No. 2 Nowhere to run (caged)
~
"Now what do we have here?"
His eyes glared at the woman who was standing in front of the bars. Her pointed ears reminded him of a familiar first officer. But this woman was no Vulcan. She was something different. Something Keenser didn't like.
He growled at the Romulan.
"We found it on our last hunt on Daeria VI. We wouldn't have taken something as small and unimportant as that thing if it hadn't been for the Star Fleet uniform. But I already regret it. No one wants to buy that creature. We'll probably just dispose of it."
Keenser's eyes went over to the pirate who had taken him. The Roylan had been on shore leave with the crew. They had enjoyed their time at a bar but eventually Keenser had left early for the hotel… only to be kidnapped by these men.
Here he was now. Inside a spaceship. Trapped in a cage.
"I want it."
The woman smiled down at him. It sent shivers down Keenser's spine.
"Ma'am, are you sure? It can't talk. It is weak. The only thing of value is the fact that it's Star Fleet."
The woman's eyes moved over to the man. She seemed annoyed by his behavior.
"Do you want to make a deal or not?"
The pirate looked taken aback.
"O-of course. I just don't want you to regret the purchase later on and talk bad about my business."
The Romulan didn't say anything; she just handed the pirate some money.
"This should be enough, right?"
The man looked at the money in his hands in awe. He probably hadn't expected that much.
"It… certainly is, ma'am."
"Great. Then beam that cage onto my shuttle."
With one last glance at Keenser the woman turned around and headed out of the room.
"It'll be my pleasure."
-
Keenser looked around. The cage had been beamed into a storage room. He had seen similar before.
When the door opened, he backed away, but there was nowhere to run. The cage was already too small when he was just sitting still.
"Hello little friend."
The Romulan woman greeted him with a smile.
One of the biggest difference between Vulcans and Romulans. Their emotions.
Keenser grunted and pressed his body against the back of the cage.
"You are a Roylan, aren't you?"
He wouldn't answer. He wouldn't talk to that woman.
"No reply? Then I am quite certain that you are."
Keenser gritted his teeth. He didn't like this woman. She was scary.
What did she want? Why had she bought him?
"I always wondered just how small Roylans are. Now that I see one… you seem quite tall to me compared to what I heard in stories."
Keenser just stared.
"But the size doesn't matter I suppose. What matters… is what's on the inside."
There was a grin on the woman's face. She looked down at Keenser's chest and stomach.
He let out a small whimper he hadn't meant to escape.
"I have heard rumors about a Roylan's pancreas having the power to stimulate the brain of my kind. And I really want to test it."
Keenser's body stiffened. This woman… wanted to experiment on him.
He shook his head.
"Do not worry little friend. I will put you to sleep before I cut you open to search for it."
Panic gripped his heart and he started to move around in his cage, trying to get it to open.
He didn't want this. He wanted to be back on the Enterprise. He wanted to be with his crew, his family.
"Shh, just calm down."
And suddenly there was a pain in his neck.
Keenser felt dizzy. He fell to the ground after a moment of resistance.
"Just sleep."
The last thing he saw was the Romulan's strange smile. Then the whole world turned black.
-
He woke up to the sound of a monitor bleeping.
Was he waking up while this woman was cutting him open? No… no… He didn't want this.
"He's waking up."
That voice. He knew it.
"Keenser? Laddie, talk to me!"
And yet another familiar voice.
When Keenser finally opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself in sickbay.
McCoy was next to him, checking the monitor. And on his other side Scotty was standing.
"Oh thank goodness! Ye're okay!"
Scotty smiled brightly at him. And Keenser shook his head in confusion. What had happened?
"What?"
"Hey Keenser, good to see ya awake," McCoy smiled down at him. It was a nice smile. One Keenser liked.
"We found ye just in time. Well… the young lad did."
Scotty looked over at another person in the room and Keenser followed his eyes.
Chekov.
He was blushing right now.
"I… I wanted to leave right after you sir. And I saw you and these strange men just before they beamed you away."
Keenser blinked.
"The lad ran back to us right away. We managed to track down these pirates and a shuttle which had been close to their ship. That way we found ye," Scotty explained.
Keenser nodded. A lump was forming in his throat. He had been so scared. But… his crew had searched for him. That's what family was like.
"Thanks."
Chekov just shook his head.
"No problem sir."
Keenser's head fell back into the pillow. His heart was still racing. But he knew that he could sleep and rest. For the crew would protect him.