Daybreak - Chapter 5

Daybreak

by ShouldKnowBetter

Disclaimers in Chapter 1

~~~~~~~

Chapter 5 - The Way Back

The conference did resume the next day, and, if Tucker would rather V’Lar had not made quite so much of the fact that one of his crew was under suspicion of the attack on Soval, it appeared to satisfy the rest of the delegates. They actually managed to reach agreement on the fact that they would hear testimony from the Xindi-Arboreal engineer Malfor by the time the midday recess came around, although they postponed the pleasure of actually hearing from him until after lunch: chef’s dishes had proved popular with most of those gathered on Enterprise. Tucker used the excuse of fetching Soval a drink to take a seat next to the Vulcan, who had again ignored Phlox’ advice to rest in favour of attending. He looked a little better to the Human’s eyes, although the scowl he directed at the captain suggested that Soval’s injury had not helped his temper. “Malfor knows nothing of significance. References to quasi-religious Guardians will impress no one.”

“I know.” Tucker swallowed a quick mouthful of quiche. “But Ugarke’s still not in a fit state to testify.”

“He may have to appear regardless.”

“Yeah.” He stabbed a sausage. “Maybe next time you’re gonna subvert someone, you might consider not feeding them drugs.”

“Another time, I will remember to accurately predict the future!”

Tucker grinned, and indicated the buffet table. “D’you want anything to eat? There’s salad.”

“No.” Soval returned to staring broodingly straight ahead. “Dr Phlox has made no further progress in determining if Sergeant Cole has been programmed to kill.”

“He told me. Soval,” he hesitated, but the question had been bugging him, “just what is going on between you and Amanda?”

The Vulcan turned a forbidding look on him. “Not what you evidently believe.”

Which was the answer he might have expected. Whether he would have had the courage to enquire further was never put to the test. T’Pol’s voice came over the comm., calm if urgent. “Tactical alert. Captain Tucker, please report to the Bridge.”

~

T’Pol didn’t wait for Tucker to request information when he appeared on the Bridge. “There are five Xindi ships approaching.”

“What’s their configuration?” His faint hope that they might be Arboreal didn’t last long.

“Reptilian.”

“Set a course for Rigel, Mr Graveney. Maximum warp.” Enterprise couldn’t handle five Reptilian ships on her own; their only chance was to run for the nearest major system and hope that the Xindi wouldn’t risk an attack in someone else’s space. “Time to intercept, T’Pol?”

“Twelve minutes.” Again, she didn’t wait to be asked. “We are over two hours from Rigel at our current speed.”

He grimaced and hit the comm. “Tucker to Engineering.”

“Engineering.”

“Rostov, can you bring those engine modifications on-line?”

“While we’re at warp, sir?”

“You heard me.”

“Uh,” in the background, Tucker could hear a low-pitched voice murmuring urgent advice, “maybe. But it might get a little bumpy.”

“How long?”

“Five minutes.”

“Do it.” He turned to face the comm. station. “Hoshi, send out a request for assistance.” Out of the corner of his eye, he caught T’Pol’s surprised look. “That’s one hell of a precious cargo we’re carrying. I don’t wanna be known as the captain who lost a dozen diplomats.” That recalled another duty to mind and he swung to face Mayweather, who was at tactical. “Travis, the delegates are still in the Mess Hall. Have them escorted to Sickbay and double the guards.”

“Rostov to the Bridge.”

“Go ahead.”

“We’re about to bring the modifications on-line.”

“Acknowledged.” He opened a ship-wide channel. “All hands, prepare for turbulence.”

The warning didn’t come a moment too soon. Enterprise bucked sharply, a power conduit failing behind the tactical station, while the normally smooth flow of stars on the view screen appeared to judder slightly.

“What’s our speed?”

“Warp,” Graveney looked up in shock from his board, “six, sir.”

“Go, Malfor!” Tucker murmured just loud enough to bring a smile to the faces of most of those on the Bridge. “T’Pol, are the Xindi ships still following?”

