Let the Dead Bury the Living
By Thalia Drogna
AN: Thanks again to everyone for your reviews. They mean a lot to me. This really is turning into a marathon but I promise that the end is in sight. In fact it's written, and on my hard drive, I just have to connect it to everything else…
T'Pol sat at the side of Trip's biobed, waiting for him to awake. Captain Archer had stormed off in search of Shran but he had asked T'Pol to go to sick bay to check on Trip. He hadn't yet awoken, according to Phlox. He was talking in his sleep however. More binary code and T'Pol was taking it down as he spoke each numeral.
So far her padd was covered in ones and zeroes.
010011000110010101110100001000000111010001101000011001010010000001100100011001010110000101100
100001000000110001001110101011100100111100100100000011101000110100001100101001000000110110001
10100101110110011010010110111001100111
"It is intriguing, isn't it," said Phlox, as he came over to check his patient's vital signs.
"He didn't speak about it when he awoke last night?" asked T'Pol.
"No, but I was trying to persuade him to go back to sleep," said Phlox. "He can be quite stubborn when he puts his mind to it."
"Indeed, I have noticed this trait before," said T'Pol.
"It's not polite to talk about someone behind their back," said a sleepy voice from the biobed. T'Pol looked over and found that Trip had awoken.
"We were not "behind you back"," replied T'Pol. She noted that despite the fact Trip had just woken he still looked absolutely drained. His skin was pale and his eyes sunken.
"It's a figure of speech, T'Pol," said Trip, with a weak smile. "Never mind. It's good to see you. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever see you again."
"That was never an option," said T'Pol.
"Maybe not for you," said Trip. "I didn't have any choice in the matter. Hey, what happened about your Dohn Zhu? Aren't you supposed to be on your way back to Vulcan?"
"It has not yet been resolved. I was given an extension. I must return to Earth tomorrow in time for the verdict of the tribunal," said T'Pol.
"So what do you think they'll say?" asked Trip.
"I doubt they will be pleased that I have kept them waiting," said T'Pol.
"I remember you being there in the shuttle, but not much else. I guess you must have been in the rescue party," said Trip.
"That is correct. I was able to download their database," said T'Pol and explained to Trip everything that she had found.
"So this was all about attacking the Vulcans?" asked Trip.
"It seems that way," said T'Pol.
"You shouldn't have skipped your Dohn Zhu for me, T'Pol," said Trip.
"The Captain required my help. It was logical for me to accompany the rescue party," said T'Pol.
"All the same, you can't do this kind of stuff. You put yourself in danger, and if you end up going back to Vulcan, I'll never forgive myself for causing you to lose your tribunal," said Trip.
"There is no need to blame yourself. The decision was not yours to make," replied T'Pol.
Phlox decided to interrupt before the discussion could get more heated. Knowing this pair he suspected that it would if he allowed it to continue.
"Now you're awake and up to date with things, Commander, I have some questions for you," said Phlox.
"Shoot, Doc," said Trip, noticing the Denobulan's obvious attempt at changing the subject but deciding to go along with it for the moment.
"Have you noticed any changes in the nanites?" asked Phlox.
"They aren't talking to me anymore," said Trip. "At least, I can't understand them anymore. Everything's in binary and I can't translate it now. When I first woke up in that cell, they weren't exactly chatty and they weren't always making sense the whole time, but at least I knew what they were saying. Now it's just ones and zeroes. The last thing I remember before seeing the Captain was Davis saying that they were going to try an experiment with some sound modulation equipment, so I guess they did and this is the what happened."
"That was our assumption also," said T'Pol.
"So when can you fix it?" asked Trip.
"Fix it?" asked T'Pol.
"Yeah, what good is it if I can't understand what they're saying to me?" asked Trip.
"That would be most dangerous, given that we don't know the exact frequency to reverse the state that they are currently in," said Phlox.
"But we could experiment again?" asked Trip.
"The risk is unacceptably high," said T'Pol.
"Don't you think I should be the judge of that?" said Trip.
"Actually, Commander, I have been perfecting a nanite removal process," said Phlox.
