He Who Fights With Monsters
By Thalia Drogna
They opened the cylinder and revealed Trip, at first glance he was unharmed. Then Archer noticed the blood on his face, Trip's nose was bleeding and a drop of blood ran from the corner of each eye.
"Doctor!" he shouted.
"Keep the pressure on that wound," said Phlox to the MACO who had been helping him with Nils Fen. He went to the cylinder and began scanning.
"How do we get him out of there?" asked Archer.
"We need to disconnect the computer feeds before the life support. T'Pol, I require your assistance, this is more your area than mine," said Phlox.
T'Pol took out her scanner. "We must disconnect these in order," said T'Pol.
"I can help," said Shar Jen.
"I think you've done enough," said Reed, stepping between Shar Jen and T'Pol.
"He was fine until the Vor Devrees arrived, he was loved and cared for," said Shar Jen.
"He had five years to live after you wired him into your computer! How is that caring for him?" shouted Reed.
"Malcolm, now is not the time," said Archer appearing at his shoulder.
"Five years? I don't understand," said Shar Jen.
"He didn't tell you?" asked Archer.
"He didn't tell me what?" asked Shar Jen.
"The conjoining was making his brain work too hard, he was burning up. Doctor Phlox estimated that he had about five years before the damage became fatal," said Archer.
"I didn't know," said Shar Jen. "I didn't know, you have to believe me!"
"You know the sad thing about all this is that I do believe you," said Reed. "You had him so thoroughly brainwashed that he would have given up his life for you. Of course he didn't tell you, that would have been just like the stupid fool. You took advantage of a good man and I hope you're happy with where it's got you."
Shar Jen stared at Reed as if she'd just been slapped. Reed vaguely heard T'Pol instructing Phlox on the order to disconnect the wires that led into Trip's body.
"Malcolm, we have a job to do," said Archer, "we don't have time for this right now."
"Yes, sir," said Malcolm through gritted teeth, but he didn't take his eyes off Shar Jen.
The lights dimmed and then went out. The Enterprise away team flicked on their torches.
"I'll see if I can get the emergency lights back on," said Shar Jen and went to the computer console.
"I hope this means that you've disconnected Trip," said Archer.
"We cannot remove the neural nodes until we return to the ship," said Phlox. "That will require surgery. But that's the last of the data feeds, now for the life support."
Shar Jen finished working on the console and the red of the emergency lighting returned.
"Please exercise caution, doctor," said T'Pol.
"Of course, T'Pol," said Phlox, slightly affronted that T'Pol felt that she needed to say it. However, even if T'Pol hadn't realised it yet, he knew that she cared for Commander Tucker and that was behind what was tantamount to an emotional outburst for a Vulcan.
The Tien had implanted a series of small black plugs into Commander Tucker's body and these were connected to data feeds or life support systems. Phlox had already disconnected the computer feeds but now he had the more difficult task of removing the Commander from life support. At least one of the systems was introducing oxygen into his blood, another provided nourishment and yet another removed waste products. It was a tangle of biological systems that he would have preferred not to disturb given his limited knowledge of the Tien medical technology. He considered removing the whole system and moving it in its entirety back to Enterprise but he couldn't see any way that they could get it out of the room. No, he would have to do this the hard way, disconnecting each system in turn and hoping that the Commander's body had not become so dependent on the systems that his body would be unable to resume normal function.
"T'Pol, have an oxygen mask standing by, I'm about to disconnect the direct oxygen system and the air in here is less than ideal," said Phlox and T'Pol went to the doctor's kit to get the required equipment. "We will also require the stretcher to get him back to Enterprise," he added to Archer, who went to collect the stretcher from where it had been left in the corridor. T'Pol returned with the oxygen mask and placed it over Trip's nose and mouth while Phlox worked.
"That's the last of them, so far he's stable," said Phlox a few minutes later. He pressed a hypospray to Trip's neck and followed it swiftly with a second dose of a different drug. "We can move him," he said and Archer and T'Pol carefully lifted Trip's semi-naked body from the machine it had been encased in. They laid him gently on the stretcher where Phlox attached a tube that led into his arm. Archer could feel that Trip's skin was hot to the touch.
"The virus?" asked Archer.
"Yes, he has it," said Phlox, medical tricorder in his hand, "and combined with his other injuries it could be fatal."
"Can't you just give him the vaccine?" asked Reed.
"It doesn't work that way," said Phlox. "The vaccine is only good for preventing someone from contracting the disease. I need to manufacture an anti-viral."
