Guardian Angels
Apr. 25th, 2010 12:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
trekwriter151Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.
Spoilers: For this chapter, TOS "Star Trek III: the Search for Spock" and ENT "Kir'Shara".
Pairings: TnT implied.
Notes: This is kind of an experiment for me. "Guardian Angels" is a series of stories that involve the ENT crew as guides. They influence certain people make certain decisions, even if they've been physically gone for 150+ years. The settings are important events in Star Trek history. You'll see what I mean when you read it.
This first one opens at a very familiar place, at a very important moment. We start on Vulcan...
One
2285, Mount Seleya, Vulcan
"Forgive me, T'Lar. My logic is...uncertain, where my son is concerned."
T'Lys, Priestess of the Temple of Mount Seleya and acolyte of the formidable T'Lar, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Ambassador Sarek's admission. She stood in the shadows with the other priestesses, out of direct sight of Sarek and the Humans, but she knew her mentor could feel her astonishment across the courtyard. To her credit, T'Lar didn't turn around to stare at her in disapproval T'Lys winced inwardly; she had to control these emotional impulses before they did her irreparable familiarity and fascination of Human behavior was unseeming for a daughter of a noble House.
Hence, her study of Kolinahr, the eradication of all emotion. Yet these Humans fascinated her, despite her best efforts. T'Lys reminded herself she was Vulcan and she followed the Vulcan way. It was much safer, much more predictable.
Even if it meant denying her very soul.
T'Lar pressed on with the formal ceremony. "Who is the keeper of the katra?"
Another surprise, as one of the Humans stepped forward. "I am. McCoy, Leonard H. Son of David." This Human looked exhausted, as if he carried the weight of the universe on his shoulders, but his voice was steady. T'Lys's sharp ears identified the accent, from the southern part of North America, probably from Alabama or Georgia or thereabouts. Again, she repressed a stab of amusement, and again, she felt the disapproval radiate from T'Lar.
"McCoy, son of David...Since thou art Human..." T'Lys watched the man's reaction as T'Lar outlined the gravity of the situation. He showed a hint of impatient amusement, as if he was accustomed to courting danger, and all he wanted was to go ahead with the Ritual. It was strange how she could read his emotions, but there they were.
She identified the other Humans: Admiral James T. Kirk. Captain Montgomery Scott, Commander Pavel Chekov, Commander Hikaru Sulu, Lieutenant Saavik. T'Lys could sympathize with Saavik, but she kept that emotion to herself.
"...but McCoy, you must be warned...the danger to thyself is as grave as the danger to Spock. You must make the choice."
His answer was immediate. "I choose the danger." Then, sotto voce to Admiral Kirk standing next to him, "Helluva time to ask." The dry quip threatened to put a thoroughly un-Vulcan smile on T'Lys's face, but she schooled her features to Vulcan impassiveness. When T'Lar's command echoed in her brain, she was prepared for it.
Escort him to the altar stone, T'Lys, and have him lie down upon it. And please, child, try to be dignified and not stumble over your formal robes. This is not the time to be accident-prone.
T'Lys chuckled mentally at the senior priestess's dry tone, with equal parts of sarcasm and warmth. No one believed the Vulcan had a sense of humor, but the T'Lar would only claim she was being "logical". For a master of Kolinahr, T'Lar was not a typical master.
She and a fellow priestess walked down to McCoy and brought him up the steps to the altar. Although she kept her gaze away from his, she could feel the weight of his scrutiny. Then she helped McCoy stretch out upon the altar stone. He gazed up at her with a mixture of trust and fear in his clear blue eyes; T'Lys allowed a shadow of a smile to cross her face. Before he could react, she had returned to her place in the shadows.
They were ready for the Ritual, and T'Lar said the opening words. The senior priestess placed one hand on Spock's forehead and the other hand on McCoy's. He closed his eyes at T'Lar's touch. They all could feel power gathering among the Vulcans; T'Lys closed her eyes with the rest of them, lending T'Lar her strength for the task ahead. No one had attempted a fal tor pan in millennia.
Her consciousness strove to join the others, but as she reached with her mind, she found herself in a different place entirely. Well, almost entirely...a new vista opened in front of her, both strange and familiar at the same time.
"What is this?"
Her own voice seemed to echo over the mountain. It was Mount Seleya, but not the Mount Seleya of reality. T'Lar, McCoy, Spock, and everyone else had disappeared. Instead of the grand temple of the Kolinahru behind her, a modest adobe structure stood in its foundations. Then she saw a figure sitting on a stone ledge, admiring the view of the desert below. That figure turned to address her.
"Beautiful view, isn't it? I always wanted to come up here and see for myself, but I never got the chance." He turned back to the desert and said, "Well, here I am."
"Yes, you are here...sir," T'Lys said, unsure of what to say, "but I don't understand the significance of this...hallucination."
His mouth quirked upwards in amusement, much like T'Lar's when she was presented with sheer illogic. "You sound just like your ancestor, don't you know? She tried to analyze when all she really needed was to let things...be. Come up here; let me take a good look at you. No sense in staying in the shadows."
There was a very Human warmth in the order. T'Lys walked up and stood next to the strange Human. He was tall, with sandy brown hair and green eyes, and wore a jumpsuit of blue. Yellow stripes adorned his shoulder. T'Lys glanced at his right hand and noticed the canine sprawled on the ledge, asleep in the warm sun. The man's hand scratched the canine's ears with practiced ease.
