And Baby-Ch. 13

And Baby Makes Four

By Samantha Quinn

All disclaimers in Part I.
Spoilers: “Shuttlepod One”
A/N: Words between // denote telepathic thoughts. Words between *** denote regular thought.

13

The Reappearance of Hope

A/N: It may be helpful to know, although not entirely necessary that the Tholian homeworld is rumored to lie on the edge of Klingon space. Many Tholian-Klingon squabbles have occurred, including one which forced the Tholians to redesign their weaponry. Since Kirk encountered them, there have been two additional Tholian/Federation squabbles but by the time of The Sisko on DS9, there was a Tholian Ambassador stationed there to help work out the kinks in the Tholian-Federation relationship. Glad everyone is still reading!!

****

~~~~~Tholian Ship~~~~~~

"Ah, you return, " Tholian Captain Zlar noted to his second in command.

"Yes, I was securing the environmental suits necessary for our journey," Puida replied.

"I trust both the shuttlepod and the suits are prepared?" Zlar inquired.

"Yes, Captain. I have prepared four suits: one for myself, one for the doctor, and two for a security force that will accompany us to the pod once your word is given."

"I want to send you to the pod two minutes in advance. This gives you plenty of tactical advantage," Zlar noted.

"Agreed, Captain. It is unfortunate that we shall have to transport them by shuttlepod, instead of bringing them aboard. I do not like the idea of using a tractor beam for such long distances."

"For a thirty-first century ship, the distance is hardly 'long.' In addition, the technology we are using is hardly a 'tractor beam.' A mere tractor beam would not allow us to temporarily attach the shuttlepod to the hull of the ship itself." Zlar scolded.

"I suppose not. And if we were using a mere 'tractor beam', it would not be able to withstand the pressure of warp speed. Still, the technology is still relatively new," Puida mused.

"And you realize as well as I do that our environment would not be bearable to them, given the extremely warm temperatures and large percentage of sulfur-dioxide in our air," Zlar pointed out.

"Both of those could be temporarily changed," Puida argued.

"Bah. It would be more hassle than necessary. Besides, our people and theirs still have two centuries of hostilities before they will form an alliance. Returning them in our ship may change the balance of our hostilities." Zlar noted sadly.

"Yes," Puida agreed. "And the last time one of our fleet tried to change that, we ended up in which James Kirk was permanently lost."

They were interrupted by the arrival of Security Chief Chidia. "Captain Zlar, Commander Puida," she greeted. "Ensign Stal and I are ready whenever you are."

The Tholian Captain regarded his lieutenant. "You are not happy about this decision, are you, Lieutenant?" he inquired of Chidia.

Chidia's distaste was apparent as she answered. "Our Tholian past saw our people treasuring neutrality," she responded. "Today we spit on that heritage by interfering with what is supposed to come."

"Our ancestors also valued the preservation of the time line, which is why we continue to take part in the silly squabbling of the Temporal Cold War," Zlar responded, turning his gem shaped eyes towards his security officer.

"More than that, our ancestors valued honor and integrity," Puida argued. "How could we salute our heritage by allowing the Federation to fail to prosper? The same Federation that helped our ancestors two centuries ago, when our Tholian ancestors faced a war against the Klingon Empire?"

Chidia started to respond, but was interrupted by her Captain.

"You forget, Chidia. We do not undertake this mission in haste. We watched and waited-we saw the outcome of the Gabbaccian interference. If we allow them to prosper and do not take measure to stop them, the Federation will fail a mere two years after forming," Zlar stated.

Chidia sighed. "I suppose you're right."

Puida placed a hand on the security chief's shoulder. "I feel the same way you do, Chidia, about interfering. But it's not a simple matter of interference at stake this time. It's a matter of the survival of the Tholian Empire. If there is no Federation, our people may well lose the Tholian-Klingon War of the twenty-ninth century."

Zlar broke the silence of his officers following such a somber revelation. "Lieutenant, is the web being constructed?"

"Yes. It has approximately twenty minutes before the energy field will contract completely. When it does, the Letal shall be destroyed," Chidia informed her Captain.

"Excellent. Is there any chance that the Letal will be able to sense our web?"

