TROPHIES
Chapter Two
Malcolm Reed stood next to the captain at the main entrance to the marketplace. He scanned the crowd looking for any sign of the commander and ensign.
"Where are they?" asked Archer beside him. "Trip knows better than to be late."
"I saw him just a few minutes ago, sir," said Hoshi. She and Crewman Peters both stood on tip toes, squinting their eyes to see through the masses of Eska milling around.
"Did either of you see Ensign Sawyer?" asked Malcolm. "He was with me for a while but we got separated."
"No, sir," replied Abby. Hoshi shook her head.
Archer sighed. "Well neither of them is answering my hails. Hoshi, can you take us to where you saw Trip last?"
Hoshi nodded and the group moved back into the busy marketplace. Malcolm kept his eyes on the people, hoping to catch sight of two blue uniforms amongst the colorful Eska attire.
"The commander was here, sir. Buying a candle."
"Excuse me," said Archer to the woman behind the counter. "A member of my crew was here a few minutes ago. Do you happen to know where he went?"
The woman shook her head. "He was a very nice young man. He gave me this in exchange for a simple candle." She held out her hand to show the penny sitting in her palm. Malcolm smiled at how proud she seemed of her newly acquired treasure.
"I saw him!"
Malcolm looked down at the tugging on his uniform sleeve to see a little boy standing next to him. The captain turned to kneel in front of the child.
"Where did you see him?" he asked.
The boy pointed to a row of display stands. "Over there. Elsha was leading him and the other man somewhere."
Archer exchanged a worried look with Malcolm. "Was the other man dressed like me as well?"
The boy nodded.
"Well at least they were together," said Malcolm. "Do you know where Elsha took them?"
The child looked up at Malcolm and shook his head. "She was screaming at them about her daughter."
"That's odd," said the woman at the stand. "Elsha doesn't have a daughter."
Archer stood up and took a deep breath. He looked down at the boy and rubbed his hand through the child's hair. "Thank you. You've been a big help."
The captain lead the group to the line of stands indicated by the Eska child. Malcolm and Abby moved to the front and walked down the narrow alley behind the stands. The lieutenant was positive the young woman was also wishing they'd brought their side arms. Archer and Hoshi followed closely. The alley was empty.
"Captain," whispered Hoshi. She bent down to pick up a package lying in the shadow of one of the stands. She opened it carefully to reveal a dark, royal blue candle. "Commander Tucker was buying this when I saw him, sir."
"There's fresh blood here, Captain," said Abby as she knelt down to examine the ground. Malcolm moved beside her then leaned over to look closely at the back wall of one of the display stands.
"There's blood here as well, sir," he said looking at the red liquid splattered on the wall. He pulled out his scanner from his hip pocket and activated it. "It's human," he reported quietly.
Archer closed his eyes and tipped his head back. "Damn it," he cursed.
"Do you hear that?" asked Hoshi suddenly, turning her head slightly.
Malcolm listened intently. He was about to shake his head in reply when he heard a soft voice. He moved further back into the alley, following the sound. Sitting in the dark shadows between two stands was a young woman. She was whispering softly to herself, a huge smile on her face. She stood quickly when she saw Malcolm and the others.
"I didn't do anything!" she said, the fear evident in her voice.
"No one said you did," replied Archer. He took a step toward the woman, pinning her in so she couldn't try to escape. "Are you Elsha?"
The woman hesitated, eyeing the captain fearfully. She nodded as she brought her hands up in front of her. "Don't hurt me," she pleaded.
"We won't hurt you. We just want to know where our friends are," said Archer with a gentle smile.
"I---I don't know."
Malcolm studied the woman carefully. She fidgeted nervously, her dark eyes darting everywhere but never settling on the captain's face. He moved up next to Archer. "Perhaps Hoshi would have better luck talking to her, sir."
Archer motioned for the ensign to step forward.
