Daybreak - Chapter 8

Daybreak

by ShouldKnowBetter

Disclaimers in Chapter 1

~~~~~~~

Chapter 8 - Liar, Liar

T’Pol completed her daily briefing on the state of the gravimetric anomalies surrounding them, and Tucker nodded acknowledgement, asking the obvious for the benefit of the rest of the senior staff. “But we should reach the asteroid field tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

A journey that should have taken days had stretched out to a fortnight as T’Pol, Mayweather and Graveney picked their way cautiously through the ever-growing anomalies. If they couldn’t mine enough Trellium from the asteroids to line Enterprise’s hull, their options narrowed to one: returning home. Retreating with their tail between their legs didn’t appeal to Tucker, although Soval had been philosophical about it when the subject had been breached with him. ‘A decision we make when it becomes necessary,’ the Vulcan had said calmly, and only added as a sarcastic afterthought that Tucker should stop worrying about events he could not foresee.

Now Tucker glanced between the two Vulcans, then over at Phlox. “Then I guess its time to test that serum. The shuttle pod’s all ready.”

“I see no reason why both of us are needed.” T’Pol’s arms were folded. “Ambassador Soval may participate in the test.”

“I would prefer that you both be involved,” Phlox countered promptly. “Just in case the difference in male and female physiology causes any unexpected effects.”

“Best be safe, T’Pol.” Tucker backed up the doctor. “I sure don’t want you going crazy on me.”

“And how could we tell if the Trelluim-D made the ambassador bad tempered?” Cole murmured, apparently to herself, although the comment still managed to be audible to everyone present. Soval frowned at her, but she just grinned back, while the rest tried to stifle their amusement: all except T’Pol, who also glared at the Human woman.

“Trelluim-D poisoning is extremely dangerous to Vulcans.”

“I’m aware of that, ma’am.”

How Cole managed to make simple agreement sound insolent, Tucker did not know, but he stepped in quickly to prevent the fight taking off. The two women would never be friends, but why the tension between them seemed to be escalating, he didn’t know. “Any other business, people?”

~

When Tucker and T’Pol entered the Mess Hall at lunchtime the next day, he avoided the captain’s dining room. Having been severely lectured most of the previous evening and all through breakfast on the folly of insisting that his first officer spend time locked in a shuttle pod, unable to perform her duties, he knew what he would be in for if they ate alone. At least in company, T’Pol would treat him with a modicum of respect. The down side was that Sato and Cole occupied the only table with two spare seats, but he trusted that Sato’s calm good sense would keep the other two women from sniping too openly at each other.

The conversation certainly started well. Sato turned a wide smile on him as soon as he and T’Pol were seated. “I had a letter from Sergeant Kemper today.”

“At least the sub-space relays are still working.”

“Aren’t you interested in what she had to say, captain?”

He grinned at the communications officer’s frustration. “I’m all ears, Hoshi.”

“She’s pregnant.” Sato waited a moment to draw the tension out. “And Major Hayes is the father!”

She got her reward when Tucker choked on his mashed potato. “You’re kidding me?”

“Who’d have thought?” Cole agreed. “We always reckoned he didn’t know what women were for.” Tucker shot her a concerned look, hearing a note of sadness in her usually buoyant voice, but a moment later she was grinning. “Probably artificial insemination.”

“Amanda!” Sato protested, but the accused only shrugged.

“It’s gotta be the best way to spread the gene pool around. I’d like a dozen kids, all different fathers.” Her bright eyes focussed speculatively on Tucker. “What d’you think, captain?”

“I think raising kids on a star ship is out of order.” He shovelled the rest of his meal into his mouth and stood, holding out a hand for T’Pol, who had been ominously quiet throughout the exchange. “Why don’t you ask Travis?”

Sato shook her head at Cole, once the captain and first officer had left. “If you think T’Pol would let you have the captain’s baby, even if it was via artificial insemination, you really are crazy.” The MACO shrugged, even as Sato’s eyes took on a thoughtful expression. “Although lots of little Trips would be cute – especially with pointy ears.”

“Vulcans and Humans can’t interbreed.”

“I’m sure Phlox can fix that.” Sato refused to be downbeat, despite Cole’s flat statement. “I’d be an aunt!”

“All senior staff, report to the Bridge.” The summons cut short her speculation on the pleasures of honorary aunt-hood before she had even got going.

