Chapter Four:
"What do you mean you cannot do anything about what has happened?" the sub-commander challenged the alien council.
Fren shook his bowed head before looking back up at the group before him.
"There's nothing I can do but inform them to release your people," Councilmember Fren explained. "We have no authority over the kidnappers."
Fren was the black-haired, blue-eyed man that Archer spoke to the day he was kidnapped.
Hoshi decided she needed to speak up. "Are they from your world?"
Sali, a blonde council member replied, "No, they're from another world. They're constantly trying to get us to share our resources."
"Who are they?" T'Pol asked; her interest sparked.
"They call themselves the Jalashk," Fren said.
T'Pol's chin rose as she recognized the name.
"Are you sure?" Hoshi questioned, only half believing they were the same people who attacked them ten months ago.
"Positive," Sali said.
"Then we will hail them once again with a warning," Reed broke in.
"That is a logical course of action, Mr. Reed," T'Pol replied. "When we return to the ship, ready the phase cannon. We will fire a warning shot."
Fren waved his hands around frantically, "You cannot do that! This is free space!"
"Fren, these people's captain and crewmen have been kidnapped," Sali said. "They have the right to, since they are not from this space."
"Ten months ago many of their vessels attacked us and tried to kill the captain," Reed spat out. "We have every right to attack them and get our crew back!"
Hoshi nodded in agreement and the group stalked away from the Council of Lalinal.
Fren turned to the rest of the council as the group sat quietly, watching everything play out.
"We should tell the main Helshk," Kor, the leader of the council, replied.
"I am afraid you may be correct. But I want to see how this plays out. These people are our guests," Frem answered.
"The main Helshk must know, they have superior power," Sali said.
***
The senior staff gathered to come up with a rescue plan if their scare tactic didn't work with the Jalashk.
"Now jus' wait a cotton-pickin' minute, these guys are those Jalashk?" Trip grumbled.
"That is correct, and they are most likely torturing the away team to find out the location of Earth," T'Pol inclined her head slightly as she calmly spoke.
Trip groaned.
"Damn it, I have had it with them," Trip ground out. "We need to show 'em how painful it can be to mess with humans."
"I will be sending Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Sato," the sub-commander replied.
"Malcolm and Hoshi?" Trip asked, upset that he would not be going.
"Lieutenant Reed has the skill and Ensign Sato has the agility and communication skills. Therefore they are the best candidates."
Trip sighed, growled, and dug into his cold cereal. He really didn't want Hoshi to go, but he understood why she should.
Reed nodded and brought up the plans of the ship where the kidnapped Enterprise crew was being held. The ship had some shielding but not enough to protect it from scans. The plans showed the small corners that Trip would not be able to get through. Malcolm, who was not as bulky as Trip, and the much smaller Hoshi would be able to easily slip through unnoticed.
***
"Firing a warning shot across their bow," Reed announced.
The alien ship shook under the pressure.
"Direct hit!" Reed said with satisfaction. "Shall I fire again?"
T'Pol shifted her weight in the captain's chair and stared at the Jalashk ship.
"Wait for a hail."
Reed nodded, wanting to fire again to make sure their message got across.
Hoshi shook her head. There was no response.
"The mission is a go in one hour," T'Pol said, nodding toward Reed and Sato. "Get ready and arm yourselves with phase pistols. Doctor Phlox will help you with your prosthetics and then you will be beamed aboard the alien vessel."
Reed and Sato briskly headed toward the lift to get read to rescue the away team.
"What do you mean you cannot do anything about what has happened?" the sub-commander challenged the alien council.
Fren shook his bowed head before looking back up at the group before him.
"There's nothing I can do but inform them to release your people," Councilmember Fren explained. "We have no authority over the kidnappers."
Fren was the black-haired, blue-eyed man that Archer spoke to the day he was kidnapped.
Hoshi decided she needed to speak up. "Are they from your world?"
Sali, a blonde council member replied, "No, they're from another world. They're constantly trying to get us to share our resources."
"Who are they?" T'Pol asked; her interest sparked.
"They call themselves the Jalashk," Fren said.
T'Pol's chin rose as she recognized the name.
"Are you sure?" Hoshi questioned, only half believing they were the same people who attacked them ten months ago.
"Positive," Sali said.
"Then we will hail them once again with a warning," Reed broke in.
"That is a logical course of action, Mr. Reed," T'Pol replied. "When we return to the ship, ready the phase cannon. We will fire a warning shot."
Fren waved his hands around frantically, "You cannot do that! This is free space!"
"Fren, these people's captain and crewmen have been kidnapped," Sali said. "They have the right to, since they are not from this space."
"Ten months ago many of their vessels attacked us and tried to kill the captain," Reed spat out. "We have every right to attack them and get our crew back!"
Hoshi nodded in agreement and the group stalked away from the Council of Lalinal.
Fren turned to the rest of the council as the group sat quietly, watching everything play out.
"We should tell the main Helshk," Kor, the leader of the council, replied.
"I am afraid you may be correct. But I want to see how this plays out. These people are our guests," Frem answered.
"The main Helshk must know, they have superior power," Sali said.
***
The senior staff gathered to come up with a rescue plan if their scare tactic didn't work with the Jalashk.
"Now jus' wait a cotton-pickin' minute, these guys are those Jalashk?" Trip grumbled.
"That is correct, and they are most likely torturing the away team to find out the location of Earth," T'Pol inclined her head slightly as she calmly spoke.
Trip groaned.
"Damn it, I have had it with them," Trip ground out. "We need to show 'em how painful it can be to mess with humans."
"I will be sending Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Sato," the sub-commander replied.
"Malcolm and Hoshi?" Trip asked, upset that he would not be going.
"Lieutenant Reed has the skill and Ensign Sato has the agility and communication skills. Therefore they are the best candidates."
Trip sighed, growled, and dug into his cold cereal. He really didn't want Hoshi to go, but he understood why she should.
Reed nodded and brought up the plans of the ship where the kidnapped Enterprise crew was being held. The ship had some shielding but not enough to protect it from scans. The plans showed the small corners that Trip would not be able to get through. Malcolm, who was not as bulky as Trip, and the much smaller Hoshi would be able to easily slip through unnoticed.
***
"Firing a warning shot across their bow," Reed announced.
The alien ship shook under the pressure.
"Direct hit!" Reed said with satisfaction. "Shall I fire again?"
T'Pol shifted her weight in the captain's chair and stared at the Jalashk ship.
"Wait for a hail."
Reed nodded, wanting to fire again to make sure their message got across.
Hoshi shook her head. There was no response.
"The mission is a go in one hour," T'Pol said, nodding toward Reed and Sato. "Get ready and arm yourselves with phase pistols. Doctor Phlox will help you with your prosthetics and then you will be beamed aboard the alien vessel."
Reed and Sato briskly headed toward the lift to get read to rescue the away team.
