Chapter 2-
The Enterprise bridge was still and silent, except for the hum of the engines and equipment. Captain Jonathan Archer stood next to Ensign Travis Mayweather as they both stared at the display on the view screen. Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, T'Pol and Ensign Hoshi Sato all at their respective stations also had their attentions on the images.
Doctor Phlox entered the bridge, moving next to T'Pol, and eyed the gaseous light blue cloud that held stationary before them.
"The cloud is not comprised of any substances known." T'Pol said to the doctor. "Our sensors are unable to detect Commander Tucker's life signs."
"The "researchers"?" Phlox asked with a touch of foreboding.
"Get us closer, Travis." Archer instructed. "The whom?"
"A species the Vulcans and I have had limited contact with." Phlox began. "By proxy, actually, in the past, Captain."
"Almost nothing is known about them," T'Pol interjected. "Except that they are scientifically motivated to abduct alien species and conduct experiments on them."
Archer hesitated, slightly. "What kind of experiments?"
"The one patient I had was subjected to various operations." Phlox explained. "Procedures which severely traumatized him."
"So, they live in that cloud?" Ensign Sato wondered out loud.
"The patient Dr. Phlox was referring to," T'Pol added, "was unable to say how he was captured or where the experiments took place. Only that the cloud paralyzed his vessel prior to his capture."
Archer moved down further towards the screen, as if that would make the hidden shuttlepod appear.
"So, Trip may not be in the pod." Archer moved back to Mayweather. "Just a little closer, Ensign."
----------
Trip, lying curled up in the fetal position on the floor, shivered slightly.
"Your others have come for you." The alien voice broke the deafening silence. "We have what we need. There is no further use for you. As we thought, your weakness prevailed."
"No," Trip moaned weakly, as he tried to draw his knees up tighter.
"We attained what we needed. In the end, you could not stop us."
"Go to hell," Trip managed to get out.
----------
The gaseous cloud began to quiver as the Enterprise moved closer. Suddenly, it shrunk inward and dissipated. There in the middle of the screen sat the shuttlepod.
"I have the commander's life signs, Captain." T'Pol immediately reported. "He is functioning, but measured."
"Open hail, Hoshi." Archer ordered.
"Already open, sir."
"Archer to Tucker." There was an unnerving pause. "Are you all right, Trip?"
"Sorry for the delay, Cap'n." Trip's voice pierced the bridge. "I got caught up in this muck. I'm comin' in."
"I'll meet you in shuttlebay..." Archer began.
"Naw," Trip cut him off. "I'll be there. Hold your horses."
Archer looked to Phlox who just held his hands up in a "wait here and see" manner. The captain reluctantly moved to his command chair and sat. They all watched the shuttlepod turn and move off towards the ship.
In what seemed like hours, but was only actually minutes, Tucker entered the bridge. He was dressed in his jumpsuit, but looked disheveled and worn.
"Guess that's the last time you'll let me take a pod out alone, huh?" Trip directed to the captain.
"What happened?" Archer asked, rising and moving to Trip.
"Not sure, really," Tucker shrugged his shoulders. "Test run was complete and I was on my way back when that cloud swallowed me up. Lost all my sensors, communications. What was it anyway?"
"We were unable to determine the origins of the cloud." T'Pol monotoned. "We were also unable to detect your life signs."
"Really?" Trip seemed, uninterested. "Well, Cap'n, I'd like to take a shower and rest up a bit."
The crew exchanged uneasy glances. Though neither one of them could pinpoint it, the commander seemed to be acting peculiar.
"Sure," Archer agreed. "After you let the doctor check you out."
"That's not necessary." Trip quickly said. "I'm fine, Cap'n, really."
"You look like hell, Commander." The captain stared at him.
"Well, you try eatin' pod rations and playin' solitaire for three days." Trip said.
The crew's reactions of muffled coughs and shifting eyes caused Tucker to look at each of them. Then he looked at Archer.
"What'd I say?" Trip asked.
"Commander," Phlox took over. "You've been gone for six days."