~

The last time they had been there, the asteroid field had been deserted, apart from a shipload of dying Vulcans. This time it was the scene of intense activity. Clearly mining for Trellium-D had become big business in the Delphic Expanse. Tucker surveyed the scene at the maximum magnification of the view screen, and shook his head doubtfully. “Any Xindi in evidence?”

“Not that sensors can detect.” T’Pol silently acknowledged that that hadn’t stopped there being Xindi present the last time she had reported that. “Malfor has made considerable improvements in sensor resolution.”

“Pity we didn’t bring my ship along with us,” Mayweather remarked. “We could have sneaked in for a closer look without attracting attention.”

Tucker twisted to look at the tactical officer, a wicked smile tugging at his mouth. “Have you still got that Klingon disguise, Travis?”

He got an answering grin. “Maybe.”

“Then maybe you’d like to go put it on.”

“Enterprise bears no resemblance to a Klingon vessel,” T’Pol pointed out severely, not amused by the unconventional approach that Tucker was clearly planning on taking, but her captain only shrugged.

“I’m guessing no one over there will know that. But they might just have heard that the Klingons are in league with the Xindi. Maybe they’ll feel more like talking.”

“And will you be assuming a disguise, captain?”

Tucker grinned, unmoved by the sarcasm. “Let’s play it by ear.”

~

The head of the mining consortium denied that she had ever heard of the Klingon/Xindi alliance, and angrily rejected the demand of the fake Klingon that he should be supplied with Trellium ore free of charge. The woman closed the conversation with a description of the Xindi that brought an appreciative smile to Tucker’s mouth, from where he was listening by the hatch of the shuttle pod that had been hastily draped with material to change its appearance. Mayweather waited until she had signed off, then turned to the other man, removing the false teeth before grinning. “I think we can safely say that’s a Xindi-free zone, captain.”

“I think you’re right.” Tucker straightened. “Good work, Travis. I’ll take a shuttle pod in, see if they’re more willing to sell than they are to make charitable donations.”

“Want some company?”

“Not this time. You can watch the shop for me. T’Pol’ll be busy checking out that serum.”

~

When T’Pol eventually arrived in sickbay, it was to find that Phlox was still examining Soval, even though she had been at pains to arrive as late as possible. “I will come back later.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Phlox indicated that Soval could get up. “We’d just finished.” He beamed approvingly at the old Vulcan. “I assume your headache hasn’t reoccurred? I’ve always found that there’s nothing like the company of an attractive woman to improve the state of one’s health.”

Soval paused, half off the examination table, eyebrows drawing together. “I beg your pardon?”

“I understand that you and Sergeant Cole …”

“You mistake the matter.” The ambassador dismissed the suggestion harshly, deliberately ignoring T’Pol’s accusing glare.

The Denobulan shrugged and indicated that T’Pol could take her father’s place. She switched the glower onto him. “This is unnecessary. Surely you can use the results from my last physical as a baseline.”

“I’d prefer to be up to date. Please?” Very reluctantly, she hoisted herself onto the bed, eyes locked defiantly on the doctor as he directed the scanner at her. For a moment, Phlox’ expression remained unchanged, then a look of shock took its place. “T’Pol.” He raised his intensely blue eyes to hers. “What have you done?”

~

Cole watched morosely as the central mining station drew closer on the shuttle pod’s forward view port. It wasn’t that she objected to a trip away from Enterprise, but she would rather that it hadn’t been on a Sunday afternoon. Sunday night was chess night, and she had worked out a strategy guaranteed to whip Soval’s ass and, if she won, he’d half promised her a neuro-pressure session. By next week, he’d have thought of an excuse to refuse her, and she’d have to start persuading him all over again. Maybe she should threaten not to treat him unless he returned the favour, but that hardly seemed fair when he clearly needed the therapy. He still wouldn’t tell her why he suffered from recurrent headaches so bad that his normal pain-control techniques didn’t work, and neither would he consult Phlox, but at least the neuro-pressure seemed to control the problem.

“Hey, Amanda!” Tucker’s voice cut through her brooding and she looked up. “Are you joining us?”

Startled, she realised that they had docked and that the captain had his hand on the hatch release mechanism. “Sir!” She grabbed her rifle, focussed fiercely on the job in hand, and inserted herself ahead of Tucker to ensure his safety as the hatch descended slowly.

