Trip looked at the long list of jobs to be done. They were all working overtime. They had come across a region of space which had a number of anomalies, not as many as the expanse had thankfully, but enough to cause quite a bit of damage.
"How's it going?" asked a familiar voice.
"Sometimes I wonder what you'd do without me," answered Trip, indicating the long list of needed work.
"Have you slept much?"
He paused before answering; wondering how to word the answer Do I look like I've had much sleep! In the end he decided it was best to remain silent.
"Are you showing anything this Tuesday?" asked Archer, deciding to change the subject.
"Yeh, don't see why not, keep the crew happy."
"Will you attend?"
Trip replied by pointing at the list.
"Trip, even here, you need to take a break."
"And you."
Archer tried to come up with a reply, when the com sounded.
"Bridge to Captain Archer."
Saved by the bell, well com actually.
"Archer here."
"We have picked up a call 1.4 light-years from here."
"Set a course, I'll be up there in a minute."

Archer greeted the alien along with Malcolm and a few Macos, at the docking port.
"Nice to see that even in this part of space there are people to come to our aid. I'm Garel, I am a Gelana."
"Pleased to meat you, I'm Captain Archer and this is the Starship Enterprise. I don't recognise your species, where are you from?"
"Quite a distance actually, here on business."
"Can I offer you any refreshments?"
"Not at the moment thank you. I'd like a lie down to be honest."
Archer smiled "I understand. Malcolm, show him to the guest quarters."

"There, that should do the trick!" exclaimed Trip, coming to report his success to Garel.
"Brilliant! What was the problem?"
"Your warp injectors had loads of plasma residue."
"I am sorry, I must check them more frequently."
Trip smiled. "Don't worry, it wouldn't be the first time this happened," he said,
remembering the last time they answered a distress call with a similar problem. They had been invited down to the planet for their "hospitality" He smiled at the memory of the time he had spent in the desert with Jon. He hated the desert, and that experience didn't exactly encourage him, but it drew him closer to his friend. Sometimes he wanted to reverse time and go back again, just so he could spend that time on Enterprise, when the crew were closer, before the Xindi attack and before his sister had been killed.
"Here, you look as though you could do with a drink," Garel said, pouring a glass of some sort of blue liquid. "You'll need this to refresh yourself." He handed the glass to Trip. "Don't worry," he added, after seeing Tucker's hesitation. "It's safe for your species too, as far as I know anyway."
"I promise not to sue," he chuckled, before throwing the liquid down his throat. He was right, it was refreshing, and had a strange, but pleasant aftertaste.

It was early evening, and Archer was heading towards his guest quarters. Apparently their guest had a complaint.
"What can I do for you?" he asked, smiling, hoping to get a polite response.
"Aaaaah, Captain, thank you for coming so quickly. The shower, it isn't working."
"I'll get Trip to take a look, I'm sure he'll be here as fast as he can."
"Sorry to bother you with this," he said, pouring a glass of blue liquid.
"No problem."
"Perhaps you would like a refreshing drink."
Archer peered into the glass. "What is it?"
"An old favourite of mine. It's lovely, you really should try some."
"Sorry, I have a busy schedule."
"All the more reason to have a refreshment to keep you on the go Captain, I fin..." His sentence was cut short as an anomaly pushed through the ship, including the guest quarters, shoving them both violently against the wall.
"Sorry, I'd better go to the bridge," said Archer as he made his way through the door.

