Series Title: Star Trek—The Continuing Voyages of the Enterprise
Author: ginamr
Story Title: Paradise Lost
Story Number in Series: One
Story Part: Three
Season Four
Episode Number in Season: 24 (Of course, bumping the episode number on These Are the Voyages a little higher.)
Episode Number in Series: 098
Genre: Science Fiction/Angst/Action/Adventure
Rating: PG-13
Possible spoilers: Broken Bow through Terra Prime
Author's Note: The 'noisy header' is only in the first story and serves as an introduction to what my virtual series will be about. Also, the bold stuff is communicator and italics is thoughts. Bold and italics is Trip and T'Pol's communication through their bond. And this: T'N'T T'N'T T'N'T T'N'T indicates scene breaks.
Disclaimer: Only new characters and the new plots are mine. The original characters belong to Paramount. I receive no monetary reward for my work; my only reward is the joy of creating.
Last time on Star Trek: Enterprise… Paradise Lost Part Two
Captain's Log
I have just received a communication from the Columbia indicating that they have a passenger who might have a lead that would help our investigation into the disappearance of Commanders Tucker and T'Pol. We should be meeting up with them within the hour.
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A half hour later…
Hoshi looked up from the comm. panel. "Sir, the Columbia is in range."
Archer nodded. "All stop, Ensign."
"All stop, sir. Aye."
"Open a channel, Hoshi."
Hoshi nodded. "Channel open, sir."
"Glad you could make it, Captain."
Erika's smiling face appeared on the viewer. "It's good to see you, too, Captain."
Archer smiled. "I hear you have an important passenger aboard."
Erika nodded. "With your permission, I'd like to accompany our passenger onto Enterprise."
Archer inclined his head in agreement. "Lieutenant Reed will guide you through the Launch Bay procedures." Archer turned to Reed. "As soon as you've finished, report to the Launch Bay."
Reed nodded. "Aye, sir."
With this, Archer stood and entered the lift, headed for the Launch Bay.
Archer waited outside of the Launch Bay for several minutes before Reed arrived. "Captain Hernandez is aboard, sir," Reed reported.
Archer nodded. "Let's see who this important passenger is, then."
The two entered the Launch Bay just as Erika was exiting the Shuttlepod. When she caught sight of them both, she inclined her head. "Captain, Lieutenant."
"Welcome aboard, Captain," Archer said, smiling.
Erika returned the smile. "I'm sure you're dying to know whom I've brought with me."
Archer nodded. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am."
Erika turned back to the Shuttlepod where the passenger was making her exit. "I'm sure you remember Ms. Brooks, Captain."
Gannet smiled. "Good to see you again, Captain."
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Play Intro. Music
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Archer nodded and smiled, extending his hand. "Ms. Brooks."
Gannet took it, shaking his hand for a moment before releasing it. She then turned smiling to Reed. "Lieutenant. I'm sorry that our first meeting wasn't under better circumstances."
Reed nodded. "As am I."
"Perhaps this time, the situation will turn out better."
"We all hope so…for Commander Tucker and Commander T'Pol's sakes."
Archer cleared his throat. "You have information on the Commanders's possible whereabouts?"
Gannet nodded. "We have reason to believe that Terra Prime is behind the abduction of your officers."
"But Paxton's sitting in a prison cell on the lunar colony."
"Or so Starfleet thinks. Our information tells us that Paxton has managed to successfully clone himself."
Reed frowned. "So we have Paxton's clone on lunar colony?"
Gannet nodded. "And we also believe that Paxton is again attempting to create a child using the Commanders's DNA, although we're still not sure what he intends to do with the child."
"Do you know where the Commanders's are?"
"We suspect that Terra Prime is holding them captive in a facility on Yvedra VI."
Archer frowned. "Isn't that one of the planets we studied early on in the mission?"
Reed nodded. "Commander Tucker will recognize where they are if he sees a member of that squirrel-like species that kept following him because it smelled pecans in his pockets. Hopefully, they'll at least be able to escape into the forest. The groves are rather thick and that should provide some cover."
"So that's the first place that we should look?"
Reed nodded. "Commander Tucker will most likely hide in those woods."
Archer nodded and made his way toward the nearest comm. panel, pressing the button with his thumb. /Archer to Bridge. Set a course to Yvedra VI, maximum warp. Engage on my mark./ Archer turned to Erika, smiling. "Would you care to join us, Captain?"
Erika smiled and nodded. "It would be my pleasure, Captain." With this, Erika slipped her communicator out of her pocket and flipped it open, pressing her thumb to the button. Hernandez to Columbia.
