Chapter 6

When she came around she felt disorientated and there was no doubt that there was a bruise on her head now that throbbed slightly. She pushed herself into a sitting position slowly otherwise she was liable to pass out again. The escape pod was very small, sitting room only, but it was large enough for three people to fit in it comfortably. She blinked away the dark spots covering her vision, then looked around. Thy'lek lay unconscious beside her, a cut on his forehead oozing slightly and a bruise on his jaw. She reached out and shook him awake. It took quite a while to do so; Thy'lek was very reluctant to rejoin the living, but, eventually, he opened his eyes and looked at her blearily.

"I'm assuming this means we're alive?" he asked gruffly

"Yes we are."

"… Good." Thy'lek pushed himself up wincing as he did so, his hand moving to his side.

"I thought Phlox gave you a check up before all terrans were transferred. Why are your ribs still broken?" T'pol stated a tad confused. Thy'lek chuckled dryly as he pushed himself up so he was sitting with his back against the bulkhead,

"Archer gave him explicit orders not to heal them, I guess he wanted to make sure I didn't forget his warning too soon." T'pol settled herself against the opposite bulkhead and they sat in silence for a few minutes just taking in the fact that the Defiant, along with its crew, was gone. It seemed a little unreal, after everything that had happened. Finally Thy'lek looked at her and said "You know, for a Vulcan you look very disappointed… or is disappointment not an emotion? I get that confused a lot and no amount of explaining from Soval could change that." T'pol stared at the ground then said softly

"I regret that we didn't get the information from the Defiant." Thy'lek stared at her in disbelief then slapped a hand to his forehead in exasperation.

"T'pooooool!" he groaned in frustration, "Please, alright I made a massive mistake, but please don't think I'm a complete idiot! I got enough of that from Tucker." She looked at him and he put his hand in his pocket and drew out three memory chips. "I downloaded the entire database, from tactical schematics to what the favoured food of the previous crew was. It's sure to be useful- the tactical stuff I mean, not the favourite food thing." She held out her hand and he dropped them into her palm. She closed her fingers around the three chips and for a moment savoured their presence.

"You seem to have thought of everything." she admitted to him.

"Er, not quite!" he suddenly looked sheepish, "I have absolutely no clue how to get in contact with the rebels to get this information to them and we only have, oh, about seven days worth of rations and air. Still have to get around that."

"I'm sure we'll think of something." she rationalised, then asked a question that had been burning in her mind. "Why have you changed your mind about helping the rebels?"

"I haven't." he told her sternly, "I still have great reservations about this Federation."

"But you said to Captain Archer that you believe in it."

"I only said that to buy time and annoy him. I was feeling mutinous." he chuckled.

"Then why have you done all this?"

"Because the Defiant was too dangerous for anyone to have, that and the fact that I know Soval would have wanted this information to get to them."

"You did this because of guilt." T'pol tried to suppress her disappointment, but she hadn't meditated in two days so it was difficult. She really had hoped he believed in the cause. Thy'lek sighed thoughtfully then said slowly,

"Yes I did but that's not necessarily a bad thing, I do this in the name and memory of my dear Vulcan friend, hopefully that will remind people that every species counts in this, remind them that if the Federation is to exist that we all need to be friends not just allies. Things do need to change, I understand that perfectly, but I'm not going to say this way is the right way. Maybe in time you and others will convince me, but right now helping the Terran Empire fall because of guilt is as good a reason as hatred of Terrans is. It's just as good a motivator. Besides, as selfish as it is, in doing this when I look at myself in a mirror, I won't just see a monster that betrayed his people and friends. I'll hopefully see someone trying to make it right, despite his mistakes."

"I suppose that will have to do." T'pol acknowledged. Thy'lek nodded slightly then smiled,

"You know since we will be spending some time together, maybe you'll convince me before we even find the rebels." How he was able to find amusement in their situation was beyond her. She said as much. He grinned slightly,

"You know, Vulcan and Andorian minds are like fire and ice, both powerful, both striking, and completely uncomprehending of the other despite being around for so long together." She stared at him perplexedly, he shrugged slightly, "See what I mean?"

"No."
"Exactly."

To be continued? Only if I get enough reviews.

Night's Darkness