“Yes. Intercept time is now 90 minutes.”

He sat back with a nod. “Plenty of time for something to turn up.”

His timing was unfortunate. Enterprise suddenly seemed to stagger beneath them, the lights dimmed, and the view screen faded, then came up again, but showing a stationary view of space ahead of them. “We’ve dropped out of warp, captain,” Graveney reported unnecessarily, while Tucker was already reaching for the comm.

“Engineering! What’s your status?”

“The modifications weren’t robust, sir.” Rostov sounded both apologetic and urgent. “The fuel injectors slipped out of alignment. We’re having to recalibrate.”

“How long?”

“Three minutes.”

“Get on it. Tucker out.”

He glanced across at T’Pol, who said quietly, “The Xindi ships will be within firing range in two minutes.”

He nodded and turned to Mayweather. “Target their lead ship as soon as they drop out of warp. Try to take out her engines.”

“Ay, sir.” The other man’s mouth twitched, even as his hands moved across the board. “It’s good to be back, captain.”

“Never a dull moment. Bring us about 180 degrees, Peter. Let’s face ’em head on.”

~

When the tactical alert sounded, Cole came to her feet before remembering that she had nowhere to go, given that there was a locked door in front of her. She looked thoughtfully at McKenzie, on guard outside the brig, but her fellow MACO’s expression clearly said that she had her orders and even a tactical alert wasn’t going to shift her. Cole sank back onto the bench with a grimace, and returned to analysing her memories of the night she was supposed to have attacked Soval. It was a fruitless exercise since it must have been the tenth time she had done so, but there wasn’t a lot else to do – except be grateful that Soval didn’t believe she’d done it, and she didn’t want to be grateful to him. He was a mean old Vulcan, and it served him right that he’d finally irritated someone enough that they’d stuck a knife in him.

The warning of turbulence made her shift to the other end of the bench, where she could anchor herself firmly to a strut, and probably saved her life. When the plasma conduit behind the far wall blew in response to the weapons’ fire from the Xindi ships that finally came up with Enterprise after her ignominious exit from warp, Cole was thrown to the deck, but escaped serious injury. Coughing from the acrid fumes from the plasma fires burning around her, she dragged herself up and found that the front wall of the brig was mostly not there anymore. “Sandy? You okay?”

There was no reply and Cole eased herself around the torn edges of metal, as much to get out of range of the fires as to check on her colleague, to find McKenzie’s body slumped against the opposite wall, the right side of her uniform blackened and blood-stained. Cole didn’t stop to consider if she was doing the right thing, automatically snatching up the other woman’s fallen rifle, before dragging her clear of the danger area. After a few metres, McKenzie began to regain consciousness, moaning as the pain of her burns hit her. Cole changed her grip and hauled. “On your feet, corporal.”

The woman obeyed out of habit and they staggered on until they reached an emergency bulkhead, that Cole closed behind them to seal off the damaged area. McKenzie stared fuzzily at Cole. “You’re supposed to be in the brig.”

“I’m not gonna let myself be toasted, even for Trip.” The deck under their feet lurched and both women staggered, Cole clutching at McKenzie to keep her upright. “I reckon we went to warp. C’mon, let’s get you to Sickbay before the bastards catch up again.”

~

On the Bridge, Tucker was quite literally on the edge of his seat. “Where are the Xindi?”
“Three are still following.” T’Pol raised her head from her scanner. “They will be in firing range again in less than 5 minutes.”

“Forward hull plating’s at 53%,” Mayweather reported grimly. “Aft at 93%. We’ve lost forward torpedo launchers.”

“There are reports of casualties,” T’Pol added. “No fatalities.”

Yet, Tucker added bitterly to himself. He was out of ideas. They might be able to take out another couple of ships if they were lucky, but they were too far out-gunned to come out alive, unless someone came to their rescue – and who would be willing to risk their ship for the sake of a bunch of Humans these days? But he was the captain. He wasn’t allowed to lose hope. Not when his crew were watching him, anyway. “T’Pol, how far are we from the nearest asteroid field?”

