“We’ve got a couple of patients who insisted on coming to the bridge,” Taf declared as she walked through the port hatch after the door opened. Her voice was tinged with her usual sense of cheekiness as her presence placed the attention on the bridge on her.  

Horin, standing on the raised platform in front of his chair, turned to see Levy and Sturok following her out. Behind Sturok was Fitzgerald. Horin had allowed her to go see her husband the moment Taf had got back with him. Only moments ago, he had given his wife the nod to go and see Tate in sickbay.

Smiling at his colleagues, Horin welcomed them back to safe shores. Both of them had been injured, and after being treated by Parin’s medical staff and the ship’s EMH, they ignored the holographic doctor’s orders to remain in sickbay for further observation. Levy knew it was crucial she was with Horin to help deal with the Caatati crisis, especially after overhearing how Parin and Hawkins had made quite the public scene in rescuing Tate. 

“We need to de-escalate the situation, Jaxxon,” Levy asserted, her voice filled with unwavering determination. “We can’t let the Caatati think our offer of help is off the table. These people are traumatised, and what they did to Tate is not excusable, but we can’t let them think the galaxy has abandoned them.”

Horin appreciated Levy’s remarks, especially around Tate, and he knew having her with him would ensure that whatever happened next with the Caatati would be a fair and reasonable response. “Funnily, the admiral said the same thing,” He shared.  

Deep down, though, he was seething. He was not just cross at how the Caatati had treated Tate, Levy and Sturok but also at the Borg. Once again, the echoes of their past actions continued to ripple through everyone they had burnt, and now it was pitching others against others. How could anyone move forward?

Feeling that everyone was sharing his sentiments, Horin updated them all on the current status of the Caatati. “All they’ve done so far is raise their shields.”

“Any weapons?” Sturok asked curiously.

“One particle cannon, but it’s barely operational,” Horin replied. “I’ve kept our shields raised ever since Parin and Hawkins got back.”

“No answer to our hails?” Levy checked.

Horin shook his head. “None.” Immediately, he sensed what Levy was thinking and gave her the approving nod. Though they were both captains, he knew letting her take the lead at this moment might help the situation. 

“Lenara, back us off, slowly, thrusters only,” Levy ordered the counsellor who had returned to the conn. 

Taf nodded as she used the Formidable’s thrusters to ease them slowly backwards. 

“Layla, is their scattering field still up?” Levy asked next. 

Sitting back at the science station, Fitzgerald nodded. “It is, but it’s not as powerful as it was.”

“They’ve probably diverted power from it to their shields and operational cannon,” Sturok assumed. He made his way over to the tactical station. 

The starboard bridge door then opened, allowing Hawkins to enter. The young lieutenant smiled at Captain Horin. “Sir, I’m happy to report that Jowain has stabilised Tate. He expects him to make a full recovery from his physical injuries.”

Appreciating Hawkins’s positive attitude, Horin nodded to him. “Thank you, lieutenant.” He didn’t say what he wanted to say, which was that treating Tate’s mental injuries while captured by the Caatati wouldn’t be as simple. 

Hawkins moved to the communications console to help further with their situation. 

“Maybe we should try one more call,” Levy gently insisted to Horin.

He agreed and motioned for her to continue to take the lead. 

Hawkins opened the channel, and Levy took a deep breath before speaking up. “Calhmin, it’s Captain Levy. Please respond.”

Nothing. 

“Calhmin, we need to talk. We are in a tricky situation, one that has placed your people further in danger if we do not sort all of this out,” Levy’s tone was fair and measured. “You are the last of your people, and you are here now. Do you honestly think you will be able to survive without anyone else helping you? We did not know your ship was equipped with ways of detecting Borg; otherwise, Ensign Horin would not have beamed over. You have seen from our own records what the Borg did to us. We, as a people, are still hurt and recovering from it. We have a lot in common, and our offer to help still stands, but if you ignore us and continue with this anger, the Borg will win, and your people will be lost forever. Is that what you really want? If you do, you are giving in to the Borg and letting them win.”

Levy’s speech was powerful and direct. It sent chills down Horin’s spine as he listened to every word. She wasn’t pleading for them; she was pleading for the Caatati. 

“We’re getting a response,” Hawkins declared.

“Onscreen,” Levy ordered quickly. 

Calhmin’s sombre face appeared on the view screen. His shoulders were slumped. “We are sorry,” He whispered. He was a broken man, and Horin felt for him. He could feel the anger, the resentment, the heartbreak the Caatati leader was carrying. “This is not who we are as a people. We have lost our ways. I am ashamed of letting my fear, our fear, take over. I will take full responsibility and surrender myself to you for our actions against Ensign Tate. Please, though, have mercy on my people.”

Horin stepped forward. “Your people have endured enough, Calhmin. We can sort out the finer details of what happened with my son; in the meantime, let us help you.”

“You are too generous, captain,” Calhmin bowed his head. “I still wish to surrender myself to you. What I did, what I allowed, my wife and children, if they were still here, would be ashamed of me. I cannot lead my people.”

