Antagonists

"Kirk…"

R'Kerti was hardly the only one to whisper the name. Several of the females who had accompanied them had also been listening warily even as Mlian had snuggled closer to Mary. Everyone looked at the Gorn who slowly nodded.

"Not James T, I assume?" She asked Neesha who smiled at her.

"He had very little to do with it. Starfleet and the Federation had less to do with it." Neesha reassured everyone. "To Klingons of that time, James T Kirk was the ultimate challenge. A formidable foe as a Starfleet captain in command of one of the most powerful ships of that time. He was the epitome of an honorable and capable enemy to my people. Many challenged him, in battle and out. None succeeded." Her face fell. "Not all fought with honor however and there were many casualties of the varied conflicts. One such casualty was a man named Peter Kirk."

"His nephew." Mary said as Mlian looked a question at her. R'Kerti nodded.

"I studied James Kirk. Captain, Admiral and then Captain again. I did my final on his approach to phaser tactics against cloaked vessels." The Gorn said very quietly and Mary nodded again. "I was in awe. I had read stories, heard tales. Suddenly, there I was in Starfleet Academy following in his footsteps." Her mouth widened just a little, a careful Gorn smile. Their full smiles were terrifying and Mary knew the Gorn had had learned that the hard way. "The tales are exaggerated. Almost mythical now, but the facts remain. He was one of the best of his time."

"Not the best at following rules, but one of the best at getting the job done." Mary agreed.

"I don't remember much about Peter Kirk." R'Kerti said slowly, clearly thinking hard. "He was orphaned, then attended Starfleet Academy." Neesha and Mary both nodded and the Gorn continued. "But then, the records go vague and he was suddenly in the Diplomatic Corps?" Her tone was half statement, half query.

"Yes." Neesha looked away. "There was an incident where a Klingon thought to take him hostage to demand Captain Kirk surrender himself. It was a mess and a half but it worked out in the end. The dishonorable fools gave him a jailer who they thought would be incorruptible and instead, she would up corrupting him."

"That is debatable." Mary smiled wide as Neesha glared at her.

"Don't start." Neesha snarled but it was playful, not angry. "Peter Kirk left Starfleet to serve as a diplomat to the Empire."

"And…" R'Kerti stiffened. "NO!"

"Yes." Neesha smiled even wider. "They had kids. One of whom is now matriarch of the House. It is a small house, but we would welcome all of you. We are neutral in the conflicts between Federation and Empire. Many of us jumped at the chance to serve the Alliance when it was founded."

"I can't, Neesha." Mary hugged Mlian gently and the Orion looked at her. "I have other obligations."

"I know." Neesha reassured the human seeming woman. "The offer is for the others and it is not something they need to answer right now. But this is formal, Mary. We are your allies. Not your mother. You. We fought Iconians during the war, but we have fought with everyone since our House was formed. You are my sister of pain, fear and loss and I stand with you now and forever, cha'dich."

"I am honored." Mary bowed her head. "These need care and ease. Mlian needs time and rest to recover. I will see that they have it. And… you may tell… whoever…" She said very carefully. "Count me in if that golden scum shows himself again. I would be honored to fight beside you or your house against him. Any time. Any place."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Captain Mary Owlna of the Denali." Neesha smiled again, bowed to everyone and was gone in a flash of blue! Not a transporter. Not even an Iconian one. Something else.

There was utter silence in the room and then the Aenar by Mary's side scoffed.

"It is always going to be something with you, isn't it, Mary?" Jhinis's milky white eyes swept the room but no one seemed upset. Mlian was now almost asleep in Mary's arms and the girl held the Orion as she sat back on the couch.

"Probably." Mary eased Mlian to the couch and the girl settled, her face easing as she fell asleep. The human seeming being looked around and smiled at the others who seemed at a loss for words. "Go on, Eat. There are beds and sanitary facilities set up for your species through the door over there."

The small group spread out, no one seemed willing to break the comfortable silence that fell. Then Mary and Jhinis both jerked and everyone tensed again.

