Chapter Six
Conclave
"I need your insight." Jonathan Archer told his First Officer in the Captain's Mess. They were off duty, if that phrase meant anything to the ship's two highest ranking officers, so he had chosen this venue rather than his Ready Room off the bridge.
Their meal was finished. He had not wanted to discuss this over dinner, feeling it was only going to congeal his food within him. He might have spared himself the concern – he had not tasted a single bite of whatever it was that he had eaten.
He looked down for a moment at his empty plate. The portion had been small at his request, but he would have had to embarrass himself by asking what it had been, even if he really cared to know.
"I shall be happy to assist."
There might have been a time when he would have called her on the 'happy' part, but that was long ago and another life. Now he needed the woman's level head as much as her emotionally controlled tones. "I presume this is in regard to Ensign Samuels' situation."
He nodded. "These Capellans, they act like they didn't do anything wrong."
"In their eyes they did not." T'Pol waited for the flash of outrage to fade from her Captain's eyes. She had long ago noted that sometimes the man sought her advice and dispassionate observations; then had trouble looking beyond his own emotional responses enough to take them. "I have examined the reports of not only the members of this crew but also those of the Bergman." The survey ship had left orbit not long after its Commander had returned, and they knew none of the incidents that had followed the return from the surface.
Archer found his right hand tightly clenched and forced himself to open it. "What did you find?" He tried to keep his question impassionate, and almost succeeded. Almost.
"Enough to draw two conjectures. The stated custom of 'receptance' seems to be superceded by the understanding that it is not a human custom, and should not have been expected. I understand you made this quite plain."
"I tried to. I thought I had."
"If they did understand, then this act by Saal would be a violation of hospitality. Unfortunately, we know too little of their customs to make a positive determination. Further, you may have made our position clear to the Teer, but did you do so to his subordinates?"
Archer thought carefully to his conversation aboard the Shuttlepod. He'd addressed himself to the Teer, but the others had been listening, though if he really had to say that they understood … Sometimes T'Pol's logic and restrained emotion could be an asset, sometimes a vast pain.
Seeing she was not going to get an immediate answer, T'Pol pressed on. "There is also the matter of how women in this culture are perceived and treated. Again, reports are inconclusive, but they seem to indicate different casts of women, even as they appear to have different casts of men. Details are sketchy at best; we know far too little about these people, but it seems that women play a subordinate, perhaps subservient role in this society. If so, they may well have expected that Ensign Samuels was assigned to perform a service, possibly above and beyond your stated instructions."
"Are you saying you think I might have sent her into this?"
"Lieutenant Reed's report does seem to indicate that this is likely."
T'Pol did not volunteer any more details. It was clear from the look on her Captain's face that she had gone as far on this point as she dared. There was a limit to even Archer's emotional equilibrium, and she could see that she had reached the limit of the stress that could be put upon it.
x
"Have you decided what course you will pursue?"
"I've contacted Starfleet Command to let them know what happened. As far as I'm concerned, this changes a lot. But I'm quite limited in my options. Admiral Black's orders don't say to negotiate and try to get the mining rights. His orders are to get the topaline."
"You appear to be in an unenviable position." T'Pol concurred, offering as much empathy as she was capable of permitting herself to show.
There was a soft note from the intercom. Archer reached over and pushed the button. "Yes?"
"Crewman Gandle, sir, on the bridge." The relief Helm Officer reported. "Sub-Commander T'Pol wanted to know when the computer was finished analyzing the data she'd collected."
"Thank you." He turned off the intercom.
"If you will excuse me, Captain."
"Of course."
x
When she stood up and opened the door, Commander Trip Tucker was on its other side. He was mildly surprised to have the door open before he'd pressed the annunciation button; T'Pol would never admit to such momentary surprise, no matter how minor. "Commander?"
"Hi." He looked past her. "Cap'n, do you have a minute?"
Archer did not want any more bad news and the look on his friend's face showed clearly that he was not bringing anything good. "Sure."
x
T'Pol excused herself again, leaving Trip and Archer alone. As Trip came in and took a seat, Archer gave him a moment to get settled, but only a moment. "What's gone wrong now?"
