The Exiles

Posted on 30 Oct 2023 @ 11:48pm by Lieutenant JG Montgomery Vala & Petty Officer 3rd Class Raine Ni-ya
Edited on on 06 Nov 2023 @ 1:41pm

2,839 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 3, Multi-purpose Laboratory
Timeline: MD19 - 1130hrs

[ON]

In the lab, Raine Ni-ya's eyes were covered with goggles as she poured the liquid into the petri-dish. Sometimes, science had to be done slow. Slow science. Like slow cooking, something that Nesh had told her. Cooking something slow. Or science something slow. She used a gloved hand to pick up the sample, moving to put it safely in the containment field for observation. It wasn't anything dangerous, but it was good to have proper protocols. It was a harmless bacteria sample she had taken on Regula I. What she truly had wanted was a sample from the away team that had rescued the scientists. And access to the scientists. But no such luck.

Since arriving aboard, Vala had spent a lot of time in the second of the four multipurpose labs on Deck 3 of the Galileo. It was where much of the equipment he liked to use frequently was available, and he'd spent a lot of time calibrating each piece in its own particular way. Federation default settings were lacking.

Finally, though, he had calibrated the last of his test experiments and set them off. Skimming down his handwritten to do list his eyes arrived at the next item. Ah yes. Sofie had told him to try to meet the science team and he had intended to do so once things were set up, but setting up had taken quite a bit longer than he had intended. Still it was next on the list.

He walked down the corridor that sported the other three labs on this level and peeked the next one on the left. There was someone here! He wandered inside and spent a moment silently watching them work carefully with a petri dish. Was this a... biologist? He couldn't remember the manifest off the top of his head.

He slightly cleared his throat and addressed the fellow scientist. "Hello?"

Raine looked at him, her blue eyes focusing on his features. She cocked her head to the side, before removing the goggles. "Hello," she said and stepped to the side. She kept the gloves on though. And she took a step closer to him. Romulan. Not fully though, there was a softness to the shade of his skin, the general features, that betrayed an addition of other DNA. Her eyes focused properly om his eyes, taking in the green. A striking colour for a man with striking features. His height also added to his general appearance. Striking had been a good word. "You must be Lieutenant Vala."

"Ah my reputation proceeds me," Vala gave a half smile, "And please call me Montgomery. I do feel that the rank really only has a purpose in the lab in some very specific occasions." The woman in front of him was not of a people he had encountered before, but he was used to this in the ever diverse and expanding Federation. White scales, greyish scales on the head, blue eyes. She was striking. "You have me at a disadvantage I am afraid. My memory of the manifest is not what it should be..." He smiled slightly awkwardly.

"Raine Ni-ya," she introduced herself, watching him for a long moment. "How much of you is Romulan?" she suddenly asked, her curiosity overcoming her usual attitude of ignoring people.

Definitely a biologist of some kind, he mused. "You are an observant one Raine, most people take me for full Romulan." Well most non-Romulans at least. His whole time in the Star Empire had been dogged by those who ridiculed his heritage. "My mother's father was human. Raised Romulan though I must concede. I never really knew much about human culture until I came to the Federation." He paused for a moment. "I'm not familiar with your people I am afraid. Members of the Federation?"

"No, we're not," she said and smiled, a quick and small thing, that disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. "I'm Cereijan, my people are not members of the Federation, and even if they wanted to they would never qualify. But they're...neutral. Take no sides, don't draw too much attention." She watched him, his words echoing in her head. Why had he come here, if he had been raised Romulan? Same reasons she had? Or something else.

"I see..." Perhaps she was here for similar reasons to him, he wondered, though it was surely more likely because of some diplomatic exchange. The Federation truly was a big house and many, many people wound up in Starfleet even if they had no relation to the polity. Himself included of course. "You are here though, and given the standards around the Galileo I am sure it is to our gain." He gave her a warm look. "What is your specialism?" He nodded to the Petri dish and smiled, "My guess is something in biology."

"I am a general...science officer here. I have no specialism," she said and met his eyes, before she sighed as if she felt obliged to give him more than that. "Before Starfleet, I was a geneticist. But my specialism is banned under the Federation and I have no yet...found a new passion."

