STAR TREK: PHOENIX
S02ME09
“To Be a Fly on the Wall”
Maia relaxed into her chair in Ten Forward, a drink in hand. Synthehol, of course, because she was on duty, and the last thing she’d ever do was drink on duty.
“Say what you will about our guest,” Rodriguez said with a grin as he nursed a margarita. “But she makes the finest margaritas I’ve ever had.”
“Of course I do.” Adagio Dazzle scowled at them from behind the bar. “Not like I have anything else to do on this ship.”
Rodriguez chuckled. “I think you know that is not true, Miss Dazzle. Quite the opposite; you have much opportunity here.”
Adagio’s scowl softened as she ducked under the counter and brought up another bottle to serve a guest. “Maybe.” She uncorked the bottle, poured something obnoxiously orange into a shot glass, and handed it over to the waiting officer. “It’s… different, at least.”
“Different from being worshipped as a goddess, you mean?” asked Preta, gulping at some syrupy confection that made Maia gag just looking at it.
Adagio loosed a laugh that tingled every one of Maia’s nerves in a surprisingly pleasant way. “That’s putting it mildly. But yes, it’s different. I think I might be enjoying myself, even.”
“Well, please be remembering that you are not required to volunteer in here,” Rodriguez pointed out as he sipped his drink. “So if it is not to your liking, you can always leave.”
Adagio raised a bushy eyebrow at him, her mouth shrinking to an uncertain frown. “Hmph. Is that so?” She looked away as someone else ordered a drink, which she quickly fetched. “I’m fine where I am.”
Maia normally hated situations like this. Loafing about in Ten Forward with a drink in her hand while the Sirens tend bar, wait tables, or in Aria's case, enthrall an enthusiastic crowd with an impromptu solo concert. Definitely not a duty she'd ever volunteer for. Duties like these fit the lazy kind of security officer, in her mind. The kind who didn't take their role seriously and just wanted to coast along. She'd met a number of such officers over her career. Most of them never made it past a few away missions.
She preferred action, conflict, and fighting. Especially the fighting. It had been such a part of her life for so long that she’d learned to crave it, to love it. Struggling to survive the moment, to make it to the next day, the next obstacle, the next opponent. It excited her like nothing else could.
That’s why she loved sparring with Twilight Sparkle so much, why she’d befriended the mare despite their initial differences. It was why she happily accepted the posting on the Phoenix, knowing that no matter where the Phoenix itself went or what their mission was, she’d always have Twilight around.
These Sirens weren’t so bad either, once you got past their dismissive attitudes. She found her attention drifting away from the bar conversation and onto Aria, who appeared to be reaching the climax of her song. Maia couldn’t understand the words, but she didn't need to. She could feel the emotions radiating across the room with every note. They swirled around her, filling her ears with a haunting melody, a tale of sorrow, of revenge… and freedom.
When Aria finished her song, Maia watched in fascination as Aria beamed before the crowd’s applause. As Aria approached the bar, Maia waved her over, “What was that song about?”
Aria shrugged. “Life,” she grumbled. She smacked a hand on the bar. “Hey Adagio, I’m thirsty.”
Adagio swung her head around, her bushy hair whipping into the wall behind her. “What do you want?” she grunted.
“I don’t care, just something cold. My throat’s parched.”
As Sonata wandered over to join them, Rodriguez raised a finger. “Might I make a suggestion? Miss Dazzle, ask the replicator for a glass of orxata de chufa.”
Shrugging, Adagio did so, and returned with a glass of odd-looking liquid. It looked like a slightly brown-colored milk, though Maia quickly abandoned that thought when she caught a whiff of the drink as Adagio placed it on the bar. “What is that?”
“It is a drink made from tiger nuts,” Rodriguez answered as Adagio handed the glass to Aria, who eyed it warily. “It is a different form of orxata from the more popular version, which is made from rice. This is something I drank almost every day as a young boy growing up in Barcelona, just the thing for cooling your throat after exercise. Try it.”
Aria made a face, smelled at the glass, her face twisted more, then she tried drinking it. As she swallowed, she smacked her lips together and cocked her head at the glass. Then she drank again, this time slower, savoring the taste before she swallowed. “Huh. That’s actually pretty good.”
“It is,” Rodriguez said, his eyes twinkling. “It is even better with fartons. Every time I visited me Tiá in Valencia, she’d make them from scratch. The replicator never seems to capture the recipe right.”
“Did he just say fart-ons?” whispered Sonata.
“I’m pretty sure that’s not what he said, stupid,” Aria whispered back.
“Actually, it is more or less what he said,” Maia interjected. “It’s–”
Maia trailed off when she heard the sound of boots thundering down the hallway towards them. A second later the doors to Ten-Forward swished open, revealing a slightly winded Lieutenant Zhidar. He grinned fiercely as he said, “There you Sirens are.”
“Yup, that’s us!” Sonata chirped, holding a hand to her breast.
Adagio grunted wordlessly at Sonata as she shot her a fierce glare, then turned to Zhidar. “Ah, the dog man. What can we do for you this time?”
