AN- This is where the action truly starts. As you probably read in the summary, T'Laudh has to make a choice. No it's not this chapter. Maybe next chapter. This chapter is the mission she was assigned. Hope y'all like it! One more thing: Thank you to my latest reviewer on Life in the Fast Lane. It was the shortest, yet sweetest review I ever received. The review was simply this: keep writing. That's awesome. Hope y'all do the same and keep reading!
Chapter Two
T'Laudh muttered a curse as she tried to tug on the centurion's uniform. The quartermaster had given her the only female centurion uniform that would fit her, which was a size too small. This was going to probably be one of the worst parties ever. She was going to have to walk in, in plain sight, to a party hosted at the house of one of her worst enemies. She had gotten the girl three hours of detention one day and she had hated T'Laudh ever since.
"Hey! I'm here!" her older brother, Volsrak called out. He had told her he was coming over with his wife and children for dinner.
"T'Laudh! I have the stuff you said you needed!" her sister-in-law, T'Lana, called out to her.
"I'm in my bedroom!" she replied. T'Lana stepped into the bedroom.
"Why are you trying to wear a uniform too small for you?" T'Lana fussed. T'Lana had been a medic in the military until she had met Volsrak, who had been one of her patients. He had been used by Tal Shiar to test a new torture method. It had taken T'Lana forever to trust T'Laudh after she had discovered that T'Laudh was a Tal Shiar agent. It wasn't until she realized that T'Laudh had threatened to go rogue unless Admiral Valdore didn't do something about the fact that soldiers were used to test new torture methods that she had started to trust T'Laudh.
"I've been assigned to a mission tonight. It's classified, but I'll be here for dinner," T'Laudh said apologetically.
"Oh it's alright. We needed to leave afterwards, anyway. The girls have their concert tonight and Zoran has his big game right after that. We were going to invite you, but we'll record it so you can see it," T'Lana said sweetly. T'Laudh smiled, brushing her light brown hair behind her ear.
"Thank you. I did bring that up to the Admiral a few minutes ago when he called. He wanted to check my progress and I mentioned previous engagements. He said that this was crucial to the survival of the Empire," T'Laudh explained.
"No pressure, huh?" Volsrak said, appearing at the doorway. T'Lana hummed as she manipulated the seams on the over shirt of the uniform, coaxing as much room out of it as she could.
"Yup, no pressure," T'Laudh joked.
"This is as much as I can get you, T'Laudh. I hope it fits a bit better now," T'Lana said. T'Laudh tugged on the uniform. It was a little tight around her waist and chest, but was fine other wise.
"It's alright. I'll just remember not to take deep breaths while I'm working," T'Laudh joked. T'Lana laughed quietly.
"Well, let's have dinner first and then figure out what all we're doing tonight," Volsrak suggested.
! #$%^&*())(*&^%$# !
T'Laudh tried to suck in a breath, but realized that the altered uniform was a little tighter than she thought. She walked up the street towards the mansion, which was definitely a party zone. She walked up to the door and was met by a rather large man.
"Can I help you?" he asked, sounding as if he wasn't even remotely interested in the answer.
"I'm here for the party," T'Laudh said, pretending to flirt with the man. His eyes traveled to places she would usually punch a man for looking at.
"Sure thing, sweetie," he said with a laugh, opening the door and letting her in. T'Laudh walked in confidently.
"Who the hell let this bitch in!?" a voice screeched. A woman appeared, someone who had been T'Laudh's worst enemy in high school.
"Well! Answer me!" she yelled.
"I was invited in," T'Laudh said with a light laugh.
"Who would let a whore in?" the woman laughed.
"Now, now. Let's not become jealous that you're just a housewife and I fight for the Empire," T'Laudh snapped.
"Really? You, a soldier? You must just be some kind of low-life, then," the woman sneered.
T'Laudh lost all patience about then.
"Listen, bitch. I am a centurion of the Fifth Legion and you will treat me as such. If anyone is the low-life here, it's you. So shove whatever ideas you have about trying to make my life a living hell up your aehf, because I will not hesitate to kill you if you so much as look at me funny," T'Laudh snarled. The other woman stepped back, startled.
"Well then. You're just full of yourself today, aren't you? Enjoy the party, bitch," she snapped.