Banned? Most routine work examining genetics was typically fairly mundane but the banned stuff... well that was particularly ethically dubious. His Romulan core fired up an intense curiosity, but he tempered it as best he could. "Ah I see. They are quite strict about things here. Stricter than it was in the Star Empire for certain." He suspected some of his colleagues on Romulus would not have been as easily accepted into the Federation as he was. Thankfully in his case the ethics of particles, waves and physics in general were difficult to abuse. "What brought you aboard the Galileo, Raine? Have you been here long?"

"I have..." she stopped, as if realising something. "Since the ship went out again. A year. I've been here a year. It is my first and only posting." She frowned, looking into his eyes. "I do not feel I have done much science here in that time. Fought some Ferengi, it is important to know how to disable them."

Vala could not help but smile at that. "Well I have been on and off ships for the best part of two decades and I can assure you that is quite normal." He chuckled softly. "My last assignment ended with me fighting some Klingons and, well, I certainly did not know how to disable them." If only it had been Ferangi, he mused. "If I am honest I tend to find we have to squeeze the science in around the edges, but with such a well equipped ship maybe we will get lucky." He moved closer to her. "What are you looking at now, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I took some samples on Regula I, just doing the bacterial cultures," Raine said and motioned to the sample. "I wanted to get a sample from the people on the away team. There's a rumour the two survivors are scientists. I would have liked to talk to them."

"Oh... well I'm afraid I am a little out of the loop in that regard," Vala replied with a slightly raised eyebrow. "I have only really heard rumours of it being a challenging mission. Are the survivors aboard?"

"Yes," Raine said, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "It is hush hush, of course. But I know they are there. I am curious about them, what they know. But it is all theory. I am hardly a rank to know anything about what is going on. I tend to make my own tasks up now, because if I loiter an officer will make me observe their experiments while they do something else."

"Well I'm afraid no one has briefed me either. Perhaps they are due to leave soon?" Vala speculated, "I shall let you know if I hear anything." He had to admit he was very curious about the Galileo's last mission, but everyone had been quite cagey at the mention of it. He didn't want to tread on any toes so early in his posting here. "As for tasks, is there anything you'd like to be doing? I could... ahem... 'assign' you something so you are not bothered by anyone else. I'm not really sure what use there would be in using your talents purely for observation," he idly waved his hands towards the ceiling of the lab, "we have equipment for that."

"Things can still grow out of control," Raine said with a deep chuckle, before she held her hands up. "I am still trying to find...my talents. That doesn't include reprogramming your genetic makeup or cloning..." she glanced his way, not smiling. "It is the sort of thing that makes me wonder what colour your blood is."

"You are not wrong, but if I have anything to do with it members of this department will be doing purposeful work that makes the most of their skills," he said with assurance, "I am sure if you were skilled at such... complex things," Vala had to once again temper his curiosity, "you will find something else to your liking. I am more than happy to support. Ethically difficult as it is, genetic manipulation surely requires a high level of aptitude..." He paused, her final comment sinking in. "Uhm... green," he said in response, "Copper based. Same as Vulcans."

She looked at him with surprise at him telling her, but there was warmth in her face that those who knew her would know was extremely rare. "In that sense, I...am new," she said, after a moment. "And open for suggestions to what might suit me well. Commander Blake once said I should find a new passion that worked for me, but I was...reluctant to do so. Perhaps it is more difficult to let go of the past than I like to admit."

Didn't he know it - Vala was something of an expert in struggling to let go of the past. He felt a wave of empathy for the figure in front of him. "Well for my part, and this is only really based on my quick look over the manifest, Lieutenant Ullswater is a geologist by trade, I'm a particles and waves man myself... physics that it, and to my recollection we have a handful of anthropologists and chemists..." Have gave a warm look. "Given your previous expertise I would imagine you must have a decent handle on the biological side of things... I do believe that having someone focus on that would be useful. If you can find the inclination of course."

"I am sure I could," Raine said, somewhat surprised before she gave a small nod. "I can certainly set my mind towards it, if it is needed." And oddly, she wanted that. To be needed. For years it seemed she had just...been. Breathing. Not really doing anything or being utilised.

"Well I will bring it up with Lieutenant Ullswater when we next meet," he smiled, "I personally think it would be useful though. And you never know what we might find out in the abyss - perhaps your particular understanding of genetics will help us too."

