On the bridge and in his captain's chair, Archer was reviewing the PADD
given to him by the Vulcan Emris. It was a pretty interesting report.
Apparently, the 6 Vulcans were all scientists or physicans and had been on
their way to Kali 2, which held several research bases. The bases had
reported a shortage of medical supplies and couldn't wait for the next
scheduled drop-off. So, the Kev'Lir had been immediately dispatched with a
skeleton crew and had been ordered to get there as quickly as possible, via
a shortcut through the nebula. It seemed that they didn't know the aliens
would open fire as soon as they were spotted.
Finished with the PADD, the captain looked curiously at the Vulcan named Emris. He was obviously the senior among the group, and seemed unusually cooperative for a Vulcan. He had actually been polite to Archer's crew. Furthermore, he had offered to assist them by manning T'Pol's station. The thought that he resembled T'Pol still itched at the back of his mind. As if on cue, the lift doors opened to reveal his chief engineer and science officer. Trip looked to be his normal, cheerful self, but T'Pol was obviously under the weather, to say the least. Perhaps he should have let her go back to her quarters, but it was necessary to introduce her to their guests. About to do so, he stopped as T'Pol froze, eyes locked on the male Vulcan. He waited, somehow getting the feeling that T'Pol and Emris had met before.
Emris rose gracefully in one slow, fluid moment, smiling inwardly. He had long awaited to see his little sister. His brief time on Enterprise had made him realize just how much he truly missed her. Nothing could prepare him for the sight he beheld. She was no longer the child she had been when he left. She had matured into a young woman, and a striking one at that. He was pleased to see that she hadn't outgrown her superior, commanding prescence, though she was the slightest and shortest of the senior crew, with the exception of Ensign Sato. But she was disturbed. The fact that she LOOKED disturbed was far more serious. T'Pol had always been her own master. What could possibly have reduced her to this?
~Dear sister, what is wrong? Are you not pleased to see me?~
She didn't respond, or for that matter even move.
~T'Pol, don't you recognize me? I am your brother Emris.~
~You are dead.~ She whispered shakily.
~No, I am as alive as you.~
~We found the beacon. There was no ship. You are dead; it is logical.~
He had to fight an inward smile at her expense.
~No, we were taken hostage. But I am here now, with you."
He held out a hand, knowing that the only way she would believe was if she could touch him. Her gaze moved slowly to his outstretched palm. All other activity on the bridge stopped, waiting for the famed Subcommander's reaction.
If T'Pol hadn't been completely bewildered and exhausted, she would have seen the reason in his explanation. As it was, her body seemed to control itself as she slowly reached out. Her fingers just barely brushed his, but it was enough. In one sweeping moment, he caught her hand and pulled her into a very unVulcan embrace.
As T'Pol felt his warm strong body against hers and smelled the familiar smell, she knew he was in fact alive. A brand new strong emotion, a surge of relief, flooded her brain, and it was enough to make her mental dam shatter. She turned her face to his shoulder and cautiously wrapped her arms around his waist. Her body shook as she fought with her last remnants of strength to keep from sobbing. It would have been too humiliating to be caught in a very emotional response in front of her fellow tactical officers. A comforting and familiar presence slowly entered her conscious.
~It is alright; do not be ashamed. I realize you must have go through a great deal.~
Stubborn to the end, she retorted,
~I would not have done this if I had been properly rested. I also believe living among humans is beginning to have negative effects on my mental condition.~
She could feel his amusment.
~You have not changed, little sister, though you are now a woman. Come, you should rest. I will explain this to the humans.~
This whole encounter had barely taken a minute, and the entire crew was in shock. Captain Archer could barely keep from gaping, Hoshi was looking around with a huge yet confused smile on her pretty face, Malcolm looked on in wonder, Travis just stood uncomprehending, and Trip was looking from T'Pol to Emris, open-mouthed in confusion.
Emris turned to Archer.
"She is unwell. I believe it would be best if she returned to her quarters."