~

T’Pol didn’t respond to Phlox’ question, but Soval moved to her side at once, frowning. “A problem?”

“She’s pregnant.” The Denobulan’s voice was pained. “Approximately forteen weeks.”

“The father?”

“Captain Tucker, I assume.”

“That’s not possible.”

“So I told her.” Phlox was still staring at T’Pol, who had listened in defiant silence to the discussion of her condition. “Not without the use of drugs that I expressly forbade her to take. T’Pol,” the Denobulan rarely became angry, but now he brought one hand down hard on the edge of the bed, “how could you be so foolish?”

“The drugs work.”

Her claim did not improve his temper. “They are poisoning you!” He waved the scanner somewhat randomly in the air. “The toxicity levels in your blood stream are unacceptably high. Your internal organs are being damaged.”

“What of the child?” Soval asked the question, his eyes also fixed implacably on the woman.

Phlox paused for a moment to take another scan. “He appears healthy enough. For now.”

“A boy?”

T’Pol’s pleased query incensed Phlox again. “T’Pol, you cannot possibly carry the child to term. You will both die.”

“He does not need to come to term. Vulcan children can survive outside the womb from eighteen weeks.”

“But he’s not Vulcan. He’s half Human.”

For the first time, a hint of fear crossed her face. “Then how long must I carry him?”

“I’ll have to run some projections. And you will have to stay here. Your body is severely strained.”

“No.”

“I’m sure Captain Tucker will understand why his first officer is suddenly unavailable.”

For once Phlox had achieved a sarcastic tone, but T’Pol did not respond, leaving it to Soval to say flatly, “He does not know, does he, T’Pol?” Her head twitched in the negative. “You must tell him.”

“Not yet.”

“The longer you keep this secret, the more harm you will do to the relationship between you.”

“Ambassador Soval’s correct, T’Pol.” Phlox’ tone was gentler than before. “As a husband and a father, please believe me.”

“The captain already has much to concern him. I will not tell him.” T’Pol turned her head to glare first at one man and then the other. “And neither will you.”

~

It seemed that the mining corporation was prepared to do business with them, something that Cole cynically put down to the fact that the head of the corporation was rather taken with Enterprise’s captain. She watched Tucker turn on the charm, reflecting that she liked him a lot less when he did it on purpose. She understood Enterprise’s need for the Trellium, but she didn’t like the way Tucker was going about it. That was something he must have learnt during his time on Ceti Alpha V, because even the hopeless struggle against the Xindi hadn’t changed his essential straightforwardness during the time she’d lived with him. She caught Sato’s eyes and rolled her own, seeing the other woman’s amused acknowledgement. Tucker was lucky that neither of them would dream of telling T’Pol what he had been up to when she wasn’t there to supervise. Certainly no one watching him flirt with the alien woman would believe that he had a partner back on his ship.

Tucker moved on from Trellium acquisition to the Xindi, casually probing for information, and Sato joined the conversation. Cole permitted herself an inner grin: the head of the mine didn’t stand a chance, not with Trip to put her off guard and Hoshi to ferret out facts. The back of her neck prickled abruptly and she snapped around, knowing that she was being watched. But they were still the only people in the room and, when she looked, the corridor outside was clear.

“Sergeant?”

She shook her head at Tucker’s enquiry. “Just checking, sir.”

~

The atmosphere in the shuttle pod was strained, to say the least. T’Pol had flatly refused to remain in sickbay, and had insisted on carrying out the trial of the serum, no longer resisting now that Phlox knew of her pregnancy. The doctor hadn’t liked it, but had admitted that the serum could do her no more harm than she was currently doing herself, and that its efficacy on an expectant Vulcan should be tested.

The two had passed the first hour in complete silence, T’Pol rather ostentatiously working at a console, while Soval stared straight ahead. That he had been reflecting on Phlox’ discovery regarding his daughter became clear, when he finally said abruptly, “Your behaviour has been extremely foolish.”

“According to you, it has been nothing else since I first joined Enterprise.”

T’Pol sounded calm and it was Soval who scowled at her averted back. “Strictly speaking, since the incident at P’Jem.”

“Thank you for your clarification, father.”

“It is irrational to endanger yourself for the sake of bearing a child.”

