Chapter Two
Receptance
Archer surveyed his Officers, and saw each of them was thinking the same thing as he was. This was shaping up, on the long run, to be a no-win situation; at least if Victor's summation was accurate. The problem was; he had no reason to doubt that it was.
Then again, it was not the first time that Starfleet Command had handed him such an assignment. In fact, someone at SC seemed to revel in handing him seemingly no-win situations. He wondered if this theoretical tormentor was pleased or frustrated when Archer and his crew managed to beat the odds. He hoped he was entertaining someone, somewhere.
Finally, a no-win situation was simply not acceptable; not to Command, and certainly not to him.
"We'll go down in Shuttlepod One at 1030 hours. Trip, Malcolm, Hoshi, desert uniforms."
"Aye, sir." The three responded in ragged chorus.
"Good luck." Victor said.
xxx
A desert uniform is very light tan in color, made of a material that cast off heat as quickly as it was encountered. Not only did it 'reject' outside heat, but provided the ultimate in radiation of body heat. It was eminently possible to feel quite cool in one of these uniforms; to run extended distances, or fight if necessary, without breaking a sweat in a temperature of nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
From what they knew about the area where Akaar's village was located, there was little risk of 100 degree weather. In fact, readings put the locale at a balmy 85, but Archer still wanted to make sure they were not unduly uncomfortable, particularly with dark blue uniforms for extended periods in the harsh light of Capella's sun. They would have only the resources they brought with them; he was in no hurry to introduce Akaar to anything he did not have to.
Archer wondered, as he entered the shuttle, how much this material would be worth to the Capellans. It did seem a harsh life, and he was thinking of the numerous things that might be traded to make such a life easier; things that did not involve the natives shooting at each other.
The Bergman would remain in orbit so that Barry Victor could provide introductions when the shuttle lands. 'First Contact always runs smoother when there is someone to make the introductions', Archer had said on many an occasion.
xxx
When Shuttlepod One, piloted by Travis, who would remain with the pod in the event of a need for a rapid departure, descends just outside the camp, after a recon flyby, they are able to get a good look at the area. It is a collection of tents laid out in no particular order they could see, but one that might be very significant to the Capellans. All are of ornate style, utilizing numerous colors and designs, these again probably quite significant. Several of them had colored pennants flying above. Archer hoped he would learn the significances of the area quickly.
Through the forward viewports they get a good look at the people. It was a surprising view indeed.
All are dressed in one-piece clothing, extending from ankles to the crown of the head. The only visible means of ornamentation are horizontal bands of animal skins of various color and texture, which went up at ninety degrees to the left or right shoulder, apparently never both. All their heads were covered with headpieces that were extensions of the main clothing, leaving only their faces bare. Each headpiece was open on top, from which their hair fell in long tails down to their necks.
"What do you think?" Archer asked in general, referring to the variety of clothing, some one color, some two, some with an occasional change in color just in the sleeve or the chest area set off by the 'piping'. "Rank? Nativity?"
"Maybe." Trip agreed noncommittally. He didn't want to jump to any conclusion either until he had a chance to learn more.
All the men are armed with a wide variety of swords or knives. The only things of uniformity are the sharp, discus-like kligats at their belts.
Archer glances at Hoshi. In keeping with his new 'style' he does not ask. Hoshi nods. "I've downloaded everything from the Bergman's files into the UT, and I'll be 'fine tuning' it as we go."
"We had no problems with what we had; thanks to the Ensign's regular uploads of data files and software upgrades." Victor assured him with a nod of acknowledgement to Hoshi. "You should have no trouble at all."
"I'm sure." Looking out the port, he saw the Capellans arrayed to meet them. "Let's go."
x
As one already known to the Capellans, Barry Victor exited first, followed by Archer, Trip, Malcolm and Hoshi. They faced the almost seven foot tall Capellan, whose dark blue clothing was of a distinctly finer material than the others'. The 'ornamentation' across his chest and up his right side was not animal skin, but ornately fashioned gold tassels.
"Hail, Kapaar, First Maav of Akaar." Victor strikes his chest with his closed hand, "We come with open hearts," then extends that hand open before him, "and hands." The Enterprise crew performs the gesture with him as they had discussed earlier.
