Chapter 5
After night had fallen, T'Pol found herself tired from the few hours of struggling with the ropes. Having paid off, she was able to slip the rope over her hands that stung very badly. She quickly untied her feet and looked for something to pick the lock. After filing down a small rock to fit in it, she slowly picked the lock. Quietly she slipped out of the cage and the tent, and ran into the woods surrounding the camp.
"I need to find Jon." she thought to yourself, "but I have to find the shuttlepod and contact Enterprise. We need their help to escape."
She ran along the edge of the forest where she could still the camp. Running in the same directions as they had done before, she searched for the shuttlepod all the while in severe pain and agony from the amount of blood she had lost. A few miles north of the camp she came upon the shuttlepod, not fully in tack.
"Maybe I can get the communications to work." she said starting to slur her words.
There was just enough power to get the com system up. When she had finished, she tried hailing Enterprise.
"T'Pol to Enterprise. Enterprise, can you hear me?"
"This is Hoshi. T'Pol, is that you? Where are you guys? Where have you been? Why haven't you contacted us?" asked the startled Ensign Sato.
"There's no time... to...answer...questions. The captain's... in trouble....We were...captured by...the Klingons. I was able to escape." she said moaning badly, "I'm sending you the location of the shuttlepod... ssh...Send...ssh...backup...ssh...I'm going...ssh" was all she could tell the ensign before the power went out.
"T'Pol! T'Pol, are you there?" she called out as the static got worse, "She's not there, Sir. The power must have went out or something." she said concernedly as she was telling Commander Tucker what he had just missed as he was walking in.
"So the Cap'n and T'Pol are still alive, but Jon's being held captive by the Klingons." Commander Tucker said very puzzled, "What are they capturing the Cap'n? Did she say why, Hoshi?"
"No. She wasn't able to. The com went out before she could say. I was barely able to get their location." she answered as she was putting in the data she had just received.
"Well, get on it, Hoshi. Malcom, get another pod ready and a team armed with phase pistols."
"Right," answered Lieutenant Reed.
"Travis, as soon as you get the coordinents, set a course."
"Yes, Sir." answered Ensign Mayweather.
While all of this was happening, Jonathan was still being interrogated by the lead Klingon. "I've told you. Why don't you understand?" he said groaning loudly, "We didn't poison your crew. It was the wine."
"Lies! More lies! You try to blame others instead of taking responsibility for your actions." he said stricking Jonanthan again.
"I...told you...I told your leader it...wasn't us. We...tried to help your ship...We only tried to help until my people got stranded on your ship...So we...saved them. That's all."
"And still you lie," the Klingon continued to strike Jonathan another time. After a few more lashes the Klingon left saying, "Maybe another hour or so. Then maybe you'll feel like talking, or want another beating."
"Tell me where T'Pol is! What have you done with her?! Answer me!" he yelled after him receiving no answer. Jonathan sat there, bleeding in pain, looking down at the earth below him. Thoughts of T'Pol and what might have happened to her lay heavy on his heart. Slowly drifting off into the pain running through his entire body, more thoughts filled his head. Memories of what had happened between them. He worried that he would never feel that again. Nearly giving into the pain, a thought passed through wearily; if she didn't make it how could he? As he followed that a little longer, a soft touch and silent whisper caught his attention. Looking around, he thought he had just imagined it and shook his head in disappointment.
"Jonathan." It came again.
"Now I know I'm going crazy."
"Jonathan." It came again only louder this time.
"Must be an owl or something. Something messing with my mind. Maybe one too many hits to head." he commented to himself.
"You're not going crazy. You're going to be fine," said a soft voice from close behind him.
"Who's there?"
"It's me. T'Pol."
"T'Pol?" he said with gladness and disbelief.
"Yes."
"I thought you were..."
"Shh. Just rest," she said putting a finger to his lips. Slowly she untied his hands and feet. As quietly as possible she led him out of the tent and into the woods moaning softly at the pain in her hands as she held him in her arms. A few minutes after they passed the camp, T'Pol stopped and laid Jonathan on the ground. Looking over his wounds, she talked softly to try and keep him calm.
"How are you feeling? What did they do to you?"
"They asked why, we tried to kill them. They still don't believe that we tried to help them. Everytime I wouldn't answer, they'd hit me," he said with a groan," When I asked about you...they'd hit me harder." he said in pain.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, but just loud enough for him to hear.
"Why?"
"For causing you so much pain."
