Chapter 1
"You're kidding!" said Archer.
"No, Volcans do not own pets." T'Pol replied.
"So you never wanted a puppy growing up?" asked Archer.
"No. I never felt the need for canine companionship," answered T'Pol.
"Why? Did they smell to bad?" asked Archer.
"No. They need too much obedience. They have too many needs that would take away from personal training." said T'Pol.
"That kinda sounds like you're being selfish with your time." replied Archer.
"Not selfish. Just focused on a goal." T'Pol said.
"I couldn't think of never owning a pet. I've always had a dog or cat. I couldn't think of not having Porthos with me." Archer replied.
A moment or two of silence passed between them.
"Captain, we are having problems getting through this part of space."
"Set a new heading at 2.66093."
"Better. We are getting through faster now."
"Check the sensors. We'll have to remember that on our way back to Enterprise. What was that?!"Archer said startled.
"The right thrusters just went out and the haul is breaching. We need to land the shuttle fast."
"What are the sensors saying? Can we detect who is attacking us?" Captain Archer asked as he tried to regain control of the shuttle pod.
"No, rerouting power to the long range sensors. It is the Klingons."
"What the heck are they doing here! Contact Enterprise and tell them what's going on."
"T'Pol to Enterprise."
"This is Trip, go ahead."
"We are under attack, we are going to try an emergency landing. We will try to reach you from the surface."
"Okay. Becareful now. We'll be expect'n your call soon. Trip out."
"Captain, the engines are over heating. We should eject."
"I agree." ************************************************************************ As soon as they ejected from the shuttle pod it exploded. The chutes glided down to the planet. The Klingons weren't very far behind, scanning the area for survivors. T'Pol and Archer landed on the forest floor.
Startled, Archer sprang up and started looking for T'Pol. "T'Pol. T'Pol, where are you?! T'Pol! Answer me, T'Pol!" he yelled into the forest."Over here, Captain."
"Oh, there you are. Thank God. Where are we?" he said relieved to find her.
"We appear to have landed somewhere on the planet's surface."
"Well, there's no way we can contact Enterprise unless we find the shuttle."
"We have bigger things to worry about. The scanner just picked up some lifeforms heading this way.It is the Klingons."
"Uh. Great. Look! There's a cave up ahead, we can stay there until they leave."
They ran as fast they could to a little opening in the face of a cliff. The cavern was big and very wet with mosses growing on the ground and rocks. The Klingons were very close behind then. They could hear them screaming something at each other."We should keep going, the farther back we are the less chance they have of finding us." commented T'Pol.
"You're right. I don't hear them anymore. We must have lost them. Let's rest here." Archer groaned.
"Captain, you are bleeding."
"Oh. It's just a scratch. You're pretty banged up yourself. I grabbed a survival pack before we ejected there should be a first aid kit in there."
"I do not see it. Are you sure you grabbed it?"
"Yes. I must have dropped it when we ran into the cave. We need to go back and get it." Archer said as he started walking back then collapsed.
"I will go, Captain." T'Pol replied.
"No! You're not going alone. I'm going with you."
"Captain, you are too weak to stand up. If I go alone I will get there faster."
"T'Pol! You're not going alone. It's dangerous out there. You could be seen by the Klingons."
"Captain, we need that first aid kit. I'll be back."
"Sub-commander, you're not going and that's an order!"
"As sub-commander I feel you are in no state to give orders."
As T'Pol turned around and started walking away, Archer called to her. "T'Pol, if you're going take the scanner to see if they're any where near."
T'Pol left and headed back to the entrance of the cave. Just a few feet from the entrance, she saw three Klingon warriors going through the first aid kit. After scanning the area, she headed back towards Captain Archer. " Did you find it?" asked Archer.
"Yes."
"Well, where is it?"
"The Klingons have it." she answered.
"What?!"
"There is three Klingons at the entrance and five more searching around the outside."
"Any more good news?" he asked sarcastically.
"There is also six Klingon warbirds scouting the area from above."
"Great! What did we do to make them attack us?"
