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"A Woman's Deed" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG CHAPTER 4 Hoshi had never felt so out of place as she did sitting in the captain’s chair. It felt too big, too high, too hard, too everything. She didn’t even know what to do with herself. She kept casting longing glances at her station, her comfort zone on the bridge, the place she knew she could do things right. “Oh no!” Ensign Karen Paris said. Hoshi and Ensign Burke looked at her. She was manning weapons and engineering, two stations she’d only run diagnostics on until today. “I...uh...I think we have...uhm...a lot of really big ships coming toward us, and I think they’re armed.” “What?” Hoshi stood, walking over to look at the monitor. The monitor before Ensign Paris showed at least two-dozen Xindi ships closing in at warp and all of them had shields up and weapons ready. “What do I do?” Kimball asked, looking up at Hoshi. Hoshi stood up, thinking back to the dozens of times this situation had come up. “Do not power up weapons.” Hoshi ran across to the communications station to send out a hail. She looked up at the view screens and her stomach dropped to her shoes. They Xindi ships dropped out of warp, surrounding Enterprise. She opened all channels. “Enterprise to all Xindi warships, please respond,” Hoshi said. She waited. “Do not fire on us. We have come to talk to negotiate a peace treaty with your people and if you fire on us that won’t help the treaty. We both have innocent civilians involved in this and they are the reason we must resolve this conflict peacefully. Please, respond.” There was no reply. Hoshi looked at Ensign Paris. “We’re targeted by all of them, Hoshi.” Hoshi turned when she heard a reply. She tapped a control, looking up at the view screen. A reptilian-Xindi appeared on the screen. Hoshi got up and walked over to join Ensign Burke at helm. “You are an enemy of my people,” he snarled. “Look, uhm, we really have come to talk peace. If you don’t believe me, talk to the council. We have two members of our crew down there talking to them as we speak.” The Xindi turned to someone, motioning at something. He looked back at the view screen. “How did you get through our perimeter?” “We had the frequency for the buoys. We disabled them and came through. We didn’t think you’d let us get close enough to your home world to talk to the council if you knew we were coming.” “You thought that did you?” “My captain did.” “You are not the captain?” “No.” “Where is your captain?” “He’s incapacitated.” “You bridge crew appears to be all the same sex.” “Your people released a virus on my ship. It didn’t affect the women, only the men.” The Xindi leaned into the screen. “I see you are being truthful. Two of your crewmen have entered the council chambers to address the members. I predict we will be here for a very long time.” “So do I. There’s a lot to talk about.” “Very much. Like why you turned back to pull my ship and the other Xindi ship from the ice rings. Had we not been left behind the moon, we would have been destroyed; something I would have allowed to happen if the roles had been reversed.” “We have come here to reach a treaty of peace. Both races have enough blood on our hands from our transgressions, there isn’t any reason to add more.” “Is that you or your captain speaking?” “I speak for my captain.” “You’re an interesting species. Entertain me while we wait.” Hoshi was surprised by the request. “Entertain you?” “It is the host’s responsibility to entertain his guests when he invites them. Your race has come here to speak peace and invited us to discuss it with you. While we wait through the discussions, you are the host.” Hoshi looked down at Ensign Burke and then back at the screen. “How about a movie?” “A movie?” “Yeah. We watch them for entertainment.” “Very well.” “Gone With The Wind is nice and long,” Burke whispered. Hoshi walked over to her station and started a broadcast of ‘Gone With The Wind.’ # Archer opened his eyes. He noticed how dark it was, but his mind had a hard time connecting why that was a problem. Phlox walked up to the bed, watching Archer. “Captain? Do you know me?” “Do I dare ask why I wouldn’t?” He had to force his voice to be heard. Phlox smiled, letting out a breath. “The antibody appears to be working. It’s good to see you back to yourself.” “I feel like I’ve been thrown around by an elephant. Why?” “You’ve been fighting your restraints a great deal. How does your head feel?” “Like a brick.” Phlox tapped the monitor over Archer. “Your endocrine system should be producing normal amounts of testosterone in a couple more days. After that it could be as long as a week before you start feeling like yourself while your body absorbs the excess testosterone. As you humans say your ‘evil twin’ may reappear for two or three more days, so I’ll still have to keep you restrained so you don’t harm yourself or anyone else.” “What are you talking about?” “It’s irrelevant right now, just know you’ve been very ill for the last five days.” Phlox looked back at Archer. “All the men have been. You nearly had a heart attack twice; be thankful you work out as much as you do. The Xindi gave me all the information on the virus and I was able to synthesize an antibody.” “Xindi?” Archer started to sit up. He glanced at the restraints holding him. “Why am I restrained? LET ME G--” Archer let out a breath, relaxing back onto the biobed. “How did you get the Xindi to give you the information?” “Hoshi asked for it and a captain got it for her, I believe.” Phlox chuckled, looking back at the monitor. “What? Where’s T’Pol?” “She’s on the Xindi home world.” Phlox chuckled. “She and Lieutenant Hess have certainly made this the most interesting peace negotiations I’ve ever witnessed.” “Who’s in command of my ship?” Archer suddenly snarled. He closed his eyes, grimacing. “Sorry about that.” “Don’t be sorry. I warned you about that ‘evil twin’ reappearing. And Hoshi is in charge while T’Pol and Lieutenant Hess are on the planet.” “So Hoshi’s in charge, huh?” “Yes.” “How is she handling it otherwise?” “We’re still in one piece, aren’t we? I’ve been told me she’s been rather inventive and kept the Xindi captain’s entertained while they’re waiting. She went as far as broadcasting several movies. The Xindi apparently like action and horror the most and I’ve been told their favorite so far were a trilogy called ‘Terminator,’ which I find a bit to bloody for my taste.” Archer laughed. “Guess I shouldn’t have gotten sick. I’m missing all the good movies.” Phlox smiled. “Yes you are. Get some rest.” Phlox turned to leave. “Doc?” “Yes?” “Tell T’Pol she has to find out who told the Xindi we were going to attack them. That’s just as important as the treaty.” “I’ll be sure to pass along the message, Captain.” Archer closed his eyes, drifting back to sleep. # T’Pol exited the shuttle pod through the top hatch, following Lieutenant Hess up the ladder. Hoshi was standing at the top, waiting for them with a wide smile. “How’d the second day go?” “Long,” Lieutenant Hess said. “We have a lot of bad blood to get through before we’re going to make any progress.” T’Pol approached Hoshi. “Have you had success maintaining relations with the Xindi fleet?” “Yes. I’ve managed to keep them entertained.” T’Pol’s eyes narrowed slightly. “With what movies?” A sheepish smile wafted across Hoshi’s lips. “Well, uhm...” “Yes?” “I interested them in a game, actually.” “Which game?” “A board game. Monopoly.” “Are the other captain’s playing as well?” “Twelve of twenty-three.” “You have done well handling the bridge alone. I must get some rest. I will allow you to decide when you wish to retire, but be certain the game has completed before you do so.” “Why?” “It is impolite for an ambassador to depart a game without its completion.” “That could be a while.” “That is not my problem.” T’Pol walked off. Hoshi watched her leave and then turned to Hess. “Can you believe that?” Hess laughed. “She’s had a rough day, Hoshi. Don’t give her a hard time.” Hess walked toward the door. “Besides, she even put your necklace on before we landed today.” Hess patted Hoshi’s shoulder as she walked away. Hoshi beamed. She walked to another door, returning to the bridge. # Archer had stretched out on his couch with a pillow folded under his head as he read. He had a small device attached to his neck that was transmitting constant readings to the Sickbay computer and monitoring his testosterone level. He rolled his head to the side when the doorbell beeped. Archer laid his book on his chest. “Come in.” The door opened and T’Pol entered carrying a PADD in hand. Archer sat up, his eyes lighting up with anticipation. “Is that it? Is that the treaty?” he asked excitedly. “Yes, Captain. With your signature, it will finalize negotiations tomorrow. We can head back to Earth the day after.” Archer tossed his book aside, beginning to read the treaty. “I have yet to get confirmed information about who informed them that humans were going to attack them. They do not seem to be in agreement of the information themselves.” T’Pol pulled out his desk chair, sitting down. She looked out the window at the Xindi home world. Archer started reading the treaty, partially conscious