Daybreak- Chapter 10

Daybreak

by ShouldKnowBetter

Disclaimers in Chapter 1

~~~~~~~

Chapter 10 – Genesis

It was so early that the Mess Hall was almost deserted when Tucker entered – deserted apart from one Vulcan sitting by herself in a corner. For a moment he hesitated, until he remembered just how very empty life was without her, then purposely made his way across. “Hey.”

T’Pol looked up at him, no expression in her face, although something about her still screamed bone-deep misery at him. “Captain.”

“No! Not captain. Charles.” Nothing changed and he shook his head in frustration, at a loss as to what to do to win her back. “T’Pol, please, talk to me.”

“There is a senior staff meeting at 0800. I will give you my opinion then.”

“Don’t play games with me!” He took a moment to calm himself, knowing that she was counting on his temper to make him walk away. “T’Pol, we went through four years of hell before we could be together. Are you just gonna throw that all away? I love you! I think you still love me. Why won’t you talk to me?”

A flicker of emotion crossed her face, but was gone before he could identify it. “Our relationship was unsustainable.”

“Who said that? Because I sure never did!” Again he fought his temper down. “Is this still about the fact you don’t trust me? Because you saw me with Amanda?”

“No.”

“Then what the hell’s going on, T’Pol?”

“Nothing that need concern you.”

“How can you say that? I love you! How can it not concern me when you turn your back on me?”

She didn’t answer, just rose and walked away, and Tucker flung back his head, cursing silently. As he had said to Amanda, how could be fight for what he wanted when the object of his desire wouldn’t play along? Even in the old days, when T’Pol had metaphorically sidled out of range whenever he’d tried to get close, it hadn’t been this bad – maybe because then he’d only been on the edge of love. Now he was in neck deep and there was no way out – not unless she stretched out a helping hand.

With a final sigh, he headed for the Bridge. Breakfast held no appeal when there was no one to share it with, and he had yet to thrash out an agenda for the staff meeting. The main topic had to be the one for which he had no answer – what next? – but framing it in a way that didn’t sound as if he’d lost hope wasn’t easy.

~

“Where do we go from here?” Tucker hoped he sounded positive. “I can think of two options. We can return to normal space and say we’ve failed, and I’m guessing that no one’s keener on that plan than I am. Or we can push on, deeper into the Expanse, and look for traces of the Xindi rebels we know are out there.” Maybe he hadn’t sounded as positive as he hoped, because there was a definite lack of enthusiasm on the faces of his senior officers. “Thoughts, anyone?”

There was a pause, then Soval said evenly, “If the Xindi we have already encountered are indicative of the rest, they will not believe that we negotiate in good faith.”

“So you wanna go home?”

“We need proof of our assertion that we have interests in common with those who oppose the Reptilians.”

“I’ll add up the statistics,” Mayweather muttered. “Enterprise must have wiped out its fair share of Xindi.”

The Vulcan glared at him. “Hardly evidence of your altruism.”

“But it shows we’re good in a fight.”

“A consolation to us all!”

“That’s enough!” Tucker was fed up with the antagonism between Mayweather and Soval: he reserved the right to be the one to argue with the Vulcan ambassador. “What have you got in mind, Soval?”

“The spheres. You determined previously that they were responsible for the anomalies within the Expanse. You also identified that the anomalies were spreading, something that has since been confirmed.”

“And Ugarke indicated that the Xindi have made no progress in disabling the spheres.” T’Pol took up her father’s argument. “You are suggesting, ambassador, that we try to disable the network?”

“I suggest that we investigate. We can consider a way forward once we have sufficient data.”

Tucker sucked on the inside of his cheek, reluctant to accept Soval’s advice, even as the pragmatic element of his nature confirmed that it was as good a plan as any. “T’Pol?”

When addressed as Enterprise’s science officer, she still responded. “Our studies were incomplete. We should at least discover the rate of expansion of the anomalies – and whether they will halt at the thermobaric clouds.”

Tucker winced mentally, not having considered the possibility that the anomalies could one day spread beyond the Delphic Expanse, and came to his decision. “Then let’s get on it. It’s your call, T’Pol. Pick us a sphere, and we’ll go pay it a visit. Dismissed.”

As the rest filed out, he couldn’t help but notice that T’Pol scooted ahead to ensure that he couldn’t hold her back – and that Soval’s eyes followed Cole as she hastened after the Vulcan woman. It seemed that all Human/Vulcan relations on Enterprise had taken a massive step backwards.

~

The conclusion that T’Pol reached after a week of intense research wasn’t a pleasant one, although Tucker found that it didn’t come as a surprise to him. The only surprise was that they hadn’t guessed sooner. But then, on their last trip into the Delphic Expanse, the anomalies had been of secondary importance to the weapon. “You’re sure?” he asked for form’s sake, and T’Pol nodded wearily.

“Positive. The thermobaric layer will not stop the spread of the anomalies. More worryingly,” she adjusted the large screen in the command centre, “the areas of altered space where anomalies coincide will also continue to expand.”

Tucker watched the simulated spread of the areas inimical to life as they knew it. “How long are we talking here?”

“The Expanse will be uninhabitable within 50 years. The outer edge of the anomalies will encroach upon frequented space at much the same time. Inhabited planets outside the Expanse will start to be lost within a hundred years.” She paused for a moment. “Vulcan will be amongst the first to be destroyed.”

“Not if we can stop it.” Tucker spoke in instinctive response to T’Pol’s bleak tone, that reminded him that she could easily live long enough to see her home world die. Not that he had the faintest idea where to start looking for a solution. “T’Pol, why don’t you go get some sleep?” They were alone or he might not have risked yet another repulse. “You look bushed.”

She straightened at once. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” He moved to stand just in front of her. “T’Pol, even if you don’t love me anymore, can’t we still be friends? Can’t you tell me what’s wrong?” For the first time in weeks, he saw her expression flicker, a suggestion of longing in her eyes before she looked away. “T’Pol?”

“Tactical alert.” Mayweather’s voice cut in before Tcuker had the chance to see if his latest appeal would have any effect. “Captain to the Bridge.”

He was there in seconds, T’Pol at his heels. “What is it?” The view screen still showed the slick, heaving mass of one of the areas of overlapping anomalies.

“We’re detecting a couple of ships on long range sensors.” Mayweather vacated the command chair to leave it free for his captain. “Xindi, approaching fast.”

Tucker bypassed the command chair, crossing to the helm to inspect the readout there. “Peter, think you can keep that moon between us and those ships?” The anomaly was in the process of swallowing a solar system, only the outer planets and their satellites still in free space.

“Yes, sir.”

“Then let’s give it a try. Maybe they’ll miss us.”

