He Who Fights With Monsters
By Thalia Drogna
*********************************************
Archer stood in the docking bay of the Rel Sevanne beside Shuttlepod Two. Trip was late and Archer wasn't pleased. Or, at least, twenty minutes ago he hadn't been pleased, now he was worried. Unfortunately something about the structure of the ship meant that their communicators didn't work so they couldn't even try to contact Trip.
"I'm sorry, sir," said Lieutenant Reed. "I went to the computer room but Shar Jen said he'd already left."
"Shar Jen was still there though?" asked Archer.
"Yes, sir," said Reed. "She said that I'd just missed him. He's probably just got distracted by some piece of alien technology."
"Have you ever known Trip to miss a check in or rendezvous if there wasn't a very good reason for it?" asked Archer.
"No, I haven't," said Reed. Trip always stuck to protocol when it came to checking in and he was very rarely late for anything. People thought that Trip was laid back, and to a certain extent he was, but it was in a very specific way. He didn't tolerate mistakes in his Engine room and he was equally careful when it came to procedures. Not following procedures on a starship was a good way to get yourself killed.
"T'Pol, when did you last see Commander Tucker?" asked Archer.
"I saw him leave the Star Chamber with Shar Jen shortly after the entertainment finished," said T'Pol. "I don't believe that he has been seen since then by any of us."
"Let's go and talk to Kris Nor," said Archer. "Perhaps our hosts can help us locate him."
Reed grabbed the nearest Tien, a technician who happened to be working in the docking bay, and asked him where they could find the Exarch. After he had explained to the technician that one of their crewmembers was missing, he was only too pleased to help and seemed just as concerned for the Commander's safety as Reed was. The technician went to an intercom and called for Kris Nor to come down to the docking bay as soon as he could.
Archer sent the engineering team back to Enterprise with Hoshi, Hooper and Scott in Shuttlepod One, there was no need for everyone to hang about while they found Trip.
"Captain," said T'Pol. "I believe I should raise my concerns with you about Shar Jen's behaviour towards Commander Tucker earlier."
"What concerns?" asked Archer.
"They were becoming overly friendly after dinner," said T'Pol.
"Overly friendly? I'm not sure I see that as a cause for concern," said Archer. Unless, he thought, Trip has been doing something he shouldn't have, but then they've only known each other for a day and for most of that time Trip was fixing their engines.
"It is more the manner of their friendship. There is something about the Tien that I find...unsettling," said T'Pol.
"Unsettling?" said Archer, "you're not giving me much to go on here, T'Pol."
"I don't know if it's relevant," said Reed, "but Shar Jen told me that the Tien are an empathic race. Maybe your Vulcan control of your emotions if clashing with their sensing emotions."
"You're telling me that they can detect our emotions?" asked Archer.
"Yes, Captain," said Reed. "I'm not sure how it works but, as Shar Jen explained it, they all have the ability to some degree."
"Interesting," said T'Pol. "I have heard rumours of empathic races before but Vulcans have not yet made contact with one. Perhaps that is indeed why I have been feeling so unsettled on this ship. Emotions obviously play a very important part in Tien culture, something which as a Vulcan it is difficult for me to comprehend. It may be skewing my perceptions."
"That's all very interesting but it doesn't help us find Trip," said Archer.
"What I was trying to convey, Captain, was that I believe Shar Jen may be hiding something from us. Perhaps we should talk to her again," said T'Pol.
"I agree Captain, she was showing a lot of interest in the Commander," said Reed.
"Okay, let's find Shar Jen," said Archer, and turned to leave the docking bay.
"Ah, Captain Archer," said Kris Nor who had entered the docking bay at just that moment. "What seems to be the trouble?"
"Commander Tucker is missing," said Archer. "He was last seen with Shar Jen."
"I will contact Nils Fen and ask him to start a search," said Kris Nor.
"We'd like to talk to Shar Jen," said Archer.
