No One To Mourn

Posted on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 3:01am by Captain Nycolas Temple & Mauricio Arnaldo & Ignatius & Raven Mattel
Edited on on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 5:43pm

Mission: Death in Paradise
Location: Deck 6 - Medical

ON:

"I don't know about this, Raven." Ignatius sighed loudly, looking about the corridor with an annoyed impatience.

"Someone has to." Raven replied firmly. "He has no one else."

"For a reason." Ignatius muttered.

The two civilians were standing in the corridor of the Medical deck, just near Sickbay. The news had spread about Dorian Rochester's murder while under detention and although most of the ship was now preparing to leave Paradise and put this sorry mess behind them, Raven had felt an odd sense of empathy over the Ensign's passing. She had co-opted Ignatius to join on her on a mission to at least pay some respects to the fallen Officer, even though she had only met him briefly just days before.

"What if they don't let us in?" Ignatius asked as he looked around the busy corridor. "We're civilians, remember, we can't just barge into any part of the ship we like."

"I'm sure they won't mind us stopping by." Raven sighed. She was trying to find a familiar face amongst the Medical staff who would possibly help them.

"Need I remind you that he was locked up by the Captain and Griffin." Ignatius argued. "He was a suspect."

"Who was killed by the actual killer." Raven said, "At least that's what I've heard anyway."

"I still don't like this." Ignatius huffed, crossing his arms. "We still have no way of getting inside without a medical reason."

"You have me." Came a voice.

Mauricio Arnaldo had appeared behind the two while they argued, and stood looking at them with a forlorn grimace. Raven brightened when she saw the Marine, immediately closing the distance and taking his arm. Mauricio was holding a single stem of an orange marigold flower in his hand.

"You will?" She asked curiously.

"He was an ass." Mauricio stated. "Spiteful, disrespectful, ungrateful ass. But no one deserves... this. He deserves to cross to the other side in peace."

Ignatius just shook his head. "I will stand by you, Raven, but I will have no part in honouring Dorian Rochester. Not unless his name is cleared."

"I was a suspect, too." Mauricio spoke softly. "And for a while there, I thought it was possible I could have done it. I collapsed at Paradise and almost died, if it weren't for the Doctor bringing me back I could have gone. If I had passed, I would have died with a question mark over my head just like Dorian did, despite being completely innocent."

Raven squeezed the Marines shoulder and nodded, "We were suspects too." She said sadly, then looked to Ignatius. "We all were. It doesn't mean we shouldn't be mourned. It's the right thing to do."

"Fine." He replied with another loud sigh. "But only because I expect y'all to grieve unreservedly for me."

"Deal." Raven nodded with a slight but sad smile.

[Sickbay]

It had taken some fast-talking from the trio, and Mauricio insisting he was compiling a report for Lieutenant Griffin, before they were let inside the morgue to see Dorian Rochester's body. Due the nature of his death, his body had been covered right up to his neck, only his head was showing. For once, his face wasn't filled with anger, or scorn, or fear - but a pure, relaxed blankness. He had been draped in a standard-issue Starfleet medical bedsheet, his old officer uniform neatly folded over his torso and comms badge laid gently on top. They were preparing to ship him back home once the Pandora returned to Federation space.

On a table in the back of the room lay Lieutenant Vicuno. He was already prepared and sealed into a bio-capsule, his belongings stored in a Starfleet-issue crate. People had come to mourn him while he lay in state, as evidence by the amount of flowers and objects that had been added to his capsule. It was a bright show of love from the crew who believed Vicuno's death was undeniably a tragedy. Dorian Rochester had no such offerings around him; a show of the suspicion and indifference some felt towards him, even now he was gone.

Raven, Ignatius, and Mauricio stood before the body with a heavy silence. After a while, Raven decided to speak first. She teetered forward in her black heels and lowered her head.

"Dorian, though we only knew you briefly, and your time on this ship was filled with anguish and argument, you were a part of this crew." She began. "We hope you find peace in the after life, Dorian. The peace that so alluded you here. We hope that the truth will set you free."

She stood back in cold silence and gave Ignatius a nudge. After a hesitant moment, he sighed and nodded. Ignatius looked to the body with a heavy stare, "Dorian, I'm sure in your heart of hearts, you were a good person. An honest one. You didn't deserve this fate, no one does. I'm sorry that we won't have the opportunity to see the real you, underneath. May your passing remind us all that life is fleeting and what matters most is having people around us. People that care for us, and us for them. Perhaps, in some way, you will help us stay connected to each other, no matter what this journey brings, so that no one else suffers this fate. May boldness guide you into another life."

Ignatius gave a soft frown to Raven to indicate he was finished, and she put her arms around him in comfort. Despite his reservations, he was saddened by this moment, and his words had rung true in his head. Despite the rumours and other's beliefs, Ignatius believed he had seen the real Dorian that day on the holodeck, when he had said to Fick, "Don't do me any favours. Nobody here will like you for it." He had cast such a lonely, injured sight upon them, it was hard not to empathise. Perhaps it was a ruse, another Dorian manipulation? Or maybe he was just an outcast looking to prove himself worthy of this crew? Ignatius felt this chasm of pure emptiness because now, they would never know which Dorian was the real one inside.

Mauricio stood forward next and placed the marigold next to the Ensign's comm badge.

The young Marine cleared his throat and bowed his head as he recited, "Nuestras vidas son los ríos. Que van a dar en la mar, que es el morir. Allí van los señoríos derechos a se acabar e consumir. Allí los ríos caudales, allí los otros medianos e más chicos, allegados, son iguales los que viven por sus manos e los ricos."

A simple extract from a Jorge Manrique poem, to follow Ignatius' words about life being fleeting. A small message on how they are equals when it comes to death.

The three stood in silence again, looking to the body with quiet unease. Without realising, they had once again been joined - silently - by a surprise guest.

"We failed him." Came Nycolas Temple's voice. The three turned in unison at the sound, Mauricio snapping to attention.

"Nyx, I'm sorry if we're not supped to be here - " Ignatius stammered, attempting to explain.

"It's okay, old friend." Nyx gave a small smile and touched his arm, showing he was not angered. "I'm glad someone came."

"What do you mean, sir?" Raven inquired, eyes gazing over the sad-looking Captain, "That we failed him?"

"Dorian had a temperament, and ego, that's no doubt." Nyx began, as he stared at the body. "But he had potential, too. Cunning, intelligence, wit. In the past, Starfleet honoured people like him with Captaincy and awards. It was acceptable to be an egotistical Captain who played by his own rules. In different circumstances, Dorian could have focused his energy and his considerable gift of the gab into something more. But all that changed."

"The alternate universe." Mauricio commented, with a knowing tone, "It changed our lives."

The Captain patted the Marine on the shoulder and nodded, "Indeed. We were not prepared for that situation and Dorian suffered, then we suffered in consequence. A vicious cycle that could not be broken." He sighed, "Now I'm not saying Dorian isn't responsible for his actions. Of course he is. And if we catch this killer and find out the whole story, I do hope there's something to explain Dorian's part in all this mess. But even so, I failed him because I wasn't able to break the cycle."

"Not everyone wants to be saved." Ignatius spoke up.

"Unfortunately not." Nyx sighed, "But that doesn't mean we get to give up on someone. I won't make the same mistake twice. I'll make sure, if nothing else, Dorian's life serves as the reminder that we are serving on this ship together. If one falls, we all fall. Let no one divide us or defy us again."

After sharing a few nods and final moments, Raven, Ignatius, and Mauricio filed out of the room. Nyx paused before doing so and closed his eyes, "Rest in peace." He sighed.

OFF