"Nothing. That is, no more than before. Fact is, I'm trying to decide what to say." Trip admitted. "I'm sittin' on something that's really confidential, but it's somethin' you need to hear; and I'm just tryin' to figure out how to filter out the private stuff."
Jonathan Archer knew his friend very well; and had long learned that when the man was tense his Southern accent was more noticeable. It was a good barometer of the man's feelings, and right now it was thick enough to choke on. "I've always found," he began, "that the best way is to decide what will hurt the person you have a confidence with, and what will help. I presume it's Dina Samuels you're talking about." Trip nodded.
"She asked me to come to her shop on the pretext of getting a trim. She wanted to talk and I guess she felt safest there. She could lock the door." Archer nodded. "She told me a lot, most of which … well, she didn't ask it be kept secret, but she went to a lot of effort to tell me in privacy."
"I understand." He waited, letting the man decide what to say. There was a balance between what was confidential and what could help her more if it was out in the open, and he had to be very careful in deciding what things went on either side of that balance. Finally, there was only one thing left on one side.
"She … God, how do I say it? She believes she was payment for the topaline."
Archer nodded dismally. "She expressed as much to me. I'd hoped it was bitterness talking. I didn't think she really and truly believed it."
"I honestly don't know what she believes. It might have been bitterness, but I doubt it. I don't know her really well, not as well as I'd like, or that I should; considering I'm Second Officer. I believed she had more objectivity than this, but a traumatic incident like this can shake your faith in a lot of things."
"I really wish I knew what to do for her." Archer said feelingly. "McCabe's the psychologist, I'm just winging it. We both are."
"I'd hate to think anyone would honestly think Starfleet would use them as 'payment' for anything. They're just not like that. Maybe it was bitterness talking; I don't know." He sighed feelingly. "What does Starfleet say about all this?"
"I had Hoshi send a message telling them everything, but we're so far out it'll take hours to get a reply. We'll just have to wait."
x
"In the meantime, what are you going to do?"
"About the Capellans? Another round of negotiations. We've been through weapons; titanium – I'm pretty certain they wanted swords; T4 water systems. Victor's prediction was right. I think Akaar's getting the point that we won't do anything that will affect the balance of power on that planet – if we can help it. The problem is; that's just want he wants to do. I'm going to offer desert suits, the material in as much quantity as they want, but that's a passive item and I think Akaar wants phase pistols." He sighed. "But we'll work out something. We have to come to an agreement somewhere!" He finished feelingly.
"And about Dina?"
Archer stopped. Everything he knew to do involved the help of friends she trusted; medical and psychological assistance and her own natural strength of will and integrity of self. And time.
Beyond that? He shook his head, unwilling to admit aloud the truth he couldn't deny. He had absolutely no idea what he could do to fix this. He looked at Trip, seeing in the man's eyes an equally galling helplessness.
They would have to hope that her friends could help.
xxx
Dina Samuels was on her way back to her quarters at 2000 hours, lost in thought, swamped by the emotions and overwhelming sense of support that had come from her many friends. She barely knew what to say, what to think in light of this overwhelming day. She just wanted to walk, to get her mind off everything, when she heard a voice behind her calling her name. She looked back, seeing Travis Mayweather and Sam Harris approaching. She stopped to let them catch up.
"Dina," Travis began when the men reached her, Sam stepping past her so they could each face her as she stood with her back against the bulkhead. "I just … well, I wanted to say…"
She reached out, touching his arm. "Thank you."
"If there's anything we can do for you, just ask." Sam offered. The men were standing close enough that their words need not carry far, Travis on her left and Sam on her right.
Suddenly, Dina felt a flash of discomfort. Her back was against the wall and both men were before her, on either side, blocking her. Suddenly, she realized she was afraid! Wrong though it was to be suddenly afraid in the presence of her friends, she could only feel a senseless, mounting fear.
"Yeah, we just wanted you to know we're here for you. Everybody is."
She heard his words, but couldn't take them into her consciousness, because inside her fear was growing, tearing at her, choking her breath. These were her friends; she'd known them for months and for no reason at all she was afraid! No, not just afraid – she was terrified! She looked from one to the other and all she could think of was escape!
"Jen told me she was setting something up for this evening, some kind of …" Travis' voice trailed off as he saw the look in her eyes, her breath starting to come faster, broken erratically. "Dina, is something wrong?"
