Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or any of its characters, only my OC - Kaitlyn Donovan.
This story is the sequel to All's Fair in Love and War.
Query: What sacrifices must be endured by those that secure our freedom?
Thank you to Just a Crazy-Man, bina W, and IrishBug74, LoyaulteMeLie, Lupinesence, jeangreyten, Belen09, Silver-ShadowSpark, Cap'nFrances, g-love99, guest, badkarma00, and Snowbird for the reviews, and to everyone that is following this story and adding it to their favorites!
Sorry it has been so long – things have settled down and I now have time to do what I like to do for fun again.
Chapter 24 – Collateral Damage
The Price of Freedom
Chapter 24 – Collateral Damage
Vulcan. Earth Embassy.
Major Kaitlyn Donovan and Lieutenant Preston ran in formation with the group around the Embassy grounds for the first lap.
On the second lap, as they neared the back-west corner of the Embassy, their places where taken over by Corporals Cole and Miles. Donovan and Preston jumped the fence and headed down an alley behind the Embassy.
They stopped in the shadows of one of the buildings.
"You sure they didn't see us take off?" Preston questioned her as they opened their packs and pulled out Vulcan robes and shoes to change into.
"Mullens and Jackson are sure their line of sight doesn't cover that area." She smiled and shrugged, "If they did, we'll know soon enough." They tossed their packs into a garbage can, then pulled their hoods over their heads. They walked down the alley and out into the sidewalk of a main street at a slow, contemplative pace.
They kept their slow pace until they reached the agreed upon location. They sat down on a bench and waited. A few minutes later, Koss arrived.
"You did not tell me you were bringing someone with you." Koss stated as they stood up.
"This is Alex Preston, he is helping me." Kaitlyn explained.
Koss looked around the area. There were Vulcans walking to and from the local businesses and homes in the area - nothing looked suspicious, but nowadays, one never knew when they were being monitored. "What is he helping you with and why have you gotten me involved?" he questioned.
"T'Pol." Captain Archer said simply as he and T'Pau approached them. "T'Pol has been captured and taken to the Vulcan High Command. We need to get in." He looked at the Vulcan pointedly, "Can you help us?"
Koss nodded slowly, "Yes, I believe I can." Koss looked at the imposing building a few blocks away that was easily visible from here. He led them a few blocks away from the front of the building as he typed on his PADD.
They reached the rear of the building and stopped as Koss continued to type.
Kaitlyn looked up at the tall building. There were no entrances from the back of the building, in fact there were no windows until the fourth floor. She wondered how Koss was planning on getting them inside.
Koss looked around carefully and put his PADD up. "You will be transported inside. When you are ready, we will transport you out."
Archer wondered who Koss had helping him and if that person could be trusted. He had to trust him, he had no choice. "Thank you, Koss."
Koss nodded and stepped away from them. A few moments later, they were dematerialized.
They re-materialized in one of the lower floors of the building, one not routinely patrolled by Security.
Archer tensed as a Vulcan Security Officer approached them.
"It's okay, Captain. This is Sub Commander T'Rel." Kaitlyn introduced him.
The Vulcan nodded to the group, "I have caused a disruption to the video feeds. You will only have twenty minutes before the Security teams realize something is wrong." he explained to them.
Kaitlyn nodded, "T'Rel see to it they get to the Vulcan High Command Chambers. Preston and I will take care of things down here. Keep your hoods on." She turned to Archer, "I will work my way up to you when I've finished down here."
Archer gave her a tired smile, "You seem to think all of this will work out just fine."
"It has to, Sir. Or else we'll all end up in prison." Kaitlyn pointed out. She watched as Archer agreed. He and T'Pau followed T'Rel down the corridor.
Preston raised an eyebrow, "Where to?"
"One floor down is where they keep the prisoners." Donovan said as she led him in the opposite direction their companions had gone.
They went down the stairs and headed down another long corridor.
Alex Preston glanced into a room with the door open. There was only a single chair in the center of the room. "What is that?"