Trip felt his heart leap into his throat. He knew he had to get out of this, somehow. How could he forget the last three days, since he and that girl had... No, he couldn't think about that now.
"Did I say three?" Trip nervously laughed. "I meant six. I'm just tired."
"Sickbay, Commander." Archer said, pointing his finger toward the lift. "Sub-commander, you have the bridge." The captain turned back toward Tucker. "Let's go."
Trip turned slowly and followed Phlox to the lift, with the captain close behind.
----------
Phlox was preparing the terminal above the scan table. Archer stood next to Tucker over by one of the bio beds.
"I really feel fine, doc." Trip said. "I just need a shower."
"Just get undressed and lie down..." Phlox started.
"Look, this is silly." Trip began to fidget, his breathing becoming forced.
Phlox watched the commander closely, as did Archer.
"Trip," Archer said, quietly. "Were you ever not in the pod?"
"Am I bein' interrogated, Cap'n?" Trip lashed out.
"No," Archer carefully said. "But you've been out of contact for six days. We just want to find out what happened and make sure you're okay."
Trip gritted his teeth and spoke with clenched jaws. "I already said I was stuck in the pod, unable to move or communicate. Are you callin' me a liar...sir?"
"Come on," Archer tried to ease. "I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to." Trip glared at him. "I can see it on your face."
Phlox moved slowly towards Tucker now, careful not to do anything to cause the commander to feel threatened.
"Gentlemen," Phlox said. "Let's calm down. I just need to run a complete scan, Commander. You've had them before. Takes only a few minutes."
Tucker began to back away, bumping into a counter.
"I--I just wanna take a shower." Trip meekly stated. "And hit the sack, you know?"
Archer's face softened, trying to ease the tension. "We can understand that. But later."
"Captain," Phlox turned to him. "There's no need to push the commander right now. If he's that adamant about it."
Archer looked to Tucker, who just stared back at him. "Trip, what'll it be?"
Trip felt he couldn't really get away with not being checked out. This was just their way of making him feel like he had a choice. He knew better. He didn't like feeling trapped like this. Not having control. Slowly, he bent down and began to remove his shoes.
"We'll be fine, Captain." Phlox assured him. "Done in about half an hour."
"I'll be on the bridge." The captain turned to leave sickbay, glancing back one last time.
----------
T'Pol worked quickly at her station. There was too little information about the researchers after two known encounters. Perhaps the shuttlepod could enlighten them, even if Commander Tucker could not. Captain Archer entered the bridge, moving to her.
"Our sensors were incapable of identifying the compounds of the cloud." T'Pol informed him. "If the pod's systems shut down, like the commander stated, then it is possible our sensors were disabled as well. That would have resulted in not detecting Mr. Tucker's life signs."
"If the systems shut down?" The captain repeated, annoyed. "If Trip said they shut down, they shut down."
"Yes, Captain." T'Pol accepted.
"But you don't buy that." Archer probed. "You don't think he just sat there for six days eating rations and losing track of the days."
"He didn't eat rations at all, sir."
The captain wheeled around to see Mayweather standing behind him. "Excuse me, Ensign?"
"I sent Ensign Mayweather to check over the pod." T'Pol said.
"The pod's stocked, Captain." Mayweather reported. "Food, water, it's all there."
"Sickbay to the bridge." Phlox's harried voice came across the com.
"Archer here. What is it Doctor?"
"Commander Tucker is uncooperative." Phlox said, breathing heavily. There was scuffling heard and Tucker's voice mumbling in the background. "You need to calm down, Commander."
"Doc," Archer pressed. "What's going on?"
A loud crash was heard over the com, which brought visions of cascading medical trays and equipment to the crew's minds.
"Captain," Phlox sighed. "Mr. Tucker has left sickbay."
----------
Jonathan Archer walked quickly down the corridor. He knew where to go. He had known Trip Tucker for nearly nine years and if anyone knew him at all, it was the captain. As he came to the commander's quarters he politely pushed the buzzer. No answer. He quickly overrode the lock and entered.
Inside he saw Trip's jumpsuit lying in a clump on the floor. He could hear the shower running in the bathroom as the door stood wide open. But what else he saw before him made his blood run cold.
