Surefoot 48: Immaterial Girl

Wallace nodded affably. "Thank you, Ms Dassene. You had quite a bumpy ride in that escape pod before we beamed you onboard. Doctor Tythar tells me he's fixed you up-"

"Where are my things?"

The human blinked, before turning and indicating her bag on a nearby table. "It's all there... after we gave it the once over for anything dangerous or illegal."

She sat up, swung her legs over and stood, moving to her possessions and examining the contents, confirming everything - her money, her images of her family - was there, just as he promised.

She stumbled upon a mirror, and saw her reflection. The brand on her face was gone, as if it had never been there. She touched her cheek in amazement. Then she looked back at the human, her skin turning a darker shade of green. "Sorry."

He shrugged, unoffended. "No problem... but I was hoping you were up to seeing our CO." At her frown, he explained, "Our Commanding Officer. She wants to ask you a few questions-"

"'She'?" Zir repeated, not sure she had heard correctly.

Wallace nodded. "Captain Lindze Regan is her name."

She blinked, her eyes wide. "You... You let women command starships?"

The human male offered her a smile. "No one 'let' her. Captain Regan earned her place. That she's female doesn't matter to Starfleet."

Just then, a woman's voice came over the intercom. "Commander, is our guest able to come to the Bridge? I've been speaking with the Orions, but I'd like to hear her side of the story."

Wallace raised his bearded chin. "One moment, Captain." He looked to Zir. "Well, Miss? You can leave your things here, they'll be safe, I promise."

She swallowed, her knees shaking, afraid of what she might face.

On the other hand, she almost fervently needed to meet a woman who commanded her own starship...

Wallace led her through narrow, well-lit corridors to what was obviously the bridge of this ship, the Triumph, where more uniformed Starfleet personnel sat working at stations surrounding a single chair, within which sat an older, pale-skinned human female with blonde hair and strong, authoritative green eyes.

She was looking in the direction of the viewscreen, now filled with the face of Maatoz - who now acknowledged Zir's arrival. "There she is! The murderer of our honoured Shipmaster! Turn her over to us! We demand it!"

The human glared back. "Your ship's licence to trade within Federation space does not extend to demanding extradition of alleged suspects, Mr Maatoz."

"That female is not a suspect, Captain," Maatoz admitted, sneering at the use of Regan's title of authority. "She is property! The property of the late Hazaak Sur!"

Zir chose to ignore him, to focus on Regan... and to note the look of obvious disgust that crossed her face as his description of Zir as 'property'. Gods, it was true, it was really true, they hated slavery.

Regan scowled back. "Is that right?"

"Yes! She belonged to him, she wore his mark, he took care of her, treated her well-"

Standing beside Regan's chair, Wallace's face tightened as he muttered loudly, "Bullshit."

Regan glanced at Wallace once, before finally turning her chair to face Zir. "Ms Dassene, I'm Captain Lindze Regan. How did you end up onboard the Ngoutuk?"

Zir breathed in sharply, hating being the centre of attention like this. She swallowed and replied in a fragile voice, "I- I booked passage into Federation space with Hazaak Sur. He... reneged on our deal. He imprisoned me. He drugged me. He branded me. He- He raped me. And he intended to keep me on his ship, and sell me on to his crew for their... use. When I tried to escape, he- he tried to kill me. I- I fought back- I-"

His face oh Gods his face was a charred open wound-

"I- I was forced to kill him, and escape." She swallowed again, almost swaying as the realisation of her actions struck her once more.

"The forensic and medical evidence we've obtained and logged fully supports Ms Dassene's story, Captain," Wallace affirmed, offering Zir a look of encouragement for her willingness to speak.

But then she turned back at the viewscreen, and listened as Maatoz protested, "Lies! All a conspiracy by the kafirlir Starfleet to thieve from free and honourable traders! That female is now the property of the next of kin of our late Shipmaster, and you have no right to detain it-"

"I AM A PERSON!" Zir declared loudly.

All eyes turned on her again, and for a moment, she wanted to scurry away. But that moment itself scurried away, as righteous fury galvanised her to step forward and continue. "I'm not property! I'm not a thing! I am a sentient being, with a right to freedom and self-determination, as guaranteed by the Articles of the United Federation of Planets, as signed on Earth, on the Terran calendar date of the 12th day of the month of August, in the year 2161!"

