TITLE: Dear Annie ("Judgment")
AUTHOR: Mara Greengrass
AUTHOR'S E-MAIL: fishfolk@ix.netcom.com. Feedback is better than chocolate.
PERMISSION TO ARCHIVE: Yes, just let me know.
CATEGORY: Gen
RATINGS/WARNINGS: G
SUMMARY: Hoshi writes home after the events of "Judgment."
DISCLAIMER: Enterprise and all its crew belong to Paramount and many other entities with expensive lawyers. I am making no profit from this story.
NOTES: Thanks as always for the beta go to Captain Average, the freelance superhero, and also a big thank you to the LD Forum folks for encouragement. I may have tipped the scales on the ol' sarcasm-o-meter this time...
* * * * *
Dear Annie,
In theory, I suppose I should probably be fascinated to learn so much about the penal system of an alien race--except for the part where they were going to execute Captain Archer.
We should be used to encounters with alien laws that don't work in our favor. From Porthos peeing on a sacred tree, to Trip and the captain getting hijacked onto a prison ship, this entire mission has just been chock full of legal fun.
Well, this time we got in trouble for answering a distress call. No, wait, that's happened before too, hasn't it? Good grief, I think we're repeating ourselves. At least we could come up with new and interesting ways to nearly get ourselves killed, don't you think?
But we answered a distress call and found the most pathetic bunch of refugees you've ever seen--you'd have cried. They were stranded in a ship that was providing them oxygen for life support, and not much more, stuck too far away from their destination.
Apparently their colony was annexed by the Klingon Empire, which stayed just long enough to strip any available resources and then disappear. The colonists were in danger of starvation and other such exciting things, so they set out for the nearest habitable planet, but their ship couldn't handle the journey...at least half the colonists died on the way.
Naturally, we took them in--over Malcolm's security concerns, of course. While Trip and his crew were climbing all over their poor ship, trying to see if it could be fixed, the Klingons showed up. Lucky us.
The captain of the Klingon ship--a thoroughly unpleasant specimen named Duras--demanded we turn over the refugees, whom he called rebels, for trial and probable execution.
Naturally, there wasn't a chance in hell of our turning them over, so after some exchanges of testosterone, we got down to the shooting and running. It didn't look good, but the captain came up with a plan to run into the rings of a nearby planet and ignite the plasma to cloud their sensors.
It worked, and gave us enough time to drop the refugees off safely, but not enough time for anyone to get here to back us up when the Klingons showed up again. We're just lucky that it wasn't Duras or someone of his ilk that came for us, or I wouldn't be alive to tell you this story.
But since they obviously had the drop on us, we had to let them take Captain Archer; they said they were going to put him on trial for conspiring against the Klingon Empire. T'Pol nearly had to forcibly restrain Trip from beating the crap out of the Klingons that came to take him, and Malcolm looked like he was going to implode.
What with the damage to the ship and other such details, it took some time before we made it to Qo'nos where the captain was being tried, and when we got there, we were told he wasn't allowed any visitors. Cue another explosion from Trip and more near implosions from Malcolm.
It took another day before Phlox came up with the plan: We told the Klingons that Captain Archer suffered from a disease that required medical treatment. I think I held my breath most of the time until Phlox came back--apparently the Captain was doing pretty well, if a bit hungry because Klingon food is just that terrible.
Then we just had to wait. The Klingons refused to give us any details about how the trial was going, except that the captain was "honored by the appointment of Kolos as his advocate." And the Klingon who told us that didn't look any too pleased that the captain was given this honor.
That was pretty much the last information we received, up until the moment they announced the verdict: Guilty.
The magistrate, thanks to all the things Enterprise has done for the Empire--uncovering a plot to infiltrate them, saving a freighter--chose to commute the death sentence.
So, he sentenced him to hard labor in the Rura Penthe dilithium mines, and then, when Kolos objected, the advocate got sent there as well.
Captain Archer says we shouldn't blame Kolos for the guilty verdict, that he did the best he could in an impossible situation. He says his speech was pretty inspiring, in fact. (I'll take that with a grain of salt, though, since the captain is not exactly known for his ability to concoct inspiring speeches, for instance, there's his penchant for animal analogies...)
T'Pol and Trip argued over attempting a rescue, but the Sub-commander convinced us that, deep in the heart of the Empire, it wasn't exactly advisable for us to try and attack a prison transport. Well, there's also the fact that Captain Archer essentially ordered us not to endanger ourselves attempting his rescue. Naturally we'd ignore that if we had half a chance--even a quarter of a chance.
