0000 Disclaimer=me no own 0000 Here's the next chapter! I just want to take the time to thank all those wonderful people who reviewed-your amazing!!! 0000
Denny whipped round coming face to face with none other than Charles Tucker IV.
"Charlie?"
"What happened to your head?" he demanded catching sight of the wound, momentarily forgetting they'd both been transported somewhere from where they were supposed to be.
"It's nothing," she said dismissively, despite the fact it was still throbbing painfully. "Where are we? And as much as it's great seeing you again aren't you supposed to be on the Intrepid?"
"Aren't you supposed to be on the Magellan?" he countered grinning.
She glanced up in surprise.
"You know about that?"
"News travels fast," he grinned. "Besides d'ya think I don't ever talk ta my parents anymore?"
"Good point."
Denny allowed herself to smile as she looked round the room.
"No door," she commented. "No point of entry, no chance of escape."
"That's where ya're wrong," said Charlie a smug look on his face. "There is a door, it's just fitted in perfectly with the wall, this is obviously a cell of some sort."
"Great, just great," she muttered moodily.
"What's up?" he asked her, noticing her dark mood.
"Nothing."
"Something's bothering ya."
She chose not to answer him and instead went over to where he claimed there was a door. She ran her fingers along the wall and sure enough felt a groove where the door and wall connected.
Feeling decidedly disgruntled due to the fact her head was throbbing, she'd just had an argument with her sexist Captain, the man of her dreams-who didn't even know she would quite willingly leap into his arms and have his babies-was trapped in a cell with her while her uniform was dirty and torn and she looked like something from the undead; she suddenly began furiously kicking the door.
"Denny, what the hell are ya doing?!" Charlie exclaimed.
"Kicking my way outta here!"
He grabbed hold of her and dragged her away.
"Ya gonna hurt yaself!"
"No I'm making myself feel better!"
After a few moments he finally released her and gave her a searching look.
"What's really up?" he asked softly, positioning himself on the floor. "Ya might as well tell me we ain't got nothin' better to do."
Admitting defeat she sighed and flopped down next to him.
"Tynso."
"Ok, we're getting somewhere," said Charlie, staring at her. "I'm guessing it involves Tynso."
"Tynso is an arse."
"I know Tynso is an ass, the whole world knows he's an ass, ya might wanna be more specific," Charlie pressed trying not to grin.
"He basically said the only reason I am where I am is because Dad pulled some strings," she told him eventually. "Which he would never do, he's always made a point of me standing on my own two feet and doing things for myself so I wouldn't have to put up with this crap later on!"
Charlie nodded sympathetically.
"Besides! It'd be dangerous for all personnel if I didn't know what I was doing! I mean I could seriously hurt people and endanger their lives if I wasn't properly trained! How could Tynso even dare to think that, after I'd just saved his arse from being destroyed! And yes I did save them all! His orders were coming thick and fast in the manner of 'shoot first, think later', we would all be dead now if it wasn't for me!"
She leapt up and continued to rant as she paced the room.
"Forget I asked," Charlie mumbled, watching his friend pace back and forth.
"I'm good at what I do!" she yelled. "Forget good! I'm absolutely bloody fantastic!!!! Just because I'm a woman! I bet that's what it is! He thinks I haven't got the balls for the job! Thinks I haven't got what it takes to be able to pull the trigger! He thinks I'm too nice!"
"Believe me when I say ya're scarier than any armoury officer I've ever met," said Charlie quickly. "Remind me never to get on your bad side!"
Denny stopped mid rant and took a deep breath staring at him.
"Feel better?" Charlie asked.
She nodded and grinned. "Yeah thanks."
The door suddenly slid open.
"You!" Denny exclaimed.
"Now Adrienne calm down," said Daniels stepping into the room, holding his hands up defensively.
"Who says I'm not calm?" she demanded, folding her arms and tapping her foot as she glared at him.
"You know him?" Charlie asked in amazement looking from Denny to Daniels then Denny again.
"Yeah, unfortunately," she replied. "He's the moronic piece of dog excretion that accidentally lost me in time!"
"Now, you've got to understand that was just an accident," Daniels protested. "I never meant to lose you, the blast disrupted the machine!"
"Sure it did," she replied her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I believe you, honestly I do."