of her presence. “They are not as violent of a race as I thought they would be,” T’Pol began. Archer looked up. “The councilors held a closed council for two hours, voting each issue of the treaty.” T’Pol looked at Archer. “While we were waiting, I was approached by many of the common people. Apparently they have been requesting the council to avoid an altercation with Earth and, in fact, are very pleased that we are here to make a peace treaty.” Archer’s eyes drifted down to the PADD with a fading smile. “Did I say something wrong?” “No.” “Is there something wrong with the treaty?” Archer looked at the PADD, swallowing hard. “No. What I’ve read so far seems fair.” T’Pol folded her hands in her lap. “The morning of the attack, Daniels visited me and told me I’d be on the bridge when we were attacked; that I’d cause the negotiations to fail. I intentionally avoided the bridge that morning because I was so mad about time travel and the Temporal Cold War and fighting when our original goal had been peaceful exploration...I was, still am, tired of it all.” Archer looked up at T’Pol. “Did you know that the bridge was the only place those biological bombs weren’t set off? I asked Phlox if I’d have succumbed to the virus if I hadn’t been directly exposed to it. He said I would have, while I was in the midst of negotiations just like Daniels said. But because I was being defiant, I got sick when all the other men did, and you, Hoshi and the rest of the women pulled it off.” “Your defiance proved to be a positive action.” Archer peered at her. “What do you think of fate?” “It is inescapable if you do not know what it holds.” “So then, what if God had a plan written out that no time traveler, like Daniels, had any idea about?” “I would say that time travel would be pointless, in that case, because no matter what attempt the traveler made in changing the future, their God would alter it to keep it on it’s course.” Archer nodded, looking down. “Makes you feel helpless because if that’s the case, nothing you do could ever change the outcome of an event no matter how much you tamper with it.” “Helpless, perhaps, but not unfortunate, Captain.” Archer smiled, looking at her. “What do you mean?” “Most human men are very territorial and do not easily forgive trespasses on their emotions. Women, I have observed, hold grudges longer, but their maternal instinct causes them to have a greater sense of self-preservation of themselves and their family unit. Lieutenant Hess may not have your cunning and subtleness, but her abruptness and ability to get to the point has certainly been beneficial. She also seems to have an innate ability to know when she’s being deceived.” Archer chuckled. “T’Pol, that is not an innate ability. That is a mother of three biological children and five adopted children. I think that every mother develops a third eye and the ability to see through lies after enough children. She was a good choice to aid you with negotiations.” “She was the only senior officer available that had enough experience to assist with negotiations.” “And here we are back at that fate and divine intervention conversation, aren’t we?” “Indeed.” Archer nods. “I’m hungry. How about we go get some supper and we can discuss this treaty?” “Supper in the captain’s mess?” “Yeah...” Archer trailed off, blushing. “About that, T’Pol, uhm--” “That is acceptable.” T’Pol rose. “Perhaps Commander Tucker would like to join us. I know he’s been anxious to know what’s happening.” Archer smiled up at her. “If we can tear him away from Engineering. He’s spent all day reporting how impressed he is at how well his ladies took care of his engine.” “We have an excellent female staff, Captain.” “As I’ve come to realize of late. Of course, having an excellent commanding officer certainly didn’t do them any harm.” “Thank you, Captain.” “No offence, but I was speaking of Hoshi. I heard she kept order among the ranks for you.” “Yes. She apparently is in good standing with the women and did make my command much easier. I overlooked how helpful that has been in the last two weeks.” Archer stood, patting T’Pol’s shoulder. “I’ve taken my first officer’s help for granted too, T’Pol.” The two walked toward the door together. “Come on, Porthos,” Archer called. Porthos jumped up and followed them. “Perhaps you should consider allowing her to expand her leadership roles aboard Enterprise, Captain.” Archer stopped at the door, smiling down at T’Pol. “I agree. As soon as this is all behind us, I’ll see to it.” T’Pol nodded her head once. The two turned, walking into the corridor. |
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