TITLE: Needs Be - A Sequel to Hidden Truths
SUMMARY: When a tragedy occurs, Archer tells Trip that he remembers everything about Trip's real identity and the events surrounding Regis Jata. Not soon after, some old enemies show up.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing trek related.
NOTES: Remember Hidden Truths? Like it? Want closure? Read on my friends. I know it was ages since I posted it, but I've been debating with myself whether or not to post this - guess who won?
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CHAPTER ONE
Teaser
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A month had passed since those perspective changing revelations Jon had been through since Trip had dropped the bombshell. Jon's thoughts drifted once more back to how Trip broke the news. "I'm not human, Jon." What kind of a way was that to break news?
The situation was how he left it - The crew knew nothing. They had forgotten everything about Regis Jata, about Trip, the Kett ships and the rift, everything. Jon wasn't sure how Trip pulled that one off, but in some respects he was glad. He was glad Trip saved Hoshi.
But for some reason Jon remembered it all. He was sure Trip didn't mean for this to happen, because Trip went back to acting normally, going about his duties and being the same cheerful, joke-making engineer. The only difference was he seemed to be even more happy. And then there was that glint of newfound reverence in his eyes every time he looked at Hoshi. Jon seemed to be the only person to notice, perhaps because he knew it was there.
But Jon had kept his knowledge quiet. He understood why Trip's identity was supposed to remain hidden to the crew. The Kamidari didn't remain hidden by telling more than eighty people. If anyone knew, it might put them and Trip in danger.
It wasn't for lack of temptation that Jon had secured his information away in his head. There had been more than one occasion during the past month that he wouldn't have minded a little 'extra' help.
"Captain we're receiving a distress call from Talos."
"I thought you said there were no inhabited planets in this system?" Jon asked after awakening from his thoughts.
"It appears I was mistaken." T'Pol replied.
T'Pol didn't admit she was wrong very often, mainly because it didn't happen that much, and Jon thought it was mildly childish to revel in it every time. But he still did. "Let's hear it."
Hoshi pressed a few buttons and a beacon sounded, then kept repeating. Clearly not a verbal distress call. "Okay." Jon said when he'd heard enough. "Travis ,set a course, let's check it out."
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Talos wasn't far away, and Enterprise arrived shortly. "There are four bio-signs on the surface, all strong." Malcolm reported.
"They're not responding to hails Captain."
"They must be in trouble." Jon announced. A distress beacon was exactly that - to be used in times of distress. "Let's take a shuttle. T'Pol, Hoshi, you're with me."
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"Captain I'm really quite embarrassed."
It turned out there was no trouble on Talos. When the shuttle landed and Jon, T'Pol and Hoshi exited, the four aliens on the surface, the Ethera, were quite surprised. It was a family with two young children and one of them had activated the beacon accidentally.
"Don't be." Jon laughed. He knew how children could be.
"You can rest assured Simsa will be severely punished." The mother of the children, Arion said - though Jon was sure it was purely to scare the child, who was present.
"If you don't mind me asking, why are you're family here on Talos?"
"We just wanted to see some different planets. Where we come from all the planets are deserts and rocks" Arion smiled.
"And where exactly do you come from?" T'Pol asked impertinently.
"Our planet is far from here, in the Kesca system. Every year we journey in a different direction from our home planet and find whatever we find."
"Sounds like a nice way to live." Hoshi said genuinely.
"We like it." Arion smiled back. Jon could tell she liked Hoshi a lot more than T'Pol. "You must be a caring species to answer a distress call from just four people. A lot of species we have come across haven't been too friendly."
"We know the feeling." Jon replied, thinking back to all the anonymous (and familiar) aliens that had tried to kill them during the course of their mission. "I'm just glad it turned out to be nothing."
"I'd ask you to join us for dinner but I'm afraid our food is rationed." Esat, the father of the family said. He had been relatively quiet up until now.
"That's quite alright. Why don't you join us?" Jon said, as the thought occurred. "We could give you a tour."
"Thank-you but we better be going. We heading off soon." Arion apologised.
"Maybe some other time."
"I'm sure our paths will cross again."
And with that, the short journey was over. Jon and the others returned to the shuttle after saying their goodbyes and went on their way.
Back on Enterprise Malcolm gave the bridge back to Archer. "The Ethera ship is leaving now Sir." He informed.
"Thank-you Malcolm." Jon replied and sat in his chair. The ship was on the view-screen, then Arion appeared. Her expression was grim.
"Captain, our sensors are detecting some kind of disturbance on the planet's surface."
T'Pol check her console swiftly and efficiently. "She is correct Captain, there are massive energy readings emanating from the other side of the planet."
"What kind of energy readings?"
"Weapons-fire" She replied more urgently. "A massive charge directed at Talos."
"What?" Jon said in disbelief.
"The planet is being destroyed. Sir, we must leave the system immediately, there will be a shockwave."
"Arion, can you get out of the system?"
"Yes." Arion replied.
The shockwave was upon them almost instantly. "Travis, get us out of here!"
"The Ethera ship isn't going fast enough, they'll be destroyed." Malcolm said.
"Can we use the grapnels?"
This was the last sentence anyone had a chance to speak. The wave hit too fast, and everyone was caught unprepared. As the ship rattled, people held on to whatever was in arms reach while others lost their balance and fell to floor.
When it was over, Jon knew he should ask for the damage report, ask if their were any casualties, inform the rest of the crew what just happened, but the only thing he wanted to know at that moment was if Arion and her family were alright.
"Is the Ethera ship intact?" He finally managed to say.
Malcolm recovered his composure and after a moment replied. "I'm sorry Sir, the ship was destroyed."
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End of Teaser
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