<USS Avalon> A Perilious Secret -- Part II -- Felicity

A perilous  secret
Part  II
a log by  Felicity Roan
 
The story thus far...  Dylan and Felicity Roan, twins, were sitting on a 
transport shuttle with two  men, Buddy and Guy, en route to their missing older 
brother, Sebastian.  He  has been declared dead by Starfleet for more than a 
year.  A few months  ago, Dylan received an odd note from Sebastian with 
coordinates to a remote  planet that brought the twins here on Felicity's shore 
leave 
from the USS  Avalon, where she serves as Chief Medical Officer.  Buddy and 
Guy purport  themselves to be screeners for Sebastian and have blindfolded them 
to ensure the  location is kept secret.  Buddy has admonished them not to 
reveal any of  this to anyone for fear the lives of their parents and 
themselves 
could be  endangered.  And now ... on to the last installment...
 
Sitting there in the  shuttle, Felicity thought about the events that led to 
her being in this  predicament.  Shaking her head, she was mentally kicking 
herself for being  so naive.  She always trusted her brother, even though 
trouble and he had  intertwined fates.  She was more practical, more reliable, 
more  
grounded.  None of these were present in the events that lead up to this  
moment ... only her heart and blind faith.  She desperately wanted to  believe 
that her brother was alive and well, that he would be waiting there with  open 
arms... How stupid and naive.  How incredibly stupid and  naive.
 
She tried to reach out  mentally to her brother, but all she could feel was 
his guilt and worry for  her.  Sighing she hoped they would reach their 
destination soon and they  could get this over with.  Her appointment at 
Starfleet 
Medical beckoned  her.  Much to her relief, she noted that after about an hour, 
the shuttle  began what felt like a descent.
 
"Okay, everybody  out.  We've reached our destination.  We'll be walking 
about a  kilometre from here, so I hope you brought your walking shoes."  Buddy 
 
helped her stand, not at all roughly.  
 
The walked went faster  than a full kilometre she observed mentally.  Dylan 
was silent...almost too  quiet and then suddenly, "Freddie, I'm here ... it's 
going to be okay.   I'll stay near."
 
When the blindfolds  were removed, the twins squinted at the sunlight ... it 
was too bright. "Wow,  it's a bit brighter than I expected," Felicity found 
herself muttering  aloud.  Guy laughed loudly.  "We hear that a lot..."
 
They sat in a room and  were served lunch, which they found odd since it was 
dinner where they  were.  Everyone they encountered was a human and was 
friendly.  After  another hour, Buddy entered.  "Your brother will be in 
momentarily.   Again, I must warn you that what you will hear may shock and 
upset you, 
but you  CANNOT share outside these walls."
 
The twins nodded and  oddly, moved a bit closer to one another.  When the 
doors opened and the  man walked in, they didn't recognize him.  "Felicity!  
Dylan!   Come give me a hug you two!  You look amazing... I can't believe how 
much 
 you've changed.  All for the better!  I know you don't recognize me  like 
this... I'll explain it all.  Buddy!  Guy!  Bring us some  Cheese and Apple!  
Extra Sharp Cheddar!!!"
 
He sat and they all  were silent for a few moments studying one another.  The 
cheese arrived and  he offered it to them and they ate in silence.  After a 
few more moments,  Sebastian broke the uncomfortable silence.  "Okay, so enough 
cloak and  dagger.  The reason you're here, why I'm technically dead and how 
to make  sure you believe it's me.  Freddie, there are exactly three people 
who call  you that in this world.  Dylan, me and Uncle Truman.  Uncle Truman  
lives in the Outback of Australia and I escorted you to the prom since someone  
had too many dates and forgot he was yours.  This is pretty common  knowledge 
... but how many people know that you kept your journal in the oak  tree near 
the apple tree in the back yard?"
 
Felicity sat there in  disbelief.  This was her brother.  "Dylan ... my man.  
There are  many dark secrets in your closet for me to share ... let's see.  
How about  that no one but Felicity and I know that you can talk to her with 
your  mind.  You never told anyone..not Starfleet and certainly not our  
family. 
 Is that good enough?"
 
