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"THE BRIAR PATCH" By Dinah Rating: PG-13 Author's Note: This should have been the second part of the previous chapter; that's why it is still from Tamura's point of view. Hopefully it will be begin to answer a few of your questions about T'Pol. Thank you for all your reviews; they make all the hard work worthwhile. I would like to thank Blacknblue and Rigil Kent for their invaluable suggestions; they both know a lot about a whole lot of things. And a BIG thanks to BnB for being a marvelous beta and saving me from taking some very wrong turns. CHAPTER 8: OSAMU TAMURA "I really don't have time for sightseeing," Captain Jonathan Archer said tightly, as he glanced through a window and caught sight of the small Vulcan shuttle parked on the landing platform behind the United Earth Embassy. "Why aren't we meeting V'Lar and Soval here at our embassy as planned?" "Soval is meditating at the Sanctuary on Mount Seleya before he returns to Earth," Ambassador Etienne Belliveau explained, as he effortlessly shepherded Archer, Admiral Tamura and Admiral Gardner out the door and onto the landing platform. "When V'Lar contacted me early this morning, she suggested that we might like to meet there. The Sanctuary is, after all, one of Vulcan's cultural treasures. I saw no reason to deny her request." "Cultural treasures are fine, but I wish we could have paid a visit some other time," Gardner said. "I have a lot on my schedule today." He pointed toward the Vulcan male standing patiently next to the open hatch of the shuttle. "Do you know the pilot, Osamu?" "That is Lieutenant Komas, a member in good standing of the Ministry of Security. In the past, he's been known to run 'special' errands for Ambassador Soval. I rather expected that we'd be seeing him, once I heard about the change in plans." "If we want to maintain our alliance with the Vulcans," Belliveau stated in the calm, soothing voice he used with reporters, constituents, and very young children, "we may have to put forth a little extra effort. Ambassadors Soval and V'Lar are friends of Earth. We need their support in the High Council." "I'm not sure even they have enough influence to sway the Council against the likes of Kiran, Sulin, and Herac," Archer countered. Tamura took note of the tense set of Archer's shoulders, the tightness in his voice, and the constant clenching and unclenching of his right hand. Something was clearly bothering the captain. Tamura knew, of course, about Archer's unpleasant meeting yesterday with Commander Tucker. Perhaps that was it; perhaps it was something else altogether. Whatever the problem, Archer had better calm down. Given the current political situation, it was necessary to maintain the Vulcan alliance. A few wrong words said in anger and everything could blow up in their faces. Tamura thought that it would probably be best to leave him here, but that wasn't his call to make. When the four men approached the shuttle, Komas motioned them inside and promptly closed the hatch. Tamura barely had time to take a seat before they were airborne. Climbing quickly, the shuttle banked to port and headed for Mount Seleya. Several minutes into the flight, Admiral Gardner cast a worried glance at Archer, who was seated on the bench next to him, and asked, "Are you all right, Jon?" "Yeah, I'm fine." When Gardner looked askance at him, Archer's shoulders slumped and he leaned forward slightly, grabbing the edge of the bench with both hands. "Okay, I didn't sleep very well last night. I'm just a little tired." "I'm not surprised. After observing Tucker's interrogation yesterday, I had a little trouble getting to sleep myself." Gardner cast a wary glance at Komas and lowered his voice to just above a whisper. "You did the best you could, Jon. If Tucker refuses to cooperate with us, he has no one to blame but himself." "You don't understand. I said some things yesterday...things that I regret. I told Trip he could count on me, and then I turned my back on him and walked away. I tried to convince myself later that I'd only done it for his own good - somebody had to make him realize what he stands to lose - but..." "But basically you just got pissed off and lost your temper." "Yeah. I should have known better. That wasn't my first interrogation." "Maybe not, but it always complicates matters when you're dealing with a friend." "You can say that again." Gardner reached over and put his hand on Archer's shoulder. "These things happen, Jon. At one time or other, we all say things in the heat of the moment that we wish we could take back." "Trip isn't guilty." Archer shook his head. "I know he's not a traitor. The proof's out there somewhere. No matter how long it takes, I'm going to keep looking until I find it." Tamura studied Archer carefully. He knew a great deal about the captain of Enterprise, but the two men hadn't met until today. Quite frankly, he wasn't impressed. He was having trouble reconciling the image of the iron-willed Hero of the Xindi War with the seemingly distraught man seated across from him. Given the number of times Archer was called upon to be the point person for Starfleet in negotiations with others species, it wouldn't do for him to appear to be in any way emotionally unstable. The admiral made a mental note to review Archer's file in more depth when he returned to Warsaw. This was one situation which might bear watching. "Believe me, Jon," Gardner said reassuringly, "Starfleet doesn't want to lose Tucker. He's the best engineer we've got, bar none. You have my word that we'll do everything humanly possible to get to the truth." Nodding, Archer took a deep breath and sat up straight. He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a padd. "I meant to give this to you before we left." He handed the padd to Gardner. "It's the final plans for the convoy system. I've scheduled a meeting with the Coridans, Tellarites and Rigelians tomorrow afternoon. I think the Denobulans are also interested in sending a representative. If everything goes as planned we should be able to get the first convoys underway by the end of the month." "What about the Vulcans?" Belliveau asked. "I notified every member of the High Council, but so far, nothing. I'm not going to hold my breath." After taking a moment to look over the plan, Gardner asked, "What about the Boomers? Have you heard from the Earth Cargo Service? "I've arranged for a comm link with Earth, but I think it's a waste of time. The ECS sees these attacks as strictly a Tellarite problem. So do the big cargo companies. Everybody's got a complaint. They don't want to change their routes. They're afraid their arrival or departure times might be altered. Some Boomers are vehemently opposed to using alien starships as escort vessels. Basically, they're just convinced that they can take care of themselves." "Their lack of interest doesn't surprise me. The Boomers see themselves as rugged individualists. It's my guess they'll try to go it alone until the first ship is attacked, then they'll start screaming bloody murder." "If and when that time comes, we won't have any problem integrating them into the convoy system." "Good." Gardner scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Didn't you tell me that you met Martin Granville yesterday?" Belliveau stuck out his hand and Gardner passed the padd across the aisle to him. "Yes," Archer replied. "Why don't you try appealing to him personally? If you can get the United Earth Cargo Corporation interested in your convoy system, the ECS may fall into line." "That just might work." The upbeat words didn't match the scowl which slowly crept over Archer's face. "When we get back, I'll see if Granville will have dinner with me tonight. I'll lay everything out for him then." "Let me know how things go. It would be just our luck to end up at war with the Romulans because the Boomers are too stubborn to accept the Coalition's protection. Nothing stirs up public sentiment like a few lost ships." As soon as he was finished, Belliveau gave Tamura the padd. The