Chapter Text
Maya had what she had always wanted, but at what cost? She was off of the planet that hated, rid of the people who treated her badly, and ready to start a dignified new life. She should have felt excited about it, or at least a sense of relief. Instead Maya felt only heartache and exhaustion. The path that lead her here also lead directly to the death of one of the kindest, gentlest people she had ever known.
Captain Vivienne Albrecht was unlike anyone Maya had ever met. She grew up surrounded by egocentrism and cruelty, but Albrecht wanted nothing more than to help people, even if it put herself at risk. Albrecht had trusted her —someone who should have been an enemy but asked for help—without question. And what had Maya done to repay that altruism? Immediately betrayed Albrecht to serve her own ends.
Over and over, Maya reminded herself of the words of wisdom that Doctor McCoy had shared: that you can’t undo the past, but that it’s never too late to start making the right choices. That wouldn’t bring back Albrecht or anyone else who gave their lives defending her ship, though.
Maya wished she knew more about her. Albrecht was from a place on Earth called Alaska. She had a wife. She liked Earnest Hemingway novels. That was all she knew.
The least Maya could do was honor Albrecht’s memory by reading the novel she recommended in their last conversation. Well, not their last conversation, but the last one before everything went sideways for Albrecht. “A Farewell to Arms” was, like Albrecht had said, a much better read than “The Old Man and the Sea,” but Maya found no comfort in the narrative. The ambulance driver deserted the army to live peacefully with his lover and their newborn child only to lose them both. Working so hard to carve out a better life only to lose so much along the way…centuries later those old themes were still haunting.