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"Left Overs"
Rating: PG Family Revisited (1) “Sir,” T’Pol looked at Archer. “I am detecting a craft two hundred kilometers to starboard.” “Hail them Hoshi.” Archer said without looking up from the book he was reading. After several minutes Hoshi looked at him. “They aren’t responding.” “Change course, Travis.” Archer said. “Let’s go knock on their door and see if they answer.” Archer sat his book aside, looking at the view screen. The ship came into view and Archer didn’t realize he’d risen to his feet until T’Pol spoke. Travis brought Enterprise to a halt at a safe distance from the Varlikon ship “The Varlikon ship appears to have taken considerable damage.” T’Pol reported. “Life signs?” Archer asked, his voice deep with his anger toward the Varlikon. “I am not picking up any. The ships integrity does not appear to have been compromised, but there is no atmosphere. It appears that the oxygen was vented intentionally.” Archer said nothing. “What do you want me to do, sir?” Travis asked Archer. “Hold position.” Archer said. “Try hailing again, Hoshi.” Hoshi tried again. “No response sir.” Archer was torn between helping his enemy and letting them figure it out for themselves. Archer looked down. “We could just leave it, sir.” Malcolm said. “I’m sure they certainly wouldn’t think twice about it.” ‘No, but I would.’ Archer thought to himself. “Take us closer, Travis. Polarize shields, Malcolm. Prepare to fire at the first sign of attack and be ready to get us out of here fast, Travis.” “Aye, sir.” The two men replied. Archer watched the Varlikon ship get closer until they were sitting within meters of it. “I am still not reading any life signs.” T’Pol reported. “They don’t have their shielding up and I haven’t read any weapons charging.” Malcolm said. Archer was again caught between ill will and morals. Archer sat down with a sigh, looking at the floor. “What do you want me to do, sir?” Travis asked. “Hold position. Let me think.” “Should I call Vardee to the bridge?” “No. Not yet. Just,” Archer looked back at the view screen. “Just give a chance to think here, people.” The bridge became silent while Archer wrestled with a decision. He slowly rose back to his feet. “Prepare an away team, T’Pol. Hoshi and Malcolm, join it. Take six, no one is to go anywhere on that ship alone and shoot to kill.” “Aye, sir.” T’Pol rose from her station. “Hoshi, contact Commander Tucker, Doctor Phlox and Ryce. Tell them to meet us at the Grasp.” “Yes, ma’am.” Hoshi turned to relay her order. T’Pol walked over to the lift to join Malcolm already waiting there. “T’Pol. Malcolm.” Both looked at Archer. “If you find any Varlikon alive, you put them in shackles but don’t bring them back. Any medical treatment will be given aboard their ship, not ours. Be sure to lock the shuttle pod hatch when you exit.” “Yes, sir,” both replied. # “Here we go.” Malcolm said. T’Pol sat down next to him. They were on the bridge at one of the stations and he had been searching for the ship’s record of the bridge. Malcolm turned, looking up at the view screen. The screen showed static for a moment and then an image came up. The ship was rocked by blasts from attack. The captain and helmsman were the only two left alive on the bridge.” “We’re losing shields, sir,” the helmsman said. “How long before we lose all shields?” “Two more hits like that will do it.” “Initiate self-destruct sequence.” the captain ordered. The helmsman froze. “Lieutenant, do it. They are not getting this ship.” “Aye, sir.” The helmsman reached over and started the sequence. “Warp core breech in ten minutes,” the computer reported. The ship continued rocking. “We’ve lost shields and have been boarded,” the helmsman reported. “Prepare to defend the bridge,” the captain ordered, rising and aiming his phaser at a door. A man and two women who looked like the Varlikon, transported aboard behind him and shot him. The helmsman fired at one and the three scattered, firing back at him. One of the women shot and killed the helmsman. One woman ran to the helm, apparently taking control of the ship. The other took a seat at the station Malcolm and T’Pol were at. “Self-destruction sequence has been overridden and cancelled, sir,” the woman at helm reported. “Contact Pareol.” “Artel to the Bartik,” the woman at helm said. “Bartik here,” a man’s voice replied. “Bridge secure. Report.” “All units report positions secure and Varlikon are dead or unconscious. Transporting Jit off-board. Awaiting orders.” “Have all units report every five minutes and alert us if any unit does not report properly,” the man ordered. “Alert us when the extraction of the Jit is complete.” “Aye, sir,” the voice on the com replied. “Should we set up a beacon, sir?” the woman at the station inquired. The man walked over, looking up at the view