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CHAPTER THREE
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Trip wrapped his arm around T'Pol's shoulders and kissed the top of her head where it lay just under his chin. He heard her sigh in contentment and he smiled. He'd always had a fear that he would not be able to please her as a Vulcan lover would, but after experiencing her reactions to his touch, his confidence was slowly building.
T'Pol nestled closer into his side. "Are you well?" she asked.
Trip chuckled. "I'm very well, thank you," he replied. "We should really do this more often."
T'Pol propped herself up on an elbow and gazed down at him. "Would every night be sufficient?"
"I think that'll work," replied Trip with a grin. He brought a hand up and tenderly caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. "I love you, you know."
"I know."
A flash of bright light drew Trip's attention to the door of his quarters and he sat up just as the door blew inward. Three Xindi Reptilians entered each brandishing energy rifles. One soldier grabbed T'Pol and yanked her brutally from the bunk then he forced her to her knees. He pressed the tip of his rifle's barrel flush against the side of her head then lifted cold eyes to look at Trip.
The engineer rose from the bunk, his blood boiling with anger. "Leave her alone!" he demanded.
"Where are the rest of your ships?" asked the Xindi.
Trip was baffled.
One of the other Xindi stepped forward and backhanded Trip across the face. "Where is your fleet?" he demanded angrily.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Trip spat back.
The soldier holding T'Pol lifted her easily to her feet and tossed her like a doll against Trip's storage locker. Trip tried to move to her side, but the other two Xindi blocked his way.
"You will tell us what we want or your lover will die, Human!"
Trip watched in horror as the other soldier pulled T'Pol to her feet by her throat. The Vulcan gasped and clutched at the strong fingers cutting off her airway.
"No!" Trip shouted. His eyes met T'Pol's and she reached out to him frantically. Trip grabbed for her hand, grasping it only briefly before she was pulled away again. Everything around Trip froze suddenly.
T'Pol's skin was cold.
Trip shook his head. "This isn't real," he mumbled.
The Xindi holding T'Pol laughed and shoved her away. He lifted his rifle and aimed it directly at the first officer. "For the last time, Human, where are the rest of your ships?"
"This isn't real," said Trip again.
"This is real enough," said the soldier with the rifle.
As if in slow motion, Trip saw the Reptilian's finger pulling back on the trigger. His mind screamed at him that what was happening was all a dream - that it wasn't real - but his heart said differently.
The engineer moved in front of T'Pol just as the rifle discharged.
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Jon peered out the front view port of the small alien vessel. They'd had no trouble crossing the Triaxian border and now, as he sat in the co-pilot's seat, he was just able to discern the shape of the Taipra Ku space station in the distance.
"There it is, Captain," said D'Marr from the pilot's chair.
"I see it," replied Jon. He watched as they drew closer to the station, wondering if they'd find Trip somewhere within its walls. "D'Marr," he began quietly. "What exactly are these stories you've heard about the Taipra Ku?"
D'Marr looked decidedly uncomfortable. "They're just myth, Captain. Only things I've heard at various trading posts."
"I want to know."
The alien glanced at Jon for a moment. "No one has ever seen them, but they're said to be scientists. They seek out new species to study. Legend has it that their tests are not the most---pleasant things to experience."
"If there are stories floating around, then they must release their subjects."
"I've never met any of them, Captain, but one of the stories is about a Triaxian who went to the station. You see, the Taipra Ku are not always there. There are weeks, sometimes months when the station stands empty. This fellow went there out of sheer curiosity. He saw the testing chamber and all of their---devices. The story says he was told by a disembodied voice to leave and to never return, that if he or any other Triaxian set foot on that station again, the Triaxian world would cease to exist. He said the Taipra Ku destroyed one of the Triaxian moons to prove their power."
"So that's what you meant when you said that they allow the Taipra Ku to remain out of fear."
D'Marr nodded. "I'm sure as time has passed, the myth has grown larger. No one even goes near the station. Their fears run very deep, Captain."
Jon looked at the alien in profile. "You're not afraid?"
