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«K'lalatar Prkori K'lalatar Prnak'lirli
(Infinite Diversities in Infinite Combinations)»
by Monica MicioGatta
26th Chapter: The beach (This chapter was inspired by the story «Gateway» by Quills
The slight hum of the scanner immediately attracted T'Pol's attention. Tucker had fallen asleep on T'Mir's bed, holding her hand. The Vulcan looked up on the monitor. She had observed it just a moment earlier, and she noticed that the vital signs had fallen over an hour before. She got up and left the tent. «Dr. Phlox?»
The doctor pointed to the screen. «I made again the blood tests as you asked and you're right: T'Mir took blood from you. I had never seen such a thing, in fact T'Mir is a very special individual that-»
«PHLOX!»
The doctor was startled and turned to the woman.
«T'Mir's vital signs are getting worse.»
He entered the room and looked at the monitor. «It's strange. In self-care they should improve...»
Trip blinked and looked up. «What's up?» He asked, but was ignored.
«It seems that...» Phlox shook his head. «I'm afraid T'Mir doesn't know how to exit the self-care alone.»
«I know it can be dangerous...» whispered T'Pol.
The doctor took T'Mir by the shoulders, shaking violently. «T'Mir! Wake up!»
«What are you doing?» Said Trip.
«She can't hear me.» Phlox said.
«I can make her listen to me.» T'Pol sat on the edge of the bed. It was not easy to live with this girl, she thought. Within the few days that had been on Enterprise, it was the third mind meld that she had to do. She felt a sense of loss, when she found herself on a beach. She looked around, but it seemed deserted. She walked quickly to the shore, where she could have a broader view of the place. She didn't know one could be in a mind meld with someone without seeing the counterpart. «T'Mir!» she called out. But no one answered. «T'Mir, where are you?» Then she saw a palm tree. She ran in that direction and when she got closer, she saw her daughter nestled at the foot of the plant.
«T'Mir.» She whispered, leaning close to her. «I think you lost your way back. Come on, I'll take you out.»
«No...» she whispered. «My parents are dead. And they kidnapped me. I don't want to get out of here. They hurt me, cut me and touch me and make me do things that I don't want to do.»
T'Pol put her hand on her shoulder. «No, not anymore, now you're safe. And we are here with you.»
T'Mir looked up, her eyes full of tears. «I don't want to get out of here. Because when I wake up, I have to go back to my universe, where you are dead.»
The Vulcan shook her head slightly. «But if you stay here, you risk dying...»
«Better death than a world without you.»
T'Pol shook her head and hugged her daughter, pulling her toward you. «In our universe we have yet to talk about so many things, T'Mir. You cannot stay here. Let's go.»
She shook her head. «I don't want.»
«Your father has already lost a sister. How do you think he would feel if he loses you too?»
T'Mir didn't answered.
The woman stood up and took her daughter's hand, pulling her up. «Come on, lets go.»
She stood up slowly. «Do you like this place?» she whispered.
«Yes, it's very beautiful.»
«This is where I come when I meditate...»
T'Pol slowly opened her eyes.
«It's working.» Phlox said, taking a medical tricorder near T'Mir and while checking the monitor.
«So why isn't she awake?» asked Tucker.
'Well, now it should be easy to awaken her completely...» Phlox placed the tricorder in T'Pol's hand and gave T'Mir a slap that made Trip scream: «What the hell are you doing?» He jumped in feet, but was stopped by T'Pol, who put a hand on his chest. «She needs a strong stimulus.» she said.
«And there is no other way?» Tucker looked puzzled Phlox drawing the girl a second slap. «Enough!»
T'Mir slowly opened her eyes.
«It worked.» T'Pol said.
The girl let out a loud moan of pain. «Did I fall on a plasma collector?»
Phlox smiled. «Welcome back.»
This time no one stopped Trip. He came by his daughter and kissed her forehead. «T'Mir!»
«Daddy...» she said. «Hello...»
«How do you feel?» asked T'Pol.
«Have I many burns?» she asked.
«Several phaser wounds.» replied the woman.
«Aah...» T'Mir complained, trying to move. «I swear that if I could I'd have some ecstasy...»
«Ecstasy?» asked Trip.
She nodded and let out another moan. «Can you turn me on my side, daddy?»
«Sure.» He said, putting his hand gently under her hip to turn her. «But what about the ecstasy...?»
«It stuns me and I take away the pain.» she said.
Trip turned to T'Pol and she shrugged her shoulders slightly.
«Why did not you say so before?»
«Ecstasy breaks my neurons. I don't really like to use it. It's dangerous.»
Archer opened the curtain: Phlox had called him and he ran to the sickbay from the bridge. «T'Mir! How are you?»
«Oh captain, my captain,» she proclaimed. «What can I offer you not to take me to court-martial? Five bars of gold?»
He laughed. «It seems you are fine.»
«Yeah, well, apart from the skin at 451° F...»
Phlox shook his head. «Your temperature is much lower.» He said. «The canonical Vulcan 33°C.»
T'Mir blinked slightly. «Why am I here? I remember that the stunning micro-grain exploded when I was still on the Xindi ship.»
«That's a really good anesthetic for you.» Phlox said.
«Malcolm came to you and taken you away, back here on Enterprise .» Archer replied, lowering at her bedside. «Certainly you've made us suffer.»
She smiled. «Sorry.» She closed her eyes. More than anything, she felt burning of the skin of her back. «Is it all right now?»
«The Xindi ship exploded shortly after you and Malcolm were back on board.» said Trip.
«Of course, there are many things that still remain... unclear.» Archer said. «But I wouldn't send you to the martial court.»
T'Mir sighed. «I know. I regret having kept hidden all to you...»
«Not everything.» Phlox said. «Just that the Xindi ship of your universe was going to destroy us.»
«I tried to convince them to turn around.» she said. «But diplomacy is not my best side.» She smiled and, like everyone else, looked at Trip.
«Why are you all looking at me?» he asked. Then shrugged. «How did you learn the Xindi reptilian language?»
«Hoshi.» she said. «It was our secret code. A strange language that only she and I talked with on Enterprise.»
«It seemed that you knew the crew.»
«I knew the captain. We took the same flight course at the Academy.»
«Xindi and Humans are allies?» asked Archer.
«Yes, in the future from which I come.»
«You said... together? With a Xindi?» Trip already felt his stomach twist.
«Yes, in the flight course, daddy.» she explained. «And if you all are wondering, no, I've never been with a Xindi. Neither with a Xindi humanoid.»
Trip laughed and gave another kiss to T'Mir. «Of course you risked very much.»
«Yes, but it went well. According to Soval's plans, I should not be here.»
«It was a suicide mission.» T'Pol said. «But I don't see the logic of it.»
T'Mir gave her a look: 'I had no doubts.' «We knew that the Xindi ship would come to this universe to kill you both. A trade-off between the Xindi of my universe and the ones of yours. I was the best candidate for this mission. I'm motivated, I knew the captain, I speak Xindi reptilian language, I know Enterprise... We had to stop them or they would kill you both. Knowing that I would be body searched, the only way was to use a weapon under the skin. When Phlox opened my arm, I thought maybe I could try to save you.»
Trip shook his head. «But it makes no sense. You have risked to be killed, just to save us?»
«Neither I nor your father,» T'Pol continued. «believe that is correct... we are no more important than you.»
T'Mir sighed. «For me, yes... for the story... you may not. But Lorian is much more important than me.»
The Vulcan looked at the girl. «Who... Who is Lorian?»
Archer could swear he heard amazement in her voice.
«Lorian is... my brother.»