AN: Not much to say except continued thanks for the reviews/feedback!

Chapter 9

To Enterprise...or Not?


T'Pol handed the scanner to Crewman Sadie, and offered a hand, helping the hunched fugitives from their hiding spot. She couldn't help but notice the obvious state of disrepair the away team found themselves in. Bruised, dirty...very dirty...and exhausted.

"Captain, Ensign Mayweather is waiting at the landing pad with the shuttle." She raised an eyebrow at Ridney.

"He's going to request political asylum." Archer supplied the information to T'Pol's unspoken question.

"I am?" Ridney darted a look from Archer to T'Pol.

"You are."

Crewman Sadie was standing to the side, letting them have their reunion, relieved to have the Captain back safe and in one piece. If he hadn't been lost in thought he may have seen it sooner. By the time he realized the scanner was disgorging new facts, it was all ready too late.

"Sub-Commander!" He called to T'Pol, still in the command structure of the recovery team.

T'Pol reacted, taking the scanner from Sadie, reading the information with calm precision. She faced Archer, "We have a problem."

Archer may have been in less than top condition, but he wasn't Captain for nothing. His mind slipped back into strategic planning. They were being surrounded, six armed security members, four wasted away team members, one Taltaxin alien, and a Vulcan. While having a Vulcan automatically upped their odds, he saw the numbers in T'Pol's body language. It wasn't enough.

"Get in the hiding spot."

Sadie jerked, "No...Sir."

Archer turned on the crewman, "Are you disobeying an order Ensign?"

Sadie felt the authority down to his toes. He couldn't...and wouldn't go against his Captain. The one thing drilled into them in the academy was always follow orders. It was the most important rule; a crew that failed to follow orders is a crew that invites death. Feeling incredibly small, "No Sir."

Reed thought he knew where the Captain was going. He also knew his men would have a hard time watching this go down. He approached Sadie, "This isn't the time for last stands and heroics Ensign."

Sadie nodded miserably. He crawled into the hole that had barely been enough room for five. His men followed him, and soon the only one remaining was T'Pol.

Archer knew T'Pol. He knew she was distressed; subtle signs that the casual observer would never have noticed. "Captain...?"

A loaded question-will you be all right...how will we get you back...I can't do this.

"It's the logical thing to do." Archer smiled, and held her shoulders for a brief moment, before giving her a gentle push.

She held his gaze, reluctant, then ducked into the hole, brushing against Ridney on her way in.

Ridney, who was staring at them, confusion written over his face, "Why?"

"They don't know about T'Pol and the security team." Trip explained, his voice flat, shoulders drooped. They had been almost home- almost away from this miserable red planet. He had never been so happy to see those pointy ears, and now they were going to give themselves up to protect her and the other crew.

"But you can't turn yourselves over to them? We'll be killed!" Hysteria crept into Ridney's mind.

Reed shook his head; "I don't think so, not right away. This Veen character still has questions. We were...less than helpful."

The sinking sensation returned to Archer's gut. They wouldn't be killed, but Ridney probably would. "You can run..."

"I won't leave you."

"Your death won't accomplish anything. We'll try to make a diversion. Get out if you can."

Ridney looked at the four humans. They each nodded in agreement. Even the female was resolved and strong. Not for the first time he wondered if he could live up to their expectations.

"I'll get help."

Archer smiled wistfully, "You do that."

Before anyone had time for more conversation...last words...a bright light flared on followed by another and another, until a circle of floodlights lit the debris-laden area. Archer squinted painfully, raising a hand to ward off the piercing brightness.

"Captain Archer, if you would be so kind as to raise your hands so that we can see them clearly."

A disembodied voice boomed into the night. They recognized the pompous Veen without seeing a figure.

"We surrender, Prime Minister. We'll go quietly." Archer hollered.

T'Pol winced in her cramped position. She wasn't sure she could sit back and do nothing while her Captain and crewmates were recaptured. She must. Archer was right, it was the logical thing to do. It would do them no good for the rest of them to get caught as well.

"Lay flat...hands out!" The voice ordered.

The five did as told. Trip looked up from his position on the ground. He could see dark figures taking shape, walking towards them, lean towering figures moving stealthy, shadows.

Hoshi felt her skin crawl. It was taking every ounce of willpower to remain on the ground. She felt a nudge against her arm. She looked over to see Trip smiling cavalierly beside her. The warmth suffused into her system. Thanks, she mouthed.

As the figures converged above them, Archer jumped up, shouting, "Now!"

The away team was up and on the unsuspecting Taltaxins. It was similar to throwing a feather in a stiff breeze, but Ridney took the opportunity nonetheless, and ran in the other direction. A sharp whine signaled weapons fire. Time froze, they turned and watched Ridney collapse, his back smoking.

"No! God Damn it, NO!" Trip shouted.

Hoshi's face fell. Archer turned, and found the alien nearest staring out at the fallen Taltaxin. He pulled his fist back and released it for all it was worth. The Taltaxin fell back, blood spurting from his nose.

He was about to go for a second round when abysmally strong hands gripped his arms, pulling them roughly back, stopping any further movement. He looked around him and saw Trip, Hoshi and Malcolm in similar positions.

Veen sauntered out of the blackness, "That was very stupid of you. I suppose aiding one criminal wasn't good enough, you wanted to help another."

"Ridney wasn't a criminal, he was a decent being. Something you know nothing about." Archer seethed, fury tightening every muscle in his body.

"Ridney was a traitor, nothing more." Veen spat. He got close to Archer's face, "We have unfinished business, Captain."

Reed pulled to get loose, lunging forward to get his hands around Veen. He was pulled back, hard.

Veen cast a lazy eye his direction, "Don't worry, you will all get a turn...again." He waved for their guards to haul them away.

"You won't get away with this!" Trip yelled.

"I believe I all ready have, Commander."

Sadie dropped his chin to his chest, closing his eyes. T'Pol hugged her knees. They huddled, waiting until the scanner showed it was clear. They crawled out into the now-lightening dark. It would be daylight soon, they would need to move quickly to get back to the shuttle before the city woke up and began to fill the streets.

"Ensign, I need your communicator."

"Sub-Commander?" Sadie asked, handing it over to T'Pol.

"I gave mine to Ridney."

Sadie's face fell, "They killed him."

"There was a biosign." T'Pol hoped that he had managed to get away. The biosign had faded from the scanner, but she was unable to determine if it was from death or the Taltaxin getting away, or hauled away. Time would tell.

Sha-min...he was dying. He crawled. His back was on fire, flames of pain eating away at his flesh. He felt the device bite into his thigh against the ground. The Sub-Commander had slipped the communicator to him before joining the security men in the alcove. He knew what she wanted.

A surge of purpose, he wouldn't die here. Not now. He had something to do.