Stardate: 60316.1215
Title: Memory Lane
Author: Captain Khavok
Scene: Various locations on Starbase 9
Time: During/after "Is the Truth Escaping Us?"


Frank Burgle sat in his office steaming. Twenty-eight years of loyal service to Starfleet and what did he get? Second fiddle on a backwater starbase and have the ship he was meant to command handed over to a whelp.

"I have more time in Starfleet than that cub has alive!" Frank screamed to his empty office.

Burgle got up and began to pace. The arrival of Horizon's Captain in the fray was unexpected but could certainly be dealt with. Frank realized he would have to tread very lightly, the disappearance of one Captain would be difficult enough to arrange, two would be impossible. Frank calmed somewhat and rapidly issued a series of orders to his men.


=/\= Elsewhere on Starbase 9 =/\=

Alex's head snapped back under the force of a vicious blow to his face. The Captain of the Relentless had been unconcerned at first when he was brigged. It wasn't like it was the first time. Alex began to be concerned when the detail guarding him was changed. Khavok had more than enough time in the field to recognize a black ops team when one surrounded him. Blows rained down on Alex's face and body at irregular intervals. 

"Easy, Bralor, the man wants him beat up not dead," a voice said from the darkness.

"Eh? He's tough. Aren't you tough, Khavok?" Bralor said with a sneer, slapping the bound man again.

Alex relaxed as best he could and let his body be moved by the blows. They hadn't asked him any questions, which meant that they only wanted to hurt and break him. Khavok was less concerned about the physical damage a short time with a competent doctor would take care of that. The Captain of the Relentless instead spent his energy internally, using Vulcan meditation techniques to protect his mind and center of being.

Bralor backhanded Alex again, "what, nothing to say, you're not tough at all!"

"I bet you don't even remember who I am!" Bralor screamed flecks of foam flying, "maybe you remember this name, System 814A."

"What do you know about 814?" Alex asked, through swollen lips.

"Think, maggot! Maybe you remember a certain Prime team," Bralor sneered.

Bralor hit Alex with a blow that staggered him even though he was bound in the chair, "that's for my team. My team that didn't make it off that rock because of you."

"Bralor, shut up, and leave him alone," the voice spoke once again.

Bralor grabbed Alex as if to strike him again and said with all the venom he could muster, "I would happily kill you with my bare hands. You got the glory that other men's blood bought. I want to see you suffer."

"I will not warn you again, I won't have you blowing this op because of your personal feelings," the voiced grated angrily.

Bralor mumbled a curse and left Alex to slump in his seat.

Alex did remember System 814A. It was a particularly bloody campaign right before the war began to turn in favor of the allies. Losses were heavy in the fleet Alex was serving with. The war had long ago separated the quick and lucky from the dead. Khavok was serving as a shuttle pilot and had just received a battlefield promotion to Lieutenant Senior Grade and placed in command of a shuttle squadron flying close support and extraction missions. Alex racked his brain for a reference to a Bralor or a Prime team. 

With a blinding flash the memories fell into place. The squadron Khavok commanded was to provide support for assault on a Breen stronghold. The defenses surrounding the stronghold were intense and Alex lost friends that day. The choice that every pilot dreads came that day. An alert came over the comm.; a Prime team had been cut off during the assault on the compound. Alex was in a position to either strike a blow that would ensure the operation's success or try and rescue the team. Khavok, at great risk to himself and his shuttlecraft took the shot that dropped the stronghold's defenses and allowed the allies to take control of it. Alex had presumed the Prime team lost.

The bleeping of the voice's combadge brought Alex back to the present. Khavok was unable to hear what was going on, but the men cut him loose, sterilized the room and left him in a heap where he sat.

As Bralor turned to leave the room, he turned back to Alex and said, "this isn't over, its just beginning," he then stunned Relentless' Captain.

"Was that really necessary?" Bralor's partner asked.

"No, but it felt really good," Bralor answered smugly.


=/\= Outside of Security Facility, Starbase 9 =/\=

Captain Deadilus and Commander Winters exited the security facility. As they left station communications began to report Alex's escape. The pair looked at each other, this was going from bad to worse. Each had reasons to suspect what was going on.

Captain Deadilus knew Alex well enough to know he would have waited to be released. Commander Winters did not know her new Captain that well but from the short time they had spent together she did not believe he would be the type to force his way out of legal custody. 

"This whole thing smells of a black op," Captain Deadilus said abruptly.

"Sir?" Abby asked.

"The only good news is the broadcast of his 'escape'. It means they don't want to kill him and they can't move him off station," the Horizon's Captain finished.

"Then all we need to do is find him," Abby said.


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Captain Alexander Khavok
Commanding Officer
USS Relentless
NCC 11966
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