Disclaimer: I do not own Star TRek or its related properties. All such rights and considerations belong to CBS/Paramount.
This is the 14th installmenty of the Special Investigations Division series. There are four more installments yet to be posted as well as another that I am currently writing.
Arcadia Prison was a dismal place. It was a women's detention facility and the worst of the lot were sent there. Barrinor's penal system was more draconian than that of the Federation. The cell's were tiny, dark and closed off with bars. It made one feel like an animal in an archaic zoo.
The prison was divided into three sections. The first was for the general population. Thieves, swindlers, forgers, confidence artists, smugglers and the like were kept there.
The second section housed murderers, narcotics pushers, rapists, molesters, and those convicted of piracy were sent there. Fortunately for Barrinor, most crimes committed landed people in the first section of the prison. The third was the hardest population.
There was little to no chance of reforming this latter group. They were the criminally insane. Their psychoses ran so deep as to resist treatment. They were the "lifers".
Gerda Heinz had recently transferred to the guard detail of Arcadia's psych ward. She'd only been on the job for two weeks but she was already getting to get a grasp on which cases were the dangerous ones.
Take Harriet Spellman, for instance, she was a loon who kill you just as soon look at you. Sheria'thera was another hard case. The zhen had killed her entire family after performing some arcane mutilation rites. Adrianna Zen also made one stop and thank your deity of choice that she was safely incarcerated.
The worst of the bunch, though, was Annika Ryst. Ryst was utterly dispassionate about killing. It was how she made her living. What made her tricky was that she'd been psychologically conditioned to be a killer and that conditioning automatically resisted any attempts to alter it. If Ryst were unable to escape or kill her counsellor, she would shut down into a nonresponsive state. It wasn't catatonia since she was able to recognise changes in her surroundings and become instantly aware. Ryst's augmented physique added to her lethality.
The psych ward differed from the regular floors. The inmates were contained behind forcefields instead of bars. This afforded an unrestricted view of the entire cell, floor to ceiling. Heinz strolled along, seeing the inmates behind their electrostatic screens. A few threw things at the field, just like always, and like always it was deflected. When she came to Ryst's cell she froze.
Ryst was missing! Heinz visually swept the room and there were no occupants. Procedure demanded that she call for back up. Being young, ambitious, and severely rattled, she deactivated the screen and entered the cell. She almost had time to register her mistake.
Ryst had pushed in the panelling of her ceiling. She had done this by climbing up the walls, tiptoe and fingertips pressed against the opposing walls, and had laboriously created a niche that she could squeeze into. It had taken months of effort and planning. Heinz's arrival had only quickened her pace so that she could exploit the younger woman's inexperience.
Heinz had almost reached Ryst's bunk when Ryst dropped out of the sky. Heinz heard a muffled thump behind and began to turn but it wasn't fast enough. Ryst had landed on her feet, in a crouch, and she sprang forward like an uncoiled cat. Ryst slammed her fingers into Heinz's throat.
The younger woman gagged as her throat swelled and filled with blood. She was unable to cry out! Ryst never slowed. She brought her knee up into Heinz's stomach, doubling her over. The last of her air escaped Heinz's lips.
Ryst leisurely came up behind Heinz's kneeling form. Taking the back of Heinz's head in one hand and her jaw in another, Ryst twisted with all of her might. The neck snapped with a loud crack and the body went slack.
Ryst lifted the body and placed it on the bed. Stripping Heinz of her navy blue jumpsuit and utility belt, Ryst followed this by stripping off her orange jumpsuit and clothed Heinz's corpse with it. Afterwards, she put the blue jumpsuit on. Heinz had been a large woman so the suit was actually too big for the more petite Ryst. She rolled the sleeves up to her elbows and her pant legs up once each. Next she strapped on the utility belt and stun baton.
Ryst covered Heinz's body with the bunk's blankets after placing a pillow under the corpse's knees. Ryst turned exited the cell. Activating the forcefield, she turned and strolled past the remaining cells. Most of the occupants were incoherent but a few were cognizant enough to realise that Ryst was escaping. She received cheers and well wishes as she passed.