"And I'd like to be involved in the search," said Reed. "I'm sure Nils Fen won't object to having an extra pair of hands to help him out." Reed knew that Kris Nor's reaction to this would tell them a lot about whether the Tien did have anything to hide regarding Trip's disappearance. If they had nothing to hide they would have no reason not to let Reed tag along with their security forces.
"I don't think that will be necessary," said Kris Nor, "I'm sure that Nils Fen will be able to handle the search with our own security forces."
Archer noted Reed's look of annoyance at Kris Nor's swift refusal to allow him to join in the search. He knew that Reed was thinking the same thing that he was, how did they know that the Tien would even conduct the search unless one of them was there to witness it.
"And Shar Jen?" asked Archer.
"She is currently engaged in some delicate repairs to our computer. Once she has finished I'll be pleased to ask her to talk to you," said Kris Nor.
"Perhaps Shar Jen could interrupt her repairs since Commander Tucker is missing," said T'Pol.
"I'm sorry but as I said, the repairs are extremely delicate in nature and she cannot be disturbed until they are completed. If you would like to wait while we search, I can provide a place for you to do so," said Kris Nor.
Archer wasn't happy that Kris Nor had evaded his questions and he wasn't even able to talk to Shar Jen. He certainly wasn't going to leave until they had found Trip. "Thank you, we'd like to wait," said Archer. "Please keep us informed of any developments and let us know when Shar Jen is available to speak with us."
"Very well, follow me," said Kris Nor. "I feel your concern for your friend. Don't worry, I'm sure we can locate him."
"Thank you, Kris Nor, the sooner we know where he is the better," said Archer. The three remaining members of the away team followed the Exarch to a well furnished room with comfortable chairs and he left them there with instructions to call one of the stewards if there was anything that they required. Archer didn't fail to notice that before he left Kris Nor also instructed two Tien to stand guard outside the door of the room.
"I don't trust him," said Reed after the Exarch had left.
"Neither do I," replied Archer, "but we didn't catch him in a lie either. Something is definitely going on."
"Could it not simply be that Commander Tucker has had one of his episodes and is unable to summon help?" asked T'Pol.
"I had thought of that," said Archer, "but surely someone would have found him by now. There are enough Tien wandering around this ship that you would think one of them would spot a lost alien visitor. I think something has happened and the Tien don't want us to find out about it. Malcolm, we have to get out of here. Have you got any ideas?"
"I still have my phase pistol, but three of us aren't going to be much use against the small army of security officers that the Tien have. We'll have to use stealth rather than force." Archer and T'Pol hadn't brought their phase pistols with them because they had been coming for dinner not a fight. "If we could leave this room undetected that would be a good start but the only exit I can see is that door, which is currently being guarded by two Tien security officers. After speaking with their Weapons Master, I can guarantee that they will be very well trained," said Reed despondently. "And we have another problem, we also need a way to find the Commander once we're out of here."
"I believe that we should be able to use their internal sensors to locate Commander Tucker," said T'Pol. "Shar Jen spoke about the sensors being linked to their computer. If we can reach their computer room then we should be able to access the sensors and scan for a human biosign."
"Okay, so we have a way to find him once we're out. What about the guards?" said Archer looking at Reed.
"There's only one person in this room who'd have a hope of sneaking up on them undetected," said Reed looking at T'Pol. He handed her his phase pistol. "I'm betting that you can control your emotions well enough that they won't be able to sense them until its too late."
"There is only one way to test that hypothesis," said T'Pol, moving towards the door.
"Be careful," said Archer. "If Malcolm's right about their level of training, two against one won't be easy."
T'Pol simply nodded. She approached the door and put the hand with the phase pistol in it behind her back, before hitting the button to open the door with her other hand.
"Excuse me, I would like to speak with your superior officer," she said. Before either of the guards had time to react she had stunned one with her phase pistol and made use of a Vulcan nerve pinch on the other. Both guards lay at her feet within minutes of her opening the door.