“It is not!” No longer calm, T’Pol turned her head to glare back at her father. “I wish to ensure that Charles’ genetic heritage is not lost.”

“You want his child because of your affection for him. T’Pol, I have warned you before that your emotions are dangerously out of control.”

“You don’t understand!” This time, she swivelled around to face him, her expression reflecting some of the emotion Soval was trying to warn her of. “You knew my mother barely a year. You had no time to develop feelings for her.”

Soval’s lips tightened, as his eyebrows drew together. “We are speaking of you and Captain Tucker. Not of myself and T’Pen.”

T’Pol stared back, some of her anger fading into curiosity and startled understanding. “You have never told me about my mother. All I know of her comes from my grandmother.”

“Who knew her much better than I.”

“You were fond of her.”

Soval looked back at her, his irritation fading. “She was a most unusual person. I cared for her deeply.”

“What was she like?”

“Your grandmother will have told you.”

“But I am asking you, father.”

“After seventy years?”

“You never gave me the opportunity before.”

He dropped his eyes for a moment, regarding his clasped hands before looking back at T’Pol. “Intelligent, affectionate, loyal and generous.”

She stared back, a frown of her own forming. “An usual way to describe a Vulcan.”

“I described the individual who was your mother.” His eyes did not waver from T’Pol’s. “I always thought that the description fitted her daughter, too. But this pregnancy demonstrates neither intelligence nor generosity, T’Pol. You are being foolish and selfish.”

The rebuke destroyed the momentary connection between them. T’Pol’s expression hardened and she turned back to her work, ignoring Soval, who closed his eyes and prepared to meditate.

~

Cole led the way briskly back to the shuttle pod, leaving Chang to bring up the rear, wondering if their luck had changed. Tucker had the promise of the Trellium they needed, at a price Enterprise could afford, and no one had attempted to take them prisoner. Now if they got a move on, they might still get back to Enterprise in time for her to play chess with Soval. She could take the chess set down to the launch bay, if Phlox still had the two Vulcans locked in the Trellium-coated shuttle pod. Then she scowled. No, she couldn’t do that. Soval deserved to spend some time with his daughter, who was too obsessed with Tucker visit her father, even when they were serving on the same ship. She’d have to wait until next week, after all.

The shuttle pod hatch rose and Cole jumped inside, leaving the rest, who had fallen a few metres behind, to follow her in. “Amanda.” She swung towards the front of the small vessel, rifle rising to her shoulder. The shuttle pod had been sealed. No one else should be inside. “Please.” A figure about her own height stepped forward, hands raised in a placating gesture. “I’m sorry I alarmed you. I mean you no harm.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“Captain Tucker’s just outside.” She could see the figure properly now, male, dark-skinned, with short tentacles covering his head in place of hair.

“Not your captain. You.”

“Why?” He hadn’t come any closer, possibly because of the plasma rifle pointing down his throat.

“I wondered if you’d like to stay here with me.”

“What?”

“I asked you to live me.”

Cole couldn’t help it; she let the rifle fall a little. “Just like that?”

“Yes.”

“The answer’s no.”

“You don’t understand. I can read your mind. I can give you everything you’ve ever wanted. Fulfil your every fantasy.”

“Oh, sure! That’s what all the guys say.”

“But it’s true. I can be anyone you want.” The alien’s voice oozed sincerity. “Your captain?” In place of the small man, Tucker stood before her, smiling a little, the laughter in his eyes that had first attracted her. She grimaced in disgust that anyone would think she wanted to go that route again. “The handsome Commander Mayweather?” Travis, grinning at her, confident of her welcome any time he cared to drop by.

“Get out of here!”

She turned away to look for the others, infuriated at the lack of subtlety in someone who claimed to know her mind, and a new voice said quietly, “Not even me, Amanda?” She stiffened and Soval moved to stand just in front of her, so close she could feel the warmth radiating from his body.

“Stop impersonating my friends.”

The iron-grey head tilted slightly as warm, dry fingers rose to stroke lightly down her cheek. She shuddered involuntarily. “I want to be more than a friend to you, Amanda.”

“You’re not him.”

“But I could be – for you.” The image was perfect, except for the desire in the dark eyes – although she had seen that once before. “You love him, don’t you?”

“No.”

“But you do. And this way you could have him.”

