Chapter Text
Draylon System
Stardate 40909.18
The return was a quiet affair.
As Taylor suspected, the Klingons kept most of the prisoners. Cardassia wouldn't get any of the leaders—let alone Darhe'el—back. They were all wanted by too many governments, and the Klingons were the ones with the victory. Taylor was sympathetic that they were child soldiers who grew up, but it didn't change the reality.
They were terrorists, and being personable didn't change that.
In retrospect, she wondered if Jeda had planned the whole thing out.
Kumal didn't seem insulted when she suggested it to him.
"It wouldn't surprise me," he said. "She knows me. She could guess what I'd do when I contacted her like that and where it might lead. Spin it to benefit the Union no matter how it turns out."
Taylor's brow rose. "Don't seem very bitter about being used." She was, just a bit.
Kumal shrugged. "Jeda wanted to save as many lives as she could. Whatever else, that was her real motivation. Should I want more to be dead?"
"Suppose not."
"It is what it is. We saved some lives. Cooled some tempers. Jobs over, Hebert. Time to move on."
The turbolift door opened and Taylor followed him inside. The door closed and the lift started moving.
"What about Darhe'el?" she asked.
Kumal didn't answer until the door opened.
"I know why he never left, but he could have. He chose not to." Kumal smiled. "Sad to say, my friend will have to lay in the bed he made."
"A bit matter of fact isn't it?"
"Such is life, is it not? It's all just a fancy collection of facts with some spin around it."
And that was just facetious.
Taylor stopped the door from closing for a moment. "Why didn't he leave? Like you did. Why'd he stay and fight when he knew he was going to lose? He could just as easily have died in that last charge as lived minus one arm."
And Taylor could really relate to the minus one arm part. More than nearly anyone knew.
Kumal glanced back. "We're Cardassian. Without family, we might as well not exist."
Taylor thought about that for a moment and nodded. Best answer she'd get, she supposed. "You left them," she pointed out.
"I did, didn't I." His eyes averted, and he chuckled. "Maybe I'm just not a very good Cardassian?"
Definitely just being facetious. "Or you're just an asshole."
"Unfortunate." He turned and started down the hall. "Assholes need family more than anyone. Who else would tolerate them?"
Taylor scoffed. "Their friends, I suppose."
"I'll let you know that in my culture, friends are just extended family."
"And in my culture, you're still an asshole."
"Then we complement one another!"
Taylor rolled her eyes. He did that on purpose.
The lift took her down another level, and she returned to her room. Shara wasn't there. Taylor got to work unpacking equipment, cleaning it, and changing into a fresh set of clothes that didn't smell of bird-of-prey. It was busy work. Something to occupy herself while she waited.
She waited a while.
When the door opened, Shara came stumbling through.
She looked Taylor up and down and sighed in relief.
"It really sucks being left behind!" she exclaimed. "Like, flashbacks to the Kelmore blowing up sucks! I don't want to die or anything stupid like that, but I wish I'd been there, you know? Sometimes. When it's kind of lonely, and I remember they're all dead. Again, I'm not saying I'd rather be dead or anything dumb, but it sucks, right?"
"I get that."
For a moment, it occurred to Taylor that the Undersiders might feel the same about her. Maybe. Fuck, was Lisa okay? All this time, she'd never actually stopped to wonder if Lisa was managing, especially given her trigger event.
"That does suck."
"Right?" Shara exhaled and sat. "Sorry. Been holding that in for a week!"
"Feel better?"
"Yeah… So, you're all okay? I saw Las and Siorn on my way down. They seemed alright."
"Aside from being cramped in a brig with some prisoners. Birds-of-prey are tiny."
"And they smell," Shara agreed.
Taylor's brow rose. "When were you on a bird-of-prey?"
"It was that whole thing with the Orions I told you about."
"You didn't mention a bird-of-prey."
"Well, they were on a bird-of-prey."
"Oh." Taylor blinked. "So, when you said you transported yourself onto their ship—"
"Onto a bird-of-prey, yes. The captain was a real bitch too. Think she was trying to flirt with me the entire time. Zuel? Zrel?"
Taylor raised her head. "Zruel?"
"Yeah. Who does that? How'd you—"
"Lucky guess." Small galaxy. "At least the one we were on had sushi programmed into the replicators."
Shara grimaced. "Replicated sushi?"
"Better than worms."
Taylor set her rifle down in its case.
She stood and crossed the room over to her bed and sat. Shara pushed her boots off one foot at a time and reclined on her own bed.
"Don't get me wrong," she said, "but I want to get back on a ship again. A real ship, you know? Not that I'm complaining about assignments or anything. I think I needed it after everything, but it's not the same serving on a station. You know?"
"Suppose I'm more used to it." Taylor sat. "My first few ships, I was barely on the ship. Jasper was the first time I really felt like I belonged. At least I know it's safe."
Though she didn't remember many people from the crew.
She never let herself get that close to anyone. Kept it all professional, except for how much she trusted—and felt trusted by—Bozeman.
She didn't want to keep repeating that mistake. Whatever else happened, she was tired of it.
"I haven't hated it here as much as I expected," Taylor said. "I've gotten along with Kumal and you more than most I've served with."
