The Eight - Chapter 5, by Calcaneous

The Eight

by Calcaneous

Rated: PG
Genre: None at the moment

Disclaimer: Star Trek situations, characters, and name are all owned by Paramount.

~~~~~

Chapter 5

Soval was preparing for the formal interview that himself, Capt. Archer and Adm. Forrest were attending this afternoon. If the meeting was successful, he would inform the Andorian Ambassador Scudd that a formal request to enter Andorian space would be issued. The trip back to Earth was interesting in many ways. He perceived it successful despite his health complications and the problematic human.

He was getting ready in his quarters on the Vulcan embassy in San Francisco. He laid out his formal ‘uniform’ on the bed. As always, he would wear a white shirt, gray trousers, black boots, long gray tunic, olive belt with gold laces and an elaborate robe with hood. The robe would cover his entire body like a cloak and he preferred it that way.

He looked in the mirror and saw his reflection. His injuries healed very well and he was aware that without an early intervention from Ms. Cole he would have not been so fortunate.

The first month after the return he suffered from gysfever caused by an infection to his abdominal region. He was very ill during its course but in the last 30 days his recovery could have been considered full.

The Vulcan color finally returned to his face and he was able to wake in the mornings and sit up without pain. The traces of drugs the Klingons injected him with were eliminated from his body while still on Polon. As a result, he was able to return to his duties as a Vulcan Ambassador to Earth sooner then he anticipated.

He began to dress. He was thinking about the last piece of map and its effects. His face became more and more rigid, his jaw muscles tight and to an uninterested observer it may have appeared that he was using stronger and more forceful movements putting his garments on than usual. He thought about the conversations he had with the Vulcan medical chief and Dr. Phlox about Ms. Cole. He found out what he was looking for. She was doing well, but the last piece of map caused certain complications.

They had to transport her from the moon too early and the piece of map hadn’t merged fully. That resulted in her sensory systems overloading. Dr. Phlox used a medication that lowered her temperature and another one to lower the intensity of sensory perceptions, but the interventions were not sufficient.

He tightened the belt and thought about the time in the Haan. Perhaps, he should have accepted the invitation. He straightened his hood with more vigor than necessary. He did not intend for her to be hurt or suffer in any way and he was relieved when she finally agreed to come to the hearing.

In seven minutes he was prepared to go.

________________________________________

“You know…it’s so weird with the government. Nobody gives a flying duck about you until you have something they want. And all of the sudden you are their best buddy and the woman of the year,” said Tina to Trip Tucker who was visiting her in her house in Hawai.

“I know exactly what you mean. Well, you know what they say: the amount of pay is directly proportionate to the amount of BS you will have to put up with. Look around…you’ve been living in Hawaii since you came back in a…”, he theatrically pointed with his hand and glanced around, “mansion on the water. You knew it was gonna come back and bite you in the butt eventually.” He laughed.

“Seriously though…we crawled out of the Polon…which, by the way, was a lot of fun. You wouldn’t believe how funny Andorians are.” Tina laughed and added, “Anyway, we come out and it’s all about whatever I want. Not that I mind that, not at all, but it’s just weird. I don’t like ‘this’ kind of attention at all. It’s something for something in kind, and I’ve learned over the years that the more they give you the more they expect.”

Trip nodded, sucked his teeth and added, “Oh yeah…you can pretty much bet on the fact that they would be knocking on your door and asking you for something. It always works that way.”

He waited for a second, considering. “You know, I heard you all had some hell of a time on the Klingon moon. I hear it was a fun little vacation.”

“That’s right, sweet and short. Unfortunately, there is not much left to visit now.”

“How do you feel now?” he asked.

She looked at Trip and said angrily, “I don’t freaking know. I keep going back and forth feeling guilty and not guilty. I’m old enough to know that people die and there is absolutely nothing one can do about it. And I am perfectly aware that once something is done it’s over with, but this was just on too big of a scale. You know? It was just a little too much.”

Trip just nodded and let it go.

________________________________________

The HQ summoned her to SF for a hearing. She and Trip were going to take a shuttle to San Francisco.

She realized she would get to see Soval again and felt both very apprehensive and very excited.

Tina put on her black leather jeans and her black heavy boots she wore on her motorcycle. She slipped into her long sleeved, collared snow white shirt and threw her favorite 3/4 length brown antique leather pea coat on top. Just a little touch up on her face and she was good to go. She wasn’t surprised when Archer invited…or insisted on her coming over to the HQ. She was thrilled when he said that they may have solution for her situation.

