Trip began to stir, a relief to Jonathan, T'Pol and Phlox who had stayed at his side since his return to Enterprise six hours ago. Trip's limited vision extended to Malcolm who still remained comatose in the next bed. Trip's gaze returned to T'Pol, there was worry on the normally blank face, she tried not to blush as she noticed Trip was staring at her as if he hadn't seen anything more beautiful. His thoughts returned to Madison. The bitch had cut off his hand, a fellow engineer to boot. She should have known left or right, he needed his hand. He looked down at the stump. It was that or your life Trip! Madison's voice retaliated in his head What was he going to do now? Madison James, I'll cut off your hand and use it for my own. A scenario playing in his head. "Wouldn't suit you!" She's reply. He was smiling at the thought. Then wondering how long he'd been lost in the dream, he realised why he's lost his hand. He'd failed.
"Madison?" Trip enquired. Jonathan has a deer in headlights look just as T'Pol reached for his hand as if he were a child.
"Commander." T'Pol began as Jonathan walked away, clearly crying. "Miss James is dead-"
"No. You don't understand. She was on the planet. She's a slave... Jonathan, she's alive!" Trip sat up, shouting over to a subdued Jonathan.
"We know!" Jonathan answered sadly, morning once was bad, morning twice was torture. "We Know Trip."
"I don't understand?" Trip explained. Nova wouldn't have killed her, what would have been the point in having a duel to kill her.
"She collapsed." Phlox provided the answer while tending to Malcolm, he walked over to Trip.
"No... She was fine! She saved me..." Trip couldn't cope.
"That she did. I know you may be angry that she cut off your hand, she said you would be-" Without request Phlox, T'Pol and Jonathan began to tell Trip of what happened when they arrived on Riser.
**************************************************************************
**************************************************************************
"Take good care of him Phlox." Madison smiled watching over Trip in the hospital on Riser. "You'll get him a new hand won't you. Engineering is his life."
"I will Miss James." Phlox was monitoring Trip's vital signs. Both T'Pol and Jonathan were watching over Malcolm.
"Tell him I was sorry. There was nothing else I could do." Madison fixed Trip's robe so it lay flat across his chest. "It was that or dead.... and I think you're great and all, but I doubt you could have brought him back from the dead. No one's mastered that yet."
"Someone has." He looked Madison straight in the eyes. "You certainly are a miracle."
"Tell me that tomorrow. If I live through this performance." Madison sat upon the table at the side of Trip's bed.
"You think you're going through with that?" Jonathan appeared in the doorway.
"You think I have a choice in this. You can't get me out of this. Fighting didn't help, it almost got Trip killed. Diplomacy will not work, and you're not good at anything else on ground level." Madison approached Jonathan. "I'm happy here. Just come watch me sing... it'll be a heart stopper." Madison made to leave but Jonathan grabbed her arm, she flinched. "Get off me please."
"Walk with me!" Jonathan ordered, Madison scoffed she could not tolerate being told what to do. "Please?"
Out in the sun Jonathan could see the colour drained from Madison's face. He wanted nothing more to protect her.
"Your father's gone missing-" Jonathan began, he'd received a communication from the Admiral explaining that Karl had gone missing while on his way to retrieve his daughter.
"He's that pile of ashes you were weeping over. Trip will explain it all to you-"
"No. You can, stop being a little brat-"
"Well you stop being a jumped up space Captain." Madison spat back. "My father sold be to slavery. It backfired."
"The Vulcan's killed him?" Jonathan questioned, repulsed at the lack of remorse she was showing.
"Rather him than me ay Cappy?" Madison stopped dead in her tracks. "I have got nothing to go back for-"
"What about those two men who beat the crap out of each other, in the name of your honour. What about Trip who almost killed himself to save you-"
"I never asked him to. I never asked for any of this." Madison shook with anger. "I wanted a simple life. A family that loved me. A husband, children my job. I told you not to get involved-"
"Like it or not, I'm family Madi. Enterprise is your family, Malcolm loves you! Trip and me are like your big brothers-"
"That's sick John... Sick!" Madison laughed a gleam in her eye, memories flashed in the minds of both.
"Metaphorically-"
"Metaphorically? It's still sick." Madison realised what he was doing.
"You can serve aboard Enterprise. Forrest said-"
"Forrest will not let me stay on Enterprise." Madison answered flatly. "Stop pushing. I can't leave. Escape is punishable by death."
"It wouldn't be escape." Jonathan reasoned.
"Your words of wisdom will not work with Nova. This is goodbye John." Madison stormed off without even a backwards glance.
***********************************************************************************
Jonathan returned Malcolm's side were T'Pol stood guard.
