Chapter Two
"Captain Archer to Commander Tucker......"
"Tucker....."
"I need you up on the bridge Commander. We'll need your assistance soon as we've detected a distress call."
"I'll be right there, sir."
Five minutes later Trip walked on to the bridge. "Any more news on that distress call?"
"It seems to be coming from a small one-man vessel," replied T'Pol looking through her scanner. "The vessel has no armourments and seems to have sustained disruption to its engine and life support systems."
"Can you hail them, Hoshi?"
"I'm sorry Captain, - it's an automated distress call."
"Malcolm, can you get them with the grappler?"
"I'll get right on it sir!" replied Malcolm as he worked on some buttons at his console.
"It's in launch bay 2, sir."
"Trip, you're with me," said Captain Archer as they headed towards the turbo lift. "T'Pol comm.. Phlox and have him meet us in launch bay 2."
"Yes sir."
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After some difficulty Trip managed to gain access to the ship. As he dragged open the door, Phlox was waiting in the wings with a medical team on standby. It's not much bigger than a couple of our shuttle pods inside here thought Trip as he pulled himself through the hatchway.
"Can you see anything?" asked Captain Archer following behind.
"Na, it's a bit dark. The power must be down. Can ya hand me that flashlight?"
"Sure"
"Well it looks like life support hasn't been down long; there's oxygen left so whoever's here should be alive anyway," said Trip as he scanned the bridge controls. "There's a lot of debris. It looks like some of the power conduits exploded, knocking out these displays."
"Any sign of passengers?" asked Captain Archer.
"Na, lets check back there," replied Trip, pointing to the back compartment.
Trip walked over and pulled the door panel open. Inside there were two unconscious aliens huddled together in the corner and an old lady next to them on a bed. The two together looked to be a young couple. Probably the owners of this vessel thought Trip. "Cap'n here's the crew. Tell Phlox we're gonna need him."
Phlox appeared inside the hatch on the double. "Make way gentlemen, I need to assess my patients," he said rushing towards the young couple on the floor.
"Are they gonna be alright?"
"I think so. They appear to be suffering from a shortage of oxygen and hyperthermia. I need to get them to sickbay to do a more thorough assessment on their condition though."
Since there was only room inside the craft for Phlox's medical team and one stretcher, Captain Archer picked up the male occupant and carried him to sickbay, while Trip followed with the old lady.
"Right Gentleman, if you will excuse me – I will inform you of their condition after I have finished my examination."
"Right Phlox, I'll be on the bridge – Trip I want you to go over that ship and find out what happened. Take Hoshi with you. She'll need to go through their data base to find out their language, who they are and where they are from."
"I'll get right on it sir," replied Trip as they both walked out of sickbay and went different ways.
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One hour later Trip walked back into sickbay with his report. Phlox had comm'd Captain Archer to let him know that their visitors were awake and eager to meet their rescuers, so Captain Archer had asked Trip to meet him there with his findings.
"Arrrghhhhh Captain Archer, Commander Tucker, I was just explaining to our guests how we picked up their distress call and came to their aid," said Phlox as they both walked through sickbay doors.
The male stood up from the bio bed and shook hands with Captain Archer before introducing himself. "Thank you Captain for responding to our distress call, we are very grateful for all your help and assistance. We are Fabians from a planet about 15 light years away. I am Toldar and this is my wife Serena."
"And I am Calla," replied the old woman as she stepped off the bio bed and shook hands with Captain Archer and Trip.
"Can I ask what happened to your ship? My chief engineer Commander Tucker tells me you have major engine trouble and ship wide damage throughout."
"We were studying a nebula, Captain," replied Toldar. "When we experienced an overload that spread throughout our ship's systems. I managed to shut down power and guide us out, but the damage was too great for me to repair. That's when I sent out a distress signal – I'm grateful you answered it before our air supply ran out."
"I've had a look at your ship. Most of the damage to your consoles and systems is repairable, but without spare parts your engine is a no-go. I could try and adapt some of our components but I'm not sure if their compatible."
"We'd be grateful for whatever help you could offer us," replied Serena.
"I've had a course set for your home world. We should reach it within three days. Commander Tucker can make what repairs he can along the way."
"Thank you, Captain, you are most generous. I'm sure many others would not have been so willing."
"It's our mission to explore and seek out new cultures, so in a way we are both helping each other," smiled Captain Archer. "If you are feeling better later, why don't you join me for dinner tonight?"
"Thank you, we would like that very much. Will you be joining us Commander?"
"I'm sorry, but I've got to much to catch up on. Thanks for offering though," replied Trip. He appreciated the offer, but he really didn't want to sit through another evening of forced conversation with the captain. Anyway, if he'd wanted him there he would have offered. "I'll be in the launch bay starting the repairs – if you will excuse me ladies, gentlemen, Cap'n," he said before turning to walk out of sickbay.
This is getting too hard thought Trip. I don't know if I can take another five years of this pretence. Maybe I should start putting out feelers for something else.
Hmmmm....... he is troubled thought Calla, as she watched Trip walk outside. It looks like my help will be needed her also.
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