Mentem Mortalia Tangunt
By Thalia Drogna
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I'm just borrowing them.
*************************************************
Chapter 8
Archer, T'Pol, Mayweather, Hess and Reed stood in the situation area behind the bridge and looked at the course of the approaching Xindi ship. Archer had briefly outlined the plan of attack and was now sounding out his senior staff to see if there were any problems.
"The Xindi ship should be within weapons range in less than an hour," said T'Pol.
"I'm about half an hour away from completing the basic structural strengthening on the port nacelle, it should give us enough strength that we can manoeuvre on impulse without any problems. It'll be another three hours before I can give you warp capability. I'm sorry but we're working flat out and I just don't have anymore manpower to throw at the problem," said Hess.
"We'll just have to hope that impulse is enough for now. I know things in Engineering are tough at the moment Lieutenant and I appreciate that your staff have all worked hard to get us this far. Sub-commander, what did our Jorgan friends have to say?"
"Captain Milas agreed with our assessment of the situation, we will rendezvous with the Jorgan ship in the asteroid belt as soon as we are able to move at impulse. Their intelligence on the Xindi sensors also concurred with our own, the Xindi do not have comparable modifications to those carried out by Commander Tucker and will most likely have difficulty coping with the high metalicity of the nebula," said T'Pol.
"Travis, that asteroid field is pretty dense. Are we going to have any problems getting Enterprise through it?" asked Archer.
"I checked the scans of the asteroid field and its not so dense that we can't manoeuvre, but it might be tight in places," said the helmsman. "I can do it Captain."
Archer nodded, if anyone could do it then it was Travis Mayweather. Archer had never seen a finer helmsman than the young boomer pilot. "Okay, I guess that's all we can do for the moment. I want everything to be in top condition for when the Xindi arrive so if you have to do any systems checks then do them now."
****
Archer spent the remaining time in Engineering helping Lieutenant Hess with her repairs, he was used to lending a hand on the ship wherever it was needed. There certainly wasn't much else for him to do on the bridge, T'Pol had everything running like clockwork. Reed was checking the weapons, which was a one man job and Archer knew Reed had to do it himself before he'd be satisfied with their readiness. Mayweather was running another diagnostic on the helm control to make sure that his controls were all working as perfectly as possible. Engineering however could use all the manpower it could get at the moment.
It wasn't quite the same as when he popped down to give Trip a hand. Usually Trip gave him a hydrospanner, pointed him at a panel that had whatever needed fixing behind it and let him get on with it. He and Trip would have chatted while they completed their work. Hess was a little jumpy having her Captain working with her and didn't say much other than to give him status reports while they and some other engineers shifted another support stanchion into place on the port nacelle. Finally they had completed enough repairs that Hess was happy to sign off on using impulse safely and Archer was needed on the bridge for their move into the asteroid field.
However, he decided that he could spare five minutes to check in on Sick Bay on his way back from Engineering. When he arrived in Sick Bay he found Phlox setting up yet another machine beside his patient. Trip's skin was pale and he now lay flat on the biobed with a tube coming from his mouth to the life support machine, his chest rose and fell in rhythm as the machine breathed for him. Tubes and machines surrounded Trip and he looked small, vulnerable and very young. His arms lay on top of the blanket that was pulled up to his shoulders, and into a vein on each arm passed a tube with light blue liquid running down it.
"Any news, Doctor?" asked Archer.
"I have only just begun to administer the antidote. It was an extremely complicated molecule to synthesise and it took a little time to make the required amount to begin treatment. As you can see it has to be administered intravenously in quite large quantities. The antidote should remove the poison from the tissue and bind the poison to itself before it leaves Commander Tucker's body," said Phlox. "My only concern is the damage that the poison has already done. When I last checked his liver enzyme levels I wasn't at all happy with them. Often these things repair themselves without intervention but until I've removed the poison I won't know the full extent of the damage."
"When will you know if the antidote is working?" asked Archer. He didn't like the comment about the damage that the poison might have done already but he didn't have time to think about that at the moment.
"Within the next couple of hours," said Phlox. "He has age and fitness on his side. Once I have more news I'll be happy to call you, or you're welcome to come and sit with the Commander. I firmly believe that it benefits my patients to have someone talk to them while they are unconscious."
