Not much of the Enterprise crew this time around. This is a chapter about Raizel and Shran. Enjoy!
Chapter 9
(Andoria, Shaastheos Province, Zain City)
Walking through the city again, Archer took some time to appreciate the beauty and sheer alien feel of the place. It was all so strange, even the way the houses felt like they had sprung up from the geothermal pools that were one of the main power sources of the planet. The same pools Andorians had emerged from as strange, primitive creatures without eyes or ears. Thanks to the preserving power of ice, Andorians had been able to trace their evolutionary history rather well, or so Shran had once mentioned as he was praising his homeworld.
It was still bitterly cold for Archer and Hoshi, who clutched at their coats to keep the warmth in. Archer just could not imagine being able to live here happily, so happily that you wouldn't leave. He knew Raizel was adapted and well cared for –as far as they could tell anyway –but still, he just could not imagine it. He knew it, but he didn't believe it.
"What do you want me to talk about with her?"
"Just… girl stuff." said Archer lamely. Hoshi gave him one of her looks that told him he was an idiot and she was not going to say it out loud.
"Girl stuff?"
"I just… just talk to her about general stuff. Not about going to Earth or anything like that."
"Ah… of course sir. But something tells me we're not going to have a lot in common."
"Hoshi, if there's anyone who'll get her to open up, it's you."
(Andoria, Shaastheos Province, Zain City, Hvishrath Conglomerate)
"She's not here?"
"That's what I said pink-skin."
Archer stared at Shran, taken aback by his blasé attitude regarding his daughter's whereabouts.
"But you said she'd be here!"
"I said you could allow Ensign Sato to talk with her, but I'm afraid Raizel is in Collaboration."
"With who?"
"The other primaries."
"What?"
Shran sighed and shook his head, "A Collaboration is what we call a gathering of primaries."
"So go get her. Please."
"I can't, I'm not allowed."
"Not allowed?"
Shran spoke with the tone of someone speaking to a very slow person. "I am a secondary. I am not permitted to enter a Collaboration. It is primary territory and jurisdiction. Until she emerges, there's nothing I can do."
Archer ground his teeth in annoyance. "You couldn't have asked her to stay?"
"She's been there since yesterday."
"She didn't come home?" asked Hoshi, widening her eyes.
"Oezhaan." said Senkrad, walking into the main room of the knoll. "Loyalty to you Captain Archer, Ensign Sato." he added with a smile. Archer nodded in acknowledgment of the greeting.
"What?" asked Shran shortly.
"I think there's a few primaries around in the Conglomerate, or we could ask Imos if he would-"
"Imos is too busy sleeping in a sarcophagus to go walking into a Collaboration uninvited." said Shran with a flick of his antennae. Archer wondered what in God's name that meant.
"What about one of the primaries that's still attached to the nursery? Erib might go get her."
Shran sighed, twisting one corner of his lips into his cheek, "If we do, she'll be in a foul mood. Wouldn't it be better for this whole situation if she comes home of her own accord. She knows better than to remain in Collaboration forever."
"You have a point." said Senkrad, inclining his antennae. "Rai-rai is always in a good mood after a good Collaboration."
Archer felt annoyed, but clamped down on it. During the night, he had decided that he had to think about Raizel before others, and he doubted that pushing her and trying to force her to deal with politics that were so out of her control was fair. So he shook his head,
"No. It's ok. We can come back another day, when she's here."
"I doubt she'll stay away for long, she knows better even if she wants to ignore everything." said Shran, shrugging. "I'll contact you when she returns."
"Thanks." Archer decided to extend an olive branch to his friend. "Do you want to come for dinner on Enterprise? You can come as well Senkrad, if you like."
Senkrad went a funny shade of purple. "Me? On a star ship? Oh no, no. Never."
Shran smirked, "My chanta is afraid of being in space."
"There's no air or pressure! Thank you Captain, but I like knowing I'm surrounded on all sides by the things that keep me alive and unless some freak accident occurs, I will remain so." Senkrad inclined his antennae to Archer and backed up quickly.
