NX-01 Enterprise
Vulcan orbit
Feb 9, 2155
At warp five it took no longer than four days for the Enterprise to reach Vulcan. The crew made good use of the time. Security cross-trained with the MACO on repelling boarders, focusing on steering attackers away from critical areas and using tactics such as controlling the environment and tweaking gravity plating to harass intruders. The computer corp utilized new software to make hacking systems harder, after the devastating assault by Klingon augments in the past had nearly destroyed the ship. Hoshi familiarized herself with a new feature of the communications station; overcoming and misdirecting incoming ordnance via remote interdiction. It wasn't something she would prefer to have to deal with, but it made the communications station critical during ship-to-ship combat, whereas she often had nothing to do during those times.
The Enterprise found herself being placed early in the queue to occupy orbit, due in large part to their celebrity status, even among Vulcans. Receiving permission and vectors for shuttle pod entry went smoothly and Archer chose Malcolm and, of course, T'Pol for his shore party. Mayweather piloted the shuttle pod.
Touching down on the pad near the Sovil College of Archaeology proved dicey, as a wash of reporters and civilians were waiting to greet them, after news of their arrival was broadcast across the planet.
The team barely exited the shuttle before questions were hurled at them by dozens of reporters at once. It would seem the nature of journalistic tenacity in pursuing a story was universal.
"Commander T'Pol, where is Commander Tucker? Are you willing to comment on your relationship?"
"Captain Archer, what is the current status of Earth Interpol's hunt for Terra Prime leaders?"
"Have you heard that High Command is considering officially naming the infant Elizabeth a Vulcan martyr?"
The questions were relentless. And ignored.
The team made their way carefully through the crush of people to the doors of the college. There security kept the throng at bay, allowing entry to the team and granting a much-needed reprieve from the bedlam outside.
"I thought it was bad on Earth." Malcolm said.
A Vulcan man approached, not wearing the traditional robes of Vulcan scholars but a form fitting jumpsuit of scarlet color and a shoulder sash of green.
"Greetings," The man said. "I am Koram, senior professor here at the Sovil College. I understand you wish to interview professor Vorik?"
"That would be right." Archer said. "We're very interested in a dig outside the Bashir Heights."
"Professor Vorik hasn't reported for work today," Koram said, "But he keeps an apartment here at the college. I'd be happy to lead you there and make the necessary introductions."
"That would be helpful." Archer said.
Koram turned to lead the way, heading for an elevator bank just off the main lobby.
"In the meantime, Commander T'Pol, I have many questions for you. I have taken secondary studies in reproductive biology and am quite curious about your relationship with Commander Tucker."
T'Pol found the query absolutely outrageous, but Koram had skillfully interjected himself into their business and made himself essential. So she was compelled to comply.
Instead of putting the man in his place, T'Pol said, "I will help however I can."
As the team and professor Koram entered the elevator, he wasted no time asking the most scandalous questions of all right up front.
"Are you and Commander Tucker bonded? That is, of course, the rumor."
T'Pol tamped down her impulse to refuse to answer the question. Instead, she resigned herself to what would most likely be a very uncomfortable interview.
"Yes." She said, simply.
"I thought as much." Koram said. "You will be surprised to know you are not the only Vulcan to bond outside their species. I recently interviewed a Vulcan/Andorian couple. Do you find Commander Tucker's emotionality difficult to deal with?"
"Not at all." T'Pol said. "In fact, our bond has largely tempered the worst of his emotional excesses. Interestingly, it has assuaged my own emotional profusion as well, rather than aggravating it, as one might assume."
"And do you mate outside of pon'farr? Though it isn't spoken of in polite company, recent research has found it common among bonded couples. Further, the kir'shara speaks plainly of it and even encourages it."
T'Pol held her breath for a moment before answering that question.
"Yes." She said. Again, simple and to the point.
"And?" Koram demanded.
"It is satisfactory." She said, relenting.
The elevator reached the fifth floor of the building, dinging and opening its doors to the group. Koram hustled outside, leading the team down the hall.
"And do you intend to reproduce?" Koram pressed. "I understand your physician Phlox has everything he needs to facilitate a hybrid."
"We have spoken of it." T'Pol said. "But at the present time our duty to Starfleet precludes taking such action."
They arrived at a particular door, where Koram didn't hesitate to press a button on the comm unit outside the frame.
They waited, but no one answered.
"I don't understand." Koram said, chagrined. "Professor Vorki should be home. Perhaps he is indisposed."
"You said he didn't report for work today." Archer said. "Maybe he's in trouble. Is there any other way to gain entry?"
"I have a keycard, but I am loath to use it. Professor Vorik may simply prefer not to have company at this time."
