Archer had been pacing the bridge until his helmsman had said if he
continued he'd wear a hole in the deck plating. He now sat in his chair
staring thoughtfully into space. He hoped against hope that Trip had been
kidnapped, a smile tugged at his solemn face at this thought, ironic
really. Just as quickly as it had arrived, the smile left him. If it
hadn't been kidnap, then Trip went willingly, as did Ensign James, but why?
Hoshi broke his reverie.
"Sir, there's an incoming message from the surface." Grateful at something to draw him away from his thoughts, he got up quickly and moved to stand just behind Travis at the helm.
"Put it up." The image of Orbis' face appeared on the screen, lacking its usual jovial quality.
"Ambassador."
"Captain, er," he hesitated "we think we've located your crewmen."
Archer felt his stomach give a jolt, of joy, but also apprehension. "Where? How?"
"A surveillance system detected them, we have the footage."
"Where?"
"Perhaps we should speak in private." Archer was getting annoyed, he just wanted to know where his people were.
"Ambassador." He said severely.
"If you insist, they were spotted in a night club on the outskirts of the city."
"Night club?"
"I think it would be a good idea if we spoke alone."
"Well they've heard now haven't they?" Archer snapped back, his patience was wearing thin.
"Of course, I will continue, they were spotted in a night club."
"You said." He was no longer trying to disguise the impatience and annoyance in his voice, he was fed up with waiting.
"And as I said it is located on the outskirts of the city, which is, well, a less desirable area of the city."
"I see. . ."
"Would you like to see the surveillance footage?"
"Please."
Orbis looked down to the console in front of him and pressed a few buttons. His face disappeared from the screen, and was instead replaced by an alien club. The ambassador seemed accurate in his description of it being a 'less desirable area of the city'. The room, large as it was, looked like one of the secret bars selling bootleg alcohol when it was outlawed in America, it looked dark and shabby, and not very clean. There was a bar on the left, with a highly polished bar, making the rings left by glasses clearly visible. The entrance was at the far end of the room, which was crammed with tables and booths, occupied by many people, some of whom who looked jovial and happy, others looked very drunk, while others seemed to be looking around, peering through the heavy smoke that filled the room to find their companions. In the centre of the room there was a small dance floor, in front of it an even smaller stage, where a pretty purple skinned girl with long sleek black hair was singing, although they couldn't hear here, the Captain thought she looked as though she would have a beautiful singing voice.
The camera suddenly swung to the left and focused in on a booth on the far left, somewhat cornered off from everyone else, where the Chief Engineer of Enterprise and one of his staff sat drinking and laughing, and talking animatedly to their two companions. A man and woman, both of whom looked human. The man had dark black hair, and although he looked no older than Trip, it was streaked with premature grey, he looked rather tall, although it was difficult to tell as he was sitting, but he hunched over the table as he spoke to them.
Malcolm's stomach lurched as he realised he recognised the blonde curls of the rather pretty young sitting with them, it was Trip's cousin; Emma. He glanced round the bridge no-one's eyes had left the screen, they were all too dumbfounded to draw their eyes away. He too let his attention be drawn back to the screen.
Trip and Jennifer slid out from their booth and headed towards the bar. Trip was wearing a pair of black denim jeans, and a black button up shirt. Jennifer was sporting a far to short black mini skirt, Malcolm thought, and then smiled at her reaction if he's said that to her. She wore a black tank top, exposing her bare mid-drift. They ordered their drinks, and Trip carried them on a tray back to the table. Trip slid into the booth and rested his arm on the top, Jennifer slid in after him, and snuggled in close to him underneath it, and they continued their conversation.
Orbis' voice is heard over the comm, breaking the silence, causing the bridge crew to jump. "This continues for several hours, I'll just fast forward it." As these words came over the comm, the people in the club began moving very quickly.
The expressions on Trip, Jennifer and their companions faces had become more serious, Jennifer lit up a cigarette, as did the other three.