"You didn't. You haven't. If anything you've helped with the pain." she looked at him with a confused look. "Thoughts of you. Remembering being with you. I was willing to take the pain hoping that they would tell me something. I knew from the first time I asked that they would hit me."
"Why didn't you stop asking if you knew what they would happen? It wasn't a rational decision."
"I know, but I had hope...hope that you were okay. Hope that we would get out of this, and we did. You know, there was a moment in that tent when the pain was so bad that I thought if you were dead why would I go on. I almost gave into it, T'Pol, I almost lost hope. Then I heard you say my name and thought I was only dreaming, but when you touched me it felt like the pain was lifted off of Me." he said looking her deeply in the eyes, "I knew that with you there, I could make it through anything."
"Yes, but we still need to check your wounds. We have some time before they realize we're gone. How long had it been since your last..." she paused finding it hard to mutter the words and not knowing how it would affect him.
"Beating?" he finished, "About five minutes."
"How long do they usually wait?"
"About two hours. Little less, little more."
"Good. I found the shuttle pod. We can bandage you when we get there, and maybe rest ."
"Were you able to contact Enterprise?"
"Yes, but the com system lost power while I was talking to Ensign Sato. I don't know if they received our location."
"Well, at least they know where to begin." he said with a calm look on his face.
As they started back towards the shuttlepod, Jonathan leaned on T'Pol's shoulder keeping a tight hold on her. Getting back to the shuttlepod, T'Pol sat him down and took his shirt and jacket off. She grabbed another medicine pack that had not been missing and cleaned his wounds. She noticed his back, torn from the crack of the whip. She gently tended to his back then treated to the rest. When she finished, she helped him put his shirt back on. She sat next to him and gathered his hands in hers. The weight of them made hers ache even more, but she never loosened her grip on him.
He looked into her eyes and slowly leaned forward, and wrapping his arms tight around her and slowly they embraced each other in a long, deep kiss. Time seemed to stand still when he was next to her, and now holding her in his arms again brought so much needed joy to his life, even for a few minutes. Her small figure next to his made him feel so alive. Little did he know she was having similar feelings. She had never experienced these feelings before or found herself wanting these emotions. For once she felt perfectly safe cradled in his strong arms. She didn't know how to react to her feelings, but she didn't care. Right now all she wanted was to never leave his side. Neither of them wanted this to end. Both wanted nights like this where they could be together wherever they were.
Coming back to reality, they both stopped. How were they going to continue on like this back on Enterprise, and what would be said about them if they walked in and saw them like this? Together? Part of him didn't care. This is what made him happy and hoped it made her happy as well, and he thought they could get over it. Part of him wanted them to find them together, get it out in the open. But part of him felt he had a duty to take care of the crew even if it meant not being together. He was still unclear on how they could keep up seeing each other. His conscience was beating him up inside, but he wouldn't let go of her. Not for an instance knowing this might be the last time he could hold her in his arms for a long time.
A loud sound came from the woods. Both Jonathan and T'Pol turned quickly, breaking away from each other. It sounded like screams or warcalls. The sound kept getting closer, and soon they could see what was making them. It was the Klingons, they had found Jonathan and T'Pol missing, and sent a search party.
"Are they off on timing?" T'Pol asked bumfuzzled, "I thought we had two hours?"
"We did. We spent some of it getting here, and patching me up." he answered her softly.
"That couldn't have taken two hours. It makes no sense."
"It makes plenty of sense to think of how long we've been sitting here in each others arms." he corrected in low voice.
"I see your point."
As the Klingons grew closer, Jonathan and T'Pol decided to move out of the shuttlepod knowing if the Klingons saw it that would be the first place they looked. Not knowing the Klingons had already found the shuttlepod a few days earlier, they snuck around the backside of the pod.
"Do you think they'll look behind here?" T'Pol asked.
"Maybe. Let's head a little further north. Did you grab any phase pistols?"
"Two. That's all there were. Let's move."
As they started north, three Klingons surrounded them. T'Pol and Jonathan both fired at them, but more Klingons joined. Soon they were completely surrounded and over powered.
"Thought you could escape, didn't you? Thought you could outsmart us. Well, what now humans? You have two phase pistols against ten fully armed Klingon warriors. How are you going to get out of this?" asked the leader.
"How did you know we were going to be here? How?" Jonathan questioned.
"We found your ship two days ago, and remembered you were looking for it. How does it feel to be out smarted by Klingons, Captain?"
