ILuvHawkeye: Okay, I tried to put more of us here, but that was difficult. I need to concentrate on our rescuers too! Next chapter... And I will continue the dashes.
I need an opinion from my readers- what exactly should I have happen to the Trio on the Klingon ship? Generally, enemies interrogate enemies in a painful fashion, but I am not sure I want to do that here. I need ideas, so please R&R! By the way, look for DATA here. (My reviewer, not the character in TNG).
"Earth and Starbase One, of course, are the most obvious sites. Also, there are other prominent planets, like Vulcan, there is the USS Enterprise, even if it is only Captain Spock and not Admiral Kirk anymore..." Codiar continued naming various places and pointing them out on the map of the Federation on the Hawkeye's conference room viewscreen. Vokar listened attentively, making notes on a padd he had brought with him. Elaina was nodding, though whether in sleep or agreement, no one could tell. It did not matter anyway- surely she had helped Codiar compile their list. "... and lastly, any other Nathan-class starships, not just us. What are the Romulan targets, Subcommander?" Vokar smiled, a wry smile with no humor in it.
"You see, Commander, I cannot tell you the Romulan targets." Vokar held up a hand to forestall the Codiar's impatient questions. "I have indeed compiled a list. But Commander, you must truly be a fool to expect to me to tell one of my enemies exactly where they should strike to inflict the most damage on the Romulan Star Empire. Fortunately for me, Federation people are more trusting than Romulans. So now, I will give this list to the Cha- Commander when I recover her. She will be very grateful to you. I have Romulans guarding the places on my list, and if the Klingon ship comes anywhere near, we will get the three officers back. You need not worry until we get them back and our truce ends."
"And then what?" the furious Codiar demanded. "Can we honestly expect you to give Commodore T'Son and Captain Qwi back to the United Federation of Planets? I think not. And what about that list you now hold in your hand?"
"Commander, you really have no choice now. Everything that happens after this will be because of your short-sighted ness. Qwi is very unlucky to have you as a first officer. I almost think that a Vulcan would be better, and you know what Romulans think of Vulcans. Good day. Our next meeting will be tomorrow, on the Royale." With that, Vokar walked out, the precious padd that could destroy the Federation in his pocket.
---
The Trekkie Trio was bored. They had not exactly gotten a good response when Toreth had asked a guard for a novel or something to write with. Worse, apparently the Klingon guards were bored too, for they had put on a horrible thing full of snarls and growls that apparently was a famous opera, the musical, Klingon production of The Merchant of Venice. Even had Qwi had admitted that she liked T'Son's singing better. Toreth had let her hair hang over her ears in a desperate attempt to block out the sound. Not that it worked.
"Let's play, 'What could make this worse?'" T'Son said in an attempt to make a joke and be somewhat optimistic. "At least no one has been hauled away and tortured for information yet."
"You think? This 'music' is torture," Toreth said. "I would almost prefer physical torture. I know something that would make this much worse- if T'Son just happened to have pon farr right about now." Both Federation members paled.
"That is sick," Qwi managed to choke out. "As usual, Toreth, you manage to tell the sickest jokes of anyone in the universe."
"Thankfully I went through that a few years- less than seven- ago," T'Son said. He pointedly ignored Toreth's interested expression. He was bright green with embarrassment.
"I think, 'Remember when...?'" would be... safer," Qwi said.
"Okay, remember when the Ultimate Authority on All Things Mathematical and the Best Mathematics Professor the Multiverses Have Ever Seen gave us each a piece of gum..." Toreth began.
"Maybe that one isn't safe either," T'Son said hastily. "Although I do like the new titles for Mr. Jackson..."
"I made those up centuries ago," Toreth said, waving a hand in a careless manner. "After all, what does one expect from his favorite student?"
"Since I was his favorite student, not you, I know that he expects a higher standard of mathematics that anything you could provide on any test."
"And skipping kindergarten and fifth grade math is not enough? I seem to remember that you were older than me, but a grade lower-"
"You guys, Mr. Jackson is dead by now, you really do not need to restart the argument over who his favorite student was," Qwi said. Neither of them could hear her. Their shouts mixed with The Merchant of Venice combined for a deafening atmosphere. Even the Klingons looked slightly annoyed.
---
The cloaked Romulan ship and the two visible Federation ships raced between the stars of Federation territory, hot on the fast fading warp signature of a Klingon ship. It was still uncertain as to where it was headed, but it appeared more and more likely that it was indeed a destination in Federation territory. Of course, it had to be. And Commander Codiar Ruen was not one bit happy about helping a Romulan with devious schemes in mind through UFP territory. Yet, he knew that it was only due to the advanced tracking skills of the warbird and the Royale that they could even follow this bit of signature. However, if they were much slower, the trail would fade and the advanced sensors would be useless.