"To get rid of the nanites?" said Trip. "For good?"
"Yes, Commander," said Phlox. "The nanites continued presence in your body is detrimental to your health. We need to remove them as soon as possible, and I believe I'm very close to perfecting the removal procedure."
Trip just stared at Phlox for a moment before he remembered that he should say something. "Sorry, Doc, it's just taking me a little while to get used to the idea that I might get my head to myself again. It's been nearly a year."
"Well you have the Captain to thank, he's the one who brought Ven Dath back from the Expanse," said Phlox and told Trip about Archer's adventures to retrieve the Xindi scientist. T'Pol noted gladly that Phlox was giving Trip the edited version which missed out considerable amounts of the peril that the Captain had placed himself in. She was aware that Trip would be upset if he ever found out how much danger Archer had been in because of his mission to find Ven Dath. She wondered how much Archer himself had left out when he had related the tale.
Archer found Shran in the shuttle bay checking over the Zor Rakh in preparation for his departure. Archer's anger at his discovery hadn't been diminished by the journey from the Command Centre to the shuttle bay. He practically pulled the door off it's hinges as he entered the bay.
"Shran!" he shouted, using his fury to give the shout extra volume. "Shran! You son of a bitch, get your blue ass out here!"
"Captain Archer," said Shran, calmly, as he stepped out of the Zor Rakh. "You don't sound very happy."
"Of course I don't sound goddamn happy," replied Archer, striding up to the Andorian and dwarfing the smaller man. "I've just been going over the weather station com logs with T'Pol and Hoshi. You've been in touch with Nash for at least the past three months."
"I find that highly unlikely," said Shran. "You'll remember that we joined you in the Expanse at round about that time."
"Not you personally, Andoria, the Imperial Guard," said Archer, his patience wearing thin. "So I'll ask you again, what are you doing here?"
"You can't expect me to know everything that the Imperial Guard does," said Shran.
"You wouldn't be here if you didn't know something. I think that you've been lying to me from day one," said Archer. "I don't think that a word you've said to me has been true." Shran's antennae dipped forward in a gesture that Archer had begun to associate with guilt. "I have evidence that you're connected to whatever Nash is up to, tell me why I shouldn't throw you in the brig right this minute?"
"Maybe you should," said Shran. "If I have indeed done what you think I have."
"I'm giving you a chance to explain yourself," said Archer. "We haven't always had the easiest of relationships, but when the Xindi weapon was ready to attack Earth you pulled our asses out of the fire. I don't understand why you would betray us to Nash and his organisation."
"I didn't betray you," said Shran.
"Someone did and right now you're my prime suspect," said Archer. "Nash has been planning this for months. That means he must have had access to the confidential reports that we sent back from the Expanse. The only people who were supposed to see those reports were the top brass at Starfleet. But if you were intercepting those reports and passing them back to Nash, he'd have access to everything that we sent home."
Shran drew his mouth into a taught line. He didn't like this, but what harm could confirmation do? Archer had already worked out most of it for himself.
"The Imperial Guard were contacted and offered an opportunity that we couldn't refuse. If we provided Nash with intelligence then he would destroy the Vulcans for us. When we discovered the details of Nash's plan, we decided that we needed to safe guard our interests. It was decided that an Andorian should be sent to Earth to make sure Nash held up his end of the bargain and everything went according to plan," said Shran.
"You," said Archer.
"Yes, but I didn't trust Nash. There was nothing to stop him from turning the nanites on us once he'd finished with the Vulcans. I was told by my superiors to find a way to counter the nanites," said Shran.
"So you strung me along while we went to collect Ven Dath," said Archer. "The only man who knew how to destroy the nanites."
"I knew that if I played on your concern for Commander Tucker, that you would join me, especially given your own government's unwillingness to help. You knew the Expanse and the people there, and had a ship. I didn't anticipate that Enterprise would require such extensive repairs," said Shran.
"Why didn't you just send an Andorian ship to get Ven Dath?" asked Archer.
"Officially the Imperial Guard have no knowledge of this operation, if I was discovered then they would be able to deny their involvement," said Shran. "When I reported your difficulties with the Earth government and Commander Tucker, they saw their chance."