~

Cole released McKenzie into the hands of one of Phlox’ medics, in a Sickbay that was already starting to fill up, approving the number of guards stationed by the doors and in the corridor outside. She threw a defiant look at the group of diplomatic personnel gathered in one corner, but none made any objection to her illicit presence, so she went to join her people, McKenzie’s rifle a reassuring weight in her hands. Not much use if the ship was destroyed, but woe betide anyone who tried to get to the bunch of ambassadors through her.

~

The remaining Xindi ships didn’t fire until they were very close, despite the damage that Enterprise was able to inflict on them in the process. One dropped out of the chase entirely, but the final pair made it into point blank range, then very precisely targeted the warp nacelles. The Human ship dropped out of warp, venting plasma, power to her weapons lost, and Tucker came to his feet, scowling. “Attention all hands. Prepare for boarding.” He headed for the lift, giving orders as he went. “Travis, get down to Sickbay. Keep the Xindi away from those diplomats and from Ugarke. I’ll be in Engineering. T’Pol,” briefly he looked in her direction, seeing the fear in her widened eyes, but unable to spare the time even for a hug, “you have the Bridge.”

~

When the first pair of Xindi-Reptiles materialised in the corridor in front of Sickbay and fell to MACO firepower before they could get off a single shot, Cole’s immediate reaction was one of fierce satisfaction. Fortunately training, both formal and informal, the latter from a certain Vulcan ex-intelligence officer, kicked in a second later. She swung around to cover her rear and shot another Xindi as he formed in the centre of Sickbay, Hawkins taking down the second a moment later. She rapidly redeployed the mixed bag of MACOs and Starfleet security personnel, then took up a position near the diplomats, who had had the sense to take what cover there was.

Four more Xindi materialised and were eliminated, and she grimaced. “They’re gonna get tired of this game soon.”

“They may attempt to breach the bulkhead from the corridor.”

She smiled at Soval’s calm assessment of the situation, admitting that it wasn’t entirely chance that had led her to her current location – then scowled and drew the sidearm she had also appropriated, thrusting it blindly in his direction. “Here. Just in case I go crazy.”

“You expect me to notice?”

“Just take it. Please?” The weapon was removed from her hand and she glanced quickly sideways to see Soval checking the settings and the balance of the weapon, with a professionalism entirely at odds with someone who claimed to follow a path of non-violence. “I hope you’ve kept in practice.”

“Strangely, Sergeant Cole,” his voice was dry, “I never find it necessary except when dealing with yourself or Captain Tucker.”

The explosion prevented any retort she might have made, and then there was no time for anything except shooting at any Xindi-shaped objects that moved in the smoke-filled room.

~

Tucker never made it off the Bridge. As he and Mayweather were about to step into the lift, Sato lifted her head from where she had been patiently carrying on with her job while the rest of the Bridge crew bustled around. “Captain! We’re being hailed.”

“The Xindi?”

“No, sir. Colonel Shran.”

Startled, Tucker returned to the centre of the Bridge, signalling Mayweather to proceed without him, while his eyes queried T’Pol, who bent briefly over her scanner again. “Confirmed. An Andorian ship is approaching at high warp.”

“On screen.”

“Captain Tucker.” The stocky, blue-skinned man started talking as soon as his image appeared. “What would you Humans do without me?”

“I’ve two Xindi ships trying to take Enterprise, Shran.” Tucker was usually tolerant of the Andorian’s snide comments, but not when his ship was under attack. “Are you planning on helping?”

On the screen, the Andorian vessel dropped out of warp, immediately targeting the nearest Xindi vessel that dissolved in a silent explosion, before meting out the same fate to the second. “Consider it done.”

“Thanks. I see the weapon mod.s are working real well.”

The Andorian’s antenna rocked backwards. “Such a pity your engines don’t generate enough power to support them.”

“At least I have the pleasure of knowing that they’re helping a friend.”

