WARNINGS: mention of child abuse, but nothing graphic.
This is my first time posting a story here, so I hope I got it right. :-)

Part 1

Lt. Commander Vin Tanner, First officer of the USS Wild Card, felt jumpy for no particular reason that he could consciously figure out. It was the kind of non-specific nagging uneasiness that he usually got when there had been reports of raiders in the area that it had taken a couple of days for them to catch up with, but there had been no such reports for the couple of weeks. So why did he feel so jittery?

Captain Chris Larabee, commanding officer to Vin, kept a close eye on the longhaired man who couldn't see to stop fidgeting. Tanner was young, some said too young to be first officer on a front line ship, but his instincts were some of the best in Starfleet. If he was uneasy, it was a sucker bet that something was going to go down and soon.

Chris shook his head slightly as he shifted his gaze to the other officers currently present on the bridge. At the helm, in his usual relaxed semi sprawl was his long time friend and shipmate, Lt. Buck Wilmington. Buck was one of the best navigators in Starfleet, even if Chris would never admit to it. The two of them had known each other since before their academy days. Before taking command of this ship, Wilmington had been the only one of the officers that he had known.

Sitting next to Wilmington was Ensign JD Dunne, a young genius with electronics and communication. This was his first shipboard assignment, and it showed in the young man's enthusiasm and unparalleled energy levels. Wilmington seemed to have appointed himself as JD older brother/mentor with interesting results.

On the other side of the bridge, Chris saw his Chief of Security, Lt. Josiah Sanchez. The man was getting older and there had been noises that the Academy had offered him a good position teaching, but the man seemed perfectly happy were he was. He had worked as a security officer for more than twenty years and had more than earned his position as chief.

Standing next to the Security Chief, was Doctor Nathan Jackson, the ship's Chief Medical Officer. According to what Chris had found out in the last seven months, Nathan and Josiah had been friends for a few years before they were assigned this ship. The doctor was good at his job, though at times he seemed a bit to clinical in his interactions with his patients. He tended to be a bit hard on folks, but he expected himself to live up to that same high standard, so there wasn't much to be said.

Chris brought himself out of his musings when Vin's Texas accent broke the silence of the bridge.

"Capt'n, the sensors show a ship off our port side about two parsecs. Starfleet reports no authorized flight plans for that route. Ship design indicates cargo capabilities, but sensors are picking up multiple life signs," Vin's voice was harsher than normal as he had already come to the conclusion that popped into the minds of every man there.

A slave ship.

Chris ground his teeth together as he nodded at Buck for him to intercept the ship.

Slavery had been outlawed in Federation space since the very beginning, but on these outer worlds there was still a heavy black market trade in sentient beings of many species.

When they came with in visual range, Chris ordered it shown on the screen. Vin, knowing without having to be ordered, added the sensor readings to it. It showed that the small ten crew freight had at least two hundred individual life signs aboard, most of them concentrated in the cargo hold.

"Bastards!" Josiah muttered as he checked the board. "Captain, I'm going to head down."

Chris nodded stiffly as he studied the configuration to the ship. Satisfied that he knew how to take them down with out destroying the ship, he said, "Buck, get a lock on the engines behind the hold, if they try to run, take them out. JD, open a line to them."

JD quickly did as Chris ordered, "Open, sir."

"Unidentified vessel, this is Captain Chris Larabee of the USS Wild Card. Please identify yourselves and state your business in this area," Chris ordered crisply, his tone leaving no room for argument.

At first the seemed to be no reaction, but Vin's sensors notified him immediately of the energy spike in their engines. "They're going to run, Capt'n. Their engines are up 75 % and climbin'."

"Take 'em down, Buck," Chris ordered.

With a grin, Buck took out their engines with surgical precision.

"Security to the transporter room. Vin, Nathan, with me," Chris lead them out. They had a job to do.

>>>>

After they rounded up the eight men that ran the slave ship, Chris and his officers and crew headed for the hold to see exactly what they were dealing with.

Entering the large cavernous area, they quickly announced that they were from Starfleet and they were going to be getting them out of there as soon as possible. A spontaneous cheer went up as the security personnel spread out and started unlocking the chains that had held the prisoners relatively immobile. Family members that had been split up immediately started getting together and hugging as if they would never let go again. Chris smiled faintly as one man grabbed his daughter and swung her up in his arms, holding on as if his life depended on it.

Nathan quietly and efficiently moved from one group to another, looking for any that had wounds or illness that needed to be treated, but surprisingly, he found none that were seriously wounded. Many made reference to someone that had helped them, but they just called him 'the helper'. Catching Chris's eye, he waved him over to where he was talking to one of the children. Vin, seeing Chris walking toward Nathan, went over to see what was going on.

"What ya' got, Doc?" Chris asked when he arrived, acknowledging Vin's presence with a nod.

"Something odd, Captain." Nathan started, a puzzled expression on his face. "I've examined almost half of the people and I haven't found a single serious injury or illness. A few cuts and scrapes and a couple colds, but nothing else. Many of them have told me about someone they call 'the helper' that heals them as they come on board or if the crew gets rough with them. Little Jenine here was telling me about him."

Vin crouched down on his heels when Nathan finished speaking, so that he could look at the little girl's face. She was young, maybe ten standard years and dirty but Vin knew she would be quite pretty once she cleaned up a little. "Jenine?" Vin asked. When she nodded, he asked, "Who's the helper?"

"The Keepers bring him and the little one in here whenever someone gets hurt so they can heal them," she said softly. Vin mentally translated Keepers to mean the slavers, but he didn't understand the mention of the 'little one.' "But he's not one of them!" she declared earnestly, looking from Vin to Chris to Nathan. "He tries to help us, but the Keepers beat him badly. He sneaks extra food to us whenever he can, but once in a while they catch him."

"What does he look like?" Vin asked gently, brushing her hair back gently as he asked. "We'll make sure that they can't get to him, but we need to know who're looking for."

"The helper's only a little taller than me, brown hair, and green eyes." Jenine said.

"A boy?" Vin asked shocked.

"Yeah," she nodded in agreement.

"Okay, Jenine," Vin said as his mind whirled. "We'll find him."

"Okay," Jenine smiled as she hopped up from her position on the crate and scurried off to where her mother was waiting on her.

Chris and Nathan moved closer, both of their faces grim. Vin knew they had heard what the girl said and were just as worried as he was. There was another child on this ship somewhere.

Grabbing his com, Vin contacted the ship. "Tanner to Wild Card, come in please."

"Wilmington to Tanner, we read you."

"Buck, do the sensors show any life signs on the ship anywhere but the hold?"

"Checking." Vin held his breath without realizing it as Buck went over to check. "Affirmative, Vin."

Vin released the breath all at once in relief. "Where, Buck?" Vin asked as he led Chris and Nathan out of the hold and back to toward the rest of the ship. Chris caught Josiah's eye and jerked his head indicating that he should join them.

"Two, Second level, near the crew's quarters. They're real weak though. I can get more precise after you get there."

"Thanks, Buck. We'll call you back when we get there." With that Vin signed off and started running down the corridor toward the lift.

>>>>

Arriving on the second level, Vin pulled the com back out and barked, "Where, Buck?"

"Keep going another twenty feet, compartment on the right."

Vin eyed the corridor, but there was no door at that point. "Shit, it must access from one of these rooms. Thanks, Buck, we'll call you back and tell you what we find."

"You better, Junior. Wilmington out."

Quickly explaining what to look for, Vin pointed Josiah and Nathan at the door down the corridor while he and Chris took first one they came too.

"Vin?" Chris asked as he started searching for something, what he wasn't exactly sure.

"Buck said we had two weak life signs some where in this wall. There's no access from the corridor and all that's behind here in this model cargo ship is engine conduits, so there has to be a door in one of these two rooms." Vin explained as he quickly examined the right side of the wall that hid the compartment.

"Like this one," Chris said, bringing Vin's attention to the nearly invisible hatchway that had been concealed behind a dresser.

"Yes!" Vin darted over and started looking for a way to open it as Chris stepped back to tell Nathan that they had found a way in.

"Got it, Cowboy," Vin murmured, holding his hand over a slight protrusion in the texture of the wall.

Chris waited until Nathan had joined them before nodding to Vin and saying, "Open it."

Vin activated the release and the door smoothly slid open, revealing a sight that made them all want to hit something.

Two boys lay curled together on the floor either asleep or unconscious. Both were dressed in filthy ragged clothes and horribly underweight. The older looked to be about ten or eleven with long wavy reddish brown hair, while the younger was about two or three with equally long curly dark brown hair drawn back at the base of his skull.

>>>>

Part 2

Casting a glance back at his Captain, Tanner caught his eye before moving farther into the room and crouching beside the boys on the floor. Speaking quietly and trying not to startle them, Tanner said, "Hey, wake up."

The elder boy's eyes flashed open instantly, and Tanner only had a moment to glimpse the terror filled green eyes half hidden behind the boy's hair before the child was on his feet, with the younger boy still wrapped in his arm, and running.

"Whoa, Pard, we ain't gonna hurt you," Tanner exclaimed when he caught the boy by the shoulders as he tried to get out the door and into the outer room. Tanner moved in front of the frightened child and squatted down to look in his eyes. "We just want to help, okay?" he said firmly as he gazed into the boy's troubled emerald eyes. For a few moments, Vin waited while the child searched his face, when he hesitantly nodded, Vin gave him a big smile. "Alright, now I got some friends out in the other room that want to meet you. Why don't I go introduce you?"

Again the boy nodded his assent, but when Vin reached to take the still unresponsive younger lad from his arms, he backed away with fear filling his face again. Vin immediately pulled his hands back and said, "That's alright, you can keep hold of him if'n you want to." Reassured the child allowed Vin to rest his hand lightly on his arm, even though he did tense slightly.

Once in the outer room, Vin led him over to sit on the bed. Getting the child's attention, Vin said, "These are my friends, Chris Larabee, my Captain, Nathan Jackson, the ship's doctor, and Josiah Sanchez, our chief of security. I'm Vin Tanner, First officer. We are part of the crew of the USS Wild Card. What are your names?" Vin looked expectantly at the boy sitting on the edge of the bed, but received no answer. He simply sat there with his head down and his eyes closed.

Trying again, Vin squatted down so that he could catch the child's eye. "Hey," when the boy looked up, Vin continued, "We want to help, but you have to talk to us."

Again the child remained silent, looking from him to the men standing in a semicircle behind him. Slowly the child released one hand from the death grip he had on his younger charge, and reached for the ragged collar of his tunic. Pulling it back he revealed an electronic slave collar encircling his neck.

"Shit! Uh, sorry, I'm not angry at you," Tanner reassured the boy when he jumped at his exclamation. "Nate, you better come over here and look at this."

The doctor quickly joined him and examined the collar the boy wore. "Damn," he muttered quietly. Looking back at his Captain, he continued, "It's an obedience collar. If we don't take it off him correctly it'll kill him. We should have a master override on the ship." The collar used intense pain to force obedience in slaves, and judging by the child's actions speaking was forbidden.

When Chris turned away to request the necessary equipment, Nathan returned to his young patients and reached to check and see if the younger boy also wore the inhumane piece of technology that had been outlawed over five decades before. He was surprised when the elder child pulled away while pushing at Nathan's hand.

"Easy, I just wanted to see if he is wearing a collar too," Nathan said as he again reached for the boy, but was met with resistance again.

Seeing the fear and panic building in the older boy, Vin lightly grabbed Nathan's hand and pulled it away. "Nate, hold on a second." Receiving a nod of understanding from his teammate, he turned his attention back to the forlorn waifs sitting in front of him. "Is he wearing a collar, too?" Vin asked, waving at the still insensate boy in his arms. Receiving a sad nod in reply, Vin grunted. Before he could frame another question, Tanner was interrupted by the arrival of Buck with the master chip to release the collars.

"Here you go, Capt'n," Buck said as he handed the small machine over, while curiously gazing at the children on the bed.

"Wilmington, you might as well head on back. We should be done here within the hour," Chris confirmed gruffly, taking the mechanism, striding toward the children and handing it off to Tanner. He did not attempt to remove the collars himself when he saw the fear rising in the elder boy's eyes.

"Alright, now, we're goin' ta get that collar off, so you can talk to us," Vin said as he reached to find the proper place to release the collar, but was surprised when his hand was stopped and drawn downward. The elder child slipped out from under his charge, settling the little one on the bed beside him, and using one hand to reveal the release spot for the younger child's collar. "You want me to take his off first?" Receiving a vigorous nod in reply, Vin quickly fit the control piece in place and activated it.

The effect was instantaneous.

The moment he engaged it, the collar on the small child's neck fell off, but the older boy suddenly threw back his head and screamed, his hands jumping to his throat to claw franticly at his collar. Vin released the older boy's collar as fast as he could, while the other men tried to corral the writhing child. When it was released, the horrible wail quieted immediately to a whimper as the boy collapsed into a sobbing heap.

Breathing deeply, Chris moved around the bed to sit near the boy's head. Laying his hand lightly on the child's shoulder, he waited until the child looked up at him before he spoke softly, "You knew that was going to happen, didn't you? If we had taken yours off first, would that have happened to him?"

Still gulping air to try to catch his breath, the boy whispered, "yes," in a rough, disused, and strangely accented voice.

Still shaken, but knowing he had a job to do, Nathan moved around to where he could reach both boys. "What are your names?" he asked as he slowly sat on the other side of the boy from his Captain.

The older boy looked blankly at him for a moment, but suddenly appeared to realize what he wanted. Pushing himself up, he tenderly laid a hand on the younger boy's cheek before replying, "He was called Blair, before they took him."

Cheering silently at the small victory, not to mention the evidence that the boy had suffered no permanent damage from the collar, Nate reached for the boy to examine him. It was beginning to worry him that the child had not awoken in all the commotion.

He jerked back when the older boy cried out, "No! You'll hurt him!" before grabbing the toddler back up in his arms and lunged away from him, right smack into Chris.

He struggled to get away, but Chris gently grasped the boy's shoulders to keep him from falling off the bed or running, but the boy was too afraid to understand. When speaking softly didn't get through the haze of panic, Chris shouted, "Stop!"

Firmly, but with compassion, Chris held the boy's shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "We are not going to hurt you or him if we can at all avoid it. If we had known what the collar would do to you, we would have found some way to get around it."

"You don't understand," the boy whispered in a pleading voice. "It hurts him when people touch him. I tried to tell them that, but they just punished me. Please, believe me, it hurts him badly."

Startled, Chris glanced over at his Chief Medical Officer and saw the thoughtful expression on his face, before Nate brightened and dived into his medical bag for something. "Okay, but why can you touch him?"

The boy looked even more troubled as he said, "I don't know, I just can. I've been trying to teach him to block it out. Really I have."

The desperate pleading in the boy's eyes was painful to see. Each of the men found themselves wondering what the child had been through to feel so much pain. They were all wondering how long he had been held by the monsters that currently resided in the Wild Card's brig and why he was so special that they had not sold him.

Vin watched his Captain get the boy to open up a little with a slight smile on his face. For all Chris blustering and bad ass attitude, he was doing well with this boy.

"What have you been teaching him to block out?" Chris asked.

"The feelings," the boy stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "the echoes of their pain. He's been here six months, but that's not long enough to get used to it yet."

An Empath!?! How in the world had the boy survived six months on this ship! Jackson stared at the boys in total shock, the item he had wanted from his bag totally forgotten for the moment. Shaking himself, he pulled what looked like old fashioned latex gloves from the bag. They were quarantine gloves for working with highly contagious patients, but they should work the same way for this situation.

"I can use these." Seeing that the older boy was giving him his full attention, albeit tinged with more than a little wariness, Nathan explained, "These gloves will let me examine him without actually touching him. Do you think that will work?"

Thoughtfully, the boy looked from Nathan to his hands, now encased in the special protection and held out for inspection, to the child in his arms. Cautiously, the boy reached out to touch Nathan's gloved hands, trailing his fingertips lightly up the fine fabric to his wrists. Unexpectedly the boy gave him a beautiful smile of pure joy. "It works!" he exclaimed, moving to rest his entire hand against Nathan's covered hand. "I can't feel anything! Please," suddenly the boy arranged Blair on the bed between himself and Nathan, still trying to shield him from everyone else in the room. "I helped him as much as I could."

Nathan was startled by the boy's immediately capitulation, but he knew he had to help Blair before he could stop to untangle why he was unsettled by what the elder boy had said.

It only took a few seconds to figure out the boy needed more treatment than he was going to be able to provide here. "Captain, I need to get Blair back to Sickbay immediately, sir," Nathan said urgently as he set the hypo and administered what medication he had with him.

"Go," Chris ordered, reaching out to hold on to the older boy's arm as Nathan gathered the ill child and called for transport directly to sickbay.

The boy was confused at first, the gasp and shrank back as the transporter removed the doctor and his patient. "Where did they go?" the boy whispered after they were gone.

"The Doc took him back to our ship so he could help him better," Vin reassured him as he took the place on the bed that Nathan had vacated. "We'll be goin' soon too, but we need to talk to you some more first."

"Oh," he still sounded confused and suspicious, but there was nothing he could do about that right now.

Stepping up beside the older child, Josiah finally spoke, "You never told us you name, son."

Startled, Chris and Vin realized he was right. They had been so concerned about the younger boy Blair, that they never realized that he hadn't mentioned his name.

Looking over at the big, gray haired man, the older boy said, "I am the helper. I have no name."

Chris, Vin, and Josiah shared a sad glance. How long had this boy been on this ship that he didn't even know his own name?

Clearing his throat and throwing a bewildered glance at his Captain, Josiah tried again. "How long have you been aboard? Do you remember where you were when they took you?"

"I." the boy seemed frustrated as he tried to remember what Sanchez was asking, but failed. Dropping his eyes, he shook his head, "I do not remember anywhere but here."

Carefully and slowly resting his hand on the boy's shoulder, Josiah replied, "It's alright, son. We'll figure something out." With a thoughtful expression on his face, Josiah considered the child before him. "We could call you Alexander maybe, it means helper." Seeing the displeased expression on the boy's face he hurried to come up with other suggestions, "or Isaiah, or maybe Ezra. They all mean helper."

With a thoughtful expression, the boy repeated, "Ezra?"

"Do you like it?" Vin asked.

