Clouds and Mirrors, Pt I

Posted on Monday, 22 June 2020 - 6:15pm by Zelon Bakar & Lieutenant Ryan Rose MD & Lieutenant JG Maximus Mackenzie

Mission: Operation: Iktomi
Location: USS Standing Bear
Timeline: MD +06

Four days into the official mission, life aboard the Standing Bear returned to all but normal for a patrol vessel. Commander Victrix had departed while orders flowed in from the vice admiral’s group. For the moment, the front was quiet, save for the return of the Casablanca, sixty-three hours prior. Much to the dissatisfaction of the report, the away team returned...unsuccessfully.

Their efforts had been nearly empty-handed, minus the expense of one cadet and the gain of an unlikely passenger. Delivering the unfortunate soul aboard may not have been the best of ideas, however no other lead was available in the ongoing investigation, leaving security with no choice. If it was to be an angsty Orion slave over nothing, intelligence would have to deal with the slave.

The debriefing had gone without a single vein of hope, ending with the recent addition confined to guest quarters following the discovery of it being filled with nothing short of petrifying dread. Especially towards anyone wearing a uniform, which nearly caused a panic attack on its own. They had posted guards at the door under Stillwater’s explicit orders. No one in, or out, save for himself or the doctor under medical necessity. It was tense, as quiet rumours began to spread, and tight-lipped discussion muddled in the lounge regarding the runabouts quiet departure and unannounced return.

Crewman Woji had not been spared from the mockery either, only tentatively saved from reprimand. Whether a blessing of Tellar, or a worse inheritance, the porcine-humanoid had been directed to make something of the tangle brought from Xanthan. No answers, nor the contact of which they’d been sent to recover. Little more than a bag of data crystals sat on her desk, and passenger of which she had no access to. She was buried underneath a mountain of reports to file, and had only cracked the encryption of a lone crystal before it shattered. Observing the loss, Woji had become unwilling to make any further attempts, indefinitely wary of the risk of losing whatever information the precious data stores held.

Her sole revelation had arrived in something which she hadn’t been wanting to follow up on. Legalities aside however, it was the only lead she had to go off, as the petite woman strode into the med bay. She’d paid no heed to the medical staff now leaving their shift, instead having arrived on the dot they scheduled her earlier partner to be on duty. Impatient as she was however, the Tellarite wasn’t about to plop up on a bio-bed and wait. Rather, she moved her frame hastily towards the only medical analysis terminal, inserting a pair of small chips into opposing slots. With any luck, the computer could start its program before she was interrupted. For the moment however, she didn’t notice the Doctor, which proved to be rather odd. Whether he was late, in the back somewhere, or raiders knew what else, she didn’t know.

“Can I help you Crewman?” Ryan cleared his throat. It was as rude as he got. But he was not happy to see Woji in his sickbay, unannounced. Especially after his official report had gotten her nothing more than what he could only assume was a verbal slap on the wrist.

Arms folded as she continued to monitor the analyser, Woji only turned as the rumble of a vocal chord rippled near her. The doctor. She kept a loose eye on the screen. “Working on the last lead we have, and this is the only proper medical analyser on the ship.” She shifted, partly turning back to ensure the process under way didn’t go awry. “I’ll be out of here as soon as it’s done, unless something else arises.”

Ryan nodded. “Alright.” He gave her space, but remained nearby. Not necessarily watching her, but definitely not leaving her unsupervised.

Ryan’s borderline aggressiveness had not gone unnoticed by Woji, however. Tentative only in the interest of time and politeness, she had opted not toe ngage upon it, save for a few moments where her patience stretched thin. Instead, she lingered in front of the console for nearly two and a half hours, excepting a water break for what she claimed was to keep her blood flowing smoothly. As the last fifteen minutes elapsed she finally threw her arms up, releasing the crossfold in relief.

“About time.” While there wasn’t a complete absence of frustration, her stubbornness and immediate void of patience had become resolute as she tapped fingers upon the glass surface below the display. Exhales gradually released in the few minutes as she processed through the essential summary, drawing her focus back and forth for cross-analysis. This wasn’t her field of expertise. Nor was it something of which she’d signed up for as security, but nonetheless there she stood.

