Sienna crossed her arms over her chest and waited until Kuvak was out of the room before watching Sovar check the engines. She walked up to him.
"Well? What are Vorta? Who's S'Vec? Who's Tolaris? What's with all this talk of cloning?"
He looked at her. "Vorta are a race from the Gamma Quadrant. They served the Founders, a race of Changelings, and helped orchestrate one of the greatest threats to the Federation: the Dominion."
"The Federation?"
"An alliance of worlds in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Earth and Vulcan are a part of that alliance. In fact, we are founding members. Vorta were so useful to the Founders because they had cloning technology. They often had lines of clones. I believe Gelnon was the sixth in his line."
"Ok, that makes sense," she conceded. "Who are S'Vec and Tolaris?"
He turned to her after he second scans their engines were functioning within normal parameters. "It is difficult to describe adequately. May I share my thoughts with you?"
He closed the space with her and held up his hand, "I can use a vulcan process called a meld to give to you the knowledge you require to bring you to speed with all the things you need to know."
He placed his fingers on her face, "Our minds will become one you will know those things I know. I would not normally do this, but there are many dangerous things going on, and choices you will need to make about the future, you deserve all the information I have that words cannot properly express." He paused, waiting for her permission. He knew she would see about his life and family, as well as, the plague that was S'Vec. He had a desire for her to see this, so she would know when he approached her the way a mate should that his need and desire for her came from an honorable place.
She gasped at the tingling coursing through her face, and she frowned. "Is there another way?"
"This is the most efficient way, Sienna," he said. He almost sounded sad. "I fear we do not have time for a proper discussion. You must see what he is."
She closed her eyes. "Ok," she whispered.
She saw through his eyes T'Lyn's suffering, and she thought of her and Brad looking at Tawny's suffering. She saw him lose his mate to S'Vec, saw T'Lyn on a leash like a dog...it made her blood boil with anger. She felt what he felt, saw what he saw...knew what he knew...she saw through younger eyes his torment with Solok and Roxanne, how he had opposed the union, and she saw herself through his eyes, her fire, her defiance, the things that drew him to her.
When she pulled away, she was sobbing, and her fists were clenched. She felt weak, and he held her up.
He held her to his chest, "Forgive me, Ashaya." he whispered into her hair. "You had to know these things all these things. My family has suffered much at the hands of this monster, and it keeps going. We do not know why, all that we know is that this is the fight we have. I could not proceed further with your involvement without you knowing what you were getting into." He kissed the top of her head, and lifted her face to him, he wiped away her tears with the sleeves of his robe and placed a gentle gentlemanly kiss on the corner of her mouth.
"Tawny was abused when she was little," she whispered. "She was the same age as T'Lyn...I think she and T'Lyn will get along swimmingly." She wiped her tears and bucked up. "Are you done with your check?"
"Yes, let's meet Kuvak on the bridge."
She nodded and followed him, and she noted that he looked back at her with a satisfied gaze. She narrowed her eyes, knowing what he was so smug about. She increased her pace and kept stride with him.
"Don't be getting any ideas just yet, buster," she growled as they entered a turbolift. "You've got a long way to go."
When they entered the turbo lift he turned to her wrapping his arms around her, "Is this how long I have to go? All the way up to the deck?" He didn't fight when she pushed him off of her. The turbo lift opened and he stepped forward making her stay behind him.
Kuvak turned, "There is nothing on long range sensors. Sovar this is...this isn't logical. He could have destroyed us. I have run every internal scan that I can think of and nothing...He did not so much as put any kind of tracking device on us. It is as if he doesn't care...how could that be?"
Sovar shook his head, standing straight he placed his hands behind his back, "It does not make sense. There is nothing unusual on the long range scans at Rura Penthe?"
"No. Their life signs are there, but there is nothing else. It is almost as if he just doesn't care."
"Is this maybe a trap?" Sienna offered, standing at Sovar's shoulder, looking over the scans. "Or..." She thought about S'Vec and all he had done, but she could think of nothing. "I don't know."
Sienna looked at the scans as Kuvak and Sovar discussed their options, and she thought harder about S'Vec.
"He got what he wanted."
The two men looked at her with frowns on their faces. "Excuse me?" Kuvak asked.
"If I got what I had been desperately hunting for centuries, would I give a flip about you two and your quest?" she asked. "S'Vec got what he wanted." She bit back tears, knowing this was going to hurt Sovar, and likely Kuvak as well.
"He has T'Lyn," she clarified. "S'Vec has T'Lyn. At some point, he got her."
ovar paled and tapped furiously on the science com. He swallowed hard, and looked at Kuvak. "I believe she is correct, I scanned our last stationary location near earth...there is double the chronometric radiation. Tolaris must have come back with us and S'Vec followed." Sovar sat down in the science officer's seat staring at the view screen blankly. He stood in one fluid movement, "My Brother set course to Rura Penthe, engage our cloak. We need to get back...Solok has..." he stopped himself from blaming his son. He had no logical reason to do that, but he assumed Solok had failed to protect her...again. His jaws flexed and he stood rigid. He turned back to the com and began accessing the internal security records.
