PART 59
Author:
Pairing: A/T
Rating: PG-13
Everything belongs to Paramount/UPN; but what I think up.
Frustrated, Jonathan stared out the port hole at the Vulcan ship cruising next to them. 'Damn it.'
Saturday had started off normally enough. There weren't any signs in the stars or anything saying that the day was going to go straight to hell in a hand basket.
The day began with Jonathan having the bridge shift and T'Pol working out with the security team. The ship was mapping systems again with non-M class planets. Boring was definitely the game of the day. Jonathan fidgeted for a few moments, then decided.
"Bagera, you've got the bridge. I'll be in the gym."
Walking in, he found the familiar scene of T'Pol and the security team warming up. But to his surprise S'Talen, T'Lar, Storen, and T'Pel had joined them.
Looking around he saw Jon, with Crewman Wayne, playing in a corner nearby. Standing on the far side of the room Trip, Hoshi, and Phlox were talking quietly, and more crew members started wandering in to watch the match.
Jonathan grinned, a lot of the crew were just as addicted to this as he was and it was good to see everyone gathered together.
The warm-up exercises ended and they spilt up into teams. S'Talen, T'Lar, Storen, and T'Pel were one team and T'Pol, Reed, Gomez, Torres, Mantusco, and Watson the other.
T'Pol stepped to the edge of the mats and looked at Jonathan. "Captain, I need to inform you that this workout will exceed our normal parameters."
Frowning, "How is that, Sub-Commander?"
"S'Talen, a sim're (High-Master) in this art form, has agreed to evaluate our team and determine if we are ready to advance to the next level of study."
"I thought you were a master in this art form?"
"No, I am a pupil of the 43d degree, but I am qualified to teach the art form."
Still frowning, he could feel the seriousness of this test through his bond with T'Pol, "What's going to happen?"
"The evaluation will consist of hand-to-hand combat between the two groups."
Phlox walked up to stand beside Archer and asked, "What exactly is expected to happen?"
With an arched eyebrow, "Doctor, there may be some injuries."
Archer was still frowning as Phlox went over to the intercom, "Phlox to Medical."
"Medical, Garcia here."
"Dee, please come to the gym with a full triage kit and stretchers and bring Coffin. Have Cutler set up in Sickbay for both Human and Vulcan injuries."
"Yes, Doctor, but what's going on?"
Snorting, "Some sort of Vulcan test for the security team."
Tucker and Hoshi had come up behind Archer to watch the fight and lend support. Jonathan felt a brief caress from T'Pol, then she stepped back into position on the mat.
Everyone in the room, to include Jon who had crept up to take Jonathan's hand, stared at the combatants in the center of the room.
The room waited. The witnesses held their breath, waiting. The combatants held themselves ready, relaxed, but alert.
More seconds ticked away without action. A drop of sweat worked its way down Jonathan's face. He quickly glanced around the room, and found everyone but the combatants, appeared nervous. The medical team came running in, but quickly and very quietly took up position behind Phlox, where they could watch.
Archer was getting ready to pass Jon to Crewman Wayne with instructions to leave when it started.
Damn's and Oh, My God's, whispered their way through the crowd. What the hell was this?
It was a bomb. One made of flesh and blood which exploded in their faces. No one knew who started it, only that it had. The room was unnaturally and eerily quiet.
The only sounds were the ones of flesh hitting flesh and the forced expulsion of air from their bodies. Every single being on those mats moved with deliberate intent -- hands, feet, and bodies connected. They got knocked down, rolled, went under kicks, absorbed hits into their bodies, and got back up. The witnesses couldn't tell who hit whom or whose blood made the mats slick, they could only tell that it was both red and green.
It was artistry, it was death, and it was chilling to watch. The crew had never seen such an act of controlled violence before. Jonathan, even though he knew how good T'Pol was, was scared that she would get hurt in this Vulcan evaluation.
Unemotionally, he watched; only blinking when she fell after a hit from T'Lar. But she tucked into a ball, rolled to one side, and then was back up with a punch, kick combination pushing T'Lar backward. Jon tucked his face into Jonathan's leg and Jonathan laid his hand on his head keeping his head there.
Watson was knocked unconscious and pulled away by Phlox's medical team. T'Pel had a bleeding wound on her face and T'Pol a bruise forming around her eye. S'Talen had no injuries and his prowess surprised everyone.