People flocked to the other woman, glaring at T'Laudh, who didn't even pretend to care. The party continued as a man walked over to T'Laudh, drawing the attention of the crowd that had circled T'Laudh's enemy.
"Hello T'Laudh. Glad to see the Admiral could spare you for tonight," he said.
"Hello Terix," T'Laudh said with a smile. Terix had been her only true friend in high school. He had helped her with some of her ex boyfriends while she had helped him with his homework. One of her exes had dated her on a dare and left her in tears. Terix had kicked his ass, even though T'Laudh didn't want to cause any trouble. Turns out the guy had done that just to make her look bad. T'Laudh had stayed away from him though. Her father had been furious when he had found out.
"So, are you here to, y'know, enjoy the party?" Terix asked awkwardly. T'Laudh smiled.
"Work, I'm afraid," she said with a little laugh, "Valdore loves to keep me busy. It seems I have no free time at all!"
Terix laughed, "Hey, there's karaoke tonight. Wanna join in? Might be just like old times!"
"Gladly," T'Laudh said, "I learned a new song. You know how I love to study foreign cultures."
"Still studying the planet called Earth?"
"Yup. It's got a really fascinating culture. And really great music!" T'Laudh smiled.
"Let's go, then. What are you waiting for?" Terix said, pushing her towards the stage. T'Laudh grinned as she stepped on the stage.
"Oh look. She's gonna try to sing!" a man laughed mockingly.
"You forget, I was the one who was forced to sing for Sh'era. At least I don't need to lip read to know she ain't the one singing," she smiled sweetly.
The music started, but T'Laudh cut them off.
"This song," she said, pointing to a song on their list. She had made sure to hack the computers and add that song.
The music restarted and T'Laudh began singing.
"Hmmm, After all you put me through When I, thought I knew you After all of the stealing & cheating It makes me that much stronger Ohh, ohh, ohh, ohhhh, ohh-yea ah uhhhuh Never, saw it coming After all of the fights & the lies It makes me that much stronger How could this man I thought I knew I´m a fighter & I, ´Cause it makes me that much stronger You thought I´d forget, ´Cause it makes me that much stronger
You would think I would despise you
But in the end I wanna thank you
´Cause you made me that much stronger
Thinking, that you were true
I guess I, I could not trust
Called your bluff, time is up
´Cause I have had enough
You were, there by my side
Always, down for the ride
But your, joy ride just came down in flames
´Cause your greed sold me out in shame, mmhmm
You probably think that I hold resentment for you
But, uh uh, oh no, you are wrong
´Cause if it wasn´t for all that you tried to do
I´dn´t know just how capable I´m to pull through
So I want to say thank you ´cause
Makes me work a little bit harder
It makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter
All of, your backstabbing
Just so, you could cash in
On a good thing before I realized your game
I heard, you are going around
Playing the victim now
But don´t, even begin
Feeling I am the one to blame
´Cause you dug your own grave
Yes you wanted to harm me but that won´t work anymore
Uh, no more, oh no, it is over
´Cause if it wasn´t for all of your torture
I´dn´t know how to be this way now, & never back down
So I want to say thank you ´cause
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
It makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter
Turn out to be unjust so cruel
Could only see the good in you
Pretended not to see the truth
You tried to hide your lies, disguise yourself
Through living in denial
But in the end you will see
You will not stop me!
I aint going to stop
There´s no turning back
I have had enough
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
It makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter
But I, I remember
I remember, I remember
You thought I´d forget,
But I, I remember
I remember, I remember
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
It makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter"
When she got done, people were staring at her and muttering.
"You're just faking it!" the guy laughed. T'Laudh grinned.
"Am I?" she replied calmly.
"Yeah," he said.
"Hey!" she called over to the band, "Track 27, please. Let's entertain the people!"
A light smattering of clapping came from the back, where Terix stood with a couple of friends, pretending to be uninterested. They still got glares.
The music started again.
"Made a wrong turn once or twice Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever, ever feel You're so mean (so mean) when you talk (when you talk) So complicated, Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever, ever feel The whole world's scared, so I swallow the fear (Yeah! Oh!) Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever, ever feel
Dug my way out, blood and fire
Bad decisions, that's alright
Welcome to my silly life
Miss 'No way, it's all good'
It didn't slow me down.
Mistaken, always second guessing
Underestimated, look I'm still around
Like you're less than fucking perfect
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel
Like you're nothing, you're fucking perfect to me
About yourself. You were wrong.
