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"Wallflowers" by A. Rhea King
Rating: PG CHAPTER 2 Doctor Phlox smiled, listening to the young boy he was examining chatter non-stop to him. Sitting on tables and stools around them the other ten stowaways patiently waiting for him to finish. Hoshi was talking to the teenage boy and trying to learn his language. Doctor Phlox said something to the boy in the boy’s language, making Archer turn and look at him. “You understand him?” Archer asked. “Some. It’s not that much different from--” “Can you tell Ensign Sato what you know?” Archer asked. Phlox smiled. “Certainly.” He turned and walked over to Hoshi. T’Pol entered the Sickbay and approached Archer. “Captain.” Archer turned, “Yes, T’Pol?” “Your request is complete. Chef is preparing a meal for the children. He said it would be completed in twenty minutes.” “Thanks.” Archer looked around the Sickbay. “They appear to be malnutrition and the older ones are dehydrated.” “The older ones reduced liquid intake for the younger ones. A standard survival skill among many species,” T’Pol commented. Archer looked over his shoulder at T’Pol with a cool look of disdain. “Thank you for the insight, T’Pol.” “If you no longer require my assistance, I’ll--” “Join us in the mess hall,” Archer finished for her, looking back at the children. He noticed the blonde girl was smiling at him. Archer returned it with an uneasy smile. “I don’t see how my presence could be of any benefit.” “All the more reason to have you there,” Archer said. “This is going to take time, sir,” Hoshi said, walking up to Archer. “Their language is like none I’ve ever heard, but it apparently has a grammatical structure much like Spanish based languages.” “Come down to the mess hall with us so you can keep working on it Hoshi.” “Yes, sir.” Archer watched Doctor Phlox walk up. “Are they ready to leave?” “Yes. I’ll need to see the two eldest and the youngest girl back in later tonight. They have colds I want to keep an eye on.” “I’ll make sure they all come back,” Archer said. Phlox smiled. Archer raised his voice, “We’re going down to the mess hall.” Archer walked toward the door. He stopped short, when the blonde girl ran up and latched onto his hand. She smiled up at him, saying something. Archer offered her another uneasy smile before walking again. # Archer sipped his coffee, watching the children wolf down their plates of food. The young woman had eaten the meat on her plate and drank a glass of milk, but left everything else on her plate untouched. The teenage boy hadn’t eaten much because he’d spent most of his meal tending to the blonde seven-year-old like a father. The young woman said something in a low, angry tone. The boy looked at her and replied. Quickly their discussion escalated into a heated argument. “Do you have any idea what they’re saying?” Archer looked at Hoshi. She was watching a PADD in her hand and shook her head, frowning. “No, sir. I can’t figure it out.” Hoshi looked at Archer. “I’m sorry.” “P’th’s!” the girl cried. Archer looked at the child. Porthos came bounding into the mess hall followed by Trip. “I told you to take him back,” Archer said. “I know. I know. But I thought he’d like one last visit today before getting cooped up again.” Trip took a seat between Hoshi and T’Pol. Porthos ran up to the child and the child swept him off the floor into her arms, hugging him. She began babbling happily, oblivious to the woman and teenager’s argument. “Uhm...” Archer started, debating how he should interrupt their fight. The boy slammed his hand hard on the table, rattling glasses and plates and silencing the woman. He pointed at her, narrowing his eyes as he spoke, then he thrust his hand toward Archer and then Hoshi and lastly at the child. The child had stopped babbling, watching the boy the two with wide eyes. The woman shook her head. The boy pointed again at Hoshi and the woman shook her head. He said something, emphasizing by thrusting an open palm at Hoshi. “I...don’t know if this is good or bad,” Hoshi said. Archer didn’t reply. “Do the Vulcans have any records of any human looking aliens in this area?” Archer asked, looking down the table at T’Pol. “No,” T’Pol replied. The boy looked at Hoshi, holding out his hand to her and saying something. “What?” Hoshi asked. The woman grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand down. He yanked his hand away, hissing like a snake and bearing his teeth at her. He looked at Hoshi, pointing first to the PADD then holding open his hand. “I think he would like the PADD, Hoshi,” Archer said. Hoshi handed the PADD over to the boy. He turned it one way and then the other, then his face lit up and he turned it right side up. He studied the PADD for several minutes. The boy said something to the woman but she did not reply. “What’s on there?” Archer asked. “It has the translator program. There’s a few words Doctor Phlox and I have been able to translate,” Hoshi said. The child had lost interest in the teenager and began humming a song to Porthos. Archer looked at her, smiling. Porthos was content to sit in her arms and let her stroke him. The