Chapter 7 - Retaliation
Phlox worked on the armory officer. He pinned together broken
bones, and sutured open wounds. Humans were so fragile, he
thought, as he toiled to repair the damage. Broken ribs,
internal bleeding, concussion...so much damage. From behind him,
he could hear his other patient stir.
"Is Mr. Tucker restrained?" Phlox asked his assistant as he
reached for a large round container.
"Just as you ordered, Sir."
"Good, we don't need any trouble in Sickbay. Have Commander
Tucker's blood samples been processed?" he questioned next.
Opening the lid on the contain, Phlox reached in and withdrew
several Wohelian Bole Worms and placed them inside an incision he
had made in Reed's abdomen. Noting his assistant's hesitation,
he looked up at the young woman's pale face. "They are Bole
Worms," Phlox explained matter-of-factly . "They will work to
heal the Lieutenant's internal injuries. I assure you they are
quite efficient and effective."
"If you say so, Doctor." The women focused on the instruments to
avoid looking at the squirming worms inside Reed's abdominal
cavity. "The blood samples have been processed, and the results
are waiting for your review."
Phlox reached into Malcolm and withdrew each of the Bole Worms
and dropped them carefully into a glass bowl. "Just like I told
you, efficient and effective." He smiled at the wan assistant.
"I'm going to close him up and then you can..."
"Step away from Lt. Reed," T'Pol ordered, phase pistol drawn.
Both Phlox and his assistant looked up in surprise.
"Sub-commander?" the doctor questioned, his hands still posed
over Malcolm's torso.
"Do as I...command..." Her voice broke as if she were struggling
to finish the statement.
Phlox took a step towards her, placing himself between the Vulcan
and the armory officer. "Sub-commander, lower your weapon."
"The mission is...in jeopardy. I must eliminate...the problem.
Step aside."
"What is the problem?" he asked.
T'Pol moved to her left, Phlox countered.
"What is the problem?" he repeated, clearly enunciating each
word. He kept his focus on the Vulcan, even as he saw Archer
through the sickbay doors. "Explain to me, what the problem is
and perhaps I can help you solve it."
Staring at T'Pol, Phlox waited for her reply. *Just have to stall
her for a few more seconds,* he thought.
"Mr. Reed and Mr. Tucker will jeopardize the mission," T'Pol
revealed. "They are risks. Risks must be eliminated."
"They are the only ones?"
Phlox fought the urge to look at the Captain. *Just a little bit
longer.*
"If more are revealed, they will be eliminated as well."
Perspiration was beaded on the Vulcan's forehead. "Step aside,
doctor, so I can complete my task."
"Maybe I can help you," he suggested. The doctor sounded
completely sincere and non-threatening. "When did this mission
begin?"
T'Pol looked up at the doctor. "Two years, four months, and
fifteen earth days ago. It must be allowed to con..."
"You haven't been part of the Enterprise crew for even a year,"
Phlox noted, interrupting her.
Abruptly, Captain Archer burst through the sickbay doors. T'Pol
turned, but before she had a chance to fire, Archer stunned her
with a shot from his own phaser.
* * * * * * *
End Chapter Seven
Phlox worked on the armory officer. He pinned together broken
bones, and sutured open wounds. Humans were so fragile, he
thought, as he toiled to repair the damage. Broken ribs,
internal bleeding, concussion...so much damage. From behind him,
he could hear his other patient stir.
"Is Mr. Tucker restrained?" Phlox asked his assistant as he
reached for a large round container.
"Just as you ordered, Sir."
"Good, we don't need any trouble in Sickbay. Have Commander
Tucker's blood samples been processed?" he questioned next.
Opening the lid on the contain, Phlox reached in and withdrew
several Wohelian Bole Worms and placed them inside an incision he
had made in Reed's abdomen. Noting his assistant's hesitation,
he looked up at the young woman's pale face. "They are Bole
Worms," Phlox explained matter-of-factly . "They will work to
heal the Lieutenant's internal injuries. I assure you they are
quite efficient and effective."
"If you say so, Doctor." The women focused on the instruments to
avoid looking at the squirming worms inside Reed's abdominal
cavity. "The blood samples have been processed, and the results
are waiting for your review."
Phlox reached into Malcolm and withdrew each of the Bole Worms
and dropped them carefully into a glass bowl. "Just like I told
you, efficient and effective." He smiled at the wan assistant.
"I'm going to close him up and then you can..."
"Step away from Lt. Reed," T'Pol ordered, phase pistol drawn.
Both Phlox and his assistant looked up in surprise.
"Sub-commander?" the doctor questioned, his hands still posed
over Malcolm's torso.
"Do as I...command..." Her voice broke as if she were struggling
to finish the statement.
Phlox took a step towards her, placing himself between the Vulcan
and the armory officer. "Sub-commander, lower your weapon."
"The mission is...in jeopardy. I must eliminate...the problem.
Step aside."
"What is the problem?" he asked.
T'Pol moved to her left, Phlox countered.
"What is the problem?" he repeated, clearly enunciating each
word. He kept his focus on the Vulcan, even as he saw Archer
through the sickbay doors. "Explain to me, what the problem is
and perhaps I can help you solve it."
Staring at T'Pol, Phlox waited for her reply. *Just have to stall
her for a few more seconds,* he thought.
"Mr. Reed and Mr. Tucker will jeopardize the mission," T'Pol
revealed. "They are risks. Risks must be eliminated."
"They are the only ones?"
Phlox fought the urge to look at the Captain. *Just a little bit
longer.*
"If more are revealed, they will be eliminated as well."
Perspiration was beaded on the Vulcan's forehead. "Step aside,
doctor, so I can complete my task."
"Maybe I can help you," he suggested. The doctor sounded
completely sincere and non-threatening. "When did this mission
begin?"
T'Pol looked up at the doctor. "Two years, four months, and
fifteen earth days ago. It must be allowed to con..."
"You haven't been part of the Enterprise crew for even a year,"
Phlox noted, interrupting her.
Abruptly, Captain Archer burst through the sickbay doors. T'Pol
turned, but before she had a chance to fire, Archer stunned her
with a shot from his own phaser.
* * * * * * *
End Chapter Seven