Kuvak leaned over in the captains chair, rubbing his head. "We will arrive in 2.4 hours." he said softly, avoiding looking at Sienna for fear she would see the tears welling in his eyes.
Sovar slammed his fist against the com and brought up the security footage. S'Vec and a woman beamed aboard the ship. Tolaris brought Gelnon before him, and another woman was beamed aboard a woman no one recognized, but who Gelnon approached with a strange reverence.
Sovar stood and walked to the turbolift, as Kuvak stood watching the security footage. "You are correct Sienna, you are correct..."
She shook her head. "So what now? Do you think Tawny and the others are ok?"
Sovar nodded. "He will not concern himself with them anymore. He has what he wanted, what he has inexplicably hunted for centuries, it seems."
"Why?"
He shook his head. "I do not know, Sienna...I do not know. But in any case, we should be prepared for any situation when we arrive at Rua Penthe, just in case. I will never underestimate this man again."
Sienna felt hot tears leak out of her eyes. "I hate him...I hate him as much as I hate Charlie, and Jack. Bastards, the lot of them."
"Who is Charlie?"
She snorted. "My dad. Alcoholic, abusive bastard, he was. Probably into drugs too. I can understand your frustration."
"And who is Jack?"
"Tawny's first foster dad. Think that teacher that abused T'Lyn, only sans mind-meld. Think sexual abuse, and you've got a good picture of it."
"What is our plan?" Kuvak said interrupting them.
Sovar stroked the backs of his knuckles down Sienna's face. He looked at Kuvak, "Sienna and I will go down to the surface, lock onto their shield generators with a tachyon pulse. We will beam down, and together we will rescue Tawny and your family. "
Kuvak nodded, "Before we leave for your time, Sovar, I would stop on Vulcan. I am bringing my mother with us...she is wise, and will be helpful."
"You are going to return then?"
Kuvak nodded, "I owe you and your whole family my loyalty, Sovar. With Tawny at my side I need nothing else in this time."
Sovar looked to Sienna. "And you?" he asked softer.
"What use am I here?" she said with a smirk. "All the action is happening with you guys. I'm coming too. Besides, the librarian didn't give me that book for no reason, Sovar."
Kuvak frowned. "What book?"
She glared at him. "Horticulture for Beginners," she said testily, and she noted Sovar looked amused.
"All right. Are we ready?"
He frowned at her. "Are you?"
"Those bastards have my sister, and her friends. I'm going down there to kick some ass. Are you with me?"
Sovar handed her the ragged out looking clothing, "Put these on it is very, very cold. We will not be able survive on the surface long. He put a necklace around her neck, "Those are all the codes we might need to access the computers." He started putting on his clothes, and turned to Kuvak, "Are you in their security system?"
Kuvak nodded, "I am. I am setting up the data loop now. Your beam in will be undetected. Two more minutes until the tachyon pulse disables their shielding. Get to the transporter room."
Sovar stepped into the turbolift and waited for Sienna to stand at his side. He lifted the Klingon disruptors, "There is not stun setting on these Sienna. This will kill whatever it hits. Keep your cloak over your head at all times, follow me and talk to no one. If we are attacked take Tawny, L'Vek and Emmie to the surface. I will cover us with fire." He stepped from the turbo lift onto the transporter pad just as he heard Kuvak say "Thirty seconds." He looked to Sienna one more time. He pulled her close and kissed her hard on the mouth. You are my beloved, he said softly in Vulcan and then they dematerialized into the blinding white out of the land below.
Sienna was hit with the stinging cold, but she did as she was instructed and kept her hood above her face. She followed Sovar, holding her disrupter close.
The entrance of the prison was locked, but she handed Sovar the chip, and he accessed the lock and opened the door. It creaked open, and they slipped inside. She replaced the necklace and tucked it away beneath the ragged cloak, and they traipsed down into the depths of the prison.
There were several prisoners, all dressed in ragged firs, lounging around among the rocks. Some were arguing, but she kept close to Sovar and spoke to no one. A few of the prisoners might have caught sight of her, because they began to catcall, but again, she ignored him.
"Vulcan," one purred, stepping up to Sovar, "where are you taking the pretty lady?" The alien smiled at her, but she looked to Sovar.
"Where she belongs." He replied and placed his hand on the aliens shoulder, squeezing the alien fell to the ground at Sovar's feet, "My bed." He glanced back at Sienna, "Move behind me." he whispered. He picked up the large alien with one hand and threw him into a group of other less well dressed aliens who immediately began stripping him of his garments.