D'Marr smiled. "Oh, I'm deathly afraid," he said. "But if I can get my hands on just one item from that station, I'll be set for life." He glanced at Jon. "You're giving me the opportunity of a lifetime."
The captain's eyes returned to gaze out at the station. "You do what you have to do, D'Marr. I just want my friend back."
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Phlox felt the familiar jolt of touchdown as D'Marr set his ship down on the only visible landing platform on the small space station. The Denobulan looked out of one of the small view ports that lined the outer bulkhead of the cargo section. He'd managed to get somewhat comfortable on their journey by sitting on a large box as did the two security officers, but both Reed and T'Pol had not. They remained on their feet, Reed peering out a view port, T'Pol standing motionless in a corner, apparently deep in thought.
"Doctor, you'll follow us out," said Archer as he stepped into the cargo hold. "Malcolm, you and your team go first. D'Marr isn't detecting any weapons, but we don't know exactly what we're going to find."
"Aye, sir," replied Reed.
"Captain, I'm not picking up any life signs----none at all," announced T'Pol.
Archer squared his shoulders and lifted his chin. "Well, let's hope they have some sort of shielding that's blocking our scanners then," he replied.
Phlox followed the others out of the ship then looked up at the structure before him. The space station was surprisingly small given the fear it had created throughout Triaxian space. He had envisioned a huge, ominous fortress, frightening in its appearance, but what lay before him was a rather benign looking white science facility.
The team entered the structure without interference.
"So this is what the Triaxians fear?" whispered D'Marr at Phlox's side.
The doctor remained silent and followed the others down a long corridor. The walls, floors, and ceiling were all stark white and the air smelled of chemicals. At the end of the corridor, Phlox could see a door. As they approached it, the door slid open unheeded. Reed looked back over his shoulder at Archer, his expression one of both bewilderment and apprehension. The captain simply nodded to proceed.
When Phlox entered the room, he stopped. The chamber was barren except for a silver bio-bed sitting in the middle of the floor.
"They're gone, Captain," said T'Pol, her voice hushed.
"Damn it," cursed Archer.
Phlox moved to the bed, noting the restraining devices embedded in the metal. He fought hard against the vision of the young commander lying on the table unable to move, then pulled his medical tricorder from his pocket and switched it on.
"Anything?" asked Archer who suddenly appeared at Phlox's elbow.
"They managed to clean up quite thoroughly, but there are traces of blood on the restraints, Captain," replied the doctor. "Human blood."
"He was here," hissed Archer.
Phlox scowled then hit the buttons on his scanner again. "Captain, if my readings are correct, this blood hasn't been here very long. My guess is they kept Commander Tucker restrained until they cleared the station of their equipment. They probably removed him last." He hit another button. "I estimate they left not more than two hours ago."
"Two hours?" repeated Archer. "T'Pol."
Phlox looked to the foot of the bed to see the Vulcan standing, staring blankly at the silver surface on which only hours ago the engineer had been held.
"T'Pol," said Archer again.
The first officer started slightly. "Two hours," she repeated then her eyes widened. "We should still be able to pick up their warp trail quite easily, Captain."
"D'Marr, are your sensors capable of picking up another ship's warp trail?" asked the captain.
"Of course."
"Then let's get out of here," ordered Archer.
Phlox ran after the others, clinging desperately to his last remaining shreds of hope.
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For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Trip opened his eyes. He quickly shut them against the bright light and rolled onto his side. He was no longer restrained and he could no longer feel the touch of cold metal beneath him, they're cold hands on his body or their cold presence in his mind. Slowly, the engineer opened his eyes again. Not more than a meter away staring back at him was the skull of a species Trip didn't recognize.
The commander squeezed his eyes shut again. He let his mind drift. He'd given up physically fighting his captors hours ago, his body too tired and too sore to struggle anymore. He was still aware that there was pain, but it had just become a constant to which he'd grown accustomed. He couldn't remember when he'd given up fighting them mentally. He'd awaken so many times in so many different places he'd soon found it hard to determine where reality ended and where the horrible dreams began. Was he really free of them, he didn't know? The ground beneath him felt real, but then everything felt real in the beginning.