"I re.remember," the boy screwed his face up tightly as he tried to grasp the ethereal ghost in his mind while three Starfleet officers waited. Finally he looked up at Josiah and said, "A man calling me Ezranok, but that wasn't all. He was frightened by something," Forlornly he looked over at Vin and continued, "I don't understand."

"I recognized the word, I think," Vin said. Looking casually at Chris to catch his eye, he broadcast his disquiet and nodded down at the frightened child. "It's a variant of a Vulcan word for helper."

>>>>

Part 3

Chris's eyes widened momentarily, before narrowing as he looked down at the child still sitting with his back to him on the bed. A Vulcan? I can't feel anything.I've been trying to teach him to block it out.

Sitting down on the bed beside the boy, Vin slowly reached over to him and swept the heavy bangs out of his face revealing the distinctive upswept eyebrow that the Vulcan people were known for. Seeing the apprehension in the boy's eyes, Vin patted him on the shoulder, before gently turning his head away and moving the heavy long hair away from his ear. Again the distinctive feature was present.

Chris and Josiah were, to say the least, stunned. A Vulcan child on a slave ship? How was that possible? The Vulcan might be strict and hard on their children, but they were also fiercely protective too. To have one stolen would have set off a man hunt! And add to that this child neither looked nor acted like any Vulcan Chris had ever seen or heard of.

He had never seen a Vulcan that wasn't tall and slender with straight dark hair and dark eyes. Whether this boy would be tall remained to be seen and he was most definitely slender. Actually he was skinny to the point of emaciation. But red highlights were obvious in the curly medium brown hair on his head and the brilliant emerald eyes were as far from the deep black and brown of most Vulcan's eyes as night was from day. Add to that evidence the boy's obviously emotional responses and all Starfleet's information on how to interact with Vulcan's seemed useless. The only other explanation that came to mind was that the boy was Romulan, but the physical appearance was still all wrong.

"Well, Ezranok?" Vin asked the boy, breaking his friends out of their momentary bewilderment, "How about we let Nathan look you over? We can head back to the ship and see if we can figure out where your family might be, alright?" Vin stood to the side and held his hand out for the boy to take.

"Okay," Ezranok replied softly, standing from his place on the bed. However, when he stepped away from the bed, he cried out softly as his legs collapsed and he passed out.

"Capt'n!" Vin exclaimed as he lunged forward to catch the crumpling figure. Vin lifted the boy's pitifully light body into his arms with ease, while Josiah and Chris rushed to help him. Vin cradled Ezranok in his arms while Chris ordered Josiah back to the hold to continue overseeing the rescue, then called for transport to sick bay for them.

>>>>

Nathan was just finishing up his treatment when Vin, Chris, and Ezranok materialized in Sickbay.

Looking up, he immediately noted Vin's unconscious burden. "Put him over here," Nathan ordered, patting the bio-bed right beside where the smaller boy Blair lay now sleeping peacefully.

Vin carefully maneuvered the boy onto the bed, arranging arms and legs so that he would be comfortable.

"Nate." Vin started to try to explain what he, Chris, and Josiah had found out, but Nathan, as sometimes happened when he was in the middle of treatment, tuned him out and activated the sensors without waiting to hear him out. "Doc?"

"What the HELL!" Jackson exclaimed as the readings came up all out of kilter.

Chris grabbed Nathan's arm and ground out, "That's what Vin was trying to tell you." When Nathan finally looked up at him, he continued, "The boy isn't human."

Vin, who had moved over beside Ezranok, gently moved the boy's hair out of his eyes and away from his forehead. Vin didn't say another word, but just looked at Nathan and jerked his head for the doctor to look.

Nathan looked and gasped as he beheld the distinctive features that had been hidden. He stood there stunned for a few moments, then shook himself out of his amazement to go adjust the settings and norms on this bed's bio-scanners. Reminding himself that this was a child that needed his help, he set aside his memories for the moment and got down to business.

Chris, seeing that Nathan now had the information he was going to need to treat the boy, turned to leave, but he stopped after a couple steps when he realized that Vin was not with him.

Vin was standing to one side, out of Nathan's way, with his arms wrapped around his chest and a pained, sorrowful expression on his face. Few people knew that Vin had himself spent time with the Vulcan people, but knowing what he did about them, he feared that they would find that the boy's parents were dead. He could think of no other way that the slavers could have gotten a hold of him.

Chris lightly grasped Vin's arm to get his attention, then jerked his head toward the door. Vin nodded and followed him out.

"What's up, cowboy?" Chris asked, trying to use the nickname to lighten the mood a little.

"We ain't going to find his parents," Vin said quietly. "Vulcans never let their children out of sight for the most part."

"Ezranok might be Romulan," Chris pointed out.

Vin looked at his captain with an exasperated expression on his face. "How'd he get into Federation Space? Romulans maybe a warrior race, but they hate slavery worse than the Federation does. There's no way in hell they would sell a child to anyone."

Chris winced internally at Vin's bald statement. He hoped Vin was wrong, but knew that in all likelihood he wasn't. Chris also knew that if so, it would hit the young man hard, having been orphaned at the age of six himself.

"We'll just have to see," Chris said. "I've got to send a report to Admiral Travis at Star Base 4 and tell him what's going on here, you check in with Buck and Josiah and see how things are going, then set up to tow that hulk out there," Chris waved his hand in the general direction of the cargo vessel, "back to Star Base 4."

"Yes, sir," Vin said as he headed toward the bridge, still subdued.

Chris stopped in the corridor and watched him walk off. He knew this wasn't going to be easy. Vin wasn't one to talk about what he was feeling, his natural reticence having been multiplied by his time with the Vulcans, but right now, it was fairly obvious that the situation had pulled up some bad memories.

What a mess!

>>>>

Vin went about his assigned tasks mechanically and efficiently, but his mind was far away. The look of fear and hopelessness that had crossed Ezranok's face when he couldn't remember his own name kept flashing in front of his eyes.

After his mother's death, Vin had been bounced around, raised by many different people, and the one thing that he had held on to was her voice telling him never to forget who he was. As he looked at the frightened little boy, he realized he was seeing what might have happened...and it scared the hell out of him.

Vin could remember times his only comfort had been his memories of his mother's face, hands, and voice. Other times things hadn't been so bad, but Vin knew that the worst times he had endured would have been nothing compared to what this boy had lived through. Quite literally Ezranok had nothing left. No name, no identity, no history, nothing. Vin decided right then he was going to do something to fix that.

Grabbing a couple reader cards, Vin strode quickly to his station. Vin stopped and calmed himself as he caught himself about the jam the card into the appropriate slot. After that was accomplished, he placed the first card in the slot.

"Computer, record elementary data Vulcan customs and history, primary schooling level," Vin order the console.

After a few seconds a mechanical voice came back, "Complete."

Vin snatched that one out of the slot and inserted the next.

"Computer, record elementary data concerning the Federation, primary schooling level," Vin instructed this time.

Again a few seconds later, the mechanical voice came back, "Complete."

Vin pulled this one out more slowly, carefully aligning the two in his hands. This would be a start, now he just had to make sure that the boy could read!

>>>>

Part 4

Entering his quarters, Chris made his way quickly to his desk and sat down. For a few seconds, Chris stopped to get his thoughts in order, then he turned on the com. "Larabee to the bridge."

"Dunne here, sir," JD answered brightly. Chris almost smiled at the young man's enthusiasm, but he had pressing matters on his mind.

"JD, get me a line open to Admiral Travis at Star Base 4," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," JD replied even as he started complying with the order. "He'll be on in a few moments, Captain."

Chris pulled himself up straight as the picture of the communications officer melted away and was replaced with the image of his superior officer.

"Wild Card, this is Travis. What have you got for me, Chris?" the Admiral asked as soon as he was sure they were connected.

"Sir, our sensors picked up an unauthorized cargo vessel, Federation Identification #M7M1U-D5, a few hours ago. Further scans indicated that the vessel was probably being used for slave transport." Chris began his report in clear concise language, and within twenty minutes he had brought Travis up to date on the ship itself.

"After the perpetrators were detained and transported to the brig, we set about freeing their prisoners and administering any medical treatment that would be necessary, as per procedure. However we found that the rescued people had very few injuries and less sickness, we were informed that the slavers had been using a boy to heal them when it was needed."

Chris mentally crossed his fingers as he informed Travis about the boys. "We located two children kept away from the rest of the prisoners, one is a human boy of about two or three years named Blair, an empath from what we have been told. The other is a Vulcan or Romulan boy of about eleven years named Ezranok. Doctor Jackson is still working on them both, so we have not been able to talk to them yet."

For the first time in his life, Chris Larabee saw Admiral Travis completely shocked.

"A Vulcan or Romulan child on a slave vessel!?" Travis demanded.

"Yes, sir. As far as we could determine by sight alone. The boy possesses the distinctive ears and eyebrows, but others of his physical features do not match the norm. His hair is curly and red tinted and his eyes are green. I can send visuals to you soon if you wish," Chris affirmed.

"Do so, as soon as you can. I will contact Starfleet and ask them exactly how they want us to handle the situation. Return to Star Base 4 and tow the vessel in with you."

"Yes, sir," Chris confirmed before the Admiral signed off.

>>>>

After checking in with Josiah and the security personal on the cargo vessel to make sure they were getting along okay, Chris headed toward the bridge. Since the Wild Card was only a scout and patrol vessel, they didn't have enough room to transfer all of the former prisoners over. However they would do their best to make them as comfortable as possible on the cargo ship, since it would take them a few days to get back to Star Base 4 even at maximum warp.

When Chris arrived at the bridge, he found everyone busy about their jobs. Buck was maneuvering the Wild Card around so that they could latch the tractor beams onto the cargo ship with the minimum of fuss and trouble. Vin was standing at his sensor station calmly keeping an eye on all of the readings.

Or at least he was giving the appearance of outward calm, Chris amended as he noticed the fine movements that Vin was making with extreme concentration and the tension that was obvious in his shoulders and back.

"Mr. Tanner?" Chris asked.

"Mr. Wilmington is positioning' the Wild Card to tow the cargo ship. Mr. Sanchez has reported that operations on the cargo ship are goin' well," Vin parroted at him without turning to look at him.

Chris winced, that Vin hadn't looked at him was a bad sign, even worse though was his use of proper protocol. One of the things about Vin that people in Starfleet objected to was his complete disregard for bridge protocol. Chris had found that Vin only used it when he was disturbed and sent his mind into official ways to keep functioning. This was not good at all.

"Buck, you have the con," Chris announced. "Vin, come with me." Chris noticed him pick something up and hold it tightly in his hand, but didn't say anything about it.

Vin turned to join him, but his face was expressionless. Vin quietly followed Chris to the lift and they left.

JD watched the two men leave with confusion all across his face. He had never seen Vin like that. "What was that all about?"

Buck sighed. He had, but only one time, and the fallout hadn't been pretty. "Bad news, kid. Just hope Chris can deal with it fast."

>>>>

"Talk to me, Vin," Chris ordered as soon as they were alone in the lift.

Vin remained silent for a few minutes, but eventually he dropped his eyes and said, "That could have been me."

Chris dragged a hand over his face, and blew out a frustrated breath. he should have known that those boys would get to Vin. Well, he had known, but he hadn't realized how badly or how fast it was going to happen.

"Last thing my mama said to me was to remember I was a Tanner," Vin said, his voice gaining strength as he spoke. "For a long time that's all I had to hold on too, but Ezranok don't even have that."

"Vin, I know you," Chris cut him off. "I know you hate when kids get hurt, and he's been hurt bad. But you know, even if his parents are dead, the Vulcans will find him a home. He won't be alone anymore," Chris pointed out.

Vin nodded his head in agreement, then opened his hand and showed Chris what he had been holding. The two reader cards.

"What are those for?" Chris asked when Vin didn't say anything.

"Since we got a couple days, I thought Ezranok might want to know a little about where he's goin'. Just some general stuff about Vulcan and the Federation, but then I realized.If he don't remember where he comes from, he must have been pretty young when the got him. Chris, he's at least ten, and he may not even know how to read!"

'Shit!' Chris thought. "You may be right, but if he doesn't he can be taught. Don't worry about it, Vin. It'll all be straightened out eventually."

Just as Chris and Vin stepped into Sick Bay to check on their two guests, Nathan came out of his office with a small smile. "I was just about to call up to the bridge for you two. They're awake."

Vin immediately head for the main treatment bay with Chris and Nathan right behind him. There he found Ezranok and Blair sitting up on the beds across from each other. While he and Chris had been gone, they had been treated for the worst of the exhaustion, malnutrition, dehydration, and overload, so they were looking much better. They had also been cleaned up, too.

Blair didn't have the ashen appearance that had been so concerning when they found them on the ship. His mahogany hair, now clean, was loose about his shoulders and fell half way down his back is a mass of curls. He was wearing a new jumpsuit that while much too big for him rolled up at the arms and legs, was much better than the rags he had been wearing.

Ezranok was sitting directly across from him, the accumulated grime cleaned away to reveal the greening complexion that would have clued them in a lot earlier if it had been visible. His hair had also been washed and was now brushed back off his face and tucked behind his ears. His hair wasn't as long, but it was raggedly cut. As if, Vin realized with a jolt, as if he had tried to cut it himself. Ezranok was also wearing a too large jumpsuit, but it was closer to fitting.

"Hello, boys," Chris greeted them and the three of them walked over to stand around them.

Blair jumped a little, but he smiled at them and returned it with a cheerful, "Hi!" Before anyone else could speak, he continued chattering away, "Helperw. um, Ezranok told me you sthaved usth. Thank you! Those men werwe mean and they hurwted people and."

"Blair," Ezranok spoke quietly, breaking in on the other boys rambling. Blair looked over at his friend with confusion on his face. Ezranok didn't say anything, but just looked at him. After a few seconds, Blair blushed.

Looking back over at the slightly stunned officers, Blair said, "Sorrwy, I not mean to babbulb."

Shaking out of his surprised silence, Vin stepped forward, "No problem, Blair. It's nice to see you up and talking. You weren't looking so good before. How are you both feeling?"

"Fine, sir," Ezranok replied.

"I'm okay," Blair said, then yawned hugely to belie that statement, at which they all grinned while Blair blinked and looked around like he couldn't figure out where it had come from.

"In that case, we better keep this short so you can get some more sleep," Chris said stepping forward. "Blair, do you know how long ago those men took you?"

Blair thought carefully, then replied, "Maybe sthix moon timesth." Chris looked at Ezranok for confirmation and translation.

"Yeah, about six months," Ezranok confirmed.

"That's good," Chris complimented. "Ezranok, how about you, do you have any idea?"

Ezranok tried to remember, but finally he just shook his head and looked down at his hands, sure that they would be disappointed in him. Vin reached out to carefully and gently lift his head so that he could look him in the eye.

"It's all right. It's not your fault," Vin assured the boy, careful to keep a friendly smile on his face.

"Do you remember how you were taken, Blair?" Chris asked as Vin comforted the other boy. To his dismay, instead of answering, Blair's eyes filled with tears and his lower jaw started quivering. "Blair? What."

"Mama." came the broken whisper before Blair turned away from him and started sobbing.

Ezranok started moving as soon as he heard Chris's question, and by the time Blair started crying he had jumped up onto the other boy's bed and gathered the weeping child into his arms. Murmuring soothing words, it only took Ezranok a few minutes to calm him, but even those few minutes were enough to wipe out Blair's energy.

Ezra gently lowered Blair to the bed and slid off. Nathan shooed them out of the treatment area, offering his office if they wanted to continue talking to Ezranok, but he forbid them to take him out of Sick Bay.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Chris sat down and ran a hand over his face, before asking, "What did I say?"

Both he and Vin looked at Ezranok for an answer, but the boy remained silent staring at the door behind which Nathan was checking over Blair. Chris was about to repeat the question when a tiny voice said, "His mother was killed when he was taken, and it was my fault."

Part 5

Chris and Vin looked at each other in shock. What in the world?

"Ezranok," Vin said softly. "What do you mean? How could her death be your fault?"

"I couldn't stop him," the boy whispered, still staring at the door that hid Blair and the doctor from view.

Seeing that he was getting nowhere, Vin gently turned the boys face away from the door and led hi over to a chair to sit down. "Ez, why don't you tell us what happened?"

The boy gave him a confused look at the cropped form of his name, but started talking, "The Keepers some times would take me with them when they were going to be away from the ship for a few days looking for. for those they wanted to buy. They would take me along to see if I would be able to heal them, if they were hurt or sick, they could buy them really cheap, then after I healed them, the price would go way up. The collar kept me from talking, but I could signal them whether it was possible or not.

"About six months ago we stopped at a little waystation near Gaerhinoss V, there are some stables there that the Keepers have done business with before. I saw Blair there as they were headed back to the ship, and I recognized him as gudizaras. I tried to hide it, but they knew somehow. One of the keeper hit me when I wouldn't tell them what I had seen. Blair saw him hit me and ran over shouting at them not to hurt me," Ezranok sat quietly in the chair as he related the incident, silent tears running for him cheeks.

"Blair was so young he didn't understand what was happening, so he immediately started to heal the cut that the keeper had given me and they knew. I tried to stop him, but it was too late. When Blair's mother came running behind him, the keepers killed her and took Blair. He saw and felt her die. I helped him out of the shock after we were back on the ship, but it's been hard for him." Ezranok finished.

Chris too felt the pain of the boys story, and moved over o his side setting a comforting hand on the child's back. "It wasn't your fault, Ezranok."

"But it was!" Ezranok insisted, clenching his hands into fists and hitting his leg in frustration.

Vin moved quickly to calm the coming storm. Swiftly, Vin picked the troubled child up and maneuvered him until he was sitting on Vin's lap within the protective circle of his arms, "No, Ezranok, it was not," he enunciated clearly. "It was not your fault that they hit you. It was not your fault that Blair saw it happen and came over to help. It was certainly not your fault that they killed his mother to get him. You are not responsible for their actions, only your own."

Chris sat quietly by, listening, and thinking that for a man that normally said little, Vin had quite a way with words and children.