Ryst reached the main door and came to a halt. The door was released by a biometric scan. Her reading would sound an alarm. She leaned up against the wall and waited for someone to come through the door.
One hour and nineteen minutes later, Dana Cousins opened the door. Eying Ryst, she asked, "Have you been here long?"
"Just got here." Ryst easily lied, "They're all quiet. Ryst seems to be sleeping in 113. The rest are in various states of catatonia."
Cousins snorted, "That's about right for this place." She took a closer look at Ryst, "Are you new here?"
"Just started today." Ryst eagerly smiled.
"You seem familiar." Cousins said and then shook her head, "You must get that a lot."
"The curse of being average." Ryst chuckled, "Am I done here?"
"The usual procedure is to check out with the main guard station." Cousins grinned, "And then you're free."
"Thank God." Ryst sighed, "It's going to take me a month to get used to working gamma shift."
"Hang in there." Cousins said encouragingly, "We've all been there. Let me get the door for you."
The door panel scanned Cousins and Ryst thanked her as she passed by. Now out in the main corridor, she proceeded to the main entrance of the facility. The main guard station stood in front of the doors to the outside world. Ryst brazenly walked past the station. She went unchallenged.
Once outside, she squinted in the light of the early morning sun. She fished a small transponder out of her belt and depressed its activation switch. Down the row of parked aircars, one fired up and its antigravs flared to life, bobbing the car into the air. Ryst went to the elevated car and opened the electronically unlocked door with the transponder. Climbing into the car, she activated the computer and requested positioning info. Discovering she was a mere two hundred kilometres away from Barrinor's capital, she instructed the autopilot to take her there and the car obediently began to fly in that direction.
Four hours later Ryst had ditched the car, accessed a reserve bank account under the name Celeste Rockford, purchased clothing and had her hair done. It was now cut shorter and was blonde. Her hair was pulled into a small tail and the stylist had said it made her look like a pixie. The thought of altering her hair colour had never occurred to Ryst until today. It would take a constable at least a second look to make her and by then she would have the situation under control.
Ryst carried her bags to a local hotel and booked a room. Taking her purchases to the room, she left and went to the luggage store in the lobby. Ordering a set of bags, she had them sent to her room. Next, she stepped into the café in the lobby and ordered lunch.
Having finished her meal, she hailed a cab and ordered it to the shuttleport. It arrived and she asked the driver to keep the meter running and wait for her. Stepping out, she headed for the local sales office.
Upon seeing a woman dressed in an expensive business suit, Harl Edgely smelled money. He quickly sized her up and approached, "Can I help you?"
"I want to buy a ship. A recent model runabout if you have them or a shuttle if you've nothing better." Ryst said in a matter of fact tone.
"Are you certain you wouldn't prefer to book a flight or charter a service?"
Ryst chuckled darkly, "I know the travel lines give you a higher commission but I want a ship and I want it now."
Edgely blinked but said nothing for a moment, "I have something you might appreciate. It's out of most travellers' price range but if I've guessed correctly, price is no object."
"You've guessed correctly." Ryst's lips curved into a smile.
"Follow me." Edgely proceeded to lead her out the back door, Ryst followed and he manoeuvred around several parked shuttles. Coming around a larger shuttle he stopped and beamed.
"What do you think?" he asked.
Sitting before them was a black metallic capsule with two warp nacelles. Ryst looked dubious, "How fast can she move?"
"She's capable of .7 c at sublight and she can get up to warp 4.75 for twelve hours. Her normal cruising speed is warp 3.6." Edgely explained and then went on to describe the ship's capabilities, "She is fully computer driven with manual override available. She sports a full living suite with a dining area and a bedroom suite as well."
"What are her defensive capabilities?" Ryst wondered.
"She has merchant marine issue defensive shields." Edgely described, "As well as Type II phasers."
"Those would barely pulverise an asteroid." Ryst snorted.
"But they will give the stray pirate or rogue the fright of his life." Edgely chuckled.
"I'll take it." Ryst declared.
"Without seeing the interior?" Edgely squawked.
"If it doesn't satisfy me I'll simply return and kill you." Ryst warned him.
