ENTERPRISE
"WHAT PRICE LOGIC?"
by J. B. Tilton and Diana Louise Herd
Rating: PG-13 (for language)
Disclaimer: "Star Trek", "Enterprise", and all related characters and
events are the sole property of Paramount Pictures, Inc., except for
those specifically created by me for this story. This is fan fiction
and no infringement of copyright is intended.
* * *
T'Pol is stricken by a strange malady which leaves her
susceptible to uncontrolled outbursts of emotion. Archer decides
he must find the source of these outbursts to save his science
officer. What he discovers along the way will shed new light on a
race he's always held in contempt. And show him that Vulcans and
humans may not be so different after all.
PART 1 - PASSION UNLEASHED
When T'Pol begins experiencing extreme emotional outbursts,
Archer must look for the cause of her affliction; or risk having his
science officer driven insane.
* * *
Archer watched the stars flash by on the view screen. Everyone
on the bridge was intently working at their station, apparently
oblivious to the concern on Archers' face. He looked over at his
chief engineer who was also busy monitoring the ships' engines.
Trip glanced up once at Archer, then returned to his duties.
"Point two three," announced Travis unceremoniously from the
helm.
Archer looked at Trip again.
"Twelve percent, Cap'n," said Trip.
Archer didn't respond. He simply sat silently in his command
chair. He trusted his crew. Especially his long time friend, Trip
Tucker. He knew the brilliant engineer would inform him at the
proper time.
"Point two four," announced Travis. He seemed excited, almost
giddy.
Tension was high on the bridge. No one spoke. No one even
dared breathe. Even T'Pol seemed uncharacteristically concerned,
though Archer was sure that was just his imagination. She never
once looked away from her panel, but instead concentrated intently
on her duties.
"Point two five," announced Travis.
"We're at fifteen percent," said Trip. "I wouldn't push her any
more right now, sir."
"Travis," said Archer, "go to warp four."
"Aye, sir," responded Travis as he manipulated the controls that
controlled the Enterprises' velocity.
"T'Pol," said Archer, "what's the verdict?"
"Verdict, Captain?" questioned T'Pol.
"What is the final reading," said Archer calmly.
"According to my calculations," replied T'Pol, "we achieved warp
five point two five, sir."
"Confirmed, sir," said Travis triumphantly.
"Damage report," ordered Archer.
"We reached sixteen point seven percent over the rated
maximum of the engines," reported Trip. "There are circuits and
relays blown all over the ship, but nothing we can't handle. Other
than that, no appreciable damage, sir. I'd call it an unqualified
success."
"Congratulations, everyone," said Archer, standing up and
smiling to his crew. "We just set a new speed record for the human
race. We've officially traveled faster than any human ship ever
has. You are all to be commended. Trip, get repair crews on those
repairs."
"Already on it, Cap'n," said Trip.
"Mr. Mayweather," said Archer, slapping Travis on the back,
"bring her about. Take us back to our original position."
"Yes, sir," said Travis, a smile from ear to ear.
"I'll be in my ready room preparing my report to Star Fleet," said
Archer. "Again, congratulations to everyone. Especially to the
engineering staff."
"I'll pass that along, sir," said Trip.
Archer left the bridge and went to his ready room. His report to
Star Fleet was going to be impressive. When they had asked him
to test the limits of the warp engines, he'd jumped at the chance.
They had asked him to try and reach warp five point two, if
possible. He had surpassed even that. Once Trip had a chance to
analyze the results of their tests, he might try to break the record
they had just set. Suddenly, the chime to his ready room sounded.
"Come in," said Archer.
T'Pol stepped into the room and stood next to Archer.
"Captain, if I may," she said. "I have a question."
"Certainly," said Archer, leaning back in his chair. "What's on
your mind?"
"It was something you said on the bridge, sir," said T'Pol. "You
said the Enterprise had 'set a record'. I am unfamiliar with this
term. Could you explain the significance of it, please?"
"You've never heard it before?" asked Archer.
"No, sir," said T'Pol. "In my time on Earth, it has never come
up. I do not understand the meaning of this phrase."
"I'd be happy to explain it," said Archer. "In this case, it means
we've gone faster than any other human ship has ever recorded
officially. That's what the record is. When we went faster than that
recorded speed, it's called 'breaking the record'. That's all."
"I do not understand why such an event should be cause for
celebration," said T'Pol. "It is logical to assume that the Enterprise
might eventually prove to be faster than originally thought.
Especially considering the upgrades and improvements which Mr.
Tucker has performed. It is not logical to celebrate the inevitable."
"That's not the point," said Archer. "Of course it's natural that
our technology would improve. The more we learn about warp
drive, the faster out ships will become. The point is that we did it
first. Before any other human did. That's what makes it so great
for us."
"I do not understand this," said T'Pol.
"It's a way of gauging ourselves," said Archer. "A way of
showing us how we've improved. How we've become better."
"This makes no sense," said T'Pol. "How does achieving what
is inevitable make you . . . "
Her voice trailed off as she suddenly swayed slightly. Her brow
furrowed and she put her hand to her head. She looked to Archer
as if she was in pain.
"Are you okay?" asked Archer, standing up and ready to catch
her if she should suddenly pass out.
"I am fine," said T'Pol. "Simply a headache. It began suddenly
and momentarily interrupted my concentration."
"A headache?" questioned Archer.
"You are surprised that a Vulcan would have a headache?"
asked T'Pol.
"I guess not," said Archer, "not really. I just never considered it
before. I've never met a Vulcan who expressed experiencing pain
before."
"Vulcans do experience pain," said T'Pol. "However, it would
not be appropriate to discuss such a thing openly."
"Maybe you should have Dr. Phlox check you out?" suggested
Archer. "Just to be sure."
"That will not be necessary," said T'Pol. "Pain can be
controlled. I believe I should return to my duties. If we may
continue this discussion at a later time."
"Of course," said Archer. "But if it gets any worse, I want you to
see the doctor."
"I understand," said T'Pol.
Archer watched as T'Pol left the ready room to take her place
on the bridge. It struck him odd that her being in pain should
surprise him. While T'Pol rarely complained of personal
discomfort, he did realize that she must suffer from many of the
same ailments as the rest of the crew. Archer decided he'd have to
get used to the idea that Vulcans and humans might actually have
some things in common.
That evening at dinner T'Pol seemed to be her usual stoic self.
Since he wasn't sure if it would embarrass her, he didn't mention
the headache in Trips' presence.
"How are the repairs coming?" asked Archer.
"All done, Cap'n," said Trip. "I'm still analyzing the test results,
though. That's going to take some time."
"The captain was explaining to me about the phrase 'breaking
a record' earlier, Lieutenant Commander," said T'Pol. "I would
appreciate your input on the subject. If it's not too much trouble."
Trip was surprised. As a rule, T'Pol rarely asked anyones'
opinion. It seemed whatever the topic of discussion was, she
already had an opinion on it. And she seemed to care less about
his opinion than most.
"I was explaining to her what the phrase meant," said Archer.
"She's never heard it before."
"Uh, well," stammered Trip, looking for just the right words, "I
guess it means you've done something no one's ever done before.
Like when we reached warp five point two five. It's also called
'raising the bar'. You do something that sets new standards for
others to shoot for."
"I see," said T'Pol. "And that is cause for celebration among
humans?"
"Hell, yes," said Trip. "I'm sorry. I mean, of course it is. If there
weren't people who kept breaking records, we'd still be living in
caves. Every time someone raises the bar, or breaks a record, it
means that everyone else has to set their sights on that level. It
becomes the new standard. It just makes things a whole heck of a
lot better."
"Vulcans don't celebrate anything, Sub-Commander?" asked
Archer.