Her “situation” as everyone referred to it, was simple to describe. She felt like crap. Ever since the very first merge her body has shown no enthusiasm for being used as minivan for the map pieces and the tattoos were looking really wild. Luckily they weren’t as bright as they used to be since the red one stuck to her.

The medical explanation? The energy flux was stimulating her hormone glands constantly.

The medical prognosis?

If they can’t slow it down, she would pretty much burn up.

Her symptoms drove her crazy. Everything was too loud, too cold, too much. And the dreams. She had some bad dreams when she was younger but these…these just weren’t fair. She would wake up in the middle of the night drenched and with her heart pounding so fast she thought it would explode. The debris, the Klingons, the desert…everything just spinning and that voice in the middle of it, the same one she heard in the desert of Haan. But she couldn’t make it out, she just couldn’t hear and when she woke up, she always felt like there was something she should be doing but wasn’t.

After two months of this she wanted help. Any help.

She glanced down to her watch and grunted in satisfaction. She always liked the fact that she could be done in so short of a time.

Seven minutes – that’s it.

________________________________________

San Francisco always was a busy city. The shuttles coming and leaving, people calling out to each other, laughter and talk everywhere. The stores, busy restaurants, and the sheer amount of businesses that accommodated leisure activities were close to unbelievable. The first few years it was overwhelming to Soval, but he grew accustomed to it and in the last decade discreetly sought it out. There were several eateries he visited on regular basis – in the 30 years on Earth he learned to…enjoy the zesty human flavors.

Soval entered the building from the north side with Captain Archer. They passed the security and he observed Archer’s exchange with the security officer. How’s your wife and kids, John? Doing well, thanks. How about yourself? Not too bad either. Have a good one. You too. Eventually, they were headed for the conference room located half way down the hall.
He heard muffled voices coming out from the conference room.

“Here we go,” said Archer.

They walked in and Soval patiently waited for her to turn her head in his direction. When she did, he bowed his head slightly and said: “Good afternoon, Ms. Cole.”

His eyes stayed fixed on hers as he waited for a reply. In the few seconds she took he noted that she indeed lost more body weight and he also noticed the tension in her face that was not there when he saw her last.

“Good afternoon,” she said.

He offered her a chair and walked around the table. The memory of their last conversation floated into his mind. He invited her to dine with him while they were on board of Polon and she accepted. That was 62 days ago.

…………………………………..

On Polon the dinner did not progress successfully:

“Ms. Cole. I am pleased you accepted my invitation. The VHC regrets the constricted flow of information. Hopefully the recent…misunderstanding will not interrupt our joint exploration mission.” He looked straight at her without blinking. He was certain that her…outburst in the transporter room was simply a reaction to stressful situation.

She was obviously very upset, more than he has ever seen before, but she held back. She looked up at him with a sarcastic tone and said, “And that’s it? What am I supposed to do now…clap my hands and send ‘thank you’ notes?” she shook her head, “You don’t get it. I am not upset because I wanted or needed to know. I don’t NEED to know everything. I don’t care about knowing everything.”

She moved her chair so close to him, that her leg was touching his. He could smell her shampoo and she must have just finished drinking her green tea, because he could smell the honey on her breath. She looked straight into his face, rested her right hand on the back of his chair and her left on the table in front of him and slowly went on, “I knew you weren’t telling me everything. And that’s fine with me, really.” She tilted her head and lifted her left hand in acceptance. “Who does or ever has? It’s not like we are married or something... It was no big deal, because I thought you weren’t telling me because you, for whatever reason, couldn’t tell me. As in…weren’t allowed. You still with me?” she asked rhetorically, and, when he slowly blinked, continued. “Your job, your beliefs…whatever.” She put her hand down and chewed her lower lip.

“But I was wrong. Boy, I was nowhere near. You didn’t tell me not because you couldn’t but because you wouldn’t.”

His eyebrows shot up and he intended to counterattack.

Tina was faster. “Now, I totally believed we were pulling by the same end of a rope, but it’s crystal clear to me now I was thinking too much. And it’s really tearing me apart, because I thought that we had an understanding. I liked that. I actually liked trusting you.””

“Ms. Cole, that assumption is not corre…,” he interrupted her impatiently.

Her voice rose considerably for the first two syllables: “MY ASSUMption?! You put an ass into assumption, Ambassador.”

