Chapter 13
Telev, Sten and Gral stood nearest to the mound of earth and two simple crosses bearing the names. Telev’s lower lip kept trembling, Sten’s eyes never wavered from the stone on the ground two feet in front of him and Gral let out a sad little snort every few minutes. A Vulcan and an Andorian priest both said a few words and then the entire gathering began to sing softly. Some sang in Vulcan, and some in Andorian, but the two languages seemed to compliment each other, weave around each other in a beautiful and hopeful way. Yet there was no hope for them, they knew they were finished, the Terrans were on their way, they wouldn’t have enough time to get away and regroup. They could only pray their other bases would survive. Telev’s eyes were filling with tears as he struggled to control his emotions. Sten reached out and touched his shoulder. They shared a look and Sten gave him permission to cry, to give up his control. Telev obeyed and fell to his knees, hunched over, arms wrapped around his stomach as he sobbed desperately. Gral’s snorts became louder as he too lost his grip. Sten clenched and unclenched his hands, flexing his fingers, struggling to honour T’Pol and her control. Families clutched each other, children wept because their parents were even if they didn’t understand why. As the last few notes died away into nothingness Sten tried to get Telev to stand, but had little success.
“Telev please stand up, we need to talk to them.” Telev moaned and shook his head, his beautiful face twisted into agony. “Please Telev, control yourself for a moment.” Sten managed to pull him to his feet. Telev wiped his face with shaking hands. Sten turned to address the people.
“All those with children please come with us. We must speak.”
“Do we bring the children?” someone asked.
“No. Just the parents come.” With quick organising they were all together in a small room, and Sten explained himself, “I know this is the last thing you wish to think of but we must give you this option.” He shared a look with Telev and Gral before continuing. “You all love your children, no matter your species, even we Vulcans, at the core, we love our children.” No one denied it. “Would this love make you do anything to spare them pain?” At once there were fierce nods and murmurs of affirmation. “Would you die for them?” Again there were agreements. “Would you kill them to spare them pain?” Silence was the answer as people stared at him in confusion and/or horror. Sten took in a deep breath, there was no going back now. “The Terrans are only fifteen hours away now, we will never be able to outrun them, and I doubt anyone will wish to, when we joined the Resistance it was to fight to the bitter end. The fleet is massive and Tholians are with them, we all know this. If we fall, and the chances are disturbingly high that we will, then we will be dead, for that is the only way we will fall. So who shall suffer the punishments handed down by the Terrans if we are not there to bear it? You know who. Our children will be!” Frightened mutters sprang up all around and Sten raised his voice to be heard, at all times maintaining his emotionless tone. “Your sons and daughters will be tortured, mutilated, ripped to pieces by the Terrans for our actions.” The chatter became panicked and people grasped at each other looking for someone to deny these words. But no one could. No force in the universe can deny the truth.
Telev stamped his foot sharply, the sound pounding through the room as the shoe hit the metal.
“Enough!” Telev’s eyes were blazing with fury, pain and guilt. “We can't change the facts of what will happen if we do nothing. We can, however, help you save your children.”
“How?” screamed a father holding onto his wife desperately.
“Sten asked you if you would be willing to kill your children to save them? That is your option. Save your children by giving them a painless, sleep like death now.” Silence in the room as the parents listened in horror. “We have a drug, it will send them to sleep and as they go deeper and deeper their hearts will just stop. Quick, painless… I will not say easy, this could never be easy, but is it not more kind to them. You can tell them they need the drug to protect them from a virus, and it will make them sleepy. They can slip away without ever knowing it, fall into blissful sleep and know no more pain.” Tears were flowing from many, many eyes. Vulcan couples were dry-eyed but their hands were clutched in each other’s tightly. “No pain.” Telev whispered, holding up a hypospray, full of a purple liquid. “No pain.” he whispered again, his sensuous voice almost hypnotising them.
Slowly, reluctantly, couple by couple, they came forwards and took a hypospray for each of their children. Some hurried forwards and snatched it, no doubt trying to do it before they changed their minds. Some inched forwards so slowly, and they held out trembling hands for the drug. Some wept audibly and some wept silently.
Sten struggled with his emotions as he watched these brave, loving people come forwards, Telev had given in and cried silent tears, the salty liquid a constant stream down his cheeks. Sten watched as parents came forward to accept the tool with which they would do the most evil of acts, to do the kindest of charities. Sten wondered what Thy'lek would say now. Would he have supported them? Would he have condemned them? Sten wouldn’t know. He understood now why Thy'lek had struggled with the death of Soval so much, he hadn’t seen him die, hadn’t been able to say final goodbyes, hadn’t even been able to lay his body down to rest. Sten had not been able to do any of these things. The only thing he could do was ensure Thy'lek and T’Pol’s son was safe. He’d done so, at least he believed he had, which was not as satisfying as knowing. To believe in something was comforting, to know something was grounding. Sometimes it was easier to believe and not know. Sometimes it was better to know than believe. He’d believed, as illogical as it was, that Thy'lek and T’Pol were invincible because it brought him comfort and comfort was scarce here. Yet that made their deaths all the more painful, yes, Sten could admit that he felt pain from their deaths. At last the final parents were given the drug and had gone, leaving Sten, Telev and Gral alone. They remained in silence for many moments and then Telev murmured,
“Do you think we should have placed so much dependence on him? On them?” Sten sat beside him on the platform and said,
“No, we should not, it has been our undoing.”
“Without him we’d never have lasted this long.”
“I know that, but our dependence on him was still our undoing.”
“What about T’Pol?”
“Skinny was too heavily depended on in the sciences.” Gral tried to be insulting but as the last words escaped his whiskered lips he was choked by a sudden sob. He sat down heavily and the three men sat in the room, alone. Suddenly Telev said very softly, all smugness gone from his voice and face,
“Now we wait for the wrath of the Valkeries.” The other two looked at him. He sighed and hung his head then lifted it back up, “At least now… we can stop fighting at last. One final fight and then it’s all over… one way or another.” They nodded and stood up.
“If they want a fight, we’ll give them one!” Gral exclaimed.
“It will warn them to tread cautiously, even slaves are dangerous foes.” Sten seemed to smile with his eyes as they kindled a small fire.
“Slaves are the most dangerous of foes.” Telev cried, “One day! One day the Terrans will be the ones who will be the slaves! They will learn that what goes around does indeed come around.”
“Enough with the Terran euphemisms!” Gral shouted, but he was smiling.
“Sorry pig they’re all I know.” Telev laughed slightly. They would all die tomorrow, it was a certainty and in their universe, the universe of pain and suffering, when you knew you were going to die the next day and all hope was gone… it was a time to smile.