Cerulean Stars - Chapter 127

Chapter 127 - Kidnapped Part 3

Stardate 48513.26 - July 7, 2371 - 08:09:27

Contacting her mother wasn’t a particularly difficult affair all things considered since Gemma had made sure to hand Raine a handful of variable priority communications codes before the Asari had first been deployed. 

Up to this point she had only ever used the green priority code that was for standard family level communications. Mostly because she knew her mother was about as much of a straight shooter as you could get. And the older woman would absolutely make Raine suffer if she ever used the higher level codes for something that didn’t absolutely warrant it.

“Who died?” Gemma asked, quirking an eyebrow expectantly at Raine from the other end of the priority red connection.

“Saya’s been kidnapped.” Raine explained simply, waiting a moment for that to sink in before continuing. “By her father.”

A complicated series of emotions flashed across Gemma’s face before settling onto the expected scowl. “I told you no good would come of continuing to associate with that Pirate.” Her shoulders slumped and she let out a breath. “How did it happen?”

Taking a deep breath, Raine outlined the grand opening, her overly late night keeping the Grand Nagus entertained, her return to the station, and the eventual discovery of Jake and Saya’s kidnapping.

Gemma narrowed her eyes in silent judgement. “You didn’t check on her?”

Raine rolled her eyes. “She’s nearly fourteen, mom. We have enough arguments about me not letting her run around the station on her own past eighteen-hundred hours as it is. If she had caught me checking on her after just a few hours alone it would have been a month of sulky pissed off teenager.”

The stare Gemma was shooting Raine softened at that, and the older woman stepped away from the screen for a moment before returning with a padd. 

“She’s heading to Orion?” She inquired, focusing back on Raine with a slight frown.

“Long range sensors still show her ship on course for the planet.” Raine confirmed with a nod.

Gemma nodded looking down at the padd, and Raine watched her eyes flick across the device's screen for a minute before the older woman looked back up at the Asari.

“Assuming she’s planning to continue on course, we have five ships in position for a potential intercept. Three California's, the Miranda class USS Antares, and the USS Nova.”

Raine winced, the only one of those that likely even had a chance against a modern Orion raider was the Nova. And that was only if the ship was willing to go for the kill from the start.

“And I'm guessing there's no chance they can group up before the intercept?” She asked hopefully.

Glancing back down at her padd, Gemma typed something in before shaking her head. “Two of the Californias might be able to if they redline their engines. But as much as I might want to, I'm not going to order it.”

“Why not!?” Raine demanded, only to wince at the almost shrill way that had come out.

“You know why.” Gemma said, somehow glaring down at Raine even though the desktop monitor was at head height. “A pair of Californias would have even odds at best. And I am not going to risk all those lives for two children, even if one of those happens to be my granddaughter.”

Taking a breath, Raine clung desperately to the Vulcan meditative techniques that were the only thing keeping her from snapping it her mother right now. Because as loath as she was to admit it the woman was right, win or lose a good number of Starfleet officers would die in that matchup.

“What about having the ships act as speed bumps?” She put forward as a thought occurred.

Gemma furrowed her brow. “Speed bumps?”

“An old earth thing.” Raine explained. “They were concrete bumps installed on roads to force cars to slow down. We could do the same with our ships, line them up on the Serenix’s path and force her to either slow down and avoid them, or engage in a fight.”

Crossing her arms, Gemma seemed to consider the suggestion. “And if Jellaa chooses to engage them in a fight?”

“Run away.” Raine said simply. “But if the choice is between spending a half hour adjusting her course or directly engaging a Starfleet ship, I think Jellaa will pick the former. After all, unlike us she doesn’t know the exact specs of Starfleet vessels. So it would be stupid to risk a fight that might end up with her ship taking damage when all she would lose by avoiding it is a little time.”

“Time the Defiant can use to catch up to them.” Gemma followed before frowning slightly. “I can’t make any promises, but it’s at least a request I can bring to the Captains in question with a clear conscience.”

A request they both knew the Captains would be unlikely to say no to given Jake and Saya’s status as Starfleet kids.

“I’ll also see what can be done through diplomatic channels.” Gemma continued. “Though knowing the Orion’s, unless I show up and start stabbing people I’m unlikely to get anywhere on that front.”

Raine opened her mouth and Gemma held up a finger. “And no, I won’t go to Orion and start stabbing people.” The corner of her lip curled slightly. “That’s your job.”

“Does that mean if it comes down to it I have permission to stab people?” Raine asked hopefully.

“It means I’m not ordering you not to.” Gemma returned primly.

That was probably the best Raine was going to get under the circumstances, so she nodded before offering the older woman a thankful smile. “Thanks mom.”

Gemma returned the smile with one of her own. “Adopted you may be, but you’re still my daughter, and Saya’s still my grandchild, so make sure you get her back.”

With those final words Gemma reached forward and the screen went blank, leaving Raine to slump down into her chair and recollect herself.

“Computer.” She ordered after a minute. “Open communications to Sub Commander T’Rul.”

Seconds passed, and then the Romulan woman appeared on screen with an almost look on her face.

“Commander.” T’Rul greeted with a nod of acknowledgement. “I take it this is about the kidnapping.”

