Chapter Three – Deliver Us From Evil
Malcolm's admission hung in the air. Trip and Archer exchanged looks over his head.
"Consented?" Archer repeated after a moment.
Malcolm's eyes remained elsewhere, focusing passed Archer. "Yes sir."
Confused and more than a little surprised, the captain searched for something to say. "Phlox said there was blood…"
Trip's head snapped up and Archer saw that the horror on his engineer's face was reflected on Malcolm's.
"As I said, sir, a misunderstanding." Reed's voice didn't waver.
"Well how the hell do you misunderstand sex, Malcolm?" Trip demanded.
They both waited for an answer. None was forth coming.
"I want to know everything that happened after Trip left." Archer said, his tone commanding, broking no opposition. "What went on between you and Ko? And you can consider that an order."
Malcolm looked up at his captain. He didn't say anything for a long time.
Then he nodded, crisply. "Yes sir."
Archer sat down on the edge of the bed, concerned. His tone softened. "Take your time, Malcolm."
***
Some hours earlier…
The warmth of the bar suddenly seemed even more oppressive. Malcolm watched as the lithe cat person settled down on the chair beside him. Despite the lack of any obvious gender, he-she-it was probably the most beautiful person he'd ever seen. Not in any conventional ideal, but in its sensual form. This close he could smell a faint musk coming from the creature's body, warm and pleasing, the kind of scent that spoke of home and safety.
"You are one of the homoms?" It asked. Its voice had a honeyed purr-like tone, soft and gentle as if it caressed the very ears which heard it.
Malcolm found his smile came easily. "Humans, yes."
It cocked its head to the side and Malcolm saw small feline like ears hidden in the downy fur on its head. "You are very beautiful."
Flustered, he managed an embarrassed "thank you," before grasping the first safe topic to enter his head.
"That was a very unusual dance."
Its eyes had dilated at his awkwardness, observing everything. It smiled. "It is the Dance of the Ko. Did you not know this?"
"No."
"And yet you still came here?"
"My friend liked the look of the place."
"This is the Gamma Ko. This is where people come to see the Dance of the Ko." The smile widened, revealing two long feline teeth, and its eyes softened. "The dance is about the choosing. At the end, I look at my choice."
It looked at him directly, just as it had on the stage a few minutes ago. The significance sunk in. "Oh." He swallowed. "Choosing for what?"
"To be part of the Hek*sic*."
Malcolm frowned as the translator failed. "What is that?"
"The Hek*sic* is the way between Hek and Ko*sic*."
"I don't understand. Our translators are-"
It took his hand. "I will show you." It smiled. "You are the chosen after all."
He hesitated.
"You do not wish to be chosen?" It asked.
Malcolm thought of Trip, skipping off to see something he didn't know the name of either. He considered the Dayohsi and their peaceful ways, but in any case, he knew his own limits and strengths and he didn't sense anything wrong.
It had been a while since he'd had any fun.
And the faint smirk on Trips face as Chu*tic* tugged him out of the bar was haunting him. He wanted that too.
"You will like it. All Dayohsi do."
"I'm not-"
It pressed a narrow finger to his lips, the touch of soft fur against his mouth. "You will like it. It is the Hek*sic* and I am the Ko."
The creature took his hand, skin warm against his own. He had a brief flash of memory – the butterfly catchers on the Enterprise's first mission. They had lingered in his thoughts long after. There hadn't been time then…but now…
Curious, and knowing he could back out at any time, he let Ko lead him to the back of the bar, acutely aware of the other patrons watching enviously. He'd been chosen. For what, he didn't know. But wasn't that why he'd joined Starfleet and not the Navy? The chance to explore the unknown?
The room Ko took him into was very small and dimly lit. The walls were tiled with flat red stones, like the tablets of Moses, and when his eyes had grown more accustomed to the gloom, he saw each of the stones were imprinted with a hand mark.
There was no furniture in the room, except a tall candle in the centre, standing on a black metal pillar. The creature went to this and lit the flame. Malcolm guessed there was some kind of gas feeding it for the soft light flickering was a blue hue.
The Ko then went to the wall and pulled one of the flat red stones from the top. It smiled at him as it held the tablet of stone over the heat. It did not wince even though the occasional flame licked over its fingers.
Then Ko held out the tablet. "Press your hand against it." Ko whispered. "It is your mark upon the Ko."
Warily, he pressed his palm against the stone, expecting it to be hot. But the soft material was only warm and moulded around his fingers. When he pulled away, he saw his handprint preserved in the stone, just like all the others.
"Now, I make my Mark on you."
It stepped forward, beginning to purr deep in its throat. The sound was relaxing and some of the tension faded from Malcolm's body. "Close your eyes."
Soothed by the purring, he did so without thought, letting the sounds carry him. He felt something brush his neck and two sharp points broke the skin. He felt the warmth of his blood pool in the wounds. With a brief flash of panic, he expected to be drained, sucked dry, but instead there was nothing but a tingle. It was putting something in. Then the adrenaline singing in his veins faded and his heartbeat dulled.