Shara glanced at the ceiling. "Oh. Yeah… Reassignment and we'd probably go separate ways, wouldn't we?"
"Probably." Taylor sucked at these parts, so she figured she might as well just suck away at it. "That gives us what? Seventeen months tops to decide if that kiss will become a regular thing?"
Shara sat up. "Hm? What?"
"You know the mistake I think I made with Brian?"
"Your first boyfriend? What?"
"We were never really dating." She had years to think on it. To reflect. "One hand, I never stopped loving him, but on the other"—Taylor shrugged—"I was never with him enough to make leaving him hurt that deeply. Not sure if that makes sense."
"I don't know." Shara glanced away. "I've never been serious with anyone since I left Makar… Kind of annoying, actually."
"How so?"
"My species' reputation preceded me. I know I was surprised by the whole racism thing when you explained it, but people still make assumptions about species, you know? Especially ones they've only heard about and not seen many of. Like mine."
Shara frowned.
"Someone made an impression." She grimaced and shook her head. "Really hoping it wasn't my mother."
That Taylor could sympathize with. "So you just ignored dating?"
"Basically."
"Sorry."
"It was fine. Let me focus on my studies."
"And you never got together with anyone after the academy?"
"Never came up. Not until… Well, you know."
Taylor nodded. "I don't want to repeat what happened with Brian. I'll never know if we could have kept going because we never really had the chance to start. If it doesn't work, it doesn't, but I don't want to miss out again on the chance to know if it will."
"Me neither?" Shara swung her legs around. "Sorry. Not the conversation I was ready for."
"Sorry for springing it on you. Lots of time to think on the way back." Taylor managed a smile. "Been holding it in for a week."
She stood up and pointed to the door.
"Want to go do something?"
Shara glanced over. "Like what?"
"No idea. Brian and I? We have no memories. No stories about walks, or talks, or anything. We didn't make any, and I'm not very happy thinking about it." Taylor shrugged. "This is the one pattern of stupid things I've done most of my life I can change without someone in fancy rank pips rendering judgment on me so… Let's just do whatever. Make a story about that one time we went off randomly with no idea what we were going to do."
"Oh. Okay." Shara glanced at the floor where her boots lay. "And I just took my boots off."
She started putting them back on, and Taylor busied herself to avoid rushing things.
That went well. One thing she worried about she didn't feel so worried about anymore.
That felt pretty good.
Taylor had other concerns to focus on.
She was tired of just assuming her days were numbered.
She did good work. Work that was important. That saved lives. It mattered. As badly as Kobali Prime and the experience after opened old wounds, there was good in it. She could still do good. No superpowers required.
And she'd keep going.
They'd kick her out of the fleet by dragging her through doors, and she'd ruin the carpet on the way out.
Draylon System
Stardate 40909.26
The hearing came faster than she expected.
Three days after she came back to Draylon, Verak scheduled everything. Taylor sent the time to Bozeman. Spoke with Bates about how she wanted to approach the hearing. Five days later she was in the holodeck.
She refused to make any goodbyes or anything stupidly dramatic.
Admirals Grigon and Bareth both transmitted their presence to the holodeck. Admiral Verak transmitted in, despite being in the system. The Apollo had finally arrived in the Draylon system while she'd been off with the Klingons.
Captain Bates oversaw the proceeding, and Captain Bozeman transmitted with the Admirals.
Taylor knew he was just a hologram and wasn't really present. It was more comforting than she'd expected. In past, she'd been left to face down people with power over her life alone as often as not. It was easier when someone was on her side, even if just in spirit.
"I'm not trying to be scary," Skitter said in a simulated rendition of Taylor's younger voice.
Charlotte stared incredulously. "You're at least one Biblical plague. Maybe two. You don't have to try."
Skitter sighed behind her mask and looked away.
It was weird remembering how socially awkward she used to be, even in costume. She didn't know what to say. How to respond.
Unless she was threatening someone, anyway.
"Steal food again, and I'll bury you in black widows. Understand?"
She crouched over the man, the lenses of her mask staring into his face as he frantically nodded.
"I understand," he said. "I understand!"
"Good, and because you understand, I won't see you here again. Get out of my territory."
She'd been shakingly good at threatening people, even without realizing it. Funny how she'd failed to notice until Glenn Chambers pointed it out.
When she walked down the street, people took notice. Some saw how the bugs around them changed and realized she was near. She used that to her advantaged. Used the fear of what she could do to enforce some semblance of order.
She'd been young. Too stupid and too inexperienced to have more nuanced ways of getting people to do what she wanted.
And if she were honest with herself, part of her liked it. She hated that part of her.
"Why is this city so damaged?" Bareth asked as the recordings played out.
"Leviathan," Taylor answered immediately.
Verak looked back. "What is a leviathan?"
"I asked the same thing," Bates answered. "Computer. L-Zero-One."
The computer pinged in response, and the scene shifted.
The Admirals all looked up at a perfect—eerily so—image of Leviathan. Thirty feet of Endbringer standing amid a raging storm as it churned the waters around it. Bareth looked shocked. Grigon, too, though he'd done little more than glare at Taylor ever since the 'I was a supervillain' part of the presentation.
Taylor looked back, and Bozeman followed her eyes.
