Between A Rock and… Another Big Rock
By Didi
Disclaimer: (Hate these things.) I do not own any of the recognized characters, places or things in this story. This is purely as pleasure writing and no profit shall be made from it. Any copyright infringement I may be committing is unintentional and without malice. I would be more than happy to STOP, just tell me. There, does that cover it all?
Rating: PG 13 for now.
Story Summary: The crew goes hunting underground.
Chapter Summary: Mayweather and Cutler have a discussion. The away team finds their cave. Coates and Sato tease one another. And Enterprise finds another problem.
Timeline: Set before the episode "Azati Prime" in Season 3.
Author's Note: I sat there for a long time trying to decide if inappropriate humor is appropriate here. Then I thought some more of all the tension and serious of last season and decided that a little laughter really does help a lot. Plus, I kind of like writing the raunchy stuff… it makes fan fic writing so much more interesting.
Spoiler: I can't think of any of this chapter.
Key: "Spoken" "Thoughts"
Acknowledgement: My dear readers, you may all thank Steph, my beta, for her excellent work. Without her, you'd all be going insane with all the mistakes I make when writing. Thanks a bunch Steph, you're wonderful.
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Chapter Nine – Stubborn
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"Mayweather, wait up," Liz Cutler caught up with the long legged helmsman after some mad scrambling down the hall. "Must you walk so fast?"
"I didn't realize I was doing it," Travis answered honestly as he smiled at the pretty scientist. He hated breakfast but had long been trained to eat it because that's what his mother said was the smart thing to do. He missed her… and her scolding. "What's up?"
"The captain's temper apparently," Liz replied with a significant look.
Travis winced. "Heard about Hoshi's little assignment, huh?"
"I think the man is purposely trying to see how far he can push her before she breaks," Cutler replied with a shake of her head. She was ever thankful that her contact with the captain was minimal. "Don't get me wrong, I love the girl and think the world of her, and I think that she's a lot stronger than she will ever allow anyone to see, but damn…"
"I'm sure the captain is just relying on her a little…"
"A little?" She gave him a look that asked, "Are you nuts?"
Conceding the point seemed more sensible. "Okay, he's relying on her a lot these days. But like the captain said, we haven't got a lot of time. And the others just aren't Hoshi's caliber. What is he supposed to do?"
"You're preaching to the choir here," Liz said irritated as they entered the nearly deserted mess. Coffee was always best before the crowd got in. "But Hoshi got herself into a bind here. If she doesn't help the others out, she's going to end up doing it anyways when the captain finds out there are mistakes. And we all know we cannot have mistakes." Liz's voice raised a notch in indignation on her friend's behalf. "And if she does help the others, as she's been doing so far, she gets her ass chewed out for it. She's stuck between a rock and … another big rock. It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. She can't possibly win."
Pouring the bitter hot coffee, Travis opened his mouth to defend the captain but found that he couldn't. "I think the captain's got the idea now."
"Really?" Liz raised her eyebrows, disbelief heavy in her tone.
"Kind of hard to avoid when Don literally shoved the truth down the captain's throat." Travis had nearly fallen out of his seat during dinner when he heard from one of the MACOs on standby alert.
Liz grinned as she sat down. "Now that I would dearly love to see."
"Not me," Travis said with a shake of his head. "I heard the captain almost exploded right in the shuttle bay 'cause no one told him what was going on with Hoshi and the communication staff."
"Hell, I would have told if him if anyone could get close enough to him without fear of him drawing blood."
"He's not that bad," came the automatic response. This wasn't the first conversation Mayweather and Cutler had over the captain's recent change in attitude. "He's just stressed."
"Most people that are stressed work out in the gym and take a cold shower," she pointed out with a raised voice. "Most aren't allowed to take out their 'stress' on other people. He's the most powerful man on this ship; no one can gainsay him in any way. He of all people should be keeping a firm lid on his temper and not allowing his rank to cause problems. But instead, he's using it to work out his frustrations." Liz frowned. "You know what they say about powerful people with a temper."
"They're often unreasonable," Travis finished for her with a sigh. "But Captain Archer isn't like that."
"Didn't he just send a claustrophobic, exhausted ensign on an underground away mission? And this is after he found out she's literally had no sleep trying to keep up the work?"
"He didn't have a choice."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Really?"
Mayweather gave her a light shove. "Yes."
"You know I have my doubts right?"
"Your sarcasm kind of gave that away."
Liz smiled at him, enjoying the young man's company. "Look, I don't doubt that Captain Archer is a good guy. But he's got to cut back on the caffeine."