admiral read Archer's report through twice, committing it to memory. Now this Archer - the man who conceived of and developed this convoy system - was the man he'd expected to meet today. This was the man who'd won over the Xindi, turning enemies into allies. This was the man who was instrumental in holding the struggling Coalition together. Tamura frowned. This was also the man who needed some serious counseling in stress management before he came completely unglued. Suddenly the part of Tamura's brain that was monitoring their flight alerted him that something was amiss. Leaning forward he looked out the viewports, first the front then both sides. "Is something wrong, Osamu?" Gardner asked quietly. "I don't believe we're headed for Mount Seleya." Three heads turned in unison to face the front of the shuttle. "Are you sure?" Archer asked tightly. "Yes." "So where are we?" Gardner murmured. Before Tamura could answer, Komas said, "Admiral Tamura is correct." He swiveled in the pilot's seat, turning to face the four Humans. "Our destination has changed." "Why?" Gardner made no effort to hide his displeasure. "I am not at liberty to say." "That a load of..." Gardner pressed his lips together in a thin, rigid line. Given the length of the subsequent pause, he was probably counting to ten. "The least you can do," he finally said in a carefully controlled voice, "is tell us where we're going." "For security purposes, the location must remain a secret." "But we'll know our destination as soon as we land." Belliveau was obviously confused. "I don't see why..." "Either tell us where we're going," Archer snapped, "or turn around and take us back to the embassy." "Ambassador Soval believes this meeting is important. I was instructed to bring the four of you." "This isn't the way we do business," Gardner said. "Soval knows that. I'm sure he didn't intend for you to keep us in the dark." "We will land in seventeen minutes. I am sure Ambassador Soval will explain everything to your satisfaction upon your arrival." Archer started to unzip his sleeve pocket but, Komas stopped him. "Your communicator will not work here, Captain." When Archer started to protest, Tamura said, "Don't waste your breath. There's nothing you can say that will change his mind." Given the determined look on Komas' face, Tamura knew it was pointless to argue with the lieutenant. He'd been assigned a task and he intended to complete it. Having read Komas' dossier, Tamura was willing to bet that, unlike Soval and V'Lar, this young Vulcan was simply incapable of ever adopting a less rigid way of thinking. "My advice, gentlemen..." Tamura handed the padd back to Gardner. "Just sit back and enjoy the ride." Gardner stuffed the padd into a pocket and growled, "All I can say is that Soval's explanation had better be good." Having said his piece, he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. When no further protests were forthcoming, Komas turned back to the helm console and an uneasy silence descended over the shuttle. Fifteen minutes later the shuttle began its descent, and Tamura finally got a better look at the landscape. The desolate desert expanse with its widely scattered hills reminded him of Earth's Monument Valley. As they sped along, a large, reddish-brown butte off to the left caught his attention. He knew he'd seen it before, but he couldn't quite place it. Leaning forward, he looked out the viewports, surveying the surrounding countryside. "Do you know where we are?" Gardner asked quietly. Tamura shook his head. Just then the shuttle banked to the left, making a quick course correction. When the craft righted itself, the butte was directly in front of them. From this angle... He took another quick look around, orienting himself. From this angle it almost looked like... Then he caught sight of a small cluster of buildings on top of the butte and the last tumbler clicked into place. "Interesting," he murmured under his breath as they prepared to land. Komas set the shuttle down outside a high stone wall which surrounded the structures: a large single-story house and three smaller outbuildings. There was a wide metal gate at the front of the compound, which was, at present, being guarded by two heavily armed Vulcans dressed in the beige desert uniforms of the Ministry of Security. Knowing the Ministry, if you saw two guards there were probably more carefully concealed. How many? Who were they protecting and why? Why bring four influential Humans to this isolated spot? The Vulcans had no reason to go to these extreme lengths if this was nothing more than a briefing for Soval. And why did they need the head of Starfleet Intelligence? "Osamu?" This time there was a little more urgency in Gardner's voice. When Belliveau shifted restlessly in the seat next to him, Tamura knew he had to say something. They'd find out soon enough anyway. "I believe this compound is owned by Administrator V'Las." "V'Las? Are you sure?" "Yes." Komas stared icily at the admiral and then walked over and opened the hatch. The four Humans stepped out of the shuttle and took a look around. The top of the butte was decidedly uninviting, little more than five acres of barren, uneven rock. And it was surprisingly hot, far hotter than it had been in the city. When Tamura took a deep breath, trying to draw in enough oxygen, he felt as if a band was tightening around his chest. It would be best if they got out of the sun as soon as possible. Gardner and Archer both looked uncomfortable, but the fair-skinned Belliveau, a man now completely out of his element, actually seemed a bit dazed by the heat. He started to unbutton his light grey suit coat but then appeared to think better of it. Evidently ambassadors had an image which must be maintained even under the worst conditions. Without a word of explanation, Komas motioned toward one of the guards and then started forward as the gate slowly swung open. Gardner murmured, "Stay alert," to the others and warily followed the lieutenant. Thoughts of shade and a cool drink were very appealing, but Tamura couldn't help but wonder if they weren't walking straight into a hostage situation. Once inside the walls, a wide path pointed the way to the main house thirty meters away. The house, solidly constructed of the same dark stone as the butte, had a flat tile roof with a gently curved overhang, which shaded windows and doors in the brutal heat. Tamura knew that each roof tile served as a small solar cell; together they would provide more than enough energy for the buildings in the compound - quite a bit more, in fact. That was curious. He made a mental note to try to get a look at whatever was inside the outbuildings, if the opportunity presented itself. As they approached the house, the men passed by the remains of a carefully laid out garden. Withered stalks and leaves long dead from lack of water filled elongated ceramic planters. The planters - a few broken, most still intact - were set in channels, which wound around the front of the property. In sections where there were no planters, the channels were covered with slabs of stone. This obviously allowed the plants to be watered with a minimum of evaporation. The arrangement was both logical and ingenious. Unfortunately it was equally obvious that the water was no longer flowing. It had either been turned off or simply run out. Quickly surveying the scene, Tamura noticed that detritus filled corners and crannies around the foundation, some of the roof tiles were cracked or broken, and a decorative ceramic pot, which once must have stood as tall as a man, now lay in pieces by the side of the house. Vulcans were too fastidious to tolerate these conditions. This place had obviously been abandoned. Perhaps the source of their water had dried up. That would make sense. But that still didn't answer the questions foremost in Tamura's mind. Where was V'Las? And why had he dropped out of sight? Two more Vulcan security officers flanked the heavily carved double doors at the front of the house. Komas gave them a curt nod before opening the door on the