Archer met with Trip later in the mess hall.
"You're working late."
"That anomaly messed up half this ship's controls. It'll be another day or two till I get it all back online."
"Do you plan on sleeping at all?"
"Are you going to make it an order?"
"Possibly."
Trip grinned. Although they hadn't been that close lately, they were still good friends, and considered each other family.
"How was the alien ship?" asked Archer making conversation.
"Warp injectors," said Trip.
"Remember in the desert..."
"Rather I didn't." The idea of heat stroke wasn't appealing.
"Oh yes, I suppose you wouldn't." Trip thought that he heard slight hint of disappointment in Jon's voice, maybe he saw that as a time of friendship too.
"2cm Cap'n, you were just 2 cm from winning us the game!" .
"You try then!" chuckled Jon. Remembering the rough, competitive game they had played in the dessert.
"It'll be a little hard to get ba...b..."Trip started to sway. He could see Lizzie, she was right there, sitting outside, smiling, her long hair flowing in the breeze "Liz?"
"Trip?" Asked a concerned Jon. But Trip couldn't hear him. All of his attention was focused on Lizzie. Then a cloud of dust, carrying houses, cars and trees came towards her. "Move, run! Now! Move! Get out of the way! Lizzie! You need to run now!" he cried in despair as he watched her engulfed by the weapon. "Nooooooooooooo!" he screamed. "Nooooo! Lizzie!"
Archer didn't know what was going on. Trip seemed to be in some sort of trance. Lizzie? He must be hallucinating.
"Trip". He tried grabbing his friend by the shoulders, shaking him, but it was as though Trip didn't even know he was there. Trip started screaming. He was really scared and upset. Archer didn't know what to do.
"Trip! Trip snap out of it. Trip!" He shook his friend harder. "Archer to Phlox."
"Phlox here Captain."
"I need you down at the mess hall, something's happened to Trip!"
"I'll be there as quick as I can!" Phlox ended the conversation. He could here Trip's yells through the communicator, that pushed him to move faster.
No matter how fast Phlox was, it didn't seem fast enough to Archer, who was desperately trying to calm his friend down but got no response. Trip had now grown extremely scared, and was backed up against a wall.
Tucker could now see his friends being murdered by the Xindi in front of him on the bridge. Archer was trying his best to defend them, but was shot by a Xindi behind."Nooooooooooo!" yelled Trip who shot at the Reptilian whilst running to Jon's side. Hoshi's body then fell beside his, blood all over her, she was soon joined by Travis.
What's happening to him?" asked a frantic Archer.
"He's hallucinating, I can't say what the cause is, or treat him till we get him to sick bay." he said loading a hypo spray.
Jon gripped Trip's shoulders as Phlox tried to push the hypo-spray onto Trip's neck, which proved difficult. Trip was now making quick violent movements.
"Nooooooooooo" he screamed." Leave them alone! No…..oooooooooo!" The hypo spray finally pressed against him, and he fell limp in Jon's arms.
Jon didn't know whether to be frustrated or upset. He was both. The man who he considered to be his brother lay motionless in him arms, because unconscious seemed to be the only way they had of getting him to sickbay. He had no idea what had caused the sudden outburst. They were talking one minute, then the next, Trip was terrified and yelling at thin air. It had certainly scared Jon.

