A/N: Thanks guys!
Night's Darkness: Lots of Shran is definitely in the plan. Oooo, a rhyme. He was one of my favorite characters and I can't imagine a continuation after TATV without him. He's a lot of fun to write, as well. I think I can swing his child's birth as part of the story!
Is it an Archer/T'Pol story? No, it's a story about how the Romulan War began and what the Enterprise heroes do before and during it. It's about the Federation and the alliances, including how they are involved with the war. Now, will in the process of all this Archer and T'Pol find romance? You'll just have to find out. (I think that's part of the mystery.) I will continue to write about Hoshi/Malcolm and Shran/Jhamel.
---
Words of war hung around the low-lit room and reverberated off the walls marble walls.
War, T'Pol thought
When the Council was created, one of the primary missions was to keep peace. The idea wasn't just for the Andorians and the Vulcans, for example, to put away their phase pistols and agree to be friends. The mission was much more expansive: to keep the peace in the entire universe. It seemed unreachable, and yet thus far the United Federation of Planets had managed to avert skirmishes between more than just the few species represented at the Council table. Last year through diplomacy, the Federation was able to end three battles, feed the inhabitants of hungry planets and end a plague on Elexi Prime.
To hear Gral speak of war made the Vulcan's blood run cold.
"We should never mention that word unless we're prepared to back up our words with actions," T'Pol whispered. "It could be that our aides and Neville have been unable to contact us."
The Andorian frowned. "Do you really think that's the case, Vulcan?"
T'Pol said, "You are making an assumption."
Shran disagreed. "You are, too."
As the Council members came in, Sera – the ambassador from Xindi - sat next to T'Pol and broke in on the conversation. "I heard you mention a declaration of war. How could you do such a thing?"
Gral gave a grunt. "What of it?"
Sera said, "You should bring it to the entire Council."
Gral said, "We found two traitors. It seems the Council has been compromised."
Others added their opinions: Darag accused Merah, the Veral ambassador, of being a spy.
"I saw her here late last night!"
Merah hissed. "I was trying to contact my aide."
"I didn't see Ambassador Trin at the party last night," Demvar said.
"My child was ill. I stayed up with him all night," Trin explained.
Nezfar piped up. "Demvar, you're one to talk. I saw you talking with Xemax before she was captured last night."
As the bickering continued, T'Pol felt a profound sense of dismay. Chaos had taken over and even the president of the Council was resorting to name-calling and leveling accusations at fellow ambassadors. She pondered quietly how to proceed, when she saw Archer finally stand up.
"That's enough," he said. When the arguing didn't dissipate, he raised his voice. "That's enough!"
The room became still.
"When we created the articles of the Federation, you trusted each other enough to put century-old disputes aside."
Demvar said, "That was before we found out about Xemax. She's been with the Council almost since it's beginning."
Archer shook his head. "Years ago, the Romulans sent a drone ship to attack Enterprise. Its purpose was to create fear and mistrust among the different races – the Andorians, the Tellarites, the Vulcans and the Humans. Do you remember?"
Shran's antennae squirmed and T'Pol raised an eyebrow. The Andorian definitely recalled the event.
"This is different!" Gral argued, standing. Pounding his fist on the table, he grunted. "We are at the brink of war. Romulans, Orions and Arali have been boarding ships in and destroying them. They've even blown up a Starfleet vessel."
"Don't you think I know that! I was the admiral responsible for sending Columbia!" He looked down the table and then hung his head, softening his tone and lowering his volume. "I know. We are at the brink of war. What I'm suggesting is that we give our aides time to get back with us before doing anything rash. And I'm suggesting we continue with our normal business."
T'Pol agreed. "President Gral, although it would be foolish of us to discuss the most delicate of our daily business, I agree with Ambassador Archer's conclusion."
Shran crossed his arms. "I'm not sure. Gral has a point. By discussing war now, if it comes to that, we can act quickly."
"The moment you mention war," Archer said, "is the moment you turn in that direction. It's an Andorian proverb you told me one time."