"No emergency." Mary reassured them all as Jhinis' face turned to the floor. "Jhinis' brother is waking up. We are needed in med-bay. The healers also want to examine Mlian. R'Kerti? The house is set up for voice access. Can I leave you in charge?"

"That one doesn't smell right." R'Kerti said slowly and Mary nodded. "Do I want to know why?"

"She is Orion but she didn't start that away." Mary said softly and R'Kerti tensed. "She is not an enemy, R'Kerti. She has nothing to do with them. After what was done to her, she doesn't know which way is up. I know the feeling and I will take care of her. I won't let her hurt anyone or be hurt again, understood?"

For a long moment, the Gorn stared at the sleeping green skinned girl. Then she looked at Mary and snorted softly.

"Always the hard way, huh, Mary?" R'Kerti asked sourly. Mary just shrugged, but it did not disturb Mlian. M'tara nodded when Mary looked at the others.

"I will keep an eye on the group, if Ensign R'Kerti wishes to stay with you." The purple skinned android said. "I have tied into the com system. I can call if there are any problems."

"I stay with you." R'Kerti moved to Mary's side and took a sniff of Mlian. Whatever she smelled made her back up a step, but she went no further.

"R"Kerti, she wasn't lying about what happened to her." Mary said as she rose to her feet, careful not to jostle the slumbering waif in her arms. "There was no way she could have lied to me at this range without my detecting it, and even if she did? Somehow, I have information on what was done to her." She sagged a little. "As bad as what happened to me was, this was worse."

"They are the best liars in the galaxy." R'kerti said flatly. Jhinis moved to flank Mary and R'Kerti shook her head, but moved to join the group. "You know this."

"I know what she is." Mary agreed. "But I also know what she can be if we give her a chance. She is not weak, R'Kerti and she is not hostile. She is a hurting female who needs aid and I am going to give it. She needs friends right now and so do we."

"Mary…" R'Kerti shook her head as Jhinis stared from the frustrated Gorn to the Orion and back, the Aenar's milky white eyes seeing far more than normal sight.

"Oh dear." Jhinis said as Mary started off and the mismatched pair of females followed her, the Gorn and Aenar both wary. "That is going to cause problems, Mary."

"Putting it very mildly." Mary agreed as she led the way out of the house and towards a larger building in the distance. There was no one else out. Then again, Iconia was a dead world and the few inhabitants of said world had lots of space to spread out. "But Mlian as she is does not constitute a threat."

"You know better than that." R'Kerti snapped, but subsided when both Mary and Jhinis hushed her. "Her kind are never not a threat."

"Mlian is an Orion, R'Kerti." Mary replied. She was not arguing, not really. More stating facts. "She thinks like an Orion. She feels like an Orion. She remembers being an Orion. Nothing more. I can feel her sorrow, her pain even now. Only Jhinis has an inkling of what was done to her, R'Kerti. I know all of what he did to her. I remember all of what he did to me now. I won't see her harmed again."

"She can hurt us." R'Kerti rumbled a bit dangerously, but subsided when Mary glared at her.

"She doesn't want to." Mary retorted as they entered a building with large lettering outside in Ionian script that neither the Aenar Herald nor the Gorn could read and came to a stop just inside.

"Mary." The Herald Glenda'Lar stood near one wall of the large entry area. She was the only one present. She was not wearing the helmet of her Herald armor. She was wearing a worried look. "Is there a problem?"

"Yes." Mary said sadly. "Mlian is hurt far worse than we thought. She needs help and I need to talk to L'Miren and V'Lar. Are they available?"

"They were called away to deal with-" The other Herald stopped short as Mlian whimpered a little in Mary's arms. She didn't wake, but she did start to glow. Mary crooned to her and even asleep, Mlian relaxed. "Oh dear!"

"Yes. I knew what she was as soon as I picked her up the first time. I told L'Miren as soon as I got in touch with her. I don't know what my Mother has told the others." Mary said quietly as the Jhinis and R'kerti both eyed Mlian. "No one else knew what Mlian is except the special guest." She put no emphasis on the word 'special' but everyone conscious winced anyway.

