Disclaimer: I don't own Enterprise or any of the regular characters, and
I'm not making any money from this story.
Warning: This is another not-so-nice story. I tried to write a happy story but I didn't like the way it was coming out, so I wrote this one. Be prepared for some pain (hopefully not on the reader's part, however!).
~*~*~*~*~
See end of chapter for Author's Note.
Warning: Things are about to get a lot messier.
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 3: Xenophobia
Day 2: 1500 hours
Second Lab Assistant qoRa~ watched from the back of the group as the scientists opened the container holding the alien. She had requested to monitor the action from the observation room adjoining the holding cell, but Second Scientist RuX# had insisted that she be present in the room. She still didn't understand the reasons why.
When they opened the container and the alien sat up, qoRa~ felt her stomach begin to churn. That--thing--was so different, so alien! Its small body was almost completely furless, except for sparse yellowish hair on its head. The ears were rounded and lowset, the limbs thin and misshapen, with joints in the wrong places and five short, thin digits on each paw. QoRa~ wondered if the alien was able to grasp objects.
The alien began to climb out of the container and all of the scientists took a step back. It made sounds that may have been words in some strange, otherworldly language. QoRa~ felt a twinge of excitement. She was hearing a language from another world, one that had never been heard on her planet before.
The alien stepped down onto the floor and took a step toward First Scientist Xu'~. It kept talking in what almost sounded like a friendly tone. The scientist jabbed it with a zapstick, which caused it to yelp in pain. Then four of the lab assistants seized the alien's limbs and carried it, struggling, over to a waiting gurney.
The alien was shouting now, sounding angry, as they strapped it down to the gurney. One of the scientists motioned to qoRa~ to hold down the alien's leg while he shortened the strap to fit around the ankle. QoRa~ was surprised at the strength she felt in those muscles. The alien was more powerful than it looked, which caused qoRa~'s excitement to be replaced by fear. They had no idea what this creature was capable of.
When the alien was tightly secured, although still shouting in its language, first scientist Xu'~ unlocked the door and they wheeled the gurney down the corridor to the examination room that had been hastily assembled for that purpose. The room was usually used for animal experimentation, and the 'uBu: which were normally kept there could be heard screeching from their new home down the hall.
The scientists stopped the gurney in the spot indicated by Xu'~. She swung a bright lamp into place over the alien and gestured for First Lab Assistant RaB# to step in closer with the video camera before she began her examination.
Day 2: 1900 hours
Malcolm Reed leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. More than twenty-four hours of peering at viewscreens and making delicate adjustments was taking its toll on his vision. He knew he had to get some rest soon or he would be no good to anyone.
With a sigh, Malcolm leaned forward again and set the computer for one last scan. He had already been over this area with a fine-tooth comb, but that was the case for nearly the entire planet now, and yet he stubbornly persisted.
A beeping sound from the computer pulled his attention to the viewscreen. Bloody hell, Malcolm thought. That wasn't there a few hours ago. He rubbed his eyes and looked again.
A small section of the northern hemisphere almost directly opposite the landing site was now readable to the sensors, and Malcolm stared openmouthed at what he saw. Almost the entire section glowed red indicating a major population center. A cluster of blue dots marked sources of electronic-type signals, with crosshatching in black to delineate carbon-based pollution. He was looking at an industrialized city.
Without taking his eyes off the screen, Malcolm fumbled for the comm button. "Reed to Captain Archer."
"Archer here."
"Captain, part of the northern hemisphere has become visible to the sensors. I think you should come to Astrometrics and look at this."
"On my way."
Trip Tucker limped back and forth across the small room where the aliens had returned him after their examination. The container that he had been brought there in was gone, leaving an empty, square room with three blank white walls and the fourth wall made out a shiny material like a mirror. He was pretty sure there was an observation room on the other side of that mirror. He was feeling acutely self-conscious at the moment since the aliens had cut off his only piece of clothing and he was now as naked as the day he was born. Fortunately so far they hadn't hurt him, just made a very thorough examination.
Trip turned to face the mirror. "What's wrong with you people?" he shouted in frustration, although he knew there would be no response just as there hadn't been the last fifty times he called. Since he had been returned to the room, he had seen no one and heard not a single sound save his own shouting.
All the yelling was making Trip very thirsty, and he realized he had had nothing to drink since the previous night. He estimated that had been almost twenty-four hours ago.