"Have you found what's wrong with him?" Archer marched in through sickbay doors.
"I took a sample of his blood."
"And?"
"I found a chemical."
"What is it?"
"To be honest, I don't know. I've never seen it before."
"Do you think this is what caused his…..." He stared at the bio-bed on which Trip lay.
"I do believe so."
"Is there anything you can do?"
"Until I get a sample of it, and find what it is really capable of, I'm afraid I can't."
"How did it get into his blood stream in the first place?"
"That's what I'd like to know, do you know if he drank anything holding this chemical recently?"
"No, but he did go into his ship to do some repairs. I don't know if he drank anything there or not."
A loud groan interrupted their train of thought.
"Ah! He's waking up!" Phlox exclaimed. They both ran to Trip's bio-bed.
"Take it easy." Archer said, pushing Trip down as he tried to sit up too quickly. "How are you feeling?"
"Oohhh, don't tell me I'm in sickbay."
"I'm afraid so Commander, how are you feeling?" pushed Phlox.
"Fine. What am I doing here?"
"You don't remember?" This concerned Archer.
"No not really, did I hit my head?"
"You..."Archer struggled to find the right words to describe what happened. "You started screaming."
"Screaming, why?"
"Trip, have you drank anything recently?"
"I can't think of anything. There was that blue stuff Garel gave me, but he said it was fine."
Phlox and Archer exchanges glances, their suspicions seemed to be true.
"Screaming. I was screaming?"
"We think you were hallucinating."
"But I don't remember seeing anything odd...I mean ..." His words trailed off, as memories slowly crept back into his head. Lizzie, Archer, Malcolm, Hoshi, Travis. T'pol all...
"Dead." He whispered
"What?"
"They're all gone, I tried I did, I'm sorry!"
"Trip snap out of it, come on you can beat this!"
"Cap'n...what's happening?"
"Trip, you can still hear me?"
"Yes but...but...I can't...can't you see it?"
"See what?"
"Them…..all of them…..they're dead...you...you're dead!"
"Trip. I'm not dead. Listen to me. I'm right here!"
"It's all my fault! I could have stopped this...I have to find them!" Trip's voice grew louder as the emotion took hold.
"Trip, Trip listen to my voice, you are seeing things, they're not real!"
"Get away from them! Leave them alone!"
"Trip! Trip stay with me!"
"I'm afraid he's too far gone again Captain." said Phlox. "I need to sedate him!"
Trip had started wriggling and fighting off invisible enemies.
"No!" cried Archer. "Isn't there anything we can do?
"Not at the moment. Now, I need you to hold him down."
Archer held Trip down on the bed by his shoulders. He hated pinning his friend down like this, plus Trip was strong not making it an easy task. "Trip, Trip, come on."
Phlox managed to push the hypo-spray into the commander's neck between 2 vigorous jolts. Trip's body soon calmed down, but Archer and Phlox were worried about what was happening in his mind.
"What caused this to happen?"
"I believe that remembering the images he had, put them back in his mind causing a relapse."
"So you're saying that every time he remembers what he saw he'll..."
"Correct."
Archer sighed and looked at his friend unconscious on the bio-bed. This was serious and he didn't intend to let it get any worse.
"I'm going to check up on our guest. Let me know when he wakes up."
"Don't worry, I can assure you that I will contact you if anything should happen."
"Thanks." With that, Archer strode out of sickbay.

"What? You're saying that someone did this to Trip intentionally?"
"Yes, we think that a poison was put into his drink."
"Who?"
"Garel."
Malcolm understood. He was suspicious of that alien from the start, he knew they should never have let him on board! He felt guilty, if there was any poison, he should have found it.
"He could be working for someone." Malcolm started working through the facts in his head. "He goes straight for the chief engineer."
"Well, I've got lunch with him next, I'll try to squeeze some information out of him." Archer said getting up.
"Sir, if he's after Trip, he's probably after you too. Maybe you should have a gu..."
"I'm not having a guard! But thanks for your concern, I'll take care. At the moment it's Trip I'm worried about. I want you to find out as much as you can about our guest, find out what it was he gave Trip!"
"Understood."

"Sorry I'm late." Archer hurried to take his seat opposite Garel in his private mess.
"No need to apologise Captain, a man like you is busy!"
"You can say that again."
"Ok." Garel looked confused. "A man like you is busy?"
"Oh no, it's an Earth expression, it means I agree."
"Oh, it's nice learning about new cultures."
"It certainly is. That's why we're out here."
"Don't you have missions?" The alien prised.
"Well yes, of exploration."
"Only?"
"Well, that's classified, but this is a vessel of peaceful exploration."
"Then why do you have weapons?"
" We have to be able to defend ourselves. Not all species agree with peaceful contacts."
"You can say that that again!"
Archer smiled. "Why are you out here? What business is it?"
"That's classified."
Archer fell silent for a while, wondering whether he should try to get a better answer other than "classified." but decided it could seem a bit suspicious. "Like the food?"
"Yes, like the drink?" It was then that Archer noticed that Garel had supplied them with his "refreshments" It was the same drink he had offered earlier, and probably the same one he had given Trip! Archer pressed the cool glass against his lips, but was careful not to swallow any. "It's lovely." He said with a smile.
"Good. It's been one of my favourites since I was a child."
"What's in it?"
"Fruits of my world."
"Wow!" Archer exclaimed as he looked out of the window. "Now that's a picture worth taking!"
They watched as an anomaly tore its way through a small planet, rising dust and water from the ground and high into space. Once the short, but unique show was over they settled down again, Garel taking a big long gulp of his drink. So, only Archer's was infected?
After their plates were empty they said goodbye. John waited till he was gone, then picker up his glass of untouched liquid and headed for sickbay.

