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"May the Wind Be at Our Backs" by Lady Rainbow Rating: PG-13 The Vulcans are different from the canon universe. They have their own agenda. We find out T’Marui’s master plan and it has the potential to shatter Vulcan society. The “V’tosh ka’tur”, the “Vulcans without logic” were featured in the ENT episode, “Fusion”. I borrowed that concept for this chapter. The Syklonians are my own invention. Nine “Commander, we have a ship approaching at full impulse.” Travis glanced at T’Yalle and Trip, for there was no trace of humor in Phlox’s voice. Travis pushed the comm button on Hoshi’s Ready Room desk. “I’m on my way out, Commander Phlox.” “Whoever it is, they’re probably bad news,” Trip muttered. “I don’t recall the Vulcans sending any more ships here.” “We haven’t,” T’Yalle said flatly, as they made their way to the doors. The other Vulcans had made her the de facto leader of the expedition after T’Marui’s disappearance. As they came out onto the bridge, she stopped so abruptly that Trip ran into her. “What’s wrong?” Trip demanded. T’Yalle glanced at Travis as they both gazed at the ship on the screen: all boxy angles and triangular points, adorned by multicolored lights that glittered like poisonous jewels. It reminded him of a massive raptor bird in flight, just as intimidating as the first time he’d seen it. “Those are Syklonians,” Travis replied, his normally friendly voice as cold as ice. “Lieutenant Archer, open a channel. Lieutenant Commander Tucker, activate defense systems and call yellow alert. T’Yalle, I might need your assistance, so I’d like you to stay on the bridge.” She nodded. “Of course, Commander. I will stay as long as necessary.” Travis did not notice the odd tone in her voice, but Trip and Jon exchanged glances over his head. Trip’s face clearly said, What was that all about? Jon only shook his head, mouthed, I don’t know, and turned his attention back to his comm board. “I take it these Syklonians are bad news, Commander?” Trip remarked. “They’re information brokers, second to the Orions,” Travis replied as he reclaimed the center chair from Phlox, who went up to the Engineering station. “But when they show up, it’s not to drop off a case of Antarian brandy.” “Channel open,” Jon reported. “Syklonian ship, this is Commander Travis Mayweather of the Enterprise,” Travis began, but a harsh voice interrupted him in a different language. Jon started in surprise; T’Yalle’s eyebrow shot up to her hairline. The bridge crew didn’t understand the words, but the gist of it was obvious: Where is T’Marui? “Vulcan,” T’Yalle said in that same flat tone. “T’Marui must have allies among the Syklonians, Commander.” Trip’s voice went up in alarm. “There’s been a transport from the surface. Two distinct signals, both Vulcan.” The Syklonian ship reversed course and began backing away from Enterprise. Jon turned to Travis and said, “Captain Sato on the line, Commander.” “Travis,” came Hoshi’s voice. “T’Marui and T’Pol were just beamed up somewhere—“ “A Syklonian ship just came into orbit and picked ‘em up,” Travis said. “Bring us up, then plot a pursuit course. Alert Starfleet Command immediately. Then I want an emergency meeting of all senior staff. We’ve got a big problem.” The captain sounded as angry as Travis had ever heard her and that was very, very bad. He glanced at T’Yalle, who glared at the Syklonian ship on the screen. There was something going on behind the scenes; Travis stifled the urge to yell at the Vulcan. One of their crew was in trouble and they needed to get her back. T’Pol sat in the guest quarters of the Syklonian ship, her hands pressed tightly around a mug of green tea, her long legs tucked under her. Directly across from T’Pol sat T’Marui and PADDs and artifacts sat on the low table between them. T’Pol listened to the scientist’s words with an air of skepticism; she had agreed to listen and draw her own conclusions. “The evidence you have gathered can be interpreted in several ways,” T’Pol said, “and it raises several interesting possibilities. During this era of our history, Vulcan established several colonies on different planets. Circumstances were unpredictable; weather conditions, planetary geology—“ “Other ‘visiting races’,” T’Marui added. “Some of those colonies were abandoned for various reasons, T’Pol, some more obvious than others.” She touched a button and a starmap appeared within the low table. “Look here...Beta Polaris is only one of several former Vulcan colonies whose fate is unknown. Other such colonies are here...here...and here. Your mother taught you the scientific method; tell me the conclusions you can make from this.” T’Pol gave T’Marui a look of mild exasperation, but she decided to indulge the scientist in her delusions. “There seems to be a demarcation line between Beta Polaris, her sister colonies and still-as-uncharted space.” She touched another button, and more data appeared on the screen, next to each dead colony. Population counts, known dates of settlement and dates of the Vulcan colonists’ disappearances. “According to your sources, those sister colonies suffered the same fate as Beta Polaris. Their populations disappeared due to unknown causes.” T’Marui leaned forward and added, “Do you remember the underground mosaics? The artifacts in those chambers?” “Certainly. I took the liberty of taking