"Mary, we didn't know what they did to you. That they used you as a decoy while they fled." Glenda'Lar said softly and Mary nodded. Her soft tone was an illusion, it was quiet clear she was not happy with what had happened to Mary. "Not until a day or so ago and you know how your Mother reacted when she found out." The Herald's dark skinned face was grave. "You know how the Great One feels about such."

"The needs of the many." Mary said very softly and then she stiffened a little as Glenda'Lar actually snarled at her.

"Come off it!" The Herald said with a growl. "You have every right to be angry, but you know it wasn't like that! They didn't dare tell us what they did to you until you were safe. That was well after L'Miren and the others offered them sanctuary. Still, it was close. We almost tossed them out anyway." The Herald stepped forward, her hand coming up slowly to cup Mlian's cheek. "Ah… Poor thing."

"I…" Mary swallowed hard and then bowed her head. "I am angry. But not with you, Glenda'Lar. Not with Mlian, R'Kerti or Jhinis. With myself and the ones who hurt me. My pain is in the past. My anger…" She broke off, shook her head and continued. "I am angry and I will be but my rage must remain with my past. For now? I will abide by Mother's decrees. I will do no harm on this world. That said? I will protect my own. This one hasn't said so, but she is likely to join my household. She is terrified. Of what happened to her and what she can feel now. She has no idea what happened or why. I know about that feeling. I know about being helpless, scared and hurting, Glenda'Lar. I can't leave this innocent soul to face this alone."

"No one with any brains would expect you to." The Herald bowed to Mary, a sign of respect, not deference. "A private room is being prepared for her as we speak. As you wish to take responsibility, you will have to talk to them."

The Aenar and the Gorn shared a worried glance. Who was she talking about? From how Mary and Glenda'Lar spoke, not the Iconians but someone just as worrisome? Wait a minute! If Mlian was-? 'Oh dear' was right!

"I will see about talking to them as soon as I see Mlian situated." Mary promised. "Is Captain R'Rollow here? I understand he was…" She broke off as the human Herald in front of her made a soft, exasperated noise. "Still being stubborn, is he?"

"He is insisting that the ship can be repaired." Glenda'Lar said with a frown. "It can be, but the resources required will be far more than a new ship."

"I didn't see how badly the K'Valk's Honor was damaged but I did see a number of enemies converging on it as his people covered my getting to the Denali." Mary said after a moment's thought. "How bad?" The Herald shook her head and Mary stilled. "That bad? Casualties?"

"Half the crew." Glenda'Lar was utterly neutral now and Mary winced along with Jhinis. "The rest refused to have anything to do with us when we offered medical aid. They did not offer violence, but it was a close run thing." Mary just looked at the Herald who nodded. "No one blames them, least of all us."

"I need to get Mlian situated." Mary said firmly and the human Herald nodded. "Then I can talk to whoever. I don't see how Captain R'Rollow might listen to me, but I am a fresh pair of ears with little baggage."

"You did not fight in the war, Mary." Glenda'Lar said with a nod as she turned and started for a door that simply oozed out of her way on one wall. "You had nothing to do with what M'Tara did."

"I know." Mary followed the Herald, her pair of mismatched attendants following a pace behind. "It still stings, knowing what she did, what she was going to do." Jhinis and R'kerti shared a look, but did not speak as they followed Mary into corridors that twisted oddly, but soothing in low level lights.

"Even at their worst, the Iconains never wanted everyone dead, Mary." Glenda'Lar said reasonably.

"I know. But still… Serve or die." Mary shook her head. "Slaves." Her shoulders slumped, but she did not jar Mlian. "That goes against everything I remember being taught by them. And yes, I know…" She was quick to continue when Glendar'Lar inhaled. "...desperate times call for desperate measures. They couldn't trust anyone else, so they had to do things that were unthinkable before Iconia fell."

"That is why we need you, Mary." Glenda'Lar stopped at a blank wall that morphed into another door. "Even the Great Ones cannot remember as clearly as you can now that your memories have been unlocked. Remember what they were, the good and noble beings that they aspired to be. You are the guide that we need. The moral compass. I will obey V'Lar in whatever she orders me to do. It is what I am now, but she doesn't want to be a monster anymore. None of them do." She grimaced. "Except T'Ket."

