A/N: Gammara you wascally wabitt you...you are far too good at mind reading. But I am still not going to give it all up...You just have to wait and see (Sometimes so do I)
Thank you all so much for the reviews, you keep me going in this mad mad world.
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T'Lei strode onto the bridge of the Romulan vessel and was confronted by a woman that could have been her twin except for the slightly tilted eyes and blue black hair that hung to the small of her back. There was also in the woman's expression nothing short of command.
T'Lei saluted the woman fist to chest "Yes Commander"
"There seems to be all of this activity along my borders T'Lei. I thought that you said that you and your people had convinced T'Pau and Vulcan Command not to involve the humans?"
Surprise lit her features "Commander, it was T'Pau's express wish that the humans did not find out about our connection to one another."
The Commander sighed in disgust "Well either she has overcome her shame at our distant kinship or the humans have decided to investigate on their own. If they do not move off from the border soon, I will have to send someone to deal with them."
"Are they aware that you know of their presence?"
The Commander cocked her head in the direction of the communication officer sitting nearby. He stood and shook his head with uncertainty "Commander, I think that they observed us in the vicinity, but we moved so quickly that they lost track of us. From what we could tell they are just patrolling back and forth in the area searching."
"Like a thrai, that has lost its scent." The Commander half smiled. "How are our guests?"
"Doing well. I've spoken to T'Pol."
"Is she aware of our little plan?"
"She knows that the Empire wishes to reintroduce telepathy into the population."
The Commander nodded "Is she going to do this willingly?"
T'Lei paused "Of that I am uncertain; however, knowing the woman from my time on the Sehlat, I can reasonably assure you that she will fight us."
"A pity" The Commander said softly, then turned back to her console. "We should arrive soon at Arrhaein and then we shall know one way or the other."
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On Arrhaein, Nijil stared out the window finding some comfort in the thick mass of greenery, which concealed the building. Somehow, everything had gone all wrong. Somehow, a race of people...or rather its government, had lost sight of honor. Somehow, he had lost his own. No, he sighed softly, not somehow, he had lost his honor when he forced an innocent Aenar into telepathic submission. Still, he plunged ahead with treachery and torture, the Elements would send him to perdition at his death. They plagued him now. Still, he worked at his governments command. Coward...he chastised himself. He should find some strength and condemn both himself and his family to execution and "dishonor" and turn his back on the Empire's latest scheming plan of galactic domination. HA...he laughed at himself. If he had the courage to do such a thing, he would have done so already. The image of his beautiful granddaughter in his daughter's arms kept him silent...kept him from his own honor.In truth he was just an old man afraid for his family in an Empire gone mad.
Nijil turned and made his way for the long line of rooms which held Vulcan's strapped and bound... screaming in desire and in pain. Entering a room, he called to the attendant to make certain that his latest victim was properly secured. He picked up a hypo-spray and approached the calm eyed Vulcan lying there. Those calm dark eyes, he reflected, would not remain calm.
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T'Pol had been at the control panel for the better part of an hour with little results. She stood back to reflect on what she was doing wrong and found her mind drifting to Jonathan. Pursing her lips she moved back towards the panel when the door slid open and revealed T'Lei...no not T'Lei. She stood still and silent.
The Romulan Commander regarded the Vulcan before her and thought that should the woman have long full hair, she would completely resemble a Romulan. "Welcome to Rea's Helm T'Pol. We have arrived at Arrhaein so your stay here has been short. You along with your crew will be transported to the surface of the planet. You will be turned over to our people there. My best suggestion is for you to cooperate and to convince your crew to cooperate. Things go so much more smoothly when you do."
T'Pol replied dryly "Often when one is told to cooperate so things will go smoothly; it is not for the captives benefit but for the captors."
The Commander smiled "Yes, T'Lei said that you were an unusual Vulcan; often showing signs of emotion."
"I do not show emotion" T'Pol said flatly.
"Hmmm. Well, it is of no consequence either way. You will submit."
"Will you tell me exactly what is going to be required of me? What I am supposed to convince my crew is to their benefit to cooperate?"
The Commander hesitated for a moment, and then seemed to come to some conclusion within her "The Empire requires telepathy. We feel that it is advantageous. This Federation of yours and the humans seems to be gaining influence; we will not have that much power pressing on our borders."
"The Federation has no intention of starting wars...Commander? The Empire could join with the Federation should it choose."
"And subject ourselves to its rules...I don't think so T'Pol." The Commander turned and left while two Romulan security officers entered to take her to the transporter room.While she was escorted, T'Pol again realized that she had not been exactly told what was to become of her. Concern started to creep along her spine. Images of the marauding ship from all those years ago piloted by its remote Aenar telepath disturbed her. Perhaps the Romulans had found some way to hold them hostage and harness their minds in such a way. It was a sickening thought.