It took a few repetitions, but Vin finally broke through the haze of grief and guilt that had enveloped Ezranok for the last six months and the boy finally broke down crying. Very gently, Vin gathered the boy close and let him weep. After a few minutes, Ezranok's arms crept around to encircle Vin and he let him hold on as tightly as he wanted to even though it was a little difficult to breathe. Chris, trying to help too, slowly rubbed small comforting circles on the child's back. A full twenty minute later, Ezranok had called sufficiently for Vin to try easing out of the boys grasp.

"Ez, I need you to let go," Vin requested.

Ezranok immediately complied, but again gave Vin a strange look. He opened his mouth to say something, but all of a sudden his eyes lit with horror and he quickly placed his hands on Vin's sides where he had just moments before gripped him.

Vin left a little warm tingle where Ezranok's hands touched him, then the boy bolted out of his arms and across the room in fear. "What? What happened Ezranok?"

Ezranok looked from one man to the other, trembling in fear, all the while whimpering, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!"

Worried, Chris rose from his seat and stepped up beside where Vin was now standing, giving Ezra room so as not to feel trapped, but close enough to be available if needed. "Vin?"

"I don't know. I felt a tingle when he touched me there for a second, but nothin' else," Vin assured his Captain then turned his attention back to the terrified boy. "What's wrong, Ez?" Ezranok only continued his murmured apologies and trembling. When there was no answer, Vin reached for the boy only to come to an abrupt stop, when Ezranok cowered away from him, bringing his hands up to protect his head.

Vin and Chris looked at each other, sickened by what they were seeing. Vin wanted just a few minutes alone with their prisoners; he had learned a few tricks during his time with Vulcans, including some very interesting punishments that were used in their old times. One specific one had been the customary penalty for child abusers, and he was itching to use it right now.

With extreme gentleness, Vin pulled Ezranok's arms down, then released them to force him to make eye contact. "Ezranok, I promise you, no one on this ship is ever going to hurt you. Now tell us what happened. I thought you were beginning to feel better about us, at least a little." Vin joked weakly, trying for a reassuring smile. From the look on Ezranok's face, he wasn't too sure he succeeded.

"I hurt you," Ezranok whispered.

Vin was surprised and stopped for a moment to catalog how he felt and look down at himself. He felt fine, no pain or anything else that would indicate injury. "I'm fine, Ez. you didn't hurt me."

"I fixed in, but I hurt you," Ezranok insisted, tears coming to his eyes again.

"How, Ezranok?" Chris asked form where he as standing watching the scene play out. If the boy was dangerous, they might have to restrain him, but he couldn't see how the boy could have hurt Vin without him knowing it. "How did you hurt Vin?"

Ezranok looked up at the tall blond man, then reached out placed his hands on the places on Vin side as he did before. "Here and here. I squeezed him too hard and broke blood vessels under the skin. I could feel it after I let him go."

Vin closed his eyes momentarily in pain and sorrow. Bruises. Ezranok had thought they would beat him because he had gotten a little over enthusiastic with a hug and lift a few bruises. Vin couldn't resist gathering the still trembling boy into his arms again and standing, holding the boy close to his heart.

Walking back over to the chairs they had occupied earlier, Vin sat down with his precious load. "Ezranok, it's all right. You fixed it. And even if you hadn't, it's no big deal," Vin soothed him. Looking up at his Captain, Vin saw his own sorrow echoed in the other man's eyes. Vin jerked his head toward the closed door, in a silent plea for Chris to get Nathan. Chris nodded and just as quietly headed for the door.

It only took a few minutes for Chris and Nathan to return, but within that time, Ezranok had fallen asleep in Vin's arms. Vin and Chris filled him in on what they had found out at which Nathan shook his head and reached for the boy. When he touched him, though, Ezranok started to stir and whimper, his arms wrapping around Vin's neck and holding on tightly, his face pressed into the side of Vin's neck.

Nathan stepped back, shocked at the boys reaction, then all three men sent confused looks at each other. Vin stood carefully and carried the slumbering form in and laid him down on the bed beside where Blair was sleeping. It took a couple minutes to get him to let go of Vin's neck, but eventually he was comfortable lying on the bed.

"He'll be fine, Vin, Captain," Nathan told the two worried men. "He's been through a great deal, and it isn't going to be easy sailing from here, but at least he's out of there."

"Understood, Doctor. We'll be on the bridge if you need us for anything," Chris told him, then tapped Vin's arm and indicated it was time to go. Vin nodded his understanding, but didn't say a word. Carefully, he set the two read cards on the table beside Ezranok before he left.

>>>>

Chris and Vin didn't say a word as the head back to the bridge, Vin worrying about the boys and Chris worrying about Vin.

Ezranok and Blair had been through a lot. As Vin had listened to Ezranok's account of when Blair was taken, there had been no mention of Blair's father, and he had the sneaking suspicion that they would have trouble finding the man, if Blair even knew who he was. And Ezranok, with nothing but vague recollections from before the slavers, had even less chance of finding any family. What was going to happen to these poor boys. Vin had experienced what could happen to orphans even at this time, and it wasn't something he would wish on his worst enemy, let alone two boys that had already seen more than their fair share of pain.

Chris worried about how attached Vin was getting to the little Vulcan boy. He had noticed how he had shortened the boy's name while the talked to him earlier and was concerned. In all likelihood, the Vulcans would want to take the boy back to Vulcan and find him a foster home there, and as much as Vin respected the Vulcans and their way of life, he would probably have a hard time letting go. All Chris could do was be there for him when the backlash lit.

Part 6

Vin and Chris made their way back to the bridge, both men heading to their stations as soon as they cleared the lift doors. Chris tapped Buck on the shoulder to announce his presence, then sat down to think about the conversation they had just had. Buck had gotten them positioned and they were already to go. Nodding at Buck, Chris gave his permission for him to engage the tractor beams. Absentmindedly, he ordered JD to send the visuals of the two boys to Admiral Travis as had been requested.

"Set course for Star Base 4 at Warp 6, Mr. Wilmington," Chris ordered, his mind still mulling over what had been said. Not about to put his finger on what was bothering him, he retrieved an earpiece. "Computer, replay conversation between Captain Chris Larabee, Lt. Commander Vin Tanner, and minor child Ezranok in Doctor Jackson's office approximately one hour ago," Chris ordered.

Vin looked over at the captain, a question obvious in his eyes. Chris caught the look, but just returned a shrug as he settled in to listen. It only took his a couple minutes to identify what had been nagging at him.

"Computer, stop replay and repeat last sentence from minor child Ezranok," Chris ordered.

"*I recognized him as gudizaras.*" The last word certainly wasn't in English, and Chris didn't recognize it.

"Vin," Chris called. When the lanky man looked over, he waved at him to come closer. "Computer, replay last sentence from minor child Ezranok on bridge speakers."

Everyone on the bridge was interested as the soft, haunted voice was heard.

"*I recognized him as gudizaras.*"

"Do you recognize that last word, Vin?" Chris asked. Vin had been able to identify the name the child had remembered, and he was hoping he might recognize this one too.

Vin furrowed his brow as he tried to place why the word sounded familiar. Chris knew the instant he found what he was looking for, for Vin's eyes went wide open.

"Vin?" Buck asked, beating Chris to it. Buck had only seen the two boys for a few moments, but he remembered how bad they had looked.

"A gudiezarras, or gudizaras, is the Vulcan name for a Sentinel's companion.a Guide, Chris," awe filled Vin's voice as he spoke.

Vin spoke softly, but everyone on the bridge heard him clearly resulting in total silence.

"Oh, dear God," Chris whispered. A three year old guide, on-line from the look of things. No wonder the boy had been overloading on that ship. Guides were some of the strongest empaths in the known galaxy. For him to be able to heal already at this age was extraordinary. "JD, contact Travis again. He'll need to be updated."

It only took a few minutes for JD to get through to the Star Base.

"Travis here, come in Wild Card."

"Larabee here, sir."

"I go the visuals you sent, Chris. We've already contacted the Vulcans and they are sending a group of representatives out. They should get here just about the same time you do." Travis informed him.

"Yes, sir. We've been able to talk to the boys some and fund that the younger boy, Blair was taken about six months ago, from a waystation near Gaerhinoss V. Ezranok still doesn't remember much from his time before the slavers. However, Ezranok was able to tell us about how Blair was taken. without going into details, the boy's mother was killed by the slavers and no mention was made of other family. However, he did tell us that he believes Blair to be a guide." Chris watched as Travis straightened in his seat.

"You're telling me, that these men not only had an eleven year old Vulcan, but also a three year old human guide?" Travis grated out, anger in every syllable. Chris knew the anger wasn't directed at him, rather at the situation.

"Yes, sir. It appears so. We do not have the facilities onboard to confirm Ezranok's statement, but the younger boy is a particularly strong empath and was being used by the slavers as a healer just as Ezranok was," Chris confirmed.

Travis sighed, "Just get back here as fast as you can, Captain Larabee. Keep both boys as comfortable as you can. If Ezranok can start to remember, all well and good, but don't push him. The Vulcans have said that they will help him remember when they arrive if they believe it will do any good. Travis out." With that Travis broke the connection and the bridge of the Wild Card went silent.

After a few minutes the bridge got back to business, Buck checked to make sure everything was in order for their trip back to base and found everything as it should be. JD went back to monitoring the communications equipment, and Vin went back to sensors and monitors. After another hour, close to the end of his shift, Chris noticed Vin shifting around and fidgeting.

"Vin, Why don't you check on the boys before heading to your quarters," Chris offered his friend. Vin's only response was a grateful smile, as he called his replacement and headed for the lift.

"Vin," Chris called before the doors opened. When Vin turned to look at him, Chris told him, "Call me if there's been any change and be careful."

Vin cast a confused look at his captain, but nodded as he headed off the bridge.

Chris gazed after him long after he was out of sight, then sighed as he brought his attention forward.

"It's a mite to late for that, don't you think, Chris?" Buck asked his old friend.

Unfortunately, Chris had to admit that Buck was right. It was much too late for Vin to be careful, as he was already well and truly emotionally involved with the young Vulcan boy, in whom he saw so much of himself.

>>>>

Vin didn't waste anytime as he strode through the corridors of the ship headed for Sick Bay. When he got there he found Nathan in his office reading.

"Hey, Vin," Nathan greeted him as he walked in. "I thought I'd refresh my memory a bit about Vulcans. It's been a while since I've had to treat one," he explained waving to the monitor he had been intently reading from.

"I've got another one for ya'." Vin warned as he walked farther into the office. "According to Ezranok, Bair is a Guide." Vin watched as Nathan's eyes widened. Nathan jerked open a drawer full of data cards and swiftly found the ones he wanted.

"Shit!" Nathan swore as he jammed the first one in the reader slot. Guides were rare and their medical treatment very specialized. It explain through why Ezranok had been so sure Nathan's touch would heard the other boy when he was in overload. It would have, badly! The first thing Nathan wanted to make sure of was that the medications he had used would cause deleterious side effects for the boy. After a few tense minutes, he slumped back in his chair in relief.

Looking up he saw Vin still standing there, a look of concern on his face. "It's okay, everything I used is approved for guides," Nathan assured him, a smile gracing his face when Vin relaxed. Taking a good look at he way Vin was half turned toward the door to the treatment bay, he snickered. When Vin looked at him with a half indignant, half embarrassed expression, he waved him on in. "Go on and look in on them. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get rid of you until you do."

Grinning, Vin didn't bother denying it as he tried not to hurry to go see the boys.

What he found when he stepped through the door wasn't exactly what he had expected.

Ezranok and Blair were sitting on the same bed, Blair in the older boys lap. The two of them reading from one of the Sick Bays movable library monitors. Both boys looked up at him as he entered then turned their attention back to what was on the screen in front of them.

"Hi, guys, what're you reading?" Vin asked.

Ezranok remained silent as Blair took off in a rambling explanation.

"Ezrwanok found thesthe and we wasth reading about some people called the Bulcanths. Did you know they." Blair happily told Vin all about what they had been reading. Vin smiled at the small boy's enthusiasm, as well as the way his childish lisp was mangling his pronunciation. This also answered his concern as to whether Ezranok could read.

As Blair paused to take another big breath to continue his explanation, Vin broke in, "I'm glad you like it, but you don't have to read it all today. It getting close to time for you to be asleep isn't?"

The boys blinked at him a couple of times, before turning to look at each other. Even though their backs were to him, Vin could make out what they were saying.

"Mr. Tanner is right, Blair."

"But, Ezranok, we justh woke up!"

"Maybe so, but one should sleep in proper cycles and that time approaches," Ezra's tone was firm but not harsh or unkind.

"Okay," Blair finally agreed. The two boys looked back a Vin to tell him, but he beat them to it.

"He's right you know, Blair. How about I go get you something for dinner, and them you guys can get to bed, hmm?" When the two boys nodded their acquiescence, Vin headed off, not noticing the suddenly wide-eyed expression on Ezranok's face.

It might have worried him if he had, but for now the only one that would worry about it was Ezranok since Blair was not old enough yet to realize what had just happened.

Part 7

Vin watched the two boys as they ate their dinner and got ready for bed. Ezranok remained quiet, but Blair chattered away about what they had read and what had happened that day. Finally Nathan came in and got them to go to sleep. Only after he was sure they were well and truly asleep did Vin leave and head for his own quarters. His mind whirled with what had happened, but it didn't take long for to also slip into the comfort of dreams.

A few hours later, Vin woke suddenly with the overwhelming feeling that something was wrong. Working on pure instinct, Vin grabbed his pants, jerked them on, then left his quarters at a dead run. It only took him a few minutes to get to sickbay, and as he ran in he didn't slow until he was in the treatment bay where the two boys lay. As he entered, he immediately noticed that Ezranok was in the grip of a nightmare. Slipping over beside where the boy lay, he started speaking softly.

"Ez, it's okay. It's just a dream. Come on now, it's all right." Vin looked up as Nathan came in to see what was going on.

"Vin, what." Nathan began, but he quickly quieted when the normally smooth tempered first officer shot him a deadly glare and motioned for him to be quiet.

As Ezranok stilled, Vin took a chance and lightly rested his hand on the boy's shoulder. At first Ezranok tensed, then his eyes fluttered open, a confused expression filling them. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"You were having a nightmare," Vin told him quietly as he helped the boy sit up.

"Oh," Ezranok whispered as he looked around. To Vin's surprise, Ezranok raised his hands and ran them down his arms. "But why are you here? Did you need the doctor?" he asked getting worried that the kind man might be hurt and continuing to check him over in the only way he knew how.

Vin stilled the boy's hands as he said, "No, I didn't come down to see the doc. I just.I knew you needed help," Vin assured him.

Ezranok was still looking at him in confusion, when Nathan spoke up. "Vin, what is going on?" he wasn't going to be put off this time.

Vin looked from Nathan to Ezranok to Blair, who had managed to sleep through Ezranok's nightmare and their talking. Seeing Nathan was going to repeat the question he quickly brought a finger to his lips, the other pointed to Blair, then nodded toward Nathan's office. Turning to the wide awake Ezranok, he surprised him by picking him up and carrying him toward the door. The boy tensed in his arms as he carried him, but after a few seconds he relaxed and out his arms around Vin's neck.

When the door had closed behind him, Vin sat down with Ezranok still held securely in his lap.

"Vin?" Nathan asked after Vin had gotten Ezranok settled in his lap.

Looking up at the dark-skinned doctor, Vin sighed. "I'm not sure what happened. I was sleepin' then all of a sudden I got this feelin' that somethin' was wrong and I knew I had to get down here fast. Came in and found Ezranok havin' a nightmare. You saw the rest."

"*I'm sorry,*" came a softly voice from the child sitting on Vin's lap, his face hidden in Vin's chest.

"It's not your fault, Ez. I just don't understand what happened," Vin reassured him. He saw the confused expression on Nathan's face, but dismissed it when Ezranok kept talking.

"*You couldn't have formed the link, so it must have been me. I didn't mean to,*" Ezranok contradicted, shaking his head without looking up at Vin.

"Huh? What link are you talking about, Ez?" Vin asked still ignoring the increasingly concerned expression on Nathan's face.

Ezra slowly looked up at Vin, his face solemn. "*This one.*"

Vin heard the words clearly, but he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Ezranok's lips hadn't moved.

"Ez?" Vin asked, a small catch in his voice.

"Vin, what the HELL is going on!?" Nathan burst out.

When Ezranok flinched at the doctor's volume, Vin gathered the boy close and held him, his eyes shooting daggers at the contrite man.

"*He can't hear me,*" Ezranok told him from his place on Vin's shoulder

Vin nodded his understanding as he tried to wrap his mind around the idea that the boy had some how formed a telepathic bond with him.

"Ez, why don't you tell us both what happened, all right?" Vin asked as he ease the boy back to where he could see his face.

"All right," Ezranok agreed as he shifted around until he was sitting sideways across Vin's lap so that he could see both men. Looking up at the tall dark doctor, Ezranok tried to think of how to explain what had happened without making them angry with him. Finally he gave up and started to tell them what he knew in as straight forward a manner as he could.

"When Mr. Tanner was here earlier, I accidentally hurt him and quickly healed him. When that happened, I must have unintentionally formed a mind link with him like I have with Blair. When he came back to see us before we went to sleep, I thought he might have heard me talking to Blair, but I wasn't sure, so I didn't say anything. I'm sorry, I don't know how it happened, it just did." Ezranok raised tear filled eyes to Vin's face as he finished.

Nathan had cast a penetrating look at Vin at Ezranok's mention of having hurt the man and promised himself he would get the full story out of Vin later. The Vulcan people were known for their strength and he wanted to make sure there was no last damage. When the boy finished though, he was more concerned about his friends mental state. Vulcan mind links were powerful things, and if this boy couldn't control them properly, there could be problems when the boy left.

Vin wasn't all that concerned about it, since he experienced a mind link once before. It had been a great comfort to him that there had been someone that could understand him, even if he couldn't find the words, as happened more frequently than not.

"It's all right, Ez. We'll work with it," Vin calmed him. "Nathan, you might should call, Chris. He's goin' to want to know what's goin' on."

Nathan nodded as he headed for the intercom station to call the captain. Chris would definitely want to know about this.

>>>>

Chris walked into Nathan's office to find his first officer with the little Vulcan boy on his lap, the doctor standing behind Vin's chair a hand on Vin's shoulder and a bewildered expression on his face. Nathan hadn't told him anything other than he needed him in his office.

"All right, what's all this about, Nathan." Chris demanded as he came closer.