There, on the bed, Trip sat dripping wet and wrapped in a blanket. His eyes were fixed on the far wall, staring blankly. Jon rushed to the bed and knelt down trying to make eye contact with his friend.
"Trip, what is it?"
Trip began to rock slowly forward, then backward. Jon stared at him, trying to see if there was any recognition in the younger man's eyes. He rose and moved to the com panel.
"Archer to Phlox."
"Captain?" Phlox's com voice replied.
"He's here, in his quarters." The captain said. "He doesn't look good."
"I'm on my way, sir."
Jon turned and looked back at Trip, who still stared out and rocked slowly.
"Archer to..." Jon hesitated. Who should he call? T'Pol, Malcolm? "Archer to Lieutenant Reed."
"Yes, Captain."
"I need you outside Commander Tucker's quarters. On the double."
"Aye, sir."
Jon returned to the bedside looking down at his friend. Trip shivered.
"It was too hot," Trip's voice trembled.
"The water?" Jon asked.
"Burned..."
"Phlox is on his way." Jon told him. "Just relax."
"No," Trip shook. "Won't stop burning..."
Archer sat on the bed, trying to read the emotion on Trip's face. What did he experience these past days to cause him to act this way?
"What happened, my friend?" Jon's voice asked gently.
"I didn't want them to do it." Trip explained. "I tried to stop them...I did!"
Phlox entered now, exchanging places with the captain. Archer turned and saw Reed had followed the doctor in.
"Make sure the corridor remains clear, Malcolm." The captain instructed.
Reed nodded, not taking his eyes off of Tucker. Archer moved to the lieutenant and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Reed gathered himself and moved out the door.
"He's suffering from shock, Captain."
Archer turned back to the bed. "Is he hurt?"
"Physically?" Phlox clarified. Archer nodded. "Seriously? I'm not sure, but I was referring to shock trauma. The autonomic nervous system's response to a traumatic event. The human brain is so resourceful to protect the psyche from harm during a threatening situation. Yet, that can be very harmful later on, as we are seeing here."
"What do we do?"
"Get him back to sickbay," Phlox said. "And make sure he stays this time."
----------
Malcolm and Jon supported Trip on either side, guiding him into sickbay. Phlox waited by the scan table as they placed Trip on it.
"Okay," Archer turned to Reed. "Not a word, Malcolm."
"Of course, sir." Reed stared down at his friend.
"It's going to be fine." Archer told him.
Reed nodded and left sickbay. Jon turned back to the table and looked at the curled up form shivering under the blanket.
"What now?" The captain asked.
"Well," Phlox said, "This position won't due. Let's try removing the blanket and then we'll see about getting him to lie straight."
Phlox began to unwrap the blanket, but Trip's arm shot out from underneath and grabbed the doctor's wrist tightly.
"Trip!" Jon yelled, grabbing hold of the commander's arm.
Phlox raised his other hand to the captain, shaking his head. Archer reluctantly released his grip on Tucker.
"Captain," Phlox said calmly. "We need not make any sudden moves or raise our voices." He turned his attention to Trip. "Commander, let go of my arm. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to remove the blanket, so I can check you over."
Trip's eyes were glassy and fixed downward towards the floor. But, he released his hold on the doctor and his hand disappeared back under the blanket.
"That's right." Phlox praised. Slowly, Phlox again began to open the blanket. Aided by the captain, they got the blanket off of Trip's shoulders.
"Oh, dear." Phlox remarked.
Both the doctor and the captain saw the burn marks on Trip's shoulders. As they continued to lower the blanket to Trip's waist, they saw the marks covered his upper torso both chest and back.
----------
"The laser burns only penetrated a few epidermal layers." Phlox said as he reviewed the screens above the monitors. "There won't be any visible scarring, but emotional ones run deeper."
"I thought he was talking about the water," Archer said. "When I found him in his quarters, Trip said, 'It was too hot' and that he couldn't stand the burning."
