Extraordinarily enough, it gave me an idea for this chapter. So the bubble credit should really go to her/him so thanks Wolfling!
Sorry this took so long. I'm in the process of moving to another computer, the only thing halting me down is the internet.
Bleeping was heard on a console in an English home in Portsmouth. It went unheard for a matter of minutes before a neatly dressed woman answered it. She missed her only son considerably and looked forward from hearing him soon. Every day was the same, the same hope but alas, letters never came and she gave up trying.
When she looked at the screen, she saw that this message was from a Starfleet vessel by the name of Enterprise. Raising her eyebrows she speculated this briefly before accepting the connection. A familiar face came onto the screen.
He had contacted her once before, asking about Malcolm's favourite food. She was curious as to why he was asking this but she said nothing at the time. Stuart had been the one answering.
It was Captain Jonathan Archer. Stuart, of course, never had liked him but Mary did. He amused her in some way when he looked happy.
Captain Archer's face looked grave and sincere. Not a thread of happiness lurked in his green eyes and she instinctively knew that something was wrong.
"Captain…what's happened?" Mary asked quietly. Stuart was asleep and she didn't want to wake him yet. Madeline was in the next room and Mary knew Madeline loved her brother dearly.
" I'm afraid to report that an event has happened to your son Mrs. Reed."
Mary's eyes widened, her eyebrows rising in wonder.
"What has happened to Malcolm Captain?" She said in a quiet whisper.
"I'm sorry to say that your son, Lieutenant Reed, drowned on an away mission. We tried to go in after him but there was something in the water…"
Archer got no further. Mary burst into tears not caring if she woke her husband up who now had come running into the room.
"What's the meaning of this Captain?" Stuart Reed demanded of Archer but Mary began speaking amongst her loud sobbing.
"Malcolm…dead… drowned!" Mary spoke no more but it was all Stuart needed. It stunned him. His one and only son, dead. In a strange sense of self-consolation Stuart was pleased that Malcolm, the heir of the traditional roots, which Malcolm had broken had died in the cold murky depths of the sea. It brought him some satisfaction but he was proud of the one who broke the line.
He looked at Archer who nodded slightly, his face grim. Stuart then knew that this Captain had respected both his Son and Armoury Officer to a very high degree.
Mary's loud sobs eventually brought Madeline in the room. At first she rushed to her mother but then looked at the man on the screen to her father. It had to be about her beloved brother. It just had to be.
Her father looked taken aback, stunned and she told him gently to sit down before he fell down. He complied, perching on an old rose-printed armchair. Leaning forward she faced Archer. 'What happened?'
Sighing softly and taking a deep breathe. Archer repeated the catastrophic news to her. Her features fell about in shock, anger and tears.
"No! You're lying! It can't be true!"
"I'm really sorry. He was a good man and will be missed throughout Starfleet."
Madeline took a moment to respond but she only nodded. She heard a bleep from Archer's end and he answered the call. He looked puzzled from what Madeline could see but she couldn't really care. All she could care about was about her brother. The loss was painful. Of course she knew he could die out there but she never really thought about it, she had always figured he'd be back home, invincible, as he always seemed to be to her.
"I have to go. My condolences Mr. And Mrs. Reed." Madeline nodded and Archer's face disappeared from the screen, which was soon replaced with the Starfleet logo.
"I don't believe it" Stuart stuttered. It was all too much "I'm getting a drink" he stood and wavered towards the drinks cabinet in the room. He got a bottle of whisky and a couple of glasses and sat back down again, pouring a generous amount into the glasses.
Mary just took one and swallowed the whole contents. Stuart just followed her lead. Madeline shook her head, not believing that Stuart was drinking over the death of his son.
"Father…what are we going to do?" For once in her life she didn't know where to put herself. Her father however hadn't listened.
"What have I done? I never even gave him the chance, I never respected his choice" Stuart downed another glass "There was so much that needed to be said and now I will never be able to say it to him."
