Lt Jania Nis - For the benefit of the sick
Jania Nis
(( Dump Site near Æstin, Valaria III ))
A Starfleet officer should risk death before violating the Prime Directive. And Jania believed wholly and utterly in the righteousness of the Federation.
In theory.
In practice, risking one’s own death and risking someone else’s death were different things. As a doctor, after all, she had her own oaths. She had also said she would do what she could for the benefit of the sick. And there was a sickness here, caused by the famine. She had sworn she would prevent suffering wherever she could. And there was a way here to prevent starvation. She just didn’t know what it was.
That’s why she tried to restrain herself, but even still she grinned when Anton spoke.
Richards: ::hushed:: I have to go. I have to help her.
Nis: Yes, sir!
Kylar’ia screamed as the guards jostled her above them.
Riley: Not unless we must.
Riley: Richards — diversion. Opposite side. Make them turn.
Anton nodded towards Riley, indicating his readiness.
Riley: If she breaks, you move. Fast.
Riley: On my mark.
Katsim: Wait!
Anton spun, glancing in the direction of the guards. They hadn’t heard. They had another issue to deal with, and from the growls and shuffling on the rocks above them, Kylar’ia was not going gently.
Richards: What? We can’t just let them take her. Who knows what their idea of punishment even is!
Riley: Response
Before Peri spoke, Jania already knew what she would say. She braced herself for it.
Katsim: The Prime Directive.
She heard Peri, she understood her, and she respected her hesitation. But she couldn’t bring herself to agree with it.
Richards: She didn’t seem to hesitate when we needed help, and we wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for our silly AI friend. This is probably all part of the “grand scheme” or something.
Nis: :: nodding :: Starfleet will not hold it against us that we were shanghaied and forced to carry out some machine’s wild orders. But -we as people- cannot allow a young woman who helped us to suffer because of us. :: freezing and straightening :: Uh. In our opinion, of course, sirs.
Riley: Response
Jania turned to Anton. He did have final authority, after all. And his position seemed clear.
Katsim: All right.
Richards: Like Riley said, I’ll wrap around and cause a distraction. Ideally, they’ll come to me.
Nis: What should we do?
Riley: Response
Richards: Alright, sounds good. On Three.
His countdown was interrupted by more shouting from Kylar’ia. This time, it sounded less like stubborn resistance and more like pain. Anton got to the point.
Richards: Three!
Riley: Response
Anton grabbed a handful of pebbles and threw them; they cascaded like rain down the rocks by the guards. But it produced no effect. Kylar’ia’s screams had so far kept their group hidden.
Richards: ::Whistle::
Nis: Uh … should we-- What are we doing?
Riley/Katsim: Response
Having not received the dramatic and instantaneous reaction that he had hoped for, Anton reached down grabbing another handful of stones.
Richards: Hey there! Over here! Did you guys not hear those rocks? Come investigate!
Jania raised an eyebrow.
Riley/Katsim: Response
Richards: What are you investigating over there for? This way!
After a deep breath, Jania, too, stood and threw a stone toward the attackers, this time no pebble but a good-sized rock. It got the guards’ attention, for sure. As one held the struggling Kylar’ia, the other whipped around, aiming a small crossbow-like device at her. But it got more than the guards’ attention; the noblewoman whipped around. And by coincidence, she was only a meter from Jania’s position.
Noblewoman: You! You heretics! I thought you were the -guild-. I thought you would crystalize my -brother!-
She swung a wild haymaker, which connected with the surprised Jania. Both of them were the same size--petite--but Jania was a Starfleet officer, and since she had nearly been killed in the collectors’ universe, she had from time to time trained in boxing and weightlifting with Toxin or some of the marines. The strike surprised her more than wounded her, and she touched her cheek.
Nis: Ow!
Riley/Katsim: Response
But before they could do anything, the noblewoman let loose an unexpected screech of rage and dove at Jania. As the noblewoman slammed into her, Jania put her foot back into a fighting stance for support … but the cliff face below her was loose, and the rocks buckled, then collapsed. Together, both of them rolled into the thick black muck below.
Thrashing, she tried to push the noblewoman off of her. Jania had already felt the sap on her shoes, but this time it was different. This material was different, having been modified by whatever the guild was doing to it. It may have been high-nutrient for the nearby plants, but on Trill flesh, in her eyes, it burned like fire.
Riley/Katsim/Richards: Response
Noblewoman: Help!
Jania tried to wipe the gunk from her eyes, but she had nothing clean to wipe her face on. She was drenched in the sticky black material. She could hear the noblewoman screaming, but not see her.
Riley/Katsim/Richards: Response
[TAGS/TBC]
Lieutenant Jania Nis
Chief Medical Officer of Physical Health
USS Octavia E. Butler NCC-82850
O240108JN2