Skitter hobbled down the street, Armsmaster's halberd in hand. Behind her, people fled the flooding shelter, and Taylor briefly saw Gladly. She hadn't thought about Gladly in a long time.
"You fought that thing?" Bozeman asked.
"Everyone did," Taylor answered.
"This entity rendered the city in such a state?" Verak asked.
"Yes," Taylor answered, turning back. She saw what Bates was trying to do, but for her own part, it wasn't what she wanted. "Computer. H-Zero-Four."
Again the computer complied, switching to a rooftop.
Skitter sat on the lip, looking out over her territory. Aiden was nearby, sitting with his knees pulled close. He was the bravest of the kids. Or maybe the most afraid? Thinking back Taylor never actually asked him.
Many of them kept a distance when she was 'working.'
Aiden was the only one who would approach no matter how she tried to warn him off.
In the streets under her dangling feet, a community cookout was in full swing. Dozens of strained, tired, half-dirty people all clustered together to eat, drink, and pretend for a moment the world wasn't falling apart.
For a moment, Taylor pulled her mask from her face and breathed.
"You're young," Bareth noted.
"Sixteen," Taylor answered.
"You took over a city at sixteen?" Verak asked.
"Not all of it," Taylor answered. "The other Undersiders ran sections."
"The Undersiders being the gang you ended up leading?" Grigon's tone was accusing.
Taylor took it passively. "Yes."
"That is not a question you need to answer, lieutenant." Bareth glared at Grigon. "This is not a trial."
"It can feel a bit like one," Bozeman said.
"And you, captain, are not here to testify." Despite the admonishment, Bareth's tone to Bozeman was calm and matter-of-fact. An attorney's voice, Taylor supposed. "Lieutenant, you have offered this information as an explanation. Why?"
Taylor looked out toward the city herself.
"Because it's the best way I can think of to explain. Everything I did. All the crimes I committed. I did it because I wanted to help, and the world was upside down enough that it felt like the best way to help was from the other side."
"Did you have no law enforcement?" Verak asked.
"We did."
Grigon was definitely not her friend. He didn't even try to hide it. "And you operated against them?"
"No."
"You do not have to answer that," Bareth repeated. He was big for a Tellerite, and he hide his annoyance with Grigon worse than Grigon hid his disdain. "Do control yourself, Admiral. You are not here to prosecute."
"He's right," Verak agreed. "This is not a court martial. Try to turn it into one and neither Bareth or I will be pleased."
This was different. Had it been like this after Kobali Prime? Taylor couldn't remember. She'd tuned so much of it out, just let it play without absorbing anything. She expected to be reminded of Behemoth's death. Of the PRT Directors accusing and barely tolerating her existence except to ask if she could be a useful tool.
It wasn't like that.
Verak was dispassionate, asking simple factual questions. Grigon was an asshole, but Bareth? Bareth was following the rules in a way that Taylor usually associated with trying to screw her. Instead, he was constantly pointing out what she didn't have to say and admonishing the other admiral for being a jerk.
Surreal.
"I want to answer," Taylor said. "I'm tired of trying to hide it anyway."
"Do you have any recordings of these heroes?" Verak nodded to the rooftop, where Skitter had put her mask back on and was moving. "For simple example?"
"We do," Bates confirmed. "Computer. H-Zero-One."
The deck shifted again, switching to a dark island lit by floodlights. All of Brockton Bay's ten capes were present. The Undersiders. Coil. The Pure. Whatever Hookwolf had called his little band of Nazis, Taylor couldn't remember. New Wave and the Protectorate stood off to one side, and there were the Merchants too.
"Those are the heroes." Taylor pointed them out. "The Protectorate. The Wards. New Wave."
The Admirals turned. To her surprise, Bareth looked immediately at Vista and paled. "That girl. How young is she?"
"Vista?" Taylor wasn't sure she ever knew. "Twelve or thirteen. I can't remember. She'd be in her early twenties now."
The disturbed man looked to Clockblocker and Kid Win next. He circled the gathered capes. Glory Girl. Laserdream. Rune. Whirlygig. Every member of the Undersiders.
It was so normal to Taylor. She never put much thought into how it might look from the outside.
She was surprised when the scene started playing out, the argument unfolding as Hookwolf accused the Undersiders of breaking the truce. Which was bullshit of course. They hadn't even been aware the Slaughterhouse Nine were active when they'd moved to take their territories. Hookwolf probably knew that, but it hardly mattered.
"It wasn't just you," Verak observed. "These other groups"—he looked at the swastika tattoos on Hookwolf and Stormtiger with an un-Vulcan frown—"were also taking over the city."
"Trying," Taylor answered.
Verak did the math. "There are more villains than heroes."
"Two to one nationally," Taylor recited.
Bareth shut Grigon up with a look, but Taylor could guess at the accusing question the man had wanted to ask.
"You said you didn't operate against your law enforcement," Verak said. He ignored Bareth's look and watched Taylor. "Explain what you mean, lieutenant."
"I didn't join the Undersiders to fight the heroes," Taylor answered. "I did it because I thought it was the best way to help."
She wanted to add they were more interested in fighting her than she'd ever been in fighting them, but it would sound like an excuse. And it wasn't the point.
