Chapter Seven
T'Pol tried desperately to fight back, anything to gain the upper hand of the situation or her. It was not meant to be, as she felt herself slipping deeper and deeper under the alien's control. It was just too powerful; she would never be able to disrupt its hold. Again Hoshi become concerned, she could see that T'Pol was struggling to retain her sanity. Her scanner also confirmed this as the bio readings were dangerously close to an unsafe or possible fatal level. Now was the time to end this part of the plan, it caused her great pain when she pondered what the failure of her mission would mean to Trip's fate. Reluctantly she pressed the hypo spray to T'Pol's neck, after a few seconds the readings on her scanner indicated that contact had been lost and T'Pol was now asleep. Hoshi felt despair welling up inside her, since it was her call to halt T'Pols attempt. Despite hearing from Captain Archer a few minutes ago to return to the ship, she placed the failure to retrieve Trip firmly on her shoulders.
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The Vortal was feeling very conflicted. Despite his actions against their colleague, the humans were preparing to defend the space station against his enemy. There reasoning may not solely have been to defend him, but the outcome was still the same never-the-less. These actions as well the previous images from this humans mind proved to him they were a species that could be trusted. If he went ahead and drained this human, he would then be no different than the Ringtock who had slaughtered his people. This he would not allow, it had to end, the endless slaughter on both sides. Gathering his strength together he levitated Commander Tucker's still and motionless body towards himself, which he then enveloped with his body. Envisioning Enterprise with his mind he focused all of his remaining strength into teleporting both of them onto the bridge.
Captain Archer and Travis both jumped up in shock; Malcolm leaped up aiming his phase pistol at the creature; Hoshi recoiled in revulsion; T'Pol calmly focused her attention on the creature raising her eyebrow in surprise.
"I am sorry about your friend. I was wrong in my assumptions, please thank him for enlightening me," said the creature. At least everyone thought he spoke, it was hard to tell - its face held a blank stare and its mouth didn't move. The words just seemed to appear from nowhere and hang in the air.
At this moment, the enemy ship sailed past on its way to the space station, firing off two warning blasts on Enterprise. No one reacted, they were too engrossed focusing on the alien creature which had now placed the body of their Commander on the floor.
"He is alive, the draining was incomplete. I can't condone what I have done in the past to survive. I can only change what I do in the future. As payment for not taking the life of your friend, please make sure no more lives are taken from the planet. Can I place my trust in you for this?"
"Yes!" replied Captain Archer in reply to his question. "Thank you"
At this the Vortal transported back again on to the station waiting for his forthcoming demise. He focused all his remaining strength onto the generator. At the split second the torpedo from the Ringtock's ship hit the station, he focused the energy from the generator into the blast. "Soon we will be together my love, but not before I take your killers with me. Revenge is mine at last."
The shockwave was immense, enveloping the alien ship completely destroying it. Enterprise was caught on the edge of the blast, warning signals went off all over as it was thrown violently from side to side. Damage was significant, but at least they were still alive to tell the tale and near enough in one piece.
T'Pol tried desperately to fight back, anything to gain the upper hand of the situation or her. It was not meant to be, as she felt herself slipping deeper and deeper under the alien's control. It was just too powerful; she would never be able to disrupt its hold. Again Hoshi become concerned, she could see that T'Pol was struggling to retain her sanity. Her scanner also confirmed this as the bio readings were dangerously close to an unsafe or possible fatal level. Now was the time to end this part of the plan, it caused her great pain when she pondered what the failure of her mission would mean to Trip's fate. Reluctantly she pressed the hypo spray to T'Pol's neck, after a few seconds the readings on her scanner indicated that contact had been lost and T'Pol was now asleep. Hoshi felt despair welling up inside her, since it was her call to halt T'Pols attempt. Despite hearing from Captain Archer a few minutes ago to return to the ship, she placed the failure to retrieve Trip firmly on her shoulders.
--------------------------------------
The Vortal was feeling very conflicted. Despite his actions against their colleague, the humans were preparing to defend the space station against his enemy. There reasoning may not solely have been to defend him, but the outcome was still the same never-the-less. These actions as well the previous images from this humans mind proved to him they were a species that could be trusted. If he went ahead and drained this human, he would then be no different than the Ringtock who had slaughtered his people. This he would not allow, it had to end, the endless slaughter on both sides. Gathering his strength together he levitated Commander Tucker's still and motionless body towards himself, which he then enveloped with his body. Envisioning Enterprise with his mind he focused all of his remaining strength into teleporting both of them onto the bridge.
Captain Archer and Travis both jumped up in shock; Malcolm leaped up aiming his phase pistol at the creature; Hoshi recoiled in revulsion; T'Pol calmly focused her attention on the creature raising her eyebrow in surprise.
"I am sorry about your friend. I was wrong in my assumptions, please thank him for enlightening me," said the creature. At least everyone thought he spoke, it was hard to tell - its face held a blank stare and its mouth didn't move. The words just seemed to appear from nowhere and hang in the air.
At this moment, the enemy ship sailed past on its way to the space station, firing off two warning blasts on Enterprise. No one reacted, they were too engrossed focusing on the alien creature which had now placed the body of their Commander on the floor.
"He is alive, the draining was incomplete. I can't condone what I have done in the past to survive. I can only change what I do in the future. As payment for not taking the life of your friend, please make sure no more lives are taken from the planet. Can I place my trust in you for this?"
"Yes!" replied Captain Archer in reply to his question. "Thank you"
At this the Vortal transported back again on to the station waiting for his forthcoming demise. He focused all his remaining strength onto the generator. At the split second the torpedo from the Ringtock's ship hit the station, he focused the energy from the generator into the blast. "Soon we will be together my love, but not before I take your killers with me. Revenge is mine at last."
The shockwave was immense, enveloping the alien ship completely destroying it. Enterprise was caught on the edge of the blast, warning signals went off all over as it was thrown violently from side to side. Damage was significant, but at least they were still alive to tell the tale and near enough in one piece.