"Vin?" Nathan passed the request on, since he wasn't really sure himself.

"Chris, you remember me talking about the link that I had when I was living on Vulcan?" Vin waited until Chris indicated his understanding. "Seems Ezranok and I have developed one as well."

Chris stood staring at him, slack jawed for a moment, then swallowed. "I thought it took you several months to develop that link?" he asked hoarsely.

"It did, but I can hear Ezranok just like I could hear them before," Vin said as he hugged the frightened boy in his arms.

Ezranok was sure they were going to be angry and punish him and was having trouble hiding that fear from the newly formed link. He had learned long ago how to shield Blair from what he felt, but this link was different and the same things weren't working as well. When Chris's arm came up and he stepped toward him, the terror spiked and spilled through into the link between he and Vin. "*I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't.*"

Chris stepped forward grab Vin's shoulder, intending to ask him what they should do, when the boy suddenly cowered away from him.

Vin shot out of his chair and moved away from the other two men in the room. "Back off, Chris!" Vin snapped, pulling the boy as close as he could and adopting a defensive stance.

Slowly Chris lowered his hand and approached the two. "Vin, he's scared and it's affecting you through the link. Remember, you told me that could happen. If he's having trouble, he's probably leaking his emotions. You've got to get him calmed down."

Vin heard what his friend and captain was saying and knew it was the truth. Taking a deep breath he forced himself to calm down. Dropping his face into the child's sleep tousled curls, Vin concentrated on sending thoughts of safety and comfort. It took a few minutes, but he eventually felt the all encompassing fear recede. Feeling a little shaky from the relief, Vin sat back down in his chair. This time when Chris and Nathan moved closer, Ezranok kept his eyes closed and didn't see them.

"Ezranok?" Chris called to get is attention and waited until the boy turned his head to look at him. "Can you tell us what just happened?"

"I'm sorry," the boy whispered.

Very slowly, Chris brought his hand up to brush the boy's hair out of his face. "It's alright, kid. Just tell us what happened."

In a tiny whisper Ezranok repeated for Chris what he had told Vin and Nathan. Chris snapped his eyes up to Vin's face for confirmation. At Vin's nod, he closed his eyes. This was getting more complicated every time he turned around and he was at a loss as to what to do.

Sighing and wondering what he had done to deserve this mess, Chris said, "Vin, why don't you get Ezranok to bed. Nathan, just keep an eye on the boys tonight, we'll try to sort all this out in the morning." Chris watched from the doorway as Vin carried the boy back to the treatment bay and laid him down. Vin stood by the bed side for a couple minutes, then patted the boy's arm before walking out into the corridor. Chris followed his friend out, leaving Nathan to watch over the boys.

When Vin just stood there, not saying a word, Chris moved closer. "Vin?"

Vin flashed a glance up at the blond man that he had become like his brother in the last few months. "I can't explain it, Chris. I know this should be freakin' me out, but it's not," Vin shrugged. "It's like this is the way it's supposed to be. Ezranok's link is different than the one I had before, but not all that much. His emotions are much more open that Heg'arnak's were, but the feeling of kinship is just the same."

Chris nodded as he led the way down the corridor. "Get some sleep, Vin. Maybe it'll be clearer in the morning." Vin nodded his agreement as he veered off for his quarters. Chris watched the lanky blond walk off.

Every time Chris thought he had gotten a handle on what they had found, it got weirder. Dear God, what a mess! He just hope they all survived with their sanity intact.

Part 8

The next morning Vin dropped in to check on the boys before starting his shift on the bridge. He found them just waking up and assisted Nathan in getting them ready for the day. All throughout the maneuver, though he kept catching Ezranok sending confused looks at Nathan. When Nathan stepped out of the room, he asked him, "Ezranok, what's wrong?"

Ezranok looked up at him with uncertainty in his eyes, "I am merely confused about something, but it shall pass."

Vin decided to take him at his word, but reminded him that if he needed something, all he needed do was ask. After he was sure the boys were settled in for the day with plenty to read, which Blair had informed him was what they planned to do today, Vin headed for the bridge and his duty station.

>>>>

Vin entered the bridge and caught Chris's eye. He gave the man a semi-embarrassed shrug in response to the knowing smile and raised eyebrow. Yes, he had stopped by Sick Bay to see the boys, on his way up. He couldn't explain the connection he felt, but he wasn't going to argue about it.

It was only couple hours later when Vin noticed a strange reading on one of his sensors. Fine tuning it, he tried to isolate the strange signal he was picking up. It was badly warped, but he finally narrowed it down.

"Capt'n, I'm picking up a signal on a Starfleet distress channel. It's badly garbled and there is no visual, but I've managed to clear up the audio some," Vin announced.

Chris cast a concerned glance at his first officer. "Put it on speaker, Mr. Tanner."

Vin quickly complied, and a scratchy voice that cut in and out filtered in.

"Mayd.this is.Ca.James Elli.our ship.sabotage.location un.only. survive.Mayday, Mayd."

"Keeps repeating, Capt'n," Vin said, his voice having dropped into a angry growl as the message became clearer.

"Can you triangulate the point of origin?" Chris demanded.

"Yes, sir. The signal originates from the fourth planet in the Penirunas system. According to the Starfleet database, it is a primitive class M planet that was suspected of being the base of operations for a drug, slavery, and pirating operation," Vin practically growled the last, but Chris could understand. They all were developing a newly profound disgust for slavers. "A Ground Operations Rangers unit was dispatched to investigate about a year and a half ago. The ship, the USS Cascade, disappeared enroute and all hands were believed lost," Vin reported reading off the display above his head.

"Didn't anyone look for them?" JD asked, appalled at the idea that someone had survived, just to be left out here on a primitive planet to rot.

"Yes, however, the Commodore Oliver that ordered the mission and over saw the rescue efforts was later investigated for and convicted of conspiring with the pirates in question. No reinvestigation was ever initiated," Vin continued, bringing up more data.

"Well, we're going to," Chris stated flatly. "JD, contact Star Base 4 and tell them what we found. Buck, get us to that planet as quickly as possible. Vin pin point where on the planet that signal is coming from."

Buck, JD, and Vin each bent to their tasks with alacrity. They hated the idea of what had happened to these men, and were going to make sure that any survivors were not there any longer that they absolutely had to be.

>>>>

It only took another hour and a half to reach the planet, and Vin realized that the only reason they had heard the call at all was because they were taking a different route back to Star Base than their usual, because of the ship they were towing. The signal was so weak that unless you were this close to the planet, it would never register at all..

"Entering orbit, captain," Buck reported.

"Have you pin pointed the source of the signal, Mr. Tanner?" Chris requested.

"Yes, sir, Capt'n. Its coordinates are 10.6 mark 62.9. There seems to also be the remnants of a destroyed vessel of some sort nearby," Tanner informed them. "Probably the remains of their vessel. It seems to be in the middle of a dense tropical rainforest."

"Any life signs?"

"Several, Capt'n." Vin said as he tried to pin down where and what kind. "Most don't seem quite human, I'm trying to see if any." Vin trailed off in the middle of his explanation as he spotted what he wanted. "There's one that seems to fit the spectrum for human norms, sir!" Vin announced triumphantly, "I can't be absolutely sure, but he's close to the origin of the distress signal, sir."

"Good, at least we've got a chance," Chris muttered as he got up and walked over behind Vin to inspect the data he had pulled up, including a list of the team member's names. "Get the coordinates to the transporter room. We'll see about recovering any bodies while we're there. At least we'll be able to give a few families some closure, if nothing else." Opening the com, he said, "Lt. Sanchez and a security team to the transport room for possible rescue mission. Tanner, you have the con."

Chris strode quickly from the bridge and headed for the transport room. Arriving there less than five minutes later, Chris immediately started to talk, "We've received a Starfleet distress signal from the planet below. The origin of the signal appears to be a Ranger group that disappeared enroute to this area over eighteen months ago."

"So we have survivors, sir?" Josiah clarified.

"Possibly one, Vin couldn't be sure," Chris informed him. Josiah nodded his understand, before leading his men onto the platform.

Chris took his place on the from of the platform, then ordered, "Energize."

A few seconds later the eight member landing party was materializing on the planet's surface. The first thing they noticed was the seven graves neatly lined up, each marked with a fragment of the destroyed transport vessel, names etched into their surfaces.

"How many were in the original team, Captain?" Josiah asked swiftly.

"Eight," Chris said as he walked over to the first grave to read the inscription. Going to each one in turn he read off the names matching them to the ones he had seen on Vin's list. "They're all here, except the team leader, Lt. Commander James Ellison. We'll recover the bodies after we figure out where he is.

Chris pulled his communicator, and was about to call Vin in order to get some idea which direction to head, when a primitive, but no less deadly, stone tipped arrow flew passed him to lodge in the side of a nearby tree.

Quickly all of the landing party took cover, but they didn't return fire, conscious of regulations. After only a few more arrows landed, the onslaught ended. Looking around, none of them could see where they had come from at first, then with minimal movements, the natives revealed themselves. Each was small by human standards, standing maybe five foot with dark hair and eyes, reddish skin and bright paints applied to their faces and chests. All dressed in primitive tribal dress, some more ornate than others, but definitely all similar. When Chris looked around, he realized that there had been exactly eight arrows fired, and each of them was placed to prove a point.

"Easy," Chris murmured to his men. "All or any of those shots could have been kills, starting with the first." The first had whizzed by less than six inches from his ear. "They don't want us dead."

Chris was about to start trying to talk to them when the leader of the little band called out something, and someone else moved forward to meet them. Chris was surprised to see a man, though dressed similarly to the natives, equally tall as himself with crystal blue eyes.

"Lt. Commander James Ellison, O.D.A. 731, sir. I take it someone finally received my message," Ellison said as he stuck his hand out to Chris.

Chris slowly took the offered hand and shook it, keeping a close eye on the men standing behind Ellison. He saw the release of tension from their postures when Ellison greeted him.

"Captain Christopher Larabee of the USS Wild Card. Yes, Commander, we did, though it was so garbled we really couldn't understand most of it," Chris replied.

"I can understand, Captain," Ellison said with a weary grin. "I know you'll probably want me in Sick Bay as soon as possible, but I'd like to stay to observe the retrieval of my men, if you would allow it, Captain Larabee."

Chris thought that sounded like something he would have wanted if he had been in the same situation, so he agreed. When Ellison moved over to the graves, Chris pulled his out communicator, activated it, "Larabee, to Wild Card, come in."

"Tanner here, sir."

"Tanner, we're going to need seven body bags down here, but we do have one survivor, Lt. Commander Ellison."

"Yes, sir. Should I notify Nathan to expect a patient soon?"

"No, not until after the retrieval of the bodies. Ellison seems to be in good shape, so we'll all come up together."

"Yes, sir" Vin acknowledged. "Umm, sir, will Doc be doin' the autopsies?"

"Probably, Vin, what's up?" Chris asked when he heard the worry in his first officer's voice.

"Well, I was just think. the boys probably shouldn't be there for that," Vin pointed out.

"Shit!" Chris swore. Even if they were kept out of the room, they would still feel it when Nathan performed the necessary, but grisly job. "We'll have to find some way of getting them out of Sick Bay for an hour or so."

"I could send Buck and JD down to take them to the rec room for lunch," Vin suggested.

"Sounds good, Vin. Send them down in about half an hour, and we'll transport up to the ship just after that, it shouldn't take any longer to exhume the bodies."

"Understood, Captain."

"Good, Larabee out," Chris signed off. He looked over to where Ellison was standing with his men to find the man staring at him in confusion. Walking over to the man while the security men started recovering the bodies, he asked brusquely, "Problem, Ellison?"

"No, sir, I was just surprised, sir. Scout ships don't usually have children aboard, from what I remember," Ellison said.

Chris winced, before explaining the situation. "We rescued these boys from slavers yesterday. Due to the condition they were in, they have been staying in Sick Bay. We were enroute to Star Base 4 with them, when my first officer started receiving your distress call and managed to decode it enough to understand it." A cold anger filled Ellison's eyes when Chris mentioned their rescue of the boys from slavers, but it dissipated quickly with understanding. He nodded then turned his attention to the bodies of the men that he had come here with.

Chris considered Ellison for a few moments, looking from where he had been standing when he was talking to Vin to where Ellison had been standing at the same time. There was no way Ellison should have been able to hear what had been said.

Some thing was telling him this was going to be getting weird again soon!

>>>>

Part 9

After Vin left, Ezranok read to Blair for a while, but as was the norm for small boys, Blair fell asleep mid-sentence. Very carefully, Ezranok wiggled out from under the slumbering child. Standing beside the bed, Ezranok wondered what he should do, before deciding that now was as good a time as any.

Taking a deep breath to bolster his courage, Ezranok made his way to the door to Nathan's office. He jumped a little when the door automatically opened, but he then continued inside to find the doctor writing something on one of the report pads.

Nathan looked up in surprise as his visitor walked into the room. "Did you need something, Ezranok?" he asked.

"No, sir," he assured him quickly. "I just." Ezranok stopped suddenly and ducked his head, biting his bottom lip in nervousness. When the doctor simply nodded encouragingly, he continued. "I have felt that you are uncomfortable around me, and I was wondering if I have done something to offend you, sir. I would like to apologize if I have, and know what it was so that I may not do it again."

"Oh, no, Ezranok," Nathan said quickly as he stood and walked toward the nervous child. "It's not anything you have done. It's just." Nathan stopped trying to figure a tactful way to phrase the problem. "I have a few memories that have been stirred up, they make me a little uncomfortable."

"What happened?" Ezranok asked, concerned for the man that had been so kind to he and Blair.

"It's nothing," Nathan tried to assure him. "It was a long time ago, and nothing can be changed. I just need to get my mind off it."

"But if it still causes you pain, maybe I can help," Ezranok urged.

"Maybe," Nathan said thoughtfully. He wasn't sure why, but he thought telling someone might just help, and this small boy with the much too old eyes might just understand.

"Several years ago," Nathan began slowly, his voice hushed and serious, "before I joined Starfleet, I practiced medicine on a small outpost planet. We had both human families and Vulcan families there, but there were separate doctors for the different peoples. I studied everything I could find about treating Vulcans, just in case I ever had to take over for the other man."

Nathan took a deep breath as he dredged up the reason the memories were so painful. "One day the Vulcan doctor was gone when a young Vulcan boy was severely hurt. His family wouldn't even let me try to treat him; they insisted on waiting for their own doctor."

Nathan was surprised to feel a drop of water fall on his hands. Bring his hands to his face he realized that he was crying. Looking at his young audience, he saw the tears shimmering in his eyes too.

"He died, didn't he?" Ezranok asked quietly. Nathan dropped his head as he nodded. "It wasn't your fault, Doctor Jackson. Mr. Tanner told me yesterday that I am not responsible for the keeper's actions, only my own. The same must be true for you."

"But I did nothing," Nathan objected.

"No," Ezranok denied vehemently. The usually shy boy even went so far as to place his hand on Nathan's arm, surprising the doctor. "You were prevented from doing anything. There is a difference. It was their decision to deny their son medical care, it is their guilt not yours. I have no doubt that if you had been allowed, you would have done everything in your power to save the boy's life."

Nathan looked from the boy to the hand resting so trustingly on Nathan's sleeve. Very carefully he lifted his hand and covered the small hand, squeezing it gently in acceptance.

The two of them stayed in that position for a few moments until the door opened to admit JD and Buck.

"Doc, something wrong?" JD asked in concern as he saw the two of them, tears on both of their faces. Buck was just as concerned, but he let JD take the lead.

Nathan quickly wiped the evidence of his momentary loss of control from his face. "No, JD, nothing's wrong," he assured the young man. Gently placing a hand on Ezranok's shoulder, he continued, "Actually I think something is right for the first time in many years." Slowly and gently, Nathan knelt and pulled Ezranok in for a hug, which the boy hesitantly accepted. "Thank you, my young friend," he whispered in the delicately pointed ear hidden in the boy's still scraggly hair. Releasing the boy, he stood and was delighted to find a shy smile on Ezranok's face.

"So, what did you need, JD, Buck?" Nathan turned his attention back to the communications officer and helmsman. He watched in amusement as the younger officer, who seemed little older than a boy himself at time, scuffed his feet on the floor.

"Well, it's about lunch time, and we were wondering if you'd let us take the boys to the rec room to eat?" JD finally asked, turning pleading eyes on the doctor.

"Vin is going to join us there later if he can, but he's tied up at the moment. And well.." Buck trailed off his part of the explanation as Nathan shook his head in resignation.

"And you wanted to get to know them better, didn't you, Buck? Well, they're off of dietary restrictions, so there's no problem there," Nathan chuckled as he led Ezranok by the hand toward the treatment bay where Blair was still asleep. He waved for the other two men to follow them. "Why don't we see what Blair and Ezranok have to say about that idea?"

Ezranok looked from Nathan to the other two officers. He remembered Buck vaguely from the slaver's ship. They seemed nice, but that was difficult to tell until he had been around them longer.

"Blair?" Nathan called softly as he gentle shook the boy's shoulder. Sleepy blue eyes blinked up at him after a minute.

"Ezrwanok?" Blair asked looking around.

"I'm here, Blair," Ezranok spoke up and moved around Nathan into Blair's line of sight.

"It's time for lunch and Buck and JD were wondering if you'd like to go eat with them," Nathan informed his small patient.

"Who?" Blair asked in confusion.

"These are Buck Wilmington, the ship's helmsman, and JD Dunne, our communications officer. They want to take you down to the rec room for lunch. Vin is hoping to join you later, but he's hung up at the moment," Nathan introduced the two men Blair hadn't met as yet, then explained what had been proposed.

Blair and Ezranok looked at each other, silently discussing it. Finally they decided that if Vin trusted the men, they could too.

"Okay," Ezranok answered for the both of them.

JD and Buck were both grinning their heads off as they led the two boys down the corridor toward the rec room.

>>>>

Arriving at the rec room, Buck led the way in. It was early so there weren't that many people there yet, but he and JD noticed that the boys made a real effort to keep themselves behind he and JD, using them as shield from the strangers in the room. Carefully, JD and Buck moved toward the back of the room and covertly waved off anyone that looked like they wanted to come over and talk.

