**********
GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT
Chapter III
**********
Captain Archer was first to step out of Shuttlepod One into the morning sunlight, quickly followed by Sub-commander T'Pol. They were instantly surrounded by six members of the Sovereign Guard and led from the landing site into the front entrance of the royal quarters. They were left in a large conference room, two guards remaining at the door, both brandishing rifles. A servant brought in a tray of colorful fruits and a steaming beverage that Jon thought smelled similar to coffee. She set the tray on the table that sat in the center of the room then quietly exited.
"Where is he?" Jon asked after several minutes had passed.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Captain," said the First Monarch as he entered the room. The man looked at the untouched food and gestured towards it. "Please, enjoy our hospitality."
"No thank you, sir. We'd really like to find out why you hired someone to kidnap my chief engineer," Jon said, the impatience clear in his voice.
"First of all, Captain, I allowed you to come here so that I could thank you for saving my daughter from her captors. And also to assure you that I do not hold you responsible for the crime committed by your crewman."
"To what crime do you refer?" asked T'Pol.
"Rape."
Jon audibly gasped. He looked at T'Pol and briefly saw the shock reflected on her face.
"You're accusing Trip of raping your daughter?!" Jon shouted angrily. "That's impossible! Princess Kaitaama was healthy when she left my ship!"
"Since you refer to your engineer by what I assume is a nickname, I will guess that you are close to him?"
Jon leaned on the table, fighting to control his anger. "Yes, I am close to him. He's my best friend! What does that have to do with these ridiculous accusations you've made?!"
"You are protecting him, aren't you?"
T'Pol stepped forward and looked into Kai's eyes. "What evidence do you have?" she asked evenly.
"I have the word of one of my guards and the word of my first advisor."
"They are lying to you, sir," continued T'Pol. "Believe me when I say that Commander Tucker would never harm your daughter."
"I have never known a Vulcan to protect someone," the older man responded. "I think you have been living with these people far too long, Sub- commander."
"What does your daughter say?" Jon asked.
"She has not spoken since the attack."
"Did you ask her if Trip attacked her?" Jon pressed.
"I have two witnesses, Captain. There was no need to make my daughter relive her nightmare!"
"No need?!" Archer shouted.
"How were you able to identify Commander Tucker as your daughter's attacker if she was unable to speak?" asked T'Pol suddenly. "Your guard and first advisor did not board Enterprise so neither of them met the commander."
The First Monarch paused. "Tol must have boarded your ship. He knew Commander Tucker was the one who rescued Kaitaama from the stasis pod. And that he was the one who was with my daughter down on that swamp world." He shook his head. "Your Vulcan High Command would be sorely disappointed in you, Sub-commander, for lying to protect this criminal!"
"I believe it is Tol who is lying, sir." T'Pol replied.
"He is one of my most trusted advisors and my dearest friend. He would never lie to me."
"And Trip is one of my most trusted officers and my dearest friend, sir" Jon said quietly. "You need to ask your daughter what happened. Please, sir."
The First Monarch looked from T'Pol to Captain Archer. He was silent for several moments.
"Please wait here," he said then turned to leave the room.
"May we see her with you, sir?" asked T'Pol. She hesitated, shifting on her feet uneasily. "Please."
He tilted his head back, closing his eyes briefly. Then he looked down at her and nodded. "Follow me."
**********
The room into which Trip was taken was small and stark white. The engineer immediately noticed the two chains that hung from the ceiling and he felt his stomach tighten. He looked down and saw there were two metal bands with chains attached to the floor as well. As the guards started lifting his arms, Trip wrenched himself away. He was prepared for it when the pain hit, but he gasped as it coursed through his weary body. He fell forward, cursing himself for being so weak. He tried to crawl, but was hit with another searing jolt. The guards yanked him roughly to his feet and attached the metal bands on his wrists to the chains that dangled from the ceiling. Trip's feet barely touched the ground so the bulk of his weight was on his arms. He watched helplessly as the guards removed his boots and his socks then locked the metal bands around his ankles. One guard closed the door then they both put their weapons down and turned to face him, their fingers curling into fists.
"Cap'n," Trip mumbled helplessly. "Where are you?"
Time seemed to stand still as Trip endured blow after blow from the two guards. He tasted blood, not sure if it was coming from his nose or if he was spitting it up. He hardly was aware of it when the door opened. Though his vision was blurry, Trip recognized the first advisor, Tol, as he stepped into the room. The tall, dark-haired man motioned to the guards to leave. After they exited, he turned and pressed some buttons on the door panel. Then the older man turned to look at Trip with a strange smile on his face.