Archer strode into sickbay, confident that now he had the chemical, Phlox could find the cure!
"Aaaaaa, Captain. It's good to see you. What's that?"
"What you need to help Trip."
"The cure?"
"Not quite, but hopefully it should help you to find the cure. It has the chemical Geral used on Trip. At least I think it does." Archer went over to Trip's side whilst Phlox studied the drink. The Commander looked so peaceful, but goodness knows what nightmares he was having. It could have been him laying here too, if he had drank the fluid earlier on in Garel's room. He patted Trip on the shoulder, offering his friendship, when suddenly Trip's body jerked."Trip?"
"Noooooooooooooooooo!"
"Trip!"
Trip was tossing and jolting violently thrusting his arms and legs and crying out names of the crew, and his sister.
"Phlox!"
"It seems the sedative wore off faster than it should have!"
"Stop! Stop it! You're gonna kill them! Leave them alone! Get off him!"
"Trip, can you hear me?" Archer tried to push him down by the shoulders, restrain his friend. "Trip, it's a nightmare, listen to me! It's not real!"
"Lizzie! No! Get away run! The weapon, it's coming you have to leave! Lizzie run! lizzie! Lizzie move! Noww!Noooooooooooooooo!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Trip's body jolted upwards violently as he desperately tried to get away from what ever it was.
Archer felt a stab of guilt, he hadn't been there for his friend after the death if his sister, and seeing him being effected by it now, even when it happened over a year ago, had made it clear to Archer that it was time they had a long needed talk. Something to add to his list for when Trip woke up. If he woke up. No, he mustn't listen to that voice. Trip had to wake up!
"Come on Trip! Trip snap out of it. You have to, please, it's not real." He cried trying to push Trip against the bed. Offering what support he could.
Phlox arrived with the hypo-spray. Suddenly Trip's right shoulder fell onto the bed as though a force had pushed it. This soon followed by a cry of pain. Archer looked at Phlox for answers, but the Dr was busy trying to inject Trip. Archer felt Trip's body become limp, the cries off pain and anger stopped. Archer looked up at Phlox. "What happened?"
"As I said, the hypo-spray must not have as much effect as I had hoped."
"No, I mean his shoulder, he reacted as though he'd been hit hard, maybe even shot!"
"What he sees, he believes. If in his nightmare he has been shot, then his body believes he has been, and reacts as though he really has. If in his dream he dies..."
"I get the message, we don't find a cure, Trip dies, but, you have the chemical?"
"I am afraid it's not enough Captain. I have never seen anything like this before. I could try, but I doubt I'll have it ready in time."
Archer looked over at Trip's still form and sighed. "Do you know how long he has?"
"It is rather hard to guess, but, his dreams do seem to be getting worse. If he has been shot, I believe it will only be a matter of hours, a day at most. I'll ask T'pol to join me if you don't mind."
"That's fine, but you might not have to."
"Captain?"
"I have an idea, call me if Trip's condition..."
"I'll let you know if anything happens."
"Thanks."

An angry Garel had been taken to the brig and was now demanding to be released.
"You have no right to hold me here! When my people find out there'll be trouble!"
"And who are you working for exactly?"
"What? I told you I'm here on business! Now let me go! Why am I here?"
"Because there's now a man lying in sickbay after being poisoned!" Archer stepped forward.
"What's that got to do with me?"
"We think you poisoned him."
"And do you have any evidence to support that?"
"Malcolm found the drink in your room, Phlox confirmed it is what was given to Trip."
Garel fell silent.
"Who are you working for?"

T'pol knew she had other things to do, but this was more important. She didn't understand the feelings she had for this human, just that he caused her to feel emotional, especially now, seeing him laying there on the bed. It stirred something in her, in the pit of her stomach. Was this worry?
He twitched and his face screwed up into a picture of pain. She lay her hand on top of his, trying to comfort him. Maybe a touch from the real world will be enough for him to cling onto.
Suddenly a loud beeping from one of the machines caused her to jump. What was happening? It was then that she noticed his chest had stopped its erratic movement.
"Dr!" she yelled
Phlox soon rushed over to them.
"He's stopped breathing!" She could feel the emotion building up in her. No, she must control it.
Phlox checked the bio signs. "He's going into shock!"