"Fair enough." Archer fought a smile as he looked at Shran, "What about you?"
Shran's antennae flushed darker blue. "I cannot. Gratitude for the invitation. But my Clan Leaders have decided I am not to leave the planet."
"Not even to go into orbit?"
"Technically I am not to leave the Conglomerate." said Shran, looking humiliated. Archer felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment as he realised that, in a bizarre way, Shran had been grounded by his grandparents.
"Oh… well… ok. Maybe for the best. We don't want Raizel to feel like we're trying to get you on our side against her."
"Exactly." said Senkrad sharply. "She does not need that."
"I am on her side!" snapped Shran at the same time.
Archer felt his spine stiffen at the Andorians' tones. But he nodded, knowing better than to push his luck. He was learning fast that if he was going to keep things calm, he would have to be very careful, and respectful not only of the traditions and customs of Andorians, but also of the unique personalities of the people.
"I didn't mean to suggest that you weren't on her side."
"Good. Because the whole Conglomerate is on her side, not yours." said Senkrad. One of Shran's antennae twitched but he simply nodded.
"Ok. Uh… well then, we'll just go back to Enterprise and if you could let us know when she's available…"
"I will." said Shran shortly. Senkrad at his side was almost a mirror image of determination.
"Ok. See you another time."
Shran nodded again, "Goodbye."
No one followed them out, but Archer found himself moving as if the whole Clan was chasing him down.
(Andoria, Shaastheos Province, Zain Collaboration)
"The humans are gone." said Hinimu running from the mouth of the ice cave and skidding to a halt before the Dominants. "I think they're returning to their ship."
"Understood." said Atel. Atel, the dominant zhen of the Collaboration, turned in her stone seat to look at the primary seated at her feet. "See, we told you they would not take your corat to the ship."
"You were right." sighed Raizel, looking up as Atel ran her long pale fingers through her dyed blonde hair.
"Isn't she always?" chuckled Riril, the dominant thaan, seated next to Atel. He reached down and put his big hands around Raizel's middle, lifting her up and seating her on his thighs. Raizel relaxed against him at once. "Now, will you come to sense?"
"I don't want to leave the Collaboration, or my Clan." Raizel stressed, frustration making her pale cheeks flush pink. The colour change made Atel's antennae spread out and she reached out to skim the back of her fingers against the warming skin. This made Raizel's skin flush darker and warmer.
"And we will not encourage you to leave us. At least not permanently." said Riril, playing with her hair. "But perhaps spending some time on your homeworld would be good for you."
"Good for me? In what way?"
"Well for one, looking at those other humans I'm getting the idea that you are not meant to be as pale as a primary or an Aenar." Riril took hold of Raizel's arm and turned it over, exposing the snow white skin on her inner arm. "As pretty and soft as it may be, I think you are meant to be pinker."
"The word from our emissary is that you're not meant to be this pale, in fact you're meant to be pink, or red, or even yellow or brown." said Atel, running a finger over the skin.
"I'm happy with my skin colour." said Raizel a touch of annoyance in her voice. "It… I look more like you this way."
Riril laughed, as did Nyn and Zheenth, the dominant chan and shen. The laughter filtered through the cave as the other primaries picked it up. Nyn clambered over Zheenth's legs from his stone chair, and wrapped his arms around her rubbing his nose into her neck. Raizel shivered and giggled, squealing as Nyn dug his fingers into her ribs and squirming out of Riril's arms, landing with a grunt on the rock.
"There we are! Now she's pink." crowed Nyn, returning to his seat. Raizel flushed even more and smiled up at the dominant chan. Nyn clapped his hands together and cooed, "So sweet! Why would we ever give you up?"
"If it is better for the politics to have her go to Earth for a time, she ought to do so." said Atel, giving Nyn a scolding glance. Nyn spread his hands, extending his neck in acceptance of Atel's words.