"Certainly they do," replied T'Pol. "When it is warranted. For
example, there is a celebration at the joining of two people."
"Joinin'?" questioned Trip.
"Yes," said T'Pol. "I believe the human term for it is marriage."
"Oh, oh," said Trip, slightly embarrassed. It was clear he had
considered a totally different meaning for "joining".
"We also celebrate the birth of a child," continued T'Pol. "New
life is always a cause for celebration."
"But you don't celebrate something like achieving a faster warp
speed?" asked Archer.
"As I have explained," said T'Pol, "Vulcans do not consider the
inevitable a cause for celebration."
"Speaking of celebrations," said Trip, "the crew in engineering is
throwing a small bash to celebrate the new record. They'd
appreciate it if you'd come down and say a few words, Cap'n."
"I'd be glad to," said Archer. "God knows they've earned it. No
one worked harder breaking that record than the crew down in
engineering."
"A Vulcan captain would not see the need for such a thing," said
T'Pol. "Now, before you make some inappropriate comment, Mr.
Tucker, that was not meant as a criticism. It was meant only as an
example of the differences between Captain Archer and most
captains I have served with."
"Is that a good difference or a bad difference?" asked Trip.
"Neither," replied T'Pol. "It simply means different. I must
admit, Captain, while your methods seem a bit unorthodox, they do
seem to produce effective results. Your handling of the situation
with Ensign Steiner is one case in point."
"I miss him," said Trip. "He was one hell of a tactical officer."
"Be that as it may," said T'Pol, "his actions demanded he be
placed in the brig and brought up on charges. Captain Archer,
instead, transferred him to a medical ship for treatment. A Vulcan
captain would not have taken that approach."
"Steiner was sick," said Archer. "He didn't deserve to be thrown
into prison. He needed treatment."
"Precisely my point," said T'Pol. "Most Vulcan captains would
have not considered such extenuating circumstances. He would
have eventually been transferred for treatment, but a Vulcan
captain would not have considered his illness. I was quite
impressed with you treatment of the situation, Captain."
"Thank you, T'Pol," said Archer, "that means a lot to me."
"I have found, Captain," said T'Pol, "that your unorthodox
methods do seem to have a logic of their own. While they would
appear to be inappropriate or ineffective, they produce the results
you desire. Tell me? Have you always had such insight into
people?"
"I guess so," said Archer. "My father used to say that people
are basically good. They just have a habit of making the wrong
choices. Give them a chance, and they'll try to make the right
choice. I just try to put myself in their place and decide what I
would do."
"It does seem to be effective," said T'Pol. "Perhaps you should
consider teaching at Star Fleet Academy. You could pass on your
philosophy to the students there."
"I'm not much of a teacher," said Archer. "I couldn't wait to get
out of the Academy and into a ship."
"Still," said T'Pol, "you could help mold the minds of future star
ship captains. That would be quite an achievement."
"Why teach at a school when you could be out here meeting
new races?" asked Trip.
"Where would you be without the teachers you had at the
Academy?" asked T'Pol.
"She's got a point there, Trip," said Archer. "Without our
instructors, we wouldn't be out here right now."
"But not everyone's cut out to be a teacher," said Trip.
"True," said T'Pol. "Still, I believe Captain Archer would be an
excellent teacher. His compassion seems to be greater than most
humans. Something I believe is essential for a good teacher."
"I suppose so," said Archer, wondering about the conversation.
It was odder than most of his conversations with T'Pol.
"Well, " said T'Pol, "I have enjoyed the meal immensely.
However, I wish to get in my nightly meditations before bed. If you
will excuse me, Captain, Mr. Tucker."
"Certainly," said Archer.
"Good night, T'Pol," said Tucker.
"What the hell was that?" asked Tucker, after T'Pol had left. "If I
didn't know better, I'd swear she was flirting with you."
"Flirting?" questioned Archer. "T'Pol? I hardly think so. Still,
she did seem to be friendlier than normal. Maybe she was just in
one of her moods."
"I didn't know Vulcans had moods," said Trip.
"Well," said Archer, "I wouldn't give it much thought. I'm sure
she'll be back to her stoic self by morning."
"I suppose you're right, sir," said Trip. "I guess I'd better get
down to engineering and do my final check for the night. See you
in the morning, Cap'n."
"Good night, Trip," said Archer.
After Trip left the dining room, Archer sat thinking about T'Pol.
She was acting a bit odd. And while it might seem a bit unusual, it
was not really anything to be concerned about. At least, not yet.
He considered asking the doctor if there was some Vulcan
condition which might explain her behavior. In the end, he decided
against it. If it was just imagined or some aberrant behavior, he
didn't want to embarrass her.
The next day, T'Pol didn't seem any different from her normal
self. Even Trip commented that she seemed to have returned to
her normal less than friendly demeanor. Archer decided her
behavior the previous night must have been his imagination or just
a moment out of character for her. He imagined that even Vulcans
must have an off day from time to time.
"Captain," said T'Pol, "there is an asteroid field directly ahead.
Several hundred thousand objects of various sizes are detected.
I'm also detecting the presence of ditridium within the field."
"Ditridium?" asked Trip. "Cap'n, next to our dilithium crystals,
ditridium is the fuel source for our warp engines. If there's enough
there, Star Fleet might want to send a mining ship here."
"The readings are rather substantial," said T'Pol. "Mr. Tucker
may be correct. I believe a more detailed scan of the field may be
warranted."
"Very well," said Archer. "Travis, set a course for the field.
Drop out of warp as soon as we get there. T'Pol, begin your scans
as soon as we're in position."
"Yes, sir," said T'Pol.
The Enterprise dropped out of warp and came to a halt just
outside of the asteroid field. T'Pol began scanning the field as
Travis used the maneuvering thrusters to prevent impact with any
of the asteroids. It took more than an hour for T'Pol to complete
her scans. When she finished, she presented her findings to
Archer.
"There does seem to be substantial amounts of ditridium in the
field," said T'Pol, reading her results from a PADD. "However, the
interactions of the individual elements of the field are quite
unstable. More unstable than is normal in a field of this size. It is
unlikely that a mining ship would be able to successfully negotiate
this field."
"She's right about that, sir," said Travis. "I've been having the
devil of a time just keeping the ship from being bombarded with
asteroids."
"Thank you, Ensign," said T'Pol. "Your assertion is
appreciated."
"Thank you, Sub-Commander," said Travis. "However, it still
might be possible to mine the mineral. If the ship remained outside
of the field, it could use the transporter to beam pieces of the
asteroid inside. They could extract the ditridium there."
"Does Star Fleet have a ship capable of doing that?" asked
Archer.
"Not at this time, sir," said T'Pol, looking intently at Travis.
"She's right, sir," said Travis, "they don't. But it might be
possible to retrofit a cargo carrier to serve the purpose. The cargo
containers would be large enough to accommodate most of the
individual asteroids. It would simply involve redesigning portions of
the ship to extract the raw fuel."
"That is not a feasible solution," said T'Pol. "A cargo ship is
capable of reaching warp one point eight at best. The time it would
take to come here, mine the fuel source, and return with it to Earth
would make the operation prohibitive."
"Not if they transfer the refined product to a faster ship," said
Travis. "Or they could equip the refit cargo ship with a faster
engine. That would solve the problem with the time lag. Believe
me, Captain, during my time as a Boomer I've seen some pretty
ingenious refits for cargo ships. Those cargo captains can be
pretty creative when it comes to redesigning their ships to carry
different types of cargo."
"While the ensigns idea does have merit," said T'Pol, "I do not
believe it is a workable hypothesis."