Sovar pulled her closer to her back and continued to walk until they got to a darker corner. He pulled a tricorder from his pocket. I am picking up four human life signs, and one vulcan life sign. The two humans are 100 meters away from the two who are next to the vulcan. Logically, I would say those would be Emmie and Tawny." He tucked his tricorder back in his furs, "Do try not to be so attractive now would you?" He bent and picked up some mud smudging it on her nose. He admired his handy work and then motioned for her to follow him.
Sienna gripped her disruptor. "You're a master of subtlety, old man," she whispered in his ear. "Nice comment about your bed. You really have put your ambassadorial skills to good use." She kissed his cheek swiftly before anyone looked their way. "Come on, I'm sure L'Vek is overwhelmed enough as it is, keeping all these sex-starved prisoners from the hot stuff."
She shook her head and rolled her eyes at his expression, but she froze when she caught sight of who the two humans were.
"Sovar...that's my father."
Sovar looked over to where she was staring, behind the man she indicated there was a man he recognized from his history lessons, -Admiral Gardner-. He pulled Sienna back into the shadow. "This is not a good thing seeing your father?"
She shook her head, "No, especially not with Tawny involved."
"Then you take him out, and I will see to the other man." He paused, "Can you do that or will it be a problem?"
She licked her lips, "No, Sovar, I can do that." She started to walk away from him but he pulled her back.
"No matter what happens I will be there to aid you shortly." he nodded and touched her nose again before swatting her behind, "Go get him." He slipped around to the other side to get the drop on Gardner.
"Excuse me?" she whispered. "I am not a mule, Sovar. Nor does my ass have a sign on it that says 'slap me'." She rolled her eyes, then set her sights on Charlie. "I've always hated guys who hit their wives. I know, you didn't hit me, and if you ever do, I'm bailing. I don't care who you are."
She moved forward and edged around some other prisoners, keeping her eyes on Charlie, pulling out her disruptor. He caught sight of her and grimaced, and she pointed the gun straight at his heart.
"You are one ugly bastard," she whispered, moving closer. "I'm glad I took after mom. Oh, wait, I can't remember what she looked like, not without all the bruises you put on her face."
She pulled the trigger, and he stumbled backwards. She fired again, and Sovar fired his disruptor as well, taking out Gardner.
Sovar rushed to her side whisking her away from the sight of her dead father, "I would never hit you." he whispered as he ran through the halls, "At least not in a fashion to hurt you."
He sat her down when they were in a back of a long hall. He was listening for the guards to run past them. He reached for the tricorder and found it cracked. He stuck it back in his pocket. He placed his hands on either side of his mouth and made a strange sounding animal scream. He listened for a minute, and heard it returned. "This way." he whispered.
He pulled her to him, looking into her eyes. He did not say anything but his eyes held hers softly for a moment.
She blinked away tears. "Don't tell Tawny it was Charlie, ok? Don't let her see."
Sovar nodded, and they headed towards the others. Sienna saw that Tawny looked almost dead, expressionless, and she sighed, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Her bond with Kuvak was snapped. She is just now starting to feel the effects."
"Kuvak's on board our ship, sweetie," Sienna whispered to her sister. "We'll get you fixed up good as new, ok?"
Her eyes widened. "Kuvak?"
He put his hand on Sienna's back, "Let me take Tawny." He said with a nod, "You gather L'Vek and Emmie."
She nodded,
Sovar took Tawny in his arms, "Tawny, I am Kuvak's chosen brother. He awaits you in a ship." He pressed his fingers against her face gently, not melding with her, but calming her to sleep. Sovar was amazed at how petite Tawny was He was able to wrap her in his cloak hiding her head in his hood with ease.
L'Vek ran up to to Sovar, "Who are you? Why are you touching her?"
Sovar raised the ta'al to him, "I am Sovar of the clan of Skol, and chosen brother of Kuvak. We are here to save you and her."
L'Vek looked to Sienna, who nodded. He grabbed Emmie pulling her close, "Lead the way Osu Sovar of Skol."
Sovar handed him a disruptor, "Follow and stay close."
Sienna took Emmie's hand. "That's your hubby there?"
The dark-haired woman nodded, smiling. "Yes, my habibi," she whispered, and Sienna dragged her along. L'Vek glanced at her with incredulity.
"I'm Tawny's sister. Half-sister, really. I'll introduce myself later."
She continued along the corridors, with L'Vek holding her other hand. Emmie was very pregnant and moved slowly, so they had to move at her pace. The cold was taking a toll on the Arabian woman's body, and Sienna gave the woman her cloak.
"No, Vulcan, keep yours on. You need it more than me."
They moved slowly but quietly through the corridors, and Sienna tried not to shiver too much. Finally, they were on the surface, and Sovar handed her his cloak.