"There, now we won't be interrupted." Tol moved to Trip, his face only inches from the engineer's. "I am sorry for this, you know."
Trip tried to back away but his feet slipped on the smooth floor. His arm muscles screamed as they took his full weight. He scrambled to regain what little footing he could get. Tol slowly unzipped Trip's uniform then began unbuttoning the black undershirt. Trip tried to kick but the chains held his feet firmly in place. He could feel his body shaking and briefly wondered if it was from the beating or from his fear. Tol opened the black shirt, exposing the bright blue tank. He grabbed the material in his fist.
"Did she do this?" Tol whispered as he ripped the fabric. "I know she must have wanted you."
"Wh...what?" Trip stammered in confusion.
"Kaitaama is a very passionate woman. But you already know that, don't you." Tol ran his hand down Trip's bare chest, pressing his fingers into the bruises along his ribcage. The engineer tried to back away but again fell, his shoulders jarred by the impact of his weight. He grimaced in pain.
"Are you afraid of me, too, Commander?"
Trip shuddered at Tol's words. "You raped her," he gasped.
Tol started laughing and Trip angrily spit in his face. The First Advisor calmly wiped the liquid from his cheek then stepped to a console which stood in the corner of the room. He picked up several electrodes then came back to his prisoner. He attached them to Trip's upper chest and abdomen then moved back to the console. He flipped a switch and the device hummed to life.
**********
When they entered it, Kaitaama's room was bathed in darkness only broken by the few streams of sunlight that shone through the closed curtains of her windows. Her father carefully opened the curtains, the light revealing the princess sitting in a rocking chair staring down at her hands tightly clasped in her lap. A plate of untouched food sat on a small table by her side. T'Pol remembered the vibrant young woman she had briefly met and was shocked at the person she saw now. The once flowing dark hair now hung limply over shoulders that were far too thin. Kaitaama looked up and T'Pol thought she saw recognition in her dark, lifeless eyes. Her father moved to kneel in front of her. He gently took her hands in his and kissed them.
"This is Captain Archer and Sub-commander T'Pol, Kaitaama. Do you remember them?"
The young woman continued staring at her visitors. She tilted her head slightly and T'Pol could see the healing cuts and fading bruises standing out against her pale skin. Tears suddenly filled her eyes. Her father whispered calming words to his daughter but her eyes never left T'Pol and the captain.
"Sweetheart, we finally found the man responsible for....hurting you. But these two won't believe me when I say he's guilty. I need you to tell them what happened. Can you do that for me, Kaitaama? Can you do that for your father?"
"Trip," Kaitaama whispered. The tears fell from her eyes to drip on the front of her dark red robe. Her father stood and turned on Archer and T'Pol with raw anger in his eyes.
"I told you it was him!" he shouted. "Now go back to your ship and forget about your Commander Tucker!"
"No, Father."
The First Monarch looked down at his daughter. "What?"
"Not Trip." she responded with a trembling voice. Her father knelt down again. He gently wiped the tears from his daughter's cheeks.
"Sweetheart, it's alright. He can't ever hurt you again."
"No, Father," Kaitaama said with more conviction. "Trip didn't hurt me. It was.....oh please don't hate me!" The young woman started sobbing uncontrollably, the tightly held emotions released.
"Hate you? I could never hate you, Kaitaama. You're my daughter."
T'Pol suddenly stepped forward and knelt beside the First Monarch. She reached out and gently laid her hand on Kaitaama's arm.
"Who did this to you?" she asked softly.
Kaitaama looked at the Vulcan woman for several moments, her frantic sobs slowing and then finally stopping.
"You care for him, too. Don't you?" The princess whispered.
T'Pol paused. "Yes. And he is about to be punished for a crime he did not commit," she finally replied. T'Pol couldn't help but be slightly surprised by her own response. Although she had realized months ago that she had a great affection for the crew of the Enterprise, she had never actually admitted to herself the depth of her affection for a certain Chief Engineer. The fact that this young woman saw it was a disturbing.
Kaitaama looked at her father again. "Please, Father, don't be angry with me. Trip didn't hurt me. He would never hurt me. Promise me you won't be angry."
"Tol did this to you, didn't he?" Kai asked. He rose to his feet when his daughter nodded. He bent forward and kissed her forehead. "I will be back and we will talk more. I love you, Kaitaama."
T'Pol and the captain followed Kai into the hallway.
"We have to hurry!" The First Monarch bolted down the long hall then stopped at a panel in the wall, the captain and T'Pol right behind him. He pushed some buttons and a voice responded.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Jittar, you are to free the prisoner immediately! He is not to be harmed!"
"But sir...it's too late."
**********
TO BE CONTINUED...
GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT
Chapter III
**********
Captain Archer was first to step out of Shuttlepod One into the morning sunlight, quickly followed by Sub-commander T'Pol. They were instantly surrounded by six members of the Sovereign Guard and led from the landing site into the front entrance of the royal quarters. They were left in a large conference room, two guards remaining at the door, both brandishing rifles. A servant brought in a tray of colorful fruits and a steaming beverage that Jon thought smelled similar to coffee. She set the tray on the table that sat in the center of the room then quietly exited.
"Where is he?" Jon asked after several minutes had passed.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Captain," said the First Monarch as he entered the room. The man looked at the untouched food and gestured towards it. "Please, enjoy our hospitality."
"No thank you, sir. We'd really like to find out why you hired someone to kidnap my chief engineer," Jon said, the impatience clear in his voice.
"First of all, Captain, I allowed you to come here so that I could thank you for saving my daughter from her captors. And also to assure you that I do not hold you responsible for the crime committed by your crewman."
"To what crime do you refer?" asked T'Pol.
"Rape."
Jon audibly gasped. He looked at T'Pol and briefly saw the shock reflected on her face.
"You're accusing Trip of raping your daughter?!" Jon shouted angrily. "That's impossible! Princess Kaitaama was healthy when she left my ship!"
"Since you refer to your engineer by what I assume is a nickname, I will guess that you are close to him?"
Jon leaned on the table, fighting to control his anger. "Yes, I am close to him. He's my best friend! What does that have to do with these ridiculous accusations you've made?!"
"You are protecting him, aren't you?"
T'Pol stepped forward and looked into Kai's eyes. "What evidence do you have?" she asked evenly.
"I have the word of one of my guards and the word of my first advisor."
"They are lying to you, sir," continued T'Pol. "Believe me when I say that Commander Tucker would never harm your daughter."
"I have never known a Vulcan to protect someone," the older man responded. "I think you have been living with these people far too long, Sub- commander."
"What does your daughter say?" Jon asked.
"She has not spoken since the attack."
"Did you ask her if Trip attacked her?" Jon pressed.
"I have two witnesses, Captain. There was no need to make my daughter relive her nightmare!"
"No need?!" Archer shouted.
"How were you able to identify Commander Tucker as your daughter's attacker if she was unable to speak?" asked T'Pol suddenly. "Your guard and first advisor did not board Enterprise so neither of them met the commander."
The First Monarch paused. "Tol must have boarded your ship. He knew Commander Tucker was the one who rescued Kaitaama from the stasis pod. And that he was the one who was with my daughter down on that swamp world." He shook his head. "Your Vulcan High Command would be sorely disappointed in you, Sub-commander, for lying to protect this criminal!"
"I believe it is Tol who is lying, sir." T'Pol replied.
"He is one of my most trusted advisors and my dearest friend. He would never lie to me."
"And Trip is one of my most trusted officers and my dearest friend, sir" Jon said quietly. "You need to ask your daughter what happened. Please, sir."
The First Monarch looked from T'Pol to Captain Archer. He was silent for several moments.
"Please wait here," he said then turned to leave the room.
"May we see her with you, sir?" asked T'Pol. She hesitated, shifting on her feet uneasily. "Please."
He tilted his head back, closing his eyes briefly. Then he looked down at her and nodded. "Follow me."
**********
The room into which Trip was taken was small and stark white. The engineer immediately noticed the two chains that hung from the ceiling and he felt his stomach tighten. He looked down and saw there were two metal bands with chains attached to the floor as well. As the guards started lifting his arms, Trip wrenched himself away. He was prepared for it when the pain hit, but he gasped as it coursed through his weary body. He fell forward, cursing himself for being so weak. He tried to crawl, but was hit with another searing jolt. The guards yanked him roughly to his feet and attached the metal bands on his wrists to the chains that dangled from the ceiling. Trip's feet barely touched the ground so the bulk of his weight was on his arms. He watched helplessly as the guards removed his boots and his socks then locked the metal bands around his ankles. One guard closed the door then they both put their weapons down and turned to face him, their fingers curling into fists.
"Cap'n," Trip mumbled helplessly. "Where are you?"
Time seemed to stand still as Trip endured blow after blow from the two guards. He tasted blood, not sure if it was coming from his nose or if he was spitting it up. He hardly was aware of it when the door opened. Though his vision was blurry, Trip recognized the first advisor, Tol, as he stepped into the room. The tall, dark-haired man motioned to the guards to leave. After they exited, he turned and pressed some buttons on the door panel. Then the older man turned to look at Trip with a strange smile on his face.