“Just like the shield modifications you recommended to the Vulcans.” Tucker shrugged, expression exaggeratedly rueful, and Shran scowled. “I hear you’re having a party and we weren’t invited.”

“Not quite the way I heard it.” Although he had wondered how honest Soval was being when he had reported that the Andorians had refused to attend the second conference. “But now you’re here, why don’t you drop in – just as soon as I’ve got my ship cleared of Xindi.”

~

When a Xindi fell towards her with a hole in his back, it took Cole a moment to register the implications, then she yelled a warning to her own people to beware crossfire, ignoring her own advice in an effort to follow events. Trapped between two fronts, the Xindi didn’t last long, and Cole emerged from shelter to grin at Mayweather as he appeared through the smoke that was still swirling through Sickbay. “Nice timing.”

“Glad to be of assistance. What are you doing here, sergeant?”

His tone reminded her that he was now third in command of Enterprise and on duty, and she pulled herself up straight. “The brig was damaged, sir. Corporal McKenzie was injured so I brought her to Sickbay.”

He nodded acceptance of the explanation, noticeably relaxing as Sato’s voice announced the stand-down from tactical alert. “Looks like Trip pulled another rabbit out the hat.” They exchanged smiles, then Mayweather looked around at the delegates, who were emerging from cover. “Any casualties?”

“I don’t think so, sir.”

Noting that Mayweather’s gaze had hardened again, Cole glanced over her shoulder, stretching out a hand for the gun that Soval held out to her. The flicker of peripheral movement alerted her, and she didn’t hesitate, her shoulder barging the Vulcan aside as she simultaneously fired at the tall figure beyond him who had pulled a weapon from within his uniform. The beam from his gun caught her left arm, but she was more accurate by far and Tolan fell before he could get off another shot.

“Bastard,” Cole said with feeling into the stunned silence that followed, and dropped the gun she had taken from Soval to grip her wounded arm, gritting her teeth as she began to realise how much it hurt.

“Amanda!” Mayweather clearly thought that she had lost her mind, although she felt that the phase pistol he was pointing at her was unnecessary. “What the hell are you doing?”

“He was gonna shoot Soval.”

“He’s a Vulcan!”

“Doesn’t give him the right to shoot people on my watch.”

“Sergeant Cole is correct.” Both Humans looked around into V’Lar’s carefully composed face. “For whatever reason, Tolan was indeed aiming at Ambassador Soval.” She glanced at Cole’s bloodstained arm. “And it is clear that his weapon was not set to stun.”

Mayweather shook his head in disbelief, but took charge firmly. “Let’s hope Doctor Phlox can give us some answers. Madam V’Lar, I think you and the other ambassadors had better return to your quarters. I’m sure Captain Tucker will brief you all on this latest incident once he’s finished ensuring the safety of Enterprise.”

Cole leant back against the nearest countertop. “Assign guards, Travis.”

He scowled, a little hurt that she hadn’t been impressed by his speech, then noticed that she had gone white, and nodded. “I’m on it. Ambassador V’Lar?”

He shepherded V’Lar and the rest away, and Cole closed her eyes, determined not to pass out until her team were also out of the way, then opened them because she knew someone had come to stand in front of her. “Are you okay?”

“Perfectly.” Soval’s tone was sarcastic. “Although I find your action unnecessary. A simple warning would have sufficed to make me move.”

She scowled. “I was doing my job, sir, that’s all.”

“I never doubted it.” There was a moment’s silence, then Cole inadvertently met Soval’s eyes, and he added a great deal more gently, “Are you badly hurt?”

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak as the knowledge that he cared enough to ask tightened her throat. And then tightened it again when she remembered what Tucker had said about Soval’s sense of responsibility: she’d been hurt protecting him, of course he’d feel obliged to ask if she were seriously injured. Then Phlox was there, cheerfully brisk, and she let herself be led away and fed enough drugs to kill the pain.