Raine nodded again, her eyes focused on him as he spoke. "In this abyss, only blood and gore if we go from what we have discovered so far. And that the Ferengi squeal when you hurt them."

That statement gave Vala pause. He had still not found out too much about the Galileo's recent missions, and this was not the first ominous hint he had heard. "Well I... I can only hope that we manage a little more science and a little less... gore on our next assignment." He attempted a convincing smile. "I'm surprised to hear you have bumped into any Ferangi though, we are very far from their space..."

"Oh, they came onboard to try and take the ship," she said before she gave a small shrug. A small smile came to her, almost as if remembering something amusing. "I helped taking out those who came to the lab to fight us with science."

"Well you are clearly a useful sort to have around," Vala said with sincerity, "Its amazing how often one has to defend their lab on a Starfleet vessel. My last commission ended after I attempted to go hand to hand with a one-eyed Klingon to protect my station. I suspect you were more successful with the Ferangi." He chuckled, though the thought of that quick, bloody fight remained raw in his mind. "But I made it and, well the lab didn't, but such are the stakes sometimes."

He paused for a moment then moved the subject onwards, "I do not wish to keep you for too much longer Raine, but perhaps you can tell me a little more about yourself. I do not wish to only know the scientists here, I tend to find we all get on better if we all have a little bit of an understanding of the personal side of things. If you don't mind anyway."

Raine looked at him, taking a deeper breath. Then she nodded. It was only fair. "I came to the Federation seeking asylum. And been here ever since. There's..." she stopped and looked at him, studying him. "...nothing that interesting about me."

Vala cocked his head to the side and attempted a reassuring look, "I shall not press you of course, but I must say I suspect that is not true," he gave a small smile, "We all have our quirks. I've rarely met anyone truly uninteresting." He looked at her for a few moments, considering what to say next. "And that is at least one think you and I have in common. Both granted asylum here. It's rare I meet someone else in the same situation..." He coughed then cleared his throat, "But perhaps that isn't a matter for now."

Raine watched him before she tilted her head, studying him. "I was part in a failed uprising, stole a shuttle and went into Federation space as a lone survivor," she suddenly said. "Plans for sabotage, spying, spreading information amongst the cells...that sort."

"Somewhat less brave for me," Vala begun - better to go for the abridged version, "Tal Shiar... you may have heard of them... Romulan secret police. Went after me for not being Romulan enough. Then its the same: stole a shuttle and went into Federation space as a lone survivor." He sighed a little at the memory - there were a lot more painful edges to it than he let on, "And here we are in the Pleiades. That's something interesting about us both I suppose," he gave a dry laugh.

Raine laughed, unable to stop it before she shook her head, a gloved hand going to cover her mouth. "At least we can be outcasts of our own societies together," she said and met his eyes. "If you get lonely, or start questioning...see me. I will be honest in how I see life. You might not like what you hear, but I will never lie to you."

It was a ridiculous and, yes, laughable coincidence Vala had to admit, and she had been kind too. "I suppose we can. Are there any others amongst the crew?" He gave a slight snort, "I appreciate that offer. Genuinely." He returned her gaze, "I rarely meet anyone with much of a shared experience in this particular regard. And I return the offer to you. Us outcasts have to stick together I imagine." He smiled at her again.

Raine nodded as she watched him, studying him with new eyes. Shared experiences could create bonds. She had not had much of that since she had left what she had once called home. "I do not think there are any others who have...escaped the way we have. But there are others of species lesser known in the Federation. People with interesting...characteristics. I suspect you will find some common ground there too."

"It seems that an eclectic mix always end up on the frontier," he nodded, "I have met a few interesting people so far - none have been adverse to my... heritage. That's always a plus." He straightened out his uniform and stood a little more straight, "I will not take any more of your time, Raine, but let me assure you I will be happy to support you in finding your proper role in this department," he smiled, "And if it pleases you we can perhaps meet socially when time allows to learn a little more about one another," he said as he gave a respectful nod before laughing a little, "Outcasts anonymous."

[OFF]

--

Lieutenant (JG) Montgomery Vala
Deputy Science Offficer
USS Galileo-A

&

PO3 Raine Ni-ya
Science Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Rice]

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