DISCLAIMER: Not mine, never will be, etc etc.
NOTE: I watched "Desert Crossing" yesterday and noticed that this story kinda parallels with it. Well, it wasn't intentional..............I hadn't seen the episode when I started to write this, so I hope you just don't think I'm ripping off an already existing plot. Well, to be honest, I don't care if you do - I just hope you're enjoying it! And if you're not - why are you reading???? Oh, and sorry it took so long to update.
TRIPS'S WAR - Chapter Ten.
Trip had returned to Enterprise and was standing in the situation room with T'Pol and Malcolm.
"What exactly happened?" T'Pol asked.
Trip sighed and began to explain again. "Like I already said, we landed in the village. We'd been there 'bout ten minuets or so when there was a raid. I got hit on the head and blacked out. When I woke up, the Cap'n and Pete had gone." He looked at T'Pol and raised his eyebrows. "Understand that time?"
"Very clearly." She said curtly.
"So what do we do?" Malcolm asked, folding his arms.
T'Pol turned to face Malcolm. "I suggest that you and Commander Tucker lead an away party to retrieve the Captain."
Malcolm nodded. "Who else?"
"Ensign Sato." T'Pol suggested.
"No." Trip said. He shook his head. "Not Hoshi."
T'Pol raised her eyebrow. "She can speak their language. It seems logical to............."
"Screw logic!" Trip interrupted. "She ain't goin'."
"OK," Malcolm said after a few uncomfortable seconds of silence. "Then who? We can't go with just us two."
"Crewman Redman has also been studying the local dialect. As Commander Tucker is set against Ensign Sato returning to the planets surface, perhaps she could take the Ensign's place?"
"Travis." Trip said flatly. T'Pol and Malcolm both looked at him confused. "We'll take Travis."
"Very well then." T'Pol said. "I suggest you gather the weapons and equipment you need." She said, turning away from the table. "You depart at 13.00 hours."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Trip, Malcolm and Travis had landed just over a kilometre away from the village. The three - Malcolm and Travis in their Starfleet uniforms - now walked through the forest.
"Remind me again why we couldn't land nearer to the village?" Malcolm asked.
"Because the village is within the city's scanner range." Trip explained without turning to face Malcolm or slowing down. "The scanner's range is very limited. If we'd landed too close though, it'd pick up the shuttle's thruster emissions."
"Oh." Malcolm said.
The three men walked in silence for a few minutes before Travis spoke. "So where'll they take the Captain?" he asked.
Trip slowed and allowed Malcolm and Travis to catch up. "If he's lucky they might use him as an Caxton. But I doubt that."
"A Caxton?" Malcolm asked.
"A house slave." Trip informed them.
"And if he's not lucky?" Travis asked.
"He'll most likely be used as a Canei." Trip turned to look at his companions. "A mine worker." He told them before they could ask. He turned back and began walking again.
Malcolm and Travis exchanged worried glances. Both knew about the mines, and both knew that Trip had been there when he'd first arrived on the planet. But Malcolm, being of higher rank than Travis, knew a great deal more than the helmsman.
"Come on!" Trip called from ahead.
"After you, Ensign." Malcolm said. Travis nodded and headed after Trip. Malcolm followed, hoping that the Captain wasn't working in the mine.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The three had gotten to the village about an hour after landing on the planet. The awkward terrain didn't help their progress. They now sat in Trip's house.
"It's about a three day walk to the city," Trip said as they looked over a map of the continent. "We'll leave tonight. There's a cave system two kilometres north," he pointed at the caves on the map. "We'll travel through 'em. The Sobakan's don't know they're there so we oughta be safe enough."
Malcolm and Travis nodded.
"There are rest-posts at intervals throughout the system. There's water and bedding. We only need to carry food and weapons." Trip continued, still looking at the map.
"Right," Malcolm said. "We should probably get some rest then." He stood from the table.
"If you don't mind, Sirs, I'd like to take a walk around the village." Travis said, looking from Trip to Malcolm then back at Trip.