“I’m…” Zhidar shook his head and chuckled. “Nevermind. I’m here on behalf of Admiral Nechayev.”
Maia watched the three Sirens freeze in place, matching looks of anger twisting their otherwise beautiful features. “Nechayev, hmm?” Adagio asked. She brought a hand up to twist some hair around her finger. “She must be the admiral that Sunset Shimmer mentioned. So, what does this admiral want with us?”
Zhidar glanced at Maia briefly before answering, “She wants to meet with you at your convenience. She has some questions.”
“Questions.” Adagio let loose a quiet, menacing cackle that lit up Maia’s nerves like she’d been doused in ice water. All pleasant feelings vanished in an instant, replaced with a hostile, untrusting aura. “Tell me. What happens if we refuse?”
”Well–” Zhidar’s mouth snapped shut. He looked at Rodriguez, then the two of them looked right at Maia, who met their seemingly blank stares with one of her own. Whatever answer they wanted, she had none to give.
Adagio eyed all three of them, then broke into a bitter laugh. “I see. So much for the Federation's claims of safety and security.” She slapped a hand down on the bar and glared at them. “In the end you're no better than—”
Maia’s shot up out of her chair, her hand whipping out to rest atop Adagio’s. “Don’t,” Maia said. “Let us explain.”
Adagio’s lizard-like eyes bored into Maia’s like twin phasers, scouring away anything and everything in their path to get down to her very core, to see if she was truly sincere, or if she should burn. Her lips pulled back to show her teeth. “Unhand me, human,” Adagio hissed as her eyes flared briefly with crimson light. “Unless you want to find out how sharp these teeth really are.”
“Sounds fun,” Maia quipped as she slowly released Adagio. “Maybe later, if you’re into that sort of thing.”
Sonata suddenly sprouted from behind Adagio, causing Maia to take a step back. “Come on, Adagio, just hear her out. It can’t be that bad, right?”
Adagio’s lips pulled back as she growled wordlessly at Sonata. Then with a sigh she turned back to Maia. “Fine. You’re not my type anyway.” She leaned against the bar and propped her head up by her palms. “Alright, so go ahead then. Explain.”
“Admiral Nechayev is a high-ranking officer,” Rodriguez said after a moment of giving Maia an odd look. “She is having much control over what the Phoenix can or cannot do. She is likely to be giving Liang orders as we speak. But what she is most wanting is—”
“She wants to interrogate you,” Maia said matter-of-factly. “Probably hoping to use your powers too.”
Standing up straight, Adagio took a step or two back from the bar, just out of Maia’s reach, and her aura slightly flared up again. “We won’t allow it,” she declared.
“Nor will we,” Zhidar grumbled just barely above a whisper, smacking one fist into his palm. “Screw Nechayev.”
“What my boss means,” Maia added, “is that we’re on your side. And first thing’s first. She did say at your convenience.”
“Meaning you can wait as long as you want,” said Rodriguez, his grin turning sly. “I am sure she cannot be complaining if you make her wait an hour or two.”
The doubt in Adagio’s eyes dwindled, though only by a little from what Maia could tell. “And then what?”
“And then we’ll be doing everything in our power to ensure no one forces you to do anything you don’t want to do,” Rogriguez promised.
Zhidar flashed the Sirens a toothy grin. “Agreed.”
“Absolutely,” Maia thirded.
The three Sirens exchanged a few looks, then shrugged as one. “Very well then,” Adagio said, her cocky smirk slipping back into place. “I suppose there’s no harm in… hearing her out. After a while, of course.”
They descended back into conversation for a while, with Adagio and Sonata making the occasional pithy comment about other people in the lounge while Aria took a seat next to Maia and began discussing fighting styles with her. “I still can’t believe some of the moves you pulled against that pony.”
Maia brushed a hand against her shoulder and shrugged. “I’ve had decades to learn. Been fighting my whole life in one way or another.”
“Yeah?” Aria leaned over the bar. “You wanna tell me about some of it?”
Maia had to bite her tongue to keep from groaning out loud. She hated this question every time it came up. People liked to pry all the time. They wanted to know what made her tick, how she handled basic situations growing up, all so they could constantly go “oh you poor child” and piss away their time with needless sympathy and pity. She only told Twilight after demanding that the egghead not pull even an ounce of that crap on her. Every fiber of Maia's being was screaming at her to say no once again.
But when she looked at Aria, the word died on Maia's tongue. In her eyes Maia saw curiosity and amusement instead of scorn and sympathy. She wasn't sure how, but she began to feel like maybe, just maybe, she had finally come across someone who could relate to her story in some way.
“Alright, sure,” she said. “What do you want to know about?”
Aria’s smile turned calculating. “I want to hear all about what it was like when you Federation people found the base the Dominion held us on.”
A chuckle burbled its way out of Maia’s throat before she could repress it. “Eh, that’s actually pretty boring. At least till we got to the automated defenses.”
Eyes twinkling, Aria leaned even more forward. “Yeah?”
Maia went into detail about the various disruptor cannons and photon grenades, and the slog of crawling through it all. “It was only thanks to Commander Shimmer that we escaped without heavy casualties.”