Shran frowned. "You didn't get the translation quite right, Pink Skin, but you made your point. I thought you were against Ambassador Simon's peace expedition."
"Earth is behind it."
"But, you aren't," Shran said.
Jon was quiet.
Sera added her two cents. "I also think Ambassador Archer speaks rationally. I think it's best interest to keep Council business to a bare minimum to prevent further hostility."
One of the ambassadors, Kator of Siryn – an older man with brilliant shocks of white hair who kept mostly silent - stood up wearily. "How do we know that Xemax was spy?"
"What?" Archer asked.
"What if Starfleet captured her because of something she knew?" he said.
"No," Archer said.
"She knew about you and the Vulcan." His long bony finger pointed to T'Pol.
T'Pol asked, "What about us?"
Kator said, "She said you two were trading secrets and negotiating behind our backs."
"That's preposterous," Archer said.
"She had you under surveillance. The man she used provided this to me this morning." In his hand was a data chip. "The evidence should speak for itself."
The Vulcan exchanged a perplexed glance with Archer and he shook his head. As the Council room became deathly quiet, the old man set the chip in the console at the front of the room displayed the video. A scene unfolded, one that looked familiar to T'Pol.
A half-clothed Archer, dressed only in tux pants, made his way into her bedroom and the two sat on her bed whispering to each other. The audio was impossible to discern and the camera zoomed in as she placed a hand on his bare shoulder. The man gave her a sheepish grin and the two held each other's gaze.
Shran teased, "Oh, this oughta to be good."
Stupefied, neither T'Pol nor Archer said anything. She personally was too shocked to act, and she could only imagine Jonathan felt the same way.
Suddenly, the scene turned more lurid and the audio picked up slowly, as if naturally. Pushing her onto the bed, he bragged about how they'd deceived Captain Reed into thinking Xemax was a traitor and a spy. As their movements became more heated, T'Pol congratulated them on their cunning as Archer gave a purring laugh at the discussion. As if deception sparked allure, he made a passionate dash for her lips and the scene faded to black as if the person watching them decided to give them at least some privacy.
"That is not what happened," T'Pol said. "The data chip was been fabricated."
Kator continued. "You two lived together for a period of time."
Archer said, "We've been friends for more than ten years. She needed a place to stay."
"You go to her apartment every night," he said. "You have dinner together every night. You came to the banquet together, danced together. She had your jacket in her closet and still has some of your clothes at her abode. Is that friendship?"
T'Pol looked on with confusion wondering how much information they'd gleaned and Archer turned silent.
"It is not what you think," T'Pol said.
Gral shook his head. "Whatever relationship they have is irrelevant, they would never betray the Council."
Shran said, "Agreed, besides two ambassadors choosing to mate isn't against Council rules!"
Both T'Pol and Archer were about to speak up against that assumption, when the Andorian continued. "Ambassador Xemax should never have spied on a member of the Council. That in itself proves to me she's a liar and a traitor."
Kator said, "She told me she feared she would be taken because of Archer's strong ties to Starfleet. It's why she gathered this information."
Shran scoffed and waved a hand in the air to dismiss the old man.
Kator said, "Xemax learned a few more dark secrets that created these false charges. She learned that Romulans and Vulcans are related."
T'Pol steadied her heart as Shran laughed aloud. "That myth is older the one of a giant located in the north pole on Andoria who spins the planet to keep it warm enough to keep the entire planet from freezing."
"Xemax told me that myth is true," Kator said.
The room snapped into sharp focus as a few questioned the data chip, Archer's intentions and the status of Xemax.
Gral quieted everyone by smashing his fist against the table and squealing like a pig. When the chatter came to a halt, the Tellarite asked T'Pol pointedly.
"I have heard that a Vulcan never lies. Is the video we've just seen accurate?"
Glancing momentarily at Archer she turned to the President. "Only the first few minutes." At the gasps around the room, she continued, "The ambassador was injured during the scuffle to capture Xemax, and I was assisting him."
"On your bed?" Kator asked.
"Yes." At Shran's overeager smile, she explained more bluntly. "Ambassador Archer and I are not involved in a romantic relationship nor have we ever discussed deceiving this Council."