Trip nodded. "Just be careful, OK?"
Travis stood from the table. "Thank you, Sir." He nodded his thanks and left
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The village wasn't like Travis had imagined it would be. It was much larger and, although the buildings were crude, it had a welcoming feel about it. Travis sat on a bench in what he assumed was some kind of market square. Empty stools ran along two of the squares sides and a row of benches - where he now sat - ran along a third side. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there when he noticed somebody sitting beside him. He turned to see a young girl with shoulder length red hair looking at him. "Hi." He said, smiling.
She smiled back. "Hello." She said in perfect English. "Are you a friend of Trip's?" She asked.
"Yeah." He said. "I'm Travis." He offered his hand for her to shake. She did so silently. "What's your name?" He asked.
"Aisha." She said placing her hand back into her lap. "You have come to help Trip find Pete and," she stopped, trying to remember the other man's name. "Arker?"
Travis nodded. "Archer." He smiled at the girl's mispronunciation of the Captain's name. "And yes we are. Malcolm and I are going with Trip tonight to the city."
"Malcolm." Aisha said the name as if she were trying to remember an old acquaintance. "He came here before." She said after successfully remembering. "With a woman. Hoshi?"
"Yeah, he did." Travis said. They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"Are you from the same planet as Trip?" She asked. Travis nodded. "Trip say's your planet is much like ours. Except you do not have war anymore." She looked at the floor. "I wish we didn't have war."
Travis placed his arm around her shoulder. At first he though she was going to pull away, but instead she snuggled up to his side. "It'll be over soon." He said reassuringly.
"I have only known the war. It killed my parents and brother." She said in a saddened voice. "My Grandmamma told me about peace time before she died. But it was so long ago, I think she made bits up to make me happy."
Travis noticed the girl had said 'Grandmamma' in a southern American accent. And, although he knew it was inappropriate, let out a small laugh.
"What?" the girl asked, pulling away and looking up at him.
"Did Trip teach you that word?" He then realised that she wouldn't know which of the words he mean. "Grandmamma?"
Aisha nodded. "Why? Is it wrong?"
Travis shook his head. "I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me though."
Aisha nodded. "I can try."
"The city. Does it have a name?"
Aisha frowned as if contemplating the answer. "The city does have a name. It was called Tamesis. It was the capital of this continent. But when the Sobakan group got into power, most of them moved to this continent. They changed the name of the city because Tamesis is the name of the Peri Father God."
"What did they change it too?" Travis asked.
"Gursham." She said. "He is the Sobakan God of Justice." She looked away from Travis and back at the floor. "After the Sobakan's started the war, all the Sobakan's that shared the same views moved to the Eastern Continent." She looked back at Travis. "This continent." She explained after seeing the confused look on his face. "There are only three cities left now. The other's were burnt down and ruined. Gursham is their base."
"Why won't the other continents help?" Travis asked.
"They are too scared," she said, looking away again. "At the beginning of the war, they did help. But so many were killed, they pulled out. They hope that the Sobakan's will grow bored or be defeated before they leave this continent for the next." She placed her elbows on her knees and rested her head in her hands. "That's all really. I'm surprised Trip didn't tell you."
Travis was about to reply when he heard his name called.
"Sir." He greeted Trip as he walked out of an ally way.
Trip nodded at the Ensign before turning to say something to Aisha. Travis, not being able to speak the language, waited patiently for them to finish. The girl nodded and left the square. "Come on," Trip said to him heading in the direction he'd come from. "It'll be dark soon, we best start packin'."
A/N: OK, so Travis would most likely know that stuff about to city and the war etc, but I though you lot might like to know, so I added that little conversation. Hehe. There's still a long way to go before this story's finished, so if you're bored of reading, tough!! I don't mean to drag it out, it's just kinda happening automatically. And constructive criticism is always welcome - just don't be too critical! LYL, Jen.
PS - My cast comes off next week - joy!!
