Agent Fox Mulder (i_want_2) wrote in multi_fiction, @ 2008-12-25 14:10:00 |
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Entry tags: | enterprise, rated: adult, slash, startrek |
Fic: Prisoner Of My Soul 2/4 StarTrek Enterprise
Title: Rusted Out POS
Author: Lopaka Tanu
Disclaimer: I do not own Enterprise.
Characters: Trip, Archer, T'Pol, Hoshi, Travis, Amanda Cole, OCs.
Words: 5927
Prompt: Romulans capture Tucker and T'Pol.
Fandom: Enterprise
Pairing: N/A
Rating: Adult
Warnings: Language, Violence, Vulcan Teasing.
Summary: With her warp engine on its last legs, 'Enterprise' is in need of a little help.
Author's Note: To Sal, thank you for your inspiration in my time of distraction.
______________________________________
"What's the temperature on the plasma?" Jerking the wrench handle down, Trip tightened the lug firmly in to place. With a quick tug, he pulled it free. After aligning it with the next nut, he slapped it down on top.
Peering at the gage, Lydia blinked twice. "There is no change. We are still operating below optimum temperatures."
"Damn it!" A flourish at the end of his final twirl and Trip was done tightening the manifold in place. Pulling off the wrench, he pulled the sensor from his pocket and ran it along the metal seam. "There is no leak, so that's out."
Climbing out from under the warp core, Trip glared at the device. After two days of trying to find the source, they were no closer. Growling, he tossed the wrench in his hand a couple times, debating throwing it at the damned device.
Leaning over the guide rail, Lydia smirked at the Commander. "Go ahead, the armor on this thing's so thick, not even you could damage it."
"That's not the point." Still, it was so very tempting. Exhaling, Trip shook his head. It wasn't worth the effort. "Call up to the bridge, tell them it's the best we can do."
"Aye, sir." Snapping him a quick salute, she marched over to the comm console at the far side of the control panel.
Left to himself, Trip continued to watch the core. He couldn't figure out just what the hell the problem was this time. A week of fluctuating anti-matter/matter reactions had forced them to run at a lower warp speed than she was naturally capable of. The warp plasma wasn't to blame, since they had bled it off and replaced every last fluid ounce.
Running a hand through his sweat slicked hair, he stared in disgust. There was nothing they could do in deep space. They had no other option. The 'Enterprise' had to be dry-docked so they could tear it apart piece by piece until it was fixed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Standing around the central console, the senior staff watched the spinning model of the 'Enterprise' on the central monitor. Reactions were all similar in nature, from dismayed to stoic with a hint of displeasure.
"Given the rate of fluctuations, the maximum speed achievable is warp two-point-one." Reaching up, Trip highlighted two sections of the engineering section. "I've crews in this area monitoring the reactor mix. There has been no change, but I can't guarantee if we keep using the warp drive. Our best solution is to get her in to space dock for a complete overhaul."
Turning off the screen with more force than strictly necessary, Archer raised his gaze to his crew's faces. "All right, we know the situation. Now, I'm looking for some options."
"There is a slim chance we can make it back to Earth orbit given our current rate of speed. If the spiking continues, there is a chance we won't make it at all." Closing his eyes, Trip hung his head. His posture spoke of exhaustion. "I'm out of other ideas."
T'Pol turned her attention from the screen to Archer. "The Vulcan Scout Ship 'Merath' is within visual range." She didn't sound at all pleased by the thought. "While they may not be able to tow us all the way back to Earth, they can still provide some assistance."
"I'd rather not." John grimaced. The thought of their last encounter where he had to ask for help had left a bad taste in all their mouths. "But, just in case, keep an eye out."
"Very well." Nodding, T'Pol entered the orders in to her PADD. "I have contacts with a few neighboring species. We can possibly negotiate a trade."
Crossing her arms for lack of a better option, Amanda rolled her eyes. "For what? We don't know what is wrong with the drive."
"Information, for one, Lieutenant. While you are relatively new to this technology, other races have had advanced warp technology for far longer." T'Pol didn't even bother to look up from her work. There was no need, the woman was simply reacting. It was an annoying Human habit she was learning to deal with.
Unable to keep the grin off her face, Hoshi fixed the placement of her earpiece. "If you'll provide their frequencies, I'll get you patched through."
