My first duty shift as acting Commander of the USS Atlantis NCC-06 had begun at 2200 hours, an eight hour shift as the vessel's Captain, I was never more proud nor more nervous as the moment I first sat in the big chair amidst a skeleton crew of volunteers for the night shift, the dead shift as it was called. Although I was limited by what I could do due to standing orders from Starfleet Command, I did have the right to order the course to be adjusted to avoid certain anomalies and so forth, which had to be logged in the ship's log and all major command orders had to go through the Captain and in the event of an emergency situation, I would be required to step aside for the Captain himself as all orders in such an event must relate from the Captain. I was simply his voice while on the bridge, but I loved it every moment I sat in that chair.
Due to my own self imposed isolation, I had little in the way of friends onboard of the ship at first, although it had seemed as if Aiko Chan had made it her own personal assignment to get to know me, and I must confess? I actually enjoyed her attention and even her presence on the bridge during my first duty shift as acting commander, as she sat at the bridge engineering station which due to the Captain's orders, had always remained occupied. By 0600 hours and after lunch around 0200 hours, which I shared with Aiko Chan, I was finally relieved of my first command by Ericson Styles after officially reporting the night's interactions with the ship's functions.
I knew that I had the next twenty-four hours off duty to recover from a long night of being duty, with my new friend seemingly biting at my heels as a walked through the ship? We entered the mess hall for what would be our evening meal, as no time existed in space with no sun rise or sun set. I was exhausted after pulling a double shift with only a few hours of sleep behind me, all I wanted to do was to eat a meal and to climb into bed and hibernate until my next shift. I think, I think it was around 0650 hours, give or take a few minutes, I was enjoying the most amazing steak and baked potato dinner with a side of a glass of beer to wash down the amazing flavour, when my plans changed.
"Lieutenant Barlow, report to the bridge. Lieutenant Barlow, to the bridge"
Sighing deeply with the call to duty, I threw my fork and knife onto the table as I stood before looking around at the crew while from the corner of my eye, I saw the vessel alter course and leap into warp speeds through the window as I sighed deeply.
"You know just once, I'd like to actually eat a meal, in full without interruption…" I said as I walked the short distance towards the intercom on the wall of the mess hall. "… Barlow here. On my way sir. Barlow Out! This is exactly why I don't carry my communicator with me, everywhere I go. Can you imagine somehow wearing one at all times? No one would ever finish a meal!"
"Actually Mila, I have an idea about that…" Aiko Chan called out, as the few in the mess hall laughed instantly.
"If you do that Aiko? You'll find yourself floating home. Might as well throw that away, so much for a day off…"
Once I arrived on the bridge, my eyes ran around the command centre of the ship instantly to see the Captain and First Officer, stood before the communications station with questioning looks in their eyes as I briskly walked towards the three officers.
"Captain? Reporting as…"
"We've picked up a signal that we can't identify nor can our UT translate, it just identifies it as some dialect of Orion"
"This far out? That's unusual. Sir, may I? Lieutenant, the message please?"
Repeating the short message, several times, it was of a dialect that I had never before heard but it was Orion in origin. Slowly, I paced the bridge while almost cocking my head as I listened for key words within the short message, attempting to lock down the message which was in fact a distress call.
"Lieutenant?"
"It's familiar sir, but I can't pin it down. Several words are familiar. Wait a minute, back up please…? There, loop that please Ma'am? Is that, is that Var'Dch?" I said instantly, to myself as the bridge crew looked towards me, as I stood before the main screen.
"Lieutenant?"
"A very rare language on Orion Captain. The inflections are different, but it sounds Var'Dch. Lieutenant, please play the entire message on a loop. Can you please focus on the voice alone?" I said, before the message continued to loop. "Message reads as, Civilian ship… Name is unfamiliar to me. Passenger ship of around 40 onboard. Something to do with their warp core sir, which seems to have been brought under control. Assistance required. Message repeats sir"
"Are you certain, Lieutenant Barlow?"
"One more time Lieutenant?" I asked, as the message once again played over the bridge speakers. "Yes Captain, the dialect is similar to Var'Dch. On an Earth scale and speaking as an outsider? It is the difference between English and Japanese. It may sound strange? But there are similarities, if you know where to listen. Someone, once tried to teach me that language… . I see the look in your eyes XO. I have spent the majority of my life, speaking English. Sir, this is a completely new dialect than what I know. How long before we intercept?"
"Thirty Minutes. Can you speak with them Barlow?" Asked the Captain with a slight smile upon his face.
"Have you tried to speak with them in Orion Lieutenant?"
