Chapter Three



"Travis."

The young helmsman looked up at Hoshi expectantly.

"Would you stop that please?" asked the communications officer.

"What?"

"That," replied Hoshi with a nod of her head.

Travis looked at his hand. "Oh, sorry," he said sheepishly. He stopped drumming his fingers on his console. "This waiting is just getting to me."

"I know."

The ensign looked closely at his friend. "You look worn out, Hoshi. Why don't you get some rest?"

Hoshi shook her head. "I'm fine," she replied quickly. Her eyes dropped back down to her console. "I'm fine," she repeated softly.

"Might help to talk, you know," urged Travis gently.

"Not much to say," replied Hoshi with a shrug. "I did everything they wanted me to do. I broke their code."

"Hoshi," began Travis.

The ensign shook her head. "Can we not talk about this now?" she asked.

Travis nodded. He turned back to his console when an alarm sounded. "There's a ship approaching."

"But I thought there were no other starships here."

Travis hit a few buttons. "It's Vulcan," he said. "Better get Lieutenant Reed."



Jon had no idea how long Wilhelm had been gone, but the captain swore he could still smell the alien's evil stench in the tent. He glanced over to see Leyna talking with one of the hospital's doctors. From what Jon could tell, it was clear that the two were more than just colleagues. They stood very close and there was a certain comfort in their interactions with each other. They reminded him of his two most senior officers.

The captain sighed. He wondered briefly what the future held for each pair. With Wilhelm making changes to the timeline, Jon wondered what everyone's future held.

The captain turned at sudden shouting from outside. He stood as the tent flaps opened to reveal two soldiers dragging someone between them. He recognized the blonde hair and the uniform immediately.

Jon gasped. "Trip," he whispered. He immediately took a step forward, but was stopped when one of the soldiers pointed his rifle in his direction. "Let me see him!" the captain demanded, but the rifle did not waver.

Trip was lifted and deposited roughly on an empty cot. The doctor looked straight at Jon then down at his new patient and the captain knew he'd noticed Trip's uniform. The doctor said something to Leyna who motioned for Jon to come over. Both soldiers remained at the ready at the foot of Trip's cot.

"How serious is it?" asked Jon as he looked anxiously down at his friend. Trip was conscious, but he didn't seem too aware of his surroundings. Blood soaked the entire left shoulder and chest of his uniform.

"Who is this man to you?" asked Leyna.

"He's my friend," replied Jon curtly. "Neither of us is military. Now, damn it, please answer my question! How serious is it?"

Leyna ignored Jon's plea and turned to speak to the two soldiers instead. The captain heard Wilhelm's name mentioned and he grimaced in fear. She was sending for the alien commander.

One of the soldiers left, but another came in quickly, his rifle pointed at the captain. He motioned at Jon to step back.

"No," Jon replied with a shake of his head.

The German stepped forward and pushed Jon back. The captain stumbled and fell beside his cot, his equilibrium still slightly off. He tried to stand again, but found himself looking down the barrel of a rifle. He looked around the soldier to see the doctor kneeling at Trip's side.

Leyna said something to the soldier standing at the foot of Trip's cot and the man immediately moved to hover over Trip's head. He put his hands down on the engineer's shoulders then pressed.

"What are you doing?" asked Jon.

"Removing the bullet," replied Leyna over her shoulder. She pulled some bandages off a nearby table then she knelt down by the cot while the doctor tore open Trip's uniform.

Jon watched in horror as the doctor inserted a scalpel into Trip's wound. The commander struggled against the soldier holding him down, and his face contorted in pain.

"Give him something!" shouted Jon.

"We need all our supplies for our men, Mr. Archer."

Jon tried to stand again. He needed to be at Trip's side, to help him, to comfort him, but the soldier pushed him back down.

The doctor pulled some surgical pliers from his bag and began probing mercilessly and Trip cried out in agony, still struggling with all his might. His legs thrashed against the cot then they suddenly stilled. Beside himself with fear, Jon's gaze went to his friend's face. Trip's eyes were closed, but his chest still rose and fell with each ragged gasp of breath. The commander had thankfully passed out.