boy looked up, handing Hoshi the PADD back. He looked down, lifting his right hand to put his fingers to his lips. For a few minutes he moved his lips with his fingers resting lightly on them. He looked at Hoshi. “What...is?” he asked in English, pointing to the PADD. “It’s a data PADD. It has a database of the English language.” The boy’s brow furrowed. “Language?” “The sounds you use to speak are called language. What we’re using now is too.” The boy nodded. “Yes. I understand.” “Did you learn language by touching this?” Hoshi pointed to the PADD. The boy frowned. “Learn?” “By touching this PADD, did the words come to you here?” Hoshi pointed to her head. “Nishta. Learn from hear and read.” “Good thing she’s a teacher,” Trip commented. “Shh,” Archer said. “Teacher?” the boy asked. “I help people learn.” The boy smiled, nodding. “I understand teacher. Jistak. Teacher.” “Jistak is teacher in your language?” “Mm. Yes.” “What’s your name?” Archer asked. “Hm?” The boy asked, looking at him. “Name,” Hoshi said. She waited for the boy to look at her. She put her hand on her chest. “My name is Hoshi.” She pointed to the boy. “What is your name?” The boy’s brow furrowed. “Show him Captain,” Hoshi ordered. Archer frowned slightly but when the boy looked expectantly at him he lost the frown. “Captain Archer,” He said, putting his hand to his chest. “My name is Captain Archer.” The boy looked confused. He looked down, frowning. The woman said something and he snapped a word back at her in their language. She was quiet again. He smiled suddenly. “Zintar.” He put his hand to his chest. He patted his chest a couple times. “Name Zintar.” “Zintar,” Hoshi repeated. “Zintar.” He patted his chest again. He pointed to Hoshi. “H...H...H’hee?” “No. No. Ho. Say ho.” He frowned and it was deep this time. “Ho.” “Sh.” “Sh.” “Ee.” “Ee.” “Ho-sh-ee.” “Ho...sh...ee.” “Hoshi.” He smiled. “Hoshi.” He looked at Archer. “K’pan Archer.” Archer chuckled. “Close enough.” “Enough?” Zintar asked. “Yes. K’pan Archer.” Zintar smiled. He looked down the table at Trip. “Trip.” Trip looked up, surprised to hear the boy say his name. “Yeah,” Trip replied. “Yeah, that’s what people call me.” Zintar frowned. “Not name?” “I mean yeah. My name’s Trip.” Zintar smiled, nodding once. He looked at Archer. “Nishta harm.” Archer shook his head. “We’re not going to harm you.” Zintar shook his head. “Nishta. Nishta harm.” Zintar pointed to Archer. “You’re not going to harm me?” “Harm all.” Zintar motioned to the four. “Nishta harm.” “You didn’t mean any harm?” Hoshi asked Zintar. “Yes. Yes. Mean harm none.” “Why are you on my ship?” Archer asked, deciding the fun was over and it was time to get to the bottom of why they had stowed away on Enterprise. “Ship?” Zintar’s brow creased. “This,” Archer motioned around them. “This thing that you are on is called a ship. Why are you on it?” “Xerrix saw Trip.” Zintar pointed at Trip, “On the...the...ship that stayed.” Zintar patted the air above the table. “The space station?” Archer asked. Zintar thought a moment then nodded. “The station in space.” Zintar pointed out the windows of the mess hall at the endless black dotted with stars. “That doesn’t tell me why you, all of you, are on my ship.” “Mm.” Zintar thought a moment. He nodded a little. “Nishta. Xerrix see Trip on station. We not see us for many cinta. He came tell and nishta believe. We follow him and saw many of us. We decided to get on ship and see if us like all...but us not like all.” “We’re not like you?” Archer asked. Zintar shook his head. “Nishta.” “Nishta means no?” Hoshi asked. “Yes. Nishta.” “Where are your parents?” Archer asked. “Hm?” “Your par...” Archer sighed, frustrated with this conversation. He looked to Hoshi for help. “The people you came from. You may have lived in a house or someplace together with them,” Hoshi explained. Zintar nodded. “Yes. Jikla and fritha.” “Was that their names?” “Nishta. Jikla and fritha...live in same home.” “You lived with them?” “We live with many.” “Were these people the ones that provided for you and took care of you?” “Yes. Jikla and fritha.” “Mother and father,” Hoshi said. Zintar again looked confused. Hoshi smiled. “Mother is the female that took care of you. Father is the male that took care of you.” Zintar smiled. “Fritha is mother, jikla is father.” “Where are your mother and father?” Archer asked. Zintar’s face darkened. He looked down at the table. “Monsters...they come to home. Fritha and jikla nishta more.” “Monsters came to your home?” Zintar nodded. “Your mother and father are no more? Do you mean they died? The monsters killed them?” Zintar looked at Archer. “Killed? Died?” “Killed,” Archer shifted in his chair. “Killed is when someone hurts someone bad enough they don’t live anymore. They don’t breath. That’s when they die. On Earth, where we come from, we bury those who die in the ground. Did you do something with your mother and father when they died?” “Nishta. Monsters there. We not help them to the spirit.” “Then how do you know they died?” Archer asked. “Saw. Running to ship where Sista waited.” The boy pointed at the young woman when he said the name. “Monsters