"That is the way when dealing with the reptilian brain." Phlox explained. "When he could neither act on the flight or fight choices at the moment, he most likely experienced an altered state of consciousness. That dissociation behavior can be launched by the smallest unconnected event later on."
The door to the scan chamber opened and the table slid out with Trip, groggy but awake, lying on it with a cloth draped over his crotch. Phlox was preoccupied by the scan screens.
"How long will the sedative last?" Archer asked, studying Trip.
"Less than an hour. I only gave him a mild one to calm him down."
Archer noticed the doctor's preoccupation. "What is it?"
"I'm not positive." Phlox told him. "Could you talk to him. Keep his mind off of me?"
Jon moved to the head of the table and leaned down to Trip's eye level. Phlox moved to the table and nodded to the captain.
"Just a little bit longer." Jon said to Trip. "Doc says you don't have to stay here after he's done."
Trip blinked, trying to clear his head. Jon glanced over toward Phlox to see what he was doing. His eyebrows raised and he turned away as he saw Phlox remove the cloth. He looked back at Trip who began to grimace and moan.
"Doc," Archer said. "Is that necessary?"
"Keep talking, Captain, and keep him still." Phlox warned, continuing his examination.
"Easy does it." Jon said, nervously. "Relax, buddy. Doc knows what he's doing. Right, Doc?"
"No, no..." Trip moaned and pleaded.
"Can't you hurry it up?" Archer asked Phlox.
Phlox placed the cloth back over Tucker and moved with a slide to the scope on the counter.
"It's all over." Jon told Trip. He moved to the doctor. "Was that painful?"
"No," Phlox assured the captain. "It was uncomfortable for sure, but I didn't hurt him. Just as I thought."
"What?" Archer asked.
"Mr. Tucker has recently engaged in sexual activity. But there are contusions and lacerations on his inner thighs. And there's blood in this sample." Phlox looked apologetic. "I'm going to have to do further testing."
The captain looked over at Trip, who had already curled back up in the fetal position. He looked back at Phlox.
"What are you saying?" Jon asked.
"Perhaps physical abuse was not the only abuse the commander was subjected to."
----------
TO BE CONTINUED
The Enterprise bridge was still and silent, except for the hum of the engines and equipment. Captain Jonathan Archer stood next to Ensign Travis Mayweather as they both stared at the display on the view screen. Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, T'Pol and Ensign Hoshi Sato all at their respective stations also had their attentions on the images.
Doctor Phlox entered the bridge, moving next to T'Pol, and eyed the gaseous light blue cloud that held stationary before them.
"The cloud is not comprised of any substances known." T'Pol said to the doctor. "Our sensors are unable to detect Commander Tucker's life signs."
"The "researchers"?" Phlox asked with a touch of foreboding.
"Get us closer, Travis." Archer instructed. "The whom?"
"A species the Vulcans and I have had limited contact with." Phlox began. "By proxy, actually, in the past, Captain."
"Almost nothing is known about them," T'Pol interjected. "Except that they are scientifically motivated to abduct alien species and conduct experiments on them."
Archer hesitated, slightly. "What kind of experiments?"
"The one patient I had was subjected to various operations." Phlox explained. "Procedures which severely traumatized him."
"So, they live in that cloud?" Ensign Sato wondered out loud.
"The patient Dr. Phlox was referring to," T'Pol added, "was unable to say how he was captured or where the experiments took place. Only that the cloud paralyzed his vessel prior to his capture."
Archer moved down further towards the screen, as if that would make the hidden shuttlepod appear.
"So, Trip may not be in the pod." Archer moved back to Mayweather. "Just a little closer, Ensign."
----------
Trip, lying curled up in the fetal position on the floor, shivered slightly.
"Your others have come for you." The alien voice broke the deafening silence. "We have what we need. There is no further use for you. As we thought, your weakness prevailed."
"No," Trip moaned weakly, as he tried to draw his knees up tighter.
"We attained what we needed. In the end, you could not stop us."
"Go to hell," Trip managed to get out.
----------
The gaseous cloud began to quiver as the Enterprise moved closer. Suddenly, it shrunk inward and dissipated. There in the middle of the screen sat the shuttlepod.