“No.” Cole could hear the shake in her voice, as the alien striped away all her careful lies. Still fighting the unacceptable truth, she turned her back on the man pretending to be Soval. “Get out.”

“Your every fantasy, Amanda.” Hands gripped her arms, turning her towards a screen that showed her reflection – her altered reflection. “You can be Vulcan for him, if you wish.” She raised a trembling hand to touch her pointed ears. “Bear his children.”

“Mother?” The single word brought her head around to stare at the Vulcan child standing a metre or so away, hair as densely black as Soval’s must once have been, the beginnings of a frown line between his eyes.

“Leave me alone!” She tore herself free, tears of humiliation stinging her eyes as she flung herself towards the open hatch. “Captain!”

She practically fell out of the shuttle pod and into Tucker’s arms, where he had been about to step inside. “Hey!” He caught her neatly, frowning at the distress she couldn’t hide. “What’s wrong?”

“An alien.” She gestured behind her. “In there.”

He put her aside at once, drawing his phase pistol and stepping inside, Chang at his heels, although the other MACO spared his sergeant a surprised look as he followed the captain. “Are you all right?” Refusing to look at Sato, Cole nodded, although she couldn’t prevent her arms from wrapping tightly around herself, in the age-old gesture of defensiveness.

Tucker stuck his head out of the hatch. “There’s no one here. Amanda, are you sure you saw something?”

“Of course I’m sure! He talked to me.”

“Short conversation, then.” He looked doubtfully down at her. “You were only in the shuttle pod for a few seconds.”

“But …” Cole bit her lip. What could she possibly say? There was an alien, he turned into Soval, and made me admit how much I love the mean old Vulcan? Tucker would think she was crazy – even crazier than he did now.

“Let’s get you back to Enterprise.” Tucker’s tone was firm, very much the captain speaking, although he held out a hand to help her into the shuttle pod. “We’ll see what Phlox has to say.”

~

Phlox had nothing useful to say about Cole’s experience. His scans revealed nothing wrong with her brain waves or memory engrams, and no physical problems. He smiled kindly at her miserable face once he had announced her clean bill of health. “The mind can play strange tricks, sometimes. Perhaps it was a waking dream.”

“You think I imagined it?”

He shrugged a little. “Not imagined, exactly, but I certainly can’t find a medical explanation.”

Cole nodded, not comforted. Had her sub-conscious really made up the whole incident, simply to force her to a conscious admission that Soval wasn’t just her best friend? If so, she wished it hadn’t gone to so much trouble. She’d been much happier not knowing. “Thanks, doc.” She slipped off the examination couch and halted as the Denobulan held out a hand to detain her.

“I wonder if you’d care to accompany me to movie night tomorrow?” She must have stared in surprise, because he added cheerfully, “Since Ambassador Soval assured me that I wouldn’t be trespassing.”

“Okay.” A date with anyone was the last thing she wanted at the moment, but agreeing was easier than thinking of an excuse. “I’ll see you there,” and she left hurriedly. She needed to think – and to try to forget the imaginary child with Soval’s face who had called her mother.

~
Phlox seemed to enjoy watching a movie with someone to whom he could address his ongoing analysis of the plot, but Cole doubted that she returned any coherent answers. She couldn’t even have said what the film was about, if she hadn’t seen it before. As soon as the lights went down, she returned to brooding on the fact that she’d been in love with Soval for months, just as she had been brooding for the last twenty four hours, whenever she hadn’t been forced to think about things like duty rosters and weapons inspections, or been helping transport drum-loads of Trellium ore to the cargo bay. She couldn’t believe that she’d been so blind to her own feelings. She should have realised that something had changed when her affair with Mayweather had fizzled out and she hadn’t cared. It should have been obvious when Soval had left her behind on Earth, and she’d missed him so desperately, but her anger at being deserted must have blinded her to the truth. And when she had found him with her knife in his chest – Phlox had spotted the truth then, but she had still overlooked the real cause of her distress.

Cole groaned. Of all the stupid things she’d done in her life, falling for a Vulcan ambassador four times her age had to be the winner. She hadn’t even picked a nice Vulcan. Soval was the most bitter, cynical and downright grumpy individual she’d ever met. Except that she knew full well that he was also a loyal and kind friend, and an entertaining companion when he wanted to be. And he wasn’t too old for sex.

