Searching for the enslaved

Posted on Sun Jun 23rd, 2024 @ 2:04pm by Ensign Kash th'Kaasniik & Petty Officer 1st Class Enam Nemec & Commander Maxun Spello & Lieutenant Eirly Andersen & Ensign S'Niri & Ensign Wrenleigh Reed

2,194 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: What We Do With Second Chances
Location: New Sausalito, Colony Site
Timeline: MD 11, 1300 hours

Ensign Kash th'Kaasnik landed the runabout carrying the latest group of Atarans on the North property line of the proposed colony site on New Sausalito. This was his third trip from the Serenity with a runabout full of passengers. Each group was oddly silent, with only representative speaking to him or his co-pilot. Once they landed, and he opened the hatch exposing the passengers to the outside for the first time in a millennia. He and his copilot tried to hand out sunglasses, but only a few took them, everyone eager to get off of the shuttle and into the natural environment.

Kash walked with this last group over to the Civil Ops base where Chief Kayto and Commander Spello were waiting to greet the latest group and hand out assignments.

Maxun saw the new arrivals approach. He called the Chief over and asked him to start getting the stack of PADDs ready to hand out to each Ataran. When everyone was close, he and the Chief stepped outside. "Greetings, everyone!" He called out to the new arrivals. "Please allow me to be the first to welcome you to your new home. As you can see, each of you are being handed a PADD. On it, you will find your living assignment during construction, plus the schedule for bringing your new home up and running. You will also find the contact information for every Starfleet representative that you mat need to speak to...for any reason." He looked around the group and spoke calmly. "You are safe here. So long as you are in Federation space, you will remain safe."

While Nevan had been watching the group come in for a brief moment to get a quick count, he needed to return back into the center to continue ensuring the other groups were getting settled and that additional services were in place for this new group. He didn't have time to hand out PADDs. Grexx and Cormus however were already in place and surprisingly, so was Lindsy. She knew how hectic things could be and had already begun making it a point to help run interference for him when he needed it. "Chief, I'll cover things here so you can get this next group setup" she called out.

Nevan could feel the anxiety, the excitement, the stress, and just about everything else from the people that had just stepped out and in truth he wasn't entirely sure how to feel about everything himself since he wasn't the biggest fan of biding time at the moment but he knew it was also their best option. He gave a nod to Spello and Amano "I'll be back in the center if you need me, everything should be handled here for the moment, housing is ready for them." There was already too much work to do.

Muriel, the 17 year old orphan who's parents had been sacrificed by the ship's computer during its automated programming to save power was brought to the surface with this last group. She stuck around toward the back of the crowd, letting the others go first, watching and listening as the Starfleet officers talked and the obedient Ataran population took their assignments and followed the officer that was designated to assist in their orientation and training.

She stepped up to the table, obviously younger than the rest, and considerably more objectively beautiful. She had not been tortured like those who were enslaved, and unlike Jheva and Brunel, she had been afforded comfortable living arrangements while the Serenity was operational. She had the same olive skin that Commander Spello had observed in the holoimages of the Captain, but her hair was several shades lighter.

She shrugged somewhat bashfully as she approached the first officer. "Is Jheva doing okay?" She asked.

Looking over at the young girl, Spello moved closer and moved down to where she was standing, so he was closer to her height. "She is, in fact, last I heard, she was beginning her studies to apply to Starfleet Academy." He gave her a friendly smile as he asked, "May I have your name? So I can get word to her that her friend was asking about her."

"Muriel. We don't really know each other that well, but we were in a group therapy session for those of us who had lost our parents. She seemed upset the last time I saw her. Brunel too," Muriel stated.

Maxun nodded in understanding. "Well, I can see she gets the message anyway, if you want? As for young Mister Brunel, he has actually been granted asylum by the Federation Council, and a family on board has been so kind as to adopt him as their son, as both of his parents are no longer with us."

"Sure," Muriel responded somewhat despondently. She looked down at her PADD and turned away from the table and took a few steps. She looked up to get her bearings, and realized where the other single women had gone to put her things and started walking that way.

Wrenleigh had made herself busy and had been talking to some of the Atarans in order to help them with any questions they may have had, more so the women than the men, when she noticed that a girl was walking over towards the group, so she excused herself from everyone else to go and meet her.

"Hey there," Wren said as she approached the girl with a smile, "I'm Wren, what's your name?"

"Muriel," the girl responded with a shy smile as she adjusted the bag on her shoulders. She had been been processing a lot of emotions over the last week and it had left her feeling tired and sad. Not like these hopeful looking Starfleet officers.

"It's nice to meet you, Muriel." Wren smiled a warm and genuine smile the best she could, to help Muriel feel a bit more at ease. "Let's go and have a chat somewhere out of the way that'sa bit more.. private, shall we?" She watched as Muriel nodded in reply and let Wren lead her just off to the side.