Jonathan barely noticed that Reed was down, then back up with an assist from Gomez. He was focused on T'Pol. She had closed the bond down to a pinpoint so she could concentrate on this evaluation.
Out of nowhere, T'Pol and Torres simultaneously implemented kicks that skimmed the top of the mats and took down T'Pel and T'Lar. Then T'Pol moved into a hand stand and kicked S'Talen into Storen, while Reed, Mantusco, and Gomez completed a blinding flurry of kicks against T'Lar and T'Pel. S'Talen returned the attack from T'Pol, with T'Pel and T'Lar coming up behind him with a twirling motion to take out T'Pol and her team in a ferocity of controlled violence.
"KROYKAH!" S'Talen's deep voice rang out in the room.
Silence. Broken only by the panting of the combatants, trying to draw air into their overworked lungs.
"That was only three quarter strength?" Someone had said that out loud, but he couldn't tell who it was.
Tucker whispered, "That was the longest 5 minutes of my life." Archer said nothing, he was shocked, and not a little angry, at what he just witnessed.
S'Talen stared at T'Pol contemplatively. Reed limped over to her shoulder with the rest of the team still standing fanning out behind her. Watson and Torres slowly made their way from the sidelines to stand with them.
T'Lar, T'Pel, and Storen came to stand behind S'Talen. The team of Vulcans bowed as one to the Enterprise team. T'Pol and her team bowed in return.
"You have done satisfactory, Granddaughter. They bring honor your teaching. I will enter their names on the plaque for the 1st degree, as well as your name as their teacher."
T'Pol bowed again. It was over.
At Archer's nod, Phlox and his team sped to the mats and to assess the injuries.
Jonathan stared at T'Pol as she walked towards him. Whispering to Jon, "See Jon, Mam's okay. Go ahead and look at her."
Jon lifted his head from Jonathan's leg and saw T'Pol standing there. He flung himself from Jonathan to T'Pol and she picked him up. He tightly wrapped his arms and legs around her neck and waist, hiding his face in her neck.
Jonathan stood there for a moment, staring at her injuries, and then encased them both in a deeply felt hug. He opened his eyes after a moment and found S'Talen and T'Lar watching them with approval in their eyes.
A voice broke into their comforting silence, "Sub-Commander, you need to come to Sickbay and get your ribs and wrist repaired."
Archer looked up at Coffin, "Crewman, what's wrong with her?"
"She has three broken ribs and a severely broken wrist, sir, all which need to be set as soon as possible." She consulted her scanner again, "The Sub-Commander also has a concussion that should be seen." Coffin left to look over Reed.
Frowning at her list of injuries, he took Jon out of T'Pol's arms, and then the Captain spoke, "That was the most stupid act I've ever seen and we'll talk about this later, Sub-Commander."
She nodded, "Yes, Captain."
They turned to look at the others and found Phlox taking Gomez out by stretcher. After just a few moments, everyone had left. Jonathan put his arm around T'Pol and directed them to Sickbay.
The day got worse.
SICKBAY
Sickbay was busy with Phlox, Cutler, Garcia, and Coffin running between the different patients evaluating their injuries and starting the repairs.
Suddenly in a scatter of transporter light, T'Pol and T'Pel who were standing along the wall awaiting their turn, disappeared.
Reed almost fell off the diagnostic bed trying to get to them as he saw it happen. Passing Jon to S'Talen, Jonathan raced over to the intercom, when S'Talen's voice stopped him, "Jonathan, Soval has taken them."
Exhaling in frustration, he paused before he pushed the intercom button, "Why?"
S'Talen, passing Jon to Trip, walked over to where Reed was using the diagnostic bed as leverage, "Malcolm Reed."
The formality of the tone stopped everyone in their tracks. Frowning, Reed leaned back against the bed, "Yes, S'Talen?"
S'Talen stared at him, with a full Vulcan stare, "Are you and your team committed to the safety of the Enterprise, its crew, and their safety?"
Not understanding where S'Talen was going, but he answered truthfully, "Yes, we are."
Nodding, "Are you prepared to transport over to the ShiKahr and be the protectors of T'Pol for the bonding ceremony with Jonathan Archer?"
His team was standing up behind him, or trying to in Gomez's case, but he knew what they would say, "It would be our honor, sir."
