I shrugged. "Okay."
Sebastian stared at me. "What?"
"Okay. What do you want? Shock? Tears? You want me to care that my parents thought they were shipping me off to die instead of just being locked up forever?" I looked behind him at Matt and Otten, who were already looking back at me. "Why are you even telling me this? Do you want me to thank you? These men have been through more than I can even imagine. They've been locked up forever. I don't think I have the monopoly on pain, here."
"I thought that would make you understand. I'm trying to do you people a favor."
"Us people don't want favors, Sebastian. We want to be left alone. Now turn around."
Sebastian looked down at me and I shivered as he turned to face the door to the elevators. A few seconds later, they opened. We were met by a large crowd of men and women in the uniforms of shapeshifters, all looking frightened. On the other side was a line of Sandorian naval officers, all holding phasers. We had walked into a standoff. I stepped forward as Matt and Otten cleared a path. The pain in my leg was starting to throb uncontrollably but I stepped forward, pulling Sebastian with me. I came to a stop a few feet in front of the men, my phaser firmly digging into Sebastian's ribs.
"We're taking these people out of here," I said calmly. I met the eyes of Commander Lewis, who was standing back and to my right. "I'm taking the Prime Minister with me. Once we're clear, we'll launch a pod and you can pick him up. If you try to stop us, I will kill him."
"Then you won't have a bargaining chip," Lewis said. His eyes were hard and his phaser was pointing squarely at me.
"And you won't have a Prime Minister. Otten, where's Sam and the others?"
"We're here," I heard Sam say from somewhere behind me. I didn't break eye contact with the Commander. "We got all three levels cleared out. Dean should be bringing the last groups up now. We're using the cargo turbolifts."
I smiled. "There's a thousand of us, Commander. You have twenty men. You can try to shoot us but what do you think you can do against a thousand shapeshifters? You won't even be able to see us."
I could see the man thinking. Everything in his training was telling him not to back down, not while Sebastian was in danger. But he also knew we had him outnumbered. He couldn't kill all of us, and not nearly fast enough. His best bet was to stand down now and go after us once we were airborn.
He looked to Sebastian for confirmation. I did too, meeting his eyes where he stood next to me, his arm still in my grasp. He looked down at me.
"Let them go," he said, loudly enough for Lewis to hear.
"Sir?"
"What are you going to do, Commander, let them shoot me? Let them go. They won't get far."
"That's the spirit," I told Sebastian. "Tell them to put their weapons down and go stand in the corner there."
Sebastian did as he was told and soon our path was clear. "What now, Jasper?" I asked. I watched Sam and Otten follow the Sandorian soldiers to keep an eye on them. Matt stayed by my side.
He pointed at a ship close by on the spaceport floor. "That one. It's just a cargo ship but it'll hold us, it can go up to warp three, and it's fully fueled."
"Good. Start getting them onboard."
I watched as Jasper lead the stream of confused and frightened shapeshifters toward the large hulk of a ship. It wouldn't be a comfortable ride but everyone would fit. I stepped forward and let them pass, keeping Sebastian close by.
"Is this your entire plan?" Sebastian asked.
"Why do you care?"
"I don't. I'm disappointed, though."
I rolled by eyes and readjusted my grip on my blaster. The shapeshifters were rushing onboard the ship already. It wouldn't take long for them to be ready. As I watched, the cargo bay doors opened and Dean strode out with three dozen more people behind him. He assessed the situation and then started off toward the ship.
"I didn't want it to come to this, Tasha," Sebastian said.
"What did you think was going to happen?" I demanded. I didn't want to get drawn into conversation with him again but the man was infuriating. His single-minded determination to be willfully wrong was unparalleled.
"I thought I could make you see that what I'm doing here is for the best."
"We've been over this. Imprisoning people is wrong, end of story. But we don't have to agree. Once these people are onboard, we'll be gone."
"If you had just agreed to help me, we could have worked something out. Instead..." Sebastian looked out over the people hurriedly climbing into the ship. "Where will you go?"
"I'm not likely to tell you."
"Of course not."
I shook my head but didn't respond.