screen. “No. They’ll see it and they’ll find it.” “But—” “No, Jeyk,” the man commanded. “Are the bridge sensors still recording?” “Yes, sir. Shall I restart the recording?” “No. There’s no sense in that,” the man looked up at the view screen, moving to stand in front of it. “I am hoping that this ship will be detected by the starship Enterprise and that her crew will investigate and discover it. I am Captain Farweq, leader of the Jit Underground unit forty-two. Normally I would let the self-destruct sequence run and allow them to kill themselves, but I needed to deliver a message to Captain Archer as well as give you information contained in this ship’s records. I cannot send a message because that is too easy to detect and trace. My life is of great value to bounty hunters across the galaxy, I’m afraid. I have left the computers intact, Captain Archer. You’ll find in the main computer all the pass codes to gain access to the databases. Retrieve everything and then destroy it. Pay particular attention to anything with your ship’s name in it. You have made some enemies by harboring Jit, Captain. They want you, under no uncertain terms, dead. You may also want to get records out of Sickbay. They have been continuing their work with Jit and have new information on current breeds. They have also authorized termination of all Vispa-Jit and they know you know the whereabouts of at least one Vispa. “There is some rather interesting information your Vulcan officer may want to review. There is also a message on the captain’s computer intended for Lieutenant Reed or Vardee Reed. The pass code is Vardee Reed’s maiden name. Type it in and the message will play. When you find this ship, all the Varlikon will be dead and of no threat to you.” Farweq nodded once to the woman at the communications station and the recording ended. Malcolm stood and walked over to the captain’s chair. He pushed the corpse out of his way and knelt on one knee in the chair. He found the message quickly and entered his wife’s maiden name. The view screen flickered and Farweq appeared on the view screen. Malcolm sat down in the captain’s chair, staring at the face. He noted that the background was different and suspected this message had been recorded much earlier. “I hope Vardee and Malcolm Reed are listening to this now. Hello butterfly. I made it off Aphripa, Vardee, and for the longest time I had believed you had been killed. It was very confusing that night. I could only send you away with the hopes that you would survive. Imagine the joy of learning you were still alive and so were all the children that left on the Diedra with you that night.” Farweq smiled. “I wish I could send a message directly to you two, but I can’t. With the price on my head, the last thing I want is anyone finding you alive. I intercepted a transmission from Enterprise to Earth that had pictures of your children a few months ago. From the message I realize it was meant for your husband’s parents, so forgive my intrusion. They’re beautiful, Vardee. Kasbra looks just like her grandmother. Especially with that smile and dimples just like your mother’s. You have a wonderful family, Malcolm. To know my daughter is well, to see my grandchildren, and to know that there are those out there that would love them and not enslave them means a great deal. I wish the best to both of you.” Farweq leaned close to the screen, “Vardee, I love you. I miss you everyday. I rejoice and thank Et’Loe for your safety. I wish we could meet. Perhaps one day we will. Treat your husband with love and respect, Vardee. I can tell from the letters I’ve intercepted that he loves you. And raise the children proper. They will be lucky never to know slavery and be able to live free. Thank Et’Loe every night for that, butterfly.” Farweq put his hand on the screen. “And with that I pray. With Et’Loe watching your feet, journey well and far and safe. When we meet in the golden halls of Ver’Lika, I will know you and we will eat, drink and dance and we will never know sorrow or hardship again. Blessing to you.” Farweq put his fingers to his lips, kissed his fingers and touched the screen. A tear slid down his cheek. “I love you, daughter, very, very much. Good-bye.” The message ended. Malcolm couldn’t move. Only reflexes kept him breathing. To his right, T’Pol was staring at the floor, waiting for Malcolm to say or do something. Malcolm sat up, looking up when the bridge of Enterprise came up on the view screen. “Taking up captain?” Archer joked with Malcolm. “I have information to send to the ship, sir.” Malcolm said, ignoring Archer’s joke. “There is also an encoded message for Vardee. Tell her to take it in our quarters. I don’t think she should be around people when she listens to it.” “What is it?” “A message from her father.” Archer leaned forward. “Her father’s