"How long will that take?" Archer asked anxiously.
"Maybe too long," said Phlox. "A few hours at most, but the virus was designed to disable a ship, it's strong enough to kill a human, and his body won't be able to fight it off in his current condition."
"And his other injuries?" asked Archer.
"It's difficult to tell without giving him a complete body scan but definitely severe injury to his entire nervous system and some brain damage. I need to get him back to Enterprise as soon as possible."
Suddenly Trip's eyelids flickered. They opened to reveal red eyes, saturated with blood.
"Trip, can you hear me? You're going to be okay, you hear, okay," said Archer.
"I can't see," Trip croaked. "I can't feel. It's all gone." He closed his eyes again in obvious pain.
Archer looked at Phlox with worry in his eyes. "Why can't he see?" he asked as quietly as he could and still be heard.
"His optical nerve was re-routed to connect to the ship's visual sensors. It's reversible but it will take a little work. Just talk to him, let him know that you're here, he can still hear you," said Phlox.
"Trip, it's going to be okay," said Archer taking his friend's hand. "We got you out, you're not part of the Rel Sevanne anymore."
Trip shook his head. "No, put me back," he whispered.
"We can't Trip, the ship's falling apart and we have to get you out of here," said Archer.
"Vor Devrees," he said, almost too quietly for Archer to hear. "They have a new weapon."
Archer indicated to Reed that he should listen in and he crouched down beside his friend too. "What weapon, Trip?" asked Archer.
"Inter-reality cannon," he said clearly but obviously having trouble forming the words. He opened blood drenched eyes once more.
"It's okay, Trip," said Reed. "We got to them before they could use it." He could see Archer looking at him with inquiring eyes, wondering what this weapon was.
Trip was shaking his head again though. "Flaw," he said, swallowing hard. "Design flaw. The universe reclaims its' own." His eyes shut again, his head drooping to one side and suddenly Phlox was pushing them out of the way.
"His breathing is erratic, I need to intubate," said the doctor, pulling more equipment from his kit rapidly and efficiently inserting a breathing tube into Trip's airway which he connected to an oxygen supply. "We have to get him back to Enterprise now."
"Agreed," said Archer. "Malcolm, take Phlox and two of the MACOs and get Trip back to Enterprise."
"What about Nils Fen?" asked Reed.
"We will look after him," said Shar Jen. "Take good care of Trip En," she added stiffly.
"We intend to," said Reed, the anger evident in his voice even without any inflection on his part. "What about you, Captain?"
"T'Pol and I have some unfinished business with the Vor Devrees," said Archer.
"I do not understand," said T'Pol.
"What Trip said about the inter-reality cannon, was it true, Malcolm?" said Archer.
"Oh they had such a thing," said Reed, "but as far as I know it was destroyed in the crash. Apparently it worked by ripping things into another universe. Luckily the virus got to work on their systems before they could make use of it. You don't think Trip meant anything by what he said do you? He's delirious and not exactly himself."
"You saw what an effort it was for him to talk to us," replied Archer. "I don't think he would have bothered if it hadn't been something important."
"Perhaps we should question Sharien," said T'Pol.
"My thoughts exactly," said Archer, heading for the door of the computer room. He climbed through and rounded the corner to see Sharien still tied up where Reed had left her. Reed's knife was still buried in her leg and but she was conscious.
"You found your friend," said Sharien, indicating Trip as the MACOs carefully manoeuvred his stretcher through the door. "Looks as if he's not doing so well."
"We'll take care of him," said Reed.
"Yes, I can see that as security officer of Enterprise you've looked after him really well," said Sharien, sarcastically.
Before Archer could stop him, Reed was pulling Sharien to her feet and shoving her against the wall.
"Malcolm!" said Archer. Reed ignored him.
"Perhaps I should remind you that your Matriarch is dead. Tell us about the inter-reality cannon," said Reed. "What twisted design flaw did you build into it?"
Sharien winced at the pain but refused to give Reed any further indication of weakness. "There's nothing you can do. The universe reclaims its' own."
"Trip said the same thing, what does it mean?" asked Reed.
"The cannon opens a conduit to our universe. If the power source overloads then the cannon will self-destruct, and re-open that conduit. The resulting release of energy will be huge. The safety systems won't stop it. It drags everything from it's own universe back there," said Sharien. "If it was damaged in the crash then it's probably already too late."
Reed let go of Sharien and she leaned against the wall.
"How much time do we have?" asked Archer.