"Everything I did, I did to try and make it better. It didn't always work… Usually didn't work."
Verak seemed to take that for what it was. "The reports we read alluded vaguely to a cataclysmic battle."
Vaguely? "Sir?"
Verak watched her face, and Taylor realized it was another ploy to get a response from her. "I won't name names. Most of the reports filed either spoke of what they saw in loose terms or openly said they didn't know what they saw. It's left us uncertain what images sparked this hearing in the first place."
"Show us," Bareth said. "We cannot watch hours upon hours of images, but let us see the battle."
"Computer," Bates called, "S-Zero-Zero."
Taylor let it roll past her. She'd seen it twice now, and a third time…
She focused on Aisha at her side, holding her hand as bodies were vaporized. Buildings destroyed. Continents shattered.
The Admirals didn't watch the whole thing.
"That's enough," Verak announced. "Computer, end program."
The system dinged, and the room reshaped into a black chamber with a white grid.
The Admirals gathered on the other side of the room to speak.
Taylor waited by the door with Bates and Bozeman.
"You never suggested anything," Bozeman whispered. "All of that, and you've never spoken with anyone?"
"No one," Taylor lied.
If she went down, she wouldn't drag Bates down with her. Not that she intended to go down. Though, it was a lot harder to be sure in the moment. It looked pretty bad. So much of the context just wasn't there. She wasn't even sure how much she could explain, let alone explain without looking like a liar.
Bates' proposed argument was more convincing the more Taylor thought about it.
How could she explain any of it without looking like she was just making herself look better?
"Taylor." Bozeman hesitated. "What happened o—"
"Yes," Taylor answered. "It was because of this. A part of it."
Bozeman nodded, his expression regretful. "If you'd told me…"
"I know," Taylor admitted. "It's not my nature."
Bates remained quiet through the wait.
When the Admirals broke, it was Bareth who spoke.
"Two to three," he said, "we are inclined to grant the request to classify this information as personal and potentially prejudicial."
Taylor blinked in surprise.
"There are some questions I'd like to ask." The Tellerite settled his gaze on Taylor. "These, you must answer. You understand?"
Taylor nodded.
"According to records," Bareth began, "when you interviewed for the Academy character assessment, you answered that you had a criminal record when you were young."
"Yes."
"In review, I find your answers to the follow-up questions were evasive. And with practice. Your proctor didn't notice. I'm afraid I must ask for further details."
"Sir."
"Were you convicted of any crimes?"
"I'm not sure," Taylor admitted. "It was… Complicated."
"Explain it."
"I was never formally charged or tried with any crime. At a point, I decided the best way to keep people safe was to turn myself in." How to explain Alexandria and Tagg without sounding like a sociopath? "They brought someone in. The heroes were embarrassed that the Undersiders had publicly taken over the city. They were trying to force me to give them more than I could give."
"Were your rights violated?"
Rights? "I was a villain. I had no rights."
Bareth kept a cool and passive face, but she could see his shoulders tense slightly. "What happened?"
"They tried to intimidate me. Threatened the lives of people I loved. Went so far as to prepare fake bodies to trick me into thinking they were being killed."
At that, even Grigon scowled in horror.
Maybe this was easier than Taylor thought it would be?
"And then?" Bareth pressed.
"I—I attacked. I killed them… By accident. I was knocked out. Alexandria suffocated, and Tagg was stung to death. The bugs did the last thing I told them to do, and I couldn't tell them to stop while passed out."
Bozeman's hand fell on her shoulder.
Taylor hadn't realized she was shaking.
Bareth continued. "And then?"
"I joined the Wards. To save them."
Bareth's head tilted. "Why would you?"
"Because the end of the world was coming, and we all knew it. The Protectorate couldn't be allowed to fall because Alexandria was a bully and a brute."
"Then you were never punished?"
"I spent time in a women's prison, but they kept taking me out to make use of me. Eventually, I was sent to Chicago as part of the Ward team there. When I turned eighteen, I graduated into the Protectorate."
The admiral nodded. He turned again, speaking briefly with Verak and Grigon.
Verak came forward then. "I see no point in dragging this out. Unanimously"—Taylor blinked again—"this information is classified as personal and private. It will not be discussed except when authorized. Reports will be censored to contain the information."
Just like that.
Taylor checked the time on a pad.
It had been all of thirty minutes. How the hell was it that simple?
"Lieutenant Hebert is advised that Command is now aware, however… And it will affect decision-making concerning her career going forward."
Shit.
"My record," Taylor tried. "Except for Kobali Prime, it's spotless." Mostly. She was pretty sure they couldn't prove any of the corners she'd cut. Not like she was the only one who cut them, either. "I—"
"I wanted to ask about that," Verak said. "I've spoken to you previously about Kobali Prime, and admittedly I walked away with the impression you were hiding something." He nodded inscrutably. "I think it would be in your interest to stop hiding it now, lieutenant."
"This isn't about Kobali Prime," Bozeman tried.
"I've warned you already, captain," Bareth reminded. "You are not here as anything but a support."
"I am supporting."
"I explained trigger events," Taylor said.
"You did." Verak watched her closely. "You didn't say what yours was."
