The Abduction - Log 4

[John Randall 0]

OFFICIAL LOG

LIEUTENANT JOHN RANDALL

USS CHALLENGER

 

(Personal Log Stardate 11607.31)

 

John sat on the sofa in his cabin aboard the Romulan ship Talon. He was waiting for the guards to come get him; T'Shea had told him the Romulan Praetor wanted to see him, and Randall was marshaling his wits for the meeting.

 

The door chime sounded, and the door slid aside to reveal a Romulan female, but this one was different than the one that had brought John his tray of food. She came into the room and nodded to him; Randall then saw she was wearing a veil across the lower part of her face.

 

"I am here to get you presentable for our Praetor," she said into the device hanging around her neck. "Please do not resist, or I shall have to summon the guards. I am here to bathe you and dress you properly. Will you allow this?"

 

John regarded her for a few seconds, then nodded resignedly. She went over to the terminal and pushed a button. "The prisoner is cooperating," she said, and an acknowledgement came. She came back to him and said, "Please follow me." She led him to the small bathroom in the cabin and told him to take off his uniform, stressing that this was no time for modesty.

 

John started to do what she had told him, but the female suddenly put a restraining hand on his arm. Randall looked at her as the female put a hand to her face, and she slowly removed her veil.

 

John's eyes narrowed; he knew this female, but where----Then it hit him, she was the female that had spoken to him at the Romulan base where Martha Braxton had fled after being found out by Admiral Chuck Hastings of Starfleet Intelligence as the traitor who had been supplying top secret information to the Romulans. He racked his brain for her name, and came up with it. "T'Mira?" he asked in disbelief.

 

"Ssh," cautioned the very pretty Romulan female. "Not so loud, this cabin contains concealed listening devices," she whispered. She then turned on the faucet and water came spewing out. She leaned close to John and whispered into his ear.

 

"I am here to help you, Lieutenant Randall," she said. "I am actually a deep undercover agent of the Vulcan High Command. I was trying to make contact with you that day at the Romulan base before Lieutenant Richards broke up our meeting. The female who has kidnapped you is named Aiel ra'Hajruillu. She is a subcommander and the science officer of this vessel.

 

"She somehow convinced the commander of this vessel to aid her in her abduction of you. She has 'something on him,' as I believe humans would put it. I have been trying to gather information about a supposed Romulan attack against the Federation for 1.4 years, and I suspect the Praetor wants to use you as a pawn against the Federation.

 

"The subcommander is highly upset that she has not been able to elicit any information from you thus far," she continued. "Be on your guard at all times, Lieutenant, this is a very dangerous situation." John smiled. "I had that figured out for myself," he said dryly, and T'Mira actually smiled at him.

 

"It is fortunate that I am on this ship with you," she said. "I need your help, Lieutenant. Are you willing to work with me?" John looked at her. "How do I know that you're not just a Romulan female who's trying to trick me?" he said. T'Mira nodded. "An apt question," she said. "You are actually partially correct; I am not a full-blooded Vulcan. I am half Romulan."

 

John stared at her. She turned the water off and whispered, "Let's continue this conversation in the bedroom." She led him out of the head and across the cabin to the small bedroom. She took a device from her pocket that resembled a tricorder and switched it on. She then spoke in a normal tone of voice.

 

"This is actually a jamming device," the female said. "I will pretend to be scanning you while you are changing into the clothing on the bed. Please do so now." John began to change as T'Mira kept talking. "I was selected for this mission because my blood is predominantly Romulan, and would stand up to a test by any authority. I have to find a way to escape Romulan space and make my way back to Vulcan with the information I have been able to obtain.

 

"When I learned of your abduction, I made it a point to try to get myself assigned as your, valet, for want of a better term. I feel my chances of success are greater with your help, if you are willing to assist me." John stared at her as he tugged the shirt over his head. "You still haven't told me why I should trust you," he said.

 

T'Mira looked at him. "Maybe the name of my contact here on Romulus will convince you." She looked around, then put her head next to his and whispered into his ear. "My contact is Ambassador Spock," she revealed, and John's eyes widened. The legendary first officer of the Enterprise under Captain James T. Kirk had indeed assumed ambassadorial duties when he retired from Starfleet after the incident involving Kirk and the Enterprise-B.

 

"Spock is currently on Romulus as we speak," continued T'Mira. "I would not be surprised if he is in attendance when you are presented to the Praetor. The Praetor will want to gauge Spock's reaction when you are introduced. Don't be surprised if the ambassador takes little or no interest in you. I will make a report to him later, and I am sure he will find a way to assist us. So, as I said, be on your guard at all times, Lieutenant, and know that you are not alone."

 

John didn't show it outwardly, but he was very relieved that he apparently had help, and from a most unexpected source. He had been fully prepared to go it alone, and now knew he didn't have to. He finished dressing, and they arose from the bed.

 

T'Mira smiled at him. "Just be patient, Lieutenant, our time will come," she said. "Thank you for your help," answered the chief engineer of the Challenger. T'Mira smiled again, then reached up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Let us now play our roles," she said, and Randall nodded.

 

They went back out into the living area, T'Mira having drawn the veil back over her face and had replaced the tricorder\jamming device in her pocket. "The guards will come for you shortly," she said into the tube around her neck, and John glared at her, then had to suppress a smile as T'Mira winked at him. She strode to the door of the cabin, which swooshed open at her approach, and she nodded to the guard.

 

The door closed behind her, and John closed his eyes, heaving a mighty mental sigh of relief. For the first time since the ordeal had started, he was actually optimistic about his chances of survival. It warmed him inside to think that help had come from a very unexpected source, and he thanked his lucky stars that T'Mira had actually been present aboard this vessel.

 

A few moments later, the door slid open again, and two guards armed with disruptors came in. They motioned toward the door, and John nodded, walking with them to the door and through it into the corridor beyond. The trio took a left-hand turn and marched down a corridor to a room whose door opened at their approach.

 

It was a transporter room, and the trio climbed up onto the dais. A few moments later, the door slid open again, and in walked T'Shea, whom John now knew was Subcommander Aiel ra'Hajruillu. She walked toward them, ascended the dais, and came to stand by him.

 

"Well, Lieutenant Randall, you are about to make history," she said. "I believe you will be the first ever human to stand before the Romulan Senate. You should feel proud." John turned and locked eyes with her, his own turning ice-blue. " 'Proud' is not the word I had in mind, lady," he growled, and she shook her head.

 

"Still defiant," she said. "I've come to expect no less from you, Lieutenant John Randall of Starfleet Intelligence. I must warn you, however: you need to show the proper respect for our Praetor when we are standing before him, or it will not go well for you." John snorted. "Like it was going to go well for me anyway," he retorted, and was gratified as an expression of anger crossed the Romulan female's face.

 

"I can make things very unpleasant for you, Lieutenant," she gritted, and Randall actually laughed, which drew stares from every Romulan present, including the subcommander. "Spare me your threats, lady," he said. "I'm getting really tired of them."

 

Aiel looked at him sharply, and noticed the human was looking right back at her with those vivid blue eyes of his. She could not hold his gaze and dropped her eyes after only a few seconds. She was seething as the transporter officer announced they were ready for beamout, and she made a vow to herself that the human would pay for his rash insolence. Then the transporter beam claimed them, and they were gone.

 

END LOG