The Lesser of Two Evils
by Daniel T. Foster
"So what you are saying is there is no resolution," T'Pol stated; there was no real question in her tone. Archer nodded.
"Exactly. The idea would be to see how a potential commander reacted when there were no options left. How do they deal with the idea that you can't win?" T'Pol and Archer were sharing dinner in the Captain's mess. Archer actually chose to share in one of T'Pol's salads, much to Chef's horror. Archer had recently had a check-up from Dr. Phlox however, and without a pool to play some water polo in, a few extra kilos had found their way to Archer's midsection.
Trip was expected too, but was running late from some anti-matter attenuator tests. He had told the Captain and science officer to go ahead with dinner. The conversation had begun as a wrap up of the day's activities. Archer had been asked by Admiral Forrest to make recommendations in regard to training future Starfleet commanders. Archer had spent much of the day mulling over the last two years' experiences, contemplating what training he had wished for when a mission was going badly. His first thought was how he'd wished he'd been more psychologically prepared to deal with failure. In particular, he remembered the hours after an Enterprise shuttlepod had seemingly ignited the atmosphere of the Paraagan colony. The depression and self-pity that T'Pol had so stoically chided him for had truly gotten in the way of his mission.
The reason was simple- he'd never dealt with failure before. He was a Starfleet captain, what psychologists referred to as a "type A personality." He'd wished someone had clued him in on the fact that he might make a mistake. Just telling a young officer that would not be enough though; they would have to experience it. Therefore, he considered a test which presented that young officer with a situation that could not be solved. As T'Pol said, without resolution.
"There is no situation which cannot be reasoned to a logical solution," she said, then delicately placed a piece of Trillian spinach into her mouth.
"What is that? The Vulcan version of optimism?" Archer asked, wishing he'd at least had Chef sneak some chicken into his salad. T'Pol wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin.
"No, it is fact in so far as I have been exposed to. The question is whether or not a solution is favorable. Logic does not always provide what you humans call a 'happy ending.' It will however provide the best resolution."
"So there is no 'no-win' situation?" he probed.
"Only situations with unfavorable outcomes."
Archer was pondering the difference when Trip entered. As usual, the engineer carried himself with a slight swagger, and seemed to carry the slight scent of oil- which was odd considering there was no engine oil on Enterprise. Was it a requirement for engineers?
"Evening y'all, sorry I'm late." Trip took a seat, and a moment later was served by the Yeoman. "Did I miss the important stuff?" Archer smiled.
"T'Pol was just telling me we can't lose." Trip looked surprised for a moment, then raised a glass to T'Pol with a smile.
"Well damn, Sub-Commander. I knew there had to be something we agreed on!" T'Pol nodded slightly.
"If anyone on this ship can prove there is a situation without resolution, I have no doubt it is you Commander Tucker." Trip smiled for a moment, until he realized he might have just been insulted. Archer, mercifully, was able to hide his smile behind his wineglass.
Hours later, Jonathan Archer lay in his quarters, taking notes on a small notepad. Occasionally he would reach down and pat his beagle Porthos on the head. The dog would respond by nuzzling closer to Archer, taking up even more of the bed. After a while, Archer realized his space was shrinking. "Is this why I have the only twin bed on the ship?" He was about to adjust when his comlink chimed. He answered.
"Archer here…"
"Sorry to bother you, Captain. I have an incoming message from Admiral Forrest. It's coded urgent, Sir." It was Crewman Byrne, Hoshi's communication NCOIC. He usually worked the night shift, explaining that the stars were brighter at night.
"Thank you Crewman. Patch it through." He moved to his desk and activated the screen there. Since the ship was operating on San Francisco time, it was obviously late for the Admiral as well. The tie was loosened on his normally immaculate uniform.
"Good evening John, I hope I didn't wake you."
"No Admiral, I was just taking some notes for that report you wanted," Archer said, waving the notepad in front of the screen.
"You'll have to put it aside, John- this is important. I have included with this message a briefing given to us by the Vulcan High Command. They're asking us a favor on behalf of their science academy.
"Seven hours ago, Vulcan long range sensors picked up a warp signature from the Alpha Eridani system. There is a Minshara class planet there that they have been studying. The people are humanoid, culturally equivalent to Earth a little more than a century ago. Due to some Andorian problems the Vulcans don't have a ship they can dispatch to investigate for another month."
"We can be there in about a day," Archer said. Forrest nodded.
"They want you to go John. They want you to investigate and report back to them."
"Report to them? Why not Starfleet?"
"It's their project, John. All you'd be doing is watching to make sure these people don't blow themselves up with an anti-matter imbalance… or record it if they do." Forrest looked grim at the possibility. Archer felt a flair of hostility.
"Admiral, this is first contact all over again. The Vulcans will be asking us to go in there, wave our superiority in front of these people and then do what the Vulcans did a century ago- hold these people back!" Archer was indignant at the thought.
"John, they just want you to survey the situation, and make contact if warranted. You're right, they don't want you to interfere, but they certainly don't want you to actively hold back progress. They just want to make sure someone like us are the first people to talk to them- not Klingons, not whoever laid that minefield you found, us. This is a huge step. They're trusting us John, trusting us to help them." Archer fumed for a moment.
"Besides, " Forrest said, "Soval is… visibly concerned the Vulcan Science Academy would ask for this." Archer had to chuckle.
"I bet he is throwing the Vulcan equivalent of a snit, isn't he?"
"John, this is our chance. You know as well as I do, this is every bit as much of a test as a favor. Our chance to show that we are not the dirty-faced mob they found 90 years ago. This could be a new step in Vulcan and Human relations."
"All right, Admiral. But make sure they know I will handle the situation as I see fit, and I will not be calling back to them for instructions every five minutes. You've given me, and the other NX captains, a lot of autonomy out here and I intend to do business our way, not theirs."
Forrest nodded. "Of course John. Just… don't screw this up. Forrest out." The screen went blank. Archer sat for a moment, then activated comms.
"Bridge, this is the captain. Crewman Byrne, make sure the senior staff gets a copy of the attached briefing from Admiral Forrest. Also let them know I plan to meet with them all at the situation table at 0830, and they should be ready to brief."
"Aye Sir, " came the response.
"Helm, set course for Alpha Eridani, best speed, and give me an ETA." A moment passed.
"Sir, at warp four we will enter the system in twenty three hours, around 2200 tomorrow night."
"Very good, engage course." Archer switched off the link. He then opened the file Forrest sent, and read quietly to himself.
"Alpha Eridani, also known as Achernar…"
"… is a very hot, type B star 114 light years from Earth," T'Pol said, briefing the senior staff around the situation table. "It has 16 planetary bodies due to its size. The only Minshara class is Achernar IX. The other planets are fairly insignificant, with the exception of Achernar XII which has a natural supply of dilithium." Trip whistled.
"That's a big help. Zephram Cochrane's first engine had to use lithium to focus the plasma stream. We didn't get a hold of dilithium until we found it at Alpha Centauri," he said.
"Which made the warp five engine possible," Mayweather added.
"Indeed, " T'Pol said. "This culture also does not seem to have had the social or political failures of Earth's 21st Century either. Though they have progressed through the fission and fusion era, they at no time had a nuclear exchange. Ensign Sato, would you please continue with the cultural study?" The young Asian woman activated her presentation on the table's screen.
"The local name for the planet is Jaynar, which does translate rather closely as 'the planet.' Thanks to the Vulcan information, we have complete lingual records so the UT should work fine. They have had a unified planetary government for about twenty years, and actually created a world language out of the five major language divisions that existed prior to unification. It is a parliamentary government with three major houses, each supported by smaller groups in the various old nation-states. Though the Vulcans' records didn't really focus on art, " Hoshi shot a glance at T'Pol, whose expression, as expected, didn't change, "the Jaynar seem to be fairly unimaginative artistically, instead focusing on social normality and science."
