Chapter One
"Captain," Sub-Commander T'Pol said.
Captain Jonathan Archer looked up from the viewscreen, towards his Vulcan science officer.
"What is it, T'Pol?" he asked.
"I'm reading a one-man craft, passing close by. I don't believe they've detected us, or if they have, they aren't reacting to our presence."
"Are they showing any hostile intent?"
"Doubtful. They have two relatively primitive phased energy cannons, not armed. The vessel looks to be armed only for defensive purposes."
"Put their vessel on screen," Archer said. On the viewer, the primitive yet efficient vessel appeared. "Hoshi, open a channel to their vessel."
Ensign Hoshi Sato's hands fluttered across her communications console quickly but delicately. A computerized chirp sounded, indicating an open communications channel to the other vessel. "Go ahead, Captain."
"This is Captain Jonathan Archer of the starship Enterprise. We're from the planet Earth." The greeting was familiar to Archer, as he repeated a similar version of it to nearly every ship they encountered.
There was a pause. "I am Tosk."
The voice sounded young and innocent, yet also experienced. It sounded friendly enough.
"Is that the name of your species, or is it your own personal designation?" Archer wondered.
"I am Tosk," the creature said after another brief pause. He sounded curious and slightly confused.
Archer moved on to another topic. "We're on a mission of peaceful exploration. What about you? What brings you to this sector?"
"I am on the Hunt," Tosk replied simply.
"The hunt? And what, may I ask, are you hunting?"
"I am not hunting. I am Hunted."
"You're the one being hunted? By who?"
Tosk did not reply.
"Can we assist you?" Archer wanted to know.
"Your assistance is not required," Tosk stated calmly. A chirp signaled that the channel was closed.
"He cut communications, sir," Hoshi said.
"Obviously he does not wish to share any more information with us than he already has," T'Pol said.
"I don't like the sound of this 'hunt' of his. Are there any other vessels in the area?" Archer asked.
"There are none at the moment," T'Pol replied. "However, there is a nebula bearing 157 mark 29 that is interfering with sensor readings from that direction. A ship could pass through that disturbance without suffering any damage, and they would not be able to be detected until they were on top of us."
"Is the nebula in visual range?" Archer asked.
"Yes, sir," T'Pol said. "Putting it on screen."
On the ship's main viewer, the image of Tosk's vessel changed to a swirling purple cloud. It was a standard metreon nebula. Nothing out of the ordinary, but they have been known to interfere with sensor technology.
"I'm not going to take any chances. Mr. Reed, place the ship on Tactical Alert until further notice. T'Pol, notify me the moment any other ships enter this region. For now, I want to keep an eye on Tosk."
Lights across the bridge either dimmed or shut off entirely, being replaced with subtle red lights that glowed from behind consoles and workstations. Consoles immediately changed from their normal operating mode to their designated tactical function. On the main viewer, the metreon nebula returned to its former image of Tosk's vessel.
"T'Pol, can you match what information we've gathered so far about Tosk to anything that might correspond in the Vulcan database?" Archer needed to know what he was up against, and what he may be facing later.
T'Pol was already prepared for the question. "I've found nothing that corresponds either to Tosk, or the hunt he seems preoccupied with."
"Understood," Archer replied.
At that moment, the turbolift door slid open, revealing Commander Tucker. The chief engineer moved towards his station.
"Trip," Archer needed to explain what had happened.
"Cap'n? What's going on?" the engineer said, stopping in front of Archer.
Archer began to explain what was going on, from the discovery of Tosk's vessel, to the hunt that Tosk seemed so interested in pursuing, and finally the possibility of potentially dangerous vessels entering the system.
"So now we're keepin' track of this Tosk fella, waitin' for more ships to arrive?" Trip began to process the information he had just been fed.
"That's right," Archer confirmed. "Take your station."
Trip did as he was told, and took control of the engineering console.
"Captain," T'Pol said, a sense of urgency in her voice. "Tosk's vessel is increasing speed. He's heading towards the fourth planet in this system."
"Is there any discernable cause for his sudden change in course and speed?" Archer feared the worst.
"It would appear-" T'Pol began.
"Three of them, sir," Reed interjected. "Three unidentifiable vessels moving in. They're headed straight for Tosk."
"T'Pol?" Archer got up from his command chair, and moved towards T'Pol. He needed more information.