"I'd like to sit with him, but unfortunately we're expecting our Xindi friends to arrive in less than half an hour. If everything goes according to plan I'll be back here as soon as I can," said Archer. He was already aware that if they couldn't defeat the approaching Xindi ship then all of Phlox's efforts wouldn't make any difference to whether Trip lived or died. The Xindi would destroy Enterprise without even a second thought if they were given the chance.
"I understand Captain. Sub-commander T'Pol had already contacted me to alert me to the possible need for Sick Bay's services regarding the approaching Xindi ship," said Phlox. "Don't worry, I'll make sure Commander Tucker isn't forgotten."
****
Archer looked out the view screen at the swirling orange gas particles of the nebula. It was a stellar nursery, according to T'Pol, a place where new stars were born and they glowed with a fierce bright light. The nebula was high in sodium which gave it the orange glow. A very spectacular sight, last year they would have stopped to study it and Archer would have enjoyed finding out its secrets. Instead they had found the Jorgan ship and stopped to talk to them about the Xindi, but had never intended to stay long. He had concentrated on navigating through it, not even considering the area of space that he was passing through, more annoyed by the fact that they couldn't go around it due to its size, than impressed by the spectacle. Not for the first time Archer regretted how their mission had changed with the attack by the Xindi.
The asteroid field now surrounded them and the Jorgan ship lay off the starboard bow, almost invisible to the naked eye although sensors picked it out clearly. The Xindi must already know their rough position but it was unlikely that they would be able to pinpoint them exactly in the swirling orange fog of the nebula. It was what Archer was counting on in fact. They watched as the Xindi came towards the two waiting ships.
"Signal the Jorgans to take up position," said Archer to Hoshi.
"Yes, sir," replied Hoshi. "They're on the move, sir," she said once she had completed the conversation.
"Good, let's do the same. Travis, take us to the other side of that large asteroid," said Archer.
"Yes, sir," replied the helmsman. He guided Enterprise carefully through the asteroid field and brought them to a stop beside the asteroid.
The tension on the bridge was almost visible in the air. The Xindi ship came closer as the two allies hid in the asteroid field waiting for the Xindi to get into the right position. The Xindi were being cautious and approaching slowly, they knew that Enterprise was in the nebula somewhere nearby but they hadn't worked out where yet.
"The Xindi are conducting sensor sweeps of the nebula," said T'Pol, "as we expected the frequencies which they are using are not optimal for penetrating the nebula. I estimate their range is little more than our own before the modifications were made."
"Are the Jorgans ready?" Archer asked Hoshi.
"Yes, sir," said Hoshi.
"Send them the signal. Travis take us within weapons range, Malcolm fire at will."
A chorus of "yes, sirs", was followed by frantic action. Enterprise left its hiding place and passed over the top of the Xindi ship firing its phase cannons as it did so. At the same time the Jorgans appeared from the other side of the nebula and fired at the same target that Enterprise was aiming at. The ships passed within a few miles of each other and Archer breathed a sigh of relief that both ships had excellent helmsmen. The ships disappeared into the asteroid field and nebula gas again just as the Xindi worked out what was going on and began to shoot back. Luckily the Xindi missed both the Jorgans and Enterprise, Archer hoped that their luck would hold.
Archer wasn't finished yet though. "Bring us round again, Ensign. Did we do any damage?"
Lieutenant Reed answered. "Looks like we've put a hole in their forward armour, but we missed the weapons. Sorry, Captain, looks like I was off by about a metre." Reed had a slightly disappointed tone to his voice.
"We were lucky we hit it at all first time round," said Archer. He knew that being off by a metre wasn't much considering the firing window that they had had, the distances involved and how little they knew about the Xindi ship. Reed of course wouldn't accept anything other than perfection, sometimes Archer was very glad of this attribute in his Armoury Officer.
"The Xindi are looking for us but they have not detected us so far," said T'Pol.
"Signal the Jorgans that we're making a second run. Let's give it another go, Lieutenant," said Archer.
"Yes, sir," said Reed. "I've adjusted the targeting, we should be spot on this time."
Mayweather brought Enterprise around and made another run on the target. This time the Xindi were ready for the two ships. As Enterprise and the Jorgans passed over the Xindi, Enterprise felt a jolt as the Xindi hit them with a beam weapon.
"We managed to hit one of their cannons, but they jarred us as we fired and we were off target again for the second," said Reed.
"Damage report," snapped Archer.
"Hull plating is holding," said T'Pol.
"Fires on A and B decks. Fire crews are dealing with them. Several minor injuries being reported but nothing serious," said Hoshi.