"But what if they try to keep me?"
"You are a primary. And you are a member of a powerful Clan. We would have you returned." said Riril, reclining back in his chair.
"And what if I cannot contact you?"
"Shras will. He is already well aware of the situation." said Atel.
"I contacted him myself yesterday." said Zheenth.
"Gratitude." murmured Raizel, lifting her chin so she could bare her neck. The Dominants smiled and tapped their collars with their fingers in acceptance of her thanks.
"Now! Enough of this worrying." Riril stood up and with a wave of his arms, commanded the attention of the whole Collaboration. "Today we have concerns which pull at our stomachs. But we cannot know the future anymore than we can know another species' true thoughts. So I suggest that today we shall enjoy ourselves and revel in our existence, our passions and our desires."
He beckoned several primaries over and said, "Play some music. I would have Raizel sing for us."
The primaries nodded and retrieved the instruments set against the wall of the cave. Raizel got to her feet and brushed off her robe. Riril caught her by the shoulder and turned her to him. Cupping her chin in his hot hand, he pulled her head up so he could press a firm kiss against her lips. Raizel reached up and grabbed a handful of the fur on his head, holding him tight. Riril slid his hand down her neck and touched her chest where her heart pushed against his palm. He pulled back and smirked down at her, earning a returning smirk from her pink lips. Releasing her, Riril returned to his seat and Raizel, feeling far more cheerful than she had in days, strode over to the gathering primaries with the instruments. Two of the primaries offered her their hands and she accepted them, closing her eyes and opening her mind to those around her. Their minds brushed hers and she reached out with careful pressure. Three years of practise had taught her that her mind had to slip into the collaboration with care, otherwise either she or someone else would be hurt.
The flow of minds began to pull her along like a current in a pool, and she went with it. As she did, music began to play around her, cheerful and exciting. Her hands were released and more instruments began to play as the collaboration took hold and Raizel opened her eyes. With a grin, she began to dance with the music, waiting for the moment where she would sing. The words, like always, would come to her as the music did, an improvised, free flowing process that, whether the song be happy or sad, always made her feel so invigorated.
Drawing up one foot from the ground, Raizel span on the ball of the other, before pushing up onto her toes and spinning three times before dropping gracefully to her knee. She lifted her eyes, fixing them on the watching primaries closest to her, smirked, and began to sing. The cave's acoustics were perfect for this, carrying her voice across the vast space, the instruments' sounds wrapping around her voice and flowing through the air, stroking the antennae and ears of everyone in the cave.
And some outside it.
(Andoria, Shaastheos Province, Zain City, Hvishrath Conglomerate)
Shran pushed open the window of his room and cocked his head to the side as a song floated in on the faint breeze in the cave. It was quiet, but as he listened he recognised his sprog's voice. Raizel's voice was not like any Andorian's, so Shran never had any difficulty picking her out of a chorus. But when he heard her sing alone like this, he felt pride flow into his blood and he revelled in her acceptance by her primary peers. He knew it had not been easy for her adapting to life in the Conglomerate. He sometimes wondered if it would have been easier if she had been adopted by another person, by another Clan. His Clan was not the best choice to try to be different in. He knew that well enough.
Sitting down on his nest, Shran let his sprog's voice flow over his antennae and recalled the day he had brought her to the knoll.
(Nine Years Ago; Andoria, Shaastheos Province, Zain City, Hvishrath Conglomerate)
Raizel was so heavily wrapped up she was almost lost in amongst the fur and silk. Shran half hoped that it would keep his clan from noticing her alien features. As if they were not already fully aware of her appearance. Still, it was nice to imagine they would welcome her.
Raizel clung to his neck as he carried her into the Conglomerate, wide green eyes staring at all the statues of his ancestors.
"Who they?" she asked in her broken Andori.
"Special Clan members." he replied, "They all did something important."
"Like what?"
"Well, that one was one of the leaders of the battle against the Orions." Shran pointed to the statue of the zhen standing tall with a Ushaan-tor in her hand.
