picard has us wrapped in…What will happen? Where will that leave me? (Fuck. I’ll probably be editing this log entry later. I sound like a sap.)
“ENDSTAR. FONTANA TECHNOLOGIES. Originally part of Cybrex Vox, a holographic studies system.” Picard sat at one of the tables in the common area, tea in front of him, and The Countess sat across from him, sipping her own. He was explaining the situation to her, listing those involved, and he was taking the longest possible way in presenting the information from Thakel. She could tell it was serious when the old Admiral asked to talk to her, and as he spoke the names out loud of the tech companies involved in this nanite terrorism, dots began to connect in her brain. But Jean-Luc was holding something back, she could sense it even though his bio-chemical fluctuations were always stable. It was his manner of talking, a hesitation she perceived.
“Vox, as the company is known, originally started on Earth, but the main production of the holographic advancement technology comes from a place you know well, I’m afraid.”
So there is was, she thought. “I think I already know, Jean-Luc. I can tell we’ve changed direction. And the ship is set for a long warp drive. I saw Cris do it. We are going to the Arcturus System, correct?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve known about CV for a long time. Some of my classmates ended up working there.”
“But you don’t know about their sub-divisions, do you? The companies I named?”
She shook her head. She knew nothing about them, only that she heard the names when Dr. Locke told them who had hired him.
“So when we go to Arcturus, we will check out Vox, see what they’ve been up to?”
“Yes,” Jean-Luc said. “But there is more, Anil, that I must tell you.”
“I can tell you’re reluctant to say something, Jean-Luc. Please, I’m not a child. Just spill it.”
“I am afraid that one of the names that Thakel gave us was that of your sister, Jonelle.”
Jocelyn stared at Picard’s cup of tea, watching the faint shimmer on the top of the brown liquid, caused by the light vibrations of the ship as she swam through the galaxy at warp drive. Jonelle. Jocelyn hadn’t thought about her in a long time. Thakel had acted like he knew her, when they’d met, and it could be that her resemblance to her sister, his associate, was the reason. But he’d known Jocelyn’s name. How?
“Anil,” Picard said softly, bringing her thoughts back.
“Thakel knew my name?”
“How do you mean?”
“When he greeted my at the casino resort, he addressed me as if he knew me. I have never met him before, so I wondered, but let it go.”
“Would Jonelle have mentioned you to him?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “We do look alike a bit. She is a half-sister, but full Arcturian. I was over fifty when she was born. She and my other half sister Jillion are from my mother’s marriage after my father’s death. I saw my sisters years later when I visited home. Mother was not doing well. She had grown tired of many things. Jonelle and I did not see eye to eye . She was always stubborn, unruly, and too strong for her own good. Jillion and I am closer in nature. I have not seen either of them in a long time.”
“You mentioned your mother,” Jean-Luc said.
“She returned to the Source shortly after my last visit. I don’t think Jonelle was there. Jillion had given me word.”
“What do you know of Jonelle? Do you have any idea where she would be if she was in possession of this technology we are looking for?”
Jocelyn shook her head. “Unfortunately I don’t. She could be on Corelius Four. I heard she had a lover there. She could be home. It actually would be the safest place for her to run an operation like this. There is an umbrella of secrecy, and security, on Arcturus. It is not often bothered by outside interests. I just don’t understand why she would be involved.”
“And her gift?”
“Ah, empath, of course, and she has telekinetic abilities, much like I’ experienced with the asteroid, and moving things around. But her abilities are far advanced. Mine have diminished. ” Jocelyn grew quiet for a moment, her face changing, a tear in her eye, her thoughts whirling.
“What is it, Anil?”
“I failed at saving Dr. Locke. I couldn’t move those damn little robots. But…” She trailed off, looking at Jean-Luc.
“Jonelle would be able to. Is that what you’re saying? If that’s the case, we will have to stop her. We will have to take and secure the nanite technology.”
“If she’s on Arcturus, I should be able to handle her. Abilities level out there. But we may need more help. Reason and talking alone is not going to work on those involved. They are clearly criminals. My sister as well.”
“I’ve contacted the Federation again. I’ve sent the names involved and where we are going.” Jean-Luc sipped his tea. On the upper deck Swann and Elnor were practicing with the swords again. He watched as Swann tossed a sword to Rios, who elegantly caught it mid-air, and proceeded to fence with Elnor. The two could almost keep up with the younger man. Jean-Luc wished for his younger days. He would have been up there with them if he could. He turned back to Jocelyn, noticed she was watching the exchange above them as well. She was smiling.