The Xindi kept firing as they followed Enterprise into the asteroid field. There was no doubt about it, the Xindi weren't interested in the Jorgans, they were after Enterprise. The Jorgans however had noticed the Xindi chasing Enterprise and had turned to follow. The Jorgans kept firing at the Xindi ship's engines but so far it wasn't having much effect. The Xindi hull plating was too tough for them to penetrate without Enterprise's help.
"Travis, we need to shake them. Get as close as you can to those asteroids," said Archer, as Enterprise rocked again from another impact.
"Any closer and we'll be part of those asteroids, sir," said Travis, in an alarmed voice.
"Rear hull plating has failed," said T'Pol, as another shot from the pursuing ship hit home.
"If we don't shake them soon it won't matter," said Archer to Travis.
"Captain," said T'Pol, "two asteroids ahead of us are about to collide. I suggest we avoid them."
"That's what we need. Warn our Jorgan friends to back off," said Archer to Hoshi. Hoshi nodded in acknowledgement. "Travis, take us through the middle of those two asteroids."
"Yes, sir," replied Mayweather confidently.
Archer vaguely heard T'Pol say "Are you sure that this is a logical course of action?" He ignored her, jumping to his feet as Travis pulled yet another near miss.
Enterprise sped through the asteroid field as quickly as Mayweather could pilot her, twisting in and out of the course of the rocks that crossed their path. It was faster than he would have liked but if they were going to pull this off then he had to push Enterprise to its limits. They were already at full impulse but he pushed the engines a little harder in the hope that there was some more power there that he hadn't tapped. Trip would kill him if he ever found out how hard he'd pushed the Engines. The Xindi either hadn't noticed the crashing asteroids ahead or didn't care about them and continued their pursuit of Enterprise. Mayweather turned Enterprise on her side as he flew through the two asteroids that were about to meet, it was so close he almost felt the rock scratch the paint work. The Xindi weren't quite as lucky and impacted with the two asteroids, crushed in the middle as the two collided.
Archer collapsed in his chair as Enterprise was rocked by the explosion of the dying Xindi ship.
"Good flying, Travis," he said to the young Ensign. "Now let's get out of this asteroid field more slowly and preferably before we become permanent residents."
****
By Thalia Drogna
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I'm just borrowing them.
*************************************************
Chapter 8
Archer, T'Pol, Mayweather, Hess and Reed stood in the situation area behind the bridge and looked at the course of the approaching Xindi ship. Archer had briefly outlined the plan of attack and was now sounding out his senior staff to see if there were any problems.
"The Xindi ship should be within weapons range in less than an hour," said T'Pol.
"I'm about half an hour away from completing the basic structural strengthening on the port nacelle, it should give us enough strength that we can manoeuvre on impulse without any problems. It'll be another three hours before I can give you warp capability. I'm sorry but we're working flat out and I just don't have anymore manpower to throw at the problem," said Hess.
"We'll just have to hope that impulse is enough for now. I know things in Engineering are tough at the moment Lieutenant and I appreciate that your staff have all worked hard to get us this far. Sub-commander, what did our Jorgan friends have to say?"
"Captain Milas agreed with our assessment of the situation, we will rendezvous with the Jorgan ship in the asteroid belt as soon as we are able to move at impulse. Their intelligence on the Xindi sensors also concurred with our own, the Xindi do not have comparable modifications to those carried out by Commander Tucker and will most likely have difficulty coping with the high metalicity of the nebula," said T'Pol.
"Travis, that asteroid field is pretty dense. Are we going to have any problems getting Enterprise through it?" asked Archer.
"I checked the scans of the asteroid field and its not so dense that we can't manoeuvre, but it might be tight in places," said the helmsman. "I can do it Captain."
Archer nodded, if anyone could do it then it was Travis Mayweather. Archer had never seen a finer helmsman than the young boomer pilot. "Okay, I guess that's all we can do for the moment. I want everything to be in top condition for when the Xindi arrive so if you have to do any systems checks then do them now."
****
Archer spent the remaining time in Engineering helping Lieutenant Hess with her repairs, he was used to lending a hand on the ship wherever it was needed. There certainly wasn't much else for him to do on the bridge, T'Pol had everything running like clockwork. Reed was checking the weapons, which was a one man job and Archer knew Reed had to do it himself before he'd be satisfied with their readiness. Mayweather was running another diagnostic on the helm control to make sure that his controls were all working as perfectly as possible. Engineering however could use all the manpower it could get at the moment.
