Chapter 26

Commander T'Pol stepped through the hatch in Engineering and had a moment of déjà vu flush over her. Over the years, she had entered Engineering on Enterprise plenty of times to speak to Commander Tucker … some official visits but many times they were merely a social call. Trip thinks the feeling of the engine room evokes certain memories, she reflected as her eyes trailed around the room. Physically this room was identical to the engine room on Enterprise. Is it the similarities of this room or the odors that are drawing me? She questioned as an image of nuzzling against Trip and smell of engine grease filling her nose fluttered through her mind. She blinked, trying to clear her head. Perhaps my condition is making me nostalgic, she scolding herself as she looked around the room.

"Commander?" Chief Freddie Alvarez called to her from the diagnostic panel on warp engine. "Looking for someone?"

"Yes, Chief," T'Pol replied reigning in her … thoughts. "I was looking for you."

"Ah me...ma'm?" Alvarez replied somewhat shocked. "Are you sure you aren't looking for the lieutenant?"

"No," T'Pol remarked stepping over to the bottom of the platform. "Ensign Miner informed me you would have some tactical data that would be helpful in the upcoming days."

"Ensign Miner huh?" Alvarez rolled his eyes and climbed down from the platform. "Everything is in my report Commander," he replied gruffly as he walked down the side of the engine to a monitoring station.

"I'm looking for information that you didn't put in your report," T'Pol stated following the chief as he walked. She watched him eye her warily.

"What makes you think I held something back?"

T'Pol relaxed her shoulders and tried to look as non-threatening as possible. "I've been around a few quarter-masters in my time in Starfleet, Chief," she commented quietly. "They, like the head cook in the galley, are in the unique position to see observe characteristics and behaviors of people that may prove important in situations such as the one we are about to face." She crossed her arms at her chest and projected an unspoken aura that said I know you know something about the crew so spill your guts before beat it out of you.

Alvarez was quiet for a moment as he mulled over his response. "Ah," he finally mumbled not sure how to respond to her. "Are you looking to me to rat out my fellow crew Commander?" he asked adjusting regulators on the console.

"This isn't an inquisition Chief," she remarked dropping her arms casually. "I'm merely trying to understand the dynamics as we prepare to mount our rescue." She inclined her head to the left. "In case we need to leave anyone behind," she added deadpan.

The comment caught Alvarez off guard. "Huh?" he stammered looking over at her. "You'd la…" he stopped sharply when he watched T'Pol arch her brow at him. "Aren't you the jokester?" he laughed looking back at the console.

"I've found infusing humor into certain conversations cuts the ice, so to speak," T'Pol explained when she knew he was on her wavelength.

"Perceptive… and unexpected," Freddie replied logging off the station. "Well, I could use a break," he commented motioning to the door.

00-00

Trip paced around the helm station deep in thought. Phoenix had arrived in the sector fifteen minutes ago and had taken a defensive position behind a moon cluster about a parsec from the planet. The intelligence from the Andorians seemed to hold merit. Two Naree vessels and two smaller ships of unknown origin were in orbit above the planet.

"Ensign Messer?" Trip looked back to the tactical station for an update.

"The two larger ships are armed to the gills sir," Messer replied transferring some data to the console Tucker was standing by. "The smaller ships have armaments similar to our pods."

"I've scanned for any transponder signatures, but either we're too far away or they've been disabled." Ensign Braidi, the comm officer said mindlessly.

"We're too far away," both Tucker and Rybaiski replied in unison.

"We need to get closer," Rybaiski added looking over at Tucker.

"I'm not taking the ship in there," Tucker remarked. "We can hold out for Columbia to catch up."

"Is that the conservative Tucker talking?" Stu joked with him. "I wasn't talking about the ship, I was thinking about a pod. Geri and I can skim along the asteroid field and get a little closer."

"I'm picking up ship movement," Messer interrupted before the captain could respond to his first officer. "One of the smaller ships is heading down toward the planet."

"To do what?" Tucker muttered looking at the scan on the monitor.

"Move the detainees?" Rybaiski replied shrugging his shoulders.

