They gathered in the Observation Lounge. The captain spoke. "It is with great sadness that I speak to you today about four brave men. They made the ultimate sacrifice, to help our new friends." The Ikaarans all bowed their heads.
"Christian Harris was the night shift pilot. He was quiet, and he kept to himself. He was available almost at the drop of a hat, and he enjoyed piloting the Enterprise and her shuttlepods very much."
Jonathan cleared his throat before proceeding. "Brooks Haynem was an accomplished Security Crewman, with a background in engineering. While he could have done bad things," the full disclosure about their earlier iteration and the attack on Patti Socorro had not yet been made to the Ikaarans, "he chose not to. He was particularly kind to Crewman Sandra Sloane." Sophie put an arm around Sandra.
"Jay Hayes was the commanding officer for the MACOs. He was smart, accomplished and inventive. He was brought aboard because he was the best. I have no doubt as to that assessment. I never have."
Jennifer took Lili's hand. Lili stared into space; she was again in shock and impassive.
"Malcolm Reed," Lili gasped as Captain Archer spoke, "was our Tactical Officer, with a rank of Lieutenant. He was one of the smartest people I have ever known. Recently, I feel we became good friends. I also know how close he became to our sous-chef, Lili O'Day."
José was standing behind Lili. He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"And the Ikaarans tell me that they recently had a loss on the planet's surface. And this was not their first loss, for there were casualties when they crashed, too. There are burial mounds there. I know that they have had their own share of sorrows. All we can hope is that, together, we can all begin to heal. I thank you."
Lili wandered a bit until she found Sandra. Wordlessly, the two women hugged, sobbing.
=/\=
As the group dispersed, Verinold found Captain Archer. "What we have is yours. The cloak, I imagine, cannot be adapted to your vessel or even one of your remaining shuttles, but you can use our shuttle, of course."
"Thanks," replied Jonathan.
"My charges and I appreciate your hospitality and your kindness. But at some point, we must be on our way."
"Uh, I don't think we can do that."
"Please do not mistake my gratitude for servility, Captain. We do not wish to belong to you."
"I know. But, uh, let me ask you, Verinold, when were you born?"
"Me? 1992 – probably close to when you were."
"No," Captain Archer told him, "I was born on October ninth, 2112."
"That's over eighty years from now."
"Yes," confirmed Jonathan. He explained about the Kovaalan particle wake, and how it had kicked them back in time, twice.
"How extraordinary. And you have no way to return?"
"None we can think of. We tried to contact the only time traveler we know, but either he's not hearing or he's not listening."
"I see."
"We also know a bit about your species," Jonathan stated. "We know that your ships are segregated by gender during your peak fertility years. And we know why – it's to keep you from having children, as your society doesn't believe in chemical birth control."
"That is correct."
"We also know that, on your grossly overpopulated planet, your scientists performed some genetic engineering on your species. Now you all die young, of a disease you call the decline."
"Correct again. For you to know so much more about us than we know about you – it is unnerving."
"We have our own database, and we have the one from our other version. If you stay with us, I am willing to share it with you."
"Oh?"
"Our scientists and doctors spent the better part of a century searching for a cure for the decline. They got close. Plus they developed some stopgap measures. They were able to extend your average life expectancies into the sixties."
"Forgive me for requiring verification," Verinold stated, "But I would like our Science Officer, Lemnestra, to investigate further."
"By all means," allowed Captain Archer, "In the meantime, feel free to move about the ship. We will provide escorts. It's not a lack of trust. It's to keep you safe."
"By all means," replied Verinold, and a look passed between the two men. Trust, it seemed, was elusive.
=/\=
Jennifer took Lili back to Sick Bay. "I want you to know," Jenny told her friend, "Aidan asked me to marry him, and I said yes."
Lili just stared straight ahead as they entered Sick Bay. The doors swished closed behind them. "Lili," Jennifer declared, "you're my best friend. Will you be my Maid of Honor? I don't want you to do anything you can't handle. But I would like you to stand up for me. It would mean the world to me."
Lili whispered hoarsely, some of her first non-dream words since she had heard the news, "Do you love him, Jenny?"
"Yes."
"I mean love him," Lili was getting so worked up that Jennifer stepped back in some alarm. "Do you, would you give him anything, and, and do anything for him? Will you walk to the ends of the earth? Will you lay down your life if you have to? Will you?" Her finger stabbed into the air, pointing, almost accusatory.
"Yes," Jenny confirmed, as Doctor Phlox came over. "That and more. I love him, Lili! He's it. I know. He's the one."
"Then yes," Lili was much more quiet, "I will show my support."
They hugged. Jenny whispered, "Chip will be the Best Man. You'll dance with him once, okay?"
"I bet he's a lot better than I am," Lili whispered back.