For a brief moment the little voice of paranoia in the back of Raine’s head started yelling about how suspicious it was that the Romulan woman was already aware of it. However that was quickly squashed under the knowledge that the rumor mill probably had the news half way to Bajor by now.

“Yes.” She nodded. “We were hoping to get permission from your government to use the Defiant’s cloaking device during the chase and potential retrieval from Orion.”

T’Rul leaned forward and smiled. “I’m sure something can be arranged.”

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Stardate 48513.3 - July 7, 2371 - 08:30:28

“She wants you to fight a death match against your super-assassin cousin?” Jake asked in disbelief as Saya finished filling him in on everything her dad had told her.

“It's not a death match.” Saya corrected, only to tilt her head slightly as she realized she'd never actually asked. “At least, I think it's not. Dad just said I need to beat D'Vana in a fight, not kill her.”

And she was pretty sure her dad wouldn't just throw her into a fight where she could die.

Jake leaned back into the wall of the bunk he was sitting on and let out an aggravated growl. “They're Orions, Saya. Everything they do is to the death!”

“That's stupid!” Saya protested, scowling down at him. “Where did you even hear that?!”

“Nog.” Jack defended. “He learned all about the Syndicate from his uncle.”

Saya rolled her eyes, because that told her all she needed to know about the accuracy of his information. “Which Syndicate? Cause there are like six different ones.”

“Six?” Jake repeated, pulling himself up to eye her in confusion.

“Yup.” Saya confirmed with a nod. “Mom said the Tendi's are part of the Constellation Syndicate, which is the big one on the Orion homeworld. They’re one of the more traditional Syndicates, which is why they’re more…” She trailed off with a frown as she tried to remember the exact phrase her mom had used. “Pirate-like instead of Mafia-like.”

“So different kinds of criminals.” Jake rolled his eyes. “Got it.”

Leaning forward and resting his hands on his legs he glared over at her. “You’re still not explaining why you’re even going along with this. Just say no, what’s she going to do, force you to fight?”

“No…” Saya muttered, breaking eye contact to look down at her hands and fidget with her fingers. “She said if I didn’t want to help I didn’t have to.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Jake threw up his arms in clear exasperation. “Just say no and ask her to drop us off at the closest Federation colony.”

Saya looked back up to glare at him “Because she won’t! And if I don't help her get Aunt Shona out of power, you're going to end up sold off to some old lady!”

Jake blinked, opening and closing his mouth like he didn't quite know what to say to that.

“What!?”

“The main branch of the Tendi family are pirates.” Saya spelled out since it was obvious Jake wasn't getting it. “And not mostly harmless pirates like dad, but the slavery, theft, and murder kind.”

Which was the other reason she kind of wanted to help her dad with this. With her in charge the family might be able to move away from murdering entirely. And given what her mom had told her about the size of the Tendi family over the years, that could be a huge thing for multiple sectors.

“If I say no, she’s going to leave us with them and try to overthrow Aunt Shona without my help. And then she’ll die…” Saya looked down at the floor, sniffling to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out at the thought. “And then they’ll sell you off because they’re pirates and you’re not family like I am. And Mom always goes on about how the only ones who buy slaves nowadays are fighting rings and old ladies in pheromone dens. And you’d be a horrible fighter because the one time we got your dad to let us practice phasers you accidentally stunned yourself.”

She felt a hand on shoulder and looked up to see Jake standing in front of her. “It’s all right Saya, I get it.”

That was enough to break Saya’s focus, and she grabbed the taller boy around the waist and began sobbing.

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Stardate 48513.37 - July 7, 2371 - 09:07:16

“Well?” Sisko asked, turning to address Raine the moment the Asari stepped onto the Defiant's bridge.

“The Admiral will do what she can.” Raine told him as she took up her normal position at the tactical station. “And the Romulans are willing to play ball…” She trailed off, grimacing slightly as the memory of her recent conversation flashed across her mind. “For a bit of a steeper price than I assumed.”

Sisko raised an eyebrow at her. “And that price would be?”

“They want us to pick up one of their undercover operatives from Orion.” Raine explained, fully aware of how little sense the request made given the Romulan’s own capabilities on that front. “I said I'd have to run it by you first, because there's no way there's not more to it than that.”

“Is that all the Sub-Commander said about it?” Sisko frowned.

“It is all I am cleared to reveal unless you accept our offer.” T’Rul interjected calmly as she walked onto the bridge.

The Commander turned to her, watching the Romulan woman as she made her way over to the cloaking station before giving a cautious nod. “As long as it doesn’t involve a direct assault on the Orion homeworld, it’s within the discretion I was granted for this by Admiral Layton.”

T’Rul glanced over her shoulder at the man before giving a secretive smile. “I can at least assure you Commander that such an occurrence is among the least of our interests.”

“That will have to do.” Sisko said, turning his chair back to face the main viewscreen. “Take us out, Dax.”

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Author’s Notes: Gemma’s the morally upstanding type that won’t step over the line even for family. Meanwhile Admiral Layton all but jumped at the chance to draw Benjamin further into his orbit. And of course Saya had her inevitable breakdown, because she’s not even fourteen yet and in way over her head.