“I beg your pardon?!” his eyes opened wide and his face froze turning dark, “Your tone is inappropriate. The Vulcan government may have not disclosed all the information, but we are not obligated to any explanations. However, I am ready to offer something for you to ponder now.” He was angry.

Tina looked at him and thought to herself that he is angry. Hmm…

Soval finished: “Human arrogance and overconfidence is unmatched in the known universe.”

He felt strongly over this – he was pleased 30 years ago, when his assignment to Earth began. He intended to make sure that humans would succeed – under the Vulcan guidance. He saw humans as a promising race with a great potential. He did not want humans to be involved in actions that would attract aggression from other…less civilized sectors. In the end, it was perceived he held them back and Soval, despite his best attempts, felt a thorn of ingratitude. If it hasn’t been for Vulcans, the Earth population would still be orbiting Jupiter.

“I have repeatedly attempted to reason with your illogical urge to explore new worlds before you are prepared. Obviously, I have not been successful and this tendency to…disregard reason, as I see, is not anything new even to the previous generations.” He looked significantly at her. “There appears to be no respect for experience and it is apparent that it has always been that way.” His voice was a little louder.

She disregarded him with a wave of her hand and left.

________________________________________

That was two months ago and now they were sitting around an oval table, in comfortable chairs, in complete silence.

Admiral Forrest presented Tina Cole with her options and now the whole thing was up in the air. He was looking at the Vulcan with a great dissatisfaction. He read the report and couldn’t believe that the VHC didn’t disclose this important information. Not even to their allies. Although, after reading the translation he understood why the Vulcans were reluctant. It sounded pretty far-fetched even if one wanted to believe it.

The part of report from VHC, which was actually a transcript from the Kir’Shara, read “For the First element you must search the past, the Second will be found in a body of water, the Third dwells in the heat of lifeless desert, the Forth shall cast destruction upon the Moon of Red Mountain, the Fifth will be revealed by an Oracle of the Ice World and the true profit will have to make a blood sacrifice to gain the Sixth and Seventh. Then the path to the Eight shall be visible and open.”

“This was strictly a Vulcan affair, Ms. Cole. Your involvement was an accident that should have never happened.” He pulled his chin up. “However, it has. The last merge…”, he hesitated, “the last merge was not successful.” His face was serious and worried.

She looked at him, leaned back in her chair and rested her hands on her thighs. Well, isn’t that nice?

Captain Archer leaned on the desk and asked: “What are you saying, Ambassador?”

“I am saying,” Soval looked around at them wondering how humans took joy in asking obvious questions, “that the last merge is not complete. Human physiology is not designed to accommodate such…malfunction and will deteriorate rapidly, damaging Ms. Cole’s neural pathways in the process.”

Admiral Forest looked questioningly at Soval: “I understand, Ambassador, but what do you suggest?”

“Mind meld.”

“A mind meld.” Tina said flatly, she remembered it described in one short paragraph in the Vulcan database she read during their first trip to Vulcan. That felt so long ago. The paragraph said it was highly dangerous and unhealthy.
“I don’t want to rain on your little parade, but that’s completely out of question.”

Soval looked at Archer and Forest and said rather than asked: “May I have a word with Ms. Cole in private.”

________________________________________

“If you are thinking about sharing more ‘perceptions’ on humans, hold your breath.” Tina started off.

“No. I had no intentions…but if you insist, I will present you with my updated views?” He looked at her in one of his uncommon moments of what she would consider playfulness.

Soval offered, “I believe I may be able to help you.” He waited. “If you’ll let me.”

“What does it involve? Is it another one of those Hallmark ‘greater good’ moments?”

“You will have to relax. And you will have to trust me.”

“Didn’t we just have this conversation…what…two months ago? You know, about trusting each other and all that?”

“Yes. We had. Unfortunately, two months ago we did not see eye to eye on that subject.”

“Yes, I had and still have a major problem with you letting me blow up a moon with PEOPLE still on it. So, what makes you think we will see an eye to eye now?”

“Ms. Cole, the Klingons that unfortunately remained on the moon and in its orbit were considered, as you humans put it so accurately ‘wanted dead or alive’ on the Klingon home world. I am under a confirmed impression that the Klingon Empire is obligated to you for neutralizing one of their most dangerous terrorists.” Then he added, “I am here to help you. You wanted a new perception? Humans are unable to control certain aspects of their physiology. Vulcans are and I am willing to share this ability with you. The only way that is possible is…”

“Let me guess: a mind meld.”

