Where are all the People

Posted on Fri May 17th, 2024 @ 1:24am by Ensign Dani Harper & Ensign Charlotte Dawes & Commander Maxun Spello & Lieutenant Chrysanthe Capulet

2,376 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Mission Interlude Starbase 76 & Serenity
Location: Serenity
Timeline: MD 8, lunchtime

Dani sat down next to Charlotte with a tray of food that looked rather bland. She'd definitely be suggesting their shuttle's replicators for dinner. In a lowered voice she leaned into Charlotte, "You met almost all of the Atarans at lease once, right? Bringing them out of stasis, and their medical checks. Don't you think it's weird that we really only interact with the same 10 people all the time?

Chrys with her own tray walked over and sat down opposite the pair. She poked her fork at the grey looking mass on a plate and wrinkled her nose. As Dani spoke she looked at Charlotte and waited for her reply, interested in it too.

Charlotte nodded. "Closer to 25-30 people if you count the delegation traveling with Astrea right now, but you're right. There are probably 100 or more people I don't think I've seen since the first couple of days after revival. And that was only because they were brought back through for vaccinations."

Dani looked at Chrys and Charlotte, "They've got to be here somewhere."

Chrsyanthe nodded. "They might be shy... private... or... they are up to something." She added as she ate without really noticing what she was eating.

"Or being hidden," Dani suggested. "Maybe it's these 'leaders' that are up to something. I talked to Lieutenant Spello this morning, and he still doesn't know what Vestin was trying to tell him the other night. And a lot of the tech that we've come across in the labs over here seems suspicious."

Chrys considered it. "okay Ensign, so if the tech is odd, what are your eyes telling you. Not your scanners, your eyes. Is the tech too far advanced? Or new tech made to look old?"

"We haven't seen them using it," Dani pointed out. "In the lab I accidentally fell into last week, there were more of the bracelets and ear pieces, some of them even seemed to be connected to the computer somehow. Why aren't they using any of it in front of us? I'm beginning to think there's something about it they don't want us to know."

"I could grab my med kit, and we could go walking around, casually," Charlotte suggested giving an innocent look. "Really the reason Dr. Parks and I are here are to monitor vaccination reactions for a full two weeks. If we're caught I could just say I was concerned about the 80 or so unaccounted patients."

Chrys nodded. "Good. I think that is a reasonable thing. I am concerned that they do not seem to use the tech. Many races use tech that they did not create, simply use tech stolen. We could be looking at such a thing."

"I'm not eating this," Charlotte said looking at her tray. "I have some fruit bars in my bag. Let's go."

Chrys looked down at the food as if seeing it for the first time. "Meh" she said "Have eaten worse" She did however pick up her tray to put it away. "Lets get started."

Dani smiled to herself as she went to dump her tray. The new chief was willing to go exploring. She liked it. "They've been keeping us on Deck 8 or higher, so I'd say if we want to go lower, we take the stairs. Just in case."

After Charlotte had grabbed her medical kit, and gave an extra to Dani to carry for good luck, Dani took Charlotte and Chrys to an access point that she and Lieutenant Mundy had used to move between decks when power was limited. Dani opened the door to reveal a steep staircase.

"This part goes down to Deck 21. Gives us 12 extra decks to explore without using the turbolifts. From there, all I've seen so far are their equivalent of jeffries tubes, but I wasn't really looking," Dani said. "Shall we?"

Chrys nodded and secured her equipment to her uniform. "Stay close both of you" she entered the stairwell and headed down.

Dani and Charlotte both nodded as they followed Chrys down the stairs.

As the group explored they cleared Decks 9 and 10 without incident, only seeing the same elite group of Atarans that they had been dealing with, though they tried to stay out of sight. Deck 11 was arranged differently, and it wasn't a deck that Dani remembered spending much time on.

"I don't know the layout here very well," Dani whispered to the others. "I think Mundy ran some power relays through here, but I didn't spend much time here."

