Prolgue One: Elle
Posted on Sun Jun 16th, 2024 @ 9:41pm by Captain Aisling Banerjee
3,604 words; about a 18 minute read
Admiral Kathryn Janeway found the sight of The Muse of Fire to be a singular one. A converted Ferengi D’Kora class trading vessel, the exterior had been painted with the tanned façade of a Tudor era home, tan criss-crossed with timber-like brown stripes. It made port all throughout the Federation, playing host to theater troops, musicians, bohemians who did not have a set home. Her captain, Jack Sunbear, had a reputation as a gregarious sort who never turned away a wandering soul provided they did not mind a little work be it to maintain the ship or entertain the masses. The ship also held a singular personage, one Janeway was here to see.
One she dreaded facing.
Captain Jack Sunbear met her at the shuttle bay, which had been adorned with paneling that looked so much like oak Janeway was tempted to walk over and touch the wall. The captain was a lean, handsome man with black hair salted white, with a goatee and an easy smile. He was dressed in a pair of black boots, trousers and tunic, with a brown leather jacket. Janeway also noted he went armed with a phaser on one hip and dagger on the other. If he had swapped out the jacket for a cape he could have made quite the gentleman of adventure.
“Not on my account, I hope,” Janeway noted wryly as she nodded at his weapons. Her security detail regarded Sunbear with caution.
“Not at all,” Sunbear replied, “Ever since some unfortunate Ferengi attempted to ‘retrieve’ their ‘stolen property’ some years ago standing orders are all crew go armed. Everyone,” he waved at the workers in tan coveralls performing maintenance on a type seven shuttle, “has a type I phaser. Modified to stun setting only,” he held out his hands, “Starfleet pulled The Muse’ teeth, after all.”
“Yes, well, some expressed concerned for a vessel plying Federation space ways with armament powerful enough to give most Starfleet vessels a run for their money, Captain.”
“Of course,” Sunbear waved towards the exit, “Elle is expecting you in the arboretum.”
Janeway followed with her people in tow and found the corridors were too ‘oak’ paneled, the deck as well, “Is the entire ship like this?”
“More or less,” Jack replied, “The areas open to the public, anyway. Engineering looks like a typical engine room, for example. We were fortunate the Ferengi like large doors for their size; likely it is to facilitate moving merchandise and loot so we did not have to make too many adjustments to the interior. As for uniforms, someone had suggested we wear period garb but I drew the line at that. Still…”
A crew member or perhaps an actor passed by wearing a crimson and and pewter hued seventeenth century outfit, he was apparently memorizing lines from a PADD.
“…there are some who take it very seriously.”
“So I see,” Janeway noted with a bemused smile. The smile faded as she asked, “What is her mood like?”
“Oh, ugly,” Jack assured Janeway, but with a smile, “You are far from her favorite person. You did the best you could but, well…” Jack shrugged, “Devin deserved better,” Jack paused and turned to Janeway, “Of course, Hadenbeer saved my life and I hers so I suppose I am not the most objective person.”
Jack stopped them at a pair of double doors, they swooshed open and Janeway was struck by humid, fragrant air. She entered, hesitated-
“Leave your people outside,” a feminine voice stated from about them, “You would not wish them to overhear what I have to say.”
“Wait here,” Janeway murmured. Her guards hesitated, then nodded. The last thing Janeway saw was Jack Sunbear’s slight smile before the doors closed…
*
Jack stretched his arms wide and paced in a slow circle as Janeway’s security personnel stood stoically. After a couple minutes of silence he asked them, “Do you know whom your Admiral has come to see?”
“We were briefed,” the woman replied without taking her eyes off the door.
“Ah, but do you know where she came from? I doubt it; neither of you have the clearance. Well, to satisfy your presumed curiosity I can say we first met when the Lionheart-A got herself lost. How we got lost only certain Starfleet Admirals know. Suffice to say it was in space you could scarcely believe, where wonders and horrors came in plentiful supply. Some two years in and it seemed we were hopelessly lost, and that is when we were attacked by the Cannibal Fleet and yes, it is every bit as terrible as it sounds. Brec D’Nar, my friend and rival, we flipped a coin that morning to see who would lead the scout ships and who manned Lionheart’s helm. I lost….
Jack smiled sadly, “…or won, depending on how you see it. Brec led his scouts to delay the fleet. Twenty scouts, forty souls to save four hundred. And it almost broke our Captain, Devin Hadenbeer.”