"I don't speak Orion Lieutenant Barlow, and the UT is having a little trouble with their dialect. Channel is open, Lieutenant"
"Thank you…" I said slowly, before taking a deep breath and speaking once again in the language which I had almost forgotten, my native Language of Orion and hopefully, the dialect they could understand. "Attention unknown freighter. You're distress signal has been received. This is the Federation Starship… Atlantis we are on route to assist, but we are still thirty minutes away. If you have impulse speeds and it is safe to do so, I recommend you set your course to our position at your best possible speeds to cut down on the travel time. Please respond?"
A crackling voice echoed over the bridge on audio only, a soft and feminine voice which I translated for the Captain and senior staff before I translated the Captain's reply into the language which I had slowly begun to understand, a language which I had not heard since I was a child a dialect of Var'Dch.
"Federation vessel, thank the Gods you are out here. We are gracious for any assistance you can provide. We have your co-ordinates now and I have ordered our set course at four-fifth impulse, our maximum speed due to damage"
"Freighter, I am speaking for my Captain, the voice you can hear behind my own. Does anyone onboard, require medical assistance?"
"Indeed. Several of our Engineering crew have sustained plasma burns from the leak…"
"We will have our medical staff standing by to assist with whatever you require. What is your name?"
"I am Zana, owner and operator of the freighter Toperev"
"A pleasure Zana, my Captain is named Styles. Help is on the way Commander Zana, Atlantis out…" Instantly switching between an Orion dialect and English, I turned towards the Captain to continue. "Request Permission to…"
"Are you sure that you are up to this Mila?"
"Yes sir. Plus, I am perhaps the only one whom can speak with them and being Orion, they may respond to me easier than Humans"
"Very Well. Granted, Lieutenant. Assemble an away team from Engineering and Medical, in the transporter room in twenty eight minutes. As a tactical officer, I don't have to tell you…"
"I know sir and thank you. Commander Finch, it may go smoother with a ranking officer from this ship, I will act as your translator"
"Understood and agreed. What do you know about the language Barlow, you said it was rare?" Commander Finch asked me and surprisingly polite, considering his past reactions towards myself.
"Var'Dch, is believed to have descended from one of the countless and ancient Royal Courts, from the eastern continents on what is now called Orion Prime. Centuries ago, during an uprising on that world? Those Royal Courts where destroyed in a revolution and as such, many of those of so called, Royal Blood lines where destroyed. Some, had believed to have fled to be hunted down by those revolutionaries. Somehow? That language has survived over the centuries, perhaps even handed down vocally through the centuries and evolved into that very language, you just heard. The one whom had once tried to teach me? Believed themselves to be descended from one of those blood lines. If you will excuse me sirs? I will assemble the required team, Commander Finch? Twenty minutes, I'll brief you on what you'll need to know and in full. Permission to leave the bridge Captain?"
"Granted Lieutenant"
I had never led an away team before, nor a briefing before the Captain, First Officer and the Senior Staff as I had only been onboard for a little over a week and nervous as hell as I stood in the briefing, inside? I was terrified of standing before the entire command staff, the only sign of my nerves was that I stood with my hands behind my back, clenching my fists and even my toes tightly whilst trying to appear as calm and collect as possible. The Atlantis had arrived within sensor range of the vessel to identify it's design and even the number of life forms onboard and with constant contact with the stricken vessel and an addition made to the Universal Translator by myself and the communications officer, their strange dialect had been deciphered for ease of ship to ship contact, although I still had to speak with the stricken crew face to face upon our arrival on their ship.
"… And as you can see Sirs, if they are in actual fact descendants of one of those Royal Courts? Those on Orion Prime would be very interested in making an example of these people. I know what you are going to ask, Lieutenant Fawkes. The answer is simple, public execution on the Home World of my people, without a trial nor due process, simply Hung, in the streets and their bodies left to decompose as a warning to others"
"Don't you find it a little coincidental that the only ship in the quadrant with an Orion officer onboard, has intercepted this ship, Lieutenant?" Called out my direct superior, the chief armoury officer.
"I don't believe in coincidences sir. And, I'm glad that someone raised that question, thank you sir. First and foremost? I am a Starfleet Officer and as such? I will not put anyone in danger if this is a simple snatch and grab. You have no idea what happened to me on that world. If not for an unnamed Vulcan whom had found me? I would have died, within weeks, perhaps even days. I am still feeling the effects of that world, even now over twelve years later…"
"Effects, how so Lieutenant?" Politely asked the Andorian Doctor, I had asked to join me on that assignment.
