xxx

Soval

"Ambassador." The tall Vulcan got up from behind his minister-sized desk, walked over to where Soval had stepped into the cavernous room. The security offices were carved directly into the mountain, thousands of years had hardly smoothed over the rough stone of the walls.

"You asked for my presence." Soval closely eyed the minister. He sill was unsure about Sphelt.

"We have heard from your agent in Romulan space."

Soval put aside his misgivings for the time being, noting in passing that Sphelt had specifically referred to Poryk as 'his' agent. It was only logical. No self-respecting intelligence service would rely on a single agent in enemy space. His thoughts went to T'Agad. The news would be pleasant to her ears, but she would want to know more. "What was the reason for the delay?"

Sphelt exhaled, a signal which in times of old would have meant an upcoming assault. Soval refrained from taking a step back, once again weighing who exactly was the security minister and whether he could be trusted. T'Pau seemed to fully trust him, which only served to heighten Soval's distrust. But Sphelt's display of temper was not with Soval. "The rebels have been activated again. They are preparing a large-scale initiative, we have little details on the objective."

That explained the delay. Poryk was on the weapons committee, he would be both busy and under intense scrutiny. It raised Soval's curiosity as to how he had even gotten the word out. "Was that the message?" He would proceed step-by-step, pressing Sphelt to disclose everything he had knowledge of.

When Sphelt finished speaking, Soval's brow was creased with lines of worry. "We have to let T'Pau know." He said it as one would throw a gauntlet on the floor, waiting to see how Sphelt would react. But the minister stimply inclined his head. "I agree, but there is more." The minister hesitated, the tips of his ears greening. "T'Pol and Commander Tucker may be compromised."

Silence and two soaring eyebrows greeted Sphelt's statement. When he saw no question would be asked, he went on. "Our sources have confirmed that the logistics manager is at the head of a vast corruption network. His name is Vrekaib. The scheme is ancient and as easy to dissimulate as it is to uncover. A range of providers splitting their mark-up. His position as chief of logistics allows him to collect without raising suspicion and the splits prevent anyone from reporting on the scheme lest their lives be forfeit."

So that was why Sphelt had asked to see him alone. "And you posit that because T'Pol was forced to serve his network she has been compromised?"

Sphelt steepled his fingers in front of him. "There is some evidence that the Romulans are wise to Vrekaib's scheme. Probabilities are sixty-eight point three percent that the disappearance of the couriers is related. It is only a matter of time before they eliminate Vrekaib and his network."

"Including all the couriers that work for him." Soval would have exhaled himself but for the control acquired through long years of diplomatic meetings. The Romulans might as well have known she was a secret agent. He had warned Sphelt there was inherent danger in reaching goals through unexpected events. Sometimes decision trees sprouted errant branches due to uncontrolled variables. He would have been hard pressed to predict that T'Pol would become entangled with Vrekaib corrupt network.

There was a moment of silence. "We need to get her out." Soval was aware that he had said it before.

xxx

T'Pol

"Your bath is ready." Trip announced as he walked into the waiting room where his master was waiting for him to be done. The room was fairly full, it was later in the day, when those who could afford to came to take advantage of the cleaning facilities, the warm water-like masa'yu that washed away the days dust or rain, depending on the week. It had become their routine to stop at the vifal'shab right after a Vrekaib delivery, try to cleanse off their bodies from the weight of what they had to do. Their bodies and their minds. Technically her body and her mind. Slaves were not to bathe, and certainly not with their owners.

T'Pol replied to his announcement with an imperious nod and stepped out into the hallway. Trip guided her to one of the individual baths, towel over his arm. The open door revealed the rectangular basin of masa'yu, so like water and so unlike it, but not distasteful to Vulcanoids. T'Pol looked at him, staring straight into his eyes and with a deft gesture undid the belt of her wrap, letting it fall to her heels before stepping into the room. She shot him a look as she walked by that took his breath away.

Trip's response was immediate, the towel on his arm doing a poor job of hiding it. He hated when she did that. Kind of. He watched her go in, regal with grace. There were dimples where her buttocks met her back. The door slowly started closing behind her. Trip swore under his breath, quickly glancing right and left that nobody was there, and slid in just before the door could lock.

T'Pol was a couple of steps deep in the bath and Trip found that all he wanted was to be the water around her thighs. T'Pol looked back at him in a silent invite. Forget the steps. Trip dropped the towel and jumped directly in. In no time his mouth was on her breast and she was ripping his mask off. Finally there was no master and no slave, they could go back to being T'Pol and Trip.

xxx

Archer

Archer stared at the screen. He'd done too much of that lately. Staring, waiting, but the vidcoms that came were never the ones he hoped for. What he wanted most of all was for Harris' or the Soval's face to show up and tell him it was done, T'Pol had fulfilled her mission, Trip was with her, and the two of them were coming back as feted heros, at least as soon as that little charade about traitors and what not was cleared with Starfleet.