~

Tucker wasn’t a great deal happier than Mayweather to learn that Cole had shot the Vulcan attaché - not until Phlox had had a chance to run some tests on Tolan, anyway. The Denobulan repeated his findings for V’Lar’s and Soval’s benefit when Tucker had them summoned to Sickbay, after he and T’Pol had listened in disbelief to Phlox’s assessment. “I found minute traces of Trellium-D in Tolan’s system,” the doctor said simply, and Soval frowned at him.

“That element is not found in this region of space.”

“So I believe.” Phlox indicated a cylindrical device standing on a workbench nearby, together with a sealed container. “I had one of Sergeant Cole’s team search Tolan’s quarters. He found a small quantity of Trellium ore, together with the means to refine it into a form that could be injected.”

“You are telling us that Tolan deliberately exposed himself to a substance known to be extremely toxic to Vulcans?” V’Lar asked deliberately, and Phlox nodded. “But why would he do such a thing?”

“I believe he had little choice. From his reaction since, it would appear that he was addicted.” Phlox indicated the bed where Tolan was lying, apparently asleep. “I’ve had to sedate him. He was becoming violent.”

“Vulcans are not prone to addiction.” V’Lar sounded almost as severe as Soval, but Phlox only shrugged.

“Apparently Trellium-D is the exception.”

“T’Pol.” She looked over at Soval, from her position a little behind Tucker’s left shoulder. “You were exposed to Trellium-D when you were in the Delphic Expanse. Were you aware of its addictive properties?”

There was a fractional hesitation before she said, very firmly, “No.”

He gave her a long hard look, then turned to V’Lar. “We should question Tolan.”

“I agree,” Tucker put in, not happy at having Soval muscling in on his prerogatives again. “But we wanted you to hear what Phlox had to say first.” He nodded to the Denobulan. “Wake him up, doctor.”

Tolan came around within seconds, and stared around in seeming panic before his eyes settled on V’Lar. “Madam.” His mouth twisted. “I am sorry. It was not my fault. I …”

“What have you done, Tolan?” she asked icily, and he cringed.

“I … the Xindi …” His head began to toss. “I thought … thought I could control …”

“Tolan!” Soval’s tone was curt. “Answer me! You were suborned by the Xindi?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Months ago. On Risa.”

Soval glanced at V’Lar for confirmation, and she nodded. “Tolan was sent to Risa to investigate whether the Xindi were operating there.”

“I guess we know the answer to that one,” Tucker murmured dryly, and glared at the young Vulcan man. “Was it you stabbed Soval?”

“Yes.”

“Then why doesn’t he remember that?”

“I may be able to answer that.” Phlox held out a PADD that no one cared to take. “Tolan is one of the minority of Vulcans who can meld their minds with those of others. Once I discovered that fact, I performed some scans of Ambassador Soval’s brain. I believe that Tolan changed his memories.”

“I had to,” Tolan mumbled, half to himself. “I needed a suspect. The Human woman was plausible. I didn’t know …”

He trailed off in another bout of heading shaking, starting to moan, and Tucker turned away in disgust, pausing as he caught sight of the frankly murderous look that had replaced Soval’s usually bad-tempered expression. Definitely not a good man to cross, T’Pol’s father. If he ever decided that he really couldn’t stand the man any longer, he’d make damn sure that Soval didn’t stay alive to work out who’d wanted him dead. “V’Lar,” he dodged the subject carefully, “are you satisfied that the Xindi were behind this?”

The Vulcan woman gazed blankly back for a moment, as she assimilated the evidence and its consequences. “Yes.”

“Then the conference can proceed?”

This time, she left an even longer gap. “Yes.”

“Then let’s do it. There’s a hell of a lot riding on this one.”

~

The fact that the attack on Soval had been perpetrated by the Xindi added a certain impetus to the conference. They might argue amongst themselves, but the delegates were not in favour of the assassination of ambassadors, even Vulcan ones, and settled down to some serious talking. And then Phlox finally managed to sober Ugarke up enough for him to speak. The Xindi-Humanoid spoke for some time, explaining the reason behind the attack on Earth for those who had never believed the Humans’ second hand report, and bringing everyone up to date on the current political situation in the Delphic Expanse. When he finally finished, V’Lar looked to Tucker to see if he wanted to comment, but he shook his head, knowing that his thoughts were too chaotic to allow him to say anything sensible, so she expertly summarised the matter.