After several minutes, it became quite clear to Malcolm that Elsha wasn't entirely sane. The young woman went off on several tangents during her conversation with Hoshi, but the ensign finally managed to get her to talk about Commander Tucker and Ensign Sawyer. Malcolm swallowed hard when Elsha told in great detail how the two men were captured.
"Who took them?" asked Archer, suddenly stepping forward.
Elsha shuddered and shrank back from the captain.
"It's alright, Elsha," soothed Hoshi softly but the Eska woman still cowered.
"Elsha," said Abby stepping up next to Hoshi and in front of Captain Archer. She held a brightly colored scarf in her hand. "Would you like this?"
Elsha hesitated, her eyes moving quickly from the captain to Abby then to the scarf the ensign held. She tentatively reached a hand out to touch it.
"If you tell us who took our friends, you can have it."
The young woman licked her lips. "They were members of the Governor's Security Force," she blurted. Elsha grabbed the scarf and quickly brought it up to her face.
Malcolm was stunned. "Are you certain, Elsha?"
She nodded. "They gave me this necklace for helping them." Elsha dropped her hand to the amulet she wore around her neck. She held it up for the others to see. "They give me pretty things when I help them."
"You've helped them before?" asked Abby.
"Only once or twice, when we have new visitors," Elsha replied. She rubbed the scarf against her cheek and smiled. "May I go now?"
Archer nodded and they all stepped aside to let the woman leave. Malcolm watched Elsha run quickly out of the alley to be swallowed up in the market crowds. He turned to Captain Archer to wait for his orders.
"We need to see Governor Martis," the captain seethed.
Trip sat up and took immediate stock of his surroundings. They were shut in a small room lit only by the daylight that filtered in through the tiny windows that lined one wall. Ensign Sawyer sat propped up against the wall next to the door, his chin resting on his chest. Trip rubbed the back of his head and grimaced then he carefully shifted his body, feeling the effects of the pummeling he'd taken. He was relieved to find nothing broken. Then he gingerly touched his temple and flinched. His fingers came away bloody and he wiped the red liquid off on the leg of his uniform.
"Jake?" he whispered then he crawled over to the ensign. He gently shook the man's shoulder.
Jacob's eyes slowly opened then closed tightly. "Oh my head," he groaned, bringing his hands up to cover his face.
"Are you okay?" asked Trip. He gently shook the ensign again. Jacob dropped his hands from his face and squinted at the engineer.
"Commander?"
"Come on, Ensign," Trip urged. With a little help, Jacob managed to sit up straight. Trip looked closely at the gash across the side of the older man's head then took in the darkening bruise across his left cheekbone. They had been captured fairly quickly even though both officers had put up a good fight. The seven men with their heavy batons had encircled their prey, leaving literally no chance for escape.
"What happened?"
Before Trip could answer, the door opened. He gasped audibly as Governor Martis entered the room dressed in camouflage gear. Two armed Eska men also dressed for the hunt followed behind him, their guns pointed at the two prisoners. Trip stood then helped Jacob to his feet.
"Governor, what the hell is going on here?" demanded the commander.
"Gentlemen," replied Martis. "You've been selected for our next hunt."
Trip looked askance at the Eska. "If you wanted us to join you, why didn't you just ask?"
"Because I knew the answer would be no." The governor motioned to his two men who proceeded to shove the two Starfleet officers out of the room. They were pushed down the hallway and stopped in front of a door. Martis stepped in front of them and unlocked and opened it. Trip was shoved into the room first followed closely by Jacob. Both men stared in disbelief at the sight before them.
"Oh Lord," gasped Jacob.
"You sonofabitch," whispered Trip with venom. He felt suddenly sick to his stomach as he looked at the glass cases displaying various alien beings. He recognized a Vulcan and a Klingon instantly. Both were male and set in positions of attack, their eyes lifeless. There were other beings but Trip looked away, settling a disgusted gaze on his host.
Martis simply smiled back at him. "Now you understand why I didn't ASK you, Commander."
Trip turned to Jacob who was staring back at him in horror. "We'll get out of this, Jake," he said quietly.
