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"Onawandah" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Don't own them, CBS/Paramount does. CHAPTER 1 Archer sat one PADD down and picked up the second. He started over the report, making notes where it needed to be changed. “Captain,” Hoshi said. Archer looked up. Hoshi was listening to something through her earpiece. She pushed the earpiece into her ear to hear what she was listening to better. “Captain...I’ve detected a ship two light years away. The ship appears to be communicating with another ship not detected on long-range sensors. I think...I think I know the language. I’ll need speak with them to be certain, sir.” Archer shrugged, sitting the PADD in his hand down. “Hail them.” Hoshi turned, sending out a hail. She smiled. “They’re speaking Varlikon, the children’s language, Captain.” “Travis, change course toward that ship. Are they responding to our hails, Hoshi?” “Yes.” Archer rose to his feet. “On screen.” The view screen changed and a human face looked back at Archer. Archer smiled, walking a few steps forward. “Greetings. I’m Captain Jonathan Archer of the starship Enterprise,” Archer said. “Vaita. Novara sila Raliek Sista,” the man said. “Run it through the translator, Hoshi. I don’t understand Varlikon real well.” Hoshi obeyed and the man’s message repeated. “Hello. I am Captain Raliek of the starship Novara.” “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Captain Raliek,” Archer said. The man smiled. “Ahhh! We have not met many that have translators for our language,” Captain Raliek said. “About seven months ago we ran across some children that speak your language,” Archer explained. “Children?” the man asked. “Yes.” “Was there someone in charge of them?” “Yes. Captain Vardee. She’ll be happy to meet you.” The man’s smile suddenly tightened into a forced smile and his voice sounded slightly strained. “Are the children Captain Vardee’s?” “I don’t know for certain,” Archer replied. “Perhaps we could meet and you two could talk. I’m sure she and the children will be happy to meet some of their own kind.” T’Pol said something in Vulcan to Hoshi as Archer spoke. Hoshi turned off the translator, muting the last half of Archer’s reply. “Captain,” T’Pol said. Archer looked at her and then the view screen. The man was talking but his voice couldn’t be heard. “Ask him to wait a moment, sir,” T’Pol said. Archer glanced at T’Pol before looking at Hoshi. “Open the channel again, Hoshi.” Archer looked back at the view screen. “We appear to be having a communications problems. Please stand by,” Archer lied. “Understandable. We shall wait,” Captain Raliek said. The man disappeared from the view screen. Archer turned to T’Pol. “T’Pol, I don’t appreciate you ordering Hoshi to break communications when I’m talking.” “I apologize, sir, but I felt I should caution you against saying much more about the children until Sista has spoken with these people.” “I have to agree with her, Captain,” Hoshi said. “I have a really bad feeling about this man.” “Reestablish communication Hoshi,” Archer said. Hoshi frowned, obeying her captain’s orders. The Captain Raliek appeared on the screen. “We’re having problems keeping communications up. When we’re closer I’ll contact you,” Archer told the man. “Yes. It will be good to rejoin them with other Varlikon,” Captain Raliek said. “I agree. Griftlina,” Archer said. He nodded once to Hoshi. The view screen went black. There was definitely something off about the man. “Take the bridge until I get back, T’Pol,” Archer said as he left the bridge. “Aye, Captain.” # Archer walked into the armory, hearing four people talking at the back of the room. Archer walked around a console and found Lieutenant Reed, Sista, and two of Lieutenant Reed’s crew looking at something on a monitor, discussing specifications for the object on it. “Excuse me,” Archer said. The four turned. “Captain,” Lieutenant Reed said. “I need to speak with Sista,” Archer said. “Yes?” Sista asked. “In private,” Archer said. Sista nodded once. Archer turned and led her out of the armory into the hall. “We’ve met some Varlikons, Sista,” Archer said as he stopped and turned. “Who?” Sista asked. “Captain Raliek of the starship Novara.” Sista looked down. “What he want?” “He doesn’t want anything.” Archer put his hands on his hips. “Why would he?” Sista looked at him. “You tell Jit on Enterprise?” “Yes.” Sista nodded, looking down again. “Perhaps you should talk to him, Sista. I for one would like to meet more of your kind. Perhaps you can find out where they’ve resettled and join them, if you would like.” “Nishta.” Sista looked up at him shaking her head. “I nishta want talk to him. Tell him we your Jit.” “Sista, you need to talk to him.” Sista said nothing. “I would have thought you’d be happy to find some of your people,” Archer