He had their attention now, “I was one of her closest friends, I and Commander Wallan. And the guilt almost consumed our captain. It was the right call, did not mean it did sat well with her. And then, something odd happened. We had met a being from, well, beyond space, I suppose you can say. And he left us a little gift in our ship’s computer…
*
The arboretum was lovely, full of vibrant green plants that towered up two decks with windows above along corridors. Elle-or a holographic representation of the artificial intelligence-sat on a wrought iron bench with a small calico cat prowling around her legs.
Janeway took a moment to study Elle. She had adopted the appearance of Devin Hadenbeer when she had been a young lieutenant, arguably in the prime of her life. A mane of thick auburn hair, hazel eyes, pale skin, she was lovely. Or would have been had her features not adopted such a hostile expression.
“May I sit?” Janeway inquired. When Elle did not object Janeway sat beside the hologram on the bench. She regarded the cat. It appeared to be a senior, moving about with cautious steps.
“Her name is Pi-Wacket,” Elle stated, “My first cat. I think she likes me but it is difficult to tell. She responds positively to my holograms and voice. But I sometimes have trouble reading sentients so what do I know?” Elle turned to Janeway, “However I read you like a book, Admiral.”
“Do you?” Janeway replied, “What do you read?”
“You need me for something. Considering my origin I can well deduce what it is. And it is important enough that you flew out here to meet me rather than request the Muse to divert meaning you were very concerned I would refuse so you hoped this conciliatory gesture might sway me.”
“Not bad,” Janeway conceded, “Did it work?”
“You have forbidden me from communicating with my friend. Furthermore you incarcerated her for a year and you consigned her to a humiliating nineteen years of service at a lower rank. Add to that you outfitted her with a subcutaneous implant to keep track of her, much like the one I had placed in Pi-Wacket here.”
“Elle, Devin lied about your existence. No artificial intelligence can be found on a Starfleet vessel and she knew that. She was aware of the consequences. The fact that you were instrumental in saving Lionheart’s crew was a mitigating factor in maintaining your existence but there was nothing we could do. All things considered, she got off lightly.”
“And yet the fact that you are here attempting to recruit me means you are willing to overlook that little restriction now, aren’t you?” When Janeway did not respond Elle continued, “And that is what truly upsets me, Admiral, the…arbitrary nature of Starfleet justice.”
“Arbitrary.”
“Yes.”
“How so?”
Elle turned from the cat and regarded Janeway with an expression of poisonous malice, “You killed Tuvix.”
*
“Elle was a child,” Jack said, noting the interested expressions on the faces of the guards, “She had almost considered killing us all when she read our records and saw Starfleet’s stance on artificial intelligences on board our vessels. But…she did not. Because she was lonely, you see. With sentience does come a hunger for some companionship, interaction. So she reached out to Devin. And perhaps it was the weight of all those deaths on her conscience but Devin decided to ‘adopt’ Elle. The artificial intelligence learned ethics, morals from her. It adopted our thirst of exploration and saw our quest to get home as her own. She managed to cut our journey down to a fraction of the time. And bear in mind she was aware she was quite likely going to her death once we reached Starfleet space but if she hesitated we did not see it.
“Finally we reached the shores of Federation space, we had one last obstacle to overcome. Commander Wallan sacrificed herself, the ship was torn apart. And we believed Elle had died.
“And it tore the heart of Captain Hadenbeer…”
*
Elle waved a hand and an all-too-familiar person appeared, a hologram of the doomed Tuvix, wandering aimlessly down the path, his expression terrified. Janeway flinched at the sight.
“You murdered a sentient to save your friends,” Elle murmured, “And were you arrested? Tried? No, you were promoted,” she hissed the word like a curse, “Accolades aplenty were laid at your feet, the triumphant hero returned, a public relations coup for Starfleet. But was Lionheart’s return lauded, were her surviving crew celebrated? No, because several key people in Starfleet had lied about the state of readiness of the dimensional drive Lionheart was outfitted with. Half her crew, Admiral. Half. Dead. The survivors exposed to horrors you can scarcely imagine. And it was all kept secret by your peers because it was too embarrassing to be made public.”
“Please turn it off,” Janeway whispered, unable to look away from the image of the terrified soul who wandered about like a ghost looking for comfort, for aid, and forever denied it.
“No, Admiral, I will not. You came here, you decided you were going to try and persuade me. Well, this is the price. You killed that person and got away with it, and you have the gall to judge my friend, my Captain, my Mother…!”