Even if she hadn't seen the canine, she would have recognized the man anyway.
"Jonathan Archer," she whispered. "Son of Henry and Sally."
Archer smiled at her and replied, "T'Lys, daughter of T'Mir, daughter of T'Lissa, daughter of T'Pol and Charles Tucker the Third." He pronounced her name "T'Liz", an uncommon variation of the Vulcan name.
She stared at him. "How did you know my bloodline? It is..."
"A state secret?" He sounded amused. Despite herself, T'Lys allowed herself a smile at his words. "Remember, I was your second forefather's best friend. You were named after his sister, who was killed in the Xindi attack on Earth."
"Yes, Elizabeth. I remember the family story."
" I was also your second foreparents's commanding officer and watched their relationship grow." Archer's smile vanished. "I was also responsible of hiding T'Lissa after her parents were killed."
"Ah," was all T'Lys said. "I owe you my very existence, then."
"Let's just say it was the right thing to do." Archer turned and looked over the desert again, so she couldn't see the expression on his face. They stood in companionable silence for a moment.
T'Lys finally got the courage to ask what was uppermost in her mind. "Why are you here at this particular time, Del'haiu? There must be a logical reason for your presence. I would have thought perhaps one or the other of my second foreparents would be here.
He laughed, a rich tone that surprised her. "'Elder'. That really makes me feel old, T'Lys." Then he sobered. "Well, that's true...T'Pol nearly decided to appear instead, but there is a 'logical' reason why I'm here, as you put it."
"Indeed?"
"You seem surprised that a Human can carry a Vulcan's katra around in his head."
T'Lys shook her head. "Surprised, but not shocked. I have had the honor of knowing a good number of Humans and friendship between them and Vulcans are not unheard of. I believe you and my second foreparents had some influence in those kind of relations."
Archer inclined his head at her. "Doctor McCoy isn't the first Human to carry around someone's marbles in his head. I can honestly say that I sympathize with his dilemma. You believe you're going to go crazy...or worse."
She raised an eyebrow. "But how...I never heard of..."
Archer took a deep breath and told her the story of Surak, and of the Kir'shara, and how he had carried Surak's essence within him for a short time. T'Lys's eyebrow climbed higher and higher as he talked. Midway through the story, the canine flipped over onto his back, and Archer rubbed his stomach as he settled back into a doze.
"That is...extraordinary..." she whispered. "Little wonder that no one ever told us about this..."
"The point is that a Human can understand a Vulcan's heart and vice versa. Your second foreparents knew this. Trip and T'Pol argued, fought and disagreed with each other sometimes, but they knew each other pretty well. What's that quote...'the spear is the other's heart----"
"'---is the spear in your own. You are he.'"
"And tell me something, T'Lys...you are studying, what, Kolinahr?"
"The complete banishment of emotion, yes, Del'haiu."
The emerald eyes flashed and his lips flattened into a thin line. "You're making a big mistake."
She jerked away as if he had burned her. For once, she was stunned into speechlessness. As if on cue, the canine opened his eyes and growled softly. She gazed down at the canine---Porthos, the legendary dog of Captain Archer of the original Enterprise---then realized her hand went automatically to pet the animal on the head. T'Lys hesitated, then saw Archer's nod of permission. She stroked the dog until its hackles subsided.
"Think about it. You've interacted with Humans, you can read our emotions, you can predict what we'll do---at least, somewhat logically." Again, he chuckled. "You have an inner gift, T'Lys, one that will help the Federation tremendously, if you choose to take the challenge."
T'Lys gazed at Porthos with a thoughtful expression. "How can I tell my mentor that I wish to abandon all I have worked for all these decades?"
"I think T'Lar will surprise you. Give her a bit of credit. She's known about the Human blood that flows in your veins, so I don't think she'll be overly surprised." A grin quirked upon his lips. "Your family has always been...contrary, especially for Vulcans. Your second forefather had a bit to do with that."
Porthos looked up at her with intelligence in his dark eyes. She looked at him, then nodded to herself. "Yes, you are correct, Del'haiu. I understand why my people still hold you in high regard."
"Good." He reached over Porthos and patted her on the shoulder. "You'll do all of us proud, T'Lys. Trip and T'Pol want you to know that they're happy for you, and when the time is right, we'll all be waiting for you."
T'Lys felt hot tears prickle the corners of her eyes. I>This is illogical, Vulcans do not cry. Yet here, in this place outside of space and time, it was allowed. Archer smiled at her one last time.
"Go back now and change your life."
*****
Morning upon Mount Seleya.
T'Lys helped Spock with his white Vulcan robes as the Humans waited at the foot of the stairs. Sarek's son looked at her with a steady gaze, but she kept her own eyes lowered, as was proper. Then Spock walked down the stairs to face Admiral Kirk. T'Lys watched as Kirk tried to jolt the Vulcan's memory. When he succeeded, Kirk spun and looked at McCoy. The doctor smiled and tapped the side of his temple with his finger.
A Human can understand a Vulcan's heart and vice versa. Archer's voice reminded her. Perhaps it had all been a hallucination, but T'Lys knew that her second forefather's best friend had shown her the way to her destiny. All she had to do was take it. Perhaps Ambassador Sarek needed someone on his staff who understood these Humans.
The spear in the other's heart is the spear in your own; you are he, she thought. Rest in peace, Jonathan Archer, and tell my second foreparents...I look forward to meeting them at last.