"Can someone explain? Timeline?" Charlie asked. "I mean I hate to split up your reunion but it'd be great if ya could explain to me why ya kidnapped us!"
"I have a mission for you," Daniels began.
"Mission? Does Starfleet know? Does it have to do with the Temporal Cold War?" Denny cut in.
"Temporal Cold War?" Charlie asked her, a mild look of confusion on his face.
"I heard Uncle Trip and Archer talking about it," she replied quickly.
Charlie opened his mouth to say something but didn't have chance before Daniels started speaking again.
"The cold war's gone hot," said Daniels gravely. "The other factions are making multiple attacks on various points in the timeline; all our other operatives are busy sorting them out, which is where you two come in."
"Oh hell no! Why should we do anything for you? For all I know you'll shoot me again!" Denny snapped.
"You'll do this mission because it involves your family," Daniels told her.
"We're listening," said Charlie carefully, clearly not totally understanding the flow of conversation but trying his hardest.
Denny couldn't help but smile as she looked at him; he looked so cute when he was confused!
"We've received intelligence that a saboteur has been planted aboard Enterprise, so we need you to go in and find this saboteur before he/she does any serious damage to the timeline."
"But won't the saboteur just move up their plans to destroy Enterprise when they find out we're aboard?" Denny asked, switching her train of thought back on to the conversation.
"No, I've determined there's only one window of opportunity in which the saboteur can successfully destroy the ship without raising any suspicion from Starfleet," Daniels explained. "You do understand of course that if the saboteur is successful with his/her mission then the both of you and Starfleet as you know it will cease to exist."
"Why us?" Charlie wanted to know.
"Because we know the ship and the crew-extremely well in some cases, therefore it's easier for us to navigate our way round the crew and the ship," Denny guessed.
Daniels nodded. "Are you both up for this?"
"But how will they destroy the ship so Starfleet doesn't get suspicious?" Denny asked frowning. "Besides, Starfleet are already in the process of making new ships, destroying Enterprise won't stop the space programme."
"They don't want to shut down Starfleet," Daniels explained. "They just want the crew of the Enterprise dead."
There was silence and Charlie and Denny took in this new information.
"Are you both up for this?" Daniels asked eventually
"I'm in," said Denny immediately. She looked at Charlie hopefully.
"Me too."
"Good," Daniels smiled in relief. "Follow me."
They followed Daniels down a white corridor and into what appeared to be either a lab or a sickbay of some sorts.
"This is Doctor Jethro," said Daniels. "He's going to supply you which the technology you need."
Charlie looked like a kid in a sweet shop; Denny could clearly see he was itching to take a look at some of the machines round the room.
"First things first," said Jethro. "Your appearance needs to be changed."
"Why?" Charlie asked, tearing his eyes away from a particularly interesting machine in the corner.
"Because you're both to close in looks to your parents," Jethro snapped. "Tucker come here." He gestured to Denny.
"No I'm Reed, he's Tucker," Denny corrected, resisting the urge to roll her eyes-so much for looking like her parents.
"Whatever, come here," He ordered.
Denny stepped forward.
"This will sting slightly but that will subside," he informed her. He pulled down the collar of her tatty uniform and pressed a small round device to her skin.
Charlie gasped in shock as her appearance instantly changed.
"It involves holotechnology to change someones physical appearance," said Jethro. "Although, you must not get examined by their Doctor because your DNA remains the same."
Denny nodded, Daniels handed her a uniform.
"Go change," he said, indicating a small room to the side.
Denny walked in and caught sight of herself in the mirror, dropping the uniform in her shock.
Where her hair had been dark brown it was now a deep red and where her eyes had been blue they were now green. Her skin had darkened in tone and any scars she had had now disappeared including a birthmark on her stomach. However her body shape had remained the same.
"I gotta get me one of these," she said to herself.
She quickly changed and stared critically at her reflection in the mirror. She noticed the Lieutenant's bars on her uniform.
"Damn," she cursed softly. "I worked hard for my rank"
"Denny hurry up," said Charlie peering inside.
"Is that you Charlie?" she asked taking in every aspect of his appearance.
His hair was brown and floppy, his eyes were brown and his skin was pale and pasty looking.
Denny studied him closely and decided that what he normally looked like was a damn site more appealing. Still, at least she'd actually get to know him better again now, considering the last time she'd seen him had been on Shore leave right before she found out about her posting to the Magellan.
