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

Chapter Text

The Star Beagle Adventures                                                
Episode 13: Close to the Edge Part II - Total Mass Retain
Scene 8: Life On The Edge

Close to the edge, round by the corner…

13.8
Life On The Edge

“Of course the most invasive species that we are intimately familiar with is… anybody?”

The biology class was one of many pre-med track classes at Upper South Trantor Preparatory, a school located near the top of one of the tallest, most massive skyscrapers in the City of Trantor on Cun Ling, the artificial planet that was only now beginning to realize a significant portion of its population potential. The school was far from exclusive; it was a tributary for the University of Upper South Trantor, itself not an “Ivy League” (whatever that meant) school. Like all universities that included the words “of” and “Trantor,” UUST was a public university, open to everyone.

One of the many andorian students said, brightly, “Homo sapiens!” 

“Correct!” Professor Joza inhaled deeply, savoring the steam that exuded from the cup attached to her chest. Few people realized that the Benzites did not require this steam to survive in standard atmospheres. The steam recycled directly from their lungs helped these extraordinarily intelligent blue people maintain a stable internal temperature and humidity, which, in turn, excited neurotransmitters that enhanced their already considerable native intelligence.

Kara Garrity was, predictably, annoyed. As one of only 27 human students in this school largely populated with andorian teachers and students, she felt oddly out of place within a city that sported the highest concentration of humans anywhere in the galaxy. She was at this school because her grades did not qualify her for any other school anywhere near her home. Most of those had large populations of andorians as well. Upper South Trantor had a very large andorian population. Minuscule compared to their human neighbors, but still the largest concentration of andorians anywhere outside of their home moon.

“What about the Borg?” Kara asked.

“Would anyone like to answer?” Professor Joza asked.  

“They’re not a species,” one of the more annoying andorian students answered.

“Correct,” Joza replied. “The Borg are not a species. Like the Federation, the Borg are a culture composed of several subject species. Even more subject species than are in the Federation.”

“Member species in the Federation are not subjugated!” Kara exclaimed.

“This is a biology class, not a civics class,” Joza responded, “But, for the sake of clarity, every student in this room, and me as well, we are all part of the population of Cun Ling, a full member planet in the Federation. Are we not all, famously, equally subject to Federation law? Full membership requires that planetary law be subject and subsumed under the Federation Tribunal.”

Kara Garrity had no response to this. She sat in her seat and stewed. Indeed it was the next day after this conversation that she had left home, taken a tram to the local Star Fleet base in Central Trantor and enlisted.

“So you see,” Professor Shrimp continued, “You, too, have been subjugated. Just because you were born into subjugation and raised to admire the system to which you are subject, even to believe that, because it was founded in large part by your ancestors, that it is your birthright, you have, nonetheless, been subjugated.”

Kara continued to stew, hoping against hope that her gigantic crustacean professor would not continue to elaborate.

“There have been many master species such as the humans," Professor Shrimp elaborated. "But humanity is very interesting. Your dominance is carefully disguised. You consider yourselves as first among equals. It is both amusing and quite clever. And, quite possibly, supremely successful. The various subjects of your human empire can look at what subjugation to other empires would look like and find their current yoke far more acceptable.”

“I am equal…” Kara started, then her voice trailed off in confusion and some embarrassment.

“Equal to a vulcan?” Professor Shrimp asked. “They are stronger and smarter than you and live nearly twice as long. An andorian? They’re much faster than you and far more sensitive to light, sound, and, especially, balance. And yet, largely thanks to your much, much larger populations, you humans dominate your Federation.”

The giant professor reached out with an antenna and tapped Chief Medical Technician Kara Garrity’s arm. “If you are too comfortable in your illusions, you will miss the dangers around you. Such as the fungus growing in Eva Mendez’s jaw…

Kara’s eyes opened wide. “What?”

“It is the same species that invaded this ship a few weeks ago,” the giant shrimp explained. “The spores exist partly in subspace. They have gotten into a lot of things, but by far the most dangerous is their colonization of Eva’s weakened jaw. They are a very invasive species…”

13.8