She raised a finger to the stunned Maatoz, surprising herself with how fluidly the words she had read many times came back. "And under the First Amendment of those Articles, Starfleet is adjured to render all reasonable measures to protect my rights!"

Now she turned back to face Regan - who looked suitably impressed by Zir's verbatim reciting of the appropriate legislation - and continued, more softly, more vulnerably now, "Shipmas- Captain Regan, I... I respectfully request Asylum with the Federation." The young Orion girl's voice and composure cracked, and tears broke from her. "Help me. Please."

Regan regarded her for a moment, before rising and facing the girl, taking on a formal stance. "Ms Zir Dassene, on my authority as commanding officer of the USS Triumph, effective immediately I formally grant you Asylum within the territory of the United Federation of Planets-"

"What?" Maatoz exclaimed.

Regan ignored him, reaching out and clasping her by the shoulders supportively. "And I swear to you, for the record, that all measures to protect you and your rights will be rendered by my ship, my crew and myself.

No one is going to hurt you again."

"You can't do this!" Maatoz demanded. "We'll lodge a formal protest with the Federation Council!"

Regan continued to ignore the Orion male. "Do you know if there are any other slaves onboard the Ngoutuk?"

Zir wiped the tears from her eyes and breathed in, not sure that any of this was really happening. "No. Hazaak Sur said I was the only one."

"Thank you, Zir." Regan turned back to face the viewscreen, her expression one of tight fury now. "As of this moment, your licence to trade within Federation territory is revoked; you have twelve hours to return to Orion space. At a constant Warp 9, you should just about manage it."

"What? I don't take orders from a female!"

Regan shrugged. "You can take orders from a female... or you can take a beating from her. Which will it be?"

Maatoz, his face a dark furious green now, turned and barked at someone offscreen in Low Orion.

"He's arming weapons!" Zir, alarmed, warned Regan.

A second later, an alert sounded on the Triumph bridge, and Commander Wallace looked down at a panel and reported, "They're locking disruptors on us, Captain."

But Regan showed absolutely no fear, responding with, "Mr Shen: lock phasers, phaser pulse cannons, photon and quantum torpedoes on the Orion ship."

As the Tactical Officer complied, Wallace quipped, "I'll have the kitchen sink ready to throw at them too, Ma'am."

Now Regan stepped forward. "Mr Maatoz... I hope for your own sake that you have enough intelligence to recognise that the first time you fight with me... will be your last."

Maatoz spluttered... but then he said something else to the bridge crew.

"The Ngoutuk has dropped its weapons lock on us, Captain," Wallace announced, not sounding too surprised. "Shall we drop our locks on them?"

"No. Send a signal to the border ship Liberator, inform them of the imminent arrival of the Ngoutuk and its de-licensed status, and have them ensure the Orions have complied with my orders." Louder now, she finished with a warning to Maatoz. "You now have eleven hours and fifty-nine minutes to leave our space, and never return. Triumph out."

The disbelieving look on Maatoz's face vanished, replaced by an image of the Orion ship... which now powered up, banked sharply to one side and jumped into warp.

Zir felt her whole body spasm, as if she had been tensing herself throughout the exchange. Was that it? Was it all over?

Was she finally free?

Still wiping tears from her eyes, she looked to Regan again. "Thank you, Captain. I- I promise I won't bother anyone, I'll stay out of everyone's way and you can drop me off anywhere-"

"Mr Wallace," Regan interrupted gently, offering a slight smile to the girl. "Ready the VIP quarters for our guest, then prepare the initial admin work for her new status. Ms Dassene, I know you've endured much, but I was hoping we could repair to my Ready Room, have some tea, and talk. Unless you'd like to rest first? Eat? Return to Sickbay? We'll help you in any way you need."

We'll help you in any way you need...

Zir liked the sound of that.

But she didn't want to leave this woman's presence. "I'd- I'd like to talk, please."

Regan smiled, indicating a door behind Zir. "Good. I'm very interested in learning more about you: what brought you here, and where you'd like to go from here."

Zir nodded, letting the woman guide her along. Her past, especially the last few months, would not be easy to talk about.

Her future, on the other hand, was something different.