She managed to hold herself with some pride, but she was furiously attempting to come up with an escape plan. Not knowing the ship or who was on it hampered her actions, but she felt that should she not escape now... she might never do so. Subconsciously her mind and her heart called out to Jonathan, like a distress beacon.
T'Pol made her move at the transporter room. She went limp and when the two men turned to catch her, she exploded.
Twisting around, she struck out with her leg sending one of the security guards into the wall. Not hesitating, she then managed to grapple with the second and placed her hand just so at the neck and shoulder juncture...a little pressure and ...he slumped to the ground.
The first guard blinked in surprise as he lunged toward them giving her enough time to pull the phaser from his fallen comrade and fire it at the first guard. She would never admit to the brief elation she felt as she stepped over the guards and ran for the transporter.
T'Pol realized that she had to find the Sehlat's whereabouts and beam to that location. Of course, she could not read the console markings, but attempted to make sense of which toggles were what from experience on Enterprise. A calm and throaty voice drew her attention. The Commander was leaning against the door frame holding a phaser pointed directly at her.
"I somehow imagined that you would not cooperate. A pity you are not Romulan, T'Pol. But then I suppose, you would not be able to contribute to our cause. Now, I must ask that you set my inept security officer's phaser out of reach, less I be forced to fire."
T'Pol paused clearly wishing to fire at the Commander, but knowing that she would never reach it in time. Giving way to logic and the desire to live she tossed the phaser aside.
The Commander smiled brilliantly. "Wonderful. See, you can cooperate. Keep up that attitude and all will go well."
T'Pol did not even try to hide the scowl that crossed her face, which only caused the Commander to laugh again. Several more security officers came rushing through the door stopping to stare at the two on the ground. It gave T'Pol some measure of satisfaction to see them glance up in surprise at her, but the satisfaction faltered at the realization that these new guards would not be so unsuspecting or careless. Somehow, she did not think the Commander suffered fools easily.
She allowed them to lead her to the transporter and stand next to her. When she refocused she was on the planets surface staring at two more Romulans.
One stared hard at her as though he knew her. She returned his gaze unwaveringly. "My crew?" she asked.
Nijil nodded absently, "They are already here and awaiting the procedures."
"And you are?"
"Unimportant in the eyes of the Empire and I prefer to keep it that way. Bring her" the man finished directing the last comment to security.
T'Pol was led down gray corridors without windows or indication if they were above or below ground.
"Can you tell me about these procedures that you are subjecting us to?"
Nijil glanced at her and T'Pol could have sworn guilt flashed across his face. None of this was giving her any confidence. She had failed...failed Vulcan, her crew, herself, and Jonathan.
T'Pol entered a room with three other Vulcans. She recognized two of them as Sorn and Sorvas from the Sehlat, ...and surprisingly the third she recognized as Kov from the Vahklas. Sorvas and Sorn looked well, but Kov looked like he had been destroyed.
She greeted her crewmen first asking about the others, to which they had no reply. They each looked at Kov uncomfortably, which did not surprise T'Pol as Kov was V'tesh ka'tur. However, she understood when Kov lifted his head to gaze at T'Pol and for a moment she wanted to look away. His eyes spoke of great suffering and she feared that the same fate awaited them all.
Sitting down next to Kov she asked quietly "Do you remember me?"
"Yes. I remember. How is Trip?"
The question surprised her so she replied more bluntly than she would have otherwise "He is dead".
Kov flinched and looked away. T'Pol was horrified to see tears gather in his eyes. "I apologize, that must have seemed harsh. It was not my intention to bring you grief."
He waved his head absently in her direction "No matter, no matter. It is not your fault. It is only mine." Still the tears continued to fall. T'Pol wanted to push herself away from this man and flee to the other side of the room. She told herself that his behavior was a result of his being V'tesh ka'tur, but somehow she doubted this total lack of control had everything to do with it. Mentally steeling herself, she asked "What is it that they do to us here?"
Kov took a shaking breath and looked at her. He leaned towards her and rasped "They take everything. Everything! Violation and pain can not describe the horror of it... or the pleasure."
Something in the mad flicker of his gaze broke T'Pol and she shoved herself away from him. She moved to the far corner of the room shaking.
It was not long before Sorn and Sorvas were taken from the room. T'Pol had a grand plan to fight them, but they were prepared for any resistance and entered with weapons drawn and ready. So she waited...
In an attempt to draw some control over her environment she sat on the floor far from Kov and gave herself over to meditation.
White space surrounded her and her thoughts drifted without direction... ambling until they fell upon Jonathan Archer. She drew strength and comfort from his presence in her mind. With a typical Vulcan approach to life, she ignored the facts that the ease with which she felt Archer's presence and her own emotional response indicated that a bond had been formed during Ponn Farr. She just wasn't ready to deal with the emotional ramifications of that on top of everything else. Still, she gambled on the strength of their friendship and the strength of that newly formed bond to extend and open herself to Jonathan. Somehow she believed that their fragile connection would be the only way out of here.
