Chapter Text
“Computer, resume music.” The bold tones of Eugene Onegin began again. The next selection was a lively waltz…that was the one, the one her mother used to hum. “Computer, increase volume.” Now Maya was less concerned with drowning out whatever noise she might be making, what she wanted was to fill her soul with music that gave her an uplifting sense of nostalgia, even if this was her first time hearing it as it was meant to be heard, with a full orchestra and in its entirety.
New priorities, new list. Purge any records of her recent communication, find a way out of this room, get to the transporter room, and hope that the Vulcan doctor had found a chance to make use of the DNA sample. In a way, she was glad to have done a quick read of that Hemingway novel. The giant marlin might be caught, but the sea was full of sharks.
Maya went straight back to work on the computer console, quickly searching for a way to erase or hide the evidence of what she had just done. She froze when she heard the sound of the door sliding open. No chime, just a blatant invasion of her privacy. Her heart jumped, and she looked up from the console to see a pair of Starfleet officers standing in the doorway. Here came the sharks.
“Maya.” The man spoke calmly, yet forcefully even though he had to raise his voice to be heard over the music. “I have a few questions.”
“Barging in and bringing a friend hardly seems necessary for just asking a few questions. Computer, decrease volume.”
“Precautions. There has been a report of unusual communications with the shipwreck.”
Damn. That was fast. Still, Maya remained calm. “All I’ve done here is listen to music and read. Go ahead and check the computer, I have nothing to hide.”
The man would be able to find the information he wanted without any trouble, this just gave Maya a few moments to think. She could take them both, easily could get one of their phasers. “Computer, increase volume.”
She lunged at the man who worked at the console to take advantage of the fact that he would be distracted. A swift blow to the ribs knocked him unsteady and gave Maya the popular to grab his weapon. The other man had drawn his weapon, but Maya was faster to fire and incapacitated him with a shot to the chest. The remaining man, however, wasn’t slowed down. He grabbed her from behind, and as they struggled an explosion of pain in her left shoulder. She bashed the back of her head into the man’s face, and as he recovered he loosened his hold enough that she could wiggle free and turn her phaser on him too.
She took a moment to catch her breath and evaluate the situation, reminding herself that this was probably the easy part. Maya looked down at the weapon in her hand. Damn. It was only set to stun, so those two would be back up soon. She took the jacket off of the smaller of the two unconscious officers and put it on herself, a poor disguise but it was all she had time for.
Time to dive into the shark tank.
Maya was on high alert as she moved through the Portland’s corridors, ready to use her phaser, but also well aware that one woman blasting her way through an entire ship was not a sustainable plan.
She had only made it around the corner when she first crossed paths with another officer. While she didn’t know just who this short, muscular man was, she recalled seeing him on the bridge in her early communications. Maya was ready to fire her phaser, but a few observations made her pause. He made no move to defend himself, showed no signs or surprise or concern over this encounter, and his eyes seemed dull and distant.
“Maya. I was just sent to retrieve you.” He spoke pleasantly, yet flatly. “Captain Albrecht wishes to speak with you in her ready room.”
The pieces all fit together, and Maya knew what had happened. “Of course,” she replied, not sure whether to be thrilled that everything was going to be much easier or disappointed to be robbed of the chance to take the ship with nothing but her own skill. “I look forward to speaking with her.”