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"Future Present, Future Past" by Lady Rainbow Rating: PG-13 This won’t be a “reset to the ‘normal universe’”. I really like this AU, but there will still be some “normal universe bleedthrough”. As for Matt Hayes’ eventual fate (and poor Malcolm’s dilemma)...it’ll be resolved eventually. There’s still some interesting developments on that front that’ll come up soon. Thanks, Pesterfield:) Fourteen Captain’s Log April 7, 2155 Commander Phlox, Ensign T’Pol, Lieutenant Commander Tucker, and Lieutenant Trace have adjusted the shield emitter technology to counteract the Romulans’ dampening field. It has taken some—adamant, not to mention delicate—negotiation to convince the other Allies to follow suit. I thank the stars for Lieutenant Archer...his skills have been invaluable in this effort. After a lull, the Romulans and their Suliban allies have resumed their attacks. We must get this right the first time; there will not be a second chance. Captain’s Personal Log, April 7, 2155 I cannot believe how stubborn Tellarites, Vulcans and Andorians can be, even when the evidence is there in front of their eyes! Jon knows how to tread the dangerous waters of interspecies negotiation, thank goodness. If this works, we’ll all be out of this area in half an hour. If not...well, I don’t want to think about that. Our Suliban “guest” has disappeared from the brig, just like a ghost. I wouldn’t have believed it if Bryan, Malcolm and Travis hadn’t seen it themselves. Travis told me Silik’s words: “Ask the Vulcans”. I have, and the answers have been unsatisfactory, as far as I’m concerned. Jon Archer glared at Minister T’Pau’s image on the screen, his green eyes blazing with suppressed anger. Hoshi sat quietly at her desk, her breath suspended, as she watched the diplomat at work. Next to her sat a haggard-looking Malcolm Reed. She doubted that Malcolm was completely recovered from his ordeal on the Romulan ship; his endurance couldn’t last much longer. “I must be here,” he’d told her, when Hoshi had suggested that he rest. “The crew will need its doctor, after this is over.” Now, Malcolm’s face was impassive as ever as he regarded Vulcan’s Minister of Security. Next to him, Ensign T’Pol was just as impassive, but Hoshi could feel a slow, burning anger coming from the young woman. “Our ancestors have recorded contacts with the Suliban,” T’Pau confirmed. “They were a peaceful race, but they were conquered by a succession of invaders. About nine hundred years ago, their planet was destroyed in an interstellar conflict, and their race scattered.” “And were conquered yet again,” Malcolm murmured. “Yes, Doctor Reed.” T’Pau’s voice was uncharacteristically soft, her gaze sympathetic. Hoshi wondered if T’Pau shared Hoshi’s concern about Malcolm’s health. “They disappear from our history, until now.” “Are the I’Rhiamanau and the Romulans one and the same?” Jon asked. T’Pau brought her attention to him and any emotion in her eyes sank under the surface. “There is no proof of that, Jonathan, though it seems they were involved with the disappearances of Beta Polaris and the other ancient Vulcan colonies. There is the distinct possibility of intermarriage between the conquerors and their conquered races. If that supposition is correct, then genetics dictate that these ‘Romulans’ are actually a blend of different races.” “That is an intriguing possibility,” Malcolm agreed. “They hide their faces and bodies behind heavy armor, which is rigged for self-destruction, should they fall in battle. They don’t want to be seen.” “Indeed.” T’Pau closed her eyes briefly; Hoshi realized that the Vulcan hadn’t rested at all since the crisis began. T’Pau opened them again. “When we return to Vulcan, I will be interested in hearing your recollections in detail, Doctor. Perhaps we can trace their origins in a deliberate and more logical manner.” Malcolm nodded. “Perhaps,” he agreed, but his tone guaranteed nothing. T’Pau brought her attention to T’Pol. “I would request your assistance as well, T’Pol. Your mother has found new information from Beta Polaris; it would be highly interesting to compare it to the previous database.” T’Pol only nodded, but didn’t speak. T’Pau noticed her reticence and Hoshi saw...something...flash across T’Pau’s face. Anger, regret, irritation? It was difficult to tell, but Hoshi knew there was something wrong between the two. Had both of them had a falling-out of sorts, or was there something more? “Captain Sato, I will contact you again, once we are safely away from our enemies.” “Of course, Lady T’Pau. Good luck to you.” “And to us all. Surak, out.” T’Pau’s image vanished and Hoshi’s screen went black. “She’s hiding something,” Malcolm said flatly. Jon nodded, his lips pressed in a thin line. He added, “She sidestepped