"It feels...." he started, trailing off he had noticed something move behind the Klingons. It was Trip, Malcom and some of his guards. They were slowly taking out some of the guards in the back. Noticing that they were gaining control he went back to what he was saying. "It feels...just fine. Enjoy it while you can." he said with a grin on his face.
Trip and Malcom had taken out all but five guards and the leader. Jonathan nudged T'Pol and she noticed the commander and lieutenant. They all reached for their phaser slowly and fired all at once. The Klingons went down and Trip ran over while Malcom and the others secured the Klingons.
"Are you guys okay, Cap'n?" Trip asked fast.
"We're fine. How long had you guys been there?" Jonathan asked.
"Not long. We heard the Klingons and followed their voices."
"How are you doing, Sar?" Malcom asked joining the group.
"We're fine. Do you have another shuttle waiting?"
"Two. One to take you and Commander Tucker back, and one for the rest of us."
"Good."
As Trip and Malcom helped Jonathan and T'Pol into the shuttlepods at the edge of the woods. After setting them in place, they took off back to Enterprise. Trip, who was driving, turned around and asked, "So what happened to ya, Jon? You look like heck."
"Thanks. They interrogated me and beat me for not answering. They also beat me when I asked where T'Pol was."
"Oh. What happened to you T'Pol? Why's your hands all wrapped up? And where are your clothes? Trip asked curiously.
"There was a flood and I was thrown against a ledge. Jonathan dove back in saved me."
"You're on a first name bases now?" Trip asked confused.
"Yeah, Trip. I told T'Pol that she didn't have to be so formal all the time." there was a slight pause. "I asked her to call me by my first name. So it would be more comfortable."
"Okay...guess that explains it. So what else happened other than the flood?" Trip asked.
"Well." they began as they settled in for the ride back.
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When they had returned to Enterprise, Jonathan was just finishing with the story "...So that's when you guys came."
"Sounds like you guys went through a lot together. Even saved each other a few times, too. You didn't leave out any juicy details did ya?" he asked jokingly.
Jonathan and T'Pol shot a look at each other and knew they were both thinking the same thing. They hadn't said about their kiss or about how they had revealed their true feelings. What would they say now that others, finding out had become a reality.
The End (ch.6 coming, last ch. unless you want more.)
After night had fallen, T'Pol found herself tired from the few hours of struggling with the ropes. Having paid off, she was able to slip the rope over her hands that stung very badly. She quickly untied her feet and looked for something to pick the lock. After filing down a small rock to fit in it, she slowly picked the lock. Quietly she slipped out of the cage and the tent, and ran into the woods surrounding the camp.
"I need to find Jon." she thought to yourself, "but I have to find the shuttlepod and contact Enterprise. We need their help to escape."
She ran along the edge of the forest where she could still the camp. Running in the same directions as they had done before, she searched for the shuttlepod all the while in severe pain and agony from the amount of blood she had lost. A few miles north of the camp she came upon the shuttlepod, not fully in tack.
"Maybe I can get the communications to work." she said starting to slur her words.
There was just enough power to get the com system up. When she had finished, she tried hailing Enterprise.
"T'Pol to Enterprise. Enterprise, can you hear me?"
"This is Hoshi. T'Pol, is that you? Where are you guys? Where have you been? Why haven't you contacted us?" asked the startled Ensign Sato.
"There's no time... to...answer...questions. The captain's... in trouble....We were...captured by...the Klingons. I was able to escape." she said moaning badly, "I'm sending you the location of the shuttlepod... ssh...Send...ssh...backup...ssh...I'm going...ssh" was all she could tell the ensign before the power went out.
"T'Pol! T'Pol, are you there?" she called out as the static got worse, "She's not there, Sir. The power must have went out or something." she said concernedly as she was telling Commander Tucker what he had just missed as he was walking in.
"So the Cap'n and T'Pol are still alive, but Jon's being held captive by the Klingons." Commander Tucker said very puzzled, "What are they capturing the Cap'n? Did she say why, Hoshi?"
"No. She wasn't able to. The com went out before she could say. I was barely able to get their location." she answered as she was putting in the data she had just received.
"Well, get on it, Hoshi. Malcom, get another pod ready and a team armed with phase pistols."
"Right," answered Lieutenant Reed.
"Travis, as soon as you get the coordinents, set a course."
"Yes, Sir." answered Ensign Mayweather.
While all of this was happening, Jonathan was still being interrogated by the lead Klingon. "I've told you. Why don't you understand?" he said groaning loudly, "We didn't poison your crew. It was the wine."
