Chapter Four: Choices
To Travis, it seemed oddly right that she should be buried here, so close to where she had given her life. As he gazed down at the cairn of rocks, permitting the waves of sombre feelings wash over him, he wondered if that was what she had expected. To die in the line of duty and be buried on this distant planet. It was the fate he hoped for himself one day. Nikki Leighton had been such a bright character, bringing life and soul to the crew of Enterprise in her short career. And for fifteen long years…
Fifteen long years, to be buried in the cold, hard ground of this far flung planet. Jon knelt beside the cairn to lay a single flower and a piece of paper on the cairn. He secured them beneath a rock, feeling such a terrible shame that he had not been a better Captain to the young crewman. If only they had not visited Larnei, if only he had led that first away team himself… but there was little point in resting on the 'What ifs' of a past long since dead and buried. What was done was done, and if there had been no visit to this planet then Trip would have no chance of living now.
Malcolm resisted the urge to stamp his foot in his impatience. Their duty here was done. They had delivered a message from parents to their daughter as promised. The time to return to their friend's side was now, while he still lived to be saved. While the death of Leighton had hit many crew members hard, and while he knew it gave Da'Nela a chance to think through the magnitude of their request, Malcolm couldn't bring himself to dwell on the past. Not this past anyway. What was important to him was the life of his friend hanging so carelessly in the balance, which could be tipped so easily one way or the other by the heart of this woman with which Trip had shared a bond.
"Do you suppose she's happy?" Travis asked softly, still staring at the cairn. As Malcolm shifted his gaze to the Commander at his side, Travis could have so easily been a child experiencing death for the first time. "Do you think that she's here, somewhere, watching us, or somewhere…better?"
Suddenly Malcolm was filled with shame. The Captain of Enterprise cowered inwardly, saw what Travis was thinking. Was there a life after death? A better place? Somewhere that called to Trip, prepared for his arrival… Those thoughts made his head reel, and send the blood pounding in his ears as his face began to turn red at his tactless thoughts towards their old crewmate. He hoped that, wherever she was, she would forgive him.
And so it was Jon that laid a hand on Travis' shoulder, a silent comfort for his friend. Admiral Archer no longer, the elder of the three was as cowed as they. Their thoughts remained unspoken as Jon turned Travis back to the small transport module where Representative Ra'Kaan and a young lad waited patiently. In some ways, Malcolm was right. It was time to turn their thoughts and actions back to those that waited for their return. With or without Da'Nela Tharn.
"I cannot go."
Tharn frowned at the Oracle impatiently. She could not do this thing alone. She had not the knowledge nor the skill to bring him back. Though she had requested from Archer and the others a little time to think, her mind had been made up even before the humans had arrived. To Earth she would go, but to go alone… Da'Nela had no idea what she would find there, and what, by the Lords, was a Vulcan mind-meld?
"Can't, or won't?"
"Think about it." The Oracle snapped back, just as sharply. "The council loses one member, who can be replaced. But two? No. And I…"
"You make it sound like I'm never coming back." Da'Nela shot at her. To this, the Oracle simply gazed at her impassively, without comment. Unnerved by this, Da'Nela offered another comment. "But what is the problem with a bit of political discord for a man's life, nay a hero's life?"
The Oracle turned her back on Tharn to pull back the great curtain sheltering the room from the midday sun. As Da'Nela recoiled from its brightness, the Oracle made a satisfactory sound. She gestured out into the heat of the day, pointing to the sun.
"There is my power. With the Lords of the Hunting Grounds that guard our planet. This planet alone, Da'Nela Tharn, no other." She loosed the curtain, and the room instantly returned to its original light. Waiting until their eyes became once more accustomed to it, the oracle smiled patiently. "I cannot go, for outside this world, my powers are useless."
Tharn digested this piece of news in silence. She had never considered that her friend's abilities would depend on her location. And now she understood why the Oracle had always declined to go trading with herself and the others. As their eyes met, Da'Nela saw that the Oracle had no pride in revealing her secret.
"I can give you books to read, a selection of herbs and spices that I think may prove useful - you will have to read on their uses, there is no time now…" The Oracle was already leaving the room and heading for her basement. Da'Nela followed her, for she was still talking, and Tharn found herself dropping back into her General ways, absorbing every detail as if the Oracle were a Sergeant delivering a vital report.
In what seemed like no time at all, a great stack of books had appeared on the table in the Oracle's room. Da'Nela found herself gawking at it in wonderment at the size of it. The journey to Earth would last three weeks, not three months! But the Oracle was busy gathering candles and small pots, talking animatedly as she did so. "Now this one, use it only in tiny…"
"I can't do this alone." Da'Nela bust out suddenly. The Oracle turned in surprise.
