Chapter Sixteen - Rescue

Karin regained consciousness not long after Allison was brought to the room. "Urgh...someone get the number of that shuttle," she muttered as the world swam into focus.

Allison's face popped into view above her. "About time you woke up," she commented. "What happened?"

"I think we were attacked...Jessie tried to knock one of them out with a vase, but they stunned her."

"Yeah, looks like they got you too, then. Do you have your communicator?"

Karin quickly searched her belt. "No. They must have confiscated it." Sitting up, she noticed the eerily-silent Shal guards for the first time, and frowned. "What are they...?"

"It seems, my Padawan, that we are being used as hostages." To further demonstrate her point, she raised an eyebrow. Just hush. They think I'm a normal, unemotional Vulcan. Don't give them any reason to think otherwise. The mental contact was not blocked by the stone of the mountain, so Karin heard it clearly and nodded. Oh yes, and they don't know Damian's around here somewhere. Somehow, he wasn't here when they struck, and I can't contact him so we'll just have to wait, and pretend that there were only three of us. Clear?

...clear as mud, Karin replied. But I'll do whatever you ask.

Might as well practice your Jedi mental abilities, Allison sent back, as well as a mental picture of Jessie, who was still unconscious on the floor. See if she's injured in any way, and wake her up if you deem it safe.

Yes, cap'n! Moving quickly and silently, Karin assessed the half-Klingon's condition, as any good nurse would do. Determining that the Security Chief was not injured, she reached out a Force tendril and gave the Klingon's Force-presence a nudge. Wakey-wakey, Captain says it's time to get up! she announced cheerily.

Jessie's eyes opened, and she glared up at the half-Romulan. "I hate you morning people."

Allison lifted a finger to her lips, signaling that Jessie should be quiet. "bIjatlh 'e' yImev(1)," she said quietly. "qaqeS, lIHIvlaH(2)."

Jessie nodded, lowering her voice. "qaStaH nuq?(3)"

Allison switched accents from Klingon to Vulcan, but kept her voice quiet. "Ma so-resh ri lof il utvau hi lau-ma tehrai(4). Aifa-veh kum-tor etwel(5)." She changed from Vulcan to Rihanha. "Deletham waenhu(6). Lloann dhat docgae(7). Hwi dhat fraeta lloannher, ssuaj?(8)"

"jIyaj(9)!" Jessie replied.

"Mekha(10)," Allison said, satisfied.

One of the Shal guards frowned at the exchange, clearly unsettled that they weren't speaking Standard. "No talking," he decided, waving his phaser threateningly at them. Of course, none of them felt threatened in the least bit, nor did the new rule disturb them.

Allison half-closed her eyes, and reached out through the Force. He may be able to stop us from talking audibly, but telepathic communication is always a plus, shs sent to Karin, and attempted to send to Jessie. The half-Klingon frowned slightly, the message obviously slightly muted. Still, she made a quick thumbs-up to indicate that she'd heard a little of it.

With a quick glance to the Shal guard, who was watching them, Jessie turned her back toward the alien soldier. She pointed to Karin and Allison, then touched the right side of her forehead with her right-hand fingertips, and then put both hands together, index fingers raised, and circled them toward herself and around each other, palms facing out.(11)

Karin frowned in confusion, but Allison's right hand formed a fist and shook it up and down. She's asking if we know sign, Allison sent to Karin. It's American Sign Language - I learned some back when I was ten years old, in Girl Scouts back home, and I've learned more since my transition to the Enterprise. Since she's psi-null and you don't know sign, I'll act as interpreter. She signed to Jessie basically what she'd sent to Karin.

'If they don't know what we're doing, they can't punish us for talking,' Jessie agreed. 'What's the plan, Captain?'

Allison signed to Jessie first, then sent Karin the message telepathically. 'Now, we wait. Damian is smart, he will find out where we are.'

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At that very moment, Damian was on his way up to their level. With the Gr'loev knife secured in his belt, he moved silently and swifty through the stone hallway. He didn't see a single Krleiuvan, which he thought rather odd. Until, of course, he ran around a corner and straight into a group of Shal.

The aliens stared at Damian. Damian stared at the aliens. For a single moment, time seemed to freeze in place. One of the Shal began to reach for his phaser.

Damian's conscious mind seemed to evaporate, and he snapped into action. He slapped away the phaser and swpt the first Shal's legs out from underneath him, then spun around and backhanded another in the face. He kicked out at the third's vulnerable tail joints, causing the alien to briefly shriek in agony as its spine was pulverized.

