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"Code of Honor"
Rating: PG-13 A slight overlap with one of my other fics: Ensign Johannes Birkenwald was first introduced in my Sickbay Month fic “Five Weddings and a Funeral for my Sanity”, where he ended up marrying Phlox’s daughter Treesal (becoming Phlox’s son-in-law). You see him in this chapter...and let’s say Malcolm misses a lot when he isn’t in the Armory, and I’m talking about more than just aligning cranky targeting sensors. Bernhard and Johannes speak German in this chapter. Translations are in bold. Eleven Captain Sandosh acted unusual for a Tellarite. His abrasive, uncompromising attitude helped him cower spaceport controllers and stubborn Orions. Yet, Malcolm noticed his unwavering loyalty to his friends, even if they were Humans or (gasp!) Andorians. Sandosh took nothing for granted except that loyalty; he made friends for life, but only if he judged the other worthy of it. Malcolm understood the sentiment completely. Which was the reason why both Malcolm and Travis trusted Sandosh’s judgment in bringing the Boomer captains to this meeting. Malcolm sat between the Tellarite captain and Captain Archer, while Travis was on Sandosh’s far side. Hoshi sat on Archer’s other side, while Oneko lounged on the conference table in front of Malcolm. He was aware of the cat’s piercing look, but ignored it. Captain John Chao of the Lady Ameratsu and Captain Uwe Hausberg of the Schwarzwald wasted little time in updating Travis and Malcolm: Chao confirmed the fickle trends of the Boomer community, while Hausberg told of his connections with the non-aligned traders. By the time they were done, the gravity of the situation was obvious to everyone in the room. Even Lieutenant Dumond and Ensign Bernhard Mueller shifted uncomfortably at their guard positions at the door. Ensign Johannes Birkenwald looked grimly concerned as he exchanged looks with Hoshi. “We know that Helena’s Crown and Nekkorata left Ghalistor Four sometime yesterday afternoon,” Hausberg said in his smooth Bavarian accent. Like Bernhard, he was originally from southern Germany, but from a town called Garmisch-Partenkirchen, as opposed to Mueller’s Rosenheim. “My source on Helena told me that their captain met with their Orion contacts before continuing to Draylax. What conspired, he couldn’t say, but he did notice some swapping of cargo.” “Not noted in the logs and the manifests altered,” Chao added grimly. Unlike Hausberg, Chao was remarkably quiet and only spoke up when he felt warranted to do so. “Of course,”Travis muttered softly. “Commander Reed,” Hausberg said, bringing his steady gaze to Malcolm. “The Lady Ameratsu and the Schwarzwald are due to meet with Helena and Nekkorata in eighteen hours, then the four of us are supposed to proceed to Draylax. John and I have agreed to sit down with the other two captains and discuss business.” “Perhaps it would be beneficial to have a representative at that meeting,” said Commander T’Pol. The Vulcan sat back and steepled her fingers, a mannerism she’d picked up from her mentor, Ambassador Soval. “Perhaps Lieutenant Mayweather—“ Travis shook his head. “No. I’m too obvious; if they see I’m on board, they might panic and change their plan. Same with you, Malcolm.” Bernhard Mueller cleared his throat and said, “If I may offer a suggestion?” Surprised eyes all went towards Mueller. Captain Archer nodded and said, “Go ahead, Bernhard.” Mueller glanced at Hausberg and said in German, “Alle auf Ihren Schiff sprechen nur Deutsch, oder?” Everyone on your ship only speaks German, right? Hausberg shrugged and replied, “Bei uns, ja. Mit den anderen, nein.” Among us, yes. With others, no. “Brauchen Sie einen Mensch den Deutsch spricht, mit einen Phase-Pistole?” Bernhard asked the question with a roguish twinkle in his eye. Do you need a person with a Phase Pistol who speaks German? Hoshi stared at him. “Are you volunteering, Bernhard?” Bernhard shrugged and pointed out, “I would fit in better than either Commander Reed or Lieutenant Mayweather. Plus, none of the Boomer crews know me, especially if I make a few cosmetic changes.” “Blond or redhead?” joked Trip Tucker. Bernhard snorted and rolled his eyes, but he was smiling as he did it. That remark brought chuckles all around the table, except for T’Pol, who only raised the Eyebrow of Doom at her bondmate. “I don’t want you going into a potentially dangerous situation alone,” Malcolm objected. A second voice piped up, “I’ll go with him, sir.” Mueller scowled at Johannes Birkenwald. “Absolutely not, Johannes, especially not now. Your father-in-law would kill me, after your wife was finished.” “Begging your pardon, Commander,” Johannes said calmly to Malcolm, “I’m the only other one who could serve at Ensign Mueller’s back-up.” “Johannes, no.” Bernhard said, more firmly than before. Malcolm was confused at his second-in-command’s objection; it seemed completely out of character for Mueller. “What’s the problem, Bernhard? Johannes is just as qualified to do this as you are.” Hoshi sighed and reached across Archer to put a hand on her husband’s arm. “Um...that’s right, you don’t know, Malcolm.” She glanced at Johannes, who shrugged assent. “His wife’s pregnant.” “What?” Travis blurted out. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped open, much to everyone’s amusement, even the Boomer captains. Malcolm’s stunned reaction wasn’t much better. “Uh...you mean, Treesal’s, um...and Phlox’s gonna be—“ “Congratulations, Ensign,” Malcolm said with a smile. “Thank you, sir.” Johannes’s face was scarlet, but he pushed on. “This isn’t personal, sir, this is my professional duty. Ensign Mueller shouldn’t go there by himself. I’m the only one who can go with him and keep his cover intact. Wird’s besser, nicht wahr?” Oneko perked up and meowed her approval. Both Malcolm and Bernhard eyed her, much to the Enterprise crew’s amusement and the Boomer captains’s confusion. “Bernhard, just make sure he doesn’t do anything stupidly heroic, all right?” Archer told the Bavarian. “Aye, sir,” Bernhard said grudgingly with a glare at Johannes. The younger man only gazed back at him with unflappable calm. Malcolm suddenly realized he’d missed more than just domestic news; he hadn’t noticed the changes on the young man’s personality. “All right, with Ensigns Mueller and Birkenwald at the Boomers’ meeting, I am headed to Draylax,” boomed Captain Sandosh. The Tellarite gave Malcolm a brisk nod. “If you and Captain Travis want, you can ride with us. Your EdML ship, though beautiful, will be seen and identified by Draylax authorities and we must uncover what they know.” Malcolm glanced at Travis, who gave a reluctant nod. “Admiral Reed’s staying on Aldeberan with a full Security detachment, so we know he and Ravi are gonna be okay,” said Travis. “But—“ “I will be accompanying the Commander,” Phlox said from the doorway. The Denobulan’s face was sober; he gave Johannes a look that clearly said, “I will speak with you later.” He inclined his head to Malcolm. “He must still be monitored, and I will do that.” Archer shook his head, but said, “All right. We’re supposed to be at Vega in two days, so Enterprise will be heading there. Good luck, everyone.” And with that, the meeting broke up. Both Bernhard and Johannes left with the two Boomer captains, while Sandosh pulled his chair up closer to Travis and Malcolm. After a whispered conversation with Captain Archer and T’Pol, Hoshi pulled up a chair as Oneko jumped from the tabletop and settled in her lap. “I know what you’re going to say, Malcolm,” she said, “and I don’t want to hear it. I nearly lost you and I’m not going to lose you again.” Sandosh nodded at her in approval. “She reminds me so much of my own wife, Malcolm. You should be so lucky.” Malcolm sighed and rolled his eyes. CSF Commandant’s Log: Sept. 24, 2158 Travis, Hoshi, Phlox and I have boarded Captain Sandosh’s ship, the Vhrum. My father took some time from his investigation on Aldeberan to bid us farewell. Father disapproves of my leaving Enterprise so soon after being poisoned, but he was mollified by both Hoshi’s and Phlox’s insistence on accompanying us. I believe there’s something else bothering Father, though he denied it. Hoshi knows what it is...I will pry it out of her, if I can. “No heroics,” Stuart admonished him. “If you get hurt again, then you will be the one to explain it to your mother.” Malcolm chuckled. Stuart sounded as gruff as usual, but he heard the dry affection underneath. Yes, his father had definitely loosened up. Then again, the temporary loss of the famed Reed control and a brush with death could change your outlook on life. “Understood, Father. We’ll see you on Vega.” “Very well. Reed, out.” Stuart’s image disappeared and the computer screen went black. Malcolm sighed and turned towards Hoshi, who sat cross-legged on the bed. She seemed absorbed with whatever was on her PADD, but he could read her nervousness. “Hoshi, what is it?” She sighed and put aside the PADD. Oneko meowed and snuggled closer into her lap. “Just worried about you.” He chuckled again, softer this time, as he sat next to her on the bed. “I’ve got you, Oneko, Phlox and Travis to make sure I don’t do something stupid. You heard Father; I’ll have to face Mother’s wrath if I become a heroic fool.” “And don’t forget Maddy.” She gave him a flash of a smile, then sobered. “What do you think we’ll find on Draylax?” “Well, if our information’s correct, Paul should be there. Then after Draylax, we go on to Vega and find Philippe.” He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I missed you, love.” “I did, too.” Her smile turned impish. “We’ve got three days to Draylax. I think we’ve got plenty of time to catch up on things.” “I have no doubt we will, love.” |
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