Elaina, who was supposed to be commanding T'Son's warbird, was, according to a random ensign, on the warbird for another meeting with Vokar. He did not believe that for one second. He had a big problem with medical officers being placed in any positions of power. Of course, he had a personal reason. Qwi had been a medical officer before her command of the Hawkeye. The position that should have been his, captain, instead went to her. He suspected that it was because of that weird knowledge she seemed to have, not any real leadership capabilities.
Codiar felt he had always been passed over. He was an Unjoined Trill, because he apparently was not compatible with any of the symbionts. He apparently had "attitude problems" that prevented him from being a good host. That was apparently also the reason he had been passed over for captaincy. Codiar merely was opinionated, selfish, and biased, nothing more. Wait a minute...
Codiar knew one thing though, neither the Romulans nor the Trio could be trusted. He did not know what exactly was wrong with them, but they were just... odd. The Romulan woman was, well, Romulan, but it was more than that. She had a certain dignity about her that came from being more than a simple commander of a warbird. His own captain was promoted from a simple medical officer to a captain, bypassing the better qualified him. And the Vulcan commodore was more emotional than a human. Something in this equation did not add up, and x was a negative decimal instead of a positive integer.
Codiar knew he had to find the connection between the three who were captured. He had to do this not only because it would save the Federation from being at the hands of those three, but also it would up him in the eyes of those in command. Codiar would find this out, drive the Romulans back to their tiny corner of the galaxy, make the Federation the greatest it had ever been, and at its head would be Codiar Ruen... Codiar ran to a console, sat down, and started punching numbers in.
---
The ending of The Merchant of Venice brought T'Son and Toreth out of their argument, mainly because it cut off just as Toreth was shouting, "ANGEL HAIR PASTA IS ABSOLUTELY USELESS!" Somehow, she and T'Son had progressed from arguing about their math teacher from centuries ago to which pasta was the best kind. Apparently Toreth hated angel hair pasta with a vengeance, because she shouted loud enough for the Borg in the Delta Quadrant to stop what they were doing and look her direction.
"You're insane," Qwi muttered, removing her hands from her ears.
"I thought we had already established that," Toreth muttered, her voice hoarse. Even her ears were ringing. "Excuse me, Klingon brute, may I please have something to drink?" she asked of one of the guards. He said something in Klingon.
"That means you it was your own fault you were yelling," T'Son said. After all, he was a quarter Klingon. His voice was hoarse too.
"Now, now, do not be rude to our honored guests," a calm voice admonished. Korok stepped into view on the other side of the force field. "Why, I was about to invite them to dinner. Certainly you three want to get out of that cell and have a decent meal. No tricks; I am merely using the honey-and-a-stick method- according to humans it goes so much farther."
"It's a trick," Qwi said.
"What did you put in the food?" Toreth asked.
"Now, now, do I have to drag you three to dinner or are you going to graciously accept my kind invitation?" Seemingly as a gesture of goodwill, he lowered the force fields, though the guards had their disruptors out.
"Long world-view," Toreth muttered softly. No one heard her. Throwing her hair over her shoulder and raising her head, she stepped out of the brig with the dignity of the chairman she was. "Do not let your thugs-for-hire touch me," she commanded imperiously. "I will come." Glancing at each other, T'Son and Qwi followed, wondering what sort of new devilishness this was.
---
Vokar retrieved another mug of Rooibos from the replicator. He swore he was addicted to the stuff. Only everything was all wrong. He was in his own quarters, not Toreth's and the woman across from him was a Betazoid, not Romulan. She had beamed over a little bit ago to talk further of some plans, stating flatly that she did not trust Codiar. Apparently her Betazoid senses had picked something up. He sincerely hoped she was not reading his mind and was extremely thankful to Toreth for showing him some mental disciplines, despite the fact that they were Vulcan.
"You are not concentrating at all on what I have to say, are you?" Elaina asked, but not in disapproval. She seemed understanding. Silently, Vokar shook his head. Elaina smiled sadly. "I know you are worried about her, Subcommander Vokar. I myself am terrified for T'Son. Yes, I know this. Your mental blocks are decent, but your thoughts are still practically screaming worry for her. The crews of all three ships are worried, but we can save them. We have to able to." She blinked back tears a moment herself.
"It is nothing personal..." Vokar said softly.
"Of course it is," Elaina said. "I am not only a Betazoid, but a ship's counselor. I know these things. And we have solid plans established. We will get them back, for the most part unharmed, I hope. I have to believe that, and so do you. If we lose hope, that is the worst thing that can happen, for us or them."