"Knowing that even if I didn't trust you, I'd go along with you for Trip's sake," said Archer. "But why did the Andorian fighters attack us?"
"To make you believe that I was working alone so that Andoria could not be implicated," said Shran. "They were a little more enthusiastic in their task than they were meant to be."
"They nearly killed us!" said Archer.
"We were never in any danger," said Shran.
"It didn't feel that way to me," said Archer. "Why are you still here? I gave you the opportunity to leave when we got back from the Expanse. If you hadn't been so insistent on rescuing Trip I probably wouldn't have asked anymore questions."
"I'm not well liked on Andoria at the moment," said Shran. "My failure to capture the Xindi weapon prototype in the Expanse was a grave disappointment to my superiors. This mission was offered to me as a way to make amends. If I succeeded then they offered to reinstate me as Commander of the Cammari. I failed again when you stopped me taking Ven Dath, but if I could still get the information on the nanite removal process, I could return to Andoria with my pride intact."
"But that doesn't tell me why you wanted to come on the rescue mission," said Archer.
"I told you why, you just weren't listening," said Shran. "Sleeping at night isn't just about paying debts."
"You expect me to believe that you helped us to rescue Trip out of the goodness of your heart," said Archer.
"A favour, to offset against the future. I knew you would discover my involvement at some point. I knew you well enough to predict that with some certainty," said Shran, ruefully. "I had hoped that I would be a long way from here before you worked it out, but it seems Enam was right I did underestimate you." Shran paused. "And of all you Pink Skins, Commander Tucker is one of the more likeable ones."
"But you were part of this. You helped them kidnap Trip," said Archer.
"I had no idea that was part of their plan," said Shran. "I never wanted to see any harm come to Commander Tucker or any of your crew."
"Well maybe your superiors should have thought of that before they agreed to help Nash," said Archer.
"My superiors were happy to sacrifice Earth to further the war against Vulcan," said Shran.
"As I recall, you didn't seem to have a problem with it either," said Archer.
"I followed orders," said Shran. He certainly wasn't going to tell Archer about his argument with his superiors. Andorians did not give the details of their inner squabbles to aliens, and Shran's conscience was of no concern to anyone but himself.
"Like you're doing now," said Archer, cynically.
"My loyalty always has and always will be to Andoria and the Imperial Guard first. The Vulcans have killed countless Andorians to further their aims. There are always casualties in war," said Shran.
"This isn't war. Yet." said Archer. "You have to help me stop Nash from making a big mistake."
"I'm leaving. Officially, I'm not even here," said Shran. "It's time to cut my losses."
"You can't leave. You're my proof that Nash is behind this, without you all I've got are the com records," which he knew wouldn't be enough to convince Starfleet that Nash, a highly respected senator, really was plotting to destroy the Vulcan alliance. Especially not after defending the Vulcans in public on the news item that Hoshi had shown Archer.
"As usual, you're in over your head. Nash is only the tip of the iceberg," said Shran. "The Vulcans aren't going to be happy when they hear that you humans have been plotting against them. You can either risk your alliance with the Vulcans, Archer, or you can let it go. The nanites are destroyed, Commander Tucker is safe and T'Pol wiped their database. It will be some time before Nash and his organisation will be able to try anything like this ever again."
"We know that Nash's people have other bases of operations. He may even have more nanites. I can't take the chance that he still has the capability to complete his plan. I just have to hope that the Vulcans will listen to us. I promised Trip that the people who hurt him would pay, and I keep my promises," said Archer.
"Then you'll have to do it without my help," said Shran. "I can't allow Andoria to be drawn into this. It's just the excuse the Vulcans need to launch an all out attack on us."
"Shran, it's a bit late for that. You're at least partly responsible for this. You have to help me," said Archer.
"I don't have to do anything. The only reason we became involved was because we believed that we would gain from the collaboration. I've bent over backwards to put things right between us. You owe me, remember," said Shran.
"Why does it always come down to the repayment of debt with you? Why can't you ever do something because it's the right thing to do?" asked Archer.