"Welcome. You are honored guests in the Tribe of Akaar. The Teer is in Council but will receive you shortly. In the meantime I am to show you to your tent where you may rest and refresh yourselves."
"Thank you." Archer says. He would like to have seen some of the camp and its people; only so much could be learned from a briefing and a flyby, but this had not been offered. Instead the crew followed their guide to a fairly large tent of a more than usually ornate design, following the First Maav inside. There was little within, piles of animal furs and pillows to rest upon, an unlit brazier in the center, which would provide welcome heat at night. High overhead was an opening which would provide circulation and venting.
"If you have any needs, honored guests, you have but to ask. I shall see to your receptance." As he took his leave, Archer glanced at Hoshi.
"He did say it." It was unlikely for the UT to fail in so simple a grammatical concept, so they had to conclude he had said what they had heard.
They also did not miss the fact that the two men who had been their escort now kept a kind of 'Honor Guard', standing facing one another outside the tent entrance, which had been left open. They had a full panoramic view, but did not intrude. Hoshi held up the UT, her finger passing above the activation switch, but Archer shook his head. She put the device away in her uniform's right sleeve, leaving it turned on.
"How does this differ from your last visit?" Archer asked Victor.
"Well, we weren't 'honored guests' then; we were suspect strangers. The accommodations weren't all that different. Smaller tent, less comfortable skins and pillows, more guards…" His voice trailed off as another Capellan, this one tall enough to have to duck his head to enter, stepped through the flap. His one-piece clothing was black, trimmed in a horizontal, then vertical line of intricate gold tassels across his chest and up to his left shoulder, his long train of blond hair (which seemed to be the most frequent color) coming out of the top of his black headpiece to trail down to his neck.
x
"Greetings, Saal, Second Maav of Akaar." Victor said, using the same 'open heart and hand' gesture he had earlier. The Enterprise crew copied it, and the tall man returned the gesture. He was even larger than his superior, easily over seven feet tall.
"Your receptance, honored guests." He stepped aside, admitting a very lovely young woman, and another, and another, and…
x
If the men's clothing obscured everything about them, the sheer thin veils of the twelve young women who entered in a line went to the opposite extreme. The sheer veils went from one shoulder across chests to be fastened in back by tiny, thin golden chains. Even smaller veils covered their hips not far enough down. The veils might have obscured something had there been six or eight layers rather than one.
The four Starfleet men stared at the women arrayed before them, trying their best not to let their feelings show in their eyes. Hoshi, having been standing a few feet aside, wound up behind the line of nubile young women, not one of them having attained a height of six feet. She had a very different expression burned into her features.
"Choose."
Archer was about to protest when it became very clear that the word had not been directed to him. As Saal left, four lovely young women broke off and came to him, hands and bodies caressing him. Three each approached Tucker and Victor while two draped themselves expertly over Reed, bringing their considerable talents to bear so well that he did not feel in the least slighted by having had only two choose him.
They realized the Capellans had discerned the significance of the silver rank studs on the chests of the men, and assigned the 'receptance' accordingly.
Jonathan Archer, doing his best to maintain his balance and his dignity against the gentle efforts of four almost nude women to topple him onto the nearest pile of animal furs, tried to call for order – some order. "Wait a minute." He protested, though truth be told he hated to have to. "Stop."
The woman nearest his ear whispered hotly: "You wish another?" To his left he saw Barry Victor lose the gentle struggle, succumbing to a particularly devious move involving eight twisting feet, six of them bare, and four bodies toppled almost silently into a hill of furs.
"I'm not quite sure what we can do, Cap'n." Trip observes through his trio of clinging beauties, all applying their considerable talents at once.
"Aye, sir." Reed agreed. "They're not exactly attacking – OH!" He exclaimed, eyes bursting wide as one of the women found and applied attention to a particularly sensitive spot.
"They're just trying to make us feel welcome." Trip observed, trying not too hard to push the women away. "I'm not sure we can say 'no' without giving offense, all in the interests of diplomatic relations."
Victor was almost lost to sight under a pile of naked feminine flesh.
"I'm certain Tia and Patricia will be very understanding." At the sharp reminder, Trip and Malcolm's faces fell and their 'resistance' became a measure more serious. Archer, feeling two hands, one from the front and one from the back, converge on an especially sensitive location, struggled to keep his temper. "Ladies, that's enough!"