Dylan looked at his  boots and nodded simply.  Felicity was awash in emotion. 
 It was  almost too much.  "So, on to why you're here.  This is going to be a 
 quick visit I'm afraid.  I cannot take the risk for now.  This will  not be 
our last visit I promise.  This is the first of many visits.   But on to the 
main conversation.  I don't know how to sugar coat this, so  here it is.  I am 
part of Section 31.  Or rather I was ... now this  group of people and I are 
dedicated to exposing them for what they are and how  their infestation within 
Starfleet is going to lead to its destruction.   They have been allowed to run 
rampant without any checks and balances for too  long..."
 
Dylan stood first,  "Wait, you're telling me that my brother has been 
declared dead because you're  part of Section 31 only you're really not?  But 
you 
were in the Badlands  when you went missing ... why didn't you just join the 
Maquis?  Help them  instead?"
 
Sebastian sat and  thought about the response, "Dyl, you know it's not that 
easy.  Nothing in  politics and government is ever that easy.  I initially 
turned down  membership in Section 31 four times before I finally caved.  For a 
while it  was a lot of snooping, keeping an eye open stuff.  Then came my first 
 
assignment for murder.  I tried and failed miserably.  They replaced  me and 
reassigned me to a ship that patrolled the Badlands and had dealings with  the 
Maquis.  My job was to get as many names of defected crew back to the  
Section.  I could do that, since the Section didn't want to hurt them,  rather 
convert them.  Then came my next murder assignment and a fateful  offer to 
leave 
the Section for something more."
 
"Sebastian, please tell  me this is some kind of sick joke.  Surely, you know 
that Section 31 will  never stop hunting for you and that our family will be 
targeted for the  remainder of our lives.  What is your group here planning to 
accomplish by  exposing the Section?  Their roots run deeper than that Oak in 
the  backyard."  Felicity was upset and feeling her blood boil for the first  
time in ages.
 
"Freddie ... please  rest assured.  You are being studied, but I've been 
declared dead by the  Section, Starfleet and the Maquis.  My death was pretty 
convincing.   If Buddy hadn't pulled off a tremendous rescue, I wouldn't be 
here 
to talk to  you.  As for what we hope to accomplish.  It's time that Federation 
 Citizens understand that the people they believe are representing their 
values  and beliefs are serving their own means.  They deserve better ... we 
all  
deserve better.  But this is why you cannot tell anyone ... no one must  know. 
 Our organization is small in number and is one of many groups with  the same 
aims and ambitions."
 
Sebastian took a bite  of the cheese and savored its flavor, "This is a lot 
to process... a secret that  I'm asking you to keep is tremendous.  If I didn't 
trust you both, I  wouldn't do it.  You must understand, this information is 
to protect you  from harm.  Be wary of everyone you encounter, everyone you 
meet.   Anyone approaching you for a date is a potential assassin ... every new 
crew  member has a hidden agenda.  Be cautious and be safe my little twins.   
You'll hear from me soon.  I may not look the same or have the same mode of  
contact, but you'll know I'm there.  My associates and I will be looking  out 
for you.  Rest assured.  If you discover anyone in the Section or  Maquis; 
however, do not engage them... Buddy and Guy will provide you with a way  to 
contact me at all times."  He stood and headed for the door, but turned  and 
offered his arms to the both of them.  "Dylan, Felicity, it was so good  to see 
you. 
 Know that I love you more than anything and that for our  family, I do 
this...sacrifice everything.  I hope this secret is not the  burden I'm sure 
you 
two imagine it to be.  We'll chat soon."  He gave  them a hug and kiss and then 
was gone.
 
Swiftly, they were  whisked away back to the shuttle and just as fast back to 
Earth.  Dylan and  Felicity had very little to say to one another for a 
while.  As Felicity  left to Starfleet Medical, she felt an odd sense of 
loneliness 
leaving Dylan at  the Academy to rendezvous with his ship.  Felicity tried to 
avoid looking  over her shoulder a hundred times a day, but now, the truth 
had been  uncovered.  She felt an odd sense of fear that she hadn't known  
before.
 
And now, the game was  afoot.  This was a perilous secret...one she hoped to 
be able to  keep...

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