were everywhere. Rallies supporting one side or the other intensified, becoming violent at the least provocation. The military splintered into factions that faced off against each other. The colonies were dragged into choosing sides not knowing ramifications until punishment visited them. Always in the capital, the faint odor of burning wafted into the Tal Shiar compound.
In the meetings with the students, Syll sometimes found herself unable to concentrate, letting the four sift through the data relayed to them.
When they discussed how the tree was growing weak, one of the students wondered aloud, “Perhaps if the tree were to become too ill,” he said, “then the tree could have a respite as it once had before.”
Syll rubbed her temples, feeling the coldness. “The time is not right. Circumstances dictate our course. As much as we might desire to keep the tree healthy, we require the fruit. We...”
She trailed off. Exhaustion rode her like a stone collar.
“The one we study,” Myryath said. “He believes that to keep ice from melting, he needs to grip it tighter. If the Stars of Wisdom are with us, then his time draws near.”
Syll smiled at her. “As you say. I have become the student. The tree must bear us its stars at this most critical of times or it holds no worth for us.”
“The tree is only worth something as long as it is useful?”
“Is that not what I have taught you?” she asked them.
“It is what you have taught us, Commander,” they said.
The Seigneur of the Tal Shiar order passed back a message in their regular garden meetings. After decrypting, it had said:
It does not escape my notice that the best intelligence we’ve ever received from a Starfleet officer concerns our own Romulus. The irony is deep. Let her see one of her own kind once.
They watched the guards bring the Human to Kari’s now bare cell. A female. She was strapped to a restraining device. They removed the blindfold and gag.
Syll, the two guards, the four students, and Kari who was indistinguishable from the students stood in the outer cell.
“Mistress Syll, may I have her pad, please.” Kari bowed her head.
Syll handed it to her. She had told this Human’s handler that they needed her to apply pressure to Kari. He had resisted until she reminded him that his own carelessness had been the reason that Syll even knew about the other Human.
Kari walked in and sat in front of the restrained woman.
“More torture, you bastard?” she snarled at her, straining at the bonds. “And that master mistress thing? You can forget it.”
Kari looked at her pad and hit the level two punishment button. The Human gasped and jerked.
“Say nothing, 83988.” Kari said.
“You sound...”
Kari pushed the button again. “Say nothing, 83988.”
“You’re Human! You’re Human and you work for these bastards! You traitor!”
Kari upped the level and pressed the button again. “Say nothing, 83988.”
This time the Human screamed. Fear leaked through the mask of fury. Syll couldn’t help but admire how Kari knew the controls of the pad though it was the first time she had held one. The female prisoner kept quiet this time.
“Listen, 83988.”
The Human turned her head away.
“Listen, 83988.”
The Human grimaced and turned towards Kari.
“I am Human,” Kari admitted. Syll’s finger hovered over Kari’s pad. She could not allow Kari to say anything that would compromise them. “I cannot tell you who I am. I do not know why you are here. I do not know if they will ever release you. But you may have a chance. I never will be able to return to Federation space. If you are fortunate, you may. Be strong.”
The Human laughed out her bitterness but held her tongue.
“When you return to Federation space, you will be debriefed. Please forgive yourself. There is no shame. You did your best. Tell them about me.”
Kari rose and started to leave.
“That’s it? Tell them about you? I don’t know crap about you.”
“You know all that is possible.” She looked at the pad. “What is your name, your real name?”
The Human thought a moment, suspicion plain. “I suppose it can’t hurt. My name is Seren.”
An adequate plan is all that is needed. Anything more is extravagance -- Tal Shair training
The Romulan watched the Human checking her weapons. She had even rigged together explosive devices using the mining supplies.
“I am cold,” Vain said. They’d been silent all the way home after watching the Romulan craft take off.
“We need a plan.”
“We have a plan. I need you right now.”
Seren glared at her. She wiped her hands then sat on the bed.
Vain with difficulty moved the blanket around Seren. She tried to kiss her.
“Don’t,” Seren said.
Vain pressed her lips together and rested her head on Seren’s shoulder.
“We cannot just...” Seren waved her hands. “Just sit here!”
