Title: "Gateway" 35/45
Author: Quills
Contact:the_quill_pen@yahoo.com
Series: ENT
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star trek and I derive no financial gain from this story.
Codes: A, T/Tu, Ma, S, R, P angst, drama, romance, humor, action/adventure
Summary: Captain Archer is relieved of command for a secret mission into the 24th Century. To find and stop the Suliban renegade Silik. While he is gone, a Vulcan Starfleet Captain from the future is given temporary command of the Enterprise NX-01 with his own orders to investigate the 'Temporal Cold War'.
Chapter 35
Tolaris and his escort stepped out of the turbo lift and entered the bridge.
The young security officer motioned Tolaris towards the stairway
to the lower command area of the bridge.
Tolaris had been on this ship once before. It was over a year ago;
when he was still traveling with some fellow Vulcans seeking to
escape the prejudicial "persecution" from those Vulcan's who
viewed the embracing of emotion with utter contempt and disdain.
He was largely unimpressed by the humans. Something he and his
emotion shedding brethren seemed to share. He really had no great
interest visiting the Earth ship again or assisting the Soma in
his investigation. They had nothing he wanted. No, that wasn't quite true.
They did have something or rather someone. A beautiful Vulcan female
he had met and 'explored' with on his first visit. He remembered the
emotions he felt when he touched her mind. Emotions he wanted to help
her embrace. Emotions she would have shared with him had it not been
for the interfering human...Archer. There was a human he despised.
Not only for his interference but for how he twisted T'Pol into believing
he had somehow violated her. Archer would pay for that some day, but not
today. No, today there was another man in command of the Earth ship.
A Vulcan who seemed more like himself...one who embraced his emotions
and did not try to hide them through regimented disciplines and archaic rituals. Tolaris
would speak to this Captain Soma. Perhaps the Captain would even
arrange for him to speak to T'Pol privately.
Tolaris scanned the bridge for Captain Soma. It only took him a moment
to find the Vulcan. He was on the far side of the bridge talking to one of
the humans.
Jonathan Soma turned and saw Tolaris walking towards him. Soma noticed he
was looking around the bridge as if searching for something...or someone.
Soma knew who that someone was. Tolaris was in for a disappointment.
Soma walked over to Tolaris and greeted him. "Welcome aboard."
"Captain, its agreeable to see you again."
"Thank You" said Soma "I trust you had no trouble finding your way?"
"Not at all." said Tolaris with a smile "As you'll recall, I have been
aboard the Enterprise before."
From behind Soma, Tolaris could here a low guttural noise and it prompted
him to look up at the human officer seated at the bridge engineering station.
He was greeted by the piercing stare of the ship's Chief Engineer,
Commander Charles Tucker. He had met this man before.
"Hello Commander" said Tolaris with a sense of false pleasantry behind
his words "It's been a while."
"Not long enough." muttered Tucker
"I beg your pardon." said Tolaris arching his brow.
Tucker leaned over his console and glared at the Vulcan. "MY pardon ain't the one you should
be beggin for you son of a..."
"Chief!" interrupted Soma as he turned towards the engineer.
Tucker looked at his Captain in surprise. "Cap'n" Tucker protested defensively "Ya don't know what this...thing did
to..."
Soma gave the engineer a piercing stare "As you were Mister."
'But Cap'n.." he began in protest
"Not another word." said Soma pointing his finger at the engineer. "You will treat our guest with the proper
respect. Do I make myself clear."
Trip Tucker bristled as he acknowledged the order "Yes...sir"
Malcolm Reed looked at his friend. He sympathized with Trip. He had heard the
rumors about what had happened shortly before the Vulans had left only to
have them recently affirmed as being true by Hoshi Sato. He had heard
how Tolaris had performed a kind of mental 'rape' on T'Pol. It took Captain
Archer and the business end of a phase pistol to send Tolaris packing. So, he
sympathized with Trip. He knew the engineer considered T'Pol a friend...and
sometimes he wondered if he considered her even more. That thought made
him uncharacteristically uncomfortable and he wasn't sure why. In any case,
no matter what he thought he knew where his duty lay. Captain Soma
had given him explicit instructions and he was going to follow them to
the letter.
"I trust your visit means you have information."
"Indeed Captain" said Tolaris taking out a small computer disc. He held the disc
in front of the Captain but did not hand it to him "This is information from
Selesh's personal database. It contains decrypted communiqués from ALL of
his clients."
"Am I to understand he just gave you this information?"
"Let us just say he was not available to protest."
Soma looked at Tolaris as he considered that statement. Had he killed
Selesh? It would not be outside the realm of possibilities. It was certainly
not beneath Tolaris.
