Disclaimer: The author does not own Enterprise or any of the characters.
She just borrows them every now and then.
Author's Note: I've actually been suffering from a bad case of writer's block lately so this is my attempt to get passed it. Please bear with me!
This story takes place just after the episode "Precious Cargo". All reviews are welcome, both good and bad.
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GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT
Chapter I
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"Sir, we're being hailed," said Ensign Hoshi Sato from her communications station.
Captain Archer nodded to her then turned his head to the bridge viewscreen. The small alien vessel was quickly replaced by the face of what appeared to be an alien male. He was similar in appearance to humans save for the dark blue hair and stark white skin. His eyes were a brilliant blue and their coldness sent a chill down Archer's spine.
"I'm Captain Jonathan Archer of the starship Enterprise. What...."
Sub-commander T'Pol immediately stood from her station and moved to the center of the bridge when the captain vanished from his chair in a shimmer of light.
"Where is Captain Archer?" she asked evenly, staring at the viewscreen. She saw Commander Tucker rise to his feet out of the corner of her eye. He moved to stand behind Lieutenant Reed.
"We aren't interested in your captain, Vulcan. We want your chief engineer," the alien responded. Two other aliens appeared behind him holding the captain firmly between them. Archer had a bruise on his right cheek but otherwise appeared unharmed. "We will return your captain if your chief engineer will identify himself."
"Why do you want our chief engineer?" asked T'Pol. She could hear Tucker shifting on his feet behind Reed.
The alien sighed impatiently. "We have been offered a large sum of money by our client for his safe delivery. If he doesn't step forward in thirty seconds, we will kill your captain. Then we will start transporting over members of your crew until we get to your engineer!"
Captain Archer began struggling. "Get out of here, Sub-commander! That's an order!" he yelled. One of the men who held him hit him hard in the stomach and the captain gasped in pain.
"I'm the chief engineer!" shouted Tucker angrily. "Now let the cap'n go!" He stepped down to stand beside T'Pol.
"Trip, no!" Archer managed.
The alien smiled then he nodded his head and the commander vanished from the bridge.
"Target their engines, Lieutenant," ordered T'Pol.
Reed's hands moved quickly over his console then he nodded to T'Pol in affirmation. Suddenly Captain Archer appeared beside her. She reached out to steady him then gave Reed the order to fire weapons. Just as the torpedo launched, the alien vessel went to warp and disappeared.
"Follow them, Travis!" ordered Archer.
"Aye, sir!"
T'Pol quickly returned to her station, her eyes locking on her monitor.
"Captain, their speed is passing warp 6. We're losing them!" shouted Mayweather, exasperation clear in his voice. "They're gone, sir!"
The bridge went silent.
"Captain, I am picking up traces of their warp trail. I may be able to determine a possible course before it dissipates."
Archer stood in front of his chair, watching T'Pol's face as she worked. After a few moments, she looked up.
"I have a course plotted. If I am correct, Captain, there are three Minshara class planets on their trajectory." T'Pol hesitated for a second. "One of them is Krios Prime."
"Krios Prime? That's the princess' homeworld," gasped Hoshi and the science officer nodded.
"Seems like more than a coincidence, don't you think?" asked Archer through clenched teeth. He looked down at his helmsman. "Set a course, Travis."
**********
The first sensation Trip felt was pain. His head throbbed and his wrists hurt where they were bound tightly behind him. He slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus on his surroundings. He was in what looked like a small cargo hold, propped up against one of the dozen boxes that lined one wall. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear the fog from his mind. The last thing he remembered was the strange feeling of being transported then nothing. He hoped that the captain had been returned to Enterprise and that his friend wasn't still being held as well.
The door slid open, casting a bright light into the dimly lit room. Trip squinted, trying to see the face of the figure who approached him.
"What do you want with me?" he asked, surprised at the weakness in his voice. He could now see the figure was the man who had hit the captain. The light glinted off the hypospray he held in his hand. Trip tried to move away but his muscles wouldn't cooperate fast enough. He felt a sting on his neck then the room started spinning. He felt himself falling over and then there was only silence and darkness.
**********
Jonathan Archer stood at the viewport in his ready room trying to mentally unravel the knot that had formed in his stomach two days ago. He knew it wouldn't go away until Trip was back safely aboard Enterprise. He sighed and dropped his head. They were still twelve hours away from Krios Prime. He knew the alien vessel that took his chief engineer would arrive there far ahead of them. They had said "his safe delivery", Jon reminded himself. He could only hope his friend was still safe when they arrived. The knot tightened as he briefly wondered if they were wrong in going to Krios Prime. If it was indeed just a coincidence after all. He shook that thought away quickly. Trip had to be there. He turned away from the viewport and moved to the door.
When Jon stepped onto the bridge, he was surprised to see the night crew on duty. He hadn't realized how late it was. He saw Sub-commander T'Pol sitting at her station with her back to him. She had been working a lot of hours since Trip's disappearance, only taking the occasional break. He knew she had to order Malcolm, Travis, and Hoshi to leave the bridge to get some rest but he doubted any of them were actually getting much sleep. Everyone on board was worried.
"T'Pol, why don't you call it a night? You must be exhausted."
The Vulcan turned in her chair to face him.
"I am not tired, Captain."
He looked at her closely. Her face was expressionless but he could see a look of determination in her dark eyes. He nodded his head.
"Alright. I'll be in my quarters if you need me."
