Chapter Four
Three days later, S'nell was eating lunch with V'tek in the guest quarters. It would not be long now before they met the Klingons as long range sensors had indicated the tracking device was nearby.
"The star charts of the Enterprise indicate that there is a T class planet ten light years ahead of this ship. It is likely that the Klingons will take advantage of the gaseous atmosphere of the planet in order to evade the Enterprise's sensors. I doubt Captain Kirk's ability to convince the Klingons to hand the Banar over to our control. If it comes to a fight we must use every advantage possible to us." V'tek said.
"Kirk to all crew. Yellow alert. V'tek and S'nell, come to the bridge immediately." came Captain Kirk's voice over the ship wide intercom before she could reply. V'tek and S'nell quickly hurried to a turbolift. They emerged onto the bridge a short time later. V'tek took a position behind Captain Kirk while S'nell stood on Captain Kirk's right side.
"Mr Sulu, what is the status of the Klingons?" demanded Captain Kirk.
"They have their weapons charged and locked on us." the pilot replied.
"Then let's not provoke them, Mr Sulu. Uhura, hail them. Spock, scan for the Banar." Captain Kirk ordered.
"No response." called Lieutenant Uhura.
"The Banar is present but their shields are raised." Commander Spock stated.
"If you would permit me, Ensign Chekov?" wondered V'tek as he motioned to the navigation console. The young Ensign nodded and rose from the chair. A moment later V'tek sat down at the console. Shortly afterwards a beam from the deflector hit the Klingon ship.
"Shields are now lowered. Transport complete." concluded Commander Spock a few moments later.
"All right then. Mr Sulu, set a course for-" Captain Kirk said. He was not able to finish his sentence as another voice interrupted him.
"No!" came the anguished cry of Ensign Chekov as two torpedoes were suddenly fired upon the Klingon bird of prey. The Klingon ship shock and then exploded a moment later. The Enterprise rocked at the impact but the shields held. There was silence for a moment on the bridge then Captain Kirk turned to V'tek who calmly stood from the navigator's chair.
"What the hell do you think you were doing V'tek? We had what we came for. The Klingons didn't need to die like that." Captain Kirk replied heatedly.
"It was only logical Captain. If I had not destroyed their ship, they would have set the self destruct themselves rather then allowing themselves to surrender to you or admit the dishonor of their failure. I gave the Klingons what they wished for: a warrior's death. Come S'nell. We should examine the Banar." V'tek explained. On her way off the bridge, S'nell caught Commander Spock's appraising expression on V'tek. V'tek turned to S'nell in the closed turbolift and pressed the hold button.
"Did my behavior on the bridge make you suspicious S'nell?" he asked mildly, though she sensed it was not an innocent inquiry.
"I don't know what you're talking about V'tek." she claimed.
"You value honesty too highly to make a good liar, unlike some of the duplicitous Andorians I've met. But you're also smart enough to keep quiet for everyone's sake." V'tek replied quietly.
"Yes I am." S'nell softly replied.
"Good. Now go analyze the Banar's blood for me." he demanded. Into the tense silence between them V'tek pressed the button to resume the turbolift. Before she could think of a reply the turbolift doors had opened. V'tek left her to make her own way to the transporter room where Krupin, Commander Spock, and Doctor McCoy were waiting. Both Krupin and Doctor McCoy were carrying a large case.
"What took you so long? I'm too busy simply to stand around waiting for you S'nell." Doctor McCoy snapped.
"Well, I am here now. Commander Spock, if you would take one side of the case and I'll take the other, we can move the Banar to the biology lab. Doctor McCoy, Krupin, you should take another turbolift and meet us there." S'nell said.
"That is logical given the superior Vulcan and Andorian strength in comparison to Humans and the large dimensions of this case." Commander Spock replied. Doctor McCoy and Krupin left the room in front of Commander Spock and S'nell, who carefully walked behind them. Once at the biology lab, S'nell gestured with her antenna for Doctor McCoy and Krupin to go first through the doors. She and Commander Spock carefully set the case of the Banar down besides a console.