Archer nodded, too dumbfounded to speak. After Emris and T'Pol exited the bridge, Trip voiced the thoughts of the group.
"What the hell was that about?!"
Hoshi smiled, finally comprehending the situation.
"What are you smiling about, Hoshi?" Archer demanded.
"They're siblings." She answered happily.
"What?!"
"He called her 'dear sister'. Don't you get it? They're brother and sister, and all this time she thought he was dead! Imagine her shock to walk in here and find him sitting at her consol!!!"
Silence returned to the bridge. 'So that's why she was mournin'." Trip mused out loud.
Archer turned to him.
"Wait, you mean you knew she was in mourning?"
"Yeah, that's why she was wearin' that green band."
"What green band!?"
"The one on her wrist. On the shuttlepod I asked her what was goin' on, and after a while she said she was in mournin. She never said it was her brother, though." Trip responded.
Archer shook his head. Why didn't he know these things? He was the captain after all!
Of course, just at that moment, Emris walked back onto the bridge. Archer rounded on him.
"So when were you going to tell me that you were related to my science officer?"
Emris didn't look even remotely disturbed by Archer's tone.
"It is not considered appropriate for Vulcans to speak of relationships when the member being spoken of is not present."
Archer glared at him. He should have known this guy was related to T'Pol. He had that same infuriating way of using Vulcan customs to keep him in the dark.
Interpreting his silence as the end of the questions, Emris turned to Trip.
"You are Commander Tucker."
It wasn't a question, but somehow Trip felt that this man was his superior. He was suddenly painfully aware of the fact that he had been in the same uniform for nearly a day and hadn't shaved.
"Yessir. Trip Tucker"
"I am Emris."
"Pleased ta meetcha."
"T'Pol told me that she informed you of her situation. I trust you now understand why she behaved so . . . unusually."
The question was directed to both the captain and Trip. Damn, this man just gets straight to the point, thought Archer. He sighed.
"Will she be alright?"
"She needs time to re-center herself and rest. She is already asleep."
Archer thought for a moment, looked at Trip, and then asked,
"In that case, would you like to take her place at my dinner table tonight?"
Emris regarded him for a moment, his slight turn of the head an exact copy of T'Pol's.
"Yes."
Two days later, T'Pol was sitting on her meditation mat, letting the flicker of her candle flames warm her face. The reconstruction of her metal barriers had taken a good amount of time. She had been unable to work, spending all of her time either sleeping, eating, or meditating. Surprisingly, she had been unable to speak to or even think of Emris. Her mental condition dictated that she deal with it first, and the peace of mind his saftey afforded her allowed the process to take place. She knew that he checked in on her frequently, sometimes she could barely feel his presence in the back of her mind, checking to make sure she was relaxed. Finally, after two days spent in her quarters recuperating, she was able to speak with him.
He entered her rooms at 0900 hours, just as she had asked. He sat at her meditation table, and regarded her in the scrutinizing way of an older brother.
~You will be leaving soon?~
~In a few minutes, actually. The High Command has sent a transport.~
She was silent, ingesting this new information. She hadn't realized he would be leaving so soon. They had barely said anything to each other during his stay. It was too soon, but there was nothing she could do. The only option was to do what all Vulcans did; accept it. Resolved, she stood.
~We should get to the docking bay.~
They were met there by the Commander and Captain. The rest of the Vulcans were already aboard the transport.
"Hope ya had a pleasant stay." Trip offered.
"Yes."
"I'm sure you'll miss T'Pol." The captain said with the smile.
The siblings looked at each other.
"Yes, however we each have our respective duties to tend to." T'Pol responded.
Archer nodded, understanding.
Emris turned to T'Pol. He took a long look at her, memorizing her face. Finally, he gave her his tiny smile,
~I know you are unhappy, but I promise that when you return to Vulcan, I will be there waiting for you. Do not concern yourself with my health. Do your job, and do it well.
And with that, he left the Enterprise.