“Though that cowardly Vorta certainly tried to kill us all,” Zhidar chimed in.
“Vorta, hmmm?” Adagio’s silky tone slithered its way back into the conversation as she stepped over to them, holding up a bottle of what looked like Aldeberan whiskey. “I thought we’d finished that little worm off.”
Zhidar grunted. “If only. No, the fool trapped himself in his command center and forced us to break in before he blew up the entire base.”
Adagio halted in mid-pour, her eyes fixed on Zhidar. “He’s still alive?”
“Yes.”
Sonata let out a massive gasp as her hands clasped the sides of her head. “He is?!”
“We took him prisoner,” Maia answered.
“Oh really,” Aria said, stretching out the word with her usual snarl. “Is that so?”
“Well then, girls, I believe things just got a whole lot more interesting, don’t you?” Adagio commented. She waved her two sisters over to her and the three proceeded to whisper for close to ten minutes, occasionally sending Maia and Zhidar furtive glances.
Maia could tell something was up when they finally turned back around, each wearing a matching smirk. “Mind telling us what that was all about?”
“You’ll find out,” Adagio said. “Now, where were we?”
In retrospect, Maia decided, as amusing as it was to see Nechayev’s stupid face scrunched up like she’d eaten a bowl full of lemons, the dirty look Captain Liang cast her left her feeling somewhat flustered. She and Zhidar might’ve interpreted his orders too well.
But if they had, he gave no other outward sign as he rose to greet the new arrivals. “Ah, Miss Dazzle, Miss Dusk, Miss Blaze, please, come in, sit. Allow me to introduce you to Admiral Nechayev from Starfleet Intelligence.”
Maia couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Nechayev’s eyes blazing with indignation, even as the admiral visibly swallowed it away. “Thank you for coming to see me,” she said, her words only containing a slight basting of fury rather than being drenched in it. “I appreciate you taking time out of your… busy schedule.”
Taking a stand by the door next to Zhidar, Maia had a perfect vantage point to see everyone’s expressions, including Commander Shimmer’s barely restrained mirth. “I did say they were volunteering in Ten-Forward, Admiral,” Shimmer said. “And this is typically the busiest time of the day there.”
“So you did,” Nechayev replied, her voice reverting to her usual cold tone.
Adagio stood up briefly and, to Maia’s surprise, gave the Admiral a quick bow. “We are humbled to meet such an esteemed leader of your people,” she said, her tone as insincere as it was syrupy. “I will speak on behalf of me and my sisters, if that suits you.”
Maia had to focus intently to keep a neutral expression, and a quick glance around the room told her everyone else was having similar difficulties with Adagio's theatrics. Even the normally stoic Zhidar was fighting back a scowl. Or a look of amusement, Maia couldn’t be sure which sometimes when it came to him.
Nechayev, however, seemed to swallow it without a hint of suspicion. If anything, the praise seemed to puff the admiral up instantly, like a peacock strutting about a meadow in all its glory. Maia began to wonder if these Sirens weren't even more cunning than she had already given them credit for. “It does, and thank you.” She gestured to her right. “The other gentleman you have yet to meet is Captain Picard, from the U.S.S. Enterprise. You will understand why he is here soon enough.”
Adagio continued to play her game by coyly holding out her hand palm down towards Picard. “An honor, sir Captain.”
Picard arched an eyebrow even as he favored Adagio with a diplomatic smile. “The honor is mine, Miss Dazzle,” he said as he briefly took her hand, though thankfully he didn’t actually kiss it like Maia feared he might. She wasn’t sure she could’ve stood that sight without feeling somewhat ill.
Adagio gave Picard one last fake smile and sashayed over to her chair, sitting down. “Now then, Admiral, Your loyal pet Zhidar tells me you have some questions for us. I do hope this won't take too long. I, or rather, we, have customers to attend to.”
“I do.” Nechayev took up her PADD and tapped the screen with her stylus. “Let’s confirm a few things first. You three are Sirens, sorceresses from the planet Equus, correct?”
Adagio nodded. “Sorceresses is not the word we would use, but yes, we hail from Equus.”
“And you’re out here among the stars because you were banished from your planet for using dark magic in an attempt to conquer pony society.”
A twitch of her eyebrow was the only sign of Adagio’s displeasure at such a direct accusation as she replied, “We don’t use dark magic, Admiral. We’re not foolish enough to let such corruption into our souls. And we don’t need to.” She held a hand up to her throat and spread her fingers out across it. “Our voices suffice.”
Shimmer raised a hoof, her expression contrite. “I apologize, I know this is… in dispute. When I initially explained your existence I could only go on what history I’d learned.”
“So you say,” Adagio replied, though she nodded all the same.
Nechayev frowned as she jotted down a note on her PADD. “But you don’t deny that you tried to conquer the ponies.”
Adagio’s face briefly flashed in an almost pained expression as she squinted back. “We do deny it. We weren’t trying to conquer anyone. We were starving. Shimmer may have told you as much already, but as Sirens, we depend upon negative emotions to sustain our magic, and we need our magic to live.” Her smile slipped, then disappeared. “We did what we had to do to survive. It is not our fault if this was grossly misinterpreted by that wretched unicorn Starswirl.”