"Of course." Nodding, T'Pol finished her typing with a double click. Looking up, she placed the device behind her back and looked back to Archer for more orders.
"Is that it? No one else has any ideas?" Hands clenched, John tried not to give off a sense of desperation. This was his ship, they should be able to make it under his command. He looked from each face for a possible solution.
There was none.
Sighing, he leaned towards his best friend. "Trip, is there anything you haven't considered?"
Raising his eyes, Trip blinked blood shot eyes at the man. "Captain, I've tried everything. The warp matrix is not working, our core is shot." He took a shuddering breath, finishing with a swallow. "She's done, John."
"All right." John's heart gave a weak beat, making his chest feel like it was being crushed. "Travis, set course for Earth. Warp two. Dismissed."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heading to their stations, T'Pol and Hoshi walked at a subdued pace.
Feeling bad, Hoshi kept shooting glances towards Trip. As she resumed her seat, she watched him walk on to the turbo lift. She wished there was something she could do for him, yet knew they were all at a loss.
Having come to a stop next to the communications console, T'Pol waited to be acknowledged. She had to clear her throat to draw the younger woman's attention. When she had it, she cocked her head to the side. "He has done his job, now we must do our own. If the warp engine fails, it will be up to us."
"Aye, ma'am." That was all she needed, was to have the entire ship counting on her again. Dropping her eyes to her console, Hoshi quickly activated the station. "I am ready."
"Frequency eight hundred millihertz. The species is known as the Dohzen." She waited while Hoshi opened the channel. "Send the following message: 'Urgent assistance requested. Class two exploration vessel. Dilithium, anti-matter/matter mix warp fusion reactor core. Fluctuates above warp two, preventing stable warpfield.' Sign it, appreciatively, Sub-Commander T'Pol."
Her fingers flying over the console, Hoshi couldn't but help feel a little pride in her work. It seemed she might get her wish after all. "Sent."
"Thank you." Her voice steady, T'Pol revealed none of he anxiety she was feeling. As the first officer, it was her duty to be strong for the rest of the crew. Hopefully, her front would never be discovered. "Next frequency. Nine hundred, thirty-five-point-eight milihertz."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Standing at his view port, Archer kept his hands wrapped around the dog in his arms. Porthos had long since given up his struggles to get free, and now dozed with his head on the man's shoulder. Despite the dog's size, he still weighed a good twenty pounds, which made his arms ache.
John didn't care. He needed the comfort more than he needed relief.
He knew it was imperceptible, but the stars seemed to be moving slower than they had in the past. Their speed prevented him from noticing any difference. Yet, he still felt it deep in his bones.
Looking down to his dog, John didn't bother to hide his sadness. This was supposed to be his mission. He had wanted this his whole life, now his chance to explore the stars would be gone forever.
John was no fool, he knew the consequences of this failure.
Sure, he would be heralded a returning hero. There would be accolades a plenty, probably parades on half the planet before the dust settled. The 'Enterprise' would most likely end up a museum piece, taken apart to find out why she had failed.
The crew would probably find new postings. Some even on the other ships of the line that were currently being built back home. There would be a slight delay in their finish until they figured out what had gone wrong with his girl.
T'Pol would most likely be sent packing to her home world for a full debriefing. They would be polite about it, but she would never be treated the same again after all this time among the Humans. He really didn't envy her position, she had been doomed the moment she had been assigned.
And him?
He would be promoted. Admiralty, the end of a long and glorious career. Nothing kissed off a bad officer faster than promoting them out of harm's reach. The failure of his mission spelled the end of his career as a StarFleet captain.
And that, he supposed, was the worst part.
Rocking Porthos slowly, Archer began to mumbling nonsensical words to him. He would go down, even if he fought it with every fiber of his being. There was no getting around it.
Going back to watching the stars, he no longer felt the wonder of the mission.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trip wasn't sure who had broken out the alcohol in the mess, but he was certainly grateful. After his third shot of... He peered at it with a wavering vision. His third shot of something green.
Snickering, he finished off the glass. Gasping, he slammed the glass down on the table.
A crewman from security swooped in with a tray and a napkin. Wiping the table, he cleared away the glass. "Is there anything else I can get you, sir? You've got two more drinks left before Phlox says you are cut off."