"Even T'Ket understands that there have to be limits." Mary replied. "She could have just killed everyone in that medical bay when I freed her. She didn't. I was half expecting her to."

"Me too." R'Kerti said sotto voice and both Glenda'Lar and Mary smiled at her.

"I for one am glad she didn't." Glenda'Lar smiled at the Gorn who returned it a bit hesitant. "Mary. The room is ready. The waif will sleep until she is fully healed, but now you have people that you need to talk to."

"Right." Mary stepped up to the opening and help Mlian out. Both the Aenar and the Gorn hissed as something reached out of the room to grasp the girl and draw her inside. Some kind of pseudopod? Not a limb like any humanoid possessed. The door vanished as quickly as it had appeared, but not before the view of some kind of fluid was seen through the door. Were those plants or animals that were flowing in it? Both?

"That… isn't…" R'Kerti broke off as Glenda'Lar and Mary both shook their heads firmly.

"No." Mary replied when it was clear that the Herald was waiting for her to speak. "Even Iconian tech has limits and they cannot form a portal to Fluidic Space in such a small area. It is a simulation, but a pervasive one. It will be gentle, comforting. Soothing to her as she heals. It won't take long, but I need to talk to some people before she wakes."

"Indeed you do." Glenda'lar started off again and Mary followed, with only one quick glance back at where the door had been. "The captain and his mate are in the next room. I will set up a com connection to Mlian's people while you speak to him and her."

With that, she strode off without even a goodbye.

"An Undine, Mary?" R'Kerti was beyond skepticism, it seemed. "An Undine?"

"An immature one who was tortured the same way I was." Mary replied and the Gorn stilled in whatever she was going to say. "I touched her mind, R'Kerti." Both other females shuddered and Mary nodded. "And yes, I was careful. She doesn't remember being an Undine. The same scum who hurt me did the same things to her but didn't finish. She was millimeters from swearing to my service after my kindness to her." Jhinis inhaled in shock and Mary nodded. "Yes, Jhinis, just like you."

"And... you think…" Jhinis trailed off as Mary glowered at her. "Never mind. You are set, aren't you?"

"Whatever species she started as, he hurt her. Badly. Right now, she is hurting. Right now, she is a lost, scared, hurting little Orion girl and I will not see her harmed further." Mary's tone might have bent a steel bar in half. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Mary, they are the best liars and manipulators that anyone has ever seen. You know what they did to my people!" R'Kerti was halfway to shock and Mary unbent a little. "They have to know how to manipulate you by now! They have to!"

"Yes." Mary's tone implied that ended the argument.

"And having them use you as they used my people helps... how?" The Gorn folded her arms and glowered at her friend. She had a good glower, the Gorn did.

"The Undine moved against your people because the Iconians pushed them to." Mary was not arguing, not really. "They have very little interest in these dry spaces. They have enough problems in their own space. They were attacked. They responded. I think…" She slowly shook her head. "R'kerti, I am not asking you to trust her or something equally idiotic. All I ask is that you give her a chance." She smiled at the Gorn. "Please?"

"Mary…" R'Kerti groaned.

"She will swear to Mary, Ensign R'Kerti." Jhinis said with a nod. "And then? There can be no duplicity between them just as there can be none between Mary and myself."

"And what good does that do?" The Gorn half snarled that as Mary started off again. She threw up her hands, but followed, Jhinis at her side.

"A lot of good, if I can make it work." Mary replied, not slowing even as the others hurried to catch up.

"How so?" R'Kerti was calmer now, but only a little bit.

"The Undine do not understand us and we do not understand them. We need to communicate if we are fix any of the mess the Iconians made." Mary paused at the door as muted sounds came from inside. Loud yowling. An argument. "But for now? Let me do the talking."

The Aenar Herald and the Gorn Starfleet officer looked at one another and spoke as one.

"Gladly."