"No way, old man. Keep it on. Tawny's traumatized, you're Vulcan, he's Vulcan, she's pregnant...I'm the expendable one here, handsome."
Sovar growled and pulled her into him under his arm sharing his cloak with her and his body heat, "No one is expendable, Ashaya." He dipped, "Get on my back."
"Are you crazy old man?"
"Do it," Sovar hissed. He looked at L'Vek, "Have your wife get on your back. We are going to run for it. If any one fires or even looks at us fire, Sienna." He handed her his disruptor so he could grip Tawny tight, and Hold Sienna's legs. Sovar ground his teeth making sure nothing and no one was going to be able to take his charges. Nodding to L'Vek, he calmly said, "Run now." began running as fast as he could with the burden of the two women on his body. He felt like he was walking on air. All of his focus was on his body and movements, there was no pain, and they felt like feathers on his back.
He made the door tapping in the codes the doors opened and they went out into the great white. No one followed them. A few minutes later they all dematerialized and appeared before an anxious Kuvak aboard the Kolinahr.
Sienna slid off his back. "Emmie, let's applaud Mr. Cray Cray for that stunt."
Emmie nodded and gave him a short round of applause, and she threw her arms around Sovar.
"You are crazy, old man," she whispered in his ear. "Thank you! For Tawny and me...and Emmie...thank you."
She turned around and noticed that Tawny seemingly pulled herself from her stupor and was kissing Kuvak like there was no tomorrow. She giggled and looked at Emmie, who was eying L'Vek like she wanted to do the same thing.
"That should be illegal. In all the districts of Earth," she whispered, putting her arm around Sovar. "It's so damn awkward...and yet for some reason, I feel the urge to kiss you like that." She winked at him.
Kuvak placed his hands on her face and neck, as he kissed her he filled her up with himself. He didn't care who saw what, he felt healed and felt her heal when they were once again one again.
Emmie grinned, "Eh, screw propriety." He pounced on L'Vek kissing him all over.
Sovar was panting slightly, he raised his eyebrows, "Let's not stand on ceremony here, human." He gave her a half gin. "Prudence would say you and need to go to the bridge and get this ship on course to Vulcan." He took her gently by the hand and lead her out of the transporter room. As he passed Kuvak reached out and took his shoulder in his hand, Sovar turned toward him.
"Thank you my chosen brother for giving me my life back." he looked down at Tawny and then back to Sovar.
"There is no thanks required, doing this has given me back my purpose." He turned away and walked with Sienna toward the bridge.
Kuvak lifted Tawny up carrying her like a child. "L'Vek my cousin, follow I will put you and Emmie in a room. Everyone needs rest and food. We are on our way to Vulcan first, but we must talk after we arrive."
L'Vek nodded, "It is agreeable to see you cousin. Show us the way."
Emmie stopped. "No, first stop is sickbay. This baby is kicking me, and I think she's trying to tell me something in Morse code. I don't even know anymore. That would be awesome though. Oh, your kid's an honor student at Melville High, yeah, my kid knew Morse code as a fetus, thank you."
Tawny giggled, and Emmie waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "I think the doctor should look you over too, missy. Don't think I don't notice."
She blushed. "What?"
Emmie took her hand and dragged her out the door. "Kuvak, you lead."
She allowed L'Vek to support her, but she didn't tell him what she suspected. She wanted to at least give Kuvak a moment of glory, even if it was short-lived.
Kuvak showed them to the sick bay. "It is unmanned, but the technology they have here if there is an issue we will know it."
L'Vek helped her up on the table. The readings came up, which indicated she was near giving birth and would do so in the next seven to ten days. It also showed she required nourishment.
L'Vek was in awe, "Soon my Ashal-veh we will bring a life into freedom. Kuvak how is this possible I have not seen this level of technology before."
Kuvak lifted Tawny onto the other bio bed, "We will discuss it soon my cousin. He laid Tawny back, it showed that her neural levels were coming into right, and then it showed two more tiny heart beats beating along with hers. Kuvak stood motionless, his mouth parted. "Ashaya...we...did you know..." he looked down at his wife, "We will have...twins."
Emmie howled with laughter, and Tawny stared down at her stomach like she couldn't believe it. "Kuvak..."
Kuvak took her hand in his. "Ashaya, this is...more than I could have ever hoped for."
Emmie laid her head on L'Vek's shoulder. "I'm starving. Wanna eat? Tawny?"
She shook her head. "Not now. I might puke."
Kuvak looked like he might protest, but Emmie caught his eye. "Remember how I was? The puking is normal. Does something in particular make you want to puke?"
Tawny shook her head. "No, I think I'm ok. I'm staying right here for now."
Emmie grinned, and Kuvak showed L'Vek how to work the replicators. Soon, she and L'Vek were eating, and Tawny was resting comfortably.