From their left, a shuffling noise could be heard. After a few beats, a young male Ataran came into view. He was dressed very plainly, wearing only a drab grey jumpsuit and black boots. He was carrying a large pack, full of tools and spare parts, on his back. He started to move towards a dark, unpowered relay, when he noticed the visitors. He quickly assumed a position of attention and cast his eyes to the deck at his feet. "Apologies! This one was not aware visitors would be inspecting this deck! This one has not yet finished his work on repairing the damaged systems. This one begs for your mercy!"

Well that set the alarms going in Chrys and she said gently "Woah it's OK, we are not mad nor expecting everything to be fixed." She didn't make any sudden moves. "I am Chrys and these are my friends, Danielle and Charlotte and we are just looking around. Are you injured?"

The Ataran shook his head eagerly as he replied. "No, Lady Chrys, Lady Danielle, and Lady Charlotte! This one is not injured. This one is the only one left to fix damaged systems o this deck. The Masters will want it working fully again. If this one finishes his job quickly and correctly, the Masters told him that he would not be punished!"

"I'm a nurse," Charlotte said. "You may have seen me when everyone was first being woken up from stasis. I met a lot of people that I haven't seen in a while, I've been worried about them. What is your name? What kind of punishment are you worried about?"

"Lady Charlotte, this one's name is Ras-zath, and the punishment would be whatever the Masters choose."

"It's nice to meet you Ras-zath," Charlotte said smiling warmly. "These are medical supplies," she said tapping her bag. "Has anyone been punished recently? Other people like you?"

"Oh no, Lady Charlotte. This one is the only one like Ras-zath. No more, just this one. And the Masters punish this one if duties are not completed." He made a few odd clicking and whisting sounds as he spoke more. "This one hard worker. Keeping ship alive is hard work for just this one. Sometimes, Masters are pleased with progress." He hid his left hand behind his back. "Sometimes not."

Charlotte looked concerned. "When they don't like your work, what happens?" she asked.

"This one is punished, when Ras-zath displeases them. Before the long sleep, the punishments were more. Now, with this one the only one left to fix things, they are less."

"Will you tell me what they do to you as a punishment?" Charlotte asked. "Do they hurt you?"

Ras-zath shook his head in fear and started to shy away. "Forgive me, Lady Charlotte! This one has spoken too much about things he doesn't fully understand! The Masters are responsible for all things. If one does not do what is expected, punishments are necessary." He continued to hide his left hand behind him as he spoke.

Charlotte looked back at Lieutenant Cyn, and again at the frightened man. "May I see your hand?" Charlotte asked.

"It is nothing, My Lady," he attempted to protest, clearly torn between causing an issue, and fear of his masters. "Please do not concern yourself with this one. This one is not worth it."

"Remember me? I know medicine. You should show me. We won't tell," Charlotte said gesturing to Dani and Chrys.

Ras-zath was still clearly torn, but then finally showed her his injured hand and arm. There was evidence of broken bones that never set right, old scalpel cuts, and most recently, acid drop burns. None of the damage seemed life-threatening, merely torturous in nature.

"I'm sorry, My Lady!" He was on the verge of tears as he spoke. "Please do not tell the Masters that I told you! This one will be severely punished if he doesn't get back to work!"

"We won't, I promise," Charlotte said. She extended her hand for Ras-zath to take. "How many others get punished like this?" She asked. "We will disappear after you give us some information. No one will know you talked to us." Charlotte looked into his eyes begging him to trust her.

Ras-zath hesitated a beat, then spoke in a hushed tone. "Back before the sleep, this one was one of many of the below caste. The Masters are above all. When those of below caste were punished, the Masters would be very angry. Much pain was given. However, no death. The sullied, who were below even this one...." he shook his head sadly. "They were punished more...things done to them, terrible things. Death would visit them often. But, that was before the Old Ones punished the Masters, took all the sullied away, and sent all Atarans far from their home. This happened nearly four thousand seasons before the sleep, before the green ships attacked us."