"I have the commander's life signs, Captain." T'Pol immediately reported. "He is functioning, but measured."
"Open hail, Hoshi." Archer ordered.
"Already open, sir."
"Archer to Tucker." There was an unnerving pause. "Are you all right, Trip?"
"Sorry for the delay, Cap'n." Trip's voice pierced the bridge. "I got caught up in this muck. I'm comin' in."
"I'll meet you in shuttlebay..." Archer began.
"Naw," Trip cut him off. "I'll be there. Hold your horses."
Archer looked to Phlox who just held his hands up in a "wait here and see" manner. The captain reluctantly moved to his command chair and sat. They all watched the shuttlepod turn and move off towards the ship.
In what seemed like hours, but was only actually minutes, Tucker entered the bridge. He was dressed in his jumpsuit, but looked disheveled and worn.
"Guess that's the last time you'll let me take a pod out alone, huh?" Trip directed to the captain.
"What happened?" Archer asked, rising and moving to Trip.
"Not sure, really," Tucker shrugged his shoulders. "Test run was complete and I was on my way back when that cloud swallowed me up. Lost all my sensors, communications. What was it anyway?"
"We were unable to determine the origins of the cloud." T'Pol monotoned. "We were also unable to detect your life signs."
"Really?" Trip seemed, uninterested. "Well, Cap'n, I'd like to take a shower and rest up a bit."
The crew exchanged uneasy glances. Though neither one of them could pinpoint it, the commander seemed to be acting peculiar.
"Sure," Archer agreed. "After you let the doctor check you out."
"That's not necessary." Trip quickly said. "I'm fine, Cap'n, really."
"You look like hell, Commander." The captain stared at him.
"Well, you try eatin' pod rations and playin' solitaire for three days." Trip said.
The crew's reactions of muffled coughs and shifting eyes caused Tucker to look at each of them. Then he looked at Archer.
"What'd I say?" Trip asked.
"Commander," Phlox took over. "You've been gone for six days."
Trip felt his heart leap into his throat. He knew he had to get out of this, somehow. How could he forget the last three days, since he and that girl had... No, he couldn't think about that now.
"Did I say three?" Trip nervously laughed. "I meant six. I'm just tired."
"Sickbay, Commander." Archer said, pointing his finger toward the lift. "Sub-commander, you have the bridge." The captain turned back toward Tucker. "Let's go."
Trip turned slowly and followed Phlox to the lift, with the captain close behind.
----------
Phlox was preparing the terminal above the scan table. Archer stood next to Tucker over by one of the bio beds.
"I really feel fine, doc." Trip said. "I just need a shower."
"Just get undressed and lie down..." Phlox started.
"Look, this is silly." Trip began to fidget, his breathing becoming forced.
Phlox watched the commander closely, as did Archer.
"Trip," Archer said, quietly. "Were you ever not in the pod?"
"Am I bein' interrogated, Cap'n?" Trip lashed out.
"No," Archer carefully said. "But you've been out of contact for six days. We just want to find out what happened and make sure you're okay."
Trip gritted his teeth and spoke with clenched jaws. "I already said I was stuck in the pod, unable to move or communicate. Are you callin' me a liar...sir?"
"Come on," Archer tried to ease. "I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to." Trip glared at him. "I can see it on your face."
Phlox moved slowly towards Tucker now, careful not to do anything to cause the commander to feel threatened.
"Gentlemen," Phlox said. "Let's calm down. I just need to run a complete scan, Commander. You've had them before. Takes only a few minutes."
Tucker began to back away, bumping into a counter.
"I--I just wanna take a shower." Trip meekly stated. "And hit the sack, you know?"
Archer's face softened, trying to ease the tension. "We can understand that. But later."
"Captain," Phlox turned to him. "There's no need to push the commander right now. If he's that adamant about it."
Archer looked to Tucker, who just stared back at him. "Trip, what'll it be?"
Trip felt he couldn't really get away with not being checked out. This was just their way of making him feel like he had a choice. He knew better. He didn't like feeling trapped like this. Not having control. Slowly, he bent down and began to remove his shoes.