"Wait a minute," said Trip. "Travis just might have something
there. A cargo vessel fitted with a warp three engine would cut the
time drastically. And I have a few ideas about designing a refining
processor that could be utilized on board the ships. It just might be
worth looking into, Cap'n. Considering the concentration of
ditridium in this field."
"No offense, T'Pol," said Archer, "but I think it's best if we submit
Travis' idea to Star Fleet Command for evaluation. I'll be sure and
include your concerns regarding it as well."
"I see," said T'Pol. She walked back over to the science station.
"Well, it would seem that our captain values the unsubstantiated
opinion of a neophyte helmsman over that of a seasoned and
experienced science officer."
T'Pol took the PADD she was holding and threw it down on the
console at her station.
"I can tell when I'm not wanted," she said, undisguised anger in
her voice. "Since my opinion holds no weight with you, Captain, I
shall not burden you with it any further. I hereby resign as science
officer of the Enterprise. You will return me to Vulcan as quickly as
possible."
With that she stormed off the bridge to the turbolift. As the
doors to the turbolift closed, no one said a word. They were all too
stunned at her emotional outburst. No one had ever seen a Vulcan
display even the slightest emotion, let alone the tirade which T'Pol
had just demonstrated.
* * *
Archer walked into the mess hall and looked around. He
spotted T'Pol over in one corner eating a bowl of soup. Since her
exhibition on the bridge twenty minutes earlier, he had searched
nearly the entire ship for her. One of the crewmen had finally said
they saw her going into the mess hall. Archer walked over and sat
down at the table with T'Pol.
"Would you care to explain what just happened on the bridge?"
asked Archer, trying to be as understanding as possible.
"I'm afraid I do not know what you are referring to, Captain,"
said T'Pol. She seemed to be her normal self. As if her violent
outburst had never occurred.
"I'm talking about your little outburst on the bridge," said Archer.
"Honestly, T'Pol, it was positively human."
"I do not believe your position as my commanding officer allows
for insults, Captain," said T'Pol.
"What are you talking about?" asked Archer. "You just resigned
as my science officer. After one of the most emotional outbursts
I've ever seen, even for a human."
"I can assure you, sir," said T'Pol, "that did not happen. I have
not been to the bridge this morning. My duty shift does not begin
for another twenty three minutes."
"T'Pol," said Archer, extremely concerned now, "it's nearly
fifteen hundred hours. You were on the bridge for almost seven
hours before you exploded at me. You resigned your assignment
on the Enterprise and stormed off the bridge like I had just slapped
you in the face. All because I chose a course of action you
disagreed with."
"That is not possible," said T'Pol. "I am a Vulcan. Such an
outburst is not possible."
"Everyone on the bridge witnessed it," said Archer. "Are you
telling me you don't remember any of it?"
"No, sir, I do not," said T'Pol. "After my meditations last night I
retired. Then I got up this morning and decided to have some
Pleming soup for breakfast. I have been here ever since."
"Well, you were acting a bit strange at dinner last night as well,"
said Archer. "At first I thought it was my imagination. Now, I'm not
so sure."
"Last night?" questioned T'Pol. "Captain, last night I fasted. I
remained in my quarters most of the evening before I retired."
"T'Pol," said Archer, standing, "I want you to report to sickbay at
fourteen hundred hours for a complete physical."
"That is not necessary, Captain," said T'Pol. "I can assure you
that . . . ."
"That's an order, Sub-Commander," said Archer. "And it's not
open to discussion."
"Yes, sir," said T'Pol.
Archer turned and left the room. He went immediately to
sickbay to discuss the situation with Dr. Phlox.
"And you say she remembers nothing of the outbursts?" asked
Phlox, after Archer had explained what had happened.
"She claims to remember nothing," said Archer. "I've ordered
her to report at fourteen hundred hours for a complete physical.
Any idea what might make her act that way?"
"There is a rare condition called Bendai's Syndrome," said
Phlox. "It causes a Vulcan to loose nearly total control of their
emotions. But that condition affects only Vulcans over the age of
two hundred; never one as young as our science officer."
"What about another allergic reactions?" asked Archer. "Like
the one she had with the chicken pox?"
"Always a possibility," said Phlox. "Don't concern yourself with
it, Captain. I shall perform a thorough examination of the
sub-commander and rest assured, if there's anything physically
wrong with her, I will find it."
"Good," said Archer. "I want to know what's going on with her."
"You shall know as soon as I do," said Phlox, smiling his
sometimes annoying smile.
Archer returned to the bridge where they continued to scan the
asteroid field. It proved to be even richer in ditridium than first
believed. Virtually every body within the field contained some
amount of the fuel source. Travis' idea was beginning to seem
more and more attractive.
It was nearly seventeen hundred before Phlox contacted Archer
and asked him to report to sickbay. As he entered the sickbay,
Phlox turned to greet him. The doctor had the beginnings of what
appeared to be a black eye. T'Pol was physically restrained to one
of the biobeds.
"What happened?" asked Archer.
"The sub-commander had one of her fits of emotional outbursts
while I was performing my examination," said Phlox. "It seems she
didn't appreciate where I had my hand at the moment. I believe
you would say, she clocked me one."
"I see," said Archer, stifling a smirk. "How is she now?"
"See for yourself," said Phlox.
Archer walked over to the biobed where T'Pol was restrained.
She seemed quite calm. Just as she usually was.
"How do you feel, T'Pol?" asked Archer.
"I am fine," said T'Pol. "And if that subterranean quack doesn't
release me from this damned straight jacket, I will gladly
demonstrate for him the method of rendering him incapable of
producing offspring which is preferred on Tykarris Prime."
Archer just smiled and walked back over to the doctor.
"Her spirits seem high," he said sarcastically. "What's wrong
with her, Doctor?"
"I don't know," said Phlox. "Physically, I can't find anything
wrong with her. Except for a slight chemical imbalance in her left
frontal lobe. However, this certainly would not account for her
bizarre behavior and it certainly isn't dangerous. I've attempted to
correct the imbalance, but to no avail."
"So what do we do?" asked Archer.
"I think it would be best to consult a Vulcan physician,"
suggested Phlox. "It is very possible they will have some
understanding of what is occurring to the sub-commander. And, I
assume, some form of treatment for it."
"Vulcan is eight days away," said Archer. "We can't keep her
restrained all that time."
"I am not capable of treating her if I do not know what the
ailment is," said Phlox. "The best solution I can offer is to keep her
sedated until we reach her home planet."
"Maybe I have another option," said Archer. "Keep her in
sickbay, restrained if necessary. I have to make a phone call."
"A phone call?" questioned Phlox.
"And old Earth expression," said Archer. "It means I have to
contact someone. I'll let you know when I have things arranged."
"Very well, Captain," said Phlox.
Archer returned to the bridge where everyone was anxiously
awaiting a report on T'Pol. Although she was a Vulcan, she was
still a member of the crew. And as Archer had once told T'Pol, they
take care of their own.
"Hoshi," said Archer, "send a subspace message to the
Shinnota. I want to speak to Tyvek."
"Yes, sir," said Hoshi.
"Transfer it to my ready room when you have him," said Archer.
He left the bridge and went to his ready room to await the call to
Tyvek and, hopefully, some answers about his science officer.
* * *
"And you have no idea what the problem is?" asked Tyvek after
Archer had explained the situation to him.
"The doctor can't find anything wrong with her," said Archer.
"He did say it was similar to something called Bengays' Syndrome
or some thing like that."
"Bendais' Syndrome," corrected Tyvek. "But that only strikes
Vulcans over two hundred years old. Never someone so young as
T'Pol."
"That's why I've contacted you," said Archer. "Dr. Phlox thinks a
Vulcan doctor should take a look at her. I don't want to loose her
and I'm afraid if I contact the Vulcan home world they might take
her off the ship. Can you help us?"