*****
T'Lys (my creation) is the great-granddaughter of T'Pol and Trip Tucker. Her "Guardian Angel" is Jonathan Archer and Porthos.
Two
May 2344, USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C, Narendra Three
The ship rocked again in the wake of another phaser blast. Commander Nina Sangalan grabbed the railing before she ended up flattened all over the lower deck. A console next to her blew up in a spectacular burst of sparks. She glanced up as one of her junior engineers grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to put out the fire.
"Zanex, watch out!" she screamed. She rushed up the catwalk and bodyslammed the ensign out of the way, just as the whole bank of consoles went up in flames. Smoke choked her, but she managed to grab Zanex's uniform jacket and drag him to safety. Her second in command appeared next to her, using his hands to smother the last of the fire on Zanex.
"Commander," Zanex gasped. "What---"
"Are you all right?" Sangalan whispered in Denobulan. The ensign only nodded. She glanced at her second in command and ordered, "Get him out of here, Grady! Now!"
Grady tried to protest, but more hazy smoke rolled over them and cut off whatever he was going to say. Sangalan helped Zanex to his feet while Grady supported the Denobulan on the other side. She jerked her head towards the access ladder. Grady and Zanex made their way to the lower deck and she kept an eye on them until they vanished from sight. When she was satisfied they were safe, she made her way towards the warp core.
Just a little rescue mission, she thought dryly. The Enterprise had sped through space at Warp 9 to reach the Klingon colony at Narendra Three. If they helped the Klingons, then their actions might convince the Klingons to ally with the Federation. Captain Garrett's decision to aid the Klingon colony on Narendra Three was a noble one, and Sangalan made sure the engines stayed at warp nine to get them there. Her crew prepared the shuttlecraft to ferry the wounded and packed power generators and stasis fields. They were ready to help in any way possible and they came out of warp over Narendra, all prepared for a rescue mission.
They weren't prepared for an attack by four Romulan warbirds. Sangalan wasn't prepared to see her engine room, her ship, falling apart around her. She shook her head and pushed her way to the warp engine core; if she didn't shut the flow in time, they would all blow to kingdom come.
"Bridge to Engineering!"
She wiped sweat from her grimy forehead and barked out, "Engineering, Sangalan!"
"We've lost phasers and photon torpedoes, Nina! Can you---?"
Garrett's voice was stern and commanding, showing not a trace of panic. Sangalan hung on to that voice as she coaxed commands from a nearby panel. The Romulans had scored a direct hit on Auxiliary Command, but she still had a few tricks up her sleeve that they didn't.
"Sangalan to Weapons Room!"
"Bristow here," said a voice with a strong Dublin accent.
"Jamie, stand by. I'm gonna overload the junctions and give the phasers an extra punch."
"Oh, bloody hell. Gimme a minute to make adjustments. I knew I shouldn't have let you look through my old security journals."
"Hey, you started it."
"I told you: You shoulda gone into Security."
She laughed again at the running joke between them: their crews said she and Bristow knew each other's duties so well, they could switch places and no one would know the difference. Well, they were cousins. Four times removed or so. Her mouth twitched as she remembered the day Bristow had come to her quarters and announced he knew why they fought constantly.
"We're related. We've got some common ancestors."
"What? You're an Irishman. I'm Malaysian. There's no way in hell we can be related, Jamie."
To prove it, he'd brought up the family tree on her viewscreen. He zeroed in on the generation spanning the 22nd century and pointed at the information. Her eyes widened. "I'll be damned. Looks like we've got some interesting characters in there."
"Yeah," he agreed as he scrolled down to the present day. "From all over the globe. Ireland, England, Japan, the Southern United States, even some old Boomer blood too."
She looked up at him and grinned. "Well, Cousin," she said, stressing the title, "you might be related to me, but you still aren't getting more than your power allotment for your modified phasers."
"God, you're as bad as he was," he said, pointing at a certain name.
"Naaah. I think I'm more like him, actually." She indicated a second name.
Jamie thought for a moment, then laughed. "Yeah. Actually, you are."
The Enterprise rocked under another deadly blast and jolted her out of the past. "I can't guarantee it'll hold, but it should give you enough for a couple of shots." Her fingers danced on the controls and she confirmed that Bristow did the same on his side. To her fierce joy, she saw the readouts on her screen climb to a certain level and stay there.
"Son of a---this'll give us a fighting chance."
"Can't take the credit for it. Read it in that old journal of yours."
"Commander, thanks for the reroute, and when we get out of this, I'd be the first to welcome you to Security."
She laughed. "Hell no, Jamie. No one's gonna drag me from my warp engines."
"Don't say I didn't offer. Bristow, out."
Garrett's voice came on as Bristow signed off. "Engineering!"
"I'm rerouting all secondaries to the weapons and shields, but I don't know how long that'll last, Captain."
"That'll buy us a few more minutes. I'm about to order everyone into lifepods..." Garrett's voice broke into static, then went dead as the comm circuit exploded overhead. Sangalan swore as the deck under her feet tipped ninety degrees and she slammed upside down against the opposite wall. Gravity crushed the breath out of her for a second before it failed utterly and Sangalan found herself floating in zero-G.
She struggled to collect her thoughts, even as nausea threatened to overwhelm her. Ouch, that hurt. I think I broke something. Guess I'll see how good Doctor T'Vau's bedside manner is...Last time, she threatened to have my name engraved on that biobed, I'm in it so often...
