The Enemy of My Enemy (is My Lover)
Featuring characters from Darkush’s Dark Territory, Brother Benny’s Star Trek: Pytheas
and TheLoneRedshirt’s Tales of the Border Service
September 2374
So’dan Leva couldn’t help but feel that this had all been one big mistake.
“This is one big mistake,” Xeris said as if he could read the half-Romulan’s mind exactly. “This trip will accomplish nothing except hand the empire three political prisoners and a Starfleet vessel as a trophy. Not that this bucket is worth putting on display anywhere. What is thing, anyway? An
Oberth-class?”
Ousanas Dar had only just entered the small cabin all three men shared for their four-day journey. The vessel had not been designed to carry much of a crew, not to mention passengers and they had to make due with what was available. The crew had gone out of their way to prepare the largest cabin on the ship for their guests. It would have been decent accommodation for one passenger. It was impossibly too small to accommodate three.
The stately Romulan carried his age well. Few who had only a passing familiarity with him would have guessed that he was pushing 100. It wasn’t just his Romulan physiology, the former Romulan military man and defector believed in keeping both his mind and body in peak condition.
“Not quite,” he said and held on to an inconveniently placed support strut in the middle of the cabin. “But she was an
Oberth once. Back in my heyday they were one of the most reliable ships in Starfleet. Very difficult to track, too.”
Xeris rolled his eyes. “Are you going to tell us war stories next?”
“No,” said Dar sharply. “But I suggest you don’t let Captain Nor Huren hear about your estimation of her ship. I’m sure she’d let you know in no uncertain terms what exactly she thinks of
you.”
The Romulan engineer was sitting on top of his bunk right next to the forward facing window, starring into space with a palpable sense of dread. “She most likely would,” he said and turned to look at his older kinsman. “I meant no offense. I’m certain that the captain and this ship perform more than adequately in their duties. But ferrying passengers to Romulus doesn’t exactly fall into that category now, does it?”
“That’s exactly why this vessel was chosen. One of the conditions for allowing this meeting was that we travel to Romulus in an unarmed vessel,” Dar said.
“That’s very convenient. Let’s face it we might as well go there as their prisoners because we’re practically begging them to throw us into a brig the moment we arrive.”
“I have full confidence my contact on Romulus. They are genuine about holding talks to form an alliance against the Dominion. Besides if they wanted to take us prisoner it would hardly matter which kind of ship we traveled on. It still be us against the entire Romulan Navy.”
So’Dan Leva who sat by the small table at the center of cabin didn’t look particularly convinced either. Like Xeris he wore a Starfleet uniform with a golden undershirt. But unlike his colleague he was a tactical officer. And unlike both Xeris and Dar he was a half-Romulan, his father had been a human, giving him much less pronounced forehead ridges. “Then perhaps we should have agreed to a neutral location. It is a tactical mistake to allow for this meeting to take place on their terms on Romulus.”
Dar shot Leva an impatient look. “That was another condition, you know that. Besides you have both volunteered for this mission, nobody forced you to go.”
Xeris stood from his cot. “I’m a Starfleet officer,” the engineer said in an almost accusatory tone. “I will go wherever I’m sent but I don’t have to like it,” he added, walked past Dar and left the cabin.
The older Romulan looked after him for a moment. “I suppose I didn’t expect euphoria over this trip but the chance that we could sway the senate to join the war effort are worth the risks we are taking.”
“They’ll have us tried as traitors,” Leva said, avoiding any kind of eye contact with other man.
“My contact has guaranteed our safety.”
“You keep saying that but didn’t it ever occur to you that maybe your contact has betrayed you?” he said, stood and turned towards the window to keep his back towards Dar. “And even if they are trustworthy, that doesn’t mean that the Tal Shiar is not making plans to dispose of us the moment we set foot on Romulus. In case you have forgotten, that’s what our people do best,” he said and then turned to face Dar. “Damn it, Ousanas, they asked to meet with the only two Romulans serving in Starfleet, one of which is a half-breed, an abomination in their eyes and then you. A known defector and traitor in their eyes. Their intentions couldn’t be more obvious.”
“They didn’t ask for anything.”
“What do you mean?”
“I suggested this. I knew that they had declined meeting with any Federation diplomats. I’ve lobbied for weeks and ultimately they accepted my compromise to meet with the only Romulans serving the Federation.”
The tactical officer considered that for a moment but then shook his head. “It doesn’t change anything. They saw a chance to get us easily and they took it. We are presenting ourselves like a gift on a silver platter, already wrapped up like a present in this toothless starship.”
“You volunteered for this – “
Leva cut him off with a sarcastic laugh. “When the President of the United Federation of Planets asks you personally to got to Romulus and beg the empire to join the fight against the Dominion there is very little volunteering going on,” he said and studied the look on Dar’s face very closely as he spoke. “You knew that we would never go along with this, didn’t you? It is obvious that Commander Xeris isn’t too thrilled about this assignment but you would have known that I would never sign up to go to Romulus voluntarily. I don’t know how but you managed to convince the president to make those personal appeals, knowing full well that we could never turn him down.”
