Falling Stars [Part 2 of 2]

Posted on Sun Apr 27th, 2025 @ 1:08am by Crewman Raine Ni-ya

1,955 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: To Boldly Go
Location: Various
Timeline: Backpost

[Continued from Part 1]

[ 2388, USS Faraday]

“Shh…you’re safe, you’re in sickbay.”

Raine’s eyes flew open and she tried to move, to find herself restrained by something. She blinked against the bright light, her mind coming back to herself.

The shuttle. Pulling out of the system.

A Starfleet vessel.

Her eyes went to a woman standing there, blond hair cut short, brown eyes watching her, marks on both side of her head and down under the uniform. She knew the rank meant it was a Captain. The woman’s voice from the message then. “I’m…I’m Raine, I’m Cerejian…I request asylum,” she said, her voice low to her ears. It seemed to take a moment before reactions.

Universal translators.

She had been speaking her own language, she had to adjust now. Federation Standard, she knew it. “Thank you, for…the rescue.”

“You were pursued by three Cerejian fighter ships,” the Captain said as she studied her, clearly taking in her appearance. “We have not encountered your people before, except on trade routes. Why were they chasing you?”

Why indeed.

[9 hours earlier, Dereijan]

“We’re not safe.”

The message showed up on her wrist-pad and Raine grabbed Naiera, pulling her down a different route. She shook her head, seeing the Teachers. Armed. She kept her head down as they walked, her hand gripping Naiera’s. “It’s over,” she whispered softly and let go, her hand going to her wrist-pad and sending a codeword.

Seeing Stars.

Their abort, their evacuation. Their escape. Everyone to meet at the shuttle.

Somehow the Teachers had found out. Had there been someone in their ranks who had given them up? Had someone been careless?

It did not matter. For she heard the lockdown alarms of the facilities blaring across the air. She kept walking with Naiera, seeing more Teachers come towards them. “Naiera. You run,” she whispered and leant close, turning her and resting their foreheads together. “I’ll make sure they are busy. You run, get the others out. Please.”

“Raine…” Naiera watched her with shock, her eyes widening as she was pushed back. “No…don’t…”

Raine smiled at her before she pushed the hood back, raising her head. “End to the Cycle of Oppression and wrong Science! End to The Professors of Ideas!” she shouted, her voice carrying. A hand reached out, a Teacher and she turned, pressing her wrist-pad to the man’s neck. The discharge of plasma turned the scales green then black and he dropped. She pulled away, reaching into her cloak to pull out the firing laser, modified from a lab one. She shot at the next Teacher, the aim off. She corrected herself and the next hit went to the leg.

People were screaming.

She didn’t blame them.

This was a distraction, so that others could get out, so that Naiera…

The shot was projectile. She saw it before she heard it, the light-blue pattern spreading through Naiera’s white cloak, just at the chest level. Spreading as she dropped down and Raine’s logical brain took over.

Naiera was dead. It had been a blast from a weapon meant to go through walls. They shot her in the back.

They shot her in the back.

She cried out with anger, seeing the one who had done it as she ran towards them. Their face seemed surprise as Raine pulled her laser-knife, the blue blade hitting the arm. She felt the impact of something on her head, her vision blurring for a moment, before she sliced again. And again. And again.

[ 2388, USS Faraday]

“I was part of a movement who were…trying to stop the government eugenics programme,” Raine said as she looked at the Captain. The Trill Captain. She was now in a room known as a ready room. There were security guards next to her. She was not in shackles. It felt like she was though, as if it was something holding her in place. When she spoke, it was the facts. “We had reached the conclusion that we needed to sabotage the database and labs, in order to stop the harvesting of biomatter for…hatching the next cycle’s generation.”

“That is terrorism,” Captain Tommee Pen said, her eyes focused on her.

“Or a revolution,” Raine said as she met her eyes. “How it is seen is based on cultural and social norms at the time of the event, and past analysis. All I can say is that…we did it to save our people. And that if I am sent back, my beliefs more than my actions will see me terminated.”

She let out a breath as she sat back in her chair, watching Raine. She glanced at the man beside her, the dark-haired man. Raine studied him as well, noting the eyes and eyebrows…and the ears. Not full Vulcan. Eyes indicated Betazoid. So both. Now that was an interesting mix.

“Freedom fighter, terrorist…it is not for me to decide,” Captain Pen finally said and motioned to the man beside her. “Doctor Senak believes that you speak truthfully of your experiences as you perceived them. I will grant you asylum on this ship, Raine. But it is up a Federation review what happens to you…if it remains, or if you will be sent back, or imprisoned for your crimes.”