Martis laughed without mirth. "Prepare them for the hunt!" he ordered.
Trip and Jacob were pulled out of the room and forced down the hallway to a staircase that lead up to the main floor. They were directed out onto a porch where they were ordered to remove their boots and socks. Both men were given lightweight pants and tunics.
"Remove your uniforms!" ordered one of the guards. "We can't have them stained with anymore of your blood!"
"This is insane," seethed Trip. His comment was rewarded with a sharp rifle butt to his side. Jacob grabbed his arm to steady him. The ensign was punched in the stomach for his efforts.
"Change your clothes!" demanded the guard who'd hit Trip.
Both officers reluctantly changed from their uniforms into the Eska clothing.
"What about shoes?" asked Jacob.
Governor Martis stepped out onto the porch and inhaled the fresh air deeply. He turned to Trip and the ensign.
"You don't get shoes," he said with a cold smile. The old Eska stepped forward and leaned on the railing of the porch. "I'll give you until sunset before I start the hunt, gentlemen. That's about three hours from now. I suggest you get started."
Trip stared at the man in utter disbelief. "You've got to be kidding!"
"Three hours, Commander Tucker."
"Captain Archer will find us, Governor," said Jacob, taking a step toward the old man.
Martis threw his head back and laughed loudly. "He doesn't even know where you are! My home is protected by an energy field, which covers over 100 square kilometers. Your captain's sensors can't penetrate it." The governor turned to face his prey. "You only have three hours. Go!"
Trip grabbed Jacob's arm and hauled him off the porch. They both ran into the surrounding forest several meters before Trip stopped. He looked around. The forest was damp and there was a chill in the air. He guessed the temperature dropped dramatically when the sun sank over the horizon and they were definitely not dressed for cool weather. He turned around and peered back toward the house.
"Maybe we could sneak around and get back in the house. Find some weapons," he whispered.
Jacob nodded his agreement. The two men crouched down and slowly made their way to the back of the large dwelling. The ensign instinctively took the lead as they tentatively approached the back porch. They were about twenty meters away when Jacob suddenly was thrown back full force into Trip. Both men fell to the ground, stunned. The ensign shook his head and sat up.
"What the hell was that?" asked Trip quietly. He got to his feet and helped his companion to stand.
Jacob looked unsteady. "Some kind of jolt of energy, sir," he replied, brushing the leaves and dirt from his clothes. "It was like walking into a wall of electricity."
"Damn it," cursed Trip angrily. He paused, trying to think of their next move. "Come on, Jake. We gotta get moving."
"Why would Governor Martis' own men take Commander Tucker and Ensign Sawyer, Captain?" asked Damrus as he paced back and forth behind the huge desk in the governor's office. He stopped and looked at the captain. "It doesn't make sense. Your witness must have been mistaken."
"Well someone took them, Damrus, and by force. We found human blood in that alley," said Jon through clenched teeth.
The Eska nodded his head. "I've got my security force looking for them as we speak, Captain."
Jon shifted in his chair uneasily then stood up. "Where is the governor, by the way?"
"He's taking the next week off. There was a sudden family emergency."
Jon looked at Malcolm who was still seated in front of the huge desk. The lieutenant rose to his feet, a look of suspicion crossing his face.
"A family emergency?" asked the tactical officer.
Damrus stopped his pacing and looked across the desk at the two officers. He appeared to be puzzling over something.
"What is it?" asked Jon. He leaned on the desk, his hands in fists.
"Nothing."
"Come on, Damrus. Something's bothering you about all of this," pressed the captain.
"Governor Martis is a great man, Captain. I know he isn't involved in the disappearance of your crewmen."
A knock at the door startled all three men. Jon and Malcolm turned around as it opened to reveal an Eska man dressed in a formal dark blue military uniform. The man stepped into the room then stood tall, his hands clasped behind his back.
"We have had no luck locating the two missing men, Deputy Governor," he reported briskly.
"Alright, Suzraan. Keep looking," directed Damrus.