"I've got a bad feeling, sir." Malcolm said.
"If you utilize the keycard," T'Pol said, " I will detail how shared neuropressure facilitated our bond."
"Ah. I see. Yes, I think that would be acceptable."
Koram produces a keycard from one pocket, sliding it smoothly across the door midway.
The door chimed and opened.
Nothing seemed out of place at first, but an overturned bookstand and a painting tossed casually on the floor and trampled soon stood out. The wall safe that the painting once covered was wide open with paperwork it once contained having been raked onto the floor nearby.
Koram entered the apartment, calling out to professor Vorik. No one answered.
"I must notify security immediately." Koram said. "Something is certainly amiss."
"I'll go with you." Malcolm said.
The two left and Archer and T'Pol entered the apartment to assess just what had happened here.
"I see signs of a disturbance." T'Pol said. "I fear that professor Vorik was taken against his will."
"And it's obvious that whatever they were looking for was in that safe." Archer said.
"The make of the safe would require Vorik himself to key it open, so he had to have been taken in hand prior to that."
"The only thing I can think of is that he was taken because of what he knew about the Bashir Heights dig. Word must have gotten out as to what we were here for, just as news of our arrival got out and resulted in the crush of reporters outside."
T'Pol was busy leafing through the scattered papers at the foot of the safe.
"I have an outline of the safe's contents here and the only thing missing is, indeed, details about the Bashir Heights."
"That settles it. Let's go see what Malcolm is up to."
The two left the apartment, spying Koram and Malcolm far ahead, moving toward the nearby security station. When they arrived, Malcolm had already browbeaten the security officers into reviewing the log.
"I'm seeing two Vulcans in port authority uniforms entering the hall," Malcolm said. "Ringing up Vorik at the door and entering, but there's no visual log showing they or Vorik left the room any time thereafter. Someone got to this data and altered it."
"What would the port authority want with Vorik?" Archer asked. "It's not even a very good disguise."
"If they really were port authority," Malcolm said. "This video log will make it easy to identify them, at least. That should be our next stop."
The Takhir Dig
Bashir Heights
1400 hours
Vorik stumbled through a cavern opening as one of his three Vulcan abductors shoved him with the butt of their plasma rifle. Not for the first time.
"I know who you are." Vorik said. "I overheard you speaking with your master. You are whl'k'n wuh'rak, the Vulcan First movement."
"Ingenious." The Vulcan said. "We couldn't have been more obvious."
"I don't understand what you want with me." Vorik said. "You have my writings on the dig. I'm not holding back any secrets."
"We just need you to show us where the runes you translated are."
"Why? The translations are all there. You don't need me or the original runes."
"Just keep moving."
Vorik moved with a purpose. He knew right where the abundant rune carvings were and how to get there. Why and what for remained the questions.
But he was no fool. The only sources in existence were in the writings his captors had seized, the runes themselves and his own mind. That all three were present at once did not escape his attention.
He began to suspect his captors intended to destroy all sources of the runes. And that would include him.
Though he might appear old and frail, Vorik had lived a life of adventure. He was shrewd of mind and sound of body. And he began to hatch a plan.
"This way." He said, gesturing at one of three tunnel openings before them.
It was not the way to the runes.
The group of three followed him diligently and Vorik gave no hint of his true intentions. On approaching the area where he'd lost two of his apprentices to the machinations of the ancient Mind Lord reliquary, he made sure to trip the recessed stone at his feet and quickly duck.
A long, thin blade sprang out from the wall at head height, decapitating two of his captors and causing the third to stumble back in horror.
Vorik was on him instantly, trying his best to seize the plasma rifle that had been the bane of his existence all day. He almost had it before the Vulcan swung the butt of the rifle up and against his temple. Vorik stumbled.
His captor immediately began beating him with the rifle, until Vorik could take no more and collapsed to the floor of the cavern.
"Very clever." The Vulcan said, breathing heavily. "But I don't need those two to accomplish what I came here to do. Get on your feet and lead me to the runes."
"Never." Vorik said. "I know what you intend, and I won't let you destroy a sacred text."
"I think you know you're going to die today. But it's just a matter of how quickly. Allow me to demonstrate."
The Vulcan pressed the muzzle of his plasma rifle to Vorik's left hand and pulled the trigger.
Vorik's hand exploded, and he screamed out in pain. The Vulcan waited patiently for Vorik to adjust himself to the situation.
"Now, on your feet." He said. "I only need your eyes and your legs. Everything else is superfluous."
Vorik took a relatively long time absorbing the pain and adjusting himself to his new handicapped status. But he eventually did, taking to his feet and doggedly leading the Vulcan back the way they had come and down the proper tunnel to the runes.