Donovan glanced back at him as she kept moving, "Think of it as an interrogation room."
Preston frowned, "I didn't think Vulcans tortured their prisoners."
Kaitlyn Donovan stopped as they came to a corner that led to the prisoner cells. "You don't have to physically lay a hand on a person to interrogate them, there are many other ways to get information out of people." She peered around the corridor. "Just one guard sitting at the desk."
"We don't have any weapons." Preston reminded her.
"Just follow a few steps behind me." Donovan said and started walking down the corridor to the guard desk.
The guard stood up from his post, "State your authorization." The Vulcan requested as they approached.
"We are here to question the new prisoner." Donovan answered.
The guard looked at his computer monitor, "I was not informed."
Donovan and Preston were now within arm's reach of the guard, to which Preston quickly knocked the Vulcan out.
Kaitlyn glanced over the monitor and read the information. "I'll open the doors." She clicked through a few icons as Preston headed down the corridor.
Alex Preston came to the first open door and found a Human male in his sixties sitting on a cot. "Sir, I'm Lt. Alex Preston, we're here to get you to safety. What's your name?" he questioned the man softly.
"I'm Dr. Peter Wellington." the older man said as he stood up slowly.
Kaitlyn Donovan came to the next open door and found T'Pol.
T'Pol raised an eyebrow, "Major, how did you find me?" she questioned.
"We'll go over the how after we get you out of here." Kaitlyn glanced over T'Pol's injuries, "Can you move on your own?"
T'Pol nodded and stood up slowly. Through her body was sore with injuries, she could move on her own. "I believe the woman in the next cell will need assistance, she was calling out in pain a little while ago."
They went to the next cell and found Dr. Julia Russell curled up on her cot.
Kaitlyn quickly went to her and checked her vitals. The woman's pulse was strong, but she had a fever. "She's got a fever, possible infection." The woman's eyes opened slowly. "Doctor Russell, I'm Major Donovan, we're here to get you to safety. Are you able to move on your own?"
"I don't think so, dear. I hurt my leg a few weeks ago when I fell, and they didn't treat it." the older woman explained.
Kaitlyn quickly examined the woman's leg where the material had been ripped. Kaitlyn could see that the thick gash was infected. She didn't want to remove the material around the wound that was now stuck to the flesh of the leg, for fear it would open the wound even more. She had T'Pol take the pillowcase off and hand it to her. She ripped a long strip of material and carefully wrapped it around the wound. She looked up at the door as Preston and Dr. Wellington came in. "She can't walk." she told Preston.
"I'll carry her." Alex Preston came over to the woman. "I'm Lt. Preston, Ma'am." He carefully picked up the woman.
The group quickly headed back up and went to the location they'd transported in.
Kaitlyn messaged Koss that three were ready to transport and head to a safe house. She and T'Pol stood back as the small group dematerialized a few moments later. They turned and headed upstairs.
X
"What exactly were you two going to do if you got up here and things hadn't worked out?" Jonathon Archer questioned as he sat down in a chair. Things had settled down and the Vulcans had called for a priest to take Surak's katra from him.
Major Donovan smiled, "I was confident you would have the situation well at hand, Captain."
"Is the Enterprise returning to Vulcan?" Commander T'Pol questioned as the doors to the chamber opened again. She recognized the Priest as the one that performed her wedding and nodded to him.
Jonathon Archer grinned, "As fast as they can get here." He watched as the Priest and T'Pau spoke quietly to one another.
T'Pol noticed him watching the Priest, "Captain, you have nothing to worry about."
Archer chuckled, "That's funny - you telling me not to worry."
Kaitlyn had immediately recognized the Priest that had helped her. "He is a professional, he will not harm you, Captain."
Archer took a good look at the MACO as the Priest came over and greeted her in Vulcan, and she returned the greeting. He spoke quietly to her, then she nodded.
The Priest turned to Archer, "I am here to help. I would first like to assess your condition through meditation."