It took Edgely a moment to realise that she wasn't joking. Taking it as a foible of the wealthy, he walked her back to the office where she transferred the latinum to the corporate coffers. She also authorised a fifty strip gratuity for Edgely. He gratefully promised to oversee the ship's detailing himself. Her business concluded, Ryst returned to the waiting cabbie who was greedily watching the meter climb.
Later that evening, after dinner, Ryst used the comm unit in her room to contact the Orion Syndicate. After two hours of being foisted off on increasingly higher-ups, she finally spoke to Robhurt B'nner's lieutenant. She, in turn, rerouted the call to B'nner himself.
The grizzled old Orion calmly studied Ryst, "You're looking well for someone who's just broken jail."
"And you're well informed." Ryst commented.
"I keep an eye on our top assets." B'nner informed her, "That independent job you did for the Solarian Security Systems was sloppy work. I would have expected more from you."
"I was careless." Ryst admitted, "I underestimated the targets."
B'nner smiled, showing yellow teeth, "Good. Very good. You didn't try and shift the blame. I respect that."
"Thank you." Ryst said.
"And now you want me to place a contract on Macen's life so that you can slay him." B'nner stated.
"Yes." Ryst coolly confirmed it.
"No." B'nner registered Ryst's disappointment and elaborated, "I have another target in mind. One that will lead Macen's lackeys into a trap that will avenge Daveed's death."
"Your son was my patron." Ryst confided, "I would do anything to repay his murder."
"Excellent." B'nner chuckled without humour, "Join me on Orion and we shall plot our vengeance together."
Ryst bowed her head, "It will be done."
"Which alias are you employing?" B'nner inquired.
"Celeste Rockford." Ryst answered.
"I will transfer five thousand bars of latinum to that account." B'nner announced, "That should cover your expenses."
"I'm grateful." Ryst replied.
"Don't grateful. Be successful." B'nner admonished, "If you are, you will have a life of comfort and leisure."
"Maybe later in life." Ryst retorted, "I still have good years ahead of me."
"As do I." B'nner assured her, "When can you set out for Orion?"
"I secured a ship today." Ryst informed him, "I should be able to leave tomorrow."
"Good." B'nner smiled again. It was a ghastly sight, "Our vengeance has waited for too long."
The crowd's gathered in the chapel of the Ministerial Mansion on Bajor. Today Astris Beru, the 1st Minister of Bajor was wedding her long time love, Kara Gena. Their love and devotion for one another had been tested by trial and by fire. Now, a mere four months since Astris had proposed, their nuptials had arrived.
The guest list included Amelia Wynter, The President of Earth; Korista Schrieber, the President of Mars; Drake Parsons, the President of Luna; and Vladimir Kirov, the Premier of Bolshevik. Also in attendance were Brin Macen, T'Kir, Tom Riker, and Lisea Danan. With them were Captain Kira Nerys, Commander Elias Vaughn, and Lt. Commander Ro Laren. Every one of the honoured guests had taken part in the secret conspiracy that had led to this day.
While Astris was being given away by her father, Astris Marn, Kara was being escorted down the aisle by no one other than the President of the Federation, Gant Delane. Delane had also been a victim of the kidnappings that cemented the brides' relationship. The Kai himself was conducting the ceremony and it promised to be the social event of the decade. Having been deprived of the Emissary's wedding, the people demanded to be part of this one.
Festivals and celebrations were being held around the world. Many on the opposite side of Bajor were staying awake or waking early to catch the live coverage of the event. Many still speculated on why Kara had stepped down as Legal Minister four months ago but now the talking heads were united in saying that it must have been in preparation for the wedding.
That suited the couple since the truth was classified as a state secret by the Federation. The fiction was ever so much more elegant than the truth.
The brides were picturesque in gowns of satin and spun lace. Since Bajoran customs did not lend themselves to wearing a particular shade or colour for one's wedding, Astris had relied upon the Terran influences she'd encountered while attending Starfleet Academy. Artisans from around the globe had submitted designs in an effort to showcase their skills. In the end, a dressmaker working out of her home was chosen alongside an influential designer's offering. The designer was now trying to woo the artisan into working for him.
