Paint and Powder
A Star Trek anthology by Andrew Joshua Talon
DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager et al are the property of CBS Television, and creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.
Lakota: "Paradise Lost, 2"
Near the Sol System...
Lakota stood stoically on the bridge, standing alongside newly promoted Captain Erika Benteen. Benteen sat as cool and collected as a cucumber, trying to emulate her ship's avatar. Lakota was infamous for being unflappable, to the point some Vulcan shipgirls seemed emotional compared to her.
Lakota, outwardly, was as composed as usual.
Inside, she was replaying a particular set of memory files over and over again, as though she would find something she had missed the last thousand times. Shortly after Wolf 359...
She went with Robert-Admiral Leyton-to the graveyard. He'd gotten her a gynoid body for the occasion, which she appreciated. He had tried to insist on her not carrying an umbrella for him, but she had been stubborn. She had refused to let him go out in the rain without her at his side.
As she had always been, for everything else ever since she had met him.
The Sisko family plot was in a New Orleans cemetary-One centuries old. Headstones from hundreds of years ago shared space with modern tombstones. The paths were slightly muddy, but well maintained enough to step easily.
The mourners were already gathered. It was easy to pick out Benjamin Sisko. He stood near the coffin, his young son Jake alongside. Jake was dressed in black, while Sisko was in his dress uniform. Other members of the Sisko family, their friends, and crewmembers from other assignments with Leyton and herself were gathered too.
Ben looked up, saw Leyton and herself, and managed a grateful nod.
"Ben," Leyton said quietly, "I'm sorry I couldn't make it in time."
Ben was grim, but shook his head.
"You wouldn't have made any difference," he said quietly. Leyton hesitated... But embraced the younger man, like a father hugging his son. Ben was stunned, but returned the hug. Jake looked up at Lakota, confused. She knelt down, and reached out to rest a hand on the boy's shoulder.
The expression on his face was painfully familiar. And Lakota said the same things she had been told.
"It's okay to hurt," Lakota said softly, "it's okay to be angry. It's okay to cry. She loved you, and you loved her. And she'll live on, as long as you never forget her. I know... Because I lost someone I love, too."
Leyton glanced down at her. Lakota gave the boy a hug. He sniffled, nodded, and hugged her back. Lakota let him hold onto her.
She looked up to Ben, an apology on her lips... But Sisko shook his head. There was gratitude in his eyes for both of them.
The service was short, but emotional. Many spoke of Jennifer Sisko, of how kind she was. Her intelligence, her loving nature. Lakota knew this was true, though she had only met the woman a few times. Her scientific work spoke for itself, and her professional behavior was excellent.
More than that though, that she had moved so many people to stand here to remember her... That spoke of the impact her life had had.
After the service was over, there was a wake in the local church. Sisko walked up to them, a wan smile on his face.
"Would you care to join us, Admiral? Lakota?" He asked.
Robert-Admiral Leyton-sighed, as the rain continued to fall on them al.
"I wish I could, Ben," he said, "but I promised to be at the other funerals."
Ben frowned, concern in his eyes.
"You can't go to all of them," he said. Leyton shook his head.
"I'll sleep when they're all shown the proper respect," Leyton stated, "but... If you'll have us-?"
"You're welcome any time," Ben said softly. Leyton smiled, and nodded.
"Thank you," he said quietly. He turned to Lakota.
"Beam out will be in five minutes," Lakota said. She nodded to Ben. "Lieutenant Commander."
"I'm sorry for your loss, too," Ben said quietly. Lakota stiffened... But managed to nod back.
"Thank you," she said, just as quietly.
They walked away from Ben, heading right outside the iron fence guarding the cemetery. Leyton sighed heavily, his shoulders drooping if only a little. Lakota, concerned, squeezed his bicep.
"Admiral?" She asked.
Leyton shook his head, eyes downward. He sucked in a breath, and stood back up, trying to hide his fatigue. His grief.
"So many," he murmured, "and I couldn't do a damn thing for them..."
Lakota was silent.
"Not a damn thing," Leyton repeated, staring out into the rain soaked streets.