"Because the right thing isn't always what needs to be done. I had thought that your experiences in the Expanse might have taught you something. Morality is a luxury that you and I can't afford. We protect our worlds to the best of our ability, and that isn't always by taking the moral high ground," said Shran.
"Fine, if that's all you care about, you said your superiors were expecting an anti-nanite weapon. What if I were to give you access to Phlox's research on the nanite removal process, in exchange for your help," said Archer.
"That might be acceptable, but no one can know the source of your information," said Shran.
"I think I can work with that," said Archer.
"You'll have to be cunning if you want to catch Nash," said Shran.
"Don't worry, I've got some ideas on how to draw Nash out," said Archer. "What I don't understand is why he's doing this, it can't be simple xenophobia."
"It's not fear, Archer," said Shran. "It's retribution. He thinks that it was because the Vulcans held you humans back that the Xindi were able to attack Earth. Then they abandoned you in your hour of need. I'm surprised that you didn't officially break off the alliance given their lack of help. He's proving that Earth can take care of itself and woe betide anyone who double crosses you. The rest of the galaxy will think twice about attacking Earth if you take out the Vulcans."
"The rest of the galaxy could just as easily decide to gang up on us and take us out," said Archer.
"If we stop squabbling amongst ourselves for long enough. I seriously doubt that could ever happen," replied Shran. "You humans are the only ones who have ever shown any inclination towards working together with other species."
"If Nash gets his way, Earth won't be making friends with anyone," said Archer. "It's time I put a stop to his plans. T'Pol and I are going down to Earth tomorrow and I need you to come with us."
"I told you that I won't reveal Andoria's involvement in this," said Shran.
"If what I've got planned works, then you won't need to," said Archer.
Two small hands curled over the edge of Trip's biobed, which were followed by the tips of two pointed ears. A pair of wide, gold eyes looked up at Trip from over the side of the biobed.
"Hi," said Trip, slightly surprised. No one had mentioned a child on Enterprise, especially not one with feline ears and golden eyes, of a species that he'd never seen before. "What's your name?"
"Ghanima," said the little girl.
"That's a pretty name," said Trip.
"Are you tired?" asked Ghanima. "Is that why you're in bed all the time?"
"No, I'm just not feeling well," said Trip. "So…what are you doing here?"
"Captn Archer rescued me and my mummy," said Ghanima.
"He did, huh?" said Trip. He had just noticed the tail that was waving in the air behind his unexpected visitor and was trying not to become distracted by it.
"Yes, him and the blue man," said Ghanima. "He was sick too for a while but he's better now."
"The blue man? Shran?" asked Trip. His brain was already working overtime, it seemed that Phlox had missed out a number of details when he told Trip about Archer's excursion to Harrar station, including one small girl and a sick Andorian.
"Ghanima!" said a larger version of the small girl. "The Commander needs to rest. I'm sorry, I hope she hasn't been bothering you."
"No, she's okay," said Trip. "Makes a change to talk to someone doesn't keep asking me if I want to sleep. I guess you must be Enam. No one mentioned you had a daughter." No one had mentioned that Tanu apparently had a feline appearance either.
"They probably forgot that minor detail in all the excitement," said Enam, gathering up Ghanima in her arms. "She's been a bit shy since we arrived here, you're the first person apart from me that she's talked to. I guess you must have a gift."
"I don't know about that, she seems pretty chatty when she wants to be," said Trip.
"Only with people she likes," said Enam. "She's a pretty good judge of character, so I guess you were worth rescuing after all."
"Nice to know you and Ghanima think so," said Trip with a smile. "She mentioned Shran. Is he still here too?"
"Blue, oh yeah, and I don't think your Captain's too happy with him," said Enam.
"He rarely is. Wherever Shran turns up, trouble isn't usually far behind," said Trip, making a mental note to find out what was going on. "So, how exactly did you get involved in all this?"
Enam told him.
"Wow," said Trip. "So Ghanima's father was like the Tanu version of the Mafia?"
"Mafia?" asked Enam.
"Erm, in Earth history the Mafia were an organised crime syndicate," said Trip.