"I must get you to teach me that at some point, Sub-commander," said Reed, coming to assist T'Pol as she pulled the guards inside the room.
"I would be glad to show you how, although caution is recommended in its use until you are fully proficient. A very similar technique can be used to cause death," said T'Pol.
"Remind me not to get on your wrong side," said Reed.
"I don't believe that you will require a reminder," replied T'Pol without a trace of emotion.
"Let's hurry this up," said Archer, slightly impatiently. The three of them moved the guards into the room and hid them under some cushions so that should anyone enter the room they would not be immediately spotted. "Come on, let's go and find Trip," said Archer and led his officers towards the computer room.
****
Trip lay strapped down on the biobed in the room that was next to the central computer chamber wearing nothing but his underwear. He'd struggled at first, but had soon realised that it was a futile exercise, the straps across him were too tight and strong. It was obvious that this room had been created specifically for the procedures that they were now performing on him, to prepare a living being to become part of the computer. He wondered if they had added the restraints specially for his benefit or if some of his predecessors had been equally unwilling to "conjoin" as the Tien called it.
The Tien had spent some time simply taking scans and analysing the information that they collected. Shar Jen had joined them once his uniform had been stripped off and had supervised the procedures he was now undergoing. He'd started out by trying to reason with the Tien, then had resorted to calling them all the names he could think of, followed by threatening them with what he would do if he ever got free. He was desperately trying not to panic but being strapped immobile on a biobed was bringing up a lot of bad memories. He decided that anger was his best weapon against fear so he spat more insults at his captors. This had simply been met with a hypospray of something which knocked him out.
He had awoken to find that he now had six small black plugs inserted at equally spaced points into his arms, three on each arm. More plugs had been grafted onto his legs. He could also feel two small cold metal circles on his forehead.
Shar Jen looked down at him. She brushed his hair off his forehead with one of her hands. "Do not worry, this is all for the best," she said. "It will be over soon."
"That's what I'm afraid of," said Trip. "Please don't do this, Shar Jen. It's not too late to let me go and we can forget this ever happened."
"It isn't that easy, Trip," replied Shar Jen. "I am truly sorry. If there was another way then I would take it, but there isn't. Not long now and we'll be ready for the conjoining." She fixed wires to the silver discs on his forehead.
"No! I don't want to be conjoined, or whatever you call it. Let me go!" shouted Trip.
"You know that I can't do that, I'm sorry," said Shar Jen. "Once you are conjoined it will take a little while for you to integrate into the system. Ten En tells me it can be disorientating to begin with but you should quickly become completely connected. We need to sedate you while we carry out the conjoining, otherwise the shock can be damaging. Don't worry." Trip was about to shout out again that he didn't want this but the last thing her heard was a hiss as Shar Jen pressed another hypospray to his neck and he fell into darkness again.
"He is ready. It is time to remove Ten En," said Shar Jen to her assistants. She turned around to see Nils Fen enter the room.
"Shar Jen, we have encountered a difficulty," said Nils Fen.
"What is it?" asked Shar Jen.
"Archer, Reed and T'Pol have left the waiting room. They are trying to find Trip," said Nils Fen.
"Why don't you ask Ten En where they are?" said Shar Jen. "The ship's sensors should be able to detect them."
"Ten En isn't answering anymore," said Nils Fen. "I can't even feel his emotions now."
"We must hurry then. When Ten En dies life support will shut down and we will only have minutes to conjoin Trip before power fails completely," said Shar Jen. "You must stop them from getting to the computer room. I need time to perform the conjoining and then we will have him. Once he is conjoined they cannot take him from us."
****
Archer, T'Pol and Reed made their way down the corridor carefully. They suspected that the Tien would know about their departure from the waiting room by now.
Archer crept forwards, hearing voices from around the corner and saw five Tien security guards coming towards them. He signalled silently to T'Pol and Reed to fall back, he took one quick look over his shoulder and followed them. They ducked into a storage room along the corridor and shut the door.