"We don—We didn't talk about them. They're the worst day of your life. No one wants to talk about the worst day of their life."
"But you're saying it was related to what happened on Kobali Prime?"
"Yes," Taylor answered.
She thought it a testament to the damage how badly she didn't want to say more than that. It was nature after so many years. Capes didn't talk about trigger events. Taylor only learned about Lisa's near the end. She'd never been explicitly told about Grue, Aisha, or Alec's, though she could guess.
"I've read the reports concerning the action against the True Way," Verak said. "You did well, lieutenant. I won't ask how Lieutenant Kumal convinced so many fighters to surrender but convincing the Cardassian and Klingon troops to back down from a fight over the prisoners." He nodded. "That was very good. Decisive. Do you know why it worked?"
Taylor's brow rose. "Because it made sense? It was logical."
"Many things are logical. It's rarely what sways people. Especially Klingons."
Damn Vulcan riddles. "Because we were Starfleet. Even our enemies trust us to keep our word."
"Indeed," Verak said. "The Klingons and the Cardassians, however tumultuous our history, know the character of Starfleet. Admirals Grigon, Bareth, and I have an obligation to protect that reputation. It is one of the most vital tools to the peace and security of the Federation."
"I understand that." And she didn't see where this was going.
"It is a reputation built by the character of officers and crewmen. We are the front line representing the Federation's ideals, and we must live up to them."
"I know."
Taylor raced to think. She still had her trump card, but she wasn't sure it would work. They might just think she was trying to paint herself in the best light possible. If they were inclined to throw her out anyway, they might focus on the darkest side of what happened with Mannequin.
"We will continue to maintain that reputation," Verak continued. "As of this moment, I am ordering you to arrange and begin meeting regularly with a counselor."
Taylor nodded. Just like Bates said.
"I've checked your records. You've generally avoided speaking with any shipboard counselor, and resources have been too strained for anyone to press you on the matter so long as your duties were being performed. You no longer have that option. I will prepare a list, and you will pick a counselor from it. They will set the schedule and report directly to me."
Bates spoke up. "That's—"
"Permissible," Bareth interrupted, "In extreme circumstances." His eyes turned to Taylor. "Understand, please. This is an alarming revelation. We want to be fair, but you are an officer. You take lives into your hands. We must ensure that you can handle the pressure. For your own good as much as anyone's."
Okay, Taylor thought after a moment. She'd done therapy before. That was a demeaning way to put it but fine. A hoop to jump through was no real obstacle. Just a petty annoyance.
"Additionally," Grigon spoke up, "you are ordered to answer questions about this entity you call Scion."
"Yes, sir," Taylor answered automatically.
She was trying to measure where things were going. They weren't kicking her out now, but what about later? Would they simply stall her out at lieutenant?
She'd told herself she didn't care about that, but now that it was a real possibility, Taylor cared a lot.
She didn't want to be stalled out, continually passed over, and ignored because someone else thought she couldn't handle the pressure. That wasn't fair. She was up for promotion before. If her own stupidity cost her that fine, but for the rest of her career?
She was surprised how much that bothered her.
"Lastly," Verak said, "In the next few days, you and I will sit down in private, and you will tell me in very explicit detail what happened on Kobali Prime, and I think, what happened with 'Alexandria' and this Tagg you mentioned."
Taylor resisted the urge to frown. "Why? Sir."
For a moment, his expression was very un-Vulcan. Soft. Warm. Compassionate.
"You have told us there are emotional scars so deep they impound your state of mind. It would be a complete failure of command to know that and put you at risk. I want to know so we can avoid putting you in those positions. At least until we've had time to assess things with a counselor."
That sounded bad.
Verak glanced to Bates. "I will issue formal orders later today. Lieutenant Hebert may resume her duties until ordered otherwise. This hearing is now closed."
Bareth and Grigon's bodies vanished as they ended their transmissions.
Verak remained.
He looked Taylor over, a holographic hand falling on the sounder Bozeman wasn't clutching.
"One step at a time, Lieutenant. Nothing's over." He gave a small smile. "It's just another voyage, and the voyages that matter aren't easy."
Taylor was about to reply, but the man vanished before she could.
"That went better than I thought it would," Bates said. Her face was less confident. "Verak wanting to be looped in on any counseling is odd, but"—she turned—"maybe that's for the best, Taylor. He's a fair man. He'll give you more chances than others."
"Right."
"Even Grigon relented," Bozeman noted. "Seeing those other capes. How young some of them were." He stepped around to stand beside Bates. "I can't imagine how bad things had gotten for that to be normal."
Pretty bad, Taylor admitted silently.
At the same time, "She wasn't some victim in need of pity. Vista wanted to be a hero. She wanted to help people. With a power like hers, it's not like anyone could stop her... If not for her, the world would have ended."
Her power had been vital at the end when Doormaker's started to burn out.
"We aren't wounded animals," Taylor warned. "The world was mad, and we survived it."
Except, once again, she felt punished for the fact.
She checked the time again. Thirty-nine minutes.
Thirty-nine whole minutes.
"I thought this was going to be a bigger deal."
"We came prepared," Bates said.
And, Taylor had actually bothered to speak.