Arriving at a table in the very back of the room, Buck led the two boys over to the food dispensers. "What do you want for lunch, guys?" Buck asked, a big grin on his face. "Nathan said you could have whatever you wanted." Ezranok gave him a sideways look, he knew that wasn't what the doctor had said, but maybe it meant the same thing.

"Rweally?" Blair asked, his eyes sparkling in delight.

Knowing he might be asking for trouble, but unable to resist the adorable little face, Buck agreed, "Really." He shot the snickering JD a smoldering glance, but it did nothing to quell the giggles that were rapidly overtaking the young man.

"Peanut Butterw!" Blair immediately requested, "Can I has jelly, too?"

Smiling sadly, Buck nodded as he ordered a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the boy. He wondered what they had fed these poor boys that the prospect of a peanut butter sandwich was cause for such delight. He was fairly sure he didn't really want to find out.

"What about you, Ezranok?" JD asked. "What do you want?"

Ezranok looked from one man to the other. He almost said something, but the dispenser chose that moment to produce Blair's sandwich. He watched in awe as Blair grabbed a piece of the sandwich and took a big bite, smearing peanut butter on both sides of his face. Seeing the little boy's obvious ecstasy over the sweet treat, he asked hesitantly, "Could I have one of those, too?"

"Sure, Ez," Buck went back over and repeated the order. Sighing he picked up the plate a few seconds later and brought it over to Ezranok.

Ezranok picked the sandwich up carefully. It was so soft! Taking a small bite out of one corner, Ezranok was careful not to get the sticky filling on his face. Ezranok closed his eyes as he savored the taste of the peanut butter and jelly. It was like nothing he could remember ever eating before.

"This is wonderful! Thank you so much, Mr. Dunne, Mr. Wilmington!" Ezranok said as he dug in, eating faster.

Buck and JD watch the two boys as the concentrated on their sandwiches, neither of them bothered to get anything for themselves. Their appetites had gone AWOL when they had been forcefully reminded of just how bad things had been for these two.

>>>>

Forty-five minutes later, everyone had transported back to the ship, Buck and JD were keeping Blair and Ezranok busy in the rec room, and Nathan had dealt with the preliminary autopsies at record speed. Anything more detailed could wait until they got back to base. Now he turned his attention to the lone survivor of the disastrous mission, who was giving all the signs of being in some pain.

"Lt. Commander, where are you hurting," Nathan asked quietly, as he had noted Ellison's adverse reaction to loud noises when a tray of instruments had been dropped earlier. Chris and Vin, who had arrived from the bridge just a few minutes ago, watched as Ellison tried to shrug off the question. They could have told him it wouldn't do any good, when Nathan got the idea that someone need his help, he was like a dog with a bone.

"It's nothing, doctor," Ellison, who was now wearing a new uniform, tried to evade the inquiry, but it did no good.

"Ri-i-ight," Nathan drawled. "That's why you're squinting and swallow frequently to keep from losing your lunch." Nathan pulled out a medi-tricorder and ran the small device over Ellison's body then brought it up to read it. "Reading are within the upper ranges for normal, accept for pain receptor discharge, which is very high. No fudging, Ellison, where does it hurt?"

Sighing in defeat, Ellison admitted, "I've had a migraine since I came on board." Nathan nodded, then went to grabbed a nearby hypo. Adjusting the medication, he administered it and waited for it to take affect. The reaction he got was anything but what he expected.

Ellison shouted in pain, his hands jumping to cover his ears as he pitched forward to huddle on the floor, his eyes shut tightly.

>>>>

Two levels up, Buck and JD were trying to teach Blair and Ezranok how to play a card game, when Blair suddenly went dead silent and still.

"Blair!" Ezranok yelped as he ran around the table to get to his young friend. Gathering the boy up in his arms, Ezranok glared in suspicion at everyone around them, all of whom had turn to see what was going on at his shout. "Blair, what's the matter? Blair?" Ezranok was getting frantic when he couldn't get and answer from his friend.

Buck and JD approached the still figure, worried that the boy was ill or something.

Suddenly Blair looked straight at Ezranok and said, "I'sth got to get back to Sthick Bay."

>>>>

Part 10

Buck and JD looked at each other in confusion for a moment, not sure what to do. Ezranok had no such uncertainties; he simply helped Blair down from his chair and the two started for the door.

"Hey!" Buck called as he looked back and saw them leaving the room.

Ezranok looked back over his shoulder, but didn't stop. "Blair must return to Sick Bay," he informed them logically, unsure what their problem was.

"But."JD started to protest as he followed them, but they never slowed, let alone stopped. Seeing that they weren't going to stop, he and Buck just walked along with them.

Since the boys were walking quickly, it didn't take very long for them to arrive back at Sick Bay. Blair and Ezranok increased their speed when they were within a few hundred feet of their destination, even entering at a run. Blair headed straight for the treatment area, where they could hear voices.

Entering the room they found Nathan, Chris, and Vin kneeling on the floor around a man that was curled up in a fetal position whimpering in pain.

"Leave him 'lone!" Blair demanded as he rushed over, pushing at Nathan.

"What.?" Nathan exclaimed as he instinctively jerked backward, giving Blair an opportunity to dart in between them.

Immediately his demeanor changed to be very soothing and gentle. "Isth all right, I'sth help you.." Blair murmured, his voice dropping so low that they could barely understand him, as he started to caress the man's hair and face.

Nathan was about to object, but his attention was caught when Ellison slowly lowered his hands, even though he still kept his eyes closed and his legs pulled up to his chest.

Ezranok stood close by watching everything that was happening with keen interest. Taking note of the man's apparent sensitivity to light, he started trying to find a way to dim the lights. Coming up empty, he decided to ask Vin, who was still kneeling beside the group on the floor. "*Mr. Tanner, is there some way to turn down the lights?*" Ezra asked through their link.

Vin looked over at him in bewilderment, for a moment. "*Why?*" he returned silently.

Ezranok drew Vin's attention to the fact Ellison was keeping his eyes tightly shut. "*The light is hurting his eyes.*"

Glancing back at the distressed man, Vin wondered why they hadn't figured that out before. Rising he caught Chris and Nathan's attention and pointed to the lights, then he quickly slipped into Nathan's office and dimmed the lights to twenty percent.

In the treatment area, all of the adults were trying to figure out what Blair was doing. Ezranok was standing guard behind him to make sure nothing happened to disturb him. He needn't have bothered, since Nathan and the rest were too relieved that it was working to even think about stopping him. At this point Buck and JD decided that they were wasting space and turned to leave. Buck caught Chris's eye; pointing to himself and JD, he waved toward the door, signaling that they were going to leave. Chris nodded his understanding and went back to watching the little boy work his magic.

As the light dimmed, Jim, still floundering in the maelstrom of input, risked opening his eyes just a sliver. To his eternal surprise, he found himself looking up into the bluest eyes he had ever seen, but the face was youthful in the extreme. The boy that was talking to him in that so very soothing voice was little more than a toddler.

While his skin still hurt and the smell of this place was making him nauseated, Jim had enough control to whisper, "Who are you?"

The smile that came to that adorable face was captivating, and Jim unconsciously smiled back.

"I's Blairw," the boy whispered back. "Everything too much, yes?" Blair waited for Jim to nod slightly, before thinking hard. Remembering the monitors that Nathan had used on he and Ezranok earlier, he said, "See five barsth for what you feel. When they arwe tall, you see too much, hear too much. Pull them down and you will sthee lessth, feel lessth, yesth?" Blair tried to explain.

Jim looked at the boy like had lost his mind for a moment, when another boy about eleven knelt beside the first. In a voice that, while not as soothing as the first boy's, at least didn't great on his ears, he whispered, "Please try, Blair just wants to help you."

Jim looked from one boy to the other for a moment, before deciding he had nothing to lose. Closing his eyes again, he thought of five sensor read outs, as one would find on a bridge monitoring board. With a newfound determination he consciously made the numbers reduce, and found to his awe, that it was working. The astringent smell of the Sick Bay receded to be replaced with a pleasant woodsy smell, the calliope of mechanical and electronic sounds was over ridden by a muffed, rhythmic thumping. The painful harshness of the uniform, faded back to the normal stiffness of new cloth. Very carefully Jim opened his eyes. Finding the lighting low and gentle, he opened them wider to take a better look at his little rescuer.

"Thank you, Blair. You can call me Jim, if you want," he said, reaching out with one hand to stroke the youngster's face.

"No thank, have to help," Blair told him. "You hurwting, not like when you hurwting. Wolf and Black Kitty not happy when you hurwting."

Ezranok started back to stare at Blair with wide eyes when Blair mentioned the animals.

"Commander, do you think you can stand?" Nathan asked very quietly when everyone was silent for a couple of minutes.

Jim tore his gaze away from Blair and realized he was the center of attention for three officers and the two boys. His face flamed bright red with embarrassment as he nodded and started to push himself up. As soon as the uniform started rub, however, he started losing control of his sense of touch again.

Blair, feeling his discomfort rising again, touched his hand and whispered, "Pull the barw down."

Jim closed his eyes momentarily and pulled up the image he had created before. Sure enough the one he had labeled touch had started rising. Taking a firm grip on it, he brought it back down to where it was comfortable.

"Thank you again, Blair," Jim said as he continued to push himself to his feet. Once he was there he addressed them all, "My apologies, Captain. I don't know what happened, but I'm better now. Doctor Jackson can continue his examination now."

Nathan was about to step forward to just that, very worried about the episode that had just transpired, when a small voice piped up indignantly.

"No," Blair stated firmly, "Histh clothesth bad, Smellsth herwe arwe bad. Fix firwst, then Doctorw Nathan." Blair crossed his arms over his thin chest and stamped his foot for good measure.

Nathan was in a quandary. He was glad Blair had been able to help the man, but he didn't know how, nor was he sure if the child was right about what Ellison needed first. Taking a chance he asked, still keeping his voice low, "How do we fix it, Blair? What do should we do?"

"Jim need sthoft clothesth," Blair said as he pulled on Jim's hand, leading him out of the treatment bay and into Nathan's office and over to a chair. "Thesthe too stiff. Sthmellsth bad in therwe, betterw in herwe."

"Okay," Nathan agreed. He knew that new uniforms were notorious for their roughness and his patients frequently complained about the smells in the treatment bay. Moving to a cabinet off to one side he pulled out an infirmary jumpsuit. They were much softer that a standard uniform and it was the only thing he could think of quickly. "How about this, Blair?"

Blair wouldn't let Jim even pick up the clothing until he had rubbed it between his fingers and deemed it satisfactory. He then preceded him into the side room where he went to change his clothes to make sure nothing dangerous was hidden in the room, before coming back out to wait for him.

While Ellison was changing, Chris squatted down beside the chair he had claimed and asked, "Blair? How did you know how to help?"

Blair looked blankly at him for a moment before shrugging. He didn't know why he knew, he just did. Ezranok walked up on the other side of him, and said, "He is Blair's Serintelyas."

Chris's eyes widened in shock. Locking eyes with Vin, he saw confirmation of his thoughts in Vin's stunned expression. Glancing at Nathan, he found a matching astonishment there.

According to Ezranok, Ellison was a Sentinel, and not only that he was Blair's Sentinel!

>>>>

Part 11

Chris didn't have long to dwell on the shock, since Blair hopped out of the chair and met Ellison just as he was opening the door to come back and join them. Chris stood and stepped back as Ellison joined them, Blair fussing over him all the time.

When Ellison was comfortably seated, Blair finally turned to them. "Doctorw Nathan, you can ec'sthamin Jim now, if you want."

Nathan was rather uncomfortable as he moved around to Ellison's side taking the place Ezranok vacated to go stand by Vin's side. With Ezranok's declaration still ringing in his ears, he was very careful to be gentle as possible as he examined his patient. And Blair was there the entire time, watching over his Sentinel.

Vin looked from Blair and Ellison to Ezranok in wonder. A Guide and a Sentinel? Not only that but a destined pairing? "Ezranok, are you sure?" Vin asked quietly. He noticed that Ellison turned to look at them, indicating he had heard the question.

"Yes, sir," Ezranok said solemnly.

"How?" Chris asked suddenly, turning to the strange child that had come into their care.

Ezranok looked up at Chris in trepidation, uncertain if he could explain it. "I can see it," he told them. "When I look at them I can see what they are, and the bond beginning between them. It has already severed the link between Blair and myself."

Huh? Vin was confused. He had never heard of something like this, even during his time on Vulcan. Thinking fast he said, "Can you show me what you mean by that?" When Ezranok just looked at him blankly, he explained further. "If you think about the link we have, you maybe able to let me see what you are seeing."

Shrugging, Ezranok nodded his head and looked over to where Nathan was working with Blair and Ellison. As he consciously thought about the link with Vin, he stared hard at the image of the Sentinel and Guide as he saw it. He knew it had worked when he heard the man behind him gasp. That small sound broke his concentration and he looked back up at him in expectation.

Vin stared at the two before him in amazement, knowing that Ezranok had been right. They were Sentinel and Guide and they were bound for each other.

"Vin?" Chris said, still using hushed voices while grabbing his shoulder to get his attention. He wasn't sure what was going on here, but he was getting very uncomfortable.

Vin raised shocked eyes to his captain's face. "Ezranok showed me what he was seeing. He's right, Chris, they're bound Sentinel and Guide. The only way to separate them now would be to kill one of them."

At that Ellison's head snapped up and he practically growled as he pulled Blair into his lap to protect him. Nathan backed again in a hurry, Ellison looked just about ready to rip someone's throat out.

"Jim?" Blair asked in confusion. "What wrwong?"

"They're talking about splitting us up, Blair," Ellison snarled.

Vin stepped forward slowly, hands out in the open, unconsciously putting himself between Ellison and Ezranok. "That's not what I meant, Commander. We've been concerned about Blair and Ezranok, because as far as we know they have no family, no home. I was just informing the captain that Blair does now have a home. With you, permanently."

Ellison calmed down greatly, though he still held Blair firmly on his lap. After a few moments, he shook his head as if to clear it. Looking toward Captain Larabee sheepishly, he said, "Sorry, Captain, I'm not sure what's got into me."

"It's all right, Ellison. I believe it's usually called Blessed Protector Syndrome," Chris said wryly. "As I remember it comes part and parcel with the whole Sentinel thing."

"Oh, makes sense I guess. I haven't felt that since my senses were suppressed, so now that their back." Ellison trailed off when he saw the surprise on their faces. "What?"

"You knew you were a Sentinel? But." Nathan stammered.

"I've known I was sentinel since I was a child, but my senses disappeared when I was about ten. I've been latent since then," Ellison explained. "The doctor's did everything they could think of to bring them back, but nothing worked. I should have realized what was happening earlier, but I was a little shook up." Ellison shook his head in annoyance.

Blair looked around at the adults, in confusion. "Jim? All good?" He wasn't sure what was going on, but at least no one was angry any more.

Jim smiled down at the adorably worried face. "Yeah, Chief, it's all good."

'All good? Not exactly the way I would describe the situation,' Chris thought, but he let it stand. "I'm going to have to update Travis on this situation," Chris announced as he turned and head out of Sick Bay.

Vin watched him leave, half wishing he could go with him, but he knew he was still needed here. Ezranok moved up beside him, and he unconsciously reached out to pull him close to his side.

Nathan very carefully finished his exam and announced that Ellison looked to be in practically perfect health, or would be as soon as he and Blair had time to work on his control. Considering for moment, he said, "Vin, are the guest quarters next door to you still open?"

"Yeah, they are. Why?" Vin answered uncertainly. Just what did Nathan have in mind? They had filled just about every nook and cranny of the ship with refugees, but that room had been left open because of the connecting door to Vin's quarters.

"I'm thinking that would be a good place to put Ellison and Blair. They'd be fairly close if there are any problems, and the connecting door would save time if there were any. Yet you could each have privacy," Nathan pointed out.

"Alright," Vin agreed slowly, then added, "as long as Ezranok can stay with me while Blair's with Ellison. I don't think it would be a good idea to leave him here in Sick Bay." Vin knew that the fall out from the severed link was coming, and he wanted the boy close when it hit.

"That should be fine, Vin," Nathan acquiesced. "What do you think, Commander?"

"Sounds good. But since I'm not on the clock, so to speak, could you just call me Jim or Ellison? I never was one for formality," he replied. To back up his statement, he stood carrying Blair, who was starting to doze off after all the excitement.

"Sure, Jim," Vin said as he turned to lead the way out of Sick Bay.

>>>>

It only took them a few minutes to reach their quarters. Vin led the way inside and showed Ellison where everything was. He was surprised at first that Blair perked up when they entered the new room, demanding to be put down so he could check everything out. The surprise lasted only as long as it took to figure out that Blair was making sure that everything was okay for his Sentinel.

On Blair's orders, the bed linens were stripped off and replaced with softer materials, the air temperature was adjusted and the scent of the freshener was changed. The soaps and cleansers provided were removed to be replaced later by gentler products, and Blair insisted that Jim's uniform be washed at least twice before it was delivered, so that the new cloth stiffness would be softened first.

Watching the little whirlwind that was so determined that Jim would be comfortable in his temporary quarters, Vin decided that the man was in good hands. Catching Ellison's eye, Vin grinned and was gratified when he received a similar smile in return.

Finally winding down after everything was settled to his satisfaction, Blair crawled up in Ellison's lap where he was sitting at the table with Vin and Ezranok.

"All good?" Jim asked his little Guide, mimicking what Blair had asked him earlier.

Blair nodded tiredly. "All good, no hurwt Jim now."

For the first of many times, Jim gathered the little boy close and hugged him. Vin was faintly surprised to see a tear gathered at the corner of Ellison's eye then realized he shouldn't be. Ellison had been abandoned on a planet on the backside of nowhere, then when he was rescued, he had been sent off in a painful and confusing round of sensory spikes. Now this little boy, little more than a baby, was exhausting himself for the sole purpose of his comfort.

Smiling, Vin tapped Ezranok on the shoulder and nodded at the door and they left quietly.

>>>>

Once they were out in the hall, Vin took a long look at the silent boy that stood by his side. There were faint lines of stress and pain around Ezranok's eyes and he could feel the rising tide of sorrow within the boy. It was never easy for a Vulcan to endure a broken bond, but he knew it was going to be worse for Ezranok. The only person he had had to depend on for the last several months was Blair, and now that link had been overridden by Blair's bond with his Sentinel.