"Hey," he shouted. "Hey!! I'm thirsty! Can I have some water?" No response. Trip took three quick steps forward and slammed the side of his fist against the mirror, which reverberated under the blow but did not break. He pounded his fist against the glass several more times, furiously, but was unable to break the window.
After a few more fruitless blows, Trip finally gave up and stepped back, breathing hard from the exertion. He decided he'd better conserve his strength so he hobbled to the corner farthest from the door and sat down on the floor with his back against the cold wall. He smiled slightly when he realized that when he sat in this corner he was almost completely out of sight of whoever was watching from the observation room.
Trip thought back to when he first woke up in that hut surrounded by those huge, silent, goofy-looking natives. It was like childhood nightmares come true: stuffed animals coming to life and attacking him. He fought off a case of the giggles at that mental image.
Trip wondered again what had happened to T'Pol and his thoughts took a turn for the melancholy. He hoped that she wasn't being held somewhere in a cell like this one. Although, that might be better than the alternative. She might be dead already.
First Lab Assistant RaB# watched the alien from behind the one-way mirror in the observation room. For the last thirty minutes it had been pacing back and forth, shouting and gesticulating nonsensically. RaB# found the alien at the same time both fascinating and repellant. He wondered if all the beings on its planet were so hideously deformed. This particular alien was apparently lame, as it was definitely favoring its right knee. RaB# made a note in his observation log.
Suddenly the alien launched itself at the observation window and began pounding on the glass. RaB# leapt back in horror as the glass warped and bounced back with every blow.
After a few minutes it seemed to give up and sat down in the corner. RaB# moved forward hesitantly and quickly realized that even if he pressed his nose against the glass all he could see were the alien's feet. He leaned back, scowling, and started to write furiously on his observation log. This alien was obviously dangerous, and he intended for the council of scientists to understand that fully.
Day 2: 1900 hours
"So the interference isn't expanding, it just--shifted?" Travis asked with a frown. He looked up at Malcolm, who was standing by the conference room viewer, for confirmation.
"Yes, Travis. The area of the northern continent which is now exposed is directly on the opposite side of the planet from the landing site. It appears the 'cloud', for want of a better word, shifted to cover our landing site, leaving this area uncovered."
Archer crossed to study the image on the viewscreen more closely. "Are you suggesting this interference cloud is showing signs of intelligence? Did it hide our landing site on purpose?"
"Good question, Captain. It is possible that the cloud was designed to protect the people of this planet, and our presence somehow triggered a defense mechanism which caused the interference to shift."
T'Pol, who had been very quiet so far during this briefing, spoke up from her seat at the other end of the table. "If indeed this cloud is a defensive system, I doubt highly that it was designed by the people of this planet. I saw no evidence that they had ever seen alien lifeforms before, and our scans of the newly exposed area show no indication of technology capable of producing such a mechanism."
"Well, we haven't seen the whole northern continent yet," Archer said. "They may have more technology that we don't know about."
Travis said, "The shuttle ride down was pretty bumpy, and the way back was even worse. I couldn't find any reason for the turbulence. I don't know if that means anything, I just thought it was strange."
"Is it possible the interference was somehow attracted to the shuttle? That may explain the bumpy ride," Archer suggested.
"Maybe that explains the storm, too," Hoshi said. "It came from the north, right, T'Pol?"
"A line of black clouds gathered on the northern horizon and moved toward our position at a rapid rate. After the storm struck, we discovered that we had lost contact with Enterprise."
"So somehow the interference cloud sensed the shuttlepod?" Travis asked hesitantly.
"Not necessarily sensed it," Malcolm said. "maybe it was drawn toward the shuttle magnetically. We could test that theory."
"How?"
"If we flew Enterprise close enough to the atmosphere, we might be able to tow the cloud away from the northern hemisphere entirely."
"We must avoid detection by the natives," T'Pol said.
"If we stayed over uninhabited areas, and worked during the night phase of the planet's rotation, we might be able to keep from being seen," responded Malcolm.
"It's worth a try," Archer decided. He looked around the table at his exhausted bridge crew."Malcolm, get someone started on setting up the test. I want everyone here to get at least six hours of rest before we get started. We don't want to make any stupid mistakes because we're tired. Dismissed."