“And have you told Cris about going home, what it means?”
“I have not," she said, her smile faded slightly. "It may not matter, I can no longer give myself over to the source. I no longer have the strength. It is a promise I cannot keep. I have more than one reason. I have a weakness now.”
“I think I know the weakness you speak of,” Jean-Luc said.
“I’ll figure it out, Jean-Luc. Once we get this problem and my sister taken care of, things will be clearer for me. I’m not sure what will happen.” Jocelyn sipped her tea then spoke.
“Can anyone actually figure out love?”
The question hung in the air, light and free, as if it could be answered.
The two watched the sword fight above them, and, for the moment, the tea and sword play entertainment were all that mattered.
ON THE HOLODECK THE NEXT DAY JOCELYN AND ELNOR sat on meditation cushions facing each other, legs crossed, her hands gently resting on the young man’s, and their eyes were closed. After ten minutes, Jocelyn released him, but they still remained in the quiet state. The room she’d created was a beautifully white room of mosaic tile and ornately carved dark wood, with soft white furnishings, and a plush white sheepskin carpet on which their cushions sat. She wore all white, as did Elnor. Jocelyn’s hair was surrounded by a white scarf around her head. Incense burned in one corner and soft lit windows above gave them a surreal, pale bronze light. The pair seemed to glow, suspended in the white, meditative state. They were awakened by the pure white Angora cat who strolled in, rubbing softly against their parallel knees, much to Elnor’s delight.
“I’ve never seen a real cat before,” he said. “Even if she's only a hologram. I have only seen pictures.”
He followed Jocelyn’s lead and pet the cat as she walked around them, enjoying the attention. When she stopped he scratched under her chin. They could hear her purr, her green eyes closing.
“She likes you,” Jocelyn said. “I can tell. Cats are selective of who they choose as friends and who is allowed to touch them. They have the claws of the predators that they are, yet they can be gentle and kind. Of course this only happens on their terms. When we get to Arcturus, you will get to see a real cat, or many, I hope. And also a black owl I saved when I was a little girl. The first creature I brought back to life. She’s still alive after almost one hundred earth years.”
“When you heal someone do they live longer? Or forever?”
“Not forever.” Jocelyn smiled. “I cannot bestow immortality. But yes, some will live longer than destined, especially if their illness was life threatening. I stop the illness, they do not die, so logically they are alive longer.”
“Like Raffi?”
“Yes, like Raffi.”
“What is the Source?”
“It’s actually not anything at all, nor is it in any particular place, yet it is everything and in everything, and it is everywhere at the same time. It is not an object or a being, but is the most beautiful energy of the Universe in action all the time, surrounding us, even us right now, and it surrounds this ship, and is part of the ion streams we move through. It is life and balance in all things. It can be concentrated in certain areas and with certain beings. Arcturus for example, has the strongest concentration of energy frequency that is known in the galaxy. The people born on Arcturus have gifts, each different, because the energy we have works differently according to our frequency and intension. But this energy is everywhere too, and in all beings to an extent.”
“Do I have this energy?”
“Of course you do. It flows through you Elnor.” His sweet face lit up at the compliment. “You have a balance and grace that comes from the Universe. Your honesty and candor shine with it. Your movements, so swift, and cat-like, come from a dynamic pool of energy within you.”
The cat strolled off, distracted by something, and Jocelyn was aware of another energy in the room, one she knew well. She knew Cris had been listening, hesitant to interrupt, and not intentionally eaves-dropping. Jocelyn called out to him, and he walked into the room, the cat winding her tail around his leg.
“I don’t mean to interrupt. I’ll come back.”
“No, Captain,” Elnor said as he rose. “I believe I’ve taken enough of the Countess’s time. Thank you for telling me your story, Countess.”
She nodded and smiled as she watched Elnor leave the holodeck. Cris sat down in Elnor’s place. Jocelyn held out her hands, palms down, the invitation, and he took them. They both closed their eyes without saying a word. After these weeks of being inseparable, she instinctively knew what the Captain needed, when he wanted to talk to her, or if he wanted to make love, or, like now, when he needed to be healed. Softly she projected a current of pale blue energy, an intuitive choice in color, into his body and she could feel the alert tensions within him begin to ease away. His shoulder had pulled muscles, and some of his ribs were bruised, evidence of the sparring sword match with Swann and Elnor the previous day, a match in which he was not the victor. Those bruises she addressed, erasing the pain.