"I don't have the cure!" Garel told them for the 3rd time.
This was getting no-where. It was time to take the plan into action.
"That's a shame."
Garel looked confused by this reply. "Yes." He nodded. Although he didn't agree, the Commander would be dead within the hour if all goes according to plan.
"I suppose I ought to tell Phlox to expect another patient soon, although I don't think he even knows the basics about, Gelana's was it?"
"What, why?"
"I suppose you're wondering why I haven't fallen ill also? At dinner, whilst you were watching the show, I switched our drinks!" It was a bluff off cause, but what evidence did Garel have against it?
"You're bluffing!"
"Am I? Then why am I not hallucinating?"
"Why aren't I?"
"Well, I suppose I could have Dr.Phlox check that out later, maybe your body can last a little longer."
"I don't believe you!" His voice started to waver, and his brow was shiny from the sweat.
"I suppose you'll start seeing things soon." Archer teased. "I wonder what your worst nightmares are, I suppose we'll all find out soon enough...maybe..."
"My quarter on my ship! In my bottom left draw!"
Archer nodded to Reed to search that area.
"I'm glad we could come to terms with each other." Archer smiled.
Malcolm soon arrived with a tube of what looked like some sort of fizzy drink! They turned to go to sickbay when a panicked voice rang out.
"What about me!"
"We'll try it on my Commander first, I wouldn't want to find out you've been deceiving us again." With that Archer left the brig.

Archer arrived in sickbay as fast as he could, but no matter how quickly he moved, time seemed to be ticking Trip's life away.
"I have the cure!" He came to a halt in front of Phlox and stuffed the tube in his hand. He stared at the form of his friend. "How is he?"
"He went into shock about 15 minutes ago, I have also had to stabilize his breathing a number of times. It appears you have arrived just in time."
"If it works." Archer breathed out the words. Someone had to say it, he was hoping it didn't have to be him.
Phlox nodded and went to prepare Trip. It was then that Archer noticed the tall still form of T'pol standing next to the Commander's side and he wandered how long she had been there, not moving, staring at Trip, willing him to pull through. He sighed. It was obvious what was going on between the two, though neither would admit it.
"Aaaa, young love." Phlox moved to Archer's side. "I remember how I felt when I decided to ask my first wife to marry me."
Archer looked at the Dr. "Will Trip be alright?"
"To be honest, there is no way of knowing whether this "cure" you have been given will work, but , eh, there's always a chance." He added upon seeing the disappointment in his Captain's eyes.

Archer woke with a start. One of the machines by Trip's bed was beeping madly.
"Doctor!"
Phlox emerged from his office. "Don't worry Captain, Trip is waking up."
T'pol and Archer shared an exited star then turned their attention back to the engineer. They had both stayed the night by Trip's side, waiting for any sign of the cure taking effect. They were thankful for their long night to come to an end.
A loud groan escaped the Commander's throat. "Welcome back." Jon laid a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder
A look of panic fell upon Trip, and for a moment they all thought that he was seeing things again, but thankfully a smile soon spread across the confused face. "What?" he asked as he tried to sit up, but was immediately pushed back down by Phlox. "Take it easy Commander."
Trip just put on a disapproving face, but decided to agree, he just couldn't be bothered to argue right now. "How are you feeling?" asked a familiar voice. T'pol! How long had she been here? Both she and Archer looked exhausted. "Fine." he mumbled
"No dead people?"
Trip looked at Phlox confused. "No. Why?"
"Don't you remember?"
Trip's face scrunched up trying to regain his memories, but when they did come, he wished they had never came. He shut his eyes in an attempt to block them out, but it had no effect. He wanted to yell out, to scream when a hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.
"Trip?"
"Yeh, I remember." Then seeing Archer's face "I'm fine" he groaned.
"I think that it should take a while for the cure to take full effect." Phlox stepped in. "I'd like to keep him in sickbay tonight."
Archer nodded.
"What! Look. I'm fine. Why can't I go back to work? Jon!" He turned on his friend, but Jon wasn't going to be pushed that easily.
"Sorry Trip."
Trip just rolled his eyes. "So, what have I missed?"