"In that case, yes," said Enam.
"So how did the Captain persuade you to join the rescue party?" asked Trip.
"I owed him one and he needed my help," said Enam. "I'm good at breaking into places."
"How exactly did you get me out of there?" said Trip.
"A combination of planning, luck, a juiced up transporter and a stolen shuttlecraft," said Enam.
"Hold it, transporter?" asked Trip.
"Yes, don't ask me the technical details, but your deputy hooked it up so that it would transport us to the orbit around Earth," said Enam.
"She wouldn't…" muttered Trip.
"Wouldn't what?" asked Enam.
"Never mind," said Trip and pulled himself out of his thoughts. "Have you introduced Ghanima to ice-cream yet?"
"Ensign Sato has already suggested that Ghanima might like this "ice-cream". She has invited us to the mess hall for a tasting this afternoon," said Enam.
"Well at least Hoshi still has her head screwed on. Make sure you get to try the rocky road," said Trip.
"I'll do that," said Enam, moving to go. "It was nice talking to you Commander."
"Erm, I don't suppose you could help me with something?" asked Trip.
Archer hadn't intended to be away from sick bay for so long but there had been preparations to make and people to talk to. He had spent at least a couple of hours on the com to Admiral Forrest explaining the situation and then another hour or so to the Judge Advocate's office. He still hadn't made it to sickbay that afternoon when Phlox came by his ready room.
"Captain, Commander Tucker is missing," said Phlox.
"What?" asked Archer. The last thing that he needed was Trip going AWOL on him. "How is that even possible?"
"He had help," said Phlox.
"Help? Who? T'Pol wouldn't be that stupid," said Archer.
"I suspect that it was Enam, she came to sick bay to pick up Ghanima while I was in the mess hall," said Phlox. "I'd have to ask Mr Reed for the security tapes to be sure."
"I don't think we need to see the security tapes. Enam is the only person who'd be irresponsible enough to help someone who should obviously be in sick bay to leave. I didn't think he was well enough to be up," said Archer.
"He isn't really, but he was beginning to feel better. He was sitting up and grumbling about being in sick bay, which is usually a sign that my patients are getting well," said Phlox. "I think most of it was false bravado but given his history, I can understand his wish to leave sick bay as soon as possible."
"I think I can guess where he is," said Archer. "I'll go get him. Would it be okay if he just rested in his quarters or does he have to be in sick bay?"
"No his quarters will be fine," said Phlox. "Getting him to rest is the priority at the moment and it doesn't matter where he is."
"We're going to have to come up with something. He's going to want to know when he can go back on duty," said Archer.
"I had already thought of that," said Phlox. He briefed Archer on the nanites' status and outlined a duty schedule that he thought the Commander could safely cope with. Archer wasn't sure whether to be relieved or worried that Trip was no longer able to hear the nanites. At least the transformation seemed benign, but the nanites had fooled them before.
Worrying about the nanites could wait, right now he had to find Trip.
There were hundreds of places to go on Enterprise for a man who wanted to hide. Maybe more if that man was the Chief Engineer, but Archer knew that there was only one place that Trip would want to go. Someone had told him that something needed fixing.
Sure enough, when Archer arrived at the transporter pad Trip was sitting on the raised platform examining some circuits with a hand scanner. He was wearing a t-shirt that was a couple of sizes too big for him and a pair of sweat pants which were too small, probably from Phlox's clothing cupboard in sickbay. It was always rather hit and miss as to what the doctor kept there for patients who had destroyed their clothing so badly that they needed to borrow something to leave sickbay in.
Hess was working a little further down the corridor and saw Archer coming. "I was about to give you a call," she said. "He arrived a few minutes ago, chewed me out for letting you overload the transporter, and just went to work, issuing orders and asking for a status report like he'd never been away." Hess didn't add that she'd grinned the entire way through her boss's lecture on the delicate nature of the transporter's machinery. "It's nice to see him but he doesn't look well enough to be out of sick bay."