"I do not believe that this will work," said T'Pol, quietly. "Both of you are broadcasting your emotions."
"Then you'd better help us," said Archer. "What was all that stuff that you were teaching Trip?"
"It is complex. We don't have time for me to teach you control," said T'Pol.
"Just do the best you can," said Archer.
"Very well," said T'Pol. "Start with breathing, follow what I do and try to calm your thoughts." T'Pol sat cross legged on the floor and Archer and Reed did the same. T'Pol breathed in and out slowly and Reed and Archer tried to follow her rhythm. "Close your eyes," she said and the two humans obeyed.
"Imagine that your thoughts and emotions are like the wind in a storm, they are in turmoil at the moment but you are able to calm them. The wind is fierce now but it is dying away," said T'Pol quietly. "With each moment the wind becomes calmer until the air is still. The sun is shining and the storm is gone. Think about how the air feels when the wind has died, imagine its tranquillity and stillness."
She used her Vulcan hearing to keep one ear on the footsteps of the guards outside, she fell silent as they approached, willing her human companions to keep their emotions in check. As she concentrated on suppressing her own emotions, she heard the guards walk past. She knew that it was impossible, her human companions could not control their emotions like she did. She expected the guards to turn around at any moment and come back, but after a few minutes they had still not come for them.
"They have gone," said T'Pol. Reed and Archer opened their eyes and looked at her with relief on their faces. "I am surprised that you were able to attain such a level of control. As humans are obviously able to control their emotions it makes me wonder why you don't make use of such skills more often."
"That was bloody hard work, Sub-commander," said Reed.
"If you practised more often it would become less difficult," said T'Pol.
"Come on," said Archer. "We're wasting time." Archer checked that there were no more Tien in the corridor and they carried on their careful journey towards the computer room. Suddenly the lights flickered and went out.
"What the hell is this?" asked Archer.
"It seems that the Rel Sevanne is experiencing power fluctuations," said T'Pol, a disembodied voice in the darkened corridor. "Life support has failed." The pale back light of a tricorder was visible now.
"How long before it becomes a problem?" asked Reed.
"It would be several days before enough heat and air dissipate from the Rel Sevanne to cause us any difficulties," replied T'Pol.
"We're never going to make it to the computer room in the dark," said Archer.
"I think we can still keep moving if we keep one hand on the wall to guide us," said Reed. "The Tien are at the same disadvantage that we are."
"Okay, we'll give it a go," said Archer. The three of them made their way along the pitch black corridor feeling their way carefully.
It seemed as if they had been stumbling through the dark for a long time but Archer knew that it was only a few minutes. The lights blinked on, taking a while to warm up before they returned to their previous brightness. "Well, whatever the problem was, they've fixed it," said Archer.
He had a really bad feeling that the blackout that they had just experienced was a significant piece of the puzzle for what was happening on the Rel Sevanne but he just wasn't sure how it fitted in. Could they want Trip to help fix some mechanical problem that they were having? That didn't make any sense though, Enterprise had offered the services of its Chief Engineer willingly they didn't need to kidnap him to obtain his help. Unless of course they wanted Trip's expertise on a more long term basis, but again they had their own engineer who seemed perfectly competent, why would they need Trip too?
The Tien hadn't told the Enterprise crew much about themselves and it seemed as if they were purposefully being enigmatic now. Trip had been getting on well with Shar Jen though, and that alone had made Archer feel the encounter had been worth it, just to see Trip relax and smile again. He should have known then that nothing could be that easy, Shar Jen had obviously been trying to lure Trip into some kind of trap. He prayed that Trip was okay but settling at the back of his mind was a feeling of dread.
It was only a little further and they would be at the computer room. They rounded the final corner and in front of them was the door to the computer room, unfortunately it was guarded by a number of Tien security officers. All of whom turned to look in his direction as he drew back around the corner.
"Malcolm, we have a problem," said Archer in a whisper to his Armoury officer.
