A/N: As I mentioned in Part 1, this is actually a story that appeared at the Hoshi Sato site, Linguistics Database. However, while I did do some editing and tweaking in previous parts there have been significant changes made to this part and the next and final part. In fact, this Part 10 is almost entirely new. Additionally, if I haven't been clear enough, the previous incident referred to in this part is the episode "Silent Enemy" from Season 1.
Hoshi continued to murmur words of comfort as her hands sought to soothe Malcolm's distress. She looked over the Lieutenant's shoulder at the Captain and raised her eyebrows, her silent question eloquently written over her features, What was going on?
Archer shrugged, holding out his hands, palms up, his silent response equally easy to read. He didn't know why Reed was reacting to her this way.
She continued to awkwardly pat Reed on his back as Phlox came over and began to scan the armory officer. After a few moments, he spoke to Hoshi in a low voice. "Ensign, we need to get Lieutenant Reed to sickbay."
She nodded, but it was easier said than done. Reed was holding fast to her like she was…a lifeline.
"Sir," she said gently as she tried to push him a bit away from her body so she could help him to his feet.
Malcolm whimpered and held her tighter. He wouldn't let her go.
"Lieutenant Reed," she tried again. "Malcolm," she said his name in the softest, gentlest tones she had.
She felt his shuddering sobs subside and there was one last violent tremor. Malcolm took a deep breath and pulled back slowly to look into Hoshi's face. She smiled at him and then stood to help him to his feet.
He swayed and leaned heavily against her, causing her to almost tumble over. Phlox took one of Reed's arms and Trip hurried forward to help on the other side. However, as Hoshi started to step back to let the engineer take her place, Malcolm let out a strangled cry and clung fiercely to her.
The Enterprise crew exchanged surprised glances.
"I believe it would be best to have Ensign Sato accompany us to sickbay," Phlox said dryly.
Hoshi nodded and with the Doctor's help they walked Malcolm out of the shuttlebay.
Archer, T'Pol and Trip looked at each other.
"What was that all about?" Trip asked. "What did they do to him?"
Archer shrugged once more. "I'm sure we'll find out more once Hoshi gets a chance to translate those data modules we brought back." He frowned worriedly at the closed doors, his eyes turning unreadable. "I just hope we're not too late to help Malcolm."
Captain's Log
Approximately seventeen hours ago we recovered our kidnapped armory officer, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed. He had been missing for six days ever since an alien vessel overtook the shuttlepod he was in and another vessel disabled the Enterprise. While I had my suspicions at the time, they weren't confirmed until we examined the brief scans we were able to take of the ship where the Lieutenant was held prisoner before it exploded. His abductors were indeed the hostile, silent aliens who scanned and then attacked us early in our mission on September 1, 2151.
As noted in earlier log entries, Lieutenant Reed was testing experimental adjustments to shuttlepod two when an unknown vessel attacked and captured him. A second vessel, engaged the Enterprise in a firefight, preventing us from going to Mr. Reed's aid. The second vessel managed to damage the Enterprise's engines enough to prevent us from pursuing the vessel that had taken Mr. Reed.
Working around the clock, Commander Tucker and his repair teams completed in three days what should have taken two weeks. I still do not know how he did it and to be honest, not all of the repairs are perfect. But it was enough to allow us to pursue Lieutenant Reed's captors. Now that we have recovered Lieutenant Reed, we have the luxury of fixing the remaining damage, while keep a vigilant watch for our attackers.
While Mr. Tucker and his crew were repairing the enterprise, Subcommander T'Pol, Ensign Sato and Ensign Merryweather attempted to find the ship Mr. Reed was on. Through a combination of a partial warp signature that the Subcommander was able to record before the ship disappeared, Mr. Merryweather's excellent and instinctual navigational instincts and Ensign Sato's amazing ability to hear the slightest sounds on sub-frequencies, we were able to chart a direction and did succeed in finding Mr. Reed. We reached him within three days after regaining impulse power.
When we came upon the ship, it was unescorted. Perhaps we had inflicted greater damage on its larger counterpart than we thought, but it was obvious from it's location that it was attempting to hide. Scans showed they had minimal weapons and after a token attack, the crew abandoned ship. We would have pursued, but scans showed that there was still one life form on the vacated vessel; a human lifeform.
To say we were shocked when we entered Lieutenant Reed's holding cell would be an understatement. Every detail of the Enterprise's brig had been replicated down to the minutest dent in the grating from where an errant tool had been dropped by Commander Tucker three months ago. This replication of detail leads me to believe that Lieutenant Reed's mind had been probed and an enormous amount of information had been extracted. If they got something as trivial and detailed as a dent in the grating, I have no doubt that they also have knowledge of all the weaponry and systems on Enterprise as well. Ensign Sato will likely confirm this once she has translated the information from the data modules we took from the ship, if that information is stored there, but I have no doubt that is what has happened.
This knowledge of our technology in the hands of what is obviously a hostile race is of grave concern. They had scanned us once before, including two crewmen when we first encountered this species. I don't know if they are using what they might have learned as countermeasures for a future attack, but it is my recommendation that the Enterprise be retrofitted with the technological advancements Starfleet R&D has made in the last few months. We are plotting a course back to Jupiter Station and hope to reach it in three weeks.
Another reason will be to assess Lieutenant Reed's condition. I am uncertain what he went through in his six days of captivity, but I do know that the man we rescued was not the same man I have come to know in the last few years. His attachment to Ensign Sato is perhaps the most surprising change in him. I do not know what has precipitated it. I had been under the impression that Mr. Reed's closest friend on Enterprise is Commander Tucker. Why is there this sudden need for Hoshi?
It can only be characterize as desperate, a need that seems to go beyond a simple friendship. It concerns me not only for fraternization reasons, but in this unpredictable place, these close ties we form can be both a blessing and a curse. I wonder if Hoshi feels as strong of a bond with Malcolm? I saw how concerned she was when he was taken, but I didn't sense anything that went beyond worry over a friend. Perhaps she feels-… Computer pause recording.
Archer shook himself, realizing he had strayed away from what would be appropriate in an official record. What was going on or not going on between Hoshi and Malcolm personally was irrelevant to these events and to Starfleet where this matter was concerned. But Archer himself could not quiet these thoughts or questions and worries that ran through his mind. He had many concerns beyond simple fraternization regulations. The idea of Hoshi and Malcolm in a relationship made him uncomfortable and he wasn't entirely sure why. Had he been more introspective he might have found an answer, but a part of him was extremely reluctant to do so and he merely put it down to his belief that they would not make the most compatible couple.
His lips quirked into a wry smile. It was ironic that the second time they would be attacked by this unknown alien race, Malcolm and Hoshi would somehow be linked again. The first attack was around Malcolm's birthday and Hoshi had been trying to find out what the Lieutenant liked to eat, a task Archer had set her on. Perhaps that had been the start of something between the two and Archer himself can be credited for putting that all into motion with that one simple assignment he gave the Ensign. If so, he may live to regret it.
"Computer, delete last paragraph and part of previous paragraph beginning with 'His attachment.'. Resume recording," he said, shaking away all other thoughts.
Mr. Reed's unusual behavior is obviously a result of his captivity. Dr. Phlox has found numerous toxins and hallucinogenics in the Lieutenant's system. He is attempting to flush them out now, though it is a slow process hampered by Mr. Reed's continual agitation. He only seems calm when Ensign Sato is nearby. She is in sickbay with him until he can be stabilized enough for Phlox to sedate him. I only hope that Mr. Reed's other injuries can be so easily treated.