"I understand you're going through a lot of different changes and experiences right now, and I know for a fact it can be super scary, confusing and upsetting if it's all unexpected." Wren said, relaxing her normal uptight posture and opting for a more casual one instead, "Do you want to talk about anything going on that you feel like you can't share with anyone else? I promise you can tell me anything you want, anything at all."

Muriel shift her bag again, "I mean others have it worse than I do. So, I don't really think I have much room to complain honestly. It is weird though. You heard about the computer algorithm and what it did while we were in stasis?"

Wren shook her head, "Unfortunately, computers, algorithms and all that aren't really my strong suit, so I'm going to have to rely on you to tell me about it." To a degree, she was telling the truth: it really wasn't one of her strengths. "If you don't mind, of course."

Muriel made a face. "The computer decided who lived and who died."

She said the words plainly and matter-of-factly. It was something that she had processed over and over again when she realized that her parents and siblings had been culled. "Instead of taking people out of stasis who knew how to run the ship, who maybe could have landed us somewhere, when power became at issue there was an algorithm, and to save power the computer decided who the Atarans would need for a new colony. At least that's what we've been told."

Even though she had the brief overview of what was happening with the Atarans, Wren was able to put two and two together and understood the gravity of what the teen was saying. She just wanted to give her a hug and take her away from it all, keep her safe. Instead, she nodded, "So it was all automated and no one had a choice, correct? I don't believe that's even remotely fair. But hey, at least you are here, you made it, you survived." She offered a smile.

S'Niri, who had been quiet up till this point, made a snarling purr that sounded like a caracal's low rumbling vocalizations. "Sounds like someone didn't care enough for personal touch." She commented. "Whoever built your ship, anyway."

Muriel startled a bit at the cat-like sound coming from the security officer. "Something must have happened to the crew. We weren't all supposed to be in stasis at once," Muriel shook her head and lowered her voice. "But even after all of that there are still enough of them that they assume power over the others."

"They assume power? How do they do that?" Wren knew full well how they did it, but wanted to hear the girl say it herself.

"it's based on families. But how the original families came into power, I don't really know for sure. But the slaves couldn't turn the devices on the masters even if they tried. The technology is programmed to recognize certain genetic lines," Muriel told her. "My family was part of a middle class of academics, teachers, helper positions. But I don't know what they have planned for me."

"I can confidently say that whatever plans they did have for you, they're not going to happen any more. Again, you and the others are safe with us and I'm here for you as long as you need or want me around." It was quite concerning at how Muriel was talking, and the mention of the masters and slaves got Wrens blood boiling but outwardly she still maintained the warm and friendly composure. "Do you know the names of anyone in power, or can you point them out at all?"

"Four descendants of the high guard are still with us, and they haven't left the ship as far as I know. They have allies among the scientists, engineers, people who are given the illusion of some power in exchange for their service. Some just play along," Muriel said. "My parents worked for the high guard, and it was expected that I would go to school and if I showed promise I would have some favor of position because of their service."

"They're keeping people from every class back right now. I've heard that some of the scientists are telling them not to trust you guys."

"I'm not surprised - but that's not very helpful at all, is it." S'Niri purred. "What reasons did they give for not trusting us?"

Muriel looked over at S'Niri as if the answer were obvious. "Your initial officer to help with no payment was unusual. Many were looking for what benefit the Federation would get out of helping our people - assuming they themselves would become slaves," Muriel explained. "Then you let them access your computers and they leared their way of like. Our way of life is not allowed."

Under the cover of the crowd of people, Vestin made his way toward Spello and slipped something into Maxun's hand and casually looked out among the housing structures, and people coming from them to get their work assignments.

"You're trying to get everyone off of the Serenity," Vestin commented.

Feeling the small device enter his hand, Maxun acted as if nothing was amiss. While he acted as if he were discussing the habitats being built with Vestin, he quietly replied. "That is the plan. I imagine what you just gave me will be assistance in that endeavor?"

"It might," Vestin responded. "There are suspicions. The elders were hesitant to send anyone down at all."

Maxun nodded thoughtfully. He then led Vestin through the construction area, as if giving him an official tour. "Perhaps, pass onto them that, the sooner your workers," he refused to use the term slaves, as it infuriated him. "Are down here, working on your new habitat, the sooner you all can start to rebuild your society."

"The message won't matter. It's about trust right now. Mika and Dreke have told them not to trust the endeavor. If you use that, they'll know it was me. But it might be your only opportunity." Vestin didn't gesture toward what he was talking about he just kept looking ahead. "Anyway, I should get back to my people. I know you are a busy man as well."

Maxun reached out and stopped the other man with a gentle touch of his upper arm. "If you are worried of reprisals, I can offer you asylum."

Vestin started to walk away, but turned at Maxun's touch. "I'll be fine. I belong with my people. Which will likely be down here for now." Vestin continued walking, returning back toward a project he had been helping with earlier.

Maxun watched the man head back to the rest of the refugees. He hoped, for all there sakes, that there would be no major issues in freeing those that the ruling class felt were their property.

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