“Yes.”

“So, you expect me – again – to let you probe my head because some Vulcan monk made up this sorry butt story of blah, blah, blah yaddy, yaddy, yadda and wrote it down to the Kir’Shara 1800 years ago. And some of it pretty far fetched even by human standards. You know this really reminds me of something from the Earth’s own history. Ever heard of Jesus?” Tina asked.

“I do not think this is the time or place to be comparing two completely different cultures. I do not see any similarities between Vulcan and Human spiritual beliefs and religious following.”

“None?” Tina raised her eyebrows to match Soval’s.

“Ms. Cole,” Soval stiffened up, “we are here not to debate our spiritual beliefs or find similarities between Surak and Jesus but to allow you to make a decision about whether you do or do not accept my offer of help.”

Tina looked pleadingly at Soval. “Why don’t we just forget about the map altogether. Maybe it shouldn’t be collected – maybe we should leave it alone…kind of like the Ark of the Covenant, you heard of it? Or like the Medusa…you can’t look her in the eye or you’ll turn into the stone. It might be here, it might not and it’s like the evil we don’t speak of. Can’t we just let it go?”

“Ms. Cole,” Soval leaned closer to her, she smelled the almonds again and said quietly, “I realize and understand your reluctance to trust my intentions.”

He looked at her with a softness that stunned her and said, “At this particular moment my only interest is to assist you in regaining your balance again. You have been under a prolonged physiological stress and if not corrected you may not be able to recover at all. I do not deny a great interest in the remaining pieces of the map. However the map is not my primary motivation for helping you.”

She hated herself for falling for it AGAIN. She nodded her head and stood up.

“Alright. Let’s do it.”

________________________________________

A very young lady…girl in fact, was standing at the entrance to the Starfleet HQ. She was nervous but excited. She couldn’t believe that Tina Cole – Kristina Cole, to be more exact was her relative. This was unbelievable. Yesterday she was just another MACO, but now she was chosen for the Andorian mission.

The young person was thrilled. She was fresh out of MACO academy and she was 17 years old. She graduated on the top of her class, and hoped for a good assignment, but this? This exceeded her expectations. She couldn’t believe her luck and she couldn’t wait to meet her aunt. Her great great great, great, anyway, her great-grandfather’s sister! She knew Tina looked around 30 but in fact was almost 190 years old. She was curious to see what she looked like. The media never even got a sniff at her, so even though everyone knew she was on Earth, nobody knew what she looked like. She could barely remember the stories she heard from her parents about the disappearance of Tina Cole in July 2001 and the destruction of her house.

________________________________________

“My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts, our minds are one…our thoughts are…joined.”

________________________________________

The room fell silent, the lights were dim and the only perceptible sound was their breathing. Soval’s fingers were placed on Tina’s face and she couldn’t keep her eyes opened. She felt the flow of adrenalin rush out of her glands – it was just a reaction. A reaction she has been having for the past few months and was ready for to have stopped. She could feel their minds together – it was odd, the oddest feeling she had ever had. She sensed how incredibly level his thoughts were.

________________________________________

Soval felt the rush of her epinephrine every 4 minutes and knew that this was one of the issues to concentrate on. He could also feel her mind – spinning was the correct word to describe it. He wondered if that was the usual way human brain functioned. How could humans exist in such chaos? He was surprised to find that although he was able to assess the quality and rhythm of her mind, he was unable to separate single thoughts or events.

He started to concentrate harder on the physiology of the body, on the systems responsible for release of epinephrine. His body involuntarily shuddered when his mind collided with her nervous system. The hormone entered his blood stream and he realized that the Vulcan equivalent of adrenaline was not as potent. His heart began to beat faster and he could feel the heat building up in his body. It didn’t take long for him to suppress the effects and resend the neural message back to her body. After 2 minutes, he felt her body relax and 5 minutes later the adrenoglands stopped the hyperactivity. Her breathing was reduced to 12 per minute from 32 and her heart rate went from 105 to her regular 55 in less than 70 seconds.

________________________________________

She felt amazing. Everything finally slowed down and she was able to just relax and smell the roses for the first time in an eternity. She could feel his thoughts that were passing next to hers and it was a very different experience.

It was comparable to those few times, years ago, when she was still asleep, dreaming but her mind was becoming alert and aware. She would, in the fraction of time…maybe 5 or 10 seconds…screen her own dreams and look at them from the third person perspective. And now, in the same manner, her thoughts were peeking at his. She felt a very strange form of magnetism. She was afraid to move any closer because of the gravity…she knew once she moved pass the threshold, she wouldn’t be able to withdraw.