Pulling gently, Vin led Ezranok into his own quarters.

His quarters were not typical in any way. He loved the Ancient West and had taken great pains to collect authentic antiques and compatible reproductions. It was soothing to Vin, an oasis of the past in a very hectic present.

Ezranok didn't seem to notice; he just followed where ever Vin led him.

Vin escorted the boy to the table, and sat down. After a few moments of stillness, Vin picked the now trembling boy up and sat him on his lap. Pulling the boy close he guided his head down on his shoulder and held him. It only took a couple of minutes for the trembling to escalate into full-fledged shaking.

"It's all right, Ez. I've got you." Vin murmured into the grieving boy's ear. He knew when the shock dissipated, he would have to deal with Ezranok's guilt at his reaction, but for now he just had to get him through this.

>>>>

Part 12

Vin held Ezranok throughout the tide of emotion, rocking slightly and murmuring reassurances. Vin knew that he was having trouble understanding exactly what was happening.

Within the last thirty hours he had gone from long time prisoner and slave with only one friend in the galaxy, to being rescued and developing a link with one of his rescuers. Then he had had the one person that he could depend on pulled away and the bond between them broken. Vin knew that Ezranok did not discount their bond, but the difference between a couple of months and a few hours was quite significant.

So he held him and let him cry out his grief and pain.

And as he sat comforting his bond mate, Vin wondered if Chris might not be right in suspecting Ezranok of having Romulan blood. Ezranok's emotions were much more open than any Vulcan he had ever known. Even the youngest children were taught to control everything, to suppress all emotion. Yet Ezranok openly and unashamedly displayed his feelings. It might have been a result of the memory loss, but Vin didn't think so.

Whatever the case, Vin vowed to be there for him as long as possible.

As the sob subsided into sniffles, Ezranok pulled back and wiped at his face. "I'm sorry, I don't."

Vin stopped the apology with a single finger placed at Ezranok's lips. "It's all right. I know how much it hurts when a bond is broken."

Ezranok looked at him, his head tilted slightly, a curious expression on his face. "What happened?"

Vin hesitated, not really wanting to drag up the past, but he wanted the boy to know that he did understand. "I lived with a Vulcan family for a couple of years when I was a boy maybe a two or three years older than you are now. A couple months after I got there, the son of the people I was living with, who was several years younger than I was, was hurt by a wild animal while saving my life. He and I had been friends since I arrived, so I volunteered to help nurse him back to health. During that time, we developed a bond kind of like the one you and I have."

Ezranok's eyes grew as Vin told the story, his mouth forming a small "o" in surprise. When Vin broke off, Ezranok repeated gently, "What happened?"

Vin drew a deep breath, "He died just before I left. He got caught in a rockslide and crushed. There might have been a chance, but the doctor was over at the next settlement and couldn't get back fast enough." Tears slid silently down Vin's face as he remembered the frantic hour waiting for the doctor to return only for him to arrive mere minutes after his friend died and the immense pain as the bond was torn from his mind. He had been told later that he had slipped into shock and it had taken quite a bit to bring him out. They had never told anyone about the bond that had formed between them.

Vin snapped his eyes open suddenly when a gentle hand rested on Vin's cheek. He then looked down into wet green eyes. "Does it still hurt?" Ezranok asked quietly.

"I still miss him, but no, it doesn't hurt any more," Vin told him. "I know you're hurting, but Blair is fine. He's doing what he was meant to do. You knew he was a Guide, so you knew that this time would come." Vin paused momentarily until Ezranok nodded his understanding and agreement, then continued, "I know it's still hard, but hopefully you can stay in touch and see each other now and then. I know I'll definitely make sure to stay in touch where ever you end up." Vin smiled and hugged the boy close at the last, and to his surprise, Ezranok returned the hug.

"Thank you," Ezranok whispered into Vin's ear just before he let go.

>>>>

After Chris left the Sick Bay he headed immediately for his quarters to send another update to Admiral Travis. Upon arriving his marched over to the computer terminal and sat down, but instead of calling for a line to the base, he sat and considered the events of the last hours. If anything else happened on the way to base, he might just decide to retire. This was all just too crazy!

Sighing, he opened the com, "Larabee to the bridge, get me a line to Admiral Travis at Star Base 4."

JD complied quickly, he himself still mulling over what he had seen in the Sick Bay. "Admiral Travis will be on in a moment, sir."

With a vague feeling of dj^ vu, Chris watched the image change from the young communications officer to his superior again.

"Travis, to Wild Card Chris, what's going on?" Travis look concerned, as well he might. This was the third time they had contacted him in less than two days, and it had been weirder each time.

"Admiral, we seem to have run across a unique situation. Approximately three hours ago, Lt. Commander Vin Tanner brought to my attention a garbled transmission that he had been able to decipher. It was carried on a Starfleet distress band and indicated a downed vessel. Investigation revealed that it had been sent by a survivor of the USS Cascade which was lost in this area over eighteen months ago. We located the source of the signal and rescued the lone survivor of the mission, Lt. Commander James Ellison. We also retrieved the bodies of those that did not."

At this point, Chris could tell Travis was wondering what about the situation required his attention. Though the rescue of the stranded man was wonderful, it was a straight forward action and a regular report would have been sufficient, if not for the rest of what he was about to share.

"After Doctor Jackson dealt with the bodies, he started to examine Ellison. However after administering medication for a migraine headache, Ellison was thrown into extreme sensor spikes. Ellison was a latent Sentinel, and his senses were coming back on-line, sir. However," Chris rushed on as he saw Travis was about to blow a gasket, "Blair, the three-year-old guide we rescued, was two levels away at the time, yet he knew what was happening and returned to Sick Bay on his own to help Ellison. They have bonded and are working on getting his senses under control at this time."

Chris watched as Travis ran his hand through his hair in frustration, a look of disbelieving astonishment on his face. He understood the feeling.

"Alright, let me get this straight, within the last thirty-six hours, you've captured a slaver's vessel. On said vessel you found an eleven-year-old Vulcan or Romulan boy and a three-year-old human empath and Guide. Today, you rescued a Starfleet officer that has been stranded on a planet for the last eighteen months, a latent Sentinel whose senses are now back on-line. Said Sentinel and Guide have now bonded and are settling in. Is that everything?" Travis said, his tone daring him to give him anymore.

Chris winced, "Not quite, sir. Lt. Commander Tanner has developed some type of mind link with the boy Ezranok. We discovered it late last night."

"Dear God, Chris! You never do anything the easy way do you?" Travis groaned. "Just get back here as fast as you can and pray you don't run across anything else!"

"Yes, sir," Chris acknowledged before Travis signed off. Sighing, he commed the bridge, "Larabee to Wilmington, set course for Star Base 4 at Warp 7." He didn't wait for Buck to say anything before cutting the com and switching channels. "Larabee to Sick Bay, Doctor Jackson, how is everything going down there?"

Nathan keyed open the line. "Fairly well, sir. Vin and I thought that the best place to put Ellison and Blair would be the open quarters beside Vin's. Tanner also requested that Ezranok be allowed to stay with him, and I agreed. They just left a few minutes ago."

Chris thought about it a moment then nodded, from what Vin had told him from his own experience, a broken bond was painful. He would be just the one to help the boy when it hit. "Sounds good. I'll be on the bridge it you need me."

Chris leaned back after keying off. Damn, he was tired and the day was only half over. Standing, he straightened his tunic and strode toward the door. Vin would probably be back on the bridge soon and he wanted to beat him back.

>>>>

Less than an hour later, Vin strode onto the bridge. After the shock and pain had passed, Ezranok had been exhausted and Vin had put him into his bed to sleep. They'd have to make the fold out bed later, but for now this would do.

Arriving on the bridge he saw Chris in his chair and headed over.

"How's the boy?" Chris asked without taking his eyes off the view screen.

"Ezranok's doing was well as can be expected, better than I thought he would actually," Vin replied.

"Ellison and Blair?" Chris asked next.

"I checked in on 'em as I came down. They're doing well. Blair was exhausted, too, so they were sleeping. Ellison woke up and indicated all was well. I showed them where the com was earlier in case they have a problem."

Chris grunted an acknowledgement, wondering how to approach the question that was weighing on his mind.

"I don't know what's goin' to happen to Ezranok when we get to Star Base 4. I'm beginnin' to think you might have been on to something when you said he might be Romulan, though." Vin admitted, seeing the conflict on his captain face. "I just hope to hell it turns out all right."

"Yeah," Chris whispered. "Me, too." 'For him and for you.'

>>>>

Part 13

For the next two days, life on the USS Wild Card progressed at a more or less normal rate, much to Chris's relief.

Jim Ellison and Blair spent most of their time together, settling his senses and getting them completely under control. Blair kept a watchful eye on everything that Ellison came in contact with, making sure that nothing could be harmful to him. Even then, Blair and Ezranok did get together to play a bit under the watchful eye of Ellison or Vin a few times.

Vin and Ezranok talked a great deal when they were alone. Vin telling Ezranok what life on Vulcan might be like, and Ezranok telling Vin about everything he could remember from before he was taken by the slavers, which was still very, very little, and about what life under the slavers had been like. When their discussions grew too serious, Vin took great delight in telling funny stories of other places, trying to get Ezranok to smile and laugh. It became his mission to get the boy to laugh at least once a day.

Now they were only a couple hours out from Star Base 4 and Vin was at his station, worrying about what would happen to the little boy that had come to mean so much to him. He had reviewed everything the computer had about Vulcan dealings with orphans and everything he could remember from his time with them.

The family he had lived with had always treated him well, but this situation was different. He had been a human in their household. Ezranok looked the part to a certain extent, but his childhood had in no way prepared him for what would be expected of him.

Vin found he was afraid of what might happen. Ezranok might be Vulcan, but he was not used to the control and suppression, the purely logical thinking that was enforced on Vulcan. Ezranok had needed the release of tears on more than one occasion in the last couple of days. If that was indicative of the boy's psyche, the Vulcan way of life would crush him.

Sighing, Vin adjusted the sensor arrays and pulled his mind from the path it had taken. There was nothing he could do about the situation.but that wouldn't keep him from wondering and worrying.

>>>>

Chris sat in his command chair, seemingly calm and at ease as they approached base.

Calm! Yeah, right! Chris mentally snorted. He was returning to base with nearly two hundred refugees, eight slavers to be turned over for trial, a newly bonded Sentinel and Guide pair, one of which was a Starfleet officer that had spent the last eighteen months stranded on a backwards planet in the middle of nowhere and the other a three-year-old rescued from the afore mentioned slavers, and an eleven-year-old Romulan boy who happened to have mind-linked with his first officer, who was fighting some pretty strong childhood memories.

Was that everything?

It damn well better be, Chris thought as he surveyed the bridge. He knew that Vin wasn't the only one hat had fallen under the spell of their two little foundlings.

Buck and JD had been sure to tell him what had gone on during their little foray to the rec room. They had both volunteered to baby-sit if either Ellison or Vin needed help. So far neither man had taken them up on the offer, but is was out standing.

Doctor Jackson had lost a great deal of his reticence around the boys since their rescue of Ellison. Nathan wouldn't tell him what had happened, but it was nice to see the man without the air of tension that so frequently enveloped him.

Several men had been in the rec room when Buck and JD took them in for lunch that day and witnessed everything from the request for sandwiches to Blair reaction to Ellison's distress, and they hadn't been able to keep from talking about the incident. As a result, the story was all over the ship. Even Josiah had started falling under their spell from a distance, and now made it a point to just happen to be in the area of the rec room they used for meals when every possible.

Shaking his head, Chris put it out of his mind. They were only a couple hours out, and then it would be out of their hands.

Though if he were to be honest with himself, he knew he was going to miss them too.

>>>>

The two boys that were the center of so much thought were currently ensconced in Blair and Ellison's temporary quarters playing a simple game with Blair's Sentinel.

Jim Ellison was still trying to regain his balance after everything that had happened.

Less than a week ago he had been a respected member of the tribe. He realized now that his senses had been partially on-line for sometime now, but at the time he hadn't recognized the signs. Then the his distress call, the one he only barely remembered recording and setting up to transmit eighteen months ago, had finally been heard and he had been rescued.

He had felt so much relief at the sight of the familiar uniforms; he was finally going home.

Then the sensor spike from hell! Thank God for Blair was then only thing he could think of as he remembered the burning pain that had lanced through his body. If the precious little boy hadn't been there, he was positive he would have lost his mind.

And now they were bonded.

For the last two days, Blair had taken care of him. It seemed so incongruous. Blair was a little over three-years-old according to the doctor, and yet it was he that was taking care of Jim, instead of the other way around. Jim just shrugged and vowed silently that he would take care of Blair to the best of his ability from now on.

Which brought Jim's thoughts to what the future might hold. Captain Larabee and his first officer Tanner had already told him what had happened concerning that ill-fated mission. While Jim was angry about it, he could understand that it was dealt with and over. It was time to move on.

After all, he had Blair to think about now, too.

Personally, he wanted nothing to do with Ground Operations anymore, but as a Sentinel, he knew that his place was protecting his people. Maybe he could see about a placement aboard ship? The couple days he had spent here on the Wild Card had been great. He had received offers from several of the ship's officers to take care of Blair if he wanted a break and had started a tentative friendship with Vin Tanner. It helped that Vin was taking care of Ezranok for the duration of their trip to Star Base 4.

Ezranok, Ellison mused, was a very unusual boy. Vin had filled him in on all the particulars surrounding the boys' rescue, and he was impressed with the way the older boy had protected Blair. He was grateful that Blair had had someone to shield him for those months he had been on the slave ship. As he looked at the young Vulcanesque boy, he was confused. At times, he was as withdrawn and quiet as one might think a Vulcan child should be, but less than ten minutes later, he could be as out going and open as a human child. Jim had noticed that Ezranok was only open around those he had come to trust and figured that explained most of it, but that still didn't erase the confusion.

Turning his attention back the game at hand, Jim shove the speculations from his mind. First they had to get to the base and through all the debriefings. That was enough to worry about for now.

>>>>

Ezranok tried to keep his mind on the game, but it just wasn't working.

Blair obviously enjoyed being with the big man, Ellison, and Ezranok was glad Blair had found his Sentinel. Blair had a place now. He and his Sentinel would be family for each other. He could feel the loneliness that had pervaded the man's emotions. Ezranok was happy for both of them

But he couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen to him now.

He had heard the speculation concerning himself and his history, as a result he had researched what he could find in the ship's computer concerning the Vulcan people, their home planet, and their customs, and had found it all very unsettling. The Vulcans were known for their devotion to logic and supreme control of all emotion. Ezranok wasn't sure he wanted to have to live like that, and if he was sent to Vulcan, he would have too. Ezranok had learned by necessity to control the expression of emotion while on the keepers vessel, but since coming here he had been free to show what he felt. Even encouraged a little to do so by the kindness so freely showed to him.

His thoughts turned to the man that had been so kind to him and to Blair since they had been found. Mr. Tanner was unlike anyone adult he had ever met before, either on the keeper's ship or on the various planets they visited. Vin felt a compassion and.dare he think it?.love for them that went far beyond that of the rest of the men on the ship.

Ezranok found himself wishing that he could just stay here, with Vin on this ship. Wishing that Vin wanted to have him here, but he wouldn't push to stay if he was not wanted.

Ezranok knew that various of the other officers and crew had come to like them, but he wasn't all that comfortable with most of them. The Captain, Mr. Larabee, and Vin were the ones he knew the best. Mr. Wilmington and Mr. Dunne were pleasant to be around. Doctor Jackson was also a companion he enjoyed spending time with. He was also slowly getting to know, Mr. Sanchez, who worked security.

Feeling the Sentinel's eyes on him, Ezranok tensed. He was never sure what to expect when adults looked at him, and it was very unnerving. Except for Vin, Ezranok had come to accept that Vin didn't want anything from him. Vin just wanted to be near him and to help him. Every time he was with him he was enveloped in a warm feeling of contentment and security.

He would miss that feeling.

>>>>

Part 14

The Wild Card's arrival at Star Base 4 seemed almost anti-climatic for most of its crew and passengers.

Chris ordered Josiah and Buck to oversee transfer of the refugees from the cargo ship and the Wild Card, then security was to escort the eight prisoners from the brig to the Star Base's holding cells. Vin and Chris were on hand to watch their unwelcome passengers leave; their leader still grumbling and trying to threaten them into letting them go.

Turning away, Vin started down the hall. It was now time to gather their more friendly guests and head over. Hopefully Travis would give them a little more information on what to expect when they got there.

"Vin?" Chris called as he pulled up along side his first officer. He was concerned about the solemn silence that hung around the man. Vin was usually a quiet man, but there was something sorrowful about him. The look in the younger man's blue eyes confirmed Chris's worries.

Vin stopped and turned toward his captain and best friend, but remained silent for a few moments. "I'll be fine, Capt'n, but it's not going to be easy. If the Vulcans want to take Ezranok back to Vulcan and put him with a foster family there." Vin shuddered. "I'm afraid of what that might do to the boy."

Chris laid a compassionate hand on his friend's arm. "The boy needs to be with his own people, Vin. It's for the best." Even before Chris had finished his sentence, Vin was shaking his head in disagreement.

"No, Capt'n, it's not," Vin insisted. "Ez needs to be with those he can trust, and." Vin paused, unsure if he should tell Chris, then plunged on, "and I think he's afraid on them, Chris. He doesn't mind me talking about what happened to me while I was on Vulcan. But if I try to talk about what his life would be like on Vulcan, he changes the subject and I can feel the fear through the bond." Vin looked confused and pained as he continued, "I'm not sure what I should do, Capt'n. I want to keep the boy here, but I want to do what's best for him too. If he is Vulcan, he could have a lot of problems later on if he doesn't get the right training now, but he's afraid of them and he knows nothing of their way of life."

Chris sighed, his own misgivings coming to the fore. "Yeah, and if the boy isn't Vulcan, but Romulan, their disciplines will crush him. And there's no way in hell we'd send the boy back to the Romulans. Dear God, it's all such a mess. I don't know what to do either, Vin."