"I do not know, but they are coming this way, and we need to get you medical attention." she stated.
"You need some patchin' up too." Archer said laughing.
"There is light coming from around this corner. There must be a way out through it. Come on and lean on my shoulder."
"Arrg. My leg. I think its broken." he said in pain.
"When we get out of this cave I can make you a splint. We need to hurry. They are closer."
"How do you know?" he asked.
"I can smell them."
T'Pol slowly helped Archer up and they headed out of the cave. ****************************************************************************
When they got out of the cave there was a drop off. "Oh, great!" Archer complained. They quickly, but cautiously, started down a narrow ledge. T'Pol almost fell once, but Archer caught her.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine, thank you."
"You're welcome."
After they got to the bottom, they went into the underbrush and kept walking until they thought they were far enough away from being seen. "Ow, ow, wait a minute. I need to rest."
"Captain, ..."
"Please, call me Jonathan."
"Jonathan?"
"Yes. Jonathan. You don't always have to be so formal."
"Okay, Jonathan, I will find water to clean our wounds."
As she got up Archer grabbed her hand, and pulled her back down."Please becareful, I don't think I'll be able to make it if something happens to you."
"Do not worry, I will be back, I promise." She gave him a reassuring look then squeezed his hand and got up and went into the woods to look for water. When she came back, Archer's eyes were closed.
"Jonathan, Jonathan!" she said shaking him gently.
"I'm awake, I'm awake. Man, you look horrible."
"I thought you were...."
"Dead?" he finished.
"Yes, I brought water and two sticks. Now, sit still. I am going to set your leg. This will hurt a lot."
"Go ahead." said Jonathan.
T'Pol took his leg and pulled it very hard. Jonathan didn't scream, but he moaned. "Are you alright?" she asked.
"Yeah, it just hurts a little."
"Here, drink some water." she said as she finished with his leg.
"Ah. Thanks." he said.
"We should get some rest, but we need to find shelter first. It looks as if it is going to storm."
"You're right. Help me up please?"
"There is an overhang not far ahead that we can stay under until morning."
End Chapter 1
"You're kidding!" said Archer.
"No, Volcans do not own pets." T'Pol replied.
"So you never wanted a puppy growing up?" asked Archer.
"No. I never felt the need for canine companionship," answered T'Pol.
"Why? Did they smell to bad?" asked Archer.
"No. They need too much obedience. They have too many needs that would take away from personal training." said T'Pol.
"That kinda sounds like you're being selfish with your time." replied Archer.
"Not selfish. Just focused on a goal." T'Pol said.
"I couldn't think of never owning a pet. I've always had a dog or cat. I couldn't think of not having Porthos with me." Archer replied.
A moment or two of silence passed between them.
"Captain, we are having problems getting through this part of space."
"Set a new heading at 2.66093."
"Better. We are getting through faster now."
"Check the sensors. We'll have to remember that on our way back to Enterprise. What was that?!"Archer said startled.
"The right thrusters just went out and the haul is breaching. We need to land the shuttle fast."
"What are the sensors saying? Can we detect who is attacking us?" Captain Archer asked as he tried to regain control of the shuttle pod.
"No, rerouting power to the long range sensors. It is the Klingons."
"What the heck are they doing here! Contact Enterprise and tell them what's going on."
"T'Pol to Enterprise."
"This is Trip, go ahead."
"We are under attack, we are going to try an emergency landing. We will try to reach you from the surface."
"Okay. Becareful now. We'll be expect'n your call soon. Trip out."
"Captain, the engines are over heating. We should eject."
"I agree." ************************************************************************ As soon as they ejected from the shuttle pod it exploded. The chutes glided down to the planet. The Klingons weren't very far behind, scanning the area for survivors. T'Pol and Archer landed on the forest floor.
Startled, Archer sprang up and started looking for T'Pol. "T'Pol. T'Pol, where are you?! T'Pol! Answer me, T'Pol!" he yelled into the forest."Over here, Captain."
"Oh, there you are. Thank God. Where are we?" he said relieved to find her.
"We appear to have landed somewhere on the planet's surface."