But the screen remained stubbornly dark, nobody was calling. Instead Enterprise was going to Gamma Verda III, a planet far-flung a the edge of the known space, looking to possibly join the Federation. After what happened on Feurata, caution was the word. Enterprise would wait in close space until the ceremonies were done, the final vote was taken. The Federation has been trounced before, its finest ship stuck in orbit, its captain and crew under fire on the surface, they were no going to let it happen again. Though it would never again happen in quite the same way. Archer ruefully mulled that hindsight was not very predictive of the future.

He looked at the stars streaking past his ready room window, sighing. It would take another few weeks before they were where they were going. And still, no word from Soval or Harris.

xxx

Harris

Harris saw the blinking icon on his screen, letting him know someone was once again accessing the procurement database. They hadn't been able to figure out who and how, but his team had put a bell on every query hitting every database. That had been a monumental undertaking but finally all queries had unique identifiers. The bleep told him that someone was accessing the databases who did not have official power. The man, or woman, was a cyberexpert. They had been looking for weeks and still couldn't place where he was gaining access from.

Harris smiled his cat and mouse smile. All unidentified queries were reconfigured to hit the same screen, haphazardly enough not to discourage the operator from trying, keeping him engaged in a battle of wills with the machine. Everything was ready for the third shipment, they could now go to the next phase of the plan. The data feed was being reconfigured each time the unauthorized query hit it, bringing up the same information under various covers, easily hidden in a thicket of similar line items. That was the information the operator was looking for. Or rather it was the information they wanted the operator to have. The name, time, and place of the third and final cargo.

Once the delivery failed and the Romulans were once again confronted with bad intel they would deduce their sources had been compromised, their reaction easily predicted. Romulans always reacted the same way. All the Section had to do was keep an eye on the thousands of individuals who intersected with Starfleet in their daily lives, and investigate any untimely death.

Daunting but not impossible. The Vulcans had already computed the odds. And to think that Starfleet had dragged their feet on getting Vulcan experts reassigned to their proper posts. The fools.

xxx

Soval

Soval was not surprised when he saw Sphelt standing by T'Pau. It had been one point seven days already since he and Sphelt had talked, time enough for Sphelt to inform T'Pau of the details of their conversation. She got up when he entered her chambers, coming to stand within a few feet of him. Soval had a sudden insight that she was more alone than anyone could fathom. He knew about loneliness since his bondmate had died. He had found a respite in work and glittering functions but he didn't think that world would be fit in T'Pau's eyes. His gaze went to Sphelt, whose constant presence was becoming an irritant. T'Pau didn't need a pe'le'utel by her side. Jarred at where his thoughts were going, Soval quickly refocused on the security minister.

Sphelt had already started talking. "We have word from Poryk. There is nothing new from their side, still no identification of the handler. But Poryk reports the rebels were directed to make contact with five other groups, to optimize supplies and resources. An important initiative is being prepared. We have reached out to Section 31 in the Federation."

"Why Section 31?" It was the first mention Sphelt had made of the Federation agency. When the two had talked one point seven days before, the involvement of the Federation was a remote possibility at best.

Sphelt put his hands behind his back, and Soval understood that the order came from T'Pau. "My services have analyzed all the variables," he paused, "some of which cannot be shared, and outlined three potential scenarios." He paused again.

Soval wondered if he had shared these variables with T'Pau. "But your assessment of the outcomes is not the same." He prodded.

Sphelt inclined his head in agreement. "The most easily identifiable scenario is that the rebels have decided not to accept T'Pol as a member. Odds would seem to weigh towards this explanation, but it is actually the least probable." Sphelt saw Soval's eyebrows start their ascension and quickly added. "I am not able to share the underlying information." He was already going on. "The second possibility is that they are not being involved because T'Pol is not yet an official member of the rebels. Given the constraint on resources for the rebels since the Feurata incident and the fact Commander Trip's technical knowledge would be a great asset in any preparation, odds are not in favor of that scenario."

Sphelt paused again. "The third scenario addresses the possibility of a connection between the Starfleet officers and the target." Soval noted he had referred to T'Pol as a Starfleet officer. So what had initially looked like the most unlikely possibility had now turned to be the most likely. His eyebrows had started going up even before Sphelt started speaking again. "The possible connections are Earth, Vulcan, or Enterprise. The only potential target is Enterprise. Even if five groups of rebels allied together were to breach planetary defenses, any vital targets would long have been secured. But a ship can be vulnerable to a concentrated attack."

Soval nodded. Every member of the Council knew the location of the safe places. Whether on Earth or Vulcan the government would relocate but damage would be collateral. "Enterprise must be warned." He said out loud. The reference to Section 31 was now self-obvious.

"Networks are being put on alert, all extraneous personnel are being recalled." Sphelt concurred.

That was more information than required. Soval grew suspicious. "Are you delaying the exfiltration?"

"Priorities have shifted." Sphelt's ears didn't turn green and Soval knew the decision had been made well before he joined the meeting.

T'Pau glanced at Sphelt before turning to Soval. "Times are troubled. Loyalties to the V'Las regime run long and deep. The Council is on the right path, the government is one of logic, but we are dealing with centuries of entrenched subversion." She turned away from both men, looking longingly at the desert outside. "It would be illusory to believe that all institutions can follow the new regime overnight. As so often happens, the most ingrained V'Las loyalism can be found in the security forces. Minister Sphelt needs all those he can trust to prevent internal rift and potential coups." She turned back to Soval. "He has few men of confidence to send to Romulan Space and those are needed here on Vulcan."