****
By Thalia Drogna
*********************************************
Archer stood in the docking bay of the Rel Sevanne beside Shuttlepod Two. Trip was late and Archer wasn't pleased. Or, at least, twenty minutes ago he hadn't been pleased, now he was worried. Unfortunately something about the structure of the ship meant that their communicators didn't work so they couldn't even try to contact Trip.
"I'm sorry, sir," said Lieutenant Reed. "I went to the computer room but Shar Jen said he'd already left."
"Shar Jen was still there though?" asked Archer.
"Yes, sir," said Reed. "She said that I'd just missed him. He's probably just got distracted by some piece of alien technology."
"Have you ever known Trip to miss a check in or rendezvous if there wasn't a very good reason for it?" asked Archer.
"No, I haven't," said Reed. Trip always stuck to protocol when it came to checking in and he was very rarely late for anything. People thought that Trip was laid back, and to a certain extent he was, but it was in a very specific way. He didn't tolerate mistakes in his Engine room and he was equally careful when it came to procedures. Not following procedures on a starship was a good way to get yourself killed.
"T'Pol, when did you last see Commander Tucker?" asked Archer.
"I saw him leave the Star Chamber with Shar Jen shortly after the entertainment finished," said T'Pol. "I don't believe that he has been seen since then by any of us."
"Let's go and talk to Kris Nor," said Archer. "Perhaps our hosts can help us locate him."
Reed grabbed the nearest Tien, a technician who happened to be working in the docking bay, and asked him where they could find the Exarch. After he had explained to the technician that one of their crewmembers was missing, he was only too pleased to help and seemed just as concerned for the Commander's safety as Reed was. The technician went to an intercom and called for Kris Nor to come down to the docking bay as soon as he could.
Archer sent the engineering team back to Enterprise with Hoshi, Hooper and Scott in Shuttlepod One, there was no need for everyone to hang about while they found Trip.
"Captain," said T'Pol. "I believe I should raise my concerns with you about Shar Jen's behaviour towards Commander Tucker earlier."
"What concerns?" asked Archer.
"They were becoming overly friendly after dinner," said T'Pol.
"Overly friendly? I'm not sure I see that as a cause for concern," said Archer. Unless, he thought, Trip has been doing something he shouldn't have, but then they've only known each other for a day and for most of that time Trip was fixing their engines.
"It is more the manner of their friendship. There is something about the Tien that I find...unsettling," said T'Pol.
"Unsettling?" said Archer, "you're not giving me much to go on here, T'Pol."
"I don't know if it's relevant," said Reed, "but Shar Jen told me that the Tien are an empathic race. Maybe your Vulcan control of your emotions if clashing with their sensing emotions."
"You're telling me that they can detect our emotions?" asked Archer.
"Yes, Captain," said Reed. "I'm not sure how it works but, as Shar Jen explained it, they all have the ability to some degree."
"Interesting," said T'Pol. "I have heard rumours of empathic races before but Vulcans have not yet made contact with one. Perhaps that is indeed why I have been feeling so unsettled on this ship. Emotions obviously play a very important part in Tien culture, something which as a Vulcan it is difficult for me to comprehend. It may be skewing my perceptions."
"That's all very interesting but it doesn't help us find Trip," said Archer.
"What I was trying to convey, Captain, was that I believe Shar Jen may be hiding something from us. Perhaps we should talk to her again," said T'Pol.
"I agree Captain, she was showing a lot of interest in the Commander," said Reed.
"Okay, let's find Shar Jen," said Archer, and turned to leave the docking bay.
"Ah, Captain Archer," said Kris Nor who had entered the docking bay at just that moment. "What seems to be the trouble?"
"Commander Tucker is missing," said Archer. "He was last seen with Shar Jen."
"I will contact Nils Fen and ask him to start a search," said Kris Nor.
"We'd like to talk to Shar Jen," said Archer.