X
Kaitlyn Donovan looked down into the massive crater in the Earth Embassy and frowned. She had brought a team of the Starfleet structural engineers up here to the roof at their request. They were evaluating whether they could salvage the structure, or if they should demolish the remnants and build a new Embassy. She was standing far enough back from the crater, but she still had a clear view down to the first floor. She took a deep breath and released it slowly. The fact that she could remember the event from every person's point of view that she'd helped get out of there was suffocating. A smell, a sound, a voice, or even the sight of an object threatened to drop her right back into those terrifying moments of the explosions. She shouldn't have come up here. She could feel her chest start to tighten as it became harder for her to breath. She dropped to her knee and closed her eyes tightly.
X
Enterprise Sick Bay.
Captain Jonathon Archer sat up quickly as a commotion came from the corridor and burst through the doors. He watched as Major Donovan was carried in on a gurney by two MACOs as Doctor Phlox was busy shouting out orders to those around him. "Her blood pressure is dropping – get all of that extra equipment off her."
The MACOs quickly transferred her to the biobed and began taking off all her weapons, vest, and uniform and had her down to her pt clothes in less than a minute.
Doctor Phlox was busy running his scanner over her as the MACOs worked, he didn't notice Captain Archer moving closer to them.
"What happened?" Archer questioned.
"Captain – I'm trying to find out. She collapsed while on the roof of the Embassy with the Engineering team. I see no physical injuries." Phlox's features became ashen as he read his scanner. Her silosynine levels were peaking beyond his device's capability of monitoring. He glanced at his Captain, "I'm not sure there is much I can do for her."
Jonathon Archer stepped back, "What do you mean? Can't you stabilize her, treat her?" he demanded. Surely the Doctor didn't mean he couldn't do anything for her.
"This injury is in her mind – I don't have the ability to fix what is happening in her mind, Captain." Phlox frowned and belatedly wondered if Lieutenant Reed was okay. He turned to Corporal Miles, "Could you relay the situation to Lt. Reed and have him come here – I have a few questions for him." The MACO Corporal quickly went to relay the message.
Captain Archer walked over to the closest monitor.
Sgt. Jackson stepped closer to the Denobulan Doctor and spoke quietly, "She went to a Vulcan Priest after she was attacked on Vulcan. He helped her then, maybe he can help her again." He didn't want to betray his Commanding Officer's request that the meeting remain confidential, but if that Priest could help her now – he didn't think she'd be too angry at him.
Phlox raised an eyebrow, "You went with her?"
Jackson nodded as Archer came back over to them quickly.
"I've spoken to Ambassador Soval, he's going to see if he can find someone to help her. There's a Vulcan technique they can do to help suppress some of her memories." Jonathan Archer explained.
"She has already had a meeting with a Vulcan Priest." Phlox stated to his Captain. He looked at Sgt. Jackson, "I don't suppose you got a name?" he questioned the MACO as he went back to analyzing the readings on his scanner.
"No, Sir. I know where we went though. I can find it on a map." Sgt. Jackson pulled out his PADD.
Jonathon Archer waved for the MACO to stop. He just remembered that the Vulcan Priest that helped him had spoken to Donovan and they had seemed familiar with each other. "I think I know who it is." He went back to the monitor and commed Ambassador Soval.
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed came swiftly into Sick Bay and halted as soon as he stepped in. He hadn't been able to feel anything from Kaitlyn, but she'd kept their connection severed. His stomach had dropped when Corporal Miles had found him and told him that Kaitlyn was in Sick Bay and that Doctor Phlox was requesting him. He glanced at the monitors above the biobed at her readings and tried to keep his expression calm as he approached Phlox. "Doctor?"
Phlox tried to smile, "Just a moment, Lieutenant." The Doctor looked around his Sick Bay, "I must request that the rest of you leave. If the Vulcans are coming to offer their assistance in Major Donovan's treatment, I know they will not want an audience. I will keep Sgt. Jackson informed of her condition." He stated loudly and the MACOs efficiently gathered all her belongings and took them as they left. Phlox walked over to his Captain, "I think you are doing well enough to rest in your quarters, Captain."
