Chapter Five
Power Play
Malcolm Reed lay on the diagnostic bed to which he'd been carried, gradually feeling the sensation return to his legs and the pain fade from other parts of his body to a dull ache, though the most sensitive one was still giving him considerable discomfort. He would like to have made it to the Sick Bay on his own, but it was several minutes before enough feeling had come back into his legs for him to get them to obey him, and no one had been willing to risk any damage to his neck until the Doctor could see him.
Archer, Tucker and Phlox were gathered about his biobed, Phlox concluding his evaluation. "You were very fortunate, Lieutenant. You suffered no real injuries."
Malcolm doubted that. "I never even saw her. I swear, one instant she was there, the next she was gone, and then I was flat on my back."
"That's just about how it was," Archer confirmed.
"I ran the security log from the armory," Tucker said. "She got you in both legs, one at a time, your … well … both sets of ribs one at a time, in the face and then a textbook sidekick. But I had to slow it down enough to see everything. Know how long it took?" Reed shook his head very cautiously. "Guess. From the time you touched her until she kicked you."
"Fastest I've seen, about three, four seconds?"
Trip shook his head. "Zero point eight."
"Lord, that's fast."
x
"Fast and accurate." Phlox pointed out. "She knew exactly where to hit you to incapacitate you."
"How can anyone move so fast?"
"It's no surprise," Phlox assured them.
"Well, it was to me."
"What do you mean 'no surprise'?" Archer demanded.
"Simply one of the physiological differences between her and yourselves. Her nerve junctions are considerably closer, microscopically, than humans are. The facilitation of the dendrites … well, suffice it to say that it allows for much more rapid response times. I'm not saying she could run a two minute kilometer, no; but her reflexes are considerably faster than those of a human. She was quite correct in saying she did not think. I think that if she had thought about it she couldn't have attained that speed. She was reacting, not acting."
"Then her attack…."
"Was reflex."
"It's common among people who have had extensive training in self defense." Reed pointed out, coming over to their side. "You train so much that the body acts, and you think about it later. A human, doing what she did, might get down to two seconds; she had that beat."
"She sure had you beat," Trip pointed out, something Reed had to grudgingly admit.
"Like I said, I don't ever want her mad at me. Wonder where she had her training." Archer looked at Trip, who shrugged.
"Never came up. We knew she had a hard life – I guess you can't survive long if you can't handle yourself."
"Where is she?" Malcolm wanted to know. If there is someone on this ship he wanted to stay on the good side of, it's her. "Not in the brig, I hope."
"No, of course not," Archer told him. "I sent her back to her quarters with Hoshi."
xxx
Tia sat on her bunk, unable to look up at Hoshi. For several minutes, it seemed, they'd remained in deep silence before she could force herself to whisper "Angry with me he is?"
To a human woman Hoshi might give a reassurance she couldn't be sure of, but she could not give such human 'white lies' to the Auran. "I really don't know. Men are … well … I really can't say how Malcolm feels."
"Touch me he should have nyasi."
"I got that impression." Hoshi sat down beside her. "But Tia, others have touched you; you haven't hit them in the … well …there." Tia looked up expectantly, but realized Hoshi wasn't going to finish whatever it was she was going to say.
"Hit him where your Biology manual showed it incapacitate him would. All were major human nerve clusters. Seven times struck him, why imply your words… whatever imply you do?"
Hoshi really did not want to get into this right now, there was something far more important to discuss. "Tia, I'm more concerned about if you are going to do something like this again."
"Nyas. Gilriiss … no; gilriisi I was. Will again be not. Promise I do."
"I'll hold you to that."
For a moment Tia's golden eyes reflected bewilderment, but she seemed to put it aside. "Forgive he me will?"
Hoshi shrugged. "I don't know. I think that when he thinks it over, he might even want you for a sparring partner."
Tia stared at her, this time in deeper bewilderment.
"Never mind. It's late, let's all get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." She didn't add a hope that the next day would be any brighter. Like Archer, she didn't believe in sugarcoating the truth.
xxx
On Earth, dawn had just barely brightened the skies over San Francisco when Admiral Forrest entered his outer office. He had a meeting in a little more than two hours with Admirals Leonard and Williams, to go over the matter of the Andorians' desire to set up a small research station in the northern polar region of Alpha Centauri 4. It wasn't going to be a large one, or so they assured Starfleet, but of course the Vulcans objected. And so the three wanted to get together to discuss how to handle the politically touchy subject and what recommendations they would give to the World President.
AC4 was uninhabited by indigenous intelligent life, and had been colonized long ago by Earth. It was an Earth colony so, under the understanding that many Spacefaring races lived under, the Andorians needed Earth's permission. It was not a matter that fell under Vulcan's purview, but Vulcan and Andor were old rivals, and there were some Vulcans who felt that there was nothing that happened in space that was outside their purview – especially the establishment of an 'enemy' facility so close to a planet of particular interest to Vulcan.
So when he opened his door and found, in addition to his Aide, three men he knew well from UESPA, he was not pleased. These were not the three he would have chosen to meet with if he'd been given a choice. "Gentlemen," he began, closing the outer door, "to what do I owe this crack-of-dawn visit?"
"Admiral, we have come with a matter of great concern."
"I'm sure you have." 'Any sane man would be in bed, though what does that say about me?'
"It concerns a matter that I am sure you're aware of."
"Yes?" 'Then again, I've never met a sane bureaucrat.'
"May we use your office?"
"Gentlemen, I was just on my way in." His tone made it plain he intended to enter alone. They shifted uncomfortably. Tim continued to perform his own duties, in no way making any effort to make them more comfortable.
"We have come," one of the other men began, "because of a concern regarding an alien representative aboard–"
"You are here because of Tia Anlor aboard the Starship Enterprise." Forrest finished curtly. 'One more bureaucrat that cannot come to the point, and I am going to start slapping people.'
"Yes. Frankly, we're concerned that the only representative of an alien culture is remaining aboard a vessel far out in the fringes of our known galaxy."
"Their present location is sector 23 Alpha." 'This guy wouldn't know the 'fringes' if he were marooned there.'
"Yes, well, recognizing that space is a dangerous place, we feel that her safety would be better assured here on Earth. It would also give the U.E.S.P.A. better opportunity to study her under prime conditions."
"Study." 'As in undress her and strap her to a lab table?' "Gentlemen, I assure you that the young woman is being studied quite adequately."
"I am sure that your people are doing their best. We are aware of Captain Archer's reports."
"And are you also aware that Miss Anlor has been consulted regarding this subject, and has made her desire to remain aboard the Enterprise quite clear?"
"Nevertheless, the U.E.S.P.A. is quite adamant. We wish this Auran brought to Earth. Immediately."
Forrest stared at the man for a long time, sizing him up. UESPA had plenty of power, both civilian and military. "Tim," he addressed his Adjunct, not breaking eye contact with the bureaucrat.
"Sir?"
"Contact Captain Archer aboard Enterprise. I shall take it in my office."
Satisfied, the bureaucrat nodded. "Good day, Admiral."