right for the Humans. After hesitating for only a split second, they entered, sighing quietly in unison as they were surrounded by cooler air once again. Judging by the unprepossessing exterior of the house as seen on the surveillance pictures, Tamura had always assumed that this was V'Las' home away from home. Apparently he had been correct. The large room before them had a casual, comfortable feel to it - far different from the rigid formality of the Administrator's home in ShiKahr, which he had once visited. A large, low circular table anchored the center of the room. Four long, curved benches, each with a thick padded seat decorated with abstract motifs done in muted shades blue, green and brick red, surrounded the table. A few additional tables and chairs were scattered around the room, but they paled in comparison to the seven massive cabinets which were positioned at regular intervals around the four walls. Each cabinet contained a wide variety of items, all of which appeared to be Vulcan antiquities: ceramic pots in all shapes and sizes, weapons made of metal and stone, ornate jewelry, beautifully shaped pitchers and urns, plaques bearing archaic symbols, utilitarian household items, and even fragile bits of cloth. Ambassador V'Lar and Commander T'Pol, both dressed in the traditional robes of their people, were waiting inside to greet them. Tamura noticed that Archer made no effort to hide his surprise at seeing T'Pol again. He started towards her, but Gardner immediately grabbed his arm. "We'd like an explanation, Ambassador," Gardner snapped. "Are we guests or are we your prisoners?" V'Lar raised her hand in the ta'al. "Peace and long life, gentlemen. I apologize if you felt threatened by our security measures. You are, of course, our guests." "So why all the secrecy?" "Everything will be explained in due time." She pointed towards the benches in the center of the room. "Please take a seat. After your journey, you will undoubtedly want some refreshments. As you can see, there is water, juice and tea as well as some fresh fruit on the table." Without waiting for the others, Belliveau, now in full ambassadorial mode, smoothly returned the ta'al then escorted V'Lar to one of the benches and seated her. Gardner, at first, seemed a bit annoyed by the stately Belliveau's easy acceptance of their situation, but he quickly put aside any misgivings and followed the ambassadors into the room, signaling for Archer and Tamura to do the same. T'Pol moved quietly from man to man, making sure they all had something to drink. Archer looked like he wanted to speak with her, but she moved on to the next man before he had the chance. When everyone was comfortable, V'Lar said, "I regret any inconvenience you may have suffered. These steps were only taken to ensure your safety as well as ours." Tamura watched as Komas took up a position at the entrance to the room. "Excuse me, Ambassador," he said quietly, "but this level of security is not needed for a simple briefing. Is there a problem? Has something happened to Ambassador Soval?" "I appreciate your concern, Admiral, but Soval is well. He will be joining us momentarily. When he arrives we will try to explain things to your satisfaction." Gardner leaned forward and placed his empty glass on the table. "Will Administrator V'Las be joining us, as well? This is his house, isn't it?" V'Lar looked pointedly at Tamura before returning her attention to Gardner. "As you are no doubt aware, V'Las is no longer a member of our government. He would have no reason to be present today." "That doesn't explain why we're in his house." "If you would just be patient we will try..." Before V'Lar could finish her thought, the front doors opened and three men entered. V'Lar and T'Pol immediately got to their feet. "Thank you for coming, Ambassador Belliveau...Admiral Gardner...Admiral Tamura...Captain Archer." With a nod of the head, Soval acknowledged each man in turn. "Gentlemen, I believe you know Minister Vaaris. And this is Torok, High Priest of Vulcan." Tamura rose and respectfully bowed in greeting. Torok returned the gesture and then proceeded to greet the other Humans as he moved slowly toward the bench farthest from the doorway. Tamura wasn't sure if Archer, Gardner and Belliveau fully appreciated the honor that had just been bestowed on them, but he certainly did. To his knowledge, once Torok became High Priest, he had never left Mount Seleya. He didn't involve himself in the day-to-day running of the Vulcan government, and he certainly didn't sit down for a casual chat with Humans, no matter how highly placed they were. Something serious must have happened; it would take a crisis of major proportions for him to become personally involved. When he was seated, Torok said, "You must have many questions. We regret that we were forced to resort to subterfuge, but you will soon understand why it was necessary." "We don't mind common-sense security measures," Gardner said. "We do, however, object to constantly being kept in the dark." He jerked one thumb in Komas' direction. "Once we were in the shuttle, your lieutenant could have told us where we were going and why." "You are correct, Admiral. Lieutenant Komas should have been more forthcoming. But in his defense, even he does not know the true purpose of this meeting." "If this is an attempt to get Commander T'Pol off the hook, you might as well know right now that you're wasting your time." The admiral looked sternly at T'Pol, but she returned his gaze, seemingly unfazed. "She was answerable to us - and only to us - from the moment she joined Starfleet. As far as we're concerned, you're harboring a fugitive. We expect the commander to turn herself in and answer the charges against her." "We hope that will not be necessary." A grim smile crept over Gardner's face. "I'm sure you do. But as things now stand it would take a miracle to get her out of this mess." "Perhaps a miracle is not as far-fetched as you might think, Admiral." Torok took a moment to rearrange the folds of his robes, seemingly oblivious to the skeptical looks passing from one Human to another. When the garment was arranged to his liking, he continued: "T'Pol has managed, with considerable effort, to convince the four of us that, in order to save Vulcan, we must take the unprecedented step of breaking with the High Council. She has forced us to acknowledge that we can no longer afford to hide the truth from our allies and expect them to support Vulcan in times of trouble. Vaaris has investigated each of you thoroughly. He believes that you can be trusted." There was a moment of stunned silence then Gardner said, "I'm not quite sure I understand. You're telling us that you're willing to break with the High Council...because of T'Pol?" "Because of the logical arguments she presented...yes. But you are mistaken if you think that T'Pol was acting out of self-interest. She has convinced us that it is Commander Tucker who must be saved." "Tucker?" Like sensors locking on a target, all eyes turned to T'Pol. She sat perfectly still: back straight, hands folded sedately in her lap, chin held high. Her face was expressionless, but Tamura - who was sitting closest to her - thought he detected a glimmer of something in her eyes. Perhaps it was pride...and rightly so. She had evidently just convinced four of the most important people on Vulcan to support a Human rather than their own governing body. He had obviously underestimated her abilities; he would not make that mistake again. "With all due respect," Gardner said, "it seems evident that Commander Tucker is only important to you because he's provided a steady stream of intelligence information to the High Council. Our investigators have amassed a great deal of evidence linking him to your government." "We do not need to obtain information in that way," Vaaris replied. "I beg to differ. As you well know, when Vulcan failed to support Earth in the Xindi War, Starfleet began to systematically remove Vulcans from all our important projects. The United Earth government did much the same. Your