"Commander Spock, where are the environmental suits?" S'nell asked. He gestured toward one end of the lab.
"Are those really necessary S'nell? I've always hated them." Doctor McCoy grumbled.
"They are Doctor McCoy. You see, the Banar have an system of scents they release as a defense mechanism in the form of gas when they sense an unfamiliar presence. Unless you wish to be killed by the gas you will wear one." S'nell explained. There was no more objection from any of them after that and they all quickly had an environmental suit on.
"How should we proceed S'nell?" inquired Spock after they had done a preliminary check of the environmental suit at Doctor McCoy's insistence.
"Yourself and Doctor McCoy will stand back while Krupin and I open the case and awaken the Banar. If you wish to take readings with a tricorder, do so. But under no circumstances are either of you to touch the Banar until I say so. Is that clear gentlemen?" S'nell stated. They both nodded.
Then S'nell approached the large two metre case. Krupin set up a isolated data console beside her then handed S'nell the three vials she needed. Once she had taken a step back S'nell combined half of all three compounds in the vials carefully on the front seam of the container. A thick green gas filled the room as S'nell closed the vials, set them down, and then opened the lid. Her hand print on the console turned it on with a quiet chirp. Finally S'nell carefully leaned forward and placed her other hand on top of the brown surface of the Banar.
Immediately S'nell's back arched and she cried out softly as the information transfer began. The Banar communicated through a series of low energy electrical impulses that would run through a Humanoid body. But the impulses traveled to the brain at a speed too fast for most Humanoids to comprehend. So the information would then pass from a Humanoid brain into a data console which had been programmed with a computer system that analyzed the impulses for patterns of energy. Those patterns were translated into specific hertz frequencies.
On the research station, S'nell had been working on testing the frequencies of the Banar to see what situations provoked specific frequencies. If she could find that out then she could begin to build a device where she could mimic the frequencies back to the Banar and hopefully establish two way communication for the first time. Once the Banar had finished sending her electrical impulses S'nell scanned through the frequencies that had been generated on the console. But there was nothing new there. S'nell closed her eyes and thought about what she could do next.
The Banar did not have vocal cords, so at first she had considered mental rather then verbal communication. But she had received no mental response or electrical impulses from the Banar when she had concentrated on specific thoughts while she touched the Banar in the past. S'nell knew that the mechanism behind the defense system of gas the Banar used against strangers was activated through direct physical touch. Specifically, the Banar could recognize the scent of skin so well that a Banar could distinguish not only between different species but different individuals within that species as well. She looked at her environmental suit for a long moment.
"It's your funeral S'nell." Krupin replied quietly as if she sensed what S'nell was thinking.
"I know direct touch of the Banar has killed both Tellarites and Klingons in the past. But I'm an Andorian so the Banar have no reason to distrust me. What's more, I'm not a stranger as I've been working with this particular Banar for some time." S'nell considered as she leaned forward over the Banar.
"Even so, I still think it's too risky. Haven't enough people died because of the Banar?" Krupin said.
"Are you truly going to hold an alien creature responsible for their own biology that they can't change? It's not the Banar's fault that their blood has been turned into a weapon of mass destruction. For all you know, they are horrified to have caused so much loss of life and would rather die then allow any of them to be used again in such a fashion. Or at least that's what I might consider if I was a Banar. To be frank Krupin, I share your concern. But it's the only way I haven't tried to communicate with the Banar yet. I wouldn't even consider it under normal circumstances but this is about more then just my life. The last thing the galaxy needs is for another attack on the scale of the Xatari catastrophe." S'nell said.
"I know none of this is the Banar's fault. Perhaps it is time for desperate measures. Well, on your own head be it." Krupin said.
"Once more into the breech then." declared S'nell. She took a deep breath then removed the left hand glove of the environmental suit and placed her right hand on the console. Before she could change her mind she gently touched the Banar with her now bare left hand.
