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

Chapter Text

Francesca tucked her communicator away into a hidden pocket and let a smile of twisted delight curl onto her face. “And this is as it always should have been: regent until Enzo is old enough to rule for himself.” She studied the few Augments who stood before her. “I hope you all find this change agreeable.” No verbal protests, a few quick nods. “Good. Restrain the prisoners. Claudius made the mistake of giving them too much freedom.”

The Augments swarmed in on Saavik and Maya and with little effort held them still and bound their wrists behind their backs. Maya fought back fiercely: squirming, kicking, and trying to bite. Saavik, however, remained calm and seemed to accept her fate. In a moment of calm amidst the chaos, Maya glanced to Saavik and felt her heart sink to see the captain so compliant. Had she given up so easily?

Francesca led the way to a secluded corner of the compound, with a pair of Augments dragging Saavik and Maya along with them.

“Leave us.” Francesca demanded, and without a word the Augments left. Francesca watched as they walked away and waited until they were well out of sight before she spoke again. “Dear, sweet Maya…Clever enough to kill my eels, but not clever enough to realize how easily the little bastards can be found. I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Francesca cupped Maya’s chin in her calloused hand and smiled as she looked into her eyes. “Imperfect though you are, at least you’re a pretty one. I can think of one good use for you ,but I require absolute obedience, and you’ve forgotten your proper place.”

“You don’t need the eels for that,” Maya answered softly, not daring to look away from Francesca’s eyes now that she knew what the Augment was after. Her heart raced, and her skin crawled to try to guess what Francesca might have on her mind, but it was to her advantage to play along.

“Is that so?” Francesca’s twisted smile grew.

Maya nodded, as best as she could with her head held still. “I always feared that I was undesirable, that no one would want me when they were surrounded by better prospects. To be wanted by someone so superior to myself is all I’ve ever wanted.”

Francesca narrowed her eyes. “Strange that you would admit that in front of the Vulcan. You seem awfully attached to her.”

Maya hesitated before answering, but her gaze never wavered, “She means nothing to me, not anymore now that I know I have better prospects. Why would I want an unaltered Vulcan when a genetically perfected human?”

“Maybe you know your place after all.” Francesca closed her eyes and leaned in closer for a rough kiss. At first Maya played along. She closed her eyes and locked lips with Francesca and shared a moment that almost seemed tender until Maya bit down hard on Francesca’s lower lip. Francesca’s eyes snapped open, and she tried to pull away, but Maya bit harder and pulled away with more force. The momentum pulled them both backward, and Maya simultaneously felt the back of her head hit the hard ground and felt her teeth tear clean through Francesca’s skin. The injury only served to anger Francesca, who closed her hands around Maya’s throat. Only after Maya began to feel lightheaded and starved for air did she let go of Francesca’s torn, bloody lip to gasp for air.

Saavik sprang into action. She kicked Francesca sharply in the ribs over and over again until she loosened her grip on Maya’s throat and scrambled to her feet to defend herself against the Vulcan attacker. Saavik stood with a wide, steady stance and wiggled her arms to try to break free from the ropes that bound her wrists. Francesca moved toward Saavik, and Saavik inched back until the ropes worked loose and fell to the ground. Maya got back on her feet too, but only struggled against the ropes when she tried to work herself free. Whatever Vulcan trick Saavik used, Maya hadn’t been able to figure it out, and her bad shoulder began to ache from the strain.

Saavik held her fists up in a defensive stance. She was able to block the first blow, but Francesca was both brutishly strong and impossibly fast, and her hit to Saavik’s jaw set the Vulcan off balance. Even though her hands were still bound and her body ached, Maya had not resigned herself to standing by. She came up to Francesca on the side and threw her weight against Francesca’s side. Maya didn’t have enough force to knock Francesca over, but she did throw her off her balance. While Francesca recovered, Saavik grabbed a heavy ceramic jug from a shelf on the wall and slammed it into the side of her head. Francesca stumbled and then collapsed to the ground.

Maya stared down at Francesca as Saavik went to her side to untie the ropes that held her wrists. “She won’t be out for long.”

“Which is why she will need to be restrained.” Saavik went straight to work tying Francesca’s wrists and ankles.