"Not for nothing were you born the LoneWolf of the Oracle." She told her companion softly. "You are the warrior, Shining Claw, not I, and it is not healing your friend requires."
The boy regarded his mother with a mix of excitement and trepidation. He saw her own fear, and instinctively knew it had something to do with the humans that had arrived that morning. She still had that distant look in her eyes that she had gained so many months ago, but there was an air of confusion in it. He reached out to embrace her.
"But why the urgency? Why must we leave tonight?"
"Your father is ill.."
"Ill? Will he be alright?"
Tharn held her son close. It communicated more to him than words ever could. This could be the last chance he ever got to meet his father. There was so much he wanted to learn from the man who had sired him, so much about a whole half of his heritage that he had yet to see and understand. And all his life he had longed to set eyes on the man who had stolen his mother's heart and still invaded her thoughts and memories. It was time that longing was fulfilled. He understood the urgency and accepted it quietly.
"I'll go and pack."
"Thank you." She replied gratefully. She was glad that she would not be alone on this journey. She had not doubted that her son would join her on this journey, but the boy was of age now, old enough to have to be asked rather than told. She went to finish packing her own things.
The relief on the faces of the humans was plain as the entered the Great Hall to see Da'Nela stood with three bulging packs at her feet. The Oracle was there too, and a young Larneian, also with a pack at his feet. All three frowned at that, but none of them cared to query it.
"I took the liberty of inviting someone to join me, I hope you will forgive my rudeness."
"Of course." Captain Reed offered, stepping up to shake Ru'Hann's hand. "Have we met?"
"No." Da'Nela answered for her companion. "May I introduce Ru'Hann Tharn-Tucker. My son."
"Your son?" Archer repeated numbly.
"Tharn-Tucker?" Reed asked, stunned.
"Trip's son?" Travis' jaw dropped open.
Mother and son smiled at their reactions, and it was as he smiled that the humans saw that there could be no doubt as to his father's identity. The blue eyes, the blonde badger streak, the cheeky grin. If the skin hadn't been jet-black, and the eyes a lot smaller, it could have been Trip himself standing there.
"Trip will want to see his son, I'm sure." Jon offered quietly to Ru'Hann. "You are most welcome to join us, Ru'Hann."
"I look forward to meeting him myself." Ru'Hann responded softly.
The shock of meeting their friends offspring had settled Reed and Travis into a somewhat uncomfortable silence. They merely nodded their agreement, and Travis offered the young man a smile. He came forward to pick up one of Da'Nela's loads, and then turned as the Oracle addressed them proudly.
"The time has come." She said. "Good luck go with you all, and may the stars guide you safely to your destination, and the Lords bring your friend safely home."
As, minutes later, the shuttle rose from Larnei into the vastness of space, both Da'Nela and Ru'Hann gave an appreciative sigh. It was beautiful. And there, creeping onto the viewscreen, was Enterprise herself. In itself her hull had not changed, only now the engines were twice the size that Da'Nela remembered. It made her more impressive, not less, and mother and son shared a sense of awe as the ship loomed closer.
"She runs to warp seven now." Travis informed them proudly. "And we've even pushed her as fast as seven point five."
"Seven times the speed of light." Ru'Hann muttered in wonder. "She handles well?"
"Definitely. Smooth as a baby's behind and light as a feather." Travis glanced back as Ru'Hann. "You ever thought about being a pilot?"
"I can fly our ships." The boy responded, sounding a little disappointed. "But they are only capable of Warp one."
"May I can teach you to fly her, if you're a fast learner?" There was a note of challenge to his tone.
"Fast enough." Ru'Hann retorted, going forward to peer over Travis' shoulder at the controls.
Da'Nela smiled, relieved that her son was getting on so well with Travis. She hoped that he would make other friends aboard Enterprise so quickly, for she knew her time aboard Enterprise would be spent pouring over books and in deep conversations with Archer and Reed.
As the shuttle sailed lithely into the docking bay, Reed put a comm. call through to the Bridge. The moment the docking bay doors were fastened, Enterprise slid into warp speed. There was virtually no change in the feeling of movement, and silently, Da'Nela urged Enterprise to carry them quickly and speedily towards Earth.
Ru'Hann, climbing out of the shuttle, looked forward to seeing Earth and a whole new half to his heritage. The thought of it overwhelmed him, astounded him. He gazed around as they were shown to their quarters. This was going to be an amazing journey.