Even if he did not have to maintain the dignity of Starfleet, he had never had any particular love or desire for more than one companion at a time, not even when it was a quartet of beauties all doing their best to make him feel 'welcome'. And though he did prefer an active, engaged partner, the fervency of these women was actually putting him off.
"Why?" One of them asked. Her tone told him quite clearly that reluctance or resistance was something completely unheard of.
One of the women, encountering more resistance from Trip than she had ever experienced and far more than she cared to know, saw Hoshi standing off from the group and stepped up to her. "You are alone. I am sorry, but there …" She raised a comforting hand but Hoshi glared at her, her voice too low to carry but deadlier than a torpedo.
"If you touch me with either hand, I will break it!"
"But why?" Resistance was so outside her experience as to be beyond her conception.
Archer; cautious of giving offence but vastly uncomfortable, restrained a yellow haired woman barely half his age from pulling down the zipper of his uniform. For an moment it was a gentle contest until he allowed some of his feelings to creep into his hard voice. "All right, that's enough!" He pushed the four away from him, not roughly but very firmly. They did not try to resume their places.
Looking about, he found Trip barely on his feet, Malcolm apparently near to going down, and Commander Victor nowhere to be found. "ATTENTION!" He commanded in a voice sharp enough to split dilithium. Tucker, Reed and Sato crashed to attention, Victor erupting from a pile of twisting limbs, his uniform massively disheveled. Seeing the Captain's volcanic expression, he quickly restored his attire.
The Starfleet officers, obedient to orders, did nothing to acknowledge their 'receptance'. The twelve women, three of them now naked, turned their vastly confused attention on Archer. "But why? Do we displease you?"
"It's not that." He told her, trying to walk a tightrope of diplomacy. "It's just that humans, well, we have rules. We're not allowed to –."
"We'll be punished if we displease you." There was real apprehension in her voice.
"But you don't. You please us greatly, but we – we have others and humans may engage in – in that sort of thing with only one. I'll tell Akaar you were very good, but -."
"No need. We understand." The woman glanced at Hoshi, clearly determining the 'one' to whom Archer referred. They start to file out, one of the last speculating just loudly enough to be overheard on the practice of guests bringing their own.
Hoshi Sato stared after the women; then turned to her shipmates, appalled. The men had well enough developed senses of self-preservation to say absolutely nothing.
She tried to speak, tried again, and finally found her voice. "Permission to speak freely, sir?" Archer could see what was on her mind, but allowed the expression. "I find their subservience absolutely disgusting."
"That's a pretty strong word." Trip said.
"I know many that are a lot stronger, sir." She assured him, her voice hard. She does not in any way speculate on what the men might have done had she not been present. Not only would the permission to speak freely be instantly revoked, but she would undoubtedly earn an unwelcome response.
xx
It was less than a minute after the women had filed out that the huge Saal entered, ducking his head to enter the tent. "Honored Guests…" He began, looking at Archer, allowing the confusion he felt to enter his tone. "Did you not like your receptance?"
"The receptance was highly appreciated, but our laws forbid us to indulge." Saal looked at them curiously, clearly trying to keep from expressing what was on his mind. He was likely under instructions to avoid giving offence, and was trying to comply with those instructions as well as he could. But Archer could see, before the thought was hidden from the man's face, just what he thought of those who did not take advantage of the hospitality the receptance represented.
"Akaar will see you now." So saying, he turned and exited the tent, clearly expecting to be followed. The Starfleet officers exited the tent in the same way they had arrived among the Capellans.
It was not a long walk, but it afforded plenty of opportunity to look around. All of the men wore the same type of clothing, which covered them from head to foot. Sometimes one color throughout, sometimes two, sometimes the difference would be in a sleeve or on the 'other side' of the ubiquitous sash of fur or material worn horizontally across the chest and then upward toward one shoulder. Almost uniformly, they sported long hair, usually blond or light brown, from an opening in the top of the headpiece to hang down in a single 'tail' to about their shoulders.