people's influence on Earth is now a fraction of what it once was. The only way you can get up-to-date information on our ship deployments or classified projects is through illicit means." "You are assuming that our interests have remained unchanged. Let me assure you, Admiral, that that is not the case. The Xindi conflict demonstrated that Humans are capable of handling their own affairs. Meanwhile, we have problems here at home which require our full attention." Torok planted his sturdy cane firmly on the floor in front of him and tightened his grip on the knob. "We are not here to argue. Our only goal is to lay the facts before you so that you will have a better understanding of the current situation. If our actions today were made public, many of our people would undoubtedly brand us as traitors. We, however, believe that we are acting in the best interests of Vulcan. We can no longer continue to isolate ourselves and expect to survive. There is a storm coming, a storm that threatens all of us. If we do not band together, it will destroy everything that is good in your world and in ours." "So how does Trip figure in all this?" Archer asked. Torok nodded. "The Romulans have tried to kill Commander Tucker twice and failed. Now they are trying to discredit him. Why? Because they know that he could prove to be the single greatest obstacle to their dreams of conquest." Tamura couldn't help but gape along with the other Humans. Attributing that level of importance to Tucker - even if he proved to be innocent of the charges again him - was absurd. "But...Tucker is just an engineer," Gardner finally blurted out. "A damn good engineer - the best we have - but still...just an engineer. He's not an ambassador, a government official, an admiral, an industrialist..." His voice tailed off as he raised both hands entreatingly. "Why would he pose a threat to anybody...especially the Romulans?" "It is easy to underestimate the commander," Torok said, "but that would be most unwise. History is often determined by seemingly average people who happen to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right set of skills to bring about change." He swept one hand in Archer's direction. "You believe that Captain Archer is such a man. Why, then, is it so difficult to accept that the same might also apply to Commander Tucker?" "I see your point," Gardner began slowly. "But it's still hard to believe." The high priest flicked a finger in T'Pol's direction and she set about filling in the blanks. "It is common knowledge that Commander Tucker is a gifted engineer. When he was on the drone ship, he caught a glimpse of things the Romulans never expected an alien to see. He has also spent several hours with the Tar'hana's engines. Once he begins to process everything he has seen - and he will - he has the ability to take that information and use it to significantly advance Earth's warp program. It stands to reason that faster, stronger Starfleet ships do not figure in the Romulans' plans. "In addition, the commander's growing influence with certain members of the Vulcan government poses a threat. Only a short time ago, the High Council was preparing to sever Vulcan's ties to the Coalition; Minister Herac had the necessary votes. Thanks to Mr. Tucker, Admiral Kiran changed his vote at the last minute, defeating the motion." "Why would Kiran do that?" Gardner was clearly struggling to make sense of what he was hearing. "Was that Tucker's payment for passing along intelligence information? Is that how he's justifying all this to himself? He helped preserve the Coalition." "You do Commander Tucker a disservice, Admiral," Vaaris said. "Kiran, no doubt, changed his vote because he owed the commander a debt of honor. During the joint maneuvers, Mr. Tucker detected a problem with the Tar'hana's warp engine and alerted the admiral. His timely warning kept the other ships in the admiral's squadron from suffering the same fate as the Psthan and Klomak." "So that's what happened to your ships." "Yes. Defective plasma injectors were introduced into all seven ships. When Admiral Kiran ordered the squadron to go to maximum warp, the injectors overheated, causing Psthan and Klomak to explode. So far we have been unable to determine who was responsible or how the saboteurs were able to gain access to our ships. We have also failed to determine how Terra Prime was able to broadcast a message claiming responsibility for the attack, using one of our secure diplomatic frequencies." "Why the secrecy?" Archer asked, a frown furrowing his brow. "Captain Hernandez and I were standing by, ready and willing to help." Tamura watched with interest as Vaaris leaned forward and poured himself a cup of tea. Evidently Vulcans used commonplace tasks to buy themselves time to think, just like Humans. "We appreciated your offer of assistance, Captain," the diminutive minister finally said, "but this was and is a Vulcan matter. We do not make it a practice to involve others in our affairs unless it is absolutely necessary. That is why Minister T'Pau asked Commander Tucker to withhold the details of the disaster until the High Council was prepared to make them public." "That's dereliction of duty," Admiral Gardner snapped. "Tucker is a Starfleet officer. He owes his allegiance to us, not to the Vulcan High Council. He doesn't have the right to pick and choose what information he passes along to us. He should have made a full report as soon as he returned to Enterprise." Vaaris held up a hand placatingly. "We may have been wrong to ask the commander to keep silent, but we had no choice. In this case, the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one. Commander Tucker understands that. That is why he was willing to endanger his career." "You're talking in riddles. If anything, I'm more convinced than ever of Tucker's guilt. He's conspired with you to keep Starfleet in the dark about what's happening here on Vulcan." "You're wrong, Admiral," Soval replied. "Commander Tucker's only goal has been to protect Earth and the Coalition." "I'm sorry, Ambassador, but I don't see things that way." "That is because you only know part of the story." "Then you'd better fill me in on the rest because, so far, I don't see the need for all this secrecy." "You would do well to learn patience, Admiral." A look of disapproval flitted across Torok's face. "We have risked everything to meet with you today." "I'm sure no offense was meant," Belliveau said smoothly, casting a cautionary glance in Gardner's direction. "Commander Tucker's arrest has placed the admiral in a very difficult position. He knows that when the charges become public knowledge, it will only inflame isolationist sentiments back on Earth." "I apologize if I was too abrupt." The determined look on Gardner's face was anything but apologetic. "But you have to realize that I don't have time for diplomatic niceties. In a little over an hour, my staff is going to issue a press release, outlining the charges again Tucker. Once that happens, there's no going back. Even if he's found innocent our relations with Vulcan will be damaged, possibly beyond repair." "Admiral Gardner is correct," Tamura added. "The followers of the Peace Forever..." He hesitated. "I'm sorry, are you familiar with the Peace Forever Movement?" "Yes," Torok replied. "Ambassador Soval keeps me informed." "Well...the followers of the Peace Forever Movement will try to use Tucker's court martial to destroy the Coalition and limit Starfleet's ability to defend Earth. That would be devastating, especially in light of the Romulan threat. If you know anything that will clear Tucker, please tell us now before it's too late." Torok took a deep breath and carefully placed his cane next to him on the bench. "What I am about to tell you is not common knowledge on my world. Only a few members of each generation are entrusted with the secret. My colleagues and I are now prepared to place this information in your hands. Depending on how it is used, it can aid you in your fight against our common enemy or it can utterly destroy your