"An hour, maybe less," said Sharien.
"How do we prevent it?" asked T'Pol.
"We don't," said Sharien. "There isn't enough time to get back to the Vor Devrees. The Lieutenant will tell you that it took us nearly an hour to get here. Besides we need to get off this ship. The Vor Devrees is the only thing which is holding you together, if she shifts the whole superstructure will collapse."
"Can we get everyone evacuated and far enough away in an hour?" Archer asked looking at Shar Jen.
"Maybe, since we've already started. At least most of the children have been evacuated in the first wave," said Shar Jen. "What will the blast radius be?"
"Seven hundred million kilometres," said Sharien.
"Ten minutes at warp four point five," said Archer. "Enterprise can get away, but what about the escape pods?"
"If we launch now, maybe we could get away," said Shar Jen.
"Maybe?" asked Reed.
"Maybe," repeated Shar Jen.
"Malcolm, why are you still standing here?" asked Archer. "Are you in the habit of disobeying orders?"
"No, sir," said Reed, contritely. "I'll escort Doctor Phlox and Commander Tucker back to Enterprise." He went to follow Phlox and the MACOs carrying Trip's stretcher down the corridor, looking slightly dejected and very tired.
Archer turned to T'Pol, "what about if we were to take a shuttle pod to the Vor Devrees?"
"We would save time, but we still do not know how to disarm the weapon," replied T'Pol.
"Well, Sharien?" asked Archer.
"She doesn't care about what happens to us, she is Kriel," said Shar Jen.
"And the Tien have always been cowards," said Sharien. "Afraid to face your own death."
"Not afraid," replied Shar Jen, "it is not our time. Enterprise and Trip En saw to that. Many Tien and Kriel died today, more are injured. Your Matriarch is dead, our Patriarch is seriously injured, perhaps fatally. Neither side possesses a functioning ship. The war is over, to fight further would be futile. Should we fight until not a single Kriel or Tien is left standing?"
Sharien looked directly at Shar Jen as if trying to weigh up what she had said, before turning to Archer. "The power supply must be disconnected from the mechanism. It's difficult. You'll need me to help you," said Sharien.
"T'Pol, contact Travis and ask him to bring Shuttlepod Two over," said Archer.
"Yes, Captain," said T'Pol and stalked off to find a communicator.
"Shar Jen, you need to get all of your people away from here now," said Archer.
"Agreed," said Shar Jen. "I have already issued the order."
"Let's get back to the shuttle bay. Do you have a doctor who can look at Sharien's leg?" asked Archer.
"Yes, I'll see to it," said Shar Jen.
T'Pol returned. "The shuttlepod will be here in ten minutes."
By the time Archer, T'Pol, Major Hayes and Shar Jen arrived at the docking bay and Sharien's wounds had been seen to by the doctor, Travis had arrived with shuttlepod two.
"Take us to the Vor Devrees, Mr Mayweather," said Archer as he boarded the shuttle.
"Yes, sir," said Travis. "I brought the EVA suits just in case we have trouble docking. The Vor Devrees doesn't look so hot at the moment."
"Neither will we, if we can't disconnect that weapon," said Archer.
Reed lay in sick bay feeling sorry for himself and just a bit bored. To be honest he did feel ill, he'd lost a fair amount of blood, but he would rather have been helping Captain Archer and T'Pol on the Vor Devrees than lying on a biobed.
Phlox had fussed around him, dosed him up with painkillers and antibiotics, and started a blood transfusion. He wasn't sure whether it was the painkillers, concussion or the blood loss but he was feeling rather dizzy and a bit out of it. He now had a bandage around his head and a cast on his arm. He had also been given orders to rest. He couldn't though, his mind kept on going over what had happened when they had disconnected Trip. He had asked them to put him back, to re-connect him to the computer. After everything that he'd been through it was the last thing that he'd expected Trip to say. It didn't fill him with confidence about the state of the Commander's mind.
Phlox was being cautious with the virus and he still had Trip sealed in decon so Reed hadn't seen him since he'd been moved to sickbay. Reed was really worried about Trip, he'd looked so ill. When he had left Trip in decon, the Commander had been drenched with sweat and shivering violently. Phlox had him connected to almost every piece of medical equipment that he had.