"Phlox?" Spinning in his chair, Trip tried to focus his eyes. He followed the line of the crewman was pointing and came to the galley.
Sure enough, standing behind where the food stations normally were, was Phlox. He had a large red hat on and was twirling bottles with another crewman.
Trip couldn't remember her name, but the entire situation just suddenly seemed so damned ridiculous. Snickering, he sat back in the chair. He had to hook an elbow around the back to keep from falling out of it. "Bring me whatever this green stuff is. It's good."
"Right away, sir." Nodding to Trip, the crewman quickly hurried off back to the serving area.
Whoever he was, Trip didn't know how he performed his regular duties, but if he failed there, he could always get a job waiting tables. That done, he needed a distraction until his next drink arrived. There were plenty of people hanging around.
One table on the far side of the mess had a group of junior officers toasting each other with song.
He couldn't make out what they were singing, but was pretty sure those weren't the actual lyrics. Sounded like fun! If he was feeling more sociable, he would probably join them for a bit. Instead, all he wanted to do was get drunk.
From the looks of things, two tables away, Hoshi was in the same boat. Visibly swaying as she twirled a glass between her fingers, she continued to stare off in the distance. Apparently, she was not only down in the dumps, but extremely drunk.
This, he had to see.
Rising from his chair, albeit unsteadily, Trip managed to keep his balance. He staggered his way over, only forgetting where he was going twice. By the time he grabbed the back of the only other chair at her table for support, he was ready to kiss the deck plates. Trip cleared his throat to get her attention.
Hoshi's head shot up so fast she nearly fell over. Bracing herself against the table, she blinked to focus on Trip. "Commander! What can I do for you, sir?"
"Nothin." He screwed up his face and shook his head. "Just wondering if I could join ya."
She gestured to the general area of the chair. "Go ahead. I'm not using it."
"Thank you." Pulling it out, he plopped down in the chair. It was a credit to his tolerance that he had enough control that it prevented him from falling out of the chair when only half his ass landed in the seat. Scooting over, he righted himself the rest of the way. "There!"
"Good!" Nodding, Hoshi smiled at him. "How are you handling the situation, Commander?"
"I'm not, ain't it obvious?" He pointed at his eyes, or tried to. He ended up sticking his fingers up his nose. Frowning, he jerked them free. "Blood shot eyes, means I'm drunk."
"Ah, I see." She didn't, but it felt the right thing to say. Opening her eyes wide, she thinned her lips in to a fake smile. "So..."
"Yep." Trip shook his head. Then, the world spun violently. His hand shot out, desperate to clutch at something. Missing the table, he fell out of his chair. The back of his head hit the deck, knocking stars in to his vision. His head hurt a little, but that was okay.
"Commander!" Using the table to haul herself out of her chair and over the top, Hoshi peered over the edge. She could see he was watching her with a dazed expression. "Are you all right?"
"Fine, but I think I'm drunk." It sprang up in bubbles. He put a hand to his mouth, but the laughter spilled out anyways. Pretty soon, he was burping and giggling like a kid. "Oh, I don't think I can get up. The world's spinning!"
"Just lay there, then, I don't think anyone will step on you." Looking up, Hoshi tried to focus her own spinning world. "I think."
Cackling, Trip closed his eyes. He would just lay there for a little while until the world decided to right itself. He was snoring half a minute later.
Walking up to their table while drying his hands off with a towel, Phlox stared down upon the Human with a big smile. "I see my estimations were a little off. Perhaps a more diluted mix next time. Hmm?"
Hoshi looked up from her table. Seeing the pleased expression, she started to giggle. Her belly vibrating against the table loosened her grip and she went flying backwards with a cry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While the lights were dimmed by half for the comfort of her fellow crew mates, T'Pol herself was suffering no ill effects of the night before. It had some to do with her immune system, but a lot was in part to the fact she had not imbibed.
Tapping on her controls, she watched Ensign Hoshi gingerly work her own controls. Each click and beep made her wince from pain.
While pettiness was an emotion her people worked hard to overcome, T'Pol took a moment to indulge in a moment of it. It served them all right for getting drunk while their ship was in need of repairs. At any moment, danger could have appeared and they would not have been ready.
