False Starts- Ch. 6

False Starts and New Beginnings

By Plumtuckered

Rating: R, Romance, Drama
Disclaimer in Chapter 1

Chapter Six

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The engineer looked up and blinked through the water that ran into his eyes. His teeth were chattering. "T'Pol!" he managed. She helped him to a sitting position as he struggled to get his breath. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she replied, kneeling beside him. "I am cold but otherwise unharmed."

"Where are we?" he asked. The commander ran a hand through his hair as he looked around. They were in a huge cavern. Sunlight filtered in through fissures in the roof.

"Kritra cortla vex!"

They both turned their heads in the direction of the deep voice. An alien being stepped out from the shadows, its body dripping-wet. It wore only knee-length pants, the rest of its body exposed. The being approached them, yelling the same words at them. Commander Tucker got to his feet and moved in front of T'Pol. The alien stopped a meter in front of them. Its body and head were completely hairless; its scaly skin light blue. It had no nose, only two huge black eyes and a mouth full of small sharp teeth. There were no visible ears, just small openings on either side of its head. T'Pol could see what looked like gills on both sides of its neck. The gills moved with every breath the being took.

"Kritra cortla vex!" it repeated.

"I'm sorry but we can't understand you," replied the commander with a shake of his head. Without warning, the alien backhanded him across the face and the force of the blow sent him stumbling backwards into T'Pol. She caught him and kept him upright.

"I strongly recommend we keep quiet, Mr. Tucker," she whispered. "Apparently our translators were damaged by the water."

A second alien appeared from the shadows moving to stand next to its companion. It wore the same short pants but also a hip-length robe. The two conversed quietly then the newcomer pulled a device from one of its pockets. T'Pol noticed they had five fingers on each hand and each finger was twice the length of her own. Each digit had three joints and no nail bed. A piece of skin joined each finger together. She glanced down at their feet and saw that the toes were long and also joined to one another by skin. With webbed hands and feet, she understood their power in the water.

The being pressed the keys on the face of the device then shoved it back into its pocket.

"We should now be able to communicate," it said in a high-pitched voice. To T'Pol's surprise, it spoke in Vulcan.

"I am Sub-Commander T'Pol and this is Commander Tucker," she replied as she stepped forward. Commander Tucker moved with her, keeping her protectively at his side. He had a look of confusion on his face but to her relief, he wisely kept silent.

"You are a Vulcan," stated the robed being.

T'Pol nodded. "Yes."

The robed alien looked at the engineer. "I do not know your species," it said, the black eyes wandering over his shivering body.

"He is a Human," T'Pol said. "He does not speak Vulcan so he does not understand you." From the corner of her eye, she could see the commander shift on his feet, obviously uncomfortable under the intense scrutiny.

"If you begin speaking in his native language, our translator should be able to process it quickly."

T'Pol nodded then turned to her companion. "They are speaking in Vulcan, Commander. They apparently have technology similar to our universal translator so if we continue to converse in English, they should soon be able to understand the language."

"Commander Tucker, we have never seen a Human before," said the robed being suddenly. "You are quite similar to Vulcans. I assume by your appearance you are the male of the species?" The black eyes wondered down his body again and T'Pol felt an unfamiliar wave of emotion as the intense gaze stopped and settled on the commander's groin. Since the uniform was soaking wet, it clung to him.

"And you are the female of your species?" the Vulcan asked evenly, trying to draw the attention back to her.

"Yes," the alien woman responded. Her eyes moved up to Commander Tucker's face and settled there. Her mouth turned up into what T'Pol believed was a smile. She reached her long fingers up and ran one through his still damp hair then down the side of his face. T'Pol saw a shudder run through his body as he brushed the hand away.

"I'm sorry but where I come from, your actions are considered inappropriate," he said with a hint of anger.

The other alien, who had stayed silent, moved quickly to its companion's side, a webbed hand ready to strike the engineer again.

"It's all right, my love," the woman said softly. "I offer my apologies, Commander. I did not mean to offend you. As you can see, we do not have discernible differences in our genders. I am simply intrigued by your--- appearance."

"Apology accepted, ma'am."

"I am Lewek Ruush, leader of my people and this is Okud Trotti, my second in command. He is also my chosen."

"By chosen, do you mean your mate?" asked Commander Tucker.

Lewek nodded at him. "Is this Vulcan your chosen?"

"Yeah, yeah, she is," he replied. T'Pol was pleased with the response but she quickly centered her thoughts on their current situation.

"Your species is not like the one described in Vulcan records. Are you native to Preegus Minor?"

"Of course we are. This is our world just as much as it is the surface- dwellers'," Lewek replied sharply. "We simply chose to embrace our ancestry and we were banished for it."

"Banished?" asked Commander Tucker.