His head remained clear, but his bodies responses were slowed, like he was stuck in thick mud or had ten-ton weights attached to his limbs.
He couldn't stop the creature.
He couldn't stop the pain…
***
Malcolm faulted over the words and the rigid formality on his face began to crack. Archer touched his shoulder. "It's OK. You don't need to go on."
Reed took a deep breath, "after…after…that….I went outside…but I began to feel dizzy and I fell. Then Commander Tucker found me."
A long silence followed.
"Malcolm, that wasn't consent." Trip said. "Not in my book. Hell, not in anybody's book."
"You didn't know." The captain added.
"I agreed nevertheless." He looked up. "I wasn't forced."
"Maybe not, but you didn't agree to that, Malcolm." Archer told him.
"It wasn't…It wasn't…" But he couldn't bring himself to say the word. "It was…"
"A misunderstanding." The words might have been humorous, but Trip's tone was too grim.
"Yes."
Archer straightened up, anger growing on his face. "I'm going to talk with Holtem. Stay with Malcolm."
Trip nodded crisply. "Aye, sir."
***
The Commandant's huge office was dark. There were no curtains on the stately windows to hide the deep blackness of night outside. The Ko gazed around fascinated. It didn't often leave the Gamma Ko, even during the daytime. It was almost unheard of to be called away at night, during the time of the Dance. It walked up the Commandant's wide desk and half bowed in respect.
"Commandant."
Holtem did not stop for pleasantries. This conversation, by its very content, would not be worthy of such attentions.
"You chose the human?" He asked.
The Ko blinked. Such questions were highly personal, the Hek*sic* was always kept private, sealed between those who shared it.
"From the Enterprise." Holtem continued. "His name is Malcolm Reed."
"Yes." It replied. "I chose him." There was a certain satisfaction to its purring voice.
"And you honoured him with the Hek*sic*?"
"Yes. That is always my choice."
"He is not Dayohsi."
"That does not matter."
Holtem sighed. "No, it doesn't."
"Why do you ask, Commandant? The Hek*sic* is personal, it has nothing to do with politics."
"This Reed was found outside the Gamma Ko by his crewmate. He needed medical attention."
Concern flickered in the creature's eyes. "He is not harmed?"
"Both his doctor and ours tell us he will be fine. It appears his body could not tolerate the Ko'ma in your saliva." Holtem paused. "Their doctor recognised the signs of the Hek*sic* joining and because of this, the captain has requested that I look into the matter. I need you to tell me what happened between you."
The creature looked troubled.
"I know such a question is not proper, but please?"
"He was…distant." Ko admitted. "I thought perhaps, it was the human way."
"His captain believed… He believed his officer was unwilling."
The creature's brow drew down. "No, he was willing."
"Are you sure?"
It looked shocked, but there was no anger in its voice. It was not capable of that emotion. "That would be an abomination of everything the Ko are."
Holtem smiled. "Of course you're sure." He thought for a moment. "Tell me...about the Hek*sic* you shared with him." His eyes narrowed in regret. "I'm sorry it has come to this, but I need to know."
The Ko's words stumbled awkwardly. It wasn't used to such questions. "It was different. He did not react as one of you would. But he is different, so that is a balance."
"How different did he act?"
Its head lowered, and something like understanding flickered across its downy face. "As if there was no joy for him." It said softly. "I did not expect that."
"That is all?"
It nodded. "I thought because he was human…" The creature's eyes closed. "But what if it was pain? Human pain? It would bring shame on all the Ko."
"Pain?" Holtem covered his face with his hand. "But he was willing? He gave you his agreement?"
"Yes." But this time the answer didn't sound very certain.
"Ko?"
"His translator failed. He didn't know the meaning of the Hek*sic*. I said I would show him." It paused. "He made the Mark. He did not hesitate."
"And when you made your Mark?"
"He did not…" The creature's voice trailed away and a deep sadness settled in its eyes. Its shoulders slumped and its head bowed, looking suddenly old, every one of its many centuries. "It was not like with Dayohsi." It finally whispered.
Holtem bowed his head too. "His captain has made a complaint. I will have to follow it through, Ko."
"I understand." It looked at the Commandant. "Am I an abomination?"
The Commandant's head snapped up. "No!"
"Centuries ago, my kind were seen as that. A few still believe it. Perhaps this has proved they are right."
At this, Holtem rose and came around the table to stand in front of the Ko. "No. They are wrong."
"But Malcolm-"
"Once, when I was just a chancellor barely in office, I was privileged to be chosen. I know the beauty of the Hek*sic*. It is pure and true." He took its hand. "This Reed…he was too different to know that. But that does not change the honour that you bestowed upon him."
"But he hurt. And now… now he believes he was violated."
"But he wasn't." Holtem insisted. "He did not understand."
"Maybe I was too different to know that." It murmured. "But it does not change what he feels."
Holtem sighed. "Perhaps then, there is no real answer. But no crime either, Ko."
"No. But I know what I feel." Something trickled down the Ko's face and Holtem realised with shock that the creature was crying. He hadn't even known that their kind could do that. "And it isn't pure and true."
***
To be continued…
