The Taken
Posted on Sun Feb 2nd, 2025 @ 10:53am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Jennifer Baldric & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali & Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell
Mission:
Ramant
Location: Ramant ship
The chief scientist rubbed his chin, thoughtfully pondering over this conundrum before him. The female was older than the majority than had just born young, yet her biochemistry was off. There was a protein marker in her blood not present in any other specimen they had collected. Still sedated she presented not immediate threat other that choices deciding which procedure to undertake. Could he extract this marker and amplify it? Could he merge Ramant DNA with her own and use her as a test subject to determine if gene therapy could solve their own negative population problem. Perhaps a combination of both.
"Extract an adequate portion of her blood, and we will commence the introduction of Ramant DNA into her own. And isolate that protein marker, allow it to replicate and increase in comparative volume. I have a hunch with this one" He seemed pleased with himself.
Two hours later Rhenora was wheeled back to her cell and dumped unceremoniously back into it.
Meanwhile in the holding cell Aurora hadn't awoken, her body was struggling to cope with the rapid growth of her baby. Outside the cell a worried Sidak, now approaching the end of his teenage years pointed towards his adoptive mother. "Help her!"
"Sidak, it is the stress of your mother's pregnancy being advanced. Her body is struggling to compensate. Along with all of us being here against our will. As prisoners." Savar told his adopted son.
In the back of the same cell, Bonnie was alone. She had been trying to rest and failing. Her thoughts were not her own, nor were they her usual upbeat internal conflict-style thoughts. Something was off as she rocked back and forth, her face resting on her knees. This was at its very core, a violation. Even as she felt the first movement, a subtle kick into her bladder, she knew, she wanted 'it' out.
Further down the hallway Baldric and Pamela awoke feeling decidedly under the weather. The fatigue, nausea and a profound feeling of being 'off' pervaded both of them. Hoff meanwhile was curled up in a ball, obviously uncomfortable in his midsection.
"Ugh, this sucks" Jennifer grumbled, her usual impeccable attitude tarnished by the recurrent urge to vomit and the occasional hot flush.
Aurora stirred but only briefly, warranting a visit from the medics who were checking on their investments. That and the fact that Sidak had demanded action to save the woman who had already provided them with him.
"This one's life signs are weakening, take her to the birthing chambers, we may need to extract her offspring."
The forcefield dropped long enough for Aurora to be collected and removed from the cell, Sidak accompanying the only mother he had known. He paused long enough to look back at Savar before following on with Aurora.
"I am her husband! I can help her! Let me help! Sidak! Tell them I can help!" Savar shouted.
Bonnie took this opportunity, her mind a twisted nugget. She stood when the field dropped, hesitated briefly as they took Aurora, and then mustering her strength she rushed forward. But she was too late as she ran into the field just as it reactivated. The charge impacted her body, throwing her backwards to the floor where she shook briefly before curling into a ball on the floor.
This set the medics into a panic. One rushed over to the door panel and pressed the alert. "CODE Blue, Emergency, block 15. Repeat CODE Blue, Emergency, block 15!" It took a couple of minutes as they scrambled several nurses, a crash cart and a small lightly armed security team.
"Remain where you are" the guards said forcefully as Bonnie was dragged out and the forcefield reactivated. "No more accidents. There are too few of you as it is" He stopped as though he had said something wrong and opted for a continued glare instead of words. Up the hallway Baldric heard this and started putting the prices of the puzzle together.
"We're not your lab rats. Our ship is looking for us. Release us and let us help you with whatever problem you have that's caused you to take these actions against us" she called out, her voice loud but not forceful. Her mused that these people either had no conscience at all, unlikely, or were desperate people doing desperate things.
Savar had moved toward Bonnie but was ordered back by the security forces even as medical personnel treated Bonnie. Next, he heard Commander Baldric's outraged voice, and he added to it. He stood within millimeters of the forcefield the energy stinging his face. " Bring my wife back to me before you kill her! You will not succeed in whatever evil plan you are contemplating! Stop now before you make this worse for yourselves and let us help you."
"The primal nature of your existence is fascinating to study. How do you endure such strong and varying emotion? It must be truly exhausting" one of the scientists who was nearby tapped away on a recording device, shaking his head. "Such animals."
Savar arched an eyebrow. "You speak from a warped perspective. You call us animals, lab experiments, where you should be looking to us as partners in resolving your species' problem. If you persist on this path, I can assure you no good will come of it."
