A/N: Makua hine – mother
Ek'es-ashaya – unconditional love

Yaut – proud
Vokau – "remember"; the ritual word that is used in transferring the katra (soul) of one who is dying to the keeper (à la "The Forge" and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

Some of you may recognize one of Kamea's lines from Casablanca. Rick says something similar to Ilsa. It's a good line. Thought I'd borrow it. Hope there are no objections.

This is going to be a very hectic week for me. I work every day including both today (Sunday) and Saturday, plus Tuesday I have to journey to take the GRE, and I am currently freaking out because I took a practice test the other day and realized that I can't even do basic math questions, as I haven't taken a math class in over 4 years. I'm trying to figure out a way to miniaturize my younger sister (who is a math major) and take her with me so she can do the math portion for me. I'll let you know how that goes.

In the meantime, please enjoy chapter six, and please continue to review! Reviews make me and puppies happy.


Chapter Six: No Way Out

As soon as the Andorians left Enterprise, Archer was in motion. Obviously, he had to warn the away team that they were in danger. This was easier said than done. The Andorians were evidently intent on jamming their transmissions until they had completed their agenda and captured Kamea, so by the time he was able to contact Trip and the others it would be too late.

Without Trip and T'Pol, he felt helpless. His two most trusted friends and officers were down on that planet, and he was up on Enterprise flying blind. Without his two senior officers, and Malcolm and Hoshi, he had no one to which he could turn, no one to offer him advice. He was on his own. He had been on his own before, but for some reason this felt different. Because all those other times, he knew he could count on Trip and T'Pol to back him up if need be. Now, there would be no such luck. He was alone, and for the first time he could remember, he actually felt alone.

He raced to the transporter room, where Lieutenant Hess was doing routine maintenance. She was crouched near the floor but stood as soon as he entered the room. He glanced around quickly, unsure of what he was searching for. Hess looked genuinely confused at his actions.

"Lieutenant," he said, walking over to the controls and wishing he had learned how to use this damned machine, "we need to beam our people out of there. Now."

"I'm afraid that's impossible, sir," said Hess in a trembling voice.

Archer glared at her without meaning to. But he wanted to bring his people back safely, and at the moment, she was the only person on which to place blame for the current predicament, as the Andorians were not present. "What do you mean, it's impossible?"

Hess took a deep breath and straightened, apparently trying to gain the resolve necessary to continue the conversation. "Captain, sir, whatever the interference is, it's affecting everything on board. We can't get an accurate reading. We can't get a lock on any members of the away team, sir. It's just not possible."

Archer's hesitation lasted only a second. He stepped into the transporter. "Then beam me down there. We have to warn them."

"Sir," said Hess, her voice much stronger now, "I can't do that."

"You can, Lieutenant, and you will." He put on his sternest face and fixed her with a glare, the likes of which should have made her snap to attention.

But she didn't snap to attention. She didn't even blink. "No, sir," she said. "I can't. That planet is eighty-five percent water, sir. Without an accurate reading, I could drop you in the middle of a very big ocean. It's just too risky, sir."

"Damnit!" Archer said, and Hess jumped. "We have to get down there! What the hell am I supposed to do?"

Hess shook her head slowly. "I honestly don't know, Captain. But I can't in good conscience risk your life on something as risky as trying to transport you down there. There's got to be another way."

Archer groaned and stormed out of the transporter room. Deep down, he knew, of course, that it wasn't Hess's fault that the Andorians were jamming their sensors, but something had to be done – and soon. Akkenar and his crew seemed like they meant business, and if Archer couldn't warn his people of the danger, there was no telling what might happen.

He roamed the ship, barely paying attention to where he was going. He bumped into several crewmen but stomped off without apologizing. He wasn't quite sure where he was headed; all he knew was that he had to think of something, and fast. The Andorians could very well be on the planet's surface by now, and with their instruments functioning perfectly, they would have no problems locating Kamea – and whomever she happened to be with.

The answer came to him so suddenly that it almost knocked him over. He'd been considering the idea before, right after he learned that he was unable to contact the away team – the other shuttle pod. He would take Shuttle Pod One down to the surface and retrieve his people, hopefully before the Andorians found them. Given their current circumstances, it was the only viable option.

