For disclaimer see Chapter 1.
Chapter 6.
Trip rubbed absently at his temples vainly trying to dislodge the headache that had been more or less a constant since he woke up in sickbay the day before. Of course it had 'disappeared' when Phlox threatened to keep him in but he doubted he could fool the Doc for long. Not sure I want to either, he mused to himself as he stretched the muscles in his back before applying himself again to the screen in front of him.
"Anything?" The captain's voice made him start slightly causing the older man to look at him in concern.
"Sorry Capt'n," he mumbled, "didn't hear you come in."
"How're you feeling?" Archer eyed him closely. "Doc says you had another nightmare last night."
Tucker pulled a face knowing that it was pointless trying to fool his friend. "Trouble is, I can't remember a damned thing about it, just wake up soaked to the skin. Nothin' about these scans of our crash site seems familiar either." As he spoke Trip called up the next screen showing recorded images of the wrecked shuttle. The wreckage was strewn across a substantial area of rocky coastline, being mercilessly pounded by the waves.
Tucker stared at the image feeling his head pounding with the waves. Something about the water.......... he hunched forward, mesmerised, seeing the waves in his mind's eye rather than on the screen growing ever taller until…….
"Trip, Trip come out of it." Archer had his hand on the engineer's shoulder and was shaking him gently. The view on the screen hadn't changed but Tucker's eyes had glazed over and perspiration stood out in beads on his forehead.
"Call Phlox," he shouted across to Crewman Rostov who was passing Trip's office, "get him down here."
"Aye Captain." Rostov was already moving towards the comm. One look at his chief all the motivation he needed to hurry. Tucker's face was creased in pain even as his eyes continued to stare blankly at the screen before him.
Abruptly his head reared up and Archer just caught him before he fell from the chair. The engineer was breathing heavily and his head lolled back onto the captain's supporting arm.
"Take it easy Trip, I've got you," Jon murmured comfortingly, reaching out his free hand to wipe the sweat from Trip's eyes. Eyes that were blinking slowly as they gradually came back into focus.
Trip licked dry lips looking up into the concerned face of his friend. "What happened?" he whispered.
Archer shook his head slightly, adjusting his grip as Trip tried to sit up a little in his seat. "You went into some sort of trance, looked like you were in pain," he raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"My head," Tucker admitted, drawing a deep breath and closing his eyes briefly.
At that moment Phlox pushed his way gently through the small group of engineers gathered round their chief's office. "Give me some room please," he asked kneeling down beside Tucker.
Archer nodded to the engineers to move back while maintaining his grip on his friend. Trip was shaking slightly beneath his hand and Jon wanted to give what support he could.
"Mmm, what happened?" Phlox unknowingly repeated Tucker's question as he consulted his medical scanner.
"Not sure Doc," Archer answered. "Trip was looking at the scans of the crash site when he went into some sort of trance."
"Did he come out of it on his own?"
"More or less, I spoke to him but that didn't seem to have any effect, he just jerked backwards after a minute or two and seemed to come out of it on his own."
"Hmm, Mr Tucker?" Phlox asked the engineer who was still pale and shaken.
"I don't know Doc," the young man replied quietly. "I was looking at the water." He broke off closing his eyes against the pain in his head, breathing unevenly.
"We need to get you back to sickbay," Phlox announced, pressing a hypo to Trip's neck. "That should help with the pain. Captain," he gestured towards Tucker but Archer was already helping his friend to his feet. The engineer was unsteady but managed to walk with support, lying back gratefully onto the biobed when they arrived in sickbay.
"Doc?" Archer questioned, worry creasing his forehead.
"I will need to take some more scans but at the moment I can find nothing that would explain Mr Tucker's symptoms."
"What about Malcolm?"
"He had a peaceful night, unlike the Commander. I discharged him to his quarters this morning with orders to rest."
"No sign of headaches?"
"He didn't report any," said Phlox dryly. "However, it may be prudent to have another look at him." As he spoke he moved over to the comm. panel to summon Reed back to sickbay.
Archer meanwhile hovered near Trip's bed watching his friend closely. Tucker's eyes were closed but his breathing had steadied and he was no longer shaking. "What's wrong with me Doc?" he asked suddenly.
"I'm afraid I cannot tell you as yet. Please report any symptoms, however insignificant they may seem. When I have spoken to Mr Reed I'll take some more detailed scans in the imaging chamber."
Trip pulled a face and Archer smiled, pleased to see his friend feeling a little better.
Reed entered sickbay looking shocked to see Tucker once again lying on a biobed. "What happened to you?" he asked.
"Headache again," Trip replied ruefully. "How about you?"
"I'm fine," Reed answered quickly.
"No headache at all Mr Reed?" Phlox asked pointedly.
"Not really," Malcolm replied truthfully, "just a dull ache since I woke up this morning."
"Mmm, that would be consistent with a concussion." Phlox looked thoughtful. "Mr Tucker?" he asked.
"I've had a nagging ache all day," the engineer admitted, causing Phlox to purse his lips. "But it's not dull, more like a sharp pain behind my temples. When it gets bad it feels like my head's on fire."