Nodding again, he walked over to the intercom and requested Hondo to open a communications with the ShiKahr.
In a cold voice, "Soval here."
"They have agreed."
"Acknowledged. Have them standby."
They stood there waiting for what they knew not. In a blink of an eye they disappeared in a transporter beam.
Phlox yelled, "But they aren't healed yet!"
Soval answered, "They will be attended to on the ShiKahr, which has infinitely superior medical capabilities than the Enterprise."
Archer spoke up, "Soval, what--"
Soval broke in, "Jonathan Archer. What have you done to my Daughter-Niece? What right claim you?"
This was the traditional family challenge for those not bonded in childhood. Archer looked at S'Talen who nodded at him.
The room stared in shocked awe as this new situation play out in front of them.
Replying in a firm voice, "My right is of the chosen. I have chosen T'Pol, as she has chosen me."
Soval's voice sounded through Sickbay again, "Who is your skan (family)?"
Archer frowned, he wasn't expecting that question. Tucker was though and answered, "I am. I am his fokimo (brother)."
"You will stand as his second on the field of battle?"
Swallowing, but answering in a steady voice, "Yes. I will stand as Jonathan's second on the field of battle."
Jonathan listened in disbelief, then turned to S'Talen who nodded that this was correct.
Again, Soval's voice rang out, "Who testifies that this bond is true?"
This time S'Talen replied, "I do, S'Talen, patriarch of the clan S'pekoh'verbak''ke'tlk'nom'Surak."
"As do I." T'Lar spoke, "T'Lar, daughter to the patriarch of the clan S'pekoh'verbak''ke'tlk'nom'Surak."
"As do I." Storen spoke, "Storen, son of the daughter to the daughter to the patriarch of the clan S'pekoh'verbak''ke'tlk'nom'Surak."
S'Talen spoke again, "As do T'Ran and S'Kel, now known as the S'T'Veck, of the clan S'pekoh'verbak''ke'tlk'nom'Surak."
Soval spoke after a moment, "The testifiers have been acknowledged and documented."
The silence throughout the Sickbay was deafening. In that silence, a young voice spoke up, "Daddy?"
Jonathan looked down at him.
"Daddy?"
Taking a deep breath, "Yes, Jon?"
"Where's Mam?"
"Mam is on another ship right now."
"The one you showed me before?"
"No, its another one."
"Oh. Can I go there?"
Jonathan started to say no, when Soval broke into the conversation, "Yes, he may, Jonathan."
Jonathan wasn't even going to think about sending Jon over there until he looked at S'Talen.
"Jon and Crewman Wayne should go to the ShiKahr. It is appropriate for Soval to meet him."
Grimacing, and against his better judgment, Jonathan finally agreed, "Alright. Let me get some things --"
Even as he said that, Jon disappeared in a scatter of light, followed by Crewman Wayne. "Now just a damn minute, Soval!"
In an infuriatingly unemotional tone, "Calm yourself, Jonathan, there is nothing that the ShiKahr cannot provide for them."
Phlox broke in, "S'Talen, the crew you've taken are injured and --"
He disappeared in a scatter of light.
Archer looked around the room at the shocked faces. He turned to look at S'T'alen, "This was expected, Jonathan."
Finally, Jonathan nodded, not pleased. "Fine, alright. Soval, what time and where?"
"Tomorrow," was his reply, "1200 hundred hours on the Enterprise."
"Agreed."
"ShiKahr out."
Archer took a deep breath, then ground out, "Cutler, please take over Sickbay with Crewmen Garcia and Coffin's assistance."
"Yes, sirs," were heard.
Trip took a look at Jonathan, and found the shock of the day reflected in his eyes. He punched the intercom switch, "Tucker to Security."
"Lisas here, Commander."
"Ensign, Reed and Security Team #1 are temporarily on the ShiKahr with the Sub-Commander, you will assume the security duties until they return."
With hardly a moment's thought, "Yes, sir. I'll bring up Ontrack's security team #2 to replace the Lt's team until their return. Is there anything we should know?"
Sighing, "Yeah, Doctor Phlox, Jon, Crewman Wayne and T'Pel are with the Sub-Commander and there will be a ceremony at 1200 hours tomorrow and you'll need to address any security issues."
CONTINUED IN PART 60