"And I'd like to be involved in the search," said Reed. "I'm sure Nils Fen won't object to having an extra pair of hands to help him out." Reed knew that Kris Nor's reaction to this would tell them a lot about whether the Tien did have anything to hide regarding Trip's disappearance. If they had nothing to hide they would have no reason not to let Reed tag along with their security forces.
"I don't think that will be necessary," said Kris Nor, "I'm sure that Nils Fen will be able to handle the search with our own security forces."
Archer noted Reed's look of annoyance at Kris Nor's swift refusal to allow him to join in the search. He knew that Reed was thinking the same thing that he was, how did they know that the Tien would even conduct the search unless one of them was there to witness it.
"And Shar Jen?" asked Archer.
"She is currently engaged in some delicate repairs to our computer. Once she has finished I'll be pleased to ask her to talk to you," said Kris Nor.
"Perhaps Shar Jen could interrupt her repairs since Commander Tucker is missing," said T'Pol.
"I'm sorry but as I said, the repairs are extremely delicate in nature and she cannot be disturbed until they are completed. If you would like to wait while we search, I can provide a place for you to do so," said Kris Nor.
Archer wasn't happy that Kris Nor had evaded his questions and he wasn't even able to talk to Shar Jen. He certainly wasn't going to leave until they had found Trip. "Thank you, we'd like to wait," said Archer. "Please keep us informed of any developments and let us know when Shar Jen is available to speak with us."
"Very well, follow me," said Kris Nor. "I feel your concern for your friend. Don't worry, I'm sure we can locate him."
"Thank you, Kris Nor, the sooner we know where he is the better," said Archer. The three remaining members of the away team followed the Exarch to a well furnished room with comfortable chairs and he left them there with instructions to call one of the stewards if there was anything that they required. Archer didn't fail to notice that before he left Kris Nor also instructed two Tien to stand guard outside the door of the room.
"I don't trust him," said Reed after the Exarch had left.
"Neither do I," replied Archer, "but we didn't catch him in a lie either. Something is definitely going on."
"Could it not simply be that Commander Tucker has had one of his episodes and is unable to summon help?" asked T'Pol.
"I had thought of that," said Archer, "but surely someone would have found him by now. There are enough Tien wandering around this ship that you would think one of them would spot a lost alien visitor. I think something has happened and the Tien don't want us to find out about it. Malcolm, we have to get out of here. Have you got any ideas?"
"I still have my phase pistol, but three of us aren't going to be much use against the small army of security officers that the Tien have. We'll have to use stealth rather than force." Archer and T'Pol hadn't brought their phase pistols with them because they had been coming for dinner not a fight. "If we could leave this room undetected that would be a good start but the only exit I can see is that door, which is currently being guarded by two Tien security officers. After speaking with their Weapons Master, I can guarantee that they will be very well trained," said Reed despondently. "And we have another problem, we also need a way to find the Commander once we're out of here."
"I believe that we should be able to use their internal sensors to locate Commander Tucker," said T'Pol. "Shar Jen spoke about the sensors being linked to their computer. If we can reach their computer room then we should be able to access the sensors and scan for a human biosign."
"Okay, so we have a way to find him once we're out. What about the guards?" said Archer looking at Reed.
"There's only one person in this room who'd have a hope of sneaking up on them undetected," said Reed looking at T'Pol. He handed her his phase pistol. "I'm betting that you can control your emotions well enough that they won't be able to sense them until its too late."
"There is only one way to test that hypothesis," said T'Pol, moving towards the door.
"Be careful," said Archer. "If Malcolm's right about their level of training, two against one won't be easy."
T'Pol simply nodded. She approached the door and put the hand with the phase pistol in it behind her back, before hitting the button to open the door with her other hand.
"Excuse me, I would like to speak with your superior officer," she said. Before either of the guards had time to react she had stunned one with her phase pistol and made use of a Vulcan nerve pinch on the other. Both guards lay at her feet within minutes of her opening the door.