said. Sista didn’t answer. Archer sighed. “Regardless, you need to come and talk to them.” “Bad idea.” Sista looked up at Archer, shaking her head. “K’pan Archer...you not listen me much. I understand. Your ship, you K’pan. I understand. But if you listen only one time to me, this one time. He ask who children belong to?” “He asked if they belonged to you.” “Tell we belong to you. All belong to Enterprise. Tell them you not want barter. Offer let them come see Enterprise. Treat us as slave and not tell truth.” Archer crossed his arms across his chest. “What’s going on Sista?” Sista looked away without answering. “T’Pol to Archer.” Archer turned and walked to a communications box. He pushed the button, watching Sista behind him. “Archer here.” “We’ve arrived at the coordinates of the Varlikon ship, sir. Captain Raliek is requesting to speak with you.” “I’ll be there in a minute.” Archer turned. “Come on Sista.” Sista obeyed, following him back to the bridge. Archer stopped in front of his chair, nodding once to Hoshi. The Varlikon reappeared. His eyes went to Sista. Archer glanced back at her. Sista was standing behind him with her hands clasped in front of her and eyes cast on the floor. Archer glanced at Hoshi. Hoshi shook her head with a slight shrug. Archer looked back at the screen. “I apologize for keeping you waiting,” Archer said. “Is this Captain Sista?” Captain Raliek. “Yes.” “Strange that she carries a high guard rank, yet I do not know of her family name.” “That is how she was introduced to us. I don’t know much about your high guard.” “Wishful Jit thinking, I presume.” Archer didn’t like the way Captain Raliek made the comment or the fake smile that came to the man’s face. “Do you own her?” Captain Raliek asked. There was a brief, heavy silence on the bridge. Archer slowly looked back at Sista, answering, “No.” Archer looked back at the view monitor. “Humans do not own people.” Captain Raliek sat back in his chair. “Do you know if the other children are Varlikon or Jit?” “I don’t know,” Archer said. “We need to know.” “Why is that?” Archer asked, crossing his arms across his chest. “Jit belong to Varlikon, unless you purchased them. But then you would have told me you owned them, wouldn’t you?” With the realization that Sista hadn’t been quite forthcoming with information regarding her or the children’s past made Archer’s stomach tense. He could sense this conversation was about to take a bad turn because of it. “I imagine that could be correct,” Archer answered. “We request that you send the other children to us and we will see if they are Jit. If they are Jit, they belong to us. If they are Varlikon, we will take them to their families. You can keep this one for compensation.” Captain Raliek motioned to Sista. Archer smiled, shaking his head. “No. Tell us what information you need.” “We will look into this ourselves,” Captain Raliek insisted. “These children are on my ship and have been for seven months. Tell us what information you are looking for, we’ll attain it and report back. But until then, these children, regardless of whether they are Jit or Varlikon, are remaining on Enterprise.” Captain Raliek smirked. “We have scanned your ship, Captain Archer. Your weapons would be useless against us and your shielding wouldn’t withstand one barrage from our weapons.” Archer put his hands on his hips. “Is that a threat of an attack?” Captain Raliek didn’t answer immediately. He smiled suddenly. “Of course it isn’t. We wouldn’t attack friends of the Vulcans. We will transmit the information we are looking for. How many children are on board?” “Enterprise out,” Archer replied instead of answering the Varlikon’s question. Hoshi cut the communications before the Varlikon captain could reply. The bridge was silent and Archer could feel the bridge crew watching him, expecting orders of some sort in response to the Varlikon’s blatant threat of attack. “T’Pol, when he sends the information, bring it to my ready room. Sista, come with me,” Archer said. Sista followed Archer into his ready room. Archer sat down in his chair and remained silent. Sista stood at attention just inside the door and didn’t attempt to speak. “Come in,” Archer said when the doorbell beeped. T’Pol came in with a PADD in hand. “What do we have to do?” Archer asked her. “We must analyze the DNA code of a hormone secreted from a gland at the base of the skull. The code will reveal if their DNA has been spliced with feline, canine, or anthropoid DNA, and consequently reveal them to be Jit. The hormone must be allowed to reach approximately thirty-five degrees Celsius before being tested to reveal the splice.” “Sista, you’re not Varlikon, are you?” Sista looked at Archer. “I nishta say I am.” “In the prison you said--” “I say jikla was. Not me,” Sista corrected. “I stand corrected. However, you didn’t