She grimaced as that thought surfaced. That had been the start of it, she was sure, when she had come to Soval’s assistance when he unexpectedly entered pon farr. They’d never mentioned the incident again, but it had marked the start of their unlikely friendship. Only she hadn’t stopped at friendship. What the hell was she going to do now? She had obviously deceived Soval as thoroughly as she’d deceived herself, or he would never have tolerated having her around. But could she still deceive him when she knew the truth? She didn’t know.

“Amanda?” Phlox voice penetrated her gloomy thoughts, and she looked up to find that everyone was moving, starting to move chairs. “Are you all right?”

“Sure.” She stood and grabbed her chair, ready to stack it to one side. “Did you enjoy the movie?”

~

Cole managed to avoid Soval for another day, then he caught her in the Mess Hall when she stopped by for a drink after the senior staff training session. He was earlier than normal, or she wouldn’t have risked it, but there was no place to run when he took a seat at her table – without asking, of course, because he knew she never objected to his company: they were friends. She hid behind her mug, watching him cautiously. He looked annoyed and didn’t leave her long in doubt as to why. “You cancelled my neuro-pressure session for tonight.”

“Yeah. Sorry.”

“Why?”

“Reports.” She’d had the forethought to think up an excuse. “I’ve got a whole load to write.”

“I see.” They sat in silence for several seconds, then Soval said abruptly, “You attended movie night with Dr Phlox.”

Cole stopped studying the surface of her drink just long enough to see that the Vulcan was frowning at the opposite wall. “Yeah.”

“You should recall that he is married.”

“Huh?” Again he surprised her into looking at him, but he was still talking to the wall.

“He is merely looking for a temporary diversion.”

“Maybe that’s all I want.” She didn’t like being given advice on her love life, particularly when it was fatherly advice from Soval, of all people. “What’s it to do with you, anyway?”

“Evidently nothing.”

He sounded annoyed and his mouth had tightened. Cole scowled. “At least he wants to go out with me. No one else on the ship does.”

Dark eyes flicked briefly in her direction. “You fool yourself.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Whatever you wish it to mean.”

“Oh, stop being so damn cryptic!” Her temper flared in response to Soval’s typical evasion. “What’s got into you tonight? You don’t usually lecture me on men. Everything else, yes, but not men.”

“Perhaps I should. You seem incapable of selecting one who cares for you.”

“Hey!”

“Captain Tucker? Commander Mayweather? Dr Phlox?”

He glared challengingly at her and Cole turned away. “I told you. I’m only looking for a little fun.”

“You will be hurt again.”

Soval’s voice was suddenly a lot less harsh, and Cole swallowed. “What else am I supposed to do? I’m not like you. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life alone.”

“What makes you think that I do?”

She laughed a little bitterly. “It’s been seventy years since your wife died. You’d have married again if you didn’t prefer being by yourself.”

“Have you never considered that I simply did not meet another woman I could care for?”

“That’s because you’re a mean old Vulcan.” Cole didn’t know why they were having this conversation, but it wasn’t one she was enjoying. “Besides, what about V’Lar? You two looked pretty friendly.”

He dismissed the Vulcan woman with a flick of one eyebrow, and they fell silent again. Then he said quietly, “Would it be entirely pointless if I asked whether you would consider turning to me for the companionship you desire?”

It took a second for the import of Soval’s question to sink in, then Cole gasped, her mouth falling open. “You mean …”

“I care for you deeply.” Soval turned his head to meet her widened eyes. “I realise that I am a great deal older than you, and …”

“No.” She reached across the table, his hand meeting hers to grip it tightly. “I mean, yes.”

His eyes were warm as he stretched out his free hand to stroke her cheek. “You will not regret it.”

She leant into the caress, smiling blissfully – then pulled back sharply. “No.”

“Amanda?”

“This is wrong.”

“I thought you did not object to my age.”

“We’re in the Mess Hall. In public.”

“So I see.”

“No Vulcan would touch someone else in public. You’re not Soval.”

“I assure you, I am.”

“No.” She was on her feet. “You’re him again. The alien.”

“Amanda, please.” He followed her retreat, hands stretched out to capture hers. “I love you. Let us be together.”

“He’d never say that! Where’s Soval? What have you done with him?”