She looked from one to the other, her terror mounting, shattering her breath as she pressed against the steel bulkhead. "Please!" She whispered; her voice quivering as she started to tremble.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked, growing concerned. He reached out and took her right arm, trying to steady her as the trembling grew worse. She stared at his hand and her panic flared, blasting her reason.
"Please!" She begged; her trembling voice reduced to a whisper as terror overwhelmed her. "Please! Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!"
"No one's going to hurt you." Travis promised, worried now by her fear.
She wanted to pull away from Sam's solicitous grip, actually just a light touch that her mind made into the beginning of another assault; but she was frozen, unable to move. "Please!" She pleaded in a tremulous whisper, tears stinging her eyes. "Don't hurt me!" She begged desperately. "Please don't hurt me!"
"Dina?"
x
"Get away from her!" A woman's sharp command cracked like a whip and they turned, seeing Jennifer Farber stalking up to them. The ebon woman wedged herself between Travis and Dina, actually shoving her boyfriend back. "What are you two, idiots?" She gathered Dina into her arms, turning her away from the men, holding the trembling woman as she faced the men over Dina's shoulder, her voice cutting like a knife. "What do you think you're doing?"
"We were trying to offer support." Travis told the black woman equally sharply as she held Dina.
"Men!" She exclaimed in high frustration as Dina fought to suppress her trembling, to get her breath back under control, safe from her friends in her friend's arms. "You had her boxed in. She had nowhere to run. Don't either of you recognize a panic attack when you see one? What did you think was going to happen?"
Dina shook her head, pushing away from Jennifer. "No. Please, it's all right." She turned to them, brushing stinging tears from her eyes, shamed beyond all expression.
"We're sorry." Travis told her.
"Yeah, we're really sorry. We didn't mean to scare you."
Dina shook her head, vastly ashamed. This was getting out of hand. These men were her friends. "No. I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I couldn't help it! I couldn't stop it. It just …"
Jennifer came around to face her. "It's called panic; and its very natural." She wanted to add 'if these two dunderheads could just realize…' but did not. She fought down her own anger even as Dina fought her remaining fear. Giving vent to that anger would only make everyone feel even more embarrassed.
x
Dina was vastly ashamed. And she still felt afraid, she realized resentfully. Afraid of her friends. They had come in all the best intents and she had completely lost control. "I'm sorry."
"Look, let's just forget it or we'll be here apologizing all night." Travis advised. "No one expected this – but we'll do our best to help you deal with it."
"Just give her some space for a while." Jennifer directed.
Travis fought his natural reaction to reach out to Dina. "Sure."
But Dina, looking at both of them, could not bear to let this go on. They were her friends, but much as she needed 'space', she didn't want to give in to the need for it. Stepping forward before she could let herself think about it, she threw her arms about both men, squeezing as tightly as she could. "I love you both."
But then the fear was back and she stepped back. Neither man had moved to embrace her, cautious about setting off another panic attack. She appreciated their restraint almost as much as she resented the 'need' for it. She didn't want to admit this either, it galled her to say it; "But maybe space…"
Dina could not finish the frustration admission. She was immensely grateful that no one forced her to.
xxx
When Elizabeth Cutler and Hoshi Sato entered the Mess Hall in the seventh hour of Beta Shift, they found the room already occupied by twenty-six women. Andrea Carstairs from Security was positioned just within the entrance to politely request any male member of the crew to please wait a few minutes before entering. Hoshi looked carefully about the room, noting the level of tension was very high indeed. "What's going on?"
Jennifer Farber from Geology turned to face them. "Good, you two were the last. We're gathering all the women together so we can decide what our position is going to be. We have to be united on this."
"United on what?" Liz asked, feeling a bit apprehensive.
Hoshi glanced about the room. "Where's T'Pol."
"She wasn't invited." Carla Martinez said.
"But if you say all the women…"
"There's some contention about whether she qualifies!" Vicky Pasmore insisted.
Hoshi was surprised by the other's vehemence, but decided not to push the issue. Instead, she turned her attention back to Jennifer, as the brown woman seemed to be the lead figure in whatever was going on. "Like Liz said, 'united on what'?"