"Yes, sir," responded the security officer. He turned and left the room, passing Hoshi and Abby who were just coming in.
"Captain, I contacted the sub-commander as you ordered. She's running a scan for human bio-signs right now," said Hoshi.
"Lets hope she comes up with something," replied Jon. He ran a hand through his hair. He felt helpless. Trip and Ensign Sawyer had been taken somewhere, possibly badly injured, and there was nothing he could do but wait. His thoughts focused on his best friend and he said a silent prayer that he'd see the chief engineer and ensign again very soon and in one piece. Jon reached in his pocket and pulled out his communicator. He looked down at it clutched tightly in his hand, and waited for T'Pol to hail him.
The sun was beginning to go down. Trip and Jacob ran through the woods on bleeding feet, their clothes moist with their sweat. The engineer stumbled and fell, sliding across the damp leaves that covered the ground. He struggled to his feet with the ensign's help. They were both breathing hard.
"We need to rest a minute, Jake," Trip gasped. He stood straight, forcing his shoulders back in an attempt to loosen them. He ached all over from the beating he'd taken from the governor's men. He looked at his companion. His gray-streaked short dark hair was soaked and flattened against his head. Rivulets of perspiration ran down the sides of his face. Trip knew the ensign was hurting, too.
"How's your head?" he asked.
"It's fine, sir," Jacob managed between deep breaths. "It's getting dark. They'll be coming after us soon." He turned around to face the direction from which they came. "We left a pretty easy trail for them to follow."
Trip looked at the clear signs of their passing. "You're right. We'd better back-track a few meters then try to cover our tracks."
The two men made their way back over their trail then they started shuffling leaves around to hide their path. When they were finished, Trip surveyed their work. He guessed either Martis or one of his minions was an experienced tracker so they'd be lucky if they even slowed them down. Hopefully, at the very least it'd buy them a couple more hours.
"Come on, Jake. Let's get moving," urged the commander. He patted the ensign's arm.
They jogged on as the sun slowly sank over the horizon.
CONTINUED
Chapter Two
Malcolm Reed stood next to the captain at the main entrance to the marketplace. He scanned the crowd looking for any sign of the commander and ensign.
"Where are they?" asked Archer beside him. "Trip knows better than to be late."
"I saw him just a few minutes ago, sir," said Hoshi. She and Crewman Peters both stood on tip toes, squinting their eyes to see through the masses of Eska milling around.
"Did either of you see Ensign Sawyer?" asked Malcolm. "He was with me for a while but we got separated."
"No, sir," replied Abby. Hoshi shook her head.
Archer sighed. "Well neither of them is answering my hails. Hoshi, can you take us to where you saw Trip last?"
Hoshi nodded and the group moved back into the busy marketplace. Malcolm kept his eyes on the people, hoping to catch sight of two blue uniforms amongst the colorful Eska attire.
"The commander was here, sir. Buying a candle."
"Excuse me," said Archer to the woman behind the counter. "A member of my crew was here a few minutes ago. Do you happen to know where he went?"
The woman shook her head. "He was a very nice young man. He gave me this in exchange for a simple candle." She held out her hand to show the penny sitting in her palm. Malcolm smiled at how proud she seemed of her newly acquired treasure.
"I saw him!"
Malcolm looked down at the tugging on his uniform sleeve to see a little boy standing next to him. The captain turned to kneel in front of the child.
"Where did you see him?" he asked.
The boy pointed to a row of display stands. "Over there. Elsha was leading him and the other man somewhere."
Archer exchanged a worried look with Malcolm. "Was the other man dressed like me as well?"
The boy nodded.
"Well at least they were together," said Malcolm. "Do you know where Elsha took them?"
The child looked up at Malcolm and shook his head. "She was screaming at them about her daughter."
"That's odd," said the woman at the stand. "Elsha doesn't have a daughter."
Archer stood up and took a deep breath. He looked down at the boy and rubbed his hand through the child's hair. "Thank you. You've been a big help."
