Chapter 3 Complications
Buzz. Buzz.
Archer bit back a groan and buried his head under the pillow, pulling at the edges with both hands. He clung to the desperate hope that whomever was waiting on the other side would give up and leave him in peace.
Buzz. Buzz.
Frustrated, the captain rolled out of bed, covers and pillow sliding to the floor in a lump of cotton.
"What...do...you...want?" He bit out, lunging for the door switch.
The door slid open to reveal a slightly alarmed T'Pol.
"I apologize for waking you Captain, but your presence is required in the landing bay."
Archer couldn't stop from rubbing his face briskly with his hands. His eyes felt gritty, his five o'clock shadow was growing it's own shadow. He hadn't gotten more than a few hours of sleep in almost four days.
"Sub-Commander, if this is anything less than life or death, I'm putting you on report."
T'Pol fixed her Captain with a wary look. Humans were complicated. Every time she thought she was beginning to understand their myriad of idiosyncrasies, they did something else unpredictable. Not for the first time she longed for the even-keeled presence of other Vulcan's.
"Captain, the mere fact that I have woken you against doctor's orders should indicate the matter is of sufficient importance." She stated.
"Right." Archer turned back and gave a longing look at his swiftly cooling bed. "Let me put something more...appropriate on." He shot her a wry look, as they both became aware of his attire, or lack of, to be more specific. He had been to tired to bother changing, opting to sleep in his undergarments of tight blue shorts and shirt.
"I'll inform Lieutenant Reed you shall be joining us shortly."
"You do that...and T'Pol?"
"Yes Captain?"
"I wouldn't really put you on report."
"I am aware."
The door slid shut, leaving a slightly bemused Archer staring at gray metal where her face had been moments before.
Archer found himself in the landing bay ten minutes later. Reed and T'Pol were gathered around shuttlepod two. The same shuttlepod they had used on their recent away mission. Distaste flashed across his features as memories resurfaced of their experience at the hands of the Taltaxins.
Lieutenant Reed turned as he became aware of Archer's presence. His lips tightened into a grim acknowledgement.
"I'm afraid we've got a bit of a problem Captain." He said.
Archer was getting tired of hearing those words coming from his staff.
"Not another one." He thought.
"Sir?"
"Nothing Malcolm." Archer realized he must have spoken aloud. Fatigue did that to a person. "What's wrong?"
T'Pol stepped towards the hatch, "It appears someone was recently in the pod Captain."
Archer's brow furrowed, "A stowaway?"
The three entered the pod and Archer followed T'Pol and Reed to the rear storage cabinet. Reed pulled the cabinet open and moved to the side for Captain Archer to see for himself. One of the EVA suits was shoved sloppily in.
"Isn't it possible turbulence caused the suit to shift around?"
"Not likely Sir, and also, look at this." Reed pointed to the oxygen levels. The display indicated the tank had 40% remaining.
"I see." And he did. The suits were always charged and ready before every away mission. None of the crew had used these suits on the recent mission.
"Why didn't sensors detect our...passenger...when we docked?" Archer asked.
"Unfortunately, sensors experienced a systems failure immediately prior to our arrival. Commander Tucker had them back online shortly thereafter, but as you are aware, they were undergoing realignment." T'Pol informed him.
"Well, what do they show now?" He demanded.
T'Pol shifted uncomfortably. Reed found an interesting spot to examine on the decking.
"What?" Archer's impatience was growing exponentially.
"Sir, internal sensors are now experiencing systems failure. Commander Tucker is working on it." Reed answered, cringing at the Captain's growing ire.
Archer mentally counted to ten. "Does anyone else find it odd that the sensors failed in both instances when it would have identified a hitch- hiking life form?"
"Hitch-hiking?" T'Pol puzzled.
Archer glared.
T'Pol decided to ask one of the crew later. "Captain, it is logical to assume that the failures are not coincidences." T'Pol replied. She was aware that Captain Archer's mental state was suffering from lack of rest. She understood that humans required more rest to remain functioning well. The Captain's irritability was a direct product of his lack of rest.
"Malcolm, conduct a ship-wide search. Use hand scanners, surely they can't be malfunctioning as well. Alert the crew quietly; I would prefer this...whatever it is...not know we are onto it."
Reed straightened, "Yes Sir!"