NOTE: I watched "Desert Crossing" yesterday and noticed that this story kinda parallels with it. Well, it wasn't intentional..............I hadn't seen the episode when I started to write this, so I hope you just don't think I'm ripping off an already existing plot. Well, to be honest, I don't care if you do - I just hope you're enjoying it! And if you're not - why are you reading???? Oh, and sorry it took so long to update.
TRIPS'S WAR - Chapter Ten.
Trip had returned to Enterprise and was standing in the situation room with T'Pol and Malcolm.
"What exactly happened?" T'Pol asked.
Trip sighed and began to explain again. "Like I already said, we landed in the village. We'd been there 'bout ten minuets or so when there was a raid. I got hit on the head and blacked out. When I woke up, the Cap'n and Pete had gone." He looked at T'Pol and raised his eyebrows. "Understand that time?"
"Very clearly." She said curtly.
"So what do we do?" Malcolm asked, folding his arms.
T'Pol turned to face Malcolm. "I suggest that you and Commander Tucker lead an away party to retrieve the Captain."
Malcolm nodded. "Who else?"
"Ensign Sato." T'Pol suggested.
"No." Trip said. He shook his head. "Not Hoshi."
T'Pol raised her eyebrow. "She can speak their language. It seems logical to............."
"Screw logic!" Trip interrupted. "She ain't goin'."
"OK," Malcolm said after a few uncomfortable seconds of silence. "Then who? We can't go with just us two."
"Crewman Redman has also been studying the local dialect. As Commander Tucker is set against Ensign Sato returning to the planets surface, perhaps she could take the Ensign's place?"
"Travis." Trip said flatly. T'Pol and Malcolm both looked at him confused. "We'll take Travis."
"Very well then." T'Pol said. "I suggest you gather the weapons and equipment you need." She said, turning away from the table. "You depart at 13.00 hours."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Trip, Malcolm and Travis had landed just over a kilometre away from the village. The three - Malcolm and Travis in their Starfleet uniforms - now walked through the forest.
"Remind me again why we couldn't land nearer to the village?" Malcolm asked.
"Because the village is within the city's scanner range." Trip explained without turning to face Malcolm or slowing down. "The scanner's range is very limited. If we'd landed too close though, it'd pick up the shuttle's thruster emissions."
"Oh." Malcolm said.
The three men walked in silence for a few minutes before Travis spoke. "So where'll they take the Captain?" he asked.
Trip slowed and allowed Malcolm and Travis to catch up. "If he's lucky they might use him as an Caxton. But I doubt that."
"A Caxton?" Malcolm asked.
"A house slave." Trip informed them.
"And if he's not lucky?" Travis asked.
"He'll most likely be used as a Canei." Trip turned to look at his companions. "A mine worker." He told them before they could ask. He turned back and began walking again.
Malcolm and Travis exchanged worried glances. Both knew about the mines, and both knew that Trip had been there when he'd first arrived on the planet. But Malcolm, being of higher rank than Travis, knew a great deal more than the helmsman.
"Come on!" Trip called from ahead.
"After you, Ensign." Malcolm said. Travis nodded and headed after Trip. Malcolm followed, hoping that the Captain wasn't working in the mine.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The three had gotten to the village about an hour after landing on the planet. The awkward terrain didn't help their progress. They now sat in Trip's house.
"It's about a three day walk to the city," Trip said as they looked over a map of the continent. "We'll leave tonight. There's a cave system two kilometres north," he pointed at the caves on the map. "We'll travel through 'em. The Sobakan's don't know they're there so we oughta be safe enough."
Malcolm and Travis nodded.
"There are rest-posts at intervals throughout the system. There's water and bedding. We only need to carry food and weapons." Trip continued, still looking at the map.
"Right," Malcolm said. "We should probably get some rest then." He stood from the table.
"If you don't mind, Sirs, I'd like to take a walk around the village." Travis said, looking from Trip to Malcolm then back at Trip.