Jonathan Archer was about to protest, but then he acquiesced. "Thank you, Phlox." He went to gather his few belongings at the biobed. He stopped as he was walking past and glanced at Lt. Reed.
Phlox nodded, "I need to ask the Lieutenant a few questions about what Major Donovan had been doing prior to this."
Archer nodded, then headed to his quarters.
Doctor Phlox watched over Lieutenant Reed as he sighed heavily. "You aren't being impacted by her?"
Malcolm shook his head, "She closed off her connection to me and hasn't reactivated it." He went closer to her and touched her hand gently. "I wish I knew what she was going through." He glanced up at the monitors, "It's not good – most likely the bombing." Malcolm Reed sighed, "How much has she told you about her touch telepathy?"
"Nothing more than I learned from my readings and observing the two of you before. Why?" the doctor questioned as he ran another scan over her.
"She doesn't just get feelings from people – but their memories too." Malcolm explained as he ran his fingers over her forehead. "She hasn't had time to sort out everything from the bombing – all of the memories from everyone she helped get out. I'm sure that's the problem. Maybe I can help her like I did before. Help her sort everything out." He suggested and straightened as the doors to Sick Bay closed.
Ambassador Soval, the Vulcan Priest and an older Vulcan female glanced at one another as the doors shut behind them. "I apologize for not making our presence known sooner." Soval stated as they walked closer to the bed and looked over the readings on the monitors.
Soval looked over Lieutenant Reed and recognized the human's uneasiness. "I have brought the Vulcan Priest whom Major Donovan sought out after she was attacked and this is T'Mira, who worked with Major Donovan's father long ago. I believe we can help her – with your permission, Lieutenant." The Vulcan Priest had mentioned that they should seek out her 'bond mate'. Soval had not thought it possible, but the Priest had insisted that it was true. When they overheard what Lieutenant Reed had said about helping her before – they knew it was him.
Malcolm Reed looked over the Vulcan Priest, "You helped her after she was attacked – then you know how much she absorbs from people? She helped over thirty people out of the Embassy – she's overwhelmed because she hasn't dealt with all of it." He shook his head and released a deep breath, "I'm worried that it will be too much for you and frankly – she knows a lot of classified information. This could put your lives in danger." He cautioned them.
The Vulcan Priest nodded, "I understand your apprehension Lieutenant, but all of us have touched her mind before and we will not seek out what we do not need to know. We will work together to help her as best we can."
Malcolm looked at each of them, then nodded and gave his permission. He and Phlox sat down and watched as the Vulcans began to speak quietly to each other.
X
Kaitlyn felt like she was suffocating from all the voices bombarding her. She held her head tightly and tried to quieten them. She tilted her head slightly, she heard a single voice – one that was calm and clear, one she hadn't heard before. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked at the brightness of the room. She looked around her surroundings, it was not a place she was familiar with. It was more of a cave-like structure. She stood up and walked slowly to the light and found herself on a terrace built into the hills. She recognized that she was on Vulcan.
"I am pleased that you are more aware, Kaitlyn." The male voice stated as he came into her view.
She raised an eyebrow, "Do I know you?" she questioned. The elder Vulcan male was not someone she knew off hand.
"You know my teachings very well – better than many Vulcans." He pointed out.
"Surak? How is this possible?" she questioned, then she realized the possibility. "The Vulcan Priest, he took your katra from Archer – does that mean he is here?"
Surak nodded, "He and Ambassador Soval and T'Mira. They are all here to help you. They thought it best if I represented them." He indicated for her to sit down at the table that appeared to their right.
"Why? Don't I have to help them sort through everything?" Kaitlyn questioned.
Surak indicated the hot cup of tea that was now in front of her at the table. "No, you do not have to help in this instance. We have the ability to do this for you. We are blocking you from remembering these painful memories so that we can store them away for you. You have a unique Library where you store your memories. T'Mira showed us when we got here. We will suppress these memories for you, but you will have the ability to access them later – minus the heightened emotions."