“You don’t think they’re hunting us, captain?” Mayweather enquired, and Tucker shook his head slowly.

“I doubt it.” He turned for a rueful grin at the other man. “Why should they be?”

Enterprise glided smoothly into cover, leaving them with a view of the moon’s surface. Sato looked up from her console. “Captain, I could bounce a signal off the planet and give us a picture.” He nodded permission, and the new image formed.

“Can you clean it up any, Hoshi?”

“I’ll try, sir.”

While she worked, the rest studied the image of the approaching ships, until Mayweather said slowly, “That’s a pursuit.”

“Yeah.” Tucker was frowning. “T’Pol, can you get anything?”

“The second ship’s Reptilian.” Mayweather had continued to study the view screen, where Sato had now succeeded in improving the image quality. “I don’t recognise the one they’re chasing.”

“I believe it to be Xindi-Humanoid.” T’Pol looked up from her scanner. “But its configuration is considerably changed from anything we have seen before.” On the screen, the pursuing ship had evidently approached within weapons’ range. It fired and they all saw the smaller vessel it was chasing veer sharply. “They are targeting the guidance system.”

Tucker exchanged a quick look with Mayweather, seeing a reflection of his own dislike of sitting by and doing nothing in the other man’s face. “Peter, set an intercept course. Let’s see if we can’t even up the odds.” He took the command chair as the image on the screen before him regained its usual clarity as Enterprise moved out from behind the moon. “T’Pol?”

“The first ship is unarmed. Its shielding has already failed.”

“Then why’s it still in one piece?”

“The Reptilian ship appears to be trying to disable it, not destroy it.”

“Travis, target their engines.”

“Ay, sir.”

Enterprise streaked in, but they were too late. Before Mayweather had the chance to take action, the Reptilian ship fired again and its victim began to tumble – directly into the anomaly field. The surface seemed to give under the impact, and the vessel sank out of sight. Then they came within range themselves, the phase canons achieving a direct hit on the other ship. It took them a few minutes, but for once Enterprise outgunned her opponent and the Reptilian ship’s engines eventually exploded under the pounding they received. Any sense of achievement on the Bridge was muted, however, knowing that the ship they’d attempted to aid had still been lost.

“Any sign of the other ship, T’Pol?” Tucker asked, as he swung to face her, and she took a moment to check her scanners.

“I believe so. I am getting a faint reading from a few hundred metres within the anomaly.”

“Can we go in after it?”

“I would not recommend it.”

“But Enterprise could survive for a short time?”

She nodded reluctantly. “No more than three minutes without additional protection.”

“Travis, how long to make a run in there, grab the ship, and pull out?”

“With me at the helm,” Mayweather shot an apologetic look at Graveney, “and assuming we get the ship on the first try with the grappler, a couple of minutes.”

“Then let’s do it.” Tucker crossed to the Engineering station himself, bringing the grappler on-line. “Hoshi, warn the crew what we’re doing.”

Mayweather settled himself in his old seat, fingers dancing over the controls as he swung Enterprise around and set a direct course for their target within the anomaly field. “Captain?”

“When you’re ready, Travis.”

They all felt the jolt that shook Enterprise as they passed the threshold, and she kept shaking as Mayweather rapidly narrowed the gap between them and the ship they were attempting to rescue. “I see it.” Temporarily out of a job, Graveney was watching the view screen intently.

Tucker glanced up, coughing as ammonium sulphate began to invade the atmosphere. “Get us in close, Travis. This isn’t gonna be easy.”

Enterprise came to a halt within metres of the other vessel and Tucker locked the grappler on target and let it loose. It missed by a distance and he swore and retracted it for another attempt. But before he could try again T’Pol gasped, clutching at her console before sliding slowly to the deck. Sato reached her in seconds, raising a horrified face to Tucker’s who was already half way across the Bridge. “Captain.” She gulped. “She’s bleeding.”

He crossed the remaining distance in a few paces, dropping to his knees beside T’Pol, who was doubled up in pain, moaning. Between her legs, her uniform was stained green. “Get us out of here.” He didn’t even look up as he gathered the Vulcan woman into his arms.

“I’m nearly there, captain.” Mayweather had left the helm to Graveney again, and was working at the Engineering console.

“Now, Travis!” The command was thrown over Tucker’s shoulder as he headed for the lift, T’Pol cradled against him.

Mayweather deployed the grappler in the same moment, not even waiting to see if it found its target before nodding to Graveney. “Go, Peter.”

Enterprise reversed her previous course and ploughed her way out of the anomaly field, while the remaining Bridge crew exchanged worried looks.

~

Already alerted of trouble by Sato, Phlox was waiting in Sickbay when Tucker entered, indicating that the captain should place T’Pol on a biobed. “I was afraid of this.” The Denobulan’s tone was grim as he began to take readings, although Tucker barely heard him.

“What’s wrong with her?” There was no response and he added desperately, “Was it the ammonium sulphate?”

“It may have contributed.” Briefly Phlox glanced up. “You really should have consulted me before undertaking such a risky manoeuvre, captain.” The doctor finished his diagnosis, and this time caught and held Tucker’s eyes. “But T’Pol collapsed because of the strain her pregnancy has placed upon her body.”

“What?”

“She’s eighteen weeks pregnant with your child, Captain Tucker.”

“But …” Tucker ran a shaking hand through his hair, not convinced he’d heard aright.

“I only found out a short time ago myself. She deceived us all, captain. And now,” the Denobulan would have liked to take a little more time to explain the situation to the shocked man, but did not have that luxury, “I have to abort the foetus.”

“No!” Both men turned to see that T’Pol had regained consciousness and was reaching out a protesting hand. “No.”

“T’Pol, I have no choice.” Phlox’ voice was gentle, but firm. “Your body cannot take this abuse any longer.”

“You have to save our baby.” Her voice was shaking.

“I don’t know that I can.”

“I will not let you kill him!”

“T’Pol,” Tucker’s voice was slow, shocked, “if it’s the only way …”

“No!” She turned a pleading look on him. “We have to save our child.”

“Ours?” His head shook, half in denial, half in disbelief. “When you didn’t even tell me you were pregnant?”

Her face twisted. “The time was never right.”

“The timing sucks!” Suddenly he was furiously angry. “We’re in the Delphic Expanse, T’Pol! We’re supposed to be saving the rest of the galaxy. And you decide it’s a good time to make yourself ill!”

“Charles …”

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t sound sorry. “I’ve got a ship to run,” and he turned and left.

T’Pol stared hopelessly after him, but still noticed Phlox’ hand approaching, holding a hypospray. “No.”

“It’s the only option.”

“Your medical ethics do not allow you to treat a patient without his or her consent. I do not want your treatment.”

“T’Pol, you’re dying!”

