Chapter Text
San Francisco
One step forward, two steps back. As the weeks passed by La’an had seen some improvements in Maya’s state, but also a number of setbacks. Her health seemed to be improving (or at least she had learned to work through it). She was sleeping less, venturing outside of her room more, and no longer had that exhausted look in her eyes. Emotionally, however, she seemed…stuck. When they had first met Maya had said that her only desire was to exist, and so far she showed no signs of wanting anything more. No goals, no plans, no dreams. She had already been granted permission to leave her home under certain controlled circumstances, and yet she still hadn’t gone anywhere. It was heartbreaking, to see someone with so much potential admit defeat.
Today was a rare day, when Maya was awake before La’an (her sleep schedule was still unpredictable), sitting at the table with a number of PADDs scattered around her and a cup of coffee in her hand. La’an offered her a warm smile. Maybe today would be the lucky day, when Maya would begin to feel a change of heart and have a bit more motivation.
“Nice to see you awake early.” La’an tried to sound warm and welcoming, but feared she came off disingenuous.
“Still awake from the night before,” Maya corrected. “I wanted to finish a speed-read of The Silmarllion but wasn’t as speedy as I had hoped to be.”
“Still impressive.” La’an was not familiar with that book. She only knew it was high fantasy, and that was enough for her to have little interest in it. “You might want to find the time to get some rest. I have a short day, and I’d like to make plans.”
“I’m not interested.” Maya still hadn’t looked up from her PADD
“At least listen to my offer. You said that you spent your whole life itching to live on Earth and create a better life for yourself, and now that you have the chance you refuse to do anything with it.”
“And what is there for me to do other than sit here and read?” She finally set down her PADD to look La’an in the eye. “I have a criminal record, I’m in poor health, and it’s technically not legal for a person like me to exist in the Federation. There was nothing for me on Ceti Alpha V, and there’s little more for me on Earth, but most of it I can access without stepping foot outside. I have more potential if I conserve my energy. But, please, tell me what plans you have in mind to get me off of my ass and out into the world.”
La’an hesitated now. Her idea seemed silly now, even though she had just recently thought it was brilliant. She spoke softly, almost ashamed. It seemed trivial. “How would you like to join me this evening to see a Shakespearan play?” A different approach to try to coax Maya out of her shell, luring her out with something that she knew would appeal to her. “It’s not Hamlet, but I thought you might still be interested.”
“Which play?” Maya warmed back up, genuinely curious.
“It had a Roman name…Titus…something.”
Maya let out a laugh. “Titus Andronicus?!”
La’an had a confused look on her face. “I…take it you’re not interested.”
“La’an, have you read Titus Andronicus?”
“No, and I know nothing about it.”
“I think the best way to describe it is that while Hamlet was my favorite play, Titus Andronicus was my father’s. I’m still interested. I want to see if they can make it look convincing on stage when…No, I don’t want to give anything away. I want to know what you think going in without any expectations.”
“I don’t know whether I should be excited or nervous.” Mostly, La’an was relieved she found a way to get Maya out of the house
“Both. This isn’t a play for the faint of heart.”
The air was cold and damp as La’an and Maya walked to the nearest transporter station. Even though they had plenty of time to spare, La’an felt nervous because they might not be so early as she had planned. Maya slept up until the last minute and always moved slowly (both in mind and body) after waking, needing extra time to recover after rest.
“Do we have to travel by transporter?” Maya groaned as they walked, She was a few paces behind La’an, struggling to keep up even though La’an tried to moderate her pace.
“There’s no other way, I’m afraid, not with our time frame,” La’an explained. “Besides, this is the most common way to get around. If you’re going to live in the modern world, you will need to get used to it.”
“That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
The pair stepped into the building and onto the transporter pads. La’an stole a quick glance at Maya before the transporter energized. In spite of her complaints, Maya didn’t show any outward sign of distress. At home she let herself be more honest and vulnerable, but now she seemed to be hiding perceived signs of weakness, much like when they first met.
The transporter station faded away, but it wasn’t the theater that appeared in its place. Instead they materialized in a bright white room which seemed to be infinite. The room was empty, as from a pair of humans, one male and one female. They were dressed in unusual clothing: black jumpsuits accented with gold and, oddly, a badge with the Starfleet delta.
“Oh dear,” The female gasped, feigning that she was shocked and scandalized. “I think we’re a bit too fashion forward for our current guests.”
“An easy fix, fortunately.” The male snapped his fingers, and in an instant their clothing transformed into Starfleet uniforms that La’an and Maya recognized, the tailored maroon jackets with black trousers.
Maya backed away, inching closer to La’an. “Safest way to travel? How do you explain this?”
“Fear not,” the female spoke. “This was no transporter accident. I brought you here.”
“We brought you here,” the male snapped, correcting her. “My associate and I have taken interest in the two of you, and have a little wager. I think you humans might call it a gentleman’s bet.”