"Since the beginning of our world, my species was able to survive both in water and on land. As years passed, children were born who could only survive on the surface. They were horrific freaks of nature so they were quickly eliminated from our society. During our last century of existence, however, kind-hearted souls took pity and allowed the abominations to live. They slowly grew in number until they outnumbered us. We were cast out and we became the abominations in their eyes." Lewek looked at T'Pol. "That is why Okud brought you here."

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Jon watched Crewman Liz Cutler as she tracked the movements of an unusually large beetle. He wondered how someone could be so curious about an insect but then he quickly realized it was in fact, Cutler's own first contact with an alien life. He smiled then turned to watch the other members of his crew swarm over the meadow. He looked to the north, scanning for Trip and T'Pol. He had just seen them a moment ago, standing in the distance. The captain moved to the nearest pod and climbed in. He searched one of the storage compartments and pulled out a pair of binoculars. When he returned outside, he brought them up to his eyes. His two officers were no longer there. Jon reached into his pocket and pulled out his communicator. After failing to raise them with his hails, Jon turned to see Ensign Mayweather hovering several meters away.

"Travis!" Jon called. His helmsman turned then jogged toward him.

"Yes, sir?"

"Grab two phase pistols from the pod then follow me!" the captain ordered. He had already started running across the meadow to the northern hills. Travis caught up to him in seconds and handed him a pistol without stopping.

"What's wrong, Captain?"

"Trip and the sub-commander aren't answering my hails."

When they reached the edge of the pond, Jon saw T'Pol's scanner lying on the ground. He swallowed hard and looked out at the water. Travis picked up the scanner and looked at it closely.

"The water doesn't appear to be toxic, sir," he said.

Without thinking, Jon reached down to remove his boots.

"I'll go, Captain," said Travis beside him. The ensign kicked off his boots and quickly slipped out of his uniform. He dove in and disappeared from view. Jon was tempted to follow but his common sense took over. He paced along the bank, finding Trip's camera. He picked it up and stared at it a moment. Then he shoved it in a pocket and turned, watching the water for the young helmsman. He was relieved when he broke the surface. Travis gulped in more air then disappeared again. A short time later he came up again.

"I can't see anything, sir. The water's too dark." The ensign swam to the bank and climbed out. He was shivering violently from the cold. As Travis got dressed, Jon hailed Malcolm.

"Yes, Captain?" the lieutenant responded.

"Malcolm, I'm sending Travis back to get you and a security team. You're going to need some underwater gear."

"Captain?"

"Trip and T'Pol have disappeared. I'll explain more when you get down here. While you're waiting for Travis, contact Chancellor Casney. Tell her two of our crew are missing."

"Aye, sir."

"Archer out."

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Trip was finally getting warm. Lewek and Okud had led them through a tunnel into another large cavern. On the floor of the cavern stood several dozen shelters. Lewek had left Trip and T'Pol in a cell that had been carved into the hard rock wall. A door of metal bars had been hung, the hinges embedded in the stone. A fire burned in the center of the room and now the two officers were crouched down by it. Trip looked across the fire and through the bars to where Okud stood. The strange alien was watching T'Pol as she warmed her hands near the flames.

"Any ideas on how we're getting out of here?" the engineer whispered to his companion.

T'Pol looked at him, the fire reflected in her eyes. "I have not devised a plan yet, Mr. Tucker."

"Well we sure can't swim out of here. We're way too deep."

"Swimming is our only option as there does not appear to be another way to the surface."

"We can't hold our breath that long, T'Pol," said Trip keeping his voice low.

"Vulcans have a greater lung capacity than Humans and we are also stronger. I will help you," T'Pol replied.

Trip cast her a surprised glance. He wondered if she would ever cease to amaze him.

"We need to get out of this cell first." Trip rose to his feet to stretch his cramped legs. He could see Okud still watching T'Pol. "Hey, we're not going anywhere. Why don't you go---do whatever it is you do down here?"

Okud said nothing. Trip wandered to the back of the cell and leaned against the wall. T'Pol rose and moved to his side.

"I would advise against angering him, Mr. Tucker."

"He keeps staring at you, T'Pol. My guess is he's as intrigued by your anatomy as Lewek was by mine."

"That is a logical assumption," the Vulcan replied.

Lewek appeared suddenly outside the bars, her skin glistening with droplets of water. She unlocked the door and stepped aside, motioning to Trip and T'Pol with her alien hand.

"I'm sorry for the interruption but I needed my afternoon swim," she said. "We can only be out of water for a few hours at a time."

The two officers followed Lewek through another tunnel into a much smaller cavern. There were more than a dozen Preegusites in the room all working on what appeared to Trip to be the parts to various weapons. Several black eyes looked up at them when they entered then a strange humming filled the room. Trip realized the sound was coming from the Preegusites. He looked at T'Pol to see her arch an eyebrow in surprise.

"This is T'Pol and Tucker. They are our salvation," announced Lewek. The volume of the humming increased.

"Your salvation?" asked Trip over the strange droning.

Lewek looked over her people. "When we saw your crafts set down in our meadow, we knew the time had come. You are going to help us repair a weapon of great destruction. We are going to take back what is rightfully ours!"

