### *Tobias: Stripped of Rank*
The holding cell was cold and sterile, a stark contrast to the warmth and chaos of Evergrand Island that Tobias still longed for. He sat on the hard bench, his head in his hands, replaying the events of the past few days. The sound of heavy boots approaching pulled him from his thoughts. When the door hissed open, two Starfleet officers entered, their faces stern and unreadable.
“Tobias Kain,” one of them said, his voice cold and professional. “You’re being transferred to the hearing room. You’ll have an opportunity to explain your actions.”
Tobias nodded, rising slowly. His cuffs clinked faintly as he was led down the metallic corridors of the Epsilon Nebula Outpost. He didn’t know what he expected, but he knew he was in for a reckoning.
---
### *The Hearing*
Tobias was brought into a small room, bare except for a long table where three Starfleet officers sat. At the center was Admiral Laxton, a grizzled Vulcan whose expression betrayed no emotion. To his left was Captain T'Saal, a stern Andorian who had been the one to catch Tobias aboard the *USS Horizon.* To his right was Commander Ellis, a human officer who seemed to be observing the situation carefully.
Tobias was seated across from them, his cuffs removed but his dignity still bound tightly. The Admiral’s gaze bore into him, making him feel small under the weight of judgment.
“Ensign Tobias Kain,” Admiral Laxton began, his voice even. “You stand accused of unlawfully boarding a Starfleet vessel, endangering its crew, and violating the very regulations you swore to uphold. Do you have anything to say for yourself before we proceed?”
Tobias swallowed hard, his voice quiet but steady. “Yes, sir. I do.”
---
### *The Explanation*
Tobias sat up straighter, forcing himself to meet the Admiral’s gaze. “I didn’t stow away because I wanted to break the law or endanger anyone. I did it because I had no other choice. My credits were gone, I was evicted from the orbital station, and I had nowhere else to go. Evergrand Island isn’t an option, and my family had to leave without me. I was desperate.”
Captain T'Saal’s antennae twitched. “Desperation does not excuse breaking the law, Ensign. You endangered the lives of everyone aboard the *USS Horizon*.”
“I know,” Tobias said, his voice breaking slightly. “I wasn’t thinking about that—I just... I didn’t know what else to do. I thought if I could get to the outpost, I could find a new start. I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone.”
Commander Ellis leaned forward, his expression softening slightly. “Tobias, desperation is understandable, but there are protocols in place for situations like yours. Why didn’t you report to the station’s command center for assistance?”
Tobias sighed, his ears flattening against his head. “Because I thought they’d just turn me away. I’ve already been rejected so many times—for missions, programs, and even basic help. And I wasn’t even getting paid as an Ensign. I’ve been carrying this rank for months without receiving a single credit. What was I supposed to do?”
Captain T'Saal’s expression flickered for a moment—whether it was surprise or sympathy, Tobias couldn’t tell. “You were not receiving pay?”
“No,” Tobias said, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “I thought being an Ensign would mean something, but it didn’t. No assignments, no support, no pay. Just a title that made it harder for me to find a way forward.”
---
### *The Verdict*
The room fell silent as the officers exchanged glances. Finally, Admiral Laxton spoke.
“While your circumstances are regrettable, your actions violated multiple Starfleet regulations and cannot go unpunished. As a member of Starfleet, you are held to a higher standard of conduct. Your actions undermined that standard and put others at risk.”
Tobias’s heart sank as the Admiral continued. “Effective immediately, you are stripped of your rank as Ensign. Your Starfleet commission is hereby revoked.”
Tobias felt the weight of those words hit him like a physical blow. His chest tightened, and his hands clenched into fists beneath the table. He had expected this, but hearing it out loud still felt like a final, crushing defeat.
Captain T'Saal added, “You will be released to civilian status here on the outpost. While we will not pursue further legal action, your future will no longer be tied to Starfleet.”
---
### *Adding His Frustration*
Tobias, despite the knot in his throat, couldn’t stay silent. “You know what’s frustrating?” he said, his voice trembling. “You’re stripping me of a rank that didn’t mean anything. I wasn’t getting paid. I wasn’t being assigned missions. I was just floating around with no support, carrying a title that only made my life harder. I get that I broke the law, and I’ll take responsibility for that. But it’s not like Starfleet was doing anything to help me before all of this.”
Admiral Laxton’s expression remained neutral, but Commander Ellis leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowing slightly. Captain T'Saal’s antennae twitched again, and for a brief moment, Tobias thought he saw a flicker of understanding.
“That is duly noted,” the Admiral said curtly, before gesturing to the security officers. “Escort Mr. Kain out.”
---
### *Aftermath*
Tobias was escorted back to his holding cell, where he sat in stunned silence. The words of the hearing replayed in his mind over and over. *Stripped of rank. Commission revoked.* Everything he had worked for, everything he had hoped for, was gone.
When Blueberry came to visit him later that day, her usually calm demeanor was tinged with concern. “How’d it go?” she asked, sitting across from him.
Tobias let out a bitter laugh. “They took everything. I’m not an Ensign anymore. I’m just... nothing.”
“You’re not nothing,” Blueberry said firmly. “You’re still Tobias Kain—or Raven, if you prefer. You’re still you, and you’re still capable of finding your way forward.”
“Finding my way forward?” Tobias said, shaking his head. “Every time I try to move forward, I just end up making things worse.”
---
### *A Glimmer of Resolve*
Blueberry reached across the table, placing a mechanical hand on his. “Then stop trying to do it all on your own. You’ve got people who care about you—friends, family, even me. Let us help you figure out what’s next.”
Tobias stared at her for a long moment before nodding slowly. “I don’t know where to go from here,” he admitted. “But I can’t stay here.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Blueberry said with a faint smile. “You’re not alone in this.”
As Tobias sat back, the weight of the day still heavy on his shoulders, he felt a small flicker of determination reignite within him. He had lost everything tied to Starfleet, but maybe this was a chance to find a new path—one that wasn’t defined by ranks or regulations.
“I’ll figure it out,” he said quietly, more to himself than to Blueberry. “I have to.”
The stars outside the outpost gleamed faintly, a reminder of the endless possibilities still waiting for him.
