very large number

[warpfairy]

System after system goes by without many events of moment, and soon it is time to visit Renée again, and so the Prometheus once again docks above Earth and they once again shuttle to Phoenix.

Comments

[dream_me_up]

"I think I'm going to go have a wander," says Lalita, kissing Isabella's forehead. "I'll see you at your mom's place in a few days, how's that sound?"

[warpfairy]

"Enjoy your wander," laughs Isabella, "and if you're liable to arrive around a mealtime I'm sure she'd like an hour's notice."

Hugs! Snuggly hugs. Just because they spend virtually all of their time in close quarters does not mean she won't miss him or shouldn't give him a proper goodbye.

[dream_me_up]

Snuggly hugs!

"I will see you later, darling."

[warpfairy]

And they go their separate ways.

After Isabella has been home for a day, there's a knock at the door, and Renée answers it, and they want to talk to Isabella, and it's six Starfleet personnel, armed.

They know enough, suspect everything else -

They don't mention Lalita, to say they have him or demand his location from her - she never did bother putting him on the manifest - and she doesn't tell them and Renée, bless her heart, doesn't mention him either.

There's no point in trying to run; she can't get off-planet without a shuttle and every port will probably have her picture, now.

They escort her into their little ship, parked on the street, and put her into its little brig.

Off they fly.

[dream_me_up]

Two days later, Lalita comes back.

[alicornucopia]

Renée answers the door, red-eyed and wringing her hands.

"I didn't know how to call you," she says.

[dream_me_up]

"...What happened?"

[alicornucopia]

"Isabella's been arrested for - something. They put her on a private trial yesterday. I wasn't allowed to record it, something about the risk of - criminal contagion - but I was allowed to be there - they've put her on Niamh 6. It's a life sentence and she'll get an appeal next y-year." And at this point in the narrative Renée bursts into tears.

[dream_me_up]

Lalita hugs her.

[alicornucopia]

"It was something about," sobs Renée, hugging him, "the Prime Directive, and she didn't even dispute the - the charges - so they didn't go into any detail, but I don't understand, I don't know what's going on, and I didn't have a way to call you."

[dream_me_up]

"It's okay," he murmurs, hugging her. "It'll be okay."

[alicornucopia]

Renée cries on him. "I don't understand, I never took her for a lawbreaker, there has to be some kind of mistake, why wouldn't she dispute the charges?"

[dream_me_up]

"I don't know."

He can guess, though.

[alicornucopia]

Crying. Considerable crying.

Eventually she detaches and gets herself a glass of water.

[dream_me_up]

Well.

"Do you know what they did with her ship...?"

[alicornucopia]

"I think they impounded it. Evidence or something. I might get it, after they've finished going over it in as much detail as they please."

[dream_me_up]

"I don't know what to do now," he murmurs. "I guess they don't exactly let her take visitors."

[alicornucopia]

"She's allowed to write," says Renée. "I don't know. You can stay here as long as you need, if you don't have anywhere to go but Prometheus or you'd rather just be here."

[dream_me_up]

"I think I'm going to need some time alone," Lalita says softly.

[alicornucopia]

"All right," hiccups Renée, and she finishes her glass of water. "I understand."

[dream_me_up]

He hugs her again before he goes.

[alicornucopia]

Renée is very grateful for the hug.

[dream_me_up]

Hugs are good.

He misses his darling already.

Well, notwithstanding what he said to Renée, he can think of a thing or two he might be able to do about that.

[warpfairy]

His darling misses him too, but she's busy with intake procedures for the prison.

It's not like it's a bad prison, as they go. She gets her own room. There is a reasonable standard of living. They want her to interview with all kinds of people - about her mental state, her politics, how they could have caught her earlier (ha), her appeal next year.

She doesn't mention Lalita. She doesn't attempt to write to him.

He said, once, he'd break her out.

Attention wouldn't be helpful.

[dream_me_up]

Niamh 6 is a mid-sized asteroid in a system with restricted traffic.

Lalita has time. It's a year until her first appeal. He doesn't want to break her out too soon; if he does it right, nobody should ever know that Isabella was the target of the breakout in the first place.

It takes him four months to get everything in place. In those four months, there are ten more people sent to Niamh 6.