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The captain bathes and dresses himself in an undersuit of body armour, then the uniform of the Imperial Guard. He walks to medical, where he swallows a small long-range transmitter as well as a number of drugs designed to make him resistant to mind-altering substances, poison, and telepathic invasion. His pain receptors are deadened temporarily. The Imperial Guard has recently returned to the philosophy that the elite soldier should feel no pain. The captain sees the sense in this policy for precautions as he is taking now, about to encounter a new and hostile species. But Shran has been in the Guard a long time, and he knows many soldiers who have undergone treatments to remove sensation permanently. Shran has not objected to serving with these soldiers, but privately he feels that this is somehow un-Andorian. Discipline is one thing, but an Andorian captain must use his instincts, feel his losses and triumph at his victories. Don’t feel, and you’ll find yourself in common company with the Vulcans.
Shran seats himself in his shuttle and pilots it alone to the holding-bay of the enemy ship. He sets the computer on standby towards an automatic self-destruct if he does not return to it in 12 hours. He exits and meets the pinkskin captain. He is taken to some sort of boardroom. He is not tortured.
...
The transporter beam whirrs, and a bedraggled Archer materializes on his pad.
“Archer, I’ve been to your ship, now it’s your turn to come to mine. Welcome to Kumari.” Archer walks stiffly to medical, where scans indicate dehydration and malnutrition as a result of perhaps three solar cycles’ marooning. They also indicate Archer’s age, physical history, and a total lack of body armour or protective drug use other than inoculations against disease. No transmitter, either––no wonder his people can’t keep track of him. They reveal that Archer has been mind-invaded twice over the past six months.
Shran’s interrogations officer is hovering, waiting to take over the prisoner when Shran gives the nod. Shran looks into the human’s eyes, and sees a vibrancy and liveliness there he envies.
“Come and dine with me, Captain. I have a bottle of ale I want you to try.”