"And Hoshi's got to learn not to take on so many burdens," Travis said with a look of understanding.
Liz groaned. "Could you tell her that? PLEASE? I keep reminding her that she's only one person but she won't listen to me." The number of nights she'd spent lecturing Hoshi over endless bowls of ice cream and gallons of hot coffee she had long since lost track of. But it was no good; Hoshi was an overachiever that needed work to validate her worth on the ship.
"And you think she'll listen to me?" His face expressed his opinion on that thought. "She's a chronic workaholic. Hoshi will do as Hoshi wants. Woe to any idiot that tries to stop her."
"Does that include the captain?"
He thought about it… really considered it carefully. "Yeah, it might."
-&-&-&-
The murky water glistened from the light units, its surface motionless in the still room. The only sounds were the shuffling feet of the MACO's as they checked the dark corners. The nearly three hour hike that included several unexpected drops in the tunnels and two caved in areas left them all the more cautious.
"That don't look too great," Trip murmured with a frown as he set down his backpack and looked around the cavern with concern. "You sure this is it, Hoshi?"
"I can't say a hundred percent but I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure," Hoshi responded rather off handedly with her head bent over her glowing PADD. Little pictorials along their eventful hike had added details to the already established map.
"Oh, is that all?" he grinned and pulled his scanner out.
"Secure the cavern," Hayes and Reed ordered in unison. There was a moment of awkward silence before Reed shrugged and Hayes nodded and everyone scrambled to do what were supposed to and not look like they were amused by that little drama.
"Ensign Sato?" Romero tapped Hoshi lightly on the shoulder, trying not to startle her. "I found something written on the wall over here," he spoke quietly, gesturing with the butt of his rifle, "Maybe you want to take a look?"
Hurrying over, Hoshi dug out the flashlight in her pack and dropped the rest of her supplies on the ground. She stared for a moment, her eyes passing over several vertical writings in silence. Frowning, she turned to Sgt. Romero. "Can you hold this for me, shine it right there." With a quick wave of her hand, Hoshi indicated for him where she needed the extra light.
"Sure." Bracing his pulse rifle against his side, one thumb ready on the safety, he grabbed the flashlight from her with a smile. "Right there?"
"Right there, thanks." She returned the easy smile with one of her own and went to work. Her fingers tapped gently against her PADD, her eyes darting up every so often to do another reading. Turning, she scanned the room with a frown. "Hum…"
Across the room Sanchez reported in, "I'm not seeing anything, sir." The light from his scope finally shifted away from a corner that had held too much shadow for him not to double check.
"Neither am I, sir," Coates added, suppressing a shudder of chill. The room was worse than the one they had slept in the evening before. "It must be only ten Celsius."
"Jamison, you reading anything?" Tucker asked as he continued to scan the walls for any energy signatures once the ground had proven to be fruitless.
"Nada, sir," Jamison responded as he made a slow progress along the stone walls.
Hayes glanced around the room, "Let's secure the exits. Kemper, you and Romero take… Romero, what are you doing?"
Corp. Romero turned his head and looked over his shoulder without allowing the light to waver off its fixed location. The fierceness in his CO's eyes threw him. "I… I'm…"
"He's helping me with a light problem, Major," Hoshi answered calmly hearing the rattle in the Corporal's voice. As she turned, still studying her PADD, she looked around the narrow room with growing trepidation. "Commander Tucker?"
"Yeah, darling?"
"How big would you say this room is, sir?"
Frowning, Trip glanced around and took quick visual measurements. "I'd say 24 meters by 55 by 4. Why?"
"I was afraid of that." Hoshi muttered something in German and gazed out at the dark water, "According to what the corporal found, this room should be about three times that size."
"Ya gotta be kidding me!"
She shook her head regretfully.
The rest of the team looked out over the still water.
Reed closed his eyes and muttered, "I knew it was going to be in the bloody water." All they lacked know was enemy fire and this would be the makings of his greatest nightmare.
Stepping up to the water's edge, Trip held his scanner out as far as he could. "I'm barely getting a blip. You sure the UT is working right, Hosh?"
"I did it up here," she responded tapping her finger lightly against her temple.
Trip nodded, convinced, and turned to the rest of the team with a grin. "Well, boys and girls, looks like we're going swimming."
"Commander, hold a moment." Major Hayes shifted his weapon and watched the exit. "Romero, Kemper, watch our six," he called out urgently, watching as his men moved into position before turning back to the commander. "I believe it would be more efficient for one of us to go. We'll need you when we get the unit onto dry land."
"Ah swim like a duck," Trip informed him proudly.