The women, curiously, were dressed in a wide variety of styles, ranging from full coverage veils to little more than those worn by the receptance. In fact, as they passed, Archer saw one of the 'receptance' women, who favored him with a very unfriendly glare. He was not sure it was because of his refusal, or for any reprisal the woman had or would suffer. He determined to be extremely careful in his upcoming dealings with this Teer Akaar. He did not want anything he said or did in these negotiations to have any possible fallout on anyone else. Of course, he knew this was infinitely more easily said than done, even when dealing with known races, even human. Foreseeing the consequences of a misstep here was going to be deucedly difficult.
Of course, those were the same concerns and stresses he dealt with on any contact with an alien race. Best, as always, to get through it without second-guessing himself too much.
As they passed, all who went about their business were armed with swords, knives and the ever present kligat at their belts. All also displayed a careful lack of curiosity or attention that did not fool the Starfleet officers for an instant. Archer and his team knew they were under close scrutiny during every second of their trip to the Teer's tent.
That tent was located in the center of the camp, and was clearly the largest and most ornate of all of them. The decorative work in the material was impressively detailed and opulent, clearly telling everyone who resided or visited there that this was the home of the leader.
When they entered the tent, there were few inside. A man was seated on the only chair in sight, and even through Archer had seen many in his time this was quite definitely a throne. It was, in fact, an oddity as it was the only chair they had seen thus far – everyone else sat on pillows or cushions.
Kapaar, First Maav, stood on Akaar's right, and when Saal had introduced his charges he took his place at Akaar's left. The other men surrounding the conclave did not move or speak, but their attitude fairly screamed 'guardian'. Though all thus towered over the seated Akaar, there was absolutely no doubt who was in charge.
Akaar was the only one whose head was not covered, but who showed his entire face to them. His hair was almost white, a 'consequence' of blonde hair losing its pigment. His manner was not forbidding, but he was quite evidently someone who was used to having his orders obeyed.
Archer had learned in the briefing that the name and rank were inherited, but they hadn't learned as yet for how many generations 'Teer Akaar' had ruled 'Tribe Akaar'. He was, however, not concerned with dynasties; only with how he could deal with the present occupant of the throne.
In unison the Starfleet Officers extended the traditional greeting of the Capellans even as Commander Victor spoke the formal words.
"You come from the Earth?"
"Yes, Teer." Archer replied.
"Did you find your receptance to your liking?"
'Okay, early start across the minefield.' Archer thought. "Your hospitality and generosity were most impressive and appreciated. Unfortunately, our laws forbid us to indulge, but be assured we are honored by your reception."
Seemingly satisfied by this answer, he looked briefly at Hoshi. "It is unusual for a woman to be present at these negotiations."
"Only women of rank may enter here." Kapaar said. Archer was mildly annoyed that the man had mentioned none of this when he first greeted them.
Hoshi glanced at Archer, and was about to offer to wait outside, but he spoke first, his voice firm. "Ensign Sato is my Communications Officer, and a woman of rank aboard my ship." He and Akaar locked eyes in a long stare, a silent contest of wills that lasted about fifteen seconds before Akaar smiled, looking at Hoshi.
"As such we greet you."
"Thank you, Teer." She replied, inclining her head slightly.
They all recognized that this was a test, one Archer could not let slide easily. If he did not take a firm stand in support of his officers and his selection of his team, the Capellans would think him weak, and they would try to walk all over him in the negotiations to come.
"I understand that you, like the Bergmen, have come seeking rocks you value."
Archer hid a smile at this designation of the crew of the SS Bergman, though Barry Victor's expression was held carefully blank. "Yes, Teer. Our scientists value some of your rocks, and I have been directed to negotiate a treaty to mine them."
"This interests me." He stood up, and they found he was taller than all in the room except Saal, with a bearing one would expect of an Emperor. "We will see how they will be put to use."
"Teer?" Archer was sure he knew what was coming, but did not like it. He also did not want to jump to any conclusion, in case this was just the man's way of saying he wanted a demonstration of the method by which topaline operates.
"We shall go to your ship high above our heads, to see what use you make of our rocks, and negotiate there for your wish to mine more."
Jonathan Archer did not even glance at his fellow officers; he knew they were thinking the same thing he did. Starfleet frowned on contact with races that had not reached a level of technology at which they could travel to other worlds, a 'warp-capable' civilization. T'Pol was a source of frequent reminders of this. These people had not even developed rockets yet. There was even a question in his mind of whether they had even conceived of the sling shot.