“You tell us that you destroyed the Humans because of a warning you received from a race of beings you call the Guardians; the same Guardians who aided you when your own planet was destroyed. When the Humanoids and Arboreals wavered, once the weapon was complete, it was the Reptiles who carried through the attack on Earth. Since then, they have assumed overall control of the Xindi, overriding your council, and claiming the support of the Guardians to do so. Their continued interest in this region of space is due to the expanding areas of overlapping gravimetric anomalies, where life cannot be supported, within the Delphic Expanse. They are, in effect, looking for a new home.”

She halted, turning a querying eye on Ugarke, who smiled back. “I couldn’t have put it better myself, V’Lar. Oh, that’s right,” he paused, the smile growing smug, “I did.”

Tucker scowled at him – being drug-free hadn’t changed Ugarke’s intensely annoying style of speech – while T’Pol said quietly, “We determined that the spheres were the cause of the spatial anomalies within the Delphic Expanse. Have you never considered disabling them?”

“How did we never think of that?” Ugarke asked satirically, then shrugged. “Degra hasn’t found a way of doing so and the Reptiles have stopped his research.”

“Degra?” Tucker exchanged a look with T’Pol, remembering the scientist whom Archer had tricked into revealing the coordinates of the weapon that they had failed to stop. “Now there’s a man I’d like to meet again.”

V’Lar gave him a stern look for the implications behind his words, and turned back to the Xindi. “Why not simply negotiate with us? If your home was in jeopardy, it is unlikely that we would have rejected a plea for peaceful settlement. There are many planets in this quadrant that have not yet been claimed.”

“Negotiation isn’t a word much associated with the Reptilians. They prefer to take.”

“And the other Xindi sub-species?”

He regarded her steadily for a moment, characteristic mockery absent for once. “The Reptilians do not represent us all.”

“Will you tell us where to find your council?” The question came from Soval, who had listened in frowning silence until now.

“I can’t.” Ugarke shrugged. “The planet where it was located is now inside an area of overlapping anomalies. I don’t even know if the Council still meets. If it does, it’s in secret and without the Reptilians knowledge.”

Tucker looked around the table at the thoughtful faces, then turned his head to meet T’Pol’s steady gaze. She looked back for a long moment, before giving a slight nod in answer to his unspoken question. “Then we have to go find it.”

“Into the Delphic Expanse?” It was the Tellarite who spoke. “No one would be fool enough to take a ship into that region of space now that we know it’s more dangerous than ever.”

A self-mocking smile tugged at Tucker’s mouth. “I guess Humans have their uses.”

“You offered your ship before, Captain Tucker,” V’Lar said quietly. “Are you still prepared to return?”

“Yes.”

She caught the eyes of each delegate in turn, although Shran broke the contact almost at once. “I believe we have no choice but to accept Captain Tucker’s offer. We must contact the other Xindi sub-species. It may be that war can be averted.”

“He can’t negotiate for us!” the Tellarite protested, and V’Lar nodded, much to Tucker’s chagrin.

“I agree. But we can send one with him who is qualified to negotiate on our behalf.”

“Now wait a minute.” Leaving aside everyone’s easy assumption that he was no diplomat, Tucker had no intention of cluttering up his ship with non-combatants. “You’ve seen that the Xindi have a real bad habit of boarding ships. I’m not gonna take anyone who can’t handle themselves in a fight.”

“A fair point.” V’Lar met Tucker’s eyes and he was sure he caught a flicker of amusement. “Which is why I recommend that we select Ambassador Soval for this task. He assures me that you are aware of his qualifications.”