Then a voice out of nowhere roared, Bloody hell, girl, screw your head on straight! They're depending on you! For a moment, she thought Jamie Bristow was next to her, but no...the accent was wrong. Not Irish, but...the harsh tone slapped her back into reality. Sangalan focused on Garrett's last words...Lifepods, we need to give the pods some kind of protection, so someone can get out and warn Starfleet...but how...
Then, out of nowhere, the voice rang out: Shields, luv. Extend the shields.
"What---?" Sangalan managed to snag her arm around a pole and stop her free-float. "Extend the shields? But---wait a minute..." Jamie's interest had sparked her own, and she'd stumbled over an idea in some old family journals...extend the shields just enough to protect the lifepods, let them get away! She closed her eyes and visualized the unfinished schematics on the page; it could work. By God, it could work!
"Weapons Room, Jamie, you still there?" Another section of the status board had turned red. Sangalan's heart rose in her throat as she realized the Weapons Room was gone, that entire deck was open to space. A dull pain began to throb in her chest, but she shoved it aside.
"I promise, Jamie, in my next life, I'll go into Security." I swear to you, I'm gonna make sure your death isn't for nothing.
Garrett's voice returned, but it was fading in and out. "Engineering! Engineering, report!"
"Captain...I can extend the shields for a brief moment---"
"You can do that?" Garrett sounded shocked. "I thought---"
She coughed slightly; something was definitely broken, bleeding inside. "Rachel, you need to tell me the minute the pods are launched, so I can shift our shields."
There was a pause; both women knew their duty. "Acknowledged, Nina. Good luck,"
"See you on the other side, Rachel. Sangalan, out." Moments later, Garrett's command to board the lifepods rang through the ship. She glanced over her shoulder at the pitiful remains of her engineering crew. "All right, everyone out---"
Another volley rocked the room and sent bodies flying from the upper decks down to the floor. Alarms blared and more smoke erupted from the warp core, but she only stayed at her console and did her job. "Warp core breach!" she yelled. "Get out of here, now!"
"Commander!" screamed one of her lieutenants. "We're not gonna leave you!"
"I've got to shut this down! Go on, I'll be right behind you! That's an order!" It was a lie, and they all knew it. She input the commands to eject the warp core, but she couldn't launch it until the lifepods were a safe distance away from the Enterprise. By that time, it wouldn't matter for her...
But she needed to extend the ship's shields around the lifepods for those critical moments. Sangalan chuckled under her breath and thanked her long-ago ancestor.
I suppose you'd be proud of me, Great-Five Times or So-Grandfather, that I actually read your journals. Gave me something to base my crazy theories on. I'm actually looking forward to arguing with you in the Afterlife.
A light flashed on her panel and Garrett confirmed it a few moments later. "Lifepods away, Nina."
"Stand by." She manipulated her controls and watched her screen.Enterprise's shields drained off the main section and expanded along her aft side, enveloping a steady stream of tiny pods. The Romulans took advantage by aiming their disruptors on the nacelle section. Sangalan braced herself for the final onslaught that would tear the ship apart. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited.
Then, inexplicably, the shot didn't come.
She opened one eye, then the other. Time was suspended between breaths; even the smoke had frozen in its tracks. What the hell? What's going on? Is this Death? I don't feel dead---
"Nina Yumiko Sangalan," said a voice behind her. The man whose journal she'd read, whose idea it was to extend the shields.
She turned and saw a figure approaching her through the smoke. Her mouth dropped open as she saw a person that she'd only seen in Jamie's family holophotos...in a royal blue jumpsuit, red stripes on the shoulders, and a slight smile on his face.
"Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather," she whispered and bowed her head.
"You missed a 'great'," he pointed out dryly, and she realized he sounded exactly as she'd imagined, down to the clipped English accent. "And I'm glad you were listening to me, for once."
She chuckled. "I tend to be hardheaded sometimes."
He suddenly grinned and extended his hand. "I daresay you've made quite the engineer, though I still wish you went into Security instead..."
"You sound just like Jamie Bristow."
"Ah, Mister Bristow He and I have a lot to discuss as well, but you...Your other Guardian Angel bet me a whole case of Guinness that you'd go into Engineering. He's been gloating over his victory for a long time."
She thought she heard another voice laughing in the air around them and heard a distinct Southern drawl say, "Told ya so."
Nina rolled her eyes and ignored it. "Family tradition and all that, huh? As I recall, you didn't exactly follow it yourself."
She expected an angry outburst, but his eyes sparkled with suppressed humor instead. "Point to you, my dear. Of course, I had help, especially from your Great-Five Times-Grandmother. Are you ready to meet her and your other Guardian Angel? They've been eager to meet you."
She laughed and took his extended his hand. "I'd be delighted, sir."
"You may call me 'Malcolm'. All those 'greats' tend to be a mouthful," he replied. "This way."
And as he led her away through the smoky haze of Enterprise-C's ruined engine room, he said, "Now, you'll have to enlighten me about that last trick you did with those shields. However did you do it?"
Nina chuckled. "You want the short version or the long version? After all, it was based on your design---
And the ship blazed into eternity around them.
*****
Commander Nina Sangalan (my creation) is a direct descendant of Lieutenant Malcolm Reed and Ensign Hoshi Sato. Her "other Guardian Angel" is none other than Trip Tucker. I think Trip would have had a special eye on one of Malcolm's kin, especially if she turned out to be an engineer. Jamie Bristow is from the Irish side of Malcolm's family.