"We want the Captain to know that we're not going to tolerate what happened to Dina!" A ragged chorus of agreement rose. "We signed on to this ship knowing that there would be risks, and agreeing to them. We all went through the Academy; none of us came aboard blindfolded. But we have the right to expect that there would be some sane limits to that risk."
Another chorus of support arose.
"What sane limit? What is a 'sane limit'?"
"That we can depend on our crewmates, on our Captain, on Starfleet backing us up."
"Who says they're not?"
"Haven't you heard?" Sally Ransen exclaimed. "They care more about this treaty than in getting justice for Dina!"
"I've heard no such thing." Hoshi said authoritatively. As the Comm Officer, she knew every message that came in or went out of the ship, and all the inner workings of Starfleet that Archer ever shared with his Senior Officers. She tried to repress her anger at this outrageous conclusion.
She sought out Dina, finding the subject of this conclave standing at the far edge of the throng, not looking at anyone. She looked like she felt guilty about being the cause of it and wanted to escape, to not be the focal point for something terrible she could neither control nor stop. But at the same time, these other women were there to support her and she could not escape that either.
"Isn't it obvious?" Kathy Martin demanded. "They'd throw any or all of us to the wolves for their precious topaline."
x
"All right, that's enough!" Hoshi demanded, seeing the situation about to explode out of all proportion. She turned to Jennifer, the clear instigator of the evening. "What do you want?"
Mary Tigat, also from Security, cut her off. "We want you to bring our demands to the Captain."
"I will do no such thing!" Hoshi declared firmly. She looked over the group. It had been a long, stressful day, and she was not in the mood to deal with nonsense from her fellow non-Coms. "Why ask me? What made you think I would consider it, if you are going to express it like that?"
"Look around you." Jennifer said forcefully. "Do you see any Lieutenants here? Any Lieutenant Commanders? Any Commanders? We're all 'able bodied Crewwomen' or Ensigns. But you work on the Bridge. You have the Captain's ear twenty-four/seven. That makes you the highest ranking woman on this ship, Ensign!"
Hoshi looked over the sea of angry faces. No, not angry. Frightened; with a deep seated fear that could not be expressed logically and could not be escaped.
And in that sea, there was one face that was neither angry nor frightened. Across the mob she saw Mother Patricia McCabe looking at her, her own expression calm, contemplative, seemingly trying to communicate a message to her from across the room. And Hoshi had to admit she knew the message quite well indeed.
She knew her friends were lashing out because they believed themselves powerless against the overwhelming concerns of Starfleet's needs and requirements. They only wanted some assurance that when their backs were to the wall, they could depend upon their shipmates.
In the background, she saw Mother McCabe cross the rear of the small crowd, putting an arm about Dina Samuels' shoulder and gently guiding her forward. The woman did not want to come, but she did not fight the Priest's gentle coaxing. As the other women noticed the silent pair passing through their midst, they opened ranks until Samuels and McCabe stood before Hoshi. Patricia McCabe did not move her comforting hand.
"Dina," Hoshi said softly, "what do you want?"
"What do I want?" She repeated, barely audible. She looked at McCabe literally at her shoulder. "What do I want." It was not a question. McCabe silent support gave her the strength to turn back to Hoshi, and this time her voice was firmer, more like her own.
"I want to have this day not to have happened, and I want revenge! I want to crawl onto my bunk and hide from the galaxy and I want to go to Captain Archer and demand my due. I want to have this meeting not be happening and I want to scream for joy that someone cares enough to have it! I want to go to Tony and have him hold me and tell me he loves me and tell me everything's going to be all right even though we both know it's a fragging lie! I want to have his arms around me and I want to tear out the heart of any man who so much as touches me again!" She looked at McCabe. "If you can make sense out of all that, then that's what I want."
x
No one said anything, because everyone in the room knew the conflict all too well. They also knew that sorting it out would be the painful work of months.
"All right. I'll speak to the Captain." Hoshi's look took in them all. "I'll communicate your concerns."
"And our demands." Tigat insisted.
"No!" She declared adamantly. "If we can thrash out a message, I'll give it to him. But I am not going to lay a list of demands at his feet, because he is bound by regulations as much as we are, and he will not to be able to meet any outrageous demands." She paused, deciding that this time she had gotten through to her Sisters-in-Arms.
"Now, let's see if we can agree about what your message is."