“Yes,” Dar admitted. “You are right. I knew you wouldn’t go. I knew that you are so scared of facing your own people that you would have found a way to get yourself out of this. But I know the truth. I know that there is a part of you deep down and hidden away that wants to be with your people again. It’s that little voice in the back of your head, that passion that breaks the surface every now and then even while you try to keep it down. You have to accept that no matter what you tell yourself, no matter how hard you try to deny it, you are Romulan.”
“So you’re doing this for me, is that it? All this to put me in touch with my lost roots?”
Dar shook his head. “I’m doing this because without the Romulans, the Federation, the entire Alpha Quadrant will fall.”
“No, you are doing this because after decades of turning your back on your own people you finally have a chance to go back and be accepted for what you truly are. Let’s not forget, between the two of us, you are the true Romulan here. You are the outcast and now they offer you this chance to go back and you’re too blinded by your long suppressed desires to see that you are selling us out to the enemy.”
“Or maybe you are the blinded one,” Dar shot back. “You have become so comfortable with the anger and hate you have wrapped yourself in that you are unwilling to look past your personal demons to take a chance to save the Federation. Perhaps you’re right, maybe this is all an elaborate plan by the Tal Shiar to get their hands on three wanted political enemies but ask yourself one question: What if they are genuine? Can we really afford to ignore this chance? Aren’t the lives of two Starfleet officers and one old Romulan long passed his usefulness worth the price for an opportunity to end a war which has claimed thousands and will undoubtedly claim thousands more?”
The two men, the mentor and the often-reluctant student glared at each other as they had done countless times before. The truth was their relationship had always come down to these moments. It had always been one full of tensions and disagreements and yet, against the odds, it had always endured.
“Nor Huren to Dar, we’re entering the Romulus star system. I think you might want to come to the bridge.”
Dar hesitated only shortly before he tapped the Border Service combadge he had clipped to his civilian outfit. “I’m on my way,” he said without ever taking his eyes off Leva.
“If you do not wish to join us and stay on the ship instead of –“
“Don’t play coy, it doesn’t become you,” Leva interrupted as he headed for the doors. “We both know that I don’t have a choice in the matter.”
* * *
All eyes on the small bridge of the
Pamlico were focused on the main view screen which now prominently displayed an emerald-shaded planet.
“We’re now approaching Romulus,” the young petty officer at the helm announced. He turned to look at the woman sitting in her chair behind him. “There is something I didn’t think I’d ever say.”
Despite her rank pips, identifying her as a lieutenant commander, the bronze skinned Rigellian in the center seat was the unquestioned master and commander of her vessel. She frowned at the helmsman. “Eyes front and center, Andy. I need you to be one-hundred-fifty percent alert for this one.”
“You got it, Skipper,” he said and turned back to his console.
Captain Kalendi Nor Huren noticed Leva’s skeptical look. “Don’t worry, he’s really good at this.”
“It doesn’t really matter how good or how alert we are,” said Xeris who sat at the engineering station on the bridge. “If they don’t want us to get out of here alive, we won’t.”
“The good news is, it’s really quiet out there. Besides a number of bases I’m not picking up any major military starship activity.”
“That’s because they’re all cloaked,” said Dar, keeping his eyes fixed on the planet on the view screen. “My guess is there are about twenty warbirds surrounding us as we speak. All watching our every move.”
Andrew Pelham swallowed and tried hard not to think of the warships lying in wait. He hoped they were not in his flight path as he steered the
Pamlico closer to the Romulan home world.
“Hell of a first assignment,” Nor Huren said as the planet grew steadily larger.
Xeris and Leva exchanged surprised looks.
First assignment? the engineer mouthed wordlessly.
“Entering standard orbit,” the helmsman said. “We’re receiving a message from the surface. Beam down coordinates. Also, instructions to hold position until we receive departure clearance.”
The tall Rigellian captain stood form her chair. “Well done, Andy,” she said and then looked at her three Romulan guests. “I got you here in one piece. I suppose making sure we get out of here again will be up to you, gentlemen.”
Dar nodded. “Your assistance has been greatly appreciated, Captain. Our talks with the Romulan delegation are expected to commence immediately. With any luck we should wrap things up within a few days.”
“We’ll wait for as long as it takes,” she said. “Just don’t ask me to join the party because I don’t think I packed my dress whites,” she added, shooting a quick glance at the shiny white uniforms Leva and Xeris were wearing.”
Dar gave her a little smile. “I don’t think that will be necessary,” he said and then turned to the two Starfleet officers. “We shouldn’t keep our hosts waiting.”
Xeris stood. “Let’s get this over with then.”
