"N'Dura," Zanh continued, "you'll lead the second command team. Take Lt. Baux from engineering, Fox Margolis, and Rogers from science."
Title: Down to Bajor
Author: Jariel Camen
Scene: Takesian Plains
Time: A short time after Wishful thinking
Camen felt his stomach twinge as the command first group, led by Salvek, energized and disappeared.
There was no time for pleasantries between Camen's group and Quinlan as they stepped onto the pad quietly and vanished moments after the first group.
Behind Camen was an efficient line of groups containing triage nurses to treat the wounded and members of security and engineering to begin establishing camps on the surface for those left homeless by the storms. They were transporting to what they believed, based upon orbital photos, was the center of the devastation.
The photos did not do it justice. Camen was surprised to find himself standing on a wooden floor as the transport completed, not on solid ground. Apparently the clear spot Quinlan had located was the interior of what was, not long ago, someone's home. A pipe stuck up out of the ground spewing water up onto the floor, presumably where the washroom had been. The rest of the home was nowhere to be found.
"No time for sight seeing Jariel, Quinlan will be waiting for us to clear the landing site for the next team." Camen felt N'Dura's tug on his arm as she guided him into the "front yard" where Salvek's team awaited them.
"This will be base camp. engineering will immediately begin the construction of temporary shelters." As Salvek spoke Lieutenant Delgotta arrived with the third group. "Delgotta, you will coordinate all communications with the Independence from here, and distribute the search and rescue teams from here. My group will proceed west. N'Dura, your group will proceed east towards the river."
Camen looked east. In the distance the flat terrain seemed to turn rough and jagged. "Will you be able to handle the terrain Jariel? It will be treacherous." Camen could hear the anticipation in N'Dura's voice.
"Where you lead, I will follow." Rogers spoke for the signing Jariel.
Once again Salvek addressed the group. "Delgotta will distribute each team along different compass points as they arrive so no one is covering the same ground. Instruct the homeless you find that shelter is in this area. Triage nurses shall treat minor injuries on site. Only transport those who's life is in immediate jeopardy to the ship. Sickbay already has its hands full."
[[What of the dead Commander?]] Camen signed, and Rogers translated for the group.
"I am afraid nothing can be done for them at the moment. The Bajorans will have to deal with that later. Our priority is to the living. Are there any questions?" Salvek looked around the group. Everyone shook their heads. They knew their duty and were anxious to begin the search. "Very well then, proceed."
N'Dura motioned to the east with a growl and they were off. The Starfleet officers walked briskly, and Camen would occasionally need to jog a few steps to keep pace. They were single minded in their goal of finding survivors, but Camen could not help but take in devastation surrounding him. This was HIS homeworld after all. Piles of rubble lay where homes once stood and trees were snapped off at the base, strewn about all over as far as the eye could see.
He hadn't mentioned it to anyone, but Camen had campaigned in this place at a time where becoming Kai had been a driving force in his life. It felt like another lifetime long since past, maybe because it was. He had left the Vedek assembly partly because he tired of the politics and false spirituality, partly because he wished to pursue his relationship with the Prophets on his own terms, and mostly because he had come to understand his soul and fate were entwined with that of Zanh Liis, and it was with her that he belonged.
He had been to devastated areas to lend assistance before, but not since he had left the assembly. Not since his beliefs if the dogma of the religious community had been called into question. There was a reason he feared this mission to a certain extent, and it had nothing to do with death and storms. But Liis had needed him here on the surface. She was willing, as acting captain, to place him in harms way for the good of Bajor, and he would face his fear to not let her down.
"OVER HERE!!!" N'Dura yelled from 100 yards ahead. She was scanning the remain of a home, "Life sign very strong!"
"I can hear you! Help me!" came the voice of a young girl from inside the rubble. N'Dura holstered her tricorder as the others arrive, and began sifting through the rubble. They tossed aside pieces of construction material and a small dirty hand of a girl, about 12 reached out through the rubble up to them.
"I'm stuck, please help me!" N'Dura saw the long wooden beam that the child was pinned under.
"Baux, Rogers, other end!!" N'Dura ordered.
Baux and Rogers found one end of the beam, as N'Dura found the other.
"We got it Commander! On three!" Kat called out. "On, two, THREE!" The beam lifted several inches off the ground. Margolis and Jariel reached through the rubble to the child's outstretched arms.
"Come on sweetie, we got you, grab our arms." Fox spoke. "We're going to pull you out."