"He isn't," said Archer. "I'll talk to him." Archer moved over to the transporter controls and took a seat beside Trip on the dais. "Phlox is going crazy looking for you," he said, exaggerating slightly to play the guilt card on Trip. It was one of Trip's big weaknesses and Archer had no qualms about using it against him if it got his friend to do what was best for him. "Would you like to tell my why you're here and not in sick bay?"
Trip turned to look at Archer accusingly. "What the hell did you get Hess to do to my transporter? Every damn circuit's fried. It's going to take at least a week to get the parts and fix this. I only just got the damn thing back together. This is probably the most sensitive piece of machinery on Enterprise and you decide to hook it up to the impulse drive." Archer marvelled at his friend's one track mind sometimes.
"Your team know how to fix the transporter, Trip. You don't need to be here personally," said Archer.
"I've been stuck in sick bay long enough. I got fed up with being poked and prodded and drugged and told to sleep," said Trip, going back to his work. Sickbay made him nervous. He'd spent far too much time in labs recently to ever be comfortable with doctors again.
"You could have told Phlox that before you decided to leave," said Archer.
"I didn't think he'd understand," said Trip.
"Maybe not, but I would have," said Archer. "I know you don't like sickbay and I know that sometimes you just want to do something normal."
"Yeah, normal would be nice," said Trip with a derogatory laugh. He threw the burnt out circuit across the corridor with a sigh, more from defeat than anger. "I hear that I've been talking in my sleep."
"Yeah, it's been a little disturbing at times," said Archer.
"If it's disturbing for you, imagine how I feel having that running around my head," said Trip. "I guess I never thought that I'd ever get rid of them. I'm kind of used to them helping out when I'm working on something."
"I can't imagine what it's been like for you these past months, but I do know you've had a hard time. This binary stuff is just temporary, until Phlox perfects the removal process, and I know that he's really close," said Archer.
"Yeah, he told me. I just don't know how and what to feel at the moment. I just want all of this to be over," said Trip.
"So give yourself some time, you should be resting not working," said Archer.
"I don't want to rest. It seems like I've spent all my time lately in sickbay and I've got things to do," replied Trip. "Mama Tucker didn't raise her boy to lie around doing nothing all day."
"You're recovering from a terrible experience, Trip," said Archer. "Anyone else would be happy to lie in bed for a while."
"Okay, so I know I'm not a hundred percent, but if Phlox is right, I never will be a hundred percent while the nanites are in my bloodstream. I need to go back on duty. Please, Captain. I have to get out of sickbay, it's driving me mad," said Trip, pleadingly.
Archer sighed, "half time duty only."
"Captain…" began Trip in protest.
"Trip, you said it yourself, you're ill. Phlox and I spoke about what you should be doing, and that didn't include working double shifts in Engineering, and I know you would, before you try to deny it. Half time duty is the best you're going to get from me," said Archer. "Plus, no climbing ladders, no crawling through jeffries tubes and no working alone. And I will be briefing your staff to make sure you don't do a minute more than Phlox has agreed you can. If I get any reports that you're not playing by the rules then I'll confine you to quarters myself."
"Okay, okay," said Trip, holding up his hands in defeat. "So if I agree to all that, I don't have to go back to sick bay?"
"Not unless your condition changes, but I did promise Phlox that you'd spend the remainder of today resting. Plus you do have to go and see Phlox for regular check ups, every other day. We're only trying to do what's best for you," said Archer, forestalling anymore complaints from Trip. He paused wondering how to broach the next subject that he had to raise with Trip. "There's something else we need to discuss."
"What's that?" asked Trip.
"Malcolm," said Archer.
"I don't want to talk about him," said Trip, immediately moving his gaze to the floor.
"What happened wasn't his fault," said Archer.
"How wasn't it his fault?" exploded Trip. "He stood there and let them kidnap me! I don't know if I can forgive him for that."
"You don't know the whole story, Malcolm was being coerced," said Archer. "When he was posted to Starfleet HQ he had some training duties. And, well… Malcolm had an affair with one of his students."
"He what?" asked Trip, in surprise. "Our Lieutenant everything-by-the-book Reed? The same guy who told you that you were lax on discipline?"
