DISCLAIMER: Yes, I own it. I own it all. And I shall use my newfound army
to conquer the world - hahaha!!!!! (In case you haven't guessed, that was
sarcasm. I own squat!)
NOTE: OK, so Pete isn't a great name for a Vulcan, but I'm too lazy to keep typing Pe'teroi over and over. Anyway, my brother's called Peter, so it's kinda a tribute/mickey take of him!
TRIP'S WAR - Chapter four.
Archer paced up and down the room waiting for Pete or Pe'teroi or whatever the hell his name was to return. A young man had entered the room not long after the Vulcan had left, and told them to wait where they were, and that Pete and Trip would be back shortly.
"Maybe you should sit down, Sir." Malcolm suggested.
Archer did as his Armoury Officer suggested.
"We can't be sure of what's happening, Sir," Hoshi said, "I could have mis- translated what the girl said. We don't know that anything's actually wrong."
Archer looked at his two officers. "You're right," he said. "But I've still got a bad feeling about this whole situation."
"Even so, Sir," Malcolm said, "At least we know Commander Tucker's alive. That's better than what we all believed to be the truth three days ago."
"Even so, something just feels wrong," he stood and walked to the other end of the room. "It's like......... I don't know," he walked back to the table and sat down. "But it's not good."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Half an hour later, Pete returned to the three waiting officers.
"What happened?" Archer asked.
"There was a slight problem with the repairs. Trip injured his hand."
"Where is he?" Malcolm asked.
"He is still with Aisha. He'll be back presently." Pete walked from where he was standing towards the door. He looked out into the street, then returned to the table.
"If the village has a generator, why do you use candles?" Hoshi asked, changing the subject. Archer and Malcolm looked at her. "Sorry," she said, "I've just noticed the candles on the wall. If Commander Tucker's built a generator, why don't you use that?"
"Trip only had limited supplies, the generator isn't powerful enough to supply power to the whole village." Pete explained, "Also, the Sobakan's don't approve of the Peri having any from of technology. They killed those who were technologically minded in an attempt to ban technology from the villages. The candles also divert unwanted attention from the Sobakan's."
"What was wrong with it?" Archer asked.
"Pardon?" Pete asked, looking confused.
"You said there were problems with the generator. What were they?" Archer knew that they weren't being told the whole truth. He knew that, to some extent, the Vulcan was lying.
"I am no good with technology," Pete said, "I have no idea what was wrong."
Archer nodded, still convinced that they were being lied too.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Archer, Malcolm and Hoshi spent the night in Trip's house waiting for him to return. They had managed to wait for several hours, before eventually falling asleep.
It was now morning and there was still no sign of Trip.
"I'm gonna go and take a look around," Archer said.
"Sir," Malcolm said. "They told us to wait here."
"We've been waiting here for the past ten hours." Archer said bluntly.
Malcolm was about to reply to his Commanding Officer when the door opened. Trip entered the room, smiled at them and walked to the stove.
"Trip?" Archer asked. Trip turned to face him. "Where have you been?"
"Out." Trip said. "I've been fixin' the generator."
"How's your hand?"
"Fine," Trip said, unconsciously placing his hands in his pockets.
"You OK?" Archer asked, studying his friends face. "You look a little off."
"Thanks," Trip said. He decided against making himself anything to eat. He walked over to where Malcolm was sitting and sat down next to him.
"Did you fix it?" Malcolm asked.
"Yeah," Trip replied, yawning. "It was just a couple of loose wires. Nothing to serious."
"You sure you're OK?" Archer asked, sitting down next to Hoshi.
"I'm fine," Trip said defensively. "What's with the twenty questions?" He asked, folding his arms.
"Show me your hand," Archer said, walking over to stand by where Trip was sitting. When Trip had folded his arms, Archer had tried to see if there were any kind of bandaging, or even a cut, on one of them. He had failed to see either.
"Why the hell's got into you?" Trip asked.
"You gonna show me?" Archer asked.