She was going to join this organisation, this incredible family of different races, working for a common good. She was going to be someone like Captain Regan, to ensure freedom and liberty to all who ask for it, to pay back all the compassion and support she had received so far.

She would join Starfleet, even if it killed her.

*

NOW:

Stalac slithered up through the tunnel and onto the surface of Donatu, the tricorder mounted to him beeping excitedly. "This way! She's somewhere up here, I'm sure of it!"

Peter, Niles and Jexa followed, blinking into the strong afternoon light, Peter ignoring the looks from the other cadets up there to ask, "You're pinpointing her?"

"Her implant's power source, yes... but there's also some sort of biological interference."

Jexa stopped. "What? What does that mean?"

"That means there's native lifeforms on her current interphasic plane!"

Just then, Nguyen rushed up with several cadets, some of them holding together devices that looked cobbled together from various otherwise disparate mechanisms. "We have the anyon beam emitters ready! Where is she?"

*

Nearby, and not, Zir charged towards the image of Hazaak Sur, striking him with her hands, her feet, using all of the training she had been receiving from the Security Chief, Lt Shall. She struck, again and again.

And he fell, again and again.

And rose. Again and again. "I'm beginning to think you don't like this reunion, Immaterial."

Zir picked up the chair he had thrown at her a lifetime ago, lifting it up high and slamming it down on him, over and over.

Nothing.

She threw the chair away, picked up a shard of glass from the remains of the display cabinet, gripping it and driving the sharp end straight into his chest.

Still, he stood there, glancing down at the glass sticking out of his olive-hued flesh. "I've been told I'm heartless. Guess this proves it."

Panting, exhausted, she staggered back in sheer disbelief. He obviously wasn't the real Hazaak Sur; he died four years ago, hundreds of light years away. She knew that from the start... but the terror he raised in her by the very thought of him... the terror she still felt, just thinking about him... had driven her. Breathlessly, she demanded, "Who- Who the hell are you?"

"I'm what you want to see."

"What? NO! I don't want to see you! I hate you! Why would I want to see you again?"

He shrugged, ignoring the glass in his chest as he leaned against the wall casually. "Any number of reasons I should think, Immaterial. Maybe it's guilt for killing me?"

"Fuck that," she sneered. "I'm glad I killed you."

He chuckled. "Then maybe it's desire? That when you're in the throes of passion with that little weed Niles, you can't help but think back to the lover who first broke you in-"

"Fuck THAT!" she declared hotly. "We were never lovers! I was just a place for you to put your piece! You gave me no more thought than the plates that held your meals! I was a child who didn't know better! You took advantage of me! Used me! Beat me! Branded me-"

"And... made you who you are: the proud, dedicated Starfleet officer, destined for greatness. In a way, I'm like a second father to you..." He chuckled maliciously at the notion.

Her hands tightened into fists. "There's only one man who can claim that role: my Captain. And he's worth a thousand of you."

"So... why am I here? Why bring back something you're so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of you! You're nothing to me!"

"No? The thought of me makes you wake up at night in a sweat. The thought of me interrupts whatever opportunities for intimacy you might try to achieve, with yourself, or others.

If I'm nothing to you... why do you keep bringing me back?"

She paused before she could reply, assuming she knew what she could say to that.

Then she finally declared, "No more games. What are you?"

He stared back. And she saw a shift in his expression, his demeanour. "I'm a chance, Immaterial. A chance for you to face a fear, however irrational or unrealistic, of what would happen if, somehow, the real Hazaak Sur had survived your attack, and come to find you, and confront you." He straightened up, held out his arms. "Well, real or not, here he stands. Respond. Not with fists or kicks or weapons. Use your words."

His words held a familiar hint to them, like something she might have heard in one of her many Counselor sessions following her escape, dealing with the physical, psychological and emotional damage from her experiences with him. And she knew that, to a great degree, she had recovered, and grown stronger, as she focused on her studies, on making the grade for Starfleet Academy, and building a new life for herself.

But still...

"Come on," he taunted further, though even now, she could hear it was a gentle, even an encouraging taunt. "You're wasting your time, Immaterial."

That snapped Zir into action. She stepped forward, not attacking him this time, but remaining resolute. "I'm not Immaterial. I'm Zir Dassene.

