Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the great reviews…they're nice to hear!
Well, it's been pointed out to me that the Enterprise crew did not come to know the name of the Ferengei in the episode "Acquisition," and so I've made a major mistake. I forgot that first contact with the Ferengei happened on TNG…oops. Well, I'm sure it won't be the last mistake I make while writing this fic…I hope you all can overlook it, and any others I make in the future. Besides, this fic is easier to write if I just call them Ferengei. Sorry about that! Here's part two, and I might actually get part three up within the next few hours…but don't hold me to that.
Enjoy!
Emrys
Disclaimer: See Part I
1 Following Orders Part II
Archer stood to face their three captors directly, and he felt the sudden, stately presence of T'Pol as she positioned herself behind him.
"What do you want with us?" he asked the three Ferengei in a level, toneless voice. T'Pol simply stared at the three aliens in a cool way that seemed to unnerve the jumpy creatures.
"Tell the female to stop looking at us in that manner, Captain Archer" growled one of the Ferengei.
Despite the surprise he felt at the mention of his name, Archer calmly turned to his Science officer and for a surreal moment sympathized with his kidnappers. The cold, vicious look on her face was enough to make him want to duck for cover. I'm glad she's on our side, he thought ruefully as he turned back to the Ferengei.
He cocked his head slightly and decided to test the strength of the smaller aliens' threat.
"Now, why exactly should I ask her to do that?" he asked, slightly mockingly.
A weapon appeared in the largest of the three's hand so quickly that Archer wondered that it hadn't been there all along.
"Because if you don't, I will make sure that Leor here will kill Commander Tucker," the smallest Ferengei answerd nastily.
Offended, Tucker began to fight to a standing position, but Archer made a placating gesture with his hand and the engineer's body fell back against the wall with a muted thump. Not for the first time, Archer wondered about the apparent weakness of his friend's body, but it was not the time to give that thought further consideration.
From their last experience with the Ferengei, Archer knew that their greed could lead them to acts of foolishness, but he also knew that they were a species that required careful handling. They could be ruthless when trifled with.
He turned to T'Pol, and gestured for her to step back. She complied by kneeling down beside Trip. She continued to monitor the weaker man's condition while her body remained tense and ready for any required action.
She did not much like these Ferengei, she thought in what could almost be interpreted as a sneering way.
***
"Now why don't you just tell us what you want," Archer said with a hint of a warning in his voice.
The three aliens seemed to ignore his demand, as they smirked and guffawed amongst themselves. They seemed terribly pleased about what Archer could only assume was their power over their hostages. He looked down at Tucker and T'Pol and could see in the faint disgust that was displayed on their faces that his two officers were willing to try to overcome the revolting creatures. "We could take them," Trip mouthed silently to his Captain.
Archer had little doubt that they could physically overtake the smaller aliens, but the weapon made things a bit chancier. The light sheen of perspiration on Trip's forehead also made any direct offensive action questionable. He made a decision to manage the Ferengei as he had the last time he had been forced to deal with the greedy creatures. He would allow them their feeling of power and somehow use it to his own advantage as soon as possible.
With an almost imperceptible motion of his hand, Archer instructed his other two crewmates to settle back and wait for a command from him. He then turned all of his attention on their captors in an attempt to gain as much information about them as he could.
"Look at her," the one called Leor was saying. "She is just as Krem described."
"And so are the humans," the leader replied. "Look how weak and helpless they are!"
The third eyed the three officers with doubt. "Are you certain that they will be able to get the map for us, Gowan? They don't look very intelligent to me."
Archer heard Trip begin to protest to that last comment, and inwardly smiled at his friend's pride. But that particular character trait could get bring even more trouble than they already had, and he made another placating motion with his hand. He heard Trip's almost inaudible grumble, and was worried that the younger man would not back down. But Trip regained his composure quickly, and sat back with his lips pressed tightly together as if he were trying too hard to keep his opinion to himself.
And the gloating of the three aliens was getting a bit tiresome, so Archer decided to advance the situation.
"Hey!" he yelled loudly. All three Ferengei turned their attention to him, and he smiled broadly. "What do you want with us?" he said in a tone that was in direct opposition to his smile.
***
Commander Charles Tucker appreciated order. It was the reason why he had entered Star Fleet, and it was the reason why he loved the warp engines of the Enterprise. Both ran efficiently and in an order that he found easy to comprehend.
But ever since he had become commissioned on Enterprise, his need for order had been tested on a regular basis. And it wasn't that he couldn't live in an atmosphere without order; it was just that he preferred not to do so.
But he had been impregnated, tacked up in the gooey body of an alien, and subjected to heatstroke all within the past few months, and had subsequently come to the conclusion that order was something of the past.
Now, listening to the Ferengei threats, that conclusion was only supported tenfold.
Anger forced him to fight to his feet, and the concerned stare of his Captain did nothing to calm him down.
"You did what?" he asked venomously.
"Trip, calm down," Jon told him.
"But Cap'n!"
"You getting angry won't help this situation," Archer responded emphatically. And Trip saw the wisdom of his words, but they did little to placate him.
"Yes, Cap'n," he mumbled and glowered at the Ferengei as he slumped back against the wall.
Archer attempted to get his own anger under control as he turned his attention back to the three aliens.
"Why did you poison my engineer?" he asked as calmly as possible.
