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"Onawandah" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Don't own them, CBS/Paramount does. CHAPTER 3 Sista walked up to the door, looking at each of the men in turn. “I want an explanation,” Archer said. “Navta already explained.” “No.” Archer stood up. “I want to know who you are really? And yes, I assumed you were Varlikon. Now tell me the truth.” Sista sighed. “I did tell you the truth, Captain. I just didn’t tell you everything. There’s a difference, you know.” Archer nodded. “There is. Tell me everything you left out.” “Where do you want to begin?” “Wherever you omitted the truth.” Sista looked down. She crossed her arms under her breasts. “Okay. After my mother killed herself my father got really angry about it. He did start rallying for support to get the Varlikon to release the Jit slaves and give them equal rights. It started out quiet and I didn’t even know about it until many years later. When I was seven, he forged my papers to say I was Varlikon, and sent me away to military school.” “When you were seven?” Archer asked. Sista looked at him. “For every one year on Varlikon, it’s two years on Earth, Captain. I was actually fourteen in your years.” “So what happened after military school?” “No. What happened in military school? I’ve read about your Starfleet schools. Your military schools are so...humane, compared to a Varlikon military school. For six months I was trained in ground assault and what you call guerrilla tactics. Then I was dropped on a planet where the inhabitants wanted me dead because the Varlikon had enslaved them, or worse. I wasn’t given a map, I wasn’t taught the language, I was only given a set of coordinates that I was expected to find on my own. I was there for a year, whether I found the coordinates or not. Those of us that survived were taken home.” “Your father sent you to military school knowing this?” “It wasn’t uncommon. Teacher Paris taught me about a caste system after you’d mentioned it on Oriprek. That is what we had on Varlikon. The only exception to it was military. Anyone could go into the military, and if they survived the first year and a half, their entire family rose in the system by whatever they did.” “And then?” “I went back and trained to fly all the ship classes in the fleet. I wanted to be a captain. I earned captain when I was aboard a science vessel that was on a three-year deep space mission. The ship was attacked and the Captain was killed. I took command of the ship for the remaining two years and when I returned I was going to earn admiral upon graduation. But father called me home for an emergency as soon as I got back and then I found out I was Jit and I could never be an admiral in the Varlikon high guard. See, they didn’t test DNA when we started because so many died during the off-world training. More than half that survived trained for other fields in the high guard that poor health is irrelevant. But if someone finished the training, before they could move up in rank, their DNA had to be tested to isolate potential health problems. They didn’t want captains going into deep space and having heart failure. If they had tested mine, they would have detected the feline DNA that meant I was Jit, and I would have been killed on the spot.” “Even after you took command of a ship and brought it home? After you finished the military training?” Sista smirked. “And let the world of Varlikon or any of her colonies know that Jit are capable of more than slavery and games? You must not be using all synapses in your brain, Captain Archer.” Archer closed his eyes, turning his head. “And that’s why they would destroy Enterprise!” “Yes. You, Captain Archer, and your crew could destroy the Varlikon way of life if the Jit learned a race existed that saw them as equals and would help them. You present a potential security breech to high guard command and I seriously doubt that Captain Raliek just coincidently ended up in your sensor range. We detected two more Varlikon ships when we jumped to warp. Somehow they knew we were on board before they allowed contact. Had you told him we were your slaves, the conversation would have passed without thought. They would have joined you for dinner, returned to their ship, and went on. Never once questioning you. There would have been no risk to the Enterprise or her crew.” “I thought they could sense feelings?” Trip asked. “They’d of known we were lying.” “Only Jit have that ability,” Malcolm said. Trip and Archer both looked at him. “Yes. Only Jit. That I did lie about. The Varlikon did it for the slave Jit so that the slaves could sense their master’s moods and emotions, and serve more efficiently.” “So how did you really get the Diedra?” Archer asked. “My father and his followers stole it after I became Captain. He sole it so I could pilot it and help them move escaped Jit out of the solar system.” “Let us out,” Archer said. “You’re safer here. If there is nothing else you want to talk about, then I have to return to help with repairs.” “Vardee let us out. Let us help,” Archer said. Sista shook her head. “I am sorry.” Sista turned to leave. “I forgive you,” Malcolm said. All three looked at him. He was sitting on the bottom bunk, watching her. Archer looked at Sista. She came close to the doorway. “I’m sorry,” Sista told him. “I just wanted...” “I know. I understand and I forgive you. Just...use a lower setting next time, please?” Sista smiled. “There won’t be a next time.” Sista walked away. “So