Change the voices (change the voices) in your head (in your head)
Make them like you instead.
Look how we all make it.
Filled with so much hatred
Such a tired game
It's enough, I've done all I could think of
Chased down all my demons
I've seen you do the same
(Oh oh)
Like you're less than fucking perfect
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel
Like you're nothing, you're fucking perfect to me
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer
So cool in lying and we try, try, try but we try too hard
And it's a waste of my time.
Done looking for the critics, cause they're everywhere
They don't like my jeans, they don't get my hair
Exchange ourselves and we do it all the time
Why do we do that, why do I do that (why do I do that)?
I'm pretty, pretty, pretty
Like you're less than fucking perfect
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel
Like you're nothing, you're fucking perfect to me
(You're perfect, you're perfect)
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel
Like you're nothing, you're fucking perfect to me."
"Any other questions?" T'Laudh said, irritated.
"I got nothing!" Terix said, grinning.
A man stepped forward from the crowd. T'Laudh recognized him as the man she was supposed to get on this mission.
"I do!" he yelled, "Why did Tal Shiar send a woman after me? Why not a man, who could actually gain the skills needed to get me?"
"Because I obviously can kick your aehf in maybe twelve seconds," T'Laudh said, flicking her light brown hair behind her shoulder. Terix grinned.
"Well then," the man said, "Let's see what you can do!"
He jumped at her, but she moved to the side with ease. She caught his arm as he flew past and slammed him to the ground. He gasped as she pushed the tip of her hidden dagger into the small of his back. He went limp.
"What was that about sending a man to do a woman's job?" she hissed as she knocked him out with a simple Vulcan nerve pinch that her sister had taught her. She stood up.
"Now, if all of you will report to your local military office for questioning by the Tal Shiar by dawn, it would be appreciated. We have the guest list, so if you don't show, we will hunt your asses down. Clear?" she snapped. Everyone stared at her. Terix just grinned.
"That's my girl!" he laughed. T'Laudh just glared at him. He smiled innocently at her. She sighed and picked up the unconscious traitor by his arm, dragging him towards the door.
! #$%^&*())(*&^%$# !
T'Pol glanced at her comm panel. It beeped again. She stood and answered it. A man appeared on screen.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you, Commander. My name is Harris. Lieutenant Reed might have mentioned me or my job at least once, I'm sure," the man said.
"You did not disturb me," T'Pol said, "What does Section 31 want with me this time?"
"Good!" Harris laughed, "I'm glad to see that V'Shar trains their agents well. I need a favor. A favor that only you can help with. I'm sure you recall your classified mission into Romulan space roughly fifteen years ago."
"How do you know the details to that?" T'Pol asked, wary of the man, "And what is this 'favor' you want?"
Harris grinned, "You see, Commander, we have eyes and ears everywhere. We need you to contact someone you met while in Romulan space. I believe you recall a Romulan teenager named T'Laudh."
"I do. What do you want with her? She is a harmless civilian," T'Pol said. Last she had heard, T'Laudh was a simple civilian with a simple job as an office clerk.
"That is where you are wrong, Commander. I am referring to Agent T'Laudh of the Romulan Tal Shiar agency. We want you to contact her and send her the packet of information I am about to forward to you. Do not look at it. It is for her eyes only. Do you understand?" the man said bluntly.
"Of course I do. What is there to not understand?" T'Pol asked, confused as to what the human was talking about. Harris sighed and muttered something about Vulcans.
"Never mind. Just send the packet to Agent T'Laudh and have a nice conversation with her. After all, she is your sister," Harris said innocently. T'Pol froze.
"How do you know that?" she demanded.
AN- So, here's a nice cliffhanger. Well, what do you think? Which one is half-Vulcan and half-Romulan? Just send me an answer. On a different note, I've decided to have a time split at some point in my stories. I'll continue the stories that split in two separate stories. So here's the deal with that: One story line will continue into the normal Original Series line. The other story line will continue into the newer, Reboot line. If you've read some of my other stories, you'll notice that my current Star Trek stories use the Reboot line. Well, it's been a while since I've watched the Original Series, so I need to refresh myself. And there are so many more possibilities with the Reboot universe. Well, I hope you stick around for the next chapter. It'll get kinda interesting there! Jolan'tru!