"Do they still have a military force?" Archer asked.
"Only as a police force, and crime is extremely low. With rare exception, these aren't a passionate people." Hoshi replied.
"If we do make contact, Sir, I'd still like to send security with you," Lt. Reed suggested. Lately, he'd gotten into the habit of making sure at least two security guards went on each landing party. If the Captain was going to insist on going to each planet…
"Of course, Malcolm. It may be a little early to figure that out though. Our orders mostly put us in an observer's role."
"Understood, Sir. Remember though, the Klingons are only about 80 light years away." Reed suggested.
"And the Vulcan starcharts show a subspace corridor nearby that leads their way," Mayweather pointed out. Archer nodded.
"Travis, how does our own course look?" Mayweather brought up a navigational chart.
"We're maintaining warp 4, and right on schedule. No major anomalies in the way, should be smooth sailing."
"Trip?"
The engineer nodded. "No problems, Captain. The engines are running at peak, and she's humming along real nice," he reported. Archer thought for a moment, looking at the displays his crew had prepared.
"What do we know about them physically? Where's Dr. Phlox?" Archer asked. T'Pol responded.
"They are shorter than humans, and more slight. Otherwise, their only distinguishing feature from human norm is feather-like growth on their heads and shoulders, growing in quills. The Vulcan research did not include any other physiological information, probably due to the fact that no landings had been attempted. Due to the lack of information, I allowed the Doctor to stay in sickbay, where he seems to be having trouble with one of his pets."
Doctor Phlox was moving slowly in a crouch toward one of his cabinets, while Crewman Cutler slowly approached form the other side. A small, multi-legged, furry creature was keeping its six eyes on each of them, not sure where to run next. It had been loose for about an hour now, and had become convinced it could evade these two for as long as it needed to. As they drew closer, it made a dash between them, but Phlox finally managed to get a hold of a rear leg. Cutler slammed a cage down over the creature, and it was again contained.
"What disease does this thing cure again?" she asked.
"None," Phlox said, returning the cage and the skittish animal to its proper storage space, "I'm going to milk it."
"Well, hopefully the Doctor has everything under control," Archer said. "This is a great opportunity for us, and no offense Sub-Commander, but it may be an opportunity to show the Vulcans there's more than one way to make first contact. We are going to be very careful though. Not just for our sake, but for that of this planet. Admittedly, it would be nice to add a normal first contact to our record, and to have an ally in this part of space. All of you take off from your shifts early; I want you all rested and ready for duty when we enter this system. Let's go." As they split, T'Pol approached Archer.
"I appreciate your concern for procedure here," she said. He smiled.
"Worried, Sub-Commander?"
"Usually, but in this instance, not for us."
Alpha Eridani was a beautiful star. Archer thought all stars were beautiful, but the blue glow this particular one cast over his ship was calming somehow, reminding him of the ocean and beach at San Francisco. Nothing cold about the big blue here though; this star was hot enough that its closest satellites were scorched rock. Only the more distant planets had even a chance for life, and only one currently sustained it. Archer had chosen to approach Achernar IX from above the ecliptic plane of the system. It was a quirk among humanoids to think two-dimensionally about their own systems, and rarely did space traffic travel more than a few degrees above or below that plane. As the NX-01 approached, sensors showed that the Achernarians were no exception. A fairly complex network of system traffic existed, but no ships or active scans seemed to be looking "up."
"Sir, we've found a comet in an irregular orbit, bisecting the plane at about 70 degrees. Right now it's close enough for us to tag along and keep out of sight," Mayweather reported. Archer stood up, and looked over Travis' shoulder at the helm display.
"Good work, Travis. Bring us in smooth and steady. Hoshi, when we're in position, start monitoring communications. I want to make sure that warp sig was theirs, and if it was, what they think about it." Hoshi nodded in response, and prepped her board. Archer looked to the science station. "T'Pol?"
"Still a single warp trail here, between 30 and 40 hours old. It originates at the system's edge and terminates at the same place, making a 25 AU circuit into surrounding space. Indeed, I am reading a ship that is following the logical bearing from the end point to Achernar IX. Three life forms, and anti-matter emissions are evident." T'Pol, would have sworn that Archer suddenly looked like a 12 year old again from the expression he gave.
"Really? On screen!" He turned to the forward screen to see the alien ship.
It was almost spherical in design, but it's engine nacelles were two familiar pods mounted on pylons below the sphere. Rather than the Earth designed cylinders, these nacelles were more squared off, making for an odd mix in shapes. The entire thing was a glittering blue metal. A single flag was painted on the front of the sphere, with some writing underneath.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at the Zephram Cochrane and Lily Sloane of this planet. Hoshi, what does that inscription say?" he asked, not taking his eyes from the screen. He didn't notice that the rest of the bridge crew were just as enrapt.
"I would translate that as…'First Star-vehicle,'" Hoshi said. Archer had to chuckle.
"Well, no one said you had to be a poet to explore the universe… Keep scanning everyone, give me as much information as you can about their current operations in this system, and how secret this warp flight may have been." As the screen cut back to Achernar IX, Archer whispered under his breath, "Welcome to the neighborhood."
At 0300 hours the crew, looking a bit weary, was again gathered around the situation table. Archer listened to each of their reports. Reed had found no evidence of space based weaponry in any of the system's ships; Trip reported that each of the sub-light ships were using cold fusion as power and propulsion; Hoshi had learned that the entire planet was aware of the warp experiment, and very proud of the three astronauts who had led them into the warp age; Travis found a safe corridor to approach the planet in a non-threatening manner; and T'Pol had isolated the radio frequencies to use for contact.
"What are your recommendations for contact?" Archer asked. It was unnecessary for the humans to state their opinions. Everyone turned to T'Pol. The Vulcan almost betrayed annoyance.
"I recommend observing for a time more before making contact. There may be questions that all of us, including myself, are missing that need to be answered before making our presence known."
"The Vulcans sure didn't wait with Earth- the Phoenix hadn't even cooled from re-entry before the T'Plana Hath set down in Montana," Trip said.
"Yes, but you were a much simpler equation. Enough of your infrastructure was decimated that you hardly posed a threat to either the Vulcans or yourselves. This is a viable culture, that may still need to acclimate to the idea of extra-terrestrial visitation."
"Oh, so humans are simple now…" Trip began.
"No, Commander Tucker, only some of them." T'Pol deadpanned. Trip muttered under his breath.
"OK everybody," Archer said, rubbing his eyes. "Pass on your observation tasks to the next shift. Let's give them a few more hours, and we'll all meet back here at 1200. Compromise?" All agreed, and soon the relief personnel filled the bridge. "Get some sleep, everyone- we'll probably have a big day tomorrow."
At noon, the bridge was buzzing with anticipation. The Captain was still in his office reviewing the records collected during the night and morning. The Achernarian warpship was slowly cruising home. Worldwide media was covering every moment, and various politicians we're making speeches about the future of space travel. Already many were drafting plans to actually visit a nearby star, though the scientists were trying to explain they were still a few years from that. Most interesting was a small contingent group worried to the point of paranoia about alerting hostile aliens to their presence. However, most opinion polls were favorable toward contact.
This was a major factor in Archer's decision. He saw what had been a socially conservative world awakened with possibility and opportunity by their science. He could not sit by and let them stew. His heart told him to reach out to these people.
At 1203, Archer stepped out on to the bridge. By the look on everyone's (except T'Pol's) face, you'd think he'd waited hours.
"Mr. Mayweather, plot a course to enter standard orbit. Hoshi? Begin broadcasting greetings, and when it's acknowledged, open a hailing frequency." Smiles broke out all over the bridge as Hoshi and Travis began their tasks. Archer looked at T'Pol.
"Do you have any arguments, Sub-Commander?"
"With the exception of a conservative desire to err on the side of caution, I see no specific reason to delay contact," T'Pol said smoothly, "though I do recommend we be very careful." Archer recognized her 'I'm trying to keep you out of trouble' tone.