"What about the connection between Romulans and Vulcans?" Gral asked.
She looked down at the conference table and he prompted her with the question again.
"What about the connection between Romulans and Vulcans? Are Vulcans related to Romulans?" he asked.
"No," she replied. It was bold-faced lie, as the humans would've called it. There was no getting around it, no squirming around the truth or diverting it as she normally would've done. The situation called on total dishonesty and it shriveled her logic to do so, as if she was unfit to don her Vulcan robes or the title bestowed to her by Minister T'Pau.
Gral nodded. "I trust her."
Kator asked, "We merely take her word and move on?"
Shran agreed. "I think that's exactly what we should do."
"I'd like to recommend a vote on next steps," Kator insisted. "I'd like for Starfleet to release whatever information they have about Ambassador Xemax so that each ambassador here can verify it. And I propose we adjourn until then."
"That'll take weeks!" Gral said.
"So be it," Kator said.
Chaos erupted again and T'Pol watched Archer's face – a smidgen of a frown as if defeated – while remaining quiet. She spoke up for what she believed would also be his wishes.
"Did you not hear Ambassador Archer's words? This is precisely what the Romulans want us to do. To adjourn the Council now would be--"
The ambassador from Coridan, Demvar, interrupted her. "Vulcan, I don't believe your species doesn't lie. I've been under Vulcan rule for too long to know that's not true. And although I don't care who you take to your bed, I think it's improper to have a relationship with a fellow ambassador. I may not agree with everything Kator said, but there is wisdom there."
T'Pol shook her head.
Sera spoke up. "I agree with Ambassador T'Pol. Disbanding the Federation now may have repercussions."
Darag, from the S'Ahad, rubbed his belly. "And continuing may have equal consequences."
The arguing intensified and the room was filled with angry words launched about war and ramifications, whether Vulcans really told the truth and if it was appropriate for two ambassadors to sleep with each other.
Gral squealed again and finally asked for a vote. It was close, but in the end there were more votes to disband and review the information Starfleet had at their disposal. When the tally was complete, Shran grumbled an Andorian curse and Sera mentioned her frustration to the President. The Tellarite accepted everyone's feedback and waved his hands.
"I'll ask Admiral Gardner to send each of you a disc with the information about Xemax."
Archer finally stood up and headed for the door.
Gral bellowed above everyone. "I haven't dismissed the Council."
"I don't see diplomats here. And the vote to disband has been reached."
With that, he walked out the door.
Once the doors swung closed, the Council erupted again and more allegations and accusations were tossed out, many of which were already discussed. Sera was the next to leave, then Shran and then Merah and the rest until finally it was down to just T'Pol and Gral in room together. With exasperation, the pig-man turned to her.
"What the larnok has happened today?" he asked.
T'Pol supposed the translator couldn't capture that word, which meant it was a curse Hoshi was unfamiliar with.
"I believe the Romulans won their first battle," she said.
"You waited for my dismissal," he said.
She nodded. "Although I understand Jonathan's sentiment, he left out of anger. If we are to support the Federation, we must always abide by its rules and regulations. You are its President."
Gral agreed. "I could tell the assertions against you hurt you. I'm sorry for what was said here today."
For a moment, she thought about coming back with how she was a Vulcan and didn't experience a bruised ego. Rather than do so, she merely looked at the little man and whispered a couple of words to him.
"Thank you."
---
By the time Archer made it to his office, he was fit to be tied. In one single day, they'd managed to destroy more than ten years worth of work in creating the Council. Hoping to stay in his office until he cooled down a little, his wishes were dashed; his aide barged in.
Stan was a red-haired young man with a face as innocent and inexperienced a high school students, despite being out of a college a few years. Although this naïve quality would help him remain youthful looking in his old age, it was a plain disservice to him now. Chubby cheeks covered with freckles and brown eyes that looked more pathetic than Porthos, he tugged at his suit jacket that looked one size too big and made his way into a chair.
"What are you going to tell the Prime Minister?" he asked.