Trip nodded. "Just be careful, OK?"
Travis stood from the table. "Thank you, Sir." He nodded his thanks and left
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The village wasn't like Travis had imagined it would be. It was much larger and, although the buildings were crude, it had a welcoming feel about it. Travis sat on a bench in what he assumed was some kind of market square. Empty stools ran along two of the squares sides and a row of benches - where he now sat - ran along a third side. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there when he noticed somebody sitting beside him. He turned to see a young girl with shoulder length red hair looking at him. "Hi." He said, smiling.
She smiled back. "Hello." She said in perfect English. "Are you a friend of Trip's?" She asked.
"Yeah." He said. "I'm Travis." He offered his hand for her to shake. She did so silently. "What's your name?" He asked.
"Aisha." She said placing her hand back into her lap. "You have come to help Trip find Pete and," she stopped, trying to remember the other man's name. "Arker?"
Travis nodded. "Archer." He smiled at the girl's mispronunciation of the Captain's name. "And yes we are. Malcolm and I are going with Trip tonight to the city."
"Malcolm." Aisha said the name as if she were trying to remember an old acquaintance. "He came here before." She said after successfully remembering. "With a woman. Hoshi?"
"Yeah, he did." Travis said. They sat in silence for a few minutes.
"Are you from the same planet as Trip?" She asked. Travis nodded. "Trip say's your planet is much like ours. Except you do not have war anymore." She looked at the floor. "I wish we didn't have war."
Travis placed his arm around her shoulder. At first he though she was going to pull away, but instead she snuggled up to his side. "It'll be over soon." He said reassuringly.
"I have only known the war. It killed my parents and brother." She said in a saddened voice. "My Grandmamma told me about peace time before she died. But it was so long ago, I think she made bits up to make me happy."
Travis noticed the girl had said 'Grandmamma' in a southern American accent. And, although he knew it was inappropriate, let out a small laugh.
"What?" the girl asked, pulling away and looking up at him.
"Did Trip teach you that word?" He then realised that she wouldn't know which of the words he mean. "Grandmamma?"
Aisha nodded. "Why? Is it wrong?"
Travis shook his head. "I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me though."
Aisha nodded. "I can try."
"The city. Does it have a name?"
Aisha frowned as if contemplating the answer. "The city does have a name. It was called Tamesis. It was the capital of this continent. But when the Sobakan group got into power, most of them moved to this continent. They changed the name of the city because Tamesis is the name of the Peri Father God."
"What did they change it too?" Travis asked.
"Gursham." She said. "He is the Sobakan God of Justice." She looked away from Travis and back at the floor. "After the Sobakan's started the war, all the Sobakan's that shared the same views moved to the Eastern Continent." She looked back at Travis. "This continent." She explained after seeing the confused look on his face. "There are only three cities left now. The other's were burnt down and ruined. Gursham is their base."
"Why won't the other continents help?" Travis asked.
"They are too scared," she said, looking away again. "At the beginning of the war, they did help. But so many were killed, they pulled out. They hope that the Sobakan's will grow bored or be defeated before they leave this continent for the next." She placed her elbows on her knees and rested her head in her hands. "That's all really. I'm surprised Trip didn't tell you."
Travis was about to reply when he heard his name called.
"Sir." He greeted Trip as he walked out of an ally way.
Trip nodded at the Ensign before turning to say something to Aisha. Travis, not being able to speak the language, waited patiently for them to finish. The girl nodded and left the square. "Come on," Trip said to him heading in the direction he'd come from. "It'll be dark soon, we best start packin'."
A/N: OK, so Travis would most likely know that stuff about to city and the war etc, but I though you lot might like to know, so I added that little conversation. Hehe. There's still a long way to go before this story's finished, so if you're bored of reading, tough!! I don't mean to drag it out, it's just kinda happening automatically. And constructive criticism is always welcome - just don't be too critical! LYL, Jen.
PS - My cast comes off next week - joy!!