Fox and Camen each took the child by an arm and lifted her out from beneath the beam. "We got her, let it go!" Said Fox. She carried the child over to Rogers, who began scanning her. N'Dura and Baux returned their attention to the building looking for other survivors.
"Nothing serious. You were very lucky my dear." Rogers ran a dermal regenerator over a few scrapes. Camen began signing at her. She read his signs and spoke to the girl. "Where are your parents?" The girl pointed at the pile of rubble. Camen looked at Kat Baux, who just shook her head slowly and folded up her tricorder.
***Flash***
In an instant Camen was back there. Alone, so alone. You never forget your first day at the orphanages on Bajor. There are dozens, hundreds like you left behind when the Cardassians have taken your parents lives, usually before your very eyes. They always let the children live. Not out of mercy, but rather because they know letting you live with the agony of having just lost your parents is a fate more cruel then death.
Nobody at the orphanage cares. The adults are too busy to care, and the other children too hungry. You try to introduce yourself to someone and find out how to get a morsel of food, but you will still learn that the only way to get it is to beat a fellow orphan for their ration, or manage to steal a bite from one of the older children that preys upon the young.
On a rare occasion you may find a soul kind enough to share a ration, and smart enough to have learned how to avoid the older kids. Over time Camen would sift through the pain of having lost his parents and learn how to survive here, and become one of those kind souls that would share his rations with the new children that didn't yet know how to survive here. He would take one such girl two years his junior under his wing. The others were particularly cruel to her. Camen was still too young to understand that the reason he wanted so badly to protect Zanh Liis from the bullies was that he loved her. As time passed...he would understand.
**********FLASH***********
"Vedek Jariel!!! Is that really you!!!" The girl spoke, suddenly recognizing him. "My parents were going to support you, to be Kai! I remember.... Oh, Vedek, please pray for them with me? I know the Prophets will smile upon us."
In an instant his greatest fears were realized. He had hoped no one here would recognize or remember him, and ask him to serve them as a Vedek once again. That was a part of his life he had moved past. Yet, as he stood here watching this child asking him to pray with her, and knowing the life of an orphan that awaited her, with all the pain and sorrow involved, he could not simply turn away her request. Regardless of his feelings towards the Prophets, this young girls faith was all she had at the moment for comfort, and Camen had no right to deny her that simply because acting as a Vedek and religious figure caused him discomfort.
Camen called over Rogers, and she spoke for him. "I cannot speak because of an injury I had, perhaps you can speak for us? I will kneel with you."
The girl kneeled and took his hand. "Prophets, why are you angry with us? We are but simple farmers. Please guide us through our sins and we will rebuild our home. My parents and I will resume the harvest next year and grow twice as many roots if that pleases you. I am sorry we disappointed you."
Camen felt his heart wrench. He looked at his fellow officers and they all knew that even though the child was in shock at the moment, they could not patronize her and give her false hope. Camen waved each of them off. The child was one of his people, and he would be the one to tell her. He gestured to the broken home, and simply shook his head very slowly. Tears welled up in the child's eyes. She had been so sure the Prophets would protect them, she simply didn't understand how this could be.
He called over Rogers, calling for her to speak. "It is not safe here. We have a camp set up several kilometers away. Its too dangerous for you to go alone, so our starship will transport you there. Someone will help you from there."
"No Vedek, I want to stay with you. I want to help my people." It was now Camen who had tears in his eyes, taken aback by the gesture of pure selflessness from the child. Despite the devastation all she wanted to do was help others in trouble.
"I have good people with me, we will help the others I promise. But you need to be safe." She nodded, and stood tall and proud. She did not want to cry in front of the Vedek, she would be brave for him. Margolis handed the child a com badge and called the ship.
"Margolis to Independence, one to beam to base camp."
Camen understood now why Liis had asked him in person to attend this away team. As acting Captain she had the duty to give Bajor the tools they needed to best to best combat this crisis. The duty of engineers, security, science, medical and command were all obvious. But she understood too that the Bajorans need someone of faith to give them strength as well.
It had been a long battle for both of them to realize that Camen's fate was intertwined with Liis', and he would find no joy and comfort from the Prophets. But it was no longer their luxury to stay wrapped in their safe comfortable blanket of the Independence. Camen's presence was probably the only thing that kept the young girl calm and in control despite all that happened to her.
As the child disappeared in the transporter beam, N'Dura waved her team ahead to the next group of homes. Camen though of the future in the orphanage that awaited her, and said a short prayer to anyone who cared to listen. *I hope you find your Jariel Camen.*
******************************************************
Jariel Camen
Civilian, former Vedek
USS Independence