But in the man's tone, in his eyes, Archer recognized they had very quickly reached a stumbling block. Akaar intended to see his ship, and would negotiate there! The chance of his backing down from this statement made in front of his own people was about as high as Archer's obtaining a tray of ice-cubes on the sun.
Nor could Archer say that his superiors would forbid it. To do so would again weaken his position, as would Admiral Forrest's after-the-fact order to remove the Capellans from Enterprise.
All in all, Archer had to admit that this hand, brief though it had been, had been well played. He determined to watch the next hand more closely.
xxx
The return trip to Enterprise had been interesting, mostly in terms of watching the reactions of the Capellans to launching into space in the Shuttlepod, maneuvering to and docking with the orbiting starship. Next was the trip to Decon; something Phlox had insisted upon when he heard that three representatives of a world with such an incredibly low level of technology were coming aboard.
Akaar, Kapaar and Saal had tried very hard to take all of this in stride, not letting their faces show any of the feelings they were experiencing during their first space flight. Their reactions were hardly as contained as they wished to believe, something the Enterprise crew would not in any way embarrass their guests by showing. It was, however, fairly entertaining to watch.
Archer wondered if Akaar would use more care in the future before insisting on getting something he wanted.
x
Their first stop on being released from Decon was, of course, Sick Bay. Phlox, though assured they did not carry any detectable microbes or other pathogen, still wanted to conduct a thorough examination of the newcomers.
None had any objection. It afforded them a chance for a more thorough look around, particularly since the manner of their hosts' reaction was such that this was not in any way unusual.
Thus it was that, while Phlox conducted his examinations, and everyone else returned to their stations except Tucker, who stood by discretely observing, Akaar and Archer were able to begin their negotiations. It was not a true 'negotiation'; that would come later. Each side knew the reason for this visit, and for the 'tour' that was inevitable. Akaar wanted to find out what his hosts had before he decided what he was going to ask for.
And one of the important keys in that strategy was finding out just how badly these 'topaline' rocks were needed.
Archer was fairly annoyed at the need to play 'host' this time. His orders from Admiral John Black (quite annoyingly Maxwell Forrest was on a three week vacation) were explicit. Get the mining treaty; period.
Truth be told, it was not that he minded having guests aboard Enterprise. He just wanted to be able to be in a position to decide if this was a good idea or not. Effectively, his orders had taken that, and many other decisions, out of his hands.
"I think, Captain, that it would be best if you and I continued this discussion alone. Is there a place my Maavs can reside while we discuss matters?"
"Of course." He did not like the use of the word 'reside', but he had to admit that it was unlikely they would come to a settlement before lunch. Best to limit exposure as much as possible, however, and if Akaar wanted to be the only one to see this ship freely, he had no objections to that. Looking about, Archer spotted a woman working across the room. "Ensign Samuels?"
Dina Samuels turned from the bottle in which she had been pouring an amber liquid. "Yes, Captain?"
"Would you join us please?"
"Of course, Captain." She set the bottle down, topping everything, and stepped over to her commander and his three (tall!) guests.
Samuels was twenty nine, had long brown hair which cascaded past her shoulders, brown eyes and a figure no Starfleet issue uniform could hide well. She was known to the men and other women aboard Enterprise as 'the Barber' or 'the Beautician', depending upon who was consulted. She was assigned to Life Sciences, which made her ostensively part of Phlox's staff as well as under T'Pol's Science Division, and several from that small section doubled as 'nurses' or assistants in Sick Bay when needed.
When she joined them, Archer introduced her to the three Capellans. At five eight, she had to look high up at the three, the shortest of which was Kapaar at six ten. Akaar was seven two and Saal seven three.
Samuels was not intimidated. She was used to men taller than she was; though not quite to this extent.
"Ensign, Teer Akaar and his First and Second Maavs will be staying aboard Enterprise for a short time. Would you please escort Kapaar and Saal to quarters on D deck, 145 and 149? The Teer will be in 147. Please see they are settled in, see to their needs, and so forth."
"Of course, Captain." She said with a smile. "This way, please, gentlemen."
As she led them away, Archer turned his attention back to Akaar, briefly catching Trip's eye. He was grateful for his friend's silent presence; he would want to get the man's impressions as soon as they were alone.