“What if she knows the same trick to break free like you did?”

“That trick was simply a matter of flexing the wrists to create slack. It cannot be done if she is bound while unconscious. My greater concern, however, is with our escape. Commander Caraccilo said that the next calm in the storm will not come for another three days.”

Maya wiped the blood from her face as she looked down at Francesca’s motionless body. “Pick her up. I’ve got an idea.”

Saavik knelt beside Francesca, but before she began to move the unconscious body she reached into Francesca’s pocket to retrieve the communicator, which she flipped open. “Saavik to Enterprise.”

“Caraccilo here. Am I relieved to hear your voice.”

“Temper your optimism. Maya and I are safe for now, but it is uncertain for how much longer. It is unlikely we will be able to remain so until the storm clears in three days time.”

“I can send down a shuttle as soon as possible, but that will still take a few hours.”

“Not ideal, but more attainable. Saavik out.”

As she stood up, Saavik supported Francesca’s limp body. “May I ask what your plan is?”

“Just trying to assert my dominance.”

Saavik and Maya (with Francesca in tow) made their way back through the compound and crossed paths with a young Augment, one of the other teenagers. She gasped to see Francesca in her bloody, battered state.

“Gather the others in the main hall,” She ordered, but the girl did not comply. “Now.” The girl turned and darted away, and Maya and Saavik continued on their way. When they reached the main hall, a handful of Augments were already gathered. The rest began to trickle in, and soon everyone was accounted for–except of course for Claudius.

Maya’s heart began to swell with both fear and pride. For the first time she had an audience gathered and eager to listen to her, but what to say? These people had never respected her before. She took a deep breath, remembering the gravitas her father used to speak with and hoping she could do a decent imitation.

“Francesca and Claudius have both walked right into a trap, yet they both still live because I learned a sense of compassion in my ten year absence. Let them, and my dead brother, serve as a warning to anyone who would work against me.” She paused to read the room, everyone was still listening. “Superior intellect, it seems, is not enough to overcome superior arrogance. My brother and father made the same mistake and died because of it, and it seems as though each and every one of you has doomed yourselves to the same fate. Ten years ago I left a planet full of people who cared so deeply about not only their own lives but their legacy and their lineage.”

With Claudius gone, only one of the two surviving older Augments remained–Runa Hassing. Maya addressed her specifically, even though the older woman had disdain in her eyes. “You survived the Eugenics Wars, centuries lost in space, and taming a wild planet, yet your choices–all of your choices–would make this the final generation.” Runa’s face had softened, but she still did not seem perceptive. If Maya could not sway the elder Augment she was unlikely to sway anyone else. “May I ask you a question?”

Runa crossed her arms. “You may.”

“Do you ever miss Earth? And I don’t mean feeling scorned over a planet you meant to rule. I mean…” Maya’s tone became wistful. When she wasn’t being provoked and could think more clearly, she could easily form a compelling appeal. “I mean the music and the art, the ability to access information. Fruit that doesn’t have an alkaline aftertaste. And I’m sure whatever technology you left behind all those years ago would still be a marvel to anyone who grew up here.” She gave Saavik a desperate look.

“The original offer still stands,” Saavik began. “If not for yourself, I at least ask any parents to consider their children’s future.”

After a heavy pause,. Enzo stepped forward, and after taking a quick look at his mother’s bloody face he addressed Maya. “I wasn’t lying about wanting to go to Earth…if you think you can forgive me.”

Maya smiled. “I don’t blame you at all. I once felt perfectly justified doing terrible things to try to impress my father.”

The room was nearly silent before Runa offered her response. “If I’m meant to answer for my crimes on Earth, I would not be able to live a dignified life, but the same is not true for my granddaughter.”

Runa exchanged a thoughtful look with one of the teenage Augments, Aada. After a pause, Aada stepped forward. Umeko and Elena joined her.

“The shuttle will be arriving soon,” Saavik added. “And the promise to provide further supplies and assistance as needed will be honored.”

There were no further discussions. Maya looked once more toward Francesca. “I only hope the shuttle arrives before she comes to. She’s going to be furious.”