PART 55
Author: Witezon@aol.com
Pairing: A/T
Rating: PG-13
Everything belongs to Paramount/UPN
Shran smirked, "That's good as you're stuck now for eternity. I understand Vulcans go for lifetime mates, whereas we Andorians understand that sometimes these things just don't work out. Humans believe that too, don't they, Captain?"
This time Jonathon arched an eyebrow, "Humans actually accept both of those, Shran."
Shran nodded with an amused stare, then said, "Ah, Vulcan in-laws. How...inconvenient that can be. All those quiet, unyielding, unforgiving, uncaring stares."
Frowning, though he wasn't angry, "Yep, they're all that and more."
Thinking about how Archer said that, Shran changed the conversation, "So, did your Vulcan get more uncaring and unforgiving when your little surprise showed up?"
Jonathon didn't answer, but then Shran didn't expect him to. Relaxing back into his chair, he continued to needle Archer, "I tried to get it to you as soon as possible with as little damage as possible."
Again with a smirk, "Archer, I don't know what you ever saw in the mother. I suppose she's pretty for a pink skin, but she's extremely noisy and irritating. At least Vulcans are quietly irritating."
He paused a moment, then continued, "Had to sedate her, even as sick as she was. She upset her little cub, she did." Shaking his head, "Very noisy, made the little cub shed a lot of water down its face."
Archer didn't say anything, so Shran continued, "So, how did you happen upon the Mezzians? Your ship seems to be the Vergent, the ship we gave the noisy one to. Is she still there?"
After a moment, Archer nodded, "Yes, this is the ship and yes, she's still here. Though the Mezzians have already cured her."
Perceptively, "So, does this mean that she wants her cub back?"
With a stoic expression, "Yes, she does."
With raised eyebrows of his own, Shran asked, "Are you going to do it?" Studying Archer, he dropped a bombshell, "Of course, that other woman isn't here."
"What other woman?"
With a look that said I know something you don't, "An old she-wolf. Stringy white hair and wrinkly pink skin. She seemed especially fond of the young cub, very protective of him."
Frowning, "Who was she?"
Shrugging, "The noisy one called her old woman and something that sounded like ant. The word made no sense to our translators." He paused a moment, then said, "The young cub seemed to like her."
"What do you mean?" Archer was beginning to feel like he had been hit by a train, as more pieces of the puzzle made themselves visible.
ENTERPRISE
It was very quiet on the bridge, and her family still surrounded her in the Captain's chair. T'Pol glanced over to Bagera.
"Ensign?"
Shaking his head, "No, Ma'am. There's nothing showing up on sensors."
T'Pol turned to Mantusco, he replied to her unasked question, "Yes, Ma'am, we're maintaining YELLOW alert with weapons at standby. Ensign Sato is maintaining contact with the Gegan and passing status reports between the ships."
She nodded, "Good. We will be in Sick Bay. You have the bridge."
T'Pol gestured everyone into the turbolift and lead a silent procession into Sick Bay.
As she walked in, "MAM!" A small body threw itself at her and wrapped its arms around her leg. "Mam! Where have you been?"
She leaned down and picked him, "Jon, I have been on the other ship. Remember, your father showed you the ship out of the porthole?"
He put his arms around her neck and kissed her cheek and lifted up his cheek for a kiss. "Oh yeah, I just forgot."
She hugged him and kissed his cheek. They stood like that for awhile. T'Pol turned to look around the room, "Jon, what are you doing here? Where is Miss Anne?"
The doors swept open and in ran Crewman Wayne. She exhaled loudly in relief, "I'm so glad he's here. I went to the bridge after he left your quarters. I'm so sorry he got away from me, Sub-Commander."
"The bridge?"
She nodded, "Yes, he heard when the Bridge paged you. He wanted to go see you then, but I told him to wait until you were finished and you would come and see him. I'm really so very sorry."
T'Pol nodded, "I know he is very quick when he wants to go somewhere." She looked down at Jon, "I will keep him with me for now. Thank you, Anne."
Anne smiled, it wasn't very often T'Pol called you by your first name. "No problem, Ma'am. Just call me when you need me." She looked around at everyone, "Good Afternoon."
They all nodded and returned the good-bye, then looked back at T'Pol. Jon looked up at her, "Mam, I'm hungry."
She had noticed that it was after his lunch time, "Alright, shall we all go to the Mess?"
"Sounds good to me." T'Pol swiftly turned to the door. There stood Jonathon, he'd been watching them for a few minutes and everyone but T'Pol and Jon knew he was there.
He grinned at her, and in the bond, 'I can't believe you let me sneak up on you.' She arched an eyebrow at him, but he felt her amusement, "Commander Tucker has remained behind on the Vergent?"
Still grinning, "Yeah, he'll stay there for there afternoon. Shran decided he wanted to stay in the area until everyone leaves. I'm not sure if he's waiting for the ShiKahr or the Klingons."
S'Talen answered, "The ShiKahr, though he will have a long wait as it is not expected for another week."
Archer shrugged and looked back over at T'Pol. He found Jon grinning at him from over T'Pol's shoulder. "Hey Jon, are you ready for lunch?"