Charlotte tried to remember every word the man was saying, hoping that they could all make sense of it later. "That is very helpful. Thank you. When I was waking people up from the sleep, I met over 100 of you. But, I think we only see the masters now. Do you know where the other people are?"

He nodded matter-of-factly. "Ras-zath knows! Ras-zath know entire ship! While Masters are in main levels, the many levels of below beings are working. We all work to better Master's lives!"

Charlotte nodded. She turned back to Lieutenant Capulet as if to ask if there was anything else of if they should keep moving. She wanted to help his hand, but they would all surely be be caught and Ras-zath punished more.

Chrys was pissed. This was slavery and she refused to allow it. "Heal him Ensign. I will contact Spello and let him know." She stepped to the side and hit her comm. "Capulet to Spello."

=/\=Spello here, what have you got?=/\=

Chrys gave him the cliffnotes and said "if you track my comm badge we could use you down here Sir."

=/\=On my way. Spello out.=/\=

Charlotte nodded. "Dani, why don't you keep a look out for us," Charlotte suggest.

"Already on it," Dani responded quietly. She'd been on edge and watching for signs of movement since they started this venture.

"Ras-zath, this is a medical kit," Charlotte opening it up and placing it on the floor. She put a few tools she thought she'd need on her belt and pulled out her tricorder. "Will you let me help your hand? I can try to heal it," she offered.

"But...the Masters will know! Will punish this one more!" Ras-zath protested fearfully.

"I can't make you let me heal you. It has to be your choice," Charlotte promised. "But the people you call your masters need something from us and our people don't permit people to treat others like this. Our bosses are talking about what to do now."

Ras-zath was unsure, then he asked, "Can you treat what's under? Then Masters will still see punishment reminders." Though he seemed simple, he could see that the visitors were all good people. "You do not have below levels folk or sullied where you from? Who takes care of your Masters?"

Chrys rejoined them with a warm smile. "We do not have Masters as such. We all work together."

"Ras-zath, I can leave your scars," Charlotte held her hand out and looked at his mangled hand in a gesture that indicated she hoped he would reach out. "But if you want your hand to work properly and not have pain, the bone structure will look a little different. Like your other hand."

Though he was still hesitant, Ras-zath finally nodded in agreement to what Charlotte was proposing.

Charlotte started with a local analgesic, otherwise the bone regeneration process would have been painful since broken bones had healed improperly, her osteo-regenerator would be breaking those down slightly to reform them to to conform to the healthy specifications provided by the other hand. She moved slowly, switching to the muscular and ligament tool to make adjustments to the changing bone structure every minute or so. Switching back and forth until the bone and muscle structure in his hand was restored. He still had thick scarring and discoloration on his skin, which Charlotte hoped was enough to camouflage the work she had done for the few days they had left.

As she started to work on Ras-zath's hand, Maxun entered the compartment and moved over to Capulet. In a lowered voice, he asked, "What've you got, Chrys?"

Chrys lowered her voice and told him what Ras-zath had said to them. "Sir,.. if this is a feudal system or slavery we have an issue."

After hearing everything she said, Maxun nodded thoughtfully. "Especially as the Federation has ended all slavery and outlawed its practice within our borders." He glanced over at the man that Charlotte was treating and added, "Have you found anything else while you were looking around?"

Chrys shook her head. "Not yet."

"This is the only person we've found, Sir," Dani said, "But he's really scared that we'll be found helping him. Given what we know about their technology - and what we don't know we're kind of sitting ducks out here."

Maxun exhaled a frustrated breath. Finally, he spoke. "Alright. Charlotte, finishing helping that man, then send him on his way. The rest of us, let's try not to do anything more to paint targets on our backs. Now, let's finish our investigations quickly and quietly."

~OFF~



* * * * *

Lieutenant JG Maxun Spello
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Astrea

Chrys Capulet
Chief Science Officer
USS Astrea

Ensign Dani Harper
Science Officer
USS Astrea

Ensign Charlotte Dawes
Nurse
USS Astrea

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