**********
TO BE CONTINUED...
Author's Note: I've actually been suffering from a bad case of writer's block lately so this is my attempt to get passed it. Please bear with me!
This story takes place just after the episode "Precious Cargo". All reviews are welcome, both good and bad.
**********
GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT
Chapter I
**********
"Sir, we're being hailed," said Ensign Hoshi Sato from her communications station.
Captain Archer nodded to her then turned his head to the bridge viewscreen. The small alien vessel was quickly replaced by the face of what appeared to be an alien male. He was similar in appearance to humans save for the dark blue hair and stark white skin. His eyes were a brilliant blue and their coldness sent a chill down Archer's spine.
"I'm Captain Jonathan Archer of the starship Enterprise. What...."
Sub-commander T'Pol immediately stood from her station and moved to the center of the bridge when the captain vanished from his chair in a shimmer of light.
"Where is Captain Archer?" she asked evenly, staring at the viewscreen. She saw Commander Tucker rise to his feet out of the corner of her eye. He moved to stand behind Lieutenant Reed.
"We aren't interested in your captain, Vulcan. We want your chief engineer," the alien responded. Two other aliens appeared behind him holding the captain firmly between them. Archer had a bruise on his right cheek but otherwise appeared unharmed. "We will return your captain if your chief engineer will identify himself."
"Why do you want our chief engineer?" asked T'Pol. She could hear Tucker shifting on his feet behind Reed.
The alien sighed impatiently. "We have been offered a large sum of money by our client for his safe delivery. If he doesn't step forward in thirty seconds, we will kill your captain. Then we will start transporting over members of your crew until we get to your engineer!"
Captain Archer began struggling. "Get out of here, Sub-commander! That's an order!" he yelled. One of the men who held him hit him hard in the stomach and the captain gasped in pain.
"I'm the chief engineer!" shouted Tucker angrily. "Now let the cap'n go!" He stepped down to stand beside T'Pol.
"Trip, no!" Archer managed.
The alien smiled then he nodded his head and the commander vanished from the bridge.
"Target their engines, Lieutenant," ordered T'Pol.
Reed's hands moved quickly over his console then he nodded to T'Pol in affirmation. Suddenly Captain Archer appeared beside her. She reached out to steady him then gave Reed the order to fire weapons. Just as the torpedo launched, the alien vessel went to warp and disappeared.
"Follow them, Travis!" ordered Archer.
"Aye, sir!"
T'Pol quickly returned to her station, her eyes locking on her monitor.
"Captain, their speed is passing warp 6. We're losing them!" shouted Mayweather, exasperation clear in his voice. "They're gone, sir!"
The bridge went silent.
"Captain, I am picking up traces of their warp trail. I may be able to determine a possible course before it dissipates."
Archer stood in front of his chair, watching T'Pol's face as she worked. After a few moments, she looked up.
"I have a course plotted. If I am correct, Captain, there are three Minshara class planets on their trajectory." T'Pol hesitated for a second. "One of them is Krios Prime."
"Krios Prime? That's the princess' homeworld," gasped Hoshi and the science officer nodded.
"Seems like more than a coincidence, don't you think?" asked Archer through clenched teeth. He looked down at his helmsman. "Set a course, Travis."
**********
The first sensation Trip felt was pain. His head throbbed and his wrists hurt where they were bound tightly behind him. He slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus on his surroundings. He was in what looked like a small cargo hold, propped up against one of the dozen boxes that lined one wall. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear the fog from his mind. The last thing he remembered was the strange feeling of being transported then nothing. He hoped that the captain had been returned to Enterprise and that his friend wasn't still being held as well.
The door slid open, casting a bright light into the dimly lit room. Trip squinted, trying to see the face of the figure who approached him.
"What do you want with me?" he asked, surprised at the weakness in his voice. He could now see the figure was the man who had hit the captain. The light glinted off the hypospray he held in his hand. Trip tried to move away but his muscles wouldn't cooperate fast enough. He felt a sting on his neck then the room started spinning. He felt himself falling over and then there was only silence and darkness.
**********
Jonathan Archer stood at the viewport in his ready room trying to mentally unravel the knot that had formed in his stomach two days ago. He knew it wouldn't go away until Trip was back safely aboard Enterprise. He sighed and dropped his head. They were still twelve hours away from Krios Prime. He knew the alien vessel that took his chief engineer would arrive there far ahead of them. They had said "his safe delivery", Jon reminded himself. He could only hope his friend was still safe when they arrived. The knot tightened as he briefly wondered if they were wrong in going to Krios Prime. If it was indeed just a coincidence after all. He shook that thought away quickly. Trip had to be there. He turned away from the viewport and moved to the door.
When Jon stepped onto the bridge, he was surprised to see the night crew on duty. He hadn't realized how late it was. He saw Sub-commander T'Pol sitting at her station with her back to him. She had been working a lot of hours since Trip's disappearance, only taking the occasional break. He knew she had to order Malcolm, Travis, and Hoshi to leave the bridge to get some rest but he doubted any of them were actually getting much sleep. Everyone on board was worried.
"T'Pol, why don't you call it a night? You must be exhausted."
The Vulcan turned in her chair to face him.
"I am not tired, Captain."
He looked at her closely. Her face was expressionless but he could see a look of determination in her dark eyes. He nodded his head.
"Alright. I'll be in my quarters if you need me."
**********
TO BE CONTINUED...