A New Alliance

N'Sal guided her friend into the largest of the cabins aboard Night Dagger and sat her down on the bunk before touching her wrist comm.  Typically rebellious, she’d refused point blank to use a Starfleet combadge and instead had tied the communications system into the jewelled bracelet she wore. Since she was technically a civilian she’d got away with it so far.  "I have her. We're in the cabin. She's injured"

She could almost hear the frown in Krang's voice.  "How badly?  Is she fit to travel?"

A little first aid and she'll be fine until we get her back to Endeavour." As she spoke, the Romulan was digging out an emergency medical kit and rooting through it, looking for the equipment she needed.

"I'm okay."  Kehlan's voice was slurred with pain and tiredness.  The forced march through the jungle, even if she had been carried part of the way, had used the last of her strength.  Now that her ordeal was over, the adrenalin was fading and exhaustion was setting in.

"And I'm a Bolian Stripper....Now lie down”

Kehlan almost snickered at that.  Obediently she allowed N'Sal to push her back onto the bed.  Her friend got to work quickly, injecting rehydration solution and treatment for shock along with painkillers before carefully peeling off the ruined vest top to examine her injuries.  The Klingon woman had done a good job cleaning of cleaning them and the smaller wounds were already starting to heal.  Kehlan winced but managed to avoid crying out as the blood coated fabric came away from the wound on her shoulder, tearing it open again.

“Imirrhlhhse!”  Sal swore, grabbing a pressure dressing as blood began to flow freely, viscous lavender fluid pumping out with every heartbeat and coating the Romulan's hands, making them slick and difficult to use with any dexterity. It took three of the emergency dressings before she felt the injury was adequately bound.  The bite on Kehlan's shoulder was the worst and the most recent of her wounds.  Other, less serious injuries were visible but they were older and starting to heal of their own accord. N'Sal decided to leave those and just cleaned the worst ones as best she could.

 

She had almost finished when Krang's voice came over the ship's intercom. "Go ahead" Sally answered softly, trying not to disturb Kehlan who, thanks to a combination of a real bed with a comfortable mattress and effective pain relief, had slipped into a doze that was actually not far removed from unconsciousness.

"We need to get back to Endeavour" Krang said, "I need you both strapped in safely for the time jump."

Kehlan's eyes snapped open and she struggled to sit up. "Time jump?  Where is my ship?"

"Lie down!" the Romulan insisted, pushing her back. "Your ship's fine"

Kehlan struggled against her, "Where is my ship?" she repeated frantically, a note of panic entering her voice.

"Krang.... little help..... Kehlan, lie down or I'll end up hurting you!"

"On my way."  Night Dagger was tiny and it took Krang only a moment to reach the main cabin from the bridge area.  Sally was only able to hold Kehlan in place, if she tried to push her back or even if she let go, the injured woman would hurt herself.  Seeing the problem, Krang moved to assist her.

 

“Be still Kehlan."  The Klingon’s voice was calm and reassuring.  "Your ship is safe"

Kehlan's head turned wildly in his direction. "Why are you even here, Krang?" she asked him, "What did you mean, time jump?  Where... When... are we?"

"It seems...." the big Klingon began carefully "that your transport beam intersected a temporal fissure. You were thrown eight hundred years back in time before you rematerialised"

"Eight hundred years?  But..."  Kehlan fell silent.  With that knowledge, George’s words ‘Ooman no ship’ suddenly made sense.  Endeavour had not been in this system eight hundred years ago.  In fact, at that point in their history, neither the Klingons nor the Humans had even had space travel.  However much sense it made though the news was devastating.  George was gone.  He would live out his life in his own time and she would never see him again.  They had been through so much together, had fought together, saved each others lives and the intensity of the experience had bonded them. A tear slid down Kehlan's cheek.  She’d expected to catch up with him on board ship.  That would not happen.  She would never see her friend again.

"Hey...." N'Sal leaned closer in concern. "The ship's fine, we'll be back in a few minutes"

Another tear followed the first one and uncharacteristically, Kehlan made no effort to wipe it away.  She hated to let anyone see her cry, had always been ashamed of the ability to weep that came from her Terran blood.  From a very young age she had been taught that tears were a sign of weakness, but she had lost someone she cared for and she felt no shame in crying for a friend.

"Keh...." the Romulan was distressed.  "What's wrong?"

"I...I was not alone in the jungle" Kehlan confessed. "I met one of the Yautja"

 

"One of their ships passed us in orbit.... He must have been picked up. I'm sure he's... oh..."

Seeing that N'Sal understood, Kehlan said nothing more but the tears continued to slide down her cheeks.

The Romulan woman glared at Krang, silently asking him to give Kehlan some privacy.

The big Klingon sighed.  "I will wait on the bridge."  Relieved to have escaped so lightly, he retreated, wondering if he would ever understand women.

Carefully Sal drew her friend into her arms and held her tightly, somehow managing to fasten the bunk harness about them both.  "Bridge.... we're strapped in.... let's get out of here..."

Even as Krang's voice acknowledged, Kehlan spoke again, "He was young, Sally, just a kid really. But he saved my life… more than once... We became friends… and… and when we get back to our own time he will have been dead for years"

There was nothing N’Sal could do but nod sympathetically.  "Hang on, my friend; it's going to get bumpy"

She was not exaggerating. If anything the journey forwards in time was even worse than the one they had just endured "Elements! I really hate this part!"

The shaking increased until it was almost unbearable and Sal could have sworn she heard the structural supports groaning under the pressure.  Time seemed to slow down and distort as the shaking faded away. Finally all was still and Kehlan stirred in her arms. "Few more minutes" Sal promised "And we'll be back on Endeavour"

On the bridge, Krang was checking the readouts.  All was as it should be, but even so he held his breath as he initiated a scan.  Time travel was always dangerous. No matter how much care was taken, there was a huge risk that even the smallest action could change things irrevocably. The stellar alignments seemed correct as did the three waiting starships "Night Dagger to Endeavour"

"Go ahead, Night Dagger"

Recognising the voice of Endeavour's had of communications, Krang relaxed.  "Mission successful" he reported, "I have Kehlan on board.  I suggest you have a medical team standing by.  She is alive but injured"

"Acknowledged, Security Captain. Main Bay is clear for you"