"What do you mean he's not there?"

"I'm telling you, Captain, that Trip is not aboard that shuttlepod." repeated Malcolm.

"Well then, where did he go?" asked Jon

"There are no warp trails leading from the shuttlepod, but I am detecting an unidentified ship 5 light-years from here." interrupted T'Pol.

"Malcolm?" said Jon

"Yes Captain?"

"Can we scan that ship from here?"

"No. Our long range sensors are down, and our short range ones can't reach that far."

//Damn.// thought Jon. //I guess we'll just have to find Trip the old fashioned way.//

"Mr. Mayweather?"

"Yes sir?"

"Set a course for the alien ship. Warp 4.5."

Travis smiled. "Yes sir!"

~*~

Hael nervously sat waiting on the bridge. Sarquel had said that he would contact him within the hour. Unfortunately, Hael had no good news to report. Sarquel wasn't going to like this.

"Colonel Hael?"

Hael turned to see who had called him. It was Officer Pachek, the communications operator.

//This is it.// Hael thought to himself. Aloud, he replied, "What is it, Pachek?"

"There is an incoming transmission. Source unknown."

"Put it on the viewer." responded Hael as he turned to face the viewscreen.

A cloaked figure appeared on the screen. Sarquel had never revealed his face or species to Hael.

"Colonel Hael. I trust you are well?" said Sarquel, his deep voice resonating inside the small bridge.

"Yes, yes I am." replied Hael nervously. "And you, Sarquel?"

"It depends on what you have to tell me, Hael."

Hael smiled nervously. "Uh, well, the first prisoner hasn't told us anything yet, but we're working on it. The second prisoner has been tortured, but he still hasn't told us anything. I am confident, though, that we will break them both."

"You are confident?"

"Uh, yes, yes I am."

"Hael, I am thinking that maybe I should have trusted this vital task to someone more capable. You are replaceable, you know."

"I know, I know. But we will get you the information, I promise you!"

Sarquel was quiet a moment, as is contemplating what to do next.

"Very well. I will let you continue, for now." Sarquel leaned forward, showing two bright eyes, glowing yellow, from the midst of his hood. "Do not be mistaken, Colonel, that I will not hesitate to kill you if you fail."

"I...I understand. I will not fail you." said Hael nervously.

"Good. Then we have nothing to worry about, do we Hael?"

Hael shook his head, for he was too afraid to speak.

"I will contact you in three standard days. Goodbye, Colonel."

The viewscreen went dark, leaving only Hael and his thoughts.

*Next chapter will be soon, I promise.*