He had tried to get something about Trip's condition out of Phlox but as usual the doctor was being very close lipped. All he would say was Trip had extensive neurological damage, probably caused by feedback from the sensors during the crash. He was also unsuccessfully fighting off the Vor Devrees virus. His system was doing the best it could to combat it, but Phlox had built the virus to be strong enough to disable a ship the size of the Vor Devrees rapidly and Trip's immune system was no match for it. Reed didn't need Phlox to tell him that Trip's condition was serious, it was obvious that his life hung in the balance.
Reed watched as Phlox worked at his microscope, an image of Trip's beleaguered immune system on the monitor above him.
"How's it going, doctor?" asked Reed, propping himself up on his elbow with considerable effort.
"I should have the anti-viral ready soon," said Phlox. "It's a simple matter to create it, the problem is the time that it takes to synthesise."
"How long does Commander Tucker have?" asked Reed and almost as soon as he'd said it he wished he hadn't asked.
"I can't say. He was already weak from the neurological damage and I don't think his body will be able to withstand the attack by the virus for much longer. Maybe a day at most. But if I can't administer the anti-viral soon, he'll be too weak for it to work." Phlox paused and wrote something on a padd. "You are supposed to be resting, Lieutenant," he said. "I can give you a sedative if you are having trouble."
"I'm already spaced out enough thank you, I don't think I need anymore drugs," said Reed. "I really should be on the Vor Devrees with Captain Archer and T'Pol. Disarming weapons is my responsibility."
"They have the Kriel weapons master with them, I'm sure she will be able instruct them on how to disarm the weapon," said Phlox. "Right now your station is that biobed and it will be until I say otherwise."
"It's not whether Sharien has the knowledge, it's whether she stabs them in the back with it that worries me," said Reed, finally giving up the struggle with gravity and lying back down.
"I'm sure the Captain knows what he's doing," said Phlox, whilst looking intently at the slide currently under the microscope.
"I'm sure he thinks he knows what he's doing," said Reed. "All the same I'd be much happier if he'd taken some extra security with him."
"I believe Major Hayes was accompanying them," said Phlox.
"Yes, I know," said Reed, making it clear that he didn't regard Major Hayes presence as sufficient extra security. Hayes was a soldier not an Armoury officer like Reed and therefore didn't have what Reed thought of as the proper level of paranoia. Admittedly the Major and his team had shown some useful skills when helping to recover Commander Tucker from the Xindi and later when the Xindi had boarded Enterprise, but Reed still felt his own security men were better trained.
Phlox was right though, there was nothing for him to do. At the moment he'd be more of a liability than an asset, drugged up on painkillers as he was and unable to even raise himself off the biobed. Reed closed his eyes and did his best to sleep.
When Phlox looked back towards the Lieutenant he found that he was already fast asleep, the monitors above his bed confirming it. He had been very close to sedating the Armoury officer for his own good, but knowing how much the Lieutenant hated to be "spaced out" as he referred to it, he hadn't wanted to if he could avoid it. At least one of his charges was showing signs of improvement, the other one however, was a much more difficult case.
Phlox took a moment away from his microscope to look at the scans of Commander Tucker's nervous system that he had taken. His nervous system and brain had all been connected to parts of the Rel Sevanne and in his current state Phlox didn't want to operate to remove the black connectors that the Tien had inserted or the two silver neural nodes which plunged connectors deep into the Commander's brain. The impact with the Vor Devrees had created a massive input which had fed back to Commander Tucker and literally fried his neurons. It was as if he had been burned internally along all of his major neural networks.
That in itself was serious enough, but Phlox thought that he could perhaps treat it in the same way that he had reconstructed T'Pol's neural pathways after her encounter with Trellium D on the Seleya. Of course the Vulcan brain had been equipped with rather better healing abilities than the human brain and it remained to be seen whether Trip's nervous system could be reconstructed in the same way. Phlox would certainly do his best though.
The thing which worried him even more than the Commander's physical state was his mental state. He had barely adjusted to life after his torture at the hands of the Xindi, still experiencing violent nightmares and severe flashbacks. Phlox knew that people did not experience pain without being changed by it and he could only imagine what Commander Tucker had experienced while he was part of the Rel Sevanne. Then there was still the Tien conditioning to consider, it was no longer being reinforced by the computer, but it would still be there. It was likely that it would fade over time with a little help, but Phlox couldn't tell how long the conditioning would persist until he had been able to assess the Commander psychologically.
The past few days had been very eventful for Commander Tucker and Phlox had no doubt it would be a long while before he was able to deal with those events satisfactorily. Assuming that Phlox could keep him alive for the next, crucial twenty four hours.