The assembled crowd was standing in a meadow. A pathway through the crowd was maintained for the bridal processional. A herald announced the beginning of the ceremony and the Kai took his place at the head of the crowd. Bell ringers came next and the crowd turned as one to face the approaching brides.
Astris came first. She was a breathtaking vision in white. Her father wore his finest garments for the occasion. He beamed with pride as his daughter walked beside him, glowing from within and unable to contain her happiness.
Behind her came Kara. Her coffee coloured skin was set off by the red satin she wore. Gant Delane proudly escorted her, holding himself erect and striding with purpose. He had one hand on her back, another supporting her arm and the last free and loose.
The brides took their places facing one another and the ceremony began. It was a short but reverent affair. When the last invocation was pronounced, Astris and Kara kissed and held each other tight. Holding one another's hand, they giddily met the crowd.
Later, aboard the Rio Grande, Ro manned the helm and T'Kir took OPS. Macen sat at the Science station while Kira, Vaughn, Riker and Danan occupied the aft crew compartment. The conversations, of course, revolved around the wedding.
"I'm glad their day is going so well." T'Kir declared, "After what they went through to get here, they deserve it."
"I was impressed by how many non-Bajorans showed up. They're getting an awful lot of interstellar support." Ro opined.
"Am I detecting a wistful note there, Laren?" Macen suddenly enquired.
"No." Ro said defensively and then she sighed, "Maybe. I'm not getting any younger and suddenly I want to share my life with someone."
"Sharing involves risk." Macen counselled, "You're not one for risk."
"What about all our madcap adventures in the Maquis?" Ro demanded, "That was risky."
Macen smiled, "You've never been adverse to personal risk but emotional risk is another matter."
Ro snapped her chair around and she glared at Macen, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means what it means, Laren." Macen calmly answered, "Your search for a strong father figure to replace your image of your own father is indicative of another, greater pain. You felt betrayed by your father and that broke your heart. You've carried that pain into your adult life."
Macen held Ro's gaze, "You're afraid of being re-traumatised so you hold the universe at bay. Quite honestly, I'm amazed that I'm as close to you as I am. To be frank, you still hold T'Kir and Lees at arm's length but you've chosen to confide in me. For that distinction I'm deeply touched and honoured."
Ro's fierce countenance gradually began to fade as his words sank in. Finally, she shook her head, "Oh hell, I can't argue with you even if I wanted to and I want to. All right, the truth is hanging out there for all to see, what do I do about it?"
"What's important to you?" Macen asked, "What will make you happy?"
"I…I don't know." Ro's admission was almost heartbreaking in its honesty.
"Figure that out and then you'll have your answer." Macen confided, "Once you have your answer don't let anyone or anything block you from getting it."
Ro slowly nodded, "All right."
Macen warmly smiled, "I suggest you explore this topic with Ezri Dax. Besides being your friend she's a former counsellor and she has eight lifetimes of experience. Her insights could prove to be invaluable."
Ro looked uncomfortable. She chewed on the idea for several minutes. Finally, she nodded, "Okay, I'll try it out. I won't make any promises about being successful though."
Macen rose out of his seat and went to Ro's station. He put his arms around her shoulders and gave her a hug.
"Whatever happens, you'll be happier." He assured her.
"Sure I will." Ro grimaced. She straightened herself out, "Time to get back to flying this tub."
"Why?" T'Kir asked, "The autopilot is doing just fine."
Ro glared at her and put the runabout back on manual control. T'Kir shrugged and swivelled her seat around. She bore a serious mien as she addressed Macen.
"I can't wait to get out of this dress." T'Kir said.
The dress in question was her bridesmaid dress from Daggit and Parva's wedding. Macen gave her an indulgent smile, "I think it's lovely and you look absolutely beautiful in it."
T'Kir sat erect and brightened, "Really? I'll have to wear it more often."
"Please do." Macen chuckled.
T'Kir genuflected, "Your wish, sir, is my command."
"That'll be the day." Macen scoffed.
"You know me too well." T'Kir put her hand to her forehead in a swooning manner.
Macen laughed and made to rise, "I think I'll check on the passengers. They're bound to be getting in trouble by now."