Jon squirmed in her arms and T'Pol let him down. Grabbing her hand, he drug her over to Jonathon, where he took his hand. Looking over his shoulder, "C'mon Grandfather, Aunt T'Lar, let's go eat." He smiled at Storen, T'Pel, and Phlox; then pulled Jonathon and T'Pol out the door.
Everyone else stood there for a moment and Phlox sighed. It was both joyful to see such a happy family and painful to know it was soon going to be torn apart. The Vulcans looked at him and nodded, they understood how he felt.
With a slight shrug S'Talen looked at T'Lar, "I believe we have been invited for lunch."
"Bridge to Doctor Phlox."
Surprised, "Phlox here." The Vulcans nodded at him and left.
Sato replied, "Doctor, Doctor Nybm on the Vergent is calling you."
Surprised, "Really? Please put her through."
Nybm's voice sounded extra loud in the now empty room, "Doctor Phlox?"
"Yes, Doctor Nybm, how may I help you?"
"Something has happened to the Akaali."
Frowning, "What do you mean?"
"It is the Akaali, sh--"
"SUB-COMMANDER T'POL TO THE BRIDGE."
In the Mess Hall, T'Pol exchanged a look with Jonathon and went to the intercom. Jon didn't want to let her go yet, so he hung onto her leg.
Looking down, she put her hand on his head as she activated the intercom, "T'Pol, here." Jonathon stayed at the table enjoying the view, trying to ignore the pain that was developing in his chest.
T'Pol glanced up at him in alarm, then realized what it was. She sent him her love and turned back to listen to Mantusco ask her to return to the bridge.
"We're on our way. Would you please ask Crewman Wayne to meet us there to take Jon?" With Mantusco's acknowledgement she went back to table where everyone was already getting up. S'Talen told them that they would return to their quarters and duties while they went to the bridge.
The turbolift opened and T'Pol stepped out carrying Jon with Jonathon directly behind her.
Mantusco looked up, expecting to see T'Pol, "Captain! I didn't know you were back on-board."
The view screen flickered in the background. "No problem, Ensign. What's the status?"
"No sign of the Klingons, sir, and the Gegan is reporting the same." Mantusco stopped, took a breath, then looked at T'Pol.
"Ma'am, Commander Tucker and Lt Reed would like to talk with you."
Both Archer and T'Pol were surprised, but with only a raised eyebrow, "Put them on-screen."
Sato did and they were listening and watching an ongoing conversation. Trip had his hands on his hips and Reed looked disgusted, but they weren't looking at each other, but at --
CONTINUED IN PART 56
Shran smirked, "That's good as you're stuck now for eternity. I understand Vulcans go for lifetime mates, whereas we Andorians understand that sometimes these things just don't work out. Humans believe that too, don't they, Captain?"
This time Jonathon arched an eyebrow, "Humans actually accept both of those, Shran."
Shran nodded with an amused stare, then said, "Ah, Vulcan in-laws. How...inconvenient that can be. All those quiet, unyielding, unforgiving, uncaring stares."
Frowning, though he wasn't angry, "Yep, they're all that and more."
Thinking about how Archer said that, Shran changed the conversation, "So, did your Vulcan get more uncaring and unforgiving when your little surprise showed up?"
Jonathon didn't answer, but then Shran didn't expect him to. Relaxing back into his chair, he continued to needle Archer, "I tried to get it to you as soon as possible with as little damage as possible."
Again with a smirk, "Archer, I don't know what you ever saw in the mother. I suppose she's pretty for a pink skin, but she's extremely noisy and irritating. At least Vulcans are quietly irritating."
He paused a moment, then continued, "Had to sedate her, even as sick as she was. She upset her little cub, she did." Shaking his head, "Very noisy, made the little cub shed a lot of water down its face."
Archer didn't say anything, so Shran continued, "So, how did you happen upon the Mezzians? Your ship seems to be the Vergent, the ship we gave the noisy one to. Is she still there?"
After a moment, Archer nodded, "Yes, this is the ship and yes, she's still here. Though the Mezzians have already cured her."
Perceptively, "So, does this mean that she wants her cub back?"
With a stoic expression, "Yes, she does."
With raised eyebrows of his own, Shran asked, "Are you going to do it?" Studying Archer, he dropped a bombshell, "Of course, that other woman isn't here."
"What other woman?"
With a look that said I know something you don't, "An old she-wolf. Stringy white hair and wrinkly pink skin. She seemed especially fond of the young cub, very protective of him."
Frowning, "Who was she?"
Shrugging, "The noisy one called her old woman and something that sounded like ant. The word made no sense to our translators." He paused a moment, then said, "The young cub seemed to like her."
"What do you mean?" Archer was beginning to feel like he had been hit by a train, as more pieces of the puzzle made themselves visible.
ENTERPRISE
It was very quiet on the bridge, and her family still surrounded her in the Captain's chair. T'Pol glanced over to Bagera.
"Ensign?"
Shaking his head, "No, Ma'am. There's nothing showing up on sensors."
