Innocents Caught in the Crossfire

Posted on Wed Feb 9th, 2022 @ 4:22am by Mikoto Roromiya & Alice Shimada

834 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Operation Romulus Return
Location: Schoolroom

Today had been one of the worst days of Alice's life, and the day was far from over.

For starters, today was test day, meaning Alice had to be present in the schoolroom, so she was already grumpy about that when mid-test, everything went to hell, as her mommy would put it, and though the rest of the schoolroom began holding "calming" exercises, Alice had tried her best to continue the test during the battle until the presiding teacher had asked that Alice drop what she was doing and join the others in singing 'Kum ba yah' while the battle raged on. Alice wasn't sure which of many factors weighing on her was the culprit, but Alice felt she couldn't put her full heart into the "calming" exercises.

And now, everyone had to hide, because the Tal Shiar were beaming aboard, even though in her mind, Alice had dealt with far worse situations than a Tal Shiar boarding. Alice couldn't help but think that if the Tal Shiar and Elachi didn't have to attack on test day, than she could be safe in her family's quarters, hiding in that one spot that not even an Obsidian Order officer would think to look, much less a Tal Shiar officer; if they even bothered to sweep and secure each and every quarters, but no; instead, here Alice was, hiding in an easily discoverable location in the schoolroom with perhaps one of the worst people to have to hide with; Mikoto:

Yes, there wasn't too much more that could make this day worse...

Mikoto had been in several battles whilst on a starship. She couldn't help but wonder what her mother was doing at the moment as she crouched under one of the tables with Alice and several other children. Their teacher had told them to stay under the tables to try and remain hidden.

She looked at Alice who didn't seem too happy to be there. "Security will defend us here" Mikoto assured her. "We are in the center of the ship. So theres lots of corridors to get lost in" she smiled.

"Just shut up and stay quiet!" Alice hissed. "You know, if test day didn't have to be today, I could be safe; but instead I have to risk some Tal Shiar officer finding me; do you know what Tal Shiar officers even do to people they find??"

Mikoto shrugged. "Probably nothing" she pondered. "Well, they're not here for us are they?" she reasoned, for once the Vulcan part of her coming through which was rare. "They want something else, not us" she told her simply as she stared at the door. "Plus..." she paused slightly as she reached over and placed a hand over Alice's. "It's better hiding together than alone..."

"I've heard mommy tell stories about what the Tal Shiar do to people;" Alice responded. "Whether its who they're looking for or not, what they do is terrifying!"

Mikoto stared towards the door. "Well, they won't get in; right" she said simply.

"You just keep telling that to yourself..." Alice muttered.

There was a pounding at the door, someone was trying to get into the schoolroom. Some of the children let out frightened screams or cries, some tried to move further away.

Suddenly the doors opened and three Tal Shiar soldiers burst in carrying disruptor rifles. The one in the middle raised a hand to stop the other two from immediately opening fire.

"This room is full of children" he said simply. He looked over towards the teacher and raised his rifle. "You. Are you Starfleet? Are you armed?"

The teacher slowly rose to her feet. "I'm a civilian. We have no weapons in here. Just scared children..." she said nervously.

"Keep down and keep quiet" the Romulan replied. "We may be Tal Shiar, but we don't murder innocent civilians or children. Plus, I have a family of my own back home. I couldn't murder any child, for all I would see are my own"

The Romulan turned. "Report this section as secure" he ordered. "Post a guard outside this door. No one is to get in or get out. I will not have any children killed. We are not monsters, but those Elachi are. I don't trust them, so keep them away" he ordered. He turned back to the teacher. "Keep the kids quiet too, we're not here for them"

The other two Romulans nodded in acknowledgement of the third one's orders and turned to leave.

Beneath the table where she, Mikoto, and a few other children were crouching under, Alice tightened further up into a ball; her already pale skin now deathly white as her heart pounded and adrenaline coursed through her veins.

Yep; this was the worst day of her life...

Posting by

Alice Shimada
Civilian Child

Mikoto Roromiya
Civilian Child

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