“Lieutenant,” she called after several attempts. “The output on this is saying there’s a high concentration of genetic overlap. Nearly fourty-eight percent. I tried running it through a filtre and another rapid analysis, but the same results came up with only a few micro-measures in variation.” Woji frowned. “At first I thought, okay. Maybe it’s just because they’re both Orions...”
The crewman pulled the display outward on its swivel axis, zooming away from the fine-focus. “These are the two samples...one from the one we were sent to recover, but she’s dead now. And the other from greenie, who is currently locked up. I got his sample before we left.” She frowned, pulling back. “Can you think of any other reason why the analyser would bark at this? I get it. They both have green skin. Not what I’m looking for, and medical isn’t my thing.”

Ryan stepped closer, now curious. It only took him a few moments to spot the patterns. “He’s only half Orion.” That much was obvious pretty quickly, and with a couple of taps he had the correlation. Ryan raised a brow, then had to sit down as it sunk in.

Woji snorted, looking at the display as she considered the doctor’s insight. “Well of course he’s only half an Orion. He hasn’t attempted to rob or seduce anyone. Too busy being holed up in a corner in his room according to scans.” Her attention faintly returned to the monitor, drumming her fingers as she continued to mull the thought over. “Oh...wait. You mean that kind of half. Hold on.”

Her fingers glided over the input as she applied another filtre, nesting her chin into her palm as she looked over the new report. “Orions do have a term. Well two, actually. Halfbreed to us, but I don’t think that’s what you’re getting at. That just means more than one sub-type of Orion. Are you implying he’s part something else? A muni?” Her expression quirked into amusement for the first time between them as her stubborn if not gruff tone phased away.

“Even if that was the case, the analyser isn’t picking up anything we have in the database. And while that could explain the genetic structure similarities. RNA. It still doesn’t explain the chromosomal overlap, though. Unless...” As she continued to speak the console began spewing out documented possibilities and extrapolations. Throwing her arms up in mild panic she attempted to pause the interface to no avail, as it began crunching a storm amongst an invasion of chirps and beeps.

“Computer stop.” Ryan simply stated. Ryan took a PaDD and laid out the data into a more easily read format. He handed it to Woji without a word. He needed a moment to collect himself, so headed to his office.

Knowing full well she wasn’t qualified for this type of work, the crewman silently expressed at least a small semblance of appreciation for the translation. “Definitely related then. If not for my crap ability to get a proper blood sample under the circumstances. Then again, a building was about to come down on us.” Grumbling as she read through the report, the security specialist groaned. “What kind of person would enslave a relative? More importantly -- and I’m speculating here... what kind of mother? Or sister.”

Rubbing her forehead, the junior crew member sighed. “This is getting above my head, but at least it offers insight to the only piece of information I’ve been able to get out of those crystals.”
Of course Ryan felt guilty for ditching Woji, even though she was one of the few people he’d ever met that actually rubbed him the wrong way. He went to the recessed sink, splashed water on his face, then took two deep cleansing breathes before heading back out into the bay. “My apologies.” He told Woji. “I can run the analysis again if you’d like, and let you know if we get anything more concrete.”

Buried in details beyond her own scope, Woji placed the reading device onto the nearest counter as she rubbed her eyes. This wasn’t what she had trained for in the academy, but then again you couldn’t exactly prepare for everything. Particularly given since the Federation had lost its way according to many.

“Go ahead. You’d probably be able to make more of it than I can. At this point I’m contemplating bringing in one of my superiors.” She shrugged, looking back to the medical analyser. “Half-Orion. Mixed species potential. Relative. Barely able to crack a data crystal before it shatters. Not giving us many leads to work with.”

Ryan started fresh and reran the analysis. Woji had it about right though. The sample wasn’t clean, under the best analyses what little could be determined was a half-Orion heritage, and immediate familial relation.

Eagre to see the results as the display rendered the optimised product, the crewman leaned closer. Well that wasn’t much of any help, but at least it was a confirmation from a medical professional. “If we got the same, that still leaves the question. What kind of family member would enslave another? Especially a sister or a mother, given he was clearly younger.”

Ryan held in a sigh. This was a very uncomfortable topic. But if it would help the man currently locked under guard, Ryan would try to help. The only idea he had hit close to home, but he steeled himself and started. “We can only theorize, but perhaps a hatred of the father. Whether she is mother or sister it would be a common link between them.”