Very sloppy. Very Human.
And, yet, she had found herself wishing she had joined them. There was a sense of comradery she had yet to share with them. Probably never would since she was not like them. Their opinion, of course.
As much as this tended to annoy her, it was best to ignore these feelings. They served no purpose but to distract her and there were plenty of better options for use of her time.
Taking a calming breath, she activated her own diagnostic program. There had been no difference in the results than those of Commander Tucker's own programs. While this did not surprise her, it left her curious. Even with her limited background in warp technology, she should have had better luck.
Luck. She paused briefly to consider when she had started to think in such terms. Perhaps Ambassador Suval was correct in his worry over Humans influencing them and their behavior. It would present a fascinating chance to study, but later.
Right now, Ensign Hoshi's console was beeping.
The sound startled Hoshi out of her funk. Her fingers quickly flew over the controls, pressing the right ones to bring up the signal. When she saw the message, she gasped.
Focusing on the young woman, T'Pol raised her eyebrow in question. "What is it, Ensign?"
"A reply, from the Karima. They know what is causing our problem." Pressing a relay button, she sent the details to the Engineering console. "It's the exhaust manifold, our system is, for lack of a better phrase, choking to death on toxic fumes."
Raising her eyebrows, T'Pol rose from her seat, but not before she hit the comms button. "T'Pol to Captain Archer. There has been a response to our inquiries. I believe we have found a solution to our problem."
The shout of joy that echoed over the comm made her wince.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the first time in weeks, John felt more than a little tug of excitement at their future prospects. Thanks to T'Pol, they now actually had a future once again. He was so full of love for her that he could kiss her. Walking on the bridge, he just about did it. Only a sense of decorum made him keep his distance.
Now that he was standing beside her in the briefing room, the feeling had returned and magnified. Clearing his throat, he forced himself to focus on the view screen in the center console. "All right, Trip, what exactly will we need to get this problem fixed?"
"A brand new exhaust manifold." Shaking his head, Trip stared at the schematics. "According to this, the damage is done. Which means we can't salvage what we got."
Staring at Trip, Archer felt the beautiful feeling of being in love quickly evaporate. Exhaling, his shoulders slumped. "Can we fabricate a new one based upon these designs?"
"Sure, but that is only half the problem. We gotta take apart the warp drive and install a few buffers." Trip reached out and tapped the image of the warp core in several sections. They flashed, then enlarged for him to display. "Our anti-matter waste's puttin' off Theta radiation, this is screwing up the exhaust manifold. Ordinarily, we'd collect this in the manifold for later disposal, but that process is killin' our warp core."
He tapped the new design, highlighting three red pieces. "These are purification filters. They buffer the flow of anti-matter and eliminate the production of Theta radiation completely." Sighing, he tapped the entire engine schematics. "I would have to bypass several sections to get at the anti-matter injectors to insert these. That means taking the warp core completely off line, and bleeding off our warp plasma again."
Rubbing at his forehead, John felt a headache coming on fast. He took his time to think it over. "There's no other option?"
"Not if we ever want to get above warp two again." Trip knew he didn't have to say even that would be impossible soon. The danger was very real.
"Fine." He didn't want to do this. They needed that engine if they were caught in a troublesome situation. Still, Archer knew it was the only option.
"There is one other problem we must consider." T'Pol found herself the center of a several scowls. Once more, her training was relied upon not to react in a similar manner. "These buffers are made of a Uridium compound. I have checked the ship's stores, and there is an insufficient amount aboard."
"Isn't that always the way." Sighing, Amanda glowered at the Vulcan. "When it rains, she pulls down her pants to..."
"That's enough, Lieutenant!" Archer was close to snapping. All his anger over the situation came to the forefront and his fingers itched to hit something. "This situation is enough of a problem. If you seek to cause more, I can always find myself a new security officer."
Amanda's head snapped over to stare at John. Realizing what she had said, she put a hand over her mouth, her eyes going wide. "I...I'm sorry. I, just, I don't know what has come over me."
"There has been much stress in this situation. What we hope to be an answer is being taken apart." Giving the woman a withering stare, T'Pol kept her voice neutral. "Your reaction, while uncalled for, is understandable. Do not let it happen again."