Soval, blinked, looked at the minister of all Vulcan. "What are the implications for T'Pol and Poryk? And Commander Tucker?"

Sphelt responded too glibly for Soval's comfort. "Poryk's mission was always one of long duration. T'Pol's mission has not changed. She needs to identify the Handler. Expectations are that she will eventually uncover the source that guides the rebels. "

"Eventually…" Soval let his voice trail. Time was the one element they did not have. His brow creased as he contemplated the paradox.

xxx

Travis

Travis threw an agonized look at Lieutenant Reed, hoping the security officer would catch on to the helpless begging in his eyes and come to his rescue. He could have sworn that Reed saw him but instead started busying himself with his console, avoiding looking up at the main screen. Travis sighed inwardly and smiled outwardly at Siegull, who had posted himself at the corner of his console and was drowning him in antiquated theories of astrodynamics.

Travis wondered how well it would go if he pointed out to the science officer that pontificating about charting a route through space was one thing, actually doing so was another, and that for all his advance degrees in astrodynamics Siegull would find himself quite perplexed when the computer vectors didn't get him to the right coordinates. But he was a junior officer and it would not be a good career move to contradict a senior officer like Siegull. And Reed wouldn't help. So he listened patiently, almost feeling Hoshi's eyerolls next to him. She was so lucky Siegull didn't have a degree in acoustics or she'd find herself on the receiving end of what he thought were enlightened and enlightening lectures.

Travis found himself missing Trip. The engineer knew about charting a course and at least their conversations were exchanges of viewpoints, not one-way recitations of theoretical facts that were often shown wrong by the eddies of space. He also missed T'Pol, she never talked down to him or made him feel like an insignificant idiot. Or park herself by his console and start spewing theories that were obsolete without regard for his experience.

Travis started mentally counting the seconds. Archer was in his ready room and he would get no help from Reed. At some point Archer would be back and Siegull would high-tail it to the science console, always mindful of making a good impression on the Captain.

He really missed Trip and T'Pol. Without them there was nobody left that didn't treat Archer like he was some kind of god. Except maybe Hoshi. And perhaps Reed, though the Brit would never let on. Travis tried to pay attention to what Siegull was saying, wishing the Commanders would soon be found. While Siegull kept talking, he started mentally drafting a com to his brother and mother. It had been a while since they had warned him nobody was hunting for the prize. Perhaps things had changed. There would have been enough time for some unsavory character to assemble a crew and finance a ship.

He really wanted the Commanders back.

xxx

Trip

"All done!" Trip put the razor away with a flourish. Chief engineer, double agent on a secret mission, and now hairdresser extraordinaire, yep, that was good old Charles Tucker the Third. He wondered what his dad would say about it. T'Pol shook her hair above the basin while Trip collected what fell on the floor. He had been oddly comforted when he'd first seen her with her hair short, and further when she decided to keep it that way, as if somehow it made their lives as Starfleet officers seem less far away. He could think of his engines and watch her almost regulation haircut and feel they were not so far from their usual routine, even if the illusion lasted only until he took notice of their shabby lodging.

"Vrekaib wants to see me tomorrow."

Trip's good mood crashed in an instant, his heart beating loudly in his chest. He saw T'Pol briefly close her eyes and realized his anger and fear were coming at her unchecked through the bond.

"Sorry!" He used breathing exercises, struggling for control until he found a level that while not perfectly zen would at least not make her flinch. "And? Did he say what this is about?" He was trying hard not to think of the basement and whatever Vrekaib's sick little mind had planned for her.

"I need to go."

Trip knew that T'Pol was giving him the she hoped final statement in the argument they should be having. It was fine by him. They could skip steps if she wanted, it made no difference. "I'll go with you."

"Vrekaib has ordered I be alone."

Trip frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "That's not going to happen."

He could see the surprise in her eyes, followed by uncertainty. The thought of disobeying a direct order made her supremely uncomfortable. "I don't understand." She retreated behind her wall.

Trip could have smiled, he knew her so well. "You're not going anywhere alone. You may have duties to attend to but so do I. And my first priority is your safety."

"Vrekaib would not—

"Are you talking about the guy that blackmailed you? Or the one who had us dragged to headquarters? I'm not even going to mention the less savory things he's guilty of?"

"If I don't go alone -_" T'Pol started again.

"If you don't go alone" Trip cut her off again, "Vrekaib will have to accommodate. You're the best thing that's happened to him and his little scheme. I'll go with you."

A raised eyebrow answered him. T'Pol briefly closed her eyes again. "Very well."

Trip was surprised. He had expected her to put up more of a fuss. That meant she was worried. And that made him worry further.

masa'yu - foreign element found on Reldair, similar to water but not distasteful to Vulcanoid species, used as a medium for cleaning.

vifalekshab - Romulan spa, similar to small scale Roman therms