After what seemed like hours, the doctor gave a triumphant grunt then pulled out the bloody pliers, a bullet clamped tightly in it's teeth. Jon expelled the breath he'd been holding and dropped his chin to his chest in relief. He looked back up to see the soldier prop Trip up enough for Leyna to apply bandages. Jon swallowed. There was blood everywhere - Trip's blood.

Jon pushed himself from the ground to sit on his cot completely aware he still had a gun in his face. He looked up at the soldier who was guarding him. The boy wasn't more than seventeen at that, thought the captain sadly.

Leyna stood. "He will live if infection does not set in," she said.

"Thank you."

The nurse turned to the captain. "We are not monsters, Mr. Archer, "she replied wiping her hands on the front of her dirty tunic. "But I fear Koen may have only postponed your friend's death. I sent for Commander Wilhelm. He will not be pleased to learn about our latest arrival."

A sudden explosion rocked the tent and Jon swore he could feel the earth tremble beneath his feet. Outside, he could hear shouting and the thud of feet pounding as people ran by.

"Stalin," said Leyna. "Holy God, it begins."



Malcolm entered the bridge in a rush. "Report!" he ordered.

"A Vulcan vessel, sir," replied Travis. "They've powered weapons, but so far that's it. I think they're checking us out."

"They're hailing us, sir," said Hoshi.

Malcolm moved to the captain's chair then nodded. "Put them through, Ensign," he directed. When a Vulcan male appeared on screen before him, the lieutenant couldn't suppress his shock.

"I am Captain Soval of the Vulcan science vessel, V'Lar," greeted the white- haired man. "State your business here."

"Ambassador," gasped Malcolm.

Soval's head tipped slightly. "I repeat, what is your business here?"

Malcolm shook his head then straightened his posture. "I am Lieu---I am Malcolm Reed of Enterprise---Captain. We are simply here to---to observe this planet."

Soval's eyebrow lifted in suspicion. "Your vessel has taken heavy damage. May I inquire as to what happened?"

"The last planet we observed didn't---appreciate our presence."

"Then you are a science vessel as well?"

Malcolm put his hands behind his back and nodded. "Yes."

"We are detecting weaponry on your ship that does not support that claim, Mr. Reed," replied Soval.

"You claim to be a science vessel as well, Captain," said Daniels as he stepped forward. "Your arsenal of weapons does not support your claim either."

"And who are you?"

Daniels looked quickly at Malcolm then back to the Vulcan. "I am a science officer on Enterprise," he lied. "Believe me, Captain Soval, we do not pose any threat to this planet or to you. We are just here as observers."

Soval looked away briefly then his eyes found Malcolm's. "I believe you are lying, Mr. Reed. You are humans. Is that correct?"

Malcolm swallowed. "That is correct."

"Humans are not capable of space travel," said Soval. "Yet here you are. Explain."

The lieutenant cleared his throat. "A species called the Skagarans abducted several of us many years ago. We were taken to their world and made to work as slaves. As the years passed, we were able to overthrow their control over us. We used their technology to build Enterprise and have been searching for our people ever since. You can only imagine the joy we felt when we discovered Earth."

"Indeed."

"Yes, well, now that we're here, we are trying to decide how best to make our presence known. For now, we have chosen to observe them from a distance."

Soval's eyes squinted slightly. "That is a fascinating story, Mr. Reed." He sat back in his chair. "Vulcans have been observing Earth for years, expecting the humans to attain space travel. Surprisingly, they have not been able to do so."

"Indeed," replied Malcolm with a hint of sarcasm.

Soval sat forward. "We will be monitoring you, Mr. Reed. If you initiate any hostility toward this planet, we will not hesitate to act in kind toward your vessel. Am I understood?"

Malcolm nodded. "Perfectly, Captain," he replied.

The Vulcan's face disappeared and Malcolm's shoulders sagged in relief.



Trip inhaled, taking in the fresh sea air that blew across his face and through his hair. He was water skiing, something he hadn't done in years. He looked at the water skimmer ahead of him and smiled. The captain was driving with Malcolm as co-pilot. T'Pol was turned around watching him, the sunlight catching the highlights in her brown hair.