Trip thought for a minute. "No."
Archer went and sat back down.
Malcolm looked at Hoshi who simply shrugged. After a few minuets of silence, Malcolm spoke up. "Sirs?" He asked.
"You didn't cut your hand, did you?" Archer asked Trip, ignoring Malcolm and Hoshi's puzzled looks.
Trip didn't answer; he just shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Trip?" Archer asked, this time his voice softer.
"No," Trip said, closing his eyes and gently shaking his head.
"What's wrong?" Archer asked.
Trip sighed. "I just weren't feelin' too hot. That's all." He said looking at Archer.
"Trip..........." Archer began, but was cut off by Trip.
"I gotta go," He said standing and heading to the door.
Archer was going to call after him, but decided it was futile. Trip was gone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Archer, fed up of not knowing what was going on, had gone in search of Pete or Trip. He had paired Malcolm and Hoshi up. They were at present searching the other half of the village.
After walking around for several hours, Archer gave up and headed back to Trip's house. Not long after, Malcolm and Hoshi returned.
"Any luck?" Archer asked.
"No, Sir," Hoshi said, "We looked everywhere." She added, sitting down.
"It's not even as if the village is that big," Malcolm said, sitting next the Hoshi. "Where the hell can they be?"
Archer shrugged. The door opening caught his attention.
Pete walked in and stood next to where the three were sitting. "You were looking for me?" He asked.
"Yeah," Archer said, looking at the Vulcan. "We were wondering what happened yesterday?"
"I've already told you." Pete said, sounding impatient.
"You did tell us something," Archer said, "But you didn't tell us the truth."
"I don't understand?" Pete said, sounding confused.
"We know you lied about Trip hurting himself last night." Archer explained. "We were just wondering what the hell is going on."
Pete sat down next to Archer. "It's not my place to tell you." He said, sighing. "Trip should really............"
"We asked Trip," Malcolm said. "He wouldn't say. He just left and we haven't seen him since."
"I can't." Pete said, standing.
Archer caught his arm as he stood. "Don't you think we have a right to know?" He asked. "He's our friend."
Pete shook his head and sat back down. "Trip is ill." Pete explained. "During the experiments on Nostarcassa, the Cassian's removed sections of DNA and replaced it with their infected DNA to see how we would each react. In me and the other's, the infected DNA remained dormant." Pete stopped and looked around the three. He wasn't sure if he should be telling them this, but these were Trip's friends, they had a right to know. "Human DNA best resembled the DNA of the Cassian's. Trip's DNA reacted differently to mine."
Archer waited for Pete to further his explanation. "What happened?" He asked, after it became obvious Pete had finished. "I don't understand?"
"It means Commander Tucker's infected." Hoshi said.
"What?" Archer and Malcolm asked in unison.
"You told 'em then?"
The four turned to face the door. Trip was standing there leaning against the doorframe.
"They had a right to know." Pete said standing and walking over to Trip. He whispered something in his ear and then left the room.
Trip walked over and sat down next to Archer.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Archer asked.
"I hadn't seen you in three years," Trip said, looking at his friend. "I was happy to see ya. I didn't wanna tell ya straight away." He looked at Malcolm and Hoshi. "I didn't wanna tell ya at all."
The four sat in silence.
"There's something I don't understand." Hoshi said after a while.
Trip looked at her. "What?" he asked.
"The people on Nostarcassa died." She said.
"I know." Trip said, leaning back.
"Well, that means that.............." Hoshi cut off mid sentence, realising what it did actually mean.
"What?" Archer asked, looking from Trip to Hoshi.
"It means I will too." Trip said looking at Archer. "I'm dyin'."
A/N: OK, so it ended a little heavily there....sorry. But remember - never kills Trip! ;).
And sorry it took sooo long to update. My computer crashed, then when I restarted it - oops. The damned thing had wiped windows. Brilliant.
I now have a new computer (obviously), but I had no back up for any of my stories - DOH! So now I've gotta type up the whole thing again. This could take some time. Sorry. I'll get it done ASAP.