Coalition." Gardner started to say something, but Torok raised a hand, silencing him. "There is more. If the Romulans discover that you are privy to this information, you will be marked men. You have seen how far they've been willing to go to destroy Commander Tucker. You must be prepared to have that - and more - visited upon you." After taking a quick poll, Gardner said, "We're willing to risk it." "Good." Torok motioned to Soval, who was seated next to him, and the ambassador poured him a glass of water. After draining the glass, he handed it back to Soval and started to speak. "Many centuries ago, Vulcans were a wild, barbarous people. Our uncontrolled emotions had brought us to the brink of destruction. Surak realized that embracing logic and a non-violent way of life was the only thing that might prevent the total annihilation of our species. This Time of Awakening, in essence, saved us from ourselves. There were those, however, who felt that Surak was misguided. Rather than conform, they chose to leave Vulcan. These people colonized a number of planets...including Romulus." Gardner tilted his head to one side, an intent look on his face. "So you're saying that Vulcans and Romulans are related." "We share a common ancestry, yes. But we have little in common with those who march beneath the Raptor's wings. They are militaristic, utterly ruthless, and driven by their emotions - all traits that we have struggled centuries to overcome." "I can certainly see how such a revelation could prove awkward," Belliveau said, "especially in diplomatic circles. If the Romulans ever decided to move into this quadrant, it would be difficult to convince our Coalition partners that you weren't in league with the enemy." "Quite so," Torok replied. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid the invasion has already begun." Tamura sat up straighter. "I wasn't aware of this." "There are as yet no enemy ships headed this way, Admiral," V'Lar said, "but the Romulans are here, nonetheless. For decades now, they have been infiltrating our fleet, our schools, our government - virtually every sector of our society. They would have us believe that they only want to see our peoples reunited, but in actuality they have something far more sinister in mind. They want to conquer us...to destroy any and all vestiges of Surak and the world he created." "How do you know this?" Gardner asked. "Minister Speth had been quietly collecting intelligence on the Romulans for years," Torok said. "On the night following the attack on the Ti'Mur, a Romulan assassin put an end to his life. Attempts were also made on the lives of T'Pau, Kuvak, and six other prominent figures in our government. Seven of the assassins were known to us; they had lived and worked alongside us for many years. However, autopsies revealed that they all carried a distinctive antibody in their blood - an antibody unique to the Romulan people." "Trip was attacked that same night," Archer said. "Yes." "So...you're saying that it was a Romulan who tried to kill him." "Yes. He posed a serious threat to their plans. He had to be eliminated." "And, contrary to what Trip told me, he saw his attacker, didn't he?" Archer's mouth was set in a grim line. "Yes. At first, he thought he'd been attacked by a Vulcan priest, but, being a bright young man, he soon deduced correctly that his assailant was Romulan. "The following day, I pledged him to secrecy because, as Ambassador Belliveau noted, in the event of hostilities it would be extremely difficult to convince the members of the Coalition that we weren't in league with the Romulans. This would be especially true of the Andorians." "But the Andorians and the Romulans are allies," Gardner observed. "They signed a non-aggression pact." Torok waved a hand dismissively. "You and I both know that it is only a matter of time until the Andorians are betrayed. When the worst happens, they will turn to the Coalition for support, but only if there is no question of Vulcan's trustworthiness and loyalty. And believe me when I say that it will take all of us, working together, to defeat the Romulans." Archer got to his feet, walked around the bench and slowly began to pace as he tried to sort things out. "So the Romulans figured that with the High Council out of the way, they could begin their invasion with only limited opposition." "Not exactly. The coup was never designed to eliminate the High Council - only those people in our government who were most likely to oppose V'Las' return to power." "Why would the Romulans want to return V'Las to power?" "Isn't that obvious?" Ambassador V'Lar replied. "He was in league with them." "I don't believe this," Gardner groaned, as he scrubbed a hand across his forehead. "You're telling us that the head of the High Command was working with the Romulans?" "Yes. That is why he tried to involve us in a war with the Andorians - to destabilize this sector and pave the way for a Romulan invasion." Tamura made a mental note to sit down with his staff in the Vulcan Branch as soon as he returned to Warsaw. Since he had no knowledge of any of this, their job performance obviously left much to be desired. "We're in the administrator's house," Tamura observed, "but he's conspicuous by his absence. Where is V'Las?" "He was killed trying to evade capture," Vaaris said. At least his people had gotten something right, Tamura thought, with some annoyance. For the past month, there had been frequent reports hinting that V'Las was dead, but until now those reports had never been confirmed. "When the coup failed," Vaaris continued, "he tried to flee, along with Major Talok, a Romulan agent. The data disks, which Commander Tucker delivered to you, were found in the remains of V'Las' shuttle. That is why we felt confident they were authentic." "Admiral Kiran helped us set the trap that brought about V'Las' death," Soval added, "but that only happened after the commander convinced Kiran that V'Las was no longer acting for the good of Vulcan. Up to that point, the admiral had been one of V'Las' staunchest supporters. Vulcan owes Mr. Tucker a sincere debt of gratitude." "Why be so secretive?" Archer threw open his arms entreatingly. "If your government was in trouble, why couldn't you just come to us and ask for our help?" "There is no logic in that," Torok replied chidingly. "This was not simply a question of petty malfeasance. The leader of the High Command had just been exposed as an enemy agent. Talok had served in a position of authority in the Ministry of Security. The Romulan who attempted to assassinate Minister T'Lan had served as an attaché in our embassy on Earth for almost two decades. One of the other assassins had been a well-respected instructor in the Vulcan Science Academy. How can we ask you to trust us when we aren't sure whom we can trust? Could we honestly expect your government to continue to deal with us in good faith?" Torok turned to Belliveau. "Ambassador, is that a fair assessment of the situation?" "Yes." Belliveau pressed his lips together, a look of concern on his face. "The United Earth government would want some assurances that they were dealing with the legal representatives of the Vulcan government and not with subversives. Given the circumstances, those assurances might be difficult to come by." "And what about Starfleet, Admiral Gardner?" Torok continued to press his point. "Would your dealings with Vulcan have remained unchanged?" "We...would, of course, want to review the situation carefully before deciding on a course of action." "Judging by the look on your face, I'd say that you're already contemplating making some changes in how you interact with our government and with our fleet. Am I correct?" "I'm not sure I'd go quite that far." "Perhaps you're even beginning to have doubts that the five of us can be trusted." Torok motioned to his fellow Vulcans. "For all you know, we, too, could be Romulan agents." "Look, are you sure things are really this bad?" Gardner plowed his fingers through his hair. "Surely you have a pretty good idea which people in