Then he was falling. Trip hit the water hard and went under. He realized that he wasn't wearing a life vest. The engineer struggled toward the surface, but a jolt of pain like he'd never known before stung his left shoulder. The pain grew in intensity and Trip felt nauseous. He looked toward the surface to see the watery image of the boat and three faces looking down at him. T'Pol reached for him and Trip strained to reach her hand, but no matter how he struggled, he just couldn't make it.

The engineer awoke, his entire body trembling.

"Welcome back."

Trip took a deep breath against the pain and turned his head. "Cap'n?"

Archer smiled. "Hey, Trip."

"You really are alive?"

"So it seems," Archer replied.

"I thought you were dead, Cap'n," said Trip. "I thought I'd never see you again."

The captain held Trip's eyes for a long moment then he smiled. "I'm happy to see you, too," he said softly. He drew in a steadying breath. "Although I think we could've planned our reunion in a better location, don't you?"

Trip looked around. The hospital tent – he'd been shot. He squeezed his eyes shut and immediately saw the five soldiers in the forest. They'd managed to surround him. Then when he didn't respond to their questions, one of the men had shot him. Trip trembled again.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah. Hurts like hell though."

"They won't give you any pain killers," explained Archer. "They say they need them for their own people."

A rumbling vibrated through the tent and Trip tried to sit up, only to fall back with an agonized yelp.

Archer went to stand from his cot, but a soldier shouted at him and raised his weapon. The captain put up his hands then sat back down slowly.

"What's going on?" asked Trip through clenched teeth.

"Stalin is trying to take Berlin," replied Archer.

"Your captain is right, boy."

Trip angled his head so he could see the entrance to the tent. In it stood the tall, bulky frame of an alien being dressed in a Nazi officer's uniform. The man looked at Archer then walked over to Trip's cot. He hovered over the commander, his red eyes blazing with controlled anger.

"Leave him alone, Wilhelm!" shouted Archer.

"Stalin is trying to take Berlin," said Wilhelm. He fingered the bandages covering Trip's shoulder. "But only if I decide to let him." He smiled oddly and tilted his head. "Hello, Commander."

Trip swallowed. Wilhelm continued to look at him closely, and Trip felt like the alien knew some secret that he didn't.

The tent shook again with the force of another shell's impact. Trip could hear debris hitting the tent and knew the assault was drawing closer. People were shouting outside and wounded soldiers began rising from their cots, ready to join the battle. Wilhelm held perfectly still. Then his smile faded, he turned and walked out of the tent without a word.

Trip heard a high pitched whistle then everything erupted around him. For several long moments, all he heard was screaming and a thunderous roaring in his ears. He felt more than saw the tent collapse, the heat from fire warming his sweat-chilled body. Then someone was over him, sheltering him from harm and he knew instantly it was the captain. Trip reached up with his good arm and covered Archer's head, then darkness fell over them.



T'Pol could hear very clearly the thunder of detonations moving ever closer. She ducked into the same row of foliage behind which she and the commander had hid earlier in the day. She had managed to force the pain in her ankle to the back of her mind, choosing to focus on finding Trip and the captain. The going had been slow, but she'd followed the soldiers back to the hospital, using their trail that was, to T'Pol's horror, spotted with blood.

She watched through the branches as an open-air vehicle pulled up next to the tent. From it stepped a large male in a dark uniform. The sub- commander knew instantly that it was the being of whom Daniels had spoken. She could see the glow of his red eyes even from where she was hidden. He looked around then entered the tent.

Another blast sounded very close and T'Pol heard frantic shouting from the tent. She tipped her head and focused her hearing, picking up the sound of large machinery moving. Whoever was attacking the German people, they were coming closer with every passing minute.

A light mist started as T'Pol crouched down and hid in the foliage. Troops ran by on the dirt road, their rifles drawn and at the ready. They were going into battle.