Day 3: 0700 hours
Once again qoRa~ found herself standing at the back of a group watching the action. This time it was a science council meeting to discuss what to do with the alien. The room was packed with scientists and assistants who had all been sworn to secrecy, of course. They had to be sure no one from the general public found out about the alien or there might be widespread panic. At least, that was First Scientist Xu'~'s argument. Privately qoRa~ thought the scientists might have other reasons for keeping the alien's existence secret, one of which might be so they didn't have to justify their actions to anyone.
"This alien represents a distinct threat to our entire planet!" Xu'~ shouted over the general noise in the room. "We have no idea how many more of them might be out there!"
"That does not necessarily constitute a threat, First Scientist," Second Scientist RuX# spoke up soothingly. QoRa~ had to crane her neck to see him over the heads of her fellow lab assistants.
"I for one am not willing to take the risk," Xu'~ stated firmly. "We must find a way to neutralize this threat." A general murmur of agreement arose from the scientists seated at the table.
"And how do you propose to do that?" RuX#'s tone was calm, but his hands moved swiftly, choppily as he spoke.
"We must--explore its weaknesses, determine its limitations, so that we are able to design effective weapons against its kind."
"What exactly do you mean, First Scientist?" A note of horror had crept into RuX#'s voice. QoRa~ listened in confusion, watching Xu'~'s hands closely for a hint as to what she had in mind.
"I am proposing a series of experiments. We must try different weapons, chemicals and such to determine their effect on--"
"No!" qoRa~ shouted in sudden comprehension. "You'll kill him!"
"Who spoke?" Xu'~ asked in irritation.
QoRa~ stepped forward. "Lab Assistant qoRa~," she said in a firm voice. She moved her hands carefully to keep them from trembling. "If you injure this one, you will only make the other aliens angry, which would make them more likely to attack us."
"Second Lab Assistant, is it not? How do you know the aliens are not already planning an attack? It is imperative that we be prepared."
There was another murmur of agreement, and qoRa~ looked around the table at the scientists who all glared back at her.
"Shall we have a vote?" Xu'~ asked smugly. "Those in favor of the proposal?" There was a loud cacaphony of thumping as almost all of the scientists pounded the table in agreement.
"Those opposed?" Only one fist struck the table this time, that of Second Scientist RuX#. Xu'~ just smirked at him. "The motion is approved."
"I have devised a schedule of experiments, as well as an observation schedule for the lab assistants." Xu'~ began passing a packet of papers around the table. "We will need round-the-clock surveillance along with videotaping of the experiments and the alien's activities in the cell."
QoRa~ studied the schedule in dismay. Xu'~ planned for experiments to begin immediately. She had assumed she would receive approval before the meeting even began. QoRa~ scanned down the list until she found her name on the observation schedule and groaned softly to herself. She would be working from midnight until 10 am, not exactly her favorite time of the day.
She checked the chrometer on the wall. Since it was only 7:30 in the morning, technically she was on duty now. Stifling a sigh, she headed for the observation room. According to the schedule, the first experiment would begin at 8:00, and she would be expected to videotape the "procedure", as Xu'~ delicately described it.
Day 3: 0730 hours
Captain Archer sat tensely in his chair in the center of the bridge, waiting. It seemed like he had spent the last three days waiting, and he was getting sick of it.
"Captain, I think we're ready," came Malcolm's voice from the tactical station. "The probe is in place on the opposite side of the planet, and I'm receiving telemetry. We should find out soon enough if our efforts have been successful."
"Good work, Malcolm. Travis, are we in position?"
"Yes, Captain. The edge of the interference cloud is about twenty kilometers to our aft."
"What about our altitude?"
"We are as close as we can get without being seen."
"All right, Travis. Ahead one quarter impulse, straight and steady."
"Aye, sir."
The ship began to inch forward at what seemed to Archer like an impossibly slow speed. "Malcolm, anything?"
"Not yet, sir."
Archer chewed the inside of his lip nervously and continued waiting.
"Captain, I'm receiving signals, from the planet!" Hoshi's excited voice broke the silence.
"Signals? What kind?"
"They contain visual as well as auditory information. I'm reading multiple, overlapping signals, Captain. I think they're television signals or maybe videophone calls."
"The probe is sending back sensor information as well, Captain," Malcolm added. "I'm receiving scans of over half the northern continent! I'm reading numerous large cities and smaller towns."
Archer couldn't suppress the grin that sprang to his lips. "What about Trip's comm signal?
Malcolm shook his head. "No sign of it yet, Sir."