“Then find a way to prevent it – but do not destroy my baby.” Then she doubled up as the pain struck again, and all Phlox could do was watch helplessly.

~

With Enterprise back in free space, Mayweather finally checked the status of the grappler and confirmed that they had dragged the other ship free with them. For a second he hesitated, but he was fairly sure that he was currently in command, even if Tucker had omitted to hand over to him. “Any life signs?”

T’Pol’s replacement had already been checking and nodded confirmation. “Yes, sir. I’m detecting three. But their life support’s down.”

“Hail them.”

There was a long pause before the main screen activated, and the woman who appeared looked both harassed and grateful. “Did you pull us out of the anomaly? I …” Then her voice wound down as she registered Mayweather’s appearance, her expression taking on a look of horror.

“We got you out.” He frowned, having expected a little more gratitude. “Do you need some help getting your systems back on-line?” The offer didn’t reassure her. In fact, Mayweather thought that he could see her trembling. “Ma’am?”

“Human.” Her voice was definitely shaking. “You’re Human?”

“That’s right.”

“Oh, may the Guardians protect us! I beg you, kill me if you must, but spare my children.”

~
Tucker went straight to the Bridge, but only because that was where his feet took him. His brain wouldn’t accept the fact that T’Pol had done something as important as getting pregnant without even telling him. He didn’t understand it, and he didn’t want to think about it. He had enough to worry about with their mission failing, and he knew that if he considered T’Pol’s deception too closely, he’d be incapable of doing his job.

That the woman on the view screen, currently talking to Malfor, appeared terrified entirely escaped his notice. He was simply aware of anger that Mayweather had evidently ignored his order and rescued the other ship, probably delaying their exit from the anomaly field to do so. “What the hell’s going on?”

“Captain.” Mayweather swung around in relief, then frowned. “How’s T’Pol?”

“I asked you a question, commander.”

“We managed to tow the Xindi-Humanoid ship out with us, sir. Their systems are damaged, but they’re terrified of us.”

“Do they want our help or not?”

Mayweather cast a quick look at the screen, turning a puzzled look back on his captain. “Doesn’t seem like it, sir.”

“Then get us out of here. I’ll be in the ready room.”

“Captain?”

“You heard me.”

Behind Tucker’s departing back, Mayweather and Sato exchanged disbelieving looks, while Graveney swung around from the helm. “Commander,” even the youngest member of the crew seemed doubtful, “what course should I set?”

“Hold our current position. Malfor,” the Arboreal had paused in his conversation with the Humanoid woman and was also looking anxiously after Tucker, “are you getting through to her?”

The engineer nodded. “They need our help. I think she’ll let me onto her ship. But if the captain …”

“Do what you have to.” Determinedly, Mayweather headed for the upper level of the Bridge. “I’ll deal with the captain.”

~

Tucker was staring out of the view port when Mayweather entered the ready room, in a pose so reminiscent of one of Archer’s that the tactical officer’s muscles tightened. “Captain, what’s going on with you?”

“Why aren’t we moving, Commander Mayweather?”

“Because it was a crap order!” Tucker’s shoulders twitched, but he didn’t turn at the insubordination. “Trip, what happened with T’Pol?”

There was a long pause, while Mayweather wondered if he was going to get an answer, then Tucker said bitterly, “She collapsed because she was pregnant.”

“Hell.” For a moment, there seemed nothing else to say. “Was? You mean she’s lost the baby?”

“I don’t know.” Finally Tucker turned, slumping into the desk chair. The lines beside his eyes and mouth were pronounced. “Phlox wanted to abort it. He said it was killing her.”

“And you left?” Mayweather thought he must have understood.

“Yeah. I left.”

“Trip, you idiot, get back down there! T’Pol needs you. I can handle Enterprise.”

“She doesn’t need me.” Tucker’s voice was flat. “She didn’t even tell me she was pregnant.”

Mayweather had seen enough people in shock that he didn’t believe in his captain’s lack of emotion for one moment. But neither could he think of anything useful to say. Mentally he passed the problem onto someone else, and returned to business. “Will you authorise help for that ship?”

Tucker frowned, evidently having a hard time thinking. “You said they didn’t want our help.”

“Only because they think we’re here to kill them. Malfor’s trying to convince them otherwise.”

The captain shrugged indifferently. “Don’t offer them anything we can’t replace.”

“Ay, sir.” Mayweather started for the door, but tried one last time. “You should go back to Sickbay.” His only answer was a barely discernable headshake.

~

Soval arrived promptly in response to Phlox’ summons, his habitual frown deepening the moment he caught sight of T’Pol stretched out on a biobed. “The child?”

“I’m afraid so.” The doctor drew the other man to one side, dropping his voice. “I have to remove the foetus in order to give T’Pol’s body some respite, but she won’t hear of it.”

The Vulcan’s face was an expressionless mask. “We do not take life lightly, doctor. Particularly not from our children.”

“I understand that,” Phlox sounded impatient, “but I believe I have found a compromise.” He gestured to a cylindrical device he had set up, filled with fluid and hooked up to various other pieces of equipment. “I can keep the foetus alive outside the womb – for a short time, at least.”

“How long?” Soval was still frowning.

“Eighteen hours, perhaps a little more. Enough time for me to clear the toxins from T’Pol’s body and allow her to recover a little.”

“And when you re-implant the foetus?”

The Denobulan shrugged. “Then the strain to her body recommences. But with careful monitoring and sufficient rest, she may succeed in carrying the child for a few more weeks until it can survive outside her body.”

Soval looked over at his daughter. “Is this not a conversation you should be having with T’Pol and Captain Tucker, doctor?”

“Of course it is!” Phlox gave another of his shrugs. “But Captain Tucker was,” he hesitated, “unsympathetic, at best, to the sudden news that he had fathered a child.” Soval’s eyes narrowed. “And T’Pol does not trust me.” The Vulcan looked around sharply. “She believes I mean to terminate her pregnancy. I thought perhaps she would listen to you.”

“Hardly likely.” Soval seemed to sigh. “But I will try.”

~

Sato volunteered to lead the party when Malfor took a shuttle pod across to assess the damage to the Xindi-Humanoid ship: they had refused to dock with the bigger ship. As Sato stated firmly to Mayweather, she was small, female and therefore less threatening than most of the rest of those eligible to go. He gave in, because the only real alternative was to ask Soval, and he didn’t think that the ambassador would agree, not when the request came from Enterprise’s tactical officer.

It seemed that there was a flaw in Sato’s plan, when the docking hatch opened to let them out, and the woman waiting on the far side let out a small scream and took a step back. Sato sighed and held out her hands, palms outward to show that they were empty. “We’re not armed.” That went against protocol, but so did many other things. “We’re just here to help you.” The woman still appeared terrified and Sato glanced over her shoulder at Malfor’s towering figure. “Maybe you’d better talk to her.”

