DescriptionIn 2252, the Federation of Planets decided to establish a colony in Sector 33-A, a portion of space dominantly inhabited by a race known as the Deltans. Known to many in Starfleet as "No Man's Land," settling civilians in the sector will prove to be more of a problem than anyone would ever imagine.
When a hostile alien attack forces an exodus of Outpost Genoa and its crew deeper into No Man's Land, Captain D'Arcy and his crew find themselves in a quest for survival. The Federation is lightyears away and there is no promise that Starfleet will ever find them. D'Arcy and his crew realizes they have a mission to complete. They must protect the Federation and innocent lives from a hostile alien race who's waited centuries to attack a planet known to terrans as Earth. ================================================== = An Excerpt from mission 5, Spotlight:
D'Arcy looked to Shanna and Valdez after they had settled back into their seats. He looked at her and took notice of her crooked smile. It was one of accepted defeat. As if she knew what was coming.
"We haven't lost this just yet. It's just begun."
She heaved in some air and nodded. "I know. Yet, I don't want to fool myself. I've sat in on cases that have gone on for weeks. One even lasted for two months. No matter how right I believe I am, they," She gestured with her bald head to the judges and Hernando who stared at them as if they were bacteria on the bottom of his shoe, "Will never accept me. There are many who remain silent because they know our society will fall apart should it ever allow people such as I to live."
"Well they can change. You're doing nothing wrong. All you're doing is trying to bring about a change that will benefit your people."
Valdez shook his head and made some sound of annoyance. Shanna turned and looked to him with confusion. "You think I am harming my society?"
D'Arcy stared at Valdez and could tell it was still something personal. "No, he doesn't. Commander, remember where we are and that you're on duty."
"You know," Valdez began. "I can't see how you can sit here and try to change an entire society when you're just like them." He jabbed his finger to the head of the room. "They look down on Shanna because she's a rebel. She has her own beliefs that aren't doing anyone any harm. You're trying to help her while you can't even accept me for who I am. You can't even accept your own son for being something different from who you are and who you think he should be."
D'Arcy leaned forward. "Valdez, I told you we'd discuss our personal matters at a later time."
Shanna remained silent as she looked to Valdez. "You cannot blame your captain for his beliefs." She placed a hand on his shoulder and put her other on D'Arcy's, uniting them all in a bond. "He, like my husband and many others, value the past and the teachings and lessons of his ancestors. Perhaps he would understand if he had the opportunity to learn."
"Shanna," D'Arcy began.
"And you captain. You can't turn your back on Valdez and other situations you encounter just because your past restrains you from embracing change. My society needs me to die. They need to look back on me as a figure who died for her beliefs and never backed down. My people and this quadrant needs you to stand up for people like me and foster understanding. You have to begin in the home in order to make the world around you work. If you should forget me, remember this one thing. It may not make you the most popular of men among your people but it will make you a better man."
She removed her hands and left the two men staring at one another as she herself stood. Their gazes were broken as the judges entered and the rest of the room stood. D'Arcy stood and caught the site of Milton Brewster entering and taking a seat on the side. No one seemed to care who he was but Hernando's eyes met the figure. He raised his head in some official greeting and Brewster smiled and turned his own eyes back to D'Arcy.
The leading judge looked to the three people seated before them. The opposing council, hired by Hernando and the government, stepped to the front.
"Our most honored," He said as he addressed the judges after they gave the sign to sit. "I bring to your attention the ancient writings and laws by which our society was founded upon. In them, you'll see why this woman should be eradicated from our society."
"I object," D'Arcy yelled out as he jumped to his feet. "She's not a disease and she isn't a cancer. She's a human being and to 'eradicate' her says a lot about this legal system here."
"D'Arcy, you'll keep your seat." One of the judges called out.
Shanna stood to her feet, her hands still shackled in front of her. "I'd like to speak."
"You know that you will have your turn, Lady Shanna. Right now, Counsel Gormash has the floor. Now you too shall take your seat once again." They hit the gavel against the steel desk, sending out an echo across the room. Shanna flinched but she remained standing. The judges began to talk to one another and Hernando shook his head with disgust. "Lady Shanna, I said you'll-"
"I am going to save us all a lot of time." Shanna said, her body trembling. "I'm guilty of the accused charges. I am not sorry for what I did nor will I apologize to Hernando and Vadican Gamma."
D'Arcy frowned and began to say something but she turned and shook her head. The judges seemed surprised and looked at her as if she were truly something to be feared.
"Women in our society have no place. One of us could never lead this planet as Hernando does. We can not change the laws, we cannot live as you men do. I have been privileged in my lifetime to have moved up in class but many cannot say the same. We deserve the rights of any male here. We have voices and they should be heard. I cannot apologize for my views and opinions because they are a part of who I am and denying them would be like trying to live without a heart. I'd be dead, not here, not a part of this world and not living. There are many others on this world who have opinions and yet are not heard. If I should die, I'll die for them to be heard. For history to look back on me not as a destructive figure but as one who was a voice to those too afraid to stand up to our flawed society."
