Hi, it's me. Okay, another short section, but it's all I can manage for now. I'm sorry that this took so long to happen.I've just been sick for a few weeks now, and I haven't been able to work on it. I hope you all enjoy this!!! Emrys

P.S. Again, don't worry if it's been a while between posts. My real life tends to interfere with all my fun, and so often I have to take a long break in between posts. But I have this whole story worked out in my head, and I want it all written out and posted before I quit it!!!

P.P.S. I know NOTHING about Starfleet communicator frequencies.so don't flame me for it!!! Thanks!

Disclaimer: See previous installments. ***

Archer's light doze was interrupted by a hushed query from T'Pol.

"Krem, where did you find the ingredients for Commander Tucker's tonic?"

Although they had been resting for only a few minutes, the Captain's curiosity was well enough peaked for him to be able to pull himself away from exhaustion. T'Pol's question was a good one, and it probably should have been asked before they had given the tonic to Trip. Hastily he looked down at the nearby engineer, but was not awarded by any improvement. Trip still held onto consciousness, but was too taken over by pain to interact with them effectively. Jonathan had the sudden urge to pat his friend supportively on the back, but was too afraid of hurting Trip to do so. Instead, surprised by the urgency with which he desired an answer to the Vulcan's question, he turned his attention to the little alien.

Krem at first looked sheepishly at the two officers, but after a moment's hesitation he took a deep breath and straightened his spine in an affectation of pride.

"I told you that I was not devious," he said to both officers, "but neither am I stupid. I had a small stockpile of simple technology and basic medicines that I brought to this planet with me. I wanted a change of pace, to be sure, but I didn't want my life to be too difficult. It's how I've managed to reach the position I have here in the Renkan society. They see me as some sort of high priest who can make magic and heal their sick ones," the little alien smiled broadly to show two great rows of crooked teeth. "These things have made my life on this planet quite pleasurable."

Archer sensed T'Pol's disapproval in the change of her posture and placed his hand on her shoulder. Although he knew that she felt no emotion, he did not deny himself the human behavior of placation. Additionally, he felt the beginnings of a plan begin to stir in his mind, and he did not want to be distracted by the lecture he felt sure was about to issue forth from her mouth.

"Krem?" he asked while trying to hold back his hope and excitement. "You wouldn't happen to have communicators and phase pistols in your collection, would you?"

***

Trip looked over to the other side of the hut where the Captain and T'Pol were discussing something with the alien. The Captain seemed excited, but Trip was having a difficult time understanding the conversation. He closed his eyes and briefly rested them, before opening them widely again and blinking several times to clear his sight. The results were a bit better, and after concentrating as well as he could in his condition, he began making sense of the discussion.

"T'Pol, do you know what frequency that communicator was set to?" the Captain asked hurriedly.

"I am uncertain," T'Pol replied. "The commander had adjusted the frequency prior to my continuing his work. We should attempt to ask him."

Trip wasn't sure what T'Pol had said in reply since his vision had begun to swim again, and his mind was all covered in cobwebs. However, when all three pairs of eyes turned to him, he knew that a question was going to be posed to him. He breathed in as deeply as he could, and closed his eyes again in an attempt to promote what little stores of energy were left in him. He did not reopen them until he heard his name spoken directly above him.

He managed to recognize the Captain's features from the blurry form in front of him, and he attempted a smile despite his doubt of its outcome.

"Cap'n," he whispered in acknowledgement.

"Trip, it's very important that you answer this question. Do you understand?"

"I.Cap'n.what did you say?" Jonathan's voice sounded as if it were coming from the other end of a tin can telephone. Trip could barely make sense of it.

Archer looked on in alarm, and then turned towards Krem.

"What's happened to him?" he asked with real worry. "How could he have gotten so much worse in such little time?"

Trip felt hands prodding his back again, but this time the pain was not as intense and he bore it easier than he had during Krem's initial inspection.

"Actually, Captain, he's much better," Krem replied happily. "Unfortunately, I think some non-essential systems have been affected by the tonic."

T'Pol looked on impassively and then nodded. "He does appear to be disoriented, Captain."

Trip understood little of what was being said as the conversation continued to buzz above him. The sound of it made him feel a bit ill, and he closed his eyes against it. He had almost managed to fall asleep when the sudden jolt of a slap across his face brought him back to something resembling consciousness.

Angered, he looked up to find the Captain eyeing him apologetically.

"You hit me!" Trip spat out in a slur.

"I'm sorry, Trip, but we need you conscious enough to answer a couple of questions. I need to know what frequency that alien communicator was set at before you adjusted it."

"What? Why? I.I can't remember. Lemme sleep," Trip mumbled as his eyes began to droop again.

"Commander if you go to sleep, I swear I'll hit you again!" Archer's voice was a whip-crack that cleared Trip's thoughts in an instant. He looked at Archer angrily, but made a great effort to hang onto focused thought.

"What was the frequency, Trip?" Archer asked urgently.

Trip took a moment to think back to the communicator, but it seemed as if he had made its adjustments an eternity ago. Slowly he recalled each painstaking movement as he had performed the alterations, and then suddenly revisited the surprise he had experienced when he had noted the weakness of the original frequency at which the machine had been set.

"Epsilon," he breathed out.

"Epsilon?" the Captain responded with his own surprise. "Trip, are you sure?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sure," was Trip's bleary reply. "I switched it.ah.I think.changed it to.yes, changed to.gamma. Malcolm's never.gonna find us with gamma. Guaranteed. Stuck here."

Archer smiled with newfound hope and turned towards Krem who nodded his head confidently. "Good, Trip. You did real good. You rest now, and don't worry. We're not going to be stuck here for long."