your government are still trustworthy." "We think everyone on the High Council is loyal to Vulcan." "You...think?" "We think the officers from the Ministry of Security, who are protecting you today, are loyal to us and to Vulcan." "Is that really the best you can do?" "For the time being, yes," Vaaris said. "We have been working to unmask the infiltrators and the Romulan sympathizers, but it is a difficult, time-consuming process. To expedite matters, we asked Commanders Tucker and T'Pol to help us sift through the information left by Minister Speth. So far they have both exceeded our expectations, proving themselves to be intelligent, persistent, and discreet." "So that's why they were sneaking around in the middle of the night," Gardner said. "Yes. Everything has to be done in secret. If word of our activities leaked out, attempts would be made to destroy the wealth of evidence Speth left for us." "It probably wouldn't do much for your life expectancy, either." "The need for secrecy is why we chose to meet here today," Vaaris said. "After V'Las' death, his property was seized by the government. We did not think our enemies would look for us here. So far we have been proved right." "We have only been trying to buy the time necessary to put our affairs in order," V'Lar said. "It is unfortunate that you disapprove of some of our methods, but that can't be helped. We are fighting for our survival." "We have gone against the wishes of our people to entrust this information to you," Torok said. "Use it wisely. And never forget that you must exercise caution before revealing what you now know to someone else - even someone you consider a trusted friend. Before attacking, the Romulans believe in weakening their opponents from within. Their agents are undoubtedly already at work on Earth." "I find that hard to believe," Gardner said. "Romulans may be able to pass as Vulcans, but that doesn't mean they'd go unnoticed on Earth." "Certain physical characteristics can be altered." "They can't change the color of their blood." "No, but that is only a minor obstacle." "In all probability," Vaaris said, "the Romulans have already found a number of Humans who are willing to act for them," Vaaris said. "After witnessing the destruction from the Xindi attack, no Human would help an alien power undermine our government," Gardner stated firmly. "They may not know they are dealing with aliens." "Surely they'd have to suspect that something...wasn't quite right." "Not necessarily. The Romulans are very clever. "As for patriotism," Vaaris continued, "that certainly applies to the vast majority of Humans, but you and I both know that in any culture there are always a few people who are motivated solely by greed or the desire for power. Discontented individuals - those who feel cheated by life - will often grasp at any opportunity to improve their lot, even to the point of betraying their own people." "Minister Vaaris is correct," Soval said. "Keep in mind that Terra Prime transmitted a message using one of our secure diplomatic frequencies. That is an indisputable fact. It is also a fact that Terra Prime would not deal with Vulcans directly; that would go against everything they stand for. Therefore, there must have been an intermediary, someone the members of Terra Prime would trust. That could only be another Human." "And consider the message of the Peace Forever Movement," T'Pol added. "Julian Esterle preaches isolationism. He advocates disbanding the Coalition and severing all ties with alien powers. His most recent speech - one given yesterday at a rally in Mexico City - outlined his plans to lobby for a reduction in the number of Starfleet vessels and a halt to any new construction. Instead of achieving peace forever, that sort of plan would only seem to guarantee that Earth will be far more vulnerable, if and when an attack does come. Esterle is playing right into the Romulans' hands." "Are you implying that he's a Romulan agent?" Gardner said tightly. "Not at all. I am only saying that if Earth implements his proposals, a Romulan attack has a far greater chance for success." "Is there any truth in these claims?" Gardner asked, turning to Tamura. "Are Romulan infiltrators a legitimate threat to us?" "I'm not aware of any current attempts to infiltrate our government, but Ambassador Soval makes a good point about the unauthorized use of their diplomatic frequency. It does raise some serious questions. We'll get on it immediately." "What about Esterle?" "We found nothing out of the ordinary when we looked into his background. I'll check with Security to see if they have anything on him. I'll also have him put under surveillance. Considering what's at stake, it's probably best to err on the side of caution." "While that is an admirable first step, it is little more." There was an undertone of urgency in T'Pol's voice. "The Romulans have had decades to burrow into our society. If they are intent on moving into the Alpha Quadrant, they will not have that same luxury when it comes to Earth. They will look for contacts which will give them the greatest impact in the shortest amount of time. Organizations like Peace Forever or Terra Prime will be very appealing targets. Lobbyists, government officials, teachers, reporters, anyone who has a public forum for their ideas and advocates isolationism or disarmament should be suspect. These people would all be perfectly placed to act for the Romulans. By crippling Earth's ..." "That's enough," Gardner snapped. "You're only trying to undermine our confidence in our own government." "We are trying to open your eyes to a potential threat," V'Lar said. "When you are dealing with the Romulans, you can never let down your guard. They are masters at exploiting the weaknesses of their opponents." "Is that why you thought it was necessary to spy on us?" Tamura said, his gaze firmly fixed on T'Pol and Soval. "You wanted to see if we were smart enough to figure things out for ourselves. When we didn't fully appreciate the Romulan threat to Earth, you decided it was time to spell things out for us." V'Lar's back stiffened. "To my knowledge we have not been spying on your people, Admiral." "I beg to differ, ma'am." Tamura dipped his head respectfully. "If you intend to make an accusation, please be more specific." "As you wish. We have recently discovered an unauthorized file buried in Enterprise's computer. The file, which was of Vulcan origin, was designed to monitor transmissions to and from Enterprise." Out of the corner of his eye, Tamura noticed that Archer had suddenly stopped pacing. The captain was standing stock-still, hands on hips, with a look of incredulity on his face. As soon as they were finished here, some damage control would definitely be in order. "V'Las was on board," Tamura continued, "but he and his party were never left unsupervised; they couldn't have done it. And we can eliminate Captain V'Lin; the file was planted before his visit. That leaves only two Vulcans who had both access and opportunity: Ambassador Soval and Commander T'Pol." "I assure you, Admiral, that T'Pol and I are not spies," Soval replied coolly. "I'm sorry, but someone planted that file in the computer. You two are the only ones who..." "That is not entirely correct," T'Pol interjected quietly. Her hands, placidly folded only a split second ago, were now clenched tightly together. "If you have any information, Commander, we need to hear it," Gardner said. T'Pol acknowledged his statement with a nod of her head. Taking a deep breath she said, "There was...another Vulcan on Enterprise. I don't know if he had an escort. It's possible that he did not." "We need a name." "My former husband, Koss. He came to visit me twice: once to bring me a present from my mother not long before her death and a second time soon after the discovery of the Kir'shara." "The timing's right," Tamura observed. "Isn't he the son of a member of the High Council?" "Minister Herac...yes," V'Lar confirmed. "He's the man you said was pushing Vulcan to leave the Coalition, isn't he?" Gardner asked. "We have