"Thank you, Sub-Commander. Please keep your sensors active for threats." Archer moved to his chair as the screen showed the comet slip away, and a small speck grow into a planet. Enterprise was about to make history.
Dermot Taem Wroal, First Minister of the Jaynaran Tricameral Body, was tired. His career hinged on the success of the faster than light mission. He was a main proponent of the science program, and had his scientists failed in this costly experiment, it would certainly have cost him as well. As it was, everything had gone even better than expected. That didn't change the fact that he'd been watching their progress since their launch days ago. He had just closed the door to his office, after yet another interview. He told his secretary to hold all communications, and planned just a short nap to gather strength before the Warpcrew reception later on. He had dozed for only a moment before the speaker on his desk chimed. Annoyed he activated it.
"Tranire, I'm sure I said to hold comms," he said. Tranire was usually very good at running interference, but the last few days' events had swept him up as well.
"Yes Sir, but Dr. Guunar and Col. Masden are here, and they say it's urgent."
Wroal sighed. "Very well, send them in…" He switched his light back on. The tall scientist and short military officer entered. How often he'd thought their appearances should be reversed. Masden removed his hat, showing the receding feathers on his head.
"I really hope this is important," Wroal said. Then he noticed the look of… fear? on each man's face. "What's happened?" he asked expecting the worst for the Warpcrew.
"Contingency Rowden, Sir," Guunar answered. The Rowden Voyages was a series of fictions Wroal and Guunar had read as children. They were about an alien who visited Jaynar, and taught the Jaynaran people about themselves as he learned about them. As a joke, Wroal had chosen the literary reference to name a research project looking into the possibility of…
…alien life.
"You're joking."
"No sir, " Col. Masden said. "We have confirmed a repeating broadcast from the edge of the solar system, and getting closer. Our telescopes are tracking a spaceship that will be arriving within the day. It's asking for an answer."
"Do you have the message?" Wroal asked. In response, Guunar pulled a data wafer from his pocket and slipped it into the port on Wroal's desk. In a moment, the sound of a soft female voice filled the room.
"To the people of planet Jaynar. This is the Starship Enterprise, an exploratory ship from the planet Earth, located in orbit around a star more than 100 light years from here. We have come to make peaceful contact. When you are ready, please respond to us on this frequency. Our intentions are friendly and peaceful, and we look forward to opening relations with your world. Please respond." The message then looped and began again. Wroal listened to it three times before he moved.
"Has anyone responded?" he asked.
"No sir, we came directly to you," said Guunar. Wroal was quiet again, listening to the young woman's voice.
"This can't be a coincidence; our warpship drew them here."
"We agree," Masden said, while Guunar nodded.
"The Xenophobes are going to go insane," Wroal speculated.
"Probably Sir."
"That's why we're going to contact these aliens now, and see if they pose a threat before the paranoids can react. Get me to a comms station."
On Jaynar's southern continent, someone else had also intercepted the transmission. There was a homemade receiver that ran to a home-crafted satellite dish outside the cramped room containing the receiver. Scattered around the room were hard copy articles of speculation on alien life, and stories of people who claimed to see alien visitors to Jaynar. A pale Jaynarian sat on a stool in the center, listening again and again to the signal she had intercepted. Finally, she picked up a combox and entered a code. After a few chimes, a voice answered on the other side.
"Yes?"
"I've got something," the young Jaynarian woman said. As she talked, she stared at the artist conception of an alien that decorated a poster in the room. It looked like a man, but had blue skin, and wretched antennae sprouting from its forehead. The poster had simple message beneath the frightening image; "You'd Better Believe."
Archer began to wonder how often he drummed his fingers on the arm of the command chair. He'd never noticed himself doing it before, but the interminable wait for a response from Achernar IX was getting to him. He had walked around the bridge several times. He'd read the readouts on each bridge station. He had noticed on his last circuit how T'Pol had begun to shift her body so as to block his line of vision to her readouts. Maybe he should make another circuit, and this time quickly look into that odd viewer of hers; he was the Captain, he should know what she's looking at in there…
Archer stood, and began slowly working his way around again. He glanced at Mayweather's course. He noticed that Hoshi's message was in its 317th cycle. Then he stepped up behind T'Pol's console. Without seeming to notice him, she moved in between him and the readout on her sensor console, leaving the viewer unguarded. Archer sidestepped when…
…An incoming message chimed. As he turned toward Hoshi, T'Pol brought her chair around and peered into the disputed viewer. "It's coming from the largest city on the northeastern continent," she reported. Archer motioned for Hoshi to open the channel. Soon a translated voice filled the bridge.
"Alien vessel. I am Minister Dermot Wroal, chief executive of the Jaynaran Tricameral. We have received your message, and are at the least stunned by it. We request that you stop your approach and allow our own escort to approach you." Archer returned to his position, and stood before the command chair.
"Hoshi, do we have visual?"
"Not at this time- at least they aren't transmitting."
"Alright. Open it up," Archer said, finding somewhere to stare while he spoke. He was so used to two way visual, a voice message almost made him uncomfortable. "This is Captain Jonathan Archer of the Starship Enterprise. We have heard your instructions, and understand. I am ordering all stop now." He motioned to Travis as he said it. "I wish to reaffirm that our intentions are peaceful." There was a pause for translation.
"Thank you Captain. Please believe me when I tell you how badly I want to believe that. It has been a time of monumental happenings, and now you are here. Please forgive us if we are overwhelmed."
"There is no need for that. We are simply here to… welcome you to the galaxy. We would like to initiate further contact and exchange information." Archer settled into his chair, choosing to look at the slowly rotating planet on the viewscreen.
"A kind suggestion, Captain. Our escort should be arriving at your position in three hours by our estimates. When I have heard their report, I will contact you again. It would appear we have to prepare quite an announcement to our people," came the Minister's response.
"We have records and examples in our databanks that may help you with that," Archer offered.
"Perhaps Captain. I look forward to speaking with you again, good-bye." The transmission ended. Trip looked around, then spoke.
"Well now what, Captain?"
"Now," Archer said, "we wait. T'Pol, scan for their ships, let me know when you have them." She acknowledged his order, and set about scanning. Three more hours. Archer began crafting a new strategy of approaching T'Pol's viewer.
Pilot Giroy Chelovek was tired. The adrenaline was finally fading from the warp flight, and he was looking forward to rest. He hadn't been able to sleep in the hours since the flight, simply too excited. Now he knew he just had to get through a press conference and he could take a nap.
"Giroy, answer the comlink," said Kondrak Lakner. He was the warp physicist of the crew, and had been going over data since the flight ended. The navigator, Jaon Rezik, was asleep, much to the envy of Chelovek. Not much for a deep space navigator to do on orbital approach. Chelovek flipped a switch.
"First Starship, go ahead." To Chelovek's surprise, First Minister Wroal's voice came through the speaker.
"Gentlemen, you will be docking with a supply ship in 35 minutes. Then we have another mission for you." Chelovek realized his nap was going to have to wait.
"First Minister, this is pilot Chelovek. May I ask what could be so important to keep us from home?" Chelovek noticed Lakner had stopped working, and seemed as annoyed as Chelovek felt.
"Gentlemen, an alien spacecraft has entered our system, and we would like you to meet them." Silence.
"Sir?"
"An alien craft, an extra-planetary species, for all I know little blue men. They are waiting for you at coordinates your supply ship will have. You should be able to get to them in a couple of hours," came the Minister's voice.
"We don't really have the experience for this…" began Lakner.
"All I want is your assessment on their intentions. Before I announce to the world that other worlders are here, I want to know if the Xenophobes are right, or if we're heralding a new era. You're scientists, you can tell me that, right?" Silence again, then:
"Yes, sir. We'll do our best."
What a day! Suddenly Chelovek didn't feel tired anymore.