"There, now we won't be interrupted." Tol moved to Trip, his face only inches from the engineer's. "I am sorry for this, you know."
Trip tried to back away but his feet slipped on the smooth floor. His arm muscles screamed as they took his full weight. He scrambled to regain what little footing he could get. Tol slowly unzipped Trip's uniform then began unbuttoning the black undershirt. Trip tried to kick but the chains held his feet firmly in place. He could feel his body shaking and briefly wondered if it was from the beating or from his fear. Tol opened the black shirt, exposing the bright blue tank. He grabbed the material in his fist.
"Did she do this?" Tol whispered as he ripped the fabric. "I know she must have wanted you."
"Wh...what?" Trip stammered in confusion.
"Kaitaama is a very passionate woman. But you already know that, don't you." Tol ran his hand down Trip's bare chest, pressing his fingers into the bruises along his ribcage. The engineer tried to back away but again fell, his shoulders jarred by the impact of his weight. He grimaced in pain.
"Are you afraid of me, too, Commander?"
Trip shuddered at Tol's words. "You raped her," he gasped.
Tol started laughing and Trip angrily spit in his face. The First Advisor calmly wiped the liquid from his cheek then stepped to a console which stood in the corner of the room. He picked up several electrodes then came back to his prisoner. He attached them to Trip's upper chest and abdomen then moved back to the console. He flipped a switch and the device hummed to life.
**********
When they entered it, Kaitaama's room was bathed in darkness only broken by the few streams of sunlight that shone through the closed curtains of her windows. Her father carefully opened the curtains, the light revealing the princess sitting in a rocking chair staring down at her hands tightly clasped in her lap. A plate of untouched food sat on a small table by her side. T'Pol remembered the vibrant young woman she had briefly met and was shocked at the person she saw now. The once flowing dark hair now hung limply over shoulders that were far too thin. Kaitaama looked up and T'Pol thought she saw recognition in her dark, lifeless eyes. Her father moved to kneel in front of her. He gently took her hands in his and kissed them.
"This is Captain Archer and Sub-commander T'Pol, Kaitaama. Do you remember them?"
The young woman continued staring at her visitors. She tilted her head slightly and T'Pol could see the healing cuts and fading bruises standing out against her pale skin. Tears suddenly filled her eyes. Her father whispered calming words to his daughter but her eyes never left T'Pol and the captain.
"Sweetheart, we finally found the man responsible for....hurting you. But these two won't believe me when I say he's guilty. I need you to tell them what happened. Can you do that for me, Kaitaama? Can you do that for your father?"
"Trip," Kaitaama whispered. The tears fell from her eyes to drip on the front of her dark red robe. Her father stood and turned on Archer and T'Pol with raw anger in his eyes.
"I told you it was him!" he shouted. "Now go back to your ship and forget about your Commander Tucker!"
"No, Father."
The First Monarch looked down at his daughter. "What?"
"Not Trip." she responded with a trembling voice. Her father knelt down again. He gently wiped the tears from his daughter's cheeks.
"Sweetheart, it's alright. He can't ever hurt you again."
"No, Father," Kaitaama said with more conviction. "Trip didn't hurt me. It was.....oh please don't hate me!" The young woman started sobbing uncontrollably, the tightly held emotions released.
"Hate you? I could never hate you, Kaitaama. You're my daughter."
T'Pol suddenly stepped forward and knelt beside the First Monarch. She reached out and gently laid her hand on Kaitaama's arm.
"Who did this to you?" she asked softly.
Kaitaama looked at the Vulcan woman for several moments, her frantic sobs slowing and then finally stopping.
"You care for him, too. Don't you?" The princess whispered.
T'Pol paused. "Yes. And he is about to be punished for a crime he did not commit," she finally replied. T'Pol couldn't help but be slightly surprised by her own response. Although she had realized months ago that she had a great affection for the crew of the Enterprise, she had never actually admitted to herself the depth of her affection for a certain Chief Engineer. The fact that this young woman saw it was a disturbing.
Kaitaama looked at her father again. "Please, Father, don't be angry with me. Trip didn't hurt me. He would never hurt me. Promise me you won't be angry."
"Tol did this to you, didn't he?" Kai asked. He rose to his feet when his daughter nodded. He bent forward and kissed her forehead. "I will be back and we will talk more. I love you, Kaitaama."
T'Pol and the captain followed Kai into the hallway.
"We have to hurry!" The First Monarch bolted down the long hall then stopped at a panel in the wall, the captain and T'Pol right behind him. He pushed some buttons and a voice responded.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Jittar, you are to free the prisoner immediately! He is not to be harmed!"
"But sir...it's too late."
**********
TO BE CONTINUED...