"Is that what I think it is?" Archer asked looking around at the bridge crew, Malcolm averted his eyes.
The people begin to slow to normal speed, and Orbis speaks again. "That was 6 hours of footage, they finally get up to leave now." And sure enough the two 'strangers' walked over to the bar, presumably to pay, Trip and Jennifer however stay seated, talking to each other seriously for a few minutes. Jennifer's face suddenly breaks into a smile, Trip follows suit, Malcolm assumed he'd made one of his typical sarcastic comments. The other two re-join them, and they get up to leave. Trip and Jennifer grab their jackets from the seat, and put them on. Both black leather, with a four red stripes across the left shoulder, on the left sleeve was a round patch. The image wasn't visible, but Malcolm however thought he had an idea of what it said. The other two, were also wearing the same jackets, but the man's jacket only had three stripes and Emma's had only two. All four head to the door at the back and exit.
The screen quickly switched to the solemn face of Ambassador Orbis. "I trust this is, er, helpful?"
Archer was completely dumbfounded. "I, er -"he stuttered "- where was this?" he asked, still somewhat confused.
"I alread-"
"No, I mean precisely, can we have the co-ordinates" he asked, coming to his senses slowly.
"Of course, are you planning to send down a security team?"
"Just a few, scouters, to keep an eye on the place" he paused "if that's OK with you? He added, knowing full well he'd go ahead with it anyway if it wasn't.
"Of course."
"Thank you very much for your assistance, and your time."
Orbis gave him a courteous nod and cut the transmission. The bridge crew shared stunned glances, even T'Pol looked somewhat puzzled. Malcolm continued to avert everyone else's eyes.
"Malcolm" Archer had turned to face Malcolm. He looked up, Archer seemed to not notice his guilty expression and didn't notice him shift uncomfortably in his chair.
"Yes sir?"
"Prep a shuttlpod."
"Aye sir." With that he almost jumped out of his chair and bounded across the bridge into the turbolift.
Archer stood thinking for a few moments, eyes glazed over, when he returned to the bridge he turned to T'Pol "You have the bridge, Hoshi" he looks towards her and she looks up from her station "you're with us."
"Sir, there's an incoming message from the surface." Grateful at something to draw him away from his thoughts, he got up quickly and moved to stand just behind Travis at the helm.
"Put it up." The image of Orbis' face appeared on the screen, lacking its usual jovial quality.
"Ambassador."
"Captain, er," he hesitated "we think we've located your crewmen."
Archer felt his stomach give a jolt, of joy, but also apprehension. "Where? How?"
"A surveillance system detected them, we have the footage."
"Where?"
"Perhaps we should speak in private." Archer was getting annoyed, he just wanted to know where his people were.
"Ambassador." He said severely.
"If you insist, they were spotted in a night club on the outskirts of the city."
"Night club?"
"I think it would be a good idea if we spoke alone."
"Well they've heard now haven't they?" Archer snapped back, his patience was wearing thin.
"Of course, I will continue, they were spotted in a night club."
"You said." He was no longer trying to disguise the impatience and annoyance in his voice, he was fed up with waiting.
"And as I said it is located on the outskirts of the city, which is, well, a less desirable area of the city."
"I see. . ."
"Would you like to see the surveillance footage?"
"Please."
Orbis looked down to the console in front of him and pressed a few buttons. His face disappeared from the screen, and was instead replaced by an alien club. The ambassador seemed accurate in his description of it being a 'less desirable area of the city'. The room, large as it was, looked like one of the secret bars selling bootleg alcohol when it was outlawed in America, it looked dark and shabby, and not very clean. There was a bar on the left, with a highly polished bar, making the rings left by glasses clearly visible. The entrance was at the far end of the room, which was crammed with tables and booths, occupied by many people, some of whom who looked jovial and happy, others looked very drunk, while others seemed to be looking around, peering through the heavy smoke that filled the room to find their companions. In the centre of the room there was a small dance floor, in front of it an even smaller stage, where a pretty purple skinned girl with long sleek black hair was singing, although they couldn't hear here, the Captain thought she looked as though she would have a beautiful singing voice.