Madeline crossed over to him and took the glass from his hand; she put it next to the bottle. She huggedher fatherfor all that it was worth in the world, knowing her father, the one and only Stuart Reed felt remorse for what he said and did to his only son and heir
Aphri smiled She knew there was a lot of questions swimming in Malcolm's mind. This was not new to her. Many before spoke similar questions that Malcolm Reed held. Many races had come here and each time the Ocean Blue took one away. No one knew why she did this but with every patient coming through the mermen were beginning to understand and respect her more, living in harmony with her wishes.
Hermes smiled as he handed Malcolm the staff that the small, two-legged human claimed to be "Neptune's Staff" whatever that was.
"This will guide you along and protect you from those who live here but are evil. The fish won't guide you all the way Malcolm Reed but the light from the world above will."
Malcolm only nodded. He did not care to think what kind of fish would be guiding him. It'd be rather like David and Goliath. He was David, and this 'fish guide' would be Goliath he thought sourly and waited.
This fish was about the size of a Yellow-Fined Tuna Malcolm thought. It had iridescent lights along its side and its mouth was hooked like a Salmon's. As far as Malcolm could tell this fish could go at great speeds if it wished it so.
Aphri smiled and bowed slight, her tail fin wallowing in the depths.
"It is time for you to go. I hope your phobia has been dispelled"
He nodded not trusting himself to speak.
The fish eyed him for a moment and motioned for Malcolm to follow and swam slowly upwards. Swallowing slightly, he followed the creature. He glanced back at Hermes and Aphri. They had helped him so, hesitantly, he waved to them and they returned the gesture with smiling faces.
Suddenly, he came to realize what water meant to him. It was another being, another source. Man could not survive without it yet man still feared it so. The water scares back in the year 2005 caused a panic through England. If there were not enough water, the human race would cease to exist. He also learned he now respected the depths more than he had. Before he wished simply to be away from it all, to escape the death that would surely come.
"What is it Hoshi?"
Hoshi faced him and he saw a glimmer of hope in them that was not there when he left for his ready room to tell Malcolm's parents the bad news.
"I believe I have some information that concerns Lieutenant Reed Sir. I just got a message from an unknown source that our Armoury Officer is alive and well. They say they are called mermen and that Malcolm Reed will be able to tell us about them when he arrives. They've given us coordinates of where he should be"
Every face in the nerve center looked at the young Japanese woman. She smiled awkwardly, silently wishing for someone to break the silence that had crept up on them.
"Are…are you sure Hoshi?" Archer breathed, hope returning to his green eyes.
"According to what the message states, yes I am sure Captain" she nodded to affirm.
Jonathan Archer sat in his chair trying to make sense of this new and blunt information. Malcolm was alive after all but he had drowned. They saw him drown, sinking into the merciless depths. Archer knew that Reed was afraid of the water, that he was aquaphobic. He had found out while Malcolm was pinned to Enterprise's hull with that Romulan mine that the Romulans left behind.
"T'Pol…what do you think?" He had to have a second opinion of this new information.
"I am not sure if this information would be true or not but it would be logical to return to the planet at the stated coordinates Captain. We should make sure if the people who sent the message will be true to their word. Lieutenant Reed is a valuable member to this crew and if this information is true, we cannot afford to ignore it."
Archer smiled 'Then that's exactly what we'll do. Archer to Tucker" He said briskly after pressing on the comm. Button. He waited for Trip to reply.
Trip came through on the comm. somewhat strained.
'Yes Cap'n? I'm rather busy as of now' Archer noted the raw emotion in his friend's voice. Malcolm and Trip were rather close friends since their little bout in the shuttle pod while Enterprise herself rescued the tesnians and that it had strengthened a great deal.
'I'm sure this new information will supercede it Trip. Information has come to light that our weapon loving Brit is still alive and that he is well. I know you'd like to come with us on the away mission so I was wondering on whether you could prep a shuttle pod for us?"
There was a pause at Trip's end of the line before the southerner decided to answer.
"Sure Cap'n…are you sure that he is? It could be false information Sir" Trip replied hesitantly. This was one of the few that Trip doubted words of his best friend.
"We think it's better to be on the safe side, or as T'Pol says it, the logical choice." Archer returned.
"Okay Cap'n, I'm righ' on it" Trip said with newfound hope.
