Chapter Text
T’Ralia was the third captain to stay in these quarters in such a short span of time, and already she was considering her options for moving out. Her only hesitation was the concern that it might be perceived by her crew as a sign of weakness or a cause for suspicion, but if she wanted to she could give the order to trade quarters with anyone she chose. She had no need for the extra space and comfort and would have been content to stay anywhere safe and private. This space, however, stirred memories she would prefer to forget, and recalling those memories presented new challenges when it came to controlling her emotions.
Now was not the time to lose sight of her mental discipline. Her goals required the utmost focus and self control. To dwell on the past, on things that have already happened and could not be changed was illogical. Equally illogical was to feel a sense of perceived danger by simply occupying this space. Nothing within these walls would harm her, and she decided it was best to stay here if only to prove it to herself. With that added evidence, the logic could not be denied.
She had to take some time to center herself before she contacted Spock. A few minutes of silent meditation refreshed her mind to help ensure that he could speak to Spock with her best focus and clarity. T’Ralia sat at the desk and entered the commands into the computer. It was early morning on Terra Prime.
“Doctor T’Ralia.” Spock raised a perplexed eyebrow. The Vulcan face did not have as many emotional tells as a Terran, but this expression was one that could often be read on Spock’s face: an indicator of surprise or intrigue. “This call is unexpected, but not unwelcome.”
“It’s Captain T’Ralia now. There have been several sudden personnel changes aboard the Portland. We will be arriving at Terra Prime in approximately four days.”
“Captain…I was unaware that the Portland had orders to return to Terra Prime so soon.”
“Another one of many changes on board. Admiral Noonien-Singh has been using the Portland for her own ends to attempt a coup. Your life is in danger.”
“My life is always in danger, Captain. What I fail to understand is why Admiral Noonien-Singh needed a ship to achieve this end.”
“She used the ship to chase after a rumor which proved to be true. Her intent was to bring back Khan Noonien-Singh from his exile on Ceti Alpha V and recruit his assistance to retake the Terran Empire.”
“I recall Khan from when the Enterprise found the Botnay Bay, a dangerous ally to have. Am I correct in assuming that she achieved this goal?”
“No. Khan was killed by his daughter, who Admiral Noonien-Singh recruited, in addition to ten Augments from Ceti Alpha V.”
Spock nodded. “I met with Admiral Noonien-Singh before she rejoined you on the Portland. She introduced me to a young woman who she said was her cousin. I presume this young woman must, in fact, be Khan’s daughter. And now Admiral Noonien-Singh and the Augments will be arriving in four days’ time to make an attempt on my life.”
“Not exactly. Understand that what I am about to say will seem highly improbable.” T’Ralia paused as she considered the best way to explain the situation. “There was a…complication. When La’an and Khan’s daughter, Maya, beamed aboard after their time together on Terra Prime, they were accompanied by…duplicates of themselves from a different universe.”
Again, Spock simply nodded. No raised eyebrow, no sign of surprise. “However improbable this situation may seem, I believe you without question. In part because you have no logical reason to take such liberties with the truth and in part because I have encountered individuals from the other universe. In fact, it was the alternate to Captain Kirk who first inspired me to reform the Terran Empire. I imagine this pair will be valuable allies.”
“They have already proven to be just that. The alternate La’an helped to detain her counterpart and is acting in her place. In some ways, the odds have tilted in our favor, however I still stand against ten hostile augments and a suspicious crew. I would have preferred to send the augments back to Ceti Alpha V and eliminate that threat, but I cannot do so without attracting the ire of my crew, putting my life in danger, and jeopardizing the entire endeavor.”
“I understand. Continue on your course to Terra Prime. If you can prevent anyone from leaving the ship, that may suffice as a temporary measure.”
“The admiral has co-conspirators waiting on Terra Prime. We found their names in her personal logs: Joseph M’Benga, Hikaru Sulu, Erica Ortegas, and Nyota Uhura.”
There was a momentary change in Spock’s face that looked both shocked and pained, but he recovered quickly. “I seem to have made an error in judgment. These were all people I thought I could trust. Admiral Noonien-Singh as well. I served with all of them aboard the Enterprise.”
“I have found that it is not logical to trust any Terran.”
“It is also not logical to think in absolutes, Captain, but my recent experiences do align with your observations.”