Tucker stepped on the railing of the helm station and punched some keys on the panel to move the sensor data to this station. He didn't like the feel of this, it didn't matter that the intel said they had a day or even a couple of days before the Naree were going to make their move, something didn't feel right. Maybe Stu should sneak down there in a pod to check things out. Too bad we don't have Dempsey on board … we need a Naree expert about now, Tucker thought drumming his fingers on the console. A Naree expert, Trip repeated in his head as he looked up at the chronometer. Zero one fifteen, he thought biting his lip. Fuck it, this is more important. He keyed up the communication array at the helm station. "Bridge to Commander Sato."

Stu looked at the captain with a puzzled expression on his face. "What?' he questioned when Tucker finally glanced his way.

Tucker held his hand up just as Hoshi's groggy voice came through the speaker.

"Hoshi, report to the command center immediately. Bring Riley with you," Tucker instructed clearing the line.

"Riley?" Stu implored. "Wanna clue me in on where you're going with this?"

"Ensign Braidi, join us in the Command Center," Tucker said looking up at the comm officer. "Mr. Messer, wake Lieutenant Haas and have him report to the Com Center on the double. Transfer that data downstairs," he added motioning to Stu to follow Braidi down the ramp. Once the three of them had cleared the door at the bottom of the ramp, Tucker explained the Riley factor.

"Riley is familiar with the Naree," Trip said as he helped Braidi bring the data up on the main viewer. "She's been on their ships."

"Yeah and she practically hyperventilates at the mere mentioned of the word," Stu remarked defensively.

"I don't need to be reminded Stu, I've lived through a few of her panic attacks. Right now, she's the in-house expert," Trip replied leaning against the work bar. "She'll be okay. It's not like anything is going to happen to her here in the Command Center."

"We're talking about someone who shakes uncontrollably when she sees one of the Tellarites," the lanky first officer snapped back at him.

"The Tellarites are on the same ship as she," Tucker said flatly. "All I'm going to ask her to do is look at the viewer."

00-00

"T'Pol to Commander McCann."

Catch looked up from the Captain's Chair on Columbia and scanned the bridge crew. Ganzer at the helm, Miner at the comm station and Marcus at tactical, were all going through the paces, business as usual. Despite that two of the three didn't belong there, no one would be the wiser. The integration of the Phoenix and Columbia crew was a seamless transition; all completed without anyone batting an eye or feathers being ruffled.

"McCann here," he said finally keying the comm button in the armrest.

"Report sickbay immediately," she said crisply.

Great, McCann thought knowing her call could only mean one thing. "Ganzer you have the bridge," he said heading for the turbolift. He strode through the door of sickbay a minute later. "Report," he requested instinctively, forgetting for a moment that T'Pol was in charge. The woman barely flinched.

"Commander Sadek is dead," she stated as she turned to face him.

The news slowed his gait and even though he was expected it, he felt some emotion over it. He barely knew Commander Sadek and yet felt connected with him in many ways. This crew, Columbia's crew, had rallied him to it, their will, their survival instinct, their spirit. He was humbled by this group and inspired to boldly face the next obstacle. McCann scanned the eyes of T'Pol and Solon for a sign of understanding, of feeling the same emotion as he, and was met with the same cold stare. Vulcans, he muttered in his head realizing it was looking to the wrong people for compassion.

"That's unfortunate," he mumbled aloud. "What …ah," his voice trailed off not sure of what he was about to ask or why. The facts were obvious. The man tried to kill himself rather than face the consequences and he had finally succeeded in his quest. Coward, Catch thought reminding himself that no matter how connected he felt to Sadek, his uncle had raised him better than that.

"His brain stopped functioning an hour ago," Solon said emotionless. "There was nothing to be done for him."

McCann looked to his brother in law and noticed fatigue in his eye. "I'm sure you did everything you could," Catch offered as some condolence. He held the man's gaze for a moment before turning to T'Pol. "Did you speak to the chief?"

"Yes," T'Pol replied quickly. "He is ….an interesting individual." T'Pol pulled a PADD out of her pant pocket and handed it to Catch. "I've outlined his observations for your perusal."

"You wrote it down?" Catch remarked scanning the data on the PADD. "That wasn't really necessary."

"Don't flatter yourself Commander," she replied gruffly. "I cataloged it for Lieutenant Montag. I am merely providing you a copy out of courtesy. If we locate Major Davenport, he will need to be separated from the rest of the crew."