Spoilers: For this chapter, TOS "Star Trek III: the Search for Spock" and ENT "Kir'Shara".
Pairings: TnT implied.
Notes: This is kind of an experiment for me. "Guardian Angels" is a series of stories that involve the ENT crew as guides. They influence certain people make certain decisions, even if they've been physically gone for 150+ years. The settings are important events in Star Trek history. You'll see what I mean when you read it.
This first one opens at a very familiar place, at a very important moment. We start on Vulcan...
One
2285, Mount Seleya, Vulcan
"Forgive me, T'Lar. My logic is...uncertain, where my son is concerned."
T'Lys, Priestess of the Temple of Mount Seleya and acolyte of the formidable T'Lar, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Ambassador Sarek's admission. She stood in the shadows with the other priestesses, out of direct sight of Sarek and the Humans, but she knew her mentor could feel her astonishment across the courtyard. To her credit, T'Lar didn't turn around to stare at her in disapproval T'Lys winced inwardly; she had to control these emotional impulses before they did her irreparable familiarity and fascination of Human behavior was unseeming for a daughter of a noble House.
Hence, her study of Kolinahr, the eradication of all emotion. Yet these Humans fascinated her, despite her best efforts. T'Lys reminded herself she was Vulcan and she followed the Vulcan way. It was much safer, much more predictable.
Even if it meant denying her very soul.
T'Lar pressed on with the formal ceremony. "Who is the keeper of the katra?"
Another surprise, as one of the Humans stepped forward. "I am. McCoy, Leonard H. Son of David." This Human looked exhausted, as if he carried the weight of the universe on his shoulders, but his voice was steady. T'Lys's sharp ears identified the accent, from the southern part of North America, probably from Alabama or Georgia or thereabouts. Again, she repressed a stab of amusement, and again, she felt the disapproval radiate from T'Lar.
"McCoy, son of David...Since thou art Human..." T'Lys watched the man's reaction as T'Lar outlined the gravity of the situation. He showed a hint of impatient amusement, as if he was accustomed to courting danger, and all he wanted was to go ahead with the Ritual. It was strange how she could read his emotions, but there they were.
She identified the other Humans: Admiral James T. Kirk. Captain Montgomery Scott, Commander Pavel Chekov, Commander Hikaru Sulu, Lieutenant Saavik. T'Lys could sympathize with Saavik, but she kept that emotion to herself.
"...but McCoy, you must be warned...the danger to thyself is as grave as the danger to Spock. You must make the choice."
His answer was immediate. "I choose the danger." Then, sotto voce to Admiral Kirk standing next to him, "Helluva time to ask." The dry quip threatened to put a thoroughly un-Vulcan smile on T'Lys's face, but she schooled her features to Vulcan impassiveness. When T'Lar's command echoed in her brain, she was prepared for it.
Escort him to the altar stone, T'Lys, and have him lie down upon it. And please, child, try to be dignified and not stumble over your formal robes. This is not the time to be accident-prone.
T'Lys chuckled mentally at the senior priestess's dry tone, with equal parts of sarcasm and warmth. No one believed the Vulcan had a sense of humor, but the T'Lar would only claim she was being "logical". For a master of Kolinahr, T'Lar was not a typical master.
She and a fellow priestess walked down to McCoy and brought him up the steps to the altar. Although she kept her gaze away from his, she could feel the weight of his scrutiny. Then she helped McCoy stretch out upon the altar stone. He gazed up at her with a mixture of trust and fear in his clear blue eyes; T'Lys allowed a shadow of a smile to cross her face. Before he could react, she had returned to her place in the shadows.
They were ready for the Ritual, and T'Lar said the opening words. The senior priestess placed one hand on Spock's forehead and the other hand on McCoy's. He closed his eyes at T'Lar's touch. They all could feel power gathering among the Vulcans; T'Lys closed her eyes with the rest of them, lending T'Lar her strength for the task ahead. No one had attempted a fal tor pan in millennia.
Her consciousness strove to join the others, but as she reached with her mind, she found herself in a different place entirely. Well, almost entirely...a new vista opened in front of her, both strange and familiar at the same time.
"What is this?"
Her own voice seemed to echo over the mountain. It was Mount Seleya, but not the Mount Seleya of reality. T'Lar, McCoy, Spock, and everyone else had disappeared. Instead of the grand temple of the Kolinahru behind her, a modest adobe structure stood in its foundations. Then she saw a figure sitting on a stone ledge, admiring the view of the desert below. That figure turned to address her.
"Beautiful view, isn't it? I always wanted to come up here and see for myself, but I never got the chance." He turned back to the desert and said, "Well, here I am."
"Yes, you are here...sir," T'Lys said, unsure of what to say, "but I don't understand the significance of this...hallucination."
His mouth quirked upwards in amusement, much like T'Lar's when she was presented with sheer illogic. "You sound just like your ancestor, don't you know? She tried to analyze when all she really needed was to let things...be. Come up here; let me take a good look at you. No sense in staying in the shadows."
There was a very Human warmth in the order. T'Lys walked up and stood next to the strange Human. He was tall, with sandy brown hair and green eyes, and wore a jumpsuit of blue. Yellow stripes adorned his shoulder. T'Lys glanced at his right hand and noticed the canine sprawled on the ledge, asleep in the warm sun. The man's hand scratched the canine's ears with practiced ease.
Even if she hadn't seen the canine, she would have recognized the man anyway.