Malcolm,” Trip sat down on the bottom bunk across from Malcolm. “How long you two been dating?” Malcolm’s cheeks flushed. “Yes. How long?” Archer asked, leaning against the top bunk beds across from Malcolm. “Five months, sirs.” “Five months?” Archer and Trip asked. The two men looked at each other. “I never noticed,” Trip said. “That was our intention.” “Congratulations.” Archer looked at the door. “I think.” Malcolm looked up at him. “Sir...I know she hasn’t been very...well...easy to get along with, and it may be hard to believe right now, but she really does respect you.” Archer sighed, looking down at Malcolm. “I know. I respect her too. She’s a good captain. She’s only looking out for the best for her crew and mine.” Archer stood, walking up to the door. “If I didn’t understand, I’d be telling Trip to find us a way to get out of here.” “You want me too, sir?” Trip asked. “No. She’s right. If they get boarded, we have a better chance looking kidnapped. I would have thought of the same thing in her place.” “So we’re just going to sit here?” Trip asked. “It would appear that way, Commander.” Malcolm turned around and lay back on the bunk. Trip sighed. He got up, hopped onto the top bunk and lay down, staring at the ceiling. The men were silent, waiting for the anticipated attack. # The Diedra rocked from another phaser blast. “I’d prefer to be on a bridge where I can see what’s happening,” Trip complained. “So would I, Trip,” Archer said. The ship rocked again and for a second the artificial gravity didn’t compensate for the sharp bank to port. “Ship recovers fast from turns, I’ll give her that,” Archer commented. “Archer!” a voice yelled. Jokra appeared at the door suddenly, pressing a button on the panel outside. The security field flickered off. The three men got to their feet, watching the boy step into the room. “Sir, Captain Vardee is probably going to throw us all in the brig for this, but we need you on the bridge. She was helping put out a fire when we were hit with a torpedo. She’s been injured. We lost our weapons master as well. We need Malcolm down there. And we need Trip in engineering.” Archer stood, looking at his two crewmen. “There are your orders, men.” The four ran in separate directions. Archer came onto the bridge as the Diedra rocked again. Archer grabbed a console to steady himself. He walked over to Zintar who was kneeling beside Sista. “She’s unconscious. She has a concussion, sir.” Zintar looked up when two boys ran in. He motioned them to take Sista away. Zintar turned, motioning to the captain’s chair. Archer walked over to the chair and sat down. Zintar sat down next to him. “Diedra, status,” Archer said. “Shields at seventy percent and holding. Anti-matter bursts depleted. Eight photon missiles left. Proton guns down to sixty percent. Rear aft thruster damaged and unresponsive. Emergency fire suppression nearing--” “That’ll be all,” Archer said. “We’ve destroyed one Varlikon ship, sir, and disabled the weapons and power on a second. We have two left and long range sensors have picked up one more en route,” Zintar reported. “Oh boy.” Archer sat down in the captain’s seat. “Sisyl, continue evasive maneuvers.” Archer looked at the young boy sitting at weapons control. “Take it easy on weapons, Ryce. Brila get me a star chart of this system on this monitor here.” Archer looked down at the monitor at the top of the captain’s chair arm to his right. “Sir?” Brila asked. “Brila, do it,” Zintar ordered. A star chart appeared on the monitor. Archer quickly learned how to navigate it and looked at the system. He nodded. “Do we have a science station?” Archer asked. “Back here, sir,” a voice said behind him. Archer looked around. Navta was sitting at one of the stations in a nook behind him. “Navta, I want you to look at the sun in this system. See if you can give me a prediction when the next five solar flares will occur and how large they might be.” “Working on it, K’pan.” Navta looked at her screen. Archer looked back at the monitor. “How large are these ships attacking us?” Diedra rocked from another hit. “About the size of Enterprise, sir,” Zintar answered. “Brila, do you see the asteroid belt?” “Yes, sir.” “Give helm the coordinates. Sisyl, make for the asteroid belt at full impulse.” “Aye, Captain,” Sisyl answered. “We’re going to go into an asteroid belt?” Brila turned, looking at Archer. “Sir, the ship--” “Can’t stand any more direct hits,” Archer said. Brila opened her mouth to speak. “The coordinates, Ensign Brila. Now!” Zintar ordered. She turned and entered the coordinates for Sisyl. Sisyl changed course toward the asteroid belt. “Find us a large asteroid with a nice big cave, Ensign Brila,” Archer said. “Aye, captain,” Brila said. “One Varlikon ship appears to have taken serious damage by asteroids leaving only one in pursuit. Two more Varlikon ships have just dropped out of warp, sir,” Zintar reported. The Diedra rocked. “Missile or asteroid?” Archer asked. “Asteroid, sir,” Ryce replied. “Get us to an asteroid, Brila.” “Yes, sir,” Brila replied. “I’ve located a large asteroid with a cave.” “Make for it Ryce.” “Aye captain.” “The remaining ships have broken off pursuit outside of the asteroid belt,” Brila said. “They’ve assumed a patrol of the perimeter.” “Set us down in the cave. Keep sensors active but shut down all non-essential power.” “Aye, Captain,” Zintar replied. Archer stood as soon as the Diedra stopped moving. “Can any of you heal?” Archer looked up at the others. No one replied. “Sista said only her kind