He lunged for the nearest companel. "Archer to Commander Kelby."

Kelby responded almost immediately. "Kelby here, sir."

"I need you to prep Shuttle Pod One as quickly as possible."

If Kelby was surprised by the order, it wasn't evident in his voice. "Yes, sir. Right away, sir."

Now the only question was who to take along. His first thought was Travis, as he was the most experienced pilot, but with Archer gone, the young ensign would be the sole remaining senior officer left onboard, and Archer preferred to have a member of his senior staff in command should something happen. So, unfortunately, Travis was out. His mind raced through the other possibilities as he made his way up to the bridge, but he was spread so thin that he could barely remember any of his crew's names.

He finally decided that Ensign Peters, Travis's relief, would fly the shuttle pod, and half a dozen MACOs would accompany him, should something go wrong. He would feel better taking MACOs instead of any of Malcolm's people because the MACOs had a different commanding officer and would not let emotion affect their actions. Travis would remain in command with specific instructions as to what he should do if something happened – though Archer prayed he would be able to locate his people before the Andorians did.

Archer went first to the bridge, where his orders to Travis were brief. The boomer appeared to be simultaneously excited at the prospect of taking command, concerned for the safety of the away team, and disappointed that he would not be permitted to participate in the rescue. How it was possible to exude all three emotions at the same time was a mystery to which Archer wished he had time to learn the answer. Archer left explicit instructions in the event that he and the others should not return, which basically consisted of getting the hell out of the system and contacting the nearest Vulcan ship for assistance. It was hardly a detailed plan, but Archer was more concerned with the safety of his crew than with his own personal welfare.

Kamea had said it herself. If it came down to her or the rest of Enterprise, don't pick her. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one, she had said, which he knew was one of Surak's sayings. Archer's first priority was to his crew; however, he also had crew down on the planet – people he had grown to care for very deeply, and he could not simply leave them to certain doom without at least attempting a rescue.

From the bridge, he called the others who were to be accompanying him and asked them to meet him in the launch bay as soon as humanly possible. By the time he reached the launch bay, the others were already there, and the shuttle pod was ready and waiting. He wasted no time explaining their mission, instead ordering everyone into the shuttle with the promise of describing the details on the way to the surface.

As they descended to the surface, Archer took absolutely no notice of the planet. He found it interesting that he had been so eager to come here, and now he was just as eager – if not more so – to leave. Perhaps they could return to Altara when the threat of the Andorians had disappeared. The shuttle dropped altitude rapidly, and in a matter of seconds Peters located a clearing that would suffice for a landing site.

"It seems to be the only clearing on the continent, sir," he said. "It's a good bet that's where Shuttle Pod Two is parked, too."

Archer nodded, though in truth he barely heard the ensign's report.

"Look, sir!" said one of the MACOs, a corporal whose name escaped Archer at the moment. He hated that; he liked to know the names of everyone who served on Enterprise, but with all the new recruits, it was becoming harder and harder to remember. "There's the other shuttle!"

He leaned over to look out the view port, and sure enough, there sat Shuttle Pod Two. Three figures stood outside of it, but from this height Archer was unable to tell who they were. He instructed Peters to land as close to it as possible. The shuttle touched down about a hundred yards from the other one, and as soon as it was on the ground, Archer was out the door.

Trip, T'Pol, and Hoshi had apparently been in the middle of a heated discussion, but the arrival of the second shuttle pod had obviously ended whatever argument they were having. The three of them looked surprised to see Archer and the others, especially the half a dozen heavily armed MACOs.

"Captain," Trip said, rubbing the back of his neck, "what are you doing here?"

A quick glance around the clearing revealed that Malcolm and Kamea were still missing. Archer ignored his friend's question and instead asked, "Where are the others?"

"We don't know, sir," said Hoshi, "We were just discussing whether or not we should go look for them."

T'Pol nodded and clasped her hands behind her back. "Our appointed rendezvous time has long passed, Captain, and Kamea and Lieutenant Reed have failed to return. Ensign Sato is worried that something may have happened, while Commander Tucker believes that they have merely lost track of the time."

Hoshi huffed. "And I told Commander Tucker that Mal – Lieutenant Reed is such a stickler for the rules that he would have definitely been back on time. In fact, he should have been half an hour early."