Shaking her head, Amanda cleared her throat. "I won't, ma'am."
"Good. Now, the hard part." Taking command of the briefing again, John leaned over the table. He braced himself with his hands on the metal. "Where can we locate a quick source of Uridium ore within striking distance?"
"Bolarus Two." Much to everyone's surprise, and especially his own, it was Travis who spoke up. Clearing his throat, he ducked his head and stepped forward. Activating his part of the console, he typed in a sequence to change the image.
On the view screen, six stars appeared. The third one blinked twice before enlarging.
"The second planet in this solar system. There is a habitable atmosphere, but minimal vegetation and no wild life what so ever." Keeping his eyes on his work, Travis missed the expressions of his crew mates. "There are large deposits of Uridium ore about half a kilometer deep in the crust of the third largest continent. When I was fifteen, my father had us working for two weeks collecting enough to rebuild the warp injectors and have some left over for trading."
Coming up behind the helmsman, John clapped him on the shoulder. He had a big smile for him when the younger man looked at him. "Good work, Travis. How long do you estimate before we can be there?"
"One day, tops." His grin was wide and infectious. Excited, Travis took a shuddering breath. "It's been ages since I came out this way, but I can fly you there in my sleep."
"That won't be necessary." Grinning, Archer squeezed his shoulder. "Just get us there in one piece is all I ask."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sitting in the captain's mess, Trip stared at his food as if it might get up and walk away. "Am I the only one who thinks Chef has gone on strike?"
"It is just you." Picking up a carrot stick, T'Pol took a large bite from it. As she chewed, she watched him for a reaction.
Sighing, he pushed his plate away. "I think I'll grab something later from the resequencer. At least there I know what kinda garbage went in to it." That done, he sat back and crossed his arms. "Am I the only one who feels like a kid before Christmas who's not sure if that's coal in his stocking?"
"Don't worry, Trip, I feel it too." Toothpick in his fingers, John worked at a piece of gristle stuck between his teeth. "And, personally, I think chef out did himself with this fried chicken."
Trip looked at him horrified. "That wasn't fried chicken." Using the tip of his finger, he poked at the piece on his plate. "That looks like it once had fur."
Snickering, Archer shook his head. There were times when he was certain Trip had no clue how ridiculous he sounded. "According to Travis, we should be in orbit of Bolarus Two tomorrow morning just after first shift starts. How soon do you think you can get started on the repairs?"
"Any time after we enter orbit." Wadding up his napkin, Trip gave John his full attention. "But I'd rather not until after we've actually got the Uridium ore onboard and we're well on our way out of there. Travis said it's been some time since he's been there, a lotta things can change in eleven years."
"Agreed. This area is uncharted territory even to my people. It is best not to risk the ship or the crew if we do not have to." Picking up her last carrot stick, T'Pol looked it over for flaws. "You may rest easy, Commander, my meal is as was advertised."
"Earth expressions from a Vulcan." Trip shook his head in dismay. "Your people aren't going to like how far you've devolved."
"Do not worry, the corruption is easily purged." She looked up to meet his eyes. "As are the causes."
Snorting, Trip frowned at the near red John. "That's all the galaxy needs, a smartass Vulcan."
The last quip broke John's resolve and he shook with repressed laughter. Whimpering, he covered the bark of a hysterical snort with his napkin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hastily tugging his uniform top in to place, Trip stepped off the lift on to the bridge. Everyone else was already there, manning their stations. He caught the Captain's smirk and his cheeks pinked.
"Nice of you to join us." His chair spun so he could see Trip, John drummed his fingers on the arm rest.
Trip coughed, then ran his fingers through his hair. "Sorry, Captain, had a late night last night."
"Don't make a habit of it, Commander." A final smirk at his best friend, and Archer turned back to the main viewer. Sitting forward in his chair, he steepled his fingers. "Take us in slowly, Mr. Travis."
"Aye, sir." Grinning, Travis ran his fingers up the controls. They made an extra heavy sound on them from his excitement. "We'll be entering orbit in ten minutes."
"Very good." Shifting, Archer glanced over at T'Pol. "Any thing on the sensors?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary." So caught up in her work, T'Pol didn't bother to look up to acknowledge him. There was no telling what might crop up at an unexpected moment. "Scanning the planet's surface."