S'nell didn't convulse this time but she could sense much more rapid frequency vibrations travel from her antenna into the console. It was beeping rapidly. Suddenly a pink gas enveloped her and her eyes widened as she began to feel drowsy. Should she fight this feeling or was this an attempt at communication? Unsure, S'nell swayed forward and fell into the case on top of the Banar. This close to the Banar she could sense what felt like the sound of a purr from the surface of the creature. She began to speak to the Banar in a low voice.
"We are now aboard a Starfleet ship which has destroyed the Klingon bird of prey you were on. You know the Klingons are not the only species who wish to use the blood of the Banar for destructive purposes. I cannot say for certain but I believe Starfleet would use the blood of the Banar for medical purposes. May I have your permission to take a sample of blood from you?" she said. A flap of skin on the back of the Banar moved aside revealing a circular hole the Banar used to excrete waste. S'nell blinked in surprise. Finally she had made significant progress! She slowly rose onto her knees and turned her head.
"Doctor McCoy, please come here." she called to him. He was swiftly by her side as was Commander Spock.
"What the hell were those convulsions S'nell?" McCoy barked as he ran a medical scanner over her. She quickly placed her left glove back on.
"Those convulsions are how the Banar communicates. I'm fine. The voltage was too low to do any permanent damage." S'nell explained.
"You're right. But you could have warned me. I thought you were having a seizure for a minute there. Your electrolyte levels are very depleted so drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest. I want to examine you more fully tomorrow morning." he insisted.
"Of course Doctor McCoy. Now, the Banar has allowed you to take a blood sample. Take only take half a litre of blood as more would seriously weaken the Banar. Use both hands to operate your container." S'nell said. Doctor McCoy nodded then held up the valve that performed the suction function. She took it from his hands.
"I will handle the valve Doctor McCoy. If you touch the Banar with your skin it will not recognize your scent so it will kill you." S'nell insisted.
"In that case it's all yours S'nell." he declared. Then he pressed a button on the container. S'nell carefully inserted the valve into the circular hole of the Banar. She pressed a button to turn the suction valve on. A moment later, brown blood steadily flowed into the biomass container.
"That's enough S'nell." Doctor McCoy replied a few moments later as he looked at the level. S'nell carefully removed the suction valve and sat back. She stroked the Banar one last time in thanks then reapplied the lock of the case again with the remaining blood and chemicals. Doctor McCoy was occupied in repacking the biomass container.
"Thank you for your assistance everyone. Unless there is anything further…" S'nell concluded as she grabbed the data console and stood.
"I should get this to the medical lab for analysis." Doctor McCoy stated and moved off to remove his environmental suit.
"I have an appointment with Wammar to improve my phaser accuracy." Krupin replied as she also took off her environmental suit.
Commander Spock and S'nell swiftly put away their own environmental suits and Commander Spock nodded to her before he also left. Now that the room was empty, S'nell knelt beside the case and attached a small grey device from her pants pocket to the side. She pressed two buttons simultaneously on the device then left the room. That was a plan B, as the Humans called it. S'nell only hoped she didn't need to implement it.
"Kirk to S'nell. There's someone here who wants to talk to you. Come to the bridge immediately." came Captain Kirk's voice through the comm panel in the room.
"Understood. On my way." she replied then ended the communication. A few moments later S'nell walked out onto the bridge to find the senior staff apart from Doctor McCoy there along with V'tek. On the view screen she recognized an Andorian whom she knew well. S'nell took a deep breath. Since he was involved in this matter things would be complicated.
"Hello S'nell. I do hope you've recovered from the explosion of the research station?" S'nell's relative addressed her in Andorii, the native language of Andoria. She replied in the same language rather then English.
"Both of us know you don't care about me Captain Tennar, so let's get to the point. You're here for the Banar. Oh, you no doubt think this will be for the good of the Andorian people. But having a weapon that no one else in the galaxy possesses would put the Andorian government at a considerable military advantage. It wouldn't only be a deterrent, it would also be a bargaining tool." S'nell answered as she walked closer to the view screen.