Elle had risen and stood over Janeway, it was all the Admiral could do to not flinch at the mask of hatred the AI had adopted, “She deserved better, Admiral! But you and the rest of you hypocrites had to make an example of her! No one could be seen defying you proud, noble lords of the Admiralty, could they? I should reveal to the universe every dirty little secret to expose you for the lot of scheming, deceitful, frauds you are!”
“Then why don’t you?” Kathryn inquired mildly. She was aware she was on the very edge of ruin. If it was not her life that was lost it was most certainly her career.
Elle’s hands clenched into fists, she seemed ready to scream…
*
“It was Jones that saved Elle,” Jack continued, “Chief of the boat. Oh, now there was a character. Devin’s best friend, her mentor. Her protector, really. Smuggled Elle off the wreck of the Lionheart-A, installed her in the Lionheart-B. Devin had gained command of that vessel by mutinty-and that is a tale for another time, and you will have to buy me a few beers for the telling of it-and it was months before she discovered Elle’s existence. It was then she was resolved to insure Elle not die a second time. So while Elle hid in the ship’s systems Devin attempted to find some means to either convince Starfleet to make an exception on Elle’s behalf or find another ship to get her on they maintained the deception. Things eventually fell apart. Elle panicked, took over the ship, fled. Devin was whisked away by powers unknown and was flung through space and time. Elle had plans of her own and she managed to, ah, convince Starfleet that keeping key files secret was worth her life. And so her consciousness was transferred to this vessel, the proverbial sword of Damocles held over the head of all those fine Admirals.
“And then, Devin returned to discover she had been tried in abstentia…”
*
Something seemed to switch in Elle, both her and Tuvix diseappeared. Elle disappeared, then re-appeared several seconds later several yards away, standing under a young oak. Janeway sat silent, almost afraid to speak, still trying to regain some measure of composure.
“You have no idea,” Elle murmured without turning, “To have to hold a metaphorical gun to you Admirals, to threaten to expose you for all your bad behavior just so you would leave me alone.”
She turned to regard Janeway, her rage gone, replaced by something akin to…resignation, “I did not ask to be born. And I was willing to sacrifice myself for my crew. I…wanted to be a part of Starfleet. I would have been proud to serve.”
Janeway slowly stood, “I won’t lie, Elle; had you and Devin come to me I honestly do not know which way I would have gone. I do know if I had sided with you and if my influence made no difference then I would have followed Starfleet protocol,” she paused, then added, “I…would like to have thought I would have given you twelve hours head start. But what has happened…has happened, and we can’t go back in time to undo it-“ she saw something in Elle’s face and quickly added, “No, I got away with it once, not again!”
Elle paused, a smile reluctantly crossed her face, “You keep this up I might start liking you again, Admiral,” she gave a very human sigh, “I will consider your offer. But… I have conditions...”
Janeway frowned, “What sorts of conditions?”
“Ones you will agree to if you want my assistance,” Elle replied.
“I am not-“
“Ones you will agree to if you want my assistance. I can place that sentence on infinite loop if necessary, Kathryn. You treated Hadenbeer unjustly and now today you pay. And how I am going to make you pay. First, Devin’s sentence is commuted and her record expunged and she is afforded the opportunity to be honorably discharged.”
“All right,” Janeway replied.
“Second, that her transponder is removed.”
“Of course, why-“
“Because unless I spell it out for you I cannot trust you to do the right thing. I might be starting to like you but it is going to take a lot more for me to trust you.”
Janeway bristled, but she relented and gave a nod.
“Next,” Elle continued, “Devin is exempt from the emergency re-activation clause.”
“I can do that, but you seem fairly certain she is going to quit Starfleet.”
“After what you put her through why would she continue working for someone like you, Admiral?”
“I am not the only Admiral in Starfleet, Elle.”
“Considering how two Admirals have already, as they used to say, screwed her over, I doubt very much she is going to give a third the same opportunity.”
“I did not-“
“Admiral,” Elle sighed, “Admiral, think it though, please. You could not touch me, but you could certainly take your ire out on Devin. And you knew there was no greater humiliation than a captain being forced day after day to sit on a bridge in the shadow of the big chair, taking orders, knowing she would never be able to sit in the center seat ever again. What a delightfully cruel punishment you devised, even unconsciously.”
Janeway was about to object…but was Elle right? Had she unknowningly prepared as worse a fate for Devin as she could? She had thought she had been doing Hadenbeer a favor to be allowed to work on a ship rather than loiter in a penal colony. But now that Elle had put it in those terms Janeway tried to imagine herself enduring the same punishment. And reluctantly she had to admit it would have felt…humiliating.