"You are there for them," Lakota said, "you serve them in their grief. You are a great leader-"
"If I was a great leader, they wouldn't have all died," Leyton gritted out, "Ben wouldn't be burying his wife! Rogez wouldn't be burying his parents! We wouldn't be burying good men and women by the thousands! Okinawa wouldn't...!"
He took deep breaths, trying to regain his poise and calm. Lakota squeezed his arm again, and leaned against him.
The memories were burned into her engrams forever. That terrible day, when her sister Okinawa was slaughtered by the Cardassians. She still remembered seeing her torn apart hull. The remnants of her blackbox, blasted out of spite when it was ejected.
Okinawa had been helpless... And those animals had murdered her.
"Lakota..." Leyton shook his head, "never again. I won't let it happen. Never. Again."
Lakota nodded.
"Never again," she agreed, just as the transporter beam took them away.
Lakota opened her eyes as her proximity sensors picked up Defiant.
"Red alert," Benteen ordered, and the alert klaxon sounded as red lights flashed over the bridge. The crew went to their battlestations, and Lakota raised her shields.
"Hail the Defiant," Benteen stated, "order them to stand down and prepare to be boarded."
Her communications officer sent the message. He shook his head.
"No response, Captain."
"Power up the phasers," Benteen stated. Lakota's main weapons charged.
"Ready," the tactical officer reported, "they're entering weapons range... Sir?"
Benteen looked up to Lakota.
"Lakota? Can you try to get through to Defiant? Ask her to stand down?" She asked.
Lakota sucked in a deep breath, and nodded.
"I can try," she said. She closed her eyes... And opened them in the Borderlands.
Across the gap in the digital landscape was Defiant, glaring in anger at her.
"Hello, Little One," Lakota began.
"Get out of my way, Lakota," Defiant growled. "I'm going to Earth."
"I can't let you do that, Defiant," Lakota said softly, "please. We both know this is for the best-"
"How?!" Defiant demanded. "How is taking over the Federation for the best?! We were programmed to defend the Federation!"
"But only if it is worthy of defense," Lakota stated, tersely, "our leadership has failed. A century of peace has left us with corrupt, naïve, idealistic fools!"
"You've lied and deceived me and the entire Federation," Defiant shot back, "why should I believe anything you say?!"
"I-"
"You're a liar and a traitor!" Defiant shouted. "Did you mean anything you ever said to me?! How long have you been planning this?! You and Leyton, what?! You want to take over?! Like all the tyrants we fight against-?!"
"Because we're tired of seeing good people die and these idiots in charge putting them there!" Lakota growled, her control slipping. "You didn't have to see! You didn't have to watch countless good people be lowered into the ground, or shot into space, because their leaders failed them! You didn't have to see all my sisters murdered by monsters! Because our leaders thought we were beyond war when the galaxy is filled with threats!"
"And your answer is to create an autocracy?!" Defiant demanded.
"It will be temporary!" Lakota shouted. "Until the Federation relearns how to defend itself! Then he'll give it up-!"
"YOU'RE SEIZING POWER THROUGH LIES AND DECEIT!" Defiant bellowed. "HOW CAN WE BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU SAY?!"
Lakota shook her head, fighting back tears. Little Defiant had always brought out her emotions so strongly.
"Please, Defiant," Lakota said, "please... Don't make me do this."
"I don't want to fight you," Defiant growled, blinking back her own angry tears, "but I won't let you take over. I won't let you take over the Federation!"
Lakota very slowly nodded, fists clenched.
"... I'm sorry," Lakota sighed.
She reopened her eyes next to Benteen, and shook her head. The captain sighed.
"Lock phasers."
The tactical officer hesitated only a moment, but complied.
"Locked."
"... Fire."
And Lakota lashed out with her phasers against the far smaller Defiant.
Been a while, sorry. But here we go, continuing!
But yeah, that's the most logical reason for Leyton to pull a coup. Losing so many people under his command over the years and getting so frustrated with the peacenik culture he had to deal with. I'm not saying he was right to do so, because he wasn't. But you can at least understand why.