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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"How long do you intend to hold us?" Jon watched Narm, the Jafari Minister, carefully. A few moments before, several guards had come to lead him to the Minister's office. He stood at the end of a long, white table, facing Narm, who was seated at the opposite end.

"Only as long as necessary," Narm answered enigmatically.

Jon tightened the belt of his robe, wishing he were back in uniform. He felt decidedly vulnerable dressed like this. Standing up straight, he demanded, "I want to contact my ship and see my people. Why are we being held separately?"

"It was only a precaution, Captain. The rest of your people are on their way here even now. Please, have a seat while we wait. Once they have arrived, I will gladly apprise you of the current situation. Afterwards, you may contact Enterprise."

Jon relaxed slightly, but maintained his suspicions. He sat in the closest chair. He was about to ask another question when the door opened, and T'Pol entered, dressed in a similar robe. Malcolm, Phlox, and the other crewmen followed close behind. They had all been allowed to keep their clothes, Jon noted enviously. Hoshi and Trip were not among them.

Jon stood up again. "Where is the rest of my crew?"

"I apologize, but we are not able to release them at this time. The information that they possess regarding our ancestors could prove to be invaluable. It requires further study, at the least." Malcolm bristled. Narm continued, "We have not harmed them, and they are in no danger. Ask your doctor; he examined them both."

All eyes turned to Phlox. "I can confirm that both Commander Tucker and Ensign Sato are physically well. Although understandably frustrated and confused," he said, looking pointedly at Narm.

He ignored the doctor and addressed Archer. "As I told you, many of our people were upset by what they consider outside interference with the Sh'ron. The situation has quickly become volatile. We are now facing an uprising."

"And you're saying this is our fault?" Archer gaped at him.

T'Pol interjected. "It seems unlikely that your citizens would react so violently to a single incident."

Narm shifted. "This particular faction has been at odds with our government for some time now," he admitted.

"We have no affiliation with your government. We only wanted to recover our crewmembers," T'Pol said.

"It does not matter. They believe you are aligned with our government. That makes you their enemies. In particular, your Commander and Ensign have assaulted their beliefs by returning. They will seek restitution." Narm leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. "We need your help putting a stop to the rebels before they can attack."

"Help you?! I don't remember you giving us much assistance when we were looking for a way to recover our people," Malcolm said heatedly.

Archer held up a hand. Malcolm looked away angrily, but fell silent. Jon said, "We didn't come here to get involved in your civil war."

"You are partially to blame for all of this!"

"I doubt that, Minister," T'Pol stated mildly.

Narm drew himself up to deliver a furious response. Before he could, Archer stepped between them. "I won't agree to do anything until I have my people back and I have spoken with Enterprise."

He and Narm glared at each other.

A violent explosion demolished the wall behind Narm, blowing them all off their feet. The heavy table crashed forward, driving Jon back into T'Pol and the wall behind them. His vision blurred momentarily, but he struggled to a sitting position, trying to disentangle himself from her body.

He twisted around and grasped her face. "Are you all right?" A trickle of green oozed down the side of her face, but she met his eyes and nodded. Jon turned back, peering through the dust and debris.

Malcolm was a few meters away, already moving among his fallen people. They all had dust caked in their clothes and hair, but none appeared to be seriously injured.

"Doctor?" Malcolm called. Hearing a groan, he dug into a pile of debris, uncovering Phlox. "Doctor! Are you all right?"

Phlox sat up carefully, holding his head. "Yes, Lieutenant. I believe I am relatively unhurt."

Malcolm was looking past him. "I'm afraid we can't say the same for the Minister." Jon followed his gaze; Narm's twisted body lay nearby. He was obviously dead. Beyond him, they could hear the distant sounds of fighting through the hole left by the explosion.

Malcolm turned back to Jon. "Captain, we need to return to the shuttlepod and get off this planet."

Jon stood and leaned down to assist T'Pol. Wrapping an arm around her waist to support her, he said, "Agreed. But first we need to find Trip and Hoshi."

Malcolm scanned the group, then looked seriously at the Captain. "Sir, the Subcommander and the Doctor are in no condition to perform a rescue operation. I suggest that you take them back to the shuttlepod; I will take a team and find Hoshi and Trip."

Archer considered arguing, but one look at T'Pol stopped him. Her glassy eyes were half-closed and her breathing was shallow. The dust on her face was smeared with sweat and blood. She leaned on him heavily. "All right, Malcolm. We'll meet at the shuttlepod. We'll wait for you for one hour."

Malcolm nodded, turning to Phlox. "Doctor, you saw them both. Where are they being held?"

"On the opposite side of the compound, one level down from where we were held."

Malcolm moved so quickly that Jon almost missed it. One moment he was kneeling beside Phlox, the next he was standing in the doorway, barking terse orders. "Russo, Fehr, escort the Captain and his party back to the Shuttlepod. Delacruz, Myers, you're with me."

He and the crewmen disappeared into the corridor. Fehr stepped up to assist Phlox; he allowed her to take his arm. With a nod from the Captain, Russo moved ahead of them, watching cautiously. He leaned out the hole in the wall. When he motioned them forward, the little group limped outside after him, heading for the shuttlepod.

***

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