"Do you think they'll be able to survive on their own?" he continued, undeterred. "They have no skills, no trades. They'll be a burden on whatever planet you find for them. And will you stay with them? I can't see you being tied down."
I snapped. Pushing Sebastian against the wall, I demanded, "What the hell do you know about me? Don't act like us being friends twenty years ago makes you an expert."
I realized I was digging the phaser into his ribs and I pulled it back. With reluctance, I let go of his shoulder and took a step back. My face felt hot and I took a few quick breaths to try to calm myself. When I looked back at Sebastian, he had something like sadness in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"For what?" I asked wearily.
"For turning you in. I didn't understand what I was doing. Maybe if I hadn't...well, that doesn't matter now. I'm sorry, though." He raised his right wrist to his mouth. "Now, Dominic."
My raised my hands to my ears as a roar filled the spaceport. From above, half a dozen ships descended, filling the sky. As I watched, they came to hover just above our heads, their engines filling the air. Movement caught my eye and as I watched, at least a dozen security officers came rushing out of the turbolift, blasters raised. Behind them walked Dominic and Brick
"Did you really think it would be this easy to kidnap the Prime Minister?"
I turned to look at Sebastian. He straightened his suit.
All the shapeshifters were on the main space dock floor by now, looking up at the ships in horror. The security officers came to a stop just in front of Matt and myself.
"Give it up," Dominic said. His eyes were cold. Beside him stood Brick, his eyes fixed on the floor.
I looked between Sebastian and Dominic and then to the security officers, all while listening to the engines of the ships above me. If they opened fire, they could wipe us out in a matter of seconds. At the edge of the room, Sam and Otten were watching me.
"It's over, Tasha," Sebastian said so softly that I was certain I was the only one who could hear him. I looked at him and gritted my teeth when I found pity on his face. With a muffled growl, I dropped the phaser on the ground. Matt reluctantly followed suit. Sebastian stepped away and turned to face me as he stood next to Dominic.
"Secure the Prime Minister," Dominic said to the squad.
"That's unnecessary, Dominic," Sebastian said. "I expect I will be needed here soon when the Enterprise appears." He gave Dominic a look that clearly state his disapproval at the failed operation. "Call them back up here, Tasha. If you tell them, we may be able to avoid bloodshed."
"We're not going back in here," I said. I did not know how we were getting out of here but I did know that we weren't going back inside.
"Where will you go? You're free to shift and run, but what kind of life is that? They'll never be able to take human form without being found, they can't buy anything or go anywhere without ID. You might be able to smuggle offworld, but a thousand shapeshifters trying to escape when the entire planet is on high alert? Impossible."
"We're resourceful," I said, but I had a hard time believing it. I had barely survived the first few years on my own. I had been entirely unprepared for the universe outside of Sandor. The people her wouldn't be better off. And that was assuming they even survived the escape off the dock.
"If you come back, there will be no punishments." I saw Dominic give Sebastian a sharp look at that but he kept his mouth shut.
"What about Brick?" I demanded. "Dominic was ready to execute him this morning, how do I know you won't do that to the rest of us?"
"I give you my word."
I snorted, then shook my head. "We're not going back. I don't care what you promise."
"I think you should let them decide that," Dominic said. He nodded behind me. "It's a bit arrogant to think you can speak for all of them, isn't it? As far as I know, some of them were quite happy here. Your friend Cort, for example."
I felt a twisting in my gut. He was right. I knew Cort and probably others would take a life in prison over the uncertainty that came with being on the run and self-sufficient.
"What do you say we ask them?" Dominic said. "We'll have to shut down the training program, of course, and security will be tightened, but I still think some will want to stay."
The training program. "You want to use them as weapons," I said.
Sebastian raised his eyebrows. "That's harsh. Our plan was to make a volunteer force for special assignments. Dominic is right, unfortunately. We won't be able to give you that kind of freedom anymore."
"That's exactly what you're going to do," I said. I could feel sickness rising inside me as I said the words but I also knew that I had no other options.
"I'm sorry?" Dominic said, but his expression was anything but. Ever since he had come out of the turbolift, he had looked downright gleeful.
"You're going to give me that freedom, to go on your missions. Look at what happened on the Enterprise. It was a failure. These people don't know the first thing about shapeshifting. They've had it beaten out of them over years in those camps. I've been shifting constantly for the last eleven years. I'm the best you've seen."