"Well, there's no way we can contact Enterprise unless we find the shuttle."
"We have bigger things to worry about. The scanner just picked up some lifeforms heading this way.It is the Klingons."
"Uh. Great. Look! There's a cave up ahead, we can stay there until they leave."
They ran as fast they could to a little opening in the face of a cliff. The cavern was big and very wet with mosses growing on the ground and rocks. The Klingons were very close behind then. They could hear them screaming something at each other."We should keep going, the farther back we are the less chance they have of finding us." commented T'Pol.
"You're right. I don't hear them anymore. We must have lost them. Let's rest here." Archer groaned.
"Captain, you are bleeding."
"Oh. It's just a scratch. You're pretty banged up yourself. I grabbed a survival pack before we ejected there should be a first aid kit in there."
"I do not see it. Are you sure you grabbed it?"
"Yes. I must have dropped it when we ran into the cave. We need to go back and get it." Archer said as he started walking back then collapsed.
"I will go, Captain." T'Pol replied.
"No! You're not going alone. I'm going with you."
"Captain, you are too weak to stand up. If I go alone I will get there faster."
"T'Pol! You're not going alone. It's dangerous out there. You could be seen by the Klingons."
"Captain, we need that first aid kit. I'll be back."
"Sub-commander, you're not going and that's an order!"
"As sub-commander I feel you are in no state to give orders."
As T'Pol turned around and started walking away, Archer called to her. "T'Pol, if you're going take the scanner to see if they're any where near."
T'Pol left and headed back to the entrance of the cave. Just a few feet from the entrance, she saw three Klingon warriors going through the first aid kit. After scanning the area, she headed back towards Captain Archer. " Did you find it?" asked Archer.
"Yes."
"Well, where is it?"
"The Klingons have it." she answered.
"What?!"
"There is three Klingons at the entrance and five more searching around the outside."
"Any more good news?" he asked sarcastically.
"There is also six Klingon warbirds scouting the area from above."
"Great! What did we do to make them attack us?"
"I do not know, but they are coming this way, and we need to get you medical attention." she stated.
"You need some patchin' up too." Archer said laughing.
"There is light coming from around this corner. There must be a way out through it. Come on and lean on my shoulder."
"Arrg. My leg. I think its broken." he said in pain.
"When we get out of this cave I can make you a splint. We need to hurry. They are closer."
"How do you know?" he asked.
"I can smell them."
T'Pol slowly helped Archer up and they headed out of the cave. ****************************************************************************
When they got out of the cave there was a drop off. "Oh, great!" Archer complained. They quickly, but cautiously, started down a narrow ledge. T'Pol almost fell once, but Archer caught her.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine, thank you."
"You're welcome."
After they got to the bottom, they went into the underbrush and kept walking until they thought they were far enough away from being seen. "Ow, ow, wait a minute. I need to rest."
"Captain, ..."
"Please, call me Jonathan."
"Jonathan?"
"Yes. Jonathan. You don't always have to be so formal."
"Okay, Jonathan, I will find water to clean our wounds."
As she got up Archer grabbed her hand, and pulled her back down."Please becareful, I don't think I'll be able to make it if something happens to you."
"Do not worry, I will be back, I promise." She gave him a reassuring look then squeezed his hand and got up and went into the woods to look for water. When she came back, Archer's eyes were closed.
"Jonathan, Jonathan!" she said shaking him gently.
"I'm awake, I'm awake. Man, you look horrible."
"I thought you were...."
"Dead?" he finished.
"Yes, I brought water and two sticks. Now, sit still. I am going to set your leg. This will hurt a lot."
"Go ahead." said Jonathan.
T'Pol took his leg and pulled it very hard. Jonathan didn't scream, but he moaned. "Are you alright?" she asked.
"Yeah, it just hurts a little."
"Here, drink some water." she said as she finished with his leg.
"Ah. Thanks." he said.
"We should get some rest, but we need to find shelter first. It looks as if it is going to storm."
"You're right. Help me up please?"
"There is an overhang not far ahead that we can stay under until morning."
End Chapter 1