Nechayev visibly rolled her eyes, her smile turning condescending. “I see. So not unlike most any wild creature,” she continued jotting on her PADD as she talked. “You resort to violence when starved of your basic needs. Should we assume you are or could become a threat then?”
A ripple in her lip briefly showed off Adagio’s razor-sharp fangs. “A threat? The only one who’s said anything threatening so far, Admiral, is you.”
“Forgive me,” Nechayev said, her tone betraying the lie to her words, at least to Maia’s ears. “It wasn’t my intent to provoke you.”
“Williams is right. Total fishwife,” Zhidar said under his breath. Maia leaned over to elbow him into silence.
Adagio interlaced her hands and set them on the conference table. “Of course not,” she said, her smile dripping with insincerity. “Then, if I may be so bold, Admiral, what is your intent? My sisters and I were promised amnesty aboard this starship. I do hope you’re not planning on… rescinding that.”
“Not without cause,” Nechayev said.
“I see.” Adagio squeezed her fingers till the knuckles cracked. “Then allow me to spare you the worry: my sisters and I are far from starving. With how intensely emotional most of the crew here is, there is no shortage of negative emotions for us to feed on. Compared to the average lovefest that is a pony village, this place is a smorgasbord, more than enough to sustain us so long as we don’t do anything too strenuous with our magic.”
“Glad to hear it,” Nechayev replied with a slight, quiet chuckle.
Maia frowned at the sound of it, as it didn’t sound like something that should please Nechayev. And if she was judging her fellow officer’s expressions correctly, everyone else felt the same.
“So tell me, Miss Dazzle,” Nechayev said after a moment of tapping at her PADD. “About your escape from the Dominion base. Please, give details.”
Adagio’s careful control cracked. “The Dominion,” she growled, a deep, rumbling growl buzzing through her throat. One hand drew back to clench into a fist. “Hurt me, hurt my sisters. Their actions are unforgivable.”
“Yes, so I read in the reports,” Nechayev said blithely, showing not the least bit of sympathy. Even Maia, who usually didn’t give a crap about people being sympathetic to others, found that grating. “Though they didn’t give us the full story. What all did they do to you?”
And so did Adagio, judging by the shift in her expression, the malice previously present in small doses bubbling up to the forefront. “We made the mistake of leaving the planet we’d called home for centuries, testing a shuttlecraft we built. But it failed in deep space, leaving us stranded. The Dominion picked us up, that Vorta slime promising to give us safe passage.” She slammed a palm on the table. “But they lied!”
“They locked us away and tortured us! They used us… forced us to scream along to inane rhythms with blades and blunt instruments, trying to figure out how our magic worked.”
Maia saw Shimmer cringe back, her ears flattening against her skull as her wings ruffled up into her seat. From the look on her face, Maia suspected she was remembering her own experiences.
“Fortunately for us,” Adagio continued, her growl turning eager. “Those fools didn’t understand how much power they needed to use to keep our magic under control. They overloaded their base's power grid and the dampening field failed. We literally walked out of that jail cell. Given their treatment of us, we saw it only fit to respond in kind.”
Nechayev arched an eyebrow and jotted a few more notes down. “The Jem'Hadar and Vorta are surely nothing but negative emotions from head to toe. You should have loved it there then, yet you not only escaped but brutalized them twice over. So again I ask: Why should I not consider you a potential threat to the Federation? Clearly if you don't get your way you'll try to destroy us.”
“No!” Adagio roared as she shot out of her chair, her voice briefly touched by magic as her eyes flashed crimson red.
Maia started to reach for her phaser, but stopped when Zhidar gently shook his head and gestured for her to watch.
As Nechayev recoiled backwards in her chair, Adagio raised one glowing hand, fingers splayed out. “I will not force my sisters to relive the atrocities inflicted upon them, and I will not sit here and make excuses for our actions on that base!”
She closed up her fist and pointed one glowing finger at Nechayev. “I see through your act, Admiral. You think you can manipulate us if you stir up our anger, rip open barely healed wounds. We are grateful that the Phoenix found us. And we will continue to abide by their rules. But I will be damned if I let any of us become pawns in anyone's game. We may be guests of the Federation, Admiral, but we are not yours to command.”
Nechayev, Maia saw, breathed hard in her chair, holding one hand to her chest. Her eyes widened in fear. “I… please stop pointing that finger at me,” she requested, her voice quieter, far less demanding than before. Maia glanced over at Shimmer, noting a distinctly smug and satisfied expression on her face.
Adagio’s angry snarl slowly shifted into an amused smirk as she lazily swept her gaze across the room. Maia saw Picard, Liang, and Shimmer all give Adagio similar looks that clearly said that was enough. A silky chuckle slipped forth from Adagio’s lips like a burst of chocolate flavor. “As you wish, Admiral.” She allowed the glow to vanish and sat back down.
Maia noted how quickly she switched from threatening to silky smooth and made sure to remember. Even if she was starting to like these Sirens, she still couldn’t trust them. Yet.
