(( Authors note: The original characters DO NOT belong to me, only Rose is, she MINE!!!!
I'm sorry this chapter is also short, the next one WILL NOT BE! It's going to be quite long, when I get around to it. ))
Truths
Chapter Seven –
Sleep had overcome the Commander, as he sat there slumped against the pilot's seat. His dreams were clouded with that dreadful day back on Earth, just over two years ago. The death of his little sister, Elizabeth. In his mind, she had died twice, first as a young lady, then as a child. He still wondered how T'pol felt about their 'daughter's' death, but because of her physiology, she never showed her true feelings. But for once, it wasn't the explosion in his mind that woke him up.
Tucker's eyes snapped opened as he sat up, gasping to himself as if he was held under water for an age and a half. Looking around, he noticed Malcolm was also in a deep sleep, his face peaceful. He heard it again, a stricken whimpering.
Looking over at Rose, he noticed the young Hitaru thrashing about on the floor, whimpering and crying. Getting up, he hurried to her side, as he notice a cut across her arm, which healed instantly. 'Another trick she has', he thought to himself.
He grabbed her shoulders gently. "Rose!" he whispered. "Rose, wake up!"
Her eyes opened suddenly, as fresh tears fell down her slender cheeks, "Trip?" she muttered.
The Commander nodded. Rose stifled a cry of relief, "I thought I was there… I thought… he had me." She bit her lip to stop crying out.
Trip nearly fell over as she hugged him tightly, burying her face into his chest. The commander blinked and held her close to him. He wanted to protect her, keep her safe. He felt her tears dampen his uniform, feeling her body shake as she cried softly. He placed his hands against her back, onto her hot skin, and that's when he felt them.
Long ridges across her back, horribly deep and ragged. Scars. Whip scars. Rose didn't move away when his fingers trailed over them. "Did he do this to you?" Trip asked.
He felt Rose nod, as she moved closer to him, feeling comfort next to the human. "I couldn't heal properly…" she sniffed. "… I don't know why, I was only 17 when this happened… sometimes, I would heal, but then…" she paused, gritting her teeth.
Tucker ran a hand over her hair, and opened his mouth to say something, when he heard Malcolm stir. Rose released her grip on him and sat in the corner, wiping her eyes furiously and Malcolm looked over at them. "Huh? Is everything ok?"
"Fine, Malcolm," Rose replied before Trip could explain. She glanced over at the commander with a strange look, as if telling him 'Don't say a word'.
Malcolm just nodded and returned his gaze to the view screen, stretching, as Trip sat down next to him, looking over at the Lieutenant. "Good nap?" he smiled.
The Brit looked at him with tired eyes. "Could have done with longer, Trip."
"Snap," Trip replied, looking out.
They both then realised the huge planet that loomed in front of them. Trip stared at it. "Is that… Hitaria?" he asked.
Rose moved over towards them, her face back to its usual happiness, something that confused Tucker. "Yes, but we're not going there. You two wouldn't last a second on it." She noticed their expressions. "Temperatures of 120 degrees," she explained.
Tucker gave off a low whistle. "I'm surprised you survived down there."
Rose just blinked and leaned over him, pointing towards a smaller green planet. "That's where we're going, the moon Acknori."
Malcolm looked at her. "Why?"
Trip remembered that Malcolm had no idea about the 'Divine Source' and the research facility. He and Rose quickly explained what was going on, and the tactical officer nodded, but clearly was disappointed at not being notified earlier.
"So," Malcolm started, "we're going to find this 'source' before Kracta does. But do you actually know where it is?" he asked Rose.
She nodded. "I've only visited the place once, but I believe I can take us there."
The shuttle suddenly shuddered, causing the three to panic. Malcolm looked at Trip. "That wasn't laser fire."
Trip nodded. "Something hit us!"
Rose grabbed hold of Malcolm's seat as the craft rocked again. "That doesn't make sense! What could possibly be hitting us?"
All three noticed the small rocks that whizzed across the view screen as the shuttle bumped again. A looked of shock and disbelief covered Rose's face. "What? What is the date?" she cried out.
Malcolm looked at her. "I think it's the 3rd November. Why?"
Rose looked at them. "Get us out of here. There's a comet coming straight for us!"
Tucker looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"Every third day of the 11 month, the comet, Kirania, comes past Hitaria," Rose replied, her voice high pitched and worried.
The shuttle shuddered again, as the console in front of Malcolm started to bleep. "We've just lost sensors!" he said in alarm.
Tucker took the controls. "Where's Travis when you need him," he muttered to himself as he took manual control of the craft.
Manoeuvring the shuttlepod towards Acknori, they flew out of the rock cloud, but it seemed the meteor wanted to give them a gift.
Tucker growled as the shuttle shuddered violently. Malcolm looked over at him as Tucker seemed to be worried. "What's wrong, Trip?"
Tucker sighed angrily as he punched at the console. "I've lost control. The engines are not responding."
"What does that mean?" Rose asked, shouting over the noise the shuttle seemed to give off, as wire hissed and spluttered.
Trip looked at her, as Acknori loomed out in front of them "It means 'brace yourself', Rose. We're in for a bumpy landing!"