Archer shrugged. "That false charges managed to bring down a 'United Federation of Planets.'"
"Are they false?" he asked quietly.
Pacing the room, he flailed a hand in the air. "Of course they are!"
"But, Xemax has been with the Federation for more than three years."
"I know."
"Kator has an excellent reputation."
"I know."
"And you and the ambassador from Vulcan have been together a lot."
That stopped the pacing. The kid doesn't know when to shut up.
Stan asked, "Do you really think the Arali were planning something for three years?"
"Yes."
"Three years. It seems hard to believe. I'm not sure I do. And I notice the ambassador didn't deny parts of the video --"
Archer's face reddened and his heart beat speeding until he could hear the pounding in his ears. "Get out!"
As the young man scrambled to his feet and made a beeline for the door, Jon yelled out "And shut the door behind you!"
Once the door was closed and he had a moment to think, he balled his hands into two tight fists of rage. They'd destroyed the Federation and T'Pol's reputation in one fail swoop, shattering them both in less than an hour. They couldn't agree or disagree on declaring war because they were too caught up in hate mongering to do anything else.
He hadn't cared much for his own standing or what the Council thought, which he believed could withstand a few nasty remarks from an old geezer who was taking information from a spy. The horror T'Pol felt - and he knew despite only a slightly slack jaw, she was experiencing it – made him want to punch Kator, Demvar and anyone else who somehow chalked up that the Vulcan was a harpy.
Instead, he sat down and faced the window. The courtyard below was magnificent, a fountain spurted water into the sky and back down into a round container. Flowers, red ones and some yellow, were scattered around the grounds there, and children and their parents played on the grass. Some Starfleet cadets ate their lunch. It was serene and distraction enough for Archer to keep from letting his temper get the better of him.
After a while, and just as he managed to regain his composure, he heard a knock on the door. A blue face poked into his office without an answer.
"Stan said I shouldn't enter, but I told him I live dangerously."
Archer gave a small chuckle.
"May I?" Shran asked, slipping into a seat without really waiting for permission. "Some of the Councilmen, they're suspicious. Old wounds are hard to heal. It's no wonder the Coridan ambassador automatically ignores what T'Pol has to say. From his point of view, the Vulcans ruled his planet with an iron fist for more than 200 years."
He nodded. "I thought maybe Demvar would also remember that the Vulcans helped his planet by establishing more advanced medical practices and technology."
"Prejudice is hard to overcome."
Jon knew it, and gave a quiet sigh at the truth of the statement.
"Why didn't you ask to prove that the video was fabricated?" Shran asked.
"Part of it wasn't."
"Which part?"
He narrowed his eyes. "You know which part."
"You should prove your innocence."
"It doesn't matter."
"It hurt T'Pol, you should do it for her."
He hung his head as a response, agreeing with that statement, and Shran started telling a story.
"Every 200 years on Andoria, the temperature in the ice caves to the North reaches slightly above freezing. I had lived with the Aenar for only two months before the ice cave I used as a home began to melt. Jhamel asked me to stay with her until the thaw ended.
"Before long, our friendship turned to something else. Being in each other's company nearly every day in close quarters made us turn gre-nig for each other. And before long, we mated under the dripping water of her cave until the thaw ended."
Archer scowled at the information. He didn't want to hear about non-stop Andorian/Aenar mating during a flood.
"I thought I'd never recover from Talas' death. But, I did and I found Jhamel to be a good companion and lover."
"I'm glad things turned out so well for you," Archer said.
"Erika, the captain of the Columbia. She was a personal friend wasn't she?"
Startled, he jerked his head back. "She was."
"An intimate one." It wasn't a question.
"A long time ago." Archer shifted with discomfort. "What are you getting at Shran? You think I'm turning … gre-nig … for T'Pol?"
Shran pulled a flask out of his pocket and smiled. Unscrewing the cap, he made an observation.
"I have a hunch about you, Pink Skin. I'll tell you the part of the video I think is correct. I think you were undressed in the Vulcan's apartment and I think she did touch your shoulder. I think the two of you whispered to each other and I think expression on your face was nervousness. That's the part of the data chip that's accurate. I don't think you're smart enough to take it further than that."