everywhere. Killing. Dying. Everywhere. We run to ship waiting. Sista there. First jikla die. Watch him fall and when try to wake...he nishta wake. Fritha make run. Leave jikla says fritha. We run more. Then monsters appear out of air and kill fritha. Fritha fall and not wake. Zintar grab Navta and turn. Monsters there. Then...then all move.” Zintar shook his hands in front of him. “Home fall and all scream. Zintar fear for self and Navta. Fear not make ship. Stop move and Zintar run because monsters fallen. Get to ship just as Sista ready to shut door. Sista...she...” Zintar made a motion to signify flying. “She flew the ship,” Hoshi said. “Flew. Yes. Flew ship up in sky. We get into darkness and run faster. Sista said home was...” Zintar thought a moment. He suddenly dipped his hand in his glass and grabbed a piece of ice. He threw it onto the table where it shattered. “Home.” Zintar pointed to the shattered ice. “Home this.” “Your home blew up?” Archer asked. Zintar nodded. “Blew up.” “Blew up,” the girl beside him repeated. “Is this Navta?” Hoshi asked, pointing to the blond seven-year-old. “NAVTA!” the girl cried, pointing to herself. She pointed to the boy. “Zintar.” She pointed to Trip and pointed down the row to Archer, perfectly repeating everyone’s name in English. Hoshi glanced at Archer. “Navta...fast learn,” Zintar said. “Fast than all.” “She learns faster than all of you?” Zintar nodded. Hoshi smiled at Navta. “Do you learn fast Navta?” “I learn fastest,” Navta said. “This is a dog!” Navta pointed to Porthos. “His name is Porthos.” “Yes. Yes he is,” Hoshi said, looking at Archer. “Navta, how do you know that’s his name?” Archer asked. “You call him that. You say, “Porthos, stop chewing on my shoe,’ and ‘Porthos, come here boy,’ and,” Navta smiled at Archer, “I laugh when you tell him, ‘Porthos, you know you can’t have cheese,’ and then give him some anyway.” “You have been on my ship for a while,” Archer said with a look of disapproval, “and in my quarters.” Navta grinned. Archer looked at Zintar. “Why did all of you decide to show yourselves today? I’m sure by now you’ve figured out we aren’t like you.” “Navta show all.” “Why?” Archer asked. “Not know. Ask Navta.” Zintar looked down at his sister and asked her something in their language. She shrugged, answering. Zintar motioned to Archer. Navta smile, telling him, “You’re nice. I know you’ll help us. And Porthos looks like Shilott.” “Shilott?” “Dog.” “Shilott is a dog,” Archer said. “Nishta. Shilott Navta’s dog at home.” “You had a dog at your home, Navta?” Hoshi asked. Navta nodded. “Shilott. He not move like Porthos though. He sit on bed and I talk to him.” “Was Shilott a toy, Navta?” Hoshi asked. Navta looked at her with a confused look. “Shilott didn’t move you said. Not like Porthos. Was he a toy that you played with that was soft, maybe soft like Porthos?” “What toy?” Hoshi smiled. “Uhm...a toy isn’t alive. You have to make it move.” Navta nodded. “Shilott toy. Not move on own like Porthos. But look like him.” “So why haven’t you tried to find your people?” Archer asked Zintar. “Surely other’s escaped.” Zintar shook his head. “Sista said nishta. Many cinta pass we nishta see like us. Nishta.” “Never?” Archer asked. Zintar shook his head. “Nishta.” “How long ago was this?” Zintar’s brow furrowed. “How many cinta did your home blow up?” Hoshi asked. “Many cinta. Navta not many cinta when left. Still...” Zintar showed himself cradling his arms as if he were holding a baby. “Navta nishta...uhm...” Zintar used two fingers to show walking. “Navta was just a baby, Captain,” Hoshi said. “I gathered that. That’s been a long time then. At least six years. And you haven’t ever seen any others like you?” Zintar shook his head. “Nishta.” “And is this Sista?” Archer asked, noticing the young woman looked up when he mentioned her name. “Sista tell all where go, when eat, when work. Sista do what K’pan do.” “She’s your leader?” Archer asked. “Leader. Yes.” Archer looked at Trip. “Did you make sleeping arrangements for them, Trip?” “Yeah. Everyone’s got a bunk. Had to bunk some with other crew, but they didn’t mind.” “Good. Show them to their quarters. And get Navta, Sista and Zintar back to Doctor Phlox. He wanted to see them again tonight.” “Aye, Captain.” Archer looked at Zintar. “I need to return to the bridge. Trip and Hoshi will take you to where you’ll be staying tonight. We’ll talk more tomorrow.” “Yes. Griftlina.” Archer looked confused. “I’m sorry?” “Griftlina.” Archer looked at Hoshi. She shrugged. Archer smiled at the boy and then stood. He walked up to Navta, looking down at Porthos. The dog had a hold of one of her fingers and was tugging gently on it. Navta giggled, looking up at Archer with a smile. “I have to take Porthos,” Archer said. She handed Porthos up to him. Archer gathered Porthos in his arms and started toward the door. “Griftlina!” Navta called. Archer stopped at the door and turned. Navta was kneeling in her chair, waving to him. “Griftlina Porthos,” Navta said. “Griftlina K’pan.” “Good...night.” Archer turned and left the mess hall. |
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