Archer sighed. "Keep going, Travis. Malcolm, let me know when we have scans of the entire northern continent."
Day 3: 0800 hours
Trip lay face down on the exam table with his cheek pressed against the cold metal. His arms and legs were securely fastened with some sort of flexible plastic material that cut like glass when he struggled. He tried to stay calm. Last time they didn't hurt me, he reminded himself.
Trip felt something on his back, moving in a straight line down from his shoulder to his waist, then again in another straight line parallel to the first one. What the hell were they doing back there? He tried to twist around to see, but could only move a few centimeters due to the thick band strapping his head down. He caught a glimpse of a white-covered hand holding something shiny, lifting it up, then bringing it down on his back again and moving down in another straight line. He concentrated on the sensation. Was that some sort of marker? Why would they draw lines on his back?
The marker drew one more vertical line, then five horizontal lines to describe some sort of grid on the skin. Trip frowned, puzzled. This was weird, to be sure, but then again, everything that had happened to him so far had been weird.
From behind him a strange guttural voice spoke, followed by a scratchy sound of writing on paper. Trip felt the marker again, writing something in the top righthand box of the grid.
The voice spoke again, a single word, almost like a pronouncement. Trip's muscles tensed involuntarily. He felt something touch the top right-hand square, then a sensation of cold in that section of his back that started out mild and quickly increased in intensity until it was so cold it felt like it was burning. He squeezed his eyes shut while he stifled a cry of pain.
The voice spoke again, followed by more writing on paper and skin, then a different sensation in the next box of the grid, this time it felt like being poked by white-hot needles. Trip gritted his teeth to stop himself from screaming.
~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: So here's what's up with the names. Symbols are taken from the International Phonetic Alphabet. If you understand the description, you just might be a linguist.
X=voiceless uvular fricative (like a hard 'h' sound) R=uvular trill (like gargling) q=voiceless uvular stop (like a 'k' in the back of the throat) '=voiced glottal stop (like the sound at the beginning of "uh-oh"-actually I cheated on this one, the real symbol looks more like a ?) B=voiced bilabial trill (like a raspberry sound) ~ indicates female person # indicates male person
Warning: If you can't handle Trip getting hurt, you should probably stop reading now, because it's about to get a lot worse.
Warning: This is another not-so-nice story. I tried to write a happy story but I didn't like the way it was coming out, so I wrote this one. Be prepared for some pain (hopefully not on the reader's part, however!).
~*~*~*~*~
See end of chapter for Author's Note.
Warning: Things are about to get a lot messier.
~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 3: Xenophobia
Day 2: 1500 hours
Second Lab Assistant qoRa~ watched from the back of the group as the scientists opened the container holding the alien. She had requested to monitor the action from the observation room adjoining the holding cell, but Second Scientist RuX# had insisted that she be present in the room. She still didn't understand the reasons why.
When they opened the container and the alien sat up, qoRa~ felt her stomach begin to churn. That--thing--was so different, so alien! Its small body was almost completely furless, except for sparse yellowish hair on its head. The ears were rounded and lowset, the limbs thin and misshapen, with joints in the wrong places and five short, thin digits on each paw. QoRa~ wondered if the alien was able to grasp objects.
The alien began to climb out of the container and all of the scientists took a step back. It made sounds that may have been words in some strange, otherworldly language. QoRa~ felt a twinge of excitement. She was hearing a language from another world, one that had never been heard on her planet before.
The alien stepped down onto the floor and took a step toward First Scientist Xu'~. It kept talking in what almost sounded like a friendly tone. The scientist jabbed it with a zapstick, which caused it to yelp in pain. Then four of the lab assistants seized the alien's limbs and carried it, struggling, over to a waiting gurney.
The alien was shouting now, sounding angry, as they strapped it down to the gurney. One of the scientists motioned to qoRa~ to hold down the alien's leg while he shortened the strap to fit around the ankle. QoRa~ was surprised at the strength she felt in those muscles. The alien was more powerful than it looked, which caused qoRa~'s excitement to be replaced by fear. They had no idea what this creature was capable of.
When the alien was tightly secured, although still shouting in its language, first scientist Xu'~ unlocked the door and they wheeled the gurney down the corridor to the examination room that had been hastily assembled for that purpose. The room was usually used for animal experimentation, and the 'uBu: which were normally kept there could be heard screeching from their new home down the hall.