Tucker opened his mouth to protest, shut it again, and glared at the grey-haired man seated opposite, who looked blandly. V’Lar was right: he couldn’t deny that Soval was surprisingly useful in a tight corner. But the thought of having to deal with the Vulcan every day for months was almost enough to make him withdraw his offer; almost, but not quite. “Fine. Whatever.” Not terribly gracious, but the headache had already started, and they hadn’t even got under way yet.

“Then it is agreed?” V’Lar was on her feet this time. “Enterprise will seek out the Xindi council and try to negotiate a peace?”

There were reluctant nods all around table, except from Shran, who came to his feet. “With a Vulcan leading the negotiations! Never.”

“I’ll be there too,” Tucker pointed out, but received only a contemptuous look.

“Archer, I might have trusted. You?” Shran gestured to T’Pol. “You’re in the Vulcans’ pocket.” He glared at the other delegates, read their lack of support for his view, and scowled, antennae rearing back. “So Andoria stands alone on this? So be it.” He headed for the door. “But when Vulcan sets the terms for this peace, I recommend you read the small print very, very carefully.”

~

Despite the lack of Andorian support, the appropriate governments endorsed the plan, so the mission became official. Enterprise was given access to Vulcan’s space dock to repair the damage from her latest run-in with the Xindi – and if Tucker took the opportunity to sneak in a few modifications, no one told on him. The preparations took a rather hectic month, then V’Lar paid a final visit, bringing Soval with her; try as he might, Tucker had not been able to wriggle out of taking T’Pol’s father along. Her visit was brief and, Tucker felt, illogical, since all she did was to reiterate the parameters of his mission for at least the fourth time. Already tense with anticipation, it put him out of patience with her, so that, when she finally took her leave, he didn’t offer to escort her off the ship as polite custom demanded, leaving it to Soval.

T’Pol looked disapprovingly at him once the other two Vulcans left. “You were rude.”

He came over to hug her tightly. “I know.” Her arms closed around his back, and he dipped his head for a moment to press his face into her hair, relishing the stolen moment.

He grinned a little sheepishly at her when he pulled back, knowing he was overreacting. Even at Enterprise’s enhanced speed, they wouldn’t reach the Delphic Expanse for five weeks, which should give him plenty of time to devote to T’Pol – just so long as Rostov didn’t need him in Engineering. “Let’s go, sub-commander. We have a ship to get back into space.”

~

Pacing slowly through Enterprise’s corridors, V’Lar remarked idly, “You recall, Soval, that before T’Pol, no Vulcan proved capable of remaining on a Human ship for more than a few days.” He did not bother replying, and she turned her head to observe him closely. “I think you are more fond of these Humans than you will ever admit.” The movement of one eyebrow said she was wrong, and she added slyly, “Particularly of that pretty child you were so very sure would not have attacked you.”

He glared at her that time. “As you say, a child.”

“You have been alone too long, Soval.” In all their long acquaintance, V’Lar had never allowed him to deflect her. “You should have accepted my offer years ago.”

“We would not have been compatible.”

“Perhaps not.” She halted at the airlock, turning so that she and Soval were facing each other, both with their hands clasped before them. Then she held out her right hand, first two fingers extended. Soval hesitated, then touched the backs of her fingers lightly with his own.

“You have always been a great deal too sentimental, V’Lar. The Humans survived before. They may again.”

“I trust that they will. Much rides on this mission, Soval.” Again he did not deign to respond to the obvious, and V’Lar stepped back, this time raising her hand in the formal gesture of greeting and departure. “Live long and prosper, Soval. Our confidence goes with you.” Her eyes went briefly over his shoulder and she tucked in her chin to look up at him, amused. “She is waiting for you.”

Soval’s control was excellent; he made not the slightest attempt to look behind him. “Peace and long life, V’Lar.” She nodded acknowledgement and disappeared into the airlock, and he continued on down the corridor, still not turning his head as a figure fell in at his shoulder. “Even you, Sergeant Cole, cannot consider V’Lar a security risk.”