"Unlikely. The newly installed cloaking technology will prevent that," Chidia assured him. "However, even if they are able to detect it in time, their impulse and warp engines are both offline. According to sensor scans of their systems, it will take approximately thirty two minutes to fix even the most basic of the impulse drives. They will perish, Captain. That is certain."

The Tholian Captain nodded his approval. "Then we shall permit our Gabbaccian friends to help us. Let us wait, Tholians."

*********************************

His head hurt worse than it ever had before, Trip noted as he began to awake. The concentration on the overwhelming agony throbbing between his temples was disrupted by the disturbing realization that he was floating. . . no, scratch that, he was being carried. Strong, firm, and gentle arms had him cradled protectively close to the body attached to them. Wearily, and not nearly as bravely as was becoming of a Starfleet officer, Trip opened his eyes. The brown patch that met his gaze at first did not immediately connect with his brain. When it eventually did, he hastily jerked his head up to make eye contact with his companion.

*T'Pol is carrying me? Isn't that backwards? Isn't the man supposed to carry the damsel in distress?* Trip thought in irritation. *Is there some type of Cosmic Entity that enjoys flipping my gender role all to hell? First I wind up pregnant, now I'm being carried in true Scarlet O'Hara fashion. Was I a misogynistic asshole in another life?*

His thought process was halted as T'Pol stopped walking. Sensing her passenger was awake, T'Pol stopped momentarily to unload her passenger. When he swerved a bit, the arms of both T'Pol and Malcolm reached out to help steady him.

"Are you able to walk, Commander?" T'Pol inquired.

"Yeah, I'm fine, T'Pol. Just a little dizzy, that's all," he assured her. "Although, I was gettin' pretty used to being so kindly escorted."

T'Pol raised both of her eyebrows in response. "If you are able to walk on your own, Commander, there is little need for me to continue to carry you. Unless you were, as you humans say, 'enjoying the view,'" she retorted.

Considering what 'view' had been directly at his eye level, Trip's face turned a very deep shade of pink.

Malcolm attempted, somewhat unsuccessfully, to cover a chuckle. Trip shot him a glare. "Speakin' of views, I'm surprised you aren't walkin' behind us, Lieutenant Reed," Trip shot at his friend. *Damn, it's good to see him again! In person too!* Trip thought cheerfully.

Malcolm gave Trip an icy glare and mentally rescinded the promise to tell him of the Sub-Commander's previous display of concern.

T'Pol threw them both for a loop. "If you are referring to Lieutenant Reed's habit of watching my posterior, I believe he has appropriately decided to postpone such activity until we are back on the bridge of the Enterprise, where he normally engages in such activities." At the emergence of a smirk on Trip's face, she added, "I suggest you postpone your ritual observation of my mammary glands until we have safely returned as well."
The smirk on Trip's face disappeared, as did the horrified look that had briefly crossed Malcolm's. The armory officer briefly contemplated that perhaps he would tell Trip of the Sub-Commander's actions after all.

Ahead of them, Alanna winced slightly. *I’m glad these corridors are not guarded. If they were, there’d be no chance of us escaping. Their voices would have given us away,* The Captain in her was agitated. The woman in her that hadn’t seen any of them happy in her entire 45 years was overjoyed, however.

As they neared the closed door which separated the lab, the friendly banter between the three Enterprise officers ended abruptly. *Good try, guys. But there’s still no way in hell you’d be able to survive my time period,* Alanna mocked silently. She felt a slight tinge of sadness as she realized just how truthful that statement had proved to be. Silently, she unzipped her jacket to reveal three extra phasers attached to her belt. She had believed they would be necessary to exit the ship, but she had never dreamed they would be needed to stop Leland. Handing a phaser to each of the Enterprise crew, the four of them braced themselves as they entered the lab.

*****

Nantuck and Jennair had watched in interest as Alanna, Malcolm, Trip, and T’Pol had began to head in the direction of the science lab. Interests peaked, they too headed in that direction. The same watching room from whence Jennair had maintained his watch over Malcolm and T’Pol had a counterpart in every department in the ship, including the science lab. It was to this room that Nantuck and Jennair waited, in hiding.