The scientists stopped the gurney in the spot indicated by Xu'~. She swung a bright lamp into place over the alien and gestured for First Lab Assistant RaB# to step in closer with the video camera before she began her examination.
Day 2: 1900 hours
Malcolm Reed leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. More than twenty-four hours of peering at viewscreens and making delicate adjustments was taking its toll on his vision. He knew he had to get some rest soon or he would be no good to anyone.
With a sigh, Malcolm leaned forward again and set the computer for one last scan. He had already been over this area with a fine-tooth comb, but that was the case for nearly the entire planet now, and yet he stubbornly persisted.
A beeping sound from the computer pulled his attention to the viewscreen. Bloody hell, Malcolm thought. That wasn't there a few hours ago. He rubbed his eyes and looked again.
A small section of the northern hemisphere almost directly opposite the landing site was now readable to the sensors, and Malcolm stared openmouthed at what he saw. Almost the entire section glowed red indicating a major population center. A cluster of blue dots marked sources of electronic-type signals, with crosshatching in black to delineate carbon-based pollution. He was looking at an industrialized city.
Without taking his eyes off the screen, Malcolm fumbled for the comm button. "Reed to Captain Archer."
"Archer here."
"Captain, part of the northern hemisphere has become visible to the sensors. I think you should come to Astrometrics and look at this."
"On my way."
Trip Tucker limped back and forth across the small room where the aliens had returned him after their examination. The container that he had been brought there in was gone, leaving an empty, square room with three blank white walls and the fourth wall made out a shiny material like a mirror. He was pretty sure there was an observation room on the other side of that mirror. He was feeling acutely self-conscious at the moment since the aliens had cut off his only piece of clothing and he was now as naked as the day he was born. Fortunately so far they hadn't hurt him, just made a very thorough examination.
Trip turned to face the mirror. "What's wrong with you people?" he shouted in frustration, although he knew there would be no response just as there hadn't been the last fifty times he called. Since he had been returned to the room, he had seen no one and heard not a single sound save his own shouting.
All the yelling was making Trip very thirsty, and he realized he had had nothing to drink since the previous night. He estimated that had been almost twenty-four hours ago.
"Hey," he shouted. "Hey!! I'm thirsty! Can I have some water?" No response. Trip took three quick steps forward and slammed the side of his fist against the mirror, which reverberated under the blow but did not break. He pounded his fist against the glass several more times, furiously, but was unable to break the window.
After a few more fruitless blows, Trip finally gave up and stepped back, breathing hard from the exertion. He decided he'd better conserve his strength so he hobbled to the corner farthest from the door and sat down on the floor with his back against the cold wall. He smiled slightly when he realized that when he sat in this corner he was almost completely out of sight of whoever was watching from the observation room.
Trip thought back to when he first woke up in that hut surrounded by those huge, silent, goofy-looking natives. It was like childhood nightmares come true: stuffed animals coming to life and attacking him. He fought off a case of the giggles at that mental image.
Trip wondered again what had happened to T'Pol and his thoughts took a turn for the melancholy. He hoped that she wasn't being held somewhere in a cell like this one. Although, that might be better than the alternative. She might be dead already.
First Lab Assistant RaB# watched the alien from behind the one-way mirror in the observation room. For the last thirty minutes it had been pacing back and forth, shouting and gesticulating nonsensically. RaB# found the alien at the same time both fascinating and repellant. He wondered if all the beings on its planet were so hideously deformed. This particular alien was apparently lame, as it was definitely favoring its right knee. RaB# made a note in his observation log.
Suddenly the alien launched itself at the observation window and began pounding on the glass. RaB# leapt back in horror as the glass warped and bounced back with every blow.
After a few minutes it seemed to give up and sat down in the corner. RaB# moved forward hesitantly and quickly realized that even if he pressed his nose against the glass all he could see were the alien's feet. He leaned back, scowling, and started to write furiously on his observation log. This alien was obviously dangerous, and he intended for the council of scientists to understand that fully.
Day 2: 1900 hours
"So the interference isn't expanding, it just--shifted?" Travis asked with a frown. He looked up at Malcolm, who was standing by the conference room viewer, for confirmation.
"Yes, Travis. The area of the northern continent which is now exposed is directly on the opposite side of the planet from the landing site. It appears the 'cloud', for want of a better word, shifted to cover our landing site, leaving this area uncovered."
