The Cell Is Your Oyster

Posted on Tue Jul 28th, 2026 @ 9:59pm by Lonian Royal Sovereignty & Commander Rin & Lieutenant Commander Tate Sullivan Ph.D. & Major Addison 'Rico' Leyton [PPC] & Lieutenant Commander N'vok Holv & Lieutenant Anna Esquivias & Lieutenant Zac Smithson [Taylor] & Senior Chief Petty Officer Emily Charles {Kelea-Salik} & Gunnery Sergeant Leilani Charles {Kelea-Salik}

Mission: Season 6: Episode 7: Crossroads of Destiny
Location: Niea IV : Detention Centre
Timeline: MD4 :: late afternoon
2981 words - 6 OF Standard Post Measure

Over the course of about a half hour, prisoners came out of interrogation and were led to their cells, like what they did with Addison. The more compliant ones looked relatively unharmed and only had two guards escorting them, while the more resistant ones easily had three guards just moving them while two lingered a couple paces behind with weapons. One by one, they were pushed into cells.

The cells were bare, with only a cot against the back wall, and 2x2 metres of space. While cleaned for the new arrivals, the dullness sapped any life out of it. It made Elysium's brig seem like a resort by comparison, and it was far more generous than the short term holding cells many of the crew stood in for hours, where all they could do was stand and lean against the back wall.

The ones who didn't become a problem were granted the privilege of freed hands. A weapon remained trained as restraints were removed, threatening a painful outcome if the prisoners dared to chance an escape. Once the forcefields activated, only then did the weapons lower and the guards leave.

Rin seemed compliant, yet her guards kept notably close to her, shoving her along. They removed her cuffs after a bit of debate, and she stumbled toward her cot, feeling her way along the wall so as only a blind person would do. Scorch marks marred her right temple and cheek, as well as the occular implant. She laid down on her back, folded her hands, and took a few calming breaths.

N'vok looked up from where he was sitting on his cot. He waited for a few minutes. "Rin. I am here as well." A simple statement. If she wished to talk, she would.

Rin chuckled slightly to herself at the "identification." Luckily she recognized N'vok's voice. But there was a very big downside to that. It wasn't just her and Tate and Naxea who were taken. How many others? And why?

"Are you alright? Who else is here?" she asked. The question wasn't just to N'vok. It was to anyone else who might be in the room. I came in with Tate and Naxea. I haven't seen them since. Do assume our jailors are watching and listening to everything we do here."

Zac was pushed along with the other Elysium crew, his hands cuffed until he reached the cell and only then were the cuffs removed. he was pushed harshly into the cell. His face was swollen and one eye was closed for resisting the guards. Emily and Leilani were in the cell with him. He looked at them, "You two alright?" He asked through split lips.

"Lieutenant Esquivias was 'acquired' at the same time as I," said N'vok, "under false pretenses. We were transpoorted into a confinement chamber of some sort. Lieutenant Damien Blackford was transported in as well. He fought back, which our hosts did not appreciate."

"I don't recognize that voice," Rin said in response to Zac. "I currently cannot see, so names are appreciated, unless you're deliberately refraining from identification, in which case I suggest making something up."

She was running the numbers in her head. N'vok was here. Tate, Naxea, Blackford and Esquivias were somewhere in the compound. There was the unknown voice, and he had clearly been addressing two others. That was nine people at a minimum. Some senior staff. Some not. No obvious connection beyond they all came from the Elysium.

"It's Zac Smithson, from the tactical." Zac said as he moved closer to the front of the cell housing him. Emily and Leilani, "Senior Chief Petty Officer Emily Charles and Gunnery Sergeant Leilani Charles are also here with me."

Anna sat on her cot. Her hands had been uncuffed. She hadn't fought too much. She rested her head against the wall and tried to close her eyes. This place was reminding her too much of the slavers. It took her a moment to respond. Maybe too long. "I'm here!" she called out. She sighed. "It's Anna." She was sure N'vok would recognize her voice. She wasn't sure of everyone else.

The voices were familiar as Addison sat on her cot, with her head down and her wrists still shackled in front of her as pain still throbbed in her hands and fingers with were bruised and swollen. Just the thought of moving them caused her pain. She was sure she had bruising on her face from repeated slaps and punches. The names sounded familiar. Was it a game or had the Lonians taken more of the crew? Her throat and mouth felt dry. No, she couldn't believe that the Lonians would capture more of the crew because of Kerilla. Yet, how would the Lonians know the names and voices? They couldn't have had access to the Elysium's computer system. It was far too advanced for the Lonians. "Are you real?" she asked in a quiet, yet hoarse voice.

"We are," Rin replied. "We're from the Elysium. Who is this? How hurt are you?"

There was a pause as she processed the information. "Major Addison Leyton," she replied weakly. So it was true...other crew had been captured. She could only hoped they hadn't been hurt as she had.