"I need to go," Bozeman said. "But please, Taylor. Don't hesitate to call."
Taylor straightened her back and nodded. "Thank you, sir."
He nodded to her and then to Bates before disconnecting.
"Anything you need to say?" Bates asked.
"Not right now." Taylor turned to the door because… She couldn't think of much else to do.
It was more or less exactly what Bates said would happen.
On the one hand, she didn't feel like it was unfair. It could be worse. It could be better, but it could be worse. Bright side, if they didn't throw her out for all of that, what would they throw her out for?
She'd clawed her way up from the bottom before.
She could do it again, so long as the door wasn't slammed in her face.
On the other hand, she felt that old bitterness rise. Very familiar after Kobali prime. Therapy, what she knew about Scion, and Verak treating her like some broken thing in need of coddling.
The last bit was easily the most insulting part.
And it felt too sudden. Too easy, even, despite the insult.
"You're sure?" Bates asked.
"Yes."
"Then you can listen to me for a bit."
Taylor stopped by the doors and turned. "What is it now?"
"An apology," she said. "For inserting myself into things like I did. You were right. I let things become emotional in a way I shouldn't have."
Taylor resisted the urge to say she told Bates so, but she did say so. "I know you were trying to help. I'm too old to be adopted by my mother's doppelganger."
"And I'm too experienced not to know better. Mixing emotion and command..." Bates shook her head. "Think Verak tried to warn me against it."
"What?"
Bates shook her head. "He, like everyone else, noticed that we look like mother and daughter and was suspicious of my interest in you."
Taylor frowned. "How well do you know him, exactly?"
Bates laughed. "Temporal prime directive, believe it or not."
She knew Verak was the time travel guy, but, "You can't be serious."
"Oh, I wish I wasn't." Bates gave her a wry look. "What? You assumed because I'm an engineer at the shipyards means my career has been uneventful?"
Taylor scoffed. "I just assumed you were a dull functionary."
She left the holodeck and Bates took her shoulder. "Taylor."
She glanced back.
"You're going to be okay." Bates managed a small smile. "If they didn't think it could be worked out, they'd have just taken your commission right there."
True. "And if I'm just stuck a lieutenant forever?"
Bates' brow rose. "Last time we talked, you didn't seem to mind that."
"Last time we talked, I didn't. Until I had time to think about it."
The woman with her mother's face nodded. "Suppose you'll just have to be so good they have no choice. Jump through the hoops." Her hand slipped away. "Make not promoting you sheer folly, and they won't have a choice."
Taylor frowned. "You know, all that stuff you were trying before? Would have worked a lot better with that attitude."
Bates shrugged. "Making captain doesn't mean you stop learning, Hebert."
Draylon System
Stardate 409010.04
She pointedly tried not to look at the list.
She had seven days. She planned to take seven days.
"Still ignoring it, is she?" Kumal asked.
"Yeah." Shara leaned into her palm. "She's ignoring it."
"You should say something to her."
"I have."
"You need to stop teasing her," Taylor said.
Kumal held his hand up. "Well, she has to learn to stop being so easily goaded somehow."
"You could just not goad me," Shara protested. "It's kind of rude."
"You should lead with that next time," Taylor suggested. "Instead of going along with it."
"Ah, but see, now she's goading you." Kumal smiled. "Because now we're not talking about the list she's ignoring."
"The orders say I have seven days, and I still have four." Taylor glowered. "I'll ignore them as long as I please."
"Is it really such a bad thing?" Shara didn't flinch when Taylor glowered her way. "Not that I mind our talks, but you have a lot to talk about. A counselor could be good for you."
"I've had therapy before."
"Did it help?"
Taylor didn't want to say yes, but, "Yes."
"There's no shame in it," Kumal said.
"I know."
"Some burdens are too heavy to carry alone."
"I know."
"Sometimes it helps to just get out of your own head."
Taylor continued glowering. "I know. I've had therapy before."
"It could be a good thing long run," Shara suggested. "If a counselor gives you the okay, then who can use any of that stuff against you when you try to make captain?"
Taylor did not react.
Kumal did. "I thought you didn't want to make captain?"
"I've considered changing my mind," Taylor replied.
"Oh." Shara frown. "Oops."
"It's not like it's an immediate goal." Taylor glanced toward the pad. "I don't have nearly enough experience, especially on shipboard operations."
"Then I suppose you're in the right place." Kumal turned toward the window. "It seems inevitable that the natural crews for most of these ships will be the people refitting them."
True.
Taylor considered that plan Bates mentioned out of her reach now, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be assigned to one of the ships. She'd spent most of her career on the ground. New Romulus. The Dyson Sphere. Kobali Prime.
That was the credentials of a security officer to lead away teams into the worst situations—which she hadn't minded—but it wasn't the background of a starship captain.
She felt a bit stupid.
All anyone wanted at the academy was to get themselves into that chair. Taylor was happy just to graduate.
Except the chair was where you had to be to make the most important decisions. Space was big. Too big to phone home every time something happened.
Captains made the choices that changed lives.
They were the ones who could do the most to protect others and make their lives easier.
Long term, that's where she wanted to be.
With a sigh, Taylor took the pad.
And the station com pinged.