Taking a swig from his flask, the Andorian leaned forward and gave it to Archer who was frowning.
Shran said, "And you want to know why I think you were nervous?"
Archer smelled the Andorian ale and recoiled, but took a drink anyway. "No."
"I think you got nervous because you wanted to become intimate with her for that moment."
Archer rolled his eyes.
Shran said, "She's a good looking woman. Too good looking for you, but I don't think that matters so much to her."
"Shran, this really isn't helping."
He grinned. "It will eventually. And as the Council, when you prove the data chip was fabricated and they get a good look at the evidence against Xemax, they'll reconvene and apologize."
"I'm not certain anyone on the Council can move past the mistrust."
"It's always been a challenge."
"The Romulans might use this disarray to their advantage."
"You got hurry up and provide that data then." He hesitated. "You know, I can't blame everyone for being cautious. I think every ambassador knows the stakes. I know you disagree with Neville, and yet you have to support his peace mission. Not to mention everyone in the Council's probably wondering if there's another spy in the midst."
"We have to both assume there is another spy, and continue on as if there isn't though."
Shran didn't disagree.
Archer said, "Imagine if we have to declare war while the Federation is divided. Starfleet doesn't have the manpower to do it alone."
"The Andorians would join you." Shran sighed and tossed the data chip on Archer's desk. Grabbing his flask, he headed for the door.
"Oh, by the way, Jhamel wanted me to invite you and the Vulcan over for dinner tomorrow night. Can you come?"
Archer gave a slow nod.
Shran smiled. "Good. See you then."
Just as he was almost out of the office, T'Pol opened the door. Seeing her enter, after their discussion made the Andorian's day, his antennae wiggled with delight. An eyebrow was the only thing that met his glee and he excused himself to make room for her.
"Can you come to dinner tomorrow?" Shran asked before disappearing.
"Of course," she replied.
Beaming he told the two, "Be there at seven." And then he left.
Archer leaned back in his chair. "I'm sorry about what happened today."
"As am I. You seemed angry when you left."
He snorted. "More like outraged."
"Yes."
"Sorry," he whispered again. Getting up from his chair, he closed in on her. "Listen, Shran got a copy of the data chip."
"You'll ask Hoshi to review it for accuracy?"
"Yes. She can send her findings to the other ambassadors."
"Good." The Vulcan glanced out the window and then down at her shoes. "Until then, I wanted to discuss our friendship."
"What about it?"
"You expressed concern last night for inviting gossip. It appears you were correct."
"You think reducing the amount of time we spend together will quiet rumors?"
"Yes. The Romulans, Orions and Arali as well the Excelsior's mission of peace should be the Council's primary focus."
He gave a grudging nod. "I think you're right. Maybe we should agree not to see each other until Shran's dinner tomorrow night."
"Do you think it's wise we both have dinner there?"
He shrugged. Probably not.
She said, "We should arrive and leave separately."
"Seems kinda odd to go out of our way to show others we don't have a romantic relationship when we don't."
"It is ironic." She was about to turn away and head out the door, when he caught her arm.
"You okay?"
"I am … disturbed that I have no privacy. And I am unsettled at the fragmentation of the Council."
"I know what they said bothers you, T'Pol."
"Somehow, Jonathan, I doubt I'm the target of their quest to ruin reputations. To besmirch my name only damages Vulcan. You helped create the Federation and have strong ties Starfleet. To ruin yours reputation is to shatter the alliance and the military; they have proven the first part of their supposition to be correct."
That was true, although it didn't bother him to think of his reputation being smeared. "Maybe you can ask Security to help jam recording devices around your apartment."
"Why? They will create what we do not provide them as if it were reality."
He nodded. That was true as well.
"I will see you tomorrow."
With that, the Vulcan left and straight away, Archer contacted Hoshi about proving the video was a fraud. More than that, it gave him an opportunity to ask how Malcolm was and stop by the Starfleet Medical to see the captain.
TBC