T'Pol turned to Mantusco, he replied to her unasked question, "Yes, Ma'am, we're maintaining YELLOW alert with weapons at standby. Ensign Sato is maintaining contact with the Gegan and passing status reports between the ships."
She nodded, "Good. We will be in Sick Bay. You have the bridge."
T'Pol gestured everyone into the turbolift and lead a silent procession into Sick Bay.
As she walked in, "MAM!" A small body threw itself at her and wrapped its arms around her leg. "Mam! Where have you been?"
She leaned down and picked him, "Jon, I have been on the other ship. Remember, your father showed you the ship out of the porthole?"
He put his arms around her neck and kissed her cheek and lifted up his cheek for a kiss. "Oh yeah, I just forgot."
She hugged him and kissed his cheek. They stood like that for awhile. T'Pol turned to look around the room, "Jon, what are you doing here? Where is Miss Anne?"
The doors swept open and in ran Crewman Wayne. She exhaled loudly in relief, "I'm so glad he's here. I went to the bridge after he left your quarters. I'm so sorry he got away from me, Sub-Commander."
"The bridge?"
She nodded, "Yes, he heard when the Bridge paged you. He wanted to go see you then, but I told him to wait until you were finished and you would come and see him. I'm really so very sorry."
T'Pol nodded, "I know he is very quick when he wants to go somewhere." She looked down at Jon, "I will keep him with me for now. Thank you, Anne."
Anne smiled, it wasn't very often T'Pol called you by your first name. "No problem, Ma'am. Just call me when you need me." She looked around at everyone, "Good Afternoon."
They all nodded and returned the good-bye, then looked back at T'Pol. Jon looked up at her, "Mam, I'm hungry."
She had noticed that it was after his lunch time, "Alright, shall we all go to the Mess?"
"Sounds good to me." T'Pol swiftly turned to the door. There stood Jonathon, he'd been watching them for a few minutes and everyone but T'Pol and Jon knew he was there.
He grinned at her, and in the bond, 'I can't believe you let me sneak up on you.' She arched an eyebrow at him, but he felt her amusement, "Commander Tucker has remained behind on the Vergent?"
Still grinning, "Yeah, he'll stay there for there afternoon. Shran decided he wanted to stay in the area until everyone leaves. I'm not sure if he's waiting for the ShiKahr or the Klingons."
S'Talen answered, "The ShiKahr, though he will have a long wait as it is not expected for another week."
Archer shrugged and looked back over at T'Pol. He found Jon grinning at him from over T'Pol's shoulder. "Hey Jon, are you ready for lunch?"
Jon squirmed in her arms and T'Pol let him down. Grabbing her hand, he drug her over to Jonathon, where he took his hand. Looking over his shoulder, "C'mon Grandfather, Aunt T'Lar, let's go eat." He smiled at Storen, T'Pel, and Phlox; then pulled Jonathon and T'Pol out the door.
Everyone else stood there for a moment and Phlox sighed. It was both joyful to see such a happy family and painful to know it was soon going to be torn apart. The Vulcans looked at him and nodded, they understood how he felt.
With a slight shrug S'Talen looked at T'Lar, "I believe we have been invited for lunch."
"Bridge to Doctor Phlox."
Surprised, "Phlox here." The Vulcans nodded at him and left.
Sato replied, "Doctor, Doctor Nybm on the Vergent is calling you."
Surprised, "Really? Please put her through."
Nybm's voice sounded extra loud in the now empty room, "Doctor Phlox?"
"Yes, Doctor Nybm, how may I help you?"
"Something has happened to the Akaali."
Frowning, "What do you mean?"
"It is the Akaali, sh--"
"SUB-COMMANDER T'POL TO THE BRIDGE."
In the Mess Hall, T'Pol exchanged a look with Jonathon and went to the intercom. Jon didn't want to let her go yet, so he hung onto her leg.
Looking down, she put her hand on his head as she activated the intercom, "T'Pol, here." Jonathon stayed at the table enjoying the view, trying to ignore the pain that was developing in his chest.
T'Pol glanced up at him in alarm, then realized what it was. She sent him her love and turned back to listen to Mantusco ask her to return to the bridge.
"We're on our way. Would you please ask Crewman Wayne to meet us there to take Jon?" With Mantusco's acknowledgement she went back to table where everyone was already getting up. S'Talen told them that they would return to their quarters and duties while they went to the bridge.
The turbolift opened and T'Pol stepped out carrying Jon with Jonathon directly behind her.
Mantusco looked up, expecting to see T'Pol, "Captain! I didn't know you were back on-board."
The view screen flickered in the background. "No problem, Ensign. What's the status?"
"No sign of the Klingons, sir, and the Gegan is reporting the same." Mantusco stopped, took a breath, then looked at T'Pol.
"Ma'am, Commander Tucker and Lt Reed would like to talk with you."
Both Archer and T'Pol were surprised, but with only a raised eyebrow, "Put them on-screen."
Sato did and they were listening and watching an ongoing conversation. Trip had his hands on his hips and Reed looked disgusted, but they weren't looking at each other, but at --
CONTINUED IN PART 56