“Amanda!” She started at the fierce statement of her name, that didn’t come from the man in front of her, but from behind – through the wall she had backed into. “Amanda! Snap out of it!” Ghostly hands gripped her shoulders and she spun wildly around. The Mess Hall dissolved, becoming the interior of a shuttle pod, with Tucker standing directly in front of her, expression fierce and concerned as he shook her roughly. “Amanda!”

She gasped, looking frantically around to find the alien again standing in the forward section of the vessel, this time with Chang’s rifle barrel barely centimetres from his ear.

“Amanda?” She raised her eyes to Tucker’s, grateful for the feel of his hands still holding her, blessedly real and Human. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” She took another look at the alien. “What day is it?”

“Sunday. What sort of a question is that?”

“You were only in here a few seconds, Amanda.” Sato appeared at Cole’s side, an unusually grim set to her mouth. “When we came in, you were in some kind of trance. And he was here.” The communications officer nodded to the alien. “I’ve seen his sort before. Tarquin was a telepath and I reckon he is too.”

Tucker released Cole to turn on the alien, grimacing as his communicator beeped. “Get that, Hoshi. And you,” he moved to loom over the small, tentacled figure, “can tell me what the hell happened here.”

~

In the Trellium-D-coated shuttle pod in Enterprise’s launch bay, Soval stiffened, his eyes re-focussing on the world around him as he came out of the light trance he had entered. “When are the away team due to report?”

The unexpected question brought T’Pol’s head around, one eyebrow raised. “Not for some time. Why to you ask?”

“Call them.”

“Father?”

“Call them.”

“Why?”

“Just do as I ask.”

She nearly ignored the peremptory request, but filial obedience was something in which Vulcan children were well versed. It took a moment to route the call through, and it was Sato who answered rather than Tucker. “Lieutenant,” T’Pol’s voice reflected her own increase in anxiety, even as she directed a suspicious look at Soval, who was waiting at her shoulder, “is there a problem?”

There was a slight pause, then the other woman said reassuringly, “I don’t think so, sub-commander. Captain Tucker has the situation under control.”

“No one has been hurt?”

“No. Amanda’s a little shook up, that’s all.”

“I see.” There was an ominous undertone to T’Pol’s voice this time. “Enterprise out.” Slowly she turned to face the man behind her, unconsciously echoing Phlox’ earlier question to her. “Father, what have you done?”

~

Cole tried to beat everyone else out of the shuttle pod as soon as they docked, but Tucker caught her before she could escape, keeping a firm grip on one arm, as if knowing that she would run, given half a chance. “Not so fast.” He took a good look at her averted face. “What did he offer you, Amanda?” She tried to pull free, but he yanked her back.

“Nothing! He offered me nothing.”

“That’s not what he said.”

“It’s the truth.” She knew that she sounded surly, but she didn’t want to talk about it, even though she knew Tucker was only asking because he was worried about her. “That’s all fantasies are: nothing.”

“But they can still hurt.”

She gulped as the pain of knowing that she loved a man she could never have hit her again, and suddenly she was in Tucker’s arms, sobbing into his shoulder, while he held her, gently rubbing her back.

~

Phlox encountered such intense glares when he stepped inside the shuttle pod that his natural good cheer faltered. He even rechecked the results displayed on the screen of his handheld scanner. “I was intending to inform you that the serum appears perfectly successful. But,” he looked doubtfully from one Vulcan to the other, “I think perhaps you should both remain here a while longer. I may have overlooked something.”

“Unnecessary.” T’Pol strode for the exit, pausing only to give Soval an infuriated look when he did the same, and got in her way.

They both disappeared up the open stairway and Phlox frowned after them, then shrugged, dismissing the incident. There was no neural damage that he could detect. Something else must have happened to infuriate the pair – no doubt T’Pol’s pregnancy. That thought sobered the doctor and he sighed, wishing he had some idea of where to start looking for the miracle that would allow the hybrid child to survive.

~

T’Pol stormed out of the launch bay with no thought other than retreating to her cabin to meditate, and rocked to a halt at the sight that greeted her. “Charles!”

The pair separated, Cole turning away to wipe her eyes, while Tucker faced the Vulcan woman, looking more resigned than guilty. “T’Pol, I know what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong.”

“Am I?” She couldn’t think around the hurt and anger in her head.

“You know I love you.”

“Then why were you holding her?”

“Because she’s my friend. T’Pol,” he came forward, hands reaching out for her, but she shrugged him off.

