TITLE: Into the Mind's Eye

AUTHOR: plumtuckered

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CHAPTER THREE

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Jon was alone. Only moments before, he'd been walking through an alien forest searching for a special tree bark for Dr. Phlox, Trip by his side.

Trip.

Jon turned around peering through the dark for any sign of his friend, but Trip was nowhere.

"You killed him."

The captain started and spun around at the sound of the strange voice.

"You killed your closest friend."

"Who are you?"

"You killed your closest friend," repeated the disembodied voice. "A man you called brother."

Jon spun around again, searching the dark for any sign of movement. "Where are you?" he called.

"You killed him."

Enterprise's captain froze, a vivid scene playing out suddenly before his eyes; Trip's face twisted in pain and fear as cold hands tightened around his neck; Jon's hands.

"You killed him!" shouted the voice.

"No!" yelled Jon. He brought his shaking hands up and stared at them. "Trip," he forced out. "Oh, God, Trip. What have I done?"

"You killed him!"

Jon dropped to his knees, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes. "No!" he shouted. "Trip!"

"You killed him!"

The scene played out for Jon over and over again, his friend's lifeless face burned into the back of his eyelids. "No!" he shouted again, but somewhere deep inside, he knew what he'd done. "It's not possible. I would never hurt him. Never."

But he had. He'd killed the one person he'd always tried so hard to keep safe.

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"Bridge to Lieutenant Reed."

Malcolm hurried to the wall comm. "Reed, what is it Ensign?" he asked.

"We've got a problem, sir," began Travis. "This planet isn't uninhabited after all. We were just contacted by one of its people."

"There are no 'people' down there, Ensign," replied Malcolm uneasily.

"I know that, but Taj-Mel was very real, Lieutenant, and very upset that the captain freed the Umbra. She's given us three hours to deal with it, sir. If the situation isn't handled by then, she'll destroy Enterprise."

"What?"

"I don't think she's bluffing, sir."

"Three hours may not be sufficient time, Ensign," replied the armory officer.

"I don't think she's willing to negotiate, Lieutenant. The Gonarians seem to have cloaking capabilities," explained the helmsman. "Right now, we're completely surrounded by their fleet." There was a pause. "We don't stand a chance against them, sir."

Malcolm met Phlox's gaze then movement drew his eyes to Trip. The commander slowly sat up, his eyes still closed as if sleeping. The doctor moved quickly to his side.

"Understood," said Malcolm. "Keep me apprised of the situation and I'll do the same."

"Yes, sir."

The comm. went silent and Malcolm joined Phlox at Trip's bedside.

"We must begin the process," said the engineer. He opened his eyes to reveal two darkened orbs. "This body is still weak, but we do not have the option of choices." The dark eyes fell on Phlox. "Make certain the captain is heavily sedated and it will begin."

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"T'Pol to Enterprise."

"Enterprise," responded Hoshi. "Commander?"

Travis turned in his chair to look at the young communications officer. She returned his puzzled expression.

"What is Commander Tucker's condition?"

Travis heard the urgency in his senior officer's voice and wondered briefly how she knew Trip was even in trouble.

"He's in sickbay, Commander," replied Hoshi. "As is Captain Archer."

"The captain?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"What has happened to them?"

Travis sat patiently while Hoshi explained to T'Pol about the Umbra and the Binder.

"And the uninhabited planet we're orbiting apparently isn't uninhabited, Commander," finished the ensign.

"Explain."

"A species called the Gonarians live there. They've surrounded Enterprise and will destroy us if the binding process doesn't work within three hours."

"I am in route, Ensign," replied T'Pol. "However, I estimate my time of arrival to be four hours, thirty-five minutes." She paused. "I will not make it in time."

"Commander," began Hoshi then she faltered.

"I will check in every thirty minutes, Ensign," said T'Pol finally. "I have every confidence that Lieutenant Reed is handling the situation admirably."

"He is, ma'am. I'll await your next communication."

"Ensign?"

Hoshi pressed her earpiece. "Yes, Commander?"

There was silence.

"Commander?" prompted Hoshi again.

"I'll contact you in thirty minutes."

"Aye, Commander."

Hoshi broke the comm. link then looked at Travis, her dark eyes clearly reflecting her fear. Travis swallowed hard then turned to look out the front bridge screen at the ominous alien ships that surrounded Enterprise.