It wasn't quite the same as when he popped down to give Trip a hand. Usually Trip gave him a hydrospanner, pointed him at a panel that had whatever needed fixing behind it and let him get on with it. He and Trip would have chatted while they completed their work. Hess was a little jumpy having her Captain working with her and didn't say much other than to give him status reports while they and some other engineers shifted another support stanchion into place on the port nacelle. Finally they had completed enough repairs that Hess was happy to sign off on using impulse safely and Archer was needed on the bridge for their move into the asteroid field.
However, he decided that he could spare five minutes to check in on Sick Bay on his way back from Engineering. When he arrived in Sick Bay he found Phlox setting up yet another machine beside his patient. Trip's skin was pale and he now lay flat on the biobed with a tube coming from his mouth to the life support machine, his chest rose and fell in rhythm as the machine breathed for him. Tubes and machines surrounded Trip and he looked small, vulnerable and very young. His arms lay on top of the blanket that was pulled up to his shoulders, and into a vein on each arm passed a tube with light blue liquid running down it.
"Any news, Doctor?" asked Archer.
"I have only just begun to administer the antidote. It was an extremely complicated molecule to synthesise and it took a little time to make the required amount to begin treatment. As you can see it has to be administered intravenously in quite large quantities. The antidote should remove the poison from the tissue and bind the poison to itself before it leaves Commander Tucker's body," said Phlox. "My only concern is the damage that the poison has already done. When I last checked his liver enzyme levels I wasn't at all happy with them. Often these things repair themselves without intervention but until I've removed the poison I won't know the full extent of the damage."
"When will you know if the antidote is working?" asked Archer. He didn't like the comment about the damage that the poison might have done already but he didn't have time to think about that at the moment.
"Within the next couple of hours," said Phlox. "He has age and fitness on his side. Once I have more news I'll be happy to call you, or you're welcome to come and sit with the Commander. I firmly believe that it benefits my patients to have someone talk to them while they are unconscious."
"I'd like to sit with him, but unfortunately we're expecting our Xindi friends to arrive in less than half an hour. If everything goes according to plan I'll be back here as soon as I can," said Archer. He was already aware that if they couldn't defeat the approaching Xindi ship then all of Phlox's efforts wouldn't make any difference to whether Trip lived or died. The Xindi would destroy Enterprise without even a second thought if they were given the chance.
"I understand Captain. Sub-commander T'Pol had already contacted me to alert me to the possible need for Sick Bay's services regarding the approaching Xindi ship," said Phlox. "Don't worry, I'll make sure Commander Tucker isn't forgotten."
****
Archer looked out the view screen at the swirling orange gas particles of the nebula. It was a stellar nursery, according to T'Pol, a place where new stars were born and they glowed with a fierce bright light. The nebula was high in sodium which gave it the orange glow. A very spectacular sight, last year they would have stopped to study it and Archer would have enjoyed finding out its secrets. Instead they had found the Jorgan ship and stopped to talk to them about the Xindi, but had never intended to stay long. He had concentrated on navigating through it, not even considering the area of space that he was passing through, more annoyed by the fact that they couldn't go around it due to its size, than impressed by the spectacle. Not for the first time Archer regretted how their mission had changed with the attack by the Xindi.
The asteroid field now surrounded them and the Jorgan ship lay off the starboard bow, almost invisible to the naked eye although sensors picked it out clearly. The Xindi must already know their rough position but it was unlikely that they would be able to pinpoint them exactly in the swirling orange fog of the nebula. It was what Archer was counting on in fact. They watched as the Xindi came towards the two waiting ships.
"Signal the Jorgans to take up position," said Archer to Hoshi.
"Yes, sir," replied Hoshi. "They're on the move, sir," she said once she had completed the conversation.
"Good, let's do the same. Travis, take us to the other side of that large asteroid," said Archer.
"Yes, sir," replied the helmsman. He guided Enterprise carefully through the asteroid field and brought them to a stop beside the asteroid.
The tension on the bridge was almost visible in the air. The Xindi ship came closer as the two allies hid in the asteroid field waiting for the Xindi to get into the right position. The Xindi were being cautious and approaching slowly, they knew that Enterprise was in the nebula somewhere nearby but they hadn't worked out where yet.
"The Xindi are conducting sensor sweeps of the nebula," said T'Pol, "as we expected the frequencies which they are using are not optimal for penetrating the nebula. I estimate their range is little more than our own before the modifications were made."