The science officer knew her time was limited, but she had no idea how she was going to get the commander and the captain out of the tent. She tipped her head again as a high pitch whistle reached her ears. The shell hit just down the road, throwing up gravel and dirt over T'Pol's hiding place. She dropped to her stomach and covered her head as debris fell around her. Above the din, she could hear shouting.

Another shell dropped, but T'Pol didn't know precisely where. Again, debris rained on her through the branches. She felt the power of the blast wash across her and she knew it had hit close. She risked a glance across the road and saw the tent as it collapsed, flames licking around it's edges.

The world erupted in chaos. Soldiers crouched in the road, their weapons trained on the encroaching military vehicles. T'Pol craned her neck to see down the road. The three vehicles were huge and ominous and quite archaic. She knew though, that they were extremely destructive.

A noise to her left drew T'Pol's attention and she turned her head. A soldier was staggering toward her hiding place, his jacket stained in deep crimson from a shrapnel wound to his chest. T'Pol held her breath. The boy dropped his rifle then pitched forward, landing only a meter away. Quickly, the sub-commander reached out and grabbed the boy's jacket then pulled him into the foliage beside her. Her hands worked, efficiently removing the jacket and the helmet.

The boy's eyes opened. "I don't want to die," he said weakly. He gripped her arm, smearing blood on her sleeve. "Please, help me."

T'Pol hesitated then she removed his hand gently. "I will bring help from the hospital," she replied. "Stay here. I will return."

The boy nodded then his eyes closed again.

She looked back at the tent. Through the dust kicked up on the road, T'Pol could see several people emerge from underneath its weight. She pulled on the gore-smeared coat and placed the helmet on her head then paused. Taking only a moment, she centered herself, focusing all her thoughts and energy on finding the two men across the road, forcing the pain to the deepest recesses of her mind. She picked up the boy's rifle, then she stood and pushed her way through the foliage.

T'Pol moved quickly. She ignored the chaos around her, her eyes fixed on the collapsed tent just ahead. Relief swept over her when she saw two figures emerge, both in Starfleet uniforms. They crouched down close together.

"Captain!"

Archer turned his head and looked at her. "T'Pol?"

T'Pol pulled off the helmet. She bent down then reached out and gently lifted Trip's chin from his chest. He was barely conscious, but he looked at her through half-closed eyes.

"You need to get out of here, Mr. Archer. No one will stop you."

T'Pol turned to see a nurse tending a downed soldier only a few meters away. The woman gave T'Pol a confused look then her eyes settled on the captain.

"What about you, Leyna?" asked Archer.

"These are my people," replied Leyna. "I will not leave them." Her gaze left the captain and it fell on a young man in a blood-stained white jacket. "I will not leave Koen." She looked back at Trip. "You are my enemy, but if he stays, he will die. I can no longer help him here. Now go!"

T'Pol moved to Trip's side and gripped his waist tightly. She looked at Leyna. "There's a boy across the road. He's been severely injured," she said and she pointed to where she'd left the fallen soldier.

"I will tend to him," replied Leyna with a nod. "Head into the forest, Mr. Archer, but be wary of patrols. Remember, you are the enemy."

"Thank you," said Archer. He pulled Trip's arm down over his shoulder and put his other arm around the engineer's waist. "Let's get out of here, T'Pol."

The three stood then bent down low and made their way quickly toward the tree line just behind the fallen tent. Debris fell over them as another shell impacted with the ground and they stumbled. Trip fell to his knees, and Archer and T'Pol quickly hauled him up.

"Come on, Trip," urged the captain.

T'Pol risked a glance behind her. The armored vehicles were meeting with little resistance as they barreled their way down the road. T'Pol wondered what would happen when they reached their destination. She knew there would be numerous casualties – both civilian and military. She thought it odd they seemed so ill-prepared for the onslaught then she wondered how much damage to the timeline the alien had already done. Perhaps he'd altered the outcome of this battle.

T'Pol started to turn back then paused. Standing tall amongst the carnage surrounding him was the alien being. His red eyes met hers and he smiled. A chill ran down T'Pol's spine and she quickly looked away. When she forced her gaze back, the being was gone.



Continued