The captain lead the group to the line of stands indicated by the Eska child. Malcolm and Abby moved to the front and walked down the narrow alley behind the stands. The lieutenant was positive the young woman was also wishing they'd brought their side arms. Archer and Hoshi followed closely. The alley was empty.
"Captain," whispered Hoshi. She bent down to pick up a package lying in the shadow of one of the stands. She opened it carefully to reveal a dark, royal blue candle. "Commander Tucker was buying this when I saw him, sir."
"There's fresh blood here, Captain," said Abby as she knelt down to examine the ground. Malcolm moved beside her then leaned over to look closely at the back wall of one of the display stands.
"There's blood here as well, sir," he said looking at the red liquid splattered on the wall. He pulled out his scanner from his hip pocket and activated it. "It's human," he reported quietly.
Archer closed his eyes and tipped his head back. "Damn it," he cursed.
"Do you hear that?" asked Hoshi suddenly, turning her head slightly.
Malcolm listened intently. He was about to shake his head in reply when he heard a soft voice. He moved further back into the alley, following the sound. Sitting in the dark shadows between two stands was a young woman. She was whispering softly to herself, a huge smile on her face. She stood quickly when she saw Malcolm and the others.
"I didn't do anything!" she said, the fear evident in her voice.
"No one said you did," replied Archer. He took a step toward the woman, pinning her in so she couldn't try to escape. "Are you Elsha?"
The woman hesitated, eyeing the captain fearfully. She nodded as she brought her hands up in front of her. "Don't hurt me," she pleaded.
"We won't hurt you. We just want to know where our friends are," said Archer with a gentle smile.
"I---I don't know."
Malcolm studied the woman carefully. She fidgeted nervously, her dark eyes darting everywhere but never settling on the captain's face. He moved up next to Archer. "Perhaps Hoshi would have better luck talking to her, sir."
Archer motioned for the ensign to step forward.
After several minutes, it became quite clear to Malcolm that Elsha wasn't entirely sane. The young woman went off on several tangents during her conversation with Hoshi, but the ensign finally managed to get her to talk about Commander Tucker and Ensign Sawyer. Malcolm swallowed hard when Elsha told in great detail how the two men were captured.
"Who took them?" asked Archer, suddenly stepping forward.
Elsha shuddered and shrank back from the captain.
"It's alright, Elsha," soothed Hoshi softly but the Eska woman still cowered.
"Elsha," said Abby stepping up next to Hoshi and in front of Captain Archer. She held a brightly colored scarf in her hand. "Would you like this?"
Elsha hesitated, her eyes moving quickly from the captain to Abby then to the scarf the ensign held. She tentatively reached a hand out to touch it.
"If you tell us who took our friends, you can have it."
The young woman licked her lips. "They were members of the Governor's Security Force," she blurted. Elsha grabbed the scarf and quickly brought it up to her face.
Malcolm was stunned. "Are you certain, Elsha?"
She nodded. "They gave me this necklace for helping them." Elsha dropped her hand to the amulet she wore around her neck. She held it up for the others to see. "They give me pretty things when I help them."
"You've helped them before?" asked Abby.
"Only once or twice, when we have new visitors," Elsha replied. She rubbed the scarf against her cheek and smiled. "May I go now?"
Archer nodded and they all stepped aside to let the woman leave. Malcolm watched Elsha run quickly out of the alley to be swallowed up in the market crowds. He turned to Captain Archer to wait for his orders.
"We need to see Governor Martis," the captain seethed.
Trip sat up and took immediate stock of his surroundings. They were shut in a small room lit only by the daylight that filtered in through the tiny windows that lined one wall. Ensign Sawyer sat propped up against the wall next to the door, his chin resting on his chest. Trip rubbed the back of his head and grimaced then he carefully shifted his body, feeling the effects of the pummeling he'd taken. He was relieved to find nothing broken. Then he gingerly touched his temple and flinched. His fingers came away bloody and he wiped the red liquid off on the leg of his uniform.
