Author's Note: Thanks so much for the feedback! I agree that the interrogation with Archer and Hoshi need more. I'll have to go back to that and rewrite to bring some more depth. I kind of lost myself in some of my plot decisions and muddled through, but I think I've worked on getting it back on track. As for the Mr. Bay, I believe (and if I'm wrong please someone correct me) but women and men were referred to as "Mr." in the Star Trek series. I really really love to get reviews and feedback. It helps keep me going, especially when I am getting a bit of block with the story.

Chapter 6

Desperation Abides


Shortly after Ridney departed, Archer began to stir. Malcolm helped him get into a sitting position, alarmed at the lack of color on his face.

"Are you all right Sir?"

"No."

Archer managed the one word, and then rolled to the side, retching painfully. Malcolm wished Doctor Phlox was here. He wished anyone was here other than him. He wasn't good at helping people.

"Can I...do anything for you?"

Archer rolled back, exhausted. "No." He closed his eyes. "It's from the drug."

Malcolm nodded.

Archer waited for the flipping of his stomach to quiet before opening his eyes again. When he did, he noticed Trip was gone. Hoshi was out beside him, and Malcolm looked...disturbed.

"Where's Trip?"

Malcolm shrugged, "Probably the same place they took you."

"What's wrong with Hoshi?" Next question. Hoshi hadn't even flinched next to him.

"Same thing as with you." Malcolm felt like a record. "They took you first, then Hoshi and now they've got Commander Tucker."

"Just how long have I been out, Lieutenant?" Archer asked, worried

"If my calculations are correct, T'Pol will try to contact us...about now."

Archer was an independent man, always believed in fighting his own battles, getting himself out of messes...but today he hoped that T'Pol would work her magic and get them the hell out of here. He was sick to his stomach, tired, worried and he wanted to go back to Enterprise and sleep in his bed, with Porthos, and not wake up until his stomach stopped the dance of the sugar plum fairies.

"That's a long time." He settled on saying.

"You said you had answers?" Veen stood beside a disgruntled Luvox.

Luvox was experiencing a great deal of anger and frustration. Emotions he wasn't used to feeling.

"I should have...but these...beings, they must be lacking some mental faculties. My drugs are not having the desired effect."

"Luvox, their ship was sighted by several of our deep space telescopes. A returning cargo ship confirms their presence in orbit. It isn't any type of ship known to our planet." Veen was agitated.

Luvox shook his head, "Why you persisted in believing they were anything other than what they claim..."

"You told me you would find out!"

Luvox turned on him; "You didn't need me to find that information, you all ready had it by your security monitors!"

Veen turned red, "We told you what we needed. Verify their story, find out where they are from, coordinates, and find out where they took this Future!" Veen fought for control. "You've managed only one of these, one that, as you pointed out, we all ready confirmed."

Luvox looked ready to strike the Prime Minister, he stepped back increasing the distance, removing the temptation, "And you are also aware, Prime Minister, that my work is of a delicate nature. You set the timetable, not I."

"Their Captain did! A timetable, of which, is up."

Veen stared at the slumped figure in the chair, "If word of this gets out..."

For once, Luvox appeared as concerned as the Prime Minister, "There'll be panic. Everything the Ministry has done will be viewed as a debacle. We'll be removed from office, put on trial..."

Veen nodded. Their lies would come crumbling down on top of them. A world told that the mutations were dangerous, and must be destroyed; a ship full of those mutations orbiting their planet. This was a disaster.

Luvox was developing a plan, "Prime Minister...I believe I might have a solution."

T'Pol sat on the edge of the chair, "Mr. Bay?"

Rudy shook her head.

"Open a channel..."

"We're being hailed, Ma'am!" Ensign Bay interrupted, "It's the Prime Minister."

"Sub-Commander T'Pol, I'm afraid I am the bearer of quite tragic news." Veen's face on the viewer frowned sympathetically. He was trying to convey his regrets but failing miserably.

T'Pol's eyes narrowed, "Would this have something to do with our lack of contact with our away team?"

Veen bobbed his head, "Indeed Sub-Commander. Would it be possible to meet in person? Aboard your ship, perhaps?"

"I would prefer to be informed now, Prime Minister."

Veen fidgeted, uncomfortable, "Please...I'm ashamed to say...our channel isn't secure. This information, it's of a sensitive nature."

T'Pol considered the Taltaxin, aware that something was not quite right, "Very well, I'll expect your arrival shortly."

T'Pol stood, "Ensign Mayweather, you have the bridge."

T'Pol positioned herself at the end of the conference table. While waiting for the Prime Minister's arrival, she reviewed the latest sensor logs. Noting nothing of interest, she set the PADD on the table.

It has been twelve hours, thirty minutes and twenty-three seconds since the away team had landed on Taltax. She had spent that entire time uneasy. She intensely felt the need to meditate.

The door opened, revealing one of the security crew, "The Prime Minister has arrived Sub-commander." The man announced, stepped to the side, and allowed Veen to enter the room.

Veen smiled, "It's a beautiful ship, Sub-commander."

She nodded, gestured for him to take a seat. He sat.

"You said you had sensitive information pertaining to the Captain?"

Veen grimaced, clenching a hand under the table, "I apologize for the wait. It would appear that your Captain, and his crewmen, have been kidnapped by a faction of insurgents that call themselves the Conspirators."

T'Pol's face showed no emotion. She reached for the comm. switch, "Doctor Phlox, please report to the conference room."

"He's essentially correct, Sub-Commander. There is no way of discerning their bio-signs from the Taltaxins." Phlox sat at the table with the Prime Minister and T'Pol.

"Why were we not contacted immediately after this took place?"