Vin nodded and both men were silent for a few minutes. The Vin looked up and met Chris's eyes again. "Chris, if the Vulcans don't take him, I'm going to request that the boy be left in my care." Chris opened his mouth, but Vin cut him off. "Capt'n, Ezranok's real mature for his age, so he wouldn't need someone to look after him all the time, and he could help out around the ship. As for his schoolin', I'll teach 'em. We have everything he could need and more in the ship's computer."

Chris looked closely at the lanky man's face as he spoke. "You've been giving this some thought for awhile, haven't you?"

Vin blushed and looked down, "Yeah, since I realized that we share a bond." Vin looked back up with determination shining in his eyes, "I've lost one bondmate. I don't want to lose another, Chris."

"Yeah," Chris nodded then smirked at him. "And what I was goin' to say was, 'Go for it, Vin.' Both you and that boy deserve a little happiness. I think you both would find that with each other."

Vin smiled brilliantly at Larabee. "Thanks, Chris."

Together the two men continued down the hall toward their destination the next door down.

>>>>

It didn't take long for Ellison, Blair, and Ezranok to get ready to leave the ship since all they had was a couple sets of clothes a piece and a few tokens Ellison had been given by the tribe that had taken him in. Soon Chris and Vin lead the three to the transporter room and nodded for the transporter tech to send them over to the Star Base.

Vin smiled slightly at the wide-eyed wonder on Ezranok and Blair's faces as they were met on the Station by Admiral Travis, two Vulcans, and some other Starfleet representatives.

Travis led the whole entourage through the Star Base's corridors to a large conference room where he directed them to take seats. Ellison pulled out a chair and sat, but then he pulled Blair into his lap, much to the surprise of Travis and the other Starfleet officers. Vin pulled out the chair next to him for Ezranok, while Chris took the one on his other side.

Clearing his throat, Travis got things started, "Captain Larabee, could you summarizes for us what exactly has happened?"

Chris glanced at Vin then leaned forward to give his report. It was an official report, and he tried to be as concise and accurate as possible. It took him several minutes to tell the tale and then they spent the next hour asking questions and clarifying issues.

Finally one of the other Starfleet officers, a Commodore in the Ground Operations division according to his uniform, spoke up, " Captain Larabee, we are satisfied with you report concerning the rescue of Lt. Commander Ellison. With your permission, we would like to have Ellison come with us to begin the debrief of the mission that led to his unfortunate marooning on the planet."

Chris glanced at Jim and received a slight nod. "Of course, Commodore."

Even as Chris spoke Ellison stood, still holding Blair. He wasn't going to take a chance on them getting separated. As he walked past Vin to join the officers that were waiting for him, he heard Vin whisper so softly that only a Sentinel could hear him, "Good luck, my friend." As he passed he dropped his hand down and squeezed the blond man's shoulder, trying to return the sentiment inconspicuously, then left with the other officers following him. Some of them still looked a little confused as to why Ellison had the young boy with him.

>>>>

After they all left, the only ones left in the conference room were Vin, Chris, Travis, Ezranok, and the two Vulcan men that had met them at the transporter station.

The elder of the two men, who had been introduced as F'arnock, had held his tongue all through the earlier session, but now he took floor. "Captain Larabee, I understand that Ezranok can remember very little of his time before the slavers. Is that correct, sir?"

"Yes, he has some vague recollections, but very little," Chris confirmed.

"Very well. My associate, Malhai'ik," the man waved regally at the younger man at his side, "is skilled at helping to retrieve faded or buried memories without bringing harm to the one that has forgotten."

"Without bringing harm? What do you mean by that?" Vin asked in suspicion.

F'arnock looked at Vin speculatively for a moment before answering. "He will view the memories without bringing them to the conscious mind of the boy if he deems that they might be harmful to him. We realize that it is sometimes better that certain things remain hidden from the one that has suffered them." Vin nodded his understanding and acceptance of this.

When the younger man called for Ezranok to come to him though, the boy was nervous. It took Vin's suggestion that he sit nearby for the boy to get the courage to move. Malhai'ik agreed, as long as Vin agreed to not interfere. Vin agreed. Ezranok flinched a little as the Vulcan touched him to initiate the mind meld, but on the whole he held his own.

It only took Malhai'ik about ten minutes to find what he was looking for, then to tuck away those memories that would harm the boy. He did however find several memories he believed the boy would enjoy having and, pulling those to the front, he placed them to one side so the boy could come back to them later.

Vin watched the Vulcan's search progress with apprehension. He knew the man wouldn't purposefully harm Ezranok, but he was very concerned about what he might find. If Ezranok was Vulcan, there was no way he would ever be allowed to keep the boy. He found himself praying silently that Ezranok was of Romulan blood, that way there would at least be a chance, no matter how small.

After it was over, Vin led Ezranok back to the seats they had occupied before, not giving Malhai'ik the chance to suggest that Ezranok come sit with them. For his part, Malhai'ik sent an impassive look Vin's way then returned to his seat and quietly gave F'arnock his report.

After the two men had discussed what Malhai'ik had found, they sat quietly. Finally Vin couldn't stand it anymore and asked, "Well, is Ezranok Vulcan?"

"No, Lt. Commander Tanner," F'arnock answered. "The boy is not Vulcan."

Vin tried not to let his relief show. "So he's Romulan," Vin stated quietly. He had his chance!

"No, Lt. Commander," F'arnock contradicted him. "He is not Romulan either."

>>>>

Part 15

"WHAT!!!" Both Vin and Chris exclaimed. Ezranok sat beside them stunned, but silent. Even Admiral Travis looked a little off balance.

F'arnock raised an eyebrow at their outburst, causing the Starfleet officers to bring their expressions under control quickly. Ezranok shifted in his chair uncomfortably, wishing he could move closer to Vin, but not wanting to draw attention to himself more than it already was.

Clearing his throat, Travis glanced at Ezranok, wondering what in the world was going on. "Could you please explain what you mean, F'arnock? I've done extensive research, and as far as the Federation's records go, there are only two races that possess the physical characteristics the boy exhibits."

"You are correct in that, Admiral Travis. However, Federation records are not completely accurate in this matter. However this is not surprising, as until now even the Vulcans were not certain that they still existed," F'arnock said as he leaned forward and rested his arms on the conference table. "Malhai'ik has verified that the boy is Standai'ishi." F'arnock looked directly at Vin for a moment before asking the man who was now staring at Ezranok with wide eyes, "Do you recognize the term, Lt. Commander Tanner?"

Vin looked up and swallowed hard as he tried to control his surprise. "Yes, sir."

"Would you care to tell us what you remember?" F'arnock invited.

"The Standai'ishi are the subject of several Vulcan legends. The word's literal translation means 'the peaceful ones'." Vin spoke as if he were reciting a school lesson. "I was not told all of it, but I remember that they left Vulcan even before the Romulans."

"You are quite correct, Mr. Tanner," Malhai'ik nodded as he spoke. "While the Vulcan people are telepathic, the Standai'ishi were both telepathic and empathic, among other things. They were our people's greatest healers and scientists, but because of their empathic abilities they could not take part in the barbaric wars and battles that were so prevalent at that time. They felt the pain of every combatant as their own. They would eventually be driven to insanity by it, and either be killed or run away. Because of this, over the course of several decades, they started being relegated to one area of the planet and shunned. Every time a child was born that gave signs of being a Standai'ishi, it would be taken out to the edge of the wilderness and left. The Standai'ishi would then come to collect the child and raise it as their own. They cherish children with an even greater passion than the rest of the Vulcan people. Over time they gathered enough that was of value to barter for a ship to take them to another world."

F'arnock waited until Malhai'ik stopped the story at this point, then he stepped in. "After the Enlightenment of Surak, it was decided that the abilities of the Standai'ishi would be of great benefit to the people once again. However it was discovered that the Standai'ishi had not just chosen to send some of their people into space, as was supposed, but that all of them had disappeared. According to the legends, the elders realized then that there had not been a Stansai'ishi child born to the majority population for at least two hundred years. They left behind records of all that they had learned of healing and science, since they one day hoped that our people would find peace, but they could not live with the violence that surrounded them. Until this day, Vulcan has never had any proof that the Standai'ishi survived their journey into the stars."

Travis, Chris, and Vin sat silently through the Vulcan's explanation of the origin of the Standai'ishi.

"And you believe that Ezranok is one of these Standai'ishi?" Vin asked.

"Yes," Malhai'ik confirmed. "Besides the abilities you have documented, he exhibits the legendary signs as well."

"What signs?" Vin wanted to know.

F'arnock and Malhai'ik looked at each other for a moment, then F'arnock nodded and turned forward. "I mentioned that children gave signs of being Standai'ishi, I should probably have said infants. Some of the signs were very obvious almost from birth, curly hair and light colored eyes being the clearest ones."

Vin looked down at the wavy locks that still brushed Ezranok's shoulders and caught a glimpse of frightened emerald green eyes as Ezranok looked up at him. He reached out a placed a reassuring hand on the boy's arm. "So Ezranok is Standai'ishi. What is going to happen to him?"

Again F'arnock answered. "The Vulcan government has decided that it would be best for him to be taken to Vulcan to be placed with a foster family there."

Vin managed to keep his face from showing the pain that lanced through him at that moment. Chris glanced over at his friend and saw the slight tightening of his mouth that signaled the distress the man was in. Chris was sure he could hear the sound of the quiet Texan's heart shattering into a million pieces.

"Are you sure that is wise?" Vin inquired, working hard to keep his voice even. "Ezranok is over eleven years old and has had none of the intensive training that Vulcan youth undergo in their first twelve years. And since his is Standai'ishi, emotions and their expression will be necessary for him, will they not?" Chris cringed internally at the formal tone that was overtaking Vin's speech.

"We understand that," Malhai'ik said. "The Vulcan Council has been very excited since the news reached us that a descendent of the Standai'ishi had been found. They have proposed that he be given into the care of Ambassador Sarek and his wife. It is believed that they will be able to give the boy a good home, and Mrs. Sarek, being human, will be able to provide the boy with companionship and emotional support as he ages."

Vin's heart crumbled that much more as he heard the plans that had been made for Ezranok. How could he deny Ezranok this chance? The Vulcan Council wanted him, and they were planning for him to be taken in by one of the greatest families on the planet. Hell! They were as close to being royalty at one could get on the planet, for God's sake!

Vin looked down at the boy that he had come to care so much for, and closed his eyes when he saw the fear and confusion that still clouded Ezranok face. Looking back up, he asked, "If I might, could I take the boy into the next room to speak privately?"

Before F'arnock could deny the request, Travis spoke up, "Of course, Commander." Even in the last few minutes he could see how much the boy had come to mean to Tanner.

Nodding, Vin stood and led the boy out quickly. Chris didn't react much, but his eyes followed them out the door wishing that there was something he could do to help them both.

"Admiral, would it not be more logical for us to take the boy now? You already notified us of the bond that has developed between the boy and Lt. Commander Tanner, and it would not be wise to let it deepen any farther," Malhai'ik pointed out.

"Malhai'ik," Travis said quietly as he too watched the door behind which Vin and Ezranok had disappeared, "that boy is not a Vulcan. His emotions are already tied to Lt. Commander Tanner. The bond is already deeper than you probably know. You must treat him differently than you would on of your own people." Looking back at the impassive men sitting next to him, he added, "Ezranok is like nothing you have ever had to deal with for your own people. But we," Travis waved around the room to include himself, Chris, and the place Vin had just vacated, "have dealt with emotional children our entire lives. Indeed, we each were one at some time in the past. It is a difficult and most illogical task."

Malhai'ik looked at his partner then nodded, "I stand corrected, Admiral Travis."

>>>>

Part 16

Vin quietly led Ezranok into the next room and over to a couple of chairs that sat close to each other on the far wall. He sat down in one and pulled the other over in front of himself, indicating for Ezranok to take it. The boy obeyed immediately, folding his hands in his lap and remaining silent.

Vin looked at the chills sitting before him for a few moments without speaking. He really wasn't sure what to say. All he wanted to do was gather the boy close and never let go, but he knew he couldn't. He could feel the boy's fear fluttering along their bond once in a while. If they touched, that vague knowledge would spike, and he knew there would be no way he could let the boy go then.

Ezranok looked so uncertain as he sat there, Vin noticed. The boy was trying not to show his fear, but his eyes betrayed the trepidation he was experiencing. Shaking his head slightly, Vin reached out and smoothed the still untamed hair back from Ezranok's face, hoping that would be all right and willing to take the chance. He was pleased when Ezranok pressed into the comforting touch that soothed his fears.

Vin opened his mouth to speak, but Ezranok beat him to it.

"They wish to take me to Vulcan, don't they?" Ezranok whispered, seemingly searching Vin's face for something.

"Yeah," Vin said huskily, as he tried to control his own emotions. "Ambassador Sarek and his wife will provide a good home for you, Ez." Vin did his best not to leak his own emotions over the bond, but he wasn't sure how well he was doing. It hadn't been a week since it had formed, and neither of them was used to it.

"Ambassador Sarek is Vulcan, but they said that his wife was human." Vin could see the confusion on Ezranok face.

"Yes, she is. She'll be able to help you if you need company," Vin informed. "I met her one time and she's a real nice lady."

Ezranok looked at Vin with his head cocked and a curious expression on his face.

"She and her husband were at the Starfleet Academy Graduation the year I graduated. Someone had told them I had spent time on Vulcan, and she came over to meet me. We only talked for a few minutes, but she seemed really nice." Vin explained to the boy who sat so still and quiet in front of him.

Ezranok looked down at his hands after Vin finished his story, then he looked up, biting his bottom lip. "If they take me away, will I ever see you again?" It was spoken almost too softly for Vin to hear, but he could feel the longing in the words as clearly as if the boy had shouted.

"Yes, Ez, I can come to visit once in a while as long as the Ambassador doesn't mind. And I'll write and tell you about what happens on the ship. You can write to me and tell me how your life goes on Vulcan," Vin reassured the boy as best he could.

Ezranok seemed to listen intently as to the young officer, but internally, his mind whirled in something close to panic. He didn't want to go to Vulcan! He wanted to stay here with Vin and Chris and the rest on the Wild Card. He also knew that Vin could not fight against the Vulcans. From what he had read on the ship, the Vulcans had a lot of pull in the government, and while he didn't understand it all yet, he knew that, on his own, Vin would have no chance of getting to keep him as long as the Vulcans wanted him. The question was, though, did Vin want him?

After Vin wound down, Ezranok locked eyes with him. "If the Vulcans hadn't wanted to take me, what would have happened?"

Vin stayed quiet for a second, before deciding to tell him the truth, not that he could pull off a lie with their bond anyway. "I wanted to take you with me, Ez. I already cleared it with Chris and everything."

Ezranok's eyes widened. That had been his one concern about Vin taking him. He had been afraid that Captain Larabee wouldn't want him on board. "Captain Larabee agreed?"

"Yup," Vin grinned slightly at the amazed expression on the boy's face. "You grow on people, and Chris likes kids even if he acts like a grouch most of the time."

Ezranok searched the man's face and their bond for even the slightest hint that what he had just been told was not the truth. But there was none. Vin was telling him the truth. Vin did want him, and Chris had approved of it.

Time to put Plan B into action then!

>>>>

Chris broke the silence that had descended after Vin and Ezranok had been gone a few minutes. "Malhai'ik, what can you tell us about when the boy was take by the slavers. Is there anyway we can keep it from happening again?"

"I'm afraid not, Captain Larabee. The boy was given to these slavers, they did not take him by force," Malhai'ik said impassively.

"What! You told us that the Standai'ishi cherished children. How in God's name could they have then given a child to slavers!" Chris demanded, nearly shouting. The idea that someone could voluntarily give a child over to slavers to abuse as they wished was completely abhorrent.

"I did not say that it was either of the boy's parents that gave him to these slavers," Malhai'ik informed him.

Chris practically growled as he reminded himself of one of the reason he hated having to talk to Vulcans. All of their literalistic double talk drove him nuts.

"Mr. Malhai'ik, perhaps you had better start from the beginning and tell us how he ended up with the slavers," Admiral Travis put in.

"Of course, Admiral," Malhai'ik said regally, before sitting forward to start his recitation. "Both of the boy's parents are dead, have been dead for many years. His earliest memories are of his father, so it would be logical to infer from them that his mother probably died in child birth or soon there after.

"He and his father lived onboard a small charter ship that his father probably ran. His father was killed in a pirate attack when he was 3.274 years old. One of the pirates, a woman claimed the child as her share of the captured goods after the raid was over. 6.53 months later, she gambled with one of the slavers you arrested using him as the stake. She lost the wager, and he came to be in the hands of the crew you found him with."

With each dispassionately spoken word, Chris's blood pressure rose. Ezranok had been the hands of slavers or pirates since he was three years old! They had known he would have had to have been young, but to have it confirmed in such an unfeeling and clinical manner just made it seem worse some how.

"Can you give us any descriptions of the pirate gang from Ezranok memories?" Chris asked quickly after Malhai'ik finished. "Where did they operate? What kind of ship do they use?"

"No need, Captain," Malhai'ik assured him. "This particular gang was brought down 3.893 years ago. I read the reports at the time, and the descriptions are a perfect match to Ezranok's memories. The entire crew, including the woman Maude, are serving sentences at this moment. They will be quite elderly before they are released from the penal colony on Tarbenus III."

Chris nodded in satisfaction at the news and sat back in his chair. Silence enveloped them again, but it was only a few more minutes until the door opened and Vin and Ezranok reentered the room.

Silently the two returned to the seat they had occupied before. Chris looked at Vin, seeing the pain still in his eyes, but he could see acceptance had taken residence with it. It would take a while, but he knew would alright eventually after this was over. His gaze shifted to the boy, and he was surprised to see a look of peace on the boys face instead of the barely suppressed fear that had peaked out once in a while before he left.

Chris wondered what Vin had said that had reassured the boy so much, but he silently applauded Vin's efforts.

>>>>

Part 17

F'arnock watched the two reenter the room and noticed that the boy seemed calmer. Apparently Travis had been right is saying that it would be necessary for the boy to speak with Tanner. Apparently Tanner had been able to reassure him about what would happen. F'arnock was honest with himself, since it was quite illogical to try to deny what one knew was true, and knew that that was something he could not have done. It was illogical to not accept was must be done, or to fight against it.

Still it was better that the boy went willingly.

Preparing to stand, F'arnock said, "Preparations have been made for Ezranok's transport to Vulcan with us later this evening. Now would be an appropriate time for him to become acquainted with our ship."