By Thalia Drogna
AN: Apologies for a long wait for this chapter, occasionally real life gets in the way. Thanks to all those who reviewed, its great to know you're reading this still, especially as its turned out to be far longer than I expected.
They opened the cylinder and revealed Trip, at first glance he was unharmed. Then Archer noticed the blood on his face, Trip's nose was bleeding and a drop of blood ran from the corner of each eye.
"Doctor!" he shouted.
"Keep the pressure on that wound," said Phlox to the MACO who had been helping him with Nils Fen. He went to the cylinder and began scanning.
"How do we get him out of there?" asked Archer.
"We need to disconnect the computer feeds before the life support. T'Pol, I require your assistance, this is more your area than mine," said Phlox.
T'Pol took out her scanner. "We must disconnect these in order," said T'Pol.
"I can help," said Shar Jen.
"I think you've done enough," said Reed, stepping between Shar Jen and T'Pol.
"He was fine until the Vor Devrees arrived, he was loved and cared for," said Shar Jen.
"He had five years to live after you wired him into your computer! How is that caring for him?" shouted Reed.
"Malcolm, now is not the time," said Archer appearing at his shoulder.
"Five years? I don't understand," said Shar Jen.
"He didn't tell you?" asked Archer.
"He didn't tell me what?" asked Shar Jen.
"The conjoining was making his brain work too hard, he was burning up. Doctor Phlox estimated that he had about five years before the damage became fatal," said Archer.
"I didn't know," said Shar Jen. "I didn't know, you have to believe me!"
"You know the sad thing about all this is that I do believe you," said Reed. "You had him so thoroughly brainwashed that he would have given up his life for you. Of course he didn't tell you, that would have been just like the stupid fool. You took advantage of a good man and I hope you're happy with where it's got you."
Shar Jen stared at Reed as if she'd just been slapped. Reed vaguely heard T'Pol instructing Phlox on the order to disconnect the wires that led into Trip's body.
"Malcolm, we have a job to do," said Archer, "we don't have time for this right now."
"Yes, sir," said Malcolm through gritted teeth, but he didn't take his eyes off Shar Jen.
The lights dimmed and then went out. The Enterprise away team flicked on their torches.
"I'll see if I can get the emergency lights back on," said Shar Jen and went to the computer console.
"I hope this means that you've disconnected Trip," said Archer.
"We cannot remove the neural nodes until we return to the ship," said Phlox. "That will require surgery. But that's the last of the data feeds, now for the life support."
Shar Jen finished working on the console and the red of the emergency lighting returned.
"Please exercise caution, doctor," said T'Pol.
"Of course, T'Pol," said Phlox, slightly affronted that T'Pol felt that she needed to say it. However, even if T'Pol hadn't realised it yet, he knew that she cared for Commander Tucker and that was behind what was tantamount to an emotional outburst for a Vulcan.
The Tien had implanted a series of small black plugs into Commander Tucker's body and these were connected to data feeds or life support systems. Phlox had already disconnected the computer feeds but now he had the more difficult task of removing the Commander from life support. At least one of the systems was introducing oxygen into his blood, another provided nourishment and yet another removed waste products. It was a tangle of biological systems that he would have preferred not to disturb given his limited knowledge of the Tien medical technology. He considered removing the whole system and moving it in its entirety back to Enterprise but he couldn't see any way that they could get it out of the room. No, he would have to do this the hard way, disconnecting each system in turn and hoping that the Commander's body had not become so dependent on the systems that his body would be unable to resume normal function.
"T'Pol, have an oxygen mask standing by, I'm about to disconnect the direct oxygen system and the air in here is less than ideal," said Phlox and T'Pol went to the doctor's kit to get the required equipment. "We will also require the stretcher to get him back to Enterprise," he added to Archer, who went to collect the stretcher from where it had been left in the corridor. T'Pol returned with the oxygen mask and placed it over Trip's nose and mouth while Phlox worked.
"That's the last of them, so far he's stable," said Phlox a few minutes later. He pressed a hypospray to Trip's neck and followed it swiftly with a second dose of a different drug. "We can move him," he said and Archer and T'Pol carefully lifted Trip's semi-naked body from the machine it had been encased in. They laid him gently on the stretcher where Phlox attached a tube that led into his arm. Archer could feel that Trip's skin was hot to the touch.
"The virus?" asked Archer.
"Yes, he has it," said Phlox, medical tricorder in his hand, "and combined with his other injuries it could be fatal."
"Can't you just give him the vaccine?" asked Reed.