"We'll be glad to," said Tyvek, smiling. "We are near your
position now. We can rendezvous with the Enterprise in about
eleven hours. I'll inform our physician of the circumstances and he
can have a look at her when you arrive."
"Thanks, Tyvek," said Archer. "I appreciate this."
"No thanks necessary, Jonathon," said Tyvek. "As you know,
I'm very fond of T'Pol, even if she doesn't return the feelings.
Anything we can do to help, we'll do so gladly. Tyvek out."
Archer left his ready room and went to the bridge.
"Travis," he said, "set a course for the Shinnota. Warp five."
"Changing course," said Travis.
"How's T'Pol, Cap'n?" asked Trip.
"I really don't know," said Archer. "Tyveks' doctor is going to
take a look at her. Hopefully, he will be able to help."
"If there's anything we can do, sir," said Hoshi, "you just have to
ask."
"I appreciate that, Ensign," said Archer. "Right now all we can
do is rendezvous with the Shinnota and hope they can help her.
Let me know when we reach the rendezvous point."
"Aye, sir," said Hoshi.
Archer returned to sickbay to see if there was anything else they
could do for T'Pol.
* * *
"Doctor Tilvar found the same results as your doctor," said
Tyvek, after he had examined T'Pol. "Physically, she's in perfect
health. He's at a loss to explain the irrational behavior. Most
mental aberrations have some form of physiological source. But in
this case, there's nothing."
"Isn't there anything we can do for her?" asked Archer. "Her
outbursts are getting worse. Some times she lucid, the rest of the
time she's wildly out of control. And the lucid moments are getting
less and less frequent."
"There is one other option," said Tyvek. "I had hoped not to
have to resort to it. But I don't see any other option. We have to
find out what is going on with her."
"What option?" asked Archer. "What do we have to do?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you," said Tyvek. "I may be an outcast, but
I still respect Vulcan dictates. Let's just say we have certain mental
disciplines which may allow us to restore some of T'Pols' former
self to her. And help us discover what's going on in the process. I
have to ask that you trust me on this, Jonathon."
"Okay," said Archer. "I don't seem to have much choice. How
long will it take?"
"Not long," said Tyvek. "If you care to wait here, I'll inform you
of my success or failure when I'm finished."
Tyvek went to the quarters where T'Pol was staying while
aboard the Shinnota. She told him to come in when he rang the
chime. Inside the quarters, Tyvek was taken aback. The place
was a shambles. Broken furniture lay scattered everywhere. It
looked like there had been a free for all in the quarters.
"Feeling better?" asked Tyvek as he cautiously entered the
room.
"I am forbidden from speaking with you," said T'Pol.
"I am aware of that," said Tyvek. "But under the circumstances,
you have little choice."
"Logical," said T'Pol. "I am told I am subject to outburst of
extreme emotionalism. Is it Bendais' Syndrome?"
"Not in one so young," said Tyvek. "Actually, neither the
Enterprise doctor nor ours can find any physical problem with you.
Which leaves only one logical conclusion."
"My condition is mental not physical," said T'Pol. "It would seem
I must return to Vulcan and resign my position with the science
council. I am unfit to perform my duties as I am."
"There is another alternative," suggested Tyvek. "If you will
permit it. I would not ask, but I value your friendship and do not
wish to see you driven mad. It is the only logical option open to us
at this point."
"A mind meld," said T'Pol.
"Yes," said Tyvek. "If the cause of your ailment is mental, I
should be able to discern what it is. That will help the doctor to
develop a treatment for it."
"You could risk being infected," said T'Pol.
"A risk I accept," said Tyvek. "Besides, you forget. I had one of
the most disciplined minds on Vulcan. I believe my mental
disciplines will provide some protection for me. And perhaps I can
provide some stability for you."
"A logical assumption," said T'Pol.
"I will not perform the meld if you refuse," said Tyvek. "You
know that I don't agree with the normal Vulcan philosophy.
However, I still respect it. And that philosophy dictates that a mind
meld may only be accomplished with the permission of both
parties."
"Under normal circumstances," said T'Pol, remembering an
incident when she melded with someone without their permission.
A meld she had felt was necessary.
"Yes," said Tyvek. "Take as long as you wish to consider my
offer. Contact me when you have made your decision. I will
respect whatever decision you make."
"I have made my decision already," said T'Pol. "I cannot
continue in this state. Since you are willing to accept the risk, and I
require the stability the meld will impart, you have my permission."
"Good," said Tyvek. He placed his hands on T'Pols' face. "My
mind to your mind. My thoughts to your thoughts," he began.
* * *
"What did you find out?" asked Archer as Tyvek came into the
room followed by T'Pol.
"Quite a bit, actually," said Tyvek. "The disciplines I mentioned
to you earlier have helped to stabilize T'Pols' condition. For a time,
anyway. However, this will not hold for long. I can't say exactly
what has caused her condition, but I did discover where it most
likely began. What can you tell me about the Sular research
colony."
Archer thought for a moment. That was the colony where they
had gone to help fix a subspace transceiver. When they arrived,
they found the colony deserted except for a single male Vulcan
who was in a catatonic state. And there had been no indication
what had happened to the remaining forty five Vulcan scientists
assigned to the colony.
"There was no indication of what happened to them?" asked
Tyvek.
"None," said Archer. "It's like they just vanished into thin air.
We never did learn what became of them. What does this have to
do with T'Pol?"
"Her troubles began almost immediately after you visited there,"
said Tyvek. "I determined that there is some kind of telepathic link
between her and someone or something else. This link is
weakening her emotional control. The longer it remains, the
weaker her control. It's why she seems to suffer from bouts of
emotionalism."
"Just like that Vulcan we found," said Archer. "He seemed
terrified of something, but he was so catatonic, he couldn't tell us
what."
"I think we might find our answers at that colony," said Tyvek.
"At any rate, it's the only clue we have."
"We?" asked Archer. "You're going with us?"
"If you don't mind," said Tyvek. "T'Pol may need additional help
which only another Vulcan can give her. And I might be able to
help find out what happened at the colony."
"What about you?" asked Archer. "Aren't you afraid you might
become infected as she has?"
"I believe my mental disciplines will protect me," said Tyvek.
"Besides, whatever this is it's forcing her repressed emotions into
her conscious mind. Where she is not able to effectively deal with
them since her natural instinct is to repress them. She's not used
to dealing with emotions, which is causing her abnormal behavior.
"I have even greater discipline than she. Remember, I was one
of Vulcans' greatest philosophers and debaters for more than
ninety years. But since I've embraced my emotions, I don't suffer
the same handicap she does. I don't think I risk being infected by
whatever this is."
"Okay," said Archer, "you're welcome to come along. The
colony is about three weeks away at warp five. Can she hold out
that long?"
"With Tyvek's assistance," said T'Pol, "I believe I can."
"Good," said Archer. "Let's get back to the Enterprise. I want to
get to the Sular colony as quickly as possible."
Tyvek made arrangements for his absence from the Shinnota.
Then, he, Archer, and T'Pol boarded the Enterprise shuttle to
return to the Enterprise. With any luck, they would find what they
were looking for once they reached the colony.
Archer didn't want to think about what would happen if they
didn't.
To be continued . . .
Be sure not to miss Part 2: Sins Of The Father. Archer returns
to the planet where a Vulcan science team vanished without a
trace to track down the source of T'Pols' malady. As she grows
progressively worse, he must somehow convince the investigators
at that planet to aid him; without revealing T'Pols' ailment or the
presence of Tyvek. With time running out, Archer does whatever
he feels he must to help his science officer; including acts which
could get him courts-martialed and drummed out of Star Fleet.