Curiously tapping below her bottom lip, the junior mulled over the theory. “Maybe. Do you mean Zhea may have been taking it out on him?” she asked, weighing the option. “Or do you mean she was trying to...I don’t know. Hide him from someone she hated? Slaves don’t have identities. They’re hard to track. Both are very possible. And uncomfortable.” A shiver ran up her spine even thinking about it. “This is why I hate the Syndicate, more often than not. But this...this goes a level deeper. I think you’re right, whatever the case is. This is personal. Orions have slaves, but there are still expectations on how to treat them. And you and I both saw how she treated him.”

That was the first time Ryan had heard Woji give the man an identity, even if it was just his gender. Maybe there was hope for her yet. Ryan shrugged. “If she were raped, or felt their father had cheated on her mother with another woman. It certainly didn’t look like she was trying to protect him. We probably won’t ever know unless he decides to tell us, if he even knows.”

Woji hummed in concurrence. “Therein may be the key to our problem. We may have lost our lead, but if the kid knows something...” Left open-ended as the security specialist thought aloud, she took a seat just over one of the long flat shelves. “Orion society is intricate. I know a little, though. Slave masters, or mistress in this case, usually keep their property close. I wouldn’t be surprised if he learned something without realising it. In fact, I’d place a drink on it. The question is...does he know his relation, or that he’s not entirely an Orion. More importantly would he care enough to help us?”

The odds didn’t look good to the potential solution, but it was all they had. For now, as she produced a small disc from her pocket. She pinched the sides between her fingers, laying it atop the shelf. “Have a look at this. The analysis definitely provides some much needed revelation, as does your theory.”

As she activated the projector, a holographic visage floated up from the centre, beginning to speak. Textual references printed to the side in a foreign script which the ship’s universal translator gradually began to ease into standard. “This appears to be a will, of sorts. There’s a destination reference to Freecloud. My Orion is horrible, at best. And at first I thought, oh great. That damned Ferengi is just trying to get us to act as a representative of the estate. But if the kid is related...are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“I don’t know what you are thinking.” was Ryan’s reply. He hadn’t understood Woji’s narrow mindset since he’d met her, and he certainly didn’t want to speculate on what she was thinking now. “Has the Captain seen this?” He asked, wondering why it was being shown to him at all.
She shook her head in response. “We already failed one mission. I’m wasn’t about to show him something insubstantial. But now that we have a medical analysis and this...maybe that will decrease our odds of further disappointment.” An exasperated exhale caught in her through, only released as the woman steadied herself.

“I think at this point I need to call in someone with more experience in investigations. This is turning out to be a mystery. Wouldn’t hurt to have another officer either.” Looking at the projection, Woji left it to continue on its repeated issue. “If that is a will, and he’s a living relative we may be able to do something with it. Only issue being...that’s a medical issue now. How far of a line do we cross between morality? Invading a private affair for a chance at information we need? Doesn’t sit right with me. Even if he was a slave.”

That’s where Woji drew the line? She’d been saying they should kill the man they’d rescued, but she was hesitant to butt her nose into a legal affair? Ryan couldn’t hold in a sigh this time. “What do you need from me?” He asked. He would try to help, if only for their passenger’s sake.

Another shrug came from the junior enlisted person. “Honestly, at this point...I don’t know. If it involves greenie, though, you’re one of two people authorised with access to him. And the only one he’ll have a remote chance of trusting.” There was a great deal to think over, and none of it she was certain where to stand.

“I don’t even know exactly what we’re looking for. But in the least, and I know I’ll eat my words later, it may be worth looking at this. Even if just to get that collar off.” Putting her hands up in defeat, Woji sighed. “Look. I was wrong. I get it. Doesn’t make anything I did right. Security manner or not though, I’m not certain where to take this. On one front, we need information. Anything that can give us insight to the marauding taking place across the Federation. On the other...you...we have a terrified former slave who thinks we kidnapped him and are now holding him hostage. What incentive does he exactly have to help us, if he can?”

“None at all. He has been kidnapped and is being held hostage.” Ryan stated. “I don’t blame him. He’s being treated as hostile, it’s no surprise he’s terrified of us. He’s being illegally held with no charges having been pressed. I honestly don’t know what the Captain is expecting.”

“Nor do I. This is not what I signed up for. But I’m also not the one giving the orders. The captain may have been the one to order the confinement and his living conditions, but Command Intelligence is the one that issued the ‘by whatever means necessary’ mission.” Woji rolled her eyes. “In either case, I’ll stay for a bit, but I think this is above my grade.” Tapping her badge she opened a link to the comm network. “Woji to Lieutenant MacKenzie. If you have some time, your insight would be appreciated in sickbay.”