"It doesn't work that way," said Phlox. "The vaccine is only good for preventing someone from contracting the disease. I need to manufacture an anti-viral."
"How long will that take?" Archer asked anxiously.
"Maybe too long," said Phlox. "A few hours at most, but the virus was designed to disable a ship, it's strong enough to kill a human, and his body won't be able to fight it off in his current condition."
"And his other injuries?" asked Archer.
"It's difficult to tell without giving him a complete body scan but definitely severe injury to his entire nervous system and some brain damage. I need to get him back to Enterprise as soon as possible."
Suddenly Trip's eyelids flickered. They opened to reveal red eyes, saturated with blood.
"Trip, can you hear me? You're going to be okay, you hear, okay," said Archer.
"I can't see," Trip croaked. "I can't feel. It's all gone." He closed his eyes again in obvious pain.
Archer looked at Phlox with worry in his eyes. "Why can't he see?" he asked as quietly as he could and still be heard.
"His optical nerve was re-routed to connect to the ship's visual sensors. It's reversible but it will take a little work. Just talk to him, let him know that you're here, he can still hear you," said Phlox.
"Trip, it's going to be okay," said Archer taking his friend's hand. "We got you out, you're not part of the Rel Sevanne anymore."
Trip shook his head. "No, put me back," he whispered.
"We can't Trip, the ship's falling apart and we have to get you out of here," said Archer.
"Vor Devrees," he said, almost too quietly for Archer to hear. "They have a new weapon."
Archer indicated to Reed that he should listen in and he crouched down beside his friend too. "What weapon, Trip?" asked Archer.
"Inter-reality cannon," he said clearly but obviously having trouble forming the words. He opened blood drenched eyes once more.
"It's okay, Trip," said Reed. "We got to them before they could use it." He could see Archer looking at him with inquiring eyes, wondering what this weapon was.
Trip was shaking his head again though. "Flaw," he said, swallowing hard. "Design flaw. The universe reclaims its' own." His eyes shut again, his head drooping to one side and suddenly Phlox was pushing them out of the way.
"His breathing is erratic, I need to intubate," said the doctor, pulling more equipment from his kit rapidly and efficiently inserting a breathing tube into Trip's airway which he connected to an oxygen supply. "We have to get him back to Enterprise now."
"Agreed," said Archer. "Malcolm, take Phlox and two of the MACOs and get Trip back to Enterprise."
"What about Nils Fen?" asked Reed.
"We will look after him," said Shar Jen. "Take good care of Trip En," she added stiffly.
"We intend to," said Reed, the anger evident in his voice even without any inflection on his part. "What about you, Captain?"
"T'Pol and I have some unfinished business with the Vor Devrees," said Archer.
"I do not understand," said T'Pol.
"What Trip said about the inter-reality cannon, was it true, Malcolm?" said Archer.
"Oh they had such a thing," said Reed, "but as far as I know it was destroyed in the crash. Apparently it worked by ripping things into another universe. Luckily the virus got to work on their systems before they could make use of it. You don't think Trip meant anything by what he said do you? He's delirious and not exactly himself."
"You saw what an effort it was for him to talk to us," replied Archer. "I don't think he would have bothered if it hadn't been something important."
"Perhaps we should question Sharien," said T'Pol.
"My thoughts exactly," said Archer, heading for the door of the computer room. He climbed through and rounded the corner to see Sharien still tied up where Reed had left her. Reed's knife was still buried in her leg and but she was conscious.
"You found your friend," said Sharien, indicating Trip as the MACOs carefully manoeuvred his stretcher through the door. "Looks as if he's not doing so well."
"We'll take care of him," said Reed.
"Yes, I can see that as security officer of Enterprise you've looked after him really well," said Sharien, sarcastically.
Before Archer could stop him, Reed was pulling Sharien to her feet and shoving her against the wall.
"Malcolm!" said Archer. Reed ignored him.
"Perhaps I should remind you that your Matriarch is dead. Tell us about the inter-reality cannon," said Reed. "What twisted design flaw did you build into it?"
Sharien winced at the pain but refused to give Reed any further indication of weakness. "There's nothing you can do. The universe reclaims its' own."
"Trip said the same thing, what does it mean?" asked Reed.
"The cannon opens a conduit to our universe. If the power source overloads then the cannon will self-destruct, and re-open that conduit. The resulting release of energy will be huge. The safety systems won't stop it. It drags everything from it's own universe back there," said Sharien. "If it was damaged in the crash then it's probably already too late."