"You think so little of me, is that it? I wished to use the blood for medical purposes not military ones. Why would I want to start a war? Andoria is a valuable member of the Federation after all." Captain Tennar questioned.
"I might believe you but your superiors are a different story." S'nell proclaimed.
"I can't comment on that. Now, you will hand over the Banar to me and this crew or I will destroy everyone on that ship. This is your final warning." he commanded her.
"The Banar may not be Humanoid but they are intelligent enough to have the right to choose their own fate. My work will never be used for military or political gain. No one race, individual, organization, or government has the right to force me to do so." S'nell firmly declared. Captain Tennar leaned back and clapped slowly a few times before he spoke again.
"That's quite an impressive statement S'nell. I suppose it was foolish of me to think that for once your science could be used for something useful. But then you just had to go and get attached to a silicon life form. You've been around weak and charitable Humans for too long." he responded with disdain.
"Fire on the Enterprise A and Captain Kirk will return the favor. He might not want to start a war but he will defend himself and his crew. There is only one way to end this." she declared. Before Captain Tennar could respond, S'nell took out the other part of the device that she had attached to the case of the Banar and pressed the button firmly. She pocketed the device then swiftly shoved aside Ensign Chekov from his seat onto the floor.
"What are you-" Ensign Chekov managed to protest from the floor as she targeted and then fired a phaser onto the case which contained the Banar. That case now floated in space. The explosion of the case a few moments later was absorbed by the shields. Captain Tennar turned to his crew and spoke a few rapid orders.
"How dare you S'nell! I knew it was a mistake to pull strings to get you on that research station. You'll regret this." Captain Tennar snarled. Then the communication abruptly ended.
"The Andorians are going to warp Captain." replied Lieutenant Sulu.
It was her hearing which saved her life as S'nell heard V'tek reach out his hands for her neck. She ducked and swung her elbow back which impacted his stomach. V'tek grabbed her arm and she screamed as he twisted it out of its socket. S'nell stomped on his foot hard enough for V'tek to let go of her arm and long enough for her to spin and face him. V'tek moved his arm toward her chest and she grabbed his arm before it hit her with her good hand. She kicked hard on the back on both of V'tek's knees at the same time that she twisted hard enough to break his wrist. That move was enough to bring V'tek to the ground. He brought his feet up to kick her torso. As S'nell stepped aside to avoid the blow, she grabbed both of his ankles with one arm and then pulled up on them sharply. That pain caused V'tek to wince.
"I have no desire to be your enemy. So I'll let your superiors do the job of punishing you for your failure to retrieve the Banar." S'nell stated as she resumed talking in English.
"Security to the bridge immediately. Bring phasers set to stun." Commander Spock called over the intercom. While Commander Spock was saying this, S'nell swiftly kicked V'tek in the side of his torso by his heart. V'tek's hand around her ankle was released as he gasped in pain.
"Don't try that again or I'll injure you further." S'nell warned him.
"Why don't you just kill me like you did those Klingons who broke into your lab?" V'tek taunted her.
"Because I understand that there is nothing to be gained by exacting revenge for V'tek's death Romulan. Oh, I'm not pleased that you kidnapped, tortured, killed, then impersonated a colleague of mine. But that's all in a day's work for an intelligence agent of the Tal Shiar." S'nell steadily replied. Before anyone could respond to that, two security officers raced onto the bridge.
"Ensign Meadows, stun Commander V'tek then escort him to the brig. I want the highest level of security possible available on his detainment cell." Commander Spock ordered.
"Yes sir." declared the shorter security officer. A moment later S'nell felt V'tek sink into unconsciousness and she stepped back. S'nell watched with narrowed eyes as the two Human security officers took V'tek between them into the turbolift.
"S'nell, do you need assistance to get to the med bay?" asked Commander Spock.
"I-" was all S'nell managed to gasp before she felt herself fall to the floor as the pain from her shoulder finally overwhelmed her.