"Orions? The bad ones?" asked Raizel, eyes going even wider.
"Yes. The bad ones." said Shran. Raizel had spent nine cycles on the Kumari with a crew who knew well the evil in the universe. She was already well aware of the dangers of the Vulcans, the Tellerites and most importantly, the Orions.
Shran started to climb the steps. His Clan Leaders were awaiting them in the Great Hall, along with the actives of the Clan. The ones who had a say in the running of everything. Technically, by adopting Raizel Shran had disobeyed an unspoken command. But then again, he had not meant to end up in this situation. Still, she was his now, and he would care for her.
"Now, when you meet the Clan Leaders, what do you do?"
"Touch my shoulders, lift my chin and say 'Loyalty to the Hvishrath Clan!' then wait for them to say they accept."
"Good. And when they do?"
"I… I can come back to you?"
Shran nodded, "You can come back to me."
Raizel huddled against him, "Scared." she mumbled into his neck. Shran squeezed her tight and paused on the steps so he could set her down on her feet. He pushed the hood of her cloak back to her shoulders and then crouched down in front of her.
"I know you're scared. But you are part of this Clan now. They will accept you."
"Will they like me?" she asked poking at her own stomach.
No was the honest answer. The Clan Leaders were furious over this whole thing. But they would not let it show to her. They would be their usual cold, regal selves, but they would not be cruel. At least, not to her. Shran, on the other hand, would have some serious questioning to deal with.
"You are a part of this Clan. They will love you for that." he told her hoping that would suffice. It seemed to be enough for now, Raizel smiled and held out her hand. Shran took it, still fascinated by the coolness of her fingers and the smallness of her hand in his, and together they climbed the final few steps. Inhaling deeply, Shran knocked on the door. After a moment, the door swung open, revealing the hall. The Clan Leaders were seated at the table, and all the actives, including many of Shran's own siblings, were there, seated on the ascending rows of seats behind them.
Shran felt his body break out into nervous chills.
Raizel's hand was now slippery with sweat in his grip as he led her into the room. He could feel the eyes of everyone on him and Raizel. He could only hope some of the eyes were kind, as he refused to look away from his Clan Zhen. She was staring at him, fury visible in her eyes, even as she said,
"Come forward. Speak."
Shran led Raizel forward and pulled her in front of him, resting his hands on her shoulders.
"I greet the Leaders of my honoured Clan as a simple secondary, and present to you my offspring gained from love and loyalty if not by blood, Raizel."
Raizel, who was now shaking under his hands, straightened up and stepped forward, Shran's hands dropping to his sides. She stared at the Clan Leaders, who stared back, impassive. As Shran watched, he felt disarmingly protective of this tiny pink-skin standing before his huge and imposing family. Then Raizel lifted her chin, baring her neck to the Clan Leaders, and her hands came up to touch her shoulders. In a shaky, but loud voice.
"Loyalty to the Hvishrath Clan!"
Shran glanced up and saw one of his kahishos, Orec, hide a smile with her life-mates. He sensed the amusement and endearment of some of the actives ripple up and he relaxed a little. The feeling vanished as soon as Clan Zhen stood up, brown eyes fixed on Raizel, who had not moved, although her shaking was more obvious.
"The Clan accepts your loyalty Raizel. You are welcome."
A lie, but one Shran would accept with ease as Raizel nodded and then span around and ran back to him, clutching at his jacket with small, trembling fingers. He rested his hand on her head, willing her to calm down as she hid her face in his side.
"Gratitude Clan Leaders for your acceptance. If it is acceptable, I will take my offspring to her knoll and help her build her nest."
Clan Zhen nodded and waved him away. Shran disengaged Raizel's clutching hands and held them in his one so he could walk. He pulled her along out of the room, sagging in relief as the door shut behind them. He looked down at Raizel, who was white rather than pink now, and looked very scared.