Columbia. Go ahead, Captain, the first officer Commander Cross answered.
You have the conn, Commander. Enterprise is heading toward Yvedra VI to look for its missing officers. Meet us here in four hours.
Aye, ma'm. Cross out.
Archer smiled. "I'm needed on the Bridge."
"I'll accompany you, then. A Captain's place is always on the bridge no matter what the ship."
Archer nodded. "Then, Mr. Reed, if you could find Ms. Brooks some guest quarters and then report to the bridge…"
"With all due respect, Captain," Gannet interrupted. "I can help."
"You've been a great deal of help already, Ms. Brooks."
"I know their defense systems, Captain. I know their facility. I can help you bring the Commanders back safe and sound."
Archer exchanged a hesitant look with Reed. "Maybe she could help us, sir. She's not a security risk. She is on our side."
Archer sighed and nodded. "Alright, Ms. Brooks."
Gannet grinned. "You won't regret this, Captain."
"See that I don't."
"I will, sir…and call me Gannet…please. I haven't been called Ms. Brooks since high school."
Archer nodded and turned to Reed. "Mr. Reed, be sure that Gannet has access to the information she needs."
Reed gave a sharp nod. "Aye, sir." Reed then turned to the young woman. "Ms. Brooks, if you'll accompany me to the bridge."
Once Reed had turned to leave, Gannet fought to cover her grin as she followed him out, leaving Archer and Erika alone. They were silent for a few moments before Archer inclined his head toward the door smiling. Erika returned the smile and headed toward the exit. Archer chuckled, laying his hand lightly on the small of her back, gently guiding her out of the Launch Bay, his hand falling back to his side once they were in the corridor.
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"I think we managed ta lose 'em," Trip said, gasping for breath. "Damn, your fast. Stop for a second and give me a chance ta catch my breath."
T'Pol stopped and looked over her shoulder for a moment before moving to his side. She knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked up smiling as he took in air through his nostrils.
"You were great back there. Real quick thinkin'."
"I was merely taking advantage of the situation," she replied coyly.
Trip nodded and a few moments of silence passed before he spoke. "It's gettin' mighty dark. We should find a clearing and start a fire. It'll be gettin' cold soon."
T'Pol nodded. "And we should gather fruit for consumption."
Trip nodded. "I don' think it's that wise for us ta split up, though. If we get lost or if those guards come after us, we could be in for a heap of trouble."
"Perhaps we should stay close together. Certainly, there will be edible fruits in the vicinity of logs and kindling for a fire."
"Alright, let's get started, then."
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Two hours later…
Trip grinned as he carried the animal carcass to the fireside. "Main course…whatever in the hell you call this thing."
T'Pol frowned and wrinkled her nose. "Was it truly necessary to kill the creature and bring the body all of the way back to camp?
Trip's grin dissolved to be replaced by a frown. "Sorry, darlin'. Forgot ya don't like meat…or the smell of it."
Trip moved to the farthest reaches of the clearing and set the animal down, looking around for a couple of rocks. At last, he found one with a sharp edge and used the larger, rounder rock to shape it into a crude stone arrowhead.
"What tool did you use to kill the creature?"
Trip turned to her grinning. "My bare hands. It attacked me in the grove while I was gettin' more wood. Took me a little over an hour to wrestle it to the ground. Damn thing was nearly dead by that point so I just used a sharp stick and a heavy rock to put it out of its misery," he said pointing to the gash in the carcass's stomach and then the blood seeping from the head.
T'Pol grimaced slightly. "How…humane…of you."
Trip frowned. "It was dyin', darlin'. I jus' couldn' bring myself ta leave it there."
"Yet you are satisfied with your deed."
"How often does a man wrestle a strong critter like this ta the ground?"
"It is a very primitive aspect of your culture that is very troublesome, your need to defeat nature armed with only your strength."
Trip frowned. "When I was in high school, my buddies and I wrestled alligators for sport. There's something about the risk to your life that brings ya closer ta nature."
T'Pol said nothing, a tense silence hanging between them before she stood and moved to his side, taking two rocks and following his example. Trip's eyebrows shot up and he just stared at her for a moment before he returned his attention to the creation of his tool.
"It would be disrespectful to the animal's katra to leave his physical body to decay. Also, you will require more than fruit to maintain your strength. This animal's flesh will provide you with many days of sustenance. We could be here a very long time before the crew finds us."
"What 'bout you, darlin'?"
"I will be fine. Vulcans can go many days without sustenance. The fruit should sustain me until we can return to Enterprise."