"Jonathan Archer," she whispered. "Son of Henry and Sally."
Archer smiled at her and replied, "T'Lys, daughter of T'Mir, daughter of T'Lissa, daughter of T'Pol and Charles Tucker the Third." He pronounced her name "T'Liz", an uncommon variation of the Vulcan name.
She stared at him. "How did you know my bloodline? It is..."
"A state secret?" He sounded amused. Despite herself, T'Lys allowed herself a smile at his words. "Remember, I was your second forefather's best friend. You were named after his sister, who was killed in the Xindi attack on Earth."
"Yes, Elizabeth. I remember the family story."
" I was also your second foreparents's commanding officer and watched their relationship grow." Archer's smile vanished. "I was also responsible of hiding T'Lissa after her parents were killed."
"Ah," was all T'Lys said. "I owe you my very existence, then."
"Let's just say it was the right thing to do." Archer turned and looked over the desert again, so she couldn't see the expression on his face. They stood in companionable silence for a moment.
T'Lys finally got the courage to ask what was uppermost in her mind. "Why are you here at this particular time, Del'haiu? There must be a logical reason for your presence. I would have thought perhaps one or the other of my second foreparents would be here.
He laughed, a rich tone that surprised her. "'Elder'. That really makes me feel old, T'Lys." Then he sobered. "Well, that's true...T'Pol nearly decided to appear instead, but there is a 'logical' reason why I'm here, as you put it."
"Indeed?"
"You seem surprised that a Human can carry a Vulcan's katra around in his head."
T'Lys shook her head. "Surprised, but not shocked. I have had the honor of knowing a good number of Humans and friendship between them and Vulcans are not unheard of. I believe you and my second foreparents had some influence in those kind of relations."
Archer inclined his head at her. "Doctor McCoy isn't the first Human to carry around someone's marbles in his head. I can honestly say that I sympathize with his dilemma. You believe you're going to go crazy...or worse."
She raised an eyebrow. "But how...I never heard of..."
Archer took a deep breath and told her the story of Surak, and of the Kir'shara, and how he had carried Surak's essence within him for a short time. T'Lys's eyebrow climbed higher and higher as he talked. Midway through the story, the canine flipped over onto his back, and Archer rubbed his stomach as he settled back into a doze.
"That is...extraordinary..." she whispered. "Little wonder that no one ever told us about this..."
"The point is that a Human can understand a Vulcan's heart and vice versa. Your second foreparents knew this. Trip and T'Pol argued, fought and disagreed with each other sometimes, but they knew each other pretty well. What's that quote...'the spear is the other's heart----"
"'---is the spear in your own. You are he.'"
"And tell me something, T'Lys...you are studying, what, Kolinahr?"
"The complete banishment of emotion, yes, Del'haiu."
The emerald eyes flashed and his lips flattened into a thin line. "You're making a big mistake."
She jerked away as if he had burned her. For once, she was stunned into speechlessness. As if on cue, the canine opened his eyes and growled softly. She gazed down at the canine---Porthos, the legendary dog of Captain Archer of the original Enterprise---then realized her hand went automatically to pet the animal on the head. T'Lys hesitated, then saw Archer's nod of permission. She stroked the dog until its hackles subsided.
"Think about it. You've interacted with Humans, you can read our emotions, you can predict what we'll do---at least, somewhat logically." Again, he chuckled. "You have an inner gift, T'Lys, one that will help the Federation tremendously, if you choose to take the challenge."
T'Lys gazed at Porthos with a thoughtful expression. "How can I tell my mentor that I wish to abandon all I have worked for all these decades?"
"I think T'Lar will surprise you. Give her a bit of credit. She's known about the Human blood that flows in your veins, so I don't think she'll be overly surprised." A grin quirked upon his lips. "Your family has always been...contrary, especially for Vulcans. Your second forefather had a bit to do with that."
Porthos looked up at her with intelligence in his dark eyes. She looked at him, then nodded to herself. "Yes, you are correct, Del'haiu. I understand why my people still hold you in high regard."
"Good." He reached over Porthos and patted her on the shoulder. "You'll do all of us proud, T'Lys. Trip and T'Pol want you to know that they're happy for you, and when the time is right, we'll all be waiting for you."
T'Lys felt hot tears prickle the corners of her eyes. I>This is illogical, Vulcans do not cry. Yet here, in this place outside of space and time, it was allowed. Archer smiled at her one last time.
"Go back now and change your life."
*****
Morning upon Mount Seleya.
T'Lys helped Spock with his white Vulcan robes as the Humans waited at the foot of the stairs. Sarek's son looked at her with a steady gaze, but she kept her own eyes lowered, as was proper. Then Spock walked down the stairs to face Admiral Kirk. T'Lys watched as Kirk tried to jolt the Vulcan's memory. When he succeeded, Kirk spun and looked at McCoy. The doctor smiled and tapped the side of his temple with his finger.
A Human can understand a Vulcan's heart and vice versa. Archer's voice reminded her. Perhaps it had all been a hallucination, but T'Lys knew that her second forefather's best friend had shown her the way to her destiny. All she had to do was take it. Perhaps Ambassador Sarek needed someone on his staff who understood these Humans.
The spear in the other's heart is the spear in your own; you are he, she thought. Rest in peace, Jonathan Archer, and tell my second foreparents...I look forward to meeting them at last.