“We can and we must. They are trying to flush us out into the open. If they knew, they would be here already. I know you are afraid, darling, but they are not as strong as they think they are.”
Seren sat staring at nothing then finally kissed her on her lips. Her eyes widened. “You’re freezing.”
“I am sorry but I am feeling unwell.”
“Dammit. I’m sorry I should have seen. You’re frightened too.”
Vain laughed a little. “Look at us. Two frightened females.”
“Yes, well I’m tired of feeling frightened. And when I find what’s frightening us, I’m going to kill it.”
Vain closed her eyes. The darkness descended and her control stole away like a dream she could not quite remember.
Seren dressed the Romulan in warm clothes and tucked her into bed. Then strapped her in. Reluctantly, she locked away the weapons just in case she broke free. When Vain cried out and thrashed, Seren sung Romulan lullabies to her. On occasion, it seemed to help. She hoped that it would not be a long spell. Sometimes it was a few hours, sometimes a few days. If a pattern existed, she could not discern it. Maybe the reminder of the sheriff had triggered this one. Or maybe the threat of the Romulans presence.
Once, when they were in Hellsbitch, Vain had thought she had glimpsed someone she knew from her past. It had sent her into a tail spin that lasted a week. That was the worst one. After that episode, she learned to strap her in. It didn’t always work. Seren had tried different things to snap her out of it. Finally, she realized there was no denying these episodes. The darkness would not release her until Vain had endured the punishment.
Seren tried not to take the ranting personally. Often, she seemed to mistake the Human for different people. Bad and good. Sometimes terrified, sometimes insanely happy, she raved.
And when she ran off into Hellsbitch... At least she now knew how to find her. And to leave her alone. Watching Vain letting herself get beat up hurt Seren. The Tal Shiar agent could easily protect herself even against multiple assailants. She just didn’t want to. The one time Seren had interfered, things had only been much worse for the Romulan. As well as for her. Her jaw still ached where Vain had broken it. It had taken weeks to get the Romulan to understand that she had forgiven her and not to run away again. When Seren had intervened, the Romulan had tried to save the attackers. Unsuccessfully. After what they’d done to Vain, Seren felt that killing them there instead of hunting them down later was more efficient. And a little more satisfactory as well. But she’d learned the lesson. Leave the Romulan alone during those episodes. She still didn’t understand the Romulan’s reasoning about leaving the attackers alive. They’d hurt Vain. They deserved to die. Vain shouldn’t try to stop her. She knew her behavior was no longer Starfleet. But those days had crumbled to dust a long time ago. They’d blown away never to return.
Neon bright clouds, flashes of lightning,
and sudden darkness defined the sky outside the window. The thought of running tempted her. The DrearGyre was immense. Colonies sprouted out everywhere. Warp lanes cut through the nebula usually in great circles. If ships displayed enough care, knew enough tricks, and enough gods were with them, they could use their warp engines. Much slower than in open space but at least with FTL speeds, ships could manage the vastness of The Drear Gyre. She wanted to run so badly it hurt but the Romulan was right. They’d be vulnerable out there. They were vulnerable here too. And there’d be no traveling as long as the darkness gripped Vain.
This episode lasted two days. Seren touched the female’s forehead and found her starting to warm. She loosened the straps and disposed of the diaper. She roused the female enough to get her to the toilet then into the shower. Exhaustion gripped her as well. But at least this seizure didn’t involve pursuing her all over Hellsbitch. It had also given her a little time to think about who was chasing them. It didn’t feel like the Tal Shiar. Too sloppy. She dried the Romulan, grateful to see her skin regain that strange slightly greenish hue. She left her in the bathroom so that she could change the sheets.
“Is being a nursemaid all you had hoped it would be?” Vain said, watching from the doorway.
“At least we’ll have a few marketable skills in case the ore runs out,” she said smiling at her.
Vain tried to smile back but her lip just trembled. “I am sorry. I am very sorry. My weakness causes you...”
“Hush now. They’re becoming rarer.”
Vain shook her head. “Still such a bad liar, Human.”
Seren helped her back to