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"Double the Blind" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG CHAPTER 6 : Psychological Warfare T’Pol looked up from the floor she’d been staring at when she heard something transport into the shuttle pod. Sista appeared with a smile, watching T’Pol stand. “What is the plan, Vardee?” T’Pol asked. Sista smiled, “We speak in Varlikon since it doesn’t understand it yet, okay?” T’Pol nodded once. “Enterprise is now in the Bitanag, standing by to be released. They located Trip before I was transported here and will transport him as soon as they can get a lock on him. We received information from Captain Ealad regarding the Bitanag and it said that if the tentacles touch a being it can feed on its emotions and we can use this to our advantage. T’Pol, you will need to mind meld with me and allow me to sense your emotions. And I must allow myself to sense all of the crews emotions so we can triple what it is eating and hopefully it will become disoriented and release us.” “What about the other aliens that are trapped in the Bitanag. They will die when it loses it’s grip on us and releases the atmosphere.” “There are no other aliens; none that are alive anyway. We scanned it before we were grabbed. You and Trip were the only bio signs we found.” “It is a very deceptive creature, however, I do not wish to kill it.” “Do you wish to stay here or leave Trip out there? To die as it feeds on the last of your emotions?” “No. I do not.” T’Pol looked down. “I do not know if I can do what you ask. I am not familiar with mind melds.” Vardee shrugged, smiling. “I’m not sure I can handle all these emotions, but we have to try. The entire crew now relies on it.” T’Pol drew in a long, deep breath. “We will try.” Sista sat down on the floor, looking up expectantly at T’Pol. T’Pol leaned over to the console and opened the vents and then sat down. “Relax your mind and your body,” T’Pol instructed. Sista nodded, closing her eyes. T’Pol reached out a hand and placed her fingers from Sista’s temple to jaw and her thumb on either side of Sista’s nose. “Look at me,” T’Pol instructed. Sista opened her eyes, meeting T’Pol’s. “Once we start this, we cannot stop it, T’Pol,” Sista said quietly. “They are counting on us to make it release us.” T’Pol nodded once and eased the two of them into a mind meld. In an instant Sista was hit with all of T’Pol’s repressed emotions and the force of them knocked her breath out. She gasped in a breath of air and focused on channeling the most powerful emotions through her. She had to fight years of habit to open her mind up to allow all the emotions around her in. ‘Focus,’ she heard T’Pol’s voice whisper, ‘We are succeeding.’ Sista felt their success. She could feel the Bitanag’s fear as emotions began to overwhelm it and it was unable to devour them fast enough. ‘More,’ Sista said to T’Pol. She gasped as T’Pol released more emotions into the mind meld and the strength of them threatened to overpower both of them. Sista focused on keeping her senses open and she felt the Bitanag losing its concentration. # Archer listened for Malcolm, but his Lieutenant wasn’t making a sound. Archer glanced back. Malcolm was leaned up against the wall, his arms crossed across his chest and his eyes cast to the floor. “Are you angry with me?” Archer asked him. Malcolm looked up at him. “Sir?” “Are you angry wit me for sending Vardee in there?” Malcolm smiled. “No, sir. If you hadn’t come up with this plan, she would have and gone anyway. She sees everyone on Enterprise as family and she wasn’t about to leave them in there. So no.” Malcolm shook his head. “I’m not angry with either of you, Captain. They’re close friends of mine, too.” Archer smiled, glad to hear that. He looked through the shuttle bay window, his eyes drifting over objects and his mind starting to drift with them. “Bridge to Archer.” Lieutenant O’Malley called over the ship COM. Archer stepped over to the companel. “Yes?” “Sir, we’re detecting ships outside the nebula.” “Passing?” “No. They came out of warp, out of reach of the, Bitanag but there’s a lot and more keep coming.” “Can you get through the communications jam yet?” “Not yet, sir.” “How are our ladies?” There was a pause. “They’re okay, but I hope they hurry. Commander Tucker’s bio signs are getting harder to detect.” Archer didn’t want to hear that. “Any signs this thing’s letting us go?” “Yes, we’ve dropped considerably since they started. We’re almost out, but Lieutenant Hess can’t get a lock on Commander Tucker yet.” “Keep to the original plan. Alert us when you have him and we need to set up to capture the shuttle pod.” “Aye, sir.” Archer turned back to the window. “Maybe it’s the cavalry,” Malcolm said. “It’s not like you to be optimistic, Malcolm,” Archer joked with a smiled. He looked back at him. “Something you know that I don’t?” Malcolm smiled, looking like he was thinking. “Unusual situations call for unusual resolutions? Including officers normally pessimistic being optimistic?” Archer nodded. “Yes they do.” Archer turned his attention back to the shuttle pod bay and the two men were silent again while they waited. # ‘It’s slipping,’ T’Pol whispered. ‘I feel it. I feel other emotions not belonging to our crew. What are these?’ ‘I cannot tell.’ Something grabbed Sista’s shoulders and pulled her away from T’Pol’s hands. Sista’s claws extended and she struck out at the assailant. Malcolm grabbed her hands, pinning her to the shuttle pod floor. “VARDEE!” Malcolm yelled. Sista gasped, looking up into his eyes. She let out her held breath before breaking into sobs. Malcolm pulled her into his arms, holding her close. He looked across the shuttle pod. Archer was holding T’Pol. She wasn’t showing emotions like Sista, but her body was shaking from exhaustion. “How long did we meld?” T’Pol whispered to Archer. “An hour.” “It felt like only minutes. What happened?” “The Bitanag has made some powerful enemies. After we left Zintar went against orders and told Captain Ealad our plan. He told the other beings and they were waiting for the Bitanag when it dropped out of the nebula. We barely got you and clear before they opened fire on it. It’s dead. They destroyed it.” “Is Charles all right?” “Exhausted like you, but he’ll be fine in a couple days.” T’Pol closed her eyes, relaxing in the safety of her friend’s arms. “I will need help to my quarters, Captain.” Archer slowly stood, helping her to her feet. He held her close as the two began a slow walk to her quarters. “Captain?” “Yeah?” “Please refrain from requesting Vardee or I to perform that task again.” Archer stopped, meeting T’Pol’s eyes when she looked up at him. “I can’t imagine what it must have felt like, T’Pol, but I promise I will never ask it of you again.” T’Pol looked away again. “If it means anything, I knew you could do it, T’Pol. You’re stronger than I am when it comes to emotions. You always have been. Guess that’s what makes us such good friends, T’Pol.” T’Pol looked back up at Archer. “Well, let’s not get all sentimental here. I know how much you hate that.” Archer pulled T’Pol into a walk again. In a very quiet, almost whisper, T’Pol said, “After eight years, Jonathan, your friendship has become important to me. And if for one day you wish me to respect sentimental reflection,” T’Pol looked up at him, “I can find it in me to comply.” Archer smiled at her, but said nothing in response.
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