So, the captain labored in the dilithium mine while T'Pol found old contacts of hers throughout the Klingon bureaucracy. She was absolutely amazing! She refused to give up, just kept working through every Klingon she knew and every other Klingon *they* knew, until she found the right palms to cross with currency. Who would have thought a *logical* Vulcan could be so darned *sneaky*. Even Trip and Malcolm were impressed.
After a great many bribes, we were sent to the captain of a dilithium hauler and some guards who were willing to be bribed themselves. Malcolm was smuggled down to the mines to find Captain Archer. He said it was cold, barren, and generally miserable, something like New York City in the winter. Ah yes, Malcolm humor--seldom seen, but always worth a chuckle.
So, he went in and nearly had to drag the captain out of there, since there was a very short window in which the bribed guards were in control. The captain used much of that time trying to convince Kolos to come with him, but the advocate insisted that the only way he was going to change the Klingon system was from within.
I never met Kolos, but from what the captain says, he sounds like our kind of guy! I wish him all possible luck.
Mind you, I'm very glad we got the captain back in one piece, but I wonder what the consequences of this particular rescue are going to be. I mean, surely even the Klingons will notice that one of their prisoners has escaped! How are they going to react? Somehow I doubt this is going to do good things for Qo'nos-Earth relations.
But how could we have done anything else? Even T'Pol in her caution, and Malcolm in his paranoia, wouldn't have left these people to be tried and executed by the Klingons for the horrible crime of trying to survive. This was a no-win situation if I ever saw one.
One thing I've learned in over a year aboard Enterprise is that the crew of a ship takes its mood from the captain, so with some certainty I can say that the predominant mood right now is gloomy. We're all thinking about Kolos and the Klingons and all the other colonies out there being occupied. These are not thoughts guaranteed to make one feel better, let me tell you.
Great, I've written you another letter filled with doom and gloom. You must think that all we do out here is sit around and angst. To prove that incorrect, let me assure you that as soon as I finish, I'm on my way to movie night with Trip and Em. They've promised me a light-hearted comedy, and they'd better deliver!
I hope all is well on Earth, and that you and Amanda are happy. Thanks very much for sending the pictures. They made me homesick--but in a good way, if that makes any sense. With this letter, I'm sending some pictures that Trip has taken of the crew. I think you'll really like the food fight one. Remind me to tell you that story some day. Be well!
Love,
Hoshi
AUTHOR: Mara Greengrass
AUTHOR'S E-MAIL: fishfolk@ix.netcom.com. Feedback is better than chocolate.
PERMISSION TO ARCHIVE: Yes, just let me know.
CATEGORY: Gen
RATINGS/WARNINGS: G
SUMMARY: Hoshi writes home after the events of "Judgment."
DISCLAIMER: Enterprise and all its crew belong to Paramount and many other entities with expensive lawyers. I am making no profit from this story.
NOTES: Thanks as always for the beta go to Captain Average, the freelance superhero, and also a big thank you to the LD Forum folks for encouragement. I may have tipped the scales on the ol' sarcasm-o-meter this time...
* * * * *
Dear Annie,
In theory, I suppose I should probably be fascinated to learn so much about the penal system of an alien race--except for the part where they were going to execute Captain Archer.
We should be used to encounters with alien laws that don't work in our favor. From Porthos peeing on a sacred tree, to Trip and the captain getting hijacked onto a prison ship, this entire mission has just been chock full of legal fun.
Well, this time we got in trouble for answering a distress call. No, wait, that's happened before too, hasn't it? Good grief, I think we're repeating ourselves. At least we could come up with new and interesting ways to nearly get ourselves killed, don't you think?
But we answered a distress call and found the most pathetic bunch of refugees you've ever seen--you'd have cried. They were stranded in a ship that was providing them oxygen for life support, and not much more, stuck too far away from their destination.
Apparently their colony was annexed by the Klingon Empire, which stayed just long enough to strip any available resources and then disappear. The colonists were in danger of starvation and other such exciting things, so they set out for the nearest habitable planet, but their ship couldn't handle the journey...at least half the colonists died on the way.
Naturally, we took them in--over Malcolm's security concerns, of course. While Trip and his crew were climbing all over their poor ship, trying to see if it could be fixed, the Klingons showed up. Lucky us.
The captain of the Klingon ship--a thoroughly unpleasant specimen named Duras--demanded we turn over the refugees, whom he called rebels, for trial and probable execution.
Naturally, there wasn't a chance in hell of our turning them over, so after some exchanges of testosterone, we got down to the shooting and running. It didn't look good, but the captain came up with a plan to run into the rings of a nearby planet and ignite the plasma to cloud their sensors.