“But I believe I’ve made my point clear,” Adagio said. “Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? What do you want from us?”
Nechayev straightened herself up, almost all traces of fear vanishing from her face. Almost. Despite the attempt, Maia saw right through it. The Admiral was terrified now that her bluff had been called, and Maia found that very amusing indeed. “Very well. What we want is simple in concept, though it may be difficult in practice.” Tapping her PADD she brought up what looked to Maia like some sort of concept art sketches. “By now I’m sure you’re aware of the thaumometer and magic converter that Lieutenant Cadeneza and Commander Shimmer created in the effort to locate you.”
“Yes,” Adagio grunted, waving her hand in a clear gesture for Nechayev to get to the point.
Nechayev gave her a simpering smile. “Well, what we would like to do is expand upon that. Find ways to use that same technology to create weapons, shields, sensors, and other such devices. According to Commander Shimmer, for this to work we will need more magic users who can cast the requisite enchantments before we can integrate these devices into our ships.”
A look of sheer disgust took over Adagio’s face in a flash. “Weapons?” she spat in an almost sing-song voice, the word emerging like a slap to the face, making Maia wince. She glanced over at Sonata and Aria, who bore similar looks of disgust. “That’s it? You want to turn us into weapons against your enemies?”
Fresh laughter burst forth like a wave of knives, each note piercing into Maia, and everyone else too judging by their expressions. “No.”
“I understand your objections,” Nechayev said as she grit her teeth. She squeezed her eyes shut momentarily, took a few deep breaths, then opened them to continue. “But we are not asking you personally to be a weapon, nor are we asking you to be foot soldiers of any kind. We simply ask for you to use your magic to enchant devices that we then use to enhance our own weapons.”
“So you can defeat the Dominion,” Adagio said.
Nechayev showed off her teeth as she smiled. “Of course.”
“And then what?” Adagio snorted, pointedly rolling her eyes. “Why stop there? What else will you be doing with magic, hmm?” She leaned back in her chair and tucked her hands behind her head. “Not that we care, mind. We don’t. But we do care if this means we’ll be stuck working for you forever.”
“Of course not,” Nechayev said, her tone sweet enough that Maia instantly knew those words were a lie. She briefly glanced at Shimmer and Liang, both of whom were giving Nechayev matching nasty looks, and hoped they heard it too. “We only wish to use your services for the duration of the war. That’s where Captain Picard comes in.”
“Oh?” Adagio faced Picard. “How is that?”
Picard glanced at Nechayev, who held out a hand as if to say go ahead. “Well,” Picard began as he straightened his uniform, “the Admiral is requesting that we split into two groups, the Enterprise and the Phoenix. Each ship would then accumulate a small fleet and would work independently, to help buoy our chances.”
Adagio’s eyes narrowed to mere slits. “And you expect us to leave this ship for yours?”
Picard’s smile was nothing but diplomatic. “Of course not, Miss Dazzle. It is but a request from the Admiral. In truth, I–”
“Thank you, Jean-Luc,” Necheyav said. She turned to Adagio and gestured with her hand. “Simply put, we would have the three of you join the Enterprise’s fleet, and Sparkle and Shimmer would stay with the Phoenix’s fleet. If you’re willing.”
Adagio sat forward and smiled back, but this time it was savage, deliberately showing off her fangs. Maia noted Nechayev swallowing nervously as Adagio said, “And if we refuse?”
“You won’t refuse,” Nechayev declared. “Surely you realize the threat the Dominion poses to all of us? Even if you were to run to a distant Federation world, without your help, should the Federation fall–”
“Then we would continue on our way, same as we always have. And after what we did to their puny little base, those Vorta fools will quake at the mere mention of our names,” Adagio said with a shrug. She continued to show her teeth to Nechayev as she leaned back again. “I’m failing to see any incentive for us.”
Maia’s eyes widened a hair as she heard those words. It made her wonder if this was what the Sirens had intended all along when they’d said she’d see back in Ten-Forward.
Nechayev frowned. “As you noted before, most of us are quite... emotional creatures. We can help ensure you have as many negative emotions as you need to fulfill your magical needs.”
Adagio chuckled once more, low and sensual, making Maia’s heart quicken. “What for? Admiral, you’ve provided us with so much from this one conversation I think we might be full for days.”
“Ouch,” Zhidar murmured.
A scowl overtook Nechayev’s face. “Then what else would you like? Wealth? Influence? I'm sure we could arrange for all three of you to assume high-ranking positions among the governments of any number of Federation colonies.”
It was only thanks to Maia’s fortitude that she kept from laughing at the incredulous looks Liang and Picard shot Nechayev’s way. Adagio meanwhile spun around in her chair, facing away and waving a hand as if to tell Nechayev to leave. “Money means little to us, and influence? My dear Admiral, we have adoring fans all over this ship already. What need would we have of some official titles, hmm?”
“Control, then,” Nechayev blurted, her voice starting to tremble. “You said this Starswirl banished you from your home. We can give you a new one. Once we win the war there's sure to be former Cardassian colonies in the demilitarized zone you could go to and shape as you see fit.”