*****
T'Lys (my creation) is the great-granddaughter of T'Pol and Trip Tucker. Her "Guardian Angel" is Jonathan Archer and Porthos.
Two
May 2344, USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C, Narendra Three
The ship rocked again in the wake of another phaser blast. Commander Nina Sangalan grabbed the railing before she ended up flattened all over the lower deck. A console next to her blew up in a spectacular burst of sparks. She glanced up as one of her junior engineers grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to put out the fire.
"Zanex, watch out!" she screamed. She rushed up the catwalk and bodyslammed the ensign out of the way, just as the whole bank of consoles went up in flames. Smoke choked her, but she managed to grab Zanex's uniform jacket and drag him to safety. Her second in command appeared next to her, using his hands to smother the last of the fire on Zanex.
"Commander," Zanex gasped. "What---"
"Are you all right?" Sangalan whispered in Denobulan. The ensign only nodded. She glanced at her second in command and ordered, "Get him out of here, Grady! Now!"
Grady tried to protest, but more hazy smoke rolled over them and cut off whatever he was going to say. Sangalan helped Zanex to his feet while Grady supported the Denobulan on the other side. She jerked her head towards the access ladder. Grady and Zanex made their way to the lower deck and she kept an eye on them until they vanished from sight. When she was satisfied they were safe, she made her way towards the warp core.
Just a little rescue mission, she thought dryly. The Enterprise had sped through space at Warp 9 to reach the Klingon colony at Narendra Three. If they helped the Klingons, then their actions might convince the Klingons to ally with the Federation. Captain Garrett's decision to aid the Klingon colony on Narendra Three was a noble one, and Sangalan made sure the engines stayed at warp nine to get them there. Her crew prepared the shuttlecraft to ferry the wounded and packed power generators and stasis fields. They were ready to help in any way possible and they came out of warp over Narendra, all prepared for a rescue mission.
They weren't prepared for an attack by four Romulan warbirds. Sangalan wasn't prepared to see her engine room, her ship, falling apart around her. She shook her head and pushed her way to the warp engine core; if she didn't shut the flow in time, they would all blow to kingdom come.
"Bridge to Engineering!"
She wiped sweat from her grimy forehead and barked out, "Engineering, Sangalan!"
"We've lost phasers and photon torpedoes, Nina! Can you---?"
Garrett's voice was stern and commanding, showing not a trace of panic. Sangalan hung on to that voice as she coaxed commands from a nearby panel. The Romulans had scored a direct hit on Auxiliary Command, but she still had a few tricks up her sleeve that they didn't.
"Sangalan to Weapons Room!"
"Bristow here," said a voice with a strong Dublin accent.
"Jamie, stand by. I'm gonna overload the junctions and give the phasers an extra punch."
"Oh, bloody hell. Gimme a minute to make adjustments. I knew I shouldn't have let you look through my old security journals."
"Hey, you started it."
"I told you: You shoulda gone into Security."
She laughed again at the running joke between them: their crews said she and Bristow knew each other's duties so well, they could switch places and no one would know the difference. Well, they were cousins. Four times removed or so. Her mouth twitched as she remembered the day Bristow had come to her quarters and announced he knew why they fought constantly.
"We're related. We've got some common ancestors."
"What? You're an Irishman. I'm Malaysian. There's no way in hell we can be related, Jamie."
To prove it, he'd brought up the family tree on her viewscreen. He zeroed in on the generation spanning the 22nd century and pointed at the information. Her eyes widened. "I'll be damned. Looks like we've got some interesting characters in there."
"Yeah," he agreed as he scrolled down to the present day. "From all over the globe. Ireland, England, Japan, the Southern United States, even some old Boomer blood too."
She looked up at him and grinned. "Well, Cousin," she said, stressing the title, "you might be related to me, but you still aren't getting more than your power allotment for your modified phasers."
"God, you're as bad as he was," he said, pointing at a certain name.
"Naaah. I think I'm more like him, actually." She indicated a second name.
Jamie thought for a moment, then laughed. "Yeah. Actually, you are."
The Enterprise rocked under another deadly blast and jolted her out of the past. "I can't guarantee it'll hold, but it should give you enough for a couple of shots." Her fingers danced on the controls and she confirmed that Bristow did the same on his side. To her fierce joy, she saw the readouts on her screen climb to a certain level and stay there.
"Son of a---this'll give us a fighting chance."
"Can't take the credit for it. Read it in that old journal of yours."
"Commander, thanks for the reroute, and when we get out of this, I'd be the first to welcome you to Security."
She laughed. "Hell no, Jamie. No one's gonna drag me from my warp engines."
"Don't say I didn't offer. Bristow, out."
Garrett's voice came on as Bristow signed off. "Engineering!"
"I'm rerouting all secondaries to the weapons and shields, but I don't know how long that'll last, Captain."
"That'll buy us a few more minutes. I'm about to order everyone into lifepods..." Garrett's voice broke into static, then went dead as the comm circuit exploded overhead. Sangalan swore as the deck under her feet tipped ninety degrees and she slammed upside down against the opposite wall. Gravity crushed the breath out of her for a second before it failed utterly and Sangalan found herself floating in zero-G.
She struggled to collect her thoughts, even as nausea threatened to overwhelm her. Ouch, that hurt. I think I broke something. Guess I'll see how good Doctor T'Vau's bedside manner is...Last time, she threatened to have my name engraved on that biobed, I'm in it so often...
