AN:I don't own anything related to Star Trek Enterprise.
And I am sorry for the delay, been on vacation and been busy doing nothing
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Chapter X
Resolutions
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the Complex, infirmary
Malcolm carefully opened his eyes, this time there was no one around. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of the monitors displaying his condition but without a translator he might just have been studying ancient hieroglyphs. He had a little medical training but a qualified guess would be that he was not too bad but not too good either.
He pushed himself up in a sitting position caught by a flash back took him back in the forest fighting for his life, seeing Trip being overpowered and shoot by the guards, he himself running to the top of a cliff. Then he was back in the sterile room, his breathing was shallow and it hurt as he drew a deep breath maybe he was even dead and this was his last memories of life floating in his brain. Then a voice come to his mind. You are still recovering from a very serious disease...disease...disease. He had to get out of there not just for his own sake but for Trip's he had to be somewhere in the vicinity.
Malcolm carefully swung his legs over the edge of the bed, when no one came rushing in to stop him he slid off the bed leaning heavily on it as a wave of dizziness hit him.
"I wonder if they are monitoring me." He muttered silently to himself.
Malcolm slowly made his way to the door, that's how far he would get without the combination. He didn't know how many times he could try without triggering an alarm. It was a number of combinations possible but the system seemed to have similarities with the Enterprise's. He grabbed a surgical knife from a table nearby and carefully loosened the panel from the wall, disposing the circuits.
Malcolm was tired his mind and body needed more time than usual to co-operate, he tried to shake of the groggy feeling in order to fully concentrate on the circuitry. The armoury officer gently cut off two of the cables and began hot-wiring them. The display suddenly came to life showing a number of symbols. Hoping he could remember them in the correct order, Malcolm pushed the buttons and held his breath.
The door started to open, for Malcolm that was eternity, but in reality it took ten seconds.
"Going somewhere lieutenant?" Doctor T'ela said sternly nodding at two armed security guards standing behind him.
"Why the sudden change of tactics doctor?" Malcolm said innocently, arms folded over his chest bandage visible under his uniform.
"You are not well enough to leave, you might injure yourself."
"Is that a threat doctor?" Enterprise's armoury officer challenged.
"That is a fact lieutenant."
"So tell me, what happened to the commander?"
"Reed you are still confused, it is the drugs."
"Skip the crap talk doctor T'ela."
The guards slowly closed in on him. He backed tactically against the wall. When the first guard pointed his gun at him the doctor prepared an injection.
"Why don't you just lie down Malcolm? It would be much simpler that way."
"What happened to your ship is in orbit and will soon get you?"
"It is in orbit but it might not necessarily know where you are."
The doctor took his arm and Malcolm took his opportunity, he grabbed T'ela's other arm and twisted the doctor around using him as a shield.
"Did I forgot to tell you I am Enterprise's Chief of Security, tactical and armoury officer?"
He looked at the guards. "Stand aside."
"We are under orders to take whatever action necessary to keep you here lieutenant Reed."
He quickly threw the doctor at the nearest guard using the element of surprise. The guard fell backwards with the doctor on top, Malcolm grabbed his gun and ran for the open door. The other guard aimed and fired missing him by millimetres. The ground suddenly shook beneath him, the action triggered several alarms. He momentarily stopped then looked behind him, running as fast as he could away from the medical bay.
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the Complex, near the command centre
Trip looked at the ceiling as the lights flickered then went down. He heard footsteps coming from behind. If the light went on now he would be killed. The commander felt himself forward with his hands on the wall, symbols glowed faintly at every door. Maybe it was emergency lights. Somehow it had given him an advantage.
Just after his escape he had come across a site plan and using that he had been able to localize which floor he was on and on which floor the command central most likely would be on. That's where he was now. He could not fail now when he was so close. It had to be here somewhere it just had to be.
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Enterprise, the bridge
"Captain I think I had Commander Tucker there for a while." T'Pol stated studying her scanner intensely.
"Where?!"
"Third floor section 31."
" Map completed." The computer stated.
"I have it!" Travis exclaimed as a building complex took form at the main screen.
"So that's what it looks like." Archer said thoughtfully.
"The forcefield is still up sir, this is good as it gets for the moment." Hogan said.
"Captain we are being hailed."
"Bring it up Hoshi."
"Captain Archer I warn you!"
"Chancellor Ajin I assure you we meant no harm to your trees."
"They are very valuable captain."
"I bet they where, that's why you had them all brought away so you could establish a military complex at the site."
The chancellor just starred blankly at him.
"Maybe not necessarily you but someone did." Archer continued.
"Within seconds you will be boarded and taken captives for espionage put into custody and eliminated."
Archer looked up at the screen innocently. "Is that what happened to my officers?"
"Your officers are dead captain." The chancellor replied angrily.
"Are you sure? I believe there where some questions about that."
"Captain we are being fired upon." Hogan warned.