T'Kir's eyes went glassy for a moment and then they sharpened up, "Yup. They're telling war stories and right now Tom's regaling them with the capture of Deerven."
"Fates help us." Macen went aft.
Ro turned to T'Kir, "Who's Deerven?"
"He was a data smuggler we bagged a week ago." T'Kir informed her, "The story goes somethin' like this…"
"And then Brin ordered Telrik to beam Deerven up." Riker laughed, "Fortunately he felt the annular confinement beam take hold and he had time to stand up. He materialised aboard the Obsidian clutching a padd with his pants around his ankles."
"To make matters worse, he was faced with Daggit and Radil armed to the teeth aiming phaser rifles at him." Danan chimed in, "Brin just stood there laughing. Finally he said, 'Would you like to pull your pants up? You're making the ladies blush.'"
"To which," Riker took over, "Radil said, "No, he's not.'"
"So Brin tried again but this time ended with, 'You're making the men feel inadequate.'" Danan added.
"So Daggit pipes up with, "Speak for yourself.'" Riker chortled, "Brin throws his arms up in the air and yells, 'Just work with me people!'"
"At this point," Danan was positively gleeful, "Deerven tries to ruin…but his pants are still around his ankles. He trips and falls off the transporter pads. His naked ass is up in the air, pointed right at Brin and the rest, and he's struggling to get up. Radil merely shrugs and shoots him in the arse."
"Brin gives her a weary sigh and asks her if she couldn't have waited until Deerven had pulled up his pants." Riker relates, "And I swear to God, Radil blushed for the first time since I've known her."
Vaughn chuckled and then asked, "So, how did Deerven's pants get pulled up?"
"Radil made two of her Security officers pull them up and fasten them. They tried so hard not to touch anything that it took them nearly an hour to straighten everything out. By the time they were ready to move him, he woke up." Riker relayed.
"Sounds pretty humorous." Kira opined.
"The worst part is that we'd piped the whole thing to every viewer aboard the ship." Danan grinned, "By the time they got Deerven to the brig, the entire crew was laughing."
Vaughn shook his head, still chuckling, "He'll use that in court."
"He already has." Macen said as he appeared in the crew compartment, "He's filed an allegation of torture."
"That's pretty serious." Kira replied.
"I've already been contacted by Admiral Drake." Macen revealed as he sat down on one of the unoccupied cots, "I can't undertake any SID missions until I hear from her."
"And she hasn't called yet so we've had a week off and could attend the wedding." Danan added.
"Which we would have made time for anyway." Macen asserted.
"I'm sure that Astris and Kara appreciated your coming." Kira turned to Riker and Danan, "All of you."
Riker gratefully smiled, "I was just delighted to be invited."
Danan bobbed her head in agreement, "I was simply touched."
Kira's smile became impish, "So, how long are you two going to wait before solidifying your relationship?"
Riker squirmed and cleared his throat. Danan shifted around like a worm on a hook. Macen laughed.
"You've asked the wrong pair." He explained, "They're contently committed to the single life. They just 'appreciate one another's company'."
Kira gave Riker a mirthful appraisal, "Tom?"
Riker cast a sidelong glance Danan's way before replying, "We're just friends."
"And lovers when the mood strikes?" Kira was unrelenting.
"That's right." Danan strongly asserted, "We're each free to pursue whomever we like."
"How often does that occur?" Kira inquired.
Danan prompted Riker with a jerk of her head and her gaze. Riker took a deep breath and released it, "So far it hasn't but the option is always there."
"It seems to me that you need to reconsider your options." Vaughn opined.
"We're fine." Danan insisted, "Things are great the way they are."
Kira shrugged, "Each to their own."
Riker sagged in relief. Danan still looked irked. Vaughn and Kira wisely kept their peace.
Macen returned to the cockpit and sat in while T'Kir regaled Ro with Deerven's fate. The moment's levity distracted Macen from how badly he dreaded Drake's coming call. The probabilities were fluctuating around this event. It could spell real trouble for the team.
Macen decided to forget about this trouble. It would happen when it did and go the way that it would. At least he had the company of good friends to revel in.