But…she was there and she felt adventurous.

________________________________________

Soval froze. The sensation someone was watching him was overwhelming. He felt her eyes on him. He opened his but hers were closed. He heard a ticking noise that reminded him of the clock that was in Adm. Forest’s office.

Suddenly, he lost composure. His thoughts were let free, the control and suppression pushed aside and his mind released. He felt the panic building up and tried to fight it, it felt the same way it did in the Haan when she touched him. The thoughts of her swimming, coming to Earth for the first time, his 150th birthday, the death of his wife, his children being born, seeing Tina on her mountain bike, the peace talks with Andorians, the anger and feelings of rejection when she left him sitting in Polon, the thought of his unlikely fondness for her and something else…something strange and frightening, but he couldn’t determine what it was.

And then, as suddenly as it happened, she let go and he was able to force his thoughts into submission.

He opened his eyes and she stood there pale as a wall looking straight at him.

________________________________________

She never knew how intense the Vulcans were. She knew there was something to them, but seeing his thoughts flying around her head was flat out scary. His emotions were scorching. She saw his children and herself and his first day in military and the funeral of his wife, but then she heard the voice again and the scenery shifted, she wasn’t in his thoughts anymore but looking at something else.

The voice said, “Look here now.”

She was looking at a place, this place was on Andoria – she knew that for sure and she knew it had something to do with the map, because all her red tattoos were hot on her skin. The image in her head was beautiful. It was a snow plain very similar to a desert. It was well sized – probably a 20 acres and lined on two opposing sides with dense blue forests covered with white snow. It was the one night in the Andorian year when all three Moons were full and the snow was glistening in their light. The Moons were lighting a building – blue building that looked very much like the monasteries she saw on her trips to Japan.

She wasn’t alone…there was Shran and Soval and some girl whose back was turned to her. It was a cold night and she saw the breaths turn into steam, it wasn’t windy though and the night was eerily silent. Tina heard a swooshing sound, the girl turned around, cried out in pain and fell to the white snow.

She blinked and the only thing she was able to see was a river…she was standing in it and she was thirsty. She wanted to drink, but she wasn’t standing in a river of water – she stood in a river of blood.

She opened her eyes and the hair that rose on her neck slowly laid back down.

________________________________________

She knew she should just let it go, but she couldn’t help it: “I never knew you…ehm…feel like that about...all of it.”
She saw his eyebrows frown and quickly added: “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” And she laughed.

“By the way, pack your bags, we are going to Andoria, Ambassador. That is, if you still want your map.”

________________________________________

They walked out to the hall where they met questioning looks from Adm. Forest and Capt. Archer.

“You may put the team together, Admiral. Ms. Cole’s health has been restored and she is interested in proceeding with the mission. Perhaps we may introduce her to the first member of the team?” his head tilted and what appeared as a smallest of smiles went just as fast as it came.

“Yes, Ambassador. It looks like this would be the best time to do it. There may be a lot of catching up to do.”

“Ms. Cole, come this way, please.”

Tina followed the Admiral with suspicion – she hated surprises. They were walking out into the bright sunshine and the typical manic activity of late afternoon in San Francisco. It was December but still pretty nice and warm considering the fact it was winter. Most of the people around her were shopping for Christmas gifts…

The Admiral pointed in a direction of a slender frame in blue uniform sitting on a bench under a giant oak tree. They walked up to the person who jumped to her feet, turned around and in a military fashion introduced herself.

“Private Amanda Cole, Sir!”

________________________________________

TBC

Continue to Chapter 6

Return to Chapter 4

Half a dozen of you have made comments

definitely can't wait for more! great story :)

I am intrigued. What will happen next? Three more chapters to unfold?

Thanks. More coming up - taking more personal and slightly darker turn.

But don't you dare kill off Soval! He is my secret love, my alter-ego, the hidden male part of my dominantly female personality or something else unexcisable from my inner self. But seriously, just take the story anyway your talent pulls it!

Oops. I guess I will have to turn the story around a little bit to keep him alive and kicking for you. ;-)

Enjoying the stroy. The big problem with killing off charactors is you always want to use them again. That however leaves endless possibilities of what may befall them. Sometimes they even vanish mysteriously which may lead to more story possibilities.
:-)