“I was just passing.” She hesitated a moment before continuing firmly, “Ambassador, I never had the chance to apologise for my behaviour. I’m sorry I …”

“I do not require your apology.” Soval halted, turning to face Cole, who backed off a step, her face a professional mask. “I do require your promise that you will finally cease referring to me as the ‘mean old Vulcan’.” She stared uncertainly back, confused at the apparent change of subject, and he added dryly, “Or perhaps you should simply ensure that I really am unconscious before insulting me.”

The mask slipped as she realised that he must have been aware of her presence in his cabin the night he had nearly died, and recalled very clearly that calling him names had been the least embarrassing aspect of her behaviour. “I’m sorry. I …”

“I said that I do not require your apology.” Soval continued down the corridor, adding casually, “Is there anyone on this ship who is a more competent chess player than yourself?”

Cole followed him, her expression reflecting both relief and disbelief that he appeared willing to overlook her emotional outburst – all of them. “No.”

“Then I will have to make do with you as an opponent.”

“Sunday nights?” She still sounded disbelieving, but he nodded fractionally. “Okay.” She followed him a few more steps, then added, “Ambassador?” He turned his head to look at her. “Thank you.”

~

Aware that Tucker’s attention had drifted away from her once again, T’Pol raised her head from the comfort of his shoulder to look severely down at him. “Charles?”

“Mm?” He turned his head towards her, smiling as her fingers caressed his cheek.

“What are you thinking about?”

She almost wished that she had not asked when the smile faded, his expression turning sad, unsure. “This whole damn crazy situation. Was I wrong to volunteer Enterprise for this, T’Pol?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer. “We’re going back into the Delphic Expanse in a ship that barely survived last time. Sixty three Humans, two Vulcans and five Xindi: if the Reptiles don’t get us, we’ll string each other up.”

“And one captain who is very good at cooperating with other species.”

The lines beside his mouth and on his forehead deepened, eyes darkening with grief. “And one captain who’s always gonna be second choice.”

“No!” T’Pol’s response was fierce, but Tucker’s self-doubt had shocked her. That he doubted his command ability was something he had hidden from her. “Charles, you are a good captain. Enterprise’s crew would follow you anywhere. As would I.”

“You’re biased.” He was trying to smile, but couldn’t quite manage it. “You heard Shran, T’Pol. This needs Jonathan Archer, not me.”

“No.” She leant over him, ensuring that he was looking directly at her. “Jonathan was my friend too, Charles. But if he were still alive, this mission would not have come about. He would have been unable to put aside his distrust of the Vulcans, as you have done – and the High Council would never have accepted his help.”

He stared back, almost resenting her condemnation of the man they had both loved. “The Xindi did that to him.”

“Perhaps. But the fact remains that you have already achieved what Jonathan would not have been able to do.”

“I still wish he was here.”

T’Pol leant down to kiss him, admitting that in one way she agreed. If they were still first officer and chief engineer, it would have been so much simpler to find time to be alone together. She knew – most of the time – that Charles loved her, but she was, at best, fourth on his list of priorities: somewhere behind his species, his crew and his ship. The first officer approved of that. The passionate, possessive woman she had unleashed found it intolerable.

Tucker was too upset even to kiss her back, and T’Pol took charge, determined to distract her captain from his depressing thoughts. “Charles.” She took his hand, pressing it to her stomach. “It will be all right. We will all be all right.”

~

In another dimension, where time did not have quite the same meaning as it did in normal space, the group of beings who, for want of a better word, will be called females, was becoming agitated.

“The timelines are moving. The probabilities have shifted away from us.”

“How can they? The Xindi were victorious. The Humans were destroyed.”

“Not all of them. We were in error. They should have been eliminated at once.”

“There are not enough of them to be a threat. Your reading of the patterns must be wrong.”

“I tell you, the timelines are fracturing. Other possibilities are coming into existence.”

“Then they must be erased. What is causing the disturbance?”

“I cannot tell. Not yet.”

“Then we will wait. But not for long. We laboured long for this. We will not be thwarted now.”

~

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