~

Soval approached T’Pol’s recumbent form slowly, giving himself a few moments to focus. This was not a good time for him: he was exhausted and his head ached almost unbearably. Besides which, it had been years since T’Pol had listened to his advice. But if Tucker had abandoned her – and Soval could, for once, understand why the Human might have done so – then he would try.

T’Pol was lying on her side, knees raised, looking so like her mother that Soval had to take another deep breath to compose himself. The resemblance was not always so marked, although the females in T’Mir’s family tended to that unusual shade of auburn hair. But it was entirely illogical to think of the woman he had lost seventy years before. It was her daughter who must concern him now. “T’Pol.”

She opened her eyes, which appeared darker than usual in her pale face. “I will not give up the child.”

“No one is asking you to do so.” A faint frown appeared between her brows. “Dr Phlox has told you of his proposal.”

“He wishes to terminate my baby.”

“For the sake of your health, I am sure that he does. But Denobulan physicians do not act without their patient’s permission. The removal of the foetus will only be temporary.”

“He is not a foetus.” There was defiance in her weak voice. “He is my son.”

“And my grandson. I have not forgotten that, T’Pol, if you have.” Not entirely successfully, Soval fought the rising anger within him. “Try not to be more of a fool than you have already been, child. Let Phlox perform the procedure.” T’Pol’s eyes closed, but not before Soval saw the glint of tears that no Vulcan should permit. He hesitated, then reached out to lay a gentle hand on his daughter’s head. “You have no choice, T’Pol. We have no choice.”

~

It took Malfor fully ten minutes to persuade the Xindi-Humanoid woman that Sato was no threat to herself or her children, and could be allowed out of the shuttle pod. By that time, the failure of life support had become obvious in the atmosphere that was choaked by more than ammonium sulphate, which no doubt added to the pressure on the woman to capitulate. The moment came when a teenage boy appeared tentatively around a corner, a smaller girl beside him. “Mother, Jaina’s been sick.”

“Carbon monoxide poisoning.” Sato felt it was worth pushing home the point. “You need to let Malfor fix the environmental systems.”

The woman took a final, frantic look at her children and nodded. “Very well.”

Malfor didn’t need a second bidding, heading in the direction of the Engineering compartment, another of his fellow Arboreal engineers following him. Sato eyed the Humanoid woman, who had drawn the children close to her side. “My name’s Hoshi Sato. What’s yours?”

“Naara.” If trust hadn’t been won, at least it seemed that some progress had been made.

“And your children?”

“Piral and Jaina.”

“Nice names.” Sato was frowning, as if at an illusive memory. “Why were the Reptiles chasing you?”

The woman sighed, hugging the girl closer to her side. “Because my husband opposes their domination of the other Xindi sub-species.”

“Yeah, they like dominating people.” Sato was still speaking almost at random. “Will you excuse me a moment? I need to,” she shook her head fractionally, “go read a letter.”

~

Phlox hurried towards Cole, holding up a hand for quiet, when she entered Sickbay. She took the hint, keeping her voice low. “I heard what happened. Is the captain here? Is he okay?”

“Captain Tucker isn’t here.” The doctor didn’t seem pleased about the fact. “He didn’t react well to the news that T’Pol had conceived without his knowledge.”

Cole grimaced. “He’s an idiot. How’s T’Pol?”

“Extremely unwell.”

“What about the baby?”

Phlox stood aside so that she could see the column of fluid in the centre of Sickbay. “At the moment, he’s doing fine.”

“He?” Cole moved slowly across, to stare at the tiny body curled in the centre of the column. “His ears are pointed.” There was a slight catch in her voice.

“He’s a unique combination of both Human and Vulcan physiology.”

“He’ll be cute.”

“If he lives.”

She turned her head sharply to look up at the Denobulan. “Won’t he?”

“We’ll hope so. It depends very much on whether T’Pol has the strength to carry him.”

“What about a surrogate mother?” Her hand had moved to press against the clear plastic.

“No.” There was a hint of sympathy in Phlox’ voice now. “Not if you were thinking of yourself. But the drugs that enabled T’Pol to conceive and carry the child won’t work for a Human woman.”

“Oh.” Cole bit her lower lip hard, and turned away, for the first time noticing why Phlox had requested quiet: at the far end of the room, Soval and T’Pol were seated on either side of a meditation candle, their hands linked.

“Ambassador Soval is helping T’Pol meditate,” Phlox pointed out, and Cole nodded.

“Yeah. That’s how they teach Vulcan kids.” Soval had once tried to teach her, but had given up in disgust because she wouldn’t take it seriously. Even from across the room, she could see the lines of strain on his face, and her own head throbbed in sympathy. “He’s got a headache.”

“I’ll be sure to ask him about it when they’re finished.” Phlox smiled, and kindly but firmly indicated that Cole had disturbed the peace of his Sickbay long enough.

~

As Tucker had done before her, Cole went straight from Sickbay to the Bridge, although her attention was rather more sharply focussed on what she intended to do. She certainly didn’t let the fact that Enterprise’s captain only reluctantly let her into the ready room deflect her – and she certainly ignored the fact that she was talking to her captain. “You’re an idiot.”

He glared back. “Get out.”

“No.” She came to stand directly in front of his desk, arms folded, to scowl down her nose at him in a reasonable impression of Soval, if she had realised it. “Why aren’t you down in Sickbay with T’Pol?”

“I gave you an order, sergeant.”

“Then you’re gonna have to throw me in the brig, because I’m staying right here. Trip, she needs you. Get down there.”

He rose from the chair, but only to turn his back on her, rather than to evict her physically – possibly because he knew he couldn’t. “She needed me to get pregnant. That seems to be about all she needed.”

“Oh, grow up, Trip!” Cole hadn’t meant to get angry, but the waste and stupidity were too much for her. They had all lost too much to destroy what they currently had, yet her former lover seemed intent on doing just that. “Did you ever give her the chance to talk about children?”

“You think I haven’t tried to talk to her?” Tucker’s temper also flared: he and Cole had always been very similar in temperament. “She shuts me out, Amanda!”

“Of course she does!” she yelled back. “She’s Vulcan. They don’t like talking about personal stuff.”

“What the hell do you know about it?”

For a second, pain flicked across her face, then she thrust it away. “I learnt an awful lot about Vulcans while I was on Earth, Trip. I don’t think you ever have. You’re still trying to deal with T’Pol as if she were Human. She’s not. She never will be. You have to accept that, and maybe she does too.” He still looked sulky and confused, and Cole sighed. “I know it’s hard for you, Trip. You have Enterprise and the mission and all the rest of us to worry about too. But how long have you and T’Pol spent talking about anything except ship’s business the last six months?” He grimaced faintly at that, and she moved closer, cocking her head to look up into his face. “You spent four years apart, Trip. You both went to hell and back. It changed you. You had to change to survive it. You couldn’t expect just to pick up where you left off.”