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"I have to admit, Malcolm, I'm a little scared."

"I don't blame you," replied the lieutenant.

Trip laid back on his bio-bed and looked up at his friend. Phlox had moved his bed next to Archer's then busied himself monitoring the captain's vital signs. He'd given Archer the maximum dosage of sedative only moments before.

Malcolm smiled. "If anyone can get through to the captain, it's you, Trip," he said quietly.

"That's what S'ele thinks, too."

"Captain Archer trusts you implicitly, Trip. You'll get him out of this."

Trip inhaled deeply then exhaled, forcing himself to calm down. He knew failure wasn't an option. He had to save Archer. Life without his captain in it just wasn't acceptable.

"What happens now?" asked Malcolm.

Trip met his friend's eyes then suddenly the lieutenant wasn't there. Not of his own volition, Trip felt his hand lift, move, then settle on Archer's arm.

Then the engineer was falling.

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"Don't you know who I am, Jonathan Archer?"

Jon sat cross-legged in the dark. "No," he replied. He pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them, shivering against the cold.

"I think you do."

The captain shook his head, but remained quiet.

"I am you."

"You are not me," Jon replied decisively. "This is all some kind of elaborate trick."

"Was killing your friend a trick too, then?"

"I would never hurt Trip, never."

"But you felt his neck between your hands, watched as you squeezed the life out of him."

Jon closed his eyes and dropped his head to his knees.

"You are a broken man, Jonathan. All the events in your life have taken a toll on you. Is it so hard to believe that you could break?"

"I would never hurt Trip," repeated Jon adamantly. "I'd die first."

"Or go insane?"

"Leave me alone!"

"Don't you wonder what happened after you killed your friend?"

Jon covered his ears to drown out the voice, but he could still hear it plainly.

"You killed your armory officer and your helmsman then took the shuttle pod back to your ship. You killed three of your crew before your doctor was able to subdue you. You're there now, Jonathan, in sickbay."

"No."

"You know I'm speaking the truth."

Jon shook his head, but behind his closed eyes he saw it all rolling out before him. He saw Malcolm and Travis take the energy bursts from his phase pistol. He saw himself breaking the neck of Ensign Joyce then taking down Lieutenants Bridges and Sales in a maniacal shooting spree. He saw Phlox with a hypo-spray in his hand. He had done all those things, all those horrific things.

He pulled his knees closer into his chest and silently wept.

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"Commander?"

Trip blinked.

"Are you well?"

"Yeah---yeah," managed Trip. "I think so. That was one hell of a ride." He looked around. "Where are we?"

"In your captain's mind."

Trip looked at the tumult before him. "This is the cap'n's mind?" he asked.

"The Umbra has been busy, Commander. He knew I was coming so he has set up a defense against me. You will have much difficulty getting through to your captain, but I will help in all ways possible."

"He knows you're here, doesn't he?"

"I am in your mind, so I am uncertain if he is aware of my presence. He will know of your presence, however, as soon as you step over the threshold."

Trip scowled. "So you're in my mind and I'm in the cap'n's mind?"

"Precisely, Commander."

"Call me Trip."

"Trip?"

The engineer shrugged. "If you're sharing my mind with me, I think you can call me Trip."

"Very well."

Trip took a step toward the raging darkness. "What now, S'ele?" he asked. He could feel a cold wind on his face and he shivered. He couldn't quite get his arms around the fact that the strange black storm outside of which he stood was the depth of his friend's mind. He felt cold fear rise within him at the thought of what the Umbra was forcing Archer to see and think in order to create such a furor.

"You cross the threshold," directed S'ele.

Trip balked. "What's going to happen when I go in there?"

"I am unable to respond as I have no knowledge of your captain's mind." The entity paused. "But whatever happens will manifest physically if you do not take care."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"The human mind, though cluttered and unorganized, is a powerful thing, Trip. Your captain's mind, with the guidance of the Umbra, will fight against your presence. Whatever you experience physically will not be real because you are not physically present. You must remember that. If you allow yourself to believe what is happening to you is real, your physical body will react accordingly. I will not be able to remind you of this once you enter. My focus must be on the Umbra. Do you understand?"

Trip swallowed and nodded. "I think I get the gist of it."

"Do you still wish to continue?"

"Yeah," Trip replied without hesitation. "Without a doubt. Let's do this." Then he stepped into the stormy darkness of his friend's mind.

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CONTINUED