"I would like to have my communications officer verify the discs
veracity." said soma extending his hand
Tolaris considered the request for a moment. There was something he desperately
wanted. "I will give you the disc Captain...on one condition."
*Here it is* Soma thought "What might that be?"
"I would like to speak to Sub Commander T'Pol...privately."
Hoshi and Reed glanced at one another with uncertainty. Trip Tucker on the other hand
was quite certain what he was going to do. He began to rise from his chair but was stopped
by Soma's voice.
"Get out of that chair Mister and I'll have Mr. Reed escort you from the bridge." said Soma
as he held his gaze on Tolaris.
Tucker looked at Tolaris and then at Soma. He didn't know who he was more angry with right now
*Damn Vulcans* he thought, but he was quite certain Captain Soma meant exactly what he said.
"Sub Commander T'Pol is currently in another section of the ship performing her duties. However...
I'm sure once we verify the veracity of the disc's contents we can...arrange something appropriate.
Tolaris gave a wicked grin as he handed the disc to Soma. Soma immediately walked away from the Vulcan.
The mere site of the man reviled him. When he got to the comm station, he handed the disc to Hoshi Sato."
"Ensign"
Hoshi inserted the disc into the computer slot and ran a security program analysis on it. Measuring the
encryption density she judged that the information was indeed genuine and had not been fabricated.
Hoshi turned towards Soma and simply nodded.
Soma turned around walked back to Tolaris.
"Satisfied?"
"My Communication's officer has verified the disc is genuine and that the data encrypted
on it has not been fabricated."
"Well Captain." said Tolaris as he walked past him "If there is nothing else, I'd like to
see T'Pol. We have some...old times to catch up on."
Soma looked at the Vulcan for a moment as Tolaris' words resonated in his mind.
"There is one other small matter we need to deal with." said the Captain finally
"Some unfinished business."
"And what might that be Captain?" asked Tolaris
"This" said Soma who promptly slugged the Vulcan with a right cross that
sent him careening backwards, over the railing and onto the deck.
Everyone on the bridge immediately stood up, including Trip Tucker who
was explicitly ordered not to. He didn't give a damn, his Captain had just slugged
the son of a bitch he had been wanting to since the moment Tolaris had stepped
on the bridge.
The blow had caused Tolaris to flip over the railing landing squarely on his
face. Green blood began to trickle from his nose and lip. Still stunned, he
managed to steady himself and rose to all fours as Captain Soma approached
him. Looking up at Soma, he could see the Vulcan captain through bleary eyes.
Soma looked down at Tolaris with white hot rage. "Get the hell off my ship!"
Soma held his gaze on the bloodied face of Tolaris "Mr. Reed!"
Reed snapped to attention "Sir?"
"Our 'guest' is departing. See that he finds his way."
"Aye sir." replied the armory officer as he rounded his station and came
up behind Soma.
Almost immediately Tolaris began to rise to his feet. As soon as he was
standing he started to move towards Soma. Lt. Reed stepped in front of
the Captain raising the phase pistol he had been concealing out of view.
Reed pointed the phase pistol at Tolaris' midsection. "I wouldn't."
The Vulcan stopped abruptly looking down at the phase pistol and then up
at Soma.
"You hide behind the humans for protection?" spat Tolaris "Coward!"
"You've got it all wrong." replied Soma coolly "Mr. Reed is here for
your benefit."
The Captain turned towards Reed. "Lieutenant, get him out of my site before
I finish the job."
"Gladly sir.'" replied the armory officer as he waved his phase pistol
towards the turbo lift "I'd move if I were you. "
Tolaris glared at Soma for one last moment. Soma returned the stare in kind
until Reed Tolaris in the direction of the turbo lift. "Let's go."
Soma watched as Tolaris was led across the bridge and finally into the turbo lift.
Once the doors closed, he let out an audible sigh. It had taken much to keep
from strangling Tolaris. Soma would have done it and not lost any sleep
over the matter. It wasn't even the fact that it went against his code as a Starfleet
officer. It came down to one thing alone...she wouldn't have approved.
"Chief, take the conn. I'll be in my quarters." said Soma as he crossed the bridge "Hoshi,
work on that disc. I want it analyzed inside and out."
"Yes, sir" replied the Ensign
Trip Tucker came around the engineering station as he called out to Captain Soma "Captain"
Soma stopped hesitantly and turned towards his Chief Engineer "Yes Chief?"
"Beggin yer pardin sir, but what the hell was that all about?"
Soma looked down at the deck plating for a moment
and then at Tucker "Family business" he said smiling weakly
"You have the bridge Chief"
TBC...