"That's not the point, sir," Hayes replied, just barely smothering a grin. Cdr. Tucker looked like a child asking for praise with that gleeful grin on his face.
Reed cleared his throat and glanced at the water. "I think the major is pointing out the fact that you may want to reserve your energy for the work ahead and allow one of the others search of the unit."
"You mean, I ain't going to get a swim out of this?" Trip asked, mockingly pouting over not being able to get into the water.
"I believe it would be the wiser course of action," Hayes replied, finally giving into his amusement and chuckled. "Next time," he promised with indulgence as he set down his weapon and unzipped the top of his combat suit. "Sanchez, you dive right?"
"Every chance I get, sir," The younger man replied eagerly before setting his weapon aside to begin disrobing.
Hoshi leaned toward Katie. "Now that," she tilted her chin slightly as Major Hayes discarded his shirt and reached for his boots, "Is something half the girls on the ship would pay to watch."
Katie turned with wide eyes, "The major?" she mouthed, not daring to voice it.
Nodding her head, Hoshi gave her an 'Are you crazy?' look. "Oh yeah, just look at the man."
Resolutely turning her back on the men undressing, Coates shook her head frantically. "No freaking way! I have to work with these guys."
A muffled snort of exasperation erupted from Hoshi. "You didn't have any problems telling me to imagine Cdr. Tucker, or even the captain, naked when you knew perfectly well that I have to work with both of them on a daily basis."
"Yeah but you haven't actually seen them in their birthday suits. Imagining it is one thing, seeing it is another."
"Well, the major isn't in his birthday suit," Hoshi pointed out, watching with great appreciation. There was nothing like a well built man to make a girl sigh.
"Close enough."
Hoshi's jaw dropped. "Close enough?" She wrinkled her nose. "You do know that I've been in decon with Cdr. Tucker and the captain before, right?"
"Really?" Katie was fully interested now. She'd only been in decon once and it was with McKenzie and two other female MACOs. There had been too many of them to go in all at once and she remembered having to strip down to the bare minimum. "Now that I would have…"
"Shut up," she interrupted at the mischievous grin on Katie's face. Then both girls gave into their hilarity and softly chuckled.
Trip glanced up from his search of a flashlight for Private Sanchez. The soft giggling had caught his attention. "What are you girls yammering about over there?"
"Nothing," came the immediate response in unison.
"Oh now that was convincing," Sanchez rolled his eyes and dropped his pants. The chilled air made him shiver. "It's cold."
"Be glad of it," Jamison advised under his breath. He would not be so comfortable undressing in front of two female colleagues.
Hayes hesitated for a moment, his hand on the snap of his pants. Taking off his shirt was one thing but his pants? "I feel like damn stripper." Especially with Ensign Sato casually watching. "Oh hell."
"What's the matter?" Trip asked, testing the handheld light. The darkness that had pressed in on them when they entered the cavern didn't promise to get any better once the guys were underwater. But the last thing Trip wanted was to send Hayes and Sanchez into the water without being able to see what they were doing.
Unable to answer and not feel like an ass, Hayes merely sighed.
Reed choked on his amusement. Hayes appeared to have acquired a nice shade of pink to his tanned skin. This trip was turning out to be more enjoyable than he would have expected. These delicious moments were to be savored; regardless of the fact that time wasn't their friend. Hayes would probably take a swing at him if Malcolm so much as cracked a smile at this point. "Hoshi?"
"Um?" She looked at the lieutenant absentmindedly.
"Would you like to turn around?"
She blinked at him. "Why would I want to do that?"
Coates laughed; she just couldn't help it.
"Not funny, Coates," Hayes growled and decided to get over his own embarrassment and complete this damn mission while he still had some of his sanity left.
Hoshi turned around fast. "Okay, not a picture I want to carry around with me for the rest of this trip," she muttered under her breath.
"Why?" Katie prompted, curious and almost tempted to turn around.
"Men shouldn't have pretty legs," she complained then made a face realizing that she's already seen too much. "It's not fair."
It was all Coates could do not to laugh out loud again.
"Sanchez, take the left, I'll take the right and we'll work our way into the middle. Don't go down again until you check in with me first, understood?"
"Yes, sir," Sanchez nodded his head, grabbed a flashlight and waded into the icy water. "Can't see much, can you?"
"Be careful down there," Hoshi called out, turning back with concern. "The flooding may have bought in the walls. You may be swimming among some of rocks that once were walls. I'm guessing the lake bed isn't going to be so comfortable if you scrape up against it."