Anyway, LYL, Jen.
NOTE: OK, so Pete isn't a great name for a Vulcan, but I'm too lazy to keep typing Pe'teroi over and over. Anyway, my brother's called Peter, so it's kinda a tribute/mickey take of him!
TRIP'S WAR - Chapter four.
Archer paced up and down the room waiting for Pete or Pe'teroi or whatever the hell his name was to return. A young man had entered the room not long after the Vulcan had left, and told them to wait where they were, and that Pete and Trip would be back shortly.
"Maybe you should sit down, Sir." Malcolm suggested.
Archer did as his Armoury Officer suggested.
"We can't be sure of what's happening, Sir," Hoshi said, "I could have mis- translated what the girl said. We don't know that anything's actually wrong."
Archer looked at his two officers. "You're right," he said. "But I've still got a bad feeling about this whole situation."
"Even so, Sir," Malcolm said, "At least we know Commander Tucker's alive. That's better than what we all believed to be the truth three days ago."
"Even so, something just feels wrong," he stood and walked to the other end of the room. "It's like......... I don't know," he walked back to the table and sat down. "But it's not good."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Half an hour later, Pete returned to the three waiting officers.
"What happened?" Archer asked.
"There was a slight problem with the repairs. Trip injured his hand."
"Where is he?" Malcolm asked.
"He is still with Aisha. He'll be back presently." Pete walked from where he was standing towards the door. He looked out into the street, then returned to the table.
"If the village has a generator, why do you use candles?" Hoshi asked, changing the subject. Archer and Malcolm looked at her. "Sorry," she said, "I've just noticed the candles on the wall. If Commander Tucker's built a generator, why don't you use that?"
"Trip only had limited supplies, the generator isn't powerful enough to supply power to the whole village." Pete explained, "Also, the Sobakan's don't approve of the Peri having any from of technology. They killed those who were technologically minded in an attempt to ban technology from the villages. The candles also divert unwanted attention from the Sobakan's."
"What was wrong with it?" Archer asked.
"Pardon?" Pete asked, looking confused.
"You said there were problems with the generator. What were they?" Archer knew that they weren't being told the whole truth. He knew that, to some extent, the Vulcan was lying.
"I am no good with technology," Pete said, "I have no idea what was wrong."
Archer nodded, still convinced that they were being lied too.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Archer, Malcolm and Hoshi spent the night in Trip's house waiting for him to return. They had managed to wait for several hours, before eventually falling asleep.
It was now morning and there was still no sign of Trip.
"I'm gonna go and take a look around," Archer said.
"Sir," Malcolm said. "They told us to wait here."
"We've been waiting here for the past ten hours." Archer said bluntly.
Malcolm was about to reply to his Commanding Officer when the door opened. Trip entered the room, smiled at them and walked to the stove.
"Trip?" Archer asked. Trip turned to face him. "Where have you been?"
"Out." Trip said. "I've been fixin' the generator."
"How's your hand?"
"Fine," Trip said, unconsciously placing his hands in his pockets.
"You OK?" Archer asked, studying his friends face. "You look a little off."
"Thanks," Trip said. He decided against making himself anything to eat. He walked over to where Malcolm was sitting and sat down next to him.
"Did you fix it?" Malcolm asked.
"Yeah," Trip replied, yawning. "It was just a couple of loose wires. Nothing to serious."
"You sure you're OK?" Archer asked, sitting down next to Hoshi.
"I'm fine," Trip said defensively. "What's with the twenty questions?" He asked, folding his arms.
"Show me your hand," Archer said, walking over to stand by where Trip was sitting. When Trip had folded his arms, Archer had tried to see if there were any kind of bandaging, or even a cut, on one of them. He had failed to see either.
"Why the hell's got into you?" Trip asked.
"You gonna show me?" Archer asked.
Trip thought for a minute. "No."
Archer went and sat back down.