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more of my stories for a
variety of shows and subjects at
http://pub57.ezboard.com/bjerrysfanfictionsite. You can also post
your stories if you like to write fan fiction.
"WHAT PRICE LOGIC?"
by J. B. Tilton and Diana Louise Herd
Rating: PG-13 (for language)
Disclaimer: "Star Trek", "Enterprise", and all related characters and
events are the sole property of Paramount Pictures, Inc., except for
those specifically created by me for this story. This is fan fiction
and no infringement of copyright is intended.
* * *
T'Pol is stricken by a strange malady which leaves her
susceptible to uncontrolled outbursts of emotion. Archer decides
he must find the source of these outbursts to save his science
officer. What he discovers along the way will shed new light on a
race he's always held in contempt. And show him that Vulcans and
humans may not be so different after all.
PART 1 - PASSION UNLEASHED
When T'Pol begins experiencing extreme emotional outbursts,
Archer must look for the cause of her affliction; or risk having his
science officer driven insane.
* * *
Archer watched the stars flash by on the view screen. Everyone
on the bridge was intently working at their station, apparently
oblivious to the concern on Archers' face. He looked over at his
chief engineer who was also busy monitoring the ships' engines.
Trip glanced up once at Archer, then returned to his duties.
"Point two three," announced Travis unceremoniously from the
helm.
Archer looked at Trip again.
"Twelve percent, Cap'n," said Trip.
Archer didn't respond. He simply sat silently in his command
chair. He trusted his crew. Especially his long time friend, Trip
Tucker. He knew the brilliant engineer would inform him at the
proper time.
"Point two four," announced Travis. He seemed excited, almost
giddy.
Tension was high on the bridge. No one spoke. No one even
dared breathe. Even T'Pol seemed uncharacteristically concerned,
though Archer was sure that was just his imagination. She never
once looked away from her panel, but instead concentrated intently
on her duties.
"Point two five," announced Travis.
"We're at fifteen percent," said Trip. "I wouldn't push her any
more right now, sir."
"Travis," said Archer, "go to warp four."
"Aye, sir," responded Travis as he manipulated the controls that
controlled the Enterprises' velocity.
"T'Pol," said Archer, "what's the verdict?"
"Verdict, Captain?" questioned T'Pol.
"What is the final reading," said Archer calmly.
"According to my calculations," replied T'Pol, "we achieved warp
five point two five, sir."
"Confirmed, sir," said Travis triumphantly.
"Damage report," ordered Archer.
"We reached sixteen point seven percent over the rated
maximum of the engines," reported Trip. "There are circuits and
relays blown all over the ship, but nothing we can't handle. Other
than that, no appreciable damage, sir. I'd call it an unqualified
success."
"Congratulations, everyone," said Archer, standing up and
smiling to his crew. "We just set a new speed record for the human
race. We've officially traveled faster than any human ship ever
has. You are all to be commended. Trip, get repair crews on those
repairs."
"Already on it, Cap'n," said Trip.
"Mr. Mayweather," said Archer, slapping Travis on the back,
"bring her about. Take us back to our original position."
"Yes, sir," said Travis, a smile from ear to ear.
"I'll be in my ready room preparing my report to Star Fleet," said
Archer. "Again, congratulations to everyone. Especially to the
engineering staff."
"I'll pass that along, sir," said Trip.
Archer left the bridge and went to his ready room. His report to
Star Fleet was going to be impressive. When they had asked him
to test the limits of the warp engines, he'd jumped at the chance.
They had asked him to try and reach warp five point two, if
possible. He had surpassed even that. Once Trip had a chance to
analyze the results of their tests, he might try to break the record
they had just set. Suddenly, the chime to his ready room sounded.
"Come in," said Archer.
T'Pol stepped into the room and stood next to Archer.
"Captain, if I may," she said. "I have a question."
"Certainly," said Archer, leaning back in his chair. "What's on
your mind?"
"It was something you said on the bridge, sir," said T'Pol. "You
said the Enterprise had 'set a record'. I am unfamiliar with this
term. Could you explain the significance of it, please?"
"You've never heard it before?" asked Archer.
"No, sir," said T'Pol. "In my time on Earth, it has never come
up. I do not understand the meaning of this phrase."
"I'd be happy to explain it," said Archer. "In this case, it means
we've gone faster than any other human ship has ever recorded
officially. That's what the record is. When we went faster than that
recorded speed, it's called 'breaking the record'. That's all."
"I do not understand why such an event should be cause for
celebration," said T'Pol. "It is logical to assume that the Enterprise
might eventually prove to be faster than originally thought.
Especially considering the upgrades and improvements which Mr.
Tucker has performed. It is not logical to celebrate the inevitable."
"That's not the point," said Archer. "Of course it's natural that
our technology would improve. The more we learn about warp
drive, the faster out ships will become. The point is that we did it
first. Before any other human did. That's what makes it so great
for us."
"I do not understand this," said T'Pol.
"It's a way of gauging ourselves," said Archer. "A way of
showing us how we've improved. How we've become better."
"This makes no sense," said T'Pol. "How does achieving what
is inevitable make you . . . "
Her voice trailed off as she suddenly swayed slightly. Her brow
furrowed and she put her hand to her head. She looked to Archer
as if she was in pain.
"Are you okay?" asked Archer, standing up and ready to catch
her if she should suddenly pass out.
"I am fine," said T'Pol. "Simply a headache. It began suddenly
and momentarily interrupted my concentration."
"A headache?" questioned Archer.
"You are surprised that a Vulcan would have a headache?"
asked T'Pol.
"I guess not," said Archer, "not really. I just never considered it
before. I've never met a Vulcan who expressed experiencing pain
before."
"Vulcans do experience pain," said T'Pol. "However, it would
not be appropriate to discuss such a thing openly."
"Maybe you should have Dr. Phlox check you out?" suggested
Archer. "Just to be sure."
"That will not be necessary," said T'Pol. "Pain can be
controlled. I believe I should return to my duties. If we may
continue this discussion at a later time."
"Of course," said Archer. "But if it gets any worse, I want you to
see the doctor."
"I understand," said T'Pol.
Archer watched as T'Pol left the ready room to take her place
on the bridge. It struck him odd that her being in pain should
surprise him. While T'Pol rarely complained of personal
discomfort, he did realize that she must suffer from many of the
same ailments as the rest of the crew. Archer decided he'd have to
get used to the idea that Vulcans and humans might actually have
some things in common.
That evening at dinner T'Pol seemed to be her usual stoic self.
Since he wasn't sure if it would embarrass her, he didn't mention
the headache in Trips' presence.
"How are the repairs coming?" asked Archer.
"All done, Cap'n," said Trip. "I'm still analyzing the test results,
though. That's going to take some time."
"The captain was explaining to me about the phrase 'breaking
a record' earlier, Lieutenant Commander," said T'Pol. "I would
appreciate your input on the subject. If it's not too much trouble."
Trip was surprised. As a rule, T'Pol rarely asked anyones'
opinion. It seemed whatever the topic of discussion was, she
already had an opinion on it. And she seemed to care less about
his opinion than most.
"I was explaining to her what the phrase meant," said Archer.
"She's never heard it before."
"Uh, well," stammered Trip, looking for just the right words, "I
guess it means you've done something no one's ever done before.
Like when we reached warp five point two five. It's also called
'raising the bar'. You do something that sets new standards for
others to shoot for."
"I see," said T'Pol. "And that is cause for celebration among
humans?"
"Hell, yes," said Trip. "I'm sorry. I mean, of course it is. If there
weren't people who kept breaking records, we'd still be living in
caves. Every time someone raises the bar, or breaks a record, it
means that everyone else has to set their sights on that level. It
becomes the new standard. It just makes things a whole heck of a
lot better."