She stood in his wake, wondering when she would she would return to Vulcan.
"Ya know, bonds between sibs never die." Trip said quietly in her ear.
She turned to him.
"Yes, I know. Though we will most likely not meet again for some time, we will always be connected."
They headed back to the bridge together, ready to face another day.
Finished with the PADD, the captain looked curiously at the Vulcan named Emris. He was obviously the senior among the group, and seemed unusually cooperative for a Vulcan. He had actually been polite to Archer's crew. Furthermore, he had offered to assist them by manning T'Pol's station. The thought that he resembled T'Pol still itched at the back of his mind. As if on cue, the lift doors opened to reveal his chief engineer and science officer. Trip looked to be his normal, cheerful self, but T'Pol was obviously under the weather, to say the least. Perhaps he should have let her go back to her quarters, but it was necessary to introduce her to their guests. About to do so, he stopped as T'Pol froze, eyes locked on the male Vulcan. He waited, somehow getting the feeling that T'Pol and Emris had met before.
Emris rose gracefully in one slow, fluid moment, smiling inwardly. He had long awaited to see his little sister. His brief time on Enterprise had made him realize just how much he truly missed her. Nothing could prepare him for the sight he beheld. She was no longer the child she had been when he left. She had matured into a young woman, and a striking one at that. He was pleased to see that she hadn't outgrown her superior, commanding prescence, though she was the slightest and shortest of the senior crew, with the exception of Ensign Sato. But she was disturbed. The fact that she LOOKED disturbed was far more serious. T'Pol had always been her own master. What could possibly have reduced her to this?
~Dear sister, what is wrong? Are you not pleased to see me?~
She didn't respond, or for that matter even move.
~T'Pol, don't you recognize me? I am your brother Emris.~
~You are dead.~ She whispered shakily.
~No, I am as alive as you.~
~We found the beacon. There was no ship. You are dead; it is logical.~
He had to fight an inward smile at her expense.
~No, we were taken hostage. But I am here now, with you."
He held out a hand, knowing that the only way she would believe was if she could touch him. Her gaze moved slowly to his outstretched palm. All other activity on the bridge stopped, waiting for the famed Subcommander's reaction.
If T'Pol hadn't been completely bewildered and exhausted, she would have seen the reason in his explanation. As it was, her body seemed to control itself as she slowly reached out. Her fingers just barely brushed his, but it was enough. In one sweeping moment, he caught her hand and pulled her into a very unVulcan embrace.
As T'Pol felt his warm strong body against hers and smelled the familiar smell, she knew he was in fact alive. A brand new strong emotion, a surge of relief, flooded her brain, and it was enough to make her mental dam shatter. She turned her face to his shoulder and cautiously wrapped her arms around his waist. Her body shook as she fought with her last remnants of strength to keep from sobbing. It would have been too humiliating to be caught in a very emotional response in front of her fellow tactical officers. A comforting and familiar presence slowly entered her conscious.
~It is alright; do not be ashamed. I realize you must have go through a great deal.~
Stubborn to the end, she retorted,
~I would not have done this if I had been properly rested. I also believe living among humans is beginning to have negative effects on my mental condition.~
She could feel his amusment.
~You have not changed, little sister, though you are now a woman. Come, you should rest. I will explain this to the humans.~
This whole encounter had barely taken a minute, and the entire crew was in shock. Captain Archer could barely keep from gaping, Hoshi was looking around with a huge yet confused smile on her pretty face, Malcolm looked on in wonder, Travis just stood uncomprehending, and Trip was looking from T'Pol to Emris, open-mouthed in confusion.
Emris turned to Archer.
"She is unwell. I believe it would be best if she returned to her quarters."
Archer nodded, too dumbfounded to speak. After Emris and T'Pol exited the bridge, Trip voiced the thoughts of the group.
"What the hell was that about?!"
Hoshi smiled, finally comprehending the situation.
"What are you smiling about, Hoshi?" Archer demanded.