"You did really well sprog." he told her, smiling down at her. "Come on. You need a nest. And my chanta and kahisho are waiting to meet you."
Raizel narrowed her eyes in concentration, "Chanta… your chan sibling and Kahisho… your zhen sibling."
"That's right."
"And… that means it's… Senkrad and and Lirril?
"Senkrad and Lissiel, Lirril is long active."
"Oh… sorry."
"Do not worry. I know there are a lot of names for a non-Andorian to remember."
Raizel nodded, "You have a lot of siblings! And you said that you don't really have that many for an Andorian."
"That's right." Shran guided her to the left as they reached the door to his knoll. He pushed it open and led her inside. "Here we are. This is our knoll."
"Shran!" Senkrad leapt off his seat and bounded over to Shran, embracing him tight. "I am so glad to see you home!"
Senkrad always greeted him with enough enthusiasm to make up for the rest of the Clan. Shran hugged his chanta tight and then pulled back, reaching out for Raizel.
"Senkrad, meet my offspring, Raizel."
Senkrad's antennae spread out in open affection as he held out his hands to her. "Loyalty to you Raizel."
Raizel's cheeks went bright pink and she grabbed at Shran's jacket again, burying her face in his side, peeping out at Senkrad with one green eyes. Shran rested his hand on the back of her head, stroking her hair in reassurance.
"This is my chanta, Senkrad. Don't be shy. He's as harmless as an Aenar."
Senkrad threw him a mock-angry look for the comparison, but he did not deny it. Raizel peered up at him, still flattening herself against Shran's leg, before finally holding out one hand to him, mumbling something which was probably a greeting. Senkrad took her hand in his, cradling it like it was fragile as he crouched down in front of her.
"You are very welcome to our knoll, little one. Why don't we start work on your nest?"
"Nest?"
"Yes. Where you will sleep."
"She slept in a medical bed we set up on the Kumari." said Shran quickly.
"Ah. Well, we sleep in nests, made of fur and silk. Our parents start making them when we are conceived and when we are old enough we sleep with our litter in one big nest, and when we get bigger we break it up to form our own nests."
Raizel stared blankly at him, then nodded her head. Shran chuckled,
"Come, let's get started."
"Where will I sleep?" asked Raizel, looking around at all the doors. Senkrad pursed his lips as he straightened up.
"We can either put the nest in Shran's room or we can give you a room of your own. Which would you prefer?"
"Um…" Raizel looked up at Shran for help. Shran wrinkled his nose in thought.
"Why don't we build it in my room, just until you're settled in, and then you can move into one of the other rooms?"
Raizel nodded, looking satisfied. Then she beckoned Shran with her fingers. Shran leaned down so she could whisper in his ear.
"Need to go to the bathroom."
He smiled and pointed at the third door from them. Raizel nodded and bolted for the door. Once she was inside, Shran could hear her start to sing nonsense words to herself –something she did whenever she was in a room alone. Medic said that she did it to relieved anxiety and would probably grow out of it.
Shran glanced at Senkrad, trying to see how his chanta really felt.
"She's adorable!" chuckled Senkrad. "All pink skin and brown fur!"
Shran smiled and nodded, "Indeed. My crew adored her –even Tarah could not resist her cuteness."
Senkrad fixed Shran with two stiff antennae. "Does the sprog know you'll have to leave soon?"
Shran's antennae fell and he sighed, "No. I haven't told her."
"Were you planning on sneaking off?"
"No! I just… I have asked that the crew be permitted some leave while I sort Raizel out, get her settled. I should be able to remain for about four cycles if I'm lucky."
"Four cycles!" yelped Senkrad, "That's only 52 turns! She was on the Kumari for over twice that!
"Keep your voice down!" hissed Shran, glancing at the door. Raizel was still singing to herself. "I will ask for more time, but you know the Guard is not likely to give it."
"But what then?"
"I hope to have her settled in the nursery and here."
"And who will care for her?"
"I had hoped you and Lissiel would look after her while I am gone."
