Ceremonies of Light

Posted on Tue Jul 10th, 2018 @ 9:49am by Major Alexandria Somers

Mission: A Day in the Life
Location: Earth/Somers Residence
Timeline: Over 22 years prior to current year.

NOTE: This post and the one titled "They have come home" come directly after the events in the post titled "Mission Raptor Aftermath" the new posts comes before the Paragraph where Somers comes to SB332.

[ON]

- Somers Residence 0800 hours -

S’arila arrives at the Somers mansion and walks up to the door and knocks, she thought to herself how quaint even more so when a flesh and blood butler opened the door, he took one look at the tall woman then at who she was carrying and let S’arila into the house. She entered the lounge and gently placed the unconscious Alex on the sofa and looked up as the girl’s parents, Elder brother and Sister entered. “Medical kit now” S’arila said and Karyn Somers was in action, leaving Alex to the care of her sister, Samuel Somers silently called her over, in actual fact he knew S’arila was telepathic so he called her over in his mind, it was a one-way link, she could hear him, but not the other way around. S’arila simply nodded and went into the large kitchen with Sam, Jennifer and John and it was Samuel who spoke.

“I see you found her Major, what actually happened; I know she was feeling down when she returned, but from what John said, not so much?” Sam asked.

S’arila looked at him, to make it easier on his neck she hunched down, a motion and position that seemed all too natural for her. “From past experience the only time someone drinks as much as she did, it means they are trying to either numb or get rid of their pain. But four burly guys came in and began to harass her, she politely said no and shakily stood and the first guy grabbed her by her collar. I have to say I was impressed, despite her inebriation she broke his grip and sent her assailant a short distance across the floor, then the second guy she broke his nose, after that the other pair beat the crap out of her, that is where I stepped in. In the morning she is going to have one mighty hangover and serious aches and pains, but her pain will not go easily” Donovan said.

“Thank you, Major, I hear that you have been assigned to the USS Tomcat under Lieutenant Colonel Jasmine Somers?” Sam said.

“Yes, she is your niece, what is she like to serve with?” Donovan asked.

“To be totally honest with you, I cannot say, I know she has always had the Somers stubborn streak and a liking for combat. But she does not have the diplomatic skills that my Alex has, but she is after all a Marine, I am hoping her time Commanding a Starship will teach her a few things” Samuel responded.

“If she is anything like my realities Jasmine Somers, then she will do what she needs to do,” Donovan said with sorrow.

Sam studied the hybrid, there was something she was not saying and he remembered she was from an alternate reality, he decided to look up the debriefing she got. “So major when do you ship out?” Sam asked.

“Tonight, enough time for the shakedown cruise,” Donovan said.

Sam nodded and watched Donovan stands, and stretch “my task here is done Mr Ambassador, I will take my leave and gather my gear together,” S’arila said and walked to the door, she stopped and looked back as Sam spoke.

“Major, what was your exact motive for helping my daughter this day?” he asked.

With a sad smile “for the memory of someone I once knew, your daughter has a future, where I come from her future was cut short, good day to you Sir” Donovan said and was gone leaving them to ponder her words, then it hit them who she was on about.

“What was she on about Dad?” John asked.

“Major Donovan comes from an alternate reality that is vastly different from this one and the person she is referring to is another version of Alex, obviously the Alex she knew died in some action” Sam answered more determined than ever to read her arrival transcripts now.

- Arlington Cemetery Stardate: 237011.30 -

It had been some days since the assault team had returned home, and a modest funeral procession was taking place, it had been a mystery to the Graves family on how their daughter was granted a resting place in an old Cemetery like Arlington. But they like others there waiting at the grave as the funeral procession advanced, some ceremonial tune was playing and the Fleet Officers were dressed in standard dress uniform, while the Marines were in dress uniforms reminiscent of the old US Marine dress blue uniforms, only theirs were green, but that is all that was different on them. Alex was one of the pallbearers, she wore the female version of the Marine caps and the skirt and parade shoes, it truly was old traditional uniforms.

Those assembled looked as a sea of white hats carrying a coffin draped with the Federation flag and her ceremonial sword, it was blunt but was only for ceremonies, as the pallbearers stopped alongside the apparatus that would lower the coffin into the hole. The Commander in Chief of Starfleet took the lead he quoted some lines, then a rare vision appeared, it was a Marine Padre a holy man so to speak, he was versed in old religion and did the necessaries. Then as the Last Post was played the Federation Flag was folded into a triangle and a Marine Officer approached the Grave family and handed the mother the folded flag and stood back and saluted and turned around smartly and walked away. Now it was Alex’s turn, she picked up the dress hat and ceremonial sword off the coffin before the flag was removed, then when the mother accepted the flag Alex handed the sword and hat to the father and did the same as the officer. By this time the last note of the Last Post was done and the coffin was lowered into the ground, as it descended four marines fired three shots apiece from their TR-116 rifles, Annabel Graves got a twelve shot salute. The wake was a sombre affair where Wayne Graves cornered Alex to find out why the old style funeral, as it was unheard of for a Non-commissioned officer to have one like it.


- Somers Residence later that same night -

After the wake the Somers had returned home, Alex said very little throughout the day and just a brief “g’night” before she went back upstairs, her Sister Karyn looked puzzled and followed her up, their brother went into the kitchen. This left Sam and Jennifer Somers and a Major Donovan in SFMC Dress uniform, she had not yet changed, all were standing in the foyer.

“So, S’arila you reporting to the Tomcat straight from here, or by way of your quarters to change?” Jennifer asked looking up at the taller woman.

Looking down “by way of,” S’arila said looking up where Alex went, she could hear the woman’s thoughts, Alex was blaming herself for what happened, and then she heard other thoughts and looked at the elder Somers and with a smile. “Where I come from my Alex was brave and headstrong and she made any pain or hurt into a strength and came off better for it, she will get better in time, the important part is you assure her in your own way that she is not to blame for the events of her last mission” Donovan said.

Jennifer looked at the Major “What do you mean S’arila?” the woman asked Donovan who gave a small simple smile.

“You know everything she knows don’t you S’arila, is your telepathy that strong?” Sam asked.

Looking at Samuel Somers “Yes it is that strong, think of the strongest Betazoid and multiply that strength by a factor of five. I would say outside of the High Command, I know more than anyone else what went on in that mission, now if you will excuse me I shall take my leave of you” Donovan said with a smile.

Both Somers bid farewell to the Major who had looked after their daughter, S’arila was on the threshold of the Somers residence when she looked back “I have no doubt that at some point in the future I will again meet up with your daughter, but should this not happen, tell her I said goodbye and wish her well!” Donovan said and after the Somers nodded she was gone into the night, they closed the front door and joined their son in the kitchen who had a glass of brandy, and both of his parents joined him in having a glass.

[OFF]

Major Alexandria Somers
G Company Commander 'Omega'
14th Marine Btn SFMC
Starbase 332