The More Things Change....

[Capt Ayers 0]

Location: Sky Harbor Aegis

Time: Shortly before the departure of the Pandora to investigate the distress signal

 

Nick tries to keep from letting his impatience become obvious to those around him. He had wanted to leave the prior afternoon but thanks to the Pandora's being delayed that had been impossible. He closes his eyes and before he can push it away, a memory comes rushing back.

 

"Cadet, you are expected to be cooperative in answering my questions," the SFI officer roars angrily.

 

The Cadet in question, a younger Nicholas Ayers, remains perfectly serene and calm despite the bluster from the other person in the small little office. He resists the urge to say "You can expect a lot of things but you're not going to get them all..." and instead replies "Sir, I am being as cooperative as I can. If you do not like the answers you are getting, perhaps it's because I am not able to answer them."

 

"Or perhaps it's because you choose not to tell all you know," the SFI officer, a man who Nick knew only as Lieutenant Parsons shoots back.

 

Nick folds his hands in front of him on the table and says calmly "Believe that if you wish. It's become obvious to me that I am unable to change your mind or your opinion. I will be taking my leave of you now..."

 

Nick starts to rise but gets forcibly pushed back by Parsons who snarls "You're not going anywhere until I say you can. Ever since your kind arrived here you have been even more secretive then the Romulans. For over a hundred years your kind has been that way and the only thing we've found out about your kind is that your physiology is near human, that your kind is long lived, that your kind is from somewhere far beyond the borders of the Federation and that the Borg destroyed your homeworld..or so your kind say. A lot of people over the years have wanted answers to a lot of questions and I intend, Cadet, for you to provide them."

 

Nick smiles faintly "What makes you think I have them? I am half human..in fact..according to how my "kind," as you say reckon age, I'm not even an adult. That society as a whole considers me one is merely because of mere happenstance."

 

Nick pauses and then says "Besides, even if I did have the answers you want..what makes you think I'd give them to you? You drag me out of class, you bar me in this room for the last several hours in what I would consider an...less then legal interrogation and all for what? What do you think you're going to find?"

 

"Information, Cadet. Your kind has been coming to this planet and others long before we ever knew of you. From what we've been able to piece together, your kind has been a spacefaring people for a very long time. We want the information on what you found that we don't know about, what could threaten the Federation and the technology we need to stop them."

 

Nick narrows his eyes and studies the Lieutenant for a long minute. When he speaks it is in a cold superior tone "In other words...you think that since my people have been laid low and cast from their homeplanet, you can use us as some sort of...living encyclopedia of knowledge. We are not things...tools...weapons for you to use, Lieutenant. And you have no right to even ask for what you're asking for. What, if anything, my people know is ours and it's our decision to share our knowledge or not as we wish. We will not assist you or your cronies to, in effect, graverob from us, Lieutenant."

 

Nick stands again and says angrily "For all the growing up that humanity has done in the last several centuries, it's become obvious that certain members of the human race have not advanced one whit past the 20th century. With all due respect to your rank, here I stand, Lieutenant, a Human and El Aurian half breed who's a citizen of the Federation in the 24th Century just trying to graduate out of the Academy, and there you stand, Lieutenant...a throwback to the Gestapo."

 

Nick sidesteps Parsons and opens the door. Before leaving he says "I'll give you a few words of advice, Lieutenant, and please take them back to your so called superiors. You..them...and the Federation still have a lot of growing up to do. Leave my family, myself and my people alone, Lieutenant. All we want to do is to live our lives and contribute what we can to the Federation. Good day, Lieutenant...I trust this conversation is over for now and all time."

 

Nick shakes his head slightly and banishes the memory. When he opens his eyes he finds himself still standing on the Bridge of the Pandora. In a voice tinged with the barest amount of remembered anger he says "Helm, prepare to depart."