The docking bays were incompatible, but after a short spacewalk Lakner and Chelovek were on the alien ship. They left Rezik behind on First Starship to warn Jaynar in case of hostilities from the aliens. There had been no such need. After a protracted tour and a briefing on how Enterprise came to be here, Chelovek was ready to call Wroal.
"Minister, this is Pilot Chelovek. I officially request permission to escort the Starship Enterprise to Jaynar." The two astronauts stood on the larger ship's bridge, its alien crew all smiles. Well, except for one. Chelovek wondered if she was so dour because her uniform was too tight. He had initially mistaken her for a hostess, only to be coldly corrected by the pointy-eared woman that she was in fact the science officer. He was going to comment further on her attire when Lakner elbowed him.
"This is Minister Wroal. I take it everything is within expected parameters?"
"Very much so. It is incredible, this ship. Our scientists will be able to learn a lifetime's worth of knowledge." Chelovek noticed a glance between the Captain and science officer.
"Then please return to your ship and escort the alien vessel to orbit. I assume they will have the ability to land?" Chelovek looked to Archer.
"Minister, this is Captain Archer. We have smaller landing craft on board that will allow us to land... with your permission of course."
"Very well," came the minister's voice, "please contact us again when you have achieved orbit." Lakner spoke up.
"Sir, may I have the opportunity to stay on Enterprise for the journey back?" he asked.
"I would prefer you return to the First Starship. I have a task for you there." Lakner looked defeated but acknowledged his order. Chelovek knew the real reason they had to return to the ship; Wroal would want to hear from them in a less monitored atmosphere.
A short time later he was again speaking with the minister, but now form the control seat of First Starship. Next to Enterprise, both ships were making their way to Jaynar.
"Everything we broadcast was accurate, Minister. We see no reason to fear these people. They were extremely open, and are completely benevolent." There was a moment's silence.
"Then we will see you at the orbital station, and I will talk to this Captain Archer about visiting our world. I apologize that your homecoming may be overshadowed..."
"This is history, First Minister, I'm proud to be a part of it." He cut off communication.
Wroal looked to Dr. Guunar and Col. Masden. "They're coming, gentlemen. It's time to make the announcement."
The young pale Jaynaran woman watched her news channel with horror. Minister Wroal of the Tricameral was speaking.
"...And at this time tomorrow we will welcome our first interstellar friends here to the capital. It will be the first in a long line of relations that will bring Jaynar into the galaxy as an equal among allies." The press corps before him erupted into a deluge of questions. The Jaynaran girl, Aranae to her equally paranoid friends, clutched a pillow and rocked back and forth. The government was inviting the aliens in. After more than fifty years of rumors and people scarred by alien experiments, they were going to just let them in, let them come down and do as they wanted to Jaynar. Not if she or her fellow Xenophobes could help it. She grabbed her combox and again called her contact in the north. When he answered she asked, "Can you be in the capital tomorrow?" They would expose these creatures as the monsters they really were.
"It looks like a beautiful day, Captain," Trip said as he piloted the shuttlepod through the atmosphere of Jaynar. He and Archer peered through the windows at the azure skies and gentle purple landscape below them. In the distance a city was rising on the horizon. T'Pol was dictating to them from her datapad, while Hoshi reviewed syntax. The UT was handling the Jaynaran language well, but Hoshi had insisted on being on hand in case of technical problems. Recognizing the scrutiny he was under, Archer didn't argue.
"Further, you must be careful how you describe Earth's government," T'Pol warned. "Any in depth description you give could have a lasting effect on this world's political procedures."
"You know, we should have dress uniforms for something like this. To bad we didn't bring our dress whites on board," Trip said, seemingly ignoring T'Pol. Archer was trying to acknowledge them both.
"Do the Vulcans wear any special garments for first contact?" he asked. T'Pol turned off the datapad, relatively certain that proper contact protocol was about to be ignored.
"It would depend on the situation. There was a contact situation Ambassador Soval participated in that required all the guests at a state wedding to be nude." Archer swore he actually felt Trip make the shuttle hiccup. It even caught Hoshi's attention.
"Naked Vulcans; don't see that everyday," Archer said.
"Or that either..." Trip murmured. Archer turned to follow his gaze.
They had arrived at the provided coordinates, and as described, there was a landing pad between two of the three buildings that housed the Tricameral.
Around that were several thousand Jaynarans.
"Quite a welcoming," Archer managed. As the shuttle set down, the crowd undulated around them. As the door opened, the four were met with almost total silence. A million eyes on them, they stepped out onto the platform. From the left, a party approached them, led by a confident looking man in conservative dress. A shorter man in a military uniform, but with hardly any head feathers flanked him. On the other side was a taller man in equally conservative dress. Archer stepped forward to meet the man in the center.
"Minister Wroal, I'm Captain Jonathan Archer of the Earth Starship Enterprise. On behalf of my world, and the planet Vulcan, I extend a gesture of friendship." Archer stood, both hands raised before him, palms out, as Hoshi had found in televised broadcasts. Wroal stopped and returned the gesture.
"On behalf of my people, I welcome you to Jaynar. May this be the beginning of a lasting peace." At once the crowd roared in approval and applause. The sheer number of people made it almost deafening. Wroal gestured for them to follow, and led the four of them toward a path guarded by security forces. As Archer descended the stairs from the platform to the path, he noticed one young Jaynaran man. He did not share the jubilation of the crowd, and indeed seemed to regard Archer with a combination of fear and hatred. He was quickly lost in the crowd though, and Archer was again caught in the euphoria of the crowd, and couldn't help but smile.
They entered a building and were led to the center of a coliseum-like room. Archer recognized it as a gathering of politicians and government leaders. Among the group were a variety of different skin tones and ages, women and men. Wroal had taken a small box from a table located in the open center and spoke into it. His voice was amplified around the enormous, round hall.
"These are our visitors. They wish to open a peaceful dialogue. I beg we listen to them!" Wroal handed the box to Archer. He looked to Trip and T'Pol. The former raised his eyebrows as if to say you're on your own. T'Pol remained as impassive as ever. Archer slowly raised the voice amplifier to his mouth. "Hello," he said.
"We have come here representing two allied worlds. Though my own people have only been capable of interstellar flight for less than a century, our friends the Vulcans have been exploring the galaxy for substantially longer." Archer was being deliberately vague; it would be up to the Vulcan contact team to decide how much the Jaynarans should know. "Much as the Vulcans came to us 100 years ago in the hours following our first warp flight, we now come to pass on the favor to you, and welcome your planet to the galaxy. I hope you will find it as we did- an exciting, challenging, new frontier to be explored and experienced. It is my sincere hope that our worlds can continue as friends as we all expand the bounds of our knowledge." There was a moment's silence. Then Minister Wroal stepped before Archer, bringing his hands together in applause. It began to spread slowly, then more quickly, and soon the hall was filled with the jubilation the Enterprise crew had experienced outside. The three humans smiled at one another, and T'Pol nodded to Archer. Now, if only the other Vulcans would be as pleased…
Aranae was dialing frantically. She was watching the spectacle live on the news band. She really couldn't remember if she had slept last night. She had been trying to correlate the aliens' appearance with the various reports that were scattered around her room. There were no reports of the furry-headed creatures, or the pointed-eared variant. Nearly all the reports were of a vicious blue-skinned race with antennae. That just proved how devious these creatures could be; disguising themselves to make a peaceful overture.
Finally she heard a voice on her combox. It was almost drowned out by the sounds of crowds. "Aranae, is that you?"
"Yes, Garin. Did you see them?"
"What?" Aranae again shouted her question.
"Yes!" he answered. "They were hideous! I locked eyes with one of them for a moment, it was awful…"
"Do you think you can do it?"
"Are you sure it's the right thing? I'm not sure we should provoke them."