Reed let go of Sharien and she leaned against the wall.
"How much time do we have?" asked Archer.
"An hour, maybe less," said Sharien.
"How do we prevent it?" asked T'Pol.
"We don't," said Sharien. "There isn't enough time to get back to the Vor Devrees. The Lieutenant will tell you that it took us nearly an hour to get here. Besides we need to get off this ship. The Vor Devrees is the only thing which is holding you together, if she shifts the whole superstructure will collapse."
"Can we get everyone evacuated and far enough away in an hour?" Archer asked looking at Shar Jen.
"Maybe, since we've already started. At least most of the children have been evacuated in the first wave," said Shar Jen. "What will the blast radius be?"
"Seven hundred million kilometres," said Sharien.
"Ten minutes at warp four point five," said Archer. "Enterprise can get away, but what about the escape pods?"
"If we launch now, maybe we could get away," said Shar Jen.
"Maybe?" asked Reed.
"Maybe," repeated Shar Jen.
"Malcolm, why are you still standing here?" asked Archer. "Are you in the habit of disobeying orders?"
"No, sir," said Reed, contritely. "I'll escort Doctor Phlox and Commander Tucker back to Enterprise." He went to follow Phlox and the MACOs carrying Trip's stretcher down the corridor, looking slightly dejected and very tired.
Archer turned to T'Pol, "what about if we were to take a shuttle pod to the Vor Devrees?"
"We would save time, but we still do not know how to disarm the weapon," replied T'Pol.
"Well, Sharien?" asked Archer.
"She doesn't care about what happens to us, she is Kriel," said Shar Jen.
"And the Tien have always been cowards," said Sharien. "Afraid to face your own death."
"Not afraid," replied Shar Jen, "it is not our time. Enterprise and Trip En saw to that. Many Tien and Kriel died today, more are injured. Your Matriarch is dead, our Patriarch is seriously injured, perhaps fatally. Neither side possesses a functioning ship. The war is over, to fight further would be futile. Should we fight until not a single Kriel or Tien is left standing?"
Sharien looked directly at Shar Jen as if trying to weigh up what she had said, before turning to Archer. "The power supply must be disconnected from the mechanism. It's difficult. You'll need me to help you," said Sharien.
"T'Pol, contact Travis and ask him to bring Shuttlepod Two over," said Archer.
"Yes, Captain," said T'Pol and stalked off to find a communicator.
"Shar Jen, you need to get all of your people away from here now," said Archer.
"Agreed," said Shar Jen. "I have already issued the order."
"Let's get back to the shuttle bay. Do you have a doctor who can look at Sharien's leg?" asked Archer.
"Yes, I'll see to it," said Shar Jen.
T'Pol returned. "The shuttlepod will be here in ten minutes."
By the time Archer, T'Pol, Major Hayes and Shar Jen arrived at the docking bay and Sharien's wounds had been seen to by the doctor, Travis had arrived with shuttlepod two.
"Take us to the Vor Devrees, Mr Mayweather," said Archer as he boarded the shuttle.
"Yes, sir," said Travis. "I brought the EVA suits just in case we have trouble docking. The Vor Devrees doesn't look so hot at the moment."
"Neither will we, if we can't disconnect that weapon," said Archer.
Reed lay in sick bay feeling sorry for himself and just a bit bored. To be honest he did feel ill, he'd lost a fair amount of blood, but he would rather have been helping Captain Archer and T'Pol on the Vor Devrees than lying on a biobed.
Phlox had fussed around him, dosed him up with painkillers and antibiotics, and started a blood transfusion. He wasn't sure whether it was the painkillers, concussion or the blood loss but he was feeling rather dizzy and a bit out of it. He now had a bandage around his head and a cast on his arm. He had also been given orders to rest. He couldn't though, his mind kept on going over what had happened when they had disconnected Trip. He had asked them to put him back, to re-connect him to the computer. After everything that he'd been through it was the last thing that he'd expected Trip to say. It didn't fill him with confidence about the state of the Commander's mind.
Phlox was being cautious with the virus and he still had Trip sealed in decon so Reed hadn't seen him since he'd been moved to sickbay. Reed was really worried about Trip, he'd looked so ill. When he had left Trip in decon, the Commander had been drenched with sweat and shivering violently. Phlox had him connected to almost every piece of medical equipment that he had.