For the first time Ezranok spoke in the conference room, "Before we do that, I would like to have a couple of points clarified." The boy spoke clearly, but quietly.

F'arnock and Malhai'ik exchanged a glance then settled back into their seats. This was the first time either of them had been questioned by a child in their lives, but it was an all around strange situation. "Of course, Ezranok. What do you wish to know?" Malhai'ik answered.

Ezranok took a deep breath and started the first phase of his plan. "From what I've studied while on the Wild Card, Vulcan boys between the ages of eleven and thirteen undergo what is called the 'rad'nomar tanbaidar', a rite of passage trial, from what I've read. After this is completed, they are considered to be subadults, and are more independent. Is this accurate?"

A raised eyebrow was the only indication that anything was different about the questions Ezranok had posed. The Starfleet officers looked at each other in confusion. Why was Ezranok asking these things now? Why not wait until later in private?

"Yes, that is accurate," F'arnock confirmed.

"Is it also true that while the trial is usually devised and supervised by the parents, that if a suitable situation occurs in the boys life, that is accepted as the required test?" Ezranok asked.

The second eyebrow raise to accompany the first, "Yes, that is also true."

Ezranok seemed to relax suddenly. Vin had felt the building tension in the link, but there was not a hint of where it had been coming from. He knew that the fear the boy had felt previously had faded, but there was a still anxiousness and tension pervading the boy's mind. He had no idea where Ezranok was going with these questions, but he could feel his anxiety.

Ezranok leaned forward, mirroring the Vulcan's formal posture and pose. "I would submit to you that I have already completed the rad'nomar tanbaidar. Six months ago, the keepers kidnapped a young human empath and murdered his mother right in front of him. I supported him through the shock of her death and have cared for him from that day until three days ago when we were both rescued by the crew of the USS Wild Card. From my understanding, the trial is designed to test the particular abilities of the boy involved," Ezra explained his reasoning. "Would you not agree that that is as strenuous a test of my abilities as could be devised? These two," Ezranok waved at Captain Larabee and Vin, "are witnesses to the conditions under which we lived and the condition the boy was in at the time we were rescued. The can affirm that that Blair would not have survived his captivity alone."

Malhai'ik and F'arnock sat silently for a few moments. Then they turned to Larabee and Tanner for confirmation.

Chris had caught on at least slightly to what Ezranok was up to. Ezranok had been on his own for several years, and he would be loathe to give up all of his independence. Granted if this worked he would not be considered an adult for several more years, but he would have some say in what happened to himself at least.

"That is correct," Chris said. "According to Doctor Jackson's report, Blair would probably not have survived the initial shock of his mother's death, let alone the six months that followed. Ezranok supported the boy both physically and empathically and began teaching him to shield himself from the ambient emotions around him." Vin simply nodded his agreement with what Chris had said. He had also caught on to what Ezranok was trying to do.

Or so he thought.

F'arnock and Malhai'ik considered what they had been told and agreed. "You are quite right, Ezranok," Malhai'ik said. "Under the circumstances, this will be allowed to stand as your rad'nomar tanbaidar."

"Can that be made official before leaving the station?" Ezranok pressed.

"That can be accomplished quite easily," F'arnock said as he pulled a computer monitor around to face him. "Computer, record into permanent file of Standai'ishi child Ezranok the conversation of the last 16.82 minutes within this room. Include the notation that this child is now classified as a subadult, remedial schooling may be necessary, but rad'nomar tanbaidar has been completed. More information to follow as details become known," F'anock instructed the machine.

A coupled seconds later a mechanical voice announced, "complete."

F'arnock and Malhai'ik watched as part of the tension left the eleven year old's frame.

"You have my thanks, Minister F'arnock," Ezranok said inclining his head slightly, showing respect and gratitude.

Again the Vulcan's indicated their surprise with the raising of eyebrows, "Why do you call me 'Minister', Ezranok?" F'arnock asked. "We were not introduced with titles."

Ezranok cocked his head and said, "According to the records that I have seen, the only people that can approve the rad'nomar tanbaidar are the child's father and the High Counsel ministers. You are obviously not my father, therefore you must be a member of the High Counsel ministry."

"Quite logical, young Ezranok," Malhai'ik congratulated him. "Well done."

Ezranok inclined his head again, "Thank you."

This time F'arnock stood as he spoke, "If that is all, it is time for us to be going." His tone gave the idea that any other questions should be asked later.

Time for phase two, Ezranok thought as he too stood. Silently he sent to Vin, "*Vin, you and Captain Larabee must stand, too.*"

Vin was careful to keep the confusion he felt off of his face, but he stood, signaling to Chris for him to stand also. "*Why, Ez?*"

"*You will see soon enough. Trust me?*"

Vin didn't say anything, but instead gathered all the affection and faith he had in the young boy and sent that down the link.

Ezranok nearly faltered as he felt the flood of emotion Vin sent to him. It amazed him that Vin could feel so strongly for him so quickly. In his experience with adults, which granted was quite limited, adults did become attached to children that were not their own quickly. In fact most adults tried to avoid children when ever possible, since children created a great deal of fuss and bother. Yet in just three days, Vin had already become so attached to Ezranok that he wanted to keep him and raise him as his own.

Pulling his determination tighter around him, Ezra got ready for the next part of his plan. This all hinged now on Admiral Travis, if it went wrong, it would destroy them all.

Ezranok stepped away from the table and in front of Vin, but instead of continuing around to go with the Vulcans, he stopped and looked up at Vin before folding gracefully to his knees. Travis, the only persons till sitting in the room stood and followed the two Vulcans as the strode around the table to see what was going on. When they arrived, they found Ezranok kneeling on the floor and slowly bending his body backward. He finally stopped with his back arched, the top of his heade touching the floor, his arms fold behind his back, completely vulnerable.

Ezranok finally spoke, words that Vin had only known as a legend, words that would change their lives.

"My life was given from your hands, from your heart you saved this vessel. But for that there was a great price, and I offer to you this vessel as repayment of that debt. I give you all that I have in return, my life." After Ezranok finished the offer, he remained still. He had done his part, it was up to them now.

Vin could not believe what Ezranok had done. He had invoked the K'landain'esh, the custom of life debt indenture. If he were rejected now, Ezranok would be bound by Vulcan law to hai'bengas'ndei, ritual suicide!

Carefully Vin raised on one foot and gently tapped the boy's arched abdomen right over his heart. "The debt is acknowledged and recompense accepted. Rise, K'landain'esh is done." Vin reached down and helped Ezranok off the floor. Vin released Ezranok momentarily, but as he looked into the smiling face of his new son, Vin couldn't resist pulling him close and hugging him tightly.

"*Thank you, Ez.*" Vin sent as he held on tight.

"*And thank you, Vin.*" Ezranok returned.

"*Do you understand what you have done?*" Vin asked silently, worried that Ezranok might not understand what he had initiated. "*If I am killed in action, then you will.*"

"*I will die too, I understand. But I do not think I could survive the breaking of our bound anyway.*" With that Ezranok showed Vin how pervasive the bond between them had become, entwined through his mind and into every area of his thoughts.

And Vin knew he was right. Ezranok would not have survived the breaking of the bond. Maybe in a few years time when he was older and more experienced with it, he might have been able to, but not less than three days after having the bond with Blair broken. Even if Ezranok survived physically, his mind would have been destroyed.

And none of them had thought about it. Even h Vin hadn't thought about what the breaking of two bonds so close together would do to the boy. Vin squeezed the slender body tighter to him as he shuddered thinking of what could have happened. Ezranok had remained quiet, not mentioning the damage that could have been done so that he would not be seen as a burden to Vin or anyone else, not wanting to push himself where he wasn't wanted.

>>>>

Admiral Travis and Chris remained silent as they watched Vin's response to the boy's words, but neither of them understood what was happening. Looking to the Vulcans for guidance, but the impassive expressions and raised eyebrows gave no clue what was going on.

"What the hell is going on?" Chris finally asked as Vin gathered the boy into his arms. When Vin didn't answer, or even seem to hear him, he turned to the Vulcans for explanations.

"You have gained another member for your crew, Captain Larabee," F'arnock answered. "Further explanations will have to come from Tanner and Ezranok. We can no longer interfere."

The two men calmly walked passed where the two were still wrapped in an embrace, before walking out the door, Malhai'ik turned and said, "Give them some time, Captain, Admiral, then they can explain things more fully. Take good care of him, Captain Larabee, and tell them that he is welcome Vulcan anytime they wish to visit." With that they slipped out, leaving behind one oblivious bonded K'landain'esh pair and two very confused Starfleet officers.

>>>>

Part 18

It took another ten minutes before Vin could bring himself to release Ezranok.

When he pulled back, he was slightly surprised to see tear tracks on Ezranok face, but a rapid check of the bond reveal that the had been tears of joy, not sorrow or regret as Vin had momentarily feared. Gently, Vin wiped the boy's face which brought a bright smile to his face. He was shocked when Ezranok lifted a hand to his face and wiped away the tears he didn't even realize he was crying.

Cleared throats brought their thoughts back to where they were and what was happening. Ezranok was delighted to note that the Vulcans were gone and only Admiral Travis and Captain Larabee remained.

Capturing their attention, Admiral Travis waved for them to sit down, before saying, "Would someone like to explain to me what just happened?" Chris was as much in the dark as Travis, so he turned to his first officer as well.

Clearing his throat, Vin glanced at the boy he had pulled into his lap a few moments ago. Sighing he looked up at the other Starfleet officers and began, "Ezranok invoked a very old Vulcan custom to ensure that he would be allowed to stay with me. In ancient times, the K'landain'esh was custom to repay a person for saving another's life it there was significant losses in the process. It is completely voluntary on the part of the person saved. Ezranok felt that my part in his rescue and the subsequent losses warranted this."

"Losses?" Travis asked, from the reports it didn't sound as if anything had been lost in the rescue.

"The bond," Ezranok informed him. "Even though it was not intentional, I violated the sanctity of Lt. Commander Tanner's mind. To some that is tantamount to mind rape." Ezranok whispered the last, shame coloring his voice.

Tanner immediately grabbed his chin and gently forced him to look up. "You did nothing wrong, Ezranok. I treasure the link and wouldn't have it any other way."

Travis looked at the solemn faced child sitting on Tanner's lap closely. To a casual observer, he might look calm, but if one looked closely in his eyes, Ezranok was nervous. Travis could understand that. Ezranok had obviously done all this to stay with Tanner, but Travis had the authority to assign Tanner where he wished. "What was all that about radomar tandar? Why did F'arnock say that they could not interfere anymore?"

Vin smiled a little at the Admiral's rotten pronunciation, then gathered his thoughts as he tried to think of the best way to explain this. "He had to ensure that he was considered a subadult before initiating it, since it is not allowed to have a K'landain'esh bond with a true child. The K'landain'esh is what you might call a life debt indenture. Due to the bond we share, Ezranok has linked his life to mine. If anyone tried to split us up now, it would result in both our deaths."

Travis' eyes widened in shock. "This is the bond that the boy accidentally created?"

Tanner ducked his head, "Not exactly. The bond was strong when it was created and has grown over the last couple days. Ezranok believed, and rightly so, that he would not survive the breaking of the bond so soon after his bond with Blair was broken." Travis nodded thoughtfully, he had forgotten the bond with the other boy had broken just two days ago. "He then offered me K'landain'esh, if it had been rejected it would have meant his death. When I accepted, it completed the K'landain'esh bond between us. I have chosen this, Admiral Travis. Ezranok is now bond to me with a bond tight and deeper than blood. If I should die violently, the backlash will kill Ezranok. He knows and accepts that. If I die from age or disease, he may survive me, and vice versa. The only way to break the K'landain'esh bond is through death," Vin stated flatly, pulling Ezranok closer, as if to protect him from the other men in the room.

Orrin Travis and Chris stared at the two of them, their thoughts going in a hundred different directions at once.

Chris couldn't believe what the boy had risked in order to have the chance to stay with Vin, then as he thought about it he came to understand. Ezranok would rather have died than be separated from the man that held him now. Chris knew they would have problems in the years ahead, but he would meet them happily, knowing that the two of them would always be there for each other.

Travis also couldn't believe what the boy had risked, and he was becoming even more confused as Vin explained the specifics. But then he hadn't seen the two together for the last three days either. As he watched the two together, he could see a little of the connection between them, but the extent of it boggled his mind. Shaking head to clear it, he said, "It may not be normal for a scout ship to carry children, but under the circumstances, I think an exception will have to be made. Captain Larabee, with your consent, Lt. Commander Vincent Tanner and his.ward, Ezranok, will remain stationed on the USS Wild Card. Tanner will retain his previous post as First Officer. What duties Ezranok may be assigned will be up to your discretion. Will that be satisfactory, gentlemen?" Travis stuttered a little over what to call Ezranok, but on the whole, he felt he handled it very well.

Chris smiled slightly as he accepted the order, then watched Travis leave, muttering about the counsel not believing this one. After Travis left he turned to see, Vin and Ezranok looking at him with trepidation in their eyes. Vin knew he was willing to have Ezranok on board, but there was still a little bit of nervousness about the way he would be coming on board.

"Well, welcome aboard, Ezranok," Chris said, a full smile stretching across his face. "We'll figure out something for you to do later. For now, let's get back to the ship and give everyone the good news, shall we?"

Vin and Ezranok smiled happily at this. "That would be great, Capt'n," Vin answered.

"I could help Dr. Jackson out in Sick Bay," Ezranok pointed out quietly. He had come to like the dark-skinned doctor after their little heart-to-heart talk. The man had been able to put the past behind him, and they were fast becoming friends.

Chris smiled down at the shy lad, "That sounds like a good idea, Ez. I'm sure Dr. Jackson would appreciate the help. Come on, let's go." Chris turned and led the way back toward the transporter room to head back to their ship.

Vin kept an arm around Ezranok shoulders as they followed the captain, but soon he noticed Ezranok casting glances back down the corridor. "What's wrong, Ez?" he asked stopping at a corner.

Chris heard the inquiry and walked back to see what was going on. Ezranok look nervous, biting his lip and shuffling from one foot to another. He looked so different from the confident child that had taken on the Vulcans and won.

Ezranok didn't really want to ask and make them angry, but he was worried. Glancing up at their encouraging faces, he drew a deep breath before asking in a rush, "What is going to happen to Blair and Commander Ellison? Where will they be sent?"

Vin closed his eye momentarily, of course Ezranok would want to know what was going to happen to his young friend! Looking toward his Captain, he cocked his head in a silent question.

Chris smiled sadly. Ezranok was still afraid to ask them for even this small request. They'd have to work on that, but they had the time, and he vowed they would undo as much of the damage done in the last eight years as possible. Slowly and carefully, Chris reached forward and grasped Ezranok's shoulder lightly. "Let's go find out." Together the three of them went looking for the Ground Operation Commodore's office.

>>>>

It took a while, but Chris, Vin, and Ezranok finally traced Ellison and Blair back to Travis's office.

Ellison had convinced the Commodore that Ground Operations was no place for a child of Blair's tender years, and had requested a transfer to ship board duties. Starfleet had no wish to lose his services, especially since he had come back on line, and his request was granted. When Chris and Vin arrived at Travis's office, he had already been assigned to a ship and had met his new commanding officer, Commander Simon Banks of the USS Mystic.

Walking in, Chris recognized Simon Banks and the knot of apprehension that had started to form in his chest loosened. Simon Banks was a good man, a bit set in his ways, but he would be able to adapt to the situation and work with Ellison and Blair.

When Travis asked why they were there, Chris said, "Ezranok wanted to make sure that Blair and Ellison were okay, sir."

Travis smiled his understanding and introduced Banks as Ellison's new commander. "I'll leave you to get acquainted. Chris, after you're done here, the Wild Card is scheduled for patrolling the Four Corners area for the next month. That'll give you about thirty days to get you new crewman," Travis grinned when he saw the delighted look on Ezranok's face, "up to speed on procedures and make sure that everything is working out. If you have any problems, feel free to call me."

Turning to the other two officer present, he continued, "Commander Bank, Lt. Commander Ellison, the Mystic is due for launch next week after the rest of the crew have had shore leave. You will be headed for the boarder area between the Sun'patrise quadrant and the Was'ninton area next door to the Wild Card's patrol area. I suggest you all stay on good terms with each other as you may be seeing each other frequently." Travis laughed at the expressions of=n Larabee and Bank's faces on his way out the door.

All of the men left in the room looked at each other for a few moments before the too broke out laughing. Ezranok and Blair looked at them as if they had lost their minds.

Chris just shook his head as he gave Banks a sympathetic look. He had a K'landain'esh bonded human/Standai'ishi pair, and Banks had a newly bonded Sentinel/Guide pair to deal with. After a few minutes of reassuring that everyone was content with the arrangements, they exchanged official com numbers and parted for their ships. Chris and Simon secretly gave each other their private numbers too. They both had the feeling they were going to need a sympathetic shoulder once in a while.

As Chris strode through the corridors of his ship later that night, he thought of everything that had happened in the last few days.

Was it only four days ago they had run across the slave ship? Four days that had totally changed their lives, for the better definitely, but it had happened so fast that it was a bit disconcerting. They had extended a helping hand, and received back seven-fold.

Chris smiled as he found himself outside Vin's quarters. Vin and Ezranok had invited him to dinner this evening, and he was early.

They had decided to put Ezranok in the empty quarters that Ellison and Blair had stayed in for the two days they were on board. Chris could still remember Ezranok wide eyes when they had told him that he would have his own rooms, all to himself. Ezranok had objected, saying that he was happy to share with Vin, but Vin had insisted, pointing out that this way, Ezranok would be able to sleep in a real bed and wouldn't be disturbed if Vin was on swing shift or something like that.

Chris remembered the happiness on Ezranok face when he finally agreed, then took of to investigate the rooms that were to become his home. Chris had given Vin the rest of the day off to get Ezranok settled in his permanent home. There hadn't been that much to more, but he had slight Vin some money and told him to take the boy back to the Star Base and see about getting him some things to make the room his. He was interested in seeing what Ezranok had picked out. Ezranok had managed to surprise him every time he turned around since he had come about the ship, and he didn't expect anything different now.

This was bound to be a wild ride, but he didn't want to miss a second of it.