But there was something else. After her failure to help Dr. Locke, when she had gone to him and they’d shared their heart aches in measure over the people they felt they’d failed to save, she recognized this dark stillness in him, like a closed box, one he could not, or refused to open.
This dark box contained forgiveness.
And it was something that Cris clearly could not give himself. Naming the asteroid field Revenge invoked a lack of forgiveness, for those who seek vengeance, have not forgiven, themselves, or others. His general renegade attitude and a need to be alone showed this as well. An element of fearlessness surrounded him, of not being afraid to die, taking risks without a second thought to consequences. All of it gave him an edge, and a good one in his line of business with La Sirena, but with it came the pain of regret. The thing in the box was hard to release. She and Cris were the same in this aspect, this lack of forgiving themselves, even when that unforgivable event was not their fault.
Could they open up forgiveness in each other, release the regret they each shared? The love between them stirred it, even with this short time together. She wanted to share more, to tell him everything that stirred her mind, and her soul.
This was the perfect time to tell him about home. They held each other’s hands softly, the warm energy flowed between them. Her mind lost focus now and then, wondering what they would do when they reached Arcturus. What would they find? And if nothing was there, would the investigation take Picard and Cris to another destination? Would she still be needed? Since she was home, it would be assumed that she would stay, of course, and dedicate herself to the Source energy. Could she still do it now? It wasn’t possible, and she had good reasons.
“I have to tell you something,” she whispered. Cris opened his eyes and smiled softly. Words failed her. He lifted his brows, waiting.
“It’s okay, Joss. I already know.”
“You do?” Relief flooded her, but she realized it wasn’t possible for him to know what she was going to say. There was no way he knew her secret, though his perceptiveness regarding her thoughts had grown in great measure.
“You’re going home,” he continued,“to our destination from the beginning. It must be overwhelming. And I know it must pain you that your sister is involved.”
She sighed. He had no idea. “Cris…” She held his hands more firmly, more to focus herself, but to focus him as well. She could only summon part of what she needed to tell him.
“Did you hear me explain the Source to Elnor?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to—“
“Please. It’s fine. I need to explain what I have to do. The strong energy is concentrated on Arcturus and partly because we Arcturians replenish it. We return to the source and give our entire energy to it, so that it grows and lengthens out into the Universe and beyond. My mother joined the source years ago, and I could feel the strength of my gifts enhanced by it. She made the promise. I have as well. That’s what it means for me to go home. You give your life back to that which created it. That is what I will do, or, what I thought I would do. I can’t explain—“
“Wait, you can’t be serious? You don’t mean what I think you mean?”
“I made a promise.” Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Didn’t you once tell me promise was a prison?”
“I did.” He reached up and held her face in is hands.
“Well, you can’t do this. I mean, I can understand why you want to—no, never mind, I don’t. I don’t understand. If this energy is so pure and healing how can it demand someone’s life to sustain it? That doesn’t make sense to me. The Universe is a better place with you in it, Jocelyn. I mean that, with everything in me, I meant it.” He wiped her tears as she held onto his arms, feeling his strength pour through her. His…love. Pure, simple, love. The power of his words poured into her, they felt like wings fluttering into her soul, setting her free.
“Can you forgive yourself, Cristobal? Can you let everything go that weighs your heart down?”
“If that’ll stop you from doing this, I will try.”
“You can’t try. You have to do it. It has nothing to do with me, this is a release for yourself, mi amor.”
He let her go.
“Why?”
“Why? Because then you’ll be free.”
“Free?”
“That’s why you fly, right? To feel a semblance of freedom. Forgiveness can bring you that as well.”
“Maybe I do like to fly to feel free. So what? Why are you asking this of me?” His voice had a sternness she had never felt directed at her before.
“I need to know that you’ll be okay.”
“I won’t be if you do this. If you’re with me or not with me, it doesn’t matter, I’ll only be okay if I know that you are somewhere alive within this universe. I can’t do what you ask unless…”
“I am sorry,” she said. “I’m not trying to hurt you. I don’t believe I can go through with it, and it’s because of you, because of what I feel for you. And I’ve become selfish and don’t know how to deal with that.”
He looked into her eyes for a moment, his anger softening. “Maybe you could forgive yourself.”
Their eyes remained locked, waiting for the other, then laughed at the same time. She knew he was right. Her decision would be easy. Relief flooded her with the warmth of his touch.
He held her hands again, brought her fingers to his lips, and kissed them, while the white cat sat down between them and started to wash a paw.