Aranae growled into the combox, "That's exactly what we want! When the people see how dangerous these things are, they will rally against any cooperation! Do it, as soon as you get the chance!" She deactivated the combox and threw it down beside her. Garin had better have the guts for this, or else it could mean the doom of their planet. She turned the volume back up on the news band. She couldn't take her eyes from the aliens. She smiled as she thought of one of them dead. It wouldn't matter which one Garin killed, so long as he incurred their wrath.
Archer's day had consisted of personal greeting after personal greeting, as he had met every member of all three houses. He was glad these people didn't practice the handshake, otherwise his knuckles would be a swollen mass by now. As it was, he was becoming extremely fatigued.
Hoshi had managed to learn the basics of several of the Jaynaran sub-dialects, while T'Pol had remained quietly at Archer's side, offering diplomatic advice when necessary. Trip, meanwhile, was discussing warp theory with the leader of the Jaynaran warp project, their own equivalent of Zephram Cochrane.
One of the senators, from a province in the Southern Hemisphere, had seemed a bit wary, but Archer wasn't sure if he was more wary of the aliens or his own constituency.
"You certainly don't seem to be the bloodsucking monsters our Xenophobic groups claim you to be." Archer glanced at Wroal and saw he seemed rather uncomfortable with the conversation. Archer tried to remain amiable.
"Well, I can assure you they've never met anyone from Earth before," he said.
"No one from your planet has antennas?" Archer tried not to look at T'Pol. Was there something to the Xenophobes' stories? Or was it a thought process similar to the old 20th Century science fiction films Travis was so fond of?
"No senator, no feathers perhaps, but no antennas either."
The meetings continued.
It was dark out when the party began to make their way back to the shuttlepod. The crowds had not subsided, and again the cheers rang out as they emerged from the Tricameral. The Humans waved to the crowd, and after a few moments, stood with the First Minister's party by the pod.
"This is a momentous day, Captain. I look forward to having you personally for a meal tomorrow."
"And I would like to invite you aboard Enterprise when your schedule permits."
"Splendid, Captain, I would think…" Wroal trailed off as his eyes caught movement over Archer's shoulder. A young man had broken free of the crowd, and had run up the stairs to the landing pad. There was a weapon in his hand.
Archer turned to see what Wroal was looking at as a projectile went past his face. Instinctively, he went to block Wroal's body with his own, but Col. Masden had already defended the Minister. Trip meanwhile had leapt at the armed man, catching his weapon arm, and pushing it up to keep any more shots from the group. He then caught the man's feet with his own while pushing his body weight onto the would-be assassin. The man lost his balance, while Trip came down on top of him. With a quick chop, the weapon flew from the man's hand and skittered across the pad. Then Trip gave him a short punch to the face to stun him.
The man's face collapsed beneath his fist.
Trip looked on in wonder for a moment, then went back to his feet. Security guards were flooding the pad now. Trip looked down at the young man; he was quite obviously dead. He turned toward Archer and the others.
"Captain… I didn't hit him that hard!"
"Deities…" Wroal muttered, getting to his feet and staring at the ruined face. There was a dangerous sound as what happened spread through the crowd. Archer realized the crowd was about to become a problem. So did Wroal.
"Captain Archer. I regret to inform you that by the laws of our planet, I must take Commander Tucker into custody for the murder of an as yet unidentified Jaynaran citizen."
"Wait a minute, as tragic as this is, my crewman was acting in self-defense! Hell, he was defending all of us!" Wroal gestured and the armed security surrounded Trip.
"Captain. Our law is clear. Do you wish to resist?" Archer opened his mouth to reply, but Trip and T'Pol both interrupted.
"Captain…" Trip began.
"Captain, it is inadvisable to pursue this course of action right now," T'Pol said. Archer turned to her, his eyes burning…
"She's right, Captain. I'll be OK. Just…just find out what happened," Trip said, his voice catching. He had only meant to stop the man.
"Return to your ship, Captain. I will contact you soon." Wroal said. Archer saw genuine sorrow in the man's eyes. He knew though that it was the Minister's duty. He looked to Trip once more, then turned back to Wroal.
"I'll be expecting your message. Please don't allow anything to happen to him."
"Revenge is not our way, Captain." Archer, Hoshi, and T'Pol climbed slowly into the shuttlepod, as Trip was led through a silent, yet malevolent crowd. It was a long walk for Trip to a detention room, and a long trip for the crew back to Enterprise.
Aranae had watched it all unfold. She was shocked at the violence the alien showed; they must be extremely strong to have killed Garin in such a violent manner. She would miss Garin, but it seemed he was successful in his mission. This would turn the populace against the aliens. This would save her world. She curled herself around her pillow as the newslink again began to describe what had happened. In a moment it was impossible to tell if she was laughing or crying- perhaps it was both.
The bridge of Enterprise was silent. A full day had passed since Trip's incarceration. Archer had spent no time today trying to get over on T'Pol. He had sat quietly in the command chair waiting for a hail from the surface. Hoshi had tapped into various Jaynaran worldwide news services. There was some support for a heroic alien who saved the First Minister's life, but for the most part the 'Xenophobes' had stirred hostility toward the violent alien who killed a poor Jaynaran.
Both sides were in agreement on the outcome. Jaynaran law demanded lifelong detainment for the crime.
Archer had left the bridge only once, to confer with Dr. Phlox.
"How, Doctor?"
They stood in sickbay as Phlox reviewed various texts that had been gleaned from surface information. The Vulcans had never landed on Jaynar, and Archer had thought it rude to actually subject the astronauts to a medical scan. Everything was second hand.
"It would appear, Captain, that the feathers on the Jaynaran crests are actually indicative of their course of evolution." He pointed to various graphics on the display. His tone was far more subdued than usual. "They are actually descended from avian stock. Since this is a fairly mild planet in the areas of flora and fauna, they were never in competition against stronger predators. They never evolved away from the hollow bone structure of their progenitors. Relative to other humanoid species I have encountered, their skeletal structure is extremely fragile." He paused. "I'm sorry, Captain that I did not notice it initially…" Archer looked at him.
"Doctor, I spent a day on the planet with these people, and never noticed. If only they shook hands… No, Doctor. It's too late for that. Now we have to go from here."
It was almost two hours later that the hail came. There was still no visual communication.
"Captain Archer, this is First Minister Wroal," came the voice.
"This is Archer. How is Commander Tucker?"
"He is well, Captain. Indeed we do need to discuss him, but I would prefer not to do it in this capacity. I would still like to extend an invitation to dine with me. I must ask for a delay however, to ensure a secure location. We can discuss Mr. Tucker's disposition at that time." Archer frowned.
"Is it safe for your people if we come back? The last thing we want to do is provoke another… incident."
"Yes Captain. Not only will our location be secure, I also want to tell you that we are taking measures to apprehend the Xenophobes."
Aranae didn't hear the chime at her door the first time. She had finally succumbed to her exhaustion, and collapsed onto the small chair in her room. The night had taken its toll on her as she had waited to hear what would happen to the captured alien. She had also waited for the news that the alien ship had begun to rain fire on the planet's surface; neither had occurred. Ironically, she had slept through the announcement that security forces were arresting known Xenophobe leaders.
The door chimed a second time. This time it roused her from her slumber. She stumbled to the door, barely dressed, a chill on her emaciated legs. Opening the door, she saw two men in security uniforms. One held a stunner.
"Aranae Nemitz, you are to be detained for questioning in regard to the attempt on the First Minister's and his guests' lives." She laughed, extending her thin arms.
"If you must. We've done what we had to…" She didn't resist.
Commander Charles Tucker was very alone. He sat in a cell no more than eight feet square. There was a bunk, and what he realized after only a moment was a toilet and chair combination. Actually, it didn't seem much different than jail cells from a dozen classical movies he'd watched. The walls seemed to have a self-illumination, but he noticed when he lay on the bunk for more than a few moments they dimmed somewhat. They would spring back to normal illumination when he sat up.