"I've had nothing like that," Malcolm confirmed at the doctor's look.
"How do you feel otherwise?"
"Slightly nauseous, a little dizzy, fine really."
"No bad dreams?"
"None," Reed shook his head.
"Can you remember anything that happened down there Malcolm?" Archer asked quietly. He didn't want to cause either officer distress but they needed to know what had gone on down there.
"We were fine until we hit the atmosphere Sir," Malcolm began slowly. "I can remember launching and……." He frowned.
"Are you alright?" Archer asked anxiously.
"Yes Sir, no headache if that's what you mean but my mind is a total blank. There's nothing there from the launch until I woke up back here." Reed frowned again looking over at Tucker. The engineer was again breathing heavily and had both hands pressed to his temples.
Phlox moved quickly to his side as Archer escorted Malcolm across to the other side of sickbay. "Something happened down there Malcolm," he said. "I can't believe that it was just a shuttle crash and what happened to Trip that didn't happened to you?"
"I wish I knew Sir. You say we were both found with the wreckage?"
"Yes," Archer nodded. "You were both suited up and lying among the rocks at the water's edge with the remains of the shuttle scattered over several hundred metres." Archer grimaced. "It's not salvageable though T'Pol is still scanning the wreckage for any sign of the black box. We picked up your distress call when the storm cleared."
As he spoke Archer watched Reed closely but, while there was no indication of distress, there was no sign that he had remembered anything further either.
"I'm sorry Captain," Reed muttered, "I can't even remember getting knocked out."
"Trip started to say something about the shuttle, he said you bumped your head and the shuttle was………" Jon grimaced, "he couldn't get any more out, the headache was particularly intense that time."
Both officers looked over to where Phlox was helping Trip to a drink of water.
"The headaches seem to be getting worse," Archer mused, "he can't even think at all about what happened without being affected."
"What brought him back to sickbay?" Reed asked, still watching his friend.
"He was reviewing the records of the crash site and went into a trance."
"Perhaps I'd better have a look Sir."
Archer looked sceptical and Reed spoke again quickly. "I've not had any ill effects Sir, perhaps there's nothing for me to remember."
"Because you were unconscious?"
"Perhaps."
"T'Pol is in the science lab. Go and have a look there but don't overdo it Malcolm, any sign of trouble stop. Best let Phlox have a look at you first." Archer called Phlox over to them. "How's Trip?" he asked.
"Resting quietly. I would like to take a few scans of you now Lieutenant," he said, indicating the nearest biobed.
Malcolm sat down and waited patiently until Phlox had finished.
"Anything?" he asked eventually.
"Not on the surface," Phlox shook his head. "You say you have experienced no discomfort when trying to remember?"
"None, but my mind is a blank."
"Malcolm was going to go have a look at the images with T'Pol when you'd finished Doctor," Archer put in. "We need to know what happened down there."
"Very well," Phlox replied, "but I want you to wear a cortical monitor just in case."
Phlox moved off to prepare the monitor as the comm. sounded. "T'Pol to Captain Archer."
"Archer," he responded immediately, "what have you got T'Pol?"
"Unfortunately very little Captain, our search for the black box has so far proved unproductive."
Archer frowned, black boxes emitted their own recognition signal and should be among the first object recovered from any wreckage. Anticipating his comment T'Pol spoke again. "We are endeavouring to refine our scans Captain but I do not believe that there is significant wreckage present to account for a complete shuttlepod."
Archer shared a glance with Reed. "Are we able to transport any of it aboard?"
"Ensign Mayweather is selecting suitable pieces as we speak."
"Thank you T'Pol, Mr Reed will be down shortly to review the scans."
"And Commander Tucker?"
"Back in sickbay I'm afraid , he had an adverse reaction when viewing the scans earlier. I'll fill you in later, let me know as soon as you find anything."
"Aye Captain."
"What's that about not enough wreckage Capt'n," Tucker called from the other side of sickbay.
"Don't even think about it Trip," Archer warned.
"Headache's no worse, besides I can't see it gettin' any better 'til we get to the bottom of this."
"Let us worry about it Trip," said Malcolm moving over to stand by his friend's bed.
"Easy for you to say, you haven't got to sit here doing nothing, trying not to think." Tucker looked so hard done by both Archer and Reed shared a smile, to Trip's indignation. Phlox bustled up with the cortical monitor for Reed. "I shall need you back here presently Lieutenant," he said, "so that I can corroborate your results with the Commander's."
"I'll be in the science lab Doctor when you need me," Reed replied with a smile over at Trip as he left.
"Now then Mr Tucker," Phlox smiled pleasantly, "let's see if we can discover the cause of your headaches."
Trip sat up cautiously and made his way over to the imaging chamber, lying down again as Phlox prepared for his tests. His headache was easing thankfully though it was difficult not to try and think about the cause.
"Ready?" Phlox asked.
"Sure," Tucker replied and relaxed back onto the bed as the doctor opened the chamber.
"This won't take long Captain," he said to Archer who had stayed to watch. "Hopefully we should know more in a few minutes."
The chamber closed and Phlox activated his equipment. The next instant both men stared in horror as an agonised scream came from within.
TBC