"T'Pol, come with me."
Buzz. Buzz.
Archer bit back a groan and buried his head under the pillow, pulling at the edges with both hands. He clung to the desperate hope that whomever was waiting on the other side would give up and leave him in peace.
Buzz. Buzz.
Frustrated, the captain rolled out of bed, covers and pillow sliding to the floor in a lump of cotton.
"What...do...you...want?" He bit out, lunging for the door switch.
The door slid open to reveal a slightly alarmed T'Pol.
"I apologize for waking you Captain, but your presence is required in the landing bay."
Archer couldn't stop from rubbing his face briskly with his hands. His eyes felt gritty, his five o'clock shadow was growing it's own shadow. He hadn't gotten more than a few hours of sleep in almost four days.
"Sub-Commander, if this is anything less than life or death, I'm putting you on report."
T'Pol fixed her Captain with a wary look. Humans were complicated. Every time she thought she was beginning to understand their myriad of idiosyncrasies, they did something else unpredictable. Not for the first time she longed for the even-keeled presence of other Vulcan's.
"Captain, the mere fact that I have woken you against doctor's orders should indicate the matter is of sufficient importance." She stated.
"Right." Archer turned back and gave a longing look at his swiftly cooling bed. "Let me put something more...appropriate on." He shot her a wry look, as they both became aware of his attire, or lack of, to be more specific. He had been to tired to bother changing, opting to sleep in his undergarments of tight blue shorts and shirt.
"I'll inform Lieutenant Reed you shall be joining us shortly."
"You do that...and T'Pol?"
"Yes Captain?"
"I wouldn't really put you on report."
"I am aware."
The door slid shut, leaving a slightly bemused Archer staring at gray metal where her face had been moments before.
Archer found himself in the landing bay ten minutes later. Reed and T'Pol were gathered around shuttlepod two. The same shuttlepod they had used on their recent away mission. Distaste flashed across his features as memories resurfaced of their experience at the hands of the Taltaxins.
Lieutenant Reed turned as he became aware of Archer's presence. His lips tightened into a grim acknowledgement.
"I'm afraid we've got a bit of a problem Captain." He said.
Archer was getting tired of hearing those words coming from his staff.
"Not another one." He thought.
"Sir?"
"Nothing Malcolm." Archer realized he must have spoken aloud. Fatigue did that to a person. "What's wrong?"
T'Pol stepped towards the hatch, "It appears someone was recently in the pod Captain."
Archer's brow furrowed, "A stowaway?"
The three entered the pod and Archer followed T'Pol and Reed to the rear storage cabinet. Reed pulled the cabinet open and moved to the side for Captain Archer to see for himself. One of the EVA suits was shoved sloppily in.
"Isn't it possible turbulence caused the suit to shift around?"
"Not likely Sir, and also, look at this." Reed pointed to the oxygen levels. The display indicated the tank had 40% remaining.
"I see." And he did. The suits were always charged and ready before every away mission. None of the crew had used these suits on the recent mission.
"Why didn't sensors detect our...passenger...when we docked?" Archer asked.
"Unfortunately, sensors experienced a systems failure immediately prior to our arrival. Commander Tucker had them back online shortly thereafter, but as you are aware, they were undergoing realignment." T'Pol informed him.
"Well, what do they show now?" He demanded.
T'Pol shifted uncomfortably. Reed found an interesting spot to examine on the decking.
"What?" Archer's impatience was growing exponentially.
"Sir, internal sensors are now experiencing systems failure. Commander Tucker is working on it." Reed answered, cringing at the Captain's growing ire.
Archer mentally counted to ten. "Does anyone else find it odd that the sensors failed in both instances when it would have identified a hitch- hiking life form?"
"Hitch-hiking?" T'Pol puzzled.
Archer glared.
T'Pol decided to ask one of the crew later. "Captain, it is logical to assume that the failures are not coincidences." T'Pol replied. She was aware that Captain Archer's mental state was suffering from lack of rest. She understood that humans required more rest to remain functioning well. The Captain's irritability was a direct product of his lack of rest.
"Malcolm, conduct a ship-wide search. Use hand scanners, surely they can't be malfunctioning as well. Alert the crew quietly; I would prefer this...whatever it is...not know we are onto it."
Reed straightened, "Yes Sir!"
"T'Pol, come with me."