"Fire back!" Archer glanced at the chancellor then turned to Hoshi and back again.
"If you would excuse me chancellor I have a few matters to attend to."
Hoshi quickly cut off the transmission.
"Evasive actions Travis."
"Direct hit to port nacelle!" Lt. Hogan reported.
"Come about and target their main propulsion." Archer said.
"In range! Firing forward phasers. No effect sir. They are returning fire, direct hit to starboard nacelle!" The lieutenant shouted over the alarms blaring.
"We are losing warp drive." Travis said.
"Fire with all capacity. Do it now!" Archer shouted back to Hogan.
"Firing phasers, firing canons, opening torpedo hatches."
The Ta'Inn never had a chance to avoid the Enterprise's deadly fire. The young and inexperienced commander that had replaced captain Tret had ordered full shield capacity but it was too late. In his last minute alive, all he could see was destruction and death and the ship that had caused it all, the scientific explorer vessel Enterprise.
Captain Archer turned his head away as a massive explosion filled the screen. He swallowed hard starring at the debris floating in front of them.
"I am sorry." He whispered.
T'Pol glanced up from her console. "Captain he would not have been sorry, he wanted only two things; capture us or eliminate us, either way we would have been killed."
He turned towards her meeting her clear Vulcan eyes. "Thank you T'Pol."
"It was logical captain."
He turned back to the screen. "Travis bring us closer to the base. We have no time to lose, more ships will probably come our way. Somehow I don't think they will do the same mistake again."
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the Complex
"Admiral the Ta'Inn!"
The admiral looked sternly at the lieutenant. "I saw it."
"I am sorry sir but was it wise to replace captain Tret?"
"I really hope you are not questioning my judgement lieutenant."
"No sir, absolutely not sir."
Tann looked at the screen, he was like a child wanting the new exclusive toy.
"I want that ship and I want it now. Re-route the Ta'Lann and bring her on an intercept course, tell the captain to board her and if not possible eliminate her."
"Sir what are we going to do with the escaped officers?" The lieutenant watched the admiral as he grabbed a projectile weapon and stormed away.
"Sir?"
"Do as I say lieutenant, the rest is none of your business."
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the Complex, near the command centre
Trip starred in chock at an automate riffle as the lights went on.
"Hello commander."
"Lieutenant Heza, long time no see."
"Shut up human!"
"Wow, take it easy you might hurt someone!"
Heza glared at him, eyes filled with hatred and despise. Trip looked up in the ceiling as the lights flickered once again. Heza glanced around in surprise. Trip looked directly at him.
"I believe you are being fired upon."
Heza aimed and fired so fast that Trip barely managed to avoid it. The whole complex shuddered under his feet and only the emergency lights once again gloved in the dark corridors. Trip crawled silently alongside the wall desperately trying to get away.
"You cannot outrun or outsmart me commander, so you might as well give it all up, then I might spare you the slow painful death I had in mind for you."
There was no replay or movement that indicated that there where anyone else nearby. He fired around himself, his laughter echoing in the corridor. "Good bye commander."
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Enterprise, the bridge
Archer grabbed his chair as a shudder went through the ship.
"Captain a battlecruiser is coming our way." T'Pol said.
"The cavalry?" Archer wondered.
"So it seems."
"Lieutenant Hogan?"
"Scanning now, stand by. Weapon complement; two forward phasers, torpedo hatches all around the saucer section."
"No cannons?"
"No cannons." Hogan confirmed.
Archer turned to T'Pol. "Manoeuvring capability?"
She glanced down at her console. "I cannot say yet."
"Travis, prepare for fast evasive manoeuvre."
"Michael?" Archer looked at the armoury station.
"Ready sir."
Hoshi pushed buttons on her console listening intensely.
"Nothing on channel one Hoshi?"
"Negative captain."
He nodded, in the next minute he almost flew backwards as a torpedo struck a section nearby. "Report!"
"Hit on deck below, shields are holding!" Hogan shouted.
"Return fire, target their main propulsion!" Archer shouted back.
"Firing phasers, their shields are holding."
"Load torpedoes, full spread."
"We are taking damages, casualties 22 reported, engineering reports fire." T'Pol relayed.
"We are being hailed." Hoshi stated calmly.
"On screen."
"This is Tenndarian battle cruiser Ta'Lann, we are under orders to board your vessel and if not possible eliminate her."
Archer's muscles flexed, he looked directly at the captain displayed on the screen.
"Very well captain, let me introduce you, he mad a sweeping gesture around the bridge, this is U.S.S Enterprise and she will never sail under Tenndarian flag."
He turned his head. "Hogan?"
"On stand by sir."
The Tenndarian captain smiled. "If you are persistent captain but this will be over soon anyway." Archer returned the smile. "Maybe, maybe not."
The transmission where cut. "Fire, full spread."
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To be continued soon I hope : )