Thanks for the great reviews…they're nice to hear!
Well, it's been pointed out to me that the Enterprise crew did not come to know the name of the Ferengei in the episode "Acquisition," and so I've made a major mistake. I forgot that first contact with the Ferengei happened on TNG…oops. Well, I'm sure it won't be the last mistake I make while writing this fic…I hope you all can overlook it, and any others I make in the future. Besides, this fic is easier to write if I just call them Ferengei. Sorry about that! Here's part two, and I might actually get part three up within the next few hours…but don't hold me to that.
Enjoy!
Emrys
Disclaimer: See Part I
1 Following Orders Part II
Archer stood to face their three captors directly, and he felt the sudden, stately presence of T'Pol as she positioned herself behind him.
"What do you want with us?" he asked the three Ferengei in a level, toneless voice. T'Pol simply stared at the three aliens in a cool way that seemed to unnerve the jumpy creatures.
"Tell the female to stop looking at us in that manner, Captain Archer" growled one of the Ferengei.
Despite the surprise he felt at the mention of his name, Archer calmly turned to his Science officer and for a surreal moment sympathized with his kidnappers. The cold, vicious look on her face was enough to make him want to duck for cover. I'm glad she's on our side, he thought ruefully as he turned back to the Ferengei.
He cocked his head slightly and decided to test the strength of the smaller aliens' threat.
"Now, why exactly should I ask her to do that?" he asked, slightly mockingly.
A weapon appeared in the largest of the three's hand so quickly that Archer wondered that it hadn't been there all along.
"Because if you don't, I will make sure that Leor here will kill Commander Tucker," the smallest Ferengei answerd nastily.
Offended, Tucker began to fight to a standing position, but Archer made a placating gesture with his hand and the engineer's body fell back against the wall with a muted thump. Not for the first time, Archer wondered about the apparent weakness of his friend's body, but it was not the time to give that thought further consideration.
From their last experience with the Ferengei, Archer knew that their greed could lead them to acts of foolishness, but he also knew that they were a species that required careful handling. They could be ruthless when trifled with.
He turned to T'Pol, and gestured for her to step back. She complied by kneeling down beside Trip. She continued to monitor the weaker man's condition while her body remained tense and ready for any required action.
She did not much like these Ferengei, she thought in what could almost be interpreted as a sneering way.
***
"Now why don't you just tell us what you want," Archer said with a hint of a warning in his voice.
The three aliens seemed to ignore his demand, as they smirked and guffawed amongst themselves. They seemed terribly pleased about what Archer could only assume was their power over their hostages. He looked down at Tucker and T'Pol and could see in the faint disgust that was displayed on their faces that his two officers were willing to try to overcome the revolting creatures. "We could take them," Trip mouthed silently to his Captain.
Archer had little doubt that they could physically overtake the smaller aliens, but the weapon made things a bit chancier. The light sheen of perspiration on Trip's forehead also made any direct offensive action questionable. He made a decision to manage the Ferengei as he had the last time he had been forced to deal with the greedy creatures. He would allow them their feeling of power and somehow use it to his own advantage as soon as possible.
With an almost imperceptible motion of his hand, Archer instructed his other two crewmates to settle back and wait for a command from him. He then turned all of his attention on their captors in an attempt to gain as much information about them as he could.
"Look at her," the one called Leor was saying. "She is just as Krem described."
"And so are the humans," the leader replied. "Look how weak and helpless they are!"
The third eyed the three officers with doubt. "Are you certain that they will be able to get the map for us, Gowan? They don't look very intelligent to me."
Archer heard Trip begin to protest to that last comment, and inwardly smiled at his friend's pride. But that particular character trait could get bring even more trouble than they already had, and he made another placating motion with his hand. He heard Trip's almost inaudible grumble, and was worried that the younger man would not back down. But Trip regained his composure quickly, and sat back with his lips pressed tightly together as if he were trying too hard to keep his opinion to himself.
And the gloating of the three aliens was getting a bit tiresome, so Archer decided to advance the situation.
"Hey!" he yelled loudly. All three Ferengei turned their attention to him, and he smiled broadly. "What do you want with us?" he said in a tone that was in direct opposition to his smile.
***
Commander Charles Tucker appreciated order. It was the reason why he had entered Star Fleet, and it was the reason why he loved the warp engines of the Enterprise. Both ran efficiently and in an order that he found easy to comprehend.
But ever since he had become commissioned on Enterprise, his need for order had been tested on a regular basis. And it wasn't that he couldn't live in an atmosphere without order; it was just that he preferred not to do so.
But he had been impregnated, tacked up in the gooey body of an alien, and subjected to heatstroke all within the past few months, and had subsequently come to the conclusion that order was something of the past.
Now, listening to the Ferengei threats, that conclusion was only supported tenfold.
Anger forced him to fight to his feet, and the concerned stare of his Captain did nothing to calm him down.
"You did what?" he asked venomously.
"Trip, calm down," Jon told him.
"But Cap'n!"
"You getting angry won't help this situation," Archer responded emphatically. And Trip saw the wisdom of his words, but they did little to placate him.
"Yes, Cap'n," he mumbled and glowered at the Ferengei as he slumped back against the wall.
Archer attempted to get his own anger under control as he turned his attention back to the three aliens.
"Why did you poison my engineer?" he asked as calmly as possible.