"The chief confirmed Ensign Miner's statement?" Catch muttered shoving the PADD in his leg pocket.

"According to Chief Alvarez, Major Davenport liked to engage in quid pro quo on a regular basis," T'Pol remarked. "Mainly with the female crew.

"That's lovely," Catch said shaking his head. He twisted his lips in a disgusted expression. "Nice way to use the position against the junior officers."

"Perhaps he was manipulating more than the junior officers," Solon remarked with a tilt of his head. When he noticed the perplexed expression on T'Pol's face he further explained himself. "Many are questioning the Captain's decisions. It is likely if Major Davenport was influencing her as well."

"Perhaps." "Maybe." T'Pol and McCann answered at the same time.

"Phoenix just sent word they are in position," McCann added. "We'll catch up with them in a couple of hours."

"And Darlington?"

"Eighteen hours behind us," Catch replied. "They've slowed to warp five five. Pearson was afraid the engines were going to blow."

"Unlikely," T'Pol remarked. "The engine on the class starship can run at maximum warp for well over a week."

"Haven't they been traveling at high warp for over a week?" Solon asked from his workstation at the side of the room.

T'Pol was silent as she contemplated his words. "Perhaps. However this is no time to be slowing down."

"Well, better to slow down and have a leg to stand on rather than to burn it out getting to the fight," Catch said. He jumped up on a biobed and trailed his glance from Solon to T'Pol. "I think we're going to need all the backup we can get."

"Under estimating the Captain," Solon remarked dryly. "Not a wise choice."

"Captain Tucker is familiar with doing more with less," T'Pol concurred.

"I'm not criticizing the Captain Commander," Catch replied abruptly. "Considering a bucket of bolts kicked Phoenix's ass a few months ago I hardly think we should be under estimating what a handful of warships can do." McCann watched T'Pol's expression as she struggled to get her emotions in check. Is she defending her man or concerned that I'm taking a pop shot at the captain? Catch wondered. He had worked with her for over a year and yet she still managed to stump him with her varied responses. She doesn't rein it in very well for someone who's not supposed to have emotions. Maybe it's that female thing, of course, she did just go through the Vulcan thing, Catch mused looking down at the floor.

"I would hardly classify the ship that attacked Phoenix a bucket of bolts," T'Pol replied coolly. "In fact, if I'm not mistaken, Phoenix was attacked by two vessels."

"Exactly my point," Catch replied nodding his head. "This is why I said we're going to need all the backup we can get."

"Precisely," T'Pol replied crossing her arms at her chest.

What was that, Catch thought with a perplexed expression on his face. He watched as T'Pol turned on her heel and exited the room. Catch shot Solon a confused glare and watched his brother-in-law shrug. "Did I miss something?" he muttered under his breath.

"No," Solon replied frankly. "It is pointless to try to figure a woman out."

"Speaking from experience?" McCann chuckled.

"My wife was quite annoying at times," Solon replied solemnly.

"She probably thought the same thing about you, you know," Catch chuckled jumping off the biobed.

"Perhaps," Solon agreed.

"Must be that female thing," Shane muttered under his breath. "Birdie has been a freak the past few days."

"Pregnancy changes a woman," Solon remarked.

"I don't remember her being so … moody last time."

"Last time you were safely on Earth enveloped in the excitement of a child. Today you are both serving on a starship trying to figure out how much this is going to screw up your careers," Solon informed him. "Different dynamics completely."

"Hmmph," Shane grunted. "I guess that about sums it up." Shane walked to the end of the biobed and tapped his hand on the edge of it. "Do you have an opinion about what I should do?"

"As the temporary CMO on Columbia or as your family member?" Solon asked walking toward his workstation.

"Both."

The Vulcan said nothing as he keyed some data into the computer. "At the moment I do not have an opinion about your situation," he finally offered. "On either front."

Shane rolled his eyes and chuckled. "That wasn't what I was expecting," he replied slowly.

"Men are as complicated as women," Solon remarked turning slightly to look at the commander.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" McCann asked just as his communicator chirped.

"Just something to consider," Solon remarked arching his brow.