“Admiral!” Picard objected, his look shifting to anger. “You cannot be serious!”
“I agree,” Liang said, tapping at the end of his cane. “It’s absurd. This is the Federation, not a gang of pirates and thieves.”
“This is pathetic,” Adagio declared. “Even the unwashed rabble on that backwoods planet groveled better than this.” She stood and motioned for her sisters to follow suit, then cast a withering glare down at Nechayev. “Girls, we’re leaving. No point in wasting our time here anymore.”
“Damn it,” Nechayev cursed, shooting out of her chair. “I will not let the Federation’s best hope walk out the door! Maia, Zhidar, arrest them immediately!”
“Belay that!” Liang ordered, not that he needed to, since Maia wasn’t about to move an inch. He stood from his chair, followed by Picard and Shimmer. “This is beyond the pale, Admiral. I’ve half a mind to have Doctor May assess your fitness to remain in command.”
“I would be more than happy to allow Doctor Crusher to assist,” Picard added. He fired a blistering glower Nechayev’s way, and for once the admiral seemed somewhat kowtowed. “Admiral, I understand your desire to help the Federation. I’m as well aware as anyone of the massive losses we’ve already taken these last few months. But we are not at the line of desperation yet.”
“Indeed,” Liang said. He rapped the end of his cane against his palm. “The wormhole’s minefield remains intact. They’ve no chance of resupplying from the Gamma Quadrant. Our situation is rough, yes, but it is far from grim.”
“And while you might be able to order my sister and me,” Shimmer said, “you’re not going to be able to order them. Face it, Admiral. Whatever game you’re trying to play here, you’ve lost.”
Nechayev’s face worked between a torrent of emotions, before finally reaching resignation. She collapsed back into her chair, looking to Maia like she had aged a decade in a few seconds. “You don’t understand, James, Jean-Luc…” she worked her jaw once more “...Sunset. None of you have seen the reports that we have seen in Starfleet Intelligence.”
The Sirens, Maia saw, paused right at the door as Picard, Liang, and Shimmer all sat back down at the table. “What do you mean?” Shimmer asked.
Nechayev sighed, and seemed to come to a decision as her features hardened once more. “What I am about to share with you all does not leave this room, on penalty of court martial. Or life imprisonment for the… civilians.”
Adagio, Sonata, and Aria all turned around to face Nechayev, arms crossed over their chests in identical poses. “Go on.”
Nechayev tapped her fingers onto her PADD until a 3D picture of the Bajoran Wormhole and Deep Space Nine appeared above the table. She pointed with her stylus to the wormhole. “When the Dominion forced us to abandon Deep Space Nine several months ago, we mined the wormhole with a series of cloaked self-replicating mines. It effectively restores itself, infinitely, assuming you could even find them long enough to destroy them, as they move around at random. With the minefield in place we've been able to keep the Dominion from sending reinforcements through the Wormhole. It hasn't turned the tide of the war, but it has stopped the bleeding.”
Adagio’s jaw gaped as she let out a loud yawn, batting her mouth with her hand. “I’m certain this is all fascinating trivia, but get to the point.”
“The point,” Nechayev said, bristling, “is this.” She tapped another key on her PADD and a series of small flashes of light danced across the wormhole until the entire area lit up in a massive display of pyrotechnics. “The Dominion has found a way to take down the minefield.”
“Merde,” Picard cursed.
“Absurd,” Liang said. “I spoke with Captain Sisko, who personally knows the engineer that created those mines. It's impossible to disable them like that.”
“So we thought,” Nechayev said. “But we were wrong. However they did it, the Dominion expects to bring down the entire minefield… in less than three days.”
“Damn,” Shimmer whispered, her wings ruffling up as the fur on the back of her neck stood on end. “That’s… if the Dominion can reinforce freely, then…”
“Then we are well and truly done for,” Liang said, his voice full of resignation.
“Perhaps not. Admiral,” Picard said, raising a hand. “Surely Starfleet Command is mobilizing a response to this.”
“We are.” She tapped another key to show an image of a large fleet of Federation starships. “Captain Sisko has already assembled a fleet. Or did you think it was normal that we had hundreds of starships positioned around Starbase 375?”
Picard, looking properly abashed, admitted, “I suppose in retrospect, that should have been obvious.”
“Admiral, if we need to retake Deep Space Nine, the Phoenix should be on the front lines,” Liang said.
“Agreed. The Enterprise should be assisting as well,” Picard added.
“No.”
Cries of dismay went up around the table. “With all due respect, Admiral,” Shimmer ground out, “why not? The Dominion knows how strategic Deep Space Nine is. They’ll send everything they’ve got to defend it!”
“Exactly,” Nechayev said, bringing her hands back together. “And you'd still be outnumbered two-to-one even if you did join the fight. Which is why it is critical that the magical technologies research proceed. If we lose control of the wormhole, it will take a miracle for the Federation to survive.” She glanced over at the Sirens, who still lurked right between Maia and Zhidar. “Which is why I am asking… no, begging for your help. Please.”