Looking at one another, Horin and Levy exchanged a glance of understanding. Nodding at her, Horin let Levy take the lead on this. “Calhmin, your offer is generous and one we will take up further with our superiors, but under the circumstances right now, I am sure you need to lead your people. You are taking a new step in understanding how to grieve for what you have endured from the Borg and from the Hirogen, and now, where you find yourselves far away from your home territories. Your people need someone to show them the way. If you can find the strength to admit your wrongdoings, then that shows your people that there is a chance of recovery. Let us tow you and your ship to our station, and while we allow our people to investigate what happened, we can help you and your people.”

“Thank you, thank you,” Calhmin replied in between sobs. He pulled himself together. “I am truly sorry, Captain Horin, for the hurt I have caused to your son and your family.”

“Thank you, Calhmin,” Horin said sincerely. His anger towards him slowly went down. 

“Prepare for the tow,” Levy told the Caatati leader before they ended the call. She turned to Horin. “That wasn’t easy.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Horin agreed bluntly, placing his hands on his hips.

Levy reached out to Horin’s shoulder and squeezed it gently. “Go to sickbay, go see your son. We’ve got this.” She guaranteed him.

Horin nodded and quickly exited the bridge. It didn’t take him long to get to sickbay. The moment he reached the doors, he could hear and sense both his Imzadi and son on the other side. Relief washed over him, glad to know that Tate was alive. Stepping through the threshold once the doors had parted, he smiled immediately at the sight of his son lying on the biobed being treated by Parin. Gliding a dermal regenerator over Tate’s torso, Parin was slowly healing the bruises and cuts that the Caatati had inflicted on him.

Rushing to be by his side, Horin immediately grabbed his son’s hand, who smiled at his father’s arrival.

“Hey, Dad,” Tate weakly said as he tried to sit up.

“Relax, don’t get up,” Horin told him in a caring but firm tone. He looked at Parin. “How bad is it?”

Parin smiled at his superior. “We got to him on time, a few cracked ribs, bruises, cuts, and some internal bleeding, but nothing I couldn’t handle and fix. I expect him to be back on his feet in a couple of days.”

Horin was pleased to hear that as he looked to his wife. Anizza had perched herself at the end of the biobed where there was room. 

“This doesn’t mean your father and I are going to bring you food to your room like when you were little,” She said, trying to lighten the mood. 

“Nah, it’s cool, thanks,” Tate replied with a sheepish smile. “I’ve got my two heroes to help me out,” he gestured towards Parin.

Parin chuckled. “You really don’t want Tom bringing you food.”

“I do appreciate you two rescuing me,” Tate said between breaths. 

“Hey, it’s not like every day the doctor and communications officer gets to go undercover on an alien ship,” Parin remarked. He looked at Horin. “How are things with the Caatati? Did Tom and I piss them off with our little rescue stunt?”

“More like we should be pissed at them,” Anizza snapped.

Horin shook his head. “Dawn has been able to sort things out with them,” He replied.

“I’m surprised you didn’t blow their ship up, Jaxxon,” Anizza remarked.

“Their leader has surrendered to us for what’s happened,” Horin reaffirmed his Imzadi and son.

Tate struggled to sit up as he shook his head. “No, I don’t want that.”

“Tateumm Andreus Horin, are you mad?” Anizza said, using her son’s full name sternly. “They hurt you for no reason whatsoever.”

“Mum, they’ve been hurt badly by the Borg; they’re as traumatised as I was after Frontier Day,” Tate stated. “I could hear and sense every feeling while I was over there. These people don’t know what they’re doing. They’re lost. They need our help. We can’t turn our back on them.”

“They hurt you,” Anizza said, holding back tears. “They hurt you bad, Tate. We almost lost you.”

“But you didn’t,” He insisted. “I know you want justice for what they did; however, if you were in their shoes and dealing with what they have to deal with, you would get it.”

“I think it’s best we let you rest, Tate,” Parin insisted, stepping in to prevent any more upset.

Horin took the cue and told his Imzadi they had to let him rest. She resisted him initially. She wanted to stay with her son. 

“Commander, I must insist you leave to let my patient rest,” Parin stated in a firmer tone.

She relented and agreed to leave. Taking her hand into his, Horin escorted his Imzadi out of sickbay. When the doors were closed behind them, Horin could feel Anizza’s anger rising to the top again.

“I’m his mother; I’m allowed to be with my little one,” She remarked firmly.

“Anizza, you’re not just his mother,” Horin reminded her. 

She snapped. “I know my duties as a Starfleet officer, Jaxxon, don’t give me that crap. Our boy has just been violated again, and you want me to walk away from it. I can’t, Jaxxon! I can’t!”

Stepping forward as she started to sob, Horin wrapped his arms around Anizza. “I know, I know,” he said, comforting her closely. Closing his eyes, Horin knew this recovery would take some time, not only for his son and wife but even with the Caatati. 

“I need to do something, Jaxxon; I can’t stand by and let this happen again to our little prince,” Anizza sobbed. “Not again,” She added.

“We won’t, I promise,” Horin said with conviction. He felt the tears in his eyes now. “Let’s do it the right way, though. For Tate.”

“For Tate,” She agreed with tears rolling down her face.