Tucker slumped back into his chair, a hand rising to rub his eyebrows and Cole’s mouth twitched at that characteristic gesture of uncertainty. “If you know so much about it, can you explain why she got pregnant without even telling me?”

“Because she loves you.”

“That’s one hell of a way of showing it, Amanda!”

“Yeah, it’s not rational. But she isn’t rational when it comes to you, is she? She never has been. She loves you too much, Trip. It screws her up. She can’t control it and an out-of-control Vulcan doesn’t make sensible decisions.” He looked back at her, his expression half accepting. “She probably thought having your baby was the logical thing to do. She’d help preserve the Human race and get your attention at the same time.” Cole moved to crouch beside Tucker’s chair, a hand on his arm. “Go to her, Trip. She needs you.”

He stared back for a moment, then abruptly put an arm around her, holding her tightly. She hugged him back, remembering other times when he’d turned to her for comfort – but never for love. Like Travis, Trip was a friend she’d gone to bed with because she needed someone: someone who’d turned out to be a bad-tempered Vulcan, who treated her like a daughter. She rested her chin on the top of Tucker’s head for a moment, then gave him a sharp shove. “Don’t waste your time hugging me. Go see T’Pol.”

“Any advice on what I should say to her?”

She knew that he was using the mocking tone to cover the huskiness in his voice. “Try ‘I love you’. Ask what she wants to call the kid. Better yet, think of a name before you get there – preferably a Vulcan one.”

Tucker managed a grin at that one. “She’s not gonna want to call him Soval, is she?”

Cole’s answering smile was a little more forced. “I don’t think Vulcan names work like that.” The image of that make-believe child was in her head again, frowning mildly up at her. She’d been stupid to offer to carry T’Pol’s baby; it would never have occurred to her if it hadn’t been Soval’s grandchild. “Get out of here, Tucker. You’re wasting time.”

He released her, but was barely a step from the desk when the door chime sounded and he sighed. “Come.” Sato appeared in the doorway, Mayweather at her shoulder, their expressions reflecting mingled excitement and tension. “What’s up?”

“I know who the Xindi woman is.” Sato paused to be sure she had her captain’s attention. “She’s Degra’s wife.”

~

They moved to the command centre, because the ready room was overly full when Soval also joined them, clearly not in the best of tempers, particularly with Tucker. The captain managed to get in first, however. “We rescued a Xindi-Humanoid ship. Hoshi say the people on board are Degra’s family.”

It seemed to take a moment for the Vulcan to process the information. Then one eyebrow rose. “Interesting.”

“Yeah. But they’re also terrified of Humans. The wife isn’t gonna tell us anything.”

“You wish me to speak with her?”

“It’s gotta be worth a try.” Soval nodded a trifle reluctantly, and Tucker frowned. “What’s the problem?”

“None.” The ambassador’s voice became crisp. “Except that if she already knows that this is a Human vessel, she is unlikely to cooperate.”

“Maybe, but I didn’t see anyone else volunteering to send a ship into the Expanse.”

“We could try tricking her into giving us Degra’s location,” Mayweather suggested. “It worked before.”

Tucker shrugged uncomfortably. “It’s not a good way to prove we’re here to negotiate in good faith. The same goes for a tracer signal in the ship. Let’s see what Soval can achieve.” He took a quick look around the small group. “I’ll be in Sickbay if you need me.”

~

Plagued by a mixture of guilt, lingering anger and confusion, Tucker approached Sickbay slowly, and took several deep breaths before entering. He was met by Phlox, who seemed equally torn between sympathy and exasperation. “How is she?”

“Stable. I’ve removed the foetus.” Tucker winced as an unexpected pang of regret went through him, and the doctor stepped to one side.

“He still lives – for the moment. The possibility of implanting him currently remains.”
The captain approached the cylinder, his hand going out to touch it lightly, shocked at the unexpected encounter. “But T’Pol would just get sick again.”

“Yes. Given that I’m aware of her condition, I could monitor her closely, ensure that the worst of the side effects of the drugs she has to take are mitigated, but I certainly wouldn’t allow her to return to active duty.”

Tucker nodded, feeling the anger bubble up again. The desire to rail at T’Pol, to tell her she’d been a fool, that she was endangering the mission, was very strong. But to counteract that was Cole’s ascertain that T’Pol loved him – she just loved him too much. Maybe T’Pol wasn’t the only one to blame for the irresponsible decision. The one certainty was that they both had to live with the consequences. “Can I see her?”

Phlox hesitated only briefly, then simply gestured to the back of Sickbay, where Tucker now saw T’Pol seated in front of a meditation candle. He moved quietly across, crouching on the other side of the candle. “T’Pol.” She must already have known he was there, but it wasn’t until he spoke that she lifted her eyes to his. Superficially she looked calmer than she had in a long time, but, watching her closely, Tucker could see the evidence of grief in the rigid planes of her face. “We should talk.”

It seemed that she had anticipated him. “I will not allow you to destroy our child.”

Tucker sighed; so much for in-depth discussion of the problem. “T’Pol, I don’t want to lose him either. He’s part of you.” He was struggling to explain emotions he’d never encountered before. “But he’s only a part. T’Pol, I couldn’t bear to lose you, not again. If it has to be a choice between you and our baby, I’ll choose you.”

“Dr Phlox believes that I can continue to carry him.”

“Not without risk.”

“A risk I am prepared to accept.”

“But I’m not.” Tucker ducked his head, then looked up again. “I need a Science Officer too. T’Pol, if Phlox re-implants the baby, you won’t be fit for duty.”

Her mouth shook. “You would place Enterprise above our son?”

“It’s not just Enterprise, T’Pol, you know that. You know what the spread of the anomalies means. We have to find a way of stopping them. I don’t know how we can do that without your help.” There were tears in her eyes and Tucker reached for her, but she pulled away. “T’Pol …”

“Tactical alert. Captain Tucker to the Bridge.”

“Damn it!” Furious at yet another interruption he couldn’t ignore, Tucker crossed to the nearest comm. port. “What the hell is it this time?”

“Another Xindi ship.” There was a hint of apology in Mayweather’s voice. “A big one.”

It took more strength than Tucker would have believed possible to refrain from pounding his fist into the nearest hard surface. “I’m on my way.” He gritted his teeth and turned back to T’Pol. “I’m sorry, honey.” The apology was pointless, he knew. The grief and accusation in T’Pol’s face as he left her told him that she still couldn’t accept that the mission had to come before any personal considerations.