"I take it did not go well?" T'Pol asked expressionless. Jonathan sat down beside Malcolm. Jonathan wished he could sleep through the whole thing. Wake up with Madison on board Enterprise, everyone happy, Malcolm and Madison together, T'Pol and himself-
"Perhaps Phlox and yourself should return to Enterprise with Malcolm and Trip. There's nothing more you can do here. I'll go to this bar tonight and see what I can do to persuade her. Ask Travis to return in the morning. I'll keep in touch."
"As you wish Captain." T'Pol went to leave the room.
"Can you get Phlox to run tests on those remains Malcolm and Trip believed to be Madison's."
"Yes Captain." T'Pol left, leaving Malcolm and Jonathan alone.
********************************************************************************
The bar was full, word had gotten out about the amazing singer who filled a person with so much pleasure they fainted. Jonathan had to laugh at how universal Chinese Whispers were. He approached the bar with importance and confidence.
"Nova?" Jonathan questioned the bar man, who pointed out Nova in the left wing. Jonathan disliked him instantly. "Thank you." Jonathan made his way through the crowd. Nova noticed him approaching and doubled his size.
"And what do you want pink skin?" Nova sneered.
"Her!" He pointed to the curtains. "I want the human girl." Jonathan sat down without being asked. Something Nova didn't like.
"Only if she's dead. Won't be long the way she's acting. If you want to wait round for a couple of weeks. Play your cards right, she'll step out of line a few more times and I'll wrap her up to go. Wotcha say?" Nova laughed.
"If that's the way you want to play it!" Jonathan snapped sarcastically as the house lights went down and Madison appeared on stage. It was only now Jonathan realised how thin she'd become and although she had a tan ,she was quite pale. If he didn't get her out of here tonight, she would be wrapped to go!
"It's been a long road....." Madison's song was directed at both Jonathan and Nova. "Getting from there to here. It's been a time... but my time is finally near." It was clear to Jonathan she was fighting back tears. She truly believed this was the last goodbye. "I will see my dream come alive at last, I will touch the sky...." Madison looked at Jonathan. "and they're not gonna hold me down no more-" Madison collapsed with a thud. Jonathan took a short breath, allowed a tear to role freely down his cheek.
"I'll take her open!" Jonathan remarked approaching the stage to retrieve her. Sensing Nova was not going to lie down and take this, Jonathan took out his communicator. "T'Pol. Plane B. Two for the transporter-"
******************************************************************************
The sickbay doors opened and closed with a pneumatic hiss. Four pairs of eyes moved from the doors to Malcolm's now empty bed.
"It's appears Mr Reed has awoken." Phlox reported.
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
A/N
The end really is in sight! Have you any ideas for the sequel, if you do post them in as a review. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed.... This was the first story I didn't know where I was going with. I usually plan for months. (In fact chapter One was from a year ago when Enterprise first started) And I only found it by chance on an old disk.
Thank you for reading. hope you enjoyed it as much as I have writing it. I think I can wrap this up in one final chapter. But you'll have to bare with me.
"Madison?" Trip enquired. Jonathan has a deer in headlights look just as T'Pol reached for his hand as if he were a child.
"Commander." T'Pol began as Jonathan walked away, clearly crying. "Miss James is dead-"
"No. You don't understand. She was on the planet. She's a slave... Jonathan, she's alive!" Trip sat up, shouting over to a subdued Jonathan.
"We know!" Jonathan answered sadly, morning once was bad, morning twice was torture. "We Know Trip."
"I don't understand?" Trip explained. Nova wouldn't have killed her, what would have been the point in having a duel to kill her.
"She collapsed." Phlox provided the answer while tending to Malcolm, he walked over to Trip.
"No... She was fine! She saved me..." Trip couldn't cope.
"That she did. I know you may be angry that she cut off your hand, she said you would be-" Without request Phlox, T'Pol and Jonathan began to tell Trip of what happened when they arrived on Riser.
**************************************************************************
**************************************************************************
"Take good care of him Phlox." Madison smiled watching over Trip in the hospital on Riser. "You'll get him a new hand won't you. Engineering is his life."
"I will Miss James." Phlox was monitoring Trip's vital signs. Both T'Pol and Jonathan were watching over Malcolm.
"Tell him I was sorry. There was nothing else I could do." Madison fixed Trip's robe so it lay flat across his chest. "It was that or dead.... and I think you're great and all, but I doubt you could have brought him back from the dead. No one's mastered that yet."
"Someone has." He looked Madison straight in the eyes. "You certainly are a miracle."
"Tell me that tomorrow. If I live through this performance." Madison sat upon the table at the side of Trip's bed.
"You think you're going through with that?" Jonathan appeared in the doorway.
"You think I have a choice in this. You can't get me out of this. Fighting didn't help, it almost got Trip killed. Diplomacy will not work, and you're not good at anything else on ground level." Madison approached Jonathan. "I'm happy here. Just come watch me sing... it'll be a heart stopper." Madison made to leave but Jonathan grabbed her arm, she flinched. "Get off me please."