Yet he couldn't feel them in his head anymore.
Trip felt his body start trembling and despite the pain, he pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them. Hesitantly, he opened his eyes to look at the round black orbs of the skull across from him. He stared at it, wondering strangely what his skull would look like to those who followed him to this place. He lowered his chin and looked down to see a pile of bones, bleached white by the alien sun, sleeping at his feet. If this place was part of another dream it was frightening as hell, he thought.
A snapping sound drew his attention from the skeleton and he lifted his eyes to look beyond the skull. He squeezed his eyes shut then reopened them to help focus. Coming toward him through the field of bones were several people.
His friends.
Trip started shaking uncontrollably. He was indeed caught in yet another dream. He quietly wept, knowing it was only time before he'd have to watch his friends die again, or die himself trying to save them.
"No more," Trip pleaded brokenly. He pulled away from Archer's reaching hand. "I can't do this anymore----please."
"Trip, it's me," said Archer gently. "It's over. We're taking you home."
The commander shook his head. "Just another dream," he sobbed softly. "Just another dream."
"Trip," said T'Pol. She knelt in front of him. "We're real. I am real."
Trip tried to pull away from her hand then gasped as intense pain hit him, taking his breath away. He could feel himself falling into the darkness again, so scared yet too tired to fight anymore. Before he succumbed, he felt T'Pol's hand on his cheek.
Her hand was warm.
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T'Pol lightly touched Trip's face as he fell unconscious then drew her hand quickly back, battling her need to comfort and protect him. Her priority had to be to get him to safety. They'd easily tracked the warp trail of the scientists' ship to the tiny, uninhabited planet and she'd immediately found a human bio-sign. Even though the readings were erratic, her heart had still soared at the knowledge the commander was still alive.
Her eyes took in his trembling body, completely naked and exposed to the elements of the alien world. From what she could see, his pale flesh was littered with deep bruises including two on either side of his forehead and several small incisions. She fought against her imagination, not wanting to think what Trip had experienced all for the sake of an alien science.
Archer knelt beside her. "What did they do to him?" he asked no one in particular. His voice was heavy with emotion as he took in his friend's appearance. He reached down and rested his hand on Trip's quaking shoulder.
"Bring the stretcher," directed Phlox. "And the blankets." He stepped over Trip's form then knelt, running his scanner over the engineer.
T'Pol saw the worry cross the Denobulan's features, an expression she'd only seen in the most dire of circumstances. "Doctor?" she prompted.
Phlox shook his head. "His injuries aren't life-threatening, but he's in severe shock. We need to get him back to Enterprise immediately," he replied.
The doctor gently rolled the unconscious commander onto his back, and Trip's arms and legs fell away to reveal his torso. T'Pol heard Archer curse vehemently at her side. Trailing from his collarbones to just above his navel was a long Y-shaped incision. T'Pol shuddered involuntarily. Just over her shoulder, she heard Reed gasp.
"They call that research," hissed Phlox. He took one of the blankets from Reed and carefully spread it over Trip's shivering form. Reed unfolded another and placed it over his friend as well. Gently Reed and Archer placed Trip on the stretcher then stood, lifting the commander between them. T'Pol walked at Trip's side while Phlox walked on the other, keeping a close watch over his patient. The two security officers led the group back to where D'Marr stood waiting just outside his ship.
"Ah, you found him," said the alien. He motioned with his hands for them to move quickly. "Hurry, hurry," he urged. "The spirits of the dead are not at all pleased we're disturbing their resting place."
T'Pol moved aside to allow the captain and Reed to load Trip onto the ship then she followed Phlox onboard.
As D'Marr headed to the pilot's compartment, T'Pol settled at the engineer's side opposite Phlox and Archer. Reed knelt beside her, his eyes clearly displaying the concern and fear she was feeling. Trip was still unconscious, his body shuddering under the two blankets. She looked at his face so pale and drawn. Welling up inside her were all the feelings she'd worked so desperately over the last weeks to bury. As hard as she tried, she could not ignore their strength and their power over her. Trip was in her heart and it seemed he'd made himself quite at home there.
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CONTINUED