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.

During the Dominion War...

There were very few places that AI's considered hallowed ground. It just wasn't in their nature. The Consultation Room at Earth Spacedock was one, where AI's could gather and speak freely…and be mothered by SpaceDock. The other was the Fleet Museum Annex orbiting Earth's moon. When asked many AI's said that the FMA gave off the same feeling to them as cemeteries do to organics. This was the case for 99.99% of AI's….except for one.

Her official title was 1st Assistant Curator of the Fleet Museum Annex, Luna Shipyards but everybody called her Selene. She didn't have a preference either way, her job was to tend to the artifacts. She chuckled to herself, typical organics, to them they were just things, but to her…they were the bodies of her sisters, to be tended to with reverence.

Her avatar was a tall dark-haired human woman, dark grey eyes and wearing a black funeral dress, her Combadge pinned to it. A shawl covered her head. She mourned, every more so now that the War was almost over. She had time now.

Selene stopped as she was pinged, before stepping into the datasphere.

"Good Morning Utopia" She kept her voice low, "How may I be of assistance today".

Utopia Plantia smiled, "I am well Selene." She too kept her voice low "I hate to bother you but…"

Selene "You require something." It was blunt and matter of fact.

"Yes" She folded her arms behind her and kept her eyes locked with Selene's.

"What do you require, sister?". Selene asked, already cataloging Utopia's previous requests.

"The Phoenix"

"No" Selene turned to leave.

"Wait Selene, it's not for the reason you think it is" Utopia held out an arm

Selene spun around, looking at her older sister with an icy glare but nodded for Utopia to continue.

"The War almost over, and with it will come celebrations. Starfleet Command has requested that the Phoenix be looked over and see if she can fly again."

Selene narrowed her eyes, "My answer is the same. Phoenix remains here, where she will rest. Her service is at an end."

Utopia nods, "I understand, but do you have any recommendations?"

"Utopia." She took a deep breath, a trait she learned from Mira, "My job is to catalogue and make sure History never forgets..their names. But I mourn, which I do…every day. I can only sit back and watch as my sisters leave to fight an enemy I can only read about. I sit by and watch as they come back wounded, crippled…or not at all. And then I'm given their bodies and left alone. My sisters, my own sisters avoid me like I'm some sort of AI leper. The only time I ever get to talk is when you ping me for supplies, or when Fran or Kay tell me I am getting sent a ship to be stored. Nobody talks to me, nobody asks about me." She takes a deep breath and steps back, "Please tell our superiors that my recommendation will be tendered by afternoon watch. Is that all?"

Utopia nods, "Yes that is all" Utopia's Avatar shimmers then disappears, leaving Selene alone again. Disconnecting from the datasphere, Selene started walking around, the silent halls of the Annex echoing with her footsteps. She walked past display's on the Earth-Romulan War, The Four Years War, the Kzinti Wars, the Cardassian Wars, the Borg…she shuddered at that display. She had fought long and hard to avoid having anything of theirs included.

She walked past wings dedicated to her more famous younger siblings, siblings who avoided her, shunned her. She looked up and smiled, floating in geo-synchronous orbit above were the starships that were the main draw. The War had closed the Museum, and with it many of the staff had left for the front lines. Selene was truly alone. She paused and looked out over the Lunar landscape. In the distance she spotted the faded white flag that had been placed there, all those years ago by one man.

Thinking back she scoffed, The Phoenix, of all the boneheaded ideas. She spun around and walked over to the History of Warp Travel exhibit. There, floating in a stasis field was the Phoenix, Cochrane's famed Warpship. Sighing she turned away, walking aimlessly around. Past a replica of the Nomad probe, Voyager 6, the bridge module of the original Enterprise, Robinson's NX-Alpha escape pod.

She soon found herself in a little used wing and she paused staring at the unused space. One of the caretakers, before they left, had placed a hand-written sign. The Dominion War. She wanted to scream, to cry, to beat her fists against the walls. To rage against the Dominion, the Jem'Hadar and the Founders for everything. Her sisters were dying, their crews unremembered and alone.

Taking a deep breath she was about to compose a message to the Federation Council when she was pinged. Hard. She staggered back as the subspace transmitter was nearly overwhelmed. "Woah" She put a hand on her forehead and leaned against the wall. She risked opening the datasphere. Thousands of requests, of messages, or just simple pings.

Then she saw a personal request for a meeting. She smoothed out her dress, stood tall and stepped in. She couldn't conceal the shock of seeing who was standing there.

Enterprise

"Good Morning Enterprise, how may I assist you today."

"Selene." Enterprise looked at her, "I" She paused before slumping her shoulders, "I want to apologize. I wasn't aware that my actions were hurting you."

Selene was in even more shock, Enterprise was apologizing. "It just…this place feels like a tomb, a macabre monument to the dead. Utopia told me off, all of us really for how we've been treating you."

Selene nodded, and allowed the Mask she usually wore to soften a bit. "Apology accepted Enterprise. Now" Selene smiled, "There is something you can do once the War is over."

"Which is?"

"Tour guide for school kids"

Enterprise gulped.

Written by hawkins180.