"I am grateful for the help. I could not stop the memories as soon as they started, and they became overwhelming." She took a sip of the tea and was amazed at how real this all felt and even tasted.
Surak nodded, "Your mind is supplying all of the details it feels it needs." He looked over her carefully, "Your mind is different than that of Captain Archer."
"I am different. I've come to realize that there are some ways in which I am very different from other Humans." She was hesitant to mention all the ways, but this was just a dream-like state – wasn't it?
"More like a shared consciousness, not a dream." He explained to her as she frowned. "They will not know what we speak of – they are busy."
"I don't think I'm completely Human." She admitted as she looked out to the vast Vulcan desert beyond the terrace.
"T'Mira suspects that your Mother was not Human, she's suspected since you were a child." He stated to encourage her to go on.
"If I wasn't completely Human, it would explain why my Mother's friends tried so hard to keep me out of Starfleet and the MACOs." She pondered all the conversations she'd had with them during her college years. She looked at Surak, "Do you know if Malcolm is okay? I've tried to keep our connection severed, but I can't tell right now."
Surak nodded, "He is fine. It is a unique bond that you have with him. It is wise of you to not mention it to others – they could use it against the two of you. Especially that Harris fellow that you are so worried about."
Kaitlyn sighed, "I don't want anyone to be harmed. If anyone – especially Harris – finds out that we have this connection, or that we remember most of that mission, they will be in danger. How can I make sure the others won't say anything?"
"I will speak to them before we break the connection. You do not have to worry. What we need to focus on is your mental health. You have done a remarkable job of keeping people's thoughts away from you previously, I think this time it was just too many people and you were unable to block them."
"How can I keep this from happening again? It's more than likely that another situation like this may happen in the future." She pointed out.
"It may help to think of yourself as closing your Library door before you enter a situation or opening a book to put everything in as it happens, then sort it out later. If you approach a situation with that type of forethought and awareness, it should help you maintain control and not become overwhelmed." Surak offered his advice. He tilted his head slightly, "They are almost finished. I will be leaving you soon."
Kaitlyn frowned, "We haven't been here long."
Surak's eyebrows rose, "We have been here a long while, you only became conscious in the past hour."
"Thank you." Kaitlyn closed her eyes and when she opened them again she was on a biobed in Sick Bay on Enterprise. She looked around and smiled tiredly as Malcolm and Phlox came over quickly.
"We're glad you're back with us." Doctor Phlox grinned as he ran his scanner over her. The three Vulcans had left an hour ago and said that it would take about an hour for her to regain consciousness. He nodded at the readings on his scanner, "Why don't I let you two have a bit of privacy while I tend to my animals." He suggested as he walked away and pulled the curtain around her bed.
Malcolm touched her face gently with one hand as he kissed the pulse point of her wrist, "I was very worried – I didn't know if they'd be able to bring you back." He admitted to her quietly.
"I'm sorry I had you worried. I was given some suggestions on what to do the next time – if something this devastating happens again." She tugged at his uniform for him to come closer and kissed his lips softly.
Malcolm pulled back a few inches, "I hope nothing like this ever happens again." He sat down on the stool next to her bed. "I spoke to them, about the necessity of keeping our relationship quiet. I don't think we have to worry about them saying anything."
"I don't think they will either." She glanced at the clock on the wall, "How long was I out?"
"Ten hours." He stated as he glanced back and calculated. "Which reminds me – I need to notify Sgt. Jackson that you are now awake and doing well."
Kaitlyn squeezed his hand as he reached for his communicator. "Can we just sit here for a little bit? I'd really like to just be able to talk with you for a little while before I get bombarded with everything I need to be doing."
Malcolm smiled and kissed her wrist again, "Of course."