Author: Quills
Contact:the_quill_pen@yahoo.com
Series: ENT
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star trek and I derive no financial gain from this story.
Codes: A, T/Tu, Ma, S, R, P angst, drama, romance, humor, action/adventure
Summary: Captain Archer is relieved of command for a secret mission into the 24th Century. To find and stop the Suliban renegade Silik. While he is gone, a Vulcan Starfleet Captain from the future is given temporary command of the Enterprise NX-01 with his own orders to investigate the 'Temporal Cold War'.
Chapter 35
Tolaris and his escort stepped out of the turbo lift and entered the bridge.
The young security officer motioned Tolaris towards the stairway
to the lower command area of the bridge.
Tolaris had been on this ship once before. It was over a year ago;
when he was still traveling with some fellow Vulcans seeking to
escape the prejudicial "persecution" from those Vulcan's who
viewed the embracing of emotion with utter contempt and disdain.
He was largely unimpressed by the humans. Something he and his
emotion shedding brethren seemed to share. He really had no great
interest visiting the Earth ship again or assisting the Soma in
his investigation. They had nothing he wanted. No, that wasn't quite true.
They did have something or rather someone. A beautiful Vulcan female
he had met and 'explored' with on his first visit. He remembered the
emotions he felt when he touched her mind. Emotions he wanted to help
her embrace. Emotions she would have shared with him had it not been
for the interfering human...Archer. There was a human he despised.
Not only for his interference but for how he twisted T'Pol into believing
he had somehow violated her. Archer would pay for that some day, but not
today. No, today there was another man in command of the Earth ship.
A Vulcan who seemed more like himself...one who embraced his emotions
and did not try to hide them through regimented disciplines and archaic rituals. Tolaris
would speak to this Captain Soma. Perhaps the Captain would even
arrange for him to speak to T'Pol privately.
Tolaris scanned the bridge for Captain Soma. It only took him a moment
to find the Vulcan. He was on the far side of the bridge talking to one of
the humans.
Jonathan Soma turned and saw Tolaris walking towards him. Soma noticed he
was looking around the bridge as if searching for something...or someone.
Soma knew who that someone was. Tolaris was in for a disappointment.
Soma walked over to Tolaris and greeted him. "Welcome aboard."
"Captain, its agreeable to see you again."
"Thank You" said Soma "I trust you had no trouble finding your way?"
"Not at all." said Tolaris with a smile "As you'll recall, I have been
aboard the Enterprise before."
From behind Soma, Tolaris could here a low guttural noise and it prompted
him to look up at the human officer seated at the bridge engineering station.
He was greeted by the piercing stare of the ship's Chief Engineer,
Commander Charles Tucker. He had met this man before.
"Hello Commander" said Tolaris with a sense of false pleasantry behind
his words "It's been a while."
"Not long enough." muttered Tucker
"I beg your pardon." said Tolaris arching his brow.
Tucker leaned over his console and glared at the Vulcan. "MY pardon ain't the one you should
be beggin for you son of a..."
"Chief!" interrupted Soma as he turned towards the engineer.
Tucker looked at his Captain in surprise. "Cap'n" Tucker protested defensively "Ya don't know what this...thing did
to..."
Soma gave the engineer a piercing stare "As you were Mister."
'But Cap'n.." he began in protest
"Not another word." said Soma pointing his finger at the engineer. "You will treat our guest with the proper
respect. Do I make myself clear."
Trip Tucker bristled as he acknowledged the order "Yes...sir"
Malcolm Reed looked at his friend. He sympathized with Trip. He had heard the
rumors about what had happened shortly before the Vulans had left only to
have them recently affirmed as being true by Hoshi Sato. He had heard
how Tolaris had performed a kind of mental 'rape' on T'Pol. It took Captain
Archer and the business end of a phase pistol to send Tolaris packing. So, he
sympathized with Trip. He knew the engineer considered T'Pol a friend...and
sometimes he wondered if he considered her even more. That thought made
him uncharacteristically uncomfortable and he wasn't sure why. In any case,
no matter what he thought he knew where his duty lay. Captain Soma
had given him explicit instructions and he was going to follow them to
the letter.
"I trust your visit means you have information."
"Indeed Captain" said Tolaris taking out a small computer disc. He held the disc
in front of the Captain but did not hand it to him "This is information from
Selesh's personal database. It contains decrypted communiqués from ALL of
his clients."
"Am I to understand he just gave you this information?"
"Let us just say he was not available to protest."
Soma looked at Tolaris as he considered that statement. Had he killed
Selesh? It would not be outside the realm of possibilities. It was certainly
not beneath Tolaris.