It wasn't long before her reverie was disturbed and Romulan guards entered the room. She looked hopefully at Kov, but sighed with resignation when they approached her indicating with their phasers that she should stand and accompany them. Giving Kov one last look, T'Pol lifted her head and walked out of the room. She questioned the guards, but not surprisingly received no answers.
When she was led into a medical room, she balked for the first time and had to be forced further into the room. In the center stood a large chair that reminded her of the one they used for Jhamel to gain control of the marauding vessels; only this one was fitted with strong restraints. Medical equipment stood to one side at the ready...for what she could only imagine.
"Put her in the chair" came the soft order, from the other side of the room.
She turned and looked at the scientist...doctor? that had met with her briefly in the transporter room.
"Where are Sorval and Sorn?"
"Recovering for the moment" Nijil indicated the guards to put her in the chair again.
Struggling with the guards, refusing to give way, she kicked and snapped with her teeth. The surprised guards nearly lost control of her, but managed to maintain their grip until she was in the chair and secured. T'Pol breathed heavily from the exertion and from the increasing anxiety.
The doctor motioned the guards out of the room, but told them to remain close should they be required again. His last statement was made while giving direct eye contact to T'Pol.
Nijil turned to the table beside him and began working on the panel, which controlled the chair. T'Pol noticed the way his hand shook here and there as he worked. Either he was not physically well or he was uncomfortable with what he was being asked to do. Remembering the flash of guilt in his eyes earlier, T'Pol took a chance.
"You do not have to do this. There must be a way out of this for all involved. The Federation or even Vulcan alone would provide sanctuary should you help us."
Nijil turned to look at the woman before him. So different from the others that he had dealt with. She fought and attempted to bargain, whereas the others had simply looked at him, judging him for his actions. This one's eyes flashed and stormed.
"Are you V'tesh ka'tur?" he asked suddenly, although the Commander and T'Lei had not indicated that was true.
"No. Now tell me what procedures that you are going to do, which will take my telepathic abilities and give them to your people." T'Pol gave the command coolly, but inside she was twisting into knots. Just what technology had they created to steal the very fibers of her mind?
Nijil looked surprised for a moment. She was the first Vulcan to demand answers. Of course, she sounded more prepared than most. Most had no idea what awaited them.
"I am not going to take your telepathic abilities. You are merely going to help create them in others."
It was T'Pol's turn to be surprised. "Create? It has been apparent for some time that the Romulans do not create... they take. Else why would your people have created such a violent machine and stolen an Aenar for their purposes."
Nijil's face flushed dark olive, then paled. "Who are you?" he asked feeling his heart rate increase.
"T'Pol of Vulcan. I served onboard the Enterprise when your people tried to take and control telepathy from another race once before."
The Enterprise! Of course, this was the second officer that helped defeat the Empire. Nijil took a longer look at her and replied "Yes, that was a horrible mistake made by the Empire. It was foolish to attempt to force another being into submitting their talents for our use."
T'Pol stared at the man incredulously. Did he actually hear what he was saying? "And this is different how?" Again the flash of guilt showed in his eyes.
"You will not be forced to utilize your own talents for the Empire. Although there are some who have chosen to do so. Perhaps you will?" At the scornful look T'Pol gave him he shook his head "I suppose not."
"If capturing us, restraining us, and using us to somehow create telepathy in Romulans is not forcing our submission, then I can not even begin to have a logical conversation with you."
"This is not about logic my dear. This is about better breeding. We are kin and as such have very little differences in our biology. There are of course some differences; telepathy being one of those; Ponn Farr being another. In fact there is a theory that Ponn Farr may be related to the telepathy."
T'Pol froze and spoke quietly "What are you going to do to me? What have you done to us?"
"With the use of several drugs, which I won't go into, I will induce Ponn Farr in you to start your breeding cycle. I am then going to harvest all of your viable eggs for reproduction."
Barely able to choke out her next question she asked "All of my eggs? Are you aware of the consequences of Ponn Farr should it not be met...or am I to be raped?"
Nijil squirmed and swallowed. He preferred the other's silent stares until it was too late. Being questioned about this only reinforced the facts that he knew this was wrong...terribly terribly wrong. "Yes all of them. They will be matched with Romulan male's and the embryos will either be grown as test tube subjects or by surrogacy. Our Empire will no longer need to go outside of our own borders for these talents. We will be able to maintain our independence and supremacy without infringing on any other race. Your children will be held up in honor in the Empire. They will be the true reuinification of our races."
No, no, no, no, no...the litany sprang in T'Pol's mind. This was not tolerable! This washeinous. She unconsciously shook her head denying what was going to happen.