Adagio and her sisters exchanged a look, then Adagio let out a dramatic sigh as she strutted back to her chair. “Oh, very well,” she said as she sat down. “We will assist you. On two conditions.”
Nechayev switched off the display. “Name them.”
Adagio held up her index finger. “First, we stick together. My sisters and I will only leave this ship to help enchant others should there be only one fleet. Meaning the Enterprise and the Phoenix stick together.”
“That could be far more dangerous,” Nechayev objected.
“More dangerous than us not helping?” Adagio said with a fake smile.
Nechayev grimaced. “Fine. What’s your second condition?”
Adagio smiled, her eyes turning cold, violent. Even a killer like Maia had to shiver at the bloodthirst suddenly present within those lizard-like eyes. “We want Yukarin.”
“Yukarin?” Nechayev said. “I’m afraid I don’t know–”
“You'd be a terrible poker player, Admiral,” Adagio interrupted. “We know you have him. We want him. We have unfinished business with him.”
Liang cleared his throat. “Miss Dazzle, I’m not certain that’s something we can do. Yukarin was captured as a prisoner of war, which means he has certain rights.”
“Rights?” Adagio sneered. “What rights does that cowardly little monster have?”
“The same sort of rights that you do,” Picard intervened. “Unfortunately, we cannot just hand him over to you. It would be a violation of Federation law and, more to the point, runs the risk of setting a truly terrible precedent.” He gave Adagio a peculiar look.
She seemed to take that in and agree because she nodded. “Fine. We won’t take him. But we still want to see him.” She tapped the ends of her fingers together. “Just to talk. I assure you, by the end he’ll still be as whole as ever. So to speak.”
“Agreed,” Nechayev said before Picard could say any more. “Then I take it we have a deal.” She held out a hand.
Adagio sneered at the Admiral’s hand for a moment before taking it. “We have a deal.”
“Thank you,” Nechayev said, and Maia actually believed the naked sincerity in her voice. “You may have just saved the Federation.”
“Not yet we haven’t,” Adagio said. She released Nechayev’s hand and stood. “If you don’t mind, we’d like to fulfill one of those conditions right away.”
“As you wish,” Nechayev said, standing as well. “Captains, if you’ll come with me, we’ll need to decide our task force. I’d like to do that from the Enterprise.”
“Very well,” Liang said. “Number One, I will leave Yukarin and the Sirens to your capable hooves.”
“Aye, sir,” Shimmer echoed as Nechayev, Picard, and Liang all departed. The instant the doors swished shut she let out a loud sigh. Maia could feel the tension in the room dissipate the moment the doors swished shut behind them. “You know you really had me worried for a minute there, Adagio. I thought you were going to bite her head off.”
“Naaah,” Sonata said, giving them a wide grin. “If anything we’d make her head go pop! Boom! Explode from the–”
“I think they get it, dumbass,” Aria growled as she smacked Sonata on the shoulder.
“Regardless, we weren’t going to hurt the Admiral,” Adagio said with a bored expression as she glanced at her fingernails. “We’re not stupid. Everything you saw was calculated. Even the rage.”
“Ohoho, is that so?” Zhidar grumbled. “So you had her wrapped around your little finger. Impressive.”
“From the start,” Adagio concurred. “Though I was not expecting the… news she revealed.”
No one spoke for several moments, until Shimmer said, “None of us were. It’s… it’s not good.” She shook her head. “Look, let’s not worry about that right now. And don’t forget: not a word of that leaves this room. She wasn’t kidding when she said it could result in life imprisonment.”
“Hmph. If we were on Antica, such a crime would merit execution,” Zhidar mumbled.
Shimmer tapped her hoof on the table. “Moving on. Yukarin was transferred to a holding cell aboard the starbase. I’ll go ahead and let their security know you’re on your way.”
As they departed the conference room on their way to the turbolift, Maia found herself curious as to what the Sirens were planning. From what they’d said to Picard, it almost sounded like they intended to kill him, or at least torture him somehow.
Maia wasn’t sure how she felt about that. On the one hand, in her experience, betrayers and scum buckets like Yukarin deserved the fate they got, whatever that may be. On the other hand, she’d spent so long in Starfleet now that its morals had worn down her desires for vengeance and killing, turning her into the goody-two-shoe that Ishihara had always wanted her to be. Or at least approaching it, anyway.
They passed through the docking port and onto the Starbase. Maia’s thoughts turned to Twilight. She wondered what her friend would think. If she was like her sister, she’d hate the thought of weapons research. Hell, Maia knew she would. As angry and bitter as Twilight had been after Shimmer’s initial return, she was still a little softie at heart.
They passed into the area containing Yukarin’s brig cell. Maia and Zhidar took a moment to negotiate with the staff on duty, then lead the Sirens inside to the individual cell they had him locked up in
Yukarin looked better than the last time Maia had seen him. Of course, back then he'd been locked in the Dominion base's command room, covered in grime and threatening to blow up the entire base rather than be rescued. By comparison he looked almost respectable now, having been allowed proper showers, fresh clothes, and quality meals, like any prisoner. Far better than he deserved as far as she was concerned, but she didn’t make the rules.
