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Chapter 8
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The viewscreen blipped on, displaying several suspicious Mr'lar.
"Why are you contacting us?" one of them whined.
"My name is Lieutenant Adam Hayes. I am temporarily in command of Enterprise." Hayes, a slim man with caramel colored skin, drew himself to his full height. "I am contacting to warn you. Call off your crew or we will have no choice but to retaliate."
The Mr'lar spokesperson looked nervous. "What are you talking about?"
"Your crewmembers are attempting to gain control of this ship. I'm told that you are also responsible for the illness our crew has been suffering. This is a mission of exploration, but we are prepared to meet force with force," Hayes warned. Privately, he hoped he sounded more authoritative than he felt.
The Mr'lar's eyes widened. "Are you saying that our crewmembers have become violent?"
"Yes. Now order them to CEASE AND DESIST," Hayes said, growing impatient.
The Mr'lar nodded off to his side. Sound from their ship disappeared, although Hayes and the rest of the skeleton bridge crew could still see a group of them conferring in hasty conversation.
The Mr'lar spokesman faced the screen again as sound was restored. He looked at them calmly. "Lieutenant, I apologize. Our crewmembers are not acting on orders. We never take more than a few specimens from any species…"
"You only take a few?!" Hayes interrupted incredulously.
The Mr'lar nodded as if he was glad to see that Hayes understood. "If our people are attacking, we can only assume that you have provoked them into relapsing into their…baser instincts. Unfortunately, showing our simpler forms to other species is strictly forbidden. We cannot allow you to pass on this information."
"Sir!" The Ensign at Lieutenant Reed's station gasped. "They're charging weapons!"
~~~~
Malcolm and Jon eased down the hall quietly. As soon as they neared the lift, they heard the screams. Both tensed, then relaxed as they realized the noise was coming from Jec. He was screeching in frustration at the lift's refusal to work. He was also shouting to his people to reactivate the com system; another Mr'lar replied that it was done.
"You will order them to release the Bridge or we will kill you," Jec said, obviously addressing T'Pol. His paper-thin voice grated on Malcolm's ears.
"No," T'Pol said simply. A thudding sound reverberated against the walls.
"You will, or I will execute every member of this crew, one by one. Starting with this female."
Malcolm peeked cautiously around the corner. T'Pol was currently several feet off of the floor, held against the wall by Jec's hands on her arms. Two other Mr'lar hovered near the lift. An unconscious female crewmember, lying facedown, was on the floor nearby. Malcolm couldn't identify her, but her red stripes indicated she was probably a member of his or Trip's team.
Jec forcefully thumped T'Pol against the wall. Malcolm winced at the sound of her flesh smacking. Her head lolled, but she looked back at the Mr'lar defiantly.
"Do you want her to die?" Jec shrieked.
T'Pol answered very calmly, given her current position. "You plan to kill us either way. Why would I prefer to save her so that you may benefit from her death?"
Jec threw her down hard beside the crewmember. She sprawled face down, then lifted her head to look up at him while he spoke.
"We will make due without your assets or help. Kill them," he instructed the other two Mr'lar. He turned back to the lift, intent on overriding the lockout.
Malcolm didn't look at Jon; he didn't have to. The two of them moved as one to protect their crewmembers.
Malcolm slammed into the closest Mr'lar, who was bending over the Subcommander. His momentum gave him the strength to knock the immense alien down. He landed on top, knife in hand and slashed downward. The Mr'lar howled and bucked, throwing Malcolm backwards.
The Lieutenant landed in a heap—right next to the Captain. They exchanged a wry look as they struggled to sit up. All three Mr'lar loomed over them, the women forgotten. Malcolm could see T'Pol rising behind them, with the clear intention of aiding her comrades.
The Mr'lar disappeared with a flash of light. T'Pol, lunging forward, stumbled and ran into the wall behind Jon.
"What the hell…?" Jon said.
Before he finished the sentence, the ship shook violently.
"They're firing on us!" Malcolm jumped to his feet and rushed to the com. "Bridge, this is Lieutenant Reed. The Mr'lar are gone; unlock this lift, NOW!"
"Aye, sir," Hayes tense voice replied. With a hiss, the lift door slid open, and Malcolm, Jon, and T'Pol crammed inside.