Malcolm found it increasingly difficult to keep in pace with the streamlined fish that was leading him to the surface. He tightened his grip on the staff that Hermes had given him. His mind wandered to his friends back on Enterprise. They must think that he was dead. He knew at one point when the sea had dragged him that someone dove into the water but hadn't followed. He knew now that she had thrown him back into the pea green boat.
He wondered if they missed him either as their Armoury officer or as their friend. Or both perhaps Malcolm thought. He knew Trip might miss him, as he knew they had built a strong friendship, even if they had their 'department arguments' as the subordinates said to them in passing once.
His mind snapped back to the present when the fish tapped him with a sharp fin. The fish's fathomless eyes disconcerted Malcolm terribly and had to re-compose when he found the fish right in front of his face.
The fish spoke to him but it came through telepathically or so Malcolm had guessed.
"This is where I leave you Reed" The fish's voice was sharp and very blunt. The harshness of the fish's voice went through Malcolm like wire through cheese. 'You can swim by yourself from now on. Keep a look out for those who are evil Reed'
Malcolm tried talking back and found to his surprise it worked. 'How will I know who these evil ones are?'
"They are hunters of the waters. They are big with fathomless black eye and swift tail. Perfectly streamlined and agile. Their teeth are continuous Reed. Beware of them" The fish nodded slightly and put a fin on Malcolm's shoulder. He tensed slightly before relaxing again. "Good luck…you are in need of it"
With a nod the fish swam away leaving Malcolm to fend for himself. Malcolm watched the fish's swift movements, swinging his tail side to side.
Malcolm nodded a silent goodbye before heading upwards. It didn't take long for another fish to come near him. Malcolm eyed the fish suspiciously and took note of the similarities that his fish friend spoke of. The streamlined flanks shone brightly in the water where the light above reflected off it.
The fish saw its prey, clutching the staff in its hands. It was vulnerable and friendless. The fish had waited till its friend had swum away from the vulnerable prey. It eyed and then picked up speed to get ready for the attack
Malcolm spun on the spot keeping an eye on the hunter. Now this was Goliath Malcolm thought as he spun round. Getting his only line of defense ready in front of him. For the first time in life he was more scared of the fish circling steadily around, gradually picking up speed than he was of the water he was in.
The hunter swam faster and faster and his vision was still as sharp, nothing was blurred in his stead. The prey looked tastier by the minute and he couldn't take it any longer. The fish went in for the kill, darting sharply towards the intended victim.
Malcolm pointed the head of the staff towards the oncoming shark-like creature. The fish opened its great, cavernous mouth, revealing the endless plain of grimy, razor-sharp thorn shaped teeth. Malcolm prayed for luck and victory against this grand fish and they fought. The fish thrashed its long tail at the two-legged morsel and it doubled over but it was quick to attack back at the fish with its three-pronged weapon
Suddenly, without warning the weapon glowed red and grew in size. The fish, blinded by the strange light, swam away from the source. The light enclosed around Malcolm; protecting him in a red, glowing bubble. With all his remaining strength, he swam to the surface.
He surfaced like humpback, gasping for air. The protective bubble stayed with Malcolm until he reached the shore. He climbed with difficulty onto the sandy beach and rolled onto his side, heaving with a fast beating heart.
The fight had taken its toll of him and Malcolm knew strength was leaving him. He felt a sudden urge to get nearer to the trees ahead and forced himself onto his feet, using the staff as a third leg. He made it to a large redwood and sat down heavily, using the thick trunk for a backrest and tried to calm his breathing and to slow his pacing heart. The glow slowly faded and Malcolm waited.
He watched the sea, as it grew dark. He silently thanked Hermes and Aphri who lived in the water's hold. He also thanked the sea for releasing him of his fear and he hoped for a known face.
None came for hours and Malcolm slowly drifted into a deep sleep, slumped against the tree trunk. His legs spread out for support and his hands stayed near to his lap, one hand resting on his thigh and the other on the ground.
To overcome your fear you must look in it's eye, eye to eye. You must give it respect and show understanding for you to overcome what fears you. - Source Unknown.
A/N: I really enjoyed writing this chapter and i hope you have to. The button is beckoning you...