“Well, well, well,” Yukarin said, a slick smile on his face as his words came out coated in oil. “Starfleet sends two more of their little puppets to see me. Tell me, are you here for another round of questioning, hmm? There’s no point. I’ve nothing else to say.”
“We’re not here for you,” Maia said as she and Zhidar stepped to either side of the door. “They are.”
“Oh? Then… no.” Yukarin’s whole body trembled, his breaths turning rapid and shallow. Maia could already smell the cold sweat building all over him. “No, that’s not possible.”
Adagio strutted in, a big fat gleeful smile plastered on her face as she brought Sonata and Aria in tow. “Oh, but it is. So good to see you again, Yukarin.”
“Stay away. Stay away!” Yukarin backed up to the furthest point in his cell, which wasn’t very far.
“Oooh, what’s that? Are you scared of us, little Vorta?” Aria said as she rubbed her hands together.
“Hahaha, he should be,” Sonata chirped gaily. Her features abruptly turned one eighty, twisted with hideous rage. “Because we’re gonna mess him up!”
“Y-you can’t,” Yukarin babbled, holding his arms up in front of him as if to ward them off. “You won’t get away with it. W-we’re on a Federation starbase! They won’t–”
“Who do you think brought us here, hmm?” Adagio took several long steps up to the force field holding Yukarin inside the cell. “Who do you think rescued us after we escaped your pathetic base?”
“Please!” Yukarin shouted, looking directly at Maia. “You can’t let them do anything to me. I-I-I can tell more secrets! I admit, I've been holding out on you. I'll tell you anything! Anything at all! Just make them stop!”
Maia eyed Zhidar, who softly shook his head. “Sorry, Vorta,” Maia said, keeping her expression cold as ice. “But so long as they don’t kill you, we really don’t care what they do.”
“No. No no no, you can’t do that either. I know how the Federation works.” Yukarin shoved himself up against the wall and fell onto the deployable bed. “You’re not allowed to torture me. It’s against your precious rules. And you can’t just stand by and watch it happen either.”
“Who said anything about torture, idiot?” Aria said.
“Yeah, silly, we’re not gonna torture you,” Sonata giggle. “We’re just gonna sing!”
Yukarin curled up on the bed and made some weird sound that reminded Maia of the last time she accidentally stepped on Preta's tail. “No! No, no, please!”
“Would the audience please remain silent?,” Adagio said in a sultry whisper. “The performance is about to begin.” She glanced back at Zhidar and Maia. “You two may want to tune this out.”
She turned back, raised her hands up, and sang. She and her sisters harmonized together, rising and falling notes in perfect sync. As each note sounded, Yukarin let out a fresh scream, scrabbling at his ears, rolling off the bed and onto his knees. “Make it stop!” he shrieked.
“Why should we?” Adagio sang, her hips swaying to the beat her sisters continued to keep moving. “What you’re feeling now is but a small taste of what you put us through.”
Yukarin fell over onto his side, weeping even as he continued to clutch his ears. “Stop… please…I don’t… want to see… it...”
Despite being inured to violence, Maia winced. Torture was an altogether different beast, and it sounded like that’s all they were really doing to him, despite their claims to the contrary. “Adagio,” she called.
“Hmm?” Adagio spun around. “What?”
“I think he’s had enough.”
Adagio shook her head. “Oh no, no he hasn’t. We’re not torturing him really, if that’s what you’re wondering. All we’re doing is letting him see our memories… the memory of every injury and insult he dealt to us.”
“Aaaah!” Yukarin shrieked as he spun over several times to end up on his front. “I… can’t… It… it hurts… why… stoooooop!”
“Eugh, Ensign Maia is right,” Zhidar grunted. “That’s enough. I can only look the other way for so long.”
Adagio let out a dramatic sigh, then saunted back over to her sisters. Their notes rose once more, this time to a crescendo as a magical aura surrounded Yukarin’s body, picking him up to set him on his feet. “Talk, my little puppet,” Adagio trilled. “Give them what they want.”
As the Sirens voices silenced, Yukarin straightened his clothes, smiled dumbly, and said, “Yes Mistress Adagio… whatever you say.”
A nasty nauseous feeling filled Maia’s stomach as she stepped over to Adagio. “You mind-controlled him?”
Adagio glared at her. “I thought you of all these humans would understand. No, not mind-control. Just the power of suggestion. He’ll babble like an idiot for a while longer, but even after that wears off he'll still be more than happy to tell your Federation interrogators whatever they want to know. Consider it a gift.” She turned to her sisters. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“Aww, I was really hoping to spend more time playing with him,” Sonata whined as they walked out the door.
Aria hung back long enough to walk side by side with Maia. “Hey.”
Maia eyed her. “Yes?”
Aria shoved her hands into her pockets and grimaced. “I… I was hoping we could talk some more. Maybe about where you’re from, since you keep showing off those super cool moves.”
Maia shrugged. She’d long since gotten past her trepidation when it came to speaking with Aria. She seemed a bit more comfortable, like how Twilight was. “Alright... I was born on a planet called Turkana IV. It’s in a distant corner of the Federation, a failed colony…”