"Common Spock. A well-deserved break and some time away from the ship is exactly what we need after last week. I am pretty exhausted after that diplomacy mission on Delta Vega, I don't know about you? Back in Iowa, my parents would take me to zoos on holiday. This will be fun!"
"Fun Captain?" Spock raised his eyebrow. While he was interested in checking out the collection of biological life forms that Orion Theta Zoo had to offer, he had not deemed it as fun. But because biology was a hobby of his, he had accepted the invitation.
Jim, Bones and Spock had beamed down to the entrance of the zoo. The Orion Theta planet was a known playground for space travelers, offering any kind of distraction that could be imagined. Above the entrance was a big holographic sign "What happens on Theta, stays on Theta." Bones would have rather seeked out a cold Gin and Tonic, but the zoo was the one attraction they all had been able to agree on. Jim had promised him they would find more "adult" entertainment afterwards. The entire crew had been allowed a full day of rest after a stressful week.
Jim led the trio through the many different exhibits. A few of the animals were recognizable and had been imported from Earth. A few others were new to Jim and Bones.
"Oh look! It is a Kryonian tiger from Nimbus III!" bust out Jim. He was like a kid in a candy store. Spock had slowed down the party even more, intent on reading every plaque, and discussing at length with the animals caretakers about the biological make up and behavior of each creature.
"What do we have left?" Bones asked with a small hint of impatience.
"Only the aquatic exhibit, then I promise Bones that we can leave." Jim answered. The team entered a large building, looking at the variety of aquatic creatures found there.
"It is interesting that water is essential to all life. It is the binding element that ties us all together…." Jim started, not quite sure where to end that thought.
"It is fascinating Captain." Spock replied.
"It says here they actually have a mermaid. Is that even possible? I thought that was just old folklore?" Bones read off a sign. The mentioning of mermaids peeked both Spock and Jim's attention and they walked over. Before the exhibit was two guards. Whatever was in there it was guarded pretty securely.
"Do you think it is scam?" Jim asked.
"It would be well worth the look." Bones replied happily.
"Mermaids were known in old human folklore, said to lure sailors down into the water and drown. But I believe it was later discovered it was all a fairytale and the creatures they thought they saw was actually manatees or sea cows as they are also called." Spock explained.
"Well I am NOT paying 40 credits to see a sea cow!" Bones quickly pointed out.
"Gentlemen! I can see you want to come in and take a look at my most precious creature!" A large burly man jumped out behind them. He looked at them smiling with big yellow teeth sticking out underneath his bushy mustache.
"Trust me gentlemen, it will be the most incredible thing you will ever see. I guarantee you will never forget her. I have men coming back three sometimes four times a week to take a look at her." He continued.
Jim, Spock and Bones looked at each other. Bones finally nodded.
"If it turns out to be a sea cow, I want my money back." He whispered under his breath to Jim.
"Where did you find this creature?" Jim had to ask. The man smiled and looked at them in order and clapped his hands together.
"Oh, I wish I could tell you. I had to pay a small fortune for her, you know. It was quite tricky to get her here. Mermaids do not like to leave the water, as I am sure you know. Please wait here so I can get her ready!"
"Ready?" Spock asked.
"We have to sedate her. If we don't, she can be quite dangerous. It is for your own protection. Please, I will call you when she is ready."
The man disappeared in to the exhibit with the three men waiting outside. Jim was the first to speak.
"I am not the one to stand for animal cruelty. Why do they have to sedate the animal for this kind of thing? I would hope they keep it in a safe comfortable habitat."
"It is very curious indeed." Spock agreed. Waiting outside the exhibit made the men second-guess their decision.
"Gentleman, she is ready for you. Now be careful, and do not be fooled by her beauty, she is a cunning little minx this one." The man called out. He ushered the trio in, and took their payment. In front of them was a large heavy red velvet curtain. The room was dark and had an odd smell. The walls were bare with not information plaques like the other exhibits. There were three plain-looking chairs placed on the floor for them to sit. The placed reminded them of a strip joint. It felt cheap.
"Wait right here." Was the final thing the zookeeper said before excusing himself out of the room. The three men sat down in the chairs, and gave each other a look.
"Well here it goes gentlemen." Jim smiled.