"Eight, Hebert, Kumal, Shara, to operations."
Taylor rose from her seat. More names were read off and directions given. They weren't hers, so she didn't listen.
She made it to operations with Shara and Kumal just moments before Eight stepped off the other lift.
"Where is the captain?" Eight asked.
"I don't see her," Shara said as she looked around.
"No." Kumal looked at the coms station. "But I see something."
A dozen officers ran about with pads, shouting and pointing. One person continued reading names off a console and directing them. Transporter pads. Shuttle bays. Operations.
Taylor didn't like what it reminded her of. "What is—"
Bates stepped off the turbolift behind them.
"The Tzenkethi have invaded Federation space. They're attacking Bajor."
Taylor, Shara, Kumal, and Eight stared.
"Maybe K'muun wasn't just fucking with us," Taylor mumbled.
"No," Kumal agreed. "Perhaps not."
Bates walked past them and shoved a small box into Eight's hands.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I wanted it to be more special than this."
Eight looked down. She popped the box open, lips parting at the sight of a new set of pips.
"You're being assigned command of the Monitor. Congratulations, captain."
Because Taylor's expectations of Vulcans continued to be pissed on, Eight looked shocked and confused.
"Kumal," Bates said.
"Ma'am?"
"You're being assigned acting first officer of U.S.S. Monitor. Go. Now." Bates nodded. "Both of you. Go!"
Eight started moving. Kumal glanced back to Shara and Taylor, still awestruck.
"Be careful," Taylor said. "You're my favorite asshole."
"Oh. What a ringing endorsement."
Before anyone could say anything else, Bates pushed pads into Taylor and Shara's hands.
"Transporter room two," she said. "Fifteen minutes. Draylon is officially the closest Starfleet shipyard to Bajor. We just became the most strategically vital position in the Federation."
"This is bad," Shara mumbled.
"Not as bad as the Iconians." Bates nodded. "But bad. The Tzenkethi have crossed a very big line."
"What line?" Taylor asked.
Bates's expression was strained. "They've deployed weapons of mass destruction. They're wiping out planets."
Even the Iconians hadn't done that.
Shit even the Iconians hadn't done that.
"And they're attacking, Bajor," Shara repeated.
"Go," Bates said. "Be careful."
Taylor spun on her heel.
There had been reports of planets in the area around Tzenkethi space with unusual levels of destruction. Whole atmospheres ravaged. Taylor hadn't thought to connect that to the increasingly aggressive Tzenkethi fleet movements.
"Why would they do that?" Shara asked.
"I don't know."
Taylor slipped into their room before the door had fully opened. She grabbed her weapons case and nothing else. Shara got her phaser and tricorder.
"Where are we going?" Shara asked. "I—I didn't even look."
They both raised their pads.
"Oh."
They went straight to the transporter rooms.
Taylor still hated transporters, of course. Mostly because of the hallucinations.
When she came out on the other pad, the transporter chief pointed.
"Go!" he snapped. "We're bringing more crew in. Toss any personal items in the hall we'll sort them later."
Taylor pulled her carbine from its case and attached both drones to the weapon.
She left the case in the hall.
Crew scampered down the halls. A full crew. Not a half-crew or a mock crew. A full crew.
"Sirs."
"Ma'ams."
"All crew to stations."
"Isn't this a little fast?" Shara asked as they worked their way through the ship.
"There's a hostile military force using WMDs to wipe out whole planets and they're attacking Bajor." Taylor inhaled. "This isn't fast enough."
Coming around a corner, Taylor led Shara through the doors onto the bridge.
"Hebert and Shara?" the watch officer asked.
"Yes," they answered.
"Security and science." The man pointed. "Sivak and Zarah were just transferred off to the Aeneas and the Atalante. You're available, so you're it."
Taylor stepped directly behind the captain's chair and braced her rifle under the console.
Shara went past her, walking around the circular room to a station facing the front.
Taylor checked the console over. The station wasn't unfamiliar to her. Standard security terminal with a basic layout. Internal security net. Force fields. Tactical and hazard team controls.
When she thought she needed more shipboard experience, this was not what she had in mind.
"Vice Admiral Ves has taken command of the Cerberus," the communications officer said.
"Where's the commander?" the watch officer asked.
"She's not going to make it. She says to go without her."
Taylor gripped the top of the console and rearranged a few sections of the panel. The security and hazard rosters actively updated as moved—Las. Siorn. Darow. Ildra. Gram. Taylor blinked at the names. It wasn't that surprising. If they were going into combat, they'd take every capable officer and crewman they could.
Still.
Taylor glanced passed her knuckles toward the floor of the bridge.
The letters were spelled out in simple white on the gaudy red carpet.
U.S.S. Apollo.
"Admiral on deck!"
Taylor turned as the door closed.
Admiral Verak stepped into the room. "Prepare to set out," he ordered. "The nineteenth fleet is being overrun. We're out of time."
Okay. It was that bad.
The man turned to Taylor on his way to his seat. "And you have four more days."
Taylor gawked but the man just carried on.
Admiral Verak sat down. "Lieutenant Commander Reze, you're now acting first officer."
The watch officer nodded. "Aye."
"Tell all ships to move to the rally point now. Beam the last personnel aboard. Anyone who isn't here now will be redirected to other ships."