"Canarious Syndrome Doctor, I'm sure you have heard of it. As a result of that illness, my internal organs had been scorched due to the acidity which had been produced by the contaminated food supplies I hid and as a result and amongst other medical problems? I have never been, nor will I ever be able to have a child of my own as my reproductive organs have almost been destroyed, internally"
"Wait, I'm lost…" Replied Commander Finch, with an apologetic look in his eyes.
"Canarious Syndrome. A result of cross contamination between foods from different species which had rotten and fermented, the result as an acid which burns away at the internal organs along with painful blisters on the body, which if gone untreated would result in a very painful and slow death"
"Very good Doctor. My mouth, hands, genitals and… my rear had been severely burned from the acidity of the food I ate, I barely survived. I was more than lucky when someone took pity on me, the story of my life actually…"
"Anything else we should know Lieutenant?" Politely asked the Captain, as he was the only person onboard whom had actually known of my entire history.
"Yes. If this turns sour, remember that Orions are stronger than Humans, even I could put you down with little effort. That is why I have asked our Andorian and Vulcan crewmembers to join this mission. The atmosphere on that ship, will be warmer and more humid by comparison to this vessel, so be aware, Doctor? It will be within the tolerances for your species. Keep your heads on a swivel people… oh, be aware of the smell also?"
Contact with the stricken freighter Toperev, was a difficult moment for myself personally as it was the first time since I was a child that I had seen another Orion in the flesh, once we had beamed onboard. I had prepared for almost everything, from being taken by those onboard to being shot the instant I materialised onboard of that ship, what I had not prepared for? Was a ship of refugees, running from our own people onboard of a vessel decades old and almost falling apart at the seams and they had been more shocked to see myself, my rare pale green skin and red hair, wearing my dark blue Starfleet Uniform.
The odour of the vessel was almost overpowering, the instant we materialised onboard as overpowering at the heat and humidity as I had adapted to the Earth's climate a decade ago. Everywhere I stepped with the First Officer at my side, I was greeted with looks of shock from the passengers and crew, I felt like a sideshow as I walked through that old vessel while the Atlantis engineering and medical teams began their work of repairing and caring for the ship and crew to the highest standards of Starfleet and Federation training.
Once I had returned to the Atlantis and taken a much needed shower to remove the foul stench of the ship from my body, I swear that I could smell the stench on myself as I stepped onto the bridge to deliver my report to the Captain as if the smell would linger for my entire life.
"Lieutenant Barlow, reporting as requested Captain"
"At ease kid. Are you okay?"
"No sir. But thank you for your concern anyway" I said with a deep sigh.
"I've spoken with your away team, they speak highly of your performance, Even Finch"
"That, must have hurt him to say Eric. I don't think he likes me very much. He just tolerates me because you and I are old friends, and you are the Captain. It was difficult being around them, other Orions I mean. Captain, the last time I checked? There is a former Vulcan cruiser a few light years away, they are more equipped to deal with this than we are as that old ship out there is falling apart and we could not leave them on that ship and I doubt that we have the space nor supplies onboard to transport them…"
"Agreed, Timothy? Contact the Vulcan cruiser USS T'Mara and request assistance?"
"I sir. Message sent. T'Mara is responding, they are on their way to assist. ETA, one hour fifteen minutes. Sir, I have Doctor Andrews on the line, two of the passengers have requested to speak with Mila and yourself, in private?"
"Understood, Shall we Lieutenant?"
Making my way through the ship with the Captain at my side, I walked with my hands linked behind my back almost in silence while the Captain spoke, all I did was nod and the occasional 'Yes Sir' or simply 'Aye' in agreement to his conversation which to be honest? I doubt I even heard what he was saying to me, just the occasional word as my mind continued to wrestle with several thoughts at once, mainly the prospect of being recognised by one or two of the crew or passengers of that ship which could place the Atlantis and her crew in jeopardy if my previous owner had been notified of my presence on the Federation Starship.
Upon entering the Sickbay where several of the passengers and crew of the freighter where being treated for their injuries and sickness. Doctor Andrews, a junior Doctor on the medical staff slowly walked towards myself and the Captain with a slight nod towards the both of us in turn before pointing towards a biobed in the furthest corner away from the few patients, a section closed off by the privacy curtain. Stepping towards the curtain, I took a deep breath before pushing past the open section as shock overcame me instantly at what I saw, two young girls barely nine and sixteen years old sat on the biobed huddled together in fear. Slowly looking up towards me, the elder girl stepped from the biobed and stood before me. A beautiful young woman, taller than myself, mid green skin tone, the most perfect colour of emerald green eyes I have ever seen and deep black hair, a vision of beauty if ever I saw it myself.
"You are the Orion Lieutenant?" She asked with a half whisper.
