Chapter Four



"You're in charge, Ensign," said Malcolm. "We'll return with the captain, Trip, and T'Pol as soon as we can."

Travis nodded. "Aye, sir. Be careful, sir."

Malcolm forced a small smile, nodded, then entered the 'lift with Daniels. "May I ask you something, Crewman?" he asked as he pushed the button to close the door.

"Of course," replied Daniels.

"Why is it you always seem to get the captain to do your dirty work?"

"Is that what you think I do, sir?"

Malcolm glanced down at the pulse rifle he held. "You obviously have the knowledge and access to the technology to stop this being, yet you sent Captain Archer back two centuries to do it for you. Why?"

"Believe it or not, Lieutenant, my job as a temporal agent is only to observe the timelines, make certain nothing happens that changes history as it has been recorded. We have strict rules of non-interference."

"By helping us with this weapon, you've certainly done more than just observe."

Daniels nodded. "We've had to---bend a few rules since other factions have discovered time travel."

The 'lift door opened and Malcolm couldn't help but gasp. Even though he expected it, the scene before him still surprised him. The two men stepped out into a shadowed forest. In the distance, Malcolm could hear weapons fire and explosions. He hoped his three senior officers were nowhere near that raging battle.

"This way," said Daniels with a wave of his hand.

"But why the captain?" asked Malcolm.

"What? Oh," replied the crewman. "In order to protect history, we've had to make our presence known to only a select few. Captain Archer is one of those few. Unfortunately, due to past events, many in your crew are now considered part of those few as well." He ducked under a low-hanging branch.

"You know how this turns out, don't you?" asked Malcolm as he side-stepped the branch.

Daniels hesitated. "Not exactly."

"What do you mean, not exactly?"

The crewman sighed. "There are multiple timelines, sir. Since two timelines are currently overlapping, I unfortunately can't answer your question."

"Do we succeed in any of the timelines?"

"There's no way to know for sure."

The lieutenant cursed under his breath.

"They should be just ahead."

Malcolm ducked under another branch then continued slightly ahead of Daniels. He heard voices and slowed, putting up a warning hand.

Daniels brushed passed him. "It's okay, Lieutenant. It's them."

Seconds later, Malcolm spotted Archer and T'Pol dragging Trip between them. He noted the captain's burns and the Vulcan's limp, but his stomach clenched when he saw the blood stained uniform of his closest friend. He jogged toward the three officers.

Archer looked up, startled. "Malcolm?"

"What happened to him, sir?"

"Commander Tucker's been shot," replied T'Pol. "He needs to get back to Dr. Phlox immediately. Where is Crewman Daniels? Is he with you?"

Malcolm nodded then turned. "Daniels----," he began then he stopped.

The crewman was gone.

"Oh, bloody hell," the lieutenant cursed again.

"He was with you?" asked Archer, his voice rising in anger. "Where the hell did he go? Trip needs a doctor!"

"He was here, sir," replied Malcolm dumbfounded.

"The bastard left us," spat the captain.

"So it would seem," said T'Pol evenly. She adjusted her grip on the engineer then flinched.

"Here, Sub-commander," offered Malcolm. "Let me take him."

T'Pol shook her head and tightened her arm around Trip's waist. "We need to find shelter, Captain. This mist will be turning to rain soon," she said.

Archer exhaled. "Let's move him over there, where the trees are closer together. The branches should keep most of the water away."

Trip moaned then he lifted his head slightly only to let it drop, his chin settling on his chest.

"Hang on, Trip," urged Archer gently.

"Trying, Cap'n," the engineer breathed.

Malcolm followed the three officers under the canopy of branches then helped them lower Trip to the ground. T'Pol shrugged off the coat she was wearing and placed it under the commander's head.

"Malcolm?" asked Trip. He squinted his eyes. "Where'd you come from?"

The lieutenant smiled. "Figured you'd be getting yourself into trouble again, Commander."

Trip snorted softly then grimaced in pain.

Malcolm knelt at his friend's side. "Hey, hey," he soothed. "Take it easy, Trip."

The engineer squeezed his eyes shut and nodded, taking in a shaky breath through clenched teeth.

Archer pulled back Trip's uniform to reveal a blood-soaked bandage.

"He appears to be bleeding again," said T'Pol. She placed her hand on Trip's forehead. "His body temperature is slightly elevated as well. We should not move him again."

"Agreed," replied the captain. He stood, placed his hands on his hips then looked around. "Damn it, Daniels," he muttered.

Malcolm stood up. "I have the weapon, sir. But where the hell do we find this----this being?"

"T'Pol said she saw Wilhelm near the tent. We have to go back." Archer looked down at Trip, the worry clear on his damaged face. "T'Pol, you stay here with Trip. Malcolm and I will go back to the hospital. Maybe Leyna will have an idea where we can find Wilhelm."