Leilani was sitting in her cell feeling somewhat worse for wear, but she had her marine training behind her and she wasn’t going to show weakness.

Emily was stood looking out of her cell doorway. She could hear familiar voices and she was wishing she was at home safe with Zac.

"Does anyone have eyes on Major Leyton? How is she looking?" Rin asked the group at large. She didn't have to see the major to know she had gone through something rough. She could hear it in her voice, and Leyton's question of are you real? concerned Rin.

"Can anyone see someone who is unable to respond?" Rin added.

"I cannot," said N'vok. "Major Leyton," he added, "you are among your fellow crew. All will be well." He looked in the direction of Anna's voice. "I am glad you are here, Anna. I lost track of you when our hosts took me off for questioning. Are you holding up?"

"I'm all right, N'vok," Anna said, not especially convincingly. "How are you? Everything happened so fast."

"Does anyone have any idea what this is about?" RIn asked. "The people who took me and Tate were accusing Teevs of treason, but gave no explanation. We were charged with misprison of treason. The Lonians don't seem particularly interested in gathering legitimate evidence, so be careful with your words."

"The same happened to Emily, Leilani and myself." Zac replied agreeing with Rin's statement. "The guards wanted to know if we knew Teevs and it all went sideways after that."

Leyton took a breath. "It's his daughter... Kerilla," she explained as she blinked away tears threatening to escape. She coughed caused by her throat irritating her from the dryness, which caused her some discomfort. "She's part Kavai...which the Lonians hate and fear."

"The authorities have proven themselves irrationally violent to things they don't like. What's their issue with the Kavai?" Rin asked.

"Whatever it is, it is clearly deeply rooted in their society, probably as a form of societal control, and equally clearly irrational and illogical," said N'vok. "Given that Kerilia is half Kavai, they are clearly interfertile, so likely two branches of the same species. There was a mention of a Kavai War, though I was unable to determine if it was recent."

"So the Lonians and the Kavai are similar to the Vulcans and the Romulans in being two branches of the same species?" Zac questioned, stated." He went on, "It seems their questions are very pointed in regard to the Kavai. There is definitely no lost love the Lonians have toward the Kavai. More hate than anything."

Tate exhaled slowly despite being hurriedly put into a cell, trying to stay grounded even as she replayed the questions she had been asked over in her mind. She was glad to be free of handcuffs but was now worried she had been separated from Rin and Naxea for so long. She had tried to look around as she was being led to her cell without drawing the guards' ire, but there was only so much she could see. She recognized the voices she heard as belonging to Elysium crewmembers, but she waited until her guard was out of the immediate vicinity before she made any visible effort to listen in. Not wanting to interrupt in case critical information was being exchanged, she waited, wishing she could do more, as some people were clearly injured.

"Do we know for sure they're branches of the same species?" Anna said. "I know that's natural biology but, with a little technological assistance, the Federation has a lot of mixed species people, including me."

"They are..." came Addison's hoarse voice giving a slight pause before continuing. "They didn't know Kerilla was part Kavai until her aunt, Ailova noticed....and turned us in. None of her other family knew...". Just the thought of Ailova angered Addison. All of this was because of her. So help that woman if she ever got out of here.

"It would have been helpful if Mister Teevs had let us know about this antaginism between the groups before we arrived," said N'vok. "My speculation about Kavoi/Lonian biology is based on the fact that the Elysium's medical system did not flag Kerilla as a being of mixed biology and that a wondering space trader is unlikely to have access to advanced gene-mixing technologies. But I could be wrong."

"I'm assume we're only accepting Kerilla as partially Kovai because the Lonians have stated such," Rin clarified. "As you say, our medical scans showed nothing, and it was never mentioned. If any of this was true, it's odd that he would return here with Kerilla." In other words, don't give the impression that anyone knew anything about whatever the Lonians are concerned about.

"It would be good to have more data," agreed N'vok. "Hopefully, this should all be sorted out quickly. The Lonians must have realized by now that they have made a terrible mistake. Correcting it by letting us go and providing an apology would go a long way towards soothing and repairing relations," he spoke very clearly, making sure whatever listening device the guards had picked it up.

"N'vok..." Anna began, but then she paused. She let herself trail off.

"Better to offer them a chance to correct their mistakes before they do something irreversible," said N'Vok. "I would not wish this to spiral out of control; it is already tottering on the edge."

"You think our being arrested, was a mistake?" Addison questioned, disbelief feeling her pained voice. "They're well aware of their actions. They used me, to force Teevs to confess. I somehow doubt that was done mistakingly." The stress was causing her hands to throb more painfully.