//Be ready to use room wide stun, Jennair// Nantuck instructed his security officer.

//Aye, Captain. Are you certain the Tholians will not mind?//

//I know. We kept him only because of his scientific genius. It appears that was a mistake.//

******

Leland was hopeful. He very nearly had his father convinced. They were going to change time, change history, change the dreary future-all for the better. The Cochrane’s former science officer pushed the two petri dishes toward the Doctor. “Go ahead, father,” he encouraged. “Do it.”

Aron frowned. “But. . . .the Vulcans. They knew of the plague affecting our females two centuries ago-and they refused to help us. It is appropriate to see them punished. Destroyed in the same fashion as we nearly were.”

“Nearly is the key word, father. The loss of our females increased our scientific advancements-because we had no other choice! If the Vulcans had not held fast to their concept of the non-interference directive, our species never would have developed in the fashion that it did.”

“That is true. . . “ Aron agreed, his resolve crumbling.

“You have a chance to right the wrong you were about to commit. A wrong you will live to regret the rest of your days,” Leland implored. “That’s why I’m here, father.”

“Funny, that’s why I’m here too,” Alanna’s voice interrupted them. Leland and Aron had been so caught up in their conversation that they had allowed the intruders to enter without seeing them. Now it was too late. Four phasers were aimed directly at Leland and his father. The battle had been lost.

“Alanna! Wait, you must listen to me,” Leland implored.

“Sit down-right over there,” Alanna said with a jerk of her head towards two chairs in the corner of the room. “You too, Doc.”

Leland complied, as did his father. “Keep your phasers aimed on these two, guys,” she instructed the Enterprise crew. “If they move, shoot them.”

“I believe we understand the purpose of the phasers,” T’Pol replied.

Alanna grinned despite herself. Carefully, she withdrew from her jacket pocket a small device. Aiming it above Leland and Aron, it formed a small energy field which would serve as a temporary prison.

“Damn,” Trip marveled. “First phasers, now portable prisons. Are ya sure you aren’t Malcolm’s kid after all?”

The questioned earned him a startled glance from Malcolm, and a chuckle from Alanna. “He did have a considerable role in my upbringing,” she reminded the engineer, which only served to confuse Malcolm more.

“Alanna, wait,” the sound of her former science officer’s voice only served to twist the knife he had plunged into her back. She had no intention of listening to the traitor. Instead, she moved towards the lab table, intent on destroying the damage.

“Perhaps it would be prudent to hear what he has to say,” T’Pol suggested. “Only by understanding his treachery will you be able to prevent similar reoccurrences in the future.”

“Fine,” Alanna said with a sigh, not bothering to inform her mother that she would have no future. “Go ahead and explain why you’re a traitor, Leland. What was it exactly? Was it the taunts and accusing looks of the crew? Or was it worse than that? Were you a Gabbaccian spy the entire time?”

“It was none of those things,” Leland assured his former Captain.

“Then what the hell was it? I trusted you, damnit! I trusted you more than I trusted anyone. And you betrayed me,” Alanna spat irritably. Time, they were wasting valuable time.

***

//Should I phaser them now?//

//No, Jennair, I want to know what the doctor was planning.//

***

“Alanna, I wanted. . . this is not the answer-forbidding your birth and T’Vel’s. T’Vel is a brilliant scientist-“

“She’s a cold blooded murderer,” Alanna argued.

“Only because she was raised to be,” Leland argued.

“And how do you suggest to change that?” It was not Alanna that spoke. Rather, it was her mother.

Both Leland and Alanna looked at her with surprise.

“Alanna was such a caring person because of who she was raised with-in a loving home. If Alanna and T’Vel could be combined-into one entity, the universe would be a better place. Instead of being two children conceived on this day, there would be one. Instead of it being raised by the Empire, it would be raised by T’Pol, as Alanna was.”

***

//Now, Jennair.//

***

Alanna’s reply was lost, as all six occupants of the room were hit with a phaser beam.

//Nantuck to transporter room.//

//Aye, sir. Transporting now.//

******

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