"Jake?" he whispered then he crawled over to the ensign. He gently shook the man's shoulder.
Jacob's eyes slowly opened then closed tightly. "Oh my head," he groaned, bringing his hands up to cover his face.
"Are you okay?" asked Trip. He gently shook the ensign again. Jacob dropped his hands from his face and squinted at the engineer.
"Commander?"
"Come on, Ensign," Trip urged. With a little help, Jacob managed to sit up straight. Trip looked closely at the gash across the side of the older man's head then took in the darkening bruise across his left cheekbone. They had been captured fairly quickly even though both officers had put up a good fight. The seven men with their heavy batons had encircled their prey, leaving literally no chance for escape.
"What happened?"
Before Trip could answer, the door opened. He gasped audibly as Governor Martis entered the room dressed in camouflage gear. Two armed Eska men also dressed for the hunt followed behind him, their guns pointed at the two prisoners. Trip stood then helped Jacob to his feet.
"Governor, what the hell is going on here?" demanded the commander.
"Gentlemen," replied Martis. "You've been selected for our next hunt."
Trip looked askance at the Eska. "If you wanted us to join you, why didn't you just ask?"
"Because I knew the answer would be no." The governor motioned to his two men who proceeded to shove the two Starfleet officers out of the room. They were pushed down the hallway and stopped in front of a door. Martis stepped in front of them and unlocked and opened it. Trip was shoved into the room first followed closely by Jacob. Both men stared in disbelief at the sight before them.
"Oh Lord," gasped Jacob.
"You sonofabitch," whispered Trip with venom. He felt suddenly sick to his stomach as he looked at the glass cases displaying various alien beings. He recognized a Vulcan and a Klingon instantly. Both were male and set in positions of attack, their eyes lifeless. There were other beings but Trip looked away, settling a disgusted gaze on his host.
Martis simply smiled back at him. "Now you understand why I didn't ASK you, Commander."
Trip turned to Jacob who was staring back at him in horror. "We'll get out of this, Jake," he said quietly.
Martis laughed without mirth. "Prepare them for the hunt!" he ordered.
Trip and Jacob were pulled out of the room and forced down the hallway to a staircase that lead up to the main floor. They were directed out onto a porch where they were ordered to remove their boots and socks. Both men were given lightweight pants and tunics.
"Remove your uniforms!" ordered one of the guards. "We can't have them stained with anymore of your blood!"
"This is insane," seethed Trip. His comment was rewarded with a sharp rifle butt to his side. Jacob grabbed his arm to steady him. The ensign was punched in the stomach for his efforts.
"Change your clothes!" demanded the guard who'd hit Trip.
Both officers reluctantly changed from their uniforms into the Eska clothing.
"What about shoes?" asked Jacob.
Governor Martis stepped out onto the porch and inhaled the fresh air deeply. He turned to Trip and the ensign.
"You don't get shoes," he said with a cold smile. The old Eska stepped forward and leaned on the railing of the porch. "I'll give you until sunset before I start the hunt, gentlemen. That's about three hours from now. I suggest you get started."
Trip stared at the man in utter disbelief. "You've got to be kidding!"
"Three hours, Commander Tucker."
"Captain Archer will find us, Governor," said Jacob, taking a step toward the old man.
Martis threw his head back and laughed loudly. "He doesn't even know where you are! My home is protected by an energy field, which covers over 100 square kilometers. Your captain's sensors can't penetrate it." The governor turned to face his prey. "You only have three hours. Go!"
Trip grabbed Jacob's arm and hauled him off the porch. They both ran into the surrounding forest several meters before Trip stopped. He looked around. The forest was damp and there was a chill in the air. He guessed the temperature dropped dramatically when the sun sank over the horizon and they were definitely not dressed for cool weather. He turned around and peered back toward the house.
"Maybe we could sneak around and get back in the house. Find some weapons," he whispered.