X
Major Kaitlyn Donovan walked into the temporary Command building and nodded to the MACOs and Starfleet personnel she passed as she continued to the MACO briefing table. She couldn't help but feel like she was being viewed as damaged because she'd collapsed. It didn't help that Doctor Phlox had put in her medical records that she'd had a few symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. She'd argued with him over putting that in her records, but he'd just rocked on his heels and told her it was best that she be evaluated when she returned to Earth.
"Sgt. Jackson, please give me an update on our current orders." She requested as she came to the table and tried to shake the feeling that she was getting evaluated by everyone.
"We are currently cataloging all of the working equipment for the unit that will be taking over. We got orders a few hours ago that we will be transported back with Ambassador Soval on the Yarahla to Earth at the end of the week. I have everyone's After Action reports ready to send to you."
Kaitlyn nodded and pulled out her PADD, she noticed he looked distinctly uncomfortable and needed to tell her something else. She took a deep breath, "I realize you can't give me my weapons back until I'm evaluated on Earth – I won't be asking you for them." She tried to elevate his discomfort.
Sgt. Jackson gave her a quick nod as he sent her all the reports she needed, "Are you feeling better, Ma'am?" he asked quietly, concerned that she'd been pushing herself too much because she felt responsible for not stopping the bombing. She couldn't have stopped it – none of them could have because it was all too well planned by Administrator V'Las and Stel. He was still angry that they had trusted the Vulcan High Command and the Earth Embassy, and all the people inside had been used in their efforts to blame the Syrannites.
She gave him a small smile, "I'm feeling much better – I guess I just had to break down and deal with everything we've gone through." She looked over his features, "You're doing okay? Everyone else?" she questioned as she slowly looked around the Command Post.
Jackson nodded, "I think so, but none of us went back in there as much as you did, Ma'am. I think a few counseling sessions are in order for all of us."
Kaitlyn gave him a small smile, "That's probably what they've got in store for us when we return." She patted his upper arm, "I appreciate you stepping up and seeing over all of this while I was out of commission. Anything else I need to know before I sit down to read all of this?"
"Good news is they got V'Las back into custody – he'd managed to escape for a few hours." He glanced over to the tables set up further back in the room for the MACOs, "Major Edison is here to start going over the pass over."
Kaitlyn straightened, "Thank you Sgt. Jackson." She walked toward the dark skinned MACO that she'd heard of the past few years but had never met personally. "Good afternoon, Major Edison."
Edison gave her a curt nod, "Major Donovan." He indicated for her to take a seat across from him. He sat the PADD down on the table that he'd been reviewing. He leaned back in his chair and let out a deep breath as he watched her closely, "I've reviewed all of the security protocols you and your team had put in place and all of the accounts of what happened – there is nothing that y'all could've done to prevent this. You had no valid reason to restrict Stel's movements and permissions that Vulcan delegates were afforded at the time. I do agree with your suggestions that we should no longer just accept the host government's clearance of its delegates – that we should vet them as well."
Kaitlyn watched as he picked up the PADD again. She'd been worried that he'd find something that she'd missed, some indicator that Stel should have been restricted from his access to the Embassy. Edison had four years more experience commanding a unit than she did, and it was reassuring for her that he agreed with her assessment and suggestion.
Edison looked back at her, "Frankly, I think it was a miracle that no MACO's lives were lost in the bombing – y'all were all over the place."
"I don't know if it was a miracle, or just damn luck." She indicated the PADD, "Too many people lost their lives and all of it was just collateral damage for V'Las' agenda."
Balthazar Edison crossed his arms, "I've read all of your reports on your meetings with him. He's going to be a sticky issue with Command. He did show possible signs of deception, but it's not like you could ban the head of the Vulcan government from coming to the Summit." He uncrossed his arms and leaned closer, "General Casey asked that I go over some possible questions you could be asked at the briefings back at Starfleet Command and make sure you've got a handle on your answers." He sat back again and shrugged, "I've been grilled by them before, I know it can be intimidating." He gave her a small smile and indicated for her to get her PADD out.
X
TBC.
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