They broke apart. Phlox looked at Lili. "I see we have a breakthrough. But I'd still like to keep you here, for a few more days. And then I'd rather you didn't live alone, at least to start."
"I'll find you a roommate, okay?" Jenny asked. "Someone who doesn't mind a super-early alarm."
"Okay," Lili looked at her, "And Jenny?"
"Hmm?"
"I never had a sister."
"I miss my twin sister," Jenny was wistful for a moment, "I'd be happy if you could kinda stand in for Claire."
=/\=
In the Observation Lounge, the Ikaarans talked as Lemnestra and Verinold went over some proffered data.
"Their engineers are most interested in the cloak," reported Dakiza, "I have shown them how it works, and how to maintain it. The ones named Rostov and Torres are trying to understand the theory. They have been good about asking me questions, and letting me in on their findings."
"Torres is tall, almost like an Imvari," Izquilla stated, "I have spoken with their Communications personnel a bit. They are fascinated by our speech. It is most curious that they have an official language, but there are many other tongues on their planet."
"The loss of their pilot was so tragic," Kerna commiserated, "Their replacement – her name is Colleen – she seems a bit overwhelmed. I think she will be all right, though."
"They have a new Tactical Officer, too," added Timinka, who had fulfilled that role on their ship, "and another, lower-ranking one has moved up. His name is Ethan. He showed me a funny trick called juggling."
"We must not become too attached," Verinold scolded, "Esilia, you have been quiet."
"I have been thinking," she mused, "it seems that our presence and our skills and our technology, not to mention the planet, they are all good for them. And they are good for us, particularly if they can cure the decline. Can they?"
"There is a great deal of research," Lemnestra informed them, "and a lot of possibilities have been tried and eliminated. They were able to have children with us. And, as the percentage of human or Denobulan or Vulcan blood increased, a person had a longer life expectancy. Hence some of their strides were made chemically through research and treatments, whereas others were made through genetics, as an off-shoot of marriage and interbreeding."
"Were there any big breakthroughs?" Esilia inquired.
"There is a substance called quatromenaline. They use it as a second choice medication for depression," Lemnestra explained. "It appears to have increased life expectancy by a good four years, regardless of the percentage of Ikaaran blood."
"We should see if we can obtain this quatromenaline," stated Esilia.
"We must be mindful of its ultimate price," Verinold cautioned.
=/\=
"I do not trust this Archer," Verinold confided to Lemnestra when they were alone.
"The longer we remain, the more likely that history will repeat itself, and they will take brides from our numbers."
"We must take this quatromenaline and depart as soon as possible. I know that I told him that he could have the shuttle and its cloak," sighed Verinold, "but we must have a strategy for departure."
"We have, by all accounts, failed in our objectives," she speculated, "We will not be welcome on Ikaaria."
"There are other places where we could go," he told her, "There is the Lafa System, and there is Keto-Enol. There is Tandar Prime. Xindus is no longer an option, I believe."
"Andoria is another option," she opined, "but you and I are not pilots. Could we trust Kerna to do as we say, and steal our own shuttle back, and take us from here?"
"I do not know. But I most definitely do not trust Esilia."
They had not heard the doors open. It was Izquilla, who asked, "Why do you not trust Esilia?"
=/\=
Jonathan Archer's Personal Log, September fifth, 2037
I get the feeling that Verinold is going to be a problem. While he's outwardly friendly, it just feels, I dunno, oily. Lemnestra seems to be of a similar mindset. But I have to trust their chain of command. He is their captain, and she is their Science Officer.
But she isn't second – that's Esilia, the First Officer. The two lowest ranking are Kerna, the pilot, and Izquilla, who is in Communications. Dakiza, the engineer, and Timinka, their Tactical Officer, are in the middle, and seem to be on a par with Lemnestra.
Esilia had told me that they suffered some losses and some people were pushed into various roles. Hence it's entirely possible that they are stepping into roles and circumstances for which they are not qualified or prepared.
=/\=
Aidan MacKenzie's Personal Log, September fifth, 2037
Jenny and I will be married on October fourth. I can't wait. But she's right to want to delay a little, and let Lili get back on her feet a bit again. I can go along with that.
=/\=
Tristan Curtis's Personal Log, September fifth, 2037
It's weird, being a survivor of all of that. I see Torres feels strange about it, too. So does Travis. As for Chang, well, who knows? He seems totally off the grid. And since he really was last time, I gotta wonder. What's that old saying – men, lock up your daughters?
=/\=
Charlotte Lilienne O'Day's Personal Log, September fifth, 2037
This is the first log entry I've made since, well, you know.
Life goes on. I will be in Jenny's wedding in a month. Colleen is the night shift pilot. Someone will be brought into the MACOs, I guess. Julie is their CO. and Aidan is at Tactical.
And I am alone.