It worked, and gave us enough time to drop the refugees off safely, but not enough time for anyone to get here to back us up when the Klingons showed up again. We're just lucky that it wasn't Duras or someone of his ilk that came for us, or I wouldn't be alive to tell you this story.
But since they obviously had the drop on us, we had to let them take Captain Archer; they said they were going to put him on trial for conspiring against the Klingon Empire. T'Pol nearly had to forcibly restrain Trip from beating the crap out of the Klingons that came to take him, and Malcolm looked like he was going to implode.
What with the damage to the ship and other such details, it took some time before we made it to Qo'nos where the captain was being tried, and when we got there, we were told he wasn't allowed any visitors. Cue another explosion from Trip and more near implosions from Malcolm.
It took another day before Phlox came up with the plan: We told the Klingons that Captain Archer suffered from a disease that required medical treatment. I think I held my breath most of the time until Phlox came back--apparently the Captain was doing pretty well, if a bit hungry because Klingon food is just that terrible.
Then we just had to wait. The Klingons refused to give us any details about how the trial was going, except that the captain was "honored by the appointment of Kolos as his advocate." And the Klingon who told us that didn't look any too pleased that the captain was given this honor.
That was pretty much the last information we received, up until the moment they announced the verdict: Guilty.
The magistrate, thanks to all the things Enterprise has done for the Empire--uncovering a plot to infiltrate them, saving a freighter--chose to commute the death sentence.
So, he sentenced him to hard labor in the Rura Penthe dilithium mines, and then, when Kolos objected, the advocate got sent there as well.
Captain Archer says we shouldn't blame Kolos for the guilty verdict, that he did the best he could in an impossible situation. He says his speech was pretty inspiring, in fact. (I'll take that with a grain of salt, though, since the captain is not exactly known for his ability to concoct inspiring speeches, for instance, there's his penchant for animal analogies...)
T'Pol and Trip argued over attempting a rescue, but the Sub-commander convinced us that, deep in the heart of the Empire, it wasn't exactly advisable for us to try and attack a prison transport. Well, there's also the fact that Captain Archer essentially ordered us not to endanger ourselves attempting his rescue. Naturally we'd ignore that if we had half a chance--even a quarter of a chance.
So, the captain labored in the dilithium mine while T'Pol found old contacts of hers throughout the Klingon bureaucracy. She was absolutely amazing! She refused to give up, just kept working through every Klingon she knew and every other Klingon *they* knew, until she found the right palms to cross with currency. Who would have thought a *logical* Vulcan could be so darned *sneaky*. Even Trip and Malcolm were impressed.
After a great many bribes, we were sent to the captain of a dilithium hauler and some guards who were willing to be bribed themselves. Malcolm was smuggled down to the mines to find Captain Archer. He said it was cold, barren, and generally miserable, something like New York City in the winter. Ah yes, Malcolm humor--seldom seen, but always worth a chuckle.
So, he went in and nearly had to drag the captain out of there, since there was a very short window in which the bribed guards were in control. The captain used much of that time trying to convince Kolos to come with him, but the advocate insisted that the only way he was going to change the Klingon system was from within.
I never met Kolos, but from what the captain says, he sounds like our kind of guy! I wish him all possible luck.
Mind you, I'm very glad we got the captain back in one piece, but I wonder what the consequences of this particular rescue are going to be. I mean, surely even the Klingons will notice that one of their prisoners has escaped! How are they going to react? Somehow I doubt this is going to do good things for Qo'nos-Earth relations.
But how could we have done anything else? Even T'Pol in her caution, and Malcolm in his paranoia, wouldn't have left these people to be tried and executed by the Klingons for the horrible crime of trying to survive. This was a no-win situation if I ever saw one.
One thing I've learned in over a year aboard Enterprise is that the crew of a ship takes its mood from the captain, so with some certainty I can say that the predominant mood right now is gloomy. We're all thinking about Kolos and the Klingons and all the other colonies out there being occupied. These are not thoughts guaranteed to make one feel better, let me tell you.
Great, I've written you another letter filled with doom and gloom. You must think that all we do out here is sit around and angst. To prove that incorrect, let me assure you that as soon as I finish, I'm on my way to movie night with Trip and Em. They've promised me a light-hearted comedy, and they'd better deliver!
I hope all is well on Earth, and that you and Amanda are happy. Thanks very much for sending the pictures. They made me homesick--but in a good way, if that makes any sense. With this letter, I'm sending some pictures that Trip has taken of the crew. I think you'll really like the food fight one. Remind me to tell you that story some day. Be well!
Love,
Hoshi