"We purged emotion thousands of years ago, our society had no need for warships, or weapons nor walls to segregate. You are primitive, dirty even and we pity your existence" the scientist said before realizing he had probably said to much.
"You may have indeed purged emotions, but you aren't as pure as you would have others think. For you haven't purged your hearts. You still, try to assert your will, your point of view from a so-called superior attitude. You still threaten and cajole not only those you hold captive but each other. You haven't ridden yourselves of the evil within you, that rots you to the core. Eats you from the inside out. Like a diseased tree. You have become shells of people for ridding your emotions, you have lost compassion and care for others and that will be your undoing as much as your current problem." Savar replied evenly.
Just then Sidak returned accompanied by a guard. Sidak now appeared to be a teenager. "This one." He said pointing at Savar "...is to be taken to his mate. They want her healthy to be able to breed and give birth again if necessary."
The guard lowered the forcefield, "Out.' He said pointing a weapon at Savar. Savar didn't question, he did as he was instructed and stepped out. Once out the forcefield snapped back on. "Come Mo..., the woman needs you." He told Savar leading him down winding hallways until they reached Aurora's cell. She was inside, lying on a bed. She was restrained. Savar looked at Aurora's restraints and back at Sidak. "They were worried she would roll off the bed and injure herself." He answered. Sidak then lowered the forcefield. "Inside. Comfort her. Make her well." As the field came back on and he walked away with the guard.
Aurora reached for Savar’s hand, holding her fingers outstretched for his touch. “They’re coming back soon, they’re going to operate Savar! They’re going to...” she slowly drifted back to sleep a sedative in her system taking over as the forcefield dropped again and what appeared to be a surgical team arrived. “You may stay for the...wellbeing of your mate, but be warned no interference will be tolerated!”
Savar wrapped his hand around Aurora's outstretched fingers, her hands held down by her restraints. Savar looked at the medical team. "You cannot operate! The child needs to say with Aurora to continue its bonding. To remove it now would cause harm to both Aurora and the child. Let this occur naturally. You have already advanced her pregnancy. Do no more. If you must keep us here, surely you can monitor the baby's progress."
“If you wish your mate to live then keep quiet!” A quick huddle and discussion later the decision was made as Aurora was prepped for surgery. “For the well-being of your mate, we will expedite the child’s arrival so your mate may recover.”
Meanwhile, back in the cells, Baldric was stewing. She felt like crap as did most people that had been taken. Her midsection was starting to swell and a deep panic was setting in, taking all of her self control to remain calm and in control. This was not how she had anticipated the Sunfire's next mission to go down.
~ A while later ~
Cautious surgery later, a small, yet healthy baby was thrust into Savar’s arms, as surgery was finished on Aurora. The unfamiliarity with humanoid physiology had slowed down the procedure, but had been successful nonetheless. As she came around Aurora opened her eyes and smiled as she saw Savar cradling their daughter.
Savar was looking down at her, with concerned eyes. Despite their situation he was relieved Aurora was awake and doing well from her unplanned delivery. "We have a daughter Aurora. She appears healthy and like you she is quite beautiful." He placed their daughter next to Aurora so she could see and hold the infant.
Aurora marvelled at their tiny daughter, now her fears were for her safety and well-being. “She’s amazing!”
The scientists watched the interaction with curiosity, to them this was all new. Many were taking notes and making scientific drawings of their conclusions based on what they had witnessed so far.
The Chief Scientist however was in no mood for his positive work being slowed down. "Allow her some time to recover, then bring her back to be processed again. She had proven she can bear more than one young sequentially."
Savar nodded, "She is indeed beautiful just as her mother is. We must now decide on a name for her."
Aurora nodded, she had been saving up a few Vulcan female names. “I like N’vea” she offered a smile hoping Savar would like the name too.
Savar nodded at Aurora's suggestion of a name for their daughter. "N'vea" He repeated. "A most excellent name Aurora. I like it." He looked at their infant daughter. "Welcome N'vea. Know you are much loved."
"Enough, this is taking too long. Take them back to the cells, give them an additional food allocation then bring her back for processing again tomorrow." The Chief Scientist shouted, waving his hands for the orderlies to move. They had no patience for anything that was not a direct benefit to their dying race.
TBC
