Chapter Eight:

Hoshi went to her shift, thinking about the night she spent with the commander. It was innocent, really. They were good friends only trying to form a more special bond with one another.

She was not going to mention this to the captain, though. That was for sure.

As the captain entered the bridge, he was called over the comm.

"Captain, may I see you in your ready room," Archer heard a female voice ask

"May I ask who this is?" Archer tried to place the voice.

"Please come to your ready room, alone," the voice answered and turned off the comm.

"Who is in there, Malcolm?"

"I'm not picking up any life signs in your ready room, sir. It seems to be empty."

"Should I take a phase pistol?"

"I'd recommend it sir, we have no idea what we are dealing with," the tactical officer responded.

Archer picked up his phase pistol and totted it with him.

***

Captain Archer entered his ready room armed with his phase pistol. He looked around the small room and saw no one. But he did feel like he was not alone.

"A weapon?" an amused voice asked and the phase pistol melted in Archer's hand.

He flung the weapon to the ground and shook his hand. It felt like his hand was burning. Looking his hand over, he saw another hand on his. He looked up and saw the maiden in his hallucination. Her eyes were glued to his and her touch felt therapeutic. She removed her hand, revealing his was healed.

"How?" Archer began.

She ran the back of her hand across his face and shushed him.

"This path you are taking is dangerous. Your people should not be following. Those that tried to kill you are the enemy. They want to destroy the timeline."

"Are they working for the Suliban?"

She laughed. "They work for themselves. They don‚'t want there to be human exploration. They want Earth, but they cannot find it. You mustn't allow them to kidnap one of you or they will find Earth."

Jon looked down at her.

What will they do if they find Earth?"

"They will enslave your people and take all your planet's minerals, leaving it a barren wasteland and your people broken," the alien replied and then seductively kissed his cheek.

She was wearing a thin, long dress that revealed her upper chest, stomach and her curves. She walked away from Jon and ran her hand over her bare stomach, thinking. Then she turned and faced the human. Archer walked over to her and kissed her full on the lips. She pulled away from him.

"Do not," she replied, breathily. "Leave this area of space."

"Should we go all the way through the space?" Archer asked, frustrated.

"No, but there are other quadrants of this universe and you must not go through them, for you will not survive."

Archer blinked.

"There are species out there that are more powerful than you think. Your people are like a baby still in its mother's womb. Defenseless.

"Those who attacked you could just barely crush you. My people could crush you with one attack. The small vessel that attacked you days ago was only a scout ship. You were very lucky."

"So you're admitting that you wiped our memories?" Archer asked.

The alien nodded her head. "It was for your own good. You will not remember it."

"One of us already remembers."

She stared at him. "I know who she is, so do not think you are fooling me."

Jon sighed. "Why can't you just tell us who or what you are?"

"Your people are too young to understand time travel."

"And the Vulcans?"

"Just as young, for they deny its existence. You cannot deny something's existence. Everything is alive," she whispered.

Archer thought about what he was told. He wondered if she would wipe his memory from knowing all this and then wipe Hoshi's. It seemed like the thing to do, but maybe she would let them remember.

He sat down at the couch and looked up at her.

"Let me guess, you are going to wipe our memories now?"

She shook her head and proceeded to leave.

"Wait, why won't you?"

"This is not over, Captain Archer. A few of you may know. Right now it may be for the better. The Jalashk will attack again, you can be sure of that."

"The Jalashk?"

"Those who attacked you are from this time," Mishkra replied. "But I am not."

And then she disappeared.

Archer sighed and leaned back in the couch. This was already a long day and it had just started.

***

"You told Trip?" Archer asked, sitting down with Trip and Hoshi.

Archer had to think about this. It was getting out of hand. It seemed like everyone was beginning to know.

"Course, cap'n. We had a nice long chat and it came up."

"It came up?"

"I realized that something was the matter with not knowing what happened one day and she fessed up," Trip explained. "It was that simple."

Archer sighed and the three began to discuss what they would do next. He just hoped the Jalashk would not attack them; they might not survive another attack because Mishkra had left.