"Lies! More lies! You try to blame others instead of taking responsibility for your actions." he said stricking Jonanthan again.
"I...told you...I told your leader it...wasn't us. We...tried to help your ship...We only tried to help until my people got stranded on your ship...So we...saved them. That's all."
"And still you lie," the Klingon continued to strike Jonathan another time. After a few more lashes the Klingon left saying, "Maybe another hour or so. Then maybe you'll feel like talking, or want another beating."
"Tell me where T'Pol is! What have you done with her?! Answer me!" he yelled after him receiving no answer. Jonathan sat there, bleeding in pain, looking down at the earth below him. Thoughts of T'Pol and what might have happened to her lay heavy on his heart. Slowly drifting off into the pain running through his entire body, more thoughts filled his head. Memories of what had happened between them. He worried that he would never feel that again. Nearly giving into the pain, a thought passed through wearily; if she didn't make it how could he? As he followed that a little longer, a soft touch and silent whisper caught his attention. Looking around, he thought he had just imagined it and shook his head in disappointment.
"Jonathan." It came again.
"Now I know I'm going crazy."
"Jonathan." It came again only louder this time.
"Must be an owl or something. Something messing with my mind. Maybe one too many hits to head." he commented to himself.
"You're not going crazy. You're going to be fine," said a soft voice from close behind him.
"Who's there?"
"It's me. T'Pol."
"T'Pol?" he said with gladness and disbelief.
"Yes."
"I thought you were..."
"Shh. Just rest," she said putting a finger to his lips. Slowly she untied his hands and feet. As quietly as possible she led him out of the tent and into the woods moaning softly at the pain in her hands as she held him in her arms. A few minutes after they passed the camp, T'Pol stopped and laid Jonathan on the ground. Looking over his wounds, she talked softly to try and keep him calm.
"How are you feeling? What did they do to you?"
"They asked why, we tried to kill them. They still don't believe that we tried to help them. Everytime I wouldn't answer, they'd hit me," he said with a groan," When I asked about you...they'd hit me harder." he said in pain.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, but just loud enough for him to hear.
"Why?"
"For causing you so much pain."
"You didn't. You haven't. If anything you've helped with the pain." she looked at him with a confused look. "Thoughts of you. Remembering being with you. I was willing to take the pain hoping that they would tell me something. I knew from the first time I asked that they would hit me."
"Why didn't you stop asking if you knew what they would happen? It wasn't a rational decision."
"I know, but I had hope...hope that you were okay. Hope that we would get out of this, and we did. You know, there was a moment in that tent when the pain was so bad that I thought if you were dead why would I go on. I almost gave into it, T'Pol, I almost lost hope. Then I heard you say my name and thought I was only dreaming, but when you touched me it felt like the pain was lifted off of Me." he said looking her deeply in the eyes, "I knew that with you there, I could make it through anything."
"Yes, but we still need to check your wounds. We have some time before they realize we're gone. How long had it been since your last..." she paused finding it hard to mutter the words and not knowing how it would affect him.
"Beating?" he finished, "About five minutes."
"How long do they usually wait?"
"About two hours. Little less, little more."
"Good. I found the shuttle pod. We can bandage you when we get there, and maybe rest ."
"Were you able to contact Enterprise?"
"Yes, but the com system lost power while I was talking to Ensign Sato. I don't know if they received our location."
"Well, at least they know where to begin." he said with a calm look on his face.
As they started back towards the shuttlepod, Jonathan leaned on T'Pol's shoulder keeping a tight hold on her. Getting back to the shuttlepod, T'Pol sat him down and took his shirt and jacket off. She grabbed another medicine pack that had not been missing and cleaned his wounds. She noticed his back, torn from the crack of the whip. She gently tended to his back then treated to the rest. When she finished, she helped him put his shirt back on. She sat next to him and gathered his hands in hers. The weight of them made hers ache even more, but she never loosened her grip on him.
He looked into her eyes and slowly leaned forward, and wrapping his arms tight around her and slowly they embraced each other in a long, deep kiss. Time seemed to stand still when he was next to her, and now holding her in his arms again brought so much needed joy to his life, even for a few minutes. Her small figure next to his made him feel so alive. Little did he know she was having similar feelings. She had never experienced these feelings before or found herself wanting these emotions. For once she felt perfectly safe cradled in his strong arms. She didn't know how to react to her feelings, but she didn't care. Right now all she wanted was to never leave his side. Neither of them wanted this to end. Both wanted nights like this where they could be together wherever they were.
