Able Archer

Posted on 24 Jun 2016 @ 8:44am by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Anthony Duval & Korre Barras (KIA)

1,558 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 11 - Divinum Mundi
Location: Holodeck Two - USS Galileo
Timeline: MD7 - 0800Hrs

Warrant Officer Second Class Anthony Duval tapped the wall mounted display, his eyes seeking a rather specific program. "Mmm..." he felt his face frown almost by herself as he glanced through the programs on offer. "Nope... nope and .... fine.. I'll do this the hard way." he paused. "Computer, are the files I requested from the United Federation of Planets Historical Society.?"

"Affirmative. Files are now in the system." the computer responded.

Duval nodded his head slowly, as a smile graced his lips. "Alright.. Move those files into my personal database then copy them into the holodeck systems, can you create a program as requested from them?"

"Affirmative."

"Alright.."

"So ... I take it this is a regular thing for you now," Her nose was still a bit sun-touched from the day before, but Korre was smiling as she leaned back against the still-bare wall.

"Something like that... since most of the holodeck fanatics are on duty and as I work Beta Watch...I have the option for the holodeck either really early or really late." he shrugged as he tapped one last display. "So... feel like going to Britain?"

Britain ... Korre's nose wrinkled. "Sure; I haven't been there since ... oh, at least 2330?" The timing worked well for her; though her shift ended sometime around 0200, and she found if she napped a bit between then and when Duval hit the deck, then she was alert enough to enjoy the exercise, and then sleep like the dead until it was time to wake for the day's duties.

"Britain is an interesting place... But if you're up for it, we have an appointment with the guys planning Operation Charlemagne. "

Operation Charlemagne ... Korre arched a brow. "Ooooh kay. Let me guess; we're re-enacting a scene from a Frankish musical." She took in Duval's deadpan expression. "Or not. You'll have to forgive me, but I'm not sure I recognize the term."

"I know." Duval responded, as if letting her off easily. "Most people alive today won't know of it unless they are history nuts." he added by way of explanation. "Better yet, why don't I show you instead."

"Be my guest." Admittedly, her curiosity was piqued, now. Moving over to where Duval stood, Korre loosely crossed her arms as she waited to see what he had.

Duval tapped the display once. "Computer is the program ready?"

"Affirmative." came the unexpected response.

"Alright... " he turned to Korre. "Lets go back in time... Destination is London in 2050." he paused as the doors opened. "Abut eighteen months before the nuclear exchange.." and with that he stepped onto a street that had seen a fair share of warfare. Two houses in the long row were missing their roofs and one house had been completly obliterated. "This is why allied command met here... nobody expected it." as he indicated the suburban street that looked mostly residential.

He smiled as the massive amount of trees blocked out most of the sunshine. "We're less then two hundred yards from the Greenwich Observatory." as he gently pushed aside a small shrub of trees as the two made their way up the road, before he took a side path through a sizable grove of trees, and slowly up a flight of several dozen concrete steps.

Biting her lip, Korre fought back a sudden surge of memory at the sight. She'd seen the like years ago and it never got any easier to see again. Still.

Duval led the way up a rather flight of steps as he ducked underneath some branches. "You ever been to London before?" he inquired of her.

"Not ... Under these circumstances, but yes - I've visited a time or two." She was beginning to have some doubts of this endeavor.

Duval lead her from the trees out into a rather large open field, the Greenwich observatory was intact as the Eastern Coalition's military strikes on London had either deliberately missed this iconic landmark or had been intercepted. Duval noted the locations of three camouflaged SAM sites nearby sop he assumed it was the latter. "Here we are." he said evenly. "You are here as my aide, if anyone asks k?"

"Your aide." Korre bit her lip as she folded her arms before. "Okay - how exactly am I aiding you? I mean ... what is your purpose here?"

Duval regarded her with his dark brown eyes. "My objective if you wish to call it that..... is to plan the liberation of Europe from the Eastern Coalition."

The Eastern Coalition. The term was one she had learned in history as a child. Though ... her history of the events was a good deal less removed than Duval's. "I see. That was ... one of the more heated conflicts if I remember aright." Heated - more like central to the war on a whole.

"Thats.... one way of looking at it, it was the most brutal war humanity had ever fought on its own soil, against members of the same species... While yes, later wars put this one to shame... That was humanity fighting among the stars against alien species... This war... would put paid to the question of can we get along once and for all." Duval sighed softly. "To think we came so close to our own destruction.."

Korre pursed her lips. There had been civil wars in her own past, she knew. There had been talk of an uprising in the days before the Borg came, but she had been so young at the time, and since then El Aurian history had not been as important as learning about her new home. "And yet, you didn't. A remnant remained and grew into all you are today."

Duval raised an eyebrow. "I had three relatives that fought in this war... One in Europe with Operation Charlemagne, one in Korea during the fall and one in Australia with Operation Kangaroo.." he let out a sigh. "Their children are afflicted with various problems, one of my relatives was murdered by Colonel Green's henchmen."

She had meant humanity in general. For a moment, Korre remained silent. Finally, she spoke softly. "I lost everyone on El Auria. Well, everyone but my brother and my uncle Quinn."

"Sajnálom." he responded. "I'm Sorry..." he added a moment later, providing the translation to what he said before. "Humanity did it to itself which was worse then what the Borg ever did.."

He could say that, but it didn't change the fact that Humanity still had a world to call their own. Still, Korre managed to offer Duval a wry smile. "So ... where do we stand now - in regards to what was happening?"

"Europe was conquered by the Eastern Coalition two years ago.. and now that America is freed, they are redeploying forces to assist us with Operation: Charlemagne. The goal is to liberate Europe and drive the enemy back into the Asian states and the CFR." Duval explained. "This operation if done right will allow us to take out the CFR directly."

Korre nodded. "And if this is done, will the war be closer to an end?" Perhaps she should have researched this part of Earth History more, but it had never appealed to her in the past.

"It will but the CFR reaction will slow the allies liberation of Europe.." Duval explained. "Someone in the CFR will launch a nuclear missile at one of the cities in Germany... the US will see it and they will launch everything they got... Everyone else will see and they too... will launch..."

She had tried - she really had - yet it seemed that there was no end in sight. It was the reality of war, Korre knew that, but it didn't mean she could manage to stand here and see it through. "I'm not comfortable with this, Anthony. I mean ... I know things turned out well in the end - look where we are now - but all of this ..." She waved her hand to the subdued violence surrounding them, indicating his own words as well. "It disturbs me. I'm sorry."

Duval turned his head as he regarded her. "War... its always an ugly thing.."

"Right." It was clear she would have nothing along the lines of empathy in this. Screwing up her courage, Korre shoved her hands into her pockets and foraged ahead. "So what happens now?"

Duval shifted his attention from her to the observatory that was still intact, considering what had been thrown at it. "I dunno." he answered.

Korre shot him a look. "It's your program," she countered. "Or do you have it set to some random outcome? Could the Federation lose this war after all?"

"This was about a hundred years or so before the Federation even existed.." Duval explained. "I wanted to see what the planning for Operation: Charlemagne looked like... I was..... curious.."

A slim brow arched at that as some of her usual aplomb returned. "Curiosity killed the cat, my friend."

"Yes... that is so...." Duval responded.

"And satisfaction brought it back." With her own unsettling memories packed away, Korre tugged her jacket closer as she started for the stairs. "And I suppose the only way we get any of that is to see where this rabbit hole leads."

"I guess so.." Duval responded quietly. "This way.."

[OFF]

WO2 Anthony Duval
Engineer
USS Galileo.

Korre Barras
Lounge Manager
USS Galileo

RSS Feed