"And I," Trip said, sounding indignant, "told Hoshi that we have no reason to worry, because we would have heard another ship approaching. It's not exactly like there's all that many places to land on this godforsaken planet."

T'Pol cocked an eyebrow. "Is something wrong, Captain? What are you doing here?"

Trip crossed his arms and gestured at the MACOs with his head. "You know something we don't?"

Archer nodded somberly. "I'll have to explain on the way."


"I don't know how they found out," Kamea said, "but they did. They must have intercepted my father's communiqués to Vulcan; he kept in contact with his sister and several of his acquaintances in the High Command. That is to say, he contacted them. They did not respond. But he would have told them about me."

Malcolm listened intently, doing his best to divide his attention between Kamea's confession and the marshy ground. He was not anxious to sink into the mud again – his boots were all but ruined – but he sensed that Kamea was revealing information that very few people knew, and he desperately wanted to hear it. He felt an enormous sense of pride at being the person to whom she confessed. So he said nothing as she spoke, walking beside her and supporting her weight – lest she faint again.

Kamea looked at him, her deep blue eyes seeming to shimmer, and continued. "Whatever the reason, they came looking for us. They knew exactly where to find us." She paused, staring at the ground. "I remember everything about that day. It was a Wednesday – worst day of my life." She stumbled and grabbed a tree branch to steady herself. "It was raining. The Andorians wore black. I was wearing blue."

Malcolm stopped short, unable to believe his ears. "Andorians?" he asked, just for clarification. Surely not the same Andorians who had assisted Enterprise in their war against the Xindi?

She looked back at him, and he could tell from her expression that she was telling the truth. "They called me an abomination," she said. Her voice broke on the last word. "They claimed my father was violating nature by creating me, that I was unfit to live."

He started walking again and caught up to Kamea in seconds. He laid a hand on her shoulder for moral support as well as for balance, as he got the feeling she would need both soon.

"They killed my mother first," she said. Her voice trembled. "My makua hine. They… They slashed her throat."

Malcolm slapped a hand to his mouth.

Kamea continued, with obvious difficulty. "They stabbed my father. Said he should suffer for what he had done." She took a deep, shaky breath. "And then they came after me, and I just… I snapped." She shook her head in disbelief. "I don't even remember what happened. All I can remember is wanting them dead."

She had to stop then, because she was overcome with sobs. She crouched near the ground, her face buried in her hands. Her shoulders shook. Unsure of what to do, Malcolm hovered nearby until she had composed herself enough to continue.

"When I came to," she said, her voice quiet and shaky, "I went to my father. He was still alive – barely. He – he told me that he loved me. Ek'es-ashaya."

Malcolm knelt down in front of her; her eyes were filled with tears. His heart broke at the sight of her.

"He told me that he was proud of me," she said. She squeezed her eyes shut and the tears ran freely down her cheeks. "Yaut. He told me to never forget who I was."

Malcolm reached out and took Kamea's hand in his.

Kamea took another deep breath. "And then he – he put his hand on my face…" She stopped for a moment; her voice had elevated in pitch to where it was almost a squeak. When she began to speak again, her voice had returned to almost normal. "And he said – he said, 'Vokau'." She raised a hand to her forehead, as though in pain. "And then it was like I could feel his pain, you know? It was so intense and so powerful and then suddenly it was gone." She choked out another sob. "And so was he."

She dissolved into tears once more, and this time Malcolm did not hesitate to draw her into his arms. She went willingly, with no hesitation, burying her face into his chest and sobbing into his shirt. His legs burned from maintaining a crouch for so long, but he ignored the protestations of his muscles. He absently stroked his fingers through Kamea's hair, and though he figured he should try and whisper something soothing to her, he could think of nothing to say. He simply allowed her to cry, it seemed to be good enough for her. They stayed like that for some time.

Eventually, Malcolm pulled Kamea to her feet. They were well past the rendezvous time, and the others would no doubt be worried about them. So they began to walk down the trail again, this time hand in hand.

But apparently, Kamea was not finished with her tale. "I've been running from them ever since," she said. Her voice was steadier now, but there was still a quiver in it. "I can never stay in once place long. They always manage to find me. And now I've put you all in danger."