"Vulcans don't celebrate anything, Sub-Commander?" asked
Archer.
"Certainly they do," replied T'Pol. "When it is warranted. For
example, there is a celebration at the joining of two people."
"Joinin'?" questioned Trip.
"Yes," said T'Pol. "I believe the human term for it is marriage."
"Oh, oh," said Trip, slightly embarrassed. It was clear he had
considered a totally different meaning for "joining".
"We also celebrate the birth of a child," continued T'Pol. "New
life is always a cause for celebration."
"But you don't celebrate something like achieving a faster warp
speed?" asked Archer.
"As I have explained," said T'Pol, "Vulcans do not consider the
inevitable a cause for celebration."
"Speaking of celebrations," said Trip, "the crew in engineering is
throwing a small bash to celebrate the new record. They'd
appreciate it if you'd come down and say a few words, Cap'n."
"I'd be glad to," said Archer. "God knows they've earned it. No
one worked harder breaking that record than the crew down in
engineering."
"A Vulcan captain would not see the need for such a thing," said
T'Pol. "Now, before you make some inappropriate comment, Mr.
Tucker, that was not meant as a criticism. It was meant only as an
example of the differences between Captain Archer and most
captains I have served with."
"Is that a good difference or a bad difference?" asked Trip.
"Neither," replied T'Pol. "It simply means different. I must
admit, Captain, while your methods seem a bit unorthodox, they do
seem to produce effective results. Your handling of the situation
with Ensign Steiner is one case in point."
"I miss him," said Trip. "He was one hell of a tactical officer."
"Be that as it may," said T'Pol, "his actions demanded he be
placed in the brig and brought up on charges. Captain Archer,
instead, transferred him to a medical ship for treatment. A Vulcan
captain would not have taken that approach."
"Steiner was sick," said Archer. "He didn't deserve to be thrown
into prison. He needed treatment."
"Precisely my point," said T'Pol. "Most Vulcan captains would
have not considered such extenuating circumstances. He would
have eventually been transferred for treatment, but a Vulcan
captain would not have considered his illness. I was quite
impressed with you treatment of the situation, Captain."
"Thank you, T'Pol," said Archer, "that means a lot to me."
"I have found, Captain," said T'Pol, "that your unorthodox
methods do seem to have a logic of their own. While they would
appear to be inappropriate or ineffective, they produce the results
you desire. Tell me? Have you always had such insight into
people?"
"I guess so," said Archer. "My father used to say that people
are basically good. They just have a habit of making the wrong
choices. Give them a chance, and they'll try to make the right
choice. I just try to put myself in their place and decide what I
would do."
"It does seem to be effective," said T'Pol. "Perhaps you should
consider teaching at Star Fleet Academy. You could pass on your
philosophy to the students there."
"I'm not much of a teacher," said Archer. "I couldn't wait to get
out of the Academy and into a ship."
"Still," said T'Pol, "you could help mold the minds of future star
ship captains. That would be quite an achievement."
"Why teach at a school when you could be out here meeting
new races?" asked Trip.
"Where would you be without the teachers you had at the
Academy?" asked T'Pol.
"She's got a point there, Trip," said Archer. "Without our
instructors, we wouldn't be out here right now."
"But not everyone's cut out to be a teacher," said Trip.
"True," said T'Pol. "Still, I believe Captain Archer would be an
excellent teacher. His compassion seems to be greater than most
humans. Something I believe is essential for a good teacher."
"I suppose so," said Archer, wondering about the conversation.
It was odder than most of his conversations with T'Pol.
"Well, " said T'Pol, "I have enjoyed the meal immensely.
However, I wish to get in my nightly meditations before bed. If you
will excuse me, Captain, Mr. Tucker."
"Certainly," said Archer.
"Good night, T'Pol," said Tucker.
"What the hell was that?" asked Tucker, after T'Pol had left. "If I
didn't know better, I'd swear she was flirting with you."
"Flirting?" questioned Archer. "T'Pol? I hardly think so. Still,
she did seem to be friendlier than normal. Maybe she was just in
one of her moods."
"I didn't know Vulcans had moods," said Trip.
"Well," said Archer, "I wouldn't give it much thought. I'm sure
she'll be back to her stoic self by morning."
"I suppose you're right, sir," said Trip. "I guess I'd better get
down to engineering and do my final check for the night. See you
in the morning, Cap'n."
"Good night, Trip," said Archer.
After Trip left the dining room, Archer sat thinking about T'Pol.
She was acting a bit odd. And while it might seem a bit unusual, it
was not really anything to be concerned about. At least, not yet.
He considered asking the doctor if there was some Vulcan
condition which might explain her behavior. In the end, he decided
against it. If it was just imagined or some aberrant behavior, he
didn't want to embarrass her.
The next day, T'Pol didn't seem any different from her normal
self. Even Trip commented that she seemed to have returned to
her normal less than friendly demeanor. Archer decided her
behavior the previous night must have been his imagination or just
a moment out of character for her. He imagined that even Vulcans
must have an off day from time to time.
"Captain," said T'Pol, "there is an asteroid field directly ahead.
Several hundred thousand objects of various sizes are detected.
I'm also detecting the presence of ditridium within the field."
"Ditridium?" asked Trip. "Cap'n, next to our dilithium crystals,
ditridium is the fuel source for our warp engines. If there's enough
there, Star Fleet might want to send a mining ship here."
"The readings are rather substantial," said T'Pol. "Mr. Tucker
may be correct. I believe a more detailed scan of the field may be
warranted."
"Very well," said Archer. "Travis, set a course for the field.
Drop out of warp as soon as we get there. T'Pol, begin your scans
as soon as we're in position."
"Yes, sir," said T'Pol.
The Enterprise dropped out of warp and came to a halt just
outside of the asteroid field. T'Pol began scanning the field as
Travis used the maneuvering thrusters to prevent impact with any
of the asteroids. It took more than an hour for T'Pol to complete
her scans. When she finished, she presented her findings to
Archer.
"There does seem to be substantial amounts of ditridium in the
field," said T'Pol, reading her results from a PADD. "However, the
interactions of the individual elements of the field are quite
unstable. More unstable than is normal in a field of this size. It is
unlikely that a mining ship would be able to successfully negotiate
this field."
"She's right about that, sir," said Travis. "I've been having the
devil of a time just keeping the ship from being bombarded with
asteroids."
"Thank you, Ensign," said T'Pol. "Your assertion is
appreciated."
"Thank you, Sub-Commander," said Travis. "However, it still
might be possible to mine the mineral. If the ship remained outside
of the field, it could use the transporter to beam pieces of the
asteroid inside. They could extract the ditridium there."
"Does Star Fleet have a ship capable of doing that?" asked
Archer.
"Not at this time, sir," said T'Pol, looking intently at Travis.
"She's right, sir," said Travis, "they don't. But it might be
possible to retrofit a cargo carrier to serve the purpose. The cargo
containers would be large enough to accommodate most of the
individual asteroids. It would simply involve redesigning portions of
the ship to extract the raw fuel."
"That is not a feasible solution," said T'Pol. "A cargo ship is
capable of reaching warp one point eight at best. The time it would
take to come here, mine the fuel source, and return with it to Earth
would make the operation prohibitive."
"Not if they transfer the refined product to a faster ship," said
Travis. "Or they could equip the refit cargo ship with a faster
engine. That would solve the problem with the time lag. Believe
me, Captain, during my time as a Boomer I've seen some pretty
ingenious refits for cargo ships. Those cargo captains can be
pretty creative when it comes to redesigning their ships to carry
different types of cargo."
"While the ensigns idea does have merit," said T'Pol, "I do not
believe it is a workable hypothesis."