Raine looked down at the words, considering them for a moment. “Thank you, Captain. I…” she looked back at the Doctor, watching him. “I am willing to share all I have, my mind…my sorrow.”

[11 hours earlier, Dereijan]

She had run.

Had to run past the body of Naiera, seeing closer that there was no hope. No goodbye. No farewell. No time.

She ran through to the shuttle, getting in, her access eyed in with her biometrics. And she waited. She waited as long as she could.

No one came.

She was alone. Either they were all captured, or dead.

Or they had all been a trap.

When she piloted the shuttle out, she knew in her heart…she would never be the same again.

Who could have been?


[ 2388, USS Faraday]

“My mind to your mind, your thoughts to my thoughts.”

The Vulcan’s touch against her sensitive scales felt strange. She made herself stay still, watching the eyes closed. The skin looked so different without scales, no patterns except pores. Pores she knew about. It looked strange this close up, the eyebrows, the eyelashes. The similar shaped bits of a person.

Her eyes closed against her will as she let it flow. She was being walked through the memory, with him by her side. She stood there with no shame for what they called terrorism, but with regret and shame for what her people were. She showed him.

She showed him her soul.

You wanted war.

War is a name for the strong winning. I wanted a revolution. And we were too early, we weren’t ready…

You loved her.

As much as my people can love. Yes. Yes, I did.

You had no hope of success. Why do this?

If not I, then who else? Besides…what if we had won?

You don’t regret your actions.

I only regret that I couldn’t save the one I loved. I regret that it came to it. But I don’t regret trying to stop it.

[2388, Federation Council]

Raine was reminded of standing in front of the Professors of Ideas, yet the scenario was different. The room felt warmer, she was not shackled. She still wore grey though, just without a hood. Let them see her for what she was, no hiding behind masks or veils. Let them see her as a person. It was what Seyum had recommended. As the Vulcan to join with her mind, he had came to support her. And to testify, for her to be granted asylum.

There had been hours of interviews, reviewing the information. Questions upon questions and here she was, ready to hear if she could stay. If she could be a Federation citizen based on her need, rather than what she was.

“Raine Rayetso…we thank you for all your patience in this,” the Betazoid woman spoke first, a small smile on her lips as she watched her. It was meant to be reassuring and Raine found herself annoyed by it instead.

“Ni-ya,” she finally said, looking at her. “Raine Ni-ya. A new name for…a new future, whatever it might be.”

“Ni-ya,” she said and gave her a small nod, and if she could sense Raine’s emotions, she did not betray them. “We have listened to the testimonies. We recognise that if you were to be returned to your people, you would…most likely die. So we are letting Captain Pen’s decision stand, and formally grant you a place in the Federation as a citizen. You’re safe here.”

Raine let out a shaky breath, closing her eyes as she reached to put her gloved hands on the desk. “Thank you,” she said, her voice low.

“We will find you housing, on a planet you’re comfortable with,” the male Cairn said as he watched Raine, the vocal enhancer something that had fascinated Raine the moment she had stepped into the room. “And something to do.”

“I want to join Starfleet,” Raine said, opening her eyes to watch them. “I was saved by Starfleet and I can give back. I have been a scientist all my life.”

A silence fell in the room and Seyum frowned, turning to Raine with a raised eyebrow in warning. Do not push that rock up the hill.

Raine did not notice. Actually, she did. She did not care. As simple as that, she did not care. “I can give back,” she said, firmly, looking at the panel. “I understand the….reluctance. I know what I have done, what I am. What my people are,” she gave a small smile, shaking her head. “Put restrictions on it. You’re worried about me going unethical with the bioengineering? Then limit it. Put in clauses and make sure I can’t cross that line. Let me prove to you that I am more than what I was bred to be.”

“We…will consider your words.”

[Present day, USS Fenrir]

“You alright there?”

The Bajoran Ensign gave a small smile to Raine as he approached her, carrying a PADD. “Just, you’ve been staring, you see. At the wall. Not even at anything.”

Raine turned her head to look at him, her head tilting a little to the side. “I was just thinking,” she said and reached for the PADD. “Are those the tests you wanted me to run, Ensign Kol?”

He grinned at that, nodding as he let her take it. “Just…take your time with them, they’re nothing special. Just a side project I got running, on algae. Fascinating stuff, really, the structural similarities of known algae across different planets.”

“Yes. Fascinating,” Raine said drily, watching him for a long moment.

And yet, at least here, she was safe. And useful. And she was making a new life here. At least…she had the chance to.

And she had a lot of people to thank for it. Some alive, some dead. Some she had no idea what they were doing now. Yet here she was, with a new life and a new name. It mattered.

It had to.

[OFF]

Crewman Raine Ni-ya
Science
USS Fenrir
[PNPC Hanlon]

 

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