"They're siblings." She answered happily.
"What?!"
"He called her 'dear sister'. Don't you get it? They're brother and sister, and all this time she thought he was dead! Imagine her shock to walk in here and find him sitting at her consol!!!"
Silence returned to the bridge. 'So that's why she was mournin'." Trip mused out loud.
Archer turned to him.
"Wait, you mean you knew she was in mourning?"
"Yeah, that's why she was wearin' that green band."
"What green band!?"
"The one on her wrist. On the shuttlepod I asked her what was goin' on, and after a while she said she was in mournin. She never said it was her brother, though." Trip responded.
Archer shook his head. Why didn't he know these things? He was the captain after all!
Of course, just at that moment, Emris walked back onto the bridge. Archer rounded on him.
"So when were you going to tell me that you were related to my science officer?"
Emris didn't look even remotely disturbed by Archer's tone.
"It is not considered appropriate for Vulcans to speak of relationships when the member being spoken of is not present."
Archer glared at him. He should have known this guy was related to T'Pol. He had that same infuriating way of using Vulcan customs to keep him in the dark.
Interpreting his silence as the end of the questions, Emris turned to Trip.
"You are Commander Tucker."
It wasn't a question, but somehow Trip felt that this man was his superior. He was suddenly painfully aware of the fact that he had been in the same uniform for nearly a day and hadn't shaved.
"Yessir. Trip Tucker"
"I am Emris."
"Pleased ta meetcha."
"T'Pol told me that she informed you of her situation. I trust you now understand why she behaved so . . . unusually."
The question was directed to both the captain and Trip. Damn, this man just gets straight to the point, thought Archer. He sighed.
"Will she be alright?"
"She needs time to re-center herself and rest. She is already asleep."
Archer thought for a moment, looked at Trip, and then asked,
"In that case, would you like to take her place at my dinner table tonight?"
Emris regarded him for a moment, his slight turn of the head an exact copy of T'Pol's.
"Yes."
Two days later, T'Pol was sitting on her meditation mat, letting the flicker of her candle flames warm her face. The reconstruction of her metal barriers had taken a good amount of time. She had been unable to work, spending all of her time either sleeping, eating, or meditating. Surprisingly, she had been unable to speak to or even think of Emris. Her mental condition dictated that she deal with it first, and the peace of mind his saftey afforded her allowed the process to take place. She knew that he checked in on her frequently, sometimes she could barely feel his presence in the back of her mind, checking to make sure she was relaxed. Finally, after two days spent in her quarters recuperating, she was able to speak with him.
He entered her rooms at 0900 hours, just as she had asked. He sat at her meditation table, and regarded her in the scrutinizing way of an older brother.
~You will be leaving soon?~
~In a few minutes, actually. The High Command has sent a transport.~
She was silent, ingesting this new information. She hadn't realized he would be leaving so soon. They had barely said anything to each other during his stay. It was too soon, but there was nothing she could do. The only option was to do what all Vulcans did; accept it. Resolved, she stood.
~We should get to the docking bay.~
They were met there by the Commander and Captain. The rest of the Vulcans were already aboard the transport.
"Hope ya had a pleasant stay." Trip offered.
"Yes."
"I'm sure you'll miss T'Pol." The captain said with the smile.
The siblings looked at each other.
"Yes, however we each have our respective duties to tend to." T'Pol responded.
Archer nodded, understanding.
Emris turned to T'Pol. He took a long look at her, memorizing her face. Finally, he gave her his tiny smile,
~I know you are unhappy, but I promise that when you return to Vulcan, I will be there waiting for you. Do not concern yourself with my health. Do your job, and do it well.
And with that, he left the Enterprise.
She stood in his wake, wondering when she would she would return to Vulcan.
"Ya know, bonds between sibs never die." Trip said quietly in her ear.
She turned to him.
"Yes, I know. Though we will most likely not meet again for some time, we will always be connected."
They headed back to the bridge together, ready to face another day.