“Don’t touch me!” His mouth pulled sideways in frustration, and she ran from him, not capable of waiting for an explanation.

~

“Damn it!” Tucker ran a hand over his hair, and Cole turned back to him, her expression remorseful, even with the evidence of her bout of weeping still plain on her face.

“Trip, I’m so sorry. I’ll explain to her.”

“No, you won’t.” He gripped her arm briefly, then dropped it to walk heavily after the Vulcan woman. “She wouldn’t listen. I don’t know that she’ll listen to me either.”

Cole barely caught the last muttered comment, but groaned, leaning back against the wall, burying her head in her hands. As if the day hadn’t been bad enough already, it had just got a thousand times worse. If she caused Trip to lose the woman he loved, she’d slit her own throat.

“Amanda.”

“No!” The protest was instinctive, but it had undoubtedly been Soval’s voice. She should have known that he would have witnessed the ugly scene too.

“Are you all right?”

Shocked because she had been expecting a reprimand at best, she dropped her hands to find him standing a couple of metres away, watching her impassively. This was the real Soval, all right. There was none of the warmth in his eyes that there had been in those of his facsimile. “No.”

He moved a little closer. “I am sure Captain Tucker will be able to explain the situation to T’Pol.”

“D’you reckon? She’s always been jealous as hell.” Then she remembered that it was his daughter she was criticising. “Sorry.”

“When unrestrained, Vulcan nature is jealous. Also possessive, paranoid and murderous.” Soval left a short pause, during which Cole tried not to wish that he had described his own feelings at seeing her in Tucker’s arms. “I suggest you avoid T’Pol until she has regained control of her emotions.”

“That’s probably a good idea.” Wearily she pushed herself away from the wall. “Goodnight.”

“Do you not wish to play chess tonight?”

“I have to write a report on the away mission.”

“If you are distressed, perhaps neuro-pressure would help you sleep.”

Cole’s teeth closed hard on her lower lip, but she kept walking. Why the hell did Soval have to break his own rules and finally offer her neuro-pressure tonight, after so many months of refusing her most plaintive request? The thought of sitting in the peace of his cabin, having his hands sooth away the tension and grief, was almost too much to resist, but she couldn’t accept. She had to start falling out of love with him, and letting him indulge her was no way to begin. Besides, the way she felt now, she’d probably make a complete fool of herself. “No, thanks. I’m tired.”

“Amanda?” He sounded a little surprised, as well he might. She’d begged him enough times for the treatment.

“Goodnight, ambassador.”

She walked away, not looking back to see the Vulcan frowning after her.

~

The door to T’Pol’s cabin was locked, and the key had been encrypted. Tucker stared at it in disbelief. He’d expected T’Pol to be angry, he’d expected to be lectured on the inadvisability of fraternising with his crew and his poor taste in friends. He’d even been ready to admit that he’d been wrong. What he hadn’t expected was to be shut out, so that they couldn’t even talk about it.

He opened the private channel into the cabin. “T’Pol, let me in. Let me explain.” There was no response, but he hadn’t really thought there would be. You don’t encrypt your door lock, only to open it at the first time of asking. “T’Pol, Amanda was upset. She needed a shoulder to cry on, that’s all. I love you.” Still silence and he dropped his head, rubbing his eyebrows. Enterprise’s captain couldn’t spend all night outside his first officer’s door, begging to be let in. Not when he had a batch of supplies to round up and a deal for Trellium to close on in the morning. “Okay, honey, if this is the way you want it. I’ll be in the captain’s cabin if you feel like talking. Just remember I love you. Goodnight.”

Kneeling in front of a candle, T’Pol barely heard him. All she could hear was the blood beating in her ears, driven by the pain that knifed through her body. She was losing her battle to give life to their child, and nothing was more important than that. Nothing except keeping Charles in ignorance, so that he would not blame her for bearing a child he did not want.

~

In that other dimension, unreachable to anyone in normal space, the group’s attitude could best be described as smug.

“The timelines are reforming. The probabilities are moving in our favour.”

“But the Human ship has entered the Expanse. The Xindi have failed to locate it.”

“We must have been wrong before: a temporary glitch. Our future is coming closer.”

“But we must still destroy the Humans.”

“Of course. The Reptiles do so enjoy a hunt.”

~

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