dead.” “Maybe. But only she can tell when she sees the message. I don’t know what he looks like.” “I’ll make sure she gets it. How did a message from her father get on the ship?” “He left it here before he vented the oxygen, I imagine. He set this whole thing up in hopes we would find the ship.” “Sounds like he made a large assumption.” “He’s been intercepting our messages to Earth. He knows about us, you, Enterprise.” “Sounds like he’s keeping tabs on us.” “If it really is her father, are you all that surprised, sir?” “No.” “Did you know we’re the talk of the Varlikon as well as the Jit Underground?” “Jit Underground? I thought… I thought they were destroyed.” “Apparently not.” Malcolm replied quietly. Archer looked away. “Send everything. Did Doctor Phlox find anything?” “Yes. Good and bad.” “Bad how?” “The Varlikon have authorized the destruction of Vispa-Jit. Navta is on the list and they know you are harboring her.” “Were there any survivors?” “No. All the Jit that were alive were taken off-board. No one’s alive.” “Hurry back.” “Aye, sir.” The transmission ended. “Hoshi,” Archer looked at the ensign in Hoshi’s seat. “When that encoded message comes, send it to my quarters. Contact Vardee and ask her to come to my ready room.” “Aye, sir.” Archer stood and walked to his ready room. # Archer watched Vardee. She had listened to the message twice, her face registering her shock of seeing her father the first time she listened to and her sadness showing the second time. Now she was staring at his face on the monitor. Vardee reached out, touching his cheek on the screen. A tear slid down her face. “Are you certain this is him?” Vardee nodded. “Only he know what my mother look like. Kasbra look like her. He would know no contact me any other way. They find him any other way. He stay alive for years by not being careless.” Archer nodded. “What are you planning on doing, Vardee?” “Do?” she looked at him. “Now that you know he’s alive, what are you going to do?” “I don’t understand.” “Are you going to find him?” Vardee smiled. “No. I not find him anyway.” “And what about the Jit Underground?” “What of it?” Sista looked at him. “Are you going back to it?” Vardee looked away. “So you really want know if that what I plan on doing? That why you really want to be here?” “No. And yes.” “I not leaving.” Vardee looked at Archer. “I go tell other Jit about it. They may leave…but I not think so. Enterprise, you, this crew, home now. I fight with you many time, but I also fight beside you. And you have protect us, you fight for us. We believe in Jit Underground and what they fight for, but I not go join them. Have Malcolm here. Children here. Home here. Not want go, no matter cause. That selfish, yes?” Archer smiled. “That could go both ways, Vardee. Not fighting for the freedom of your kind some would say is selfish. Leaving your husband and children and those of us that care for you to fight for that cause could also be selfish. Only you can decide which is the lesser evil.” Vardee looked at the screen, smiling. She touched the image on it again. “I love father. But he would not want me go. He always wanted me free. He never wanted me fight. He said, when I came back to fight, that he wanted me no fight. Want me to serve in camp if I come back. I refused. I told him I learned how to fly and fight and now I fly and fight for good reason. My freedom and my mother’s memory. I fought hard and long, we almost won. Then they get Cardassian’s there and fight become for all.” Vardee sighed, looking at Archer. “I not want fight no more. Children and husband too important. What would Malcolm tell children after I die? Malcolm not understand and I not ask him to.” Archer nodded. “Better go tell the other Jit and let them decide.” “I send message to my computer?” Vardee ask. “I’ll do it.” Archer said. Vardee got up and left. Archer walked over, staring at the face staring back at him. “You’d be proud of her, Farweq.” Archer said to it, and then cleared the image. # Malcolm woke, reaching for Vardee. He looked up when his hand didn’t find her. Malcolm got up and walked out to the living room. Vardee had moved a chair in front of the view screen and was sitting in front of it, staring at the frozen image of her father touching the monitor. Malcolm walked over to her chair, crouching down. She looked at him. “You miss him.” Malcolm said. Vardee nodded. “If you—” “Shh.” Sista reached out and put her fingers to his lip. “I not go anywhere. You here. Children here. Home here. He understand. I miss, but I not go back any more than you go back to Earth to yours.” Malcolm took her hand and kissed her fingers. He stood up and picked her up. Malcolm sat down in the chair, pulling her close to him. The two sat in front of the screen, staring at the image of her father. |
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