Chapter Six
Trip felt himself coming round, he didn't know how long he had been unconscious but his head hurt like hell, his vision was foggy and blurred, he felt as weak as a kitten with pain coursing around his insides. He wasn't sure if this was from the Vortal or from being pinned against the ceiling for so long. Whichever the cause he was more scared than he had ever been in his life, and that was saying something considering the scrapes he had gotten himself into. Trip wanted to talk to the Vortal again but his throat was as dry as a bone and he felt like he didn't have any energy left. His innermost thoughts kept telling him not to give up, to keep on trying, but his strong resolve was crumbling away just like his strength. A tear welled up in his eye expressing sorrow for himself, for his family that he would never see again and for his friends back on Enterprise. Five minutes after this he fell unconscious.
The Vortal watched him from his hiding place, he was torn by this strange being - a feeling none of his captives had ever brought out in him before. From viewing this ones thoughts, his feelings were that they were a compassionate and caring species capable of moments of kindness to other strangers. He needed this one so he could go on surviving, if you could call this surviving - all alone, angry and bitter. If he went ahead and drained this one, wouldn't that make him no better than the Ringtock - this troubled him greatly, more than it had ever done before. For the first time he began to doubt and question his motives of what and why he was doing this.
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Travis was nearly finished prepping the shuttlepod when the comm. buzzed.
"Archer to Travis!" beeped the comm.
"Yes sir!" replied Travis.
"How much longer do you need to prep the shuttle?" asked Captain Archer?
"About another ten minutes," replied Travis. "I'm almost ready."
"Skip all but the necessary diagnostics, we need to launch now," said Captain Archer. "Phlox has been monitoring Commander Tucker's biosigns and they are getting weak and erratic. If we are going to have any chance in bringing him back alive, we need to do it now."
"Right sir!" replied Travis with more urgency in his voice. "I will be ready to go in about three minutes."
"T'Pol and Hoshi are on there way down. Archer out!"
Travis ran back to the shuttle and finished his prep launch at top-notch speed. The thought of being too late to save Commander Tucker was not one he wanted to contemplate, since he was a good friend and a superior he looked up to and admired very much. He was more than a superior officer to the juniors like him; he was a moral booster, a friend to talk to and a mentor that everyone wanted to be like.
T'Pol and Hoshi entered into he shuttlepod, just as he was running his last check
"Ensign are you ready," asked T'Pol.
"Yes Mamn!" replied Travis.
T'Pol buzzed the comm. "T'Pol to Captain Archer, we are launching now."
"Good luck T'Pol and be careful," replied Captain Archer, hoping that she would be successful and that he would see his friend again soon. The thought that he might lose his friend had been creeping into his mind, especially after the encounter with the Ringtock ship. This caused him great discomfort, since he knew he could not nor wanted to go on with the mission without his surrogate baby brother by his side. They just had to be successful, they had to be.
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Malcolm was already in the transporter room, adjusting the controls and trying to lock on to Trip's bio sign with a determined look on his face. He hated this bloody machine, just like he knew the Commander did too, although Trip hadn't directly admitted it. He set this aside though, he had to be focused for Trip's sake and his timing had to be just right. Unfortunately this was not going to be a worry, since he was having problems locking onto anything at the moment. "Damn!" he shouted, slamming his fists onto the consoles in disgust. It was all up to T'Pol now, if she couldn't disrupt the alien's hold, he wouldn't be able to put his part of the plan in action and Trip would be doomed.
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Travis halted the shuttlepod just outside the stations orbital perimeter. Turning round to the other occupants, he noticed that T'Pol had already positioned herself on floor in a lotus position. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was becoming slower as she slipped into a deep meditating state. Hoshi was beside her on the floor with a scanner positioned next to T'Pol taking readings and a hyper spray in the other. (In case T'Pol got into any difficulties and she needed to knock her out quick)
T'Pol felt peaceful, calm and relaxed, there was nothing like meditation to be totally at ease and in control of yourself and your emotions. T'Pol began to let herself open up so she could connect with the presence on the station, she was not disappointed. Soon she began to feel a strong force pervade her mind. Gentle at first, it probed her thoughts and memories, after a while it built up becoming more forceful in its exploration. T'Pol threw back her head crying out in pain. Hoshi immediately checked her scanner to see if T'Pol was in any danger. Although her readings were slightly elevated, they hadn't reached the level which Phlox said indicated concern, so she drew back allowing T'Pol to continue.
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Captain Archer was sat perched in his chair waiting for news of any new developments.
"Captain!" yelled the watch at Helm, "the other ship is heading towards the space station."
"Open hailing frequencies and get hull plating to full power!" said Captain Archer looking at his replacement bridge officers. He then buzzed the comm., "Malcolm, get up here now."
"Captain! What about the transporter?" replied Malcolm?
"It'll have to wait Lieutenant. Get up here fast."
The image of Captain Varn suddenly came up on screen. "Your time is up!" he said.
"Keep away from the space station. I can't allow you to open fire, not while my officer is still trapped over there," said Captain Archer.
"Do not try to stop us or I will destroy your ship." Captain Varn replied icily.
Without taking his eyes off the screen Captain Archer said "Helm, place Enterprise in between the space station and Captain Varn's ship, match him move for move."
The two Captains again stared each other down in an aggressive manner. "Well Captain Varn, I think the next move is your."
Captain Varn ceased communications and brought up shields and weapons. He then proceeded to place his ship in an attack position.
"Battle stations!" shouted Captain Archer, on seeing Varn's decision. "It looks like he's decided."