Trip inhaled his breath sharply.

"The weapons are working on here are for hand to hand combat. We do not have the knowledge for anything more destructive. You do," Lewek continued.

"What if we refuse to help you?" asked T'Pol. The room became completely silent.

Lewek stepped close to the Vulcan, towering over the shorter woman. "Then your chosen one will die," she replied with venom in her voice.

Suddenly Okud was beside Trip, holding a large metal ring in one hand. Without warning, he turned Trip and pinned the engineer against the wall, one arm pressed against Trip's neck. The alien then pressed the ring into the small of Trip's back. The engineer yelped out as the ring burned through his uniform to his skin. He could smell his own flesh burning and he felt nauseous from the pain. He struggled but to no avail.

"Stop!" demanded T'Pol.

Lewek nodded at Okud and the man pulled the ring away and released the engineer. Trip turned away from the wall and bent over, clutching at his back.

"I will help you but I need your word no further harm will come to Mr. Tucker."

"You have my word," Lewek replied. Trip heard the humming begin again and he forced himself to stand straight.

"T'Pol, no," he gasped.

"Take Tucker into the other room, my love. Allow him to prepare the weapons for combat but kill him immediately if he gives you any problem," directed the alien woman.

Okud grabbed Trip's arm with an iron grip and hauled him toward the tunnel entrance. Trip met T'Pol's eyes as he passed by her. She was scared for him, he knew, and the realization of that frightened him.

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"I'm sorry, Captain, but our lights won't penetrate more than half a meter in that water," reported Ensign Sara Phelps as she floated just off the bank. "We're swimming blind."

Jon looked at the young woman and nodded reluctantly. "Pull your people out, Ensign," he sighed.

"What do we do now, sir?" asked Malcolm Reed from beside the captain.

Before Jon could respond, the sound of an engine filled the air. He looked up to see a small shuttle clear the top of the hill. He watched it fly overhead then settle in the meadow several meters away. Two Preegusites stepped out of the craft and walked toward them. Jon watched them approach, noting their light blue skin and baldheads. One of the beings offered a long-fingered hand to the captain. He grasped it and shook it.

"I am Ledma Casney, brother to the Chancellor," the man said. "This is my assistant, Welke Mees. My sister sent us out to assist you in the search for your missing officers. Have you had any luck?"

Jon shook his head. "We think they fell into this pond but our search has been hampered by the darkness of the water."

Ledma and Welke exchanged an odd look. "Your people are in there?" asked Welke.

"We believe so," replied Malcolm. "I'm the tactical officer, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed. Perhaps you can help us search the water."

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but my people cannot swim," replied Ledma. He looked at Welke again then turned to Jon. "Captain, your officers may still be alive but we have no way of reaching them."

Jon felt a glimmer of hope rise through his body. "Please explain, Mr. Casney," he said. The rest of the away team stood in a half circle around them, their eyes all locked on the two Preegusites.

"There is a small group of dissidents who live underground. They come up to the surface to brutally murder innocent people then disappear again for several weeks. The only entrance to their world is in there." Ledma pointed a long finger at the pond.

"But you said your species can't swim," said Malcolm.

"Our ancestors could, Lieutenant. They were very powerful swimmers. But over the years, the traits that allowed our ancestors to survive both in the water and on the surface were bred out of most of us. The few who retained them were exiled from the surface and they became rebels. There numbers are few but we are helpless to seek them out."

"Why don't you post guards around the pond?" asked Jon. "Keep them from coming to shore?"

"We are a peaceful people, Captain. We don't believe in violence of any kind."

"So these people come to the surface, take innocent lives, and you just allow them to do it," asked Malcolm incredulously. "I'm surprised they haven't killed all of you."

"Lieutenant," warned Jon.

"It's all right, Captain. Your lieutenant clearly doesn't understand our beliefs," responded Welke.

"Is there any pattern to their attacks? Anyway my people could anticipate their next move?"

Ledma shook his head. "Their attacks are random, Captain."

Jon turned to look over the dark water. "There has to be a way to get Trip and T'Pol back. There just has to be." His eyes traveled up the side of the hill. "Could there be an entrance up there?"

"We have never found one," replied Welke.

"Malcolm, is there any way to blast a hole in that hillside without bringing the entire thing down on Trip and T'Pol?"

"I'd have to run some scans, sir. Do you keep any geological records, Mr. Casney?"

The Preegusite nodded. "Yes. They're kept in our city library. I'll have Welke return for them." He motioned to his companion who took off toward their shuttle.

"I'll contact Enterprise, Captain. They can use the transporter to send down the equipment I'll need."

Jon nodded at his lieutenant then looked out over the small pond. A breeze sent small ripples across the surface. Jon reached in his pocket and touched Trip's camera. He felt odd hoping that the Preegusite rebels had captured his best friend and his science officer but he knew if that were the case, they were very likely alive.

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