"The very same. Lieutenant Davis kidnapped Malcolm's girlfriend and used her against him. Davis threatened to kill her if Malcolm helped you."
"He could have said something," said Trip. "If he'd told us we might have been able to help."
"You have to realise, he wasn't thinking too clearly," said Archer.
"Yeah, I got that," said Trip. "Is she okay? His girlfriend?"
"He rescued her after they took you so that she wouldn't be in any danger when we mounted a mission to get you back. She's here on Enterprise, her name is Ensign Jessica Carruthers. Once he knew she was safe he put together the plan to infiltrate the weather station," said Archer.
"Weather station?" asked Trip.
"That was where they were holding you, a weather research station in orbit around Earth," said Archer.
"I never knew where I was. They didn't ever let me out of my cell," said Trip.
"I'm sorry," said Archer.
"Sorry for what?" asked Trip.
"I never should have gone off into the Expanse and left you," said Archer. "It accomplished nothing and I left you unprotected."
"I'm not completely helpless, I can look after myself," said Trip.
Archer smiled. "I'm beginning to wonder about that."
"You brought Ven Dath back. I mean, I wasn't so sure that was a good idea but at least Phlox reckons he's got most of the formula to remove the nanites. You weren't to know that Davis was planning to kidnap me," said Trip.
"But Malcolm warned me Davis wasn't just here to guard you. I knew he was up to something," said Archer.
"Even if you'd been here they still would have found a way to get me," said Trip.
"At least we don't have to worry about Davis anymore," said Archer.
"We don't?" asked Trip.
"He's dead. Malcolm killed him," said Archer.
"Oh," said Trip. "What happened?"
"I haven't had his report yet, but as far as I can work out, Davis attacked him and he ended up drowning in a vat of nanites."
"Nasty," said Trip.
"Malcolm feels really guilty about letting them take you," said Archer.
"Figures," said Trip. "He'd blame himself for the invention of gunpowder if he could. I guess I'd better talk to him."
"It might help," said Archer. Trip yawned. "But not today. You need your rest and Phlox will kill me if I let you get too tired."
"I'm not tired," said Trip, indignantly.
"I don't want you passing out from exhaustion," said Archer. "And you know the rules, half duty and complete rest today."
Trip tried to stifle another yawn but failed. "I guess I am still tired," said Trip.
"Come on, I'll walk you back to your quarters while I tell you what we have planned for the next few days," said Archer. Trip nodded and the two of them made their way down the corridor towards Trip's quarters.
"T'Pol and I are going down to Earth for the conclusion of her tribunal. I'm also hoping that we can track down Nash while we're there," said Archer. "I'm leaving you in charge until we get back."
"You sure about that? Even after Phlox told you that I'm not fully fit?" asked Trip.
"I think you can cope with looking after Enterprise while the repairs are being carried out, and you'll have Malcolm as your deputy. Think you can deal with that?" asked Archer. He believed that it was important that Trip felt as if everything was back to normal, or at least as normal as it could be at the moment.
"Yeah, we can work together. I don't have to like the man to make sure we keep to the repair schedule," said Trip.
"I know you're both professionals but I'd prefer it if you found a way to talk this through," said Archer.
"Yeah, but I need some time," said Trip. "I really did think that Malcolm had betrayed me. Davis had me thinking that no one was going to come looking for me. I wasn't sure if you'd even make it back from the Expanse, let alone be able to find me once you did. T'Pol was busy with her Dohn Zhu, I didn't think she'd have time to worry about me."
"It was all mind games," said Archer.
"I should have known better than to listen to that bastard," replied Trip. "I know you all better than to think you'd just let me rot there, but I can't just change how it made me feel with the flick of switch."
"You were drugged and scared. Davis was using your fears to keep you in line and you still managed to give them a hard time," said Archer.
"I wouldn't do what they wanted, I couldn't just let them use me as a lab rat. But in some ways what Malcolm did hurt more than the tests," said Trip, shaking his head as if he could shake loose the memory.
"I know, but Nash is the one to blame here. And I can promise you that he is going to pay for all the trouble that he's caused," said Archer.