"Dutifully warned, ma'am" Sanchez grinned at her, waved his flashlight and dipped under the water.
A little thrown, Hoshi asked Katie, "How old is he?"
Coates rolled her eyes. "Twenty-seven."
Hoshi eyed her with amusement. "I'm only twenty-six"
"Yes, but you have a maturity beyond a twelve year old," Katie replied with a grin. Sanchez's antics were becoming a running joke among the MACOs.
Hoshi grinned. "But I can scream like one."
There were four rounds of air in-take before Sanchez found it. Both men treaded water to collect themselves before heading off with Cdr. Tucker's scanner for a reading. For nearly five tense minutes, the rest of the away team waited with bated breath for the two divers to appear again. Sanchez broke surface first, his lungs noisily sucking in much needed oxygen. Hayes resurfaced two seconds later, a little smoother, taking deep breaths as he reoriented himself and swam for shore.
"What'd you boys see?" Tucker asked anxiously as Hayes finally stood in the more shallow area and fought back a great shudder.
Sanchez wasn't so brave. "Jeeze, it's freezing," He spoke through chattering teeth, shivering frantically as he clumsily rushed towards his pack and his great cloak. Kemper lowered his weapon and opened the encompassing garment for his friend.
"The unit is about six feet by six by about four, smooth surface and definitely functioning," Hayes reported as he slowly made his way inland, his eyes focused on Cdr. Tucker and Lt. Reed. Keeping his mind on the important things allowed him to forget the fact that his face had gone numb and every limb on his body felt ten pounds heavier, his shorts were plastered uncomfortably on him and there were two females in the room. "Best estimate: two hundred and fifty feet out and a little over thirty-five feet deep." He didn't add that it was going to be hell to get that thing out of the soft sand the unit appeared to be buried in. "Here," he finished, handing over the PADD.
"Major," Hoshi called out, holding Hayes' cloak out to him since the MACO CO seemed to have forgotten his own personal needs.
She was watching him with big curious eyes. Startled by her sudden presence, it took a moment for the major to recognize her intent. "Thank you." Matt sincerely hoped he wasn't blushing as he wiped droplets of water off his skin before gratefully taking the warm cloak from the ensign. He didn't want to admit it, but he couldn't really feel his feet any longer.
Malcolm frowned, his eyes glancing over the surface of the now calm water. "We don't exactly have a great number of choices."
"We only got one," Trip muttered rather disgruntled at the thought. "Good old fashion 'heave ho' with some strong ropes."
Matt had already come to the same conclusion given their lack of supplies. "Agreed." He looked to Lt. Reed. This was not at all what they had been prepared for when they came down to the planet again. But then again, the military trained you to prepare for the unexpected and work with what you've got.
Eyes closed with resignation, Malcolm nodded. He could not have imagined worse scenarios if he had enough energy to even try.
Turning, Cdr. Tucker called the rest of the team over, with Sgt. Kemper and Corp. Romero giving the group their back to watch their exit way. A quick explanation was given as to what they needed done and what has to happen. A quick plan was put together.
"We'll need brawn behind the ropes," Hayes studied his team. "No offense to anyone here. Coates, you and Jamison watch our sixes." He mentally reasoned that the engineer could make a decent lookout.
The two officers traded positions with Kemper and Romero without a murmur.
Lt. Reed looked apologetic as he turned to Hayes. "You'll have to go back down and get the ropes looped around the unit. And I'm afraid you'll also have to watch the progress. It's not going to do us any good if it's damaged during the transport."
Hayes nodded his head in agreement. "We'll also have to dig around the edges at least for the initial pull, to get the thing moving." He would have dearly loved to get some planks down as well. Dragging the storage cell through water and mud wasn't going to be a neat or easy process.
"Agreed."
"This would probably go a lot faster if we had at least one or two more people down there, moving dirt when it starts to pile in front. Anyone else got any diving experience?"
Everyone was silent… except for Sanchez who was groaning over the fact that he had to get back into the freezing water and immediately stopped when Major Hayes gave him a 'look.' (It could have also been Kemper's foot connecting with Sanchez's ankle.)
Hoshi hesitated for a moment. "I'm probably going to regret this." But given she hadn't done much since they arrived, she raised her hand. "I do." Looks like those summer dives with her parent off the coast of Hawaii were about to come in handy. "Oh goody."
Startled at this unexpected knowledge, Major Hayes couldn't quite shield his surprise but managed to compose himself quickly. A quick glance at Cdr. Tucker, whose eyes were closed with dread but who confirmed with a reluctant nod, made Matt's stomach drop. "Ensign, perhaps it would be better if you stayed up here."