"Walk with me!" Jonathan ordered, Madison scoffed she could not tolerate being told what to do. "Please?"
Out in the sun Jonathan could see the colour drained from Madison's face. He wanted nothing more to protect her.
"Your father's gone missing-" Jonathan began, he'd received a communication from the Admiral explaining that Karl had gone missing while on his way to retrieve his daughter.
"He's that pile of ashes you were weeping over. Trip will explain it all to you-"
"No. You can, stop being a little brat-"
"Well you stop being a jumped up space Captain." Madison spat back. "My father sold be to slavery. It backfired."
"The Vulcan's killed him?" Jonathan questioned, repulsed at the lack of remorse she was showing.
"Rather him than me ay Cappy?" Madison stopped dead in her tracks. "I have got nothing to go back for-"
"What about those two men who beat the crap out of each other, in the name of your honour. What about Trip who almost killed himself to save you-"
"I never asked him to. I never asked for any of this." Madison shook with anger. "I wanted a simple life. A family that loved me. A husband, children my job. I told you not to get involved-"
"Like it or not, I'm family Madi. Enterprise is your family, Malcolm loves you! Trip and me are like your big brothers-"
"That's sick John... Sick!" Madison laughed a gleam in her eye, memories flashed in the minds of both.
"Metaphorically-"
"Metaphorically? It's still sick." Madison realised what he was doing.
"You can serve aboard Enterprise. Forrest said-"
"Forrest will not let me stay on Enterprise." Madison answered flatly. "Stop pushing. I can't leave. Escape is punishable by death."
"It wouldn't be escape." Jonathan reasoned.
"Your words of wisdom will not work with Nova. This is goodbye John." Madison stormed off without even a backwards glance.
***********************************************************************************
Jonathan returned Malcolm's side were T'Pol stood guard.
"I take it did not go well?" T'Pol asked expressionless. Jonathan sat down beside Malcolm. Jonathan wished he could sleep through the whole thing. Wake up with Madison on board Enterprise, everyone happy, Malcolm and Madison together, T'Pol and himself-
"Perhaps Phlox and yourself should return to Enterprise with Malcolm and Trip. There's nothing more you can do here. I'll go to this bar tonight and see what I can do to persuade her. Ask Travis to return in the morning. I'll keep in touch."
"As you wish Captain." T'Pol went to leave the room.
"Can you get Phlox to run tests on those remains Malcolm and Trip believed to be Madison's."
"Yes Captain." T'Pol left, leaving Malcolm and Jonathan alone.
********************************************************************************
The bar was full, word had gotten out about the amazing singer who filled a person with so much pleasure they fainted. Jonathan had to laugh at how universal Chinese Whispers were. He approached the bar with importance and confidence.
"Nova?" Jonathan questioned the bar man, who pointed out Nova in the left wing. Jonathan disliked him instantly. "Thank you." Jonathan made his way through the crowd. Nova noticed him approaching and doubled his size.
"And what do you want pink skin?" Nova sneered.
"Her!" He pointed to the curtains. "I want the human girl." Jonathan sat down without being asked. Something Nova didn't like.
"Only if she's dead. Won't be long the way she's acting. If you want to wait round for a couple of weeks. Play your cards right, she'll step out of line a few more times and I'll wrap her up to go. Wotcha say?" Nova laughed.
"If that's the way you want to play it!" Jonathan snapped sarcastically as the house lights went down and Madison appeared on stage. It was only now Jonathan realised how thin she'd become and although she had a tan ,she was quite pale. If he didn't get her out of here tonight, she would be wrapped to go!
"It's been a long road....." Madison's song was directed at both Jonathan and Nova. "Getting from there to here. It's been a time... but my time is finally near." It was clear to Jonathan she was fighting back tears. She truly believed this was the last goodbye. "I will see my dream come alive at last, I will touch the sky...." Madison looked at Jonathan. "and they're not gonna hold me down no more-" Madison collapsed with a thud. Jonathan took a short breath, allowed a tear to role freely down his cheek.
"I'll take her open!" Jonathan remarked approaching the stage to retrieve her. Sensing Nova was not going to lie down and take this, Jonathan took out his communicator. "T'Pol. Plane B. Two for the transporter-"
******************************************************************************
The sickbay doors opened and closed with a pneumatic hiss. Four pairs of eyes moved from the doors to Malcolm's now empty bed.
"It's appears Mr Reed has awoken." Phlox reported.
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
A/N
The end really is in sight! Have you any ideas for the sequel, if you do post them in as a review. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed.... This was the first story I didn't know where I was going with. I usually plan for months. (In fact chapter One was from a year ago when Enterprise first started) And I only found it by chance on an old disk.
Thank you for reading. hope you enjoyed it as much as I have writing it. I think I can wrap this up in one final chapter. But you'll have to bare with me.