"The new vessels are similar in design and construction to Tosk's vessel. They may or may not have been constructed by the same race. They do appear to be approximately five times the size of Tosk's one-man vessel, and they have plotted a course to intercept Tosk."
"Biosigns?" Archer asked.
"I'm reading three on the first vessel, two on the others."
"Have they seen us yet?"
"No. Like Tosk, they appear to be uninterested in us."
"How long until they intercept Tosk?"
"I would say thirty-seven minutes, present speed."
"Captain," Mayweather said. The helmsman turned to face Archer. "It doesn't sound unreasonable that these are the people hunting Tosk."
"It's certainly beginning to look that way," Archer said. He sat back down in his chair. "Travis, I want you to lay in a course parallel to Tosk's ship. Don't take us any closer than fifty kilometers."
"Aye, sir," Mayweather replied. The ship began to move. On the viewscreen, Tosk's magnified ship began to grow larger still, as Enterprise moved to intercept the vessel.
"Captain, we are approaching the fourth planet," T'Pol noted.
"Zoom in a bit closer on Tosk's ship," Archer replied.
On the screen, the image of Tosk's ship became even larger.
"Sir," Reed said. "If he doesn't slow down, he's going to enter the atmosphere of the planet."
"Maintain course and speed, Travis," Archer replied, staying focused.
Suddenly, Tosk's ship exploded in a brilliant flash of light and color, dying down as quickly as it appeared.
"What the hell?" Archer's jaw dropped.
"Captain," T'Pol said. "I do not believe that Tosk is dead."
"What makes you say that?"
"The other vessels are still pursuing. In fact, they have increased speed."
"And we'll do the same. Travis, put us in a close orbit of that planet."
"Aye, sir," Mayweather nodded, pressing the appropriate controls.
"Trip," Archer looked toward his engineer. "Prep Shuttlepod One for launch as soon as you can."
"Shuttlepod One'll be ready to go as soon as you are, sir." "Good," Archer continued. "I'm going to need security, Malcolm, and we may need a medic, so we'll take Phlox, too. Trip, Travis, and T'Pol, I want you to come along as well. We don't know how much ground we'll need to cover."
Archer looked around the bridge, at everyone he had selected to join him to the planet surface. They each nodded as they met his gaze.
"Team," Captain Archer said. "To the launch bay."
"Captain," Sub-Commander T'Pol said.
Captain Jonathan Archer looked up from the viewscreen, towards his Vulcan science officer.
"What is it, T'Pol?" he asked.
"I'm reading a one-man craft, passing close by. I don't believe they've detected us, or if they have, they aren't reacting to our presence."
"Are they showing any hostile intent?"
"Doubtful. They have two relatively primitive phased energy cannons, not armed. The vessel looks to be armed only for defensive purposes."
"Put their vessel on screen," Archer said. On the viewer, the primitive yet efficient vessel appeared. "Hoshi, open a channel to their vessel."
Ensign Hoshi Sato's hands fluttered across her communications console quickly but delicately. A computerized chirp sounded, indicating an open communications channel to the other vessel. "Go ahead, Captain."
"This is Captain Jonathan Archer of the starship Enterprise. We're from the planet Earth." The greeting was familiar to Archer, as he repeated a similar version of it to nearly every ship they encountered.
There was a pause. "I am Tosk."
The voice sounded young and innocent, yet also experienced. It sounded friendly enough.
"Is that the name of your species, or is it your own personal designation?" Archer wondered.
"I am Tosk," the creature said after another brief pause. He sounded curious and slightly confused.
Archer moved on to another topic. "We're on a mission of peaceful exploration. What about you? What brings you to this sector?"
"I am on the Hunt," Tosk replied simply.
"The hunt? And what, may I ask, are you hunting?"
"I am not hunting. I am Hunted."
"You're the one being hunted? By who?"
Tosk did not reply.
"Can we assist you?" Archer wanted to know.
"Your assistance is not required," Tosk stated calmly. A chirp signaled that the channel was closed.
"He cut communications, sir," Hoshi said.
"Obviously he does not wish to share any more information with us than he already has," T'Pol said.
"I don't like the sound of this 'hunt' of his. Are there any other vessels in the area?" Archer asked.
"There are none at the moment," T'Pol replied. "However, there is a nebula bearing 157 mark 29 that is interfering with sensor readings from that direction. A ship could pass through that disturbance without suffering any damage, and they would not be able to be detected until they were on top of us."
"Is the nebula in visual range?" Archer asked.