Twice in the last day a meal had been brought to him, and appeared in a slot in the door. He wasn't sure if there was a person who brought it, or if there was some sophisticated delivery mechanism. Indeed, that was the most unnerving factor in his incarceration; he neither seen nor heard from another person. It was deathly quiet in the room, and no sounds penetrated from the outside.
He was totally isolated. He surely hoped Jonathan Archer would find the diplomatic prowess to get out of this.
"I'm sorry Captain Archer, our laws are quite specific. Even self-defense is not a reason to kill," Minister Wroal said, sipping more of a thick brown liquid from a fluted glass. Two days had passed since Trip's arrest. Archer, T'Pol, and Hoshi all sat at different points around a large table, joined by Wroal, Dr. Guunar, and Col. Masden. They had enjoyed a dinner of various grains, and now all but T'Pol engaged in the viscous liquid, from which Archer already felt a slight effect.
"Minister, surely you can see that Commander Tucker had no intention of killing anyone. We were unaware of the differences in our physiology. He had no way of knowing the outcome of his actions."
"Captain, we have a saying here on Jaynar; ignorance is no excuse. I want you to look around at our world. Frankly, it is without passion. It is without imagination. We are not competitive. Often we do not strive- you would not believe the apathy our scientists encountered concerning the warp project. We are a peaceful people to a fault, and it is for one reason. Our people all share an intolerance for violence or death. There was a time, thousands of years ago, when some countries actually put killers to death. Can you imagine the irony? How does a government condemn death only to dole it out?
"You've shown me the brief histories of both your worlds. Vulcan was so hostile that wars raged for centuries. Your Earth, Captain, less than a century ago tried to use it's nuclear power to destroy itself…" Archer interrupted.
"Minister, I can't argue against our own past, but I can tell you that we have learned much from those mistakes. Lessons you may not have learned because your culture hasn't experienced it. We learned that laws and justice are not always synonymous…" Now it was Wroal's turn to interrupt, and his voice was tinged with incredulity.
"Justice? You have the audacity to criticize our system of law? You were murdering each other by the thousands two generations ago! You are standing on a planet that hasn't had a war in six hundred years! Now we finally reach to the stars and find a people ready to write off murder. Our system is just because it treats everyone the same. If you kill by accident, if you kill on purpose, if you kill from love or from spite you face the same fate: isolation. We have left behind your notions of vengeance and violence. We will not see you bring them upon us!"
"I might point out, First Minister," T'Pol said, "that it was one of your people who initiated the attack." Wroal's face flared with anger, then shame. Archer wasn't sure T'Pol's blunt statement was the right way to go.
"Let me tell you about the Xenophobes. They are a small but adamant group, and frankly they have a right to be. You are not the first to visit our world." Wroal let that sit for a moment, and Archer feared what he would say next. T'Pol, of course, seemed impassive.
"We have evidence that aliens have come here and experimented on our people. In fact, it was as a concession to them, and the slim evidence we had, that I began planning for extra-planetary contact.
"Despite our best efforts, we in the government have never found out who the aliens are, but the popular description is a blue race, with white hair, and forehead antennae. I see by your expressions you know of them."
T'Pol looked to Archer, assessing whether or not the Captain would reveal anything. "We do know of them. In fact, there have been hostilities between them and the Vulcans." Archer realized too late that might have been the wrong thing to say.
"You said the Vulcans had been observing us for some time," Col. Masden said. "Is that why they've been coming here? Did they come here following you? Have you caught our world in some alien dispute?"
"I do not believe the Vulcan High Command had any real indication that… this race was interfering on Jaynar. If we had, it would have been a matter of further contention," T'Pol answered.
"And would you have helped us against them?" the Colonel asked. "Had we not developed the warp drive would you have warned us, given us a way to resist them?"
"No. We do not interfere with pre-warp cultures." T'Pol answered.
"Even when it is your own explorations that has contaminated them?" Masden asked angrily. Wroal spoke again, trying to restore calm to his friend.
"Captain, Sub-Commander. I truly believe you have the best intentions, regardless of what I think of your methods. But they are not our ways. Indeed, it would seem you are incredibly conscious of allowing people to maintain their ways, even to their detriment. Now, I must ask you to honor our ways even to your own detriment. The only way my people will ever trust either of your races is if you honor our law. Perhaps we have all been forced into this position by the alien race that you won't even name, but we are here, and I must ask you to honor us."
"You are asking me to leave my crewman and friend on your planet for the rest of his life," Archer quietly said.
"I am asking you to prove your intentions."
With that, the dinner was over. Archer, T'Pol, and Hoshi returned to the shuttlepod in silence. After they had lifted off, Archer broke that silence.
"T'Pol, you were telling me there was no such thing as a no-win scenario. I think Commander Tucker has in fact proven you wrong." T'Pol was quiet for a moment, as if measuring what she had to say.
"Captain. You must leave Commander Tucker on Jaynar."
Archer turned to her, anger in his eyes. Hoshi hoped he was still keeping his attention on flying the pod.
"What are you saying, Sub-Commander?"
"Captain, as I pointed out before, there is no such thing as a no-win situation, only situations with undesirable outcomes. I do not desire to leave one of our crewmembers on an alien world, but logic and duty both dictate a clear solution; Commander Tucker must stay on Jaynar. Perhaps a diplomatic solution can free him at a later time."
"Somehow, I don't think the Vulcan diplomats are really going to have the interests of a human at heart."
"You are absolutely correct. They will have nothing 'at heart.' They will negotiate for the best relations between our worlds. That will undoubtedly include the release of Commander Tucker," T'Pol stated. Finally, Hoshi broke her silence.
"Their language is very telling in this case, Sir. The connotation of the phrase 'honor our law' is very reminiscent of Asian concepts of 'face.' Wroal is not only trying to save face in front of his people; he is trying to save face for his people. He does not want to keep the Commander, but he has to see that we don't place ourselves as superior. He has to save face."
Archer returned to silence.
The silence had become deafening. Trip knew he couldn't have been in the Jaynaran cell for more than two, perhaps three days, yet with no exposure to natural light, and no chronometer, his circadian rhythms seemed to be going haywire. He had shouted a few times, but when his voice echoed into nothingness, he was left with the same silence as before.
He had tried to count meals, but once when he was asleep he had expected a meal to come, and it had not. He now had no idea what schedule they were on. He had tried to think back to his Starfleet isolation training, but as he recalled, he had been too good at being alone then either.
The meal slot opened and another meal of grains was there. No difference in the meals, and therefore no way to tell breakfast from dinner. Trip was counting on Jonathan Archer to save him; he hoped it was soon.
"Dear God, John. What do you intend to do?" Following his return to Enterprise, Archer had gone to his quarters, and with Porthos on his lap, had Crewman Byrne raise Starfleet. It had taken a while to get Admiral Forrest; it was around 0100 hours in San Francisco. As the Admiral wiped sleep from his eyes, Archer briefed him on the current situation, sponsoring the Admiral's question.
"I didn't realize I had a choice, Admiral. If we're going to appease the Vulcans on this I have to abandon Tucker. As it is Soval is going to go through the roof." Forrest nodded.
"Unfortunately you're right John. I'll contact Soval after I've discussed the issue with the Admiralty. Until I contact you again, I want you to continue your contact mission, around Commander Tucker's incarceration."
"Admiral… I don't know if I can leave him," Archer said.
"John, I trust you to do what's right. Forrest out."
Archer sat, petting Porthos for a moment, then activated the intercom.
"Bridge, have Mr. Reed come to my quarters."
Jaynar turned slowly outside the window.
"A simple contact mission, and one of your crew commits murder?" Soval's voice seemed almost tinged with pleasure at the incident. Forrest wondered if Soval was chosen to lead the Earth mission because of his predilection toward emotion, atypical for a Vulcan. Soval and three attachés were in the main briefing chamber at Starfleet Command. Forrest had been joined by his own aid, Commander Shumar, and two other Starfleet Admirals. Forrest was ready to protest.
