*****
Hoshi stared at the communications console numbly, visions of Mukai's ship leaving still dancing in her head. She didn't want to stay in her quarters. The quiet only reminded her Malcolm was gone. So, she was back on duty, convinced that hard work was the answer to exorcise his memory from her heart.
"Sir, sensors indicate three Nausican cruisers closing in at maximum warp. They're targeting us!" Lieutenant Rains called out from the tactical station.
"Polarize the hull plating," instructed Archer calmly. "Hoshi, open a channel."
"Aye, Sir."
"This is Jonathan Archer – "
The ship rocked violently as a volley of phase cannon fire hit Enterprise.
"Return fire," the Captain instructed. "Maximum yield."
Another blast shook the ship.
"What the hell was that?"
"Sir, there are hull breaches on decks E and F."
"Emergency bulkheads!" shouted Archer as an explosion sparked on the bridge. He watched in sickening amazement as his armory officer flew toward him through the thickening smoke.
Jon felt for a pulse and cursed. Lieutenant Rains was dead. Tactical was destroyed and emergency crews were running around and attending the wounded. He looked over his shoulder and saw Travis at the helm, holding on as the ship took another round of weapons fire. Starfleet had encountered the Nausicans before, but they had never demonstrated this kind of firepower.
He jumped into the Captain's chair and accessed tactical on the arm panel. Enterprise was bleeding and the Nausicans weren't letting up. The ship trembled again and suddenly stopped. On screen he could see a Vulcan cruiser pursuing Enterprise's attackers.
"Trip, damage report," Archer called down to engineering.
Static greeted him with intermittent bursts of his friend's Southern drawl. "We're dead…the water, Cap –"
The com went dead. Crouching next to another crewmen, Archer tended to the woman. "Everything's going to be okay."
--
He hated the tropics. This was no exception as he crouched down and targeted the installation. Glancing over his shoulder, his superior gave the order to move in. Starfleet didn't take too kindly to having their research and development usurped by foreign governments. They had their orders. Recover the design plans and destroy any evidence the team was there.
Captain Zamora cut in front of him, followed closely by Mukai. "Take the rear, Reed."
The team busted into the facility and Reed shielded his eyes as the brightness of the explosion flashed before him. The blast rolled toward him and he felt the heat of it take his breath away, knocking him to his knees.
Somebody had tipped the Nausican raiders off. When the smoke cleared, another horrific sight met his eyes. Captain Zamora lay dead at the feet of Mukai, who had a knife in her hand. He had known someone on the inside was working with the Nausicans, but they covered their tracks well. "You!" he screamed, feeling his lover's betrayal cutting through his soul.
Turning her cold eyes on him, Mukai lifted her phase rifle and stunned him.
He opened his eyes, the memories of betrayal and death seeping into his consciousness.
"Enterprise is crippled. They aren't going anywhere," a voice called out.
Someone banged something metallic, and Malcolm started. He tried to turn around and see where he was, but his hands were tied above his head.
"They should be destroyed!" shouted an irritated voice. "Those modified phase cannons should have ripped through their hull plating with no problems. There's no telling what he told them. I'm going to have to – "
"You're the one who pleaded for his life," retorted the other voice. "Why is he still alive?"
"I – It was a mistake," hissed Mukai. "He would have been a valuable asset if I had been able to turn him. Now, he's nothing more than a liability. As my liability, I will deal with him. I need to see who knows I'm alive."
Malcolm groaned and his captor greeted him. "Hello, Malcolm."
--
A placid face stared back at Archer from the screen. "May we render assistance, Captain?" Captain R'bora asked.
For a highly intelligent people, Jon couldn't help but laugh at the Vulcan's stupid question. "Yes," he chuckled in relief.
The lift doors opened and Commander Tucker walked onto the bridge. "Cap'n, the intake manifolds took quite a beatin', but I can get us up to warp three in a couple of hours."
"Sir, I have an incoming transmission from Admiral Forrest," Hoshi called out.
"Put it through to my ready room," Archer instructed as he made his way there.
Walking into his ready room, Jon quickly sat down and switched the communication on.
"Jon, what the hell is going on?" Forrest questioned, worry clearly etched on his face. "I got a distress signal routed through Ambassador Soval that Enterprise was under attack. What the --"
"Phlox is treating the wounded. There were…two casualties…Rains and Stevens. We'll have warp three in a few hours. The Nausicans – "
"Nausicans?" Forrest leaned forward onto his desk, the weight of his command clearly furrowed in his brow.
"Yes," Jon stated, scratching his chin.
"Is Lieutenant Commander Reed still on board? Is he safe?" Forrest asked calmly.
Hesitating, Jon barely nodded his head as he remembered Mukai's warning.
"Where is he?" Forrest repeated.
The admiral seemed earnest and a doubt lingered in Archer's mind. "Why is his record sealed?"
"Do the Nausicans have him?"
"Why is his record sealed?" Jon repeated the question.
Admiral Forrest exhaled loudly. "A little over eight years ago, Starfleet was developing … a prototype phase cannon, similar to the ones on Enterprise. The weapons facility on Jupiter Station was raided and the research was stolen. The team was looking into a different power source for the weapon other than the warp engines. The Lieu – "
"That would explain what the Nausicans hit us with," Jon stated, visibly relaxing.
Admiral Forrest continued. "The Lieutenant Commander was an undercover operative. Starfleet Intel had narrowed down the leak regarding phase cannon development to the Sierens Division, but – "
Archer blanched. "Mukai," he whispered hoarsely. Instead of protecting Malcolm, he had delivered him into danger willingly.
*****