Trip nodded and there was a silence between them until T'Pol spoke. "You are still having difficulty walking."
Trip looked up and frowned. "What do ya expect? I sprained my ankle. It isn't goin' ta heal in a couple of hours."
"Perhaps you should not walk on it as much."
Trip scowled. "I'll be fine. I managed ta run so I think I can handle a bit of walkin'."
"Nonetheless, it would not do for you to put further strain on your injury lest you cause it to worsen."
Trip went back to his work muttering something under his breath that sounded distinctly like women.
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"We're within range of the planet, sir," Mayweather announced.
"Good. Drop to impulse and put us in a high circular orbit over the northern continent."
"Aye, sir."
"We are within visual range, sir."
"Put it on the viewer, Lieutenant."
Reed nodded and did as his Captain asked. Against the dark, ominous background of space, the blue-green orb glowed majestically as the vicious white clouds swirled around it. As Enterprise drew closer, the orb seemingly increased in size, the spots of brown and dark blue that dusted the planet becoming more obvious.
"Prepare a team, Lieutenant."
Reed nodded and left the bridge, headed for the Armory.
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A few moments later…
Archer had left the bridge to Hoshi and entered the lift with Erika, intending to go down to the surface with the Lieutenant and his team. They now approached the Armory. Upon entering, they witnessed Reed giving the final orders to his team.
"Protect the Commanders's lives at all costs."
Archer cleared his throat and Reed turned abruptly. "Sir?"
"My chief engineer and my science officer are down there, Lieutenant. I don't intend to stay behind."
Reed nodded turning to Erika. She shrugged. "I'll be of more help on the surface than I will be here."
Reed said nothing, making his way toward the weapons locker, opening it and removing two more phase pistols. He returned offering one to each of them and they took them, giving a nod of acknowledgement.
"We're looking for a stealthy approach, sir, and there's some kind of field around the planet preventing us from using the transporter. We'll need to approach the compound from the far side. The Shuttlepod has been prepped, sir."
Archer nodded. "Good. Then let's get moving." With this, Archer, Reed, Erika, and the two members of Reed's team made their way toward the Launch Bay.
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Trip frowned, sitting abruptly upright. "What was that?" T'Pol didn't respond. "It sounded like footsteps."
The crunching noise grew gradually louder and Trip reached for the weapon that he had taken from the guard earlier. His heart raced in his chest, his breathing quickening and growing more labored.
T'Pol had looked to him when she had begun to hear the crunching of leaves. Knowing that her hand weapon was far too dangerous, she picked up a heavy, round stone, ducking behind a boulder peering over its top, her heart racing as well as the footsteps came closer.
They brought their weapons to ready when several shadows were cast across the ground. Acting purely on instinct, T'Pol dropped the rock and leapt at the lead figure, pinning him to the ground, bringing her fist back to strike. She was surprised to find that the figure she was pinning to the ground was none other than Captain Archer.
"Nice to see you, too, T'Pol," Archer teased.
T'Pol released him immediately, standing and offering her hand for him to do the same. Archer took it, nodding, and she pulled him up.
"Jesus, Captain. We didn' recognize ya. We thought it was those guards comin' after us."
"So I see," Archer said, smiling wryly as he threw a glance first at T'Pol and then at the weapon Trip was holding which was still focused on him.
Trip mumbled an apology and set the weapon down, standing and moving to greet Archer.
"It's good to see you in one peace, Commander," Erika offered, smiling.
Trip returned the smile. "Glad ta see ya aren't one of the guards that were after us, ma'm," Trip returned, a slight bit of humor in his tone.
"Commander," Reed greeted.
Trip chuckled. "Where's the rest of the cavalry?"
"This is it, I'm afraid."
Trip smiled wryly. "Well, how are we gettin' out of here? The transporter?"
"There's some kind of field preventing us from using the transporter. We came down in a Shuttlepod."
Trip frowned. "It's goin' ta be kind of a tight squeeze on the way back, don' ya think?"
"We didn't have a choice, Trip."
Trip nodded and picked up his weapon. "Well, let's get going." Trip winced as he took a step forward, his injury causing him to limp.
"I will assist you," T'Pol said, moving to his side immediately, much to the surprise of the others.
"I don' need help. I can walk." He winced again as he took another step forward.
Immediately, T'Pol grabbed his free arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Allow me to assist you," T'Pol said, an almost pleading note in her voice.
Trip sighed, resigning himself to needing her help, and nodded. T'Pol wrapped an arm around his waist, helping him to move forward.
"Where to, sir?"
Archer nodded and lead the way out of the clearing and back toward the Shuttlepod.
TBC