"Captains Outrageous…"

Summary: Strictly and utterly for fun. Imagining our favorite seestras as Captains of the Federation flagship.

Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…

Sarah and Helena…

Earth…

Refugee Center #12…

Where seated at a table in dining hall #4, Felix was doing his best to put forth a reasonably cheerful mood, noting that it was the traditional Thanksgiving Day of their Canadian hosts, they having been sent to a Toronto area relocation center based on the fact their colony had been settled by migrants from Canada originally.

"And tomorrow we finish moving to the new place in Toronto…A real house again, eh Monkey?" he beamed at Kira, raising glass.

"They might have considered Dublin so long as they were trying to settle us by ancestry." Ms. S noted.

"But bein' descended from Catherine of Aragon, ole Hal VIII lovin' spouse, they coulda sent you to Britain or Spain just as well…" Sarah pointed out. "Did Ms. S ever tell you she had queens in her family besides Uncle Fee?" arch grin at Fee…Who mock-glared.

"I'll overlook that remark for the day's and this nice reunion's sake…" he said, high-minded sniff. "Who wants more real turkey? I don't care what they say about the replicated stuff being the same, there's nothing like real bird."

"Me!" Kira lifted plate…

"And me…" Sarah raised plate. "So, Monkey, why don't you give your Uncle a hand and bring us back the legs and all…? You don't want to let it all be gone…" beam. Kira hastily rising to join Fee as he headed off…

"So?" Mrs. S eyed Sarah. "I take it you wanted a moment alone."

"I did." Pause. "Thanks for taking such good care of Kira…"

"I did that for her…And me…Not for you." Cool stare. "So, again…?"

"Ok…" Sarah shrugged. "Far be it from me to try and offer an olive branch. I need to know everything you know about me. Where I came from…How you wound up with me?"

Searching stare…Folding of hands on table.

"Why the sudden interest? You've never asked , you've even dodged the matter when I've mentioned it." Careful look. "I can't really tell you much as it is. I don't know who your parents were…"

"I understand…I just need to know anything you can tell me…"

Frown… "Why?"

"For Kira…For myself. I want to know sos I can start to move on, build something…" Sarah, intense stare meeting Mrs. S's.

Sigh… "The little I know isn't much…" Mrs. S leaned back in her chair. "I took in foster children, some from Earth, some off-world…They were brought to me from all over."

"By whom?" Sarah…

"My own people in the unassociated Colonies and on Earth…Generally just your normal orphaned kids, in some cases children of political refugees from the Colonies, Cardassia, even Romulus and Chronos. If they needed a place and I had a bed, I took them."

"Quadrant-wide network, impressive…" Sarah nodded. "I knew you had a lot of friends in the black but I didn't know it was that widespread. But as to me, specifically…" she eyed Mrs S… "Who brought me to you?"

"A friend…Someone I knew, from the days organizing to keep the Colonies independent of all sides…"

"'Neither Fed nor Card, neither Kling nor Rom'…I remember." Sarah smiled wanly.

"I object to bloated empires, even the ones that claim they love democracy…" Mrs. S shrugged. "No one's hands are clean, not even the Federation's." She looked away… "Carleton…That was his name. Nice boy…Man…" she shrugged. "He brought you and begged me to take you in and keep you safe…And hidden."

"Why?" Sarah stared. "Who was he…?"

"He'd been many things…There were rumors…" pause…

"Are you gonna play games with me?" Sarah frowned.

"It's just I don't know if I'm telling you facts or rumors…" glare. "The rumors were that he'd once been with Section 51, the badass boys and girls."

"Section 51?" Sarah, feigning surprise.

"I know that look." Mrs. S, dryly. "You've heard of it? How?"

"Word gets around…All right I have. They're the Federation's black box agency. Secret weapons, super tech, even alien stuff…Most say it's malarkey and the government denies it all."

"Not quite all…" Mrs S noted quietly. "I'll concede that some in the Federation try to live up to the ideals. There are people who've put it on the map a few times…There is admission of a top level, top secret research agency and it does submit to limited review by the Council. You can get some declassified info…Or, if you're really connected…" faintest of smiles. "…a bit more…"

"And?" Sarah, insistent.

"And, just that…He said you were in danger and needed to be hid, he may have been connected to Section 51. So, I took you from Palmyra colony on the border to the deepest, most remote colony I could find…New Ontario."

"And he's…? Can I get in touch with him?"

"Not that I know…He was arrested shortly after he brought you to me." Mrs. S looked down. "They accused him of human trafficking for the Cardassian slave trade, he got ten years in a Federation prison."

"And he wasn't…? A slaver?" Sarah, carefully.

"If he were, you'd be dead or in a Cardassian brothel…" Mrs. S, calmly. "You'd've fetched too good a price, my love, for a true slaver to part with for free."

"Is there any chance…?" Sarah began… "Your people…"

"Most are in Cardassian work camps now, love. The ones who didn't come out like us in time." Mrs. S looked at her carefully. "This is important to you?"

"Yes…" nod.

"It's more than just wanting to tell Kira her past…What is it about, Sarah?"

"It is…But I can't say more, not right now." Sarah, firmly, but with a touch of pleading…

"Does it affect Kira? Is it a threat to her?" cool stare.

"I don't know…I hope not."

Sigh… "All right…I'll try to contact my people, what's left of them. I can't promise anything, but I'll try…" stern look, reaching for Sarah's hand. "…on the condition that if something is coming anywhere near Kira, you swear you'll let me know…Before it's even a cloud on the horizon. I mean that, Sarah. Kira is a gift…" she looked over to where Kira was eagerly taking overloaded plates from Fee, struggling to hold them. "…not to be chanced. If there is any danger, you have to let me know, soon as physically possible."

"I will…" Sarah nodded. "But just right now, there's none that I know of…"

….

Toronto, just outside the refugee center…

Stark Helena theme…As several rather weary refugees returning from work or shopping outside the center were walking to the gate.

Helena, ski cap pulled on to conceal ear points, in carefully chosen refugee outfit, including heavy, shabby coat, eyeing the group.

Hmmn…Security, but not so tight as all that…Just need a camp badge…She loitered by a small shop, vulture awaiting prey. Feeling for the blade in her pocket.

Well, might be best to use hypodermic and drug. Must easier to explain drunken friend sleeping one off than corpse if caught with wrong badge. She noted a young woman in casual clothes and coat emerging alone from the center's exit gate, about her height, bearing a bag.

Off to shopping, eh? Perhaps I could join you… She smiled, following behind the young woman.

….

"So, is it a nice house?" Sarah asked Kira as they sat eating. "Big enough for us all?"

"Not for me…I've put in for my own space, a loft. My work needs to breathe." Fee noted.

"I know I wouldn't have that paint and such…Not to mention the rest that comes with you…Around my home." Mrs. S, grim look to Fee.

"But Uncle Fee will be over all the time…" Sarah to a dismayed Kira. "Given he cooks for shite, even with a replicator."

"Well, if he deigns to come he's welcome…So long as he remembers I serve meals on time and I don't run a restaurant." Mrs. S noted.

"How could I refuse an invite like that?" Fee grinned to Kira who grinned back.

So this is my human family…Helena stared in wonder at her hand scanner, listening as she watched the small screen while concealed in a corner of the same dining hall.

Is nice, my human family…I like that Mum is strict, no funny business type…Is good sign for character.