Mending the Broken

Finding One's True Self: Part 14

By Xan Steel

Here we see the newest Alliance Command Fleet starship. The ACF Kestrel. It's long rounded wedge-shaped hull had a pair of wings that angled down while pointing forward and a high rear dorsal fin-like wing. The Kestrel is the ship that was given to Julyna to command as Captain, while Admiral Altair was given orders with getting her instated, and running the ship through a series of drills to work out any issues that might arise.

Both Altair and Julyna had been mates for two cycles, and as part of Derlenian relationship tradition, they were open about their pasts before getting together. So, he knew everything about Rubicant and their time together but was confused as to why she never took Rubicant as a first.

Altair had been awoken one early morning by Julyna because she was tossing and turning violently in her sleep. She was speaking and calling out to Rubicant in her sleep, saying he didn't do anything wrong. He leaned in and gently shook her, "Lyna. Lyna wake up!"

She sprang up crying out as if something had terrified her. Altair grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug. "It's all right you're here with me." He comforted her as she wept.

She took a few minutes to relax before finally speaking. "I need to go to him and see if I can help."

"Rubicant?" Altair asked.

"Yes, something bad has happened to him, and he's lost and confused right now." She turned to the comm panel. "Tygera!"

"Yes Captain?" a female voice is heard through a nearby speaker.

"Set a course for Travaina IV," Julyna ordered, as there was a short pause.

"That's roughly two weeks at high warp Captain," Tygera replied.

Altair stepped in. "Then you have permission to use the Jump Drive."

"Understood sir. Bridge out."

Altair got out of bed and went to the wardrobe to get dressed when Julyna came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you for understanding." She said.

He turned to her, "I know he means a lot to you, so why not make him a second?" He asked her softly.

"I wish it were possible." She finished.

After twelve hours and thirteen jumps, Tygera announced they had arrived and put the ship in orbit. Julyna told her to remain in orbit until she finished a personal matter on the planet. After which she beamed down to the resort to see if she could find him, as Altair came with her for moral support.

Upon reaching the registration desk in the main lobby. The clerk, a tiger-like species, behind the desk greeted her warmly. "Welcome back Captain."

"Is Rubicant Tavar still here?" She asked.

"I'm afraid the authorities took him away early this morning. He apparently had an altercation with a female officer," he replied.

"Do you know where they took him?" Julyna asked.

"Well, since Detective Ohm had been here most of the night. I would assume they took him down to the Central Agency. Oh, and before I forget these are for you." He said as he handed her a small box with some letters in them. She thanked him as she took the box and left with Altair to find a transport to take them to the Central Agency.

She began to read the letters as she shared them with Altair. They started off innocent enough, with mentioning little snippets of his day, and hoping things were going well in the academy for her. He congratulated her on reaching her dream of being a starship captain.

It was the final three letters that took an emotional turn. Rubicant began to apologize for hurting her and causing her to stay away from him. She started tearing up. Altair pulled her in close, "What is it?"

"He's apologizing for something he never did." She began to read the second one of the three.

This time she noticed a bunch of small circular stains on the paper, as the letter had, even more, apologizes, causing her to weep more. "Why does Rubi think he hurt me?"

The last letter caused her to break down entirely while being completely covered in those stains. Rubicant's tears while only having two blurry words written on it. 'I'm sorry.' Altair was beginning feeling it too, but he remained strong for her, though did he wonder why this Rubicant would make apologies, if, according to her, he never did anything to hurt her.

By the time they had arrived at the Agency, Julyna had managed to calm and clean herself up before they went in. Words alone could not describe how busy it was inside, but they managed to make their way to the front desk.

The receptionist looked up from her paperwork, "Can I help you?" She asked in a rude tone.

Altair spoke, "Yes, we understand a Rubicant Tavar was taken into custody earlier, we'd like to see him please."

The receptionist's mood changed. “Yes, of course, let me fetch the Detective for you," as she hurried off to get him.

After about two minutes he arrived to greet them. "Ah, Captain, Admiral glad you came, though I was expecting you to be here sooner," Ohm said.

"What do you mean?" Julyna asked.

"Since the two of you know each other, I came to the conclusion that you two were close, and figured if something happened to him you'd be here," Ohm replied as he walked them back to Rubicant's holding cell.

"You're quite perceptive for a Phalynian," Altair commented politely.

Ohm gave a light laugh, "With as long as I've been on the force, you manage to acquire a few skills along the way."

As they arrived at the door to the interrogation room, Ohm turned back to Julyna, "Listen he requested to be restrained of his own accord before he stopped talking. The Counselor we have with him has been trying to enter his mind, but for some reason, something is blocking him from doing so." He opened the door, and let them in. As they walked in Julyna was startled to see him. She gasped lightly as her handpaws covered her muzzle in a shocked manner. Rubicant's head turned to face the window. He didn't say anything only had a pleading look on his face.

The counselor left and went to greet them, and after a moment he came through the door they had entered. He looked right at Julyna, "Julyna I presume?" he asked, as she nodded in response. “Good, go in there and talk with him as he sensed your present here, and take these keys, as they unlock his restraints. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to rest." He finished as Julyna left to go into the room.