"Earth to Denny," he called clicking his fingers in front of her face.
"Yeah, I'm moving," she grumbled.
He shot her a cheeky grin and she exited before he could make a comment.
Before long they were both stood in front of Daniels, waiting for him to say something.
"I'm not finished with you yet!" Jethro snapped.
They turned back to Jethro.
"Now I can't give you too much because you aren't from this time either," said Jethro, shooting Daniels and evil look. "But I can give you this, a communications device that'll let you contact each other anywhere at anytime. It fits just behind the ear, which is why the both of you have been given an appearance with fairly long hair to hide it. To use it tap it twice and then start talking to each other then to end the conversation tap it twice again. Next, is a scanner, this will help you detect any explosives that may be on board the ship, press the green button to activate and the brown button to switch it off. Absolutely idiot-proof."
He handed the scanner to Charlie and proceeded to attach the communications device to the pair of them.
"Finally for you Miss Reed." Jethro held out a small compact box and dropped it carefully into her hand. "Hold it in your hand, aim and push the hollow to fire. This is for when you find the culprit. It's not a weapon; it'll just return the saboteur here for questioning."
"How come I don't get one?" Charlie demanded.
"You got the scanner," said Jethro simply. "Now, tuck it away somewhere safe-not in your uniform pockets! You'll send it off to laundry if you do that."
Denny nodded and tucked it inside her uniform. Charlie gave her a sideways glance but quickly looked away as she looked up.
"Whatever you do don't let anyone get hold of these devices," said Jethro his voice deadly serious. "Do not tell anyone your true identities, do not tell your parents who you are, do not spread around that you are looking for a saboteur, do not change or help out in any incident, unless it directly affects your assignment-DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"
"Yes sir," they replied in unison.
"Daniels will debrief you," said Jethro shooing them out of the room.
"Well wasn't he nice and polite," Charlie muttered.
Denny giggled in spite of herself and blushed when he grinned at her.
"When you two are finished," said Daniels impatiently. "There is a slight matter of you ceasing to exist if we don't do something!"
"Well, explain then," Denny offered. "We aren't stopping you."
Daniels scowled but kept his distance from her.
"Right, your names during this mission will be Lieutenant Adrienne Phillips and Lieutenant Charles Hanson, as Jethro said you aren't allowed to reveal your true identity to anyone," Daniels told them. "I've determined that the saboteur will strike on the 21st September 2156 when in the original timeline Enterprise narrowly escapes being destroyed by a booby trapped alien vessel as then their deaths would be counted as a tragic accident."
"So when are you dropping us in?" Charlie wanted to know.
"7th September 2156, you'll have 13 days to find the saboteur before he can disable Enterprise so it's destroyed by the alien vessel," Daniels replied.
"So what are we waiting for?" Charlie asked. "Let's go!"
"No wait!" Denny exclaimed. "That's only three months away from when I'm born! I can't go there!"
"Don't worry, your parents won't know who you are and you won't be there to see yourself born anyway," Daniels assured her.
Denny looked unconvinced but said nothing.
"Won't it be obvious we're from the future?" Charlie asked. "I mean we have to give the crew some credit, they might just notice if two strangers appear on board."
"Well that's your first obstacle, to get Archer to let you stay aboard Enterprise and to inform the crew to give you a wide berth," Daniels informed them. "After that just lie low and conduct you search discreetly. Also it might be wise if you were to share quarters."
"I don't mind," said Denny quickly, a little too quickly, she blushed violently as the words left her mouth.
Charlie stared at her inquiringly but before he could comment Daniels cut in.
"You both ready and prepared?"
They nodded dutifully. Daniels handed them a pad.
"Full mission briefing," He explained. "Read it then destroy it, wipe it, burn it I don't care what you do just get rid of it once you've read it."
They nodded again
"Walk through that door then," he said simply. "And don't make me have to pull you guys out, if you fail you're screwed."
"Wow, gotta love the optimism," said Charlie pulling Denny through the door.
"Ever feel totally unprepared?" she asked him sighing, she looked up at the room around them. "Oh my go........"
"Who the hell are you?"
Denny turned abruptly accidentally tripping Charlie up and sending him flying.
"Wait, don't call security," she said quickly. "Let us explain, we're here to help."
0000 Owaves hand in manner of Jedi mind trickO You will review, you want to review................0000