As the last Krleiuvan dropped to the cold stone floor, writhing in agony, Damian jerked out of a green haze and blinked in confusion at the near-carnage. Did I do that? he wondered, and noticed that orange blood was indeed splattered on his boots. The Gr'loev knife was still hooked onto his belt, and it was unstained. He had done it with his bare hands.

Suddenly, he grinned. I knew all that martial arts training would pay off! Thank you, Ael!

And with that, he snatched up a fallen phaser and kicked down the door.

---------

Allison, Karin, and Jessie were still in discussion when the door abruptly divorced itself from the hinges and flew across the room, smashing into a million shards on the opposite wall. The Shal guards barely got time to shout out in surprise when a red-clad figure blew like a whirlwind into the room, and blue bursts of light shot out from it. Each burst, recognizable as phaser stun fire, struck a Shal and sent him or her to the floor. Approximately fifteen seconds later, it was all over.

Damian grinned at them. "No one invited me to the party," he offered as explanation. Before he could say anything else, he was nearly tackled by his Bondmate.

"About time you showed up," she purred. "Where were you?"

"Shopping." He seperated from her slightly and unhooked the Gr'loev from his belt, then presented it to her. "For you, fair maiden," he said, smiling.

She grabbed it from him and studied it for a moment, then looked up. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced over his shoulder. "Duck," she said softly, then threw it at his head.

He jerked out of the way, and a strangled cry came from behind him. He whirled around just in time to see one of the Shal slump to the ground, phaser clattering to the ground. The jeweled knife protruded from its throat, and its eyes faded gray in death.

Allison walked over and picked up the phaser. "Set to kill," she announced. "He was aiming it at your back. Evidently you didn't get them all during your dramatic entrance." Moving quickly, Jessie and Karin were already searching the guards for their confiscated communicators. Allison snatched up a fallen key, and turned to the bound Tor next to the wall. "Well, that went easier than expected," she commented as she unlatched the handcuffs, and then pulled the strap off the Tor's muzzle.

a'Mro flexed her arms for a moment. "My clan is in debt to you," she said, her musical voice hushed in awe. "We are forever your servants." Her crest flickered in a wave-like motion, shimmering in the light. "Whatever you ask, it shall be done."

Allison looked down at the kneeling Tor woman, and gently touched her shoulder. a'Mro, correctly interpreting the gesture, rose and looked up at the Vulcan's face. "a'Mro, daughter of the Tor, your pledge is recognized and accepted. However, all I wish is peace on Krleiuv. Convince your leaders to pardon the Shal. That will be enough for me."

a'Mro hesitated, and then ducked her head gracefully. "It will be as you say."

---------

Chief Archyx faced the landing party, arms behind his back, and head bent low. "Captain Danks, my deepest apologies to you and your colleages. We should not have dragged you down with our petty matters, nor should the Tor have reacted so violently. Your intervention has revealed our deepest flaws of mistrust, and we are forever in your debt."

"Chief Archyx, your apologies have been accepted," Allison said. "The Federation does not and will not blame you for being what you are. Perhaps we shall meet again someday, under much better circumstances."

"Perhaps." The Tor raised his head, and ebony eyes focused on her. "Captain Allison L. Danks, Keeper of the sacred Gr'loev, Bringer of Peace, Savior of all Krleiuv, I and all of my people - Tor AND Shal - bid you farewell."

Allison and Damian raised their hands and saluted in the Vulcan manner. Karin placed her right fist over her heart; a Rihannsu salute. Jessie slapped her chest with her fist and then threw it outwards; a Klingon salute. Three worlds, three farewells. Vulcan, Romulan, Klingon. All united.

And then the transporter effect took hold and the four officers dematerialized, leaving behind the planet of Krleiuv.

Epilogue

"And thus, Krleiuv was saved from its own stubbornness. StarFleet wasn't too pleased with my report, but at least I didn't get in trouble this time. Of course, there will come a day where that will not be true."

Allison switched off the log recorder. A voice behind her laughed, "Are you always that serious when you record these little things?"

She turned around and playfully shoved Damian backwards onto their bed. "If that's what you think, then yes," she said.

"Hey, remind me why I love you, again."

"If you insist." Grinning, she joined him on the bed.

- - - - - - - -

Translations

(1)Klingon: "Be silent/Stop speaking/Shut up!"

(2)Klingon: "I advise you, they can attack you."

(3)Klingon: "What's happening?"

(4)Golic Vulcan: "Madness has no purpose or reason, but it may have a goal."

(5)Golic Vulcan: "They capture(d) us."

(6)Rihanha (Romulan): "Damian disappeared."

(7)Rihanha: "They don't know."

(8)Rihanha: "Don't tell them, understand?"

(9)Klingon: "I understand!"

(10)Rihanha: "Good."

(11)American Sign Language: "Do you know sign?"