Malcolm looked at Hoshi who simply shrugged. After a few minuets of silence, Malcolm spoke up. "Sirs?" He asked.
"You didn't cut your hand, did you?" Archer asked Trip, ignoring Malcolm and Hoshi's puzzled looks.
Trip didn't answer; he just shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Trip?" Archer asked, this time his voice softer.
"No," Trip said, closing his eyes and gently shaking his head.
"What's wrong?" Archer asked.
Trip sighed. "I just weren't feelin' too hot. That's all." He said looking at Archer.
"Trip..........." Archer began, but was cut off by Trip.
"I gotta go," He said standing and heading to the door.
Archer was going to call after him, but decided it was futile. Trip was gone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Archer, fed up of not knowing what was going on, had gone in search of Pete or Trip. He had paired Malcolm and Hoshi up. They were at present searching the other half of the village.
After walking around for several hours, Archer gave up and headed back to Trip's house. Not long after, Malcolm and Hoshi returned.
"Any luck?" Archer asked.
"No, Sir," Hoshi said, "We looked everywhere." She added, sitting down.
"It's not even as if the village is that big," Malcolm said, sitting next the Hoshi. "Where the hell can they be?"
Archer shrugged. The door opening caught his attention.
Pete walked in and stood next to where the three were sitting. "You were looking for me?" He asked.
"Yeah," Archer said, looking at the Vulcan. "We were wondering what happened yesterday?"
"I've already told you." Pete said, sounding impatient.
"You did tell us something," Archer said, "But you didn't tell us the truth."
"I don't understand?" Pete said, sounding confused.
"We know you lied about Trip hurting himself last night." Archer explained. "We were just wondering what the hell is going on."
Pete sat down next to Archer. "It's not my place to tell you." He said, sighing. "Trip should really............"
"We asked Trip," Malcolm said. "He wouldn't say. He just left and we haven't seen him since."
"I can't." Pete said, standing.
Archer caught his arm as he stood. "Don't you think we have a right to know?" He asked. "He's our friend."
Pete shook his head and sat back down. "Trip is ill." Pete explained. "During the experiments on Nostarcassa, the Cassian's removed sections of DNA and replaced it with their infected DNA to see how we would each react. In me and the other's, the infected DNA remained dormant." Pete stopped and looked around the three. He wasn't sure if he should be telling them this, but these were Trip's friends, they had a right to know. "Human DNA best resembled the DNA of the Cassian's. Trip's DNA reacted differently to mine."
Archer waited for Pete to further his explanation. "What happened?" He asked, after it became obvious Pete had finished. "I don't understand?"
"It means Commander Tucker's infected." Hoshi said.
"What?" Archer and Malcolm asked in unison.
"You told 'em then?"
The four turned to face the door. Trip was standing there leaning against the doorframe.
"They had a right to know." Pete said standing and walking over to Trip. He whispered something in his ear and then left the room.
Trip walked over and sat down next to Archer.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Archer asked.
"I hadn't seen you in three years," Trip said, looking at his friend. "I was happy to see ya. I didn't wanna tell ya straight away." He looked at Malcolm and Hoshi. "I didn't wanna tell ya at all."
The four sat in silence.
"There's something I don't understand." Hoshi said after a while.
Trip looked at her. "What?" he asked.
"The people on Nostarcassa died." She said.
"I know." Trip said, leaning back.
"Well, that means that.............." Hoshi cut off mid sentence, realising what it did actually mean.
"What?" Archer asked, looking from Trip to Hoshi.
"It means I will too." Trip said looking at Archer. "I'm dyin'."
A/N: OK, so it ended a little heavily there....sorry. But remember - never kills Trip! ;).
And sorry it took sooo long to update. My computer crashed, then when I restarted it - oops. The damned thing had wiped windows. Brilliant.
I now have a new computer (obviously), but I had no back up for any of my stories - DOH! So now I've gotta type up the whole thing again. This could take some time. Sorry. I'll get it done ASAP.
Anyway, LYL, Jen.