Mr Midnight's Prodigal Nightmare

Posted on Thu 4th Apr, 2024 @ 1:26pm by Renato Solis

1,691 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: O' the Cardiff Rose
Location: Ullian Relay Vessel URV-1136
Timeline: MD1

-Start-

{URV-1136 in transit to Ullia}

-36 hours to arrival-

Renato was spared some of the usual miseries of these long shuttle flights. Sometimes the gravity was not palatable, and the snacks were thin non-existent all purpose wafers. Pealing babies, personal animal companions, the list of potential tortures had gotten long in his decades of transit riding. It was too quiet, his ears had been accustomed to the din of children and learning to co-exist in such bedlam had been a matter of necessity. Now despite the fact he should be thrilled for the quiet dark flight, he was melancholy for the fact that he couldn't bring those wafers home. The sliced fruit or baked breads were for Hasskin who just loved those flavorless wafer cookies. Light year after next did nothing to lessen his connection to the base behind him, the heart pulled home despite his body’s weary march back to eh land of his birth.

Despite the literal trials ahead for him, it was the sucking void in his heart that he dreaded would take him in his sleep for its agony. His departure from the starbase had come with little warning, a summons for a court date in two weeks, and a week of travel to get there. Kya had called it “opportunity.”

Renato held back his tears, the well of mental reserve and emotional heat sink operating internally as well as out. Everyone on this long flight had their fair share of baggage, so rather than commiserate he felt small and unimportant, a person waiting to be a person again once past this interregnum. Lexy had made him a travel sack of important things, a trait children born to a refugees life much the same as flowers and well wishes. A small crocheted octopus, “Olly” as Hasskin had named it was so precious in his eyes the tears came any way.

As plenty noticed, none commented. Privacy was more than isolation and Renato finally felt sleep take him.

-28 hours to arrival-

The slight turbulence caused a startled awakening. His heart raced, and his ambient telepathic reception was not being restrained. His neighbor in the seat behind his was panicking for the turbulence, and it was their fear Renato was absorbing in addition to his own. The large Human had a disheveled suit, purple and grimy from travel, a prominent drip stain sowing the mess of a meal in his recent past. His knee was canted at an odd angle and uneven tread wear on the insoles suggested a dragged foot. The observations helped ground Renato and separate the mental concepts of self.

Another violent shudder and the fear overwhelmed him again. Try as he might to shut it out, the powerful intonations after every buck and juke signaled a certain instant death, the fear came in powerful waves. Sitting next to the purple man, a Trill woman was also dressed nicely in a zipped dark brown utility suit with jacket, not disheveled or grimy. She had a yellow flowing dress over the suit and over the coat a demure shoulder wrap. Trying to ground himself in details his eyes also took in a sparkling necklace of some sort of crystal.

She looked more upset the large man was sweating near her than of the turbulence. Trying to both grab the arms of her seat and gain distance from the terrified passenger next to her she wore a grimace of disgust more than fear.

The Steward's voice announced over an intercom, "Nothing to worry about, we are switching to a variable warp field to better navigate a few dark matter manifolds in the path, the bumps are to be expected and not a problem for the ship at all. Just a reminder the rear cabin has a medical booth, and cafe for your comfort needs."

Renato felt the panic subside from the whole cabin annd his mental reserve finally kicked in. After he regained the tight fence of his telepathy, he let his heart calm and felt the adrenaline response subside to the usual jittery exhaustion. As a more sensitive telepath he slept alone and far away from people unless he wanted to see their dreams and thoughts. A single unguarded touch and he took on their memories, felt their emotional states and could get lost in the tumult. I must not fall asleep again... he realized soberly.

Shaky legs and three points of contact saw him to the cafe, where there was a small replicator and four small tables with two chair opposing at each one. Renato sat at the unoccupied interior table, ordering tea and a biscuit, hoping to see something in a package. There was too much time ahead, and three of four decks dedicated to passengers. After an hour of sitting, social pressure compelled him to move and he took a pastry to go.