He had tried to get something about Trip's condition out of Phlox but as usual the doctor was being very close lipped. All he would say was Trip had extensive neurological damage, probably caused by feedback from the sensors during the crash. He was also unsuccessfully fighting off the Vor Devrees virus. His system was doing the best it could to combat it, but Phlox had built the virus to be strong enough to disable a ship the size of the Vor Devrees rapidly and Trip's immune system was no match for it. Reed didn't need Phlox to tell him that Trip's condition was serious, it was obvious that his life hung in the balance.
Reed watched as Phlox worked at his microscope, an image of Trip's beleaguered immune system on the monitor above him.
"How's it going, doctor?" asked Reed, propping himself up on his elbow with considerable effort.
"I should have the anti-viral ready soon," said Phlox. "It's a simple matter to create it, the problem is the time that it takes to synthesise."
"How long does Commander Tucker have?" asked Reed and almost as soon as he'd said it he wished he hadn't asked.
"I can't say. He was already weak from the neurological damage and I don't think his body will be able to withstand the attack by the virus for much longer. Maybe a day at most. But if I can't administer the anti-viral soon, he'll be too weak for it to work." Phlox paused and wrote something on a padd. "You are supposed to be resting, Lieutenant," he said. "I can give you a sedative if you are having trouble."
"I'm already spaced out enough thank you, I don't think I need anymore drugs," said Reed. "I really should be on the Vor Devrees with Captain Archer and T'Pol. Disarming weapons is my responsibility."
"They have the Kriel weapons master with them, I'm sure she will be able instruct them on how to disarm the weapon," said Phlox. "Right now your station is that biobed and it will be until I say otherwise."
"It's not whether Sharien has the knowledge, it's whether she stabs them in the back with it that worries me," said Reed, finally giving up the struggle with gravity and lying back down.
"I'm sure the Captain knows what he's doing," said Phlox, whilst looking intently at the slide currently under the microscope.
"I'm sure he thinks he knows what he's doing," said Reed. "All the same I'd be much happier if he'd taken some extra security with him."
"I believe Major Hayes was accompanying them," said Phlox.
"Yes, I know," said Reed, making it clear that he didn't regard Major Hayes presence as sufficient extra security. Hayes was a soldier not an Armoury officer like Reed and therefore didn't have what Reed thought of as the proper level of paranoia. Admittedly the Major and his team had shown some useful skills when helping to recover Commander Tucker from the Xindi and later when the Xindi had boarded Enterprise, but Reed still felt his own security men were better trained.
Phlox was right though, there was nothing for him to do. At the moment he'd be more of a liability than an asset, drugged up on painkillers as he was and unable to even raise himself off the biobed. Reed closed his eyes and did his best to sleep.
When Phlox looked back towards the Lieutenant he found that he was already fast asleep, the monitors above his bed confirming it. He had been very close to sedating the Armoury officer for his own good, but knowing how much the Lieutenant hated to be "spaced out" as he referred to it, he hadn't wanted to if he could avoid it. At least one of his charges was showing signs of improvement, the other one however, was a much more difficult case.
Phlox took a moment away from his microscope to look at the scans of Commander Tucker's nervous system that he had taken. His nervous system and brain had all been connected to parts of the Rel Sevanne and in his current state Phlox didn't want to operate to remove the black connectors that the Tien had inserted or the two silver neural nodes which plunged connectors deep into the Commander's brain. The impact with the Vor Devrees had created a massive input which had fed back to Commander Tucker and literally fried his neurons. It was as if he had been burned internally along all of his major neural networks.
That in itself was serious enough, but Phlox thought that he could perhaps treat it in the same way that he had reconstructed T'Pol's neural pathways after her encounter with Trellium D on the Seleya. Of course the Vulcan brain had been equipped with rather better healing abilities than the human brain and it remained to be seen whether Trip's nervous system could be reconstructed in the same way. Phlox would certainly do his best though.
The thing which worried him even more than the Commander's physical state was his mental state. He had barely adjusted to life after his torture at the hands of the Xindi, still experiencing violent nightmares and severe flashbacks. Phlox knew that people did not experience pain without being changed by it and he could only imagine what Commander Tucker had experienced while he was part of the Rel Sevanne. Then there was still the Tien conditioning to consider, it was no longer being reinforced by the computer, but it would still be there. It was likely that it would fade over time with a little help, but Phlox couldn't tell how long the conditioning would persist until he had been able to assess the Commander psychologically.
The past few days had been very eventful for Commander Tucker and Phlox had no doubt it would be a long while before he was able to deal with those events satisfactorily. Assuming that Phlox could keep him alive for the next, crucial twenty four hours.