"Aye."
Taylor braced herself as the impulse engines came online.
"Lieutenant Shara." Verak looked at her. "You can operate as a science officer?"
Shara looked a bit like a deer caught in headlights, but only for a moment. "Yes?"
Verak nodded. "Hebert. Prepare boarding and repulsion teams. The Tzenkethi like boarding actions. You're familiar with their physiology?"
"I know they're basically walking tanks," Taylor answered.
"They are."
What she wouldn't give for an Endbringer battle.
"Impulse to three-quarters," Verak ordered. "Bring us about."
"Communique from General Sahrul." The communications officer lightened slightly. She looked back at the Admiral, somewhat hopeful for once. "The Klingons are here."
Taylor glanced to her side.
The XO had moved to the tactical station beside hers and she could see the sensor data for nearby ships.
And it was a lot of ships.
"Main viewscreen," Verak said.
The monitor came on. Taylor looked while her hands worked.
The Apollo swung in high over the formation as it assembled under the Draylon system's orbital plane.
Hundreds of ships. Some from Draylon, the first they'd pulled off the refit line. The Monitor was among them. The Cerberus was moving into position at the lead of the formation, a massive three-nacelled dreadnought. Other ships were still warping in. Some transwarped on vast ripples of energy that snapped them into existence.
It was as if Starfleet pulled literally everything the right side of Earth and sent it all to Draylon.
Overhead the Starfleet ships, nearly two hundred Klingon vessels flew into position. Dozens of birds-of-prey, multiple battlecruisers, two carriers, and a D7 that seemed entirely too big to be a D7.
"Seventy-five percent of the fleet is assembled," Reze revealed.
Taylor turned her head around.
They hadn't sent this many ships into the Delta Quadrant.
Verak stood. "Open a channel to the fleet."
"Channel open."
"This is Admiral Verak. The Tzenkethi have invaded Federation space and are using weapons of mass destruction. They are currently targeting Bajor. Deep Space Nine is under attack. The nineteenth fleet is fighting a holding action, waiting for reinforcements to arrive."
He paused for a moment, checking the panel built into the arm of his chair.
"We don't know what the strategic aim of the Tzenkethi is but we cannot allow them to continue deploying their weapon."
Verak had a flicker of emotion on his face. Anger. Righteous anger.
"They are wiping out planets. A sin so grave even the Iconians never dared to use it. The Dominion, didn't use it. Even the Borg do not annihilate life wholesale."
The Admiral took his seat.
"This madness must be stopped."
A voice joined Verak's, deeper and raspier. A Klingon.
"Cowards," it said. "Attacking planets instead of fighting their enemies in battle. The Tzenkethi have lost all honor. The Empire is with you, Admiral."
General Sahrul, Taylor guessed.
Verak nodded. "All captains are receiving orders now. First wing under Vice Admiral Ves will support General Sahrul and reinforce the nineteenth fleet at the front around Deep Space Nine. Second and third wings will follow the Apollo."
Taylor could see the orders on the tactical station.
He was sending every ship with an experienced crew and captain into combat. It was only about a third of the fleet. Every other ship—those with hastily assembled or promoted leaders—were going in the other two wings. The Monitor among them.
"We are evacuating Bajor," Verak announced.
Taylor glanced to Shara and found her already looking her way.
"I know some of you will want to fight. I'm sorry. Console yourselves with the knowledge that every life saved is worth it, and by doing this other ships with experienced crews and captains can focus on fighting the Tzenkethi."
Taylor tried to think if she should read into that.
If the Tzenkethi were breaking the nineteenth fleet around DS9 they were already at Bajor's doorstep. They couldn't possibly evacuate the entire planet. There were billions of people on Bajor. They'd need a dozen fleets to get everyone.
Was Starfleet quietly recognizing that Bajor was already lost, or were they taking precautions? Was it for morale?
Taylor looked at the teams she'd assembled again. There were experienced tactical personnel on the Apollo. They'd taken on extra crew, but the skeleton of the ship was experienced, not fresh recruits.
"We're out of time. You're Starfleet. You know what to do."
Verak ended the transmission and pointed.
"Signal Ves and Sahrul. All ships engage warp. Helm, hold us back until the system is clear."
Within moments, ships—hundreds of them—went to warp. One after the other, from the smallest bird-of-prey to the largest dreadnought. Suhrul's bizarrely large D7 flashed particularly bright ahead of the supporting carriers and battlecruisers around it. The Monitor warped with the dozen other ships in its formation.
Two ships sputtered and failed to jump.
One suffered a catastrophic explosion on its port nacelle.
The other simply failed to go.
"The Port Royal has a severe overload," coms explained. "Heavy damage. Emergency crews are containing plasma fires. U.S.S. Swahili reports a failure in the warp core. System overload."
"They rushed to get here," Verak said. "Tell Captain Munz to stand down his ship. Contact Captain Bates. Rescue and repair parties to the Port Royal."
"Sent."
Verak nodded. "Prepare for warp."
The ship hummed and Taylor braced herself.
Verak tapped a control and nodded to himself.
"Engage."
The nacelles jolted, and the Apollo jumped into warp toward Bajor.