my question about the I’Rhiamanau, and she seemed quite eager to question you when we get back to Vulcan. She wants to know exactly what you saw and heard while you were over there, Malcolm.” “Indeed. If I hadn’t known better, I would say T’Pau was nervous about the prospect.” Hoshi glanced at T’Pol, who was still staring at the screen. “T’Pol? Are you all right?” She nodded and said, “I am well, Captain, though I admit to a sense of trepidation about the future of Earth/Vulcan relations after this.” The captain sighed and passed a hand over her tired eyes. “So do I, but that’ll have to wait until we get out of here. I asked Phlox to notify me when all is ready and he should be just about there—“ As if summoned, Phlox’s voice came through the communication speaker. “Phlox to Sato. We’re ready to implement the restart sequence among the fleet.” “Thank you, Commander.” Hoshi looked up at her crew. “Condition Red. Let’s do this.” On board the Tellarite ship H’wande, Captain Gral received the request from Enterprise. He punched a button on his command chair. “Engineering, is everything ready?” “Yes, sir,” came the reply. “We are prepared to restart all ship’s systems on your mark.” “Good. Stand by.” He closed the channel and added in a low voice, “And may the Great Sow have mercy on all our souls.” Captain Shran nodded in satisfaction as he heard the confirmation from the Kumari’s engineer. “Very well. Get me Asahari.” His viewscreen reformed into the image of Lieutenant Talas; he started in surprise. “Sister! You should be resting! Why—?” Talas gave him a look of affectionate scorn. “I am fit for duty, Brother, as long as I don’t move around overly much.” Shran winced at his the icy tone of his sister’s voice and said, “Always the warrior, Talas. I wouldn’t expect less of you. Is all ready on your ship?” “Yes, Captain. We are prepared to follow your lead.” Talas’s violet eyes flashed as she continued, “When we return to Andoria, I wish to claim Grievance against your Soul-Brother’s friend and fellow officer.” Shran stared at her. “You’re telling me this now?” “I’m giving you fair warning. I realize that you hold Captain Hayes and his mate in high regard, but to have a dishonorable man like Tucker under their service...is abominable. I will seek Grievance, Shran, and we will see who will prevail.” Her mouth went up in a sneer. “Asahari, out.” “Talas, wait—“ Shran sat back, stunned, as her face winked out. Various Human and Andorian curses went through his mind. This could undermine everything he and Hayes had worked for over the past several months. I must warn Matthew, when this is all over. He paused in his thoughts and added, When have I begun to think of him as ‘Matthew’? He forced himself to put the conflict aside; there was the minor matter of surviving this and getting back to Andoria. Even as he concentrated on Commander Phlox’s ridiculous plan, a corner of his brain worried about Talas’s intentions. “Chief Engineer Opaht reports all ready, Captain,” said Commander Daniels. “Good. Stand by.” Captain Hayes turned slowly in his command chair and hit the intercom button. “All hands, this is the Captain—“ he broke off as the sound of cheering floated up from the lower decks, and it broke through his formal demeanor. Damn, it’s good to be home, he thought. Aloud, he continued, “We are about to implement system restart. Sit tight and hang on. We’ll be out of here soon. Hayes, out.” He nodded at Daniels. “All right. Send the acknowledgment message to Enterprise.” “Yes, sir.” Hayes sighed and closed his eyes briefly. Despite Doctor Arroyo’s insistence on his staying in Sickbay, he wanted to be on the Bridge for this. This was where he should be. If this worked, he could rest later. If this didn’t... He didn’t want to think about what might happen if it didn’t. Unconsciously, his right hand touched the lump in the left breast pocket of his uniform, over his heart. When they got out of here, there were a few things he intended to do. Right now, he concentrated on what needed to be done now. The now-familiar ache in the center of his chest nagged at him, but he pushed it aside. If this worked, he had all the time in the world. Travis Mayweather rubbed his eyes and focused on his scanners. “Captain, the Romulans are going into attack formation.” “Activate defense systems,” Hoshi ordered calmly from the center seat. “Lieutenant Archer, send orders to the fleet. Commander Phlox, implement restart sequence.” As arranged, Enterprise and Alpha fleet moved into defensive positions as Columbia and Beta fleet shut down their primary systems. The Romulans chose that moment to fire, but Enterprise and the Vulcan fleet repelled the initial attack. T’Pau’s destroyers timed their shots down to the second; the Romulans hastily scattered to avoid the powerful