"We'll be fine, Captain." Phlox assured him. "Done in about half an hour."
"I'll be on the bridge." The captain turned to leave sickbay, glancing back one last time.
----------
T'Pol worked quickly at her station. There was too little information about the researchers after two known encounters. Perhaps the shuttlepod could enlighten them, even if Commander Tucker could not. Captain Archer entered the bridge, moving to her.
"Our sensors were incapable of identifying the compounds of the cloud." T'Pol informed him. "If the pod's systems shut down, like the commander stated, then it is possible our sensors were disabled as well. That would have resulted in not detecting Mr. Tucker's life signs."
"If the systems shut down?" The captain repeated, annoyed. "If Trip said they shut down, they shut down."
"Yes, Captain." T'Pol accepted.
"But you don't buy that." Archer probed. "You don't think he just sat there for six days eating rations and losing track of the days."
"He didn't eat rations at all, sir."
The captain wheeled around to see Mayweather standing behind him. "Excuse me, Ensign?"
"I sent Ensign Mayweather to check over the pod." T'Pol said.
"The pod's stocked, Captain." Mayweather reported. "Food, water, it's all there."
"Sickbay to the bridge." Phlox's harried voice came across the com.
"Archer here. What is it Doctor?"
"Commander Tucker is uncooperative." Phlox said, breathing heavily. There was scuffling heard and Tucker's voice mumbling in the background. "You need to calm down, Commander."
"Doc," Archer pressed. "What's going on?"
A loud crash was heard over the com, which brought visions of cascading medical trays and equipment to the crew's minds.
"Captain," Phlox sighed. "Mr. Tucker has left sickbay."
----------
Jonathan Archer walked quickly down the corridor. He knew where to go. He had known Trip Tucker for nearly nine years and if anyone knew him at all, it was the captain. As he came to the commander's quarters he politely pushed the buzzer. No answer. He quickly overrode the lock and entered.
Inside he saw Trip's jumpsuit lying in a clump on the floor. He could hear the shower running in the bathroom as the door stood wide open. But what else he saw before him made his blood run cold.
There, on the bed, Trip sat dripping wet and wrapped in a blanket. His eyes were fixed on the far wall, staring blankly. Jon rushed to the bed and knelt down trying to make eye contact with his friend.
"Trip, what is it?"
Trip began to rock slowly forward, then backward. Jon stared at him, trying to see if there was any recognition in the younger man's eyes. He rose and moved to the com panel.
"Archer to Phlox."
"Captain?" Phlox's com voice replied.
"He's here, in his quarters." The captain said. "He doesn't look good."
"I'm on my way, sir."
Jon turned and looked back at Trip, who still stared out and rocked slowly.
"Archer to..." Jon hesitated. Who should he call? T'Pol, Malcolm? "Archer to Lieutenant Reed."
"Yes, Captain."
"I need you outside Commander Tucker's quarters. On the double."
"Aye, sir."
Jon returned to the bedside looking down at his friend. Trip shivered.
"It was too hot," Trip's voice trembled.
"The water?" Jon asked.
"Burned..."
"Phlox is on his way." Jon told him. "Just relax."
"No," Trip shook. "Won't stop burning..."
Archer sat on the bed, trying to read the emotion on Trip's face. What did he experience these past days to cause him to act this way?
"What happened, my friend?" Jon's voice asked gently.
"I didn't want them to do it." Trip explained. "I tried to stop them...I did!"
Phlox entered now, exchanging places with the captain. Archer turned and saw Reed had followed the doctor in.
"Make sure the corridor remains clear, Malcolm." The captain instructed.
Reed nodded, not taking his eyes off of Tucker. Archer moved to the lieutenant and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Reed gathered himself and moved out the door.
"He's suffering from shock, Captain."
Archer turned back to the bed. "Is he hurt?"
"Physically?" Phlox clarified. Archer nodded. "Seriously? I'm not sure, but I was referring to shock trauma. The autonomic nervous system's response to a traumatic event. The human brain is so resourceful to protect the psyche from harm during a threatening situation. Yet, that can be very harmful later on, as we are seeing here."
"What do we do?"
"Get him back to sickbay," Phlox said. "And make sure he stays this time."
----------
Malcolm and Jon supported Trip on either side, guiding him into sickbay. Phlox waited by the scan table as they placed Trip on it.
"Okay," Archer turned to Reed. "Not a word, Malcolm."
"Of course, sir." Reed stared down at his friend.
"It's going to be fine." Archer told him.
Reed nodded and left sickbay. Jon turned back to the table and looked at the curled up form shivering under the blanket.
"What now?" The captain asked.
"Well," Phlox said, "This position won't due. Let's try removing the blanket and then we'll see about getting him to lie straight."
Phlox began to unwrap the blanket, but Trip's arm shot out from underneath and grabbed the doctor's wrist tightly.
"Trip!" Jon yelled, grabbing hold of the commander's arm.
Phlox raised his other hand to the captain, shaking his head. Archer reluctantly released his grip on Tucker.
"Captain," Phlox said calmly. "We need not make any sudden moves or raise our voices." He turned his attention to Trip. "Commander, let go of my arm. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to remove the blanket, so I can check you over."
Trip's eyes were glassy and fixed downward towards the floor. But, he released his hold on the doctor and his hand disappeared back under the blanket.
"That's right." Phlox praised. Slowly, Phlox again began to open the blanket. Aided by the captain, they got the blanket off of Trip's shoulders.
"Oh, dear." Phlox remarked.
Both the doctor and the captain saw the burn marks on Trip's shoulders. As they continued to lower the blanket to Trip's waist, they saw the marks covered his upper torso both chest and back.
----------
"The laser burns only penetrated a few epidermal layers." Phlox said as he reviewed the screens above the monitors. "There won't be any visible scarring, but emotional ones run deeper."
"I thought he was talking about the water," Archer said. "When I found him in his quarters, Trip said, 'It was too hot' and that he couldn't stand the burning."
"That is the way when dealing with the reptilian brain." Phlox explained. "When he could neither act on the flight or fight choices at the moment, he most likely experienced an altered state of consciousness. That dissociation behavior can be launched by the smallest unconnected event later on."
The door to the scan chamber opened and the table slid out with Trip, groggy but awake, lying on it with a cloth draped over his crotch. Phlox was preoccupied by the scan screens.
"How long will the sedative last?" Archer asked, studying Trip.
"Less than an hour. I only gave him a mild one to calm him down."
Archer noticed the doctor's preoccupation. "What is it?"
"I'm not positive." Phlox told him. "Could you talk to him. Keep his mind off of me?"
Jon moved to the head of the table and leaned down to Trip's eye level. Phlox moved to the table and nodded to the captain.
"Just a little bit longer." Jon said to Trip. "Doc says you don't have to stay here after he's done."
Trip blinked, trying to clear his head. Jon glanced over toward Phlox to see what he was doing. His eyebrows raised and he turned away as he saw Phlox remove the cloth. He looked back at Trip who began to grimace and moan.
"Doc," Archer said. "Is that necessary?"
"Keep talking, Captain, and keep him still." Phlox warned, continuing his examination.
"Easy does it." Jon said, nervously. "Relax, buddy. Doc knows what he's doing. Right, Doc?"
"No, no..." Trip moaned and pleaded.
"Can't you hurry it up?" Archer asked Phlox.
Phlox placed the cloth back over Tucker and moved with a slide to the scope on the counter.
"It's all over." Jon told Trip. He moved to the doctor. "Was that painful?"
"No," Phlox assured the captain. "It was uncomfortable for sure, but I didn't hurt him. Just as I thought."
"What?" Archer asked.
"Mr. Tucker has recently engaged in sexual activity. But there are contusions and lacerations on his inner thighs. And there's blood in this sample." Phlox looked apologetic. "I'm going to have to do further testing."
The captain looked over at Trip, who had already curled back up in the fetal position. He looked back at Phlox.
"What are you saying?" Jon asked.
"Perhaps physical abuse was not the only abuse the commander was subjected to."
----------
TO BE CONTINUED