"Wait a minute," said Trip. "Travis just might have something
there. A cargo vessel fitted with a warp three engine would cut the
time drastically. And I have a few ideas about designing a refining
processor that could be utilized on board the ships. It just might be
worth looking into, Cap'n. Considering the concentration of
ditridium in this field."
"No offense, T'Pol," said Archer, "but I think it's best if we submit
Travis' idea to Star Fleet Command for evaluation. I'll be sure and
include your concerns regarding it as well."
"I see," said T'Pol. She walked back over to the science station.
"Well, it would seem that our captain values the unsubstantiated
opinion of a neophyte helmsman over that of a seasoned and
experienced science officer."
T'Pol took the PADD she was holding and threw it down on the
console at her station.
"I can tell when I'm not wanted," she said, undisguised anger in
her voice. "Since my opinion holds no weight with you, Captain, I
shall not burden you with it any further. I hereby resign as science
officer of the Enterprise. You will return me to Vulcan as quickly as
possible."
With that she stormed off the bridge to the turbolift. As the
doors to the turbolift closed, no one said a word. They were all too
stunned at her emotional outburst. No one had ever seen a Vulcan
display even the slightest emotion, let alone the tirade which T'Pol
had just demonstrated.
* * *
Archer walked into the mess hall and looked around. He
spotted T'Pol over in one corner eating a bowl of soup. Since her
exhibition on the bridge twenty minutes earlier, he had searched
nearly the entire ship for her. One of the crewmen had finally said
they saw her going into the mess hall. Archer walked over and sat
down at the table with T'Pol.
"Would you care to explain what just happened on the bridge?"
asked Archer, trying to be as understanding as possible.
"I'm afraid I do not know what you are referring to, Captain,"
said T'Pol. She seemed to be her normal self. As if her violent
outburst had never occurred.
"I'm talking about your little outburst on the bridge," said Archer.
"Honestly, T'Pol, it was positively human."
"I do not believe your position as my commanding officer allows
for insults, Captain," said T'Pol.
"What are you talking about?" asked Archer. "You just resigned
as my science officer. After one of the most emotional outbursts
I've ever seen, even for a human."
"I can assure you, sir," said T'Pol, "that did not happen. I have
not been to the bridge this morning. My duty shift does not begin
for another twenty three minutes."
"T'Pol," said Archer, extremely concerned now, "it's nearly
fifteen hundred hours. You were on the bridge for almost seven
hours before you exploded at me. You resigned your assignment
on the Enterprise and stormed off the bridge like I had just slapped
you in the face. All because I chose a course of action you
disagreed with."
"That is not possible," said T'Pol. "I am a Vulcan. Such an
outburst is not possible."
"Everyone on the bridge witnessed it," said Archer. "Are you
telling me you don't remember any of it?"
"No, sir, I do not," said T'Pol. "After my meditations last night I
retired. Then I got up this morning and decided to have some
Pleming soup for breakfast. I have been here ever since."
"Well, you were acting a bit strange at dinner last night as well,"
said Archer. "At first I thought it was my imagination. Now, I'm not
so sure."
"Last night?" questioned T'Pol. "Captain, last night I fasted. I
remained in my quarters most of the evening before I retired."
"T'Pol," said Archer, standing, "I want you to report to sickbay at
fourteen hundred hours for a complete physical."
"That is not necessary, Captain," said T'Pol. "I can assure you
that . . . ."
"That's an order, Sub-Commander," said Archer. "And it's not
open to discussion."
"Yes, sir," said T'Pol.
Archer turned and left the room. He went immediately to
sickbay to discuss the situation with Dr. Phlox.
"And you say she remembers nothing of the outbursts?" asked
Phlox, after Archer had explained what had happened.
"She claims to remember nothing," said Archer. "I've ordered
her to report at fourteen hundred hours for a complete physical.
Any idea what might make her act that way?"
"There is a rare condition called Bendai's Syndrome," said
Phlox. "It causes a Vulcan to loose nearly total control of their
emotions. But that condition affects only Vulcans over the age of
two hundred; never one as young as our science officer."
"What about another allergic reactions?" asked Archer. "Like
the one she had with the chicken pox?"
"Always a possibility," said Phlox. "Don't concern yourself with
it, Captain. I shall perform a thorough examination of the
sub-commander and rest assured, if there's anything physically
wrong with her, I will find it."
"Good," said Archer. "I want to know what's going on with her."
"You shall know as soon as I do," said Phlox, smiling his
sometimes annoying smile.
Archer returned to the bridge where they continued to scan the
asteroid field. It proved to be even richer in ditridium than first
believed. Virtually every body within the field contained some
amount of the fuel source. Travis' idea was beginning to seem
more and more attractive.
It was nearly seventeen hundred before Phlox contacted Archer
and asked him to report to sickbay. As he entered the sickbay,
Phlox turned to greet him. The doctor had the beginnings of what
appeared to be a black eye. T'Pol was physically restrained to one
of the biobeds.
"What happened?" asked Archer.
"The sub-commander had one of her fits of emotional outbursts
while I was performing my examination," said Phlox. "It seems she
didn't appreciate where I had my hand at the moment. I believe
you would say, she clocked me one."
"I see," said Archer, stifling a smirk. "How is she now?"
"See for yourself," said Phlox.
Archer walked over to the biobed where T'Pol was restrained.
She seemed quite calm. Just as she usually was.
"How do you feel, T'Pol?" asked Archer.
"I am fine," said T'Pol. "And if that subterranean quack doesn't
release me from this damned straight jacket, I will gladly
demonstrate for him the method of rendering him incapable of
producing offspring which is preferred on Tykarris Prime."
Archer just smiled and walked back over to the doctor.
"Her spirits seem high," he said sarcastically. "What's wrong
with her, Doctor?"
"I don't know," said Phlox. "Physically, I can't find anything
wrong with her. Except for a slight chemical imbalance in her left
frontal lobe. However, this certainly would not account for her
bizarre behavior and it certainly isn't dangerous. I've attempted to
correct the imbalance, but to no avail."
"So what do we do?" asked Archer.
"I think it would be best to consult a Vulcan physician,"
suggested Phlox. "It is very possible they will have some
understanding of what is occurring to the sub-commander. And, I
assume, some form of treatment for it."
"Vulcan is eight days away," said Archer. "We can't keep her
restrained all that time."
"I am not capable of treating her if I do not know what the
ailment is," said Phlox. "The best solution I can offer is to keep her
sedated until we reach her home planet."
"Maybe I have another option," said Archer. "Keep her in
sickbay, restrained if necessary. I have to make a phone call."
"A phone call?" questioned Phlox.
"And old Earth expression," said Archer. "It means I have to
contact someone. I'll let you know when I have things arranged."
"Very well, Captain," said Phlox.
Archer returned to the bridge where everyone was anxiously
awaiting a report on T'Pol. Although she was a Vulcan, she was
still a member of the crew. And as Archer had once told T'Pol, they
take care of their own.
"Hoshi," said Archer, "send a subspace message to the
Shinnota. I want to speak to Tyvek."
"Yes, sir," said Hoshi.
"Transfer it to my ready room when you have him," said Archer.
He left the bridge and went to his ready room to await the call to
Tyvek and, hopefully, some answers about his science officer.
* * *
"And you have no idea what the problem is?" asked Tyvek after
Archer had explained the situation to him.
"The doctor can't find anything wrong with her," said Archer.
"He did say it was similar to something called Bengays' Syndrome
or some thing like that."
"Bendais' Syndrome," corrected Tyvek. "But that only strikes
Vulcans over two hundred years old. Never someone so young as
T'Pol."
"That's why I've contacted you," said Archer. "Dr. Phlox thinks a
Vulcan doctor should take a look at her. I don't want to loose her
and I'm afraid if I contact the Vulcan home world they might take
her off the ship. Can you help us?"