Nijil continued "You see, if Ponn Farr is linked to telepathy then we can not chance a simple surgery to remove your eggs or to remove a male Vulcan's sperm. We use a very strong psychotropic drug to ensure that your system believes that Ponn Farr has been met and no Vulcan will suffer death from this."
"So, my mind is to be violated, any future hopes of children stolen from me, but you think to spare me by using a drug to make me believe I have successfully completed Ponn Farr... and this is supposed to relieve my mind? This is supposed to give me a sense of justice?" T'Pol could not help the rising timber in her voice. She sounded shrill and at the edge of a precipice of control even to herself.
To have lost one child had struck such pain into her heart that the grieving took years...to be told that she was to lose all hope of a child was unbearable!
The Romulan turned away from her not wishing to see the horror and pain on her face. "You will know only the pleasures of Ponn Farr" he whispered as if that would make everything better. Quickly, he turned and injected T'Pol with the vile substance before he could think more on the matter.
"And what if you are wrong?" T'Pol whispered back. "What if Ponn Farr has nothing to do with telepathy? Worse, what if all of the children do not have telepathy? What will become of them then? How honored will they be in the Empire...these half bred Vulcans? What will become of my children then?" T'Pol's head fell back onto the chair. She wasn't even aware of the tears that had started to fall from her over-bright eyes.
Nijil's heart was hammering in his chest. All this time and he had refused to question the children's fate should they not be telepathic. The Empire that held sway now would turn them away...destroy them. In his acts here he would be committing a horrible act of genocide. His granddaughter; that lovely dark eyed mischievous child held his heart in her hands. Was she any less because of a lack of telepathy? Was the Empire truly any less because of that same lack?
No, he stood back from the table his hands dropping to his sides. He could not continue this. He backed away from the silently weeping Vulcan, who was already beginning to show signs of Ponn Farr. Somehow he had to stop this, even at his own peril. Before he could reach for drugs to halt T'Pol's condition, the doors opened and several Officers and scientists entered.
His partner motioned him over to the door, barely glancing at T'Pol. "We have need of your assistance. One of the male Vulcan's is going into some sort of shock. You have the most experience with their biology, so I think it best if you take over there. We are only half done with the second procedure."
Nijil sighed and nodded. Unfortunately, the males were more violent and required more time than the women. Giving T'Pol one last glance he headed for the door. He closed his eyes when Taran spoke "I will start on her..."
Knowing that he had lost the fight for now, he only nodded again and left to attend to the male Vulcan.
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Embers banked in T'Pol were fanned to life. Her skin became fire; heated from within. Her heart picked up in pace, throbbing in time to her breath. Dancing along her spine, electric currents raced causing her to jerk with unfulfilled pleasure. In the darkness of her mind, she latched onto the one spark of light she could find...Archer; that soft connection glittered like a flake of snow shining in the sun; brilliant and as fragile. The heat of desire flared and melted the cool connection. Instead of losing it; it became molten silver...hot and strong. Memory of Archer's mouth, his strong lean body, made her breath grow ragged. Anger coursed through her as she reached for him... and found only empty space.
She moaned through the drug enhanced state wanting to weep with her need, forgetting the tears that already fell from her lashes. Remembering their burning union and the quiet joy it brought only reinforced the horrible truth that slammed into her with the force of a charging sehlat. Somehow she found enough lucidity to recall her current condition and location. Moving momentarily past the aching recollection of pleasure knowledge took hold. Elizabeth's small delicate face appeared before her wrenching a cry of despair from her. Lost. Lost years ago to another's tyrannical political machinations. Reaching out to her infant hoping against hope that this was all just a dream yet knowing all along that a well of grief awaited her; T'Pol struggled anyway. Darkness deeper than any night, than any place in space began to take hold of her. It closed around her suffocating her. All those years ago she had told Hoshi how to overcome fear, how to breath and focus, but now she could not find it in herself to follow her own advice. Her chest squeezed with terror. She could taste the blood in her mouth as it pumped rapidly through her veins, she could smell its acrid odor laced with her fear...and her need. Ponn Farr had not released her yet and it warred with the terror and darkness. Was this what it was to die of Ponn Farr?
Emotions battled through her system taking control of her and her mind. She had no control. She was less than an animal wanting to rut or driven to madness by fear.
Something shot through her and memory flared:
She stood in Jonathans garden watching the sun set over San Francisco's bay igniting the water with color and fire. The warm breeze blew past her fragrant with nearby flowers. Peace. Calm. Joy. Hope... A touch; his. Turning, she looked into the face of her bondmate. He smiled at her, green eyes sparkling with pleasure.
Looking deep into those emerald eyes she screamed for help, a raw scraping against nerves. Desperation and despair.
It was over.