carefully investigated Herac's entire clan, including Koss," Vaaris replied. "We have found nothing to indicate they are guilty of treachery. The minister is known to have conservative views, but only recently he has spoken out against the Romulans." "I find it hard to believe that Koss is a spy," Archer said tightly. "If he hadn't given me the transport access codes, we might have failed in our attempt to remove V'Las from power." "Perhaps he's just a man who was trying to keep tabs on his ex-wife," Belliveau said, in the weary tones of a man who believed that all people, regardless of species, were plagued by many of the same failings. "Of course there may be a perfectly innocent explanation for the presence of the file on Enterprise, but it is possible that it was planted to..." Soval never finished his thought because the door suddenly swung open and one of the security officers entered. He whispered a couple of words to Komas, and then made a beeline for Vaaris. Standing to attention, head held high, he said, "Minister, your presence is required outside." Vaaris glanced at Torok before responding. "Is there a problem, Major Pyk?" It didn't seem, possible, but the officer's back became even more rigid. "There is no cause for concern, but there has been an...incident. If you would come with me, I believe the matter can quickly be resolved." "Can we help?" Archer said. "That will not be necessary," Vaaris said as he got to his feet. "I am sure that we can..." "We would welcome your assistance, Captain," Torok said, with a stern look at Vaaris. "We have nothing to hide. Perhaps Admiral Tamura would also be willing to accompany you." "Certainly." When Tamura was on his feet, he turned to the others and bowed. "Please excuse me." As soon as the four men stepped out of the house a blast of hot air hit them full force. Once again Tamura found it difficult to breath. Fortunately the major, who stood over a head taller than Vaaris, reduced the length of his stride to accommodate the minister's shorter legs. With the pace slowed, Tamura called upon the breathing techniques he'd learned during his training in the martial arts; that provided some relief. The major had the lean body typical of many Vulcan males, but judging by the slight strain in the fabric of his uniform across the chest, back, upper arms and thighs, his powerful muscles were better developed than most. Near his left temple, he had a single, large patch of white in an otherwise jet black head of hair. When they reached the back of the house, they saw one of the security men stretched out on the ground. A lieutenant was leaning over him, his hand jammed in the man's mouth. A female sublieutenant was standing close by, weapon at the ready. "Lieutenant Marot, what are you doing?" Vaaris said. He took a step forward but the major moved smoothly in front of the minister, halting him. "Please remain here, sir," Major Pyk said. "We caught Lieutenant Tomac in the act of planting an explosive device." He pointed to a discus-shaped object, partially covered by stones and sand, lying on the ground near the base of the wall. "He did not have time to arm it, but it would still be wise to stand back." Archer turned to Tamura. "Have you ever seen one of those before?" "Yes," the admiral replied grimly. "If that had gone off, this butte and everything on it would have been reduced to a handful of gravel." He watched as the muscles in Archer's jaw tightened. "For what it's worth, we would never have known what hit us." "Why doesn't that make me feel a whole lot better?" Suddenly, Marot jerked his hand out of the lieutenant's mouth and held up what appeared to be part of a molar. "Tomac was prepared to take his own life," he said. When Tomac groaned, Marot, a young man blessed with the sensitive face of a poet, stood up and handed the molar to the major. "Get up, Lieutenant," Vaaris said in a commanding voice. Tomac rolled over on his side and shook his head, trying to clear it. He had obviously been stunned. Rubbing a hand over the side of his face, he finally got slowly to his feet. "Explain your actions," Vaaris ordered Instead of appearing contrite, Tomac lifted his chin defiantly. "I was doing what needed to be done." "By planting explosives?" "By taking decisive action. If I had been given a few more seconds, I could have permanently severed the link between Vulcan and Earth. Your High Council would be discredited and the rightful inhabitants of this planet could return once again in triumph." He pressed one hand against his chest. "I would be revered for my courage and daring." "Fortunately, you didn't get those precious seconds," Vaaris observed icily. "And you can forget your dreams of glory. You have earned a traitor's death, nothing more." "What made you think that your actions would cause Earth and Vulcan to break off relations?" Archer asked. "If anything, an act of terrorism like this would only serve to bring our peoples closer together." "You Humans are too stupid to see the truth when it's spread before you." Tomac coughed once then a self-satisfied look spread over his face. "I do not believe the people of Earth would stand idly by while four prominent Humans were kidnapped and killed by Vulcans, do you, Captain Archer?" Pressing his hand against his chest, he coughed again, this time more violently. "As for the Vulcan High Council," he continued, gasping for breath, "they would no doubt be most displeased that four Humans planted explosives that killed five Vulcan citizens without provocation." "You can't have it both ways," Archer snapped. "Of course we can. We can do anything." Suddenly Tomac's legs gave out and he dropped to his knees. Kneeling down beside him, Marot put an arm around his shoulders to steady him. Archer's expression made a swift transition from outrage to concern. "Shouldn't we get this man a doctor?" "Too late," Tamura said quietly. "Prepare yourselves," Tomac wheezed. "We are coming. Soon all that you have will belong to the Romulan Empire or it will be dust." This time when Tomac coughed, green blood trickled from a corner of his mouth. Placing a trembling hand on Marot's knee, he managed to whisper, "Sa-kai," before his body went limp.
"You seem distressed, Marot," Vaaris said. "Did you know Lieutenant Tomac well?" Marot quickly squared his shoulders as he tried to cover his lapse of control. "I grew up with him. We trained together for our Kahs-Wahn." "And he never gave you any indication that his loyalties weren't with Vulcan?" Tamura asked. "No. On the contrary, I joined the Ministry of Security at his urging. We wanted to protect our world...to protect Vulcan." Marot clasped his hands behind his back. "I thought I knew him. Obviously I was wrong." "Lieutenant, you are confined to quarters until further notice," Vaaris said. "I understand, sir. You will find nothing suspicious in my background. I am loyal to Vulcan." "Three weeks ago Tomac said almost those same words to me," Major Pyk said coldly. Raising his weapon, he motioned to Lieutenant Marot. As the lieutenant was lead away, Archer said under his breath, "I thought the Vulcans removed the poison." "Of course it's always possible that he had more than one poison pellet," Tamura said thoughtfully. "He would not want to be taken alive. Vulcans are very thorough when they interrogate prisoners. If I had to hazard a guess, though, I'd say that Lieutenant Marot removed the antidote, not the poison." "Antidote?" "That type of explosive device has a timer. Timers are used so people can blow things up and live to tell about it. I think the lieutenant had an escape route planned, but...fate intervened." "Do you think the Vulcans knew it might be an antidote when they removed it?" "You would have to ask them." Tamura heard a noise behind him and, looking over his shoulder, saw that Torok, Gardner and the others had joined them. Vaaris immediately went over to the Vulcans and began to fill them in, while Gardner and Belliveau headed for Tamura. "What happened?" Gardner murmured, taking a quick look around. Tamura pointed to the corpse. "That