“And who, may I ask, are you?” La’an demanded. She was frustrated, yet remained calm. After years of exploring the galaxy aboard a starship, she had seen more than her fair share of things that seemed impossible, but she thought those days were long behind her.
“Names complicate matters, don’t they? I’m sure the two of you know all about that. But I suppose you need to have some moniker to use to refer to the two of us. Q will suffice.” He glanced to his associate. ”For both of us.”
“Very well, Q. What of your wager?” La’an pressed.
“We’ve taken interest in the two of you.” This time the female Q spoke. “Direct descendants of humanity’s worst tyrant, yet working so hard, each in your own way to overcome a troubled legacy. I find it endearing, the human drive to craft their own destiny.”
“And I find it futile and tedious,” the male Q added with an eye roll. “I’m convinced that your altruism and compassion comes not from an intrinsic human drive to do good but from having the good fortune to live in a society that encourages such values.”
“Not me,” Maya spoke up. She tried to sound brave, but there was a little shake in her voice. La’an’s heart ached for her. As a Starfleet officer, she had seen so many weird and wild phenomenon. Maya was not only a civilian, but someone with little experience outside of a primitive home planet. “I spent most of my life surrounded by brutal tyrants, and I still learned how to have a sound sense of morality.”
“Dumb luck.” The male Q had a condescending tone, as if he was speaking to an annoying child. “I know your story as well as you do. You were hurt, you found comfort with your father’s sworn enemies, and you aligned your moral compass with their own.”
Bewildered, Maya backed even further away, backing into La’an and giving herself a start.
The female Q stepped forward. “We want to see what might happen when you, quite literally, come face to face with the worst version of yourself. Will you retain your sense of selflessness, or will you succumb to your own darker impulses?”
“Good luck.” The male Q added. “I’m afraid you’ll need it.”
Before La’an or Maya could react or ask a single question, the white room dissolved away to reveal the transporter room of the ISS Portland.
“Captain Albrecht!” The technician shouted. “There’s…four of them.”
“I have eyes, Lieutenant, I can see that,” the captain answered, irritated. “What matters is why and how.”
The captain and the transporter technician wore Starfleet uniforms, but instead of the usual delta symbol, they had the image of Earth layered over a sword. More alarming was that La’an and Maya saw doubles of themselves standing next to them on the transporter pads.They were perfectly matched, down to the complex braids in La’an’s gray hair and the slightly smaller size of Maya’s weaker left arm. While both Mayas and the original La’an reacted with fearful shock, jumping back and staring at their counterpart with wide eyes, the new La’an took command of the situation. She drew her phaser and aimed it at her counterpart.
“I know what’s happened, though I can’t say why or how. Normally, this is highly classified information, but I see no need to hide the truth from those who have seen it. There’s another reality, like our own but weaker, softer. This isn’t the first contamination. Regulations are clear. Anyone found crossing over from the other universe must be destroyed without further question. After these two have been dealt with, no one can speak of this incident again.”
“Wait!” The new Maya begged. After the initial shock wore off, she kept her eyes on her double, curious and enthralled. Still La’an kept her phaser aimed at the intruders. “Don’t you see the value in having a perfect double? Each of us could be in two places at once, wouldn’t that make your plans to retake the Terran Empire much simpler.”
“Your suggestion will only work if their absolute loyalty can be assured.”
“You have my loyalty,” the original Maya replied, desperate. La’an gave her a sharp look.
The Terran La’an still did not lower her weapon. “And will I still have it when there’s not a phaser pointed at you?”
“If you kill her, you can forget about our allegiance!” the Terran Maya shouted,
That was it. That was what made the Terran La’an lower her weapon and give Maya a nasty look. “Don’t throw away your chance to rule the Empire over something trivial.”
“If it’s so trivial, why can’t I keep her around?”
The Terran La’an and Maya stared each other down for a tense moment before La’an relented. “It’s a small thing, I suppose I can grant it.”
“I’ll only cooperate if you can promise my La’an’s safety too,” Maya pleaded.
The Terran La’an smirked. “So, you’re a little negotiator too? I shouldn’t be surprised.” She looked toward her counterpart. “And what about you?” Do you agree to help rebuild the Terran Empire?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but it seems I have no choice but to comply.” Despite her initial shock, La’an was now able to address her Terran counterpart with bold confidence: Her back straight and head held tall.
“Not an enthusiastic answer, but I’ll take it. Captain, find quarters for our guests.” The Terran La’an ordered “Be sure they’re comfortable, I’m sure I’ll hear no end of it if Maya doesn’t think they’ve been treated well enough. And one more thing, Captain, Lieutenant…No one can know of this unless absolutely necessary. Do not tell anyone about these unexpected guests without my express permission. The very existence of this other universe is still classified information.”
“Understood, Admiral,” Captain Albrecht answered with a nod.
The technician nodded as well. “Understood.”