Catch pulled his communicator out of his pocket and started to head for the door. "I'll take that under advisement," he said over his shoulder before he answered the device.

00-00

Riley rubbed her hands across her upper arms as she followed Commander Sato down the corridor to the Command Center. She was sick to her stomach about what had just happened to her. It had been a long time since she was rousted from her sleep and marched to the Captain's or the Mistress's office. In the past, the act would have only meant one thing, one expectation from her and she would have delivered without hesitation. In some cases, she may even have enjoyed it as it offered her some freedom and pampering that she rarely ever had.

It wasn't that day anymore, so to be pulled from her sleep by a ranking officer and taken to a restricted area of the ship was a little discerning. Riley couldn't even put her finger on the emotions that were rolling through her system. She could feel her heart pounding in her ear and she shivered from either the cold or the anxiety of her situation. Her life since coming aboard Phoenix had been regimented and safe and was a link that she shared with the rest of the crew. Ironically, she didn't feel any of those things right now. She was scared to death of what was going to happen once she walked through the Command Center door.

Riley watched as Commander Sato stepped up to the retinal scanner and noticed the door magically slid open. She stood in the doorway hesitantly and looked into the darkened room before Sato put her hand on her shoulder and ushered her in. The words Hoshi whispered in her ear did little to make Riley feel comfortable or stop the pounding in her ear or her hands from shaking.

The room or the Command Center as Hoshi had called it was as foreign to her as the whole ship was those first few days. Three of the four walls were covered with computers, panels and monitors. There was huge square table in the middle of the room where Captain Tucker and Commander Rybaiski were standing. Ensign Braidi worked at a console directly in front of them and Lieutenant Haas stood at the computer wall on the port side of the room.

"Oh, there you are," Captain Tucker said when he finally looked back at the door. "Welcome to the Command Center," he added walking over to her. "Sorry I woke you up, but this is important."

Riley watched him with wary eyes. "Captain," she whispered as she stood there. "Am I in trouble?" she asked quietly when he got closer. She couldn't shake the nervous sick feeling in her gut.

"No," Tucker replied. "We need your help with something. Lieutenant, could you get Riley something warm to drink? Maybe a hot chocolate."

Riley turned her head to watch Lieutenant Haas walked to the drink dispenser just as Tucker put his hand on her shoulder and directed her to a stool at the large table in the middle of the room.

"Have a seat," Trip said helping her into the chair.

"What's going on?" Riley asked looking around the room. The lights and the beeps were all a blur to her as she tried to understand what the captain would need her to help with. Why is David here? she questioned as she watched him set the cup in front of her.

"Relax," Tucker said quietly. "You're freaking out over nothing." He stood over, rubbing his hand over her back as he tried to belay her fears.

"I don… I don't understand what I'm doing here," she stammered looking up at him. "Where I'm from you only get drug out of bed in the middle of the night for one thing." She felt a tear roll out of her eye and cursed herself silently.

"When you work for Starfleet and live on a ship the captain reserves the right to wake people out of a sound sleep whenever he sees fit to work…real work," Stu informed her handing her a tissue. "Right Commander?" Stu prompted Hoshi.

"Yes," Hoshi agreed.

"He just woke me up," Lieutenant Haas chimed in. "And he didn't offer me any hot chocolate."

"Everyone is free to have hot chocolate," Tucker replied with a smirk. Tucker pulled up a stool next to Riley and sat down. "We need your help with something," he said to Riley again. "I want to show you some video to see if you recognize anything."

"Okay," Riley said tentatively. She felt Tucker squeeze her hand and she took a deep breath. She knew he was trying to make her feel better, but Riley was suspicious of the intentions. She looked around the room wildly and noticed the colors beginning to blur. Her chest felt heavy with a suffocating pressure as her breathing became labored. Riley could hear Tucker talking distantly saying words that barely meant anything to her. Columbia, abducted, rescue….

"Riley!"

It was Tucker's voice calling to her as she tried to focus on just the top of the table. Snap out of it! she scolded herself. Why can't I trust when he says that I'm safe? "I'm okay," she mumbled reaching for the cup of hot chocolate. The sugary warm liquid flooded her mouth as she gulped it down.

"Are you sure?" Rybaiski asked her from across the table.