Archer smiled. "Bring it up on the main viewer." As the screen blinked from technical data to that of a mostly brown planet, he began to unconsciously hold his breath. "Is there any Uridium?"
"I am detecting minute traces on the surface." Activating a secondary sweep, T'Pol reviewed the data from the first. She glanced up for those watching. "My scans are showing large deposits of Uridium beneath the surface. It appears Ensign Travis was correct."
Whooping with joy, Travis pumped his fists in the air. "Yeah! I knew it!"
"Save your victory dance for later, Ensign, we still need to get there." Still, Archer couldn't keep the beaming smile off his face. Much like before, the young man's enthusiasm was catching. Sighing with pleasure, he leaned back in his chair. "Lieutenant Cole, how are your scans? Is there a hostile force waiting for us?"
"Negative." Her voice even, Amanda kept her gaze on the sensors. After yesterday, she wasn't taking any chances for a sense of impropriety on her part. "Weapons remain on standby, but we are clear of any and all hostile presences."
"That's good to hear." Finally satisfied, John spun his chair to face Trip. "Is your team ready for this?"
"As they'll ever be." Swallowing, Trip looked up from his console. He had a bad feeling about this, but wasn't going to inform the Captain. "Any time the Sub-Commander is ready, we can go."
"We have achieved orbit." Travis' words were almost whispered, but they echoed across the bridge.
Appearing in the center of the screen, the large brown planet swiftly spun in the bright light of the star.
Leaning back in his chair, Travis folded his hands behind his head. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Bolarus Two."
Archer knew he wasn't the only one who couldn't keep a straight face. This was it, they were going to have the answer to their problems. "Since you're so eager, Ensign, why don't you do our away team the honor flying them to the surface."
Travis spun his chair around so fast he nearly fell out of it. The grin on his face was almost a mile wide. "With pleasure, sir!" Rising from his chair, he looked to T'Pol. "Ready any time you are."
Seeing that she was the center of attention, T'Pol sighed. "Very well."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The vibration of the shuttle pod as it was buffeted through the atmosphere jarred Trip's nerves. If he didn't know any better, he would think that Travis was doing it on purpose. The younger man always had a sick sense of humor, so Trip wouldn't put it passed him.
Sighing as he was thrown back against the bulkhead, Trip clung desperately to the support hook. White knuckling it all the way down was not his idea of a good time. Looking at the security officer across from him, Trip didn't think he was alone in that.
He knew someone who was going to get their ass kicked during the next gym exercises. Grinning at Travis' back, he felt a sense of some satisfaction.
A violent shake nearly took his arm out of his socket as he was thrown clear from his seat. "Watch where the hell you're going, Ensign!"
"Sorry, sir, the port nacelle must have hit a pocket of Methane. The atmosphere is riddled with them." The answering smile on his face said he wasn't sympathetic or sorry one bit.
"You knew about them and didn't warn us?" That did it, he was definitely killing the kid next time he got in the gym. The security officer would have to wait in line.
Glancing over to T'Pol, he was surprised to find her unaffected. Then again, he really shouldn't be. The woman probably had an ass so tight she had a suction on the seat. The thought made him gasp, choking as he tried to bite back a laugh.
Turning to face him, T'Pol gave him a questioning expression.
Waving her off, Trip had to look away or else he would lose it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hand to her earpiece, Hoshi smiled at the Captain. "I am receiving a hail from the planet, sir. It's a shuttle pod. They've landed safely."
Standing up, John walked to her station. "Excellent. Ask them how long they think it will be before they can begin mining."
Flipping the signal on, Hoshi took a breath to start to relay the message. Then her eyes went wide and she snorted.
"Is there something the matter, Ensign?" Smiling, Archer leaned on her console.
"Nothing I care to repeat, sir. Preparing to relay message." Taking another deep breath, Hoshi cleared her throat. "Shuttle pod one, this is Enterprise. Captain Archer wishes to know how soon before mining operations begin."
"Captain!" Amanda's voice tore through the peaceful amusement of the bridge crew. Looking up from her station, she activated the main view screen. "I've got two spatial anomalies appearing ten thousand meters off the port bow!"