"I must get you to teach me that at some point, Sub-commander," said Reed, coming to assist T'Pol as she pulled the guards inside the room.
"I would be glad to show you how, although caution is recommended in its use until you are fully proficient. A very similar technique can be used to cause death," said T'Pol.
"Remind me not to get on your wrong side," said Reed.
"I don't believe that you will require a reminder," replied T'Pol without a trace of emotion.
"Let's hurry this up," said Archer, slightly impatiently. The three of them moved the guards into the room and hid them under some cushions so that should anyone enter the room they would not be immediately spotted. "Come on, let's go and find Trip," said Archer and led his officers towards the computer room.
****
Trip lay strapped down on the biobed in the room that was next to the central computer chamber wearing nothing but his underwear. He'd struggled at first, but had soon realised that it was a futile exercise, the straps across him were too tight and strong. It was obvious that this room had been created specifically for the procedures that they were now performing on him, to prepare a living being to become part of the computer. He wondered if they had added the restraints specially for his benefit or if some of his predecessors had been equally unwilling to "conjoin" as the Tien called it.
The Tien had spent some time simply taking scans and analysing the information that they collected. Shar Jen had joined them once his uniform had been stripped off and had supervised the procedures he was now undergoing. He'd started out by trying to reason with the Tien, then had resorted to calling them all the names he could think of, followed by threatening them with what he would do if he ever got free. He was desperately trying not to panic but being strapped immobile on a biobed was bringing up a lot of bad memories. He decided that anger was his best weapon against fear so he spat more insults at his captors. This had simply been met with a hypospray of something which knocked him out.
He had awoken to find that he now had six small black plugs inserted at equally spaced points into his arms, three on each arm. More plugs had been grafted onto his legs. He could also feel two small cold metal circles on his forehead.
Shar Jen looked down at him. She brushed his hair off his forehead with one of her hands. "Do not worry, this is all for the best," she said. "It will be over soon."
"That's what I'm afraid of," said Trip. "Please don't do this, Shar Jen. It's not too late to let me go and we can forget this ever happened."
"It isn't that easy, Trip," replied Shar Jen. "I am truly sorry. If there was another way then I would take it, but there isn't. Not long now and we'll be ready for the conjoining." She fixed wires to the silver discs on his forehead.
"No! I don't want to be conjoined, or whatever you call it. Let me go!" shouted Trip.
"You know that I can't do that, I'm sorry," said Shar Jen. "Once you are conjoined it will take a little while for you to integrate into the system. Ten En tells me it can be disorientating to begin with but you should quickly become completely connected. We need to sedate you while we carry out the conjoining, otherwise the shock can be damaging. Don't worry." Trip was about to shout out again that he didn't want this but the last thing her heard was a hiss as Shar Jen pressed another hypospray to his neck and he fell into darkness again.
"He is ready. It is time to remove Ten En," said Shar Jen to her assistants. She turned around to see Nils Fen enter the room.
"Shar Jen, we have encountered a difficulty," said Nils Fen.
"What is it?" asked Shar Jen.
"Archer, Reed and T'Pol have left the waiting room. They are trying to find Trip," said Nils Fen.
"Why don't you ask Ten En where they are?" said Shar Jen. "The ship's sensors should be able to detect them."
"Ten En isn't answering anymore," said Nils Fen. "I can't even feel his emotions now."
"We must hurry then. When Ten En dies life support will shut down and we will only have minutes to conjoin Trip before power fails completely," said Shar Jen. "You must stop them from getting to the computer room. I need time to perform the conjoining and then we will have him. Once he is conjoined they cannot take him from us."
****
Archer, T'Pol and Reed made their way down the corridor carefully. They suspected that the Tien would know about their departure from the waiting room by now.
Archer crept forwards, hearing voices from around the corner and saw five Tien security guards coming towards them. He signalled silently to T'Pol and Reed to fall back, he took one quick look over his shoulder and followed them. They ducked into a storage room along the corridor and shut the door.