The door closed behind her as she entered the room as Rubicant sat there gently rocking back and forth. She walked over to him and sat in the chair in front of him. "Rubi?" she softly said. His head jerked up to look at her, but his eyes appeared to look through her.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know how to let you in." He said as he turned to look away from her.

She could sense he wasn't entirely there. "Rubi, it's me. You remember me, Julyna?" She spoke, to see if he would react to her name.

"Julyna? Yes, I remember her. She was special, but then I somehow hurt her, and she left," Rubicant spoke softly, but his head never returned to look at her.

"Rubi, you didn't hurt me. I hurt myself," she replied.

"I'm sorry I hurt you," he said as he laid his head on the table and began to weep.

As much as seeing him like this hurt, she felt like she was getting nowhere with him. He was too confused to know where he was, and who he was talking with, so instead she got up and walked behind his chair and pulled him back. He didn't resist, as she turned his head to the side, and brought their foreheads together, and entered his mind.

Julyna was slow and gentle about it, as she sensed an ungodly amount of mental strain. Eventually, she managed to get in and saw a monochrome scene of a small house in the distance. She started to walk towards it and saw a figure lying on the ground. She went to it, and discover Rubicant in his human form. She touched him lightly, causing him to stir, as he turned to look at her, then grabbed her, and pulled her on top of him kissing her passionately. She pulled off of him, "You're his Love Aspect correct?" she asked.

"Ah, the sexy lady has guessed correctly. I never really got the chance to tell you how gorgeous you are." He said with a broad, pleasant smile.

"Love, listen, what's going on here?" she asked.

He started explaining that Anger attacked the other Aspects after that female tried to rape him. To which she asked what rape was, and he explained that to her. Love figured what he did was in self-defense, and the other Aspects agreed with him. Anger didn't and felt he attacked her, causing him to think he was becoming his father, which caused him to break mentally.

"So basically, we need to subdue Anger, and get to you back together to start the healing process," Julyna mentioned, as Love looked at her with a terrified look.

"I'm not going back in there. Anger is beyond reasoning, and don't think of going in there yourself, he'll only break you as well," he pleaded.

"I came here to rescue you, and I'm not leaving until I've done so," she said with confidence.

He sighed deeply. He knew she was right in needing to fix this, but he knew Anger was out of control and would likely break her as well. It was at this moment Anger exploded out of the front door roaring with all his strength as he saw Julyna and Love.

Anger didn't look anything like Rubicant. His upper torso and arms were massive and overly muscled making his head appear tiny in comparison, but his face was twisted with rage and hate, and his legs were much shorter. "Damned gorilla found us. I hope you know what you're going to do. I don't know if I can protect you from him." Anger charged at them both as Love ran towards him to try and stop him. Anger, however, in one move backhanded him and sent him flying into the side of the house knocking him out. Anger began running towards Julyna, and she wondered if her strength would be enough.

Their mental energies while at full force met between them, preventing Rubicant from reaching her. He roared in rage as he tried to push forward. "Rubi please stop! Don't let this control you!" She pleaded with him, but he just roared more in anger as he pushed more. She could sense he was beginning to overpower her as he pushed. "Please, Rubi! I don't want to hurt you!" She pleaded again. He didn't listen as his rage continued to consume him allowing him to push harder against her energy until he broke through.

Within a split second, he grabbed her with his massive hand and slammed her against a nearby tree and was trying to push her out. She screamed in pain as he began to force her out of his mind violently. She struggled to speak as her voice became raspy. "Rubi, you're, hurting me." It was taking everything she had to hold on to his mental world.

"WHY MATE!?!?!" He spoke for the first time, it was simple speak, but she understood it.

"You had, left, for three cycles. No, letters," doing her best to reply.

She suddenly heard a faint whisper "Use me." It was female.

She could feel her connection slowly severing. "I WROTE!!! MANY LETTERS!!!" he yelled.

"I know, I read, them all! But I, couldn't go on, you, weren't sure I was, real!" A look of shock had crossed his face before his rage erupted again making him roar loudly.

"Use me please!" The voice came again as she started feeling Rubi push again to sever the connection.

"USE ME DAMNIT!" This time the voice was in her mind as well as an image of the female herself.

The pain was excruciating as he continued to push Julyna out of his mental world. Julyna gave into the voice and became the woman. With one last breath, she yelled at him. "DANNY STOP THIS YOU'RE HURTING ME!"

For the first time Anger saw Maria against the tree and the pain he was causing her. He let go of her as she fell to the ground unable to move as she had exhausted all of her mental energy. Anger stumbled backward and fell to the ground burying his face in his oversized hands. "Maria!"

Love had managed to come too and took this opportunity to take control of Anger by absorbing him. He worked on settling the rage and pain he felt as Daniel's other aspects appeared and allowed Love to absorb them allowing him to become complete again.

Daniel went over to Julyna and picked her up and lean her against him. He gently kisses her and stroked her cheek. "Julyna are you still with me?"

She stirred softly in his arms. He felt warm to her as she opened her eyes to look at him. "You're still just as handsome in this form." She softly said as a few tears fell gently on her cheeks, as she gently pulled out of his mind.

She opened her eyes to Rubi weeping heavily, she undid his restraints and let him pull her into a tight hug as he let go of his pain. She returned the hug and began to lick the top of his head to comfort him gently.