Veen found himself looking at the Vulcan. Her features had a green tint, pointy ears, cropped black hair...and very cold. Her face was as closed as his options out of this mess. He knew he had made one mistake after another from the moment the ship had arrived in orbit.

He had thought it was a ruse, another ploy from the conspirators to try and save their last hope. They had been narrowing the net on this Future, the elusive mutant who never should have breathed past her first birthday.

Despite all evidence to the contrary he had decided to proceed with the set- up dinner to wheedle information out of the newcomer's. Choosing to allow them the mistaken belief that their game was working. Their answers had allowed doubt to creep in. When Archer and Commander Tucker had been under the influence of the G'Tag they had claimed to be from a planet named Earth; a planet full of beings like them. Humans, they said.

It had been too horrible to believe. When that security officer of theirs had tried to get them off the planet by pretense, he had even more reason to be suspicious. He decided to find out exactly what they were and where they were from. Where had they taken the criminal and hidden her.

Things had not gone well. The human's story had held up during the monitoring. Then reports from observers about their ship, and their own cargo ship reported seeing a white monster in orbit, larger than anything Taltax had seen in space. Veen had realized then he had made a critical error. Luvox had come up with this plan. Blame the conspirators on their crewmember's kidnapping. Then arrange a tragic confrontation, ending in their demise. They will be off the hook, and just maybe, it will discourage these humans from coming near their planet again.

As for the Future, they will work on the humans until they were assured they had no involvement in her disappearance, and then kill them.

"Prime Minister?" T'Pol prodded.

"We were embarrassed, Sub-Commander, our government failed to protect your people." Veen answered quickly, the rehearsed script continuing to serve him well.

T'Pol fixed him with a steely look, "Your...embarrassment...may have cost our crew their lives."

Veen squirmed in his chair. He had a momentary doubt that this Vulcan would leave without their bodies. When she watched him, he couldn't help but feel she saw right though their plan.

"I apologize." He decided brevity was in his best interest, "We will be in touch." He stood, but was stopped by her words hitting his retreating back.

"We will be conducting our own search, Prime Minister."

He turned, she was staring hard, as if all her worth depended on penetrating his mind. He flinched involuntarily, "Do not come to the surface, it isn't safe."

"I'll keep that in mind." She stood, dismissing him. She had taken the power from his side and efficiently restored it back to Enterprise.

Veen tried to act as if it were nothing to him if they did or didn't listen to his advice, "Very well."

He skittered away, desperate to get off this ship full of...mutants.

Malcolm hurt. His head hurt, his arms hurt, his legs hurt...he hurt everywhere. He was strapped in the chair. The Captain had only been awake, for the most part, for roughly ten minutes if Malcolm's sense of time was any good, before the goons had brought Trip back, tossed him to the floor, and came after Malcolm. He had fought, but only earned more bruises for the effort. He cursed every bloody one of them in this room.

"May I ask why you are doing this?" He bit out.

Luvox had long lost any amusement in playing with these creatures. Now he was dedicated...he wanted answers and he wanted to see them suffer. They were an embarrassment on his record.

"You can." He answered. He was seated in front of Malcolm. Watching the tactical officer. Lieutenant Reed's face was red with fury.

"But you won't necessarily tell me." Reed answered his own question.

"Very good, Lieutenant." Luvox fiddled with an instrument, rolling it in his fingertips, "I have to admit, I've been most displeased with your friends." He stood, and began to pace in front of Malcolm.

"Why's that?"

Luvox stopped abruptly, and threw himself at Malcolm, stopping inches from his nose, "Because, they have refused to answer my questions." Spittle dripped down his chin. He grabbed Malcolm's chin, "I am not a patient man, Lieutenant." He pushed himself back, wiping his face with the back of his arm.

"I didn't notice." Malcolm muttered.

A resounding slap sent his face to the side, hard.

"Where is she?" Luvox asked.

Malcolm stared at him dumbly, "Who?"

"The criminal you helped escape."

"We didn't help any criminal escape."

Luvox gestured wildly with the instrument still in his hand, "Why do you persist in denying what we know to be true!"

"How can you know something to be true, that isn't?" Malcolm asked. This alien was certifiable.

Before he could react, another blow landed in his gut. Malcolm grunted.

"Bloody hell, would you stop doing that!"

"Tell me what I want to know." Luvox remained in front of him.

"If I knew, I wouldn't tell you anyway."

His body rocked from another slap. God damn it! That was going to leave a mark.

"Your shuttle arrived at the same time the criminal disappeared. The last sighting was in the general area where you landed; she's on your ship, Lieutenant, we know this. Why not turn her in and save yourself, and your crewmates, any more pain?" Luvox cajoled, switching to a conciliatory tone, a form of good cop/bad cop, but he was the only cop in the room.

A multiple personality cop, Malcolm thought. "If this criminal is wanted so badly by your government, she must have done something right."

Slap! That one might have broken his nose.

"Who's Martha?"

Trip stared at Archer, "What?" He croaked.

"Martha. You kept mumbling about some Martha while you were laying there senseless."

Hoshi nodded, "He's right. You kept getting this dreamy look on your face and saying her name."

Hoshi had woken when they had thrown Trip back in the room. She felt queasy and wiped out, but she guessed she'd live. Looking at the Captain, she wasn't sure which one looked worse.

Trip looked annoyed, "She was this girl I knew in school."

Archer and Hoshi shared a knowing smile.

"Where's Malcolm?"

Trip had woken up enough to realize Reed was gone.

"They took him after bringing you back." Hoshi said.

"Cap'n, we need to get out of here. That guy is insane."

Archer agreed. Hoshi paled.

"T'Pol will be looking for us." Archer smiled at his crew, offering a hope he needed as much as they did. Things weren't looking good for the away team. Not good at all.