seem very surprised when I told you we came across this vessel. You knew there were others out there, didn’t you?” Sista nodded. “Why did you lie to me?” “I not lie.” Sista looked at Archer. “Both you and Zintar said--” Sista interrupted, “Zintar or I not say not Varlikon other places. We say we see your kind and think you like us. Like Jit, not Varlikon. We nishta see our kind for long time. You assume we mean Varlikon.” Archer sprung to his feet and walked up to Sista. He leaned toward her, stopping his face inches from Sista’s. “I am not going to play your games, Sista. Not when my crew’s lives are at stake.” “I nishta play game,” Sista snarled. “Why didn’t you tell me about this test they would want to do on you and the children?” “I not know they would!” “Why didn’t you tell me we’d run across more like you?” “Varlikon not like us! Already tell you that!” “SISTA!” Archer yelled. “You not ask!” Sista yelled back. There was a moment of tense silence between Archer and Sista. The ready room doorbell beeped. “Come in,” Archer snarled. Trip stepped into the room. “Is...there a problem, sir? We heard--” “Sista,” Archer continued, ignoring Trip’s question. “I have a Varlikon captain out there that is ready to open fire on us because I’m not handing the children over to him. I’m not handing any of you over because I don’t believe in slavery. Starfleet will support whatever I end up deciding in this situation, however the only way I’m going to be able to make a decision on what to do is if I get the truth out of you.” “I always tell you truth. You assume things not true!” Sista snapped. “I want the truth from you right now Sista!” Archer ordered. Sista said something in Varlikon, looking at the floor. “What?” Archer asked. Sista turned a spiteful glare on Archer. “What did you say, Sista?” Sista only continued to glare at Archer. “T’Pol,” Archer said, “What did she say?” “She said that you are being very prideful and too ashamed to admit that you misunderstood what was said. She believes that you will hand them over to the Varlikon since you have already suggested they go with them only a few minutes earlier.” Archer sighed. “What I said earlier does not mean I want you or the children off Enterprise, Sista. However, I have over ninety people--including you and the children--which I am responsible for. Those other people left port with me and I have every intention of bringing every single one of them back. I am not going to let whatever game you think you’re playing jeopardize this crew, Sista.” Sista spoke again in Varlikon, her words taking on a hostile tone. “Speak English, Sista!” Archer snapped. Sista clamped her mouth shut in response. “T’Pol,” Archer growled. “She said that you have never wanted them on Enterprise and that this is a good excuse to accomplish this. She feels that if you are going to hand over the test results, and consequently herself and the children, perhaps it would be better to let them out of an airlock to end their suffering sooner.” “Sista, don’t start.” Archer shook his finger in her face. “You know that’s not what I want.” Sista spat a single word and spun to leave. Archer grabbed her arm. Sista whirled around, swinging to slap Archer. Archer caught her wrist inches from his face. Sista growled and hissed like a cat at Archer. Her other hand seemed to appear out of no where and slapped Archer’s face hard as she raked all five fingers across his cheek. Archer fell back a step in surprise. Sista spat out words in Varlikon before rushing out of Archer’s ready room. Archer turned and walked to the window, fighting back his anger. He felt something on his shoulder and turned. T’Pol was holding out a wet washcloth. “You’re bleeding, sir,” T’Pol said. Archer took the washcloth and held it to the burning cuts on his face. “Thank you T’Pol. Proceed with the tests. Bring me the results when you’re done.” “What would you like me to do with Sista, Captain?” T’Pol asked. “Nothing,” Archer answered. “That’ll be all. Trip take the bridge while T’Pol is doing this. I’ll be back out shortly.” “Yes, sir,” Trip said. Archer waited until both left before he turned and walked to the sink in the corner of his ready room. He lowered the washcloth, looking in the mirror above the sink. Archer glared at the bruise that was starting to form where he’d been hit. Sista’s hit was strong and he knew that her fingernails were not long enough to cut the gashes in his cheek like they had. He guessed that her fingernails had extended just like cat’s claws. “Sista has feline DNA.” Archer shook his head, looking down at the blood on the white washcloth. “She’s a Jit. Damn it.” Archer hung the washcloth over the sink edge and walked over to his computer. He sat down, collected his thoughts and began drafting a letter to Starfleet. |
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