Mea po'ino. So that was what she meant. He shrugged and, in an attempt to lighten the mood, said, "You're not a member of Enterprise until at least one species wants you dead. Did you know that Captain Archer is wanted by the Klingons?"

Kamea met his gaze; her eyes pierced his, and he again got the feeling that she could see right through him. She did not seem to have found his statement amusing. "They caught me once," she said, very slowly and clearly, as if she needed him to understand. "They brought me here."

Malcolm swallowed hard. He had assumed that her fainting spell was only because of her lack of sleep, but now he believed it also had something to do with returning to this planet. "What did they – "

"I don't really remember what they did to me," she said.

But he could tell from her tone that she did remember and simply did not wish to discuss it. That was fine with him; he wasn't all that anxious to hear about it anyway. Still, he couldn't help but think of the horrors Kamea must have endured at the hands of people who considered her to be an abomination, at the hands of people who had thoughtlessly murdered her parents right in front of her. Stumbling across the dead bodies of her parents would have been traumatizing enough, but to witness their deaths… He could not even begin to fathom what that must have been like.

"The Altarans were kind to me," said Kamea. "They helped me escape. They knew the location of an abandoned Dominion escape pod, which is how I managed to get away." She looked at him again, her eyes sad. "That's why they were killed. The Andorians killed them to get to me, I know it. Which means they must be here."

Kamea's gasp came a second too late, as a dart – an actual dart – sailed out of the trees off to their left and embedded itself in her throat. She staggered backwards and collided with a tree, and Malcolm whirled around, searching for the unseen assailant. He found no one, and immediately turned his attention to Kamea.

He expected her to drop into unconsciousness, but she seemed perfectly fine. She pulled the dart out of her skin and eyed it curiously. She held it up for him to see. "Where the hell do you find darts in this day and age?" she asked.

The answer came from the same direction in which the dart had. "You have to know where to look."

Malcolm turned at the voice and saw that their unseen attacker was in fact an Andorian – a short, fat Andorian wearing purple robes trimmed with fur. Malcolm drew his head back in surprise. He looked nothing like any Andorian Malcolm had seen before.

Before anyone could say anything, Kamea flung out her arm. Nothing happened, but from the look on her face, she had clearly expected something to.

"Now, now," said the Andorian. "There'll be none of that." He held up a dart similar to the one that had struck Kamea. "This is a special formula. It blocks your neural processes. Prevents you from using your abilities." He grinned broadly, revealing several missing teeth. "Took us almost three years to develop, but I'd say it was worth it."

Kamea's mouth hung open and her eyes were wide, but there was a glimmer of recognition in them. Malcolm's stomach suddenly went cold.

"You look surprised to see me," said the Andorian.

Kamea's shocked look vanished almost instantly; she replaced it with the mask of indifference she usually wore. She lifted one shoulder in a barely perceptible shrug. "Maybe that's because the last time I saw you, you were dead."

The Andorian cocked his head to the side. "Death is a relative concept." He said this as if he were revealing some universal truth.

Kamea snorted. "Beauty is a relative concept. Death is pretty self-explanatory."

The Andorian threw his head back and laughed heartily in response; the sound of his laugh made Malcolm sick to his stomach.

Malcolm seized the opportunity and looked around, hoping to find some way to escape. But the area was filled with Andorians; at least twenty of them, all armed, and Malcolm had only his phase pistol, having left Kamea's in the shuttle, not that it would have done them any good. He glanced behind him as casually as he could, but there were Andorians there, as well. He looked forward again. There was no way out. They were trapped.

The Andorians began to approach. One grabbed Kamea by the wrist, and she spun around and kicked him in the head. Four more rushed over to take his place. As soon as Malcolm moved to assist Kamea, three had his arms pinned behind his back.

When Kamea saw that they had a hold of him, she abruptly stopped fighting. She turned to the purple-clad Andorian. "Let him go, Akkenar. You don't want him."

Akkenar laughed again. "No, not really. But I'll take him anyway."

Kamea bit one of her captors, but another one reared back and punched her in the face. She kicked at him, but he dove to the ground and wrapped his arms around her legs. She continued to struggle, but more came over. Eventually she hung her head in defeat.

Malcolm attempted to free himself from the Andorians who held him prisoner, but before he was able to do much, something hard struck him in the back of the head, and everything went black.