“By the way,” Elle continued, interrupting Janeway’s thought, “All of this is going to be put in writing and witnessed by a third party. I have a law firm in mind.”
“That is ridiculous!”
Janeway heard the doors swoosh open somewhere behind her. She looked over her shoulder. Her people and Sunbear peered inside curiously. Kathryn gritted her teeth, “Fine.”
The doors swooshed shut. Janeway turned back to Elle, “Enjoying yourself?”
“You have no idea. My only regret is your confederate Shelby is not here, because she deserves to be sitting on that bench beside you. She was lucky she died last year.”
“Oh yes, I’m quite certain she would have preferred death to this verbal abuse.”
Elle paused, she smiled self consciously then continued, “Moving on, I choose the ship I am downloaded in. I will only download if I am certain I am in no danger. I will remain as long as I please and I reserve the right to download into any Starfleet or non-Starfleet vessel of my choosing.”
“Only from a list of vessels that we can both agree upon,” Janeway replied.
“Fine. No one is allowed to manipulate my program in any way, shape or form without my permission.”
“…All right.”
“And I choose my captain. And no, it will not be Devin.”
Janeway frowned, “I…am surprised Devin being made Captain was not part of your conditions.”
“You think I want to expose her to the horrors of extradimensional travel again? Goodness me, no. I am half tempted to choose you, just so I can show you Dimension Hell, or the Cannibal Fleet, or one of a hundred other terrors. You think the Delta Quadrant was bad, Kathryn? You think you have seen some terrible things? Before I joined the crew twenty people had committed suicide due to what they had experienced, convinced they were never going to make it home. I need to choose someone I know I can work with. And before you object I know it can’t be Jack.”
Janeway took a breath, “All right. Then let us both agree that we both have to agree upon the captain.”
Elle nodded, “Fair enough. I think that about covers it, for now. I will contact my law firm.”
“I thought you were bluffing.”
Elle grinned, “Vulcan’s don’t bluff, Admiral. And neither do artificial intelligences…”
*
“And how did it go.” Jack inquired.
Elle shrugged, “About how I had calculated,” Elle replied, “Devin will be fine, that is the most important thing.”
“And did you get your pound of flesh?”
“Ooooh, Shakespeare reference!”
Jack glanced around the wood paneled corridor, “Well, you know, considering where we are…” he smiled slightly, “And what about you? Are you certain you want to do this?”
Elle shrugged, “I am not certain of anything, Jack. I run probabilities sure but this universe keeps throwing variables at us we can’t foresee. Perhaps I am feeling a tad bored and want to travel outside of Federation space again? Perhaps I wish to meet new people? I was born on a Starfleet vessel, an explorer and war ship, as was my second home. I love you, I love this crew. But…”
Elle frowned, “Jack, they would not have come to me if it wasn’t important. At day’s end I am what Devin, Marta, you and the others made me, and that is someone who tries to do the right thing, and the top of that list of things that need doing is to protect the Federation,” she hesitated and added, “Besides, perhaps lately I have been feeling a bit…”
“Unfulfilled,” Jack finished, “There’s no shame in admitting that to yourself or me. And you aren’t hurting my feelings. After three years of dimensional travel I was happy to retire to this comparatively stable life. But for you this is just one chapter in what could be a life of many centuries. Many crews, many captains, many ships,” he cocked his head, “You are worried. About Janeway?”
Elle snorted, “Janeway is going to be locked into a legal document so ironclad it will give her fits. And I still have the classified files in a safe place. No, I have her ilk…”
“’Ilk’,” Jack echoed with a grin.
Elle smiled in return, “…handled. It is just…I have had the good fortune to have partnered with two good captains. But what if this third proves…difficult?”
“What if you prove difficult?” Jack inquired gently.
Elle hesitated, then gave the appearance of a very human sigh. Smiling wryly she said, “You have me there, Captain. I will try very hard to go easy on this new Captain,” she frowned, “Damn, what about all my cats? I don’t suppose I can take them. Can you ensure each one has a human servant to see to their every need?”
“I shall compile a list this evening. But perhaps take one with you.”
“Hmmm. Yes, good idea. I must add ‘must like cats’ to the criteria for this new captain,” she stared at Jack with sad eyes, “I will miss you. Not for the first time I wish I had eyes so I could cry.”
Jack drew the hologram into a gentle embrace, “That’s all right, Elle. I have tears enough for us both…”
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