lasers. “Defense rating down to seventy-eight percent,” rasped Trip Tucker from the Tac station. “Arm torpedoes, full spread,” Hoshi replied. She heard Trip relay the order to Lieutenant Trace in the Armory. “Fire.” Seconds later, the torpedoes smashed into the Romulan’s front lines. One of their ships fizzled briefly as its cloak failed; T’Pau’s lasers cut into the damage Enterprise had done, redoubling it. That ship exploded, its hull a dark shadow against the fireball in space. A second Romulan ship went up in flames, but a Vulcan destroyer broke apart in turn. “Time!” Hoshi snapped. “Ten more seconds,” Travis replied. “Then an additional two minutes for Andorian and Tellarite ship restart, four for Columbia.” She nodded, although the restart times were still too long. That was the bad part about Phlox’s plan, but it was the best out of many poor options. If Enterprise and Surak could stall them long enough...the deck rocked under her feet as if punctuating that grim thought. “Minor damage to Decks C and D,” Trip replied. “Damage control teams are responding.” Hoshi forced herself not to look at the chronometer. It was still taking too long. And to make matters worse, Travis’s quiet voice brought bad news. “Captain Sato, the Romulans’ reinforcements just appeared on the edge of sensor range.” “How much longer?” Gral demanded. “One minute...mark!” answered his science officer. Gral pounced on his comm. “Engineering?” “Almost there, sir!” shouted the voice of Trux, the H’wande’s chief engineer. “Fifty seconds.” And the H’wande’s deck rocked again as one of the Vulcan destroyers intercepted a Romulan torpedo meant for the Tellarites’ starboard nacelle. Gral swore again and shouted back, “We might not have fifty seconds!” “Thirty seconds, Captain!” “Steady,” Shran said. “Steady.” He punched the comm button. “Helm, one-quarter impulse as soon as we can do so.” The helmsman glanced over his shoulder with a confused expression. “Captain? We’re not going to warp?” “Enterprise will be vulnerable when she shuts down her systems, Shevas. We are not abandoning her in her time of need.” A small smile graced Shran’s lips. “Besides, my Soul-Brother would kill me if his mate dies, and if we save her, he will owe me one.” “System restart complete for the Tellarites and Andorians, Captain Hayes. Two minutes for our own systems...mark,” reported Daniels. “About damn time,” Hayes muttered as he hit the comm. “Gral, Shran, get your people out of here, now!” Daniels studied his scanner, a calm center even while Columbia still shuddered around them. “The H’wande and the Tellarites have gone to warp, as well as Asahari and...Captain, Kumari’s still here. They aren’t moving.” “What?” Hayes exploded. He switched channels and demanded, “Shran, get your ass out of here before I blow it out of the sky!” The Andorian’s sarcastic voice answered, “You’re going to need some help, Matthew, if you want your woman back in one piece. I have shields; you don’t.” “Dammit, Shran—“ Hayes noticed that Shran had referred to him by name, which usually wasn’t a good thing. He’d learned that on Andoria. The bridge lights flickered twice and a console to his right sparked and went dead. Maybe Shran had a point. “One minute, twenty seconds,” Daniels reported, but the science officer’s tone betrayed a glimmer of worry that Hayes agreed with completely. “Captain Sato, message from Shenandoah. They’re approaching us at high warp.” Hoshi nodded. “Jon, tell Captain Greer to wait at these coordinates—“ she nodded at Travis, who worked his console. “-If he comes any closer, he’ll hit the dampening field and be stuck like we are. If this works, we’ll be able to rendezvous with him.” Archer nodded and began composing the message. “Captain, defense rating’s down to fifty-nine percent,” Trip said with a slight cough. “The Tellarites and most of the Andorians have warped to safety—“ “Most?” Hoshi demanded. “Who’s still here?” As if in answer, Kumari screamed out of nowhere and took a Romulan laser bolt on its own shields. Enterprise rocked in the dispersal waves. “Is he crazy?” Hoshi burst out. “The dampening field’ll take hold of him again in a matter of moments—“ “Kumari’s systems are already showing the strain,” Travis reported grimly. “Eight minutes, ten minutes max, and they’ll be stuck in the water again.” Another alarm beeped, “Surak’s undergone system shutdown themselves. Columbia’s back up.” “Phlox?” Hoshi asked. “System shutdown in sixty seconds, Captain.” She shook her head as she watched Columbia join Kumari’s defense formation. Shran and Matt were crazy, risking themselves and their crews this way. Both men were alike in that they seemed they both had a death wish. Then the lights around her went dark and she waited in utter blackness. |
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