The curtain was removed and the soft reflections of the water lite up the room. At first they didn't see anything. The tank was bare and had no vegetation or other sea life. It appeared empty. On the bottom of the giant tank laid a creature curled up. It was hard to make out what it was until she looked up and made the three friends stop cold. She had long blonde hair and the biggest saddest blue eyes they had ever seem. She was crouched on the bottom of the tank, seeming unable to move. Spock got out of his chair and walked up directly to the window placing his hand on the glass.
Her fins were a soft turquoise, pink and dark green color. It reflected on the tank walls as the light hit them. Her lips were partially open and she seemed to be saying something. Her upper body was exposed showing her pale ivory skin. Slowly she moved along the floor up to the window to the three Starfleet Officers. Both Jim and Bones were left speechless.
"Fascinating." Spock said. The mermaid was right next to the window now, placing her hand where Spock's was on the other side of the glass. She looked deeply into his eyes. Her lips were moving.
"What do you think she is saying Spock?" Jim asked. He moved from the chair and up to the window with him.
"I am not sure Captain. I could attempt to communicate with her, but the glass is too thick for a mind-meld" Spock replied. None of the men could take their eyes off of this creature. She appeared young, in her mid twenties. She looked frail and malnourished. But the sadness was what stood out about her the most.
"I want to take a closer look. Look at this tank! How can you expect a creature to live here?" Jim ordered. He was getting angry. Even though she was half fish, she was also half human. No human deserved to live in these conditions. He walked to the door leaving Bones and Spock at the window. The mermaid was looking at both Bones and Spock, obviously trying to tell them something.
"I can't take you up to the tank mister. It is too dangerous. She had gotten a few of my men that way. Only a very select few are allowed inside and they are highly trained in dealing with her." Explained the zookeeper.
"I demand to be taken inside. I want to see her!" Insisted Jim.
"You and thousands of others just like you do too."
"You will show me the tank. Or I will have you on animal cruelty. Or more accurately, in violation to human rights set by the Federation." Jim coolly replied. It seemed to work, the man nodded, and lead Jim up a set of stairs that would lead to the top of the tank.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." The zookeeper said dryly before opening the large metalic door. The top of the tank was quiet, but there were five guards with weapons walking around the edge of it. The setting was pretty tranquil, if you didn't know what laid underneath the surface. Back down in the viewing room, Spock and Bones were trying to figure out what the girl was trying to tell them.
Even he couldn't touch her mind; Spock could see in her eyes what she was trying to say. The agony was on her face, and in her eyes. She wanted their help. How many others she had asked and been ignored, he didn't know. But here she was, looking deep into his eyes and asking for his assistance. Without knowing why, Spock gave the slightest of nods. She stopped and just looked at him for a second, perhaps not sure she had seen it. Then in the flick of her tail she was gone.
"We cannot leave her here Doctor." Was all he could say.
"I feel the same way. Lets get Jim and device a plan to get her out of this tank. This whole thing is obviously shady as hell. This whole operation smells illegal." Bones agreed. They were about to head out the door when they started hearing a commotion from the top of the tank. Bones and Spock ran back to the window and could not believe their eyes. Whatever sedative the guards thought they had injected the young mermaid with, was clearly not working. The mermaid was swimming quickly in circles around the tank, creating a whirlpool. As she was swimming she was puling the guards into the water through a projectile cord from her wrists. In the water the guards were unable to swim by the quick current. One by one they were being pulled down to the bottom of the tank, kicking and screaming. The maneuver was similar to how dolphins hunt. An alarm went off and Bones looked at Spock. Both men were thinking the same thing: Jim.
They ran up the stairs, as there was already many others already gathering at the top of the tank. Jim was standing by the wall looking on the chaos not sure who he should help.
"Jim!" Bones screamed waving him over. Jim looked at them and nodded. He took out his communicator to message the ship. What he said was out of range of the other two.
"Close the bars! Don't let her get out!" someone yelled. Slowly on top of the tank, large metal bars started to close down that would leave the poor victims in the water unable to escape. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. The bars had been lowered down halfway when like a torpedo the young mermaid shoots out of the water and slides over the slick floor. She lands almost directly in front of Jim's feet. Her pale blue eyes looking up at him. Without skipping a beat he picks her up and starts heading to the others. Bones jumps on the communicator.
"Now Scotty, NOW!"
Before the other guards and the zookeeper had a chance to realize what was happening the Starfleet Crew with their new addition was beamed out of the room.