can heal and she needs that right now. Do any of you heal?” “We all can, sir.” Zintar looked up at him. “Lieutenant Likos is our medical officer.” “He took Sista away?” “Yes. He’ll tend to her.” “Okay,” Archer said. “Diedra, run a systems check and report all damage. We need to get that aft thruster working before we lay in another attack. Make it number one priority.” “Yes, sir.” Zintar turned to the monitor on his left. “Zintar to engineering.” “Engineering,” Archer heard Jokra answer. “Lieutenant, get on the aft thruster. We need it repaired before we do any other repairs.” “I’m going down to engineering to help them. Take the bridge,” Archer said. “I can help them, sir.” Zintar looked up at Archer. “I need you on the bridge. You know how to talk to the computer.” Archer pointed up with a smile. “Yes, sir,” Zintar replied. Archer turned and walked toward engineering with a slow sigh. He hated battles. He understood what Sista had meant when she voiced her dislike of them. # “Commander.” Hoshi looked up at T’Pol. T’Pol was leaning on a console beside a Lieutenant; looking over the weapons information he had on screen. “Yes Ensign?” T’Pol asked without looking up. “We’re being hailed by two Vulcan ships.” T’Pol looked up. She walked around to stand in front of the captain’s chair. “On screen.” A Vulcan appeared on the screen and spoke in Vulcan. T’Pol shook her head. “Captain Archer is not on board, sir. He is with the Jit aboard their vessel.” “Was this battle instigated by your Captain?” “The Varlikon instigated it, sir.” “We were told your Captain was to offer the Jit aboard his vessel asylum.” “He never had the opportunity, sir. He tried to stop the Jit’s departure but either went with them or was forced to go with them.” “The Jit kidnapped your Captain?” “We are not certain. We believe, however, that the Jit may have left in order to protect the Enterprise and her crew.” “Admirable,” the man said. “You are following the warp signatures of the Varlikon?” “Yes, Captain.” “Do you wish our assistance?” “Yes, Captain,” T’Pol asked, knowing Travis and Hoshi were both expecting her to say no. “The Varlikon ships are heavily armed. They have photon missiles, disruptor bursts, and shields far more advanced than even Vulcan’s.” “We will assist.” T’Pol nodded once. “Enterprise out.” # Archer was mentally repeating every vulgar word he’d ever learned even as he restrained from beating the casing with the wrench in his hand to make it come loose. The Jeffery’s tube he was in was adequate for accommodating his large size and unlike other’s he’d been, it didn’t leave him with a claustrophobic feeling. However it would have been more accommodating if the casing were on the side or floor of the tube. Not six inches overhead so his arms were beginning to feel like they were going to fall off and causing his growing irritation with a stupid piece of metal determined to patiently keep Diedra grounded indefinitely. Archer sighed, laying his hands on his chest. “Commander Jokra said this would help,” someone said. Archer looked down the tube to find Eartik, the youngest of Sista’s crew, holding out a different wrench. Archer took the wrench and turned back to the casing. He frowned to himself when the bolts easily came loose with it. Archer scolded himself mentally for having apparently grabbed the wrong wrench. “I thought you were assisting Ensign Likos,” Archer said. “When we fight, I help everyone,” Eartik said. “Oh.” Archer lowered the casing to the floor of the two and moved up on one arm, looking at the circuitry. He pushed the combadge on his shirt that Jokra gave him before sending him into the tube under the aft thruster. “Archer to Jokra.” “Go ahead, sir.” “I have the casing off. Now what am I looking for?” “Do you see any damage, sir?” Archer leaned closer to the opening, peering into the darkness inside. He shook his head a little. “Light?” Eartik said. Archer looked down. Eartik was laying in the tube beside him, holding up a flashlight. “Anything else you want to give me before I need it?” Archer asked. “No.” Eartik held up a shoulder bag. “I was sent with lots of tools for you. You need it; I’ll give it to you. That way there won’t be a whole bunch of tools all over the place.” Archer smiled. “Fair enough.” Archer switched on the light and shone it up into the hole. “Jokra, I can see a board that’s completely fried. It’s still smoking.” “Okay. Come on out. I’ll have to send someone else in to repair it. Are you going to check the other side, sir?” “Yes.” Archer turned off the flashlight and handed it back to Eartik. Eartik put it and the two wrenches in the bag and then turned and led the way out of the tube. The two stepped out into a hall and Archer started walking down the hall, glancing down at Eartik following along beside him. “First fight?” Archer asked. “No. I was in one before the Diedra was stolen.” “Ohhh. Did you leave Varlikon with everyone else?” “No!” Eartik looked up at Archer. “I’m only six!” Eartik held up six fingers. “Mom and dad left Varlikon seven years ago. I was born on the Diedra.” Archer nodded. “And your mother and father are... “Likos and Drista. Likos is the medical officer and Drista works in engineering. But I like working with dad.” Archer smiled. “I liked working with my dad too when I was your age too.” “Really?” Archer nodded. He stopped at a Jeffery tube cover and pulled it off. The two crawled in and started up it to the place Jokra had told Archer to go to. |
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