"Yes, Lieutenant Barlow. A pleasure to meet you both. You look hungry, have you eaten yet?"
"Yes, thank you for your hospitality. We did not know that Orion had entered the Federation, are there more of our kind on their ships?" She asked politely.
"Orion has yet to join the Federation. I am the only one of our kind serving the Federation in any aspect…"
"A great loss, to us all Miss" Replied the Captain politely.
"Lanis, my name is Lanis and my sister, Cora. We are, the last of our family line Lieutenant Barlow. Our parents and family had been killed several years ago, since then? I have protected my sister. The ship, is not what you think, nor heading where we thought. Someone, within the Syndicate has bribed the Commander, the owner of that ship to take us back to Orion Prime. I have, we have no desire to return to that world or any world controlled by the Syndicate"
"What about the others?" I said with a deep sigh, as I knew how the two girls would be treated on Orion Prime.
"We are simply, payment for their survival. If we are handed over to them? They would be permitted to go where they wish… I don't care about myself Lieutenant, but I can not permit anyone to take Cora. She is only eight years old. I am begging you Captain, Lieutenant. On my knees if I have to do so, please don't let them take my sister to be sold into slavery or worse?"
"I sympathise, Lanis. But the Federation can not get involved with…"
"We are already involved Eric, the moment we made contact with that ship. Damn it, I knew that something was off when I stepped foot onto that ship. I won't let anyone take Cora, or you Lanis. You have my word. Doctor Andrews, a moment of your time please?" I called out, instantly as the Captain fired me a dangerous look.
"Lieutenant?"
"Doctor, why have these two girls not been correctly quarantined, or do you not recognise Canarious Syndrome when you see it?" I said out loud, for all to hear while the Captain looked shocked for a moment, before smiling slightly.
"Canarious Syndrome, Lieutenant? I've never heard of it"
"Jumping from ship to ship, different foods and supplies have become contaminated as a result? The two patients clearly display the early symptoms. Quarantine is required as their… and forgive me for saying so? Bodily fluids will become almost acidic. Quarantine is required"
"I've never…" He said while the Captain turned towards the Doctor to nod slightly, before he continued. "… Understood Lieutenant Barlow"
"Lieutenant, being as young as Miss Cora is, would it not be prudent to quarantine them some place more… comfortable?"
"It would, Captain. The quarters which face my own, are vacant until we reach Starbase Two for crew replacements and supplies. I have some, personal experience with that illness Doctor which came at great cost to myself. I will give you a list of what is required to take care of the patients shortly… with your permission of course Sir?"
"See to it, Lieutenant…" Captain Styles replied, before whispering. "… You're walking a fine line Mila, be careful not to step over it!"
"Aye sir. Now if you will excuse me? I must have a word with Commander Zana. Lanis, Cora? Doctor Andrews will take you to… quarantine shortly. Remain here please?"
Looking at the fear in the young Cora's face and the stern and angry face of Lanis, I saw more than echoes of myself at their ages as I was both afraid and angry almost all of the time, even though I did not show it to anyone. My family had not only sold me into slavery to save themselves, but ruined my childhood and as such, had taken away any chance of having a child of my own, destroying my Gods given right to have a family, a future. I maintained my composure as I walked from the isolated biobed and left Sickbay, by the time I reached the turbo lift, anger over came me as the doors closed and without setting my destination on the control panel, I collapsed onto the deck of the car and simply wept openly for the first time since I was a child as memories rushed back to me of my childhood, mainly being on the auction block. 80'000 Credits, is what I am worth, I know exactly what my life is worth, even as a child. Within moments, I think anyway? The car moved by itself two decks lower as the doors slipped open, I don't even remember seeing anyone as I simply sat against the bulkhead, with my head in my hands and my tears forming a tiny puddle on the deck.
"Mila, Mila… are you okay?" A soft and concerned voice called out to me, instantly as Petty Officer Chan, knelt before me.
"Go away Aiko, please?"
"I'm going nowhere, not until you tell me what is wrong"
"Do I have to make it an Order, Petty Officer?" I cried out instantly, as I leapt to my feet and wiped the tears from my face, with my sleeve.
"You can, but I am going nowhere. Now, you can put me on report if that is what you want? But, you will have to say why and I doubt you want everyone knowing about this… do you?"
Shaking my head slowly, Aiko Chan took my hand to lead me out of the turbo car into an empty storage room close to the turbo shaft. I never thought that I could speak as fast as I had at that moment when I told her everything, nor could I believe the look of pure anger and disgust on her face at what I had said to her of the two young girls and Commander Zana's plans for the two sisters to simply save her own life.