"Yes, sir," T'Pol said. "Putting it on screen."
On the ship's main viewer, the image of Tosk's vessel changed to a swirling purple cloud. It was a standard metreon nebula. Nothing out of the ordinary, but they have been known to interfere with sensor technology.
"I'm not going to take any chances. Mr. Reed, place the ship on Tactical Alert until further notice. T'Pol, notify me the moment any other ships enter this region. For now, I want to keep an eye on Tosk."
Lights across the bridge either dimmed or shut off entirely, being replaced with subtle red lights that glowed from behind consoles and workstations. Consoles immediately changed from their normal operating mode to their designated tactical function. On the main viewer, the metreon nebula returned to its former image of Tosk's vessel.
"T'Pol, can you match what information we've gathered so far about Tosk to anything that might correspond in the Vulcan database?" Archer needed to know what he was up against, and what he may be facing later.
T'Pol was already prepared for the question. "I've found nothing that corresponds either to Tosk, or the hunt he seems preoccupied with."
"Understood," Archer replied.
At that moment, the turbolift door slid open, revealing Commander Tucker. The chief engineer moved towards his station.
"Trip," Archer needed to explain what had happened.
"Cap'n? What's going on?" the engineer said, stopping in front of Archer.
Archer began to explain what was going on, from the discovery of Tosk's vessel, to the hunt that Tosk seemed so interested in pursuing, and finally the possibility of potentially dangerous vessels entering the system.
"So now we're keepin' track of this Tosk fella, waitin' for more ships to arrive?" Trip began to process the information he had just been fed.
"That's right," Archer confirmed. "Take your station."
Trip did as he was told, and took control of the engineering console.
"Captain," T'Pol said, a sense of urgency in her voice. "Tosk's vessel is increasing speed. He's heading towards the fourth planet in this system."
"Is there any discernable cause for his sudden change in course and speed?" Archer feared the worst.
"It would appear-" T'Pol began.
"Three of them, sir," Reed interjected. "Three unidentifiable vessels moving in. They're headed straight for Tosk."
"T'Pol?" Archer got up from his command chair, and moved towards T'Pol. He needed more information.
"The new vessels are similar in design and construction to Tosk's vessel. They may or may not have been constructed by the same race. They do appear to be approximately five times the size of Tosk's one-man vessel, and they have plotted a course to intercept Tosk."
"Biosigns?" Archer asked.
"I'm reading three on the first vessel, two on the others."
"Have they seen us yet?"
"No. Like Tosk, they appear to be uninterested in us."
"How long until they intercept Tosk?"
"I would say thirty-seven minutes, present speed."
"Captain," Mayweather said. The helmsman turned to face Archer. "It doesn't sound unreasonable that these are the people hunting Tosk."
"It's certainly beginning to look that way," Archer said. He sat back down in his chair. "Travis, I want you to lay in a course parallel to Tosk's ship. Don't take us any closer than fifty kilometers."
"Aye, sir," Mayweather replied. The ship began to move. On the viewscreen, Tosk's magnified ship began to grow larger still, as Enterprise moved to intercept the vessel.
"Captain, we are approaching the fourth planet," T'Pol noted.
"Zoom in a bit closer on Tosk's ship," Archer replied.
On the screen, the image of Tosk's ship became even larger.
"Sir," Reed said. "If he doesn't slow down, he's going to enter the atmosphere of the planet."
"Maintain course and speed, Travis," Archer replied, staying focused.
Suddenly, Tosk's ship exploded in a brilliant flash of light and color, dying down as quickly as it appeared.
"What the hell?" Archer's jaw dropped.
"Captain," T'Pol said. "I do not believe that Tosk is dead."
"What makes you say that?"
"The other vessels are still pursuing. In fact, they have increased speed."
"And we'll do the same. Travis, put us in a close orbit of that planet."
"Aye, sir," Mayweather nodded, pressing the appropriate controls.
"Trip," Archer looked toward his engineer. "Prep Shuttlepod One for launch as soon as you can."
"Shuttlepod One'll be ready to go as soon as you are, sir." "Good," Archer continued. "I'm going to need security, Malcolm, and we may need a medic, so we'll take Phlox, too. Trip, Travis, and T'Pol, I want you to come along as well. We don't know how much ground we'll need to cover."
Archer looked around the bridge, at everyone he had selected to join him to the planet surface. They each nodded as they met his gaze.
"Team," Captain Archer said. "To the launch bay."