"Oh did you?" Senkrad's antennae whirled around as if he could not decide if he was angry or amused by the idea.
"Well what else can I do?"
"Leave the Guard!"
"I can't."
"You won't."
"No, I can't. I am bound to the Guard for life. If I left I'd be arrested."
"Since when!" squawked Senkrad.
"Since twenty five orbits ago!"
"Why did you never tell me?"
"Because until now it wasn't an issue." said Shran, refusing to get into an argument about this now. "Now no more. We will talk when she has been settled."
Senkrad glared at him, then nodded just as Raizel came out of the bathroom, wiping her hands on her fur coat to dry them. She looked up at Shran and seemed to stare from him and Senkrad suspiciously. Shran decided to distract her, so she would not ask awkward questions.
"Come on sprog, we'll go build a nest for you."
Raizel nodded, accepting his offered hand as he led her into his own room.
(Present Day; Andoria, Shaastheos Province, Zain City, Hvishrath Conglomerate)
Shran glanced across his room to the corner where Raizel's nest had been for a few orbits –he had been gone so often, she had almost made the room her own. If Shran had not been so particular about keeping his room for himself, he probably would have just acceded it to her. Now her room was next to his. It had been quite some time since she had moved and even then he had not been around as much as he would have liked. But he could still remember the sound of her breathing as she slept in her nest. Once or twice, when he had come home after a particularly bad mission, he had listened to it all night, reminding himself that he had to keep doing his job for her, not just for the whole planet. He had to keep his sprog safe.
And yet he was failing now. He would willingly give himself to the Orions, even knowing what they would do to him, if it was to protect her, and yet in the face of politics he was failing.
Shran had always hated politics, he had never truly trusted it, even now after spending three years at a table as much as at a weapons consol to maintain his people's safety. And he had always known, from the moment he had laid eyes on Archer that he would face the difficulties of Raizel's adoption. But there seemed to be a chance now that he would lose his sprog and cost his planet the hard earned security he had spent cycles trying to gain for them, all in one go.
"Not happening." he hissed to himself. "She's my offspring! Mine. I will not let anyone take her from me."
He was fully prepared to go to his Clan Leaders and swear an oath to them about it, making it unbreakable, when a thought made him pause.
What if… what if Raizel changed her mind?
Shran knew that despite her protests, his sprog was capable of changing her mind. What if she decided she wanted to stay on Earth? What if she decided she wanted to be with her human family?
What if she decided she never wanted to see Shran again?
The thought made chills break out across his body and he clenched his hands into fists. He could handle many things, but losing those he loved to anything was not one of them. He had lost Talas, he had lost his parents, he had lost most of his crew on the Kumari. If he ever lost Raizel, or his blood brothers, or Senkrad, he would not be able to stand it. They were the constants of his life, the people he knew he could rely on, if only because he could keep Raizel safe.
And yet… if she wanted to go, could Shran deny her what would make her happy? Wasn't being a parent about doing what was best for your offspring, before your own desires?
Shran had spent his sprog days and his youth having to deal with a damaged quad missing one of its mates where they obsessively fussed over him, denying him any sort of freedom for fear of losing him. As part of the last litter the quad had conceived and being the only sprog to survive a traumatic birth that should have killed him, his parents had guarded him so much his siblings had resented, even hated, him and he had been isolated and lonely, concepts which were meant to be incomprehensible to Andorians. Shran knew well the damaging effects of parents that put their own needs ahead of their sprogs, even if the need had been to keep said sprogs close.
So if Raizel decided she wanted to remain on Earth, he would accept it and make it happen. If she wanted to become part of her human family and separate from the Clan, he would make it happen, regardless of the Clan Leaders. And if she never wanted to see him again… he would accept it, even if it killed him. So long as it made her happy he would do it.
As he picked up the nearest bottle of ale, he prayed to the Wanderers that he would never have to do that.
Comments are always deeply appreciated.
Night's Darkness