~

Tucker stormed onto the Bridge for the second time in the space of a few hours, demanding, “How long until they get here?”

“Five minutes.” Mayweather was at tactical, frowning over the readings he was getting. “Maybe less.”

“Have they detected us yet?”

“I don’t think so, captain.” The man glanced up. “That anomaly generates a lot of interference and they’re looking straight at it.”

“Good.” Tucker’s anger at being interrupted during one of the most important conversations in his life was focussing his attention formidably. “Are our people still on that ship?”

“Soval and Malfor are over there.”

“They’re ours, Travis, like it or not. Put me through, Hoshi.”

It was Degra’s wife who appeared on the screen, and Tucker went straight to the point. “Ma’am, there’s a Xindi-Reptile ship heading this way.” The woman’s grey eyes widened. “What’s the status of your ship?”

She glanced sideways, off screen, and Soval stepped into view. “Charles Tucker, Enterprise’s captain. I apologise for his bad manners.”

“What’s your status?” Tucker’s voice was hard.

She took a deep breath. “We have life support and shields, but our engines are still off-line. Captain,” again she took a quick look at the Vulcan at her side, “the Reptiles are seeking me and my children. They wish to use us to force my husband to work for them again. Captain, please,” she paused, biting her lower lip, “will you take my children onto your ship. If they are safe, perhaps …”

She broke off as Tucker shook his head. “Forget it. I’m not handing anyone over to the Reptiles. Ma’am, will trust us?”

Her mouth opened, but no sound came out for a moment as she stared at the Human’s grim face. Then something, perhaps only desperation, decided her. “Yes.”

“Then this is what we’re gonna do.”

~

Naara’s terror was quite genuine when the face of the Xindi-Reptile commander appeared on her view screen, although his tone was as benevolent as he could make it. “Naara, we’ve been searching for you.”

“What do you want, Ronal?”

“No greeting for an old friend, Naara?” She looked silently back. “We were worried about you. The rebel elements are getting bolder.”

“So worried that you gave orders for my ship to be fired upon?”

“A mistake. Drop your shields. We’ll help with your repairs.”

“No.”

“Naara, be sensible. Think of your children. You know how much Dolum values your children.”

“That is why my answer is no.”

The Reptiles pretence of affability ended abruptly. “Drop your shields or I’ll order them taken down!”

“Now, Ronal,” the new voice was smooth, kindly, “why lose your temper with one of your own cousins?” The seeming-woman took the Reptile’s place on the screen as he backed away in awe, and Naara’s expression reflected a similar emotion. “Naara, my dear, we mean you no harm.” Only the faint flicker to her outline showed that she was not physically present on the other ship. “We’ve been grieved by Degra’s absence from the council. Won’t you come back to us? Naara,” suddenly the voice was no longer issuing from speakers, as the 3-D projection switched locations, “please trust us as you used to.” It became clear that, projection or not, she could see her surroundings when her pale eyes took in first Malfor and then Soval. “Why do you have a non-Xindi on your ship?”

Naara was incapable of speech, and Malfor was in little better condition. It was left to Soval to say dryly, “I happened to be passing.”

The sound of the weapons’ impact was loud, but it came across the comm. line still open to the Reptile ship. Even the image of the woman turned to see the havoc being wrought on Ronal’s ship as explosion after explosion ripped across its bridge. Then the screen changed to show a view of space and Enterprise lethally close to the disintegrating vessel.

A moment later, Tucker’s stern face appeared on the view screen. “Everyone okay over there?”

“Human!” The projection stepped closer to the screen. “Human!”

“Yeah.” Tucker frowned. “Have we met?”

“You think you’ve won, Human?” The image was flickering more wildly now. “Your species is all but extinct, and you,” she turned on Soval, “I promise you, Vulcan, your world will suffer Earth’s fate for this.”

Her image flickered out, leaving a stunned group behind: a group that included one very shocked Vulcan.

~

Degra’s wife consented – only a little reluctantly – to come across to Enterprise, while Malfor completed repairs to her ship. But while she answered Tucker’s and Soval’s questions on the Guardians and confirmed that Degra was part of the Xindi resistance, she refused to tell then where the rebel council could be found. “I cannot, captain,” she said firmly, with the resolution that would ultimately have ensured that she sacrificed herself and her family rather than allow them to fall into unfriendly hands. “Would you give away the location of your base of operations if I asked?”

“Maybe not,” Tucker agreed reluctantly, and glanced across at Soval, but the Vulcan was staring so hard at his clasped hands that the captain doubted he had heard the last exchange. “So where do we go from here?”

It was almost a rhetorical question, certainly not one he expected Naara to answer, but she did so. “Would you agree to meet Degra at a place of my choosing?”

“Yes.” Tucker didn’t hesitate.

“Then in seven days time. I’ll supply you with coordinates when I return to my ship.”

Whether that proviso meant that she needed to consult her navigation computer, or still didn’t trust them, Tucker neither knew nor cared. He took a deep breath as the impact of the promise hit home. “Thank you.”

She smiled faintly and rose to her feet. “I should thank you, Captain Tucker. You saved my children.” Her smile widened in affection not directed at him. “Degra always says that our work, in the end, means very little. Our real legacy is our children. I truly believe that.”

“Yeah.” Tucker cleared his throat. “I guess we feel the same.” He held out a courteous hand. “Corporeal Chang will escort you to the airlock. I hope we meet again.” Naara inclined her head in polite and non-committal farewell and allowed herself to be ushered out of the room. Tucker turned a frowning look on Soval as soon as the door closed behind her. “D’you think Degra will turn up?”

“An impossible question to answer.” The strain in Soval’s voice was clear to Tucker’s ears. “We have a potential opportunity, no more.”

“Ambassador, are you okay?”

The Vulcan nodded absently and made to stand, only to clutch at the table as he swayed. He waved away Tucker’s hand that reached at once to steady him, however. “You will excuse me, captain. I,” he paused to breathe, “need a little time alone.”

“You need to go to Sickbay.” Soval’s skin was grey, deep lines scored from nose to mouth. “That was quite a shock, hearing those Guardians threaten Vulcan.”

The suggestion that he was shaken by the news that his planet could be destroyed seemed to steady Soval. “Your concern is misplaced.” He straightened carefully. “I suggest you look to your own problems. And consider,” he added harshly, “how you will explain to the High Command that you installed Vulcan cloaking technology on your ship without their permission.”

Tucker scowled. “I’ll use any trick I can to keep Enterprise safe.”

“You believe that the end justifies the means? So did Archer. You will lose my support if you seek to emulate him, Captain Tucker.”