"Red alert!" Rushing back to his chair, Archer spun to drop down in it. "Ensign Honicutt, back us off quickly!"
"Correction, they are..." Her face twisting in confusion, Amanda hit the buttons to run the scan again. "Yes, it's two ships! Unknown configuration and class."
Focusing on the main screen, Archer looked to his arm controls. "Hoshi, hail them!"
Hoshi's fingers snapped at the controls, moving quickly to flip through the frequencies. "I'm trying, sir. There's no response."
"I'm detecting an energy spike!" Amanda went pale. "It's a weapon. They're preparing to fire, sir!"
"Polarize the hull plating!" Gripping his arm rests, Archer braced for the impact. "Evasive maneuvers!"
Honicutt's actions were too late as green energy flashed over the screen towards them.
"All hands, brace for impact!" Half a heart beat after Archer spoke, the ship rocked from the impact of the alien weapons. "Hoshi, forget the hostiles! Get the shuttle pod! Tell them to get back up here."
"I can't raise them, the aliens have jammed our frequencies." Turning the dials, Hoshi winced as her earpiece squealed in her ear. She cried out in pain, yanking it from her ear.
"Sir, the aliens are firing again." This time, anger tinged her voice. Instead of bracing for the attack, her hands worked on the console. "Returning fire!"
"Belay that! We're not here to start a war!" Archer spun his chair to completely face Hoshi. "Try to hail them again! Tell them we mean them no harm."
The 'Enterprise' shook as another shot hit them. Across the bridge, small explosions blew out control panels. The auxiliary science station behind Archer exploded, throwing him from chair.
"Captain!" Hoshi started to rise from her console. Another blast sent sparks showering over her. Jumping back, she flung up her arms to protect herself.
Rolling on to his side, Archer shook his head at Ensign Honicutt. "Man your post, I'm fine." He grimaced as he rolled in to a sitting position. "Damage report!"
"Direct hit to the port, forward thruster. Power to the thrusters, including maneuvering, is gone." Ensign O'Hair stared at the readouts from the con in alarm. Reaching up, she pushed the tangled mess of her hair off her face. "Sir, we're adrift."
Smashing her fist to the console, Amanda stood up. "We can't take another hit! We've still got the warp drive, I say we retreat!" They had to do something, even if she had to make them.
Twisting, John glared up at her from the deck. "We can't leave, we have crew on the surface!"
"We're no good to them if the enemy blows us out of the sky!" Glancing down at her console, Amanda hid the mutinous expression. Despite her instincts to fight, she knew the odds game was over. "The enemy ships are charging weapons. It's now or never!"
Jaw tightening, Archer looked from hers to the other faces of his bridge crew. The debris that had been the science terminal still smoldered where it had exploded, casting smoke across the room. Closing his eyes, he dropped his chin. "Ensign Honicutt, get us out of here, best speed you can make!"
"Aye, sir." Swallowing, she nodded. Muttering a prayer, she touched the controls to bring the warp drive online. Their destination was easily taken care of. Anywhere but there. Closing her eyes, she touched the last key.
Much to everyone's relief, the hum of the engines activating filled the ship. They were taken quickly away from the fight.
Letting his chin remain on his chest, Archer silently prayed that they would forgive him for leaving them behind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hauling the last of the digging equipment out of the shuttle pod, Travis wiped his forehead. Despite the punishment, he was still smiling.
Trip wanted to slug the smug little bastard. Instead, he turned and took a sip from his water flask. "Another thing you failed to mention, it's hotter than hell out here, Travis."
"Must have slipped my mind, sir." Travis dropped the portable shovels on top of the already large mound of equipment. Grinning, he reached up to wipe his brow with the back of his hand. He started to say something, then he wasn't there any more.
Trip stared in shock at the empty spot. Then found himself caught in an energy beam. A half second later, he materialized on a transporter pad. Staring around in shock, he tried to locate anything familiar.
He found it in the barrel of a weapon pointed at him. It wasn't any standard version he had ever seen, but he recognized the way it was held enough to know the owner meant business. Holding up his hands, he dropped the flask to the deck.
Coming in close, the owner of the weapon's purple body armor glowed in the light of the transporter bay. He raised the butt of his weapon, and that was the last thing Trip saw.
TO BE CONTINUED......................