I'm a person.

I'm a member of Starfleet.

And you're no longer going to enslave me.

Not even your memory."

He stared back. And then nodded with approval. "Good for you, Zir."

Then pain gripped her from her very core, and she doubled over.

She glanced up, wondering if her vision of Hazaak Sur was attacking her somehow. But now, though his appearance remained the same as a second before, it was obvious that it was just a guise, as he dropped to one knee beside her. "We kept you in one place long enough for your people to have finally located you, and they're working to collapse the chroniton field which transported you to our realm. Don't fight it, the discomfort is transitory."

Zir looked at her hands. They, her whole body, seemed to be fading in and out of existence! "Wha- What are you talking about?"

"Listen, Zir," he continued, sounding almost urgent now. "This is important. When you return, plead with your people not to make any further transphasic crossings to our level. It damages the fabric of our reality; the last time, when so many people from your level passed through ours to get to their ultimate destination, it almost destroyed us, and it took centuries of your time for us to recover."

"Wait, what? Transphasic? Does that mean-"

Then she felt herself being propelled away-

-Into a soft clump of grass, under bright light that was quickly extinguished by shadows that reached for her. She swung out, kicked out-

"ZIR!" Peter cried, trying to restrain her. "It's us! It's us! You're back! You're back!"

Her friend's voice stopped her struggles, and she gasped, feeling hot, moist air on her skin. Around her, there was all her friends: Peter, Astrid, Tori, Urad, Niles, others-

She was back...

*

Even in holographic form, the image of Commander T'Varik on the holocommunicator pad was intimidating, as she addressed the assembled cadets in the landing field. "I am acutely disappointed in this turn of events. Scientific integrity is a cornerstone of Starfleet principles. To ignore protocols and violate an archaeological site for academic glory is inexcusable. This is not even taking into account the personal jeopardy in which you put a fellow crewmember by activating unknown equipment."

The three Squad Leaders, standing before the rest of the cadets, looked to each other, before Jexa stepped forward. "Commander, I take full responsibility for the actions which ordered on Donatu V. It was my idea, I coerced Squad Leader Nguyen into supporting me, and ignored Squad Leader Dassene's warnings about the breach of protocol.

In fact, I wish to command Ms Dassene for her actions in saving our lives from the transphasic beam which endangered her life. She is..." She paused and looked in Zir's direction. "She is a very commendable member of Starfleet." She faced their First Officer again, raising her head and letting the surrounding lights reflect off of her antlers. "Far more than I have been."

"I will not argue with that assessment," T'Varik noted archly. "But the damage is done. The Federation Archaeological Bureau on Donatu V is considering lodging a formal protest over your actions with the Academy."

Zir stepped forward now. "Commander, if I may? I will not dispute that the damage to the local site was avoidable, and regrettable. However, it may assuage the Bureau to know that Mr Stalac has been collating the data he retrieved from the Donatui relics, and has identified eight other sites just like it, in locations throughout the planet, to date untouched and unknown." She offered a hopeful smile. "Between this, and my report of the encounter with the interphasic lifeform, maybe it'll keep them too busy to make that protest?"

The Vulcan raised an eyebrow. "Do I appear movable by flippancy, Squad Leader?"

Zir dropped the smile and straightened up. "Absolutely not, Ma'am."

T'Varik nodded... but then added, "You may be correct, however. Nevertheless, this does not mitigate Squad Leader Naku's actions. They are grounds for expulsion."

A murmur went through the crowds, and Jexa herself gasped, almost made a sobbing sound. Until Zir stepped forward again. "Commander, without Jexa's aid, I might not have come back alive-"

"Ms Dassene," T'Varik interrupted. "Stand down. I said the actions were grounds for expulsion. I did not say I intended to expel her. Ms Naku, you will forfeit one month's academic credits."

"One month?" the Grazerite exclaimed with outrage. "That's- That's-"

The Vulcan stared back.

Jexa calmed down. "That's very reasonable, Commander. Thank you."

T'Varik nodded, turning to the assembled group. "I am aware that we are currently in a state of hostilities, one with no imminent resolution. We will be focusing on our military responsibilities. But you need to remember that, hopefully, these will represent only a small fraction of your career in Starfleet. You also have responsibilities to science, medicine... and more.