"Understood," replied the sub-commander.

"Cap'n," said Trip. "You're going to need more help. Just-----just give me a minute to rest." He struggled to sit up, but T'Pol's firm hand on his good shoulder stayed him.

Archer knelt at his friend's side again. "Sorry, Trip," he said gently. "But you'd only slow us down." He squeezed Trip's forearm. "You stay here with T'Pol. The lieutenant and I will be back before you know it."

"Sir," pleaded the engineer.

"That's an order, Commander," said Archer with gentle firmness. "Understood?"

Trip held Archer's eyes then finally nodded reluctantly. "Aye, sir," he relented.

Archer smiled and patted Trip's arm. "Good man." He looked across the commander to T'Pol. "You should be safe in here. I doubt at this point there will be any patrols, but if there are, these branches should keep you out of sight."

T'Pol nodded. "The sounds of battle have grown distant, sir. But you and Lieutenant Reed should still approach with caution," she advised. "Those left in its wake will no doubt----shoot first and ask questions later."

"We'll be careful."

Malcolm watched as T'Pol again placed her hand on Trip's forehead. The gesture seemed one of comfort and Malcolm nodded ever so slightly. His friend would be in good hands.

Archer squeezed Trip's forearm again then stood. "Let's go, Lieutenant."

Malcolm met the commander's worried eyes, smiled reassuringly then turned and followed his captain out into the forest.



Hoshi Sato stared at the text as it scrolled across her data padd. Phlox had suggested she write down her thoughts and feelings in a journal as a way of dealing with what had happened to her on the Xindi weapon. She'd been reluctant at first, but now as the words came pouring out of her, she realized the good doctor had been right. She wondered briefly if it even mattered, though. Earth was a changed place. She didn't even know if her family was still alive or if she'd even been born.

The ensign shook her head in silent confusion.

"You okay?" asked Travis from his seat at the helm. "I told you to take your break somewhere quiet, you know."

"There's nowhere more quiet than the bridge at the moment, Travis."

Travis smiled. "True."

"This whole time line thing is sure confusing," sighed Hoshi.

Travis chuckled. "You can say that again. I've been trying to figure out how Enterprise can even be in orbit if Starfleet never existed. I mean there was never a warp five project. How can we be here?"

Hoshi shrugged then looked back down at her padd.

"What are you working on?"

"Nothing."

"Oh."

Hoshi looked up at the hurt tone of her friend's voice. Dr. Phlox had also told her to find someone in whom she could confide. He'd offered, but Hoshi knew how busy the Denobulan was with the recovering injured. She felt strangely distant from everyone else, everyone except the man sitting only a few meters from her. Travis had always been supportive.

She expelled a long, steadying breath. "I'm writing a journal," she offered hesitantly.

"A journal?"

Hoshi nodded then paused.

"It's okay, Hoshi," said Travis gently. "You don't have to tell me."

"No, no. I want to, Travis. It's just that I'm not sure I can open the floodgates without losing it completely." She put down her padd when she realized her hand was shaking.

"Just take it slow then. Whatever you're comfortable with. I'll be here whenever you need me, I promise."

Hoshi could feel the tears well up. "They broke me, Travis," she said, her voice cracking.

Travis stood and moved to kneel beside her chair. "I don't believe that for a minute," he said.

"They did. They wanted me to break the code to the weapon and I did it." She brushed angrily at the tears that tumbled from her eyes.

"Just like that? They asked you and you just said sure?"

"Well, no."

Travis put a warm hand on Hoshi's shoulder. "I know what they did to you, Hoshi. Lieutenant Reed told me."

"They hurt me, Travis," the ensign sobbed. "I tried to fight it, I even tried to kill myself, but they hurt me again."

"You tried to kill yourself?"

Hoshi nodded. "I managed to put a third layer of encryption over the code, then I tried to get away. I knew they'd break me. I just knew it."

"Wait just a minute," said Travis. "They injected you with some sort of parasites, but you still managed to add another layer of encryption over the coding, then you tried to kill yourself so they couldn't use you, then they injected you with even more parasites. Is that right?"

Hoshi nodded again, the tears falling freely.

"They didn't break you, Hoshi. They tortured you and you still managed to do everything you could to stop them."

"But I gave them the codes! They almost destroyed Earth because of me, Travis."

"You saved Earth," insisted Travis. "If it hadn't been for you, this mission would have failed." He grabbed Hoshi's shoulders and turned her to face him. "You saved Earth."

Hoshi shook her head. He was trying to call her a hero and she wasn't. She'd failed and failed miserably.

"You saved Earth," the helmsman repeated softly.

Hoshi held her friend's eyes. He was so sincere. He really did believe she'd saved their world.

Slowly, she let her head drop to his shoulder. His arms encircled her and held her tight as she finally allowed herself to cry.



Continued