"Methods and motives are two very different things," Rin replied. "A society with a deep seated fear or hatred of something can go to extraordinary lengths to root out that threat. The search for witches in human history, for example. Terrible things happened, people sought explanation, the prevailing culture accepted the existence of witches, and people moved to persecute those they honestly believed were harming the community with dark powers. The accusers did terrible things to those suspects, because the suspects refused to admit their guilt. But you couldn't just let the supposed witches run amok, because that wouldn't stop whatever was plaguing them. A lot of people make false confessions under torture. They didn't hurt you accidentally. They knew exactly what they were doing. The mistake was arresting Teevs, you, and the rest of us in order to root out the witches."

Zac spoke from his cell, "The Commander is correct. The guards knew exactly what they were doing when they grabbed Emily, Leilani and myself. There was no mistaken identity. it was done with malice afore thought as someone just said they were aware of their actions and the desired effects it would have."

"I know what people are capable of," said N'vok. "In the grand cycle of time, the Vulcans you know, cold, emotionless, logical, are recent societal development. We, also, did terrible things in the name of ideology and belief. But we have risen above that, as have Terrans, Andorians, Tellarites, and so many others that have joined the Federation. The Lonians will have to do the same if they wish to advance as a culture."

"But none of those cultures did that overnight," Anna noted resignedly. "A lot of people died first. A lot of people."

“They want to know everything we know about Teevs and his family.” Leilani added. “They think he’s a traitor to his own people.”

"It's a racial obsession," Anna said. "There were parts of Earth where people used to be like this. People would react really intensely to the idea someone reproduced with someone from a different ethnic or racial grouping. It's hard to even imagine now but they used to kill people for it."

"I think N'vok and I could have a lively philosophical and historical discussion on how far various societies have evolved, just not today," Rin stated.

The sound of a door hissing open filtered down the corridor of the prison wing.

"Is it so hard to imagine it?" Rin asked in response to Anna. "Starfleet continues to ban genetically modified individuals. Certainly not an executable offense, but we absolutely have laws designating 'acceptable' genetics. Our society continues to be suspicious of people such as Romulans and Cardassians."

Rin paused. "Or you can try being me."

"Indeed, a discussion for another time," said N'vok, "perhaps even a syposium." He pauses and then addresses Rin directly, "Rin, you are a valued member of the Elysium, of Starfleet, and someone I am proud to call my friend. While the Federation is not perfect, its does its best to be welcoming and understanding to all. I am sorry if it failed you in that respect."

She suspected some things had gotten lost in translation. The majority of her objections were not personal. She just felt a lot of people looked at the Federation through rose colored lenses, and that didn't actually help the Federation. She had debated whether to even bring the personal side of things to the conversation.

But...fuck...the Federation and its citizens still had issues with concepts of purity and racial stereotypes. She even understood why people would miss that fact, but...

I'm right here, folks.

It felt similar to when Lt. de la Rosa had bizarrely asked Rin in the middle of the trial whether she had children, with the implication that not having them somehow invalidated her understanding. She had a whole list of biting responses that, honestly, she had kind of wanted to drop, but someone had to be the grown up in the room, and it was no one's business, particularly in that moment.

Thankfully I didn't, because then they would be dead.
Yes, I do. They're both xBs. We all missed the growing up years.
I did want them, but that is very much not happening. Thank you for asking.

So on and so forth.

The obliviousness had been staggering. Assuming, of course, it had been said in good faith.

She was exhausted. Her face hurt. The world was a blur of vague silhouettes, although not quite as disabling as she was letting on. Her diagnostics were... not happy. Just another group of geniuses that saw her as something to disassemble. The act she had put on for the guards, faking some very strong emotions, had taken a toll. Honestly, she kind of wanted a nap.

"Yes, a discussion for another time," Rin agreed. "I appreciate the sentiment."

Hearing the discussion die down for the moment, Tate chose to speak in a voice that she hoped would be loud enough to be heard but not draw the ire of any of their jailers, "We're in this together and we're going to get through it together. I know we don't have all the answers just yet and we all have good reason to be angry and scared. Don't run from those feelings and let's try to be patient with each other, yeah?"

Sullivan knew discussion was necessary, but she also didn't need trauma therapy training to appreciate the emotional impact of what the others were going through, especially Addison, whose admission she had been used as leverage for Teevs' torture, was not lost on her. She hoped in their urgency to find answers, patience could be given as they weren't just trying to find a way out, but also a way to wrap their minds around what had already been done to them, here and in the past.

Shortly after, a pair of guards strolled by. They were talking quietly to themselves, mundane things like what their break plans were, while making sure the prisoners weren't causing trouble.

"Guards," said N'vok, "might we please have some water to drink and means to clean ourselves.The last few hours have been quite stressful."

"You're wasting your breath," Addison replied bitterly as she shifted on the cot, refusing to look at the passing guards.

True to Addison's words, the guards merely gave N'vok and the prisoners who had been talking an insulted look, as if talking during their conversation was rude. They didn't stop or even slow down. When another prisoner further down the corridor made a similar request, one of them smacked the forcefield with their electrorod to make a noise before promptly telling them to shut up. They continued, eventually passing through another set of doors.