Riley looked up at him and to her left where the captain was sitting. She realized he was still holding her hand and his expression was relaxed, which somehow made her feel slightly better. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Haas and Sato standing to her right. She swallowed hard and tried to pull it together. They needed her to help them with something and it was time to step up to the plate. "Yeah, I'm just nervous," she replied softly.

"Wha'd'eye tell you about that?" Tucker reminded her. "You're safe here. Nothing is bad is going to happen to you, not in this room, not on the ship and definitely not with the four of us around you."

"I know … it's just," she mumbled biting her lip. "Bad habit."

"One we need to break," Lieutenant Haas said firmly walking toward her. "You're made of stronger stuff," he whispered in her ear.

"Pascale can you cue up the clip?" Tucker asked Braidi to move it along.

He tapped a button on the table and a monitor popped out of the flat surface right in front of Riley's seat. She stared at in cautiously as the screen flickered to life. Riley held her breath as the image of the Naree ships flooded the viewer.

"Do you recognize the ships?" Trip asked.

Riley sucked in some air and felt her body begin to tremble. Her eyes were glued to the screen as images of her past replaced the video clip on the viewer. "They are Naree. The smaller ones belong to hunters."

"Hunters?" Stu questioned.

"They chase slaves," Riley said. She felt Tucker's grip on her hand tighten and she blinked to wash away the memory.

"Chase slaves like how?" Stu asked leaning into the table. "Slaves that run away?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes they bring in new ones," Riley replied looking over the top of the monitor at him. "A hunter found me when they went to collect a debt with my former owner." She pulled her hand from Tucker's and wrapped her arms tightly around her chest.

"Where do they take them?" Lieutenant Haas asked.

Riley glanced at him standing on her right. The light from the console behind him illuminated his military buzz cut like a halo and gave her some odd sense of comfort. "Sometimes they are delivered to the mistress and sometimes they are taken to be sold…."

"At a slave market," Tucker finished her sentence. He stood from the table and looked over to Rybaiski. "Get a team together and take a pod to get closer."

Riley watched the commander nod and walk quickly to the door. "Wait," she blurted out before he could hit the control pad. "You should take Corporal Kuhlie," she added turning toward the door.

"Why?" Tucker asked her with a perplexed expression on his face.

"The Naree aren't used to seeing humans, but if they saw an Andorian it wouldn't be a big deal," she said looking from Rybaiski to the captain.

"Not to arouse suspicion?" Rybaiski commented. Riley nodded in agreement.

"Good idea," Tucker said.

"Bad idea. Protocol is at least four security officers on a team and there are only two Andorian's on board, Kuhlie and Navalle," Haas remarked. He crossed his arms across his chest. "Everyone else is on Columbia."

"Then take two Tellarites," Riley argued. She caught the three men exchange glances over her head. "Look, I'm not saying it just because I don't like them. Take whoever you want … just as long as they aren't human." She slumped back into the chair and stared at the floor. "It will buy some time."

"Andorians and Tellarites on the same shuttle? Would that be normal?" Hoshi asked from the monitoring station in the forward section of the room.

"Traders would team up like that sometimes," Riley half mumbled from her seat. They ask me to come here to help them and then they don't listen to me! she thought swinging in her seat. So why ask in the first place? She made eye contact with the captain for a moment before looking away.

"Make it happen," Tucker remarked. "And quick."

Riley looked at Tucker with a perplexed expression on her face as Rybaiski bolted from the room. She heard Commander Sato on the comm requesting Navalle, Kuhlie and a couple of names she didn't recognize to report to launch bay three. She watched Lieutenant Haas walk back to the monitors on the port wall.

"Surprised you didn't I?" Tucker asked patting her on the shoulder.

"A little," she replied looking up at him. "I don't understand why … why me?"

"You're the in-house expert. Our people are being held by the Anoree," Trip said walking behind her. "We received intelligence information that the Naree were planning an attack on the compound. In order for us to rescue them, I'm going to need to know everything that you can remember so I can understand it and put it into play."

"Like a member of the team?" Riley asked suddenly feeling a sense of purpose that she hadn't felt for a long time.

"Yes, Crewman O'Mara," Tucker replied with a smile. "You're not just a passenger anymore."

tbc