Saving Mar

11 ALLIES

Shran materialized on a transporter pad and looked around with a satisfied sigh.

"Long time no see, Jon," he shook his hand. "I like what you've done with the ship. Sweet new upgrades."

"And how would you know that? Have you scanned us for some reason?" Jon squinted at him suspiciously.

"Of course not, that would be entirely unfriendly on my part," Shran rushed with his reply, then quickly changed the subject: "How about you, my friend, have you found yourself a companion?"

Immediately thinking of Mar, Jon only burst into a fit of cough to cover the sudden redness of his cheeks.

"As I understand it, you're getting rich in years, you don't exactly have all the time in the world anymore," Shran chuckled, nudging him in the ribs.

"Not your business, Shran," Jon croaked, eyes still watery. "You focus on your family, alright?"

"You bet I am," he cast him a toothy smile. "Finding just the right four people is not easy, but trying can be a lot of fun!"

"Oh boy, not where I wanted this conversation to go," Jon sighed, fighting the urge to slap his own face. Shran laughed and patted his back.

"So, where's the rest of the cavalry, then?"

.

The ready room was already occupied. Captain Erika Hernandez of the Columbia was sitting in Jon's chair and the commander of Salvo 14, Nakem Morkal, was anxiously pacing back and forth.

"Thank you all for coming to our aid so readily," Jon welcomed them as he entered. "I believe you've all been acquainted."

Erika just nodded politely. Morkal gave Shran a once-over and stood so close they could touch noses.

"Not all. Which blue demon are you?"

"Shran. Imperial Guard. And who are you, pig face?"

"Come on, guys," Erika rolled her eyes. "How about we don't start another conflict?"

"Sure, Captain," Morkal growled, narrowing his eyes at Shran. "My name is Morkal. I oversee Salvo 14. I have answered Captain Archer's call to get some... justice, for the way the Orions blatantly breached my station's safety and kidnapped my customers."

"The Orions?" Shan's antenna perked up. "What happened?"

Jon briefly described how the Enterprise had picked up a group of ex-slaves and how their former owners and other lowlives felt the need to punish them for their disruptive acts against the slave trade.

"Huh," Shran grunted pensively. "And you're sure you want to tangle in their business because of these people?"

"Shran, it's still slavery, whether you know the victims or not!" Erika frowned. "The Federation won't stand for it. This is just a rescue mission. No one needs to get hurt."

"But we'll appreciate the extra firepower, because otherwise they probably wouldn't think twice before shooting at us," Jon added. "They'll be more likely to negotiate if they find themself against a greater force."

Shran shrugged. "Alright. Whatever you need, Captain, we're at your disposal. Let's get those green bastards!"

.

With the combined knowledge of all four ships, they were able to narrow down the search and press forward more surely. The Orions had a serious head start, but using the advanced Andorian scanners revealed their trail. There was nowhere they could hide now. The only issue was the time: if Mar was right, they only had about twelve hours left to find them.

Seeing how they joined forces put her more at ease despite the breathless race.

"I was worried you were just lying to calm me down," she confessed when he visited her in the infirmary to relay the news. "I'm glad you're not alone, Captain."

Jon couldn't hold back a grin.

"It pays to be friends with your neighbors," he joked a little. "Some days they save our butts, other days we save theirs. The ecosystem is a bit fragile, but as long as we all share goals, we make it work."

"Sounds great." A soft smile hatched from under the lingering mask of pain and sorrow. "I hope it lasts."

Jon let her rest, so he could rejoin the other captains and brainstorm their approach. On his way out the sick bay he bumped into Malcolm.

"Oh, sorry, sir," he cast his Captain an apologetic look. "I was just on my way to visit Mar."

"Oh?" Jon levered his eyebrows. "Didn't know you two were that chummy."

Well, that didn't sound jealous, he scolded himself in the privacy of his skull.

"I was just bringing her something to read," he shrugged. Was it a bit defensive, or was it just Jon's wild imagination? "She's bored, staring at the walls with only the occasional excitement of Phlox feeding his fauna. So I offered some of my books. They're old sci-fi from Earth, I thought she might like them."

Jon sighed and stepped aside. "That's sweet of you, Malcolm. Just make sure to not give her any stories about slaves. Keep her mind off her issues, okay?"

"Exactly my thinking, sir," Malcolm smiled contently and disappeared through the door.

"Well, hello, Jon."

A very familiar voice sounded from behind him and he knew at that instant that he was in trouble. Erika passed him and curiously looked through the plastic windows into the sick bay.

"She's very pretty," she nodded with an approving grimace. "A bit young for you, though, don't you think?"

"It's not how it looks," he tried, but didn't expect much from it. She smirked.

"Come on, how long have I known you? You've got good taste, I gotta admit. I guess I'm a bit flattered, too – she's like a younger version of me. A pin-up version, but still."

Seeing him simmer, she laughed quietly and took his arm.

"Walk with me," she nudged him gently. "And tell me everything."