Mac tapped his coms unit. “On my way. I was heading there anyway.”

Discomfort set in for Woji in the several minutes it took for her superior to arrive. When the tension lifted however, she demonstrated a brief moment of relief prior to going into a full explanation of the dilemma they were facing. As she drew to a conclusion of her summary, the woman hesitated before folding her arms, just as she had earlier.

“So there you have it. Private medical issue in one hand with personal affairs. Demands from Starfleet command to come through on getting information by any means necessary in the other. What do you two think? How do we come out on this. Either way, we’re going to lose something. Or someone. More importantly, the doctor is right. Greenie has no reason to help, or cooperate. He’s terrified as is. What would you two do?”

“Well, clearly our opinions don’t matter, nor does the rule of law. He deserves his freedom, and a way to get that collar off, not to simply change masters. Starfleet is wrong to put his livelihood below whatever political gain they are trying to get.” Ryan spoke, having no confidence that it mattered one way or another. “I would drop him off at the nearest equipped starbase and let him get the help he needs.”

This was turning out to become a disaster. No matter the outcome someone lost, and it wasn’t a gentle one either. Bereft of her ability to comment with so much on her mind, Woji looked to her superior officer from the same department. “What do you think lieutenant? You’ve heard the details. I think he should have the ability to choose where he is. At the same time, I know the state of the Federation is fragile, and what intelligence we may be able to get is crucial enough to the point that Command was willing to send us on that mission to begin with.”

“I think the doctor is right about not ignoring the rule of law. We do and we’re as bad as the Orions. He’s been through a lot. There are ways to get information. He has no reason to trust us now but we will need to convince him. As for Starfleet they can sit on an ice box. They’ll get their answers when we are ready.”

At least the three of them were in agreement for better treatment for the passenger, regardless of what species he was. It may have taken the Tellarite some time to see that, but after witnessing what she had and the twisted revelation of a mixed heritage linked to their prime contact who was now deceased? He deserved some closure. Or at least enlightenment. “Well, we’re not going to achieve that trust with him having that collar on. I say we follow up on the contact from this will. They may know someone who can get it removed, if we can prove he’s related. That’s the easy part. We’ll need someone one of you two to somehow convince the captain that he shouldn’t be treated like a suspicious prisoner.”

She looked back at the console before looking to Max. “Last I heard from the guards he hasn’t eaten, and they’ve only heard water running from the refresher. Add to the fact that any time he’s been checked on he’s been cowering in the corner...some how that treatment needs to change. He’s clearly terrified.” Woji could feel a headache beginning to brew as she turned to the doctor. “And you’re the only one other than Commander Stillwater who has access to him. Is there anything you can do under medical code that would...I don’t know. Insist that this isn’t good for his mental health? Or something. Maybe that would help the commander reconsider the security risk. The kid hasn’t attacked anyone. Let alone accessed any computers.”

He thought a moment. “Doctor you and I can speak with the commander. I suggest both Commanders if Stillwater is hard core we’ll need Soral to balance him.”

Ryan nodded. He was more than willing to try again. Perhaps with this recent information Stillwater would have a change of opinion.

He sighed. “Alright. So that is step two. Step one is to get our friend to eat something. Any ideas?”

Ryan ran a hand through his hair. He was probably the best person to answer this, regardless of the uncomfortableness. “Yeah actually. Umm, sit down across the room, take a few bites, then leave.”

Silent for a few moments as the two officers reflected ideas, Woji at last spoke. “How about showing him he can use the replicators? We may not have an actual chef on board yet, but there’s not reason he can’t eat. He may just not know he is allowed to use them. Or worse doesn’t know how, although that seems unlikely if he worked in a bar.” She paused, waiting to see if there were any objections, looking between the two.

“Couldn’t hurt.” Ryan replied.

“Excellent. Doctor maybe you can share a meal with him. We can bring him some fresh clothing.”
Ryan was quick to agree, pleased to finally be allowed to do more than just treat the man’s basic medical needs.

He smiled. “Alright doc let’s get everything and get him eating and new clothing. I’ll ensure we have an appointment with the commanders in the morning.”

“Thank you Lieutenant Mackenzie.” Ryan replied.

Mac gave a nod. “If we forget who we are we’re as bad as the Orions.” He placed a hand on the doc’s shoulder. “We’ll figure this out.”

Even as he flinched from the contact Ryan smiled. Glad to have a friendly face in the middle of this ordeal.