"Ego trip aside, I fail to see why that matters," Dominic said. He waved a hand. "You're wasting time."
"Let them go," I said, more strength in my voice now. I took a step forward. "All of them. Let them take the ship, and go where they want. Hell, send them to Minos, or Altair."
"And why would I?" Sebastian asked.
"Because you can have me." I lifted my arms to my side. "Whatever messed up missions you want a shapeshifter for, I'll do them. You don't need a thousand of them. You just need me."
Sebastian's eyes widened and I could tell I had surprised him. I had surprised myself. It gave me a sick feeling in my stomach to volunteer for this but it was the only way for the rest of them to get away.
Dominic scoffed. "Why would we do that? And what would keep you from running away as soon as we send you off world the first time?"
I searched my mind for an answer. "I give you my word," I said.
"That means nothing."
I shrugged. It had been worth a shot. We all knew that I would try to escape as soon as possible. "Fine."
"No, it does," Sebastian cut in. Dominic and I both stared at him, with similar expressions on our faces. "Where would she go, Dominic? She commandeered a Federation ship. She'll be wanted by them forever. And what about the other shapeshifters? They're on a Varga Class Freighter, they won't get far. No matter where they go, we can track them. She knows that."
I could see the gears turning in Sebastian's head and it made me shiver. Dominic had always frightened me more than Sebastian but now I could see the coldness in my former friend's eyes.
"How will we explain letting them go?" Dominic demanded.
"To whom? No one knows they're here. And look at the cost to feed and house them. It'll be cheaper this way. We'll send them to the wormhole, to Altair. No, better yet, to Minos III. They need a population boost and shapeshifters will be just the thing."
"What about the Federation?"
"They'll be satisfied. We withdrawal the request for tribute and make a request for a joint venture at a colony. They can't refuse or seek restitution, not without starting a war. We'll paint the attack on the Enterprise as a rogue shapeshifter attack."
I stared at Sebastian. Did he really think he could wrap it all up that nicely? The worst part was that it might just work. The Federation had no desire to start a war, they would be happy to have everything wrapped up and have their wormhole back. They could overlook the small matter of an attack, especially if Picard was willing to accept their apology. And he would. Because he was a diplomat.
"And if they're on the other side of the wormhole, we'll have control over their supply route," Dominic said. He looked at me with glee. "There's our collateral."
I shrugged. "Fine. Let them go."
Matt had stayed silent the entire time but now he stepped forward. "I'm staying too."
"No, you're not," I said firmly. "You're going with the crew. They'll need you."
"I won't leave you here alone," he said.
"You will."
"We have no need for you," Dominic said dismissively. He turned to the officer to his right. "Get the rest of them on the ship. And get these fighters out of here but keep a perimeter."
The man and half his squad hurried off to follow orders. I looked behind Sebastian and Dominic to where Brick was still standing.
"He goes too."
"Of course." Dominic nodded stepped to Brick, took his arm, and a moment later the silver dampener came off. Brick rubbed his wrist and met my eyes for the first time. He stepped past to Dominic and up to me.
"I'm sorry," was all he said.
"None of this is your fault," I said. It wasn't, at all. He had done nothing but be a catalyst for Otten, Moira, and the others. The Enterprise expedition would have happened regardless. "It was my idea to try to escape anyway."
He looked around. "Looks like we'll all be getting your wish but you."
"Looks like it. Oh, Moira." Brick's head snapped. "She's on the Enterprise. She...was stunned." I looked around Brick at Sebastian. "You'll get her released and sent to wherever these guys end up."
Dominic opened his mouth, likely to say something nasty, but Sebastian answered first. "Agreed."
I squinted, trying to figure out how this could be a trick, but then I nodded. "Go," I said to Brick and Matt. I looked to where Otten and Sam had been and found them gone, likely already on the ship. Slowly, Brick and Matt followed the last shapeshifters onto the ship. I watched as the surrounding fighters withdrew to the outskirts. The roar of the engines faded into a dull hum. I turned back to Sebastian and Dominic.
"Alright," I said to them. "What now?"
The End