There was a small observation deck, and a ledge with a view of the stars streaking by. He saw nobody around and took full advantage, ignoring the signs prohibiting staying too long. That was an old habit, his houseless era had lead to many well struck bargains to his conscience. He propped his legs into the bottom circular aspect of the large oval bay windows and struck the hammock pose, staring ahead at his own feet. Simulated nighttime had put people to bed so the moment seemed right, it might be too busy later.

The dreams which came kept him tossing in his makeshift recumbence. Leaving one home to come to another home though lost made for a confusion of iconography. His mother, who had publicly repudiated their familial bonds had not yet reached out to him. Time was running out before he arrived and it was too late, if she didn’t welcome him back there would be no relationship and this trip was a waste of time. Clearing his name meant nothing to any of people he cared nothing about. His father had passed, his sister had tried and failed at least, but his mother…

-22 hours to arrival-

They awoke him gently, apparently nobody had come up here for some time and with isolation it had been solid rest. There were no hard feelings from the crewman as Renato gracefully walked away, waking up in long strides. He checked his console device, and saw a pending message, the desire for it be from his mother immediately coming to him.

{Renato, your advocate has been assigned, recommend reaching out. Contact Minister-advocate Floyaa to begin your intake. Good Luck! Welcome Home!}

It was not her, and he felt saddened by the simple acknowledgment. The Cafe was empty, and he took a seat with a tea again. The missive came with a preliminary statement for the interpretation of case law; the Taboo had been abolished, and his restitution looked promising. The State wished to settle without a trial, but demanded Renato's presence in person to grant absolution.

Twenty six years ago, he had been a different person. Young, brash, thinking he was bulletproof and finding out that he wasn't far too late. They called it “coersive consent” and treated him the same as violent criminals. He had grown powerful in its steady use, practiced and meticulously efficient, using his skills to make people forget they ever met. His worst crimes had been in the name of not becoming a mental eunuch. Meeting the underground societies of the Taboo's darkest dregs changed him, and when he was caught in the act, his exile and public shame had been complete.

The state was prepared to admit fault in trying to force surgery onto him. They said his flight from the law was excusable as his usage was non violent up until the knock on his door by armed men to carry him away to a surgery he didn't want. He was now a case study, and considered a gifted user of telepathy rather than a terrible criminal. His sister had even reached out, though none of his family had any reason to reach out after so long, it was surprising none the less. An exile like him was shunned completely, even family were forbidden to contact.

There was a message in his native world ID profile. It had been there for a week but not transmitted until now. They had refused to send any messages offworld until now. This new message seemed to be triggered by the opening of the legal missive.

{Renato I cannot express my deepest joy to know you are returning, to communicate to you once more...}

He read the seven page letter a dozen times, dabbing fat sobbing tears from his face. His fingers trembled as he tried to imagine a reply. He had not known how to message her until right now, and though he had imagined saying words so many nights before, the palsied touch yielded nothing. He felt like he was going to lose control again, looking around there was nobody in a nightmare this time. The turmoil was all his, refracted back into his own empathic intakes. With a deep breath and series of exercises the inimitable Dr. Graves had given him he regained composure.

The family was in rough shape, his sister was the matriarch now, and mother was ailing. Their family lands had been reduced to a home, and assets were meager. They had never been a large or prosperous family, but well known and highly regarded. Now it was a reliquary for the mediocre, whose members had lost the right be proud of their name for the crimes of one of their members. Renato was restoring their abilities to have a future as much as relieving the yoke around his neck.

There was no need for eloquence, he knew what he wanted to say to her. Before anything else he just needed to express how he felt to see her words.

{Edica, The thought of seeing you has restored a portion of my soul I thought was gone forever. There is great joy for me to see you, and I hope our family has fared well...}

-TBC-

 

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