"By our standards, he didn't commit murder; he was defending the planet's leader!"
"But your standards are not the ones in question here. It is the standards of Alpha Eridani IX that must be considered. Order your crew away from the planet. I will have the High Command dispatch a more experienced diplomatic crew immediately to try and salvage the situation."
"Soval, this is officially an Earth first contact, you don't have the authority to order us away from the planet," Forrest said, dangerously.
"No Admiral, I am hoping your own reason will convince you it is the proper course of action."
To that, Forrest had no reply.
The NX-01 bridge was again a room full of tension. Still in orbit around Jaynar, Archer sat in the center seat waiting for Admiral Forrest's reply. Hoshi, monitoring the subspace radio, was also monitoring Jaynaran news broadcasts. Charges had been brought against one of the Xenophobes, an unhealthy looking young woman who was accused of authoring the plan to disrupt any alien contact. The number of people protesting for her freedom almost matched the number of people calling for her permanent incarceration. Huge crowds gathered around the Tricameral and the holding station where she was kept. Ironically, she would be held in the same facility as Tucker.
Then there was a subspace message. Archer ordered it put on screen. Soon Admiral Forrest filled the main viewer.
"John. I have to order the Enterprise away from Achernar IX. A Vulcan ship is on the way." Archer's face hardened.
"I see. And Soval doesn't think we should even be present for the negotiation."
Forrest nodded. "And the Admiralty agrees. We'll get him back, John. It just may take some time." Archer was quiet.
"Alright Admiral. But I am going to request to see Command Tucker once more before we leave, if that's alright with the Vulcans." Forrest frowned.
"John, just do what's right."
"I will, Admiral."
Trip had been provided a change of clothes. With only a sink to accomplish hygiene in, it was nice to receive something clean. It was a fairly utilitarian jumpsuit, and for some reason featured a small hood on the back. Perhaps in winter months the cell became colder. Anyway, he hoped clothing delivery would occur on a regular schedule, and he could begin to use that to measure time. No footwear came with the new attire, so he kept his boots. He had laid his own uniform in the slot. Sure enough, it had soon disappeared.
He was beginning to feel claustrophobic as well. Though the room had seemed comfortable when he first entered, the softly lit walls seemed a little closer each time he woke up. He hoped he could get used to it.
During the night, it had occurred to him he might not leave the cell. He had, after all, killed the Jaynaran, and as they told him during his arrest, there was no excuse. If Archer could find no loophole, this was his existence now. He didn't know how long he could take it.
Then, a new sound filled his small space: the door opening. Two Jaynarans held small stunners on him.
"Come with us. You have a visitor."
Wroal had agreed to let Archer see Tucker. "Captain, it is irregular, but this is an irregular situation. You may see him to let him know the current situation." Archer had been led to what looked like an interrogation room in the prison facility. It was empty but for a small table and two opposite chairs. Archer had no doubt they were being monitored. After a few moments Trip was led in.
"Captain, damn I'm glad to see you. Are we going home?" Archer's frown answered that question. "You're not here to take me back, are you?"
"No Trip. But there's a Vulcan diplomatic team that will be here in a few days. They will resolve the situation." Trip sat down, but looked doubtful.
"A few days? Captain, I'm not even sure how long I've been locked away…"
"Trip, it's only been five days. Where have you been kept?" Tucker described the cell environment. "So you're completely isolated?"
"Yeah. And things happen at odd intervals, maybe it's normal for a Jaynaran, but I'm feeling pretty messed up…" Trip stopped speaking. Archer was pacing the room now. He then stopped behind Trip's chair, putting his hands on the engineer's shoulders.
"Trip. The Vulcans may not secure your release immediately. Can you last for a few months… or longer?" Tucker craned his neck to look up at the Captain.
"I don't know, Captain it's… Now wait a minute, you don't have a choice. It doesn't matter if I snap tomorrow, you can't screw up this contact. If I have to take this one for Earth, I will." Archer moved back to the opposite chair.
"I'll do what I have to do, Trip. We all will."
"Captain, I'll be alright… at least I'll do my best."
"It isn't fair, Trip."
"Why not? I killed him. Captain, you've got to leave me, you know it, I know it, so do your duty."
"I know you Trip. In a few days, you'll be climbing the walls. In a few weeks, you'll crack. You expect me to leave you to that?"
"Captain, you have to." Archer frowned.
"Trip, I know what my duty is, but I'm going to ask Wroal to change your isolation, to see if he'll at least put it on a 24 hour schedule." Trip nodded.
"Thanks Captain. Don't worry about me, I'll be ok." Trip only hoped that was true. The last five days had really gotten to him. He couldn't let Archer see that. When the guards escorted him back to his cell, he walked in dread. This would be the last time he'd pass through this door for a long time.
Back in the cell he lay on the bunk. He felt something solid between his shoulder blades. Archer had slipped something into his hood.
"Captain…"
Archer had immediately gone to Wroal.
"You call this incarceration humane?"
"Captain, he wants for nothing. He is fed, clothed, and has enough room to conduct some physical exercise."
"You don't even let him see the sun. He can't see the guards, he doesn't even know what time it is."
"It is punishment, Captain. How many amenities should it have?"
Archer smiled wryly. "You may have a great aversion to death, but what you're giving Trip isn't life; he'll go insane."
"No one has ever lost their sanity during incarceration."
"He isn't one of your people! You yourself admitted to a lack of passion in your population, a lack of imagination. Humans must have contact, they cannot live in a cage."
"You are again asking me to change our people's ways. I have allowed you to see someone condemned to isolation. I cannot help you further." Wroal turned away from Archer. "I will discuss it with the Vulcans when they arrive." The Captain stood for a moment. Then left.
Wroal sat down heavily. How he had wanted to make friends of these people. Now, his people's laws stood between the humans and Jaynarans. He believed Trip was innocent of murder; but it was his duty to act for his people. They wanted to see that they counted. They had to know that they were to be acknowledged in the universe they were about to step into.
Wroal wanted that too.
Archer angled the shuttle toward the sky, and hailed the ship. "Enterprise, this is Archer. I am on approach. Mr. Reed, please join me in the hanger deck."
T'Pol sat perched on the edge of the Captain's chair. When the captain's message came in, she turned to Reed.
"Mr. Reed, why are you meeting the Captain in the shuttlebay?" He stared at her for a moment, as if trying to determine what to say. When he did not speak, T'Pol continued. "You have your orders, Lieutenant. I expect a report later." As Reed left, Travis traded a look with Hoshi.
"Please watch your board, Mr. Mayweather," T'Pol said, "I suspect we will be breaking orbit soon."
Shuttlepod two was docked with Enterprise. Archer stepped out into an empty shuttlebay, then made his way to join Reed at their pre-arranged rendezvous point. Reed was there, behind the console.
"Do it, Mr. Reed."
Trip lay still until the lights in the room darkened, then inched his hands behind his neck and into the hood. He had a pretty good idea what the Captain had slipped onto his person. He had almost reached it when it beeped, confirming his suspicions. He pulled out the communicator and flipped it open.
"Captain, what the hell are you…" He didn't finish the sentence before he dissolved into a sparkling light.
Reed activated the hail, and in a moment Tucker's voice came over the speaker.
"Captain, what the hell are you…" Reed maneuvered levers on the console before him. The platform before he and the Captain began to glow, and after a moment, Tucker lay propped on an elbow on the pad.
"…doing? Sonuvabitch…" He got to his feet. "Captain, you've got to put me back. We can't do this!"
"Mr. Tucker, you are to report to sickbay and be examined by Dr. Phlox. His instructions will include performing a mental evaluation." Trip tried to protest. "Now, Commander. Mr. Reed, join me on the bridge." Reed acknowledged and fell in step. Archer began escorting Tucker to the door, when the intercom chimed. It was T'Pol's voice.