"We'll be glad to," said Tyvek, smiling. "We are near your
position now. We can rendezvous with the Enterprise in about
eleven hours. I'll inform our physician of the circumstances and he
can have a look at her when you arrive."
"Thanks, Tyvek," said Archer. "I appreciate this."
"No thanks necessary, Jonathon," said Tyvek. "As you know,
I'm very fond of T'Pol, even if she doesn't return the feelings.
Anything we can do to help, we'll do so gladly. Tyvek out."
Archer left his ready room and went to the bridge.
"Travis," he said, "set a course for the Shinnota. Warp five."
"Changing course," said Travis.
"How's T'Pol, Cap'n?" asked Trip.
"I really don't know," said Archer. "Tyveks' doctor is going to
take a look at her. Hopefully, he will be able to help."
"If there's anything we can do, sir," said Hoshi, "you just have to
ask."
"I appreciate that, Ensign," said Archer. "Right now all we can
do is rendezvous with the Shinnota and hope they can help her.
Let me know when we reach the rendezvous point."
"Aye, sir," said Hoshi.
Archer returned to sickbay to see if there was anything else they
could do for T'Pol.
* * *
"Doctor Tilvar found the same results as your doctor," said
Tyvek, after he had examined T'Pol. "Physically, she's in perfect
health. He's at a loss to explain the irrational behavior. Most
mental aberrations have some form of physiological source. But in
this case, there's nothing."
"Isn't there anything we can do for her?" asked Archer. "Her
outbursts are getting worse. Some times she lucid, the rest of the
time she's wildly out of control. And the lucid moments are getting
less and less frequent."
"There is one other option," said Tyvek. "I had hoped not to
have to resort to it. But I don't see any other option. We have to
find out what is going on with her."
"What option?" asked Archer. "What do we have to do?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you," said Tyvek. "I may be an outcast, but
I still respect Vulcan dictates. Let's just say we have certain mental
disciplines which may allow us to restore some of T'Pols' former
self to her. And help us discover what's going on in the process. I
have to ask that you trust me on this, Jonathon."
"Okay," said Archer. "I don't seem to have much choice. How
long will it take?"
"Not long," said Tyvek. "If you care to wait here, I'll inform you
of my success or failure when I'm finished."
Tyvek went to the quarters where T'Pol was staying while
aboard the Shinnota. She told him to come in when he rang the
chime. Inside the quarters, Tyvek was taken aback. The place
was a shambles. Broken furniture lay scattered everywhere. It
looked like there had been a free for all in the quarters.
"Feeling better?" asked Tyvek as he cautiously entered the
room.
"I am forbidden from speaking with you," said T'Pol.
"I am aware of that," said Tyvek. "But under the circumstances,
you have little choice."
"Logical," said T'Pol. "I am told I am subject to outburst of
extreme emotionalism. Is it Bendais' Syndrome?"
"Not in one so young," said Tyvek. "Actually, neither the
Enterprise doctor nor ours can find any physical problem with you.
Which leaves only one logical conclusion."
"My condition is mental not physical," said T'Pol. "It would seem
I must return to Vulcan and resign my position with the science
council. I am unfit to perform my duties as I am."
"There is another alternative," suggested Tyvek. "If you will
permit it. I would not ask, but I value your friendship and do not
wish to see you driven mad. It is the only logical option open to us
at this point."
"A mind meld," said T'Pol.
"Yes," said Tyvek. "If the cause of your ailment is mental, I
should be able to discern what it is. That will help the doctor to
develop a treatment for it."
"You could risk being infected," said T'Pol.
"A risk I accept," said Tyvek. "Besides, you forget. I had one of
the most disciplined minds on Vulcan. I believe my mental
disciplines will provide some protection for me. And perhaps I can
provide some stability for you."
"A logical assumption," said T'Pol.
"I will not perform the meld if you refuse," said Tyvek. "You
know that I don't agree with the normal Vulcan philosophy.
However, I still respect it. And that philosophy dictates that a mind
meld may only be accomplished with the permission of both
parties."
"Under normal circumstances," said T'Pol, remembering an
incident when she melded with someone without their permission.
A meld she had felt was necessary.
"Yes," said Tyvek. "Take as long as you wish to consider my
offer. Contact me when you have made your decision. I will
respect whatever decision you make."
"I have made my decision already," said T'Pol. "I cannot
continue in this state. Since you are willing to accept the risk, and I
require the stability the meld will impart, you have my permission."
"Good," said Tyvek. He placed his hands on T'Pols' face. "My
mind to your mind. My thoughts to your thoughts," he began.
* * *
"What did you find out?" asked Archer as Tyvek came into the
room followed by T'Pol.
"Quite a bit, actually," said Tyvek. "The disciplines I mentioned
to you earlier have helped to stabilize T'Pols' condition. For a time,
anyway. However, this will not hold for long. I can't say exactly
what has caused her condition, but I did discover where it most
likely began. What can you tell me about the Sular research
colony."
Archer thought for a moment. That was the colony where they
had gone to help fix a subspace transceiver. When they arrived,
they found the colony deserted except for a single male Vulcan
who was in a catatonic state. And there had been no indication
what had happened to the remaining forty five Vulcan scientists
assigned to the colony.
"There was no indication of what happened to them?" asked
Tyvek.
"None," said Archer. "It's like they just vanished into thin air.
We never did learn what became of them. What does this have to
do with T'Pol?"
"Her troubles began almost immediately after you visited there,"
said Tyvek. "I determined that there is some kind of telepathic link
between her and someone or something else. This link is
weakening her emotional control. The longer it remains, the
weaker her control. It's why she seems to suffer from bouts of
emotionalism."
"Just like that Vulcan we found," said Archer. "He seemed
terrified of something, but he was so catatonic, he couldn't tell us
what."
"I think we might find our answers at that colony," said Tyvek.
"At any rate, it's the only clue we have."
"We?" asked Archer. "You're going with us?"
"If you don't mind," said Tyvek. "T'Pol may need additional help
which only another Vulcan can give her. And I might be able to
help find out what happened at the colony."
"What about you?" asked Archer. "Aren't you afraid you might
become infected as she has?"
"I believe my mental disciplines will protect me," said Tyvek.
"Besides, whatever this is it's forcing her repressed emotions into
her conscious mind. Where she is not able to effectively deal with
them since her natural instinct is to repress them. She's not used
to dealing with emotions, which is causing her abnormal behavior.
"I have even greater discipline than she. Remember, I was one
of Vulcans' greatest philosophers and debaters for more than
ninety years. But since I've embraced my emotions, I don't suffer
the same handicap she does. I don't think I risk being infected by
whatever this is."
"Okay," said Archer, "you're welcome to come along. The
colony is about three weeks away at warp five. Can she hold out
that long?"
"With Tyvek's assistance," said T'Pol, "I believe I can."
"Good," said Archer. "Let's get back to the Enterprise. I want to
get to the Sular colony as quickly as possible."
Tyvek made arrangements for his absence from the Shinnota.
Then, he, Archer, and T'Pol boarded the Enterprise shuttle to
return to the Enterprise. With any luck, they would find what they
were looking for once they reached the colony.
Archer didn't want to think about what would happen if they
didn't.
To be continued . . .
Be sure not to miss Part 2: Sins Of The Father. Archer returns
to the planet where a Vulcan science team vanished without a
trace to track down the source of T'Pols' malady. As she grows
progressively worse, he must somehow convince the investigators
at that planet to aid him; without revealing T'Pols' ailment or the
presence of Tyvek. With time running out, Archer does whatever
he feels he must to help his science officer; including acts which
could get him courts-martialed and drummed out of Star Fleet.
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