holopictures and recordings.” T’Pol picked up her scanner among the others in the center of the table. T’Marui reached over and punched a code in the keypad. The screen lit up with a soft glow. T’Marui’s eyes glittered like a black widow spider’s. “Do you recall a certain mosaic in the tunnels, one of a bird taking Vulcans into the sky?” T’Pol frowned; yes, she remembered that particular one, and had found that unusual. She flipped through her images until she found it. “I do.” “I believe that our ancestors did not fall victim to a planetary disaster or a plague, T’Pol.” The other woman’s voice was quiet but firm. “I believe they were taken. Kidnapped by their own brethren in the stars.” Cold fear uncoiled in T’Pol’s gut as she stared at T’Marui, then at the image. The transporter beam, the spacecraft...whole colonies were simply herded into ships and taken? “That...is a unique explanation.” T’Marui snorted in irritation at her expression of utter disbelief.“Unique and the truth, but hidden by the Science Academy and High Command for all these millennia.” “Why would such a crime be hidden? I do not understand.” “You do not? Let me explain.” T’Marui settled back into her own chair. “ Think to the time of Surak. History dictates that our esteemed ancestor united Vulcan under the banner of logic and reason. Eventually, Vulcan adopted his teachings. Stop and think a moment, T’Pol: do you find it odd that all Vulcans accepted Surak’s logic in such a short time? There had to be those who did not completely agree with Surak.” “History dictates that those who did not agree with Surak left Vulcan and established their own colonies,” T’Pol answered coolly. “There are those who embrace emotion instead of logic, the V’tosh ka’tur. ‘Vulcans without logic’. They are outcast from our society.” “Yes, outcast. Have you ever speculated where they went? Did they all die in space? Did they survive and if so, where are they?” T’Marui clasped her hands together to keep them from trembling with excitement. “Our people are ashamed of our ancestors, T’Pol. For all the emphasis on families, they wish to forget they ever existed. That is the crime. “I have found the proof. We have brethren among the stars, Vulcan but not Vulcan, who have taken our people. I will show the others that all my work... the theories on which I have worked for decades...are not mere conjecture. We are all one blood.” Silence fell between them. T’Pol only gazed at T’Marui, lifted an eyebrow and said, “And if you do prove their existence to the Science Academy, what then? None of the Vulcans taken are still alive by this time.” “I have calculated the possible projectories of the ancient craft they took. If those routes are correct, then we can re-trace their paths...and possibly find their descendants. When we do, we can reunite our peoples, T’Pol. We can heal the break that fractured us apart.” Despite herself, T’Pol found the possibility...fascinating, though she still saw gaping holes in T’Marui’s plan. She tapped the picture of the mosaic. “You are also assuming that our...brethren still wish to extend the hand of friendship to Vulcan. It has been over two millennia, T’Marui. Societies evolve in their own ways. What if they are hostile to us? What if they decide to wage war on us?” T’Marui waved a hand. “That is a chance I am willing to take. We stress the dominance of logic over emotion; there is every possibility that we can keep their hostilities in check. Plus--.”she shrugged, “—we have our mutual defense pact with Earth. Starfleet will be obligated to help us, should the need arise.” T’Pol wanted to shake her head at T’Marui’s naivete. She saw the big picture, but the details were beyond her grasp. This entire scenario was illogical...even if the Science Academy and the High Command were willing to listen to T’Marui, this bombshell could have far-reaching effects on Vulcan society and on their alliance with Earth. For millennia, Vulcans believed that the V’ tosh ka’tur had vanished and presumably died out, a clear warning against the indulgence of emotion. If they had survived, and T’Marui managed to contact them, it could destabilize Vulcan society as T’Pol knew it. It could easily push Vulcan into a civil war as the ones out of favor with the High Command rallied under T’Marui’s banner. Dangerous, too dangerous. All this flashed through T’Pol’s mind in an instant. She couldn’t allow this to happen. “And why did you kidnap me?” T’Pol asked. She had her suspicions, but she wanted T’Marui to confirm them. T’Marui smiled. “T’Les can be rather...unbending in the introduction of new ideas. You will tell your mother to listen to me...if she values your existence.” “So, that means we are heading—“ “—back to Vulcan.” T’Marui’s smile grew and became more grotesque, “and the Starfleet ship is following closely behind. What a better audience than our Human allies, those ones who know the value of emotion.” She chuckled and reached over to take the scanner from T’Pol. “Our people have been too arrogant for far too long towards those who are different from us. We can learn some lessons in humility from them.” T’Pol’s face flamed in anger and embarrassment. “How dare you!” she whispered in a low voice. “I dare quite a bit,” said T’Marui. “You see, not all of the V’tosh ka’tur left Vulcan. I am one of them.” |
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