"Captain, we are being hailed by Minister Wroal. I suspect it has to do with the unauthorized transport activity we just monitored."
"I'm on my way, Sub-Commander."
For the first time, Minister Wroal had initiated visual communication.
He looked like a beaten man.
"Do you understand what you've done Captain? You have used your advanced technology to make fools of us."
"First Minister, that was in no way my intention. It is my firm belief that my crewman would be harmed by further incarceration. I was acting to save him."
"Be that as it may, this will not be overlooked. Your ship is not welcome in our space anymore. I demand you leave immediately."
"Minister, I know what I've done is wrong, but I would ask that you consider my motivations before the Vulcan diplomats arrive…" Wroal interrupted.
"Tell them not to come. Our world doesn't want outsiders." Then he cut communication, leaving the bridge silent. Archer stood.
"Travis, set course out of the system. Hoshi, get me a channel to Starfleet; I'll take it in my office." He looked to T'Pol. "Mr. Reed, you have the bridge. T'Pol, please come with me."
They said nothing until they were in Archer's ready room.
"Sub-Commander…"
"You have blatantly disregarded your orders, as well as advice from the Vulcan High Command. The diplomatic incident you have caused may be irreparable."
"…permission to speak freely," he finished.
"Moreover, you have conspired to deceive members of your crew."
"You were arguing to leave him behind. I had no intention of that. I did not want to force you to choose between what you thought was right and what I was going to do."
"You are the Captain of this vessel. As your first officer it is my duty to advise you, and to follow your orders, whether I agree with them or not," she said. "I believe you have made the wrong choice, but I had thought by now you realized that I would support you as my commander and… my friend." Archer sat behind his desk, and felt himself flush.
"You're right. I should have trusted you. I'm sorry I didn't, but this way I haven't involved you either."
"I am your first officer. I cannot help but be involved." They were interrupted by Hoshi's voice.
"Captain, I have Admiral Forrest." T'Pol turned to go.
"You knew, didn't you?" Archer asked her. She stopped.
"Captain?"
"You knew what I intended to do. Malcolm told me on the way to the bridge that you confronted him about what he was doing but let him go. Why didn't you stop him?"
"As I indicated, you are the master of this vessel, and I am subject to your decisions. Further, you told Wroal that humans had an advantage over the Jaynarans because of the mistakes you had learned from in the past. I think it was a mistake to allow your emotions to dictate your actions. That is not a lesson you can be taught. You will have to do as Vulcan did and learn from experience." She took a breath.
"I was also interested in your solution to the no-win scenario. Now we will see if this outcome is as undesirable as the alternative. I might remind you that the lesser of two evils is still evil." Archer dismissed her, and ordered Hoshi to put the communication through.
"Admiral, there have been some changes to the situation..."
Archer spent most of the day talking over subspace. As Enterprise left Jaynar, and continued on its original course, he noticed that a delay was beginning to creep into the communications from Earth. It seemed even subspace had its limits.
He had given an oral report to Admiral Forrest, as well as a written one. T'Pol had also submitted her report to both Starfleet and the Vulcan High Command. Finally, all he could was wait. The hail they received was from Admiral Forrest.
"The Admiralty is still debating with the Vulcans concerning the final disposition of Enterprise. We've told them we have no intention of ending the mission, but Soval is calling for reassignment of your command staff."
"How likely is that?" Archer asked. Due to the delay to took a few moments for Forrest's response to come through.
"Well John, we believe bringing you back to Earth to change out the command would effectively end Enterprise's mission. But your actions are having some severe consequences for all of us. Even if you do retain command, your record will not remain spotless."
Archer thought about that for a moment, making the delay even longer. "My actions saved Commander Tucker. If that means a black mark on my career, I can live with that." A pause.
"Let's see if the Vulcans can."
Trip Tucker sat in the mess hall, watching stars perform a visual Doppler effect thanks to warp speed. It had been a week since his rescue, and in one hour he was to start his first duty shift since his return. Phlox had pronounced him healthy, but had noticed a certain psychological effect that concerned him. Trip had only been locked away for five days, but that time had preyed on his psyche. He was still a bit distant, and still blamed himself for many things.
Archer came in, nodding to crewmembers as he approached Trip.
"Missed you at breakfast," he said. Trip almost managed a smile.
"Yeah, it's a little tight in your mess, Captain. Thought I'd take a look out the window." Archer sat down.
"It isn't your fault Trip. You couldn't have known you'd kill him."
"I should have stayed Captain. You've been formally reprimanded, Soval's screaming for all our heads, and the Jaynarans won't let anyone into their system. It's because of me, Captain. They're calling me a fugitive, and they're right. I can't help feeling that you should have left me there. Not the happy little ending I wanted for this one."
"The Vulcans can get over it. I don't answer to them. The mistake we made was not investigating enough before making contact, and that's my fault. Everything else was a result of that. I'm sorry, Trip. I should have been more careful, and you had to pay for it." Archer looked out the window himself.
"Are they calling us back to Earth?"
"No," Archer answered. "The Admiralty told the Vulcans that they would take appropriate disciplinary action. I suppose this means I'll never be an Admiral myself." They sat in silence for a moment.
"I need to get to engineering, Captain. God only knows what they've done down there while I was gone." Trip stood, and got three steps before he turned back. "Dinner tonight?" Archer smiled.
"I'll have Chef defrost T-bones." Tucker smiled, almost an image of his old self.
"Then make sure you invite T'Pol."
Aranae sat in a softly lit cell, rocking back and forth on her bunk. This isolation was no worse than the one she had imposed in her shack on the southern continent. Before she was put in here, one of her guards, sympathetic to the Xenophobe cause, had told her that the aliens were gone; banished from Jaynar. She had succeeded in what she wanted to do. Though she was isolated, she had taken steps to isolate her world from the evil that plied space. She smiled to herself again. She had saved her planet, and if she had to suffer for that, it was quite worth it.
Archer and T'Pol sat in his mess, waiting for Trip to arrive. His first day back on duty, he had decided it was necessary to inspect every system in engineering. Archer sipped from his wine, as T'Pol began a second glass of water.
"Other than the more pressing matters you have been discussing, how did Admiral Forrest receive your suggestion for Starfleet training?"
"Very well, thank you. I think they may actually include my reports on this mission into the no-win scenario."
"You must be flattered to be immortalized in such a way." Archer looked at her.
"Was that a joke? More than that, was that a joke at my expense?"
"Captain, are you laughing?"
"Not really."
"Then it was not a joke."
Trip came in at that moment, and the yeoman brought dinner for everyone. They ate most of their meal in silence.
"Are we… OK?" Trip finally asked.
"Well," Archer said, "the mission hasn't been cancelled, no one's been demoted, and we still have our entire crew. There are worse ways to finish up." Trip shrugged. T'Pol spoke.
"There is an entire planet that wants Mr. Tucker in custody, Vulcan is considering banning you from any first contact missions, and it may be years before diplomats can approach Jaynar."
"You Vulcans can't look on the bright side, can you?" Trip asked.
"Commander, one must acknowledge the facts of the situation. The 'bright side,' as you call it, lies in this; I was against your liberation because saving you was illogical. I do however find myself gratified with many of the consequences of those actions, including your return. As I hope you and the Captain have learned from these events, I have also learned that illogical actions may produce some positive results along with the negative."
"I think we have learned something, T'Pol," Archer said, "but I'd still rescue Trip if I found myself in the same situation."
"Then perhaps the only way to defeat the no-win scenario is not to allow it to become one."
Archer nodded, then Trip smiled deviously. "So my being back is a positive consequence."
"It is for the Jaynarans, whether they realize it or not. Good night Commander, Captain."
Despite the circumstances, Archer had to stifle a laugh.
"Man," Trip said, "I just can't win with her."
THE END