Overtime

Chapter 12 - A Reunion of Shadows

The others were already at the brig by the time Mack and Marty arrived. Rick came over with a brunette in a futuristic smart suit and heels. "Dana MacKenzie, Martin Madden, I'd like to introduce you both to my boss, Admiral Carmen Calavicci."

"How do you do?" Mack said, shaking hands with Carmen. "You always keep such a close eye on him?"

"We're a bit short-staffed right now. We'll be hiring more time traveling agents soon," she said. She had a British accent.

"I see," Marty said. "Must be exciting work."

"It pays the nonexistent bills," Carmen replied. "Are you ready, Miss MacKenzie?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose." She turned to the guard. "Do you mind filming this?"

"Uh, sure. But if things get dicey with the prisoner, all bets are off," he said.

"Thanks." Mack looked around at everyone. "I don't do this lightly. Yi'Imspi?"

"What?" The Calafan was none too pleased.

"I want to show you something. And I want everyone else here to witness it and record it and have it on hand so that you know exactly what happened, and you can keep it later. It'll be proof for you."

"I'm not interested."

"Oh, you will be." She turned to Marty. "Can you hold my stuff, please?"

He smiled at her. "Of course."

The outfit she was wearing was the same as before – dungarees, sneakers, a Black Sheep jersey, and a shelf bra camisole on underneath. She doffed the jersey and handed it to him.

"So, are you strip teasing for me now?" Yi'Imspi snarled.

"No. I'm proving something to you." Mack pulled off her shelf bra camisole and handed it to Marty. "Are you getting this on camera?" she asked the guard.

"Yeah, I am."

"Make sure to get everything – my back, all of it, okay?" She turned to the prisoner. "I'm showing you all of this not for some sort of a come-on. It's because I want you to see exactly what happens in a prison. And I was in medium security. Max, I imagine, is a lot worse. Fortunately for me, I was only in max briefly as a part of my transition back to civilian life."

"So?"

"So, I want you to understand – truly and deeply – just what can and most likely will – happen to you."

"It's not necessarily true for everyone."

"I'll grant you that. I saw women who had it worse." Mack paused.

"Worse?" asked Dr. Crusher.

"Oh, yeah. A Xindi sloth permanently lost an eye. And I saw an Andorian who was battered so badly she went nuts. They transferred her to an asylum. Yi'Imspi – what I've got is typical. What happened to me is utterly normal. It's something you can expect."

"Or you could turn evidence," Picard offered.

"No way," huffed the Calafan.

"Suit yourself," Marty said. "But you can't say no one tried to warn you."

"Do you honestly think your co-conspirator is going to help you?" asked Majira. "I don't imagine the admiral has any love for you and your predicament. Do you believe the admiral will stick his–?"

"Her," Picard interjected.

"Her, sorry. Would she stick her neck out for you? You are already in custody and the admiral is not. If I was the admiral, and I had no morals and no ethics, I'd be inclined to want to keep things that way."