Then a voice out of nowhere roared, Bloody hell, girl, screw your head on straight! They're depending on you! For a moment, she thought Jamie Bristow was next to her, but no...the accent was wrong. Not Irish, but...the harsh tone slapped her back into reality. Sangalan focused on Garrett's last words...Lifepods, we need to give the pods some kind of protection, so someone can get out and warn Starfleet...but how...
Then, out of nowhere, the voice rang out: Shields, luv. Extend the shields.
"What---?" Sangalan managed to snag her arm around a pole and stop her free-float. "Extend the shields? But---wait a minute..." Jamie's interest had sparked her own, and she'd stumbled over an idea in some old family journals...extend the shields just enough to protect the lifepods, let them get away! She closed her eyes and visualized the unfinished schematics on the page; it could work. By God, it could work!
"Weapons Room, Jamie, you still there?" Another section of the status board had turned red. Sangalan's heart rose in her throat as she realized the Weapons Room was gone, that entire deck was open to space. A dull pain began to throb in her chest, but she shoved it aside.
"I promise, Jamie, in my next life, I'll go into Security." I swear to you, I'm gonna make sure your death isn't for nothing.
Garrett's voice returned, but it was fading in and out. "Engineering! Engineering, report!"
"Captain...I can extend the shields for a brief moment---"
"You can do that?" Garrett sounded shocked. "I thought---"
She coughed slightly; something was definitely broken, bleeding inside. "Rachel, you need to tell me the minute the pods are launched, so I can shift our shields."
There was a pause; both women knew their duty. "Acknowledged, Nina. Good luck,"
"See you on the other side, Rachel. Sangalan, out." Moments later, Garrett's command to board the lifepods rang through the ship. She glanced over her shoulder at the pitiful remains of her engineering crew. "All right, everyone out---"
Another volley rocked the room and sent bodies flying from the upper decks down to the floor. Alarms blared and more smoke erupted from the warp core, but she only stayed at her console and did her job. "Warp core breach!" she yelled. "Get out of here, now!"
"Commander!" screamed one of her lieutenants. "We're not gonna leave you!"
"I've got to shut this down! Go on, I'll be right behind you! That's an order!" It was a lie, and they all knew it. She input the commands to eject the warp core, but she couldn't launch it until the lifepods were a safe distance away from the Enterprise. By that time, it wouldn't matter for her...
But she needed to extend the ship's shields around the lifepods for those critical moments. Sangalan chuckled under her breath and thanked her long-ago ancestor.
I suppose you'd be proud of me, Great-Five Times or So-Grandfather, that I actually read your journals. Gave me something to base my crazy theories on. I'm actually looking forward to arguing with you in the Afterlife.
A light flashed on her panel and Garrett confirmed it a few moments later. "Lifepods away, Nina."
"Stand by." She manipulated her controls and watched her screen.Enterprise's shields drained off the main section and expanded along her aft side, enveloping a steady stream of tiny pods. The Romulans took advantage by aiming their disruptors on the nacelle section. Sangalan braced herself for the final onslaught that would tear the ship apart. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited.
Then, inexplicably, the shot didn't come.
She opened one eye, then the other. Time was suspended between breaths; even the smoke had frozen in its tracks. What the hell? What's going on? Is this Death? I don't feel dead---
"Nina Yumiko Sangalan," said a voice behind her. The man whose journal she'd read, whose idea it was to extend the shields.
She turned and saw a figure approaching her through the smoke. Her mouth dropped open as she saw a person that she'd only seen in Jamie's family holophotos...in a royal blue jumpsuit, red stripes on the shoulders, and a slight smile on his face.
"Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather," she whispered and bowed her head.
"You missed a 'great'," he pointed out dryly, and she realized he sounded exactly as she'd imagined, down to the clipped English accent. "And I'm glad you were listening to me, for once."
She chuckled. "I tend to be hardheaded sometimes."
He suddenly grinned and extended his hand. "I daresay you've made quite the engineer, though I still wish you went into Security instead..."
"You sound just like Jamie Bristow."
"Ah, Mister Bristow He and I have a lot to discuss as well, but you...Your other Guardian Angel bet me a whole case of Guinness that you'd go into Engineering. He's been gloating over his victory for a long time."
She thought she heard another voice laughing in the air around them and heard a distinct Southern drawl say, "Told ya so."
Nina rolled her eyes and ignored it. "Family tradition and all that, huh? As I recall, you didn't exactly follow it yourself."
She expected an angry outburst, but his eyes sparkled with suppressed humor instead. "Point to you, my dear. Of course, I had help, especially from your Great-Five Times-Grandmother. Are you ready to meet her and your other Guardian Angel? They've been eager to meet you."
She laughed and took his extended his hand. "I'd be delighted, sir."
"You may call me 'Malcolm'. All those 'greats' tend to be a mouthful," he replied. "This way."
And as he led her away through the smoky haze of Enterprise-C's ruined engine room, he said, "Now, you'll have to enlighten me about that last trick you did with those shields. However did you do it?"
Nina chuckled. "You want the short version or the long version? After all, it was based on your design---
And the ship blazed into eternity around them.
*****
Commander Nina Sangalan (my creation) is a direct descendant of Lieutenant Malcolm Reed and Ensign Hoshi Sato. Her "other Guardian Angel" is none other than Trip Tucker. I think Trip would have had a special eye on one of Malcolm's kin, especially if she turned out to be an engineer. Jamie Bristow is from the Irish side of Malcolm's family.