"Why?" She asked, reaching behind her. The rasping sound of the zipper coming undone was loud in the silent room. The men immediately gave her their backs. Amused and exasperated, Hoshi quipped, "Relax boys, I'm not naked underneath."
That didn't quite have the same effect she had intended but only Sanchez was ungentlemanly enough to indicate his disappointment.
"Ensign," Hayes tried again, clearing his throat uncomfortably as soft rustling sounds reached his ears. "I thought perhaps… perhaps you would be more helpful… useful… you would be more comfortable… er…" He usually didn't have such trouble speaking. Of course, he'd never found himself in this situation either. Exasperated with himself, Matt looked to Cdr. Tucker for help.
Trip wasn't even hiding the fact that he was silently laughing his ass off. "Hoshi, I think what the major is trying to say but ain't getting out is the fact that ya might was to rest up while ya still can. I ain't going to be able to read whatever is on the power unit, we're gonna to need you the whole way."
"Putting our resources where they will do the most good," Lt. Reed concluded resisting the need to roll his eyes. These problems that the captain's little request had resulted in were rather unpredicted. "Bloody hell, we're being diplomatic."
"Well, you guys can stop worrying." Hoshi's sudden appearance by their sides made the three men twitch in reaction. None of them could quite stop themselves from looking. Fortunately for the men, and Hoshi, the Star Fleet standard undergarments covered a great deal. "I swim like a fish and I only need my eyes to do the translations." She gave them a bright smile before taking the flashlight Sgt. Coates offered to her. "So, are we going to do this or what?"
"Is she always this stubborn?" Hayes asked under his breath as he picked up ropes that the rest of his men had pulled out.
"Always," Trip confirmed with a look. "But look at it this way: at least we'll get this done faster."
Hoshi gave a howl of dismay as she stepped into the icy water and felt everything from her shin down go numb.
Matt closed his eyes and forced himself not to groan. "You were saying?"
Trip winced.
Wading his way over, Matt took the rope Hoshi had been given and undid the square knot she had created to loop around her arm. "This will come off if pressure is applied, especially with water as lubricant. I want you to follow Sanchez in, hand him the rope then head for the surface," Hayes instructed sternly as he tired the thick cord around Ensign Sato's waist. Tugging on the knot, "Putting it here will give you more balance."
"What about digging?" she asked absentmindedly, watching as his numb fingers created an intricate knot that wasn't likely to come off unless she pulled in a certain manner. She was duly impressed.
"Sanchez and I will handle that," he informed her, giving Sanchez a quick check before tying his own lead rope. "You just let the others know that we're ready."
"You telling me by the time I swim back to the surface, you'd have everything setup down there?" Hoshi gave him a look that told Hayes what she thought of that stupid idea.
"Ensign," he began.
Hoshi held up a hand and moved closer to him, annoyed that the water was dragging her feet. "Look," she whispered as softly as she could without losing the effect she wanted. "I know I was a basket case last night but give me a little credit, okay? I get the job done."
"I don't doubt that," Matt said firmly.
"Than don't treat me like I'm some sort of second classman. If I say I can do it, I can do it."
"I understand but…"
"And I'll bet you a months worth of desserts that I'm a better swimmer than you and Sanchez put together."
He raised a brow at her. She was bordering on insubordination. "Bet me?"
"Yeah," she said a little fiercely.
The spark in her eyes made her more alive than he'd seen in some time. A prickle of interest ignited. "You're on, Ensign."
"Prepare to lose your dessert, Major," she called out before diving into the water.
-&-&-&-
"What is it T'Pol?"
"The Reptilians have moved, Captain."
"What do you mean?" Archer demanded, crossing the bridge and dropping into his seat. "Show me."
The screen blinked out for a moment to be replaced by a closer view of the planet. The three Reptilian ships, once bunched to one side were now scattered around the planet. T'Pol waited a moment for the captain to absorb the scene. "I believe they are sentries."
"Guarding their pet project," Archer muttered darkly. "Great."
"Captain?" Mayweather's face reflected his concerns.
"Maintain our position, Ensign." Depending upon the point of view, Enterprise apparently arrived either at the best or worst possible time. "T'Pol, switch armory to three shift rotation. I want them ready at a moment's notice. We may have to bust our people off that planet at any given time."
"Can we warn them?" Travis asked.
"I'm open to suggestions."
There was silence.
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Teaser Line: Treading water, Matt took in the smug little smile on the ensign's face and silently cheered her while admitting defeat. He didn't like losing but damned if this isn't the most pleasurable lost he has ever tasted.