The camera suddenly swung to the left and focused in on a booth on the far left, somewhat cornered off from everyone else, where the Chief Engineer of Enterprise and one of his staff sat drinking and laughing, and talking animatedly to their two companions. A man and woman, both of whom looked human. The man had dark black hair, and although he looked no older than Trip, it was streaked with premature grey, he looked rather tall, although it was difficult to tell as he was sitting, but he hunched over the table as he spoke to them.
Malcolm's stomach lurched as he realised he recognised the blonde curls of the rather pretty young sitting with them, it was Trip's cousin; Emma. He glanced round the bridge no-one's eyes had left the screen, they were all too dumbfounded to draw their eyes away. He too let his attention be drawn back to the screen.
Trip and Jennifer slid out from their booth and headed towards the bar. Trip was wearing a pair of black denim jeans, and a black button up shirt. Jennifer was sporting a far to short black mini skirt, Malcolm thought, and then smiled at her reaction if he's said that to her. She wore a black tank top, exposing her bare mid-drift. They ordered their drinks, and Trip carried them on a tray back to the table. Trip slid into the booth and rested his arm on the top, Jennifer slid in after him, and snuggled in close to him underneath it, and they continued their conversation.
Orbis' voice is heard over the comm, breaking the silence, causing the bridge crew to jump. "This continues for several hours, I'll just fast forward it." As these words came over the comm, the people in the club began moving very quickly.
The expressions on Trip, Jennifer and their companions faces had become more serious, Jennifer lit up a cigarette, as did the other three.
"Is that what I think it is?" Archer asked looking around at the bridge crew, Malcolm averted his eyes.
The people begin to slow to normal speed, and Orbis speaks again. "That was 6 hours of footage, they finally get up to leave now." And sure enough the two 'strangers' walked over to the bar, presumably to pay, Trip and Jennifer however stay seated, talking to each other seriously for a few minutes. Jennifer's face suddenly breaks into a smile, Trip follows suit, Malcolm assumed he'd made one of his typical sarcastic comments. The other two re-join them, and they get up to leave. Trip and Jennifer grab their jackets from the seat, and put them on. Both black leather, with a four red stripes across the left shoulder, on the left sleeve was a round patch. The image wasn't visible, but Malcolm however thought he had an idea of what it said. The other two, were also wearing the same jackets, but the man's jacket only had three stripes and Emma's had only two. All four head to the door at the back and exit.
The screen quickly switched to the solemn face of Ambassador Orbis. "I trust this is, er, helpful?"
Archer was completely dumbfounded. "I, er -"he stuttered "- where was this?" he asked, still somewhat confused.
"I alread-"
"No, I mean precisely, can we have the co-ordinates" he asked, coming to his senses slowly.
"Of course, are you planning to send down a security team?"
"Just a few, scouters, to keep an eye on the place" he paused "if that's OK with you? He added, knowing full well he'd go ahead with it anyway if it wasn't.
"Of course."
"Thank you very much for your assistance, and your time."
Orbis gave him a courteous nod and cut the transmission. The bridge crew shared stunned glances, even T'Pol looked somewhat puzzled. Malcolm continued to avert everyone else's eyes.
"Malcolm" Archer had turned to face Malcolm. He looked up, Archer seemed to not notice his guilty expression and didn't notice him shift uncomfortably in his chair.
"Yes sir?"
"Prep a shuttlpod."
"Aye sir." With that he almost jumped out of his chair and bounded across the bridge into the turbolift.
Archer stood thinking for a few moments, eyes glazed over, when he returned to the bridge he turned to T'Pol "You have the bridge, Hoshi" he looks towards her and she looks up from her station "you're with us."