“I didn’t know I had it to start with! Excuse me, Ambassador Soval,” Tucker didn’t stop to wonder if he had been deliberately provoked, “but I need to go address those other problems you mentioned.”

He stalked out, and so didn’t see the Vulcan grope for the support of a chair back, his other hand pressing against his closed eyelids as he fought for the strength to stay upright.

~

Soval very nearly didn’t make it back to his cabin. Only stubbornness and a Vulcan’s overwhelming need for privacy got him so far, although he was shaking so badly that it took him several attempts to enter the access code. He got no further than the doorway, however, as he slumped back against the wall almost before the door slid closed, pressing his hands to his temples. His emotional control had already been under pressure from the events of the last fortnight, and helping T’Pol in her own struggle had taxed him still further. Add to that the presence of the Humans all around him, and the result was intolerable. He was exhausted from the never-ending struggle – and the only one who could help had abruptly abandoned him. It didn’t make any difference that, intellectually, he approved her action. Amanda’s bright, affectionate presence was the only thing that had made life on Enterprise tolerable, and he had allowed her to spend far more time with him than was good for either of them. But she deserved a far more suitable mate than himself.

Soval found one of his hands groping for the comm. unit and dragged it away, sliding to the floor instead, out of reach of temptation. He could not call her, however badly he needed her. She always challenged him and, at the moment, when he was at risk of losing control entirely, he might not be able to prevent himself from trying to complete what he had inadvertently begun two years before. That Amanda might welcome such an approach was irrelevant. He wanted her to find someone of her own age and species, however hard he might find it to live with the resultant jealousy. But just now, he wanted her himself.

~

When Tucker entered Sickbay, T’Pol was standing motionless in front of the cylinder sheltering their baby, and acknowledged his presence in no other way than to say flatly, “He is dying.”

“Then we’d better get Phlox to put him back where he belongs.” The firm statement brought her head up and, and he came to stand directly in front of her. “If you’re still willing to take the risk.”

Her brown eyes stared fixedly into his. “You do not object?”

He shook his head. “He’s our legacy. How could I object to that?” This time she didn’t object when he took her hands in his. “I’m sorry, T’Pol. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But that was some curved ball you threw me.”

“I thought you would be pleased.”

Her voice was very quiet, and Tucker pulled her to him, wondering how he had missed the changes in her body that was perceptibly more rounded than before. But then she hadn’t allowed him close in weeks. “I will be, just as soon as you’re both safe.”

“You said that a star ship was no place to raise a child.”

“I said a whole load of crap. We’ll make it work, honey. Promise you.” There was still doubt in her eyes, and Tucker lowered his head for a gentle, loving kiss, knowing that he deserved the doubt. “So what are we gonna call him?”

“You always wished for your son to be named Charles.”

“Maybe I did once.” He shrugged, unable to keep the sadness out of his eyes. “But that was in a different world. I thought maybe Lorien.”

“That is a Vulcan name.”

“Yeah. I kind of like it. What about you?” Tears glimmered in her eyes, but for the first time in far too long, they reflected relief and something close to happiness. “I guess that’s settled then.” Without forethought, he suddenly pulled her bruisingly close. “God, I love you.”

And, very softly, T’Pol answered him. “I love you too.”

~

It was late when Cole left the Armoury, but it had taken her an inordinately long time to carry out the inventory check. The headache that had been bugging her for a week had gradually intensified during the day and was now seriously impairing her ability to concentrate. She knew that she ought to visit sickbay, but she didn’t want to: she wanted to visit Soval instead. It was foolish when she had promised herself that she would have nothing more to do with him, but the feeling that he needed her had been growing steadily for the last hour, almost outweighing the headache. He couldn’t really need her, it was her desire to be with him that was looking for an excuse, but that didn’t make it any easier to resist the urge.

She’d intended to head for own cabin, but found herself outside Soval’s instead, hand outstretched for the door panel. She snatched it back then reached out again. It wouldn’t hurt to check. The door wasn’t locked, unusual in itself, and opened onto darkness. It should have meant that the cabin was deserted, but Cole knew that Soval was inside, with a certainty she couldn’t explain. She stepped in, the door sliding closed behind her. “Soval?” There was a faint rustle to her right, from the floor. “Lights, 25%.” They came up to reveal the Vulcan ambassador slumped to the ground, arms clasped around his raised knees, from which he appeared to have just lifted his head. He blinked at her, barely able to open his eyes. “Soval,” she dropped to her knees by his side, “what’s wrong?” He reached blindly for her and she gripped his hand tightly. “Are you ill?” He clearly was; she could feel him trembling violently. “I’ll call Phlox.”

“No.” She barely recognised his voice, hoarse with strain, but his hand tightened when she tried to pull free to reach the comm. unit above his head. “Please.”

“Soval, you’re ill!” Desperately concerned, her free hand came up to stroke his face before she remembered that he was supposed only to be her friend, and forced it to his shoulder instead. “Let me get help.”

“No.” His eyes had closed. “I’m not ill.”

“You liar! You are.”

“No. Please,” his dark eyes opened to fix on her face, “just stay with me. For a short while.”

Not in the least comforted by the unprecedented request, she frowned down at him. “Sure.” Soval appeared to sigh with relief, dropping his head forward again. Cole grimaced and slipped her arm all the way around him. “Let’s get you to bed.”

He was almost a dead weight, and she nearly didn’t manage to get him upright - he wasn’t much taller than she was, but Vulcan muscle density was higher than Human – but eventually she succeeded in getting him to the bed. He dropped down, one hand still griping hers: it was starting to go numb. Perforce, she ended up sitting beside him, an arm still embracing him, while the tremors that gripped him gradually subsided.

At last he lifted his head, his eyes a little less desperate than before. “Thank you.”

“For what?” she demanded bitterly. “I wish you’d let me get Phlox.”

“There’s nothing he can do.”

“But you’re ill! You’ve been ill for weeks!” Cole thumped a fist into the Vulcan’s shoulder in frustration. “Why won’t you see him?” Then her eyes widened in horror. “You’re dying, aren’t you? It’s something incurable. That’s why …”

“No!” Soval interrupted her panic stricken outburst. “It’s not that.”

She took a deep breath and glared at him. “Then tell me what it is! You scared the hell out of me tonight. I want to know.”

“Amanda.” He almost groaned her name, finally releasing her hand to raise both his to his head, pressing the heels of his hands into his eye sockets. “I cannot.”

“Yes, you can!” She moved to kneel in front of him, pulling his hands down to hold them firmly. “Soval, please. You can trust me.”

“I know I can.” The familiar resignation came into his expression and squeezed his hands encouragingly. “But …”

“No buts. Just tell me.”

He sighed and she realised that he was still a long way from his normal level of composure. “It’s the emotions of the Humans on Enterprise. They,” his mouth twisted faintly as he sought for an expression, “hammer at me.”