Trip felt himself coming round, he didn't know how long he had been unconscious but his head hurt like hell, his vision was foggy and blurred, he felt as weak as a kitten with pain coursing around his insides. He wasn't sure if this was from the Vortal or from being pinned against the ceiling for so long. Whichever the cause he was more scared than he had ever been in his life, and that was saying something considering the scrapes he had gotten himself into. Trip wanted to talk to the Vortal again but his throat was as dry as a bone and he felt like he didn't have any energy left. His innermost thoughts kept telling him not to give up, to keep on trying, but his strong resolve was crumbling away just like his strength. A tear welled up in his eye expressing sorrow for himself, for his family that he would never see again and for his friends back on Enterprise. Five minutes after this he fell unconscious.
The Vortal watched him from his hiding place, he was torn by this strange being - a feeling none of his captives had ever brought out in him before. From viewing this ones thoughts, his feelings were that they were a compassionate and caring species capable of moments of kindness to other strangers. He needed this one so he could go on surviving, if you could call this surviving - all alone, angry and bitter. If he went ahead and drained this one, wouldn't that make him no better than the Ringtock - this troubled him greatly, more than it had ever done before. For the first time he began to doubt and question his motives of what and why he was doing this.
---------------------------------
Travis was nearly finished prepping the shuttlepod when the comm. buzzed.
"Archer to Travis!" beeped the comm.
"Yes sir!" replied Travis.
"How much longer do you need to prep the shuttle?" asked Captain Archer?
"About another ten minutes," replied Travis. "I'm almost ready."
"Skip all but the necessary diagnostics, we need to launch now," said Captain Archer. "Phlox has been monitoring Commander Tucker's biosigns and they are getting weak and erratic. If we are going to have any chance in bringing him back alive, we need to do it now."
"Right sir!" replied Travis with more urgency in his voice. "I will be ready to go in about three minutes."
"T'Pol and Hoshi are on there way down. Archer out!"
Travis ran back to the shuttle and finished his prep launch at top-notch speed. The thought of being too late to save Commander Tucker was not one he wanted to contemplate, since he was a good friend and a superior he looked up to and admired very much. He was more than a superior officer to the juniors like him; he was a moral booster, a friend to talk to and a mentor that everyone wanted to be like.
T'Pol and Hoshi entered into he shuttlepod, just as he was running his last check
"Ensign are you ready," asked T'Pol.
"Yes Mamn!" replied Travis.
T'Pol buzzed the comm. "T'Pol to Captain Archer, we are launching now."
"Good luck T'Pol and be careful," replied Captain Archer, hoping that she would be successful and that he would see his friend again soon. The thought that he might lose his friend had been creeping into his mind, especially after the encounter with the Ringtock ship. This caused him great discomfort, since he knew he could not nor wanted to go on with the mission without his surrogate baby brother by his side. They just had to be successful, they had to be.
--------------------------------------
Malcolm was already in the transporter room, adjusting the controls and trying to lock on to Trip's bio sign with a determined look on his face. He hated this bloody machine, just like he knew the Commander did too, although Trip hadn't directly admitted it. He set this aside though, he had to be focused for Trip's sake and his timing had to be just right. Unfortunately this was not going to be a worry, since he was having problems locking onto anything at the moment. "Damn!" he shouted, slamming his fists onto the consoles in disgust. It was all up to T'Pol now, if she couldn't disrupt the alien's hold, he wouldn't be able to put his part of the plan in action and Trip would be doomed.
--------------------------------------
Travis halted the shuttlepod just outside the stations orbital perimeter. Turning round to the other occupants, he noticed that T'Pol had already positioned herself on floor in a lotus position. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was becoming slower as she slipped into a deep meditating state. Hoshi was beside her on the floor with a scanner positioned next to T'Pol taking readings and a hyper spray in the other. (In case T'Pol got into any difficulties and she needed to knock her out quick)
T'Pol felt peaceful, calm and relaxed, there was nothing like meditation to be totally at ease and in control of yourself and your emotions. T'Pol began to let herself open up so she could connect with the presence on the station, she was not disappointed. Soon she began to feel a strong force pervade her mind. Gentle at first, it probed her thoughts and memories, after a while it built up becoming more forceful in its exploration. T'Pol threw back her head crying out in pain. Hoshi immediately checked her scanner to see if T'Pol was in any danger. Although her readings were slightly elevated, they hadn't reached the level which Phlox said indicated concern, so she drew back allowing T'Pol to continue.
--------------------------------------
Captain Archer was sat perched in his chair waiting for news of any new developments.
"Captain!" yelled the watch at Helm, "the other ship is heading towards the space station."
"Open hailing frequencies and get hull plating to full power!" said Captain Archer looking at his replacement bridge officers. He then buzzed the comm., "Malcolm, get up here now."
"Captain! What about the transporter?" replied Malcolm?
"It'll have to wait Lieutenant. Get up here fast."
The image of Captain Varn suddenly came up on screen. "Your time is up!" he said.
"Keep away from the space station. I can't allow you to open fire, not while my officer is still trapped over there," said Captain Archer.
"Do not try to stop us or I will destroy your ship." Captain Varn replied icily.
Without taking his eyes off the screen Captain Archer said "Helm, place Enterprise in between the space station and Captain Varn's ship, match him move for move."
The two Captains again stared each other down in an aggressive manner. "Well Captain Varn, I think the next move is your."
Captain Varn ceased communications and brought up shields and weapons. He then proceeded to place his ship in an attack position.
"Battle stations!" shouted Captain Archer, on seeing Varn's decision. "It looks like he's decided."