Everyone was silent. The judges looked at Shanna and the wives of Hernando seemed equally interested in what was going to happen. D'Arcy frowned as he looked around. When the judges spoke, he quickly turned back and stared ahead.
"We cannot tolerate such beliefs and you know that, Lady Shanna. You have been known to speak when you should have remained silent. If we allowed you to live, we would be going against the laws our people established."
"Laws that are viewed as archaic to our brothers and sisters lightyears away who look down on us. Who deny their blood could ever be so foolish-"
"You've said enough, Lady Shanna."
"I may have but you haven't listened enough." She shot back.
"Lady Shanna," The only female judge said with a hint of animosity in her tone. "We'll hear no more of this! You have admitted your crime. We must sentence you to-"
People yelped and screamed and D'Arcy could hear chairs scraping across the floor and bodies hitting the marble-covered floor. He turned around quickly to see a Deltan crawling over chairs and people to get to Shanna. D'Arcy only had to give Valdez a look to get the man to leap from his own chair and pull Shanna to the floor. D'Arcy stood and caught the Deltan as he leapt over the railing with a knife in his hand. He used the butt-end of the blade to hit D'Arcy in the head and shoved him back.
D'Arcy grunted as he stumbled back and fought the darkness that clouded his vision. He kicked out, catching the man in the back of his leg. He stumbled forward as Shanna stared on in fear. Valdez pulled her across the floor in order to get closer to the Deltan. Valdez kicked the blade from his hand and turned to Shanna.
The court room was chaotic with Deltans fleeing and guards rushing in to protect the judges and Hernando. The Deltan leader stood above on the platform as his wives were rushed out. He stood behind though, never leaving his seat but not daring to set foot beyond the line of guards that had come to protect him.
The Deltan who had attacked them moaned but reached into his baggy pants and pulled out a phaser. He took it out and aimed it at Valdez. D'Arcy let out another grunt as he pushed himself up and began to crawl towards the Deltan. "Move, Valdez!"
The Starfleet officer looked behind and rolled out of the way while shoving Shanna away the instant the phaser was fired. The phaser beam struck his shoulder as he hit the floor with a scorch mark covering his shoulder. As he gripped his wound and lay on the floor, D'Arcy was up to his full height, leaning on the railing. He cradled what he felt was a broken wrist and looked to Shanna. Her stare was ingrained into his memory. Even after she was vaporized. There was no scream, there was fear in her final expression. She seemed to know she would die.
D'Arcy fell to his knees as guards rushed in and fired on the Deltan. Their phaser fire lit him up and forced D'Arcy to turn his head away due to the brightness. When he looked back, the Deltan man was burned and lifeless. The phaser lay beside him, having gone unharmed. Brewster Milton rushed to D'Arcy's side after getting by the Deltan guards.
He knelt down and put his hand on D'Arcy's shoulder. "If this is your idea of a good entrance into the political field, you may need to stick with running that station."
D'Arcy wasn't able to respond to Brewster. He stared at the place where Shanna had been. He could still see her and smell her. He could remember her gaze, the fear that had subsided into strength and acceptance. He could feel her touch on his shoulder and could remember the confidence and understanding she had always carried with her. Hernando moved past his men and approached the scene. He looked at D'Arcy, lips pressed thinly together, a frown replacing his usual arrogant expression.
D'Arcy doubled over in agony and disgust. Brewster stood and looked to Hernando.
"He'll be fine."
D'Arcy forced himself up though he remained on his knees, staring at Shanna's final place with a bruise on his head and tears streaking his face.
"Is this what it has to come down to? Death? You couldn't work towards understanding her pleas?"
Hernando simply stared on and looked back at D'Arcy. "I assure you, Captain, this is not sanctioned by me. We do not tolerate such actions. If I had it to do over again-"
"Oh shut the Hell up." D'Arcy drawled with a trembling voice. How could this man stand there and try to take back all that had led to this moment? Had he tried to eliminate the distrust of those with different opinions? Had he tried to listen to complaints of others and help to see that everyone on Vadican Gamma was being taken care of?
"Proconsul, don't take offense from Captain D'Arcy. He's obviously experienced a great deal in this situation and doesn't have a good grip on himself."
D'Arcy looked up with anger to Brewster. "I know what I'm saying. You've done nothing to help eliminate problems like this. You think killing and 'eradicating' the differences in your society is going to make everything okay. You want to ignore that there are others out there unlike you and your ancestors. You can't accept anything less." D'Arcy for once heard what he was saying and thought of Daniel. He thought of Valdez and how they had been sparring over differences in opinions.
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