“But you lived on Earth for over thirty years. Aren’t you used to us by now?”

“The population density is higher on Enterprise than it ever was on Earth. And there is no where I can escape.”

“But you can be alone in here.”

“No.” His head shook slightly. “Do you recall that I once told you that all Vulcans have an innate empathic ability?”

It was her turn to grimace at the memory of what had prompted that explanation. “Not something I’m likely to forget.” She hadn’t even liked Soval then, but that ‘innate empathic ability’ had meant that she had experienced his own compulsive desire to mate during his pon farr.

“The ability varies from individual to individual. For a minority, it is strong enough that they can join their thoughts to those of another. In some of us, such as T’Pol, they have to be touching another individual to sense anything. Others can perceive emotion remotely, if it is strong enough.” He hesitated briefly. “I am one of the latter.”

Cole had been listening intently to the explanation. One implication of Soval’s admission took a moment to dawn, then she wrenched her hands from his, almost falling off the bed in her desperation to distance herself from him. “Oh, God. That means …”

“Amanda!” He caught her back, gripping her arms tightly to keep her close. “I have never been offended by your feelings for me.”

She didn’t even hear him. “I’m sorry. I never meant to get so fond of you. I won’t come near you anymore.”

“Amanda.” Soval hauled her around to face him, although she kept her face turned away. “Do you really believe that I would have sought your company if I did not,” he hesitated, habitual reticence nearly defeating him, “reciprocate?”

She gasped, finally raising startled eyes to his. “You like me?”

“For a good deal longer than you have ‘liked’ me!”

“Oh.” Her mouth fell open, more shocked at his admission than by the discovery that he had been aware of her own feelings – although only Soval could have told a girl he loved her in that sarcastic tone of voice. “Then why didn’t you do something about it?”

He sighed and released her. “Because I am hardly a suitable mate for you.”

“Yes, you are.” Shock was passing, to be replaced with the realisation that what she wanted might not be as unobtainable as she had supposed. Cole manoeuvred herself close enough to rest her hands on Soval’s shoulders, leaning in invitingly. “Let’s go to bed.”

“No.” He held her away, gently but firmly.

“Why not? Because I’m Human?”

“No. Amanda, I have taken gross advantage of you.”

“Not that I ever noticed!” she grumbled, and he frowned at the levity.

“Vulcans form a mental bond with their mates. The bond can be initiated in childhood, but can only be completed during pon farr.” Soval paused, took a deep breath and continued reluctantly, “Amanda, I initiated a mating bond with you during my pon farr. I have no excuse, except that I was attracted to you. But it was unforgivable to do so without your permission.”

Cole frowned back, trying to understand. “You have some sort of mental link with me?”

“Yes.”

“So that’s how I knew you wanted me tonight?”

Soval’s shock and regret were visible. “If that is what you felt, then yes. I can only apologise. I did not believe the bond had progressed far enough for you to be aware of it.”

“That’s why you were ill tonight, wasn’t it?” The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place for Cole. “The emotions wear you out. If I’m around, this bond thing means that you can only sense my emotions, not everyone else’s.” He nodded. “But I’ve been avoiding you. So it’s my fault you’re ill. But,” and she grinned happily at the logic, “if we go to bed together, you’ll get better.”

“If I have sexual intercourse with you,” Soval stated repressively, “the bond will complete. And once complete, it cannot be severed. I will not tie you to me for the rest of your life.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“I am old enough to be your great grandfather.”

“I’ll catch you up.”

“I cannot give you children.”

“We can borrow your grandson.”

“You are annoyingly persistent!”

“Isn’t that why you like me?”

“No doubt.”

“Then make love to me.”

She saw the effort it cost Soval to shake his head. “No. You must have time to consider the matter.”

“Oh, no. I know you. You’re just trying to get rid of me so that you can meditate. By the time I come back, you’ll have thought of a dozen more logical reasons why we can’t go to bed together. But you need me now.”

His eyes narrowed. “I will not entrap you for my own benefit.”

She knew she had him then. She caught his eyes, letting all trace of amusement fade from her own. “Then do it because I love you.”

If Soval had been fully in control, he might still have resisted, but he was exhausted and Cole had not given him any chance to compose himself. As she always did, she saw the moment when he surrendered, and took the opportunity to press against him, snuggling closer when his arms moved to hold her tightly. It felt like coming home.

Then Soval raised a hand to her face, fingertips brushing her skin lightly. She shivered with desire and he stroked her with the backs of his fingers this time. “Amanda,” his voice was soft and filled with passion, “parted from me and never parted.” His hand pressed to the side of her face, fingertips spanning cheek and temple, and she felt a surge of sensation that did not belong to her. “Never and always touching and touched.” The flow of emotion from him focussed abruptly, leaving her fully aware of how deeply a Vulcan could care for another. “Amanda, ko-telsu.” Then his mouth covered hers and they ceased to be two entirely separate individuals.

~

Cuddled together on a biobed, Tucker and T’Pol talked long into the night, for the first time tracing the course of their relationship, from its confrontational beginnings in Archer’s ready room before Enterprise ever left Jupiter Station, to its near tragic ending. When T’Pol finally fell asleep, still weak from the effort of carrying Lorien so long unaided, Tucker remained awake, thinking. If he still didn’t understand why T’Pol had felt the need to poison herself in order to give him a son, he knew that that was a secret he’d carry to his grave. They’d come too far and lost too much to dwell on past mistakes. What was important was the future – and for the first time since Earth’s destruction, he actually thought that there might be a future worth fighting for. Not the bright future composed of wildly optimistic dreams that a very young chief engineer had once thought was Humanity’s right. Not the bleak vision of an endless struggle for survival that had haunted him for the last four years. But a future where Humans – and, in particular, a unique half-Human, half-Vulcan boy – could still add something valuable to the inter-stellar community. Tucker grinned in the darkened Sickbay. And, if necessary, ram their contribution to the greater good down the throats of other races.

On that cheerful thought, he too slept, more positive than he had been since a planet called Azati Prime.

~
The trans-dimensional aliens, known to the Xindi as ‘Guardians’, were in a state of extreme annoyance.

“You must be wrong. The timelines favoured us. What has changed?”

“The Human ship, perhaps? You allowed it to escape.”

“One ship of a doomed people! I cannot believe it.”

“We must destroy it.”

“No. It is the Vulcans. It has to be.”

“But they have never precipitated change.”

“The readings cannot be wrong. Too many futures have opened out.”

“We must act.”

“Yes, and swiftly. Contact the Reptiles. They must speed up construction. We have a new use for that weapon.”

“Vulcan?”

“Oh, yes. Our time must come. Nothing must stand in our way. Nothing.”

~

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