“The admiral has a meeting planned with them one week from today. We have reason to believe that is the date on which they plan to attempt the coup.”
“Noted. I will add increased security measures.”
“I will keep in contact with you.”
“Understood. End transmission.”
La’an returned to the quarters she shared with Maya and braced herself for an uncomfortable confrontation. If Maya had been so abrasive over remote communications, she surely would be even worse in person. When she entered she found Maya in her usual position laying on the bed and staring blankly at the ceiling.
“I suppose you have more plans you’re begging me to help with.” Maya said with a heavy sigh, eyes still on the ceiling.
“Not quite.” Honestly what she had in mind might be a more difficult subject to broach. “I’m not going to pressure you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with, but in order to keep up this charade, I need to start staying in the other La’an’s quarters.”
“Do whatever you need to.”
“I’m sorry. I hate to leave you alone.” La’an shook her head.
Maya sat straight up. “Why is that? Because you think I’m frail and weak just because I've been hurt?” She raised her voice, practically shouting. “I thought I had left the place where everyone around me thought I was frail and weak.”
“Honestly it’s because I’m afraid if you aren’t carefully supervised, you’re going to do something stupid.” La’an struggled not to shout back, and she had to stop herself from sharing everything on her mind. For such an intelligent person, Maya had very little sense. “And why must you always assume that everyone searching for some sort of weakness?”
Maya flopped back on the bed. “Because they are! Everyone on Ceti Alpha V, everyone in this universe…on Earth they might not have admitted it, but believe me, it often felt like everyone around me was playing a game of ‘Find what’s wrong with Maya.’”
La’an fell silent, and a still moment that seemed to last an eternity passed before she spoke. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Everything that’s happened to me has been the result of my own foolish mistakes.”
“That isn’t true!”
Another heavy silence.
“If you need to go, then go. If you’re found out, then everything is ruined.”
La’an took a few steps toward the door and stopped. “I’m not abandoning you.”
“Just leave.”
La’an was still reeling from her last interaction with Maya, wondering if she had made the right choice. She felt out of place and awkward in the Terran La’an’s quarters, but she would have to find the same kind of bold confidence that she had on the bridge. A twinge of nervousness hit her as she sat at the desk and entered the commands to contact Erica Ortegas. She had carefully considered just who of the Terran conspirators to contact. The one she had known the best in her universe was the best choice. It meant that there might be more points of common ground, but it also meant that the other Ortegas might have a keener eye in discerning her to be a fake.
“You’re a bit late, Admiral,” Ortegas taunted, crossing her arms. The woman who appeared on the screen was an exact copy of the Erica Ortegas that La’an knew: her graying hair still cropped close in the same style she had from their days on the Enterprise, and she had the same effervescent energy of someone decades younger.
“Apologies. We are a bit behind schedule but are on track to arrive at Terra Prime in six days.” A gamble, to stretch out their ETA to enhance the element of surprise when they arrived in only four days’ time.
“Would have liked a little notice. We’re going to be cutting it close.”
“We were out of range and had engine issues. If I had a way of contacting you I would have. Now, I trust that your preparations on Terra Prime are still going according to plan.”
“Oh, yeah, everything’s fine, Admiral. Uhura has some of the credentials ready from the names and pictures you sent, but she’s going to need biometrics once everyone gets here. You know, retinal scans, fingerprints, voice.”
“I had expected that. We will get to work on that as soon as we arrive. Anything else?”
“She’s been working with M’Benga. Their plan is to have just two or three slip right in and take out some key security points.”
“Did you see the reports that Sulu sent?”
Damn. She hadn’t seen any such reports. The Terran La’an must have hid them well. “I received them, but have only had the time for a quick glance. I’ll be studying them in great detail over the coming days.”
“Good luck with that, because there is a lot in there.” Ortegas looked away as scratched the back of her neck. “You know I owe you an apology, from back when I last saw you. I guess I was just shocked that you came back and didn’t bring Khan like you promised. I let it get to me and wasn’t at my best.” Her words sounded sincere, but she averted her eyes the entire time. Ortega was hiding something, or felt a sense of shame. La’an was itching to know just what happened at that meeting.
“Apology accepted. Many things haven’t gone as planned, and it would be naive to think they would. Try to keep a flexible and open mind, we’re in the home stretch.”
“Always a level-headed outlook, I appreciate it.”
“Of course. End transmission.”