"I would like to have my communications officer verify the discs
veracity." said soma extending his hand
Tolaris considered the request for a moment. There was something he desperately
wanted. "I will give you the disc Captain...on one condition."
*Here it is* Soma thought "What might that be?"
"I would like to speak to Sub Commander T'Pol...privately."
Hoshi and Reed glanced at one another with uncertainty. Trip Tucker on the other hand
was quite certain what he was going to do. He began to rise from his chair but was stopped
by Soma's voice.
"Get out of that chair Mister and I'll have Mr. Reed escort you from the bridge." said Soma
as he held his gaze on Tolaris.
Tucker looked at Tolaris and then at Soma. He didn't know who he was more angry with right now
*Damn Vulcans* he thought, but he was quite certain Captain Soma meant exactly what he said.
"Sub Commander T'Pol is currently in another section of the ship performing her duties. However...
I'm sure once we verify the veracity of the disc's contents we can...arrange something appropriate.
Tolaris gave a wicked grin as he handed the disc to Soma. Soma immediately walked away from the Vulcan.
The mere site of the man reviled him. When he got to the comm station, he handed the disc to Hoshi Sato."
"Ensign"
Hoshi inserted the disc into the computer slot and ran a security program analysis on it. Measuring the
encryption density she judged that the information was indeed genuine and had not been fabricated.
Hoshi turned towards Soma and simply nodded.
Soma turned around walked back to Tolaris.
"Satisfied?"
"My Communication's officer has verified the disc is genuine and that the data encrypted
on it has not been fabricated."
"Well Captain." said Tolaris as he walked past him "If there is nothing else, I'd like to
see T'Pol. We have some...old times to catch up on."
Soma looked at the Vulcan for a moment as Tolaris' words resonated in his mind.
"There is one other small matter we need to deal with." said the Captain finally
"Some unfinished business."
"And what might that be Captain?" asked Tolaris
"This" said Soma who promptly slugged the Vulcan with a right cross that
sent him careening backwards, over the railing and onto the deck.
Everyone on the bridge immediately stood up, including Trip Tucker who
was explicitly ordered not to. He didn't give a damn, his Captain had just slugged
the son of a bitch he had been wanting to since the moment Tolaris had stepped
on the bridge.
The blow had caused Tolaris to flip over the railing landing squarely on his
face. Green blood began to trickle from his nose and lip. Still stunned, he
managed to steady himself and rose to all fours as Captain Soma approached
him. Looking up at Soma, he could see the Vulcan captain through bleary eyes.
Soma looked down at Tolaris with white hot rage. "Get the hell off my ship!"
Soma held his gaze on the bloodied face of Tolaris "Mr. Reed!"
Reed snapped to attention "Sir?"
"Our 'guest' is departing. See that he finds his way."
"Aye sir." replied the armory officer as he rounded his station and came
up behind Soma.
Almost immediately Tolaris began to rise to his feet. As soon as he was
standing he started to move towards Soma. Lt. Reed stepped in front of
the Captain raising the phase pistol he had been concealing out of view.
Reed pointed the phase pistol at Tolaris' midsection. "I wouldn't."
The Vulcan stopped abruptly looking down at the phase pistol and then up
at Soma.
"You hide behind the humans for protection?" spat Tolaris "Coward!"
"You've got it all wrong." replied Soma coolly "Mr. Reed is here for
your benefit."
The Captain turned towards Reed. "Lieutenant, get him out of my site before
I finish the job."
"Gladly sir.'" replied the armory officer as he waved his phase pistol
towards the turbo lift "I'd move if I were you. "
Tolaris glared at Soma for one last moment. Soma returned the stare in kind
until Reed Tolaris in the direction of the turbo lift. "Let's go."
Soma watched as Tolaris was led across the bridge and finally into the turbo lift.
Once the doors closed, he let out an audible sigh. It had taken much to keep
from strangling Tolaris. Soma would have done it and not lost any sleep
over the matter. It wasn't even the fact that it went against his code as a Starfleet
officer. It came down to one thing alone...she wouldn't have approved.
"Chief, take the conn. I'll be in my quarters." said Soma as he crossed the bridge "Hoshi,
work on that disc. I want it analyzed inside and out."
"Yes, sir" replied the Ensign
Trip Tucker came around the engineering station as he called out to Captain Soma "Captain"
Soma stopped hesitantly and turned towards his Chief Engineer "Yes Chief?"
"Beggin yer pardin sir, but what the hell was that all about?"
Soma looked down at the deck plating for a moment
and then at Tucker "Family business" he said smiling weakly
"You have the bridge Chief"
TBC...