Coming back to reality, they both stopped. How were they going to continue on like this back on Enterprise, and what would be said about them if they walked in and saw them like this? Together? Part of him didn't care. This is what made him happy and hoped it made her happy as well, and he thought they could get over it. Part of him wanted them to find them together, get it out in the open. But part of him felt he had a duty to take care of the crew even if it meant not being together. He was still unclear on how they could keep up seeing each other. His conscience was beating him up inside, but he wouldn't let go of her. Not for an instance knowing this might be the last time he could hold her in his arms for a long time.
A loud sound came from the woods. Both Jonathan and T'Pol turned quickly, breaking away from each other. It sounded like screams or warcalls. The sound kept getting closer, and soon they could see what was making them. It was the Klingons, they had found Jonathan and T'Pol missing, and sent a search party.
"Are they off on timing?" T'Pol asked bumfuzzled, "I thought we had two hours?"
"We did. We spent some of it getting here, and patching me up." he answered her softly.
"That couldn't have taken two hours. It makes no sense."
"It makes plenty of sense to think of how long we've been sitting here in each others arms." he corrected in low voice.
"I see your point."
As the Klingons grew closer, Jonathan and T'Pol decided to move out of the shuttlepod knowing if the Klingons saw it that would be the first place they looked. Not knowing the Klingons had already found the shuttlepod a few days earlier, they snuck around the backside of the pod.
"Do you think they'll look behind here?" T'Pol asked.
"Maybe. Let's head a little further north. Did you grab any phase pistols?"
"Two. That's all there were. Let's move."
As they started north, three Klingons surrounded them. T'Pol and Jonathan both fired at them, but more Klingons joined. Soon they were completely surrounded and over powered.
"Thought you could escape, didn't you? Thought you could outsmart us. Well, what now humans? You have two phase pistols against ten fully armed Klingon warriors. How are you going to get out of this?" asked the leader.
"How did you know we were going to be here? How?" Jonathan questioned.
"We found your ship two days ago, and remembered you were looking for it. How does it feel to be out smarted by Klingons, Captain?"
"It feels...." he started, trailing off he had noticed something move behind the Klingons. It was Trip, Malcom and some of his guards. They were slowly taking out some of the guards in the back. Noticing that they were gaining control he went back to what he was saying. "It feels...just fine. Enjoy it while you can." he said with a grin on his face.
Trip and Malcom had taken out all but five guards and the leader. Jonathan nudged T'Pol and she noticed the commander and lieutenant. They all reached for their phaser slowly and fired all at once. The Klingons went down and Trip ran over while Malcom and the others secured the Klingons.
"Are you guys okay, Cap'n?" Trip asked fast.
"We're fine. How long had you guys been there?" Jonathan asked.
"Not long. We heard the Klingons and followed their voices."
"How are you doing, Sar?" Malcom asked joining the group.
"We're fine. Do you have another shuttle waiting?"
"Two. One to take you and Commander Tucker back, and one for the rest of us."
"Good."
As Trip and Malcom helped Jonathan and T'Pol into the shuttlepods at the edge of the woods. After setting them in place, they took off back to Enterprise. Trip, who was driving, turned around and asked, "So what happened to ya, Jon? You look like heck."
"Thanks. They interrogated me and beat me for not answering. They also beat me when I asked where T'Pol was."
"Oh. What happened to you T'Pol? Why's your hands all wrapped up? And where are your clothes? Trip asked curiously.
"There was a flood and I was thrown against a ledge. Jonathan dove back in saved me."
"You're on a first name bases now?" Trip asked confused.
"Yeah, Trip. I told T'Pol that she didn't have to be so formal all the time." there was a slight pause. "I asked her to call me by my first name. So it would be more comfortable."
"Okay...guess that explains it. So what else happened other than the flood?" Trip asked.
"Well." they began as they settled in for the ride back.
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When they had returned to Enterprise, Jonathan was just finishing with the story "...So that's when you guys came."
"Sounds like you guys went through a lot together. Even saved each other a few times, too. You didn't leave out any juicy details did ya?" he asked jokingly.
Jonathan and T'Pol shot a look at each other and knew they were both thinking the same thing. They hadn't said about their kiss or about how they had revealed their true feelings. What would they say now that others, finding out had become a reality.
The End (ch.6 coming, last ch. unless you want more.)