"I do not believe that this will work," said T'Pol, quietly. "Both of you are broadcasting your emotions."
"Then you'd better help us," said Archer. "What was all that stuff that you were teaching Trip?"
"It is complex. We don't have time for me to teach you control," said T'Pol.
"Just do the best you can," said Archer.
"Very well," said T'Pol. "Start with breathing, follow what I do and try to calm your thoughts." T'Pol sat cross legged on the floor and Archer and Reed did the same. T'Pol breathed in and out slowly and Reed and Archer tried to follow her rhythm. "Close your eyes," she said and the two humans obeyed.
"Imagine that your thoughts and emotions are like the wind in a storm, they are in turmoil at the moment but you are able to calm them. The wind is fierce now but it is dying away," said T'Pol quietly. "With each moment the wind becomes calmer until the air is still. The sun is shining and the storm is gone. Think about how the air feels when the wind has died, imagine its tranquillity and stillness."
She used her Vulcan hearing to keep one ear on the footsteps of the guards outside, she fell silent as they approached, willing her human companions to keep their emotions in check. As she concentrated on suppressing her own emotions, she heard the guards walk past. She knew that it was impossible, her human companions could not control their emotions like she did. She expected the guards to turn around at any moment and come back, but after a few minutes they had still not come for them.
"They have gone," said T'Pol. Reed and Archer opened their eyes and looked at her with relief on their faces. "I am surprised that you were able to attain such a level of control. As humans are obviously able to control their emotions it makes me wonder why you don't make use of such skills more often."
"That was bloody hard work, Sub-commander," said Reed.
"If you practised more often it would become less difficult," said T'Pol.
"Come on," said Archer. "We're wasting time." Archer checked that there were no more Tien in the corridor and they carried on their careful journey towards the computer room. Suddenly the lights flickered and went out.
"What the hell is this?" asked Archer.
"It seems that the Rel Sevanne is experiencing power fluctuations," said T'Pol, a disembodied voice in the darkened corridor. "Life support has failed." The pale back light of a tricorder was visible now.
"How long before it becomes a problem?" asked Reed.
"It would be several days before enough heat and air dissipate from the Rel Sevanne to cause us any difficulties," replied T'Pol.
"We're never going to make it to the computer room in the dark," said Archer.
"I think we can still keep moving if we keep one hand on the wall to guide us," said Reed. "The Tien are at the same disadvantage that we are."
"Okay, we'll give it a go," said Archer. The three of them made their way along the pitch black corridor feeling their way carefully.
It seemed as if they had been stumbling through the dark for a long time but Archer knew that it was only a few minutes. The lights blinked on, taking a while to warm up before they returned to their previous brightness. "Well, whatever the problem was, they've fixed it," said Archer.
He had a really bad feeling that the blackout that they had just experienced was a significant piece of the puzzle for what was happening on the Rel Sevanne but he just wasn't sure how it fitted in. Could they want Trip to help fix some mechanical problem that they were having? That didn't make any sense though, Enterprise had offered the services of its Chief Engineer willingly they didn't need to kidnap him to obtain his help. Unless of course they wanted Trip's expertise on a more long term basis, but again they had their own engineer who seemed perfectly competent, why would they need Trip too?
The Tien hadn't told the Enterprise crew much about themselves and it seemed as if they were purposefully being enigmatic now. Trip had been getting on well with Shar Jen though, and that alone had made Archer feel the encounter had been worth it, just to see Trip relax and smile again. He should have known then that nothing could be that easy, Shar Jen had obviously been trying to lure Trip into some kind of trap. He prayed that Trip was okay but settling at the back of his mind was a feeling of dread.
It was only a little further and they would be at the computer room. They rounded the final corner and in front of them was the door to the computer room, unfortunately it was guarded by a number of Tien security officers. All of whom turned to look in his direction as he drew back around the corner.
"Malcolm, we have a problem," said Archer in a whisper to his Armoury officer.
****