"Are the Jorgans ready?" Archer asked Hoshi.
"Yes, sir," said Hoshi.
"Send them the signal. Travis take us within weapons range, Malcolm fire at will."
A chorus of "yes, sirs", was followed by frantic action. Enterprise left its hiding place and passed over the top of the Xindi ship firing its phase cannons as it did so. At the same time the Jorgans appeared from the other side of the nebula and fired at the same target that Enterprise was aiming at. The ships passed within a few miles of each other and Archer breathed a sigh of relief that both ships had excellent helmsmen. The ships disappeared into the asteroid field and nebula gas again just as the Xindi worked out what was going on and began to shoot back. Luckily the Xindi missed both the Jorgans and Enterprise, Archer hoped that their luck would hold.
Archer wasn't finished yet though. "Bring us round again, Ensign. Did we do any damage?"
Lieutenant Reed answered. "Looks like we've put a hole in their forward armour, but we missed the weapons. Sorry, Captain, looks like I was off by about a metre." Reed had a slightly disappointed tone to his voice.
"We were lucky we hit it at all first time round," said Archer. He knew that being off by a metre wasn't much considering the firing window that they had had, the distances involved and how little they knew about the Xindi ship. Reed of course wouldn't accept anything other than perfection, sometimes Archer was very glad of this attribute in his Armoury Officer.
"The Xindi are looking for us but they have not detected us so far," said T'Pol.
"Signal the Jorgans that we're making a second run. Let's give it another go, Lieutenant," said Archer.
"Yes, sir," said Reed. "I've adjusted the targeting, we should be spot on this time."
Mayweather brought Enterprise around and made another run on the target. This time the Xindi were ready for the two ships. As Enterprise and the Jorgans passed over the Xindi, Enterprise felt a jolt as the Xindi hit them with a beam weapon.
"We managed to hit one of their cannons, but they jarred us as we fired and we were off target again for the second," said Reed.
"Damage report," snapped Archer.
"Hull plating is holding," said T'Pol.
"Fires on A and B decks. Fire crews are dealing with them. Several minor injuries being reported but nothing serious," said Hoshi.
The Xindi kept firing as they followed Enterprise into the asteroid field. There was no doubt about it, the Xindi weren't interested in the Jorgans, they were after Enterprise. The Jorgans however had noticed the Xindi chasing Enterprise and had turned to follow. The Jorgans kept firing at the Xindi ship's engines but so far it wasn't having much effect. The Xindi hull plating was too tough for them to penetrate without Enterprise's help.
"Travis, we need to shake them. Get as close as you can to those asteroids," said Archer, as Enterprise rocked again from another impact.
"Any closer and we'll be part of those asteroids, sir," said Travis, in an alarmed voice.
"Rear hull plating has failed," said T'Pol, as another shot from the pursuing ship hit home.
"If we don't shake them soon it won't matter," said Archer to Travis.
"Captain," said T'Pol, "two asteroids ahead of us are about to collide. I suggest we avoid them."
"That's what we need. Warn our Jorgan friends to back off," said Archer to Hoshi. Hoshi nodded in acknowledgement. "Travis, take us through the middle of those two asteroids."
"Yes, sir," replied Mayweather confidently.
Archer vaguely heard T'Pol say "Are you sure that this is a logical course of action?" He ignored her, jumping to his feet as Travis pulled yet another near miss.
Enterprise sped through the asteroid field as quickly as Mayweather could pilot her, twisting in and out of the course of the rocks that crossed their path. It was faster than he would have liked but if they were going to pull this off then he had to push Enterprise to its limits. They were already at full impulse but he pushed the engines a little harder in the hope that there was some more power there that he hadn't tapped. Trip would kill him if he ever found out how hard he'd pushed the Engines. The Xindi either hadn't noticed the crashing asteroids ahead or didn't care about them and continued their pursuit of Enterprise. Mayweather turned Enterprise on her side as he flew through the two asteroids that were about to meet, it was so close he almost felt the rock scratch the paint work. The Xindi weren't quite as lucky and impacted with the two asteroids, crushed in the middle as the two collided.
Archer collapsed in his chair as Enterprise was rocked by the explosion of the dying Xindi ship.
"Good flying, Travis," he said to the young Ensign. "Now let's get out of this asteroid field more slowly and preferably before we become permanent residents."
****