Jacob nodded his agreement. The two men crouched down and slowly made their way to the back of the large dwelling. The ensign instinctively took the lead as they tentatively approached the back porch. They were about twenty meters away when Jacob suddenly was thrown back full force into Trip. Both men fell to the ground, stunned. The ensign shook his head and sat up.
"What the hell was that?" asked Trip quietly. He got to his feet and helped his companion to stand.
Jacob looked unsteady. "Some kind of jolt of energy, sir," he replied, brushing the leaves and dirt from his clothes. "It was like walking into a wall of electricity."
"Damn it," cursed Trip angrily. He paused, trying to think of their next move. "Come on, Jake. We gotta get moving."
"Why would Governor Martis' own men take Commander Tucker and Ensign Sawyer, Captain?" asked Damrus as he paced back and forth behind the huge desk in the governor's office. He stopped and looked at the captain. "It doesn't make sense. Your witness must have been mistaken."
"Well someone took them, Damrus, and by force. We found human blood in that alley," said Jon through clenched teeth.
The Eska nodded his head. "I've got my security force looking for them as we speak, Captain."
Jon shifted in his chair uneasily then stood up. "Where is the governor, by the way?"
"He's taking the next week off. There was a sudden family emergency."
Jon looked at Malcolm who was still seated in front of the huge desk. The lieutenant rose to his feet, a look of suspicion crossing his face.
"A family emergency?" asked the tactical officer.
Damrus stopped his pacing and looked across the desk at the two officers. He appeared to be puzzling over something.
"What is it?" asked Jon. He leaned on the desk, his hands in fists.
"Nothing."
"Come on, Damrus. Something's bothering you about all of this," pressed the captain.
"Governor Martis is a great man, Captain. I know he isn't involved in the disappearance of your crewmen."
A knock at the door startled all three men. Jon and Malcolm turned around as it opened to reveal an Eska man dressed in a formal dark blue military uniform. The man stepped into the room then stood tall, his hands clasped behind his back.
"We have had no luck locating the two missing men, Deputy Governor," he reported briskly.
"Alright, Suzraan. Keep looking," directed Damrus.
"Yes, sir," responded the security officer. He turned and left the room, passing Hoshi and Abby who were just coming in.
"Captain, I contacted the sub-commander as you ordered. She's running a scan for human bio-signs right now," said Hoshi.
"Lets hope she comes up with something," replied Jon. He ran a hand through his hair. He felt helpless. Trip and Ensign Sawyer had been taken somewhere, possibly badly injured, and there was nothing he could do but wait. His thoughts focused on his best friend and he said a silent prayer that he'd see the chief engineer and ensign again very soon and in one piece. Jon reached in his pocket and pulled out his communicator. He looked down at it clutched tightly in his hand, and waited for T'Pol to hail him.
The sun was beginning to go down. Trip and Jacob ran through the woods on bleeding feet, their clothes moist with their sweat. The engineer stumbled and fell, sliding across the damp leaves that covered the ground. He struggled to his feet with the ensign's help. They were both breathing hard.
"We need to rest a minute, Jake," Trip gasped. He stood straight, forcing his shoulders back in an attempt to loosen them. He ached all over from the beating he'd taken from the governor's men. He looked at his companion. His gray-streaked short dark hair was soaked and flattened against his head. Rivulets of perspiration ran down the sides of his face. Trip knew the ensign was hurting, too.
"How's your head?" he asked.
"It's fine, sir," Jacob managed between deep breaths. "It's getting dark. They'll be coming after us soon." He turned around to face the direction from which they came. "We left a pretty easy trail for them to follow."
Trip looked at the clear signs of their passing. "You're right. We'd better back-track a few meters then try to cover our tracks."
The two men made their way back over their trail then they started shuffling leaves around to hide their path. When they were finished, Trip surveyed their work. He guessed either Martis or one of his minions was an experienced tracker so they'd be lucky if they even slowed them down. Hopefully, at the very least it'd buy them a couple more hours.
"Come on, Jake. Let's get moving," urged the commander. He patted the ensign's arm.
They jogged on as the sun slowly sank over the horizon.
CONTINUED