young man was caught planting explosives. He wanted to use our deaths for political advantage." "Romulan?" "Yes...or a sympathizer." "So everything the Vulcans have been telling us is true." "Apparently." "If there is even a remote chance that the Romulans could be infiltrating Earth," Archer said, "Starfleet Security has to be made aware of the potential threat." "I'll take care of it." Gardner used his uniform sleeve to wipe the perspiration from his brow. "But just to be on the safe side...before I open my mouth I think it would be best if you briefed me on our top Security personnel, Osamu. From here on out, we can't afford to confide our suspicions to the wrong people. I'll meet you on Warsaw tomorrow at 0900. I know this is short notice, but make your reports as thorough as possible." "Aye, sir." Tamura decided that maybe it was time to do a quick review of his own personnel. He felt confident that they all believed in the ultimate goal - the security of Earth - but it didn't pay to become too complacent. "I regret that this occurred while you were our guests," Torok said, as he slowly walked over to them. "But perhaps this man's death has served a useful purpose if it helps you understand the realities of the world in which we all now live." "We got the message loud and clear," Gardner said. "I believe it is time for us to return these gentlemen to their embassy," Vaaris said to Torok, as a security officer picked up Tomac's body and carted it away as if it was nothing more than a sack of grain. "I am no longer certain that we can guarantee their safety." "I agree." Torok motioned for Komas to join them. "Ready the shuttles. We will be leaving immediately." He pointed toward the four Humans. "You will return these gentlemen to their embassy. Allow them to transmit any messages they feel are necessary." "Yes, sir." While Komas headed off to complete his task, Gardner said, "It would be a show of good faith on your part if you'd allow Commander T'Pol to return with us. I give you my word that she'll be treated fairly." "Unfortunately, Admiral, we cannot agree to that," Torok replied. "Given the anti-alien feelings on Earth and the ease with which evidence has been manufactured against T'Pol, we are obviously wary of Human justice. As a citizen of Vulcan, T'Pol has a right to whatever protection our government can provide - at the moment all we can offer is sanctuary." "But can't you see how that looks to the people back on Earth?" Gardner said. "T'Pol is accused of stealing classified information and now you're protecting her. It makes your government look like a willing accomplice." "The Ministry of Security sees the falsification of evidence against Commanders Tucker and T'Pol as a direct attack on Vulcan," Vaaris said. "I have something for you, which I believe will serve as proof of our good intentions." Reaching into his robe, he pulled out two data disks and handed them to Tamura. "These disks contain everything we have discovered to date in our investigation of the charges against the commanders. They also contain information from Minister Speth's files: primarily intelligence reports on the Romulans...and a few Humans. Look them over. Perhaps you will find something useful." Tamura took the disks and thoughtfully turned them over once in his hands before placing them in a pocket for safekeeping. This was more than he could have ever hoped for. Hands flat against his thighs, he bowed respectfully to Vaaris. "Thank you, Minister. My only regret is that I have nothing to give you in return." Vaaris gave his head a brisk nod and said, "Find the evidence that will free Commander Tucker and vindicate T'Pol. That will be more than adequate recompense." Major Pyk rounded the corner of the house and motioned to the young sublieutenant, who had been standing by quietly, taking everything in. The expressionless look on her attractive oval face gave no indication of how she felt about seeing one of her colleagues die virtually at her feet. "Revered Father," she said to Torok, "the shuttles are ready. Please follow me." Tamura noticed immediately that the Vulcans had tightened security. The walkway, which led around the side of the house and out to the shuttles, was now heavily guarded. Glancing skyward, Tamura several shuttles flying overhead, undoubtedly there to provide cover in case of an attack. As they hurried along the front of the house and out onto the path through the remnants of the garden, Archer brushed past Tamura and fell into step beside T'Pol. "Are you all right?" the captain asked quietly. "Yes." T'Pol's eyes remained focused on the path ahead of her. "I want you to know that we're working around the clock to find the proof that will clear Trip... and you. I know you didn't do this, T'Pol." "And do you also believe Commander Tucker is innocent of the charges?" Archer drew back slightly. "Of course. I'm surprised you'd even have to ask. After twenty years, I think I know Trip pretty well. He's loyal, he's self-sacrificing to a fault, and, God help us, he's stubborn, but he's no spy. He just dug himself a hole without giving any thought as to how he was going to climb out of it." "A hole?" T'Pol looked askance at Archer. "Look, once this is over, let me see what I can do about getting both of you transferred back to Enterprise. Things haven't been the same since you left." When the group passed through the gate in the outer wall, the landing area appeared to be almost more mirage than reality as waves of heat undulated up from the rocky surface. Two shuttles, hatches open, stood ready and waiting for them. When T'Pol failed to respond, Archer placed a hand on her arm. "You are interested in coming back, aren't you?" "We will have to see what the future may bring," she replied quietly before pulling her arm from his grasp. Apparently stunned by her response, Archer stood rooted to the spot as T'Pol made her way toward the shuttle on the right; his eyes never left her. Ambassador Belliveau, face reddened and breathing heavily from his recent exertions, entered the other shuttle immediately after taking his leave from Ambassadors V'Lar and Soval. Gardner said a few parting words to Torok and quickly followed Belliveau. While Tamura was expressing his thanks to the high priest, Major Pyk and Archer joined them. "It is time to board," the major said to the two Humans. "There are no other ships in the vicinity, but it would be unwise to delay any longer. We will provide an escort to your destination." The major turned to the high priest. "Revered Father, please step to the other..." Torok waved him off. "I will be going with these gentlemen." "But..." "If I am aboard, it should ease their minds. They will know that we only have the best of intentions. Now if you will excuse me." Torok stuck one foot over the threshold and entered the shuttle. Realizing that any further protestations would be futile, Major Pyk ordered Komas to head straight for the embassy and then closed the hatch. Once they were airborne, Archer leaned over to the High Priest, who had taken the seat next to him, and said, "I've been waiting a long time to thank you for helping Trip. You managed to reach him when no one else could." Torok looked out the viewport as a larger Vulcan shuttle took up a protective position off the starboard side. "Commander Tucker helped me see Humans in a new light. I count myself fortunate to have made his acquaintance." "I hope you'll visit Enterprise someday so that I can thank you properly." "My place is at the Sanctuary on Mount Seleya. It is where I can be of use to my people." Torok grew quiet, pensive. Suddenly he thumped his cane lightly on the deck. "But this is a day for breaking tradition. Perhaps the greater good can be served by abandoning some of the rigid customs that have kept Vulcans introspective and aloof for too many years. I accept your invitation, Captain..." He held up a bony index finger. "...but only if I am first allowed to make a brief stop at your embassy to visit Commander Tucker." |
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