Ad Astra :: Star Trek Fanfiction Archive ^{Beam me up, Scotty.}

Chapter Text

The Augments had taken Saavik and Maya’s EV suits, communicators, and weapons and led them to a small room in the back corner of the compound. They were held with little additional surveillance or security, but such measures would have been unnecessary at any rate. The only way out was through the crowd of Augments, and on the outside they stood no chance of survival. Maya leaned against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor, and Saavik remained standing, hands clasped behind her back and a thoughtful look on her face.

“Trying to think up a brilliant escape plan?” Maya asked, trying to bury the fear she felt.

“Not presently, no. The inherent risk makes an escape attempt at this time illogical.”

In the close-fitting body suit that Saavik wore, Maya noticed the soft curve of Saavik’s hip but looked away the moment she realized she had been staring. This was no time to be nasty.

“Sit back and wait to be rescued, then.”

“Yes, barring a change in circumstance, that would be the safest and most logical course of action.”

The pair remained in contemplative silence for a moment until the sound of footsteps echoed in the hall. Francessca was back, wearing a sly half smile on her face. “Captain,” she began. “It seems your life is of less value than you led us to believe. Your first officer has heard our demands but is steadfastly refusing to satisfy them. For now. And you, Maya, get to your feet and have a little dignity, you’re to answer for your crimes.”

Maya didn’t move, she only narrowed her eyes on Francesca. “And I suppose Claudius has appointed himself judge, jury, and executioner?”

Francesca’s brow furrowed. “You have no right to speak about him like that.” She bent over and roughly gripped Maya’s left upper arm. Even ten years after her old shoulder injury was fully healed, Maya shrieked in fear, instinctually panicked that she risked further harm. She let Francesca pull her up, but she was unsteady on her feet and felt the room spin as she was forced upright. “Come on.”

“I cannot allow this.” Saavik, who had not moved during this exchange, spoke in a tone that was both assertive and calm.

“Oh?” Francesca let go of Maya and crossed her arms. “And what makes you think you’re in any position to stop me? Do you think your Vulcan strength can match mine?”

“Unlikely, though not impossible. However, my intention was not to use force. I simply wish to accompany Maya.”

“Outworlders are not welcome to interfere in our affairs.”

“My intention is not to interfere. One reason why I chose to stay behind was to protect Maya. I would fail in that endeavor if she left my supervision.”

“Saavik…” Maya begged. “You don’t have to do this.”

Both Francesca and Saavik ignored Maya’s pleas and stared each other down. Francesca narrowed her eyes. “Very well. You may attend, but not interfere. You will be seen but not heard, I want to be able to ignore you entirely.”

“Understood.”

Francesca led the pair back to the main hall. Again, all of the surviving Augments were gathered there, all of them wearing looks of disdain on their faces.

“The Vulcan insisted on tagging along,” Francesca announced. “But she did agree to not get involved.”

Claudius considered this development for a moment. “I trust you will keep this promise.”

“I insisted on attending in order to ensure Maya’s safety. I will keep to myself unless circumstances arise which would require me to intervene.”

“Very well. Let’s not waste any time. I believe Enzo wanted to be the first to question you.”

From the back of the crowd, the young boy stepped forward. Seeing him again this time was no less chilling than before, reminding Maya of painful memories that she would have preferred to forget. Enzo took a deep breath and glanced toward his mother, who gave him a small nod of approval and encouragement. He took another breath before he spoke.

“Why did you kill my father?”

Maya opened her mouth to speak, but stopped as she could feel all those pairs of accusing eyes on her. Francesca seemed to be enjoying this far too much, and the smug smile on her face made Maya’s blood boil, and when she answered she addressed the mother instead. “Well, to start, I’m surprised that anyone believed that Arjun was the father when it was a well known fact that you sleep with anything that moves.”

Francesca’s mouth hung open. She was caught off guard by the unexpected attack on her character, but once the insult registered she exploded. She lunged forward, but stopped short when Claudius raised his hand from across the hall.

“Don’t give her the satisfaction of knowing her petty insults worked. Maya, answer your nephew's question.”
Maya took a step closer to Enzo and bent her knees to be closer to his height. She looked her nephew in the eye and spoke softly and gently. Whatever hatred she had for her family, she didn’t want any of it to extend to this child. “Before I answer, is it alright if I ask you a question first?”

Enzo nodded.

“What was the reason they told you? I think it’s only fair if I know the narrative that’s been told about me while I’ve been away.”

“They said you were frightened and jealous and shot him in the back to take his place.”

Maya looked down and sighed. “Technically all true, but there’s more to it than that.” She took a deep breath and looked up, now feeling bold enough to address the whole crowd but still terrified that telling the truth would result in horrific consequences, just as she had felt when her brother was alive and making her life hell. “Your father was not a good man. I’m sure every one of you has the same rosy view of my brother as you had of my father.” Here she paused, trying both to read the room and get a grip on herself. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she felt the freeing satisfaction of voicing thoughts that she had kept private for so many years. “They both tormented me, but at least the worst my father did was insult me. I can't say the same for Arjun, who weaponized Father’s favoritism and often hurt me. Everyone here saw it happen, those who were old enough to have been there, at least.” Now her head was spinning as she tried to make sense of how her confession may have changed the circumstances, but her mind was too overwhelmed by a surge of frenetic energy to think straight.

“If you were hoping to convince me that you are not, in fact, a jealous coward, you’re doing a poor job of it.” Claudius replied.

“Then I can live with being a jealous coward, and I accept whatever consequences I am due.” Maya glanced to Saavik, hoping to see some kind of hint or look of encouragement, but the Vulcan was as unmoved as ever. In its own way, that was a source of comfort. Maya needed the support of someone steady and stable when she felt as though the ground was crumbling beneath her feet.

A wicked smile curled onto Claudius’ face. “And I’m happy to oblige. Luckily for you I’ve learned a bit of compassion from your father, even though I once thought it was a weakness of his to fall for an unaltered woman and let her half-breed bastard live.”

“Arjun was the bastard,” Maya corrected.

“What sort of ideas did they put in your head on Earth? You used to know your place.” His tone was taunting, like a cat toying with its prey. “Though I’m sure you will learn it again in time. All I want is for you to suffer in the way that we have, to live out the rest of your days on this hell planet struggling to survive.”

“More merciful than I expected.” Maya found the strength to remain calm even though the idea of living in close quarters with people who used to torment her–and after ten years of thinking she was rid of them–was worse than whatever horrors an old war criminal could imagine. Maybe Claudius knew that.

“And don’t think I’ve forgotten about you, Captain. It seems you face a similar fate unless your commander comes to his senses and satisfies our demands.”

“Then I, too, resign myself to becoming another permanent resident of Ceti Alpha V.”

“Quite the choice you’re making, Captain. I hope you don’t come to regret it.”