Archer crossed to study the image on the viewscreen more closely. "Are you suggesting this interference cloud is showing signs of intelligence? Did it hide our landing site on purpose?"
"Good question, Captain. It is possible that the cloud was designed to protect the people of this planet, and our presence somehow triggered a defense mechanism which caused the interference to shift."
T'Pol, who had been very quiet so far during this briefing, spoke up from her seat at the other end of the table. "If indeed this cloud is a defensive system, I doubt highly that it was designed by the people of this planet. I saw no evidence that they had ever seen alien lifeforms before, and our scans of the newly exposed area show no indication of technology capable of producing such a mechanism."
"Well, we haven't seen the whole northern continent yet," Archer said. "They may have more technology that we don't know about."
Travis said, "The shuttle ride down was pretty bumpy, and the way back was even worse. I couldn't find any reason for the turbulence. I don't know if that means anything, I just thought it was strange."
"Is it possible the interference was somehow attracted to the shuttle? That may explain the bumpy ride," Archer suggested.
"Maybe that explains the storm, too," Hoshi said. "It came from the north, right, T'Pol?"
"A line of black clouds gathered on the northern horizon and moved toward our position at a rapid rate. After the storm struck, we discovered that we had lost contact with Enterprise."
"So somehow the interference cloud sensed the shuttlepod?" Travis asked hesitantly.
"Not necessarily sensed it," Malcolm said. "maybe it was drawn toward the shuttle magnetically. We could test that theory."
"How?"
"If we flew Enterprise close enough to the atmosphere, we might be able to tow the cloud away from the northern hemisphere entirely."
"We must avoid detection by the natives," T'Pol said.
"If we stayed over uninhabited areas, and worked during the night phase of the planet's rotation, we might be able to keep from being seen," responded Malcolm.
"It's worth a try," Archer decided. He looked around the table at his exhausted bridge crew."Malcolm, get someone started on setting up the test. I want everyone here to get at least six hours of rest before we get started. We don't want to make any stupid mistakes because we're tired. Dismissed."
Day 3: 0700 hours
Once again qoRa~ found herself standing at the back of a group watching the action. This time it was a science council meeting to discuss what to do with the alien. The room was packed with scientists and assistants who had all been sworn to secrecy, of course. They had to be sure no one from the general public found out about the alien or there might be widespread panic. At least, that was First Scientist Xu'~'s argument. Privately qoRa~ thought the scientists might have other reasons for keeping the alien's existence secret, one of which might be so they didn't have to justify their actions to anyone.
"This alien represents a distinct threat to our entire planet!" Xu'~ shouted over the general noise in the room. "We have no idea how many more of them might be out there!"
"That does not necessarily constitute a threat, First Scientist," Second Scientist RuX# spoke up soothingly. QoRa~ had to crane her neck to see him over the heads of her fellow lab assistants.
"I for one am not willing to take the risk," Xu'~ stated firmly. "We must find a way to neutralize this threat." A general murmur of agreement arose from the scientists seated at the table.
"And how do you propose to do that?" RuX#'s tone was calm, but his hands moved swiftly, choppily as he spoke.
"We must--explore its weaknesses, determine its limitations, so that we are able to design effective weapons against its kind."
"What exactly do you mean, First Scientist?" A note of horror had crept into RuX#'s voice. QoRa~ listened in confusion, watching Xu'~'s hands closely for a hint as to what she had in mind.
"I am proposing a series of experiments. We must try different weapons, chemicals and such to determine their effect on--"
"No!" qoRa~ shouted in sudden comprehension. "You'll kill him!"
"Who spoke?" Xu'~ asked in irritation.
QoRa~ stepped forward. "Lab Assistant qoRa~," she said in a firm voice. She moved her hands carefully to keep them from trembling. "If you injure this one, you will only make the other aliens angry, which would make them more likely to attack us."
"Second Lab Assistant, is it not? How do you know the aliens are not already planning an attack? It is imperative that we be prepared."
There was another murmur of agreement, and qoRa~ looked around the table at the scientists who all glared back at her.
"Shall we have a vote?" Xu'~ asked smugly. "Those in favor of the proposal?" There was a loud cacaphony of thumping as almost all of the scientists pounded the table in agreement.
"Those opposed?" Only one fist struck the table this time, that of Second Scientist RuX#. Xu'~ just smirked at him. "The motion is approved."
"I have devised a schedule of experiments, as well as an observation schedule for the lab assistants." Xu'~ began passing a packet of papers around the table. "We will need round-the-clock surveillance along with videotaping of the experiments and the alien's activities in the cell."
QoRa~ studied the schedule in dismay. Xu'~ planned for experiments to begin immediately. She had assumed she would receive approval before the meeting even began. QoRa~ scanned down the list until she found her name on the observation schedule and groaned softly to herself. She would be working from midnight until 10 am, not exactly her favorite time of the day.
She checked the chrometer on the wall. Since it was only 7:30 in the morning, technically she was on duty now. Stifling a sigh, she headed for the observation room. According to the schedule, the first experiment would begin at 8:00, and she would be expected to videotape the "procedure", as Xu'~ delicately described it.
Day 3: 0730 hours
Captain Archer sat tensely in his chair in the center of the bridge, waiting. It seemed like he had spent the last three days waiting, and he was getting sick of it.
"Captain, I think we're ready," came Malcolm's voice from the tactical station. "The probe is in place on the opposite side of the planet, and I'm receiving telemetry. We should find out soon enough if our efforts have been successful."
"Good work, Malcolm. Travis, are we in position?"
"Yes, Captain. The edge of the interference cloud is about twenty kilometers to our aft."
"What about our altitude?"
"We are as close as we can get without being seen."
"All right, Travis. Ahead one quarter impulse, straight and steady."
"Aye, sir."
The ship began to inch forward at what seemed to Archer like an impossibly slow speed. "Malcolm, anything?"
"Not yet, sir."
Archer chewed the inside of his lip nervously and continued waiting.
"Captain, I'm receiving signals, from the planet!" Hoshi's excited voice broke the silence.
"Signals? What kind?"
"They contain visual as well as auditory information. I'm reading multiple, overlapping signals, Captain. I think they're television signals or maybe videophone calls."
"The probe is sending back sensor information as well, Captain," Malcolm added. "I'm receiving scans of over half the northern continent! I'm reading numerous large cities and smaller towns."
Archer couldn't suppress the grin that sprang to his lips. "What about Trip's comm signal?
Malcolm shook his head. "No sign of it yet, Sir."
Archer sighed. "Keep going, Travis. Malcolm, let me know when we have scans of the entire northern continent."
Day 3: 0800 hours
Trip lay face down on the exam table with his cheek pressed against the cold metal. His arms and legs were securely fastened with some sort of flexible plastic material that cut like glass when he struggled. He tried to stay calm. Last time they didn't hurt me, he reminded himself.
Trip felt something on his back, moving in a straight line down from his shoulder to his waist, then again in another straight line parallel to the first one. What the hell were they doing back there? He tried to twist around to see, but could only move a few centimeters due to the thick band strapping his head down. He caught a glimpse of a white-covered hand holding something shiny, lifting it up, then bringing it down on his back again and moving down in another straight line. He concentrated on the sensation. Was that some sort of marker? Why would they draw lines on his back?
The marker drew one more vertical line, then five horizontal lines to describe some sort of grid on the skin. Trip frowned, puzzled. This was weird, to be sure, but then again, everything that had happened to him so far had been weird.
From behind him a strange guttural voice spoke, followed by a scratchy sound of writing on paper. Trip felt the marker again, writing something in the top righthand box of the grid.
The voice spoke again, a single word, almost like a pronouncement. Trip's muscles tensed involuntarily. He felt something touch the top right-hand square, then a sensation of cold in that section of his back that started out mild and quickly increased in intensity until it was so cold it felt like it was burning. He squeezed his eyes shut while he stifled a cry of pain.
The voice spoke again, followed by more writing on paper and skin, then a different sensation in the next box of the grid, this time it felt like being poked by white-hot needles. Trip gritted his teeth to stop himself from screaming.
~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: So here's what's up with the names. Symbols are taken from the International Phonetic Alphabet. If you understand the description, you just might be a linguist.
X=voiceless uvular fricative (like a hard 'h' sound) R=uvular trill (like gargling) q=voiceless uvular stop (like a 'k' in the back of the throat) '=voiced glottal stop (like the sound at the beginning of "uh-oh"-actually I cheated on this one, the real symbol looks more like a ?) B=voiced bilabial trill (like a raspberry sound) ~ indicates female person # indicates male person
Warning: If you can't handle Trip getting hurt, you should probably stop reading now, because it's about to get a lot worse.