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Chapter 4
The next morning Malcolm was working at his console when Travis entered the bridge. He watched as Travis slowly made his way to his seat, slumping down when he got to it.
"Good morning, Ensign."
Travis didn't say anything.
"Good morning, Ensign." Malcolm said with more force.
Travis raised his head, looking around in confusion. He stared in Malcolm's' direction, seeming to not really focus.
"Good morning, sir."
Travis swung dazedly back to his console, staring but not actually working.
Malcolm glanced over worriedly at Subcommander T'Pol, who was currently on duty. She raised an eyebrow in Malcolm's direction.
"Travis, are you feeling well?" Malcolm said as he walked over toward the Ensign.
Travis looked back at him, slowly blinking his eyes.
"I guess not, sir. I am having a little trouble with my eyes this morning." Travis frowned rubbing at his eyes.
At that moment a yawning Archer stepped out of his ready room.
"Good morning crew." He slumped down in his chair, yawning again.
'Well what a lively crew we have,' Malcolm thought.
Malcolm said, "Captain, Ensign Mayweather is not looking well. I believe it would be best if he went and saw the Doctor."
Archer continued to yawn looking around the room. Then, suddenly realizing Malcolm was talking to him, he nodded and waved his hand as if shooing them off.
"I believe that means the Captain agrees, Lieutenant," T'Pol said watching the Captain.
"Yes, that is fine." Archer said clearing his throat and attempting to sit up straighter.
Travis stood, but stumbled, falling to the floor. He quickly stood up. "Could someone help me? I seem to be having a little trouble seeing."
Malcolm could hear Travis trying to keep the concern out of his voice. He exchanged a look with T'Pol. Walking over, he took Travis' arm, leading him to the lift. "I will be back in a minute, sir."
Archer appeared to have nodded off but sat up and shooed them with his hands again.
Malcolm looked back at T'Pol, who again raised an eyebrow.
**
As soon as the lift doors opened on the deck where Sickbay was located, Malcolm and Travis were assaulted by noise. "What is that?" Travis asked.
"I'm not sure," Malcolm replied curiously, leading Travis forward. The noise level grew, as they got closer to the Sickbay doors. When the doors opened, Malcolm pulled up short.
The room was crammed with crewmembers, most of them looking worried and talking at once. Phlox was nowhere to be seen. Malcolm saw Hoshi sitting on a biobed in the midst of the chaos; Trip was leaning against it beside her. Unlike many of the crew, neither of them was speaking. Trip watched the others distractedly, while Hoshi just stared at the floor. Malcolm led Travis over to them. Once they got up close, the Ensign was able to see well enough to seat himself next to Hoshi.
"What the hell is going on?" Malcolm asked Trip bewilderedly.
Trip focused on him. "I can't say, exactly. People are sick, I guess."
"Well, why are you here?"
Trip frowned worriedly. "Cuz there's somethin' wrong with me…with my memory but maybe something else." He dropped his hands to side, then folded them again as if he weren't sure what to do with them. "I can't…I went into engineerin' this mornin' and I couldn't read the equipment. I couldn't hold a tool." By the end of his speech, his voice was a touch panicky.
He took a deep breath, fighting for control. Malcolm stood quietly until the Commander was able to look at him somewhat calmly.
"Where's Phlox?"
Trip shook his head. "I just walked in right before you. But nobody's seen the doc."
Malcolm nodded and moved to the small room that served as Phlox's office. He pushed the chime and knocked on the door. There was no response; he used his override code to open it. Inside, he found Phlox sound asleep in a chair.
"Doctor?" Malcolm nudged the Denobulan with his hand. Phlox didn't move.
Right then. Malcolm reached for the com, hailing the bridge. When T'Pol's voice came back to him, he said, "Subcommander, I need to speak with the Captain."
"At my suggestion, the Captain has returned to his quarters to rest," she replied calmly. "Could I be of assistance?"
"I hope so. We have a definite problem on our hands. Can you come to Sickbay?"
Malcolm paused. "And you might want to wake the Captain for this."
"I am on my way."
***
By the time T'Pol and a sleepy Archer arrived, Malcolm had managed to get the crewmembers to settle down—beginning by speaking to them calmly and finally barking at them to "find a location, settle in, and keep you're bloody mouths shut until I can figure this out."
"No offense, Commander," he added as a sidebar to Trip.
Trip smiled wanly. "None taken." He turned his head to face Jon and T'Pol, who were entering.
T'Pol wasted no time. "Where is the doctor?" At her voice, Travis looked in their direction. Hoshi remained quiet, still staring.
Malcolm nodded in the direction of the office, and she walked off briskly. In the meantime, Jon was asking questions about what was happening.
"I don't know, sir," Malcolm told him. "But it seems that everyone here is suffering from varying degrees of some illness. I've spoken with several of them while you were on your way. The odd thing is, everyone is exhibiting different symptoms. The only thing they seem to have in common is a general lethargy."
Jon covered a yawn and nodded, smiling wryly. "I think it's safe to say that I've got it as well—whatever it is." He slumped against a biobed across from Trip.
"How are you doin'?" he asked his friend.
"Ok…a little shaky." Trip didn't smile, and for the first time, Jon seemed to come out of his fog and looked worried.
"Travis? Hoshi?"
"I'm ok, sir," Travis answered, despite having to squint to make out the Captain's face. Hoshi didn't even move. Travis nudged her and she looked up at him, surprised.
"Are you all right?" Travis asked her.
Hoshi huddled up on herself. "I can barely hear you," she said softly. She offered no other explanations of her condition. Travis took her hand in his. She smiled at him gratefully and wrapped her other hand around his before returning her gaze to the floor.
T'Pol rejoined them. "It appears that the doctor has gone into his hibernation state."
"Now? So soon after the last time?" Jon asked.
"Whatever is affecting the crew, it is likely that Dr. Phlox has contracted it. In the event of illness, a Denobulan's body automatically drops into a state of hibernation until it has fully recovered."
"Great," Trip muttered, speaking for all of them.
"Ok." Jon stood up straight, trying to look confident. "T'Pol, see what you can do to wake the doctor. If you can't, you'll have to take over for him and try to figure this out. Malcolm, Trip, I want you to interview all of the crew. Get a list of their symptoms and the severity. Find out if everyone has been affected."
Malcolm nodded. As the Captain talked, he gathered up two PADDS. He handed one to Trip. The PADD immediately slipped through the Commander's stiff fingers, crashing to the floor.
Trip looked stricken. Frustration crossed over his face. "I can't even hold a PADD now. It's gettin' worse."
"Perhaps it would be best if Commander Tucker rests, sir. Of all of the crew, his case appears to be one of the worst." Archer nodded at Malcolm's suggestion. Tucker seemed ready to argue. Malcolm placed a hand on his shoulder. Catching Trip's eye, he glanced pointedly at Travis and Hoshi.
"Commander, I'll be sending most of the crew back to their quarters, but a few will need to stay here for observation. May I suggest that you remain here and assist the Subcommander in keeping them calm?"
Trip knew when he was being placated, but for the moment, he was willing to accept any job that would keep him busy. He nodded.
"All right. Malcolm, it looks like you're on your own for now." Jon picked up the dropped